Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Gleam by Raven Kennedy

79 reviews

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

shannon_magee's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-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

2.0

Up until about 80% this book was reading as the best of the series so far (despite an aggressive amount of analogies in the writing that made it a struggle to read. You could tell they wanted to be lyrical and meaningful, perfect for a blurb or social media quote, but there were just too many of them and they were too extended, clunking up the narrative. The pace also seemed highly confused, which wound up contributing to a clunky narrative). Unfortunately, at around 84%, this book became a dumping ground for trauma porn. Extensive trauma porn, in an already unabashedly trauma-tastic series. And the payoff is never satisfying enough to make going through the gleefully awful events in this book worth it. Every time I read a book in this series, I’m excited by the potential of the premise and the characters, and every time the writing is overdone and the dramatics so heightened it just leaves be hollow and disappointed. I truly don’t understand why the romantasy community is so happy with this series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

mreno5's review against another edition

dark tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

reneec1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence

xlaurareads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

5.0

screaming, crying, throwing up - this book was an absolute banger! i was anxious, i was sad, i was furious, happy, and completely torn apart. the character developmemt, the world-building, the plot twists - everything was amazing and thought through in greatest detail. the twist at the end of the book regarding midas? i wasn't expecting that and i was shocked to the bones. and the ending?

he deserved how auren ended him. every bit of it and more. i hate that bastard with all my heart.

the epilogue wasn't that much needed in my opinion although i greatly appreciate slade's perspective. and what i didn't like too much was the dirty talk. i mean, it was amazing..if it wasn't for the time this book is set in, that just didn't fit too well for me and disturbed my reading experience a teeny weeny bit. however, the book was so exceptional that i cannot for the life of me deduct points for this minor issue. this really might be new favorite series (and that means a lot after acotar had my heart for years). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

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

macykey's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny tense 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

3.75

There’s still some pacing issues in this book, but it was still so good! I want as much Slade as I can get!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

jasperw's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This one was my favorite of the series so far. I think Kennedy still sometimes overdoes the metaphors in her writing. It sometimes just feels a little comical with how many there. But overall a good continuation of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death and Sexual assault

imogen_reads_books's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, and Toxic relationship

nursemeghanreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

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