The Gilded Cage (The Prison Healer #2)

Published October 12th 2021 by HMH Books for Young Readers, Kindle Edition 448 pages

Kiva trades one cage for another when she leaves behind a deadly prison for a deceptive palace.

Kiva Meridan is a survivor.

She survived not only Zalindov prison, but also the deadly Trial by Ordeal. Now Kiva’s purpose goes beyond survival to vengeance. For the past ten years, her only goal was to reunite with her family and destroy the people responsible for ruining their lives. But now that she has escaped Zalindov, her mission has become more complicated than ever.

As Kiva settles into her new life in the capital, she discovers she wasn’t the only one who suffered while she was in Zalindov—her siblings and their beliefs have changed too. Soon it’s not just her enemies she’s keeping secrets from, but her own family as well.

Outside the city walls, tensions are brewing from the rebels, along with whispers of a growing threat from the northern kingdoms. Kiva’s allegiances are more important than ever, but she’s beginning to question where they truly lie. To survive this time, she’ll have to navigate a complicated web of lies before both sides of the battle turn against her and she loses everything.

User Reviews

jessica

Rating: really liked it
omg. that last page has me S T R E S S E D. i can already feel the pre-mature ageing happening because of it. 😫

this definitely doesnt suffer from ‘second book syndrome.’ its such a strong sequel that i feel is even better when it comes to developed characters (tipp still has my heart), plot (even more political scheming with so many new players in the game), and writing (really good pacing).

but similar to the first book, whats keeping me from giving this 5 stars is the way the plot unfolds (aka the reveals towards the end). its pretty twisty, but nothing specific really shocked me and each little thing still feels very dang convenient. however, the overall vibe is pretty effective, as i do feel very anxious for the characters at the moment.

but only because of that last page. my goodness. the next book better cure the ulcer i now have. lol.

thanks clarion books for the ARC!

↠ 4.5 stars

Yeganeh

Rating: really liked it
LYNETTE NONI HOW DARE YOU???

this book was like knowing titanic will eventually sink and you still watch it sink at the end and feel the stab of pain all over again.

like the main character, reading this book was like walking on two edged sword, either you have to betray the new family you found and be with your true family (your family ain't a normal family, the rebel cause) or put your real family aside and be with your lover and the new found family, (which again it's another family betraying)

YOU ARE LOSER EITHER WAY🙃
(Actually, to be perfectly honest, there are multiple ways to preserve that , ngl😏)

🛑 This review is Spoiler Free 🛑

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The Gilded Cage is a book full of drama and deceit. And I will go this much far to say that the characters here are in their less intelligence🙃. EXCEPT FOR ONE PERSON THAT I WILL GET TO HIM LATER.

I seriously need to talk to kiva (The main character). because, even when you’re mad at her, you still want to love her. This installment only works because she makes some seriously questionable decisions. like girl, either go to your family and betray your prince, or be with your prince and betray your family, at least this way you can keep one of them, but absolutely you have to be pain in the ass and lose them both🙂😑🙃

You need to choose . It’s him or us. Them or us. You can’t have it both ways. Kiva pushed her sister’s voice away and, through dry lips, asked, “Choose?”

and honestly, this girl lived a fair amount of her life in that bloody prison, everyday stressful than the other. and even though she just only broke out of that hell hound, she has to choose and betray and do something. like give her some peace for ever-world's love,WOULD Y'ALL??

Noni also uses this opportunity, and then the book as a whole, to explore Jarren’s character. Kiva’s seen him under life-threatening pressure, so now she explores other aspects of his personality. He continues to be the caring and just prince which makes her allegiance to the rebels all that harder. I will say that building him up in this manner meant that Jarren had no obvious flaws.

In retrospect, he is incredibly trusting but during the story he comes off as a little too perfect. I do look forward to seeing Jarren react to the ending of this book, once the next one comes out.

And the romance! don't get me start with that because ahhhhh

Jaren was so soft, he didn’t hold back in his affection for Kiva, all the while ensuring she wasn’t overwhelmed in adjusting to life outside Zalindov. I love the romance just as it is. even though we didn't got chance to further swooning over them 😭😭 I wouldn’t have minded the book being longer if it added a few extra romantic chapters, but as it was, by this point, I trust Noni will not let me down and will floor me in the finale.

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The first is that I know exactly who you are, Kiva Corentine, and I have almost since the day we met.”

Okay I really like Jaren, but if you think he is my favorite, you are abosofuckinglutely WRONG.

LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO :
~~(please don't say my name , please don't say my name)~~

Prince Caldon 🥰🥰🥰

anyway guys, he is so great, we didn't get enough of him in last book, but I'm so happy we had him and his sarcasm here. he is very loyal to his family and I just love everything about this family and their interaction. about the quote I put there, just wanted to mention that he is also observant and smart (Yeah remember I said there's one person who is at his best?? There you go 🤗) don't freaking underestimate him or he :

" I mean it. as much as I love you, if i get so much as a hint that you've lied to me and you're planning to hurt my family, I'll slit your throat myself. Understood??"

caldon and Kiva's friendship was so sweet ugh I love them so much. The training and conversations they had together were amazing, specially when Kiva's brother came to palace and you see😃:

Have you seen him?” Caldon interrupted. “Corentine or not, anyone with functioning eyes would be attracted to him.”
And while I think your sister is a nasty piece of work, your brother —” “Please don’t start telling me how attractive he is again.”

I mean, YES HOLY SHIT YES😃. please for the love of god Torell and caldon??? I didn't know that could be a thing bro. I don't want a possible romance between Caldon and TORELL, I WANT A FUCKING ROMANCE FOR THEM.

PLEASE HEAR ME MISS NONI.
(and thanks for not making this into love triangle miss noni or I'll ...💀 )
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After Noni pulled the mother of all twists in The Prison Healer, I spent a good majority of The Gilded Cage trying to anticipate jaw dropping plot twists. Silly me who thought she knows what will happen at the end but , i guess the jokes on me . Noni is clearly a master in the art of deception and misdirection. The one thing The Gilded Cage promises is what you think you know… think again.

The ending left me dry mouthed, unable to breathe properly for some time and a cold horrible hollowness in my chest. It is the definition of a painful cliffhanger. So, naturally, I can quite easily say this is the best YA series of 2021.

Also, I was asking myself during this book, why "The Gilded Cage"? I guess after that unfortunate and unfair ending, I got my answer.🤐😪😪

Poor Kiva. petition for kiva to sign her up for therapy session.

The Blood Traitor is going to be full throttle, and a nomination for the crowning spot as my most anticipated 2022 release.

LET THE WAITING BEGAN.

Dannii Elle

Rating: really liked it
This is the second instalment in The Prison Healer series.

Kiva escaped the death-prison, that was her home for the past decade, and now resides in the opulence of the palace. She is out of place there, and not merely due to her lack of royal blood but for the secrets she keeps close to her. If who she really is, and who her family are aligned with, ever become exposed then her death will be the outcome. But, for now, she sleeps soundly inside the lair of those she once thought her enemy, leading her to wonder if the allies and antagonists of her story had became twisted along the way.

This second series instalment was a bit more of a quieter one, compared to what had come prior to it. It was no less of an enjoyable read for this, however. Kiva had much to ponder and her focus lay in understanding the political machinations that the different individuals around her would have her take a central role in.

This led to a slower-pace, a gentle unravelling of the story, and fewer shocking reveals. It also ensured a true understanding of world politics, a better feel for the geography of the land, as well as those who reside within it, and a well set-up third book, which I am very much looking forward to reading.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Lynette Noni, and the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for this opportunity.

Sifa Poulton

Rating: really liked it
I received an eARC from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

I forced myself to the end of this book, mainly because I wanted to know if my predictions about what would happen were correct. They were.

The issue I had was that the central conflict (Kiva's family are rebels but she's in love with the crown prince) didn't have any real ground to stand upon, because there was nothing supporting WHY Kiva's family should get the throne. Her grandmother summed it up perfectly:

"You plan to follow blindly in your family's ill-fated footsteps, seeking to steal a throne that you believe is yours for no other reason than a diluted bloodline."

An old blood claim - that's literally ALL their reasoning for why they should be on the throne. Oh, sure they have a few personal grievances, but there's never any proof that the royals are bad rulers. Half the rebels are vaguely mentioned "malcontents" (without a reason why they're angry) and the others, we're somehow expected to believe, are fanatics annoyed by the toppling of this family's ancestor several hundred years before.

If there was some mention of bad rulership or tax issues or a famine or literally any of the issues that could cause someone to be angry with a ruler, then I might have felt that the rebels had a foot to stand upon. But they didn't, and the book goes out of its way to show that these are good rulers (so that Kiva's torn and made to rethink) so I could not believe that there was a big enough rebel movement. It just wasn't believable.

Plus, her brother's OK, but her sister is a horrid piece of work. And they've all abandoned her for a decade, so her love seemed excessive, and just there to give her a reason to work for the rebels. In short, the premise was flimsy and all designed to set up a conflict of loyalties that I could not believe for one minute as it lacked any sort of justification.

The story itself is so predictable. On page five, I made a bet with myself about how it would all turn out, and I was completely and utterly correct. It's the middle book of a trilogy, so you know it's going to end with Kiva deciding her family are wrong and that the current royals should have the throne, but she's going to be revealed when her family win - and win because of her (thus adding betrayal and romantic angst to the next book.)

The major problem with this is the decisions she makes that gets to that state are stupid. It felt like she was only making them because she knew what plot points had to happen. "Oh no, I've decided that I won't betray the royals and my family are wrong, but immediately after this decision, I'm still going to tell them the exact thing they need to win."

Brenda

Rating: really liked it
After escaping the Zalindov prison with Jaren, Tipp and Naari, Kiva Meridan found herself free for the first time in ten long years. She’d been seven years old on her incarceration with her father, and after he passed away, she was on her own, except for the orphan, Tipp. Now they were all in the palace at the capital, joining Jaren’s parents, the King and Queen, plus his siblings, Mirryn and Caldon. But Kiva found herself torn, knowing her siblings, Zuleeka and Torell, were outside the city gates somewhere. She needed to contact them, knowing they were part of the rebels who were constantly fighting with the Vallentis family with vengeance in their hearts.

Kiva became more confused as time went forward – her loyalties lay with her siblings, didn’t they? But the welcome and caring that came from Jaren and those who surrounded him gave her something she’d missed desperately for the past ten years – the love and caring of a family. Her feelings for Jaren were complicated, his for her obvious to everyone. But when Zuleeka demanded she act as a spy within the royal family, Kiva found her feelings changing. What would she do? It was either Torell and Zuleeka – or Jaren and the royal family – she couldn’t have both…

The Gilded Cage is the 2nd in The Prison Healer trilogy by Aussie author Lynette Noni and WOW!! What a follow up to The Prison Healer this one has proven to be! Fast paced, heart-in-mouth moments, devastation for Kiva, shock – it was all there and more. I loved it and found it difficult to put down. I’m really looking forward to the final book in the trilogy – The Blood Traitor, to be published in 2022. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Penguin Random House for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Kezia Duah

Rating: really liked it
Due to past trauma from the second book of a series not living up to the first, I was really scared when I started this book. Alas, the trauma continues. I now know that there’s a term for it and it’s called middle book syndrome. I waited months for this! Noni, why ???! Okay okay, I actually have some good things to say.

Jaren is so fucking sweet. We don’t always need a cold, moody, emotionally abusive male character, cause apparently, that’s what is hot for some bookworms, but we really need more sweet characters like him. His love for Kiva was so fucking good. A part of me was actually mad at Kiva for lying to him throughout the book. Literally, he defended her so many times and it was some of the hottest words I’ve ever read. He trusted her so much and he literally fell so hard. I like how their relationship is not forced though. As a slow-burn romance girl, I approve!

I think why I didn’t absolutely love this book is because I fell in love with the darkness that was constantly surrounding the story in the first book, and I didn’t really feel that way for this one. As much I love plot twists, I’m not a fan of when nothing interesting happens for like 75% of the book and all the fun is saved for the last chapters. Nevertheless, Noni is definitely a queen of plot twists and cliffhangers. I have a feeling the third book will make up for this book, so as soon as it’s ready to preorder, I’ll be dropping some dollar bills like I’m not a full time student that needs to save money.

‼️SPOILERS‼️
Zuleeka was such an intriguing character. It’s been a while since I was really impressed by a villain. Obviously, I didn’t really like her and sensed she was gonna cause trouble, but she really took it to another level. I can’t wait to read what she’s gonna do next in the third book.

Kiva’s grandmother’s character will be greatly missed. I loved her.

Kiva is going to back to Zalindov??! Did I read that right ? Oh shit!

Lastly, please Noni, I am literally begging on my knees!!! Get Jaren and Kiva back together. I beg you! Like what do you want me to do?? Just tell me! Your wish is my command.

3.8⭐️

Darcey

Rating: really liked it
buddy read with my girl Macy!

well i'm officially in love with Lynette Noni. this was a masterpiece! the ending, once again, completely blew my mind and left me screaming - much to the bewilderment of my family - and i'm honestly not sure i can last the wait for book #3 in june.

the characters in this book may have their... less-intelligent moments (you're all so stupid i swear to god), but i'm so damn invested in all of them, and i would fully give my life for a few of these cuties. Lynette Noni's writing is as addictive and entertaining as always, and her romance makes me swoon.

such a fun series!

Carola

Rating: really liked it
Bloody hell.. really, it took literally 94% for Kiva to figure out that her sister is EVIL? Don’t tell me no one saw that coming from the beginning of this book 🙄

I stand with my previous opinion, Jaren is the only one I liked and he is too good for her.

⚡Navier (っ ͡❛ ᴗ ͡❛)っ empress ⚡

Rating: really liked it
100% going to be a favorite trilogy of mine.

Because this was the second book I unconsciously put it off for as long as possible until it got to the point that I needed something to read, and now I wish I would have put it off longer because now I have to wait for the third book.

Second books are so iff-y! It sets my nerves on edge. But I can confidently say, this does not suffer from “second book syndrome.”

I am very attached to these characters, which is kind of a big deal for me right now because I’m kind of in a book slump and a lot of YA characters are testing my patience.

I did an evaluation on all of the characters in my review of the first book, but I went to check on it and like half of it was completely deleted, so thats fun.
Anyway, characters are amazing.

SPOILERS !!

One of my favorite things however, was the underlying betrayal, how it affected them, and how it turned out. It is a guilty pleasure of mine to love when characters have a HUGE secret- (in this case, and some others, being in a rebellion against the crown, or being secretly kind of royalty) that being said in general terms.)- to hide from each other, and yes I know it is not a good start to a relationship but It's usually one of my favorite tropes when it comes to enemies to lovers. Which they might be after this book.

Ashley

Rating: really liked it
Star Rating: —> 5 AMAZING STARS
🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟

UM—I AM NOT OKAY. LITERALLY FEEL LIKE I'M HAVING A FREAKING HEART ATTACK (Though its actually a panic attack; my life is not in danger—no worries, bc obviously I know you were worried, my lovely bookish friends! 😝)

What IS in danger is my freaking sanity! First, Empire Of The Vampire & now this? Two books that were (unofficially—5 stars just doesn't do certain novels justice. *le sigh*) Million+ Star Reads whose endings have destroyed me. This book utterly, completely bloody destroyed me.

Do all aussie authors love destroying us?! Hahah. (Just kidding, obviously! Sorry my wonderful Aussie sister, Darcey!!! 😉)

RTC

Roz

Rating: really liked it
4 ⭐️

So good but I’m so happy I didn’t read this before the third book was released. That cliffhanger 😭

Lara (larainsidebooks)

Rating: really liked it
Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this!

August 31st

I didn’t see it until it was too late. And I almost regret reading this early because I have to wait until next year now.
This book will make you think that everyone is safe, while in reality, anyone could betray anyone (sounds like something from Red Queen).

Read my thoughts on The Prison Healer here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

At first, I felt like the stakes weren't high enough, because Kiva is finally free from Zalindov and can start her life without the fear of dying. Which obviously isn't true, because not only is she supposed to spy on the royal family for her siblings, but she is their biggest threat. Lynette Noni managed to convince me that there is no real threat and that everything will be alright, while also somehow keep me on the edge of my seat waiting for something to happen.

Kiva left the prison with determination to bring the Vallentis family to their knees, but the more time she spends with them, the harder it gets. Not only is she falling for Jaren, but his family seems so perfect and loving, not to mention that he is beloved by his people, who believe that he is the ruler they've been waiting for. Of course, this puts Kiva in a difficult position. She has to decide which side is she going to fight for and who is she going to betray. Kiva's internal battle was central to this story and it caused her a lot of problems.

I really enjoyed learning more about the world and the lore of this world and it all actually play a really important part in the plot. With the addition of some new characters, there are actually more lives at stakes than you could think of. I think that Lynette Noni portrayed that false safety perfectly, because even I as a reader, who should expect something big to happen, didn't make all the connections until it was too late and was practically screaming and gasping along with Kiva when she realized some things. I mean, the cover was right there and I didn't get it until the end (wink wink).

The relationships in this book are slowly growing stronger and with new characters being more developed, the list of people I care about is getting longer! I had my predictions about potential deaths for some characters ((view spoiler)). I can't wait how the events of this book will impact these characters and how their final journey will look like in the next book!

The ending of this book left me in a shock so great, that I tossed and turned in my bed and everytime I tried to finally fall asleep, all I could think about was the final scene. I'm sure that the first few chapters of The Blood Traitor (I thought the title had an entirely different meaning.. just shows how good of a story Lynette Noni wrote) are going to be brutal to read. But I can't wait.

OKAY SPOILER THOUGHTS BELOW - DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE BOOK
(view spoiler)

August 27th
I GOT AN E-ARC OF THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to see if my predictions are true

May 8th
PREDICTIONS/WHAT I'M EXPECTING/WHAT I'M HOPING HAPPENS (not that I've read the book, I also included my comments + discussing what actually happened vs. my predictions)
(view spoiler)

Bright Star

Rating: really liked it
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

The Prison Healer was a good story. It wasn't the book of the year but it was still entertaining, and the end was very promising. Alas, The Gilded Cage was underwhelming. It had the potential to be a great sequel, instead suffered of the second book syndrome where nothing remarkable happens. Only towards the end we have something but it was too late for my liking. Besides this lack of action, what disappointed me was Kiva. She was a completely different person from the girl we knew in The Prison Healer, and not in a good way. In this book she was too naive and dumb, and her inner turmoil annoyed me in the end. Just get a grip and decide what to do. I loved more the other characters, especially Cal. The worldbuilding was well developed but not fully exploited. It's a pity, because I had great expectations for this book but it didn't live up to them. I hope the last book will be better.

Emily

Rating: really liked it
I need the sequel now

Melissa (Melissasbooks)

Rating: really liked it
After the cliffhanger of the first book I had to pick up this one Immediately! While I feel like it was defiantly a little more slow paced, the plot was absolutely amazing. Lynette Noni has a way of making you root for every character just for them to betray you later on. I love that the second books takes place in such a different setting yet it does not make it less "good" as the first book.
This book is full of plot twists that had me staying up until 3a.m. because I was not able to put it down. If you have not read this series yet GO READ IT

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