The Hunger Games meets Battle Royale, gritty, brutal, more PuBG than Fortnite.

Raven, a bounty hunter, in a dystopian city, infiltrates the notorious prison Endlock to rescue her younger brother and a rebellion asset. In this brutal prison system, where the elite pay to hunt the prisoners for sport, Raven quickly finds herself marked and vulnerable.
She is lucky that a „chance“ encounter with an influential guard in a bar, just the day before she got herself arrested, leads to romance. It seemed a bit rushed, as they have only seem to have brief interactions over the weeks.

The romance leans more toward forbidden romance than enemy-to-lovers. While their connection develops, Raven bonds with a group of other inmates, getting emotionally tied, which she had tried to avoid for the past years, since her parents were killed in this very prison.

The writing is captivating, the plot fast-paced and the world-building detailed.
I flew through it and will definitely pick up the sequel to see Raven’s story goes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

I was so excited when my ARC request was approved - the synopsis sounded AMAZING! It actually took me a while to put two and two together and realize that I’ve been following the author/Instagrammer for a while now, and just hadn’t realized she’s now a soon-to-be published author!

The book had me hooked from the start. I haven’t read a dystopian novel in a while, and the world-building was super clever. The whole prison/Hunger Games vibe was exactly what I was hoping for. Even though there were a lot of characters I really liked, I just couldn’t connect with the love interest - which made the spicy scenes feel a bit cringy for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will definitely continue the series. I just didn’t fall in love with any of the main characters and would’ve loved a little more depth.

I’m such a sucker for a dystopian setting, and this book completely hooked me from the first chapter. The world Brooke Fast has created is one of those that instantly feels immersive—detailed enough to feel real, but not so overcomplicated that it pulls you out of the story. It walks that perfect line between accessible and rich. I loved the way the layers of corruption, survival, and societal control slowly unraveled as the story progressed. It gave me all the things I crave in a dystopian read: tension, rebellion, moral ambiguity, and a system so deeply broken it practically dares you not to root for change. It also hits a little too close to home in parts which makes it feel all the more real.

The political undercurrent of this book was a standout for me—watching how different characters responded to the injustice around them, the ways they rebelled or complied, all added nuance to the plot and made the stakes feel high in a tangible, gripping way. The prison setting added another layer of danger and complexity, and I was genuinely impressed by how naturally the adventure element began to bloom toward the end. The pacing felt intentional—like we were being slowly marched toward something big—and now that we’ve hit that point, I’m dying to see where this story goes next.

Raven, our fierce and fiery protagonist, was compelling from the start. She’s the kind of character who throws herself headfirst into danger, often before thinking things through, but that impulsiveness felt so authentic to her age and circumstances. She’s stubborn, loyal, and so incredibly raw. Watching her navigate this world while slowly growing into herself was one of the most rewarding aspects of the book. There’s so much potential in her arc, and I have a feeling we’ve only scratched the surface. I’m especially excited to see how her choices ripple into the next installments.

The found family element tugged at my heartstrings (as it always does), and I really appreciated the moments of camaraderie and loyalty that developed between the side characters. That said, I definitely wanted more time with them—more backstory, more banter, more of those quiet, connective moments that make a group feel like home. I hope we get to dive deeper into those dynamics in book two, because this cast has so much potential.

Now let’s talk about the romance. It’s billed as a slow burn enemies-to-lovers, but I think this might have benefitted from just a touch more of the slow. I enjoyed the chemistry, and we got a few of those delicious “who did this to you?” moments but overall, the romantic development felt a little rushed given the intensity of their circumstances. I didn’t dislike it—it just wasn’t the standout for me. That said, I’m intrigued to see how things evolve in future books, especially now that certain lines have been crossed and choices made.

Ultimately, what truly shined here was the worldbuilding and plot. The gritty setting, the looming threat of oppression, the hint of rebellion just beginning to crack through the surface—it all felt so intentionally layered and well-thought-out. This was such a solid foundation for a series, and I’m seriously impressed by what Brooke Fast has put together. The story is brimming with potential, and I already have so many theories spinning in my head.

To cage a wild bird - Brooke Fast

4.5/5⭐️

"𝘽𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙀𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠, 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙚, 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚."

𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸—𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵-𝘸𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴—𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦; 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦—𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳.

𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚: November 2025
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Adult dystopian Fantasy
𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: Brooke Fast
𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 4.5/5⭐️

Thank you so much to the publisher and the author giving me access to an early review copy!

ARC Review

I picked this up mostly out of curiosity — it’s the first book under the new “WAYWARD TxF” imprint, and the synopsis really had me intrigued.

We follow Raven as she enters Endlock Prison, notorious for its vast hunting ground where the wealthy can pay to hunt inmates, to attempt to help her younger brother escape— while she is there, Raven ends up teaming up with Vale, one of the guards.

The worldbuilding was really interesting! Not overly complicated, but the little tech details, prison dynamics, and class hierarchy really helped me enjoy parts of this book.

I liked Raven — she’s smart, sarcastic, and clearly trying to stay in control in a totally messed-up world.
But the second Vale walks on-page? It's as if her brain turns to mush.
Like girl, you're infiltrating a death-prison — can we not lose all logic because he's hot and broody? It’s a pet peeve of mine when characters act super smart until a love interest enters the room.

Also, the romance was one of the weaker points for me. It was fast. Like... blink and we’re kissing.
This book is advertised as enemies-to-lovers and slow burn and it is NEITHER.
The romance felt rushed and underdeveloped. Vale fell for Raven way too quickly, and I didn’t really understand the connection. It was another lust over love situation.
The story seemed to push a deep emotional bond that just wasn’t built up enough at the beginning to feel earned.

I guess I wished the book didn’t lean so hard into the (not so well developed) romance when the dystopian plot was so much more compelling. The world, the prison system, the corruption — all of that could’ve carried the story on its own. Instead, the romance overshadowed a lot of what made the concept unique, which was disappointing.

As for found family — there were definitely glimpses of it, and those were my favorite scenes. I loved the small moments of bonding between Raven and the other inmates. They deserved a lot more page time, honestly— and if we’d had more chances to connect with them earlier on, some of the emotional beats toward the end would’ve hit harder in my opinion.

At the end, most of the reveals were easy to guess, and throughout the book I had multiple moments where I was waiting for the story to pick up again.

Overall, To Cage a Wild Bird had a strong foundation — and I think the author has some really creative ideas — but this one just didn’t come together for me.
If you're in the mood for danger, prison politics, a steamy romance, this might be a fun pick for you.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve been following Brooke’s socials for a while now and this book was much anticipated so when I was given the opportunity to read the arc I was thrilled!

TCAWB is a dystopian romance and the first dystopian I’ve read in a long while!
I think the world building was good, with clear distinctions on the 3 levels of society. I liked that there were shady politics and dodgy dealings involved with a corrupt government/council. I really enjoyed the idea of the prison being a place where the wealthy good hunt for pleasure, it definitely added a darkness to the story that it needed.

Things I think could be improved are: the pacing of the story. Particularly around the middle of the book it felt a bit slow and repetitive. I also wish there was more character development. I feel like the relationship between Raven & Vale could have been built up a bit more at the beginning as the relationship progression felt a bit rushed and inauthentic at times. I would have also loved to learn more about Kit, August, Yara and Momo’s backstory’s as I just didn’t really feel too connected with them.

Overall I enjoyed the story and the ending pushed my rating a bit higher. I am intrigued to see where this story goes and how it develops

Thank you so much Penguin, Brooke Fast and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

So, what drew me to this title originally was the promise of a dystopian-esque, sci-fi story with a strong heroine that’s trying to infiltrate a high-security prison to save her brother. It’s such an intriguing premise and offers so much potential in now it can be explored, but I somehow felt like this book left me feeling a little wanting in its execution.

Maybe it’s just that I felt the love interest and his connection to the FMC had a very weak beginning and didn’t deliver on the tension that the author clearly wanted the reader to feel. Or just the fact that I felt like the beginning of this book felt very lackluster, too generic in its world-building and how it introduced the the setting’s history and mechanisms.

I just really didn’t feel very pulled into this and as the story slowly unfolded, this view sadly didn’t change much.






Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Wayward TxF for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

my rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
spice - 🌶️

this is the best dystopian book I have ever read.
let me say that again… this is the BEST DYSTOPIAN BOOK I HAVE EVER READ🤭

I cannot even express to you how much I loved this book, I already knew, with this being one of my most anticipated reads of the year that it would take first place as my top read and it truly has!

Brooke, you have created the most incredible world and you kept me hooked from the very first word to the very last. This dystopian world was so perfectly built as we dived into Dividium and my love for the dystopian genre has just grown even more. I would be absolutely terrified of being sent to Endlock and I’m in total awe of Raven’s strength.

The found family trope was written so beautifully and the slow burn romance aspect had me grinning from ear to ear. I loved that the main aspect/focus of the book wasn’t just about the romance but the desperate need and hope to survive whilst building unlikely relationships✨

Our FMC Raven has one mission, get to Endlock - the deadly prison where the rich hunt inmates for sport, save her brother and try to survive. No pressure, right?
Wrong.

With her bounty hunter reputation she already has a target painted on her back, nobody is safe and nobody can escape the ticking clock of death.
She has 100% taken the number one spot for best FMC, I fell so in love with her character. I wish I could be half as strong and brave as she is, her resilience is so admirable!

Raven being a bounty hunter too, I love that she’s not some fragile girl with no clue of what she’s doing, she’s got strength, she’s got wit and most importantly she’s got that fierce persona you seriously don’t want to get on her bad side.


Without giving too much away, I will say that you are all going to fall in love with our MMC and another character (a fave of mine) that’s introduced and I can guarantee you’ll be screaming about how good this is🙂‍↕️💓



There are some scenes that will rip your heart out and it’ll get stomped on but it is executed so damn perfectly that it’s so so so important to the storyline.

I don’t want to say too much so my full review will be on Goodreads🤭 all I can say is that I need EVERY single edition of this book - also this is my shameful plea to @bantambooksuk to beg for a proof copy🙈 I would honestly sell my soul for it!

If I could read this book all over again for the first time to experience it as new I so would, it’s honestly my favourite!

Trust me when I say, To Cage A Wild Bird is going to change the game for dystopian books in the best way 💓

Thank you so much Bantam for the chance to read this early!

To Cage a Wild Bird follows Raven as she enters Endlock Prison, notorious for its vast hunting ground where the wealthy can pay to hunt inmates, to attempt to help her younger brother escape.

This was a really quick easy read, I finished it in less than twenty-four hours. The world the author has created is simple but interesting and unique and the plot is fast paced and tense, there was never a dull moment. I especially enjoyed the details of how the prison operates and their technology, the use of wristbands to track inmates and influence the hunts really added to the suspense. One of the twists was a bit predictable but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment.

I felt that the characters needed more development though. You see the beginnings of found family here but interactions with members of the group were minimal and the reader doesn’t get the chance to get to know them very well, making some of the important moments towards the end less impactful. The romance has a lot of potential but again it felt underdeveloped and progressed too quickly for me to feel fully invested.

I had fun reading to Cage a Wild Bird but I’m unsure whether I feel attached enough to these characters to continue the series.

firstly id like to thank net galley for giving me this ARC as I've been following this book's progress online for quite a while and it was so amazing to get to read this book. firstly the characters have so much depth and really draw you into the story. i love the way the worldbuilding was done it felt so natural and not out of place like in any other books. the was so much romance and chemistry between the characters. finally the storyline and the cliff-hanger were perfection, i cant wait for book 2 and i believe that this book will bring back the 2000's dystopian stories we have been lacking. overall perfection.

If I catch any of you describing this as a slow burn...

I really enjoyed the plot, but I loathed the romance. I came across this book almost a year ago, where I saw it described on the author's socials as a slow burn, enemies to lovers in a dystopian future. It immediately caught my attention, and I've been waiting patiently to get my grubby little hands on it because it sounded right up my alley. This really had the potential to be a 5-star read for me, but unfortunately, due to the underdeveloped romance that was a huge focus, it fell flat.

Womp, womp... I really need to stop having high expectations for this genre (what's the dystopian version of romantasy? rotopian? lol).

This is not a slow burn, nor is it enemies to lovers!!! Can we please stop using these as buzz words when that's not the case? There's nothing wrong with a fast burn, strangers to lovers as long as it is marketed correctly. Advertising To Cage a Wild Bird as something it is not, is only going to disappoint readers in the long run who were expecting something else.

From the beginning, and I literally mean from Chap. 2, the relationship between the FMC and MMC was solely based on lust and lust alone. Without going into too much detail, they basically meet at a bar and the FMC approaches him wanting to get a quick fuck out of it. I'm sorry, but if from Chap.2 the FMC and MMC are fully into each other, it is not a slow burn. Once the FMC enters the prison (surprise, surprise), we find out that the MMC just so happens to be a guard. Not just any guard, no-no, a high ranking guard that is seemingly untouchable. He does everything in his power to keep the FMC safe, even though they barely know each other and only had a handful of interactions. Me searching for the enemies to lovers: 🙄🔎

Does the FMC war with her mind about how she isn't supposed to like him, but her traitorous body goes against it? YOU BETCHA!
"I was struck by how much I wanted him. The last person I should want, but somehow the only person capable of making me forget everything I'd gone through in the past weeks."

If I had a dollar for every book I've read with this happening in the FMC's internal monologue, I'd be so fucking rich. I'm growing bored and tired of how much it is reused.

They share their second kiss 55% of the way in, and the MMC (for some reason) declares how much he cares about her and worries about her. *holds breath*... THEY BARELY KNOW EACH OTHER!!!
"You think I can control this worry? You think I can just stop thinking about you every second of every damned day? All of this would be so much easier if I could get you out of my head, Little Bird. Don't think I haven't tried."

She's been in the prison for a few weeks, they've had maybe 5 short conversations, and I am failing to see the reason as to why he cares oh so much for some random prisoner he was going to hookup with in the beginning??? He's extremely overbearing and overprotective, giving me the ick from early on because it made me feel claustrophobic. In fact, his only personality trait is being obsessed with the FMC even though, lemme say it again, THEY BARELY KNOW EACH OTHER! Their relationship is fueled only by lust. There is no yearning, no meaningful moments, no connection... literally nothing that would convince me that these two truly care about each other. I need yearning and innocent moments that don't solely rely on sexual attraction because the buildup is important. You can't expect me to believe they are in love with each other after giving me nothing! Relationships that are going to last don't solely rely on how hot the other person is. The real enemies to lovers could be between me and Vale because as of right now... ew. No.

Sigh... she had more chemistry with her childhood friend/penpal (love you, gray😘 raven never deserved u).

Moving on... because there were a lot of aspects I thoroughly enjoyed!

The plot was actually really interesting and well-developed for the most part. I remember reading a short story in high school called The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell about a mysterious island where the owner hunts humans as sport, so this book follows a similar overall premise. The setting felt really nostalgic for me, reminding me a lot of both Divergent and The Hunger Games, and I thoroughly enjoyed going back to my roots. The main setting takes place at a luxurious hunting resort, and the inmates are literally treated like a theme park attraction, with the hunters being able to purchase different packages to enhance their "hunting" experience. There were so many moments that were gritty, gory, and twisted that I was on the edge of my seat.

I liked the FMC for the most part, and she seemed to be smart and witty, but as soon as she was within 50ft of the MMC she lost all logic and her brain turned off. There were some very obvious "reveals" that happened, and she took a stupid amount of time putting the puzzle pieces together. Her personality tended to be sarcastic on the outside to hide her vulnerabilities, which I can relate to because I'm the same way. There was very little character growth from her, but she learned to be a bit more vulnerable around the people she trusted. I hope we get to see more growth as the series progresses. I'm also a huge sucker for found family, and I found it to be really heartwarming when they were all together. I wish we got more of it because the side characters honestly fascinated me more than the MMC, whose only personality is lusting over the FMC (cough, cough...), but I digress.

There were a few minor hiccups in the writing, moments of choppy sentences and uneven pacing. I thought for the most part it was written pretty well, and the descriptions were above average when compared to other books I've read recently, making it easy to visualize what was going on. The dystopian aspect was definitely there, but it's so unfortunate that it was overshadowed by the romance as much as it was, because the foundation was great. It just felt like there were a lot of missed opportunities to make it even better and more balanced with the romance.

Overall, I did really enjoy To Cage a Wild Bird (minus the romance) and I am eager to read the next book when it comes out. I have high hopes that it will just keep improving as the story progresses and we learn more about the world and uncover more secrets. I just hope it isn't marketed as a slow burn or enemies to lovers, as that will only lead to a lot of disappointment from readers who are expecting that.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

This book was absolutely amazing. Sometimes I struggle to get into books initially, the story building can be a lot to digest. But I didn't feel that way with this book, felt like I emerged straight in and was immediately gripped. I loved the plot, was unique to anything I’ve read before. The characters were written well. I laughed with them and I definitely cried too.
But girlllll, how you gonna leave me hanging like that? I’m on the edge of my seat and panting for more!

I’ll be over here yearning but recommending to all.

I’ll start by saying: this book knows exactly what it wants to be.

To Cage a Wild Bird is a dystopian adult romance for grown up fans of The Hunger Games. I really liked the premise—totalitarian government, deadly prison, enigmatic MMC, etc.

Unfortunately, I think the premise wasn’t as well-executed as it could have been. While the world building was good, I struggled to feel connected to the characters. We were told a lot about how badass the heroine is, but she felt very passive throughout the story. A lot of things happen TO her, but I didn’t get the sense that she was ever in the driver’s seat. And while I liked that the romance plotline was introduced early, it felt like the MMC fell in love way too quickly, and I didn’t really understand why.

All in all, felt like a first draft of a book that has the potential to be very good, but isn’t yet.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I’ve been so excited for this book ever since I saw Brooke tease it on Instagram and I’m so happy to say that I loved it!✨🫶

This book has it all: dystopia, romance, high-stakes action with real emotional depth. I’ve found it so hard to put down and now I’m already eagerly awaiting the next book 🥹😂

Fans of the following, add this book to your TBR asap:

• forbidden romance
• feisty FMC
• unique dystopian world-building
• plot-twists you don’t see coming
• found family

AN INSTANT FAVOURITE!!!

I’ve had my eye on this book ever since Brooke first teased it on Instagram, and wow!! it absolutely blew me away. If you're a dystopia girly or a fan of The Hunger Games and Divergent, this is a must-read. Brooke delivers a stellar debut packed with gripping storytelling, and I’m still reeling from how good it was.

It’s got everything I love: immersive world-building, fast-paced plot, found family, a delicious slow-burn romance with the most satisfying payoff, and characters that made my heart race and ache all at once.

Raven, our FMC, is such a badass. I adored how fiercely she stands up for her people, and just watching her open up and trust others was so beautiful. And our MMC, Vale. Oh, Vale. Sweet, swoony, hot - this man had me twirling my hair and giggling the entire time. He can guard me ANYTIME.

Brooke’s use of the Hunt as a plot device was masterful. It introduced Endlock’s complex political system in such an organic way—never info-dumpy, always purposeful. Every detail tied back into the narrative seamlessly, and I was genuinely in awe of how cleverly everything was constructed.

If this book is not already on your radar, it needs to be. THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR NEXT OBSESSION. Please do yourself a favor and go preorder it so you can read it when it’s out.

Thank you @bantambooksuk for the ARC ❤️

I have been eagerly awaiting this book for a couple years now since I found Brooke Fast on insta. I squealed so hard when I heard her book had been picked up and ran to netgalley to request as soon as I could.
I was not disappointed! To Cage A Wild Bird is fantastic and I know I'm going to reread this when it get released at the end of the year. I am also needing the sequel yesterday! I need to know what happens next.

Raven Thorne became a Bounty hunter to be able to look after her brother when her parents were sent to Endlock prison. She will do anything to protect her brother Jed, including going to and organising a breakout of Endlock for the rebel organisation her parents were part of, The Collective.
I found Raven to be a likeable character, her reasonings for her actions are completely understandable. The idea of the wealthy hunting prisoners for sport is intriguing yet terrifying.

Dystopia is having a huge come back, and my 2010 self, as well as my current self, is rejoicing.
This book needs all the attention and all the love.