Gleam: The Plated Prisoner Series, Book 3

Name: Gleam: The Plated Prisoner Series, Book 3
Price: 15.05 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6 (87200 reviews)
Author: Raven Kennedy

by Raven Kennedy

4.6

About this book

Auren is no longer the gilded bird in a gilded cage. After shattering the suffocating constraints of King Midas’s reign, she finds herself thrust into a treacherous new kingdom where the air is thick with deception and her survival is far from guaranteed. Stripped of the false security that once defined her, Auren discovers a dormant, volatile power rising within—a dark, burgeoning strength born from years of repression and rage.

Her newfound independence is complicated by the presence of King Ravinger. He is a man of shadow and sinister allure, a ruler whose power is as undeniable as his capacity for manipulation. Despite Auren’s hard-won skepticism toward monarchs who promise protection, the magnetic pull between them is impossible to ignore.

As she navigates a lethal landscape of courtly schemes and shifting loyalties, she must decide if Ravinger is a dangerous distraction or an unexpected ally in her quest for autonomy. Haunted by the scars of her past and fueled by a thirst for vengeance, Auren realizes that the only way to remain free is to stop playing the victim. She is no longer just a pawn in someone else’s game; she is the one setting the trap.

Available Formats

Hardcover: $15.05 Audiobook: $0.00

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What readers are saying

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. ["

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. ["

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. ["

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. ["

February 13, 2026 Verified Purchase