Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Gild by Raven Kennedy

128 reviews

pmphilly_92's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

Not my favorite writing, but I’m hopeful for this series. I found it really interesting seeing the dynamic between Auren and Midas play out. It’s clearly abusive and manipulative, but the main character doesn’t realize that yet. So you want to see her get past her love for him and step out of her cage, even if she’s infuriating in the mean time 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexism

brooketreads's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

1.0

Big content warning for sexual content and SA on page. If I hadn’t purchased this book on audible, I probably would have DNFed. I do see the potential, but my negatives far outnumbered that potential.

All the rest of this is major spoilers. I didn’t like how it started with an *rgy, and Auren is being forced to watch from her cage… but it was very confusing how she felt about it. Seemed like she didn’t like it, then it seemed like she did, but then it seemed like she didn’t because she wished to participate… confusing. But, somehow we are supposed to believe that King Midas loves the MC Auren… no. The whole concept of the “saddles” …barf. Then, oh Midas has a wife an hour and a half in that we haven’t heard about till this point. So not only is he massively sleeping around in front of the person that loves him and that he supposedly loves, but he also has a wife that is completely fine with him stepping out and even “purchased” him some of his “saddles” …again barf. And then left and right Auren is about to be r*ped by some gross man… why. Then, Auren watched another woman get r*ped when she could have stopped it the whole time and only stops it when that man is about to come for her… like wtf?!

If I continue the series, which right now doesn't seem promising, it will only be for Rip.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

skinnison9's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and War

savannahrosema's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Blood, and Grief

ninja5phinx's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Confinement

kaelizaco's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

deyknight's review against another edition

challenging dark funny sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Very well written, but I struggled to understand what the intended overall plot was through most of the book. It felt very much like this book was a pilot episode, laying the ground work, backstory, and world building... But we only really discovered the plot/conflict at the very end of the book. 

Also: definitely pay attention to the trigger warnings!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Torture

liv_182's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

thelibraryofjen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

Gild - Raven Kennedy 

BOOK ONE of The Plated Prisoner Series 

Synopsis ~~

I picked this book right when I bought it because I was just so excited. This story is a King Midas retelling, with a much darker twist. We follow our main character Auren who has been caged up in the castle for over 10+ years. She is King Midas favored and we know why he is her favorite because she is completely gold. 

Now for the things I didn’t like about this story is how late we meet the love interest. I was told this was a spicy romantasy and I just didn’t get that vibe at all. So if you go in expecting spicy scenes you will be disappointed. This story read more as a prequel book than has the first in a series. Be warned that there is a lot of grape scenes and the FMC has Stockholm syndrome so the choices and things she says can be a little weird for us, but for her that is all she knows. 

The things i enjoyed is the pacing of this book it was really good to follow along too. This book I would say is more character driven than plot, but the plot that is in their is good there’s just way more character development. I really enjoyed the ending and how it left us on a cliff hanger. I also really enjoyed how Auren’s character transformed, she isn’t a scared girl anymore. She has so much potential and I really hope the author does her character justice in the later books. I also enjoyed her relationship with her royal guard that was a cute daughter/father relationship. It was so sad when Sail died, I rarely cry to books but that made me tear up a bit. The author’s writing was really captivating and made me keep reading. People have complained that this story doesn’t feel like an adult fantasy but for me it really did. 

If you love:

⚜️ Fae

⚜️ Mythical Creatures 

⚜️ King Midas Retelling 

⚜️ Abused FMC 

⚜️ Fantasy 

⚜️ Magical Powers 

⚜️ Character development for FMC

⚜️ War

⚜️ Character/Plot driven story 

Genre/Type: Adult Fantasy, Romance (very little) 

Format: Physical Book (462 pages)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.⭐️ (4.5)

Spice: NONE (THERE IS GRAPE 🍇) 

Series or Standalone: First in a Series 

CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS ⚠️⚠️‼️‼️‼️ 

TikTok: @j3nslibrary_
Amazon: Jenesis 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

#AbusedFMC #MagicalCreatures #Characterdevelopment #MagicalPowers #Retelling

tatyadevotchka's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting