To Cage A Wild Bird is a truly captivating debut 💖 that plunges the reader into the brutal, high-stakes world of Endlock 🥀. The novel's premise, where the privileged elite hunt inmates for sport, is as chilling as it is compelling 💘, creating a high-octane narrative that maintains a breathless pace from start to finish.

Raven Thorne is an exceptionally strong and compelling protagonist. Her unwavering resolve to rescue her brother, even at the cost of her own freedom, provides a powerful emotional core to the story ❤️‍🩹. We witness her cunning and resilience as she navigates the prison's treacherous environment 💔, a testament to her fierce spirit and deep loyalty.

The romance that unfolds is a masterful study in emotional complexity 💞. The tantalizing, forbidden connection between Raven and her enigmatic guard is the source of significant tension and intrigue 💌. Their dynamic forces Raven to question her perceptions in a world where trust is a dangerous currency, adding a layer of depth to the already gripping narrative.

Ultimately, To Cage A Wild Bird is a masterful blend of dystopian thriller and poignant romance. Its vivid world-building and emotionally charged character arcs make it an unforgettable read 😍, and a promising start to an electrifying series. 🌹

This book was the dystopian, slow burn heartache I never knew I needed. Wow was it a great ride. This story follows Raven who commits a crime to be sent to prison to save her brother. This story has angst, found family, heart break, slow burn romance and has you rooting for this gang of misfits every step of the way to overthrow their corrupt governmental system. The narrator did an amazing job bringing all the characters to life and had me listening every chance I could. I truly enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see where it leads.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of this story.

Okay so… this was one of my most anticipated releases this year and honestly it did not let me down. Like at all. I absolutely loved it.
Huge shoutout to the audiobook because the narrator absolutely nailed it. Such a perfect fit for this story. Thank you so much to Avon, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for the ALC.

I didn’t want it to end, I just wanted to sit there and savor every single second. And then that last 20%? I was literally on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, and then the ending hit me like… “wait wait wait, what do you mean??”

The pacing was so good, the kind where you keep telling yourself “just one more chapter” but you know you’re lying because you’re not putting it down. The plot had that perfect kind of dystopian feel, and the hunts?? Yeah, they had me glued.

The found family vibes were just chef’s kiss and I’m truly obsessed. And the characters… wow. Not just the main ones, even the side characters got me emotional. I legit teared up at a few moments. The romance was such a slow burn, lots of tension, lots of little moments, and I was eating it up.

Overall, I adored every bit of it and now I’m basically counting down the days until book two.

**Thank you Avon, HarperAudio and NetGalley for the gifted copy and ALC** 4.5 stars - rounding up. I love this book and am looking forward to the next one. This book gave me the dystopian nostalgia that I did not know I was missing. To Cage A Wild Bird has elements of Hunger Games, Divergent and Prison Break in my opinion and I enjoyed how Brooke brought everything together. I did not want to put this book down and but I also had to at times because I did not want anything to happen to the FMC, MMC or the many beloved side characters. The FMC is strong and independent while the MMC is a character I could not get enough of and their banter/romance together is enjoyable. There are also so many side characters that I enjoyed (and hope we get even more of in the next book). All in all I really enjoyed this book.

I went back and listened to the audiobook. It’s enjoyable. The narrator is great and really tries to convey the emotions of the FMC. The production is also good.

well this one definitely wasn’t for me :(

main issues: 1) characters have zero personality 2) raven and vale have zero chemistry (also those names…… 😭) 3) the only character i kinda liked died #rip

good premise but that alone can’t hold everything else together unfortunately. i did actually really liked the audiobook narration tho!

This is perhaps my easiest 5 star rating this year for this genre. Within the first few chapters, I was already obsessed and knew this was going to be a 5 star read for me. This book had the best balance between plot, romance, and spice.

The pacing was great and the action was so well written. This book made me think of a mixture of The Hunger Games (in reference to the dystopian society and the fact that people are being hunted), and Squid Games. I loved the prison break/heist elements and it kept me on my toes.

There were two plot twists that I kind of predicted but it didn’t take away from the story at all for me. There is also an insta-lust for the main couple but that didn’t take away from the romance which was more of a slow-burn. Their chemistry was also scorching!

I personally really enjoyed this book, devoured it honestly, and would highly recommend it for a Dystopian Romance.

Thank you to Avon, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounded up
As someone who grew up loving dystopian books this book was absolutely perfect for me. It gave hunger games meets prison break meets a Fable for the end of the world.
There was interesting politics, found family elements and a absolutely wild dystopian elements. The romance starts as instalove and goes to a bit of enemies to lovers when you find out that vale is a guard but he always has his eye out for Raven. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout and the ending is wild. I am so excited for book 2!

I absolutely loved this! I think the world building was well done and the story was great! I adored the found family aspect very much, and this is what I wanted a dystopian to feel like. Give me grit, give me heart, give me a system to hate and characters to root for.

To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast was an absolute five-star read for me—a thrilling blend of dystopian prison break intensity with the high-stakes survival of The Hunger Games. The story hooked me right from the start with its gritty atmosphere and relentless pacing, but what truly elevated it were the layered relationships. The enemies-to-lovers arc was deliciously tense, simmering with a slow-burn attraction that unfolded alongside a powerful hidden identity twist. The bonds of found family added emotional depth, balancing the danger with heart. Fast’s writing kept me on edge while making me care deeply for every character, and by the end, I didn’t want to let them go. A gripping, emotional ride I’ll be recommending to everyone.

To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast
I received the audiobook from NetGalley and Harper Audio. This is my honest opinion.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

I saw a review and could not agree more, this is a blend of Prison Break (sibling getting arrested to be with sibling in prison in order to break them out, all while meeting a love interest that is a staff member of the prison) and Hunger Games (being hunted, sections of the hunting grounds that change and push you towards the center, you must survive each trial). The one major difference from Prison Break is that the sibling going into the prison does not have this massive plan ready to go when they go in, rather it is made up once in there. Difference from Hunger Games is that there is no winner if you survive, you just have to keep doing trials and surviving.

Let’s start with the characters.
- The MFC is a 23-year-old woman who, many years prior, suddenly became a parent to her younger brother when their parents were arrested, put into prison, and then killed in the prison on the hunting grounds. She has to shove her humanity down and do things to keep food on the table and shelter for her and her brother. She becomes a bounty hunter and puts people into the same prison that killed her parents. There are barriers to her doing more ethical and moral jobs due to the government’s limitations for citizens like her.
- The MFC was well written to resemble a real woman at 23-years-old. She has a blend of impulsive tendencies when experiencing an intense emotion, where at other times she has to reserve her impulsive talking back because she needs to stay alive and prevent harm to her brother. At first I was annoyed that the MFC talked back when entering the prison. I rolled my eyes because I hate MFCs being written as dumb. She is clearly smart and will do whatever it takes to save her brother, which does not include talking back because she “just cannot help holding my tongue.” So, to have written her this way was silly and a trope I strongly dislike. I kept listening/reading and was glad that this did not happen often.
- The MFC masks her true thoughts and feelings often with sarcasm and fake bravery, which was realistic. This decreases over time as people call her out and challenge her to be more honest with them and herself. The MFC fears being vulnerable due to the world they live in and, so, limits her trust in others. She is only living in survival. With that, as the book progresses, she grows and develops trust for others. She learns that she does not need to do things on her own and develops strong relationships. The FMC also learns more about the impact of her choices on others, including the system she was enabling by becoming a bounty hunter. I saw other reviews that they did not like how naïve she was to the impact her choices had on people. However, I thought it was quite realistic and loved her insight development and behavioral change regarding this. Further, her maturity really advances in this book, especially in regards to using logic despite her emotions and improving her relationship with her brother (i.e., not treating him like a child even now that he is an adult). Her brother, new friends, and MMC really challenge her to change, and she does!
- The MMC was also well written. He is a mysterious individual and secrets are slowly revealed over the book. He has a complex history with his parents and needs to protect himself. I had so much empathy for him and all the efforts he engaged in to reduce the harm the system was engaging in, including his parent.
- The relationship between the MMC and MFC is NOT enemies to lovers, nor is this a slow burn. Theoretically, sure, he is a guard and his parent is the “enemy,” all while she is an inmate, but he is not the enemy, he is only helpful and an ally. Also, in the first few chapters the MFC and MMC are kissing. So, again, not enemies to lovers nor slow burn. Now, for them to develop trust and go all the way, that takes time to develop through the book. There is spice 😉
- What was so refreshing in this book was that, when the MMC’s biggest secret is discovered by the MFC, the book does not end. The author spends several pages/chapters describing what happens after! The MFC takes time to think through the secret by taking space from the MMC, seeks out feedback from her friends who do trust the MMC and already knew the secret, and COMMUNICATES with the MMC at a later time about the secret, including his rationale and all the logic behind his decisions. The MMC and MFC then work that through and move forward in their relationship. This was AMAZING and finally broke the trope that is overdone, which is having the MMC’s secret revealed at the ending of the book and then book 2 focusing 50% on the MFC pouting about the “betrayal” when in reality it was not a betrayal and the secret was a secret for a SUPER VALID reason. The author described the MFC logically understanding everything and even forgiving the MMC, but also validated emotional pain that came from the secret. This was realistic, made sense, and just really settled with me on why I loved this book. So many MFCs are irrational and dramatic when a secret is revealed and take forever to logic their way through it and move forward (you know what books I am talking about!); not this book! This book validated that emotional pain, while also validated why the secret was a secret and moved the story and characters forward in a logical way, I loved that! WELL DONE, BROOKE.
- The found family in the prison system was lovely and took me on an emotional roller coaster.
- I saw a few reviews about a potential love triangle possibly starting in book 2 because of the ending. I did not get that at all. The MFC’s first love abandoned her when her parents died. He left her in her time of need. She has moved on to our delightful MMC. Her first love is now only helping her because she changed, not because he loves her. Also, the MMC stayed behind for her to live and never abandoned her. I just do not see the MFC being swooned back to someone who was unkind to her for so many years when she needed him, and now she has this other man who is everything. I could see the past love trying to flirt and get back with the MFC, but I do not think the details at the end demonstrated a love triangle developing (maybe we have different definitions of a love triangle?) I hate love triangles and was nervous about this being something in the next book, but I just did not pick up on that.

Now, let’s move on to the plot: This drew me in right away. The world and how the prison system worked was described well. Having the prison be a place where the upper, wealthy people could come hunt other people (often lower, poor people) for fun was not necessarily unique (there is a movie about this), but was intriguing. Also, having the MFC commit a crime to go in and save her brother was not unique, as plot often focus on the main character being driven by HAVING to save their loved one. Despite this common trope, it was intriguing as well! There are twists and turns, strong antagonists that you LOVE to hate, secrets revealed, and death.

Let’s talk about that ending! Cannot wait for book 2. There is so much new world building to come and plot to develop. I am on the edge of my seat for the MMC. Love him. I also love the MFC’s growth and look forward to reading more about her as she takes on the new adventure.

Why I did not give a full 5 stars is because there was such a great opportunity for more character development. Although I loved the MFC, MFC’s brother, MMC, and the side characters, I wish there was more description about them: such as who they were and how they ended up in the prison. There are highlight details so you have a general understanding, but there was opportunity to provide so much more. Again, I really loved the MFC and MMC’s relationship, yet here there was also an opportunity to add more to the book about them. Explain more why the MMC was so attracted to the MFC, add in more stolen moments between the two, and have more brief conversations between them to make sense of their building love for each other.

the audiobook made the experience that much better! the narrator was excellent, the emotions in her voice, the crying, the breaking in her voice!!! Obsessed 🥹

HOOKED. INJECT IT IN MY VEINS.

I inhaleddddddd it. I couldn’t put it down. the only reason why I didn’t read it in one sitting is because I’m sick and I’m exhausted but my god, I loved this so much.

this is what I want from the dystopian.

it was insane. the criminals are being put in the prison where they wait for the rich people to come in and pick them as their target to hunt them for money as their entertainment??? absolutely vile.

it was disturbing but I couldn’t stop reading and I wanted to knowwwwww what was gonna happen. I love the found family, I loved the fmc, she wasn’t a whiny annoying damsel in distress, thank god.

the twist was kinda predictable, when it was revealed I was like well, OBVIOUSLY. but I loved it anyway.

the only reason why it’s not perfect for me is the nickname, but I literally always hate nicknames 😂 little bird? no thank you.

IMPATIENTLY WAITING FOR BOOK 2 because what do you mean!!!!!! 🥲

Dystopian is officially making a comeback and I am so here for it! This book was everything I wanted and more, it’s raw, gritty, and impossible to put down. The brutal world of Endlock is so vividly written that I could see every scene play out like a movie, and honestly, I need this adapted for the big screen immediately.

And then we have the forbidden romance… chef’s kiss. Vale and Raven give off all the sparks and tension you could ever want. Their strength, their independence, and their willingness to risk everything for each other had me completely hooked. The push and pull, the intensity, the should I/shouldn’t I energy. It truly delivered in every way.

I devoured the ALC in one sitting because I could not stop listening. The narrator brought so much life to these characters, making each one distinct and fully engaging. For a single voice to carry this kind of story so flawlessly? Incredible.

And that ending… jaw. on. the. floor. I did not see that cliffhanger coming and now I am absolutely desperate for book two. How am I supposed to wait after that?!

A massive thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ALC, EARC, and proof of this one. I cannot wait until finished copies release next year because you better believe I’ll be grabbing one immediately.

2025 seems to be shaping up as a tentative return for dystopian romances, and To Cage a Wild Bird is very much a throwback to the fast-paced, action-filled YA titles that dominated the 2010s.

The story is set in Dividium, a very on-the-nose name for the war-torn, decimated world where the plot unfolds. Unfortunately, that same genericness carries over into nearly every other aspect of the book.

Our heroine, Raven Thorne, is your classic cookie-cutter early-twenties main character just trying to keep her younger brother safe while surviving as part of the vulnerable underclass of her world, forced to walk on eggshells to stay alive. When her brother is taken to Endlock Prison, she jumps into action, allying with a rebel group who promise to help rescue him, but only if she goes undercover as a prisoner herself to free one of their own.

Raven is the typical protagonist of this genre. She’s brave, hardened, and smart, which are all the usual traits you’d expect her to have. The only truly interesting angle is her backstory as a bounty hunter who captured criminals for money. That could have been such a fascinating internal dilemma, especially once she’s thrown into Endlock alongside people she has personally put there.

But the book barely explores this beyond a couple of scenes, which felt
like a true missed opportunity for more interesting conflict. Instead, Raven’s time in prison and the whole undercover mission feel just as underwhelming and predictable as the book overall.

The prison setting itself had potential. There’s a ranking system for prisoners, and the wealthy pay to hunt the highly ranked ones. The more hunts you survive, the higher your rank and the more danger you’re in. It’s a genuinely cool concept! Yet all this is treated so shallowly that I kept wondering how such a cool world-building idea could have been executed in such a lackluster manner.

The romance just continued in bolstering this feeling. Raven’s relationship with the guard MMC, Vale, has zero build-up. I wouldn’t call it slow burn at all, because it’s basically insta-love. They meet once, and by their third scene together, he’s suddenly calling her “little bird” and acting protective, and then boom, they’re in love.

Vale himself is barely a character. Beyond a few scraps of backstory, there’s nothing to him. No personality, no depth. Honestly, I found myself wishing Raven would end up with August, a character who was far more fleshed out and had many more interactions with her.

In the end, I’d sum this book up as predictable, slightly trashy comfort food. It might work if you’re craving some smutty, 2010s-style dystopian nostalgia with a bit of action thrown in. But don’t expect anything groundbreaking.

🎧 Audiobook Note
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
The narrator did a great job emoting and giving distinct voices to the characters. I didn’t love the raspy tone she used for Vale, but otherwise, her cadence was soothing and pleasant, making for a very enjoyable listening experience.



Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Please notice that this book is not fantasy, despite its marketing. At least in this book 1 of the series there are no fantasy elements at all.

Instead, it's a dystopian story, and if I would need to comp it, I'd say Hunger Games x Prison Break, but with spicy romance.

I was lucky to have been approved for both the ebook and the audiobook, which made for an intense immersive reading experience.
And "intense" is what describes this story best in my opinion - a vibe heightened by being told in first person POV.

The plot elements are not really unique, there are no surprising plot twists, everything is a bit predictable if you've read stories like this before. And yet, I felt very entertained and could not stop reading / listening.

Raven is a bounty hunter, and when her brother is put in the worst prison ever, she lets herself get arrested to break him free.
On top of that, civilians can hunt down prisoners for their amusement (and money), so danger is always just a step away.

And of course there's the hot prison guard who is helping (in various ways), but also has secrets of his own....

The story is super-bingable, and sometimes it's everything I need in a story. The worldbuilding is just enough to let us dive into the situation. The characters are good with some great side characters as well. Cue found family trope!
The romance is believable enough and lets the protagonists get where they need to get at the end of book 1.

I really love the audiobook as well - the voice is just perfect to let us sail through the story and transport the intensity.

I was surprised, but this is a 4,5/5 stars for me.

Thank you @netgalley and @bantambooksuk and @waywardtxf and @harpercollins for the eARC and ALC!

#ToCageAWildBird #Dystopia #Netgalley #Bookstagram

Prison Break meets The Hunt!!

Ugh— The way dystopians end always have me crashing tf out like real bad.
Silver Elite now this?! E TU LITTLE BIRD.

This was so good though. The games and trials def have some The Hunger Games aspects, but damn…
I wasn’t ready for the pain lmfao.

Raven is that FMC, but also— PLS LOCK TF IN. I deadass crashed out, I think 80% in like girl.
Can we just get through this lmfaoo.
The side characters were all so UGH 🫂 Free them.
Like you just can’t help but root for these people… And even the bad guys are so OUH 👊🏽 You can’t help but beef w/ them too lmfao.
Momo has my whole heart like— Ain’t no way lil baby should even be there… IDCCCCC. The way he says “Gust”… MY HEARRRRT.
And Gust… Oh 🥹🤍
Kitt is so cool too, she just has that aura. But my fave has to be Yara lol.

“Finding something beautiful in a place defined by its cruelty.” If that’s not them 🫶🏽
She’s just a diva fr.

And now yummy quotes ‘cause that’s what we LIVE for damn it 👹

“I don’t need an excuse to talk about being pressed against you, I think about it every time I close my eyes.” 🙂‍↕️

“You think I can control this worry? You think I can just stop thinking about you for every sec of every damn 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.”
*YEARN FOR ME LIKE I YEARN FOR YOU 👹

“I think we can stop pretending I have any control when it comes to you.”
*WHEWWW— Put me in a headlock.

“Duty implies honor… And there’s nothing honorable about my intentions.”
😋😋😋

“I’m not that dangerous…”
“Tell that to my heart.” SWOOOOOOON.

As you can tell, study shows Vale is just that guy. Super yummy, 11/10 new book bf. Thank you.
Now read this.
Nikki Massoud did a good job narrating!!

3.5⭐️
2 🌶️
🎧 (Narrator: Nikki Massoud; 5🎤/ 5🎤)
Themes/Tropes: Manhunt, Dystopian, Found Family, Prisoner x Prison Guard, Resistance, Protective Big Sister, Class Divide, Forbidden Romance, prison break

Firstly, a big thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio, and Brooke Fast for the Advanced Listener Copy of To Cage a Wild Bird. I was excited to read this book because it looks like it will be in the Fairyloot November Romantasy box. This book is a dystopian fantasy romance and is based on a society where criminals are sent to a prison camp where people can bid to hunt the prisoners. There is a resistance outside the prison trying to prevent those from being sent to prison and saving those that need help.

For those that like books like Silver Elite by Dani Francis and the Hunger Games by Susan Collins, this book will be right up your alley. The relationship in this book feels a bit forced to me. I wanted to really love Raven and Vale more, but something was missing. The friendship dynamics were awesome and this is a great book for those who like found family stories.

Overall, this was a fun read and hopefully only gets better from here.

🚨SPOILER ALERT: Stop reading here to avoid 🚨

This story follows Raven (our FMC) who has been the parent figure for her younger brother since their parents were caught and killed for being a part of the resistance. She took on a role as a bounty hunter to keep them fed and cared for; unfortunately, one day her brother Jed gets sent to Endlock prison for getting into a fight with an upper echelon boy. Raven was not there to help him because she was flirting with a boy at a local pub.

Raven works with her parents old friends to develop a plan for her to get arrested and sent to prison. The resistance has people on the inside who will help and escape together. Once Raven makes it to the prison, she runs into the boy she’d met and kissed from the pub who turns out to be a prison guard. Raven meets up with her brother and meets several resistance friends along the way.

Raven and her friends had to compete in several hunts, but as they did they were plotting a way out of the prison. They leveraged the resistance for resources and Vale’s connections as a guard. Raven and Vale grew to really like each other and a relationship bloomed. Raven also finds out the fake food shortages causing crime that sends people to the prisons were fabricated.

Then they finally planned and executed their escape through the tunnels, but ran into some trouble before they left. Vale got shot in the shoulder during the escape, where they had to make a decision to leave him behind because he wouldn’t make it across the wastelands to make it to their destination. The rest of the team get out and Vale stays behind but vows to find Raven. This is where book 1 concludes. This is the start to a series, but unsure how long the series will be.

“I suppose anyone foolish enough to cage a wild bird shouldn’t expect them to sing for their captor….”

If you love a spicy dark, dystopian romance, then you will love “To Cage a Wild Bird.”

What to expect:
Found family
Captor/captive
Secret identities
Rebellion
People pay to hunt human prisoners
Strong, loyal female lead

*A box of tissues is recommended

What a WILD ride! Brooke Fast! Amazing.
The writing 👏🏽 the world building 👏🏽 the plot 👏🏽 the narration 👏🏽

This book had me in a chokehold since page 1. This fast-paced, high-stakes story held my attention and had my emotions all over. I’m still struggling with the ending!!

All the characters were great, even the ones I really disliked. They all had a purpose and served them well. Although I wasn’t saddened at all by certain events, I was completely devastated by others. I will never forgive you, Brooke. I demand some justice! (iykyk).

I highly recommend it. Just read it. Better yet— listen to it. Nikki Massoud— 5⭐️ performance. Definitely have your tissues ready if you listen to the audiobook.

Thank you, Avon | Harper Voyager, HarperAudio & NetGalley for my gifted advanced e-book & audiobook copy 💕

oh WOW!!! 5 ⭐️!! i devoured this, read it in 24 hours.

if you grew up on hunger games & divergent, this is definitely the book for you! feels very 2010s dystopian but all grown up with a sprinkle of spice.

in this future world, there is a prison system where the rich can pay to hunt and kill prisoners. any crime committed is an immediate sentence to this place, be it murder or petty theft. every time a hunt went on, it felt like a high stakes game of tag (but… you know with guns).

i really liked our fmc! raven did everything she could to protect her brother both in and out of prison, even when it wasn’t in her best interest. i also really liked her relationship with the small found family they built.

i can see this eventually turning into a love triangle in future books, but i really liked vale. the “twists” and secrets he kept were bit obvious, but honestly i didn’t mind that because raven’s reactions felt so genuine.

really excited to see where this series goes!!

i primarily listened to the audiobook of this. the production was well done and i really liked the narrator. i did enjoy that this was one narrator throughout the entire book since we only get raven’s point of view.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook. Dystopian world with prison break meets hunger games vibes. In this dystopian world we’re everyday people can pay to hunt down prisoners, a bounty hunter turns herself in undercover with the goal of breaking out her brother due to being falsely imprisoned . A guard falls for her and helps her from the inside to help get her out, and as she wins rounds and rounds of hunts she moves up in the prison system, and with a group of rag tag outcast they developed a plan to escape the inescapable prison.
Absolutely loved this book and highly recommend if you love dystopian worlds. The world building and writing is just perfect, and will draw you in from the start. I didn’t feel like there were any slow points in the book at all keeping you one your toes the whole time. The narrator did an amazing job and was a perfect fit for this.

This was sooo good! I love dystopian and lately prison break books have been hitting so hard for me too. Add in a side of romance that is mostly tension and building trust/feelings and the whole thing is a perfect first book. I'll be counting down the days for book 2.

Raven (fmc) is a bounty hunter finding people to catch and bring in for credits. The people she brings in are all pretty bad however, they are not going to just any prison. They are going to a prison that makes money off of allowing people to pay to hunt the prisoners. It is also the prison where her parents died (7 years ago, I think), leaving her and her brother, Jed, to do anything they can to survive. Now Jed is 18 and is put in that prison and Raven will do anything to get him out alive.

The found family in this is really powerful especially while on the "hunting" grounds. There are so many short life or death moments that give you all the emotions!! The suspenseful moments are well-timed and everything feels vital to the plot.

There is a romance between our fmc, Raven and a guard (mmc) but I dont want to give away ANY spoilers.

The dystopian setting and all the little secrets and informational tidbits Raven learns in the prison are so good! The feeling of betrayal is strong. The book feels very dark at times but overall is a good suspenseful time. The ending is both painful and hopeful in a way that will stick with me.