Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Gleam by Raven Kennedy

57 reviews

emilydaniellew's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Sexual violence

ameano_acid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I’m so sad that the next book isn’t out yet! Normally with series, I find the sequels can be lacking but this one keeps getting better and better!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Sexual violence

jackie_recommends's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Trafficking

Minor: Infertility

zoefripp4's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Torture

sam019's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

4.75

What a great series! Hate that the last two books aren't out yet. I read these books to take me out of my reading slump but I'm afraid I'm about to go right back into my slump. This series has everything, adventure, magic, fantasy, lovable caracters, brutality, tension, romance you name it. Love that the main character isn't dependent on the men in the series aswell, they play very important roles, but she grows and ultimately relies on her self for safety and her own personal growth. Love it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

alyssasaurus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

georgiaisreading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

caitlinbutcher's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and War

chellbear's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Pregnancy

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 violence, Slavery, and Sexual harassment