Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the arc. This was so so good. I loved it so much. I was hooked right from the beginning and could not put it down. This sequel can definetly be read as a standalone, I ended up reading the first one after I finished this, and I wasn't confused when reading it. Gabrielle Korn is now an autobuy author for me. This was so creative and all the characters were rich and vibrant. It was set in such an interesting world, and the world building was so well done. I loved that nearly everyone was queer, and seeing how the different stories all came together. I highly recommend this, one of my best reads of the year.

Gabrielle Korn has crafted an incredible duology of queer speculative fiction. Because every great work of SpecFic builds on reality and asks "what if?", the effect in Your For the Taking and The Shutouts is often chilling. The reader is reminded that the very near future could be well reflected in this work of fiction. I feel that is what makes a strong piece of SpecFic - not the fabulous outlandishness of the future, but the plausible reality of a fictional outcome.

Each character these two books follows is a masterpiece. At once a hero and villain, showing that humanity lives within the shades of gray. On one page, you love Ava and another you hate her. You understand Jacqueline's motivations in one chapter and in another find her methods abhorrent. In the first book, we empathize with Ava in her struggle with her relationship with Orchid and in the second book, we are given the gift of Orchid's history even if she never knows it for herself.

The first book sometimes felt rushed, as though some elements of the story were skipped over but in reflection on the two books as one story, I see that sometimes a lived experience is felt the same way. As though the details of the day to day are unimportant and what matters are the punctuations of significant events. The second book is a dual timeline, the "past" told in letters written to Orchid by her mother and the "present" in third person limited omniscient POV from multiple perspectives. This allows the story to feel like it's unfolding at a sufficiently progressive pace.

By the second book's conclusion, the reader is left with a fairly clear image of most of the factors that led the story to its end and we're left with a beautifully reflective final passage that gives the reader the opportunity to consider what can be done to change the paths our planet is on while also giving us the hope of a believing that a better world is possible.

I genuinely loved these two books and if queer speculative fiction is your jam, I think you will too.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I loved the first book in this series, and maybe liked this one even more. If you're intrigued by the premise, and haven't read the first one - do that first! Otherwise book one will be spoiled. This is great for any fans of the postapocalyptic genre, it has more queer storylines than any other I've read. I hope there's another book in this series!

I wanted to love this, but it wasn’t really for me.

The time jumps kept confusing me, which I’m normally fine with. I also was not a big fan of the writing style. I don’t think this author is for me.

A follow-up to "Yours for the Taking," this is the rare climate change/dystopian novel that somehow manages to end of a note of hope. This time, we get see the world from the outside - the perspective of those shut out from The Inside. Told in dual timelines, we get to see how we got to the point of almost no return. With some disappointing, but not at all surprising, motivations and actions by those who should/do know better. But the hope at the end of the novel is that we do know how to do better, and and that it is possible to put it into action.

"The year is 2041, and it's a dangerous time to be a woman driving across the United States alone. Deadly storms and uncontrollable wildfires are pummeling the country while political tensions are rising. But Kelly's on the road anyway; she desperately needs to get back to her daughter, who she left seven years ago for a cause that she's no longer sure she believes in.

Almost 40 years later, another mother, Ava, and her daughter Brook are on the run as well, from the climate change relief program known as The Inside Project, where they've spent the past 22 years being treated as lab rats. When they encounter a woman from Ava’s past on the side of the highway, the three continue on in a journey that will take them into the depths of what remains of humanity out in the wilderness."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Yours for the Taking was one of my favorite books of 2023. A sci-fi dystopian story that hooked from the start. This is book 2, a breakdown of what happened Outside of the ultra elite survival community. As the world breaks down, this one has 3 different groups with POV.

We have a mom writing to a child, detailed how the world broke down and what broke first, how it crumbled. The 2nd POV is a group that has made it through the worst and is trying to survival. The third group has left one spot and is making their way to another - all to search and hope that someone is still there.

It was a great mix, the reveal of how it first started out and the more now POV that showed just how far it had all gone. It was a great story of survival but also the push to understand what surviving meant and what we would want to live for. It was still characters I loved and a story I could fall into, even if it was sad and broken. It was a great conclusion and I loved being back in this world. I definitely look forward to more from this author!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

The Shutouts is an excellent second book to answer Yours For the Taking. Placed in the outside world where the impacts of climate change affect those left. Orchid makes the trip to save her lost love and her daughter, and together they make their way through the United States and into Canada. Despite the dreary situation and occasional moment of danger, we see love and hope bloom in this book. I gave this four stars because I enjoyed it and would recommend it to a friend but wouldn't read it again.

This was a perfect follow up to Yours For the Taking! I loved the dual timeline and multiple POV aspect of this. I also loved seeing some characters from the first book and finding out more about the background of the world. This is such a unique climate change science fiction book and I think it is so realistic because it truly exposed how humans can be motivated by greed or by love. I really really loved this one!

"Queer people at the end of the world," according to the author, is the subject matter for last year's Yours for the Taking and this very, very recent release and sequel, The Shutouts. A powerfully written, character-driven story of the collapse of the world as climate change drives rapid ocean rise and catastrophic storms, this story is much stronger if the first book has already been read. Otherwise, the emotional impact of the characters' decisions and choices won't hit as hard.

Where the first book in the duology focused on the people who escaped the wrath of climate change by going Inside, this book focuses on those who were left outside to face the elements. My favorite character is Kelly "Green", a new character who plays such an instrumental role in this book's story arc.

I am very impressed with this series, and will add Gabrielle Korn to my list of "must read" authors for any new works that she produces. Bravo to an awesome set of books, a story that should be read by all those with anxiety over global warming. I wouldn't have minded if it were longer.

I had really liked Korn’s previous novel and had really appreciated the questions it raised with the “utopia” it built. Korn continued to excel in the intersection of strong queer representation and unsettling cli-fi dystopia in this one. Where Yours For the Taking had more of a conventional plot, this one focuses more on character exploration and subtly building the bleak situation the world is in. There are 2 perspectives but it tells a story of three different timelines and the characters are compelling and well built. I think having the background Yours For the Taking really made me appreciate the deeper worldbuilding here and I personally wouldn’t recommend skipping it, they complement each other very well.

Korn's writing style is noted for being raw and honest, with sharp observations about the complexities of human interaction. She has an ability to capture the quiet, unspoken moments in relationships, as well as the larger conflicts that arise. This makes the characters feel authentic, even as they wrestle with personal flaws and insecurities. Readers have praised Korn for her empathetic approach to character development, particularly when it comes to portraying nuanced, imperfect protagonists.

This was a tough read, especially so close to the aftermath of the U.S. election. The dystopian future felt disturbingly plausible, but that proximity to reality made it a hard start. The shifting timelines and changing protagonists were difficult to follow, keeping me from getting fully immersed. The writing style didn’t pull me in the way I’d hoped. At times it felt more like a checklist of progressive representation - gender, sexuality, social issues - packed in rather than something organically woven into the story. The characters didn’t feel relatable or likable, which made it hard to stay invested. I pushed through despite wanting to DNF and the second half improved for me. I started to care (if only slightly) about how it would all resolve. Ultimately, the ending didn’t satisfy me. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it because it seemed like something I’d enjoy, but it wasn’t for me. I won’t be purchasing a physical copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early access to this book.

I started reading this book and realized it's in the same world as another book written by the same author. I'm going to read both of them and update my review.
What I did read seemed amazing so please look in to this book and Yours For the Taking as well.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

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

The Shutouts by Gabrielle Korn was so unique. A dystopian sci-fi focusing on devastating climate change and featuring queer main characters. I really was enthralled by this book. It was unlike anything I have read.

What a treat to be able to return to the richly- detailed, dystopian world of "Yours for the Taking!" Gabrielle Korn is a master at world-building and her characters leap with life from the pages. This book is a rare example of a sequel that is as good or even better than the original. Though it probably could be read as a stand-alone novel, I definitely recommend reading "Yours for the Taking" first to appreciate its full impact. The author skillfully weaves multiple viewpoints and timelines into an inventive and compulsively readable story; I was riveted from the very first page. It is full of heart and is a powerful social commentary about feminism and climate change without being preachy or guilt-inducing. This is the kind of book where the real world ceases to exist while reading and the reader becomes immersed in a completely different time and place.

Neither "Yours for the Taking" nor "The Shutouts" are fun, easy reads. However, I think both would make excellent book club selections because they are so thought provoking, giving members much to discuss and unpack. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the incredible opportunity of reading an advanced copy of this tremendous book. Five shiny stars!

First and foremost, I want to note to future readers - Please read Yours for the Taking before reading this book. The one thing I don't see recommended enough in the summary and in promotions for this book, is the fact it truly is a sequel to Yours for the Taking. You can read it by itself but you won't understand the backstory and connections between a lot of the characters and you may not understand how we got to this point and this dystopian future. The summaries I've seen only refer to this as a novel from the author of Yours, but the cast of characters is about 80% of the cast from the previous book and it will assist you in understanding Ava, Orchid, Brook, and others.

The first book focuses on the need for portions of society to enter into The Inside Project since climate change is making living outside hard to manage. Those on the outside, are forced to travel into far northern areas of Canada in order to find climates which are more desirable to live. This second book, concentrates on the survivors on the outside as well as seeing Ava and Brook escaping from Inside, to rejoin with Orchid, a previous love interest of Ava.

I love the story about fighting for survival, finding love amid the chaos and downfall of humanity, and found family. The story gets bigger as we explore some of the issues which lead up to climate change as well as some who leveraged resources to try and ensure survival once the world changed. Overall, a very good follow-up to the first but I do think some readers were unaware this story is reallly a sequel, and whether intended or not, a lot of the meat of this book does rely on knowing what happened while people were Inside, and what happened before people went Inside.

This is a great sequel to Yours for The Taking. I was excited to go back into this dystopian world destroyed by climate change. The Shutouts is told through dual timelines that explore the events leading up to the creation of the Inside and what the people who are shutout experience.

We follow Kelly in 2041 and learn her story through letters as she is desperately driving across country to get back to her daughter. We switch to 2078 to follow Ava and her daughter Brook who have just escaped the Inside wondering how they will survive in the changed world, Max who has escaped a cult and Orchid who is searching for her lost love. I loved so many things about this book: the dynamic between the characters, focus on queer narratives, the government conspiracy of hiding science, the fight to survive and found families. Some happenings in the book caught me off guard while others made me think” Yep, that is exactly what would happen.” I don’t think you have to read Yours for the Taking to enjoy this book but I highly recommend it.

"🌍✨ The Shutouts by Gabrielle Korn is a chilling glimpse into a near-future shaped by climate change, equality, and consent.

The Shutouts by Gabrielle Korn is a thought-provoking sci-fi dystopian novel set in the near future that feels unsettlingly possible. While it can be read as a standalone, it serves as a companion to the author’s previous work, Yours For The Taking. Readers familiar with that book will notice connections through characters and themes, though starting with Yours For The Taking offers richer context.

The story alternates between timelines, weaving a narrative that gradually comes together. The author has crafted a world that is both terrifying and plausible, exploring pressing issues such as climate change, consent, choice, equality, and gender. These layers make the book deeply relevant to today’s world and might even invite multiple readings to fully grasp its complexity.

As a dystopian novel, the pacing is slower than some might expect, but this deliberate pace allows the themes to unfold with thoughtfulness and depth. The result is a chilling yet compelling vision of the future.

If you’re looking for a novel that blends queer representation with urgent social commentary, The Shutouts is a must-read. The author delivers a story that resonates deeply in the context of our current realities.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing this book for review.

It was a struggle for me to push myself through this book. Apparently it's a sequel? Maybe it would've helped to read the first one, but i doubt it.

There's just way too much going on in this book. I find that when a writer tries to tackle every social issue they can, they end up doing a disservice to them all. There were so many dystopian communities with a laundry list of wrongs non of them are fully fleshed out.

Furthermore, most of the characters don't feel real. Particularly the men and the teenagers. While it made sense that the teen activists are optimistic and a bit extreme, the dialogue didn't sound at all how teenagers would talk.

4 stars but maybe more like a 4.25

Somewhat unfortunately for me I did not realize this was the set in the same world as a previously published book (I would have read Yours For the Taking first had I known that). Fortunately this book worked just as well for me as a stand alone.

Also somewhat unfortunate for me is that I am notorious for not re-reading the blurb before starting a book (this is probably a character flaw). I see sapphic, I add it to my list, I don’t look back.

So that also means I went into The Shutouts having no idea what was going to happen, at all. No context, nothing. Which was most definitely confusing at first. Between the time jumps, chapters from different characters perspectives, and the letters interspersed, I was a bit confused as to how the puzzle pieces all fit together.

I remember telling my wife “I have no idea what’s going on in my book, every chapter is a different person so far… but I’m enjoying it.” Luckily I am patient when it comes to finding out the answers to questions I have because the best part of The Shutouts was seeing how all the threads wove together.

I wouldn’t say it was an action packed book or fast paced, but I enjoyed how a bunch of different aspects came together. I enjoyed the world building and the diversity. I found Orchid in particular to be an intriguing character. I enjoyed the bits of romance interspersed.

Overall, I finished this book feeling like I should read Yours For the Taking, and I would be interested in further books set in this world.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.