This story follows two people who are thrust into a life they didn't ask for. Now told in dual POV these two characters are going to have to figure out how to keep the other safe and how to make it back to each other.

I was very confused at the beginning of the book due to not knowing it is a "second" book. Once the story started to flow it got easier to understand. I enjoyed the story from about 4o% mark and on. I thought both narrators did a fantastic job at acting out as the characters. I felt the emotion throughout the book from both of them. Also the cliff hanger that this book left off on ! I think I will be reading the rest of the series.


Overall: 3.5 stars
Performance:4.5 stars
Story: 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Sera Press & Emilia Ares for the ALC!
I was initially unaware that this was the 2nd book in the series. So I did read book one before requesting this ALC, and I HIGHLY recommend it.
The narrators were amazing and really fit the characters.

This is a dark romantic thriller & ends on a total cliff hanger.

DNF @41%
So to review the 41% that I listened to, this is more of an action thriller/drama/suspense with a romance subplot and to be honest I don't think this was accurately portrayed in the blurb. I was expecting it to be more about their romance.
I do think it's really well written, but I felt like there was a lot of missing backstory/context, especially for the MMC. The story started off pretty high intensity and maybe more was explained by the end but there was enough missing that it seemed more like it was left out.
I also found a lot of unbelievable given they're HS seniors. I think as I get older I just really don't like children being put in adult situations in books. I realize that it happens in real life obviously but the MCS are showing a level of maturity that you don't often find and 17/18 year olds
The reason for my DNF though was when they amped up their...techniques...for hurting Mina to convince her father to come out of hiding. Maybe if it hadn't been about a high schooler it wouldn't have bothered me so much but listening to the graphic violence toward kids is something I'm not interested in.

I was not a big fan of this book. There was an uncomfortable amount of highly sexualized content given that these characters are teenagers.

📱E-Book Review📱

Love And Other Cages
Emilia Ares

🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the second book in the Love And Other Sins series and you will have spotted that I reviewed the first book just a couple of weeks ago...and loved it!

After being left on a pretty drastic cliffhanger at the end of the last book, I was so pleased that I already had book 2 to dive straight into, so wasn't left dangling for too long.

This book starts where we left off which was brilliant as having just come out of the thrill of book 1, I was instantly drawn back into Mina and Oliver's world.
The action kicks in straight away and if I'm honest, it never let up the whole time.

We again see some tough topics explored, which whilst they make this a difficult read, I do think that it's important to focus on some of these things as they do present a relatable and believable world and storyline.

These are also so well written and create an exciting narrative that keeps you on edge and hooked from start to finish.

I love the dual pov chapters as this really helps you get into the characters heads and means that I feel much more connected to them both. But I still feel there's a lot more to come from Oliver.....maybe for further on in the series.

Once again, we're left on a cliffhanger - this wasn't quite as much of a shock as last time, I kind of expected to be left dangling again - but this time, I'm sadly going to have to be patient awaiting book 3 .....

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Love and Other Cages is a thrilling YA romance novel and the second book in the “Love and Other Sins” series. The story follows high school senior Mina Arkova, whose life is upended when she becomes entangled with a crime syndicate and gets abducted. Her boyfriend, Oliver Mondell, who has a past of abandonment issues, becomes determined to rescue her. The story is fast-paced and unpredictable and can be read as a standalone, as there is sufficient backstory to easily follow the narrative.

Ares’ writing is rich with vivid descriptive prose, and her talent in capturing the characters’ raw emotions so intricately is evident. The story is told in a compelling dual narrative that provides readers an immersive perspective into the motivations and inner workings of both Mina and Oliver. Mina is a fearless protagonist whose courage in harrowing situations makes her very admirable. Oliver’s unwavering love and commitment to save her nicely balance out the heavier elements of the story.

Although the book is marketed as YA, it includes some mature content, including violence and sexual assault, which may be more suitable for adults. The middle section of the story drags in parts, with some scenes lingering too long, and readers will have to be patient before the pacing picks up again. The story escalates in intensity in the second half, with a few pleasing twists that keep the story engaging and interesting. The ending is open to interpretation and thought-provoking and may frustrate readers who desire more resolution for the characters—but it also sets up great anticipation for the next installment.

Overall this book is an intense thriller with a compelling high-stakes romance. The audiobook is performed by the author and actor Will Collyer, who deliver authentic and emotionally intense performances that keep listeners fully engaged. If you enjoy intense thrillers, complex characters, and romantic subplots, this book is a great option to consider!

I listened to the audiobook version of this through NetGalley. The narrating was fantastic and I enjoyed the dual narrators throughout the plot. The plot itself just wasn’t for me.

I’m surprised this is considered a young adult read as some of the content seemed pretty advanced for YA. In the beginning I was a little bit bored. Toward the end of the book I started enjoying the plot and wondering what was going to happen.

The ending fell flat for me and left me with lots of questions.

I love the narration immensely. I am just maybe not the right listener for this. I was expecting something else. It was good, I was just feeling jaded. I know other people are going to love this one.

Thank you SERA press and the author for an advanced listen copy of this book.

I read the first one in preparation for this book. I do not know where I expected this to go but it wasn't this direction. Talk about a surprise. The cliff hanger ending was actually so wild.

A heart wrenching romance, with an insane mafia thriller twist.

Read if you like the idea of the movie Taken where the girl actually can help herself.

Well narrated book …like a picturesque romance and action and drama.
A good story about young true love

I was not aware of the first part/prequel until after I finished reading 'Love and Other Cages'.
I did enjoy the book even though it was not at all what I expected.
I was expecting more romance, and that Mina and Oliver would actually reconnect at the end of the book like the blurb suggested.
"Can Oliver and Mina rewrite destiny's script? Is the radiant beacon of their blossoming connection bright enough to guide them through a world steeped in uncertainty? Or will they forever wander as seekers of the elusive symphony of joy?"
The book was well written and the pace was good, even though it began to feel a little repetitive in the middle with Mina being upset about her capture and Oliver just trying left and right to find her. I did find it really interesting how Mina's assignments led her to Oliver eventually, even though that was like the last 5 minutes of the book. The ending did feel a little abrupt but I am curious to see how they reconnect in the next part.
The narrators were really good, and I always like authors narrating their own stories. Ares did a wonderful job!
Thank you NetGalley for the ALC! ✨

3.7⭐️ I thought this was a love story but it had a big twist huney! I didn’t read the synopsis so I don’t know if it was said what this was really about! But it was a journey! That’s for sure! I believe in the beginning it was starting to blossom into a romance but because of the trauma this was becoming a love with trauma (if that makes sense) Overall, it was a decent read but didn’t like the ending too much but that could be because it’s YA!

Did not finish… I honestly don’t understand where the story is going and it’s kind of confusing…maybe I will give it a try in future but definitely not now

I didn’t realize this book is the second in the series until I was 4 hours from the end. Although it’s a really compelling story, I think it would have been more impactful had I realized and read book 1 first. At this point, I don’t know that I will go back, but it did end on quite the cliffhanger, so I will be watching out for book 3! As for the audiobook, I loved the narrators and thought it was really well done.

Many thanks to NetGalley for my review audio edition! I loved the duo narrators of Mina and Oliver…the accents were so good, too!

This read was intriguing and fast-paced; it left me hooked! I didn’t realize it was a second in series; it felt very much okay to read out of order. Hoping there will be a follow-up!

#LoveandOtherCages #NetGalley

I read this as a standalone although it is part of a series. I think maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first book and had developed a prior sense of the characters. I definitely would not recommend it to anyone as a standalone.

For me personally, the pacing was slow but again could be because I wasn’t vested in the characters. The FMC’s storyline was much more engaging than the MMC. When the story would switch to his POV, I found myself getting bored.

I would recommend anyone who is a fan of mafia storylines to go check out Love and Other Sins, which is book 1.

Mina leads a pretty intense life with some mystery in her past. Oliver, being a loving boyfriend is just trying to help Mina. This is a suspenseful love story that keeps the brain guessing what's going on.

First, a thank you to Netgalley, Sera Press, and the author for providing an ALC for the book
I have to say that the narrators were amazing and I was really immersed with Mira and Oliver

I have to be honest, when this came on my radar I thought it was a standalone. Starting it, I was confused at the beginning and had to do a search to know that it was the 2nd book.
Add to that, it ends with a cliffhanger
So it is advised to read in order
I did read the ebook of book 1

⚜ rating: 3.25 🌟🌟🌟 🔅
⚜Genre: Romantic Thriller
⚜Theme: Dark Thriller
⚜Targeted audience: 17+ (the dark themes inside are not suitable for a younger audience)
⚜Characters: Mira, Oliver
⚜Representation: minor side POC
⚜ driven: Character/Plot-driven
⚜Pace: Slow
⚜TW: violence, abduction, sexual assault, kidnapping, child-trafficking
⚜ tropes: secret identity, WITSEC, undercover
⚜ POV: first person double POV
⚜ spice: 0.5 🌶 closed door
⚜standalone: No
⚜Ending: cliffhanger
⚜Book read: ARC as audio

Let me start with what I didn't like

1- the long chapters: It felt like once I started a chapter it would not end.
2- The overly details: There were a lot of them and descriptions and inner monologuing that sometimes I had to skim
3- The blurb of the book: was a bit misleading cause it is done as if Oliver and Mira would reconnect after they are separated.
"Can Oliver and Mina rewrite destiny's script? Is the radiant beacon of their blossoming connection bright enough to guide them through a world steeped in uncertainty? Or will they forever wander as seekers of the elusive symphony of joy?

but 95% of the book, each was alone fighting their own way

Other than that, once I let go of the anticipation of romance, I was engrossed in reading about their struggle.
The book addressed a serious issue: "the kidnapping and grooming of children and young adults"

Mira was taken by an organization associated with her father that breaks and trains minors as spies.
Meanwhile, Oliver is trying to find her using his questionable connections.

Though I did enjoy this read, I do not think I was interested enough to continue the series.

PS: I was intrigued by the presence of an Arab character.

STARLING
Azra Kader
Ethnicity: Arab
Religion: Sunni Islam
Status: Refugee

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The author has a way of making it so that you feel as though you are right there with the characters and have known them your whole life.

This is a heavy story though - about not being able to get rid of your past and having troubles escaping the things you did when you were younger. Even though this was a heavy read, I am no invested and didn't want the story to end.

I recommend this book to anyone and will be pre-ordering a physical copy so that I can lend it out to my friends and family.

First time reader of this author and the ride I went on in reading was thrilling. I didn’t realize that this is the second book in a series but can also be read as a stand alone. Mina and her mother are attacked in their home due to Mina’s father’s criminal connections. Mina is then taken prisoner and forced to make choices to save her injured mother. In the meantime, her boyfriend, Oliver, searches the streets of LA for her, having no clue that Mina is another country being turned into another person entirely. The capture of Mina whose father is Russia brings about images of sex trafficking and mobs as well as others. Ironically this is not the case but will not give away the story. This book isn’t a romance to me. It’s more of a contemporary thriller. I did not like the Cliff hanging ending but definitely ready for the next in the series. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.