Book Review: To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | It’s Okay. Still Recommend.

Read To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast if you like dystopian chaos, prison break vibes, deadly trials, and a romance that starts with very questionable life choices.

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Dystopian fantasy is quietly creeping back into the spotlight, and To Cage a Wild Bird delivers prison breaks, forbidden attraction, and just enough chaos to keep the pages turning.

Did it completely wreck me? No.
But did I have fun while reading it? Absolutely.

📖 What’s Inside:

Forbidden love 🚫
Guard/prisoner dynamic
Single POV
🔪Deadly trials
On-page intimacy 🔴
Found family
🌈 Inclusive
Espionage kinda 👀
Explicit language
“Who did this to you”

Book Boyfriend Meter: 💛

Hot. But not for me.

I get the appeal. I am just not the audience. Plus, I’m not emotionally invested in the man.

✨Vibes:

Think contained dystopian city meets deadly survival games with strong Prison Break energy. Basically:

📍 Divergent worldbuilding
🏹 Hunger Games-style hunts
🚨 Prison Break tension

It’s gritty, chaotic, and more mayhem than magic but still a good time.

💭 My Thoughts:

This was one of those books I knew I’d enjoy… once my reading mood lined up with it. It had been sitting on my shelf since release, patiently waiting for its moment. When the mood finally hit, I had forgotten almost everything about the plot except: dystopian fantasy + prison. Honestly? Perfect. Going in semi-blind is my favorite way to read.

The first chunk of the book had me doing what I always do—romance detective work. I spent the first 17% trying to figure out who the actual love interest was. There were two solid contenders and I was INVESTED. You know I’m here for the romance plot line.

Now, I’ve seen people say this book has insta-love. Hard disagree. This was insta-lust, and personally? I bought it. Sometimes you see a hot guy and your brain goes yep, that one. Totally believable.

What I didn’t fully buy was how quickly the MMC became protective of the FMC after that. One kiss. She punches him. And suddenly he’s invested? Hmm. That part didn’t quite land for me.

But honestly, the prison setting carried a lot of the story. The whole thing gave strong Prison Break vibes with a dash of Hunger Games chaos thrown in. Usually I’m a magic-and-mayhem girl, but this one was basically just mayhem… and I was still entertained.

That said, as the story went on, some things started to feel a little too convenient. A few plot turns were predictable, and the tension dipped a bit because of it.

Did I enjoy it? Yeah. It was a fun ride.

Am I dying to continue the series? Not really.

With dystopian fantasy starting to creep back onto the scene lately, I’m excited to see the genre make a comeback… but I’m not convinced this one is going to be the big hitter.

📚 Read Alikes:

If you liked the dangerous trials + dystopian survival vibes, try:

The Hunger Games — brutal survival games, rebellion brewing, and impossible choices.
Divergent — faction politics, dangerous tests, and a society built to break people.
Red Rising — ruthless trials, rebellion, and high-stakes dystopian power games.
Silver Elite — dystopian grit with a psychic twist. Read my review here.

Should You Add To Cage a Wild Bird To Your TBR?

Maybe.

If you love dystopian settings, prison break tension, and deadly survival challenges, this one is worth trying.

Just go in expecting fast-paced chaos and drama, not a perfectly airtight plot.

🛒 Buy Now

Check Out More

There’s a whole lot more for you on the blog, babe. Around here I yap about fantasy books that pull you in, break your heart, and make you forget the real world exists for a while. Check out some of my latest posts:

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