Title: Glow
Author: Raven Kennedy
Genre: Romantasy, Adult Romance
Published: June 18, 2022 (original),
November 12, 2024 (this edition)
Publisher: Podium Audio
Source: Audiobook (Audible)
Length: 22 Hours 38 Minutes
Narrated by: Lilly Drake, Anthony Palmini
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 need to rise from the ashes and learn to wield my power. 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.
The BookTok hit Plated Prisoner series continues in book four. This dark adult fantasy romance is inspired by the myth of King Midas and the gold-touched woman who realizes her true worth. Intended for mature listeners.
This review contains possible spoilers if you have not read the previous books. I will try to keep things as general as possible.
My Rating: 5
This is the fourth book in the Plated Prisoner series. This is my second read of the this book. I read it in ebook form a few years ago and have been continuing my re-read of the series with the audiobooks. Like with the previous audiobooks I’ve reviewed this edition is done in a duet style with Lily Drake narrating for all the female characters as well as doing all the dialogue for female characters throughout each chapter. Likewise for Anthony Palmini narrating for all of the male characters and the dialogue for each male character. As in the previous books both doing an excellent job of bringing each character to life. There were a few moments where some words were strangely pronounced, but very rarely so it’s not a big deal.
“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.”
― Raven Kennedy, Glow
For the first I’d say quarter of the book Auren is unconscious which is what gives us more Slade perspective chapters. We learn a great deal more about Slade and his brother Ryatt in this book, as this arc of the story takes place in Deadwell and then in Fourth Kingdom. We learn their backstory, how they came to Orea and their abusive father. We finally learn why he earned the nickname Rip.
When Auren finally gains consciouness things start to move forward again. She takes the time she needs to heal from her wounds and learns to control her gold. When they are ready the travel to Fourth Kingdom.
A lot of politics and power play comes into focus now. With the demand that Auren face trial at the conflux ( a gathering of all the monarchs who serve as judges) for her hand in the death of King Midas, and stealing his magic. A multitude of rumors circulating around about Auren by Queen Kalia who had stood to gain a great deal of power with her union with King Midas. Which of course is now ruined.
Auren learns of these rumors when she ventures out to explore the city with the captains of Fourth’s army and Slade. Her first time feeling true freedom, darkened by falsehoods.
Manu, Queen Kalia’s brother and adivsor visits Fourth Kingdom in order to convince Auren to answer the summons of the Conflux. Slade, serving as King Ravinger is adamantly against it. He doesn’t believe a word of what is being said and that something is definitely off about all of it.
My favourite moment in this book was the morning after they arrive in Fourth Kingdom and Slade finds Auren laying on the roof basking in the sun. Through the writing of this particular scene you can just feel how happy Auren finally feels. The moment where she realizes she can finally breathe and just be. No more holding your breath, tiptoeing around others and how they might percieve your actions. Her first real moments of freedom.
Which makes what happens at the end of the book all the more devestating. I have no idea where the story will go, but I can’t wait to find out.
The writing of the story has improved so much from the first three books. The poetic nature of the prose is wonderful, and I am so happy we aren’t getting as many direct comparisons for things being described. They do still occur, but not nearly as frequently as the first two books in this series. I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the next book in the series, which is the first in this series that I haven’t read yet.
You can find my reviews for the other books in this series here:
Gild by Raven Kennedy
Glint by Raven Kennedy
Gleam by Raven Kennedy
Have you read this book?
What were your thoughts on it?
Are there any books you would recommend for me to read based on this book review?
Leave a comment below and let me know.
Happy Reading!
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