Gleam: The Plated Prisoner Series, Book 3

Bajagirl

Fabulous series!

"Fabulous series, I am addicted. Brilliantly written and great story. Adore the characters and world building, and now, finally, in book THREE, that super slow burn shows up (chapter 30! Woo hoo!) The ending hit me like a punch to the gut - I was really almost physically ill, so hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride! Also, the audible version is FABULOUS, with the best woman's voice for a MFC I think I have ever listened to, and of course the brilliant Anthony Palmieri as the voice of Slade/Rip/King Rot. It is such a perfect addition to the book experience. ["

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October 17, 2025 Verified Purchase

Stacey Foss

Getting exciting

"So far this is the best book in the series. We have finally gotten some answers and seen betrayals for what they truly are. The story is still building and growing while we are still getting that amazing developing story line we are getting some exceptional truths. Auren is back with King Midas but all is not what it seems. She is truly coming into herself and starting to find her back bone. While some of Auren's storyline drives me crazy her character is getting more enjoyable. Slade on the other hand has my full attention. His character development was fantastic and truly unique. His Wrath is intriguing and I can't help but want more of them. This book is a big one and is paced very slowly until the last quarter then you get some amazing action and the truth bombs and twists are out of this world. I am heading straight for the next book as that ending makes you want to jump right in. ["

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January 16, 2026 Verified Purchase

Lily Esperanza

I Didn’t Just Read Her Story I Lived It

"This series has officially earned a place in my heart forever. From the very first book, I was pulled into Auren’s world, not just because of the fantasy, the tension, or the darkness (though all of that is so well done), but because of her. Auren is one of the most complex and emotionally layered main characters I’ve ever read. She starts off trapped — emotionally, mentally, and literally. She’s told who to be, how to behave, and what she’s worth. And for a while, she believes it. But what makes her unforgettable is that she doesn’t stay there. Her growth is one of the most powerful arcs I’ve read. Watching her rise from someone who’s been caged (physically and emotionally) to someone who finds her voice, her worth, her rage, her power — it moved me in ways I didn’t expect. She is soft but resilient. She’s been broken but never truly defeated. And every time she’s knocked down, she claws her way back up — not just for survival, but to reclaim herself. What struck me the most, though, was how much I saw myself in her. Auren’s pain, her doubt, the way she clung to a love that didn’t love her back the right way — all of it echoed what I’ve lived through. But just like her, I’m learning how to let go, how to choose myself, and how to fight for the version of me that was never meant to stay small. This isn’t just a fantasy story. It’s a journey of reclamation. Of burning down the lies you were told about yourself and rising in the truth of who you are. That’s what makes this series unforgettable — not just the world Raven Kennedy built, but the raw, honest, and empowering evolution of Auren. I still have a few books to go, but this has already become one of my absolute favorite series — the kind that stays with you, that reshapes you, that reminds you how strong you really are. If you give it a chance, I genuinely believe it’ll find you the same way it found me: right when you need it most. ["

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May 19, 2025 Verified Purchase

BookishXennialMom

Dark, empowering, emotionally brutal, and wildly addictive

"Gleam is the book where everything clicks—and shatters—at the same time. This is Auren’s reckoning, her awakening, and the slow, delicious burn of her reclamation of self. What Raven Kennedy does so masterfully here is strip away the illusion of safety that Midas built around Auren. The cages—golden and otherwise—are exposed for what they’ve always been: control disguised as protection. Watching Auren finally see Midas for who he truly is feels devastating and empowering in equal measure. Her inner strength doesn’t just grow; it hardens. She stops surviving and starts planning. Auren’s evolution in Gleam is deeply satisfying. She becomes physically stronger, mentally sharper, and emotionally more self-aware. This isn’t a sudden transformation—it’s the long game. Every small choice, every calculated silence, every internal shift builds toward her eventual escape. When she decides, “I don’t choose him. Not anymore. I’m choosing me,” it lands with the full weight of everything she’s endured. And then there’s Rip—King Ravinger. Dark, dangerous, and entirely magnetic. The tension between him and Auren is electric, made even richer by her hard-earned mistrust of kings who promise power and deliver pain. Auren admitting her desire for him—and finally acting on it—feels earned, cathartic, and undeniably hot. It’s not just about sex; it’s about agency, choice, and wanting something because she wants it. That said, Gleam does not shy away from brutality. Midas’s physical assaults on Auren—especially the second, which permanently maims her—are horrifying and difficult to read. The emotional manipulation she suffers is relentless and painfully realistic. These moments are heavy, but they are integral to the story Kennedy is telling: this is not romance wrapped in gold leaf. It’s trauma, survival, and rage. Ultimately, Gleam is about transformation. About anger blooming into resolve. About a woman who refuses to wither quietly and instead sharpens herself into something dangerous. Auren is no longer someone else’s treasure. She’s the one setting the trap now. ⭐ Dark, empowering, emotionally brutal, and wildly addictive—Gleam is the turning point of the series, and it absolutely shines. ["

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February 13, 2026 Verified Purchase

Olivia Thorne

Automatic Favorite Series

"I think that I have finally had enough time to digest this book and think about all of the ways it made me feel. But I also don't know that there will ever be enough time for me to fully recover from this book...at least not until the last book is published. Raven Kennedy is a queen. Simply put, she has creating one of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching stories that I have ever experienced. And it was an experience, not just a read. This book brought me so high and tore me down to the lowest of lows. There were times when I laughed, cried, and nearly broke my phone in rage and terror. Love, mystery, angst, pain, beauty, transformation, secrets, manipulation, magic, death, life. So many things fit into this beautiful story that has me unable to read anything else. If you took away the phenomenal writing and storytelling that Raven Kennedy has put into this book and it was simply just the bare bones of the plot....this story would still be amazing. But the fact that her writing is some of the most captivating, soul-clenching writing I have ever read makes this book all the better. Not only does Raven tell what's happening in the lives of everyone in this book, but I feel as though I am there, enduring every emotion with Auren. When she smiled, I smiled. When she laughed, I laughed. And boy when she was hurt...I WAS HURT. I felt physical pain reading this book because of the rollercoaster it took me on. The most beautiful thing about this book is the development of each character that we get to see. Auren's journey is such a privilege to get to read about because it is so realistic. Her growth as a person is so evident and it makes sense. It isn't too fast or too slow and I never found it to be unrealistic or silly. The same goes for the other characters, even though we see their perspective less. And I will just have to say....Slade is the ultimate book boyfriend and he has now topped all other fictional men. I won't change my mind. Raven has blessed us with this masterpiece and I truly hope that it's fame and recognition continues to grow because it is spectacular. ["

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May 2, 2022 Verified Purchase