Reviews tagging 'Infertility'

Gild, by Raven Kennedy

20 reviews

hanifah's review against another edition

3.0

i don’t really read fantasy without romance and i’m not a fan of retellings. however, i trusted goodreads when they told me this had romance (mistake) and i’m uncultured and did not know a thing about king midas before starting this book (shoutout to my brother for summarizing the famous tale to me)! blessings in disguise? maybe.

i didn’t hate it…it was just not what i expected. i got slightly bored and irritated towards the middle because where was the plot LOL. like i’m still looking for it. no catharsis whatsoever. nevertheless, i’m intrigued and although it seemed to be dragging on a times, reading this book went by relatively quickly. overall, it has potential so onto the next bitches. 

lastly, if you plan on giving this book a try, do not go into it with romance exceptions and please please check the content warnings because some parts were BRUTAL.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Infertility

micaelamariem's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was well written with an intriguing plot and great worldbuilding that had me flirting through chapters. However, there was too much on page sexual violence that we were only sometimes supposed to abhor as readers. The main character definitely has Stockholm syndrome and I don’t think that’s going to be addressed. I’m just so afraid we’ll see more toxic relationships develop as the series goes on but perhaps something will surprise me! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Gore, Violence, Blood, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Alcohol, Classism, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcoholism and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Infertility, Colonisation, and Death of parent

mandi7mm's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Rape

Moderate: Infertility and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, and Death

smashley_rr's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

2.75

Intriguing enough that I'm continuing the series, but also was definitely hyperfocused on world and character building as a first book. Lots of inner dialogue that drags sometimes. Again, interested enough for the next book, but need some sort of hook to keep going past that!
Some of the graphic descriptions could be triggering, be sure to check Content Warnings if that could be a problem for you!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Infertility, and Infidelity

Minor: Trafficking and Adult/minor relationship

noellelovesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.25

 Content Warnings: Sexual scenes, captivity, emotional-physical-verbal abuse, human trafficking, alcohol abuse, sexism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, blood/gore, violence, murder, rape, grooming, kidnapping, and sex trafficking. Mention of infertility and loss of parents.

I’ve heard so many great things about this series from friends and strangers alike. As the fourth book was just released, a bookish friend threatened to end our friendship upon learning I hadn’t read it, and I’d just finished a book that didn’t meet my expectations—I decided there wasn’t a more perfect time to start diving into this series and world.

As the way of many adult fantasies, this book has some heavy, very adult, topics within its pages. Though many talk about this series as romantic, this first book is definitely not that. I’m told at some point there will be an element of romance but currently, it’s an adult fantasy with some mystery, court politics, and political manipulation at play.

The narrative of this book is primarily through the eyes of Auren, a gold-touched trophy of King Midas. Their relationship seems to be a mix of transference/nightingale syndrome, grooming, and some Stockholm syndrome.

Rescued, at the tender age of 15, by Midas [who’s 7 years older than her, which wouldn’t be bad if she was idk at least 20 but 15 and 22…just no], Auren has always seen him as her knight in shining armor. She has been with him for 10 years, with no friendships or attachments other than him, and she loves him unconditionally. Kept within a cage—does it expand throughout the entire castle? Yes, but that’s not the point—Auren fails to see that she’s only a prop for Midas, a special tool he uses when he wishes.

I’m thrilled that, although a bit of a spoiler, many have already assured me that Midas will not be the actual love interest in this series. The way he treats her like a special pet, or trophy, taken out at his whim to impress others made me just really want to punch him right in his smug face.

Though naive, when it comes to Midas and court politics, I’m excited to see Auren’s journey of finding her own strength and starting to change the direction of her life. Auren has had a difficult life and just wants to have friendship and love…and I hope that as the series continues we’re able to see both of those things for her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Trafficking, Blood, Gore, Violence, Murder, Rape, Kidnapping, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Infertility and War

mypatronusisajedi's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Cursing, Rape, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infertility and Infidelity

eevacasey's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Animal death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Grief, Domestic abuse, Classism, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, and Murder

mixxroxy's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.0

OOOF, I did like the idea of this book, I'll be reading the next one. I like the world, I like the limited magic but check the trigger warnings because this was rough. Fade-to-black and subtle hints in one scene and then full on violently not in another scene. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Confinement and Misogyny

Minor: Infertility

hannahbaysinger's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Injury/injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Death

Minor: Gaslighting, Grief, and Infertility

cocpop_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I’ve been meaning to read this series for over a year now. And I’m happy I decided to start even though it’s not completed.

Surprisingly I wasn’t as annoyed with Auren that I thought I might be. But the way she is right now is simply because of how life has treated her.

I’m not surprised that she holds such a candle to Midas, because that man basically groomed her. She is so entirely dependent on him, that she doesn’t have to start fighting for herself until circumstances call for it.

And I’m excited to see what the future books hold for her. Because I think she’ll thrive without being caged.

This is not a spicy book at all. I don’t count that one scene, between her and Midas because it was so short and I wanted to fight him.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Death

Minor: Child abuse, Infertility, Sexual assault, and Trafficking