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To Cage a Wild Bird
by Brooke FastSeries: Divided Fates #1
Published by Wayward TxF on November 1, 2025
SubGenres: Adult Dystopian Romance, Dystopian
Format: AudioBook, Hardcover
Pages: 407
Narrator: Nikki Massoud
Length: 12 Hours And 18 Minutes
Source: Library - Libby, Purchased
Audience: 18+/Adult
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A deadly prison. A forbidden romance. A fight for survival.
THERE’S ONLY ONE RULE IN OBEY OR DIE.
In Dividium, all crimes are punishable by life in prison. A prison that’s a life sentence in more ways than one. Where the wealthy can hunt the inmates for sport.
Raven’s mission is infiltrate the infamous and deadly Endlock Prison to save her brother.
There’s just one Raven has a target on her back. Her reputation as the most ruthless bounty hunter in Dividium precedes her, and the inmates she’s sent to Endlock want their revenge.
So when the prison guard she’s sworn to hate becomes her only chance to survive, Raven has no choice but to trust the one person she shouldn’t…
I got the hardcover special edition of To Cage A Wild Bird by Brooke Fast through the FairyLoot Romantasy/Adult Fantasy Subscription box. If it weren’t for FairyLoot, I probably never would have found this book. As soon as I started reading, I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down. It reminded me of other dystopian stories I’ve read and watched. I finished it quickly because the fast-paced plot and the challenges faced by Raven Thorne and the other characters kept me hooked.
The world Brooke creates in this book is intense and not for the faint-hearted. It really makes you think about what governments might do to control their people. The story is told entirely from Raven Thorne’s POV. One thing that stood out to me about Raven is her determination to protect her younger brother, Jed, even if it means working as a bounty hunter and sending criminals to a prison where the wealthy hunt them for sport. She never wanted to join the Rebellion her parents were part of, but she needs their help when her brother ends up in Endlock, the notorious prison where the wealthy hunt the prisoners for sport. Raven has to get into Endlock to save her brother and help others escape, even though no one has ever managed it before. She’s willing to face the people she put there, the wealthy who want to hunt her, and even try to trust people she’s unsure about.
I really enjoyed the first book in the Divided Fates series, especially how Brooke Fast explained the different sectors and why the rich and powerful have all the control, especially within Endlock. She made me care about Raven Thorne and everything she goes through. Raven feels responsible for her brother, even though he can take care of himself, even inside Endlock. He already had people looking out for him before she was arrested. There’s also a slow-burn romance between Raven and a guard named Vale. She knows she shouldn’t trust him, especially since he’s part of Endlock, but Vale keeps protecting her. The other prisoners she befriends trust Vale, but Raven is cautious at first, which makes sense. I wasn’t too sure of Vale when he was introduced, but once the story progressed, I knew he had a reason why he was helping Raven, and I loved the romance that was brewing between the two, even if it was a torturous slow burn.
Some scenes in this book, especially when Raven is in Endlock, are tough to read, like when prisoners are hunted for sport. This part reminded me of The Hunger Games. The whole time, I kept wondering how Raven would escape, and if she could get her brother and others out too. It won’t be easy, and she’ll need all the help she can get. I’m so glad that she found a group of friends that she eventually could trust, and they could trust her.
Brooke Fast ends the book with a shocking cliffhanger, and now I can’t wait for the second one. I need to know what happens next, especially to the person who was hurt at the end. No spoilers here, but be warned: you’ll get attached to some characters, and not all of them are safe. Get ready for some heartbreak, I definitely was.
Overall, this is a great start to a harsh dystopian world, and I give it four stars. I’m really glad I got this book, and thanks to FairyLoot, I’ve discovered a new author whose other books I’ll definitely check out.
POV: First Person (Single POV)
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you like fast-paced dystopian stories with forbidden slow-burn romance and an enemies-to-lovers plot, you should add To Cage A Wild Bird to your TBR now.
What to Expect:
✔️Dystopian Romance
✔️Forbidden Love
✔️Enemies to Lovers
✔️Found Family
✔️Slow Burn
✔️Morally Grey Hero
✔️Prison Setting
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