I loved this! This was great! I actually really enjoyed the several POVs. I thought it was a really creative way to show just how gucked their world was getting. If you don't like multiple POVs you may not enjoy it but it was used so well.

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5. This novel is perfect for those that enjoyed Naomi Alderman’s The Power.

Dystopian gem 'Yours for the Taking' by Gabrielle Korn, set in 2050, explores survival in weather-safe havens led by Millennial tycoons. The narrative weaves the lives of Ava, Olympia, and Shelby against the ambitious backdrop of Jacqueline Millender's Inside Project. The story, though compelling, could benefit from streamlined character organization. Korn's debut delves into queer love, betrayal, and corporate feminism, skillfully using the dystopian genre to critique societal constructs. Fast-paced and thought-provoking, it tackles toxic feminism, capitalism, and gender norms. A captivating blend of speculative fiction and social critique, leaving readers anticipating Korn's future works.

The good: I loved the story! I was obsessed with what was happening in Korn's post-apocalyptic world and couldn't put this book down; I finished it in one evening. It's creative, thought-provoking, and discussion-worthy, and a few days later I'm still ruminating on it.

The bad: I found the writing clunky enough to be distracting. For example, sentences like "The truth was, she hadn't really stopped to think this point through, and she hadn't realized it until this conversation. She'd need to recalibrate a bit, which was a very unfamiliar process" are - to me! - way too skewed towards telling, not showing. Overall, the writing felt quite formulaic - X, then Y, then Z - in a way that succeeded in getting the plot across (and pulling me in), but that prevented me from feeling totally immersed in the story. For what it's worth, I felt the exact same way about Bonnie Garmus's wildly popular Lessons in Chemistry, so take this with a grain of salt!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Intriguing premise & good writing. I appreciate the critique and feminist ethos in a dystopian novel. You can sense the pandemic vibes and I loved the opening sci-fi/world overview. Feel like I've met Jacqueline Millender, if not on the news, then in movies or a corporate cult or something!

A futuristic tale that leapt off the pages. A fascinating look on love, found family, ethics, betrayal and what people do to truly survive. This would make an interesting television series.
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Thank you #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

loved this romance and how the journey stated and ended. loved the friends and all of the trials that they went through on the journey. loved the cast and i can't wait t read more.

Thank you for the advanced copy, NetGalley and the publishers. This books was weird but I think I liked it. It was a dystopian story which I usually love but a big parts of this book tackle hard conversations and it made the book a much heavier read (which is totally okay!) I liked most of the characters well enough and had some extreme dislike for others, even if I wasn’t super connected to any of the characters, they did make me feel things (even if just frustration). There was no aftercare. The story just ends with no word to whether everyone is actually okay not. I was bummed about the ending because I wanted ti see the reunions. Overall, I couldn’t put this down.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book didn't blow me away but it was thought provoking and original. I've been trying to get back into dystopian fiction and when I saw a book that incorporated feminism, queer representation, and the climate crisis, it sounded really interesting. Unfortunately, one of my main concerns was that this book may have tried to accomplish too much. It tackled massive problems but I felt like a lot of the commentary was either half baked or too in your face. Subtly was lacking and I thought it would have made the book more nuanced.

Additionally, the character work felt underwhelming. I wasn't attached to any of the character in any meaningful way, But, I did think that the author was good at creating scenes that readers can relate to and empathize with. That said, I think if this book was marketed as young adult, I would have gone up a star because there were a lot of character interactions and decisions that I thought were pretty immature.

Overall, I think I would read more books by this author and the book gave me a lot to think about (which I consider a win) but I was a little disappointed.

The world is rapidly becoming impossible to live in due to climate change. Inside centers are going up in major cities - huge areas cut off from the rest of the world where a select few can live on in safety. Billionaire businesswoman Jacqueline takes over the construction and vision for NYC’s Inside center, but has a woman-centered concept for her version of the project. Her vision relies on many less than ethical tactics and decisions that eventually lead to cracks that become fissures as a new generation comes of age. I found the broad strokes of this book fascinating, but the details felt a bit clunky from the beginning. I wonder if this story was a bit too wide-reaching in terms of important topics, time, and ideas for Korn to successfully balance it all. There’s so much going on for a debut novel and paring back may have served the story better. Goodish, but not greatish.

Rating: 2/5 stars
Disclaimer: I may have not enjoyed Yours for the Taking, but that does not mean you will not.


Yours for the Taking is a sapphic, dystopian that takes place in 2050 and explores how Climate change has Changed our world. The Only way now to Survive is to apply for the Inside Project, but is everything being done in the sake of the human race surviving? Are the intentions of the person behind the project sincere or are they calculated and Misguided?

To me the premise ofthis book sounded really interesting as well as thought provoking. This book definitely has moments and themes that leave you pondering.

Other than that I really struggled due to the slow pacing and the characters did not feel relatable. with the characters, they felt very similar to one another and not unique.

There is no doubt in my mind that many people will enjoy this. If I had to name a notable book that if you like this book then read this book, I would choose The Handsmaid Tale.

Thank you to St. Marten's Press for letting me read YOURS FOR THE TAKING early. This one is out now.

I had super high hopes for this book but it left me completely underwhelmed. The characters made the story feel like YA, though it's slated as adult fiction. Also for being so apocalyptic, it was too simple and plain. This one was not for me.

This book is published by St. Martin's Press. I am currently boycotting St. Martin's Press and its imprints for its lack of taking a stand against its racist, harmful employee who spoke lies against Palestinians being murdered by Israel. Therefore, I will not be posting a review at this time.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me advanced reader access. This title published December 5, 2023.

This book was incredibly interesting and dark. I was drawn to it from the description and it delivered on all the aspects I was looking forward to. I love dystopian books and have been eating up queer science fiction, and this book combined both of those. I'm also a huge feminist, and as a white woman in feminism, this book made me think.

I also really liked the climate change aspect, as this is another topic of interest for me. This dystopian was a near future, and that adds a bit to the unsettling vibes of the novel.

I saw people I know in Jacqueline Millender, people who are upper middle class or rich and call themselves feminists, but have a narrow view of who that includes. This made me appreciate the other characters who had more inclusive viewpoints even more. I enjoyed how the book tackled complex topics such as sex and gender.

The characters took some time to develop, but I liked the found family aspect. I also liked how the characters were interconnected. I loved Ava and her storyline was emotional to me.

I wish the ending was more final. I'm a HEA person, and this book was not that. It ended on a maybe, although the implications are there.

For me, this book is a niche fit that combines all of my interests but I still think it would be enjoyable for anyone who reads dystopian/science fiction or has an interest in intersectional feminism.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Excellent novel! This story was particularly intriguing and filled with fascinatingly flawed characters. The power dynamics that ultimately forced a reckoning with the planet, were in many ways part of the challenges faced by the Inside concepts. I like that this story also calls out feminism as not always being equal or fair to all women or those of non-binary, or LGBTQ communities. Gender conforming norms are tough to give up for some of our population that were raised in more traditional communities and times. It's fascinating to see the way in which those policies and traditions, norms, play out in this story. An excellent read, and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in futurist takes on the climate disaster and underlying dynamics of gender issues in our current world.

This book got me out of a reading slump that had me struggling to enjoy reading and talk about books for about a month. It was so interesting and unsettling I sped through it once I picked it up.

The main vibes of this book are: climate change, dystopian, white/corporate feminism, queer characters

As a women in STEM girlie who remembers joining the tech workforce and finding tons of “feminist” groups all about taking up space and reclaiming our power at the office, Jacqueline Millender, the billionaire wannabe feminist thought leader, really reminded me of the somewhat hollow versions of feminism I’ve seen in tech that so often only focus on already wealthy white women. Her character was really frightening in so many ways, and I think her chilling take on what was happening on earth was what made me love this book so much.

The other main characters were all pretty solidly on the other side of things when compared to Jacqueline. Well, at least by the end of the book they were. While Jacqueline was incredibly wealthy and had this really flawed view of feminism, other characters like Ava, Shelby, and Olympia tried to correct course and keep the future of humanity going in a positive direction with a more inclusive view.

Anyways, I really loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dystopian books or books that explore what might happen as the world gets more and more uninhabitable due to climate change. Folks who are interested in the dark sides of white feminism would also really enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

I refuse to spoil this for any future readers. Please just prepare with tissues for a devastatingly beautiful heartache of a novel. Wow.

The premise of this book drew me in, and kept me reading. I enjoyed the different perspectives to see how the world was faring over time. I also thought the character of Jacqueline was fascinating. I felt like the pacing worked, but I do wish I had got more of certain perspectives. Overall, this was an interesting look into human psychology and the things that humans will do to survive as well as the things humans will do to hold onto power. But more than that, this book truly showed the resilience of the human spirit. If you’re looking for a unique climate change science fiction that explores feminism, then this book is for you.

A dystopian fiction novel taking place after when the final tick of the doomsday clock strikes midnight, so to speak. Climate change has ravaged the world, and the only safe place is Inside. One Inside in particular has been generously invested in by a billionaire girlboss, who claims to be an activist for both feminist and the environment, and the Inside under her control will build a new world free from the inequality of the Patriarchy. Yours For the Taking is a layered book, looking into the reality of the effects of climate change, power x oppression x capitalism, and exclusionary “white woman feminism.” I truly can’t believe this is a debut novel. I really enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it. 4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The concept of this book was interesting - it was VERY ambitious for a debut fiction novel. However, it didn't live up to my expectations. First, this was advertised as an adult novel, but both the characters and the overall tone felt very young adult.

Overall, I understood that this book wanted to make a statement about gender, climate change, and power, but something about it really bothered me that I just can't put my finger on. It just was not an enjoyable reading experience for me.

As always, I appreciated the sapphic, trans, and non-binary representation here.

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of Yours for the Taking held steady at a medium fast pace.

POV: Yours for the Taking was told in 1st person, 3rd person, and 2nd person POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: Yours for the Taking has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Transphobia
Confinement
Grief
Death
Emotional Abuse
Mental Illness
Misogyny
Suicide
Medical Trauma
Death of a parent
Pregnancy
Gaslighting
Classism
Ableism
Bullying
Panic attack/disorders
Self-harm
Rape
Slavery
Toxic Relationships
Violence
Forced Institutionalization
Medical Content
Kidnapping
Lesbophobia
Pandemic/Edemic
Body Horror
Suicidal Thoughts
Abandonment
Refugee Experiences
Workplace Harassment
Depression
Drugging
Eugenics
Loss of autonomy
Climate Change
Sexual Content: Yours for the Taking has moderate to graphic sexual content.

Language: There is moderate to graphic swearing in Yours for the Taking. Also, terminology and language will be offensive to most readers.

Setting: Yours for the Taking is set in a dystopian New York City.

Age Range: I recommend Yours for the Taking to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

In 2050, the world is ravaged by climate change. When a reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate decides to build climate-safe, domed cities, it is a ray of hope for most people. Ava is one of those people, and when she is selected to live in the Manhattan Inside, she is thrilled. But, when her girlfriend, Orchid, isn’t selected, Ava is forced to journey to The Inside alone. Once settled, Ava learns of a program that will guarantee her better meals and rooms. But, doing this program would mean doing something she never planned–becoming a mother.

Jacqueline Millender is the reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate who pitched the idea of The Inside Project to donors. She wants to make a perfect world where women and men run equally. Or does she? There are secrets hidden from her donors and the people who run the day-to-day administration of The Inside Project. These secrets can make the project (and Jacqueline’s lifestyle) crash and burn.

Shelby is a young, bright transwoman who wants to make an impact in the world. Horrified by the effects of climate change, she hears about Jacqueline and her life as a women’s rights advocate. So, when Shelby becomes Jacqueline’s assistant, Shelby jumps at it. But Shelby soon learns things aren’t all sunshine and roses with Jacqueline or what she wants to be with The Inside Project.

Olympia is a promising medical student on the verge of graduating when Jacqueline offers her a job as the head of her health department. When she is forced to accept, Jacqueline shows her a different side of The Inside Project than what is projected to the world. Only Olympia’s actions prevent Jacqueline from doing something that could ruin the project. But Olympia can only stall for so long.

How will Shelby, Ava, and Olympia unite to bring down Jacqueline? What is so horrible that they will lose everything to prevent a more significant catastrophe?

Main Characters

Ava: I liked Ava the best of all the main characters. Her core values at the beginning of the book were the same at the end. She was sweet, and she loved her daughters. But, she knew, deep down, that something wasn’t right with The Inside. She was my favorite character in the entire book.

Jacqueline Millender: I liked what she initially put forward at the beginning of the book. She was building safe havens for people during the climate crisis that they were experiencing. But, slowly, cracks started to show in her facade and what she was doing. By the middle of the book, she disgusted me (what she had Olympia do to Ava and the other Inside residents was criminal). By the end of the book, I pitied and didn’t like her. I want to believe she was drunk on power, but with everything revealed about her family and herself, I think not.

Shelby Silver: Shelby rated second on the characters I liked. She went into the job with Jacqueline with rose-colored glasses. Even I could see how she was treated as early as the chapters where Olympia got recruited. Once she got on the ship (after the bedbug debacle), she was treated as less than a person. In the end, she is the one who brings about Jacqueline’s downfall.

Olympia: Olympia, for me, was a morally gray character. She followed Jacqueline’s orders until she started to develop a conscience. But until then, Olympia was willing to do whatever it took to cover up what Jacqueline was doing in that Inside facility. I liked that she finally found her backbone, stood up to Jacqueline, and ended what was happening. What Jacqueline suggested and what Shelby found out was the straw that broke her.

My review:

I am going to be very blunt here: If you do not like feminist books that are centered almost entirely on queer, lesbian, and trans people, then this book might not be the book for you. The author laid the “men destroyed everything, so the women need to fix it” on very thick in this book. But, you know, in a way, she’s right. Our climate is changing, and the powers in charge sit there, twiddling their thumbs. And yes, they are 85% men. I’m not saying that an entirely matrical society would be different, but anything that will slow climate change would be welcome.

The main storyline is wrapped around the four main characters, climate change, and takes place over twenty-two years. It was well written. As mentioned above, I found it very heavy-handed with the “men are destroyers” angles. I also wasn’t expecting it to go the way it did with any of the main characters. The author interconnected everyone, and she did it very gradually.

The storyline with Ava, The Inside, and her daughters brought tears to my eyes. I felt so bad for her, and I wanted at least something to go right for her (at the beginning of her storyline). The way Orchid left her was horrible. Then she went through the added trauma of bearing children, going through pre and post-natal depression. She was happy while Brook and July were with her but lost when they left.

The storyline with Jacqueline brought a terrible taste to my mouth. I didn’t like her initially, but I figured she was building these safe havens for people. But then, the author took her character and added these layers to it that made me disgusted. Over the twenty-two years that she ruled over her fiefdom (and yes, it was that), she suggested such horrible, vile things that I truly hoped Olympia wouldn’t listen to her. She got everything that was coming to her and then some.

The storyline with Shelby was sad. She adored Jacqueline and would do anything to help her. It broke my heart to see how she was treated, not only by Jacqueline but by other people. She was so sweet. I was also in awe of Shelby’s resourcefulness. She, along with Olympia and July, worked together to bring Jacqueline down.

The storyline with Olympia was sad, but I felt that she made her bed for most of the book. At the beginning of her storyline, she was forced into the position (someone doxxed her). But, after that, she participated in everything Jacqueline asked or wanted. It wasn’t until the death of one of Brook and July’s friends and the coverup that she realized that maybe what she was doing wasn’t good. I mentioned that Olympia was more of a morally gray character, and I believe she was. Olympia starts acting like the human and doctor she is by the end of the book. And that began by fessing up to Ava about what was going on.

There isn’t a happy ending in Maybe Once, Maybe Twice. The book ends with a maybe. I’m not too fond of books that end with a maybe. I need to know what happens to people. I hope they end up where they are going, but the implications could be better.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Gabrielle Korn for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Yours for the Taking. All opinions stated in this review are mine.