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Divided Fates #1
To Cage a Wild Bird
Win a free print copy of this book!
19 days and 13:16:38
20 copies available
U.S. only
Dystopie is back! Die Tribute von Panemtrifft auf Powerless in Band 1 der tödlichen Fantasy-Romance über eine knallharte Kopfgeldjägerin. Das Leben in Dividium beruht auf einer einzigen Regel: Disziplin oder Tod. Denn in Dividium wird nicht nur jedes Verbrechen mit lebenslanger Haft bestraft, die Bürger der Oberschicht bekommen außerdem die Gelegenheit, die Gefängnisinsassen zu jagen und zu töten.
Als der Bruder der 23-jährigen Raven verhaftet wird, schmiedet die Kopfgeldjägerin den Plan, die Haftanstalt Endlock als Insassin zu infiltrieren und eine Ausbruchsaktion zu starten. Doch leider hat Raven dabei die Rechnung ohne den attraktiven Wachmann Vale gemacht. Plötzlich muss sie nicht nur die tödlichen Spiele im Gefängnis überleben, sondern auch gegen ihre wachsenden Gefühle für den Mann ankämpfen, der für all das steht, was sie an Dividium so verabscheut ...
Als der Bruder der 23-jährigen Raven verhaftet wird, schmiedet die Kopfgeldjägerin den Plan, die Haftanstalt Endlock als Insassin zu infiltrieren und eine Ausbruchsaktion zu starten. Doch leider hat Raven dabei die Rechnung ohne den attraktiven Wachmann Vale gemacht. Plötzlich muss sie nicht nur die tödlichen Spiele im Gefängnis überleben, sondern auch gegen ihre wachsenden Gefühle für den Mann ankämpfen, der für all das steht, was sie an Dividium so verabscheut ...
448 pages, Hardcover
First published September 9, 2025
72401 people want to read
About the author
Brooke Fast
1 book399 followersBrooke Fast is a lover of dystopian, fantasy, and all things romance. When she’s not writing new worlds, you can find her curled up on the couch with her husband and their pups in their self-built tiny house in the mountains of Maine. She’ll either be consuming copious amounts of coffee and thumbing through the latest romantasy release or sharing book reviews and writing snippets under her alter-ego, @librarybrookes. To Cage a Wild Bird is her first novel.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,754 reviews
January 2, 2026
this gave me all of the feels i remember feeling back when i read The Hunger Games/Divergent for the first time! dystopian world where there are tiers of people ranking lowest to highest. when/if the people in the lowest tier commit a crime, they're sent to a place called Endlock where the highest tier people can pay to come and hunt them.. crazy! the story itself felt YA, and i say that in a positive way, meaning the "world building" and plot were easy to follow along with (for a beginner like me) but there were definitely some spicy scenes sprinkled in. looks like it's slotted to be a series and based on the way it ended, i'm excited to see what happens next!
August 20, 2025
4.5 stars 🌟 Prison break vibes in a dystopian world where no one can truly survive the prison because the public can pay to hunt the prisoners down!??? Insane! On the edge of my seat for book 2
October 16, 2025
4.5⭐️ oh this was SO FUN. i’ve been after a great dystopian read that gives me the same feels books like divergent did back in 2012 and this has DONE IT. such a cool, unique plot and wonderful writing, as well as such a fun group of characters. loved this !!
September 12, 2025
2.5 ★— 2025 seems to be shaping up as a tentative return for dystopian romances, and To Cage a Wild Bird is very much a throwback to the fast-paced, action-filled YA titles that dominated the 2010s.
The story is set in Dividium, a very on-the-nose name for the war-torn, decimated world where the plot unfolds. Unfortunately, that same genericness carries over into nearly every other aspect of the book.
Our heroine, Raven Thorne, is your classic cookie-cutter early-twenties main character just trying to keep her younger brother safe while surviving as part of the vulnerable underclass of her world, forced to walk on eggshells to stay alive. When her brother is taken to Endlock Prison, she jumps into action, allying with a rebel group who promise to help rescue him, but only if she goes undercover as a prisoner herself to free one of their own.
Raven is the typical protagonist of this genre. She’s brave, hardened, and smart, which are all the usual traits you’d expect her to have. The only truly interesting angle is her backstory as a bounty hunter who captured criminals for money. That could have been such a fascinating internal dilemma, especially once she’s thrown into Endlock alongside people she has personally put there.
But the book barely explores this beyond a couple of scenes, which felt like a true missed opportunity for more interesting conflict. Instead, Raven’s time in prison and the whole undercover mission feel just as underwhelming and predictable as the book overall.
The prison setting itself had potential. There’s a ranking system for prisoners, and the wealthy pay to hunt the highly ranked ones. The more hunts you survive, the higher your rank and the more danger you’re in. It’s a genuinely cool concept! Yet all this is treated so shallowly that I kept wondering how such a cool world-building idea could have been executed in such a lackluster manner.
The romance just continued in bolstering this feeling. Raven’s relationship with the guard MMC, Vale, has zero build-up. I wouldn’t call it slow burn at all, because it’s basically insta-love. They meet once, and by their third scene together, he’s suddenly calling her “little bird” and acting protective, and then boom, they’re in love.
Vale himself is barely a character. Beyond a few scraps of backstory, there’s nothing to him. No personality, no depth. Honestly, I found myself wishing Raven would end up with August, a character who was far more fleshed out and had many more interactions with her.
In the end, I’d sum this book up as predictable, slightly trashy comfort food. It might work if you’re craving some smutty, 2010s-style dystopian nostalgia with a bit of action thrown in. But don’t expect anything groundbreaking.
🎧Audiobook Note
🎙️Narration Style: Solo
The narrator did a great job emoting and giving distinct voices to the characters. I didn’t love the raspy tone she used for Vale, but otherwise, her cadence was soothing and pleasant, making for a very enjoyable listening experience.
________________
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Worlds UK, Transworlds Publishers for the ARC, and HarperAudio Adult for providing the ALC, both in exchange for an honest review.
The story is set in Dividium, a very on-the-nose name for the war-torn, decimated world where the plot unfolds. Unfortunately, that same genericness carries over into nearly every other aspect of the book.
Our heroine, Raven Thorne, is your classic cookie-cutter early-twenties main character just trying to keep her younger brother safe while surviving as part of the vulnerable underclass of her world, forced to walk on eggshells to stay alive. When her brother is taken to Endlock Prison, she jumps into action, allying with a rebel group who promise to help rescue him, but only if she goes undercover as a prisoner herself to free one of their own.
Raven is the typical protagonist of this genre. She’s brave, hardened, and smart, which are all the usual traits you’d expect her to have. The only truly interesting angle is her backstory as a bounty hunter who captured criminals for money. That could have been such a fascinating internal dilemma, especially once she’s thrown into Endlock alongside people she has personally put there.
But the book barely explores this beyond a couple of scenes, which felt like a true missed opportunity for more interesting conflict. Instead, Raven’s time in prison and the whole undercover mission feel just as underwhelming and predictable as the book overall.
The prison setting itself had potential. There’s a ranking system for prisoners, and the wealthy pay to hunt the highly ranked ones. The more hunts you survive, the higher your rank and the more danger you’re in. It’s a genuinely cool concept! Yet all this is treated so shallowly that I kept wondering how such a cool world-building idea could have been executed in such a lackluster manner.
The romance just continued in bolstering this feeling. Raven’s relationship with the guard MMC, Vale, has zero build-up. I wouldn’t call it slow burn at all, because it’s basically insta-love. They meet once, and by their third scene together, he’s suddenly calling her “little bird” and acting protective, and then boom, they’re in love.
Vale himself is barely a character. Beyond a few scraps of backstory, there’s nothing to him. No personality, no depth. Honestly, I found myself wishing Raven would end up with August, a character who was far more fleshed out and had many more interactions with her.
In the end, I’d sum this book up as predictable, slightly trashy comfort food. It might work if you’re craving some smutty, 2010s-style dystopian nostalgia with a bit of action thrown in. But don’t expect anything groundbreaking.
🎧Audiobook Note
🎙️Narration Style: Solo
The narrator did a great job emoting and giving distinct voices to the characters. I didn’t love the raspy tone she used for Vale, but otherwise, her cadence was soothing and pleasant, making for a very enjoyable listening experience.
________________
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Worlds UK, Transworlds Publishers for the ARC, and HarperAudio Adult for providing the ALC, both in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2026
3.5⭐️ this was a fun and fast paced dystopian romance! We had a prison break storyline but in this dystopian prison (Endlock) members of the upper class pay to come and hunt the inmates for sport. We also have a forbidden romance between our inmate FMC Raven and prison guard MMC Vale. The romance was somewhat insta love which isn’t for me HOWEVER thankfully the characters don’t fully get it on for a good 70% of the book. I did find I wasn’t super invested in the characters and a lot of the situations felt unrealistic and overly convenient given the circumstances. But I do think this was a fun story and I know people are going to LOVE this!
November 18, 2025
firstly — thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!
2.5 stars — very disappointed in the “dystopian” books this year as they are all at their core unethical romances between those fighting against the government that oppresses them and the dogs that work for the oppressors… (see: silver elite, another “dystopian” book i was excited for that i now seethe with rage when i hear its praises being sung).
while to cage a wild bird was poorly written with cringey dialogue and descriptions to boot, had flimsy characters with threadbare relationships (not to mention insta lust, my absolute most detested relationship), it did have a semi-interesting plot (the rich get to hunt and kill “criminals” aka those individuals oppressed by the government) that was a little too similar to the hunger game’s plot for my comfort, but i still appreciated it in some capacity.
this book’s saving grace? it emphasizes every chance you get that if you think the government would NEVER do that (deliberately starve people, have neighbors turn on one another and rat them out to police for protection, invest in weapons and prisons instead of community resources, etc…), oh yes it absolutely would…
as for the narrator — i just couldn’t stand her voice.
edit: i couldn’t skip my FL sub and while this book frustrated me to no ends, the FL edition is absolutely stunning as per usual!!
——
original review:
highly anticipated read that i cannot wait to dive into 🙂↕️
2.5 stars — very disappointed in the “dystopian” books this year as they are all at their core unethical romances between those fighting against the government that oppresses them and the dogs that work for the oppressors… (see: silver elite, another “dystopian” book i was excited for that i now seethe with rage when i hear its praises being sung).
while to cage a wild bird was poorly written with cringey dialogue and descriptions to boot, had flimsy characters with threadbare relationships (not to mention insta lust, my absolute most detested relationship), it did have a semi-interesting plot (the rich get to hunt and kill “criminals” aka those individuals oppressed by the government) that was a little too similar to the hunger game’s plot for my comfort, but i still appreciated it in some capacity.
this book’s saving grace? it emphasizes every chance you get that if you think the government would NEVER do that (deliberately starve people, have neighbors turn on one another and rat them out to police for protection, invest in weapons and prisons instead of community resources, etc…), oh yes it absolutely would…
as for the narrator — i just couldn’t stand her voice.
edit: i couldn’t skip my FL sub and while this book frustrated me to no ends, the FL edition is absolutely stunning as per usual!!
——
original review:
highly anticipated read that i cannot wait to dive into 🙂↕️
December 16, 2025
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me this book! Honestly, the happiest human to get this early. 😭💫
I absolutely devoured this book! I'm not even sure where to begin with my review. The story was so captivating; the plot was fun, and I ADORED many of the characters. The storyline flowed seamlessly, and everything unraveled perfectly. SO GOOD.
I am so invested. The ending was brilliant and, at the same time, broke my heart a little. I can't wait to read book two! I am not sure how I am going to wait for it.
To summarize, this book feels like a mix of *Prison Break* and *The Hunger Games*, while still being entirely unique. You absolutely need this book in your life! It’s available early on Kindle Unlimited, so be sure to check it out. Otherwise, it is expected to be published on March 3, 2026.
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
I absolutely devoured this book! I'm not even sure where to begin with my review. The story was so captivating; the plot was fun, and I ADORED many of the characters. The storyline flowed seamlessly, and everything unraveled perfectly. SO GOOD.
I am so invested. The ending was brilliant and, at the same time, broke my heart a little. I can't wait to read book two! I am not sure how I am going to wait for it.
To summarize, this book feels like a mix of *Prison Break* and *The Hunger Games*, while still being entirely unique. You absolutely need this book in your life! It’s available early on Kindle Unlimited, so be sure to check it out. Otherwise, it is expected to be published on March 3, 2026.
As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨
January 9, 2026
4.5☆ 🔪 🌲 ⛓️ 🕊️ “ℐ 𝓈𝓊𝓅𝓅𝑜𝓈𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝑜𝓁𝒾𝓈𝒽 𝑒𝓃𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝓉𝑜 𝓬𝓪𝓰𝓮 𝓪 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓭 𝓫𝓲𝓻𝓭 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹𝓃’𝓉 𝑒𝓍𝓅𝑒𝒸𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇 𝒸𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑜𝓇”
this was super face paced and had me sat 🙂↕️ i was fully invested in this story and this group of characters
༘⋆ 𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 is a bounty hunter in a dystopian world (yup badass)
i admire everything she’s willing to do for her brother 𝙟𝙚𝙙. and watching her finally open up to others and form friendships warmed my heart
༘⋆ 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙚 the prison guard 🤪🤪 i love how protective he was ugh!! i enjoyed their banter and even though it wasn’t a slow burn it still had that level of tension
જ⁀➴ 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝒷𝒾𝓇𝒹 ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐
excited to see how the story and characters will progress in the next book ❤️
this was super face paced and had me sat 🙂↕️ i was fully invested in this story and this group of characters
༘⋆ 𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 is a bounty hunter in a dystopian world (yup badass)
i admire everything she’s willing to do for her brother 𝙟𝙚𝙙. and watching her finally open up to others and form friendships warmed my heart
༘⋆ 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙚 the prison guard 🤪🤪 i love how protective he was ugh!! i enjoyed their banter and even though it wasn’t a slow burn it still had that level of tension
જ⁀➴ 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝒷𝒾𝓇𝒹 ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐
excited to see how the story and characters will progress in the next book ❤️
January 19, 2026
✩ 4 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Forbidden Romance
➼ Bounty Hunter FMC
➼ Prisoner x Guard
➼ Prisoners Hunted for Sport
➼ Found Family
➼ Who did this to you?
➼ Dystopian Romance
➼ Narrated by Nikki Massoud
➼ First Person Single POV
I really enjoyed this one! I’ve seen people describe this as Hunger Games in a prison setting but that’s not quite right. It definitely has a similar vibe, but there’s no competition between the inmates. Some of them hate each other, sure, but they could all technically make it out alive.
Instead of a deadly competition, they are hunted for sport by wealthy citizens who essentially pay for the opportunity to murder them. Because they’re “criminals,” their society no longer feels any remorse for killing them. I really miss the days when books like this felt like complete fiction. Now I’m like, “don’t give them ideas!” In the U.S., I think we’re already well on our way to dehumanizing entire groups of people to a point where this plot unfortunately doesn’t even feel that far removed from reality.
This was a pretty straight forward and predictable plot, but I thought it was well written and the author did a great job developing the relationships between the characters. I really enjoyed the relationship progression between the two MC’s but I also thought she did a great job cultivating the found family dynamics and developing the side characters as well.
I don’t want to give too many details, but the ending laid a great foundation for book two! I’m expecting there to be a lot of new characters added to the story and I think they’ll really be able to start fighting back which should make for a very interesting sequel! There were also new dangers introduced for some of the characters that I think will add another layer and keep the next portion of the story from feeling too reminiscent of book one. All in all a very promising start to the series! Looking forward to continuing this one!
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Excited to see so many new dystopian novels being released! This one seems really promising! 🤞🏻 Diving in now!
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
What to Expect:
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Forbidden Romance
➼ Bounty Hunter FMC
➼ Prisoner x Guard
➼ Prisoners Hunted for Sport
➼ Found Family
➼ Who did this to you?
➼ Dystopian Romance
➼ Narrated by Nikki Massoud
➼ First Person Single POV
I really enjoyed this one! I’ve seen people describe this as Hunger Games in a prison setting but that’s not quite right. It definitely has a similar vibe, but there’s no competition between the inmates. Some of them hate each other, sure, but they could all technically make it out alive.
Instead of a deadly competition, they are hunted for sport by wealthy citizens who essentially pay for the opportunity to murder them. Because they’re “criminals,” their society no longer feels any remorse for killing them. I really miss the days when books like this felt like complete fiction. Now I’m like, “don’t give them ideas!” In the U.S., I think we’re already well on our way to dehumanizing entire groups of people to a point where this plot unfortunately doesn’t even feel that far removed from reality.
This was a pretty straight forward and predictable plot, but I thought it was well written and the author did a great job developing the relationships between the characters. I really enjoyed the relationship progression between the two MC’s but I also thought she did a great job cultivating the found family dynamics and developing the side characters as well.
I don’t want to give too many details, but the ending laid a great foundation for book two! I’m expecting there to be a lot of new characters added to the story and I think they’ll really be able to start fighting back which should make for a very interesting sequel! There were also new dangers introduced for some of the characters that I think will add another layer and keep the next portion of the story from feeling too reminiscent of book one. All in all a very promising start to the series! Looking forward to continuing this one!
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Excited to see so many new dystopian novels being released! This one seems really promising! 🤞🏻 Diving in now!
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
Currently reading
February 14, 2026This sounds really good. Dystopian romance and a fight for survival, I think I’m going to enjoy this.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and the author, Brooke Fast for sending me this eARC!
Publication date: March 3, 2026
Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and the author, Brooke Fast for sending me this eARC!
Publication date: March 3, 2026
December 14, 2025
3.75 stars
I haven't read a dystopian book in a while and To Cage A Wild Bird reminded me how much I love this genre. It was such an addictive read and I sped through it.
The concept was great, but I felt a little underwhelmed at times as the reasons for the city of Dividium and prison of Endlock being the way they were felt under-developed, and the characters actions didn't always make sense to me. I'd like to see these further developed in future books, as perhaps we just haven't seen them yet! I'll definitely be looking out for Book 2.
I haven't read a dystopian book in a while and To Cage A Wild Bird reminded me how much I love this genre. It was such an addictive read and I sped through it.
The concept was great, but I felt a little underwhelmed at times as the reasons for the city of Dividium and prison of Endlock being the way they were felt under-developed, and the characters actions didn't always make sense to me. I'd like to see these further developed in future books, as perhaps we just haven't seen them yet! I'll definitely be looking out for Book 2.
October 10, 2025
ᝰ. 1.5 ✰
Quick note: All of my ratings are based on personal enjoyment and reading experience. Just because this book didn’t work for me doesn’t mean others won't enjoy. That said, this was technically a DNF for me, which is why I’ve given it one star (If I’ve read more than 50% I will rate). Below are the reasons I struggled with it.
First of all, I want to acknowledge that this book had some interesting ideas—particularly the prison setting where regular citizens can pay to hunt and kill inmates. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the premise. What could have been a unique, high-stakes dystopia ended up feeling generic and boring. There was nothing new or ground-breaking.
What really let this down for me, though, was the characters. They had all the depth of cardboard cut-outs and came across as completely one/two-dimensional. I got to the halfway mark and realized I couldn’t give a single shit about anyone in this book.
Raven (FMC) was a cookie cutter dystopian heroine—her background as a bounty hunter was interesting and had potential but once she got to the prison, it was side-lined. Her skills are barely utilized, and rather than demonstrating any real competence, she’s constantly rescued by others.
Vale (MMC) was your basic love-interest blueprint. He was bland, forgettable, and had a vague backstory. A shadow of a man who only exists solely for Raven to bang. He had absolutely nothing that set him apart from the countless generic male leads in Romantasy and Fantasy.
The romance was insta-lust disguised as love. There was no real chemistry, no banter, and zero tension. Vale was already calling her the nickname ‘Little bird’ after five minutes of meeting. This wasn’t enemies to lovers—there was no real conflict between them beyond their roles. If Raven hadn’t been a convict and Vale a prison guard, there would’ve been nothing keeping them apart in the first place. Vale is constantly protecting her from the start, but honestly, I don’t understand why he was so obsessed with her. There’s no real build-up, no compelling reason for his immediate fixation.
The worldbuilding and politics are surface-level. This is very much a romance set against a dystopian backdrop, lacking any real depth or substance. I'm not saying it has to be deep or profound; it could just be for entertainment. But for that to work, I need to actually care about the characters, and I just didn’t connect with them here.
Despite these issues, I can see this appealing to a lot of readers looking for a quick, easy, read with light dystopian elements and a strong focus on romance. If you’re not concerned with deep worldbuilding or complex characters, it might be an enjoyable escape.
Thank you to publisher Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Wayward TxF for advanced copy
──────────────
Original review:
Temu Hunger Games
Quick note: All of my ratings are based on personal enjoyment and reading experience. Just because this book didn’t work for me doesn’t mean others won't enjoy. That said, this was technically a DNF for me, which is why I’ve given it one star (If I’ve read more than 50% I will rate). Below are the reasons I struggled with it.
First of all, I want to acknowledge that this book had some interesting ideas—particularly the prison setting where regular citizens can pay to hunt and kill inmates. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the premise. What could have been a unique, high-stakes dystopia ended up feeling generic and boring. There was nothing new or ground-breaking.
What really let this down for me, though, was the characters. They had all the depth of cardboard cut-outs and came across as completely one/two-dimensional. I got to the halfway mark and realized I couldn’t give a single shit about anyone in this book.
Raven (FMC) was a cookie cutter dystopian heroine—her background as a bounty hunter was interesting and had potential but once she got to the prison, it was side-lined. Her skills are barely utilized, and rather than demonstrating any real competence, she’s constantly rescued by others.
Vale (MMC) was your basic love-interest blueprint. He was bland, forgettable, and had a vague backstory. A shadow of a man who only exists solely for Raven to bang. He had absolutely nothing that set him apart from the countless generic male leads in Romantasy and Fantasy.
The romance was insta-lust disguised as love. There was no real chemistry, no banter, and zero tension. Vale was already calling her the nickname ‘Little bird’ after five minutes of meeting. This wasn’t enemies to lovers—there was no real conflict between them beyond their roles. If Raven hadn’t been a convict and Vale a prison guard, there would’ve been nothing keeping them apart in the first place. Vale is constantly protecting her from the start, but honestly, I don’t understand why he was so obsessed with her. There’s no real build-up, no compelling reason for his immediate fixation.
The worldbuilding and politics are surface-level. This is very much a romance set against a dystopian backdrop, lacking any real depth or substance. I'm not saying it has to be deep or profound; it could just be for entertainment. But for that to work, I need to actually care about the characters, and I just didn’t connect with them here.
Despite these issues, I can see this appealing to a lot of readers looking for a quick, easy, read with light dystopian elements and a strong focus on romance. If you’re not concerned with deep worldbuilding or complex characters, it might be an enjoyable escape.
Thank you to publisher Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Wayward TxF for advanced copy
──────────────
Original review:
Temu Hunger Games
Read
July 17, 2025post read -
i have mixed feelings about this one! frtc
preread -
this is one of my most anticipated releases this year, so i’m so excited to have an arc!
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!!
—————
gimme gimme gimme 🫴🫴🫴
i have mixed feelings about this one! frtc
preread -
this is one of my most anticipated releases this year, so i’m so excited to have an arc!
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!!
—————
January 7, 2026
4+⭐️! Ich glaube, mit keinem Buch wäre ich besser ins Lesejahr 2026 gestartet als mit "To cage a wild bird" - für mich hat es fast schon ✨den Ton gesetzt✨ und mir vor allem viel Lesemotivation geschenkt. Der Schreibstil hat mich in die Geschichte reingezogen, jederzeit wollte ich weiterlesen, nie wusste ich, was als Nächstes passiert. Das Konzept ist sowohl originell als auch schockierend (jemand hat es mir beschrieben als Ton/ Schreibstil/ Vibes von "Powerless" trifft auf die Brutalität von "Die Tribute von Panem" und ich finde, das trifft es). Während es beim Lesen viele spannende, schreckliche und traurige Momente gab, bot es gleichzeitig Möglichkeiten für starke Emotionen und eine Found Family-Gruppendynamik. Auch die Protagonistin mit ihrer mutigen Art konnte mich begeistern. Und ganz ehrlich, ich liebe einfach eine gute "Rebellion gegen das ungerechte System"-Geschichte🙂↕️. Bei der Liebesgeschichte wurde ich persönlich nicht so abgeholt, da ist einfach der letzte Funke nicht ganz übergesprungen. Für den Highlight-Status hätte ich gerne insgesamt mehr mitgefühlt (bei den Schicksalen der Charaktere, der Gefängnissituation, den Beziehungen & der Gefahr). Dennoch habe ich es sehr gerne gelesen & ich freue mich auf Band 2🥰
September 29, 2025
Absolutely loving the resurgence of dystopian romance...my inner Tumblr, Divergent girlie is reawakening. The prison break concept where the wealthy pay to hunt inmates absolutely delivered. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time, and the author did an excellent job with the pacing. I especially loved the various scheming and planning to escape the prison alive.
While this wasn't a Hunger Games-esque, politcal motif-heavy dystopian, it was incredibly entertaining. Highly reminiscent of the early 2010s dystopian romances. It had the perfect amount of romance, and the characters had great chemistry, even though it was fairly predictable. And I can't wait for book two! I'm excited to see what direction the author will take with the sequel, since there were a ton of breadcrumbs hinting at the state of the other settlements.
Thank you so much to Avon Books for sending me an ARC of To Cage a Wild Bird. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)
While this wasn't a Hunger Games-esque, politcal motif-heavy dystopian, it was incredibly entertaining. Highly reminiscent of the early 2010s dystopian romances. It had the perfect amount of romance, and the characters had great chemistry, even though it was fairly predictable. And I can't wait for book two! I'm excited to see what direction the author will take with the sequel, since there were a ton of breadcrumbs hinting at the state of the other settlements.
Thank you so much to Avon Books for sending me an ARC of To Cage a Wild Bird. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)
September 29, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ Review to come. 🫶
February 1, 2026
3.75⭐️ this was a really fun and i enjoyed reading! there were many suspenseful moments and high stakes that had me hooked and we definitely have some unfinished business that has me looking forward to book two!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was my first dystopian read and I have to say I'm now a fan!
This takes place post the second civil war. Dividium is where they reside and within it, there are three sectors for the citizens. Lower, Middle and Upper.
The notorious prison, Endlock, is in the lower sector.
Raven is a badass bounty hunter who is fiercely protective of her brother, Jed.
He finds himself in some trouble and Raven, because the hero she is, gets herself sent to Endlock to help her brother.
When I say Endlock is notorious, it is, but not for good reasons. The wealthy hunt the inmates and they fight daily to stay alive.
Now, to get to our MMC, Vale, he has some secrets, a plethora at that. The more you read, the more you discover the real him.
The forbidden love trope will always bring a smile to my face.
The author makes it easy to hate the corrupt, disgusting characters. I hated so many foul people in this book.
She made it up to me with a found family trope. Which is one of my favorites!
I'm a die-hard romance girly. The romance was there, but not as much as I would have liked.
However, the hunts and mystery behind it really had me on the edge of my seat, needing to know how this was going to play out.
I was super nervous when I got close to the ending. I don't want to give anything away, but I feel like what happened was close to the best case scenario, considering Vale has the ability to leave whenever.
A big thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series.
This takes place post the second civil war. Dividium is where they reside and within it, there are three sectors for the citizens. Lower, Middle and Upper.
The notorious prison, Endlock, is in the lower sector.
Raven is a badass bounty hunter who is fiercely protective of her brother, Jed.
He finds himself in some trouble and Raven, because the hero she is, gets herself sent to Endlock to help her brother.
When I say Endlock is notorious, it is, but not for good reasons. The wealthy hunt the inmates and they fight daily to stay alive.
Now, to get to our MMC, Vale, he has some secrets, a plethora at that. The more you read, the more you discover the real him.
The forbidden love trope will always bring a smile to my face.
The author makes it easy to hate the corrupt, disgusting characters. I hated so many foul people in this book.
She made it up to me with a found family trope. Which is one of my favorites!
I'm a die-hard romance girly. The romance was there, but not as much as I would have liked.
However, the hunts and mystery behind it really had me on the edge of my seat, needing to know how this was going to play out.
I was super nervous when I got close to the ending. I don't want to give anything away, but I feel like what happened was close to the best case scenario, considering Vale has the ability to leave whenever.
A big thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series.
July 19, 2025
DYSTOPIA IS BACK AND I NEED BOOK 2 EXPEDITIOUSLY
November 5, 2025
This was a quick fun read. The audiobook narrator really added to my overall enjoyment of the book. She is one of my favorites and did a fantastic job. I don’t think I would have enjoyed this quite as much via print.
The shock factor and the corruption are strong here, you definitely feel bad for the inmates and the lower classes but it lacked in overall world-building. We’re not given enough information on how the world got to where it is, how the government functions, what the rebellion is even trying to accomplish. Granted this is the first book in the series but I still wanted more.
The romance was fine, a bit cheesy at times but still enjoyable enough to read. Definitely a forbidden romance, NOT enemies-to-lovers.
Overall this was a good time, not a great time. A bit predictable, not quite as developed as I would have liked but worth a listen on audio if the synopsis appeals to you.
I will read the next book in the series, especially if the audiobook is narrated by Nikki Massoud.
Audio Narration: 5/5 Nikki Massoud is one of my new favorite narrators! She is absolutely amazing! Her pacing, pausing, inflection, are all top tier and her voice range is to die for! I love how much she is able to vary her voices for each different character and she does a fantastic job with male voices!
3.75⭐️ | IG | TikTok |
Thank you Harper Audio & Avon for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
The shock factor and the corruption are strong here, you definitely feel bad for the inmates and the lower classes but it lacked in overall world-building. We’re not given enough information on how the world got to where it is, how the government functions, what the rebellion is even trying to accomplish. Granted this is the first book in the series but I still wanted more.
The romance was fine, a bit cheesy at times but still enjoyable enough to read. Definitely a forbidden romance, NOT enemies-to-lovers.
Overall this was a good time, not a great time. A bit predictable, not quite as developed as I would have liked but worth a listen on audio if the synopsis appeals to you.
I will read the next book in the series, especially if the audiobook is narrated by Nikki Massoud.
Audio Narration: 5/5 Nikki Massoud is one of my new favorite narrators! She is absolutely amazing! Her pacing, pausing, inflection, are all top tier and her voice range is to die for! I love how much she is able to vary her voices for each different character and she does a fantastic job with male voices!
3.75⭐️ | IG | TikTok |
Thank you Harper Audio & Avon for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
August 13, 2025
Was bored out of mind, this took forever to finish considering it was only 368 pages😭 So glad it's over.
The concept behind To Cage a Wild Bird sounded so interesting but sadly it all fell flat. I didn't care about Raven as a main character and even more so for the romance. Which by the way WHY does Vale love her so much immediately???? Like I am genuinely confused, especially in the beginning they barely talked with each other and yet he was acting like a lovesick puppy. And I'm all for lovesick puppies but I just didn't get it here?? Was I missing something??? Either way the romance was boring because I felt absolutely nothing for them. I do not believe they're in love with each other because why?
And the plot!! The potential!! I was intrigued in the beginning but since I hit the 40% mark I was just bored and wanted to get it over with. I had absolutely no motivation to pick up this book and forced myself to binge the rest of the book just so I could finally be done with it. The last 10% was more interesting but at that point I really did not care or feel anything for anyone. (Though if I had to choose a character to like, I did like Yara)
Anyways, this was a disappointment and I was really hoping it would be a fun read but oh well I guess.
Thank you Avon for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
The concept behind To Cage a Wild Bird sounded so interesting but sadly it all fell flat. I didn't care about Raven as a main character and even more so for the romance. Which by the way WHY does Vale love her so much immediately???? Like I am genuinely confused, especially in the beginning they barely talked with each other and yet he was acting like a lovesick puppy. And I'm all for lovesick puppies but I just didn't get it here?? Was I missing something??? Either way the romance was boring because I felt absolutely nothing for them. I do not believe they're in love with each other because why?
And the plot!! The potential!! I was intrigued in the beginning but since I hit the 40% mark I was just bored and wanted to get it over with. I had absolutely no motivation to pick up this book and forced myself to binge the rest of the book just so I could finally be done with it. The last 10% was more interesting but at that point I really did not care or feel anything for anyone. (Though if I had to choose a character to like, I did like Yara)
Anyways, this was a disappointment and I was really hoping it would be a fun read but oh well I guess.
Thank you Avon for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
December 1, 2025
I am thoroughly impressed, as I am highly suspicious of dystopian books. They have to be done very specifically, and this one did a great job at pulling it off!
The prisoners (who are mostly unjustly imprisoned) being hunted by the rich is SUCH a good plot, but also definitely does a great job at symbolizing real life. The characters were realistic and the setting was soooo easy to visualize.
Raven the fmc is such a great protagonist, and the mmc Vale is a hottie with the sweetest heart and I loved them both so much.
This book started out very slow though, which took down the rating for me. However, it left off on a diabolical cliffhanger, so I am gonna need book 2 ASAP as possible.
4.25 ⭐️
The prisoners (who are mostly unjustly imprisoned) being hunted by the rich is SUCH a good plot, but also definitely does a great job at symbolizing real life. The characters were realistic and the setting was soooo easy to visualize.
Raven the fmc is such a great protagonist, and the mmc Vale is a hottie with the sweetest heart and I loved them both so much.
This book started out very slow though, which took down the rating for me. However, it left off on a diabolical cliffhanger, so I am gonna need book 2 ASAP as possible.
4.25 ⭐️
January 14, 2026
⭐2.25⭐
I have been following & rooting for this author (Brooke Fast) for years on Instagram, since she was working on her first manuscript (which is currently unpublished). When she hit a rut and changed to writing To Cage a Wild Bird, I was super invested because Dystopia is my favourite genre, I want the comeback more than most -- but not like this. I'm genuinely sad to say this was disappointing.
📚 For fans of Powerless and Silver Elite.
Although I highly recommend reading ⛓️Chain Gang Allstars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah⛓️ if you want a true dystopian world set in a Hunger Games style prison that actually feels adult.
There are already many gushing reviews, so rather than repeating the very few parts that were entertaining in this quick read (due to the simple prose), I will focus on what didn't work for me:
- Aside from the 2.5 mediocre spicy scenes, this reads as YA, not adult. The characters could be teenagers due to unchallenged the way they interact with and consider their dystopian world on an superficial level.
- The dystopian themes are also explored in the same surface level way. Unfortunately, there is nothing new or unique about this dystopian backdrop. It feels very vague and made fit for purpose, rather than created holistically and explored in a way that would have produced a more immersive setting and a less predictable plot. The story did not feel intrinsically linked to the city. It could have been set in any country at any time and still felt the same.
- Within a few lines of meeting, the two main characters are making out. There's no enemy to lovers or slow burn. They insta fall hard and fast, and the rest of the book is just them sneaking around and helping each other while trying not to get caught. This is why I say it's far more teenage than adult. Adults would have battled against their internal morals and questioned each others allegiances way more. This was all done superficially and quick.
- Similarly, the character development across the board was poor, either no one changed, or when they did it was an all at once change done cringe-ly to serve the plot. The friendships with multiple other characters felt rushed and unearned. Hence when a side character gets hurt or worse, we don't really feel much and the scene doesn't hit as hard as it's supposed to.
- The plot and ending is 1:1 exactly what you think it's going to be if you've read or watched any early 2000's dystopia. I'm disappointed nothing new was brought to the table. Nothing was challenged. I completely see how if this is your first Dystopia book then it's new and exciting, but for seasoned readers, this is as disappointing as Silver Elite, a predictable, watered down "dystopia" with nothing new to mull over.
- If a group of motley teens are going to take down an entire government established regime, writers need to prove what it is that makes this group so much better, than the already equipped and solidified resistance that has been trying to do the same thing for years.
One star because I like the author and one star because I respect the arduous work of writing a complete book.
Again, if you want a thorough, unpredictable, well developed, emotional and moving dystopia set in a Prison with Hunger Games style games, then I recommend reading Chain Gang Allstars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.
To Cage a Wild Bird does not have the poignant dystopian criticism you would expect of an adult novel and I wouldn't compare it to the Hunger Games which does dystopian criticism in a much more engaging manner.
I have been following & rooting for this author (Brooke Fast) for years on Instagram, since she was working on her first manuscript (which is currently unpublished). When she hit a rut and changed to writing To Cage a Wild Bird, I was super invested because Dystopia is my favourite genre, I want the comeback more than most -- but not like this. I'm genuinely sad to say this was disappointing.
📚 For fans of Powerless and Silver Elite.
Although I highly recommend reading ⛓️Chain Gang Allstars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah⛓️ if you want a true dystopian world set in a Hunger Games style prison that actually feels adult.
There are already many gushing reviews, so rather than repeating the very few parts that were entertaining in this quick read (due to the simple prose), I will focus on what didn't work for me:
- Aside from the 2.5 mediocre spicy scenes, this reads as YA, not adult. The characters could be teenagers due to unchallenged the way they interact with and consider their dystopian world on an superficial level.
- The dystopian themes are also explored in the same surface level way. Unfortunately, there is nothing new or unique about this dystopian backdrop. It feels very vague and made fit for purpose, rather than created holistically and explored in a way that would have produced a more immersive setting and a less predictable plot. The story did not feel intrinsically linked to the city. It could have been set in any country at any time and still felt the same.
- Within a few lines of meeting, the two main characters are making out. There's no enemy to lovers or slow burn. They insta fall hard and fast, and the rest of the book is just them sneaking around and helping each other while trying not to get caught. This is why I say it's far more teenage than adult. Adults would have battled against their internal morals and questioned each others allegiances way more. This was all done superficially and quick.
- Similarly, the character development across the board was poor, either no one changed, or when they did it was an all at once change done cringe-ly to serve the plot. The friendships with multiple other characters felt rushed and unearned. Hence when a side character gets hurt or worse, we don't really feel much and the scene doesn't hit as hard as it's supposed to.
- The plot and ending is 1:1 exactly what you think it's going to be if you've read or watched any early 2000's dystopia. I'm disappointed nothing new was brought to the table. Nothing was challenged. I completely see how if this is your first Dystopia book then it's new and exciting, but for seasoned readers, this is as disappointing as Silver Elite, a predictable, watered down "dystopia" with nothing new to mull over.
- If a group of motley teens are going to take down an entire government established regime, writers need to prove what it is that makes this group so much better, than the already equipped and solidified resistance that has been trying to do the same thing for years.
One star because I like the author and one star because I respect the arduous work of writing a complete book.
Again, if you want a thorough, unpredictable, well developed, emotional and moving dystopia set in a Prison with Hunger Games style games, then I recommend reading Chain Gang Allstars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.
To Cage a Wild Bird does not have the poignant dystopian criticism you would expect of an adult novel and I wouldn't compare it to the Hunger Games which does dystopian criticism in a much more engaging manner.
October 16, 2025
I forgot how good dystopian could be!
To Cage a Wild Bird has everything you could want in a dystopian read. It has high-stakes, heart-pumping action, while being set in a world with significant wealth and class disparity, corrupt government officials, oppression, and rebellion.
This story follows Raven, a bounty hunter who, to support herself and her younger brother, earns her living by catching criminals and sending them to Endlock, a deadly prison where members of society’s upper echelon can pay to hunt and kill inmates for sport. Raven’s world flips upside down when she finds out that her brother has been arrested and sent to Endlock. To free him, she partners with a rebel group, known as the Collective, to devise a plan to break her brother, and one of their assets, out of prison from the inside.
The found-family in this book is one of its strongest elements. You’ll find yourself becoming invested in our group of prisoners, feeling every high and low alongside them. I wanted a bit more emotional development with the romance, since it starts out being more lust-forward, but I expect we’ll see their connection grow further in book two. Regardless, this was an easy 5-star read!
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
To Cage a Wild Bird has everything you could want in a dystopian read. It has high-stakes, heart-pumping action, while being set in a world with significant wealth and class disparity, corrupt government officials, oppression, and rebellion.
This story follows Raven, a bounty hunter who, to support herself and her younger brother, earns her living by catching criminals and sending them to Endlock, a deadly prison where members of society’s upper echelon can pay to hunt and kill inmates for sport. Raven’s world flips upside down when she finds out that her brother has been arrested and sent to Endlock. To free him, she partners with a rebel group, known as the Collective, to devise a plan to break her brother, and one of their assets, out of prison from the inside.
The found-family in this book is one of its strongest elements. You’ll find yourself becoming invested in our group of prisoners, feeling every high and low alongside them. I wanted a bit more emotional development with the romance, since it starts out being more lust-forward, but I expect we’ll see their connection grow further in book two. Regardless, this was an easy 5-star read!
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 28, 2025
Im so sad to say I was bored throughout most of this story.
The premise held such promise but the execution wasn’t for me unfortunately.
I really liked the beginning of the book before she went into endlock but as soon as she got there things got very far fetched.
The guard instantly taking a liking to her, the romance was insta love.
But even more far fetched for me was there being 3 hunts A DAY and her and all her friends surviving them all.
1 hunt a week would have been better and built more suspense and build up to the big hunt but sometimes she would get selected for a hunt and the next page was her back in her cell saying she survived.
so it felt very show not tell and I didn’t feel scared for her once.
And of course it ended very much in the same way, anticlimactic
The premise held such promise but the execution wasn’t for me unfortunately.
I really liked the beginning of the book before she went into endlock but as soon as she got there things got very far fetched.
The guard instantly taking a liking to her, the romance was insta love.
But even more far fetched for me was there being 3 hunts A DAY and her and all her friends surviving them all.
1 hunt a week would have been better and built more suspense and build up to the big hunt but sometimes she would get selected for a hunt and the next page was her back in her cell saying she survived.
so it felt very show not tell and I didn’t feel scared for her once.
And of course it ended very much in the same way, anticlimactic
December 8, 2025
“I suppose anyone foolish enough to cage a wild bird shouldn’t expect them to sing for their captor.”
4.5 stars rounded up.
In a ruthless dystopian world, in a city called Dividium, where committing a crime means a lifetime behind bars and being hunted by the wealthy for sport, twenty-something Raven Thorne infiltrates Endlock, the notorious prison, to rescue her younger brother. When she enters the brutal gates of Endlock, she expects danger - but she doesn't expect to feel something toward the guard she's meant to distrust.
In "To Cage a Wild Bird", Brooke Fast delivers a fierce dystopian romance where trust is a liability, love is forbidden, and survival means breaking the system from the inside. Raven must protect her brother, navigate deadly games, and decide whether she'll risk everything for a chance at freedom.
As far as fantasy novels go, this series is, so far at least, relatively light on world-building - in particular, we don’t get extensive detail on how the political crisis led to this society - but Fast still succeeds in making Dividium and especially Endlock feel vivid and terrifying. The concept of inmates being hunted for pleasure and teenagers being mowed down for sport evokes distinct, eerie Hunger Games vibes, yet "To Cage a Wild Bird" remains unmistakably its own story. There are glaring undercurrents of corruption and political upheaval, a plucky, strong heroine well worth following, and a forbidden love story - complete with the to-be-expected smut that seems almost a requirement for fantasy books these days, though here there's admittedly more foul language than necessary (Katniss would never). And yes, there is a LOT of growling and ticking jaw muscles.
I was lucky to have both copies of the audiobook and the ebook for a truly immersive experience. The audiobook's narrator, Nikki Massoud, did a stellar job of voicing Raven's first-person story and bringing the harsh world of Dividium to life, which definitely contributed to me rounding my rating up to the full five stars. I was particularly impressed by her range and her ability to give distinct voices to all the main characters.
Overall, "To Cage a Wild Bird" may not reinvent the fantasy wheel just yet or provide any big surprises, but its author excels at turning familiar themes and tropes into an undeniably addictive mix, resulting in a well-written, compelling start to an intriguing new series that left me wanting more. Since this is only the first installment of the "Divided Fates" series, be prepared for cliffhangers and unresolved storylines. However, the ending is breathtaking and only made me more eager for the next installment.
Many thanks to HarperAudio Adult | Avon for providing me with a copy of this ebook and audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"To Cage a Wild Bird" was published in audio and print on October 7, 2025, and is available now.
4.5 stars rounded up.
In a ruthless dystopian world, in a city called Dividium, where committing a crime means a lifetime behind bars and being hunted by the wealthy for sport, twenty-something Raven Thorne infiltrates Endlock, the notorious prison, to rescue her younger brother. When she enters the brutal gates of Endlock, she expects danger - but she doesn't expect to feel something toward the guard she's meant to distrust.
In "To Cage a Wild Bird", Brooke Fast delivers a fierce dystopian romance where trust is a liability, love is forbidden, and survival means breaking the system from the inside. Raven must protect her brother, navigate deadly games, and decide whether she'll risk everything for a chance at freedom.
As far as fantasy novels go, this series is, so far at least, relatively light on world-building - in particular, we don’t get extensive detail on how the political crisis led to this society - but Fast still succeeds in making Dividium and especially Endlock feel vivid and terrifying. The concept of inmates being hunted for pleasure and teenagers being mowed down for sport evokes distinct, eerie Hunger Games vibes, yet "To Cage a Wild Bird" remains unmistakably its own story. There are glaring undercurrents of corruption and political upheaval, a plucky, strong heroine well worth following, and a forbidden love story - complete with the to-be-expected smut that seems almost a requirement for fantasy books these days, though here there's admittedly more foul language than necessary (Katniss would never). And yes, there is a LOT of growling and ticking jaw muscles.
I was lucky to have both copies of the audiobook and the ebook for a truly immersive experience. The audiobook's narrator, Nikki Massoud, did a stellar job of voicing Raven's first-person story and bringing the harsh world of Dividium to life, which definitely contributed to me rounding my rating up to the full five stars. I was particularly impressed by her range and her ability to give distinct voices to all the main characters.
Overall, "To Cage a Wild Bird" may not reinvent the fantasy wheel just yet or provide any big surprises, but its author excels at turning familiar themes and tropes into an undeniably addictive mix, resulting in a well-written, compelling start to an intriguing new series that left me wanting more. Since this is only the first installment of the "Divided Fates" series, be prepared for cliffhangers and unresolved storylines. However, the ending is breathtaking and only made me more eager for the next installment.
Many thanks to HarperAudio Adult | Avon for providing me with a copy of this ebook and audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"To Cage a Wild Bird" was published in audio and print on October 7, 2025, and is available now.
January 8, 2026
FUCK that ending what the hell 😩😩😩😩
This is a dystopian novel set in a world where the rich scam the poor. Seems kinda familiar if you ask me!
Our FMC Raven has to do what it takes to go to jail to try to save her brother’s life. Of course this is not a regular prison. In this prison everyday the rich upper class citizens choose which prisoners they want to try to hunt. They have hunts daily where a dozen prisoners try to survive being slaughtered for fun. The hunters wear the teeth of the humans they hunt as trophies.
This book like really hurt me to read honest to god the dystopian prison system / the humans getting hunted like they weren’t real people disgusted me to read I felt legitimately sick. Truly. Especially in this climate. It was so hard to read.
Raven does her best to try to make it through each day to try to keep her & her brother alive and hopefully escape to a better life. Oh, and of course it doesn’t hurt that she begins to have the assistance of the really hot guard tehehehehe!!!
I could not put this book down. I needed to know what was going to happen. The world building was sooo immersive and exciting.
The cliffhanger ending was crazy. I will ABSOLUTELY be continuing this series.
I think fans of Shatter Me would love this so much.
Thanks to Harper Collins & NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is a dystopian novel set in a world where the rich scam the poor. Seems kinda familiar if you ask me!
Our FMC Raven has to do what it takes to go to jail to try to save her brother’s life. Of course this is not a regular prison. In this prison everyday the rich upper class citizens choose which prisoners they want to try to hunt. They have hunts daily where a dozen prisoners try to survive being slaughtered for fun. The hunters wear the teeth of the humans they hunt as trophies.
This book like really hurt me to read honest to god the dystopian prison system / the humans getting hunted like they weren’t real people disgusted me to read I felt legitimately sick. Truly. Especially in this climate. It was so hard to read.
Raven does her best to try to make it through each day to try to keep her & her brother alive and hopefully escape to a better life. Oh, and of course it doesn’t hurt that she begins to have the assistance of the really hot guard tehehehehe!!!
I could not put this book down. I needed to know what was going to happen. The world building was sooo immersive and exciting.
The cliffhanger ending was crazy. I will ABSOLUTELY be continuing this series.
I think fans of Shatter Me would love this so much.
Thanks to Harper Collins & NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 14, 2025
Hunger Games meets Silver Elite.
Raven is a a bounty hunter – a traitor to her people, trying to provide for her and her younger brother in the Lower Sectors as the Middle and Upper Sectors benefit.
When her brother is arrested and sent to Endlock - a prison where the wealthy can pay to hunt criminals, where Raven had sent many criminals in exchange for money - Raven gets herself sent there to escape with her brother and a rebel operative.
There’s a guard who seems to hide a nicer side. There’s a wider movement Raven is unaware of.
There is found family.
There is tension and spice (not overwhelming the plot).
‘I suppose anyone foolish enough to cage a wild bird shouldn’t expect them to sing for their captor,’ he mused.
It is a future USA torn apart by Civil War, there are definite similarities to the trials in The Hunger Games, there is the simmering tension of Silver Elite.
Just like similar dystopian romantasies, I flew through this. I know this book will receive allegations of copying, but there is enough new content in here for it to be fun and unique to this author’s story. However, I would not struggle to name the author’s inspirations.
I do hold romantasy books to different standards (which I know I shouldn’t), but recent trends has just meant an increase in tropification. Thus, if I have a fun time and don’t roll my eyes too many times, I am more likely to recommend it to people who know what they’re going in for.
Rounded up ⭐️.
A strong heroine who must learn she can’t do everything herself.
An ending that ends on a devastating cliffhanger.
A book that doesn’t shy away from violence.
Physical arc gifted by Transworld.
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Raven is a a bounty hunter – a traitor to her people, trying to provide for her and her younger brother in the Lower Sectors as the Middle and Upper Sectors benefit.
When her brother is arrested and sent to Endlock - a prison where the wealthy can pay to hunt criminals, where Raven had sent many criminals in exchange for money - Raven gets herself sent there to escape with her brother and a rebel operative.
There’s a guard who seems to hide a nicer side. There’s a wider movement Raven is unaware of.
There is found family.
There is tension and spice (not overwhelming the plot).
‘I suppose anyone foolish enough to cage a wild bird shouldn’t expect them to sing for their captor,’ he mused.
It is a future USA torn apart by Civil War, there are definite similarities to the trials in The Hunger Games, there is the simmering tension of Silver Elite.
Just like similar dystopian romantasies, I flew through this. I know this book will receive allegations of copying, but there is enough new content in here for it to be fun and unique to this author’s story. However, I would not struggle to name the author’s inspirations.
I do hold romantasy books to different standards (which I know I shouldn’t), but recent trends has just meant an increase in tropification. Thus, if I have a fun time and don’t roll my eyes too many times, I am more likely to recommend it to people who know what they’re going in for.
Rounded up ⭐️.
A strong heroine who must learn she can’t do everything herself.
An ending that ends on a devastating cliffhanger.
A book that doesn’t shy away from violence.
Physical arc gifted by Transworld.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
December 4, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Yup this was a good one, obsessed with the whole divergent meets prison break vibes. It ATE. This one really comes through with all of the nostalgic 2000s kinda reads and I was here for every page.
I loved our female main character and the sexy tension with Vale, prisoner x guard kinda vibes is HOT. The found family is beautiful and really carries this story. So easy to fly through and one you won’t be able to put down.
Yup this was a good one, obsessed with the whole divergent meets prison break vibes. It ATE. This one really comes through with all of the nostalgic 2000s kinda reads and I was here for every page.
I loved our female main character and the sexy tension with Vale, prisoner x guard kinda vibes is HOT. The found family is beautiful and really carries this story. So easy to fly through and one you won’t be able to put down.
November 6, 2025
Infinity Star read ✨
I was on the edge of my seat! My hands were sweating and I genuinely COULD NOT read faster because I was so anxious and INVESTED in the characters!
I was on the edge of my seat! My hands were sweating and I genuinely COULD NOT read faster because I was so anxious and INVESTED in the characters!
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