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.

I really enjoyed Yours for the Taking and was so eager to start The Shutouts by Gabrielle Korn. Which did not disappoint!
A phenomenal queer dystopian story.
Well written characters, an incredibly thought-out plot line with an amazing thought-provoking story. Her world building and storytelling was just phenomenal.
This dystopian novel got me read for hours.
A creative, unique story that was truly an unputdownable book.

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I absolutely loved Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn because I’m an inside person. The Shutouts is about a difficult journey told in two timelines with alternating chapters. This is a companion novel to Yours for the Taking but can also be read as a stand alone book. I nearly cried at the end. This future is heartbreaking. Audiobook is wonderfully narrated by Gail Shalan. ARC was provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. ALC was provided by Macmillan Audio. I received an advance review copy and an advance listening copy for free and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

My review:

The Shutouts is a continuation of some character stories from Yours for the Taking, so I won't go too into too much detail with the plot in an effort to avoid spoilers.

This novel follows several characters along various timelines who are facing a world ravaged by the effects of climate change, and a government who does not seem to care for more than those who are most wealthy. Sounds familiar… Anyway, these characters are all searching in their own ways for companionship and survival in what feels like it may be the end of the world.

I listened to the audiobook of Yours for the Taking earlier this year and really enjoyed it. I was pleased to find out there would be another installment in the series, and loved listening to the audiobook of The Shutouts. I thought this was a great continuation of some of the character stories I became familiar with in the first book, and I found the additional stories added depth to the world, and very loveable characters who I felt just as invested in as the original ones. The climate and political factors of this dystopian world feel very plausible, making the story feel tangible and easy to immerse yourself in. Sometimes I find dystopian concepts so outlandish that it's hard to immerse myself in the world, but this series is not one of those stories. The way the different storylines overlapped and intertwined was exciting and kept me looking forward to finding out how characters would continue to be connected and how their journeys would resolve.

As always, Gabrielle Korn does a beautiful job weaving diversity into their stories without making it feel performative or forced. I love the natural feeling of the inclusion of characters with various identities, and always appreciate seeing this represented in my reads. These characters have diverse identities, but that is not their whole identity, and I hope to see that be represented more in the publishing industry.

I re-read this book via eBook, and found it much easier to follow than the audio version.

I look forward to reading future works by this author if they are to publish more in this series or otherwise.

This book was a solid four stars for me.

4.5 stars - thanks to NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

My first book of 2024 was Yours for the Taking and I knew it was going to be a good reading year! Then, I learned this book was coming out and was really excited for a companion novel to one I already loved and this lived up to my expectations and then some! Both novels fall into a perfect niche for me with a well built, captivating dystopian landscape and so many interesting characters - many of whom are queer.

Korn does such a wonderful job of crafting an engaging story that I didn't want to put down (finished in less than 24 hours) while weaving in strong social commentary in a way that feels real, raw and honest, without filling myself as a reader, with a sense of dread.

While I believe this can function as a stand alone novel, I heavily recommend first picking up Yours for the Taking so that you have even richer background knowledge about the world this story takes place in, and more appreciation and excitement for the connections our characters have between each other (within both novels and across them)!

Already craving more queer dystopian reads (as per usual)!!

The Shut Outs by Gabrielle Korn, once again I read the Kindle and listen to the audio narrated by Gail Shallen and I must admit I preferred the Kindle version much better but overall really didn’t like the book. I always start with the audio and in the beginning it was Max and Sterrett it was in this very first chapter that I started thinking OMG this is part of the series because what the hell is B3K throughout the book it takes many different forms from food to cloth to wild weeds, that cannot be contained but I digress it’s a minor point just something that irritated me. Then it’s Kelly‘s turn writing to her youngest daughter about things I would never share with any of my children then we also get a POV from a ragtag group of political vigilantes then a POV from Ava and Brooke and I think headed been a story about Ava and Brooke an orchid I would’ve enjoyed it much better the things that were said or said with such intensity is if I too should be feeling this Grand momentum that this moment belies. Sometimes you read a second book in a series and you can easily catch on catch up and enjoy but I don’t feel that is the case with this book. Throughout the book they talk about things is it I should already be in the know and I wasn’t, maybe had I read the first book I would’ve enjoyed it much much better but I DK. I also want to say I found it so hard to keep track of who is talking to who. When there’s two non-binary people conversating with each other I just recently got my brain to recognize that they is not more than one person and so to throw two N-B’s people together having a conversation and constantly referring to them as them and they almost made my head explode. Maybe I am just too old for this content lol! #NetGalley, #McMillanAudio,#GailShallen, #GabrielleKorn, #TheShutOuts,

I loved The Shutouts, possibly even more than Korn's first novel, Yours For the Taking!!! (reviewed at http://readingwhilefat.com/2023/12/05/yours-for-the-taking/)

I loved that there were several timelines and locations, and that we got to see what happened that led to the Inside project from the first book. I loved that we had more time with the characters, and that Orchid and Camilla, minor characters in the first book, were a primary focus of this one.

I loved how Korn connected everything and left nothing uncertain at the end, and left us with hope that humanity, with science and feminism, will prevail, despite screwing up the world.

I loved that Kelly's chapters from 2041 were in letter format, and they served as the bridge from a world we recognize as today to the one set about 25 years later when Ava and Brook leave Inside.

I loved the nonbinary representation and that most all of the characters were queer. I loved that although there was not any description of fat characters, there was no anti-fat bias as well, so it was weight-neutral. I cannot wait to read whatever Gabrielle Korn can dream up!

THE SHUTOUTS is an interesting and dark dystopian featuring a diaspora of queer characters. I've heard this is the second book in the series, and maybe that explains some of the disconnect I felt from it, even though ultimately THE SHUTOUTS is a book about missed connections themselves. Would I have liked this more if I realized it were connected to another book? Perhaps. 3 star territory for now.

No where did it say this is a sequel and I was so confused about what was happening. I couldn't get into this and felt lied to.

Did not realize this was a second book in a series. I wish the description would have stated, so that I could have read the first book first and not have been so confused. Excellent writing structure though. Good rep of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Another book where I can’t give a first paragraph synopsis because it took about a third of the book for it to come together for me and I just can’t break that down into a quick paragraph (chuckle).

I find sometimes the problem with books with large casts is that when the foundation is getting laid out, the reader can get lost in the names and trying to make the connections instead of just giving in and hoping it all makes sense in the end. I think for those of us who like mysteries, we think everything is important and so we try to catalog everything and you just get bombarded. This is how I felt for about a third of The Shutouts. This is on me though. I have a tendency to read one book after another without a brain break and I had just finished a book with a lot of characters and some Matrix level complexities. I recommend starting this book with a brain break. Make sure you come in fresh.

When I finally decided to just give in and hope that in the end it would all make sense, I ended up lucky and Gabrielle Korn knows how to tie it all together. I still had to pause and think when I got to a character and do a quick run down on age and how they connect to the story before moving on. I have to say that my favorite character is the one from the past. Kelly’s story is the one that stands out the most. Probably because it is the most consistent and it stands out in the way it is told. Never mind that it’s painful and in-depth compared to the others.

The other members of the cast are diverse and we get their stories, but other than Max, I didn’t feel like we knew them. It was just a glimpse into people we are supposed to care about how they ended up. I love Max. My favorite stories in The Shutouts are Kelly, and Max and Carmilla. Everyone else just seemed to be white noise.

I’m fascinated with the science behind The Shutouts. I’m a geek and green energy has been my jam for awhile now. I actually know people, who definitely aren’t as extreme as Vero, but who live an off-grid life. I applaud them and wish I could do it.

I meandered a lot in this review, but I guess that’s kind of how The Shutouts felt to me. It’s organized well, don't get me wrong, but I just didn’t connect to anyone but Max and Kelly. Maybe that’s how these types of books work…just like a television show. There are characters that you pay attention to more than others because you like them more (shrug).

The Shutouts is an interesting spin on the latest in climate fiction with a diverse cast.

The Shutouts is the follow-up to the 2023 climate fiction novel Yours for the Taking.

This novel explores small groups of survivors living in a rapidly changing North America after global warming has rendered conditions nearly uninhabitable. Through different POVs, readers follow as these survivors attempt to reconnect with friends and family from whom they’ve been separated, establish camps, search for provisions, and seek safety. The book also delves into the origins of Orchid through letters her mother wrote in 2041.

Like its predecessor, The Shutouts highlights the devastating consequences of global warming and the dangers of allowing powerful corporations and corrupt politicians to exploit humanity’s near-destruction. Despite its bleak moments, the story carries a thread of hope, showing how humans can adapt and flourish by working together and building strong communities.

With Yours for the Taking being one of my favorite novels of last year, I was eager to jump back into this eco-dystopian world. As much as I was happy to reunite with the characters from Yours for the Taking, I was satisfied enough with where there story ended that as a reader I didn’t feel like I gained much from seeing their stories through. The Winter Liberation Army was to me the most compelling aspect introduced in the novel. I loved exploring how the climate crisis would create extremist cult-like groups with the collapse of society as we know it. I would have enjoyed exploring another POV or part of the country/globe because I find the world so interesting but I understand how it would’ve detracted from the story’s scope. Maybe a third novel in a different part of the globe exploring how the climate crisis was survived? I would recommend this for readers who enjoyed the first novel and want some resolution for the characters introduced prior.

While theoretically this could be read as a stand alone (the author does an amazing job of providing missing background information that was covered in the first book without it feeling repetitive if you've read the first book), I would as always recommend reading Yours for the Taking first. As it was, I started reading this book and then stopped because the characters and setting sounded so familiar. Well, yeah, because I'd read the first book! What a wonderful surprise for me! Similar to the first book in this not series, placing all the characters in time and relation to each other took some energy, even having read the first book. For having such an ambitious plot, this is a very character driven book. And of course, solid kudos for the LGBTQIA+ representation.....and that it was just a part of the book, nothing called out or special. Just is! Finally, I really enjoyed how the author was able to bring several different possible outcomes of humanities war on the planet/climate together in one book. There were a few spots that felt a bit contrived, but overall, a great read!

You know that feeling of contentment when you return home after a long trip? That’s how I felt being back in the world of Yours For The Taking. If you missed my review of that book, I gave it 5⭐️ and it’s one of my favorite reads of the year. Even my husband read and loved it!

But I’m here to talk about The Shutouts. It’s a wonderful gift from Gabrielle Korn that expands the story of Yours For The Taking. With two timelines, it functions a bit like a prequel and a sequel. Korn weaves a ton of political discourse into the narrative; the world building is so strong that it feels completely natural. It's a dystopian, speculative fiction that doesn't feel so speculative. It tackles climate change, power + greed, LGBTQ+ rights, misogyny, bodily autonomy, the list goes on.

This was a captivating read. If you love books about the future of our planet and about our individual rights, this book is for you. But I strongly suggest you read Yours For The Taking before jumping into The Shutouts. Much of my enjoyment of the book derived from the way it built upon Yours For The Taking.

I found the overall tone of the The Shutouts to be a slower build and more quiet than Yours For The Taking. It is less suspenseful, it is more of an exploration of characters and their interpersonal relationships. It's about how they face extreme circumstances and make impossible decisions, how it changes them. This is all good stuff and great storytelling, but I think it is the first book that will actually hook readers' buy-in to this story and make them care about these characters. For me personally, I wish The Shutouts had covered less ground and instead delved deeper into some of the more central characters.