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betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I feel pretty similar about this sequel as I did the first book. However, it almost feels like less happens in this book than the first book, given that most of the action is saved until the last like 25% of the book. There's a lot of politics and Kiva trying to find her place and reconcile with her family and it was...fine. Nothing necessarily to write home about.
Noni is great at writing plot twists (even I could predict most of them. I chalk that up to reading a lot of YA fantasy). The characters are also easy to love, Caldon was probably my favorite addition in this one. I loved him and I hope we get more of him in the final book. Which yes, I will be reading because I need to know how this all comes together. Especially for Tipp's sake. That boy deserves all the good in the world.
All in all, if you're looking for a YA fantasy with a strongly built world and a easy to love cast of central characters, you'll definitely enjoy this series.
Noni is great at writing plot twists (even I could predict most of them. I chalk that up to reading a lot of YA fantasy). The characters are also easy to love, Caldon was probably my favorite addition in this one. I loved him and I hope we get more of him in the final book. Which yes, I will be reading because I need to know how this all comes together. Especially for Tipp's sake. That boy deserves all the good in the world.
All in all, if you're looking for a YA fantasy with a strongly built world and a easy to love cast of central characters, you'll definitely enjoy this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
vi08's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
Moderate: Child abuse
lsiedlak's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction
herl0cksh0lmes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Death of parent and Violence
bri1510's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use
scarlettskyes's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Violence, and Addiction
Moderate: Terminal illness
nitya_a's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Kidnapping
sarahmreads's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read The Prison Healer earlier this year and was obsessed with its world and its characters. So when I was given the chance to read its sequel as an advanced reader's copy, I knew I was going to be in for a ride, as my good friend Chloe best described it.
Kiva has just escaped Zalindov and is now living out her days in the kingdom palace with Jaren and the rest of his family. What is now a peaceful life is now interrupted when Kiva's family comes knocking on her door, asking for her aide in the rebellion set to take down Jaren's family. Will Kiva stick to the vengeance she once sought out, or will her heart pull her elsewhere?
The characters in this sequel are still so complex yet so beautifully crafted. Caldon is the charismatic brother to Jaren but still holds a fierce, tainted heart close to his chest. Torell is lovable and caring but also defensive. Jaren is absolutely swoonworthy in all the best ways and you can't get enough of him on the page. And Kiva was smart and wise and may have made some (really) bad decisions, but you still root for her at the end of the day.
The worldbuilding, especially with the magic, is done so well. We learn more about Kiva's family history and what else composes the world outside of Zalindov and the rest of the kingdoms. Political intrigue, betrayal, engagements, so much that really pulls you into the story. I also loved the information that we find out about Kiva's true bloodline and what else it may entail.
One thing I love about Noni's writing style is how beautifully she writes scenes and dialogue. There's so much suspense, so much love. She knows how to tug at your heartstrings so that you're laughing one moment and wanting to throw your book across the room the next.
Which leads me to my next big point: THE PLOT TWISTS WERE SO WELL EXECUTED! I couldn't stop gasping the entire last 10% of the story. My dad literally had to ask me if I was okay because of this book. I wanted to punch people. I wanted to cry. It was a rollercoaster of emotions that I can't tell you the last time I experienced a cliffhanger like this. My friend and I had bets going on to guess the end of this book. And surprisingly we were both kind of right, even though our theories were completely different.
The Gilded Cage is so much better than its predecessor. With a slowburn romance, betrayal, and destruction, Lynette Noni has stolen her way into my heart with probably my favorite sequel this year, if not of all time.
I received a copy of this story as an e-arc on NetGalley. Any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Kiva has just escaped Zalindov and is now living out her days in the kingdom palace with Jaren and the rest of his family. What is now a peaceful life is now interrupted when Kiva's family comes knocking on her door, asking for her aide in the rebellion set to take down Jaren's family. Will Kiva stick to the vengeance she once sought out, or will her heart pull her elsewhere?
The characters in this sequel are still so complex yet so beautifully crafted. Caldon is the charismatic brother to Jaren but still holds a fierce, tainted heart close to his chest. Torell is lovable and caring but also defensive. Jaren is absolutely swoonworthy in all the best ways and you can't get enough of him on the page. And Kiva was smart and wise and may have made some (really) bad decisions, but you still root for her at the end of the day.
The worldbuilding, especially with the magic, is done so well. We learn more about Kiva's family history and what else composes the world outside of Zalindov and the rest of the kingdoms. Political intrigue, betrayal, engagements, so much that really pulls you into the story. I also loved the information that we find out about Kiva's true bloodline and what else it may entail.
One thing I love about Noni's writing style is how beautifully she writes scenes and dialogue. There's so much suspense, so much love. She knows how to tug at your heartstrings so that you're laughing one moment and wanting to throw your book across the room the next.
Which leads me to my next big point: THE PLOT TWISTS WERE SO WELL EXECUTED! I couldn't stop gasping the entire last 10% of the story. My dad literally had to ask me if I was okay because of this book. I wanted to punch people. I wanted to cry. It was a rollercoaster of emotions that I can't tell you the last time I experienced a cliffhanger like this. My friend and I had bets going on to guess the end of this book. And surprisingly we were both kind of right, even though our theories were completely different.
The Gilded Cage is so much better than its predecessor. With a slowburn romance, betrayal, and destruction, Lynette Noni has stolen her way into my heart with probably my favorite sequel this year, if not of all time.
I received a copy of this story as an e-arc on NetGalley. Any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Vomit, Murder, Medical content, Kidnapping, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, and Blood
rayraytaylorr's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I would like to request an apology letter from Lynette Noni. I am in pain. The Gilded Cage, the gripping, emotional sequel to the Prison Healer, is not one to be missed. I am in no way prepared to wait till next year for the final instalment, not after that ending. Lynette Noni is a Queen of Twists, as evident throughout all of her stories, but the Gilded Cage really tops them all. You think you know where she's going, and seriously I tried predicting everything, but then BAM, another shocker. My jaw was dropped (I'm still picking it up), I was punched in the throat and in the heart. Jaren, Caldon - I love you both to death. Tipp, my precious baby. TORELL! Stop it, I can't handle these beautiful characters anymore. And I just want Kiva to be happy, damn it. I seriously love delving into Lynette Noni's worlds and her characters. In fact, Lynette Noni ruins every other book for me - the ineffable feeling I have while reading her stories stay with me for such a long time, no other book compares. Despite the dark themes that are present throughout the story, and the pain from physical to mental and hard emotions our beloved characters (and not to mention myself) go through, it still has it's bright glowing moments (wink), the moments of hope and love, and don't get me started on how hard I cried at the scars quote (page 303), overall teaching us to find the light in the dark; something very much needed during the past two years. Incredible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Death, and Vomit
Moderate: Terminal illness and Suicidal thoughts
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