After reading The Prison Healer a few months ago, I was so ready to get the next installation in the series. I mean, come on! That cliffhanger gutted me. Getting approved for the sequel was very exciting, but unfortunately it took me awhile to pick up. When I finally started the book, I wasn’t super into it. The plot was somewhat slow and I forgot how attached I had gotten to these characters and relationships. By 45%, though, I was hooked.

The first half of this book was slow, similar to The Prison Healer. The second half, however, flew by. Noni is amazing at throwing in so many plot twists—and I mean A LOT. There were so many chapters that had me gasping and freaking out. I definitely saw some improvement in how Noni set up the plot twists in this book, especially because the major one from the first book gave me whiplash as there had not been really any clues. The Gilded Cage honestly had me obsessed with trying to find out what would happened next. The big question from this book was, would she or wouldn’t she betray him? (I’ll be keeping this spoiler free so you’ll have to read the book to find out.) Sometimes I was absolutely convinced this was the end of Kiva and Jaren’s HEA (#rip), and other times I thought she would throw over her family. It was a wild ride.

In The Gilded Cage, we are introduced to even more characters, and really get to learn about Jaren’s kingdom and family as the setting of the book shifted from the prison to the castle. Rhess was a newer character that Noni started to develop and I look forward to seeing her return to the story. Caldon was a repeat character, but Noni really flushed him out as a friend of Kiva’s and ohmygosh when Caldon ___ that Kiva was ___ and he ended up doing ___, I DIED. If you want those blanks to be filled in, again—read the book!

The ending of this book is going to stick with me awhile yet. I have no idea how I’ll wait so long to read the final book in the trilogy, but I’ll have to manage.

Even better than the first book in the series! I was thrilled to finally learn more about Kiva's family, which was so vaguely referenced during The Prison Healer. I also enjoy how fast-paced The Gilded Cage was and how I couldn't see any of the twists and turns coming. I will say that Kiva' hesitancy in this one didn't match what I saw from the first book, and I do wish such an interesting character had been given a stronger personality. Overall an excellent read.

WOW this was perfect

There were so many twists that I never would have guessed!! I loved how this book expanded on each character. There was constant suspense too, it was amazing.

At this point, I’m ridiculously attached to these characters and need the next book immediately. That ending… literally i can’t even form words. I never expected that to happen again, so I’m so excited to see how this series ends.

This was the exact opposite of second book syndrome!

I wish I can give The Gilded Cage more than five stars because I absolutely loved everything about it. Book 2 in my opinion was a strong sequel. I loved how Kiva’s character was developed after enduring and surviving a lot of pain in prison. My heart is always going to belong to Jaren. He is of course my favorite character and I love how much he cares and loves Kiva. The writing was absolutely beautiful and phenomenal and I can’t wait for book three. I purchased a physical copy and it looks beautiful on my bookshelf. Thank you NetGalley for giving the opportunity to receive an advance copy. I am truly grateful.

The Gilded Cage by Lynette Noni is the second in The Prison Healer trilogy. The first book ended with a shocking reveal that I never saw coming. Ms. Noni ups the ante with yet another reveal that left me reeling and wanting to throw my Kindle across the room. Honestly, I think Ms. Noni delights in torturing her readers with these reveals and then making us wait for answers.

Yet, The Gilded Cage is not all fireworks and roses. I had some issues with the main character this time around. Kiva spends a lot of time waffling between her various choices, and frankly, her inability to choose becomes tedious and repetitive. Even though readers only know as much as Kiva knows, the right answer is so damn obvious that her continued waffling becomes nothing but a distraction that bogs down the story.

Once she makes her choice, though, the story begins to soar into a heart-pounding trajectory with more twists and turns than a roller coaster. The story becomes much more than a revenge story as Kiva begins to realize that revenge may not be the answer and that family is not always what you want it to be. As she comes to some hard truths, your heart breaks over and over again for her as you realize that the story is not going in the direction you really want it to go.

Because of her ability to surprise you, Ms. Noni's The Gilded Cage is highly addictive. Some of her reveals are not all that exciting or surprising, but they are fascinating all the same for what they expose about the characters. Except for a lot of angst-fueled scenes in which Kiva can't make up her damn mind, the story itself is just as exciting and tense as the first book. Plus, with that ending, the series finale may just become my most-anticipated release of 2022.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ebook ARC! All opinions are my own.

4.5/5 Stars

I’m always very nervous going into sequels. It’s hard to live up to the first, especially when it’s adored. However, in my opinion, The Gilded Cage survived the “middle book curse”.

I loved seeing Kiva come into her own. It was uncomfortable for her at times, but she stayed her brave self. We really got more with her and I can’t wait to see how she grows and who she becomes in the end.

Prince Jaren’s background was expanded on. His character growth was beautiful.

I adore slow-burn, and we continue to simmer with Jaren and Kiva. The sexual tension is *chef kiss* and I enjoyed every moment of their connection.

Overall, The Gilded Cage was an intriguing sequel full of drama, magic, politics and it kept me hooked. I can’t wait for the final installment!

I was expecting to be surprised and emotionally yanked around, but I wasn’t expecting everything that happened! I love Lynette’s writing; everything from world building, plot, and characters. She just does an amazing job and I can’t wait to see how she ends this series. I will be sad to see it end, but can’t wait to see how everything unravels.

This second installment in The Prison Healer series, has but this series in one of my favorites! Yes, it may be a bit slower and not as “action packed” as the first book, but I enjoyed that and felt it set up perfectly for all the things Kiva had to face. Plus it sets us up perfectly for the final installment.

I would definitely recommend this to customers and friends.

Woowww. This sequel definitely didn’t have second book syndrome..at all. That ending had me SHOOK. I was devouring those end pages with growing anxiety.

Not gonna lie, there were many times in this book I really wanted to strangle Kiva. I started contemplating throwing my kindle against the wall..several times. I started questioning her common sense. I did understand some of her actions though I definitely did not agree with them.

There were several surprises in this book and lots of twists which I did predict. All the hints are there. The foreshadowing, certain words, actions and situations etc etc.

But there was one really good one I did not see coming.. and I’m really dreading to see how it’s going to play out in the third book.

And Jaren, the love interest, the prince: he’s just perfect and honestly, waaayyy too good for our MC. He was just SO understanding and treated her so well without caging her in.
Caldron became a favorite in this book for me though, I honestly questioned one of his decisions..because I feel like his character would have made a completely different decision considering his protective treatment is if his family, but whatever. I adored him in this.

We meet some new characters. And get to know some that were introduced in the first book. I also want more Torell, Kiva’s brother. I really liked his character and can’t wait to see his role in the next book.

Overall, this was a strong book and I’m impatiently waiting for the final book because that cliff hanger was just MEAN.

Highly recommend this series!

Right after I finished reading the first book in the series, The Prison Healer, I saw that The Gilded Cage was on netgalley and requested it right away. Waiting the few weeks to be approved was agonizing. This book was just so, so good! My favorite part was seeing Jaren as a Royal Prince and with his family. This installment had a lot of twists and turns as well that kept me on my toes the entire time. If you thought the cliffhanger was bad in The Prison Healer, you are definitely not ready for this one! The other thing that made me like the book less was the back and forth monologues of Kiva and what should she do and where should alliance be. It was annoying and I honestly just wanted to punch her all of the time. I hated all of the decisions she made in this book. Other then that, this story was amazing and now I am just going to wait not so patiently for the next book!

I need to start my review by saying I loved The Prison Healer. The story was interesting and kept me engaged all the way to the end where it really packed a punch. I wish I could say the same for The Gilded Cage. This installment begins with Kiva having infiltrated the palace with a plan to take the throne which rightfully belongs to her family.

Here's where it lost me. In Prison Healer Kiva is strong and decisive. In The Gilded Cage Kiva is so wishy washy about LITERALLY EVERYTHING. Does she love Jaren? Does she want the throne? Does she want to give her sister, Zuleeka, a chance not to be the literal worst human being for no reason?

If there was one thing I liked it was the friendship between Caldon and Kiva. I kinda think that would have been a spicier match (if Noni wanted to go that way, which I'm sure she doesn't), Caldon is the most interesting character in this book and I think he makes it worthwhile.

The bottom line: the romance between Kiva and Jaren is painfully slow burn, not much happens in this book, and Kiva changes so dramatically that it's almost painful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

If you have not read The Prison Healer, then you need to. The Gilded Cage is a strong, sometimes infuriating, read that will have you eagerly awaiting the third installment of this series.

Author Lynette Noni is great at setting the scene, and in The Gilded Cage, the world in which the book takes place gets much bigger and the stakes are higher. And yet, the intimate feel from The Prison Healer remains.

As The Gilded Cage progresses, a feeling of dread follows. It’s sort of like watching a car accident in slow motion. You essentially know what’s going to happen — minus the finer details — but you can’t look away. And yet, it’s those finer details that make the story stand out. It’s those twists that set it apart and suck all the air out of the room. They’re why I am frustrated the third book isn’t out now.

Kiva is a strong character that you want to succeed, even while you want to yell at her for some of her decisions. But the book isn’t just about her. Noni has done an excellent job of fleshing out her supporting characters, which bring depth and brightness throughout.

The Gilded Cage is a fast and engrossing read that old and new fans of Noni’s writing will likely enjoy.

The Gilded Cage picks up a few months after the last book ended, after the winter has thawed and the gang was able to reach the capital from the winter palace. Rather than glossing over those months, Noni goes out of her way to show us snippets of what happened through memories. She then uses this to both build characters up and delve deeper into relationships between them. One of my favourite examples of this is Caldon and Kiva’s friendship. We get snippets of how they grew close at the winter palace, especially the beginning of their friendship, so his familiar demeanour towards her isn’t jarring and fits right into the narrative.


Noni also uses this opportunity, and then the book as a whole to explore Jarren’s character. Kiva’s seen him under life threatening pressure, so now she explores other aspects of his personality. He continues to be the caring and just prince which makes her allegiance to the rebels all that harder. I will say that building him up in this manner meant that Jarren had no obvious flaws. In retrospect, he is incredibly trusting but during the story he comes off as a little too perfect. I do look forward to seeing Jarren react to the ending of this book, once the next one comes out.

As for Kiva, her character arc focuses on one single question: Who will she choose? The royals or the Rebels? Not only does this impact her every action, but it leads to heavy introspection throughout. However, this inner turmoil didn’t slow down the pace which I appreciated. It showed that Kiva was constantly evaluating her every option and choosing to act based on that. She has a profound character arc in this book which led her to a very interesting decision down the line and one that I’ve yet to see in this sort of enemies to lovers story.

The Gilded Cage by Lynette Noni gives us even more LGBTQ+ representation. Without spoiling too much, Myrrin’s relationship takes a front seat towards the end of the novel, while another character is revealed to be bisexual. Like Myrrin, their sexuality never becomes their only personality trait, instead it adds depth to the character and allows for moments of levity when they heavily admire another character wielding a sword who just happens to be on the opposite side of this war.

When it comes to the world, Noni builds up on what we’ve learned so far. The magic system is further explored, especially how the royals use that magic but most of the wordl-building is about the people. History and politics take centre stage as we learn more about how everything go to this point. The rebels are finally explored in depth with their history also playing a part. Noni goes out of her way to build a realistic world, one that came alive as I read, without bogging down the pace.

In fact, her writing only got better in The Gilded Cage. While it’s largely character driven, the plot is hardly overshadowed as Kiva balances life at the palace with the rebellion. Noni’s focus on the relationships between characters becomes all that more important with every twist and betrayal. The whole is fast paced and gripped me from the very first chapter.

The Gilded Cage by Lynette Noni is a fantastic follow up to The Prison Healer. Characters are developed, the rebels finally have a face and the wider implications of everything that happened at Zalindov finally appear. I enjoyed pretty much every aspect of this book, if you liked the first one you will definitely like this one and I can’t wait for the third!

CW: Like the first book, this book features graphic injuries, drug use, violence and mentions of child abuse.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Kiva has escaped the prison walls of Zalindov and finds herself immersed in life at the Capital.
She is living in the palace now still torn between allegiance to her family, the rebels and their
beliefs and the friendships and feelings that she has developed for Jeran and his family.
This fast paced second book is filled with twists and turns that kept me engaged and burning
through the pages to see what was going to happen next.

We learn more about the Kingdom and the history of both the Vallentis family and the Correntine
family. We see more magic in this second book and get a glimpse into the struggle Kiva has not
using her magic or allowing anyone in the palace to know that she has magical abilities. We are
introduced more fully to Prince Caldon, who in my opinion is the real gem of this book and his
connection with Kiva is both friendly and loyal. Tipp and Naari play important roles as well and
keep the comedic aspect of the story alive.

Kiva’s siblings do show up but in unexpected ways with very different ideas than we were led to
believe based upon what Kiva has held to be true these past 10 years in Zalindov. She has to
navigate through many stories to determine what she believes in as well as what is right. I love
her brother Tor & his fierce protective nature over Kiva and her sister is a character that I loved
to hate.

The relationship between Jeran and Kiva develops more fully in this book. Their relationship is
a slow burn, but one that’s built upon a mutual trust, respect and understanding of one another.
It is a really great progression of the relationship that we saw begin in The Prison Healer and
not too cheesy or over the top.

The ending is devastating and is also a cliff hanger. Having to wait until next Summer to read
the 3rd book is going to kill me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pace is perfect. The plot twists are unexpected and the
ending will leave you longing for the next book now. You will enjoy it.

I love this series. The first book was phenomenal and the second book is just as great. definitely recommend this book to everyone i know and more.

I love when a sequel delivers, don't you? I'll admit, I get scared every time I love a first book in a series, because, well, you know how series can be! But The Gilded Cage was just as engaging and entertaining as its predecessor, and I am quite pleased!

In an attempt to make this vague, because if you haven't read the first book you really should, I won't go into much, if any plot detail. Basically all you need to know is that it is still exciting, with twists abound, and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. It did take me a second or two to get back into the world, back into the swing of things, but that's just on me and my terrible memory.

Kiva and her cohorts are delightful as ever. In this installment, Kiva has a lot of very difficult choices to make- perhaps even more difficult than the first book. I figure, at least in the first book, while her options were dire, she at least felt sure of who/what she was fighting for. In this book, it's far murkier. And I must be honest, even though I understood Kiva's waffling, its incessance did bug me a bit at times. Especially since we the reader can see the best options, it becomes a bit repetitive when Kiva cannot. But again, it does make complete sense in context, so I can't actually be mad.

I know I mentioned that there are a lot of great twists, but honestly I need to mention it again because they made the book so full of adventure! The twists are a bit different in nature- quieter, perhaps, than what we see in the first book, but not at all lower stakes. If anything, the underlying politics of this book make for higher overall stakes, even if the immediacy may be lesser. And just as Kiva wonders who she can trust, the readers wonder as well. Sure, we know who she should probably not trust, but with so many players, there're likely to be more untrustworthy groups along the way.

And now, after a fairly bananas ending that had me typing into my Kindle "ommggg noooo you can't end there!" (true story), I am going to need the next book absolutely immediately. (June. How can I make it until June!?)

Bottom Line: Absolutely no Middle Book Syndrome™ detected here. A huge win, just as exciting as its predecessor, leaving me beyond excited for the finale!

Because I loved The Prison Healer, I had high hopes for the sequel. I’m so glad The Gilded Cage blew my expectations away! I loved seeing Kiva grow into her newly acquired freedom, and interact with her siblings. I also enjoyed being able to explore more of the world and political intrigue the author set up for us in the first book. I can’t wait for book three!

After the cliffhanger that The Prison Healer left readers on, to say that I was eager to read the sequel is an understatement. I fully anticipated enjoying The Gilded Cage more than it predecessor, but unfortunately I ended up enjoying it about equally as much.

I anticipated The Gilded Cage to have a lot of tension mainly between Kiva and Jaren since they are from rival families, where the former is trying to overthrow the later to reclaim the throne for her family. Unfortunately this tension, for me, was lacking because it didn't come off as believable based on Kiva's actions and thoughts. She constantly reiterates that she's infiltrated Jaren and his family to betray them yet she constantly has doubts and genuinely likes and cares about them. While reading The Gilded Cage I never once had a doubt where her loyalties would lie, with her biological family or her found family, which did take away from my enjoyment while reading.

The Prison Healer series, overall, is an enjoyable light fantasy that will appeal to many, especially those just getting into or are interested in getting into high fantasy. While this is marketed as being for fans of Sarah J. Maas, I would say that Lynette Noni's write and storytelling is more reminiscent of Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen series.

3/5 Stars

The Gilded Cage by Lynette Noni is an addictive fantasy with secret scheming and shocking plot twists. Set soon after the events of The Prison Healer, this one is a little calmer and takes the time to explore the main character’s shifting allegiances. While this book is a sequel, it is just as thrilling as the first book, and I loved getting to explore the world outside the prison. This is a tense and original series that I can’t recommend enough.

Having recently escaped from prison, Kiva is ready to put her new plan into action: reuniting with her family to overthrow the throne–those responsible for putting her in prison in the first place. However, as she settles into the palace, hiding her true intentions, she starts to realize that the royal family is not as evil as her own family had led her to believe. Torn between the rebels and her found family at the palace, both of whom care deeply for her, Kiva must decide where her loyalties lie, and which group she will betray.

❀ WELL-DEVELOPED CHARACTERS

This instalment really delves into Kiva’s character, and I loved getting to know more about her. She is in a tough position, caught between her loyalty to her family and her new friends at the palace, and this tension is thrilling to read about. Kiva also struggles with fitting in and adjusting to life outside of prison, and I enjoyed watching as she slowly starts to figure out who she is and what she wants. Each of the characters in this series are so incredibly well-developed, which makes for a satisfying read.

❀ JAW-DROPPING TWISTS

I was a little worried going into this one since sequels often disappoint me, and The Prison Healer is one of my favourite books of the year, and maybe even of all time. Luckily, The Gilded Cage is just as engaging as the first book, and there are just as many jaw-dropping twists throughout. I am truly in awe of Lynette Noni’s writing, and the contrast between the two books is brilliantly done. While slower paced than the first book, this one never lags, and I enjoyed getting to see both sides of the story–the royal family and the rebels.

❀ A SUSPENSEFUL STORY

The Gilded Cage by Lynette Noni is a suspenseful story where loyalties are tested and difficult decisions must be made. I loved the transition out of the prison and into the palace, and the main character is well-developed. As a sequel, this book is particularly impressive, and I can’t wait until the next instalment is in my hands.

Lynette Noni knocked this sequel out of the park. I had such high hopes because I LOVED The Prison Healer, so I was super nervous going into The Gilded Cage that the magic would be gone. It turns out it's only gone because Kiva wanted it to be (IYKYK) :-P. It's hard to review without spoilers for the first novel or this one even.

The story had all the heart and emotion of the first novel albeit with a different setting and different set of challenges for Kiva. Her sense of justice and right and wrong are challenged endlessly and Kiva is exactly who you want her to be from start to finish.

There are lots of intertwined plots to follow with hidden enemies and twists you don't see coming and another godforsaken ending. Noni is killing me with these! Now I know why I usually wait until an entire series is out before I read it!

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy. All opinions above are my own.

Initial Thoughts
Not gonna lie, I sat on my ARC of this book. I wasn’t ready to read it and then be left wanting more! Of all the reasons to wait, I feel like that’s not the worst one 😂

Some Things I Liked
Foreshadowing. Lynette Noni is a master of dropping hints that are just subtle enough to not be obvious but also clear enough that a super sleuth like me is constantly obsessing and taking note. I love the way this book has so many Easter egg type hints in the plot and the names.
Prison theme. While Kiva and Tipp might be out of Zalindov, they are still caged in a way within the palace walls. Jaren does his best to prevent them from feeling that way but I loved the way the themes from the first book carried into this story and the story still evolved.
The plot twists 🤯 I can’t really elaborate here but DANG they were so good!

Series Value
I’m ready to do whatever it takes to get my hands on an ARC of the next book. This series has everything I want in YA fantasy. I can’t wait to keep reading.

Final Thoughts
I loved this sequel. It was exactly what a sequel should be. It carried the themes of the first book while still moving the story forward. It also left my aching for more so that’s the best sign of a good sequel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️