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Angie Cox's Reviews > Glow
Glow (The Plated Prisoner, #4)
by
by
Angie Cox's review
bookshelves: advance-reader-copy, emotional, fantasy-romance, fantasy, new-adult, smut, kindle-unlimited
Nov 26, 2021
bookshelves: advance-reader-copy, emotional, fantasy-romance, fantasy, new-adult, smut, kindle-unlimited
3.5 ⭐️ Filler book. A slow but good addition to the series
Trigger Warning (18+): This series contains explicit content and darker elements/themes, including human trafficking, Stockholm Syndrome, gaslighting, non-consensual sex, violence, and mature language.
After that massive cliffhanger from Gleam, I have been eagerly waiting for this next installment in the series. And overall, I enjoyed this story. However, as many have already stated, it was a filler book. There's nothing wrong with filler books. In fact, I believe they are necessary for most series longer than three books. So as far as filler books go, this was done well, but there were a few things that didn't work for me.
Here's what I liked:
Osrik & Rissa. Honestly, they were my favorite part of the story even though we barely see them.
“You are the worst bad mistake I’m glad I never made,� she hisses.
“And you’re still the best mistake I can’t wait to make,� I retort with a smirk.
Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers, but all I know is that I need them together! It's just so adorable how big of a simp the big, burly Osrik is for Rissa.
Queen Malina's side story. Her importance to the story has been a mystery to me, and I never really enjoyed her POV chapters in any of the books until now! Her role in what happens at the end is a huge deal, and I'm curious to see what she does moving forward.
Slade's flashbacks. I absolutely LOVED this. I've had many questions about Slade's parents, magic, and past trauma, which are all answered in this book. His character development is beautifully done and helps us understand why he is the man he is today. I especially enjoyed seeing his connection with his mother and brother, but damn some of those flashbacks broke my heart. 😭 I'm so glad he has Auren and is still willing to open his heart after so much pain.
PS: His father can rot in hell. I know he will show up in the next book, and I hope Slade makes him pay!
Auren's healing and growth. After the events of Gleam, Auren is broken and absolutely terrified of her magic. There is so much trauma Auren has to unpack, and I really enjoyed seeing her work through everything in her own time. You can't force the healing process, and while this aspect of the story was soooooooo slow and often repetitive, it felt right. So I really appreciate that Raven Kennedy allowed Auren that time and space to heal.
PS: I'll be devastated if Auren's ribbons don't grow back. However, I feel like there are a couple of hints at her getting wings (she was caged, Slade's nickname for her is Goldfinch, there's a reference to her as a Phoenix rising from the ashes), and if that's the case, how freaking cool!
This beautiful scene. Honestly, out of the entire book, this is the most memorable scene for me. It's such a subtly important moment for Auren but also for Slade. It definitely made me tear up.
“Can you hear it?� she whispers.
I pause, ears straining, but all I hear are faint sounds from the city below and the constant draw of the waterfall at the base of the mountain.
“Hear what?�
And she smiles, through the tears dried on her cheeks, through the glassiness of her eyes. The sight is so damn beautiful that it’s hard to breathe.
“The sun,� Auren answers quietly, tone filled with a tentative, innocent joy. One that you’re afraid of saying too loud in case it breaks. “She’s singing to me.�
Emotion clogs in my throat as I watch her tip her head back again. Watch her eyes close. I draw a knuckle down her soft cheek. “And what does she sing, Goldfinch?� I murmur.
Her smile breaks through like the sunlight above us. “The song of home,� she says. “The sun is singing the song of home.�
My chest swells, and when she reaches a hand up and tugs at my arm, I lie back with her, situating until we’re arm to arm, leg to leg.
“Listen,� she whispers.
So I do. I thread my fingers through her own, and I listen.
But my song of home doesn’t come from the sun. Mine comes from her.
Auren's Cleansing for the Conflux seemed like a nod to Game of Thrones, and I LOVED it! Honestly, all I could think about was the similarities between this scene and Cersei getting ready with Septa Unella and her walk of atonement. Reading about fanatical religious groups that try to cleanse the body/spirit brings up my religious trauma. I absolutely hate them with a passion and would love nothing less than to see them burn. I hope Queen Isolte and her fanatics get what they deserve.
The cliffhanger ending. Raven Kennedy is an evil genius because the endings of the last two books have nearly sent me to the hospital due to heart failure. While reading the last few chapters, I was genuinely afraid for Auren and Slade. It felt like my heart was being painfully squeezed, shredded, and stabbed, all at the same time. I just know the next book is going to be INSANE. Since it's the last installment in the series, I'm assuming we'll get answers about Auren's past (her parents and why she was brought to Orea) and more world-building about Annwyn. I am foaming at the mouth for the next book! June 8, 2023 cannot come fast enough!
Here's what I didn't like:
The slow pace. This book is 700 pages, and nothing truly exciting really happens until the last 80 pages. The story mostly focuses on Auren's recovery and Slade's past, which, again, are important for the development of the characters and story. Still, it really wasn't exciting, and there was a lot of repetitive content. It took me forever to finish this book because it didn't captivate me in the same way the others had.
I was also disappointed that Gleam ended on a massive cliffhanger, and it takes 130 pages for Auren to wake up. I just wanted to know she was okay, dammit. lol
There are also so many questions that I've had since the beginning of the series that are still unanswered, and since Gold is the final book in the series, I'm worried things might be rushed to wrap things up, or the book will be 1000 pages long. Either way, I'm eager to read!
The dirty talk during sex scenes. I've come to realize the way Raven Kennedy writes these is not for me. While the actual sex scenes are creative and unique (like the carriage scene 🥵), it's ruined for me by the dirty talk. For example:
“Get that slick pussy all over my cock.�
“That’s right, drool all over my cock, baby. Get it nice and wet and sloppy, because I’m going to fuck you with it soon, and I want you dripping.�
“Your pussy is clamping down on my dick like it wants to milk me dry.�
“I want your slick to coat my cock. I want your pussy to clamp down around me so hard that it demands me to come with you. I want to burst inside of you until my cum and your gold comes dripping from this hot”—thrust—“tight”—thrust—“cunt.� Thrust.
“Mmm, all this wet cream just for me.�
“Choke my cock and make me come with you.�
You get the picture. Unfortunately for me, this wording takes away from the moment and makes these sex scenes incredibly unsexy. I know a lot of other people who enjoy the spice though, so I think it comes down to personal preference.
Overall, Glow is a good addition to the series because it provides a lot of background information and character development. I seriously cannot wait for Gold: Book 5. My heart will not know peace until I find out what happens next.
Thank you so much to The Nerd Fam and Raven Kennedy for sending me a physical ARC copy. I didn't get to read or review it before the publication date since I was in the middle of moving, but I'm so grateful for receiving an early copy. As always, all opinions are my own.
-
The Plated Prisoner Series:
#1 Gild � 4 Stars
#2 Glint � 4 Stars
#3 Gleam � 4.5 Stars
#4 Glow � 3.5 Stars
#5 Gold � 4 Stars
#6 Goldfinch - (no release date)
-
Favorite Quotes:
I’ve always been treated like treasure, but with Slade, I’m simply treasured.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
The abuse came in shades of gray. Some were darker and more noticeable than others. Some, I probably haven’t even noticed yet. My healing from this isn’t going to happen overnight. But...I’m free now. Truly free.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“If you’re a villain...then I’ll be a villain with you.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
I knew it was going to be him or us. And I choose us.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“Oh, Goldfinch. I would’ve found you in whatever world you were in. In whatever life.� My lips tip up in a soft smile, because I believe him. “You would’ve found me in them all.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
With the right person, there is power when you kneel. There is adoration with submission. There is balance with control.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
My body sings for him in all the right notes.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
He doesn’t keep us face-to-face, he has me like this with my back still bared to him, and when he places kisses there again, it’s like he’s replacing the violence and marking me with tenderness instead. Reminding me that I’m not ruined. That despite it all, we’re here, together, and that sometimes, our worlds have to rip in order for us to end up where we’re meant to be.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“One person’s pain doesn’t negate another’s. Our heartaches are not competition, but the bridge to empathy. So that we can look at one another and know that on some level, we understand. That’s one beautiful thing about grief, I think. That sometimes, we can find someone in the world to look at from the other side of the bridge of our torments and know that we are not alone.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“I don’t give a fuck what other people think.�
“That’s such a man thing to say,� I reply with a slight roll of my eyes as I take another bite. “Women in this world have to be more careful. Perceived reputations can be life or death.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“You can say something until you’re blue in the face, and it won’t do any good. People rarely change their opinions when they’re argued with. They only tend to listen to the voices of those they already agree with.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“I mean you’re mine to please. To pleasure. You’re mine to protect. To adore. To hear. To see. To experience. To love.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“You’re mine, Auren. As wholly as I am yours. 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.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“With gold and rot, we will protect what is ours. We will be our worst when we need to and be our best together. And at the end of the day, we will fucking destroy our enemies.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“You are my equal. My female. My partner. But when it comes to your pussy, I’m in charge.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
But maybe, it’s simply the fact that the person I love is willing to destroy the world to protect me. And that is its own kind of power that not even this enclosure can drain away. So long as we’re together, everything is okay. Because I will fight for him, and he will kill for me, and if we need to be the villains, then so be it.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
Trigger Warning (18+): This series contains explicit content and darker elements/themes, including human trafficking, Stockholm Syndrome, gaslighting, non-consensual sex, violence, and mature language.
After that massive cliffhanger from Gleam, I have been eagerly waiting for this next installment in the series. And overall, I enjoyed this story. However, as many have already stated, it was a filler book. There's nothing wrong with filler books. In fact, I believe they are necessary for most series longer than three books. So as far as filler books go, this was done well, but there were a few things that didn't work for me.
Here's what I liked:
Osrik & Rissa. Honestly, they were my favorite part of the story even though we barely see them.
“You are the worst bad mistake I’m glad I never made,� she hisses.
“And you’re still the best mistake I can’t wait to make,� I retort with a smirk.
Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers, but all I know is that I need them together! It's just so adorable how big of a simp the big, burly Osrik is for Rissa.
Queen Malina's side story. Her importance to the story has been a mystery to me, and I never really enjoyed her POV chapters in any of the books until now! Her role in what happens at the end is a huge deal, and I'm curious to see what she does moving forward.
Slade's flashbacks. I absolutely LOVED this. I've had many questions about Slade's parents, magic, and past trauma, which are all answered in this book. His character development is beautifully done and helps us understand why he is the man he is today. I especially enjoyed seeing his connection with his mother and brother, but damn some of those flashbacks broke my heart. 😭 I'm so glad he has Auren and is still willing to open his heart after so much pain.
PS: His father can rot in hell. I know he will show up in the next book, and I hope Slade makes him pay!
Auren's healing and growth. After the events of Gleam, Auren is broken and absolutely terrified of her magic. There is so much trauma Auren has to unpack, and I really enjoyed seeing her work through everything in her own time. You can't force the healing process, and while this aspect of the story was soooooooo slow and often repetitive, it felt right. So I really appreciate that Raven Kennedy allowed Auren that time and space to heal.
PS: I'll be devastated if Auren's ribbons don't grow back. However, I feel like there are a couple of hints at her getting wings (she was caged, Slade's nickname for her is Goldfinch, there's a reference to her as a Phoenix rising from the ashes), and if that's the case, how freaking cool!
This beautiful scene. Honestly, out of the entire book, this is the most memorable scene for me. It's such a subtly important moment for Auren but also for Slade. It definitely made me tear up.
“Can you hear it?� she whispers.
I pause, ears straining, but all I hear are faint sounds from the city below and the constant draw of the waterfall at the base of the mountain.
“Hear what?�
And she smiles, through the tears dried on her cheeks, through the glassiness of her eyes. The sight is so damn beautiful that it’s hard to breathe.
“The sun,� Auren answers quietly, tone filled with a tentative, innocent joy. One that you’re afraid of saying too loud in case it breaks. “She’s singing to me.�
Emotion clogs in my throat as I watch her tip her head back again. Watch her eyes close. I draw a knuckle down her soft cheek. “And what does she sing, Goldfinch?� I murmur.
Her smile breaks through like the sunlight above us. “The song of home,� she says. “The sun is singing the song of home.�
My chest swells, and when she reaches a hand up and tugs at my arm, I lie back with her, situating until we’re arm to arm, leg to leg.
“Listen,� she whispers.
So I do. I thread my fingers through her own, and I listen.
But my song of home doesn’t come from the sun. Mine comes from her.
Auren's Cleansing for the Conflux seemed like a nod to Game of Thrones, and I LOVED it! Honestly, all I could think about was the similarities between this scene and Cersei getting ready with Septa Unella and her walk of atonement. Reading about fanatical religious groups that try to cleanse the body/spirit brings up my religious trauma. I absolutely hate them with a passion and would love nothing less than to see them burn. I hope Queen Isolte and her fanatics get what they deserve.
The cliffhanger ending. Raven Kennedy is an evil genius because the endings of the last two books have nearly sent me to the hospital due to heart failure. While reading the last few chapters, I was genuinely afraid for Auren and Slade. It felt like my heart was being painfully squeezed, shredded, and stabbed, all at the same time. I just know the next book is going to be INSANE. Since it's the last installment in the series, I'm assuming we'll get answers about Auren's past (her parents and why she was brought to Orea) and more world-building about Annwyn. I am foaming at the mouth for the next book! June 8, 2023 cannot come fast enough!
Here's what I didn't like:
The slow pace. This book is 700 pages, and nothing truly exciting really happens until the last 80 pages. The story mostly focuses on Auren's recovery and Slade's past, which, again, are important for the development of the characters and story. Still, it really wasn't exciting, and there was a lot of repetitive content. It took me forever to finish this book because it didn't captivate me in the same way the others had.
I was also disappointed that Gleam ended on a massive cliffhanger, and it takes 130 pages for Auren to wake up. I just wanted to know she was okay, dammit. lol
There are also so many questions that I've had since the beginning of the series that are still unanswered, and since Gold is the final book in the series, I'm worried things might be rushed to wrap things up, or the book will be 1000 pages long. Either way, I'm eager to read!
The dirty talk during sex scenes. I've come to realize the way Raven Kennedy writes these is not for me. While the actual sex scenes are creative and unique (like the carriage scene 🥵), it's ruined for me by the dirty talk. For example:
“Get that slick pussy all over my cock.�
“That’s right, drool all over my cock, baby. Get it nice and wet and sloppy, because I’m going to fuck you with it soon, and I want you dripping.�
“Your pussy is clamping down on my dick like it wants to milk me dry.�
“I want your slick to coat my cock. I want your pussy to clamp down around me so hard that it demands me to come with you. I want to burst inside of you until my cum and your gold comes dripping from this hot”—thrust—“tight”—thrust—“cunt.� Thrust.
“Mmm, all this wet cream just for me.�
“Choke my cock and make me come with you.�
You get the picture. Unfortunately for me, this wording takes away from the moment and makes these sex scenes incredibly unsexy. I know a lot of other people who enjoy the spice though, so I think it comes down to personal preference.
Overall, Glow is a good addition to the series because it provides a lot of background information and character development. I seriously cannot wait for Gold: Book 5. My heart will not know peace until I find out what happens next.
Thank you so much to The Nerd Fam and Raven Kennedy for sending me a physical ARC copy. I didn't get to read or review it before the publication date since I was in the middle of moving, but I'm so grateful for receiving an early copy. As always, all opinions are my own.
-
The Plated Prisoner Series:
#1 Gild � 4 Stars
#2 Glint � 4 Stars
#3 Gleam � 4.5 Stars
#4 Glow � 3.5 Stars
#5 Gold � 4 Stars
#6 Goldfinch - (no release date)
-
Favorite Quotes:
I’ve always been treated like treasure, but with Slade, I’m simply treasured.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
The abuse came in shades of gray. Some were darker and more noticeable than others. Some, I probably haven’t even noticed yet. My healing from this isn’t going to happen overnight. But...I’m free now. Truly free.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“If you’re a villain...then I’ll be a villain with you.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
I knew it was going to be him or us. And I choose us.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“Oh, Goldfinch. I would’ve found you in whatever world you were in. In whatever life.� My lips tip up in a soft smile, because I believe him. “You would’ve found me in them all.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
With the right person, there is power when you kneel. There is adoration with submission. There is balance with control.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
My body sings for him in all the right notes.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
He doesn’t keep us face-to-face, he has me like this with my back still bared to him, and when he places kisses there again, it’s like he’s replacing the violence and marking me with tenderness instead. Reminding me that I’m not ruined. That despite it all, we’re here, together, and that sometimes, our worlds have to rip in order for us to end up where we’re meant to be.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“One person’s pain doesn’t negate another’s. Our heartaches are not competition, but the bridge to empathy. So that we can look at one another and know that on some level, we understand. That’s one beautiful thing about grief, I think. That sometimes, we can find someone in the world to look at from the other side of the bridge of our torments and know that we are not alone.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“I don’t give a fuck what other people think.�
“That’s such a man thing to say,� I reply with a slight roll of my eyes as I take another bite. “Women in this world have to be more careful. Perceived reputations can be life or death.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“You can say something until you’re blue in the face, and it won’t do any good. People rarely change their opinions when they’re argued with. They only tend to listen to the voices of those they already agree with.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“I mean you’re mine to please. To pleasure. You’re mine to protect. To adore. To hear. To see. To experience. To love.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“You’re mine, Auren. As wholly as I am yours. 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.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“With gold and rot, we will protect what is ours. We will be our worst when we need to and be our best together. And at the end of the day, we will fucking destroy our enemies.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
“You are my equal. My female. My partner. But when it comes to your pussy, I’m in charge.�
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
But maybe, it’s simply the fact that the person I love is willing to destroy the world to protect me. And that is its own kind of power that not even this enclosure can drain away. So long as we’re together, everything is okay. Because I will fight for him, and he will kill for me, and if we need to be the villains, then so be it.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
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Reading Progress
November 26, 2021
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 26, 2021
– Shelved
June 6, 2022
–
Started Reading
June 29, 2022
–
Finished Reading
July 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
advance-reader-copy
July 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
emotional
July 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
fantasy
July 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
fantasy-romance
July 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
new-adult
July 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
smut
September 7, 2023
– Shelved as:
kindle-unlimited
Comments Showing 1-4 of 4 (4 new)
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OMGGGG THATS SO EXCITING
Completely agree!! A filler book - setting up for what comes next! It did not disappoint!
I might explode