Thank you, Netgalley and HarperCollins, for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh man, what a trip. There was so much to love here. The writing was excellent, and the storyline—which, okay, yes—did feel a lot like the Hunger Games, but not in a derivative way, and I think there were notes of The Handmaid's Tale, too. God... poor Melinoë and the other Angels... I also want to shout out Ava Reid, who wrote this very dark tale, but everything encompassing the dark, tragic, or even horrific themes didn't feel gratuitous. Everything had a purpose.

I thought there was a good build-up with Melinoë and Inesa's relationship. The romance didn't feel forced or rushed and it very well could have been because the narrative's pacing was fast, but it just worked. Also, *god* I loved Inesa and Luka's relationship too. Excuse me as I sob to death.

My only nitpick was that the ending felt abrupt, but that might just be me. Overall, it was a solid, well-told tale.

4.75
Holy Crap. What a story.
The writing is amazing. The concept is entertaining and draws you in so well. It is definitely Hunger Games inspired and it invokes a lot of similar feelings in terms of thinking about the world. If you were a fan of the Hunger Games than I believe you would love this as well. I wish there was more. I was so invested in everything that was happening and unfolding. I didn't want it to end. The characters are so rich and develop so well over the course of the story. it's easy to see how this dystopian world could potentially come to be. READ THIS BOOK!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
# Pages: 400
Publication Date: 03.04.25

"𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒕, 𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓.”

* YA Sapphic Romance
* Dual POV
* Dystopian
* Climate Wasteland
* Enemies To Lovers
* Voyeurism
* Standalone
* The Last Of Us X Hunger Game Vibes

- The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in this stand-alone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything.

Fable For The End Of The World by Ava Reid is a sapphic dystopian standalone. Ava always has such creative, beautiful, alluring and captivating way of writing. She is amazing at world building and character development. This one didn’t disappoint, per the usual.

Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, who is trained to kill the “lambs”. Inesa, a taxidermist (with her brother), goes to the Gauntlet in place of her mother’s debt. Both our FMCs come from different walks of life. However, despite these differences, they’re able to teach each other, love each other and see things differently. I loved how their love story unfolds.

”she grows like ivy on the insides of my eyelids. the roots of her are in my rib cage, winding up around my heart.”

"And maybe that’s all it takes—at least at the beginning. Just a few people who care. And that caring matters, even if it can’t cool the earth or lower sea levels or turn back time to before a nuclear blast.”

I’m honestly surprised with the ending and I’m hoping Ava changes her mind about it being a standalone. If not, this will still live rent free in my mind. Overall, I throughly enjoyed the read and can’t wait to read more of her work.

Thank you netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this ARC.

In the author’s note, Ava explains that Fable for the End of the World takes heavy inspiration from The Hunger Games. The anti-capitalist themes are just as strong in Fable as they are in it’s predecessor. What’s more is we get a glimpse at how capitalism pits two girls – who are both used – against each other, and the danger when they don’t fall for the game.
Esopus Creek is drowning. Every year the water gets higher. Every year its citizens go more in debt to Caerus, their savior and their damnation. What started as a slow economic changed turned into a corporate government hellbent on owning everything in sight, even it’s people. While the elite are given high ranking positions in the city, the poor are left to fend for themselves, going into untold amounts of debt until Caerus says it’s too much. Then, they face the gauntlet or they sell out another to do it for them.
Inesa and her brother, Luka have been living with that debt as much as possible. But a turn of events sets them in the gauntlet together, facing down one of the Caerus angels – Beautiful, deadly girls sent to hunt their prey for the city’s entertainment. This violent, brutal challenge is how those in too much debt pay it off… They fight for their life or they sacrifice another. Inesa is constantly put down by her mother as weak and emotional. She is defined by her kindness, her unwillingness to betray others, and her deep sense of empathy—traits that, in the eyes of Caerus, make her ill-suited for survival and the perfect lamb.
Melinoe is the most hated angel. The most perfect angel, according to her maker. But after a failed gauntlet, she’s being tested. She cannot fail again, or they’ll wipe her… Turn her into a doll on the arm of a corrupt corporate elite.
The dystopian narrative serves as a powerful critique of capitalism, particularly highlighting the commodification of human lives. Caerus reduces it’s citizens to mere assets, their worth measured by their economic contributions and debts. inspiration from real-world capitalist practices, notably the predatory nature of debt. The corporation's strategy of encouraging massive debt accumulation mirrors modern issues like exploitative lending practices and the oppressive weight of financial obligations. This parallel underscores the novel's critique of how capitalist systems can devalue human life, treating individuals as mere economic units rather than beings with intrinsic worth.

I want to start by saying that I LOVE the cover for Fable for the End of the World. It immediately caught my eye while scrolling and made me so excited to read it. This is my first Ava Reid novel and I really enjoyed her writing style! The characters were so well done, the plot was interesting, and world building was perfectly intertwined with the storytelling (rather than info dumping).

My biggest problem with this novel though was the pacing. It took me awhile to get into the story like with most fantasy/dystopian novels but once I was in it I was hoping for a fast paced Hunger Games-esque middle to end. Sadly, I found it got really good, fully capturing my attention and then slowed down significantly. Once the immediate danger of Mel hunting Inesa went away because the cameras were off I found it really lost my attention. I understand that the two obviously had to fall in love somehow but it felt a little disjointed the transition between the two arcs. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely still enjoyed myself while reading but it ended up taking me a lot longer to finish than I would’ve liked.

All in all, really solid book and I can’t wait to read more by Ava Reid!

Fable for the End of the World challenges the thought, what if there was more to life? But unlike the fairy tales where the protagonist gets the love interest, this book doesn't go as prettily. Instead, you're met with the bleak outlook that no matter how much you may want to live a different life, sometimes that's just not in the cards. It makes you think of the oppression minorities face daily, the things they go through in the face of an oppressive government who seeks to control the minds of those who are less fortunate and boost up the lives of those who can afford to rise above the rest.

2.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve mostly enjoyed Ava Reid’s books so far ( although Lady Macbeth is a temporary DNF). and while I’m all for authors experimenting and going outside their comfort zone/genre, I found myself feeling very mixed about Fable for the End of the World. While Reid’s prior works have delved into the darker side of life through folkloric and literary metaphors, this one is a gritty dystopian, and while there are merits to this, I feel like it didn’t quite resonate with me as much as their other work, due to my different form of investment in this genre by comparison.
The world building is intriguing, and the ways the social commentary was woven in was probably one of the highlights of the book for me, highlighting how our already terrible situation could get worse through giving power to megacorps, as well as the over-reliance and consumption of everything from tangible goods to media. A lot of it felt very prescient, hitting close to home.
The other saving grace here was Reid’s writing, which at least did not frustrate me the way it did with Lady Macbeth. It’s YA, so I’m not shocked it’s more accessible prose-wise, but I’ll take any win I can get here.
The characters were a major area where I felt let down, which sucks, because I was so hyped for the sapphic relationship. But both were rather underwhelming, and considering some of the books in Reid’s backlist deal directly with rage, trauma, and healing, I had hoped there would be more of that, but there wasn’t, and both leads were pretty uninspiring. Melinoe was a bigger disappointment, as she was meant to be a cold-hearted assassin, but she didn’t fully deliver on that. Inesa was kind of just...there.
And the Gauntlet trials…I’ve seen some Hunger Games comps, and while I can’t accurately compare the two as I haven’t read that, I will say that the competition aspect felt a little too unoriginal, given all that had come before, in both the dystopian and the wider SFF genre. This book felt a little like Reid was a fan of the genre and understood the facets of it, but not quite how to bring it all together in a way that would both stand out and be interesting to readers.
However, it should also be noted that early reviews do seem to skew more toward the positive than critical/negative. And as I’m not an avid fan of the genre, this could be one of those cases where my own genre bias is getting in the way. I’d recommend consulting a variety of reviews, especially from those who share your taste in books before making a decision on this one either way.

This is one of Ava’s better books in my opinion! I loved the twist on The Hunger Games - instead of a big tournament, people are selected individually to be hunted down by “Angels” or girls modified by the government to become beautiful assassins, while the world watches on their tablets.

I really enjoyed both of the MCs and their sapphic enemies to lovers story. I felt like their connection was natural and I was anxiously rooting for them to find a way to beat the system. This was super fast paced and action packed and I finished it pretty quickly because I couldn’t put it down.

That being said, there were things that I wanted more of. While I can appreciate the ending, I personally prefer a more solid conclusion especially in a standalone. There were also certain storylines with a lot of potential that I wish had been expanded upon. I feel like this could have been a really great series.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Phenomenal. I won’t stop thinking about it for a while. If you like the Hunger Games you’ll love this.

I wanted to love Fable for the End of the World—I really did. I’m usually a huge fan of Ava Reid’s work, and I was especially excited to see her branch into a sapphic romance. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me. The romance felt rushed, and I never felt any real chemistry or connection between the two main characters. Their tragic backstories set up a promising start, but the story quickly plateaued, and I struggled to stay invested in where it was going.

Beyond that, the book felt like too many genres mashed together—2014-era YA dystopia, a forced sapphic romance, Wendigos that aren’t really Wendigos, and a drowning world mixed with a modern city that I just couldn’t visualize.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Fable for the End of the World is Ava Reid’s ode to the dystopian YA of Hunger Games, Divergent, and all the heroes we loved to root for as teens ourselves. The story follows Inesa, the lamb, and Mel, the angel as they are thrust into a Gauntlet where Inesa is all but certain to die at Mel’s hands. What follows is an endearing dystopian love story that details the extents we go to not only for our survival, but the survival or our loved ones, our world, and our dreams.

I’ve read and enjoyed a few works by Reid previously, and what I enjoyed about this novel in particular is the way she stays true to the classic YA angst while inserting her classic lush writing. I could tell there was a few moments she knew she would have our stomachs in a twist (in a good way!) from the longing, uncertainty, or sadness that unfolds over these pages.

Something I would have liked to see more of in this novel is worldbuilding. There were a handful of times that I felt that the tension of some of the scenes could have landed harder if we’d been given some additional context for the harshness of world, as well as a few of our other periphery characters. This felt particularly true when it came to Mel and Inessa’s dynamic—I found it hard in some places to believe their romance fully without the tension building across characters and world. I do think Reid gets her main points across, but I feel this world and people have a lot more it could offer, and I hope others can see it!

As Reid notes in the introduction, this book is inspired by Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games. While this is not necessarily a critique, I found myself comparing those parallels in Fable for those scenes in Hunger Games. I didn’t mind it too much, but other readers, know there are some strong parallels if that might not be your cup of tea. I’m curious to know how other readers will react to the ending. I won’t say much to avoid spoilers, but I look forward to others sharing their thoughts when this comes out in March 4!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for this e-ARC!

This world was very nostalgic for me. Took me back to my childhood of dystopian books. I just wish there were less plot holes and more explanations as to how the world worked. Maybe if it were a duology, it would have more time and space to be built upon.
Another thing is that the romance was technically there, but I didn't understand how they even liked each other (or others before each other).
On a positive note, I like the ending. I like that it doesn't necessarily end in a happily ever after. Leaving room for another book, maybe? Also, I could not stand the mother. Wish she didn't get her happy (?) ending. But then again, sometimes that's just life.
I cannot wait for this book to be released to the public because there are a lot of conversations to be unpacked.!

4.5 stars

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid is an addictive dystopian fantasy with sapphic elements.

The elites have created a “Gauntlet” that the citizens can livestream… the “Angels” are beautifully deadly: part robot, part human girls who have been programmed to kill. The “Lambs” are citizens who have been offered up by family members in debt — the timer counts down and the Lamb tries to survive being hunted & killed by the Angel.

In this world we have Melanoë as our Angel
& Inesa as our Lamb — this gauntlet does not go as planned….to say the very least.

I love love loved getting to know our two FMCs with the dual POV. I really appreciated immersing myself in the dystopian society. It’s crazy to think about what it would be like to be in that situation….

If you are a fan of The Hunger Games you’ll love this!! Especially if you are looking for a dystopian fantasy that isn’t focused on the romance.

Thanks so much to HarperCollins & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

✨thank you netgalley for the arc✨

ya know, this felt very nostalgic and gave me that same feeling as all our OG dystopian YA novels gave us. an ode to the hunger games, divergent, the uglies, and other books that shaped pre-teen me.

but this fell quite flat for me. it was very insta-lovey, and their relationship (if you could even call it that) was shallow and formed based on nothing. the world building was so surface level, and i think because of that there were a lot of plot holes. this really left me wanting more, and i think if given more, this could have been a great book!

overall, it was a quick and fun read. the idea is there, i just wish it could have been executed with more detail, more lore, and more exploration of the characters and world.

Ava Reid never misses. If any book feels like the true successor to Suzanne Collins’s legacy, it’s this one.

I'm a little torn on this one. I loved the world, the dystopian setting, the stakes. I enjoyed watching our two characters see each other as humans instead of just cogs in their societal machine.
Unfortunately, as much as I loved following our characters, I wanted more. I always felt like we were at the cusp of getting more depth from them, just to be teased. There was also a solid stretch of time that felt very stagnant. I like that we got a little of time for Inesa and Melinoe to get to know each other and grow, but the middle third could have moved a tinyyy bit faster. I think that would've helped the ending not feel so sudden.
Overall, I love Reid's work. While this isn't my favorite of hers, I would still recommend.

🌿 Dystopian
🌿 Stand Alone
🌿 Sapphic romance
🌿 Hunger Games vibes
🌿 Young Adult

Fable for the End of the World is a dystopian novel by Ava Reid that comes out March 4! I was lucky to get an ARC from @netgalley.

Spoiler Free Review:
Fable for the End of the world features a dystopian world full of debt where families can offer their loved ones as a sacrifice to fulfill their debt. This book fulfills its promise of survival, sacrifice and love that risks absolutely everything. Pick this book up on March 4!

It’s been a long time since I stopped in my tracks during daily life and pondered the book I read by night, but Fable DID THAT.

This was my first Ava Reid book, and let me tell you, this is one of those that has me immediately pushing the author’s entire backlog to the front of my TBR.

Dystopian science fiction is back and I couldn’t be happier.

From the very start, the story heavily leans into inspiration from Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, yet stands on its own as a modernized warning and commentary on current issues such as climate change, corporate greed, and government run by capitalism. (Work that political science degree girl!)

World building is masterfully interwoven in a character led story, in my favorite format, multiple POV. You have complex characters, a unique post (climate change and capitalism driven) apocalyptic state, and a story that feels fresh. I love love love when an author leads us to a world without info dumping and spelling it out for us. This has been done in such a way that true dystopian fiction demands: you discover the horrors of the world along with the characters…who already thought they knew it so well.

I’ll be haunted by this story until Ava Reid gives us a sequel, which seems likely. One quote in particular will stay with me a while: “She could have anything she ever wanted-except her freedom.”

I couldn’t put this book down! To compare it to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes wouldn’t do this book justice.

Set in a future, dystopian New England where the government is controlled by the corporation Caersus, having credits (money) is what gets you anywhere in life. Inesa lives in the very outskirts of civilization in a town that is half under water with her mother and younger brother Luka. After their father disappears, their hypochondriac mother runs up debt for medical treatment she doesn’t need. While Luka hunts the last of the remaining non-mutated wildlife and Inesa practices taxidermy to preserve them for the wealthy to buy and display, it isn’t enough to cover the debts their mother owns.

Unbeknownst to Luka and Inesa, their mother volunteers Inesa for the Lamb’s Gauntlet, a nationally televised event in which a Caersus assassin hunts down the lamb for the sport of the nation starting from the “lamb’s” hometown. This is practically a death sentence as the chances of surviving the fourteen days while being hunted by a modified and highly trained, barely human who is numb emotionally, are slim to none. With the help of townsfolk, Inesa and Luka head out in an old car to try and put as much space between them and Melinoë, the trained assassin assigned to Inesa. Can they escape the assassin, avoid the mutant humans and animals, and maybe even find a way out of Caersus’s control?

I appreciated the duels perspectives of Inesa and Melinoë. Topics of global warming, fascism, human rights and love come into play in a world that doesn’t seem that far removed from our own, which is definitely scary to consider. I never felt like there was a slow spot, the pacing is extraordinary and there wasn’t a moment I was bored.

This is not your dystopian tale where the leads fall in love and walk off into the sunset. Is love even enough at times when the world is against you and humans are reduced to our primal animalistic nature? I didn’t see the ending coming!

This is YA with only some kissing involved and anything else physically that happens is behind closed doors. This is also not a story in which Inesa struggles with her queer identity as there doesn’t seem to be homophobia within this society. In fact, Inesa’s relationship with a female only serves to further boost the views on the live broadcast as cameras follow Inesa, Luka, and Melinoë around.

I will be recommending this book for YA and older because while it is most certainly not a feel good, love story, it is beautifully written and very thought provoking with topics we are facing today.

Do I even need to say this book was absolutely amazing?! In my mind Ava Reid can do absolutely no wrong and this book was no exception. It was dark and twisty even for a ya novel which I loved. This is definitely a book I would recommend.