Holy freaking hell!!

After the that ending in The Prison Healer, I knew that it was going to be a wild ride in The Gilded Cage! And I wasn’t wrong!
I guessed some parts before they were revealed, but…well…see my opening line.

Kiva is out of Zalindov, but that doesn’t mean she’s free. A new prison has sprung its walls around her and while it may not be as brutal as her former home, it is just as dangerous. She will have to learn diplomacy, she will have to learn secrecy, she will have to learn to keep her damn magic under control.

I usually find that the middle book of a trilogy suffers a little. Some seem like fillers, book-ended by the opening and closing of the story. I am pleased to say that that affliction doesn’t apply to this story.

There’s civil unrest, an undercurrent of something brewing, more Royals than you can poke a stick at, and the suspense is everywhere leading (glueing) the reader to the final pages and for the second time in this trilogy That.Ending!!

I don’t know if my heart can take much more of this…

I’ve warmed to YA Fantasy over the course of this year, perhaps I’ve unfairly judged it in the past. Or perhaps Lynette Noni is just that good. It’s probably a little of both.

How in the hell am I’m going to cope with waiting so long for the last book???!!!

Thank you so much to Lynette Noni, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. After I read the first book I fell in love with the characters and didn't think the 2nd book could top it. But it did. This book kept me on my toes and I need the next one asap! I couldn't believe the twists and turns and secrets that we find out, I had to stop for some parts to process what had just happened. Lynette Noni is fast becoming one of my favourite authors and I can't wait for The Blood Traitor to come out. One of the easiest 5 stars I've ever given to a book.

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about The Gilded Cage, given my rather mixed feelings about the first novel. But I knew that I found it compelling enough that I was curious to give it another go with book two in the series. And it was actually something of a pleasant surprise. Part of the cause for concern that I had with twist ending of The Poison Healer, where it was revealed that the main character, Kiva, was actually the Rebel Queen’s daughter, meaning that she has what appears to be a legitimate claim on the throne. I wasn’t entirely expecting this twist and it did change things up, but at the same time it did feel like it was starting to tread a little too far along the Throne of Glass path, especially since the main character has a lot of personality traits that remind me of Aelin.

So it was kinda nice to see this book divert so much from what I expected it to be. It was quite character-driven, with some plot here and there, so if you were expecting a lot to happen in this book, you might want to reassess your expectations going in. Kiva struggles a lot with her sense of self in this one, and grapples with her family’s demands and her own feelings for Jaren. I think what was especially nice is that the novel goes against the trend of tyrannical royals in this one and makes the royal family much more layered and complex. I think it also did a really cool job of making the reader try and think about some of the harsher realities of rebellions. In so many novels I’ve read, the main character is part of a rebellion, but because the royal family is tyrannical and they and their rebel friends are good, the rebellion generally goes pretty well, there are as few casualties as you can expect there to be with these sorts of things, and everyone secretly supports them and their cause because they are the better option. The Gilded Cage plays with this idea a lot more and shows some of the uglier aspects of rebellions, as well as asking if there is even a good cause for this one.

Which does also bring me to my main gripe with this novel. While I liked seeing Kiva’s character arc and her growth throughout the book as she makes her choices and deals with the consequences of them, I did think that she lost a lot of the charm that she exhibited in the first novel. In The Prison Healer, Kiva was kind and brave and just wanted to help people, often at the expense of herself. And while the reveal at the end of the book obviously means some of her character was a performance (and trust me, I have a lot of feelings about this, since it was written in first person), it feels like she becomes a lot less interesting in this second novel? In fact, I found her increasingly annoying at times. She sort of started to remind me more of Alina in the Shadow and Bone books– pretty passive and easily swayed by others. Her decision could have easily been made pretty early on in the book, especially given that she has been in prison for ten years and so her stakes in what’s going on in the world around her are not particularly high, but she drags out this will-she-or-won’t-she thing for the majority of the book, and it’s pretty infuriating. It also just made the main character seem less intelligent as a whole, because she kept dithering on a choice that really shouldn’t have been difficult to make.

I will say that I did end up liking Jaren more in this one than I did in The Prison Healer. Again, that’s in part because he does some things in the previous book that I think the author meant to be romantic, but actually was a bit iffy in terms of consent. In this one, there is one moment where I winced a bit at his timing, but at least it seemed consensual and he didn’t overstep. He also does just get a bit more backstory and things to do, so I appreciated that. The other main characters do take a backseat in this novel, which I didn’t really like, because I thought Kiva’s friendship with Naari and Tipp were good, and helped to make her a more sympathetic character in the process, but they get sort of sidelined in this book, Naari especially. I really hope both of them have more presence in book three, because it would be a shame to lose them.

Again, while I think the book goes in a refreshing direction away from the SJM plots, I do think the writing and tension and things in the series is pretty similar to her work, so I imagine people who really love SJM’s writing will appreciate this one. The twist at the end is also something that I imagine will keep people hooked to the series. Even though I found this book pretty annoying in some places, it was a quick read and I still want to know how the whole thing ends, because right now certain aspects of the plot seem unfixable and I just want to know how it resolves!

Overall, I thought the ending was interesting, and there were some refreshing aspects to the novel which made it different to a lot of other YA novels I’ve read recently. However, the lack of the two main side characters disappointed me, and I felt like Kiva really changed for the worst in this one, becoming more passive and generally just a bit less intelligent with her decisions, and the plot dragged on for no real reason. So it was a little hit and miss for me, but I will still be picking up book three to see how things get resolved!

This was much better then book 1 wow! Noni really put her all into this story. After the ending of book 1, which blew me away, I had thought I had a simplistic idea of what may and may boy happen in the next instalment of the series and boy was I wrong!

After escaping the death prison, kiva resides in the palace, with secrets unveiled about her royal blood or in instance lack there of. What an excellent instalment of the series. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Slower paced but perfect to balance out the twists and turns which I did not see coming. Very excited for the final instalment and the conclusion to kiva’s story!

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

4.5 stars

I have an underrated love for The Prison Healer and after that shocking ending, I was eager to find an arc of The Gilded Cage in my hands. The Gilded Cage starts off with an oomph. And ladies and gents, it only ends with the most explosive betrayal.

It has been a fun and thrilling adventure into this series so far. I loved being in a new scenery, away from Zalindov and amongst the royals. The magic was mesmerising and beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the introduction of new characters immensely. Especially Prince Caldon who was flirtatious, hilarious and a delight.

We also saw more of a new family dynamic with Kiva finally reuniting with her family for moments at a time. Her relationship with her sister and brother was tense, interesting and always kept me on the edge of my seat. Moments between Kiva and her brother Torrell always had me feeling emotional, their siblings' relationship was so heartfelt.

The found family concept was so beautiful to read. Kiva fit into her enemy's kingdom and family nights quickly and almost too smoothly. This is also why she was so torn between her own family, fighting to take back the crown, and her new family, that she found with Jaren.

The love interest was not the sweetest sail, as it came with many risks. Jaren is a sweetheart and so kind and patient with Kiva. I would’ve liked more intense, forbidden love scenes and moments. It would’ve really added that fire. Nonetheless, they were super cute and admirable together.

Sometimes I felt that Kiva wasn’t plotting and acting enough in her enemy’s stronghold and gaining power and knowledge for her own family’s rise. She was often too quiet and worried too much about exposing her own healing powers. Despite this, I felt anxious for Kiva every chance she came close to getting caught.

The ending was EXTRAORDINARY. I WAS LEFT FEELING MINDBLOWN. I would NOT have seen that conclusion coming and I desperately need the third book already!

Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
4.5/5 ⭐
The star 0.5 less for Kiva's questionable decisions even though the story entirely based on it.
It felt so good to be back the amazing characters and to know more about Jaren's family and Kingdom. The story kept escalating and the pace was very good. With Kiva reunited with her family of rebels, she has to choose whether to support them or Jaren and whichever she chooses there'll be dire consequences. It all ends where it started.
I loved the story development, the old and new characters, the seriousness of the plot and the cunning politics. I hated Kiva's decisions at times but she couldn've been kept innocent and still make her a victim. I feel hurt for a lot of characters and I badly want to read the next book now.

Before I start, I want to give a huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

If you remember The Prison Healer ended on one hell of a twist, as Kiva has escaped the death prison, Zalindov with Jaran and Tripp, revealing her true identity. The Gilded Cage picks up from this point, where we find Kiva living in the palace with no idea what her next steps may be, but with her plans to betray Jaren and his family to the rebels intact. However, as the story progresses she becomes more and more conflicted, as the royal family take her in as one of their own.

Kiva’s conflict is central to the storyline, which for some readers may be a tad frustrating, but for me brings a whole new dimension to the story. Themes of family as being that of blood - blood is thicker than water, etc and family as found or chosen abound throughout the book.

In addition there are all of the politics, intrigue and twists that Lynette Noni delivers beautifully. Plus, a few reveals that really shine a light on certain characters, which as a reader make you want to shake Kiva a little, but again Noni is brilliant at illustrating how sometimes you can be so close to something, you just can’t see the whole picture.

There are some new characters in this book, including Caldon, who we really didn’t get to know previously. Caldon is bold, arrogant and seriously sassy, but he is a character with depth and there’s a heart wrenching back story that goes a long way into delivering a greater depth of understanding him. Tipp is still very much present in the book, as are Jaren and of course Naari.

If you loved The Prison Healer, then obviously you’ll jump at this 2nd book in the series…you have to, it definitely does NOT suffer from 2nd book syndrome and is just as phenols as Book 1!

If you haven’t read either book yet, but love magic, great storytelling, and are looking for a book that is going to hook you from start to end, grab them both. You won’t regret it…I’ve already got my ore-order in for The gilded Cage and am already champing at the bit for book 3!!!

At least two weeks after the events of The Prison Healer, Kiva Meridan has arrived in the capital with the Crown Prince and his family. Adjusting to life outside Zalindov prison, Kiva has two choices: remain with the royal family and pursue her passion for a medical career, or locate her lost family and join the rebellion set on seizing the throne and taking down the royals.

The Gilded Cage is a thrilling behind-enemy-lines sequel which opens up the world Noni has created, exploring the politics of the Kingdom and wider territories, and introducing new characters to love and loathe who definitely brought more layers to the story. The story moves fast, with a clear plotted direction and easy readability, toward a palpitating climax and once again a guttural cliffhanger - the cliffhanger is definitely worse than The Prison Healer!

I loved being reunited with these characters. It felt like returning home to familiar surroundings, albeit it promised chaos. We have the camaraderie from the first book happening again with heartwarming family dinners and outings, which brought a smile to my face. I particularly liked learning more about Naari’s backstory and I’m intrigued to see how her story plays out.

Although, I’d say The Gilded Cage unfortunately unfolds at Kiva’s expense. I think many readers will be left with a bad taste over what happens, because, even when you’re mad at her, you still want to love her. This instalment only works because she makes some seriously questionable decisions,
particularly when it came to her brother and sister, Torell and Zuleeka. And whilst I understood her thought process and felt her anxiety, the more the story progressed, I began to find her lack of integrity unbearable and a little long drawn.

What balanced this out was Jaren and the royal family. We get insight The Prison Healer couldn’t give us; it’s extremely clever how Noni illustrated the royal family, to make the decision Kiva faced more horrid and heart splitting. We meet Queen Ariana who is the epitome of kindness, as is her nephew, Caldon. I’m certain Caldon will go down a treat with readers. With his flirtatious and charming demeanour, his hilarious deadpan humour and his razor sharp mind, he’s the gift that kept on giving and really is the standout addition to this story.

And the romance! Jaren was so soft, he didn’t hold back in his affection for Kiva, all the while ensuring she wasn’t overwhelmed in adjusting to life outside Zalindov. I’d of liked the romance to have picked up more pace than it did; I wouldn’t have minded the book being longer if it added a few extra romantic chapters, but as it was, I felt it was a tad lacking on that front. However, by this point, I trust Noni will not let me down and will floor me in the finale.

I really enjoyed seeing more of the political and magical elements of the world. There’s elemental magic training, the politicking and diplomacy of a Royal Council, espionage and learning more of the history between the Corentine and Vallentis families. For better and worse, it was all so enjoyable!

After Noni pulled the mother of all twists in The Prison Healer, I spent a good majority of The Gilded Cage trying to anticipate curveballs left right and centre. I was not underestimating the stealth again. However, Noni is clearly a master in the art of deception and misdirection. The one thing The Gilded Cage promises is what you think you know… think again. Curveballs left, right and centre, to the very last page. If you’re one of those bookworms who can’t resist reading the last page, RESIST!!

The ending left me dry mouthed, unable to breathe properly for some time and a cold horrible hollowness in my chest. It is the definition of a painful cliffhanger. So, naturally, I can quite easily say this is the best YA series of 2021.

The Gilded Cage delivers mounting tensions, with unavoidable betrayal, unbreakable family ties and an irresistible romantic pull… it’s just all happening. It’s pretty much guaranteed The Blood Traitor is going to be full throttle, taking the crowning spot as my most anticipated 2022 release. The wait will be excruciating…*sweats* *nervously giggles* I can’t wait! I can’t wait? *whimpers*

Absolutely incredible.
If you loved the first book, or liked the first book but would have liked it to be a bit faster paced (like the last few chapters were), then you will not be disappointed by this sequel.
I wound up finishing this at 3.30am because from about halfway through there wasn’t a moment to put it down. I was GRIPPED.
The main characters from The Prison Healer still feature heavily, but we meet a whole new cast of supporting characters who add another dimension to the story.
I absolutely loved the twists and turns. I’m not often surprised by books, but the plot surprised me several times.
Overall, The Gilded Cage is a fabulous sequel to The Prison Healer. This series has rapidly become one of my favourites ever, and I absolutely can’t wait for the third book in the trilogy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an earc in exchange for an honest review.
After the ending of The Prison Healer I was excited to see how it goes in the sequel. But this story was quite disappointing. Kiva was a totally different character from what she was in the beginning. At times, I felt this story was dragging and this series could be ended as a duology. The main character was so dumb with no purpose other than to move along the story. Honestly she felt unnecessary to the story. And there were several instances where the abuse and emotional manipulation was brushed off as nothing. It could have been handled better. The writing is what turned me off. The use of modern language in this setting made the world and story less interesting and exciting. Overall this was such a bland book with unsurprising plot twists.

I was hesitant going into this book, I enjoyed The Prison Healer but the last page completely threw me off and not in a good way, Kiva was in a paragraph rewritten into a new, unfamiliar, possibly even unlikeable character, going against even the thoughts of hers you were carried along with. The character in the entire book and the character in the final paragraph felt like strangers. Going into The Gilded Cage, I didn’t know what to expect, particularly from how I would feel about Kiva now in this story.

I should say that to an extent I understood Kiva, this is a girl denied her family for a decade following a torturous stint in Zalindov, for that she is vulnerable, open to manipulation in a need for attachment and love. In this book she is within the palace walls, getting closer to Jaren and the Vallentis royals while her rebel siblings wait on her information to take the throne. Following my initial concerns, what made this book, for me, a frustrating, going on enraging, read was how inconsistent she is in this sequel compared to The Prison Healer.

The romance, ordinarily I would love this as Jaren is such a perfect guy, he’s patient, attentive, he admires Kiva for all she is and trusts her with most vulnerable side. And that’s what makes this romance not just so awful but unhealthy and toxic. This isn’t slow burn, this is witnessing a guy bare his soul consistently to a girl, a guy who jeopardised his life, literally has scars to prove it, welcomes her into his family, shares his secrets, genuinely wants the best for her, and a girl who uses his intimacy to get close to her siblings and destroy this beautiful man, whether she feels guilty or torn about it. The guy deserves so much better. Yes Kiva is conflicted but essentially selfish because it’s never about the greater good, she sees that Jaren is not just a good guy, but a good ruler, this shouldn’t be such a hard choice!

Not only this but Kiva is naive going on stupid. The number of red flags etc and she questions nothing, she believes the best in people she shouldn’t and the worst in those she should be cautious of.
Kiva is a healer so selfless and compassionate in book 1 who constantly in this one manages to overlook the suffering of other people or cause it, often she felt like a stranger to the character in book 1, I missed the development. Going into book 3, and with that cliffhanger, I just don’t see how Kiva could redeem herself going forwards, I could easily be surprised and proved wrong in book 3 but the romance and development in this felt like a waste of time with such betrayal like a shadow over it all.

I enjoyed Caldon as an addition, I was concerned at the start it would be a love triangle but glad that didn’t happen, but again I didn’t understand his motivations or actions a lot of the time, at risk of spoilers. And Tipp is just the sweetest.

Frustration aside this book is easy to read, although a number of plot twists you can see coming off a mile away. It’s a compliment to the books essentially that I’m so annoyed because it means I care - however book 3 needs more Jaren, Tipp and Naari, Kiva isn’t always easy to be the sole character to journey with.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy to review

Oh! My! God! The Gilded Cage was absolutely everything I could have wanted from this book and more. Last month I read The Prison Healer and fell head over heels in love with it. I was completely obsessed and said that it was my favourite YA Fantasy ever... well, let me tell you... that is absolutely nothing compared to this masterpiece!

The Gilded Cage picks up right where The Prison Healer left off, with Kiva out of Zalindov and on her way to enemy territory. Kiva goes through a massive journey through this one. She has to deal with her growing feelings for Jaren, and her feelings of accountability to her family. She really wars with these two sides of her throughout the book... with disastrous consequences.

I went through such an emotional journey throughout this book. I am absolutely head over heels in love with Jaren. He is just the sweetest and perfect guy and he is head over heels in love with Kiva. I just loved seeing their relationship blossom in this book. I was swooning and my heart was bursting one minute and then the next I was on the verge of an anxiety attack over what was happening. That is a sign of a fantastic author to make me feel everything so much. I went through such a rollercoaster of emotions while reading. My utter love of Kiva and Jaren. My absolute terror of what was going to happen. My utter heartbreak at that ending. I was left screaming "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME LYNETTE?!?!?"

The Gilded Cage was utter perfection. It was packed full of emotion and it had the most incredible fast-paced plot. I was left reeling so many times from the twists and turns hidden around every corner. I couldn't believe what was happening and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I needed to make sure my favourites were okay.... I am absolutely dying to get my hands on the third book in this series. I loved every single second! It was perfection! My favourite read of the year so far!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The Prison Healer became one of my favourite reads this year so when I saw that I've been approved to read The Gilded Cage I was BEYOND ecstatic.

As with all other series where I fell in love with the first book, I had my fears that the second book will not live up to it's predecessor. Boy was I wrong. This book was everything. TPH was really good, but THIS was even better. We get to meet new characters who are every bit as fandom worthy as Kiva, Jaren, Tipp and Naari are. I am happy to report that this series is truly inclusive, the characters are diverse and have strong individual personalities. I also appreciated that most characters had their fair share of flaws as well. Not Jaren of course, he's way too good for that. Thank you Lynette Noni, like I really needed all of his perfection after every men tinder could offer. Also Rhys beware because Jaren is here for the Bookbae throne and I might just have to cheat.

The story gets more tangled with twists and turns in every chapter. You can expect dark circles under your eyes because this is a book where each chapter ending leaves you unsatisfied, so naturally you'll have to read until you drop. I also want to prepare you all for the emotional rollercoaster and a cliffhanger ending that left me sitting on my bed contemplating my life. Because The Gilded Cage will be published in October so I have no clue when book three will hit the shelves and how long I'll be suffering without answers, and Jaren.

I am so so thankful that I've found this series though and thank you for @lynettenoni for creating this world.

If you haven’t read The Prison Healer yet, I strongly advise you to do so.

I got my e-arc via @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I’m at a loss for words. Genuinely speechless and heartbroken and in shock and I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to get over that ending.

I have no idea how to review this without giving anything away, but what I can say is this; the writing is phenomenal - the short time it took me to devour this, every minute of my day was filled with thoughts of what will happen next. I was utterly enchanted from the beginning straight through to the end.

The plot development and the plot twists are mind blowing. Normally, I can guess pretty easily about people’s motives and how things will turn out, but I didn’t see any of those twists coming at ALL. So, cue speechlessness.

The characters. Oooh the characters. If I had the time (and wasn’t utterly brain dead) to write an ode to each of them in this series, I absolutely would. I loathed and I loved so damn hard that some parts physically pained me to read.

As for the romance, you want slow burn? This book took it to another level. The angst and palpable tension between Kiva and Jaren is off the charts, and everything I’ve ever wanted in slow burn.

The banter-friendship that forms between Caldon and Kiva was so nice to read, and definitely one of my favourite parts of the book. Actually, Cal in general quickly became one of my favourite characters, from his arrogant, light hearted humour to his open attraction to Torell (which, can I just say, is a ship that I will go down with).

I’m trying to form an eloquent review to do this series justice but honestly just- read it and see for yourself.

This has been a highlight of my year so far and I feel honoured to have been provided with this arc. June 2022 for the next instalment? Are you trying to kill me??

This book was everything I wanted and then some. It was the perfect sequel and I don't know what to do with myself until the next book comes out.

In The Gilded Cage we are introduced to new characters, two of which have stolen my heart away. I will do anything for Caldon and Tor, they are my precious babies to the point where I don't care if everything else goes to hell as long as they're happy. Also, Rhess and Tor are the real ship here, fight me all you want, but I need that story to be told and I need it to be epic.

But in the mean time, I do love a good slow burn romance. The angst in this book, you guys. Chef's kiss, that's all I will say. And the friendship between Caldon and Kiva, that was probably what made this book for me. I love them. Platonic relationships are so underrated.

As well as getting to know more about the characters and their relationships, in this book we also dive deeper into life at the palace and court politics, as well as the whole magic aspect of the story. A big part of this is Kiva trying to come to terms with who she is and who she wants to be and, although I could see most plot twists coming, I don't know what to do with that cliffhanger. Like, is that even fixable? That can't be the way it stays forever, I mean it can and we could still get a happy ending that way, but I don't want it to. (I know I'm probably making no sense, just do yourself a favor and go read the book please)

Anyway, it was awesome, I flew threw it and I would devour the next book right now if I could.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a digital review copy in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.

4.5 ⭐️
I was lucky to be given an ARC by NetGalley for this book. My opinions are truly my own.

I loved the Prison Healer and was dying to read what happened with Kiva next. Without spoiling anything, I can say that the writing style follows that of TPH. So if you liked the first book, you’ll definitely like this one.
Slow burn romance much?
Side note: while I spent the book thinking it was predictable, I never saw the end coming!

“The Gilded Cage” is the next book in the Prison Healer series.
Let me just start by saying Lynette you did it again! I say this about quite a few books but this was so fun to read and it was such a struggle to put it down even when it was nearly 3am.
“The last thing i want is to make her feel like she’s trapped in another kind of cage, gilded though it might be.”
The pace of this book was slightly slower than The Prison Healer but this is because we learn a lot of information in this book but we still get quite a lot of action.
“I know what it’s like to become that darkness, how consuming it is. It’s so much easier to hide in the night than to fight for the light.”
I loved reading about the relationships between Kiva and other characters but i absolutely loved Caldon and i hope we get to see more of him in the next book.
I did lose a bit of my love for Kiva as sometimes i thought she was just being, in all honesty, stupid. Like i get why she did some of them but i don’t see how she didn’t realise that she was being manipulated.
There is a lot more world building and quite a few plot twists that we’re so cleverly written that i was actually shocked.
The writing was immaculate and i can’t wait for the next book in the series to be released!
A massive thank you to NetGalley and Lynette Noni for another fantastic book!

This is the second instalment in The Prison Healer series.

Kiva escaped the death-prison, that was her home for the past decade, and now resides in the opulence of the palace. She is out of place there, and not merely due to her lack of royal blood but for the secrets she keeps close to her. If who she really is, and who her family are aligned with, ever become exposed then her death will be the outcome. But, for now, she sleeps soundly inside the lair of those she once thought her enemy, leading her to wonder if the allies and antagonists of her story had became twisted along the way.

This second series instalment was a bit more of a quieter one, compared to what had come prior to it. It was no less of an enjoyable read for this, however. Kiva had much to ponder and her focus lay in understanding the political machinations that the different individuals around her would have her take a central role in.

This led to a slower-pace, a gentle unravelling of the story, and fewer shocking reveals. It also ensured a true understanding of world politics, a better feel for the geography of the land, as well as those who reside within it, and a well set-up third book, which I am very much looking forward to reading.

I received this ARC thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Gilded cage has 5 stars for itself and 10 stars for Caldon. He only had a small cameo in the first book, but here it's like you've meet your long lost handsome brother that you want to protect with your own life, and he wants to protect his
"Your magic is pure, your heart is true. You have to fight it."
"Be the light in the dark."
I loved Prison healer for all the plot twist that were making me reconsider my deduction choices, in Gilded cage we can experience one betrayal after another and I'm here for it, some people can call Kiva naive, but if only you'll read closely you're actually following her adventure of grief and heartbreak when every next truth is revealed - I can't imagine what I'd feel in her place so I won't judge her whatsoever.
Have I mentioned Caldon? Just once?
Boiii, he's the best this series could get, I was quoting every single word he said, and took this story to whole another level.
And the ending, to think I have to keep myself breathing until spring 2022 to get another chapter of this story makes me starting to Google ways to fast forward time.
If you loved Prison healer, you'll adore this sequel and new doors it opens. If you weren't a fan of the first book please still give Gilded cage a chance - I can guarantee you'll be positively surprised!

"The Gilded Cage" is the second part of "The Prison Healer" series and greatly expands on the world and its magic system.

Kiva's character growth and her dilemma of having to choose between her family and her friends were well done. I really liked that the romantic relationship was a slow burn and that her friendships were given equal time to shine.

The weakest point of the novel was that both Jaren and Kiva had to act in a rather naive and too trusting fashion to keep the plot moving forward, which, at least for Kiva, didn't really fit with the character.

I saw some of the plot developments coming, but some of the twists came as a complete surprise, and I can't wait to see how everything is going to turn out in the final part of the series.