Series: The Plated Prisoner

BOOK REVIEW: Glow (The Plated Prisoner #4) by Raven Kennedy

BOOK REVIEW: Glow (The Plated Prisoner #4) by Raven KennedyGlow (The Plated Prisoner #4)
by Raven Kennedy
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

"I was nothing but a road to Midas. A means to get to where he wanted to go, and I paved that path in gold."

My life has been made up of gilded lies. But death has been shaped from rot.

Like a phoenix caught fire, I will need to rise from the ashes and learn to wield my own power. Because my wings may have been clipped, but I am not in a cage, and I'm finally free to fly from the frozen kingdoms I've been kept in.

Yet the world doesn't want to let me.

That's the thing when you turn against a king—everyone else turns against you.

Good thing I have a different king in my corner.

But even with the dark threat of Slade Ravinger, the other monarchs are coming for me.

So I will fight for him and he will kill for me, and if we need to become the villains, then so be it.

Because so long as I live in this world, I won't be used again.

Please note: This is an adult fantasy series with dark elements that may be triggering, including past emotional and physical trauma, violence, adult language, and explicit romance. Read at your own discretion.

 

“I know what you went through was horrible, but for what it’s worth, I am glad that you’re here in this world with me,” I say quietly.
His eyes soften. “Oh, Goldfinch. I would’ve found you in whatever world you were in. In whatever life.”

The wait for this book has been one of the most unbearable to date, so imagine my disappointment when I realize the release date isn’t a Tuesday-like most standard releases-but a Saturday, when I am literally the MOST tired, the BUSIEST, and the LEAST likely to get much more than a few percent in reading wise. It seems backwards, doesn’t it? Well, let’s see. It’s summer, for one-Pools, lakes, outside play of the highest form. Secondly, my husband stays up later-Look, I love you, Man, but I have BOOKS to read: Go. The FUCK. To sleep.

 

That’s the thing with trauma to the body—it shows up instantly. In breaks and bruises, in burns and in blood. But the trauma on the inside, that’s harder to see. It creeps around your mind, poisons you with disquiet. It can hit you out of nowhere, debilitating and ruinous. There are no marks visible for those. None, save the shadows in your eyes.

SO, as you can see, I was in a bit of turmoil over this. I’ll admit it stunted my enjoyment, which truly breaks my heart in a way I can never fully express, and I’m too stubborn to just wait until a Monday or Tuesday night as I see all the reviews rolling in from people who literally read it at 12 am when it released and just did. Not. Stop. I applaud you, really I do. But…you fueled my competitive juices, not to mention my insatiable need to devour my favorite series like the drug addict I am and to avoid spoilers at ALL costs. So-I started at midnight along with my fellow ravenous readers, but failed to succeed in the same way (ie tired eyes, irritable mood because I couldn’t fully immerse). Also…how can I function with a two and a half and 5 year old after staying up so late reading every weeknight, you ask? Well…I make it work. My husband and I are made of different stuff, and if I had to give up my miniscule few hours every night to myself and give up reading, I’d lose a piece of myself, my soul, my sanity-and that’s not something I’m willing to do. So, with the DARKEST and PUFFIEST circles under my eyes, I write this review after staying up late reading another book last night, and I go about my day a bit withered, but no worse for wear. It’s called priorities people, look it up.

I let out a shaky laugh, relaxing when they all start to drink and talk and eat, relaxing even more when I join in.
And for a while, that’s all there is. That’s all that matters. I clutch my words and stay balanced on the blade, and for now, it works. For now, I don’t have to reflect or process or talk. I don’t have to face anything real.
For now.

But this is where I have to interject and say that this is the mark of an amazing writer or, rather, to get to a more direct point-it’s the mark of an amazing series that has stolen my heart so completely that even stretching the book out over many many many days over just waiting and binging over the weeknights didn’t change the fact that I loved it and know it’s worth. Am I as fangirly as I would have been had this released at a better or more planned out time for me? No. But the love is deep, it swims in my soul with a warm glowing feel of gold, and I know that I am still just as in love had I binged it-and I know that my re-read will bring all those neurotic feels I so desperately crave and covet and accept with each reading of my all-time favorite series’.

“You said past, present, and future, right?”
He sucks in a breath, but I look him in the eye without faltering. Because the only way to walk a new path is to stop yourself from using the same stumbling stride.
Even if his present is as shocking as a living corpse.
Even if his past might break my heart.
Even if his future isn’t guaranteed.

This book had a lot of soul in it, a lot growth-building of heart and mind and inner strength. Pushing yourself to the brink to release the evil that was pushed on you, that made you grow into a cowering shadow of yourself-to find who you are, what you are capable of, and who you are meant to be. And, while seeing this inner strength erupt from Auren and seeing her do it for herself-just this once, to embrace someone she didn’t think she’d ever find again-was nothing short of astounding and well-worth the wait (absolutely gratifying)….but, I’m sorry, she’d have never found this inner strength without a certaaiiiinnnn someone helping her, encouraging her, and giving her support and strength along the way-giving her that confidence she truly needed-Rip.

He wants to yank out the stopper holding in my anguish while I’m still desperately trying to keep my fingers pressed to the cork.

Have I….have I mentioned Rip before? How much I adore him? Cherish him? Want to wind him around my finger and summon him with a come hither every minute of every hour of every day? How his confidence [cocky without being an ass], his power [I mean…IYKYK], his possessiveness [without being a control freak], his charm [again, IYKYK], his absolute willingness to stand behind the woman he loves without batting an eye, his willingness to be the villain in her story, be the villain for her, not to her….did I mention that? That I abso-fucking-lutely love him and I’m tRaSh for him?? Hmm. Doesn’t ring a bell.

I won’t allow another storm to touch Auren. She has been flooded and wrung out, left to take the barrage without shelter. But so long as I’m here, I will be her shelter.

But let’s talk about that last Rip fact, shall we? We don’t talk about this enough collectively, in my opinion. People shout their praises that they love villains, the villain arc, the idea that sometimes bad guys can get the girl…and let’s be clear-Rip is NOT the villain, no matter what he says (lol), but he does some very twisted, very morally gray things that keep him from being classified a golden boy hero. My favorite thing, really-morally gray while ACTUALLY being morally grayand without a hint of remorse, either. Be still, my beating heart. But, yes, Rip’s morally gray moments stem wholly from doing whatever it takes-and I’m talking whatever it takes-for those he loves. For those he swore to protect. For those he cherishes. For those that are too weak to do so themselves….and for Auren? The love of his life? He’d do whatever it takes…no matter the cost.

I shake my head. “No, you wouldn’t. You’re good. You’re—”
“No, Goldfinch,” he interrupts. “I’m good to you. But I am every bit the villain that I warned you I was.”
His previous words ring in my ears.
I’ll be the villain for you. Not to you.

But is the cost too great, this time? Things really begin to crumble in this story, collapsing around Rip in a torrent so strong he almost begins to lose his cool. Events collide, people turn, and he loses some very important support-or rather, it hangs on a very precarious balance-that makes him question everything. But, another thing I just love about this series, is Rip’s Wrath. They support him always, they’re the friend group I never knew I needed, and I love that they add some much needed levity in an otherwise somewhat darker story than we’re used to-and that’s saying something when a lot of it has centered around sex work and children being kidnapped to do so. Maybe this is just my take and this one effected me differently, but the triggers are not gone nor did they disappear-they just continue in different forms, so be warned.

I also wanted throw in, as a kind of afterthought I guess, that I loved seeing a lot of Rip’s past in the form of flashbacks. As if I needed anything else to make me love him more.

I grit my teeth. Fist my sore hand. Feel a line of blood drip from my eyebrow. I stare at The Breaker, and I hate. One day, I think to myself. One day, I will break you instead. But until then, I will learn control.

All that being said, I really think what I’m trying to encapsulate [in a super circumvent way] is that these books grow, they build, and they continue to only get better. I’m sorry, but this SHOCKS me. I picked these books up by MISTAKE, and now they are kind of a big part of my recent ‘These books are my whole life, my whole world, my very existence and next breath’ movement (I can be a bit dramatic, we know this) and I just…I’m so grateful.

I’ve always been treated like treasure, but with ****, I’m simply treasured.

I’ve stated before that these books have hit some nerves from my past, some personal triggers that will likely always be inescapable-but I’m stronger for them. I’ve also identified that some of these books hit home in a way I don’t care to evaluate too much, but see and recognize all the same. I’m known to over-highlight and obsesses over passages like they’re my savior, my personal bible. But these hit different, especially the first three books as I wasn’t as focused on those moments in this one (IYKYK), and I found myself highlighting passages just for ME in yellow (my review quote color), because they just….hit home. And Raven Kennedy…I see you for that. I didn’t like looking at myself in the mirror like that, but it was something I respected myself for identifying with, and I love that it showed my own personal growth, no matter how grotesque to analyze and observe.

I let myself cry until all my tears dry up. It’s not ragged or turbulent anymore. Instead, it’s quiet. Slow. The kind of tears your expression lets fall without fanfare. There is no choked breathing or scrunched up nose. No pulled lips or furrowed brow. This is the suffering of the silent. A hurt so deep it doesn’t show itself on a face.

SO, all in all, I think what I’m getting at is this-these books are special to me, they hold a very deep place in my heart and in my soul, and they only continue to get better-maybe not for everyone. Maybe not in content…but in strength and heart. And I think that’s something amazing, something to behold. And I cannot wait (or maybe I can. I hate final books almost always…they almost never end a series in a way I like or find believable, but I have tentative hope for Kennedy) to see how two of the newest editions to my rabid ride-or-die-or-perish-in-a-sea-of-feels OTPs fare. I hope they all find their happily ever after….or, ya know, I’ll perish in a sea of not-so-great feels.

“You slept in here with me?”
To say I’m taken aback is putting it mildly. The idea that he would stay with me makes me feel oddly vulnerable.
He cocks his head. “Where else would I be if not with you?”

BOOK REVIEW: Gleam (The Plated Prisoner #3) by Raven Kennedy

BOOK REVIEW: Gleam (The Plated Prisoner #3) by Raven KennedyGleam (The Plated Prisoner #3)
by Raven Kennedy
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His.

The thing about being confined is that you believe it’s to keep the bad out... Until you realize it’s about keeping you in.

I’m now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won’t sit idly by and let myself wither. No, there’s something that’s bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark. Something angry.

But the last thing I expected was for my anger to call out to him. King Ravinger.

He’s sinister and powerful and entirely too seductive. I’ve learned my lesson with trusting manipulative kings, so why does my chest constrict every time he’s near? I need to tread carefully, or I’m at risk of losing much more than just my freedom.

Regret and revenge war inside of me, and I need to figure out a plan fast before I get tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens.

Because I won’t be caught in a cage again. No, this time, It’ll be me setting the trap... I just hope my heart comes out of this unscathed.

A bursting scoff escapes him. “Stop with the dramatics, Auren. Stop with this rebellion. It doesn’t suit you.”
“No, the problem is that it doesn’t suit
you.

Some books are just special. Some books just wind themselves into your veins, your heart, your very soul. Some books last, some books fade, and some books withstand the test of time, take up permanent residence in your heart. This is that book. Again, I know everyone is different and that perhaps this book seems vain or vapid…but, to me, it’s a book that touched on each and every one of my favorite tropes, introduced me to one of the most interestingly complex heroes I’ve ever come across, and it delivered in all things perilous and horrifying. In short, it was my perfect book, and this series lead up to it spectacularly.

What are we without our white lies and protective walls?

Auren becomes this amazing girl, this woman who won’t be held down. She finally finds her shine, her power, her unwillingness to be a pawn for everyone and to be a player for herself. Her cunning, her heart, her ferocity-it was so amazing to read about and I enjoyed every moment she blossomed more, her rose tinted glasses finally so foggy that she doesn’t even use them anymore.

But the eyes of liars are tricky things. They can show you what you want to see without ever reflecting the truth. It’s best not to look a liar in the eye. They’re so good at their own compulsions that their gazes hold steady, and then you’re the one who loses sight.

She cut through the bullshit, and now it’s time for those who have wronged her to pay…and I was so there for it.

I’m glad for the anger I see on his face. Misery may love company, but anger thrives on it.

And, naturally, this was my favorite book because of the twisted games, the treachery, the elusiveness, the sneaking around, and that push and pull tension that can only be achieved by a slow burn romance so seductive, so drawn out, so worth the wait that I thought I was going to personally combust. It’s just so rare that all my favorite elements are in the same story-the same series-so satisfyingly. Not once was or is it easy. Nothing just falls in our laps. Nothing ever is cut and dry-and that is one of my least favorite things in books, when a hero and heroine decide they like/love one another, then it’s all ‘we’re together until the end, no one can defeat us’ or whatever. It’s just simply not that easy for Auren and Rip. There are so many obstacles, so many people, so many rules and powerplays. I love that we don’t get that instant gratification. I love that we have to work for it. And, ultimately, I love that Rip earns it, time and again. That he is more than willing to earn it over and over and over. Yes. Just…yes.

Without me realizing it, he slipped into my veins and now swims through my every thought, steeped into every drop.

Oh, yes, didn’t I warn you that this review was going to go full Commander Rip mode? I did. I warned you in my second review and I am no liar-for there is one single thing that makes my heart beat, my pulse race, and my stomach erupt in butterflies when the darkness creeps in, and that is Rip, the man who brought Auren out of her shell, the man who taught her not all men are bad and not everyone is your enemy. She doesn’t always have to hide, she should let her inner strength shine, be proud of who she is and what she can do. Auren’s inner strength is amazing-I know she always had it, but it is Rip who pulled it from her, who drug it out of her piece by piece so that she could cease to be a shell of a human. And it’s Rip who will stand by her side, no matter the fate, no matter the battle, no matter the consequences-and damn the repercussions.

I’m incredibly aware of his arms around me, of the way he doesn’t falter as he holds me up, as if he could hold me for eternity and never let go.
Why does that make me want to cry?

That’s the thing, isn’t it? There are so many games, so many powerplays, so much political shit, and he follows them to a tee…but when it comes to the woman he is obsessed with, the woman he views as the most important thing in the world, the woman he wants to finally be free and happy? He would give it all up, just like that, if she so much as snapped her golden finger. He’d destroy every carefully built wall, he’d burn down the whole world in her name-because he sees her as the queen she is and knows she deserves no less. He is a humble servant at her feet, he worships her so deeply…and she is finally beginning to understand that-and it ultimately is what gives her the strength and the fight for her soul, seeing that someone values her and would even walk away if it was what she wanted. He gives her life. He gives her the confidence she never had. And damn if that’s not refreshing.

Instead of being afraid of the world, I could make the whole damn world afraid of me.

The utter malice behind the actions in this novel sing to my soul-every single moment-but I do wish ONE plot line had gone the way I love it to, but that’s me being a control freak like Midas and it didn’t hinder my enjoyment at all (okay, look, it did a bit BUT) because the other thread, the way the author pulled at it-it sang to my soul just as loudly, I just had to let it digest.

Why is it that a man can make you feel like nothing, when you have given him everything?

I like things to go a certain way with the trio of Hero-Heroine-Villain, and I am very snobbish and picky about it-I have always been truthful and upfront about that. That being said, though, it’s a more repetitive way of ending a book, so the creativeness that went into this end was far superior in that it is unexpected, it is innovative, and you likely won’t have seen it before (I seriously don’t think it’s possible lol). Again, I wish a certain something could have been expanded upon and played into a little longer for book four with our new situation but, like I said, I like the tried and true, so it’s best we aren’t going to drag out one single plot for too long. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have devoured it, though *frowny face*.

That’s the thing about escapism. In whatever form, it always ends, and then we’re forced back into a reality that’s not nearly as satisfying.

And lastly, I have to say this, which is stupidly sad, that I found myself relating to so many passages, so many moments where Auren lifted her veil to see what was truly in front of her. I find it so amazing that these quotes can pack such a punch, can break down our own walls where we can see what is wrong-or had been wrong-or could be wrong-in our own lives. I am awed that so many moments spoke to me…and damn if that isn’t a little unsettling.

I became too blinded by my bright sides to see the truth.
Sometimes, you look at the silver lining so much that you drift into denial about the clouds.

So, there it is. My undying and unconditional love for a random series that totally swept me off my feet seemingly out of nowhere. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t expected. It was not something I planned to spend more of my hard earned money on-but alas, here I am, spending money anyway, because I refuse to not represent Rip on my shelves, okay? And they’re so dang pretty, too (I WISH THEY WERE IN HARDBACK). I wish the fourth was out, but I am also happy I get to look forward to it, get to pine for what could be…and I trust Raven Kennedy implicitly. Now, the wait. I’ll be ready. *smirks*

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Gleam (The Plated Prisoner #3) by Raven Kennedy

Gleam (The Plated Prisoner #3) by Raven KennedyGleam (The Plated Prisoner #3)
by Raven Kennedy
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His.

The thing about being confined is that you believe it’s to keep the bad out... Until you realize it’s about keeping you in.

I’m now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won’t sit idly by and let myself wither. No, there’s something that’s bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark. Something angry.

But the last thing I expected was for my anger to call out to him. King Ravinger.

He’s sinister and powerful and entirely too seductive. I’ve learned my lesson with trusting manipulative kings, so why does my chest constrict every time he’s near? I need to tread carefully, or I’m at risk of losing much more than just my freedom.

Regret and revenge war inside of me, and I need to figure out a plan fast before I get tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens.

Because I won’t be caught in a cage again. No, this time, It’ll be me setting the trap... I just hope my heart comes out of this unscathed.

A bursting scoff escapes him. “Stop with the dramatics, Auren. Stop with this rebellion. It doesn’t suit you.”
“No, the problem is that it doesn’t suit
you.

Some books are just special. Some books just wind themselves into your veins, your heart, your very soul. Some books last, some books fade, and some books withstand the test of time, take up permanent residence in your heart. This is that book. Again, I know everyone is different and that perhaps this book seems vain or vapid…but, to me, it’s a book that touched on each and every one of my favorite tropes, introduced me to one of the most interestingly complex heroes I’ve ever come across, and it delivered in all things perilous and horrifying. In short, it was my perfect book, and this series lead up to it spectacularly.

What are we without our white lies and protective walls?

Auren becomes this amazing girl, this woman who won’t be held down. She finally finds her shine, her power, her unwillingness to be a pawn for everyone and to be a player for herself. Her cunning, her heart, her ferocity-it was so amazing to read about and I enjoyed every moment she blossomed more, her rose tinted glasses finally so foggy that she doesn’t even use them anymore.

But the eyes of liars are tricky things. They can show you what you want to see without ever reflecting the truth. It’s best not to look a liar in the eye. They’re so good at their own compulsions that their gazes hold steady, and then you’re the one who loses sight.

She cut through the bullshit, and now it’s time for those who have wronged her to pay…and I was so there for it.

I’m glad for the anger I see on his face. Misery may love company, but anger thrives on it.

And, naturally, this was my favorite book because of the twisted games, the treachery, the elusiveness, the sneaking around, and that push and pull tension that can only be achieved by a slow burn romance so seductive, so drawn out, so worth the wait that I thought I was going to personally combust. It’s just so rare that all my favorite elements are in the same story-the same series-so satisfyingly. Not once was or is it easy. Nothing just falls in our laps. Nothing ever is cut and dry-and that is one of my least favorite things in books, when a hero and heroine decide they like/love one another, then it’s all ‘we’re together until the end, no one can defeat us’ or whatever. It’s just simply not that easy for Auren and Rip. There are so many obstacles, so many people, so many rules and powerplays. I love that we don’t get that instant gratification. I love that we have to work for it. And, ultimately, I love that Rip earns it, time and again. That he is more than willing to earn it over and over and over. Yes. Just…yes.

Without me realizing it, he slipped into my veins and now swims through my every thought, steeped into every drop.

Oh, yes, didn’t I warn you that this review was going to go full Commander Rip mode? I did. I warned you in my second review and I am no liar-for there is one single thing that makes my heart beat, my pulse race, and my stomach erupt in butterflies when the darkness creeps in, and that is Rip, the man who brought Auren out of her shell, the man who taught her not all men are bad and not everyone is your enemy. She doesn’t always have to hide, she should let her inner strength shine, be proud of who she is and what she can do. Auren’s inner strength is amazing-I know she always had it, but it is Rip who pulled it from her, who drug it out of her piece by piece so that she could cease to be a shell of a human. And it’s Rip who will stand by her side, no matter the fate, no matter the battle, no matter the consequences-and damn the repercussions.

I’m incredibly aware of his arms around me, of the way he doesn’t falter as he holds me up, as if he could hold me for eternity and never let go.
Why does that make me want to cry?

That’s the thing, isn’t it? There are so many games, so many powerplays, so much political shit, and he follows them to a tee…but when it comes to the woman he is obsessed with, the woman he views as the most important thing in the world, the woman he wants to finally be free and happy? He would give it all up, just like that, if she so much as snapped her golden finger. He’d destroy every carefully built wall, he’d burn down the whole world in her name-because he sees her as the queen she is and knows she deserves no less. He is a humble servant at her feet, he worships her so deeply…and she is finally beginning to understand that-and it ultimately is what gives her the strength and the fight for her soul, seeing that someone values her and would even walk away if it was what she wanted. He gives her life. He gives her the confidence she never had. And damn if that’s not refreshing.

Instead of being afraid of the world, I could make the whole damn world afraid of me.

The utter malice behind the actions in this novel sing to my soul-every single moment-but I do wish ONE plot line had gone the way I love it to, but that’s me being a control freak like Midas and it didn’t hinder my enjoyment at all (okay, look, it did a bit BUT) because the other thread, the way the author pulled at it-it sang to my soul just as loudly, I just had to let it digest.

Why is it that a man can make you feel like nothing, when you have given him everything?

I like things to go a certain way with the trio of Hero-Heroine-Villain, and I am very snobbish and picky about it-I have always been truthful and upfront about that. That being said, though, it’s a more repetitive way of ending a book, so the creativeness that went into this end was far superior in that it is unexpected, it is innovative, and you likely won’t have seen it before (I seriously don’t think it’s possible lol). Again, I wish a certain something could have been expanded upon and played into a little longer for book four with our new situation but, like I said, I like the tried and true, so it’s best we aren’t going to drag out one single plot for too long. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have devoured it, though *frowny face*.

That’s the thing about escapism. In whatever form, it always ends, and then we’re forced back into a reality that’s not nearly as satisfying.

And lastly, I have to say this, which is stupidly sad, that I found myself relating to so many passages, so many moments where Auren lifted her veil to see what was truly in front of her. I find it so amazing that these quotes can pack such a punch, can break down our own walls where we can see what is wrong-or had been wrong-or could be wrong-in our own lives. I am awed that so many moments spoke to me…and damn if that isn’t a little unsettling.

I became too blinded by my bright sides to see the truth.
Sometimes, you look at the silver lining so much that you drift into denial about the clouds.

So, there it is. My undying and unconditional love for a random series that totally swept me off my feet seemingly out of nowhere. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t expected. It was not something I planned to spend more of my hard earned money on-but alas, here I am, spending money anyway, because I refuse to not represent Rip on my shelves, okay? And they’re so dang pretty, too (I WISH THEY WERE IN HARDBACK). I wish the fourth was out, but I am also happy I get to look forward to it, get to pine for what could be…and I trust Raven Kennedy implicitly. Now, the wait. I’ll be ready. *smirks*

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Glint (The Plated Prisoner #2) by Raven Kennedy

Glint (The Plated Prisoner #2) by Raven KennedyGlint (The Plated Prisoner #2)
by Raven Kennedy
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

For ten years, I’ve lived in a gilded cage inside King Midas’s golden castle. But one night changed everything.

Now I’m here, a prisoner of Fourth Kingdom’s army, and I’m not sure if I’m going to make it out of this in one piece. They’re marching to battle, and I’m the bargaining chip that will either douse the fire or spark a war.

At the heart of my fear, my worry, there’s him—Commander Rip.

Known for his brutality on the battlefield, his viciousness is unsurpassed. But I know the truth about what he is.

Fae.

The betrayers. The murderers. The ones who nearly destroyed Orea, wiping out Seventh Kingdom in the process. Rip has power sizzling beneath this skin and glinting spikes down his spine. But his eyes—his eyes are the most compelling of all.

When he turns those black eyes on me, I feel captive for an entirely different reason.

I may be out of my cage, but I’m not free, not even close. In the game of kings and armies, I’m the gilded pawn. The question is, can I out maneuver them?

This is the captivating second book of The Plated Prisoner series. It’s an adult epic fantasy story blending romance, intrigue, and beautiful imagery. Return to the seductive story of magic inspired by the myth of King Midas, and get caught up in the world of Orea.

Time changes with torment. It stretches on, lengthening seconds, extending minutes. I’ve learned that pain and fear have a way of prolonging. And as if that weren’t cruel enough, our minds make sure we relive those moments again and again and again, long after they’ve passed.
What a bastard, time is.

Here comes Mrs. Broken record, but it appears I’ve been taken by surprise yet again. I am dead serious when I tell you that I literally had never even HEARD of this book or this author before I accidentally stumbled onto it when I was trying to figure out the name of a totally different book series. Fate has a hilarious way of working out, don’t you think?

All the grief, all the worry, I wrap it up like old yarn on a spool, tucking away every frayed strand. Because if I show him my fear, if I reveal my weaknesses to this male, he’ll latch onto those threads and yank them all, unraveling me completely.

Not only did I ENJOY these last two books, they devoured me. I don’t say this lightly, and I don’t say it without meaning-I didn’t simply speed through these last two books, they demanded I read them at all times, without remorse. I’d put the book down then, inexplicably, I couldn’t concentrate on any other task. I’d be trying to sleep and, whadya know, I couldn’t! This sounds typical, I know, but this was different. This was all encompassing.

Maybe ignorance isn’t a vice, but a reprieve.

I can’t pinpoint what exactly it was that spoke to me, but I keep coming to the same conclusion that I’m a total snob when it comes to authors, books, and writing styles, and that I merely thought I was going to read this, obsess a little over a certain dark bad boy, and move on [as I always tend to do]. And time will tell how quickly my heart can move on- I do so love to transition into other series because I don’t get a lot of time to read and I cherish every moment I can. That did not happen. So far, this series has its claws so deeply clutched into me that I can scarcely breathe, that I can’t tell where I end and it begins.

Pretty lies cover up a lot of ugly truths.

But oh, to be a Goldfinch finally finding some wings after meeting a dark, commanding presence who wants more for me, for me to see the confines I’ve allowed myself to be hindered by. Because-here’s the kicker-I can tell you EXACTLY where I and this book/series collide– His name is Rip, and it couldn’t be more on the nose if it tried, because I am dead, dying, and dripping golden goo at my seams, I’m Resting In [a million] Pieces because of this tall, dark, otherworldly man.

No, hear me the fuck out. Seriously. He is NOT average. He is NOT run of the mill. And he is NOT a rinse and repeat hero. I don’t care WHO disagrees, I am ready to put up my dukes, because there is NO room for disagreements here, no lies detected. He is superior in all ways and I literally won’t hear anything else of it.

So, you’ve met a man who makes a beaten down, imprisoned woman come out of her shell before. Okay, you got me there. You’ve likely met a man who pushes her to fight, to be stronger, to break free of her chains (Ie, Midas (the bastard)). Mmkay, cool. I bet you’ve even met a man who plays it cool, acts like it’s her choice what she does with her captive mind and soul…maybe you have. But at what point have you actually seen him let that woman go, let her make her own faults, decisions, let her be who she wants to be even if it stifles her, all the while it kills him inside. Here’s where that’s tricky-I am only saying this: Rip DOES let Auren make her own choices. It truly IS her choice. If she stays, if she goes…etc. I’m saying that, in the end, he truly would never manhandle her into doing what he thinks is right, even if it would tear his soul to pieces. And, finally, what man admits he is the villain…and owns it?

His head drops down, turning, and we meet each other’s eyes. I used to think that his were as black as a bottomless pit, but I was wrong. They aren’t suffocating or soulless. Something swims in them when he looks at me.
I’m afraid that if I look too long, that same thing will swim in my eyes too.

Yes I know, I’m explaining this horribly and a lot of my vehemence stems from me being done with book 3, too, and some things are convoluted. I can see it happening, a few choice words I’ve used leaking out incorrectly and ahead of it’s [review] time. But what I’ve been trying to say is this: yes, you’ve seen variations of Commander Rip before, but you’ve never seen HIM before, and you’ve never seen it done this way, and that’s for both book 2 and 3, and I stand so firmly on that.

“Sometimes,” he murmurs, “things need first to be ruined in order to then be remade.”

To see him treat her with nothing but respect, to defy her every negative preconceived notion of what a man is and what he can do, to slowly earn her trust, to unravel her wariness day by day, lesson by lesson…and expect nothing in return-my heart. Be still my fucking heart. And when he makes a mistake (3), his remorse is so palpable, so overflowing with regret and the need to make her see why he does what he does…unparalleled, it’s truly mind-blowing.

Are people so content in ignorance that they’ll believe every lie fed to them, despite what they see right in front of their eyes?

I love him so dearly, and I am going to stop here because if you thought I was going to not make the whole of my book three review about-um-yeah-you’d be dead wrong. If you think I talked about Rip too much in this one, steer clear of review three. We slowly got to see Auren became the woman she only thought she could dream of being, to see there is more to her than being Midas’ golden pet, to see behind that ascent into greatness…but not 100% there yet. No- she has so much higher to rise, I am TELLING you, and seeing how she is so strong for others through everything….it’s nothing short of amazing to read. But no…for me, sorry, the true star here is my dark dark commander, and it’s all you’re going to hear about from here on out, you better believe it.

Shove down weakness, and strength will rise…

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Gild (The Plated Prisoner #1) by Raven Kennedy

Gild (The Plated Prisoner #1) by Raven KennedyGild (The Plated Prisoner #1)
by Raven Kennedy
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The fae abandoned this world to us. And the ones with power rule.

Gold.

Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.

Even me.

King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don’t leave the confines of the palace, I’m safe.

Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.

Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged. And I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong.

Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage. But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left.

The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.

I’m the gold-plated prisoner.
But what a pretty prison it is.

Full disclosure, for those who do not read my lengthy reviews, that I have already finished book two and started book three, and those are far superior to this story. Also, talk about having trouble picking the shelving tabs, wow. That being said, though, this book was clearly a set up, a path leading somewhere that has been wondrous and addicting through and through. I can’t quite pinpoint when I started loving this series (HA LIES, LIES DETECTED), but I think I did the moment a certain someone sauntered [because you can’t describe his swagger any other way] onto the scene.

And I know books aren’t about the male leads but, in this specific case where the males are pig-headed, toxic, woman hating slugs who get off on a woman (Or women) with Stockholm Syndrome, yeah…I can get behind a sexy man walking into the story who understands what it is to take care of a woman or treat her as an equal.

And I bet you’re shocked I even brought this up, as it never really is something I touch base on, but this book is heavily reliant on the power men hold above women and how they can abuse that power, especially when they are regarded with status and flash. I know all this is triggery for some people, so I thought I should preface it ahead of time, no matter where my review takes me.

But memory and time aren’t friends. They reject each other, they hurry in opposite directions, pulling the binding taut between them, threatening to snap. They fight, and we inexplicably lose. Memory and time. Always losing one as you go on with the other.

Again, I don’t think I have much to say about this particular story, riddled with girl hate, delusion, and a narcissistic male, but I did want to review it all the same, not gloss over it as I do sometimes when I am busy. Very little in the way of plot happens for 60% of the story, but after that (though I still didn’t love it at this point) it marginally begins to find a pace that is more up to the standards I had hoped it could reach. Obviously, though, the disgust I felt after she is out of the palace was not palatable and I still felt myself skimming.

Do not confuse me skimming with a book being poorly written, for that title goes to my previous read, The Savage and the Swan-That was poorly written and a convoluted story to boot. But Gild? Nah, I respect the path of this book, the journey. Because once I got past the drivel of the sniveling bastard Midas, I really started to see where this was going and I quite enjoyed it. And, to be fair, I am on book three and…..wow. Just WOW. I LIVE FOR IT. I just hope I finish loving it, so I can look forward to the final book coming out next year.

You can have all the gold in the world and yet lack everything of real worth.

I kind of wanted to address the hate of how Auren acts, how she keeps accepting things, how she crawls back to Midas, buys his bullshit repeatedly, because…isn’t that, like, the exact definition of Stockholm Syndrome? To fall in love with your captor, to eat the spoon fed lies, the pretty (and in this case, literal) cage? I really don’t see how people wouldn’t understand that process, how long it would take to fix that, piece together what is fiction or reality. What I CAN understand, though, is the desire to cease reading because the repetitiveness just isn’t for you, or you simply don’t like it-that’s fair. What isn’t fair, though, is implying she is weak or spineless (especially after reading further) when that’s literally the point of the whole book. I’m no expert though, just my thoughts.

So, I don’t know-it’s hard to write a review about your least favorite of the series while also urging them to try the books, knowing full well they get better and better. But that’s me here, now, trying to tell people that if you get past the first book, they get infinitely better-at least to me. Book two is far from perfect, but the feels were rampant, and book three has me literally dying to read, on the edge of my seat, and like a giddy little girl. Do with that what you will.

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