3.5 stars!
Love and Other Cages was a pleasant surprise! I definitely did not realize that this was a second book in a series. I would recommend reading the first book first- I felt like I definitely missed some context with Oliver and Mina and some pieces of the story at the very beginning based on how the book began.

This book is intense. Throughout the shifting perspectives of Oliver and Mina, we are given glimpses of their lives when intense tragedy strikes Mina and her mom right off the bat. Mina's forced involvement with an underground criminal group was the most interesting part of the book. We see her go through emotional and physical situations through this book that no 18-year-old should ever have to experience. The book was fast-paced and easy to keep up with. Oliver's perspective was definitely not my favorite of the two, but the last 25% of the book his chapters got quite good. I listened to this as an audiobook and I liked that we had two narrators for the two perspectives. Overall, the ending left me on the edge of my seat, and I am excitedly waiting for the next book!!

Thank you NetGalley for the audio copy of Love and Other Cages and for the opportunity to review this book!

this is the second book in a series. it can be read as a standalone but i do think reading the first book will help you to fully understand this book. Mina and Oliver have such a strong bond. I also really enjoyed towards the end of the book. For being a young adult mystery thriller, this has some really dark themes, i think this would be more for other teenagers that can comprehend what’s going on. thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The narrators were perfect for this book! I can’t wait to go back and read book 1. I’m so excited for book 3.

Wow, what just happened? This story was full of unexpected twists and turns that completely caught me off guard! Some moments felt a bit ominous or confusing, but overall, it was a gripping tale that kept me hooked. And that ending—what a cliffhanger! I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the next installment because it cannot end like this!

I absolutely loved the author’s writing style and how she brought the storyline to life through a dual POV between Mina and Oliver. Seeing both perspectives not only deepened my connection to the characters but also gave me insight into their struggles and emotions. Emilia Ares does a fantastic job with her descriptive and engaging writing, pulling me into their world. I flew through the pages, eager to find out what would happen next!

<b>Wanted to Love It… But It Was a Slog</b>

I had heard so many good things about this book, so when it popped up as an ALC option on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to listen. But honestly? It was a slog to get through.

I kept feeling like we were almost at the exciting part—only for the author to drag us down into yet another long-winded internal monologue. It happened so many times that it became frustrating. Honestly, the whole book would have been so much better if it had been cut down by half.

That being said, the narrators were incredible! They did such an amazing job bringing the characters to life, and honestly, I’m not sure I would have been able to finish this book if I wasn’t listening to it. If I had been reading a physical copy, I definitely would have skimmed a lot more.

Also, since this is a YA book, I think it’s worth noting that it covers some more mature themes. While I wouldn’t personally call this spicy, it leans more toward the 15-18 side of YA rather than the 12-15 side.

4.5 stars.
I didn’t realize that this was book 2 of a series but it does say that it can be read as a standalone and true enough, I understood everything without reading book 1.

That being said I do want to read book 1 now because I’m interested in Mina and Oliver’s story and how they came to be together.

I got this audio on NetGalley and it was a great listen, the author and male narrator did a great job. The story had me invested from start to finish and intrigued for the next book, hopefully we get an audio version of book 3 cause I would gladly listen to the same narrator again.

I’m not saying too much cause I don’t want to give anything away but the way Oliver did everything possible to get Mina back while also dealing with stuff of his own and Mina’s strength throughout this whole ordeal was so admirable truly can’t wait to see how this story concludes.

sadly I did not connect with the story and didn't find the audiobook compelling enough to keep me hooked. Unfortunately I dnf'ed it, although I do think this is a nice story.

This book was great! At the end I thought well that’s not a complete ending but then I realized the book is part of a series! Now I need the next book!!

Love And Other Cages by Emilia Ares

A BIG thank you to #NetGalley and #SERAPress for sending me this ALC in exchange for my honest review!


About the book: High school senior Mina Arkova is kidnapped is kidnapped by a secret Russian organization because of her father’s past. She faces torment and is uncertain she will ever be saved.
Her boyfriend Oliver Modell, searches all over LA to try and find her. He has a traumatic past of his own.
They are both faced with unthinkable challenges, their love for one another becomes their greatest strength but also their biggest target. Will Oliver be able to save Mina?

What I thought?: I thought this was a pretty entertaining read for sure. For the most part it’s pretty action packed. Apparently it’s part of a series, but I didn’t read the first one and felt fine reading this one, so I feel like it can definitely be read as a standalone. Although, now I do want to go back and read the first book. The book is has dual narration between Mia and Oliver. I did feel like it became a little “slow” towards the middle and a bit repetitive. I’m hoping there will be another book because it does end pretty abruptly on a cliffhanger. All in all I’d rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Will Collyer and Emilia Ares did an amazing job narrating this story!

I didn't realise this was book 2 of a series as it's not clearly marked as so. This meant as I was trying to get into the story I found myself getting a little lost, so unfortunately DNF for me just because I found it hard to jump into.

Unfortunately this story was not for me!
Although the narrative is good and I liked how the narrative was going, the story itself didn't captivate me, much to my regret because I thought I would love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity!
___
2.25 stars
My thought the whole time I was reading was: if someone is mature enough to handle this subject matter they’d be mature enough to handle more adult writing (I.e., better characters, faster pacing, foreshadowing, more complex plot resolution). I think because the author didn’t lean into those elements, it read as lengthy expositions about plot points that don’t further the story, and characters that continue to act like teenagers in very adult situations. There were lots of elements that, if fleshed out more, would have made for a very cool story.

As far as the romantic plot goes, it’s basically nil, as the characters have almost no contact with each other throughout the story. This, paired with the insta love that was set up between them in the last book, makes the characters motivations a bit unbelievable. It also made this book so different from the first one, that they almost don’t feel like a series anymore.

To my knowledge SA wasn’t listed as a content warning, and it should have been. There were a number of times where I felt really uncomfortable reading about a minor getting harassed and basically groomed by much older characters without any indication from the text that this is unacceptable. For a YA book, I’d expect explicit mention that this is wrong. This is one of the main reasons for my low star rating.

Overall, if I hadn’t agreed to review it I would have DNF’d it.

First I’d like to say I did not read the first book, however, I was able to follow along and get engaged in the story anyway. Both narrators voices fit their characters and helped bring me deeper into the story. I was very intrigued by Mina’s story and enjoyed the love and devotion Oliver felt for her. This was extremely entertaining and helped me get through my days at my boring office job. It’s very interesting and I can’t wait to see what comes next. I highly recommend checking it out if you want some romance, action, stress, and so on.

DNF, Personally I think there is a lot going on in within the plot which is a little overwhelming to listen to. I don’t think this one may be for me.

Once again, I started a book not realizing that it was the second in a series. This one wasn't clearly marked at a first glance. There were definitely some trigger warnings that people should be aware of going into this read. I'm not sure that I'll pick up the first copy, but maybe. I didn't enjoy the long chapters. It made finding a clean place to take a break hard to find. It was a good mix of thriller and romance. Definitely a young adult read for sure in the writing style and wordage. While this book was fine as a stand alone, reading the first would have tied things together and given a better experience. But that was on me. Another short but good read. I would recommend this one.

Well, this is awkward. I wouldn't hold my rating against the author, really, seeing as this is on me. It was if I had jumped into the middle of something and felt like I was missing a load of context -- according to the reviews, I am. I have not read its preceding installment, "Love and Other Sins." I may have to go through that one and then come back, possibly. Sorry! Thanks, Netgalley and SERA Press for giving me a chance - so sorry I royally boofed it.

Mina is a high school senior looking forward to graduation and starting her own life but is abruptly thrust into an underground criminal organization. She struggles against brutal treatment and threats to her family while trying to complete her missions and keep her loved ones safe. Her boyfriend Oliver is committed to discovering where Mina is and to bringing her home.

I enjoyed this twisty thriller, especially Mina’s resilience and tenacity. The scenes of cruel indoctrination were hard to listen to and went on longer than I would have liked but Mina’s strength, cunning and craftiness were cheer-worthy.

I didn’t realize this book was second in a series until after I finished it but felt I hadn’t missed anything and was fine as a stand alone.

Let me start out by saying that the narration and narrators were fantastic, It was dual narration and they did such a fantastic job.. Unfortunately, there is only so much they can do to make the book great.





They are the only reason I can give this book a 2 star rating





The story was a mess, not much made sense and they were so over the top with everything.





Also the characters were supposed to be seniors in highschool but the setting made no sense, the situations in general were so far fetched it was insane. It was all over the place. Some things were made a big deal about in the beginning but then nerve ever mentioned again. Did they forget to cut it out? Did she forget about this ? Did nobody catch this on the editors table?





There is not much I can say other than this book was a mess and the only reason I finished it was because it was a review copy.

Oh boy this was intense. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Was the plot a bit all over, but I was still eating up every word. It was a pretty fun time! It'll hook yah!

⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ (3.5/5 Stars)

Love and Other Cages is an intense blend of thriller, romance, and suspense that takes readers into the dangerous world of underground crime and forbidden love. Mina, a high school senior, finds her life upended when she’s kidnapped and thrown into a life she never expected. Oliver, a man with a complicated past, struggles between his own survival and the deep connection he forms with Mina. Their relationship is a constant push and pull, teetering between love and the realities of the violent world around them.

Though I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series, I can confirm that it does work as a standalone. However, I did find myself feeling slightly lost at times, and I suspect that reading the first book might have made me feel more invested in the story. The writing has an interesting lyrical quality, and there are definitely moments of gripping tension, but overall, the tone felt a little uneven for me. It blends very mature themes with a style that occasionally felt more youthful, which created a bit of a disconnect in my reading experience.

The audiobook narration by Will Collyer and Emilia Ares added to the immersion. The dual POV was a great touch, and it’s clear that the narration was meant to bring depth to the characters. While I personally had a harder time connecting to one of the voices, Will Collyer, others may find that the dual performance enhances the story’s intensity.

Overall, Love and Other Cages will likely appeal to readers who enjoy high-stakes romance, action-packed plots, and emotionally charged narratives. While it wasn’t fully my cup of tea, I can see why others would love it, and I’d recommend it to fans of romantic thrillers with a dark edge.

Thank you to NetGalley, SERA Press, and the author for the opportunity to review this book.

I really enjoyed this! The author grabbed my attention and kept me engaged right from the beginning .
I didn't realize until after I started that it was the second book to a series, but it read pretty well as a standalone I think.
I appreciated the use of dual narrators for the separate povs, although the Russian-English accents became a bit annoying at times. It's a young adult action packed thriller, but was pretty graphic and dark in places for YA.
I did think the ending was a bit abrupt which makes me think there may be another book coming to the series to, hopefully, wrap it up better.