Reviews tagging 'War'

Gild by Raven Kennedy

63 reviews

lepsea's review against another edition

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dark mysterious relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

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bookishbabbles's review against another edition

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dark informative tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Where is the 🌶?! I was promised 🌶!!! Jk! This book was actually really interesting, I loved learning about king Midas and the MC who’s name I can’t remember… I like how she wasn’t fully submissive but she was a little naïve at times. This book is not as gross or explicit at people make it seem. There’s only one sex scene in the beginning and it’s used for world building. I’m excited for the next book!
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levesc17's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

King Midas retelling— he’s a very bad man. There are content warnings in this book but just as a reminder it’s a dark,
Adult book. Not dissimilar from game of thrones. It ends in such a way that I compulsively bought the second book, I have to know what happens next! 
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alicia_ann_reads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Exactly what I needed to read right now. Definitely check the trigger warnings.

I loved that I questioned things and disliked things about the MC but also liked that tiny little layers were peeled off throughout the book to give you glimpses of the true story.

This is dark and  I know right now who I want the love interest to be, but who knows!
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kaigar96's review against another edition

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I saw this book on tiktok and thought the premise sounded interesting. It was promoted as a fantasy romance and it is anything but a romance novel. The main character is one of many of king Midas’s concubines, but she’s his “special” one. They had a “relationship” before he became king so she makes excuses for him and still views him as someone who cares about her. 

The story takes place during warfare and it there are scenes of violence and bodily harm. See content warnings. 

The reason I am leaving a review is to warn others who are going into it thinking this is a romance story. It is not romance, or even dark romance, it is just fantasy with some sexual undertones. The sexual moments are not by choice. Just because the main character likes a guy, it is not enough to be considered part of the romance genre. In my opinion, it’s a story of a young girl who is “saved” by an older manipulative man and suffers from Stockholm Syndrome, is then kidnapped and again forced into sexual situations. Although she is in love, the main character is heartbroken, confined, and harmed throughout the story and never enjoys it. 
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januaryt123's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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poetry_shaman's review against another edition

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dark sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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noellelovesbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated

4.25

 Content Warnings: Sexual scenes, captivity, emotional-physical-verbal abuse, human trafficking, alcohol abuse, sexism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, blood/gore, violence, murder, rape, grooming, kidnapping, and sex trafficking. Mention of infertility and loss of parents.


I’ve heard so many great things about this series from friends and strangers alike. As the fourth book was just released, a bookish friend threatened to end our friendship upon learning I hadn’t read it, and I’d just finished a book that didn’t meet my expectations—I decided there wasn’t a more perfect time to start diving into this series and world.


As the way of many adult fantasies, this book has some heavy, very adult, topics within its pages. Though many talk about this series as romantic, this first book is definitely not that. I’m told at some point there will be an element of romance but currently, it’s an adult fantasy with some mystery, court politics, and political manipulation at play.


The narrative of this book is primarily through the eyes of Auren, a gold-touched trophy of King Midas. Their relationship seems to be a mix of transference/nightingale syndrome, grooming, and some Stockholm syndrome.


Rescued, at the tender age of 15, by Midas [who’s 7 years older than her, which wouldn’t be bad if she was idk at least 20 but 15 and 22…just no], Auren has always seen him as her knight in shining armor. She has been with him for 10 years, with no friendships or attachments other than him, and she loves him unconditionally. Kept within a cage—does it expand throughout the entire castle? Yes, but that’s not the point—Auren fails to see that she’s only a prop for Midas, a special tool he uses when he wishes.


I’m thrilled that, although a bit of a spoiler, many have already assured me that Midas will not be the actual love interest in this series. The way he treats her like a special pet, or trophy, taken out at his whim to impress others made me just really want to punch him right in his smug face.


Though naive, when it comes to Midas and court politics, I’m excited to see Auren’s journey of finding her own strength and starting to change the direction of her life. Auren has had a difficult life and just wants to have friendship and love…and I hope that as the series continues we’re able to see both of those things for her. 

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lovesickreadings's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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ka_ke's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Alright, I get the hype. While a dark romance/fantasy, Raven Kennedy has put together a masterpiece. I could have used stronger character development, but I expect that will come as I continue the series
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