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A review by yazthebookish
Glow by Raven Kennedy
5.0
First read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Second read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Raven Kennedy and The Nerd Fam for gifting me with an eARC of GLOW
Disclaimer: this review may contain minor spoilers but nothing major that would spoil the book.
I don't think I have the right words to convey the magnitude of the emotional suffering and joy this book had caused me and I wouldn't have had it in any other way.
GLOW was nothing short of devastatingly emotional, powerfully evocative and exquisitely filthy.
Raven continues to craft such an exceptional story that skillfully navigates through healing, trauma, depression and empowerment while gifting us with such a beautiful romance and an intriguing political overarching plot.
GLOW resumes right from the explosive ending of Gleam and begins in a shroud of extreme dread within the first quarter of the book that will keep a tight hold on your heart.
The game has changed and many wicked plans are at play. Many revelations and secrets begin to surface. A King with a golden touch is found dead leaving a Kingless kingdom and the Rot King stole away his gold-touched favored whose hands are drenched in royal blood. Auren must face the consequences of murdering a King.
There were new POVs I did not expect but I enjoyed and they were appropriately sprinkled around the book but they don't overwhelm the POV chapters of Auren and Slade, those extra POVs are integral to the plot and there's a new romance on the horizon.
I will say that this time round, this book is more focused on fleshing out the characters and the plot slowed a bit, but Raven does moves the plot to a new direction I'm very happy with.
100% more Slade content? 100% more Slade content.
I expected to see more of Slade but I was delighted to get to know him in a new light and on a much deeper level. I got to understand and see the many facets of him: from Slade to King Rot and to Commander Rip.
Slade is a villain through and through. He is unapologetic about it and he fully embraces his Fae nature and it's ruthless urges. I'm glad this is something Raven did not erase or attempt at a redemption arc and while he does have good intentions but he is ready to unleash the villain if anyone as so much harms a hair on Auren.
I'm even more delighted to spend more time with his Wrath and witness the turbulent sibling relationship between him and his brother Ryatt. Digby also remains the precious father figure to Auren.
There is a new character I think readers are going to be very excited to meet. I won't spoil who but she is an important figure for one of the characters.
Many questions have been answered and I got more than I expected which I was very happy with. Many things readers have been wondering about are revealed and don't get me started on the plot twists. Thank you Raven for your generosity even if you broke and mended my heart many times throughout this book.
The romance peaks but there are things that must be dealt with. There is tenderness, there is passion, there is clashing, there is love, there is wildness, and of course... it gets deliciously filthy.
I have never been so throughly seduced by a character as I was by Slade Ravinger. His endearments drip like warm honey and his filthiness makes me want to forsake my own morals which I would more glaldly do so for him.
I'm happy with how Raven dealt with Auren's arc especially after the events of Gleam. Her healing journey is one of my favorite fictional journeys of all time and the trauma and grief she had to come to face with after she had awoken simply shattered my heart. Auren is also still at the stage of understanding the world around her since she is a grooming victim so she has plenty to come to terms with. Raven truly did it justice.
Everything is reaching its crescendo. I cannot wait for the fifth book. I need someone to put me into sleep paralysis until the next book is released because how am I supposed to move on..
Apparently the 5th book is called ✨GOLD✨ and the release date is: 8th June 2023!
"If there's something you crave, if there's some freedom you want to try the taste of, then you will do it, and I will be right there with you, watching you devour your wants. And then I will devour you."
Trigger Warnings: this book contains dark and adult themes and explicit sexual content.
Second read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Raven Kennedy and The Nerd Fam for gifting me with an eARC of GLOW
Disclaimer: this review may contain minor spoilers but nothing major that would spoil the book.
I don't think I have the right words to convey the magnitude of the emotional suffering and joy this book had caused me and I wouldn't have had it in any other way.
GLOW was nothing short of devastatingly emotional, powerfully evocative and exquisitely filthy.
Raven continues to craft such an exceptional story that skillfully navigates through healing, trauma, depression and empowerment while gifting us with such a beautiful romance and an intriguing political overarching plot.
GLOW resumes right from the explosive ending of Gleam and begins in a shroud of extreme dread within the first quarter of the book that will keep a tight hold on your heart.
The game has changed and many wicked plans are at play. Many revelations and secrets begin to surface. A King with a golden touch is found dead leaving a Kingless kingdom and the Rot King stole away his gold-touched favored whose hands are drenched in royal blood. Auren must face the consequences of murdering a King.
There were new POVs I did not expect but I enjoyed and they were appropriately sprinkled around the book but they don't overwhelm the POV chapters of Auren and Slade, those extra POVs are integral to the plot and there's a new romance on the horizon.
I will say that this time round, this book is more focused on fleshing out the characters and the plot slowed a bit, but Raven does moves the plot to a new direction I'm very happy with.
100% more Slade content? 100% more Slade content.
I expected to see more of Slade but I was delighted to get to know him in a new light and on a much deeper level. I got to understand and see the many facets of him: from Slade to King Rot and to Commander Rip.
Slade is a villain through and through. He is unapologetic about it and he fully embraces his Fae nature and it's ruthless urges. I'm glad this is something Raven did not erase or attempt at a redemption arc and while he does have good intentions but he is ready to unleash the villain if anyone as so much harms a hair on Auren.
I'm even more delighted to spend more time with his Wrath and witness the turbulent sibling relationship between him and his brother Ryatt. Digby also remains the precious father figure to Auren.
There is a new character I think readers are going to be very excited to meet. I won't spoil who but she is an important figure for one of the characters.
Many questions have been answered and I got more than I expected which I was very happy with. Many things readers have been wondering about are revealed and don't get me started on the plot twists. Thank you Raven for your generosity even if you broke and mended my heart many times throughout this book.
The romance peaks but there are things that must be dealt with. There is tenderness, there is passion, there is clashing, there is love, there is wildness, and of course... it gets deliciously filthy.
I have never been so throughly seduced by a character as I was by Slade Ravinger. His endearments drip like warm honey and his filthiness makes me want to forsake my own morals which I would more glaldly do so for him.
I'm happy with how Raven dealt with Auren's arc especially after the events of Gleam. Her healing journey is one of my favorite fictional journeys of all time and the trauma and grief she had to come to face with after she had awoken simply shattered my heart. Auren is also still at the stage of understanding the world around her since she is a grooming victim so she has plenty to come to terms with. Raven truly did it justice.
Everything is reaching its crescendo. I cannot wait for the fifth book. I need someone to put me into sleep paralysis until the next book is released because how am I supposed to move on..
Apparently the 5th book is called ✨GOLD✨ and the release date is: 8th June 2023!
"If there's something you crave, if there's some freedom you want to try the taste of, then you will do it, and I will be right there with you, watching you devour your wants. And then I will devour you."
Trigger Warnings: this book contains dark and adult themes and explicit sexual content.