Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Gleam by Raven Kennedy

20 reviews

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

Thank you, Michael Joseph Penguin Publishing, for sending this book in exchange for an honest review. 

This book is still based on Auren. King Midas made her the woman she is today. The thing about being confined is that she believes it’s to keep the bad out, until Auren realizes it’s keeping her in. She is in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies but she is refusing to sit idly by and let herself wither. There is something that is lingering from the pit of her repression. Something dark and something angry. But the last thing she expected was for her anger to call out to him – King Ravinger. He is sinister and powerful and a bit seductive. She has learned her lesson trusting manipulative kings, so why does Auren’s chest constrict every time he is near? She needs to tread carefully, or she is at risk of losing more than just her freedom. Regret and revenge war inside of Auren and she needs to figure out a plan fast before she gets tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens. Auren is refusing to go back into a cage again. No, this time, she will be setting the trap. Auren is hoping her heart comes out unscathed. 

I loved this book, there wasn’t a lot of plot or storyline, but the character development had me in a choke, as this book went on, I went from feeling sorry for Auren and hoping she would be safe, to hoping she would kick some King’s ass. I loved her character development and I hope she learns to live with her power. I loved the banter between her and Slade and how they went from being disappointed in each other and ashamed to fighting for each other and literally threatening each other. I loved how Slade knew she had hit her limit and knew she was going to lash out. I’m really glad that Auren was the one to kill Rip and that he literally melted him away, he deserves the worst for what he did to Auren and Digby. I wanted to throw the book across the room in the last 20% I was on the verge of tears with what Rip did to Auren. I’m really glad he won’t be in the next book, because I was getting sick of him. I loved that we got to found out who Fake Rot was and I want to know more about him please.  

This book managed to slowly suck me into this world and series, I struggled with the first book, enjoyed the second one and screamed and cried at this book. I cannot wait for the fourth book in this series.  

First five star of 2023 and I didn’t expect it to be this book but I'm glad it is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Misogyny, Torture, Slavery, Pregnancy, Murder, Violence, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Stalking

katvou's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Slavery, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Murder, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Grief, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Addiction, Gore, Gaslighting, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, and Sexual assault

Minor: Physical abuse, Infertility, Medical content, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Death of parent, Excrement, Child death, and Emotional abuse

kayanoelle's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This was such a ride!!! I read this in two days and stayed up very late to read as much as I can. The character development in this book was incredible and I was always at the edge of my seat!! If you've already read the book, I don't need to tell you that the end was immensely gratifying lol I loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Drug use

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Slavery

lynnette_reads's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Slavery

rad_blackthorn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Torture, Drug abuse, and Trafficking

januaryt123's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Child abuse, Slavery, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Grief, Gore, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Confinement, and Addiction

nursemeghanreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Toxic relationship

cluckieduck's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

These books certainly keep getting better! Also, the fact that she’s managed to make the ribbons their own character is amazing (and heartbreaking, ngl).

I’m going to say that the extra length in this one that helped flesh out some of the characters and plot that was missing in books 1 & 2 for me, but the overall arc is settling in and progressing nicely, then BOOM. That last 20% was such an emotional roller coaster that left me reeling!

The expanding list of multiple POVs was appreciated, though I could do without any more from Malina (I get the reasons but man, she’s a whiny cow).

Excited to see where Glow takes us!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Addiction, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy and Classism

Minor: Vomit

novacaine's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Domestic abuse

geoblockreads's review against another edition

lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This wasn't the incredible read that booktok made it out to be.
I didn't hate it. I like the development of the world, the characters (bar the main character) are interesting. I really like the love interest too, the author did a good job of establishing him as a menacing, powerful dude with a weakness for the main character. 
But the prose is a real weakness, and has been across all the books so far. The author is trying really hard to add descriptive language, and use a lot of metaphors, but they're so forced and weird that they miss the mark most of the time. So many of them made me cringe, and really took me out of the book. Like 'his words stick to the soles of my feet' and 'white sheets over the furniture like cumbersome ghosts'. (?) what are cumbersome ghosts? Are the ghosts that get in the way? 
The dialogue is also a real weakness, with many conversations lacking chemistry or flow, because they feel very clichéd. Or because it is necessary for exposition, so it feels inorganic. 
I do think that the main characters development is interesting, which is something people emphasised in their reviews of it. But she's still kind of dumb? We're told that she understands Midas' mind, and his motivations. But she still plays into his hand over and over again. And the book ends that way too. 
Idk the plot is good, and the pacing is good, but the naive main character and clichéd prose bring the book down significantly. 
I also think constant sexual assault of the main character is gratuitous and over done, and I'm tired of it. It's not plot necessary at all. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Slavery