Overall Opinion: ★★★★⯪
Okay so updating this to give my overall opinion on Gild and the Plated Prisoner series. These books are great! The storylines are amazing, the depth and growth of the characters make you love everyone by the end. The surprises and twists keep you interested and wanting more. Even though we have all heard of Midas before, this book gives a brand new twist that is imaginative and fresh. The magic in the book is pretty unique.
The main characters you fall in love with. Auren goes through so much and reading through her healing journey is so sad but also so empowering.... Slade Ravinger... he quickly went to the TOP of my book boyfriends. He is honest about who he is, totally 100% about Auren and not afraid to be the bad guy.
The side characters in the book are developed and I don't even want to call them side characters. You get attached to each and every one of them and their stories and backgrounds. Even the ones that you hate in the beginning, their development and growth through the series makes you love them in the end.
The ending of the book made me gasp out loud in parts and feel closure in others. HOWEVER, there is one storyline I really hope she continues in any next books she considers writing.
My overall rating on this one is a 4.5 out of 5. A half point off because there were a few times in the series that I kind of slumped off reading. And also, for the unresolved character in the end. There is no talk of continuing on with this series so I assume that storyline will stop where it is, which I don't like.
Other book reviews:
Of Flames and Fallacies - Courtney Whims
Plated Prisoner Series (Gild)- Raven Kennedy
Empire of Flames and Thorns- Marian Blackwood
Okay, I am going to start a new book. I had an option of Gild. Zodiac Academy, and Spark of the Everflame. I was told I couldn't go wrong with any of them. So I eeny, meeny, minee mo'ed it and came up with Gild.
Let's see how it goes! Hopefully better than the last one!
4/20 Pages 1 - 30
Happy Easter! If you celebrate, if not, happy new day!
I started Gild last night while my boys and their cousins watched WrestleMania and played. I can say the beginning DEFINITELY caught my attention.
Not much action happening, but some world building and intro to characters. The author has kept a good balance of keeping it interesting and putting background information in the right amounts to keep me reading and wanting more.
Auren is the FMC, appropriately named because Aurum is gold in Latin. Which is why Gold on the Periodic Table has Au as the symbol. (Your daily science lesson 😁) She is King Midas's prize belonging, who he keeps in a cage (albeit a nice one) and currently is enamored with him even though you can tell he does not feel the same way and only enjoys her as a possession. She is completely gold and has what she calls ribbons from her spinal bones. I'm thinking this has to do with some kind of magic she has since it mentions magic within the same paragraph, maybe within the same sentence.
As far as the World goes (Orea), which I take as a play on the word ore (a naturally occurring mineral like gold). There are six kingdoms with Midas being ruler of the 6th. We are introduced briefly to the ruler of the 5th kingdom, who also has magic. So, I am assuming each kingdom ruler has his/her own unique power.
First impression of the book is that it will be an interesting read. From what I have read and heard from others, the series is great and cures book hangovers from other epic stories like Throne of Glass and ACOTAR. It has caught my attention, and I do want to read more into the world and what happens to Auren.
4/26 Pg 31 - 164
I have almost hit the page number that I stopped reading the other book. And I have no intentions of stopping this one.
In these pages, you find out about the king of 4th kingdom and how he is truly awful. I have a feeling he really isn't.
You also see how much of a user King Midas is and my initial thought of a double cross with the king of 5th Kingdom was right.
A twist in Midas' personal life was one I did not see coming and makes me not like him even more, but the twist adds to the plot line and reveals that Midas has another secret that he does not want anyone to know about. I have no thoughts or impressions on this yet and can imagine it can be a number of things that would not put past Midas.
My thoughts on Auren's love being one sided is also proven true on how Midas treats her and reveals how much he has manipulated Auren because she pretty much forgives him right away. I am anxiously awaiting the moment she realizes she is stronger than she knows and finally sees Midas's true colors. I stopped at a point of the book where Auren is getting a taste of freedom and am hoping she remembers it when it is taken away.
4/27
Pages 164-213
Auren meets a friend on the journey to Midas. On the way she starts to see the world and also gets a clearer picture of the Kingdom. I think she is starting to see Midas and his flaws as a King and maybe even see a little cruelty in him towards his kingdom and residents of 6th Kingdom
Auren and her new friend get closer on the journey. I also am starting to really like her personal guard. He's tough but you are really starting to see that he likes her and sees her as a person and not just Mida's favored prize. I am also really liking her new friend Sail. But have a sneaking suspicion that Midas will not like the friendship between his golden pet and her new male friend. I think he may take it to the point of killing him.
This reading time ends with a stop in the journey and a mysterious light in the distance.
I am about 75% done with this book and am still really enjoying it!
4/30
Pages 213 - 300
The mysterious lights turn out to be a donger to all of Midas's people on the trip. We find out there is such a thing as snow pirates ( who knew). Unfortunately, everyone is captured and taken to the pirates' ships. They discover Auren and put the pieces together that she is Midas's favored and that the party is Midas's guard and saddles. They are all captured and Auren's friend does not make it. But because of the death, we see Auren start to develop some spine and see her start to really grow as a character.
The pirate captain of course takes an interest in Auren and it is very unwanted. The captain is unhappy with Auren for her aforementioned growing of a backbone and is about to punish her when he gets a message to expect a visitor. Auren is spared the worse type of punishment for now...
This is my stopping point for today and I can' t wait to see who this visitor is!
5/4
Pages 300 - End (382)
The captain puts everyone to work on the ship in preparation for this visitor. The visitor is a commander from King Ravenger's 4th Kingdom ( Or King Rot as they call him). His name is Rip and his description is interesting. He has spikes on his arms and spine as well as, you later find out, on his brow. Auren describes him as Fae.
I have a suspicion that Rip is actually King Ravenger also, but I guess we will see in the next book
Commander Rip tells Captain of the pirates that he will buy all of King Midas's possessions from them. Captain tries to negotiate but really doesn't have much of a choice. In the negotiations, Captain tries to hide Auren from Rip so he can keep her for himself but of course Rip is fae so knows better. We also get a chapter with some information about a 7th kingdom that once existed that connected the 7th kingdom ( full of Fae) and the rest of the kingdoms in the realm. I assume this will be important later.
Pirate Captain takes Auren and another of Midas's girls to his bedroom to take what he can from them before Rip takes them. Auren sees Captain hurting the other girl and enjoying it and you see a surprising power from her that makes you rethink the relationship between her and Midas. Also gives another reason why she is so valuable to him. And also gives me an Idea of what his secret is that was mentioned in the early part of the book. ( see writing on pages 31-164)
At the end, Rip tells us he knows " what" Auren is, which leads me to think she is fae also. He also calls her a goldfinch. Auren assumes that he is calling her Midas's pet but I think it may be something more.
The last chapter is in Midas's POV and he gets a message that Auren has been captured and he is not happy...
Guess I have another book to buy.
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