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The Gauntlet
(The Cage #3)
by
The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in the final novel in the gripping and romantic Cage series, about teens abducted from Earth by an otherworldly race.
Cora and her friends have escaped the Kindred station and landed at Armstrong—a supposed safe haven on a small moon—where they plan to regroup and figure out how to win the Gauntlet, the challenging competition to prove ...more
Cora and her friends have escaped the Kindred station and landed at Armstrong—a supposed safe haven on a small moon—where they plan to regroup and figure out how to win the Gauntlet, the challenging competition to prove ...more
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Hardcover, 393 pages
Published
May 23rd 2017
by HarperCollins
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3.5 stars.
This was my favorite in the series. It had action, puzzles, I liked the characters more, it was pretty brutal/daring. I really disliked book 2 but am glad I finished out the series and liked the ending.
I still don't *love* the series, mainly because I think it juvenilized the characters - like 'I was abducted by aliens and will never go home again but it's fine because OMG CANDY!!!' But there were some good concepts and the audiobook narrator was amazing.
This was my favorite in the series. It had action, puzzles, I liked the characters more, it was pretty brutal/daring. I really disliked book 2 but am glad I finished out the series and liked the ending.
I still don't *love* the series, mainly because I think it juvenilized the characters - like 'I was abducted by aliens and will never go home again but it's fine because OMG CANDY!!!' But there were some good concepts and the audiobook narrator was amazing.

Apr 27, 2017
Sarah
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
fantasy,
netgalley-edelweiss,
young-adult,
r2r-read,
sci-fi,
romance,
dystopian,
read-2017,
aliens
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA sci-fi story, and the end to the series.
I liked Cora in this story, and I liked how she kept in mind what was best for her species as a whole. It was pretty brave of her to face the gauntlet the way she did, especially knowing that no other human had ever managed to beat it.
The storyline in this was about Cora trying to take on the ...more
“The wolves are strong. But the rabbits are clever.”
This was a YA sci-fi story, and the end to the series.
I liked Cora in this story, and I liked how she kept in mind what was best for her species as a whole. It was pretty brave of her to face the gauntlet the way she did, especially knowing that no other human had ever managed to beat it.
The storyline in this was about Cora trying to take on the ...more

2.5-3ish
I didn’t really like it, it was boring and annoying. also Cora shldve died.
Leon will forever be my one and only, though. he was the light in this incredibly horrible book! ...more
I didn’t really like it, it was boring and annoying. also Cora shldve died.
Leon will forever be my one and only, though. he was the light in this incredibly horrible book! ...more

Mar 16, 2015
Hannah (The Curiouser & Curiouser)
marked it as to-read
These cliffhanger endings are going to be the death of me, I swear.

I want this so, so badly. It's not even funny the amount of want I have for this.
Because . . . Cassian.

Find me here: https://obsessivereads.wordpress.com/

I want this so, so badly. It's not even funny the amount of want I have for this.
Because . . . Cassian.

Find me here: https://obsessivereads.wordpress.com/

The Cage is a series that I have continued reading despite not actually enjoying it at all. Megan Shepherd had such a fantastic idea with this series, one that pulled me in because of its similarity to my favorite episode of The Twilight Zone. I read the first book expecting to completely love it, especially after loving her Madman's Daughter series, but came away extremely disappointed. Book two was just slightly better and here I am having read book three, even though I swore I wouldn't. I'm
...more

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. My last two reads? Two three-star reviews of YA science fiction novels? I usually LOVE YA science fiction. :(
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd
Book Three of The Cage series
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 23, 2017
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in the final novel in the gripping and romantic Cage series, about teens abducted from Earth by an ...more
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd
Book Three of The Cage series
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 23, 2017
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in the final novel in the gripping and romantic Cage series, about teens abducted from Earth by an ...more

And it's over! As a whole, I really enjoyed this series. From the beginning of The Cage, we had a group of morally ambiguous characters trapped within a zoo-like compound. Their only mission was to escape and return to Earth. Throughout this series, especially within The Gauntlet, it unfolds as a discovery of what it means to be human.
As for the actual anticipated Gauntlet, the puzzles were clever, but surprisingly not my favourite moments. This is where the multiple point of views were an ...more
As for the actual anticipated Gauntlet, the puzzles were clever, but surprisingly not my favourite moments. This is where the multiple point of views were an ...more

In the final novel of The Cage series, Cora must find her way to the Gauntlet and successfully complete the three levels in order to grant humanity the freedom they deserve. The only problem is that Cora and her friends are trapped on Armstrong, a planet that was supposed to be heaven for humans, but turned out to be worse than hell.
I really enjoyed this whole series, from beginning to end. It was a lot different from Megan's last series, and it gave me the Maze Runner feels but had a better ...more
I really enjoyed this whole series, from beginning to end. It was a lot different from Megan's last series, and it gave me the Maze Runner feels but had a better ...more

"The wolves are strong, but the rabbits are clever."
This entire series was a meh type of read to me. I really enjoyed The Cage a few years ago but I never got around to continuing with the series. I wish I had back then because nowadays... just meh.
The beginning dragged quite a bit, and didn't peak my interest until Cora actually started The Gauntlet. I think the second half of the book is well-thought out and challenges Cora, the protagonist. The puzzles in the Gauntlet seem challenging but ...more
This entire series was a meh type of read to me. I really enjoyed The Cage a few years ago but I never got around to continuing with the series. I wish I had back then because nowadays... just meh.
The beginning dragged quite a bit, and didn't peak my interest until Cora actually started The Gauntlet. I think the second half of the book is well-thought out and challenges Cora, the protagonist. The puzzles in the Gauntlet seem challenging but ...more

• Find my reviews here: Literary Meanderings
- - -
The Gauntlet is the final book in The Cage series, and I have to say I was pretty satisfied with the end of the trilogy!
The book picks up pretty much immediately after the events of The Hunt. Cora has escaped and Cassian is captured. A ton of revelations took place near the end of The Hunt, so I was pretty anxious to get my hands on this book!
**POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!**
Likes:
• Cora really grew as a character in this book. She went from a ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

As much as I loved the series, this final book was a bit of a letdown, especially the last 50 pages.
First the good, these characters are fantastic. Bonebreak and the rest of the Mosca are delightful, interesting, complex, and endearing, I wanted more time with them! The rest of the usual gang is great but Leon in particular won me over. He started out as a very unlikable character but has steadily grown into my favorite human.
Overall the book starts off strong as it picks up right where the ...more
First the good, these characters are fantastic. Bonebreak and the rest of the Mosca are delightful, interesting, complex, and endearing, I wanted more time with them! The rest of the usual gang is great but Leon in particular won me over. He started out as a very unlikable character but has steadily grown into my favorite human.
Overall the book starts off strong as it picks up right where the ...more

The conclusion to the Cage series has Cora as the savior of the human race throughout the galaxy in the form of being their champion in the Gauntlet. However, interstellar politics means she has to first fight her way across to even reach the planet where the gauntlet will be held. The squad has to face many challenges, including separation from one another, betrayal and mistrust, and what they learnt through the Cage, the Menageries, the Dollhouse and the Hunt comes to save them now in this
...more

Final book in The Cage trilogy.
There was a lot of talk in book 2, The Hunt, about the gauntlet and how hard the challenges are and so I was excited to see Cora try to beat it in this book. The wait for her to begin the gauntlet took a while, like 2/3 of the book, so I felt like it dragged a bit. Then of course, all this crazy action happens at the end and it flies by. The ending of the book wasn't what I hoped for, so I was a little disappointed. The narrator for the audiobook was great again ...more
There was a lot of talk in book 2, The Hunt, about the gauntlet and how hard the challenges are and so I was excited to see Cora try to beat it in this book. The wait for her to begin the gauntlet took a while, like 2/3 of the book, so I felt like it dragged a bit. Then of course, all this crazy action happens at the end and it flies by. The ending of the book wasn't what I hoped for, so I was a little disappointed. The narrator for the audiobook was great again ...more

That ending was SAD!!!! :(
One of the best damn YA sci-fi series I've ever read - strong from the first page of The Cage to the last of The Gauntlet. I don't know what I can say about this book other than it surpassed my every hope and expectation, and the shocks never let up from the beginning. It's hopeful and miserable and full of guts and determination. I love Cora, I love Cassian, I love the world, the story, the cleverness of the Gauntlet. We even got a sneaky A.I. which I adored. Thank you ...more
One of the best damn YA sci-fi series I've ever read - strong from the first page of The Cage to the last of The Gauntlet. I don't know what I can say about this book other than it surpassed my every hope and expectation, and the shocks never let up from the beginning. It's hopeful and miserable and full of guts and determination. I love Cora, I love Cassian, I love the world, the story, the cleverness of the Gauntlet. We even got a sneaky A.I. which I adored. Thank you ...more

This book was a lot more violent then the previous two. And some serious twists in the story. Although one was somewhat obvious after a while. The ending was a bit bittersweet. I held nicely, and wow there were times I questioned any type of happy ending it was that...concerning. But it added that much more to my enjoyment of the story. Leon ending up being one of my favorites in this book. He really matured out. Nok and Rold continued to be 'meh' characters. Cora I liked and Willa I loved!


I had some problems with the plot direction at times but it was an enjoyable and fulfilling finale.
Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!

Full Review: https://wp.me/p7hLUw-2FR
Actual Rating: 3.5/5

A fantastic ending to a thrilling Science Fiction trilogy! So much action and so much on the line for all the characters in this last installment. Shepherd's world building is impressive, and we see more of the universe she's created than ever before as our main characters find themselves working feverishly to get Cora to The Gauntlet, and the stakes are higher than ever before as the fates of several species rest on her shoulders. If you haven't started this series yet, now is the time to pick
...more

Oh my goodness was this not enjoyable.
Just too many issues for me I'm sorry.
For example:
When burying Lucky-how on earth did Cora dig a pit big enough for his body with her bare hands? I understand she has a chimp helping her (seriously, a chimp), and that it's not very hard packed soil, but still. Have you ever scooped sand with your bare hands? Gets old fast. Would certainly stop before had enough of a hole to bury someone and even if I did somehow have the will to go on...it'd take forever.
We ...more
Just too many issues for me I'm sorry.
For example:
When burying Lucky-how on earth did Cora dig a pit big enough for his body with her bare hands? I understand she has a chimp helping her (seriously, a chimp), and that it's not very hard packed soil, but still. Have you ever scooped sand with your bare hands? Gets old fast. Would certainly stop before had enough of a hole to bury someone and even if I did somehow have the will to go on...it'd take forever.
We ...more

The Gauntlet is the final book in The Cage series, and while I found it thrilling and interesting, it was my least favorite book in the series because of the ending.
In The Gauntlet, Cora and her friends escaped from the Kindred and are on a ship with Bonebreak, a mosca. They left behind Cassian who was being tortured because Cora needs to run the Gauntlet so humans can be considered intelligent like the other species.
There was a lot of drama, death, surprises, and twists (and a little romance) ...more
In The Gauntlet, Cora and her friends escaped from the Kindred and are on a ship with Bonebreak, a mosca. They left behind Cassian who was being tortured because Cora needs to run the Gauntlet so humans can be considered intelligent like the other species.
There was a lot of drama, death, surprises, and twists (and a little romance) ...more

Very heart-wrenching. I wish there was another book, like a romantic epilogue. One thing that crossed my mind reading this is that Bonebreak is basically Yondu from GOTG in this book. And Willa, a chimpanzee who ran the Gauntlet, is their Rocket Racoon kind of. This series has been awesome and it seem Megan Shepherd can make anything awesome because I never liked historical fiction and then I read the Madman's Daughter series, which was the first Hist Fic I like and it was a retelling. I can't
...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

"It had stirred her blood and reminded her of what mattered. Of Lucky. Of hope. She didn’t remember her family back home, but as she played the music, she felt them. Felt their love, even from afar. She felt the melody of the world, a planet that was a song in itself, and a people who wouldn’t stop singing."
3.75
There were a few things that i hated here, but the ending was beautiful

3.5 Stars.

Cora and her friends are still on the run, and they have one last chance to save all of humanity from impending doom. Intergalactic war is brewing, and it is up to Cora to run the Gauntlet and save the human race from alien enslavement. But she has to get there first.
This last installment of the series brings things together, and Cora and crew are all hands on deck. But as things pick up, she's not sure who to trust. Imposters are appearing everywhere, and one alien species is out for blood. If ...more
This last installment of the series brings things together, and Cora and crew are all hands on deck. But as things pick up, she's not sure who to trust. Imposters are appearing everywhere, and one alien species is out for blood. If ...more

A good conclusion, but I'm definitely spoiled after the The Madman’s Daughter trilogy. Overall it just wasn't as good in my opinion.
I'm also a little bitter over some of the things that happened in book #2 and this one. I won't go into what exactly to avoid spoiling anyone to the nature of my issues.
Interesting premise overall, but some of the things as far as how it played out I saw coming a mile away. Especially in this installment.
I read the first two books and listened to this one on ...more
I'm also a little bitter over some of the things that happened in book #2 and this one. I won't go into what exactly to avoid spoiling anyone to the nature of my issues.
Interesting premise overall, but some of the things as far as how it played out I saw coming a mile away. Especially in this installment.
I read the first two books and listened to this one on ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish | 1 | 1 | Apr 28, 2017 10:03AM |
New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd grew up in her family’s independent bookstore in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is the author of several young adult and middle grade novels. She now lives and writes on a 125-year-old farm outside Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, two cats, and an especially scruffy dog.
Other books in the series
The Cage
(3 books)
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