What a great sequel! I fell in love with the Prison Healer as I read it, and completely fell for the plot twists that the author threw at me this time around as well!
Wonderful world building, and great writing! What more could I ask for?

THIS WAS SO FREAKING GOOD. i enjoyed it so much more than the first one. i love a good castle setting but UGH THE ENDINGGGGGGGGG

#TheGildedCage #NetGalley.

I had read The Prison Healer some time ago and I can't trust my memory -- yet I was able to recall it so well since it left such an impression on me. I was so excited to continue reading Kiva's story in The Gilded Cage. She's survived Zalindov prison and now lives with the royals in the capital; stuck in between the past and the need for revenge or the future with a prince that she believes in. Each encounter with everyone in her life leads to complexities that leave Kiva warring against herself and doubting her decisions. Kiva's such a great character in that she's so human, decisions that are lead in part by her heart and her head. Lynette Noni reminds me of authors Maas, Cashore and I'm always excited to read more.

Well… never have I wanted to throw my iPad across the room as I have at the end of this book… well, since I finished the prison healer that is 😂.

Just WOW. This series is proving to be a non-stop, thrilling and binge worthy roller coaster ride with a twist at every corner - and I cannot get enough!

Kiva is such a well-written character, she’s not flawless or helpless, she is morally-grey. She is caught between her family and her love and there are no good choices for her. She is caught between a rock and a hard place - and I can’t wait to see how she gets herself out of this one!

Ugh I can’t believe that I have to wait for the next book to come out, I need it now. The Gilded Cage allowed for more world building and even higher stakes. I knew how this book had to end and it still left me hurting and needing more.

Yet another unputdownable book from the marvellous Lynette Noni. The woman can tell a story!

As we know, Kiva spent the past decade in Zalindov, a death prison, where she was the resident healer after her father'sdeath.
The Gilded Cage picks up with Kiva and Tipp living at the palace with Jaren and his family, where Kiva now faces a new struggle. She has spent the last ten years planning to take the throne back for her family, only to have found a new family in the process. Which side will she chose?

I loved getting to know Caldon more, the shameless flirt! And Kiva's siblings were surprising too. I really felt Kiva's struggle with her choices and the position she found herself in. I loved every second, and I cannot wait for others to read this wonderful story and share my pain at yet another twist cliffhanger ending!

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy to read.

The Prison Healer was one of my favourite reads of last year, so this sequel was highly-anticipated. After the gasp-out-loud cliffhanger at the end of the first book, I was eager to find out more about the protagonist Kiva's history and family, and where her true allegiances lay.

This book begins after Kiva's escape from Zalindov prison, which allows for some brilliant world-building and political scene-setting. The reader learns about the machinations and tensions of the rival kingdoms of the wider world at the same time as Kiva herself, making for a far more enjoyable reading experience than a mere onslaught of important information.

All the beloved characters from the first book are back, with hilarious banter, swoon-worthy romance and even some cuteness thrown in with the fluffy palace pet, Flox. The development for characters like Caldon and Naari is brilliant, and the internal struggle Kiva herself faces throughout is a brilliant catalyst for most of her decisions.

The only critique I have for this book is that (compared to how fast-paced The Prison Healer is) it felt quite a bit slower in terms of the action. However, it's all setting up for an explosive finale, and the cliffhanger at the end of this book was enough to convince me the drama that's coming will be more than worth it.

Book two of the Prison Healer blends action and suspense with romantic tension - and provides more background on Kiva's heritage. After 10 years in the infamous death prison Zalindov, where Kiva became the prison healer upon the death of her father, it is a challenge to navigate palace life as the Prince Jaren's favorite. Hiding her growing magic and her secret ties to the rebel forces, Kiva is confused and conflicted by the growing evidence that things are not as she thought. Her loyalties are tested and her heart is torn as she navigates danger and deception.

Well.. what am I supposed to do with myself until the next book comes out!! I absolutely LOVED this..

Kiva is free from Zalindov, and much to her suprise is getting not just closer to Jarin, but his entire family.. This is posing a bit of a problem since she has told her siblings to get ready.. That they will finally have justice for what was done to her family.. The reunion with her her brother Tor was so heartwarming.. You could tell that he really wanted to save Kiva while she was in prison.. Her sister is a little harder to get a read on.. She has a lot of issues with Tilda their mother deciding to go into the prison so she could see her daughter, and the fact that she died there doesn't help matters.. With Kivas growing feelings for the royal family she is supposed to hate.. but all evidence pointing to the fact that are actually very good people. Zalidov being the outlier.. and it seems like her sister has a real passion for stopping them.. She can only see what her mother has told her all those years while they were on the run.. That the royal are bad, and they need to get the throne back.. no matter the cost.. and when you read this story youll see exactly what this has cost everyone involved... Kiva has to make an agonizing choice.. her family that she hasn't seen in 10 years, or Jardin who saved her over and over in prison.. and his family that has taken her in a treated her as on of thier own.. While it did start off a bit slower in the action department minus one abduction.. We get alot of backstory from Kivas family, what has been going on since she was in prison, and some family secrets that were very unexpected..
The tension steadily built until the end when THIS THING HAPPENED that I can't give away.. but it was insane.and made all the build up worth every minute. and when I got to the last page I was like WHERE IS THE REST! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! but I know that will all be reavealed in the next book.. So I will not so patiently wait until its released..

Lynette Noni is the queen of cliffhangers and she knows it based off her acknowledgements! After reading The Prison Healer, I had to get my hands on the second book and was super excited when I was given the ARC for The Gilded Cage by NetGalley.

The second book is a bit slower than the first but you learn a lot about Kiva and her family, the royal family she is staying with and also what it would take for her family to take over the throne. I was so interested in how Kiva was going to go about betraying the royal family for her own. At the end of The Prison Healer, it really seemed like Kiva was dead set on her goals. This book wasn't as action packed as the first but it was still super enjoyable to read. I enjoyed reading about Kiva and her back and forth pull with her conscience. There were so many times where I wasn't sure if she was lying to herself or the readers. The friendships with each member of the royal family were fun to read about, especially Caldon. I think he has become my favorite character in the series now.

I'm really excited for the third book and I cannot wait to read it! This series is becoming one of my favorites. I know Lynette Noni will not disappoint when the time comes for me to read it. I am honestly worried about reading it and how she will end it! This series is full of betrayal.

What...what just happened?! I've NEVER been so frustrated by a book. But in the absolute best way. I was LITERALLY gasping out loud as I read. Lynette Noni REALLY knows how to string you along and then yank the rug out from under you. But again, I'm saying all of this in the MOST positive way. This story continues to captivate you with characters you can't help but love and enemies you can't figure out at all. I'm so incredibly impressed with the authors ability to keep me second guessing every single character while simultaneously loving them.

This is the perfect sequel to "The Prison Healer." I expected more romance, especially with how much was hinted at with Kiva and Jaren's relationship in the first book, but I wasn't disappointed. What I got instead was complicated sibling relationships, political intrigue, a kingdom on the brink of civil war, and Kiva, at war within herself.

I loved it, from the first page to the last. Of course, it had to end on another cliffhanger, so I'll be dying inside for who knows how long wondering what happens next, but it's so amazing. I loved getting to see more of the backstories of the various characters, and getting to see how their day-to-day lives cause Kiva to rethink everything she's been planning for the last ten years. Her inner turmoil over whether to overthrow the kingdom or to protect those she's come to love is fascinating to watch, especially as she falls deeper in love with Jaren.

I honestly can't predict where the author is going to take this, but I'm hoping for the third book soon. There have been so many unexpected twists and turns with this series so far, and I'm so excited to see how it wraps up.

MOTHER OF GOD WHY, ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? I AM CATEGORICALLY NOT OK.

I cannot even… I don’t actually think I can forgive Lynette Noni for hitting us with yet another unholy mother of a cliffhanger! I need part 3 and I need it like yesterday. Please and thank you.

The story continues with Kiva’s release from Zalindov death prison and follows her significant internal struggle with her identity and loyalties. Does she remain loyal to her family and risk destroying Jaren who she has ever growing feelings for, and his entire family who don’t appear to be the evil people she had been led to believe? I’m not going to spoil it for anyone who is yet to read these books, so I won’t comment on any important plot points, I’ll just point out that I really liked the development of Cal and the banterous relationship which grew between him and Kiva and the introduction of new characters Tor and Zukeela really helped to flesh out some of Kiva’s backstory. This second instalment is a slower burner than The Prison Healer but that doesn’t stop the twists coming at you like a sledgehammer towards the end.

Kiva’s allegiance to her family does seem somewhat irritatingly misguided at times to the point where you want to reach into the book and slap her about a little in frustration, especially when it is clear that Zukeela is a raging asshole and Jaren is an all round Mr nice guy. Come on gal, get with it and roundhouse kick your sister in the throat and do everyone a favour.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for the ARC in return for an honest review. I literally made a ‘sqweee’ noise when I received this one in my inbox and I’m not even ashamed to say it. Off to rock in a corner until book 3 is released.

The gilded cage is a fast paced, edge of your seat sequel to the Prison Healer. I really enjoyed the first in the series and this second encounter with the newly freed Kiva is even better than the first!

The plot moves on to how Kiva, Tipp and Javen adjust to life in the Palace. We're introduced to Jaren's family and get to know a whole new bunch of well fleshed out and memorable characters. My particular favourite was Kiva's eccentric Grandmother. I was howling with laughter at her ''book club' scene!

Through exciting twists and turns we learn more secrets about both families and are torn apart by Kiva's inner turmoil. There's political intrigue, a fab little slow burn romance and betrayal aplenty.

Another amazing novel by Noni which has left me desperate for the next instalment.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #hodderandstoughton for allowing me to read this amazing e-arc

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for providing me access to an advance copy!!

In this second instalment in the Prison Healer trilogy (with an absolutely STUNNING cover, may I add), Kiva is thrust into the nefarious world of court politics and having to decide where her loyalties lie. While this was still quite an enjoyable read, it did feel more predictable than the first book, especially as I didn't quite understand why Kiva felt the need to tell certain people so much information! It felt a bit strange that her character would be so trusting, especially after her experiences at Zalindov, and I felt at times that this naivety was the main thing keeping the plot going (which does make sense as she was in such a new setting, but I wished she had kept her wits about her a bit more!). I continued to enjoy the relationship between her and Jaren though, and really liked the new characters of Caldon, Torell, and Rhessinda.

And boy does Noni know how to end books in this series! It definitely got me excited for book 3, and I can't wait to see where Kiva and the rest of the gang end up!

CW: drug use and violence as a result, implied child abuse, death/violence

I finished The Prison Healer earlier this month and knew this was quickly going to become one of my favorite book series. I borrowed the first one from the library and the second was an advanced reader copy, but I always buy my favorite books so I will be getting these for my shelves so I can reread. I'm not going to give you a recap or a little blurb, because it looks like most reviews already have. I'll share a few of my likes and the one dislike I found. This review will contain some spoilers!

After finishing The Gilded Cage, my first reaction was that this was one of the best middle books I've read. Authors tend to struggle with the second book and many series suffer from "middle book syndrome". I was extremely pleased to find that The Gilded Cage was just as exciting as the first book!

The other thought I had when I finished was why do people compare Lynette Noni to Sara J Maas? Both authors have wonderful stories, but Lynette Noni's writing in this series is much better, as are her characters.

The characters in this story are some of my favorites, mainly because they are more realistic and relatable to young adults, despite being set in a different world. Many YA fantasy series have main characters that act older than a teenager, are perfect fighters, very funny or magnetic. Noni's characters in this series are very refreshing.

Kiva is believable. She is a good healer and fiercely loyal. However, she is also flawed in many ways that makes the reader relate to her. She makes rash decisions and is a bit withdrawn. Kiva is likable because she is so loyal, which makes the deception and betrayal against Jaren's family that much more thrilling. Jaren is a prince in similar ways of other YA books, but he is also insecure and too trustworthy. He is not even the most likable male character in the book, that belongs to Prince Caldon.

I love that Noni doesn't have constantly repeating lines like some authors (although I do wish that we could lose the line about flicking an invisible piece of dust from all books because it is way over used and cringe worthy). Fortunately I think it was only mentioned once. Her writing is beautiful without losing the reader in descriptions. I am extremely pleased that Noni does not do an immense amount of world building-and I was not even a bit lost.

The only thing that I do not like about the book is the title. For starters, there are more than a dozen books with the title "The Gilded Cage". That doesn't even include the other few dozen that have something to do with gilded in the title. Secondly, the title doesn't make any sense in the book. Jaren is very clear that he doesn't want her to feel like she is in a cage. He lets her have freedom to go as she pleases. The closest thing to being in a cage is that they do ask her after her kidnapping to let them know if she will be gone and when she will be back. But that is common sense and not anything to do with trying to be controlling. I doubt any readers would care anyways, but if I had to pick one it would be this.


Thank you NetGalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was very happy to find Kiva and Jaren again in this second volume. Action packed, the events kept on coming, and every kind of tension escalated to the expected climax and twists. But I will admit I was a little disappointed. Reading this book was like watching classic horror where you see the blond girl running headlong into danger, straight into the monster's arms and catastrophe, one stupid step at a time. Every choice Kiva made was very obviously the wrong one, the one you twist your face at and exclaim, but why? Why????? WHY? I was therefor repeatedly annoyed as I read, as Kiva transformed from a thoughtful deductive girl in the first volume, to a bit of an idiot. because naive is too light a word. I'm sure many won't agree with me... but if you have a tendency to dismantle plots and see through twists easily this might not be for you. I found the threads too heavy handed and would have liked the choices Kiva made not so obviously terrible.

It’s always so hard to review the sequels to books without giving away spoilers! I loved this book and that cliffhanger was so brutal. I don’t know how I’m going to survive until the next one is out. I will say I didn’t like how dumbed down the author made Kiva in this book. In The Prison Healer, Kiva wasn’t so naive. It’s still beautifully written and easily becoming one of my favorite series!

This review is a tough one for me because my expectations were so high after thoroughly enjoying The Prison Healer. This is book two in what will ultimately be a trilogy and I struggled with it. While we start out a few months after leaving Zalindav, the Kiva we meet in book two seems very different from the Kiva we met in book one.

The plot for this book moved very slowly and it was more character focused, which is to be expected in book two of a trilogy… But I struggled with how naive Kiva was in most of the situations we found her in. I don’t often root against the protagonist, but in this book I found myself doing so after the decisions she made in this book. I did enjoy the back story and character building we saw for the side characters.

HOWEVER, I still have very high hopes for book three and I am interested in learning more about some of the characters we meet in this book. Aka give me more Caldon please and thank you! I’m interested to see where book three takes us on this journey and the hints at a potential love triangle (which at first I was against, but now I’m kind of torn) and the political intrigue we have going on after the cliffhanger.

Thank you NetGalley and Clarion books for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

After being blown away by The Prison Healer, I was super excited to receive this arc and see what happens next. Unfortunately, this fell a little flat for me. The Kiva we see in The Gilded Cage does not feel like the same Kiva we meet in The Prison Healer. I'm bummed about her lack of character development and overall naivety throughout the whole book. Her repetitive self-talk about how "torn" she was got old fast, especially after repeatedly being used and hurt by her family. Also, they abandoned you in a death prison for 10 years? I could not understand why she was confused about which side to choose.

What I did love and look forward to seeing more of: Caldon, possible love triangle vibes, and the introduction of a more complex political plot.

I will be reading the third book and hope it makes up for what was lacking here. I genuinely hope Kiva returns to her smart, thoughtful ways that we got to know in book one. I hated the cliffhanger more than I've hated a cliffhanger in recent memory, so I'm eager to see what happens in the finale.

Thanks to NetGalley and Clarion Books for this arc in exchange for a review.