Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Gleam by Raven Kennedy

77 reviews

hanreadssbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

“she's a burst of light in my dark, erupting life in the rotting depths 

of my soul. she is everything i don't deserve. but i'm going to keep her anyway.”

the feminine rage in this book was so beautifully written. i feel for auren and i hope she gets what she deserves when all is said and done, because this girl deserve the whole world. i could not put this down once i picked it up again (other reads got in the way, i fear) and there were so many twists and turns near the end that had my jaw dropping like crazy. i think i was sweating and having heart palpitations for the last third of the book lol. this was so. freaking. good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual assault and Torture

Minor: Addiction, Infertility, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Pregnancy

kaelizaco's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

trying_ceratops'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This series is getting crazy in a wonderful way! I immediately started the next one street finishing this one. The romance is everything you want from a dark-brooding type, the main character is so easy to root for and praise. The more you read, the more layers are exposed and mind is blown continuously. The only reason for docking .5 star is the pacing can be a bit slow sometimes to the point I put down the book and don’t pick it back up for a bit. That ending though! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

jurnee_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

rosencoffee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

lea_lea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

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

annikenr's review against another edition

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

raes_reading_nook's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

HOLY SHIT THIS BOOK. I could not stop until I finished it and of course, in true PP series fashion, it ends on a SERIOUS intensity that makes me want to start book 4 IMMEDIATELY. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence