Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Gleam by Raven Kennedy

15 reviews

crystalfaery's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Rape, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Murder, Alcohol, Death, Body horror, Physical abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexism, Kidnapping, Violence, Medical content, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

byeolbun's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Torture, Drug abuse, Blood, and Death

chaptersofamylea's review

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

‘You can’t cut off the strings of your puppet and still expect it to move for you.’

4 ⭐️ 

Hands down my favourite of the series so far, it felt gritty and I couldn’t put it down. Was it the best book I ever read? No. Was it entertaining as hell though? Yes. Having the MC get some character development in this book was everything I needed, I was rooting for them and totally here for her villain era (which I hope we see a lot more of!) I didn’t expect a few of the reveals and I’m shocked to say it makes me want to reread the series from the beginning to see if they were plotter throughout or if the knowledge makes me see the series differently. Still felt it could’ve had *more* and while I do like the romance element I’m not sold on it as everyone else seems to be. 

TWs: domestic abuse, controlling relationship, drugging, amputation as a form of punishment, ref to SA, graphic depictions and gore and violence 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

kodafaith's review

dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

This book actually hurt me to read. Seeing all of the trauma that Auren has endured makes you truly understand her behaviors, why she holds so tightly to Midas and pushes everything else away. Seeing her start to open her eyes to her abuse and then to literally have no choice to but to see

Because dear God Midas did you have to literally drug, mutilate, and torture this poor girl like stalking, brainwashing, using and manipulating wasn’t enough…. Thank god you died

what he has been doing all along.
The breaking in the end was so deserved but so freaking painful. To read everything she went through and just to think “Slade are you almost here… Slade she needs you… SLADE” but to know that Auren really needs to save herself. It was so nauseating to see her endure such painful trauma but I think that is a reason why this series has hit me so much harder than a lot of other fantasy out there…
Just so good. Can’t wait for more and to see how this story is going to end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse and Drug use

campisforever's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Listen, as part of the series the book is good. And the people who are upset about the perspective of the first sex scene are wrong—it’s great. 

There is, however, absolutely no reason this book should be almost 700 pages long. This one is slower than the other two, it drags, it repeats itself, and it includes points of view that aren’t necessary. Especially the last 70-100 pages, and the last two chapters (which are the same scene, word for word, from two different characters perspectives) are so slow and repetitive. I’m not into the “give me the same scene from this perspective now” because I think it’s lazy writing, honestly, so if I’d known I would have only read one of those chapters instead of both, because there was nothing additive about the second one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Addiction

Minor: Pregnancy and Trafficking

cluckieduck's review

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

ka_ke's review

dark medium-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? Yes

4.0

The spice makes it worth it. Without the spice it would have been unbearable. I enjoyed the Wrath, if they had been more than supporting characters it may have helped the book. Ultimately the twist did catch me off guard, but I wonder what Glow will be about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Classism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infertility, Violence, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Murder

alyssasaurus's review

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Body horror, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, and Confinement

finnickdeservedbetter's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Physical abuse and Torture

Minor: Body horror

michellemaas's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

First Read: 4.5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Second Read: 5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've seen a few other people say it as well, but I'll reiterate in case you missed it: best book in the series BY FAR! So many plot points finally came to rise in this installment, including but not limited too, Malina's rule, Rip and Auren's relationship, and Midas's relationship with Auren. There were also another few plot twists that were masterfully done, so that's something to look forward to.

Going on to some specifics, we'll start with AuRip. Kennedy has been teasing us with their undeniable sexual tension and chemistry since book one, so having that be resolved in Gleam was so satisfying. I enjoyed that their relationship wasn't immediately perfect and that Auren's feelings for Midas weren't immediately resolved as soon as Rip came into her life. Also, we get arguably one of the most iconic "Who did this to you?" scenes ever, so immediate props for that.

Next, I want to discuss the multiple point-of-views. Kennedy has been including multiple perspectives in this series since book 1, but this is the first book where I felt that truly added something to the stories. We got chapters from Auren, Midas, Rip, and Malina's perspectives and Kennedy did a masterful job of conveying each character's essence in their chapter. At the end of the book, we also get the climax told from both Auren and Rip's point-of-view which was especially cool as we always wonder what's going on in the other main charter' head when something big happens.

Then there was the inclusion of "the wrath". We got to see quite a bit more on them in Gleam and it was very refreshing. They are without a doubt some of the best charters in the series so having them be featured more was a definite highlight. I am crossing my fingers that some of them (I am totally talking about Lu) get their own chapters told from their perspectives in the next book.

I also can't do this review without mentioned Auren's meltdown. LEGENDARY I say. It was so well written and such a perfect end to her arc with Midas. Everything about the scene was brilliant and I want to give a shoutout to that.

Lastly, I just want to commend Kennedy for the way she resolved her plotlines. She brought an end to several storylines that started in book 1, without leeching the plot for future books. The way she resolved the plotlines she chose to end gave rise to new ones in a way that was fresh and makes me excited for the 4th installment. 

Great book and great writing. In case it wasn't clear, I am sitting on the edge of my seat until the next book gets released.

P.S. I am pretty sure I have mentioned this on every entry I've done on this series, but there are some major From Blood and Ash vibes to this series, so if you liked this series and are looking for something to read until Glow comes out, you should definitely give it a try.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Abandonment, Sexism, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture

Minor: Body shaming and Mental illness