bekahzabel's Reviews (327)

This series is a league of its own. I love Kennedy’s writing style & world building. She’s just descriptive enough to not droll on with certain details, she really paints a picture with her with her words along the way. 

Plot line, immaculate, character development, immaculate, a series that will make you laugh, cry, blush, empathize… you name it, this series will have you feeling it at some point. 

I’ll leave spoilers out but a few things:

It just keeps getting better, every book. I don’t know how she does it. Gleam has a really special spot in my heart, but I loved the multiple perspectives throughout Glow. (Even when I wanted more auren and slade, only flipping the next chapter to be a kaila or malina bit 😂)

Key tropes throughout the series: Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn (Although damn we heated up in this one), Touch her and you die, Dark Magic, Fae & Folklore Retelling. 

These have quickly become a new favorite of mine, counting the days until June for Gold’s release 🥹🥰😍

What the….. ??????? I’m serious when I say…. I have been missing out, for years. Thank goodness I’ve entered the SJM realms, because wow… I’m extremely impressed yet again. Chokehold status activated. 

Plot twists around every corner. One of the baddest and most fierce FMC’s I’ve ever come across. I’m speechless with so much to say all at one time. 

If you like fantasy, adventure, mystery, magic systems… the list could go on but this are not to be missed. 

Little to no smut in the first two books of this series as well so if you like fantasy without as much of the spicy action, this may be a good fit. 4.75 out of 5 stars for me, only because it took a little bit for me to truly get to a point where I was ready to devour the rest in one sitting.

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

I really enjoyed this one once I got a few chapters in. While I like a little more world building before the action starts, I didn’t let that deter me from falling into the story.

There were plot twists I didn’t see coming, that left me gasping along the way! Just enough smut mixed in for me. Tropes included enemies to lovers/fated destiny/arranged marriage.

The only other qualms I had were that occasionally the dialogue seemed more modern than the time period within the setting, and certain connections felt a bit rushed in moments. Overall though this book left me hungry for more, and I think the plot has a lot of potential to unfold in the following books. Katarni is a strong female lead and the character development really started strengthening towards the end.

Thank you so much to Booksirens, Chloe, and the publishing company, it was so fun to escape into this new world for a couple days. I look forward to the sequel. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 

Wow. I’m so happy I stuck with it. I regret giving the first book below 4 stars because I UNDERSTAND NOW, I SEE, I SEE 😭😭 

This series has some of the strongest lead character development I’ve ever read. Bold claim, I know. I love Auren, I love her journey, I can’t wait to see how this continues to unfold. **Squeals in delight**

and SLADE!!!?? Have I found yet another fictional husband???? holy hannah RIP my morals when he purrs (sorry mom) 

And cue Ryatt??? Mans’ has a brother?????? 💀☠️😳🫠 

There is so much action  in this book, I couldn’t put it down. This series is leaving its mark on me forever. I usually never write spoilers but I just need to speak on it and word vomit about this book for a sec. cuz wowowowowow everything is coming together so exquisitely. Sayonara Midas. I hated you, gosh you were the worst. Rushing to go devour the next one.

If you love fantasy romance and Raven Kennedy isn’t on your radar she should be. This series should be. 
Beautifully written, the plated prisoner series has become one of my absolute favorites to date. 

A modern poetic take from a devoted man’s perspective. A collection of poems on noticing the little things, reminders through hard times, rising above, and persevering with self confidence in strife. 

I had the opportunity to read the ARC copy through NetGalley in return for an honest review. I’m pleasantly surprised that quite a few poems stuck out to me. This is the third book of Jeanty’s HER series, but my first time reading his works. I read through this in one sitting, devoured it quickly, and by the end I felt empowered and seen. 

This collection can be read by anyone, although how the words effect each gender may be different, and some pieces may push you to think outside of your box. Pieces on really listening and observing, how to serve yourself and how to communicate in order to serve your person in a relationship, to be vulnerable and see where it leads. 

My only downfall was I had a hard time with the cadence in a few of the poems, but there were far more that left a good impression on me than bad. 

Worth picking up if you love modern poetry, need empowering words through hardship, or want to learn how to be a more present and engaged partner to your person. 

One that is sure to find you when you need it most, like all poetry does. 

“Women like her live in the minds of
men in her past long after she has left.”

3.85/5🌟 rounded to 4 for a whole number 💌

Okay Okay. I am so happy I stuck with it. 4/5🌟

I understand that this series may not be for everyone, and it’s clear Auren has a big case of Stockholm Syndrome. But I’m picking up a lot of slow burn from this series. In the romance as well as in the character development. 

Synopsis: Auren has been Midas’s favored for the last ten years, living in a gilded cage. When Midas invades the fifth kingdom, Auren and the other saddles begin the journey to their new home. But trouble brews in the Barrens when plans go awry, Auren does not quite make it to the castle, and she finds herself in the presence of those she’s only known to be enemies. Navigating the situation, Auren realizes she may have been wrong about the enemies, her loyalty to Midas is tested and she’s forced to think bigger than she has the last ten years. 

“A warrior… I think I would like to be that.”

I realize now that Raven Kennedy’s style of writing in Gild was just preparing me for further character development of Auren in Glint. I love where the series is headed. If you’re a lover of enemies to lovers, found family, finding yourself after extreme struggles…. give this series a shot.

The end had me sitting up screaming “What!!!!” In the best way. Auren is really growing on me.

And thank god we had less Midas in this book, I cannot stand that guy. Slade????? Couldn’t be more elated to know his real name cuz “Rip” was not sitting right with me 🤣

Originally I rated this 3.25/5⭐️
But after completing the series up to its current book. I realize how much of a masterpiece this first book was with world building and setting the premise for the remainder of the series. 
Changing my rating to 
4.0/5✨, because this is not a series to be missed. 

OG review:

I’m not giving up on this series because I do hear it gets better… By the end I was *mildly* looking forward to what’s going to happen next, but honestly this was a bit challenging to read at times. There definitely should be a TW in the beginning, I think they do give one on amazon but whoa, shit got a little graphic, dark, and intense in there. Strong female lead, of course we love that, and the imagery of the setting sounds magical… but there were some really dark scenes throughout. And it also dives RIGHT in, I knew this was adult content from page one, and not in a “ooh this will be smutty” way. 

Also if the love interest ends up being Midas I might go brazy brazy that guy is not doing it for me

4/5 ✨ The world building and character development was wonderful, and i’m excited to see what unfolds in the following books! Celaena is a bad ass strong female lead (we love that!!), and the setting reminded me of a mix of hunger games & GOT. Medium paced, slow start, but once it got going I couldn’t put it down 📖

4/5⭐️ 

what pushed this book to a 3.5 to 4 for me was the smutty scenes in the second half wowowowza. Might not be for everyone but this definitely hit a lot of my key favorite tropes, if you like dark fantasy romance it’s worth checking out. Character development is there, but I like a little more description to make things even more sensory, that was one of the flaws for me. Devoured it, finished it within a couple hours between sittings if that’s a consolation. 

Fast paced mystery that keeps you guessing. Satisfying and surprising ending, but lacking in character development, this one did have me gasping out loud a few times along the way.