Reviews tagging 'Death'

Gleam by Raven Kennedy

52 reviews

avialaeleigh's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I do not know what thr author put in thesr books but I cannot put them down. 

So much happened that I'm a little all over the place and have no idea where to start. 1st ladies, gents, and nonbinaries they finally did it not more flirting and half assed stolen kisses Auren and Slade finally did the dead, multiple times. And it was HOT 🔥🥵. I am not usually one that cares if there is full on smut in a romance book but in this one it was top tier *chefs kiss*. 

Also I just love the banter between Slade and Auren it's giving that perfect enemies to lovers vibe that we all die for. Also the banter between Auren and the wicked as well. She just fits right in with them and I can't wait to see them all together permanently. 

Also fucking finally Midas gets what he deserves. Especially after finding out that he was the Baren that we see in her flash backs to her past. What the fuck made him so intitled. If I could jump into the book I would torture him for all the shit he's done to Auren. It's fucking ridiculous. 

Also I cried when he cut of her ribbons. What the fuck is wrong with him? Did he really expect her not to retaliate at that? Is he that stupid or is under the assumption that she just a stupid girl that will just do what he says because he said it? Men are stupid. 

Also I am so glad we find out who fake Rip was. It's his mother fucking brother. I mean it makes sense given context but still. I hope we see more of him. And is he also Fae and if he is what are his powers? Will we learn the powers of the rest of the wicked? I guess we will find out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and War

keatonmarie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting

Minor: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence

micthebookdragon17's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Addiction and Trafficking

annikenr's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Torture, Vomit, Trafficking, and Injury/Injury detail

thelongroadtosanity's review against another edition

dark 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

"Love happens in all kinds of ways. Fast. Slow. In bits and pieces, or immediate. Filled with lust, one-sided longing, a snap realization never noticed before. Deeply. Thoroughly. Love is a whisper we didn’t hear or a sound that drums in our ears and drowns out everything else.”

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The tension in this was palpable. The slow burn, utterly amazing. I literally cannot wait for my book to come in two days so I can keep reading because WTF WAS THAT CLIFFHANGER OMG  

I also really enjoyed that the spice level in this series has escalated with this book and I can't wait to see what's in store for the characters. I feel like we were introduced to another big player in this so I am intrigued to see where her true allegiances lie. 

One of the most gut-wrenching, emotional, and devastating scenes I have ever read is in this book. 


I don't know if I can wait the 48 hours for the next book, but I will try my hardest. (07/2024)

5 out of 5 stars for true, emotional devastation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

beckyremillard's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bvippolito's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.5

Best book in the series so far for sure! Huge character building, interesting twists, and more back stories. 

Definitely more POV’s than necessary though. We get Auren, Midas, Milena, and Slade. Auren is really enough but I’m sure there will be a lot more to the Melina storyline. 

We get the romance between Slade and Auren but it’s actually not what I expected or wanted really. They speak in very modern terms and Slades language is really possessive which is odd considering the Midas story and Auren wanting to break away from that language but whatever 🤷‍♀️ its just much more lustful and passionate and romantic which didnt feel natural, though it WAS fun to read the spice, dont get me wrong.

Im excited to spend more time with the characters, especially Digby and the wraith 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting

mostlyharmless42's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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: Body horror and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

karydiazc's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-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

3.75

Everything was so predictable... except for that one last plot twist I definetly did not see coming, that last betrayal...
I loved it 

Midas was so manipulative all the way and finding out he was Barden East was the cherry on top, when he revealed everything he did to get to Auren... omg.
Also, Auren finally ending midas with gold was bliss. I kind of wish he suffered more, but still, it was gratifying.
I kind of wanted the nobles and the people to realize it was Auren all along who had the gold, but making asumptions about her being able to steal powers was better somehow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Gaslighting

frantically's review against another edition

dark emotional funny slow-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

3.5

The lit student in me, the critic, would like to rate this 3 or even 2 stars. Nothing happened. Just like in the last book. But the Aurip (?) stan in me won out.

You know, maybe sometimes we don't need a plot. Maybe some healing and some sex is enough.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape and War