Gleam
Raven Kennedy, 2021
A woman kept as a king's golden ornament starts to question the story she's been told about her cage. Romantasy with a morally grey love interest.
Feels like longing and serenity. About power, freedom and identity.
A page from the book
What does it mean to be dangerous on someone's behalf?
You’re not the villain in my story.” “I am,” he says without remorse, his sharp jaw tight with tension. “But I’ll be the villain for you. Not to you. Raven Kennedy.Raven Kennedy first self-published The Plated Prisoner series; its King Midas-inspired romantasy found a large audience through BookTok and word of mouth.
Books that feel like this
More by Raven Kennedy
Glint
Raven Kennedy, 2021
A retelling of King Midas where the golden girl starts to notice the cage. Sharp, furious, slow-burn fantasy about a woman done being ornamental.
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Questions readers ask
- What is Gleam like?
- Feels like longing and serenity. About power, freedom and identity.
- What should I read after Gleam?
- If you liked Gleam, try A Court of Mist and Fury (Sarah J. Maas), Quicksilver (Callie Hart) and Lightlark (Alex Aster).
A taste of the feed
Being cast as the villain and being one are different things.
He thinks he’ll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out.
A Court of Mist and Fury · Sarah J. Maas
What you call a woman decides how much room she is allowed.
Don’t call her Sunshine,” he commanded. “Why not?” If Carrion’s plan was to poke the bear, then he sure as hell knew how to go about it. But Kingfisher didn’t respond to the taunting note in his question. He just cocked his head a little, nostrils flaring, and spoke in a low rumble. “Because she is moonlight. The mist that shrouds the mountains. The bite of electricity in the air before a storm. The smoke that rolls across a battlefield before the killing starts. You have no idea what she is. What she could be. You should call her Majesty.
Quicksilver · Callie Hart
What it sounds like when someone could ruin you and chooses not to.
I could open a black hole that would swallow the beach. I could turn the sea dark as ink and kill everything inside of it. I could demolish the castle, brick by brick, from where we stand. I could take you back to Nightshade lands with me right now.” His voice was deep as dreams, dark as nightmares. “I could do all of those things.” His lips pressed against the top of her ear, for just a moment. “And I might—if I didn’t think you would hate me for it.
Lightlark · Alex Aster
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