Gild | 
“Does it really matter if your cage is solid gold when you aren‘t allowed to leave it? A cage is a cage, no matter how gilded.”
#February2025
“You can have all the gold in the world and yet lack everything of real worth.”
“You can pretend a lot of things in life. You can pretend so well that you even start to believe your own deceit. We‘re all actors; we‘re all on pedestals with a spotlight shining on us, playing whatever part we need to in order to make it through the day—in order to help ourselves sleep at night.”
“But memory and time aren't friends. They reject each other, they hurry in opposite directions, pulling the binding taut between them, threatening to snap. They fight, and we inexplicably lose. Memory and time. Always losing one as you go on with the other.”
pan*Cringes*
I gave smut a try. It opens with an orgy of King Midas‘ royal harem including the observing gold-touched woman of the fable. Kind of an interesting story about royalty and war and kingdoms.
Then
BAM. FAE. MONSTERS. PIRATES. GARBAGE. What the HECK happened in the second half of the book. Nuh uh. Not good. Not good writing, not good flow. Did not like but finished just to see how out to lunch it would get. Not worth the time.
😡 😡UGH the MANIPULATION Midas constantly uses against Auren is infuriating! 😡
Starting this series again now that I have the whole thing. I will be annotating this go round so it may take me a bit longer to do.
pickIt‘s funny, I had in my mind that this was a YA book, but then it opened with an orgy😂 Still, it reads like a YA book, but with sex and violence and language. The plot is engaging, and the main character, Auren, is appealing, if a bit whiny at times. I feel like there‘s a lot more to her backstory that will be revealed in series. All in all, an entertaining read and compelling enough to continue with the series. Soft pick.
panI wish I didn‘t read this. Honestly, this is the first and only book that I just started skimming toward the end.
It feels like most of the chapters are just filler. Nothing important happens in the entire book. I have no connection to any character. It just felt empty. I wouldn‘t recommend it. .5/5
"One should never decide something as serious as bangs when they have a bottle of wine in their stomachs."
pickI had seen this book all over booktok so I decided to take the leap and try it out. I‘m just getting into fantasy novels so I‘m figuring out what I enjoy. I was excited that my local library had a copy on the shelf. I did really enjoy this book. It kept me engaged and I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. I definitely plan to read the rest of the series.
so-soThis was a very quick read. The plot is a cool concept, King Midas makes his favorite girl gold and keeps her locked in a cage.
Be warned there is abuse against women and is very degrading. The kind calls them his saddles.
This book does not have too much going on, but you can tell it is just starting the storyline for the next books in the series.
I can't wait to read more about Commander Rip and the Kimg of Rot.
pickThrilling writing with unique worldbuilding though I wished for more details. The book felt like a long prologue and served to foreshadow events in the later books. Very emotional read! There are many degrading and shocking scenes, watch out for heavy triggers, especially violence and abuse against women. The author did an amazing job on describing the FMC's feelings and her traumas.
bailedIf you are looking for a book full of heavy pornographic content starting on page 1 and women who are disrespected by men and who also don't respect themselves...look no further. This is that book. Personally, I was disgusted by it.
so-soI truly don‘t know how to feel at the end of this. It was so slow to get going and the end was JUST enough to get me curious enough to move onto the next. It‘s a quick read so it has that going for it. But idk. Am I the only one here who didn‘t quite like it but still has their interest peaked?
Fan art from unknown artist
pickSo I popped into my local bookstore before snow/sleet-aggedon for some reads and found the first three books in print. I was not sure if I‘d like this one but I‘ve been inhaling these books! A take on King Midas and it‘s a page turner!
pickI read this book in 2 days. I knew it was popular but I didn't exactly know what it was about. I really liked it. Yes, there are TW to consider. And the idea of a man locking up a woman in a cage and barely spending time with her but still being his "favored" is messed up! But the action in this book, characters, and imagery is top notch. Looking forward to the rest of this series.
pickI am in awe. I just finished this, and I need a moment. This book was epic. The character development; the sweet, sweet slow burn; the revelations; the magic -- this had everything. And this isn't even the final book in the series. 🥺
⭐: 4.5
(Photo in the background belongs to Tevei Renvoyé)
pickThis book. I wasn't expecting to like it this much, but whoa, this was really good. This is only the first book, and I heard the sequels just get better. That twist at the end! I need to read the sequels now. Sadly, the 4th book will still be released in 2022.
Content is pretty dark (please see the official synopsis on Goodreads for more warnings) so definitely not for readers below 18.
⭐: 4
(Photo in the background belongs to Gabriel Alenius)
