Brooke Fast: To Cage a Wild Bird

In her debut novel, Brooke Fast show the lengths a woman will go to, to save her brother:

Raven Thorne is the city of Dividium's most notorious bounty hunter. She's known for finding the worst of the worst and turning them over to a prison known as Endlock. When a person enters Endlock it is a death sentence, as the rich can pay to hunt the prisoners there. Raven never thought much about Endlock since her parents were sent there when she was young, but when he brother ends up there, Raven is going to have to do something truly extreme to get him out.

I was excited after reading the premise of this book as I was craving a dystopian read. This book had me hooked from the beginning. I was reading while on the treadmill and did not realize how much time had passed, it kept me that entertained. I did not want to put this book down. Fast knew how to draw the reader right in and make the reader care about characters. This become especially true once Raven hears that her brother has been taken to Endlock.

I don't think you can find fault with Raven, other than she is too trusting and put others above herself time and time again. You know from the very beginning that Raven will do anything to protect her brother and this extends to those that she deems weaker.

The idea of  prison charging those of the upper class a chance to hunt the prisoners to death is not a new concept in books or movies, but I liked how Fast did it. It was interesting to learn why other prisoners were there and how anyone could really find themself in Endlock one way or another. The hunting grounds were unique and the thought process of how to make sure that there was always a profit to be made by not televising the events and changing up the hunting grounds was well thought out. As this is a hunt to the death for many prisoners, the book is darker at times, but nothing too dark.

First this is not an enemies to lovers book, if you see someone saying that they are lying to you. Overall the romance felt a forced at times. I enjoyed the initial interaction and then felt it really fell off after that and entered in to cringe or cheesy territory. It almost felt like Fast thought that she had to keep it going and keep it fast and furious for readers, where I personally would have preferred her to draw it out more. The romance aspect is not the main aspect in the book, so it did not really take away from my enjoyment of the book.

Well I did not see that ending coming and I am 100% here for it (it is a cliffhanger, this is not a stand alone book). I think Fast as created a fast paced read, that will have readers on the edge of their seat not wanting to put it down. I personally cannot wait to see where Fast takes the story.

Enjoy!!!!

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