3.5 stars rounded down

I really, really wanted to love this book. Everything about the premise felt like something that would work for me, but it unfortunately did not quite hit the mark. I absolutely adored Ava's other books! This story just felt like it was *so* close to scratching the dystopian "fight to the death" itch that I've had, but it ended up floating rather awkwardly between Fantasy and Sci-Fi. When reading a dystopian novel, I REALLY want the setting and plot to reflect what the characters are experiencing. I felt somewhat immersed in the style of the writing, but it just didn't have that sci-fi grit to it that I've come to expect and love.

I don't think that Ava is really capable of writing a *bad* book, just ones that slightly miss the "vibes" mark. I think this is one I'll likely reread to see if I feel better about it, because in my heart I truly wanted to love every second of it! Some of the most climactic scenes have stuck with me and worked relatively well, but I can't help but to feel like there were a few moments in which Ava could've really chosen to *wow* the audience.

As always, all my thanks to both the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to review one of my dream ARCs!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this title!

1.5 rounded up. I've liked a couple of Ava Reid's adult fantasy novels but this missed the mark for me personally. The vibe of the book kind of feels all over the place to me and I kept forgetting that I was reading a dystopian/scifi and not fantasy. That's probably at least partially because it's what I'm used to from the author but I think the cover also gives heavy fantasy vibes and it kept throwing me off.

In theory most of the moving pieces here should have worked for me, but things just never clicked into place. I didn't find myself very compelled by Inesa or Melinoë either and ended up getting bored by them and their hunt pretty quickly. The world building also felt a little half-baked and like it was a throwing spaghetti at the wall type of situation. I also don't know if it's just me being too woke but I didn't love "Wends" as a concept because it felt like it was just pulling directly from Indigenous myth in a way that felt silly and out of place within the rest of the story.

Ultimately I wasn't really into this one but I appreciate the opportunity to read it early.

I had really high hopes for this book, since I absolutely adore Ava Reid’s writing. Unfortunately, while the world building was good and I liked the setting, it reminded me of 2010s dystopian books and movies, I just couldn’t get into the romance bit. I found it to be too unbelievable and disingenuous — I couldn’t get into it and couldn’t stay focused on reading, I had to force myself to get through the book as a result.

My YA Dystopia loving heart is so happy. Thank you so much Ava Reid & Harper Collins for sending me an ARC of Fable for the End of the World.

In the same vein as The Hunger Games and Divergent, this story cleverly subverts the dystopian story we know so well. A beautiful queer rep, and a vividly illustrated world.

Inesa and Melinoë's slowly and intricately built relationship is beautiful to behold, and I'm a bit sad that this is a standalone.

This is simply a must-read and definitely worth adding to the top of your TBR for 2025!

Omg- in this day and age… I’m SO thankful I was granted an eARC for this one. Hear me out…. If you want to read something like the hunger games, but not the hunger games… this one is perfect (plus, it’s sapphic?! Like yes pleeeease)

Due to the current situation we find ourselves in (living in the US) I’ve been wanting to pick up the hunger games but honestly… it’s never been my jam. I wanted to read this one because it was sapphic (and by Ava Reid) and honestly it surpassed my expectations.

I appreciated the romancé despite the situations because it gave me some hope, or made things not feel as… dystopian. Which is something I find true IRL.

Def a case where it mimics reality and prob wouldn’t recommend if that gives you too much doom anxiety but I do think it’s worth the read

First, I’m always the fan of the political messaging behind dystopian novels and I think the world was clear. Very Elon taking over the government, and if they announced gauntlet style games in America tomorrow I’d believe it.

My main issue is that I don’t believe romantic love and trust can thrive under these conditions. And I know that’s ~ the point ~ but I just didn’t believe it. I liked Mel and Inesa, I just wanted so much more from them and for them.

I’m desperate to find an Ava Reid book I love because I SHOULD love them! They have all the makings of a book I’d be really into but unfortunately, the two I’ve read have fallen flat.

They are clearly consumable, I’ve read both of them in a day, and all her other books are on my TBR. I just want one of them to really WOW me.

Thank you to HaperCollins for the ARC!

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

To begin this review, I must say that I will certainly be purchasing a copy of the Barnes and Noble Exclusive as soon as it is released, as this narrative was exceptional in every aspect. Typically, I believe that a book's cover can significantly influence its appeal, and in this case, the cover instantly captured my interest, compelling me to read it without prior knowledge of its content. I am truly thankful to have been approved for this reading. Moving forward, I want to highlight that this story masterfully blends romance, dystopian world-building, action, suspense, and violence, all while remaining suitable for a young adult audience. The plot was well-structured, thoughtfully crafted, fast-paced, and rich in detail, ensuring that there was never a dull moment, making it an ideal one-sitting read. The characters were outstanding; their development was beautifully portrayed, showcasing themes of self-discovery and transformation that I found both inspiring and moving. In summary, this young adult sapphic romantasy is a must-read for anyone who enjoys titles like The Hunger Games, The Uglies, or The Last of Us.

4.25 stars! This was probably the most captivating hunger games-esque story I’ve read since the actual hunger games. It was interesting getting to see perspectives from both sides of the conflicts and such a deep dive into the emotions of those forced into this hunter/hunted dynamic. I also very much enjoyed watching the character growth throughout the book. I was mildly dissatisfied with the ending being a bit more open then I prefer but it does feel necessary since this isn’t a subject matter that will ever be summed up and wrapped in a nice bow in one book. I think that this displayed such a wonderful array of interpersonal relationships between family, friends, lovers, and even held a great deal of introspection. This is absolutely a book I can see many people loving especially seeing some similarities to modern day (nothing extreme but some descriptions of this dystopian world felt rather reminiscent to now).

Ava Reid has been an autobuy author for me since I finished a Study in drowning and I can’t wait to continue to read her work and watch her grow even more

DNF @ 25% (May revisit in the future)
I had high hopes for this book. I love Ava Reid’s early books, though her last few had been misses for me, and this was marketed as a love letter to the dystopians of 2010s. A genre I was deep in during that era. And the premise of this book was intriguing. The execution unfortunately could’ve been better.
I think its biggest challenge was that it was trying to do too much. It was trying to hit all the tropes found in other dystopians that it came across as unnatural and more like a box to check off. Then Reid was trying to do too much when it came to what it was trying to comment on. For example, here it was trying to be commentary on crippling debt and social media and environmentalism and reality tv. Then it was trying to balance family problems too and that’s just Inesa. That’s not taking in all the things going on with the other narrator. And I got all that from just the 25% I did read before DNFing. I think if Reid took some more time to workshop all these things, I believe she would’ve found a way to make them work or decide which to save for a different book.
The reason I ended up DNFing was in part because everything was coming across too heavy handed. The messaging lacked subtlety. Same with the motivations. Those were told to us outright and set up in too nice of wrapped box that it felt unnatural. But my breaking point was when Inesa was nominated as the sacrificial lamb for the upcoming games. Not only was it so disappointing because I saw it coming and who would nominate her from chapter one, but in that instant I saw that our two FMCs were going to have no real agency in this story. What makes the Hunger Games brilliant, what many new dystopian authors inspired by the Hunger Games are missing when it comes to these deadly games is agency. Katniss took back the agency in this story the moment she willingly and freely chose to volunteer for her sister. And immediately her actions are shown to be brave and of her own choice when we are told how no one in her district ever volunteered and shown with how none of Peeta’s brothers volunteer for him. With that moment, the moment that truly kick starts the story, Katniss chose her path. Inesa didn’t chose to be the lamb to save her family. It was chosen for her. And my biggest pet peeve with many new releases I’ve been reading is the lack of agency in the main characters. Or the poor attempt at agency but really it is a cheap mask to try to convince the reader to not look at the author’s hands obviously in view puppeting everything.
I walked into this book with so much hope I would love it as much as I loved Reid’s early works. Those are some of the most beautiful stories I’ve read with poignant messagings. The last two I’ve read by her have been disappointing. They’ve felt rushed and half baked. With both I could see the potential, see how brilliantly they could’ve been, but have been instead left wanting and disappointed. I think there definitely is an audience for this book. I ate up some less then stellar dystopians back in the day. However, if you are expecting a beautifully written story in the way the Hunger Games is, I fear you may walk away a little disappointed like me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

3.5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While the entire premise and setting of this book had me intrigued, it unfortunately fell a little flat for me. I love a good dystopian book, so I was excited to see the summary of The Last of Us meets The Hunger Games; and don't get me wrong, the world building was ultimately easy to understand and I also appreciated the complexities of the different characters. but that was about it. The first few chapters had me hooked, but then it really started to lack in the pacing and it dragged a bit for me and I couldn't tell which path the story was going to take. I fully expected the book to be fast paced and addicting the entire way through. The romance aspect of this happened so suddenly and then fell flat because of the ending, I was so sad (without actually giving away a minor spoiler).

Overall, I felt that Fable for the End of the World was thought provoking in its own way with the setup of the world and complex characters. I appreciated the dystopian realm and felt so sad that it fell so short.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid is a dystopian novel that explores the consequences of a world torn apart by climate disasters, corporate overreach, and gruesome spectacle. In this world, those who fall into deep debt have the option to nominate themselves, or someone in their family, for a challenge called the Gauntlet. In each Gauntlet, the chosen "Lamb" is pursued by a highly trained assassin, known as "Angels." Inesa is one such Lamb, who is ultimately betrayed by her mother and nominated to the Gauntlet. Melinöe is the Angel assigned to Inesa's Gauntlet, instructed with creating the most compelling spectacle possible and redeeming herself in the eyes of Caerus, the company that controls almost every aspect of life. However, things become complicated for Melinöe when she finds herself stranded with Inesa and she realizes that maybe their situation is more complex than she was trained to believe.

This book had a fantastic start and really compelled me for the first few chapters as Reid built out the world and societal structure of Fable for the End of the World! However, as the plot progressed, the novel became quite slow-paced and never truly took off in the way that I expected. There was a lot of potential to expand the narrative surrounding Inesa's father, the Drowned Country, and the notion of reaching beyond Caerus control that wasn't explored as much as I hoped. I think that Reid creates some very compelling critique here, but I didn't feel as connected to Inesa and Melinöe as I might have liked. Ultimately, I was left wanting more at the end of the book and feeling a bit unresolved in terms of these characters' and their story.

I could not put this book down! I was standing in the kitchen reading it while simultaneously cooking lunch. It is bringing some much needed intensity and attention back to the YA dystopian genre.

Inesa is a delightfully flawed and refreshingly normal teenager who's running from her life from a deadly assassin in a government-controlled game where debts are repaid in blood. Melinoe is the assassin tasked with killing Inesa, while battling with her own inner demons and fighting the expectations placed on her by the corporation that created her.

The dystopian world they live in is well thought out and original. It was easy to slide right into the fantasy and follow along. My one catch was how quickly the MCs switch from hunter/prey to lovers (a matter of days) but I've come to expect that in books these days. I would have loved to see it thrashed out more across two or three books. Otherwise, a wonderful read!

THOUGHTS

Ava Reid is obviously someone who loves YA dystopia, and I mean that in the best and worst way. She knows how to write an engaging story, how to weave familiar tropes into a startling apocalyptic landscape. This book is fun, but... it isn't very good at being dystopia. It has all the elements. It has all the tropes and genre conventions, but it lacks one crucial factor: a strong critique of the contemporary social world. Was it a bad read? Not by any stretch. But it doesn't live up to what dystopia can (and should) be.


PROS
Environmental Doom: As much as Reid is playing in a familiar dystopian playground, this book does add a new element to the usual routine: environmental catastrophe. This world, or at least the crumbling rural outskirts where Inesa lives, is drippy. It is wet and moldy and rotten. It isn't sustainable, and the floodwaters are reaching higher every year. The soggy atmosphere mingled with a sort of environmental doomsday undercurrent creates a great backdrop for a dystopian regime.

Cyclical Poverty: Though I've complained that this book doesn't really hold a critique of the contemporary social world, it does at least nod toward one. So I can give it kudos there. There's a certain cyclical nature to poverty in a world run by oligarchs, oligarchs who want and need an impoverished class to exploit. And I think there's something particularly interesting about setting this book in the waterlogged remnants of Appalachia as well, if we've got poverty on the mind... It's hard to get out of debt once you're in it, and it's even harder when the world is designed to keep you there.

Media Frenzy: Another compelling component to the backdrop of this plot is the absolute media frenzy that's happening during this bloody Gauntlet. Online chatter can't keep up. Streamers are live-reacting. Interviews comingle with merch drops, and it all feels very familiar... and very end-of-the-world. There's a sort of reluctance in the publishing world to acknowledge the power that this form of digital-age media (livestreaming, social media content creation, et cetera) has, and I like to see it acknowledged here in this book. Maybe our written work should do more to capture this facet of contemporary life.


CONS
Nonsense: As much as I liked some of the background components of this book--the climate catastrophe, the cyclical debt--the actual, main dystopian crux of this story didn't make sense. In The Hunger Games, there's a lot of groundwork laid to make it make sense that people would watch children die on television. There's severe dehumanization of the lower classes. There's very strong propaganda. And there's competent leadership manipulating human impulses. This book doesn't have any of that. I buy the cycles of debt. I buy, to some extent, being willing to sell yourself (or your closest kin) to relieve yourself of that debt. But I don't buy people watching it. And I don't really buy the debt itself, not fully, because it doesn't seem like the poor here are providing anything to the company that's keeping them in debt. The Capital needs the districts, because the districts provided resources and labor. Caerus doesn't need these outliers because they're just going more into debt with every purchase (i.e. not providing any sort of capital to the company), and they're not returning any labor at all, except for the occasional blood sacrifice to the Lamb's Gauntlet. So... What? Why would Caerus want these debtors around? I don't get it.

Motivations?: This book is as much a love story as it is a dystopian survival competition, and there's honestly a lot that gets lost in the shift between these two plots. Because the "love story" as it exists makes no sense. At least not with how the characters are initially set up. The motivations here, the way they suddenly shift to allow the romance to blossom, just doesn't feel consistent. There's character development, and then there's rapid character assassination to shove them into a romance. And this book is definitely the latter. And the motivations of those in the background working to keep the actual competition plot alive similarly make no sense. I just couldn't figure out why any of these characters would be doing any of these things, and that... Well, that's a problem.

Mutation Misunderstanding: There's a commonly held misconception about mutation, about evolution, that springs from the idea that we're constantly evolving. And, I mean, we are. Like, as a whole. Not on an individual level. So the fact that this book perpetuates the myth of evolution at an individual level just irritated me. Fast-acting evolution like that just isn't a thing? No scientific study has ever said it is a thing? It really doesn't matter how much radiation one it exposed to. You're getting cancer, not becoming a new lifeform. But you know what? I could have forgiven this if the author made up some excuse. If Ava Reid just thought this was a cool element to add to the world, the mutating creatures out in the wilderness, and gave some slapdash reason why they're all evolving so quickly, I would have let it slide because this is a book. This is fiction. Anything can happen, even if that anything doesn't reflect real life. But there's no justification whatsoever. It's just a flimsy plot point propped up by bad science, and I don't like that.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5/10

Fans of Julianna Baggot's Pure will like this new world of gnarly mutations. Those looking for their next dystopian fix after Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games will like this new deadly, not-so-voluntary competition.

The land is flooded, and the people are shackled to Caerus, their corporate overlord, with crippling debt. For some, the only way to pay this debt is to sacrifice themselves or another as a Lamb to the Gauntlet, a televised reality TV competition where they must survive 13 days being hunted by an Angel, a cybernetically enhanced assassin in the service of Caerus. Few do. When Inesa is chosen to be the Lamb, Melinöe is charged with her execution.

What follows is a story of two girls in a drowning world, doing what it takes to survive another day. As always, Reid nails her atmosphere and political themes. While I'm not always a fan of YA dystopia and preferred the fantastical settings of her other books, her writing still had me hooked. The world is just so easy to sink into with relevant commentary on the state of things, inspired by Hurricane Sandy and The Hunger Games, as noted in her author's note. I was a bit less enthused with the execution of the romance. There were some good bones, especially with some of the meaningful conversations that Melinöe and Inesa shared, but it didn't quite stick the landing for me.

I imagine that the last act of the story will be controversial, and it certainly left me feeling some type of way, but it's certainly apt in my opinion. Overall, this book balanced hope for a better tomorrow and despair at the state of the world beautifully, and I'll probably be thinking about FftEofW for a while.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I was enthralled by the world building and characters, and as someone who hasn’t read the hunger games, this made me want to read that series if this was inspired by that style. I loved these characters so much. I do wish we had more of Luka. And the only reason this wasn’t a 5 star is because I needed more from that ending 😭 thank you to the publisher for the e-review copy.

Oh my god, I will never be the same after this book. I haven’t felt this emotionally attached to a book in so long, maybe even since first reading the hunger games oh so long ago— what can I say, these stories just get me.

The social commentary of this book was just CHEFS KISS. Sometimes subtle, sometimes blunt, the view of debt, both monetary and social, and the discussion of technology and society’s hunger for violence and entertainment (sometimes one in the same) was just soooo good. The cameras and whole gauntlet as a metaphor for society is NOT very far from real life which is actually terrifying— okay let’s focus on the book review and NOT fall down that rabbit hole.

“The six-sided white gemstone. Or maybe it’s a die. Wealth and fortune, or luck and chance? I’ve never known. No one has ever told me.”

The romance?! Hello, sapphic TRUE enemies to lovers?! From literally trying to kill each other to fighting FOR each other??? The pining, the internal battle between mind and heart, the care they had for each other while still not fully trusting each other, AHHH! Just so so good.

“I wonder, and the wonder turns to hope.”

The ending??? Had me gasping, crying, biting my fingers to stop from SCREAMING— yes, I do get very emotional over books, why do you ask?? Seriously, what a perfect ending. No spoilers here, just very satisfied with where we ended. Although a second book is needed like yesterday please and THANK YOU Ava Reid!

Overall I cannot recommend this book enough. I still am in shock that I received an e-arc for this book (thank you HarperCollins Canada and NetGalley, ily). All opinions are my own (and boy, do I have opinions as you can see!) PLEASE pick up this book if you loved the hunger games, if you love sapphic enemies to lovers, if you want a critical yet dare-I-say-fun commentary on society, or if you just want an adventurous, action-packed, emotional, pack-a-punch novel that will have you wanting to scream at the pages.

I will now turn back to page 1 and relive this magnificent story, if you need me. ✌️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions in this review are my own.

”Sometimes you don’t even realize that you’re drowning until the water closes over your head.”

4 taxidermied stars!

Overall I loved this novel but could it have been a bit better executed for all the themes crammed into it? Yep.
Did the ending make me infuriated because marketing has this as a romance when it doesn't even hit the ONE RULE all romances must have in order to be one? Also yep.
Did I enjoy it all anyways because of the vibes, the characters, the story, and the IRL parallels? Absolutely yes.

To start, I am going to say I really enjoyed both Inesa and Melinoë as main characters and I love how they were each others foils. Sure the romance was obviously insta-lovey and quick (a matter of days) but I kind of already had the expectation going into this standalone that it was going to be like that. Inesa is what I would consider a soft FMC, she has a quiet strength and I found that to be refreshing. There were a couple of times that she was a little too helpless, but that didn't impact the enjoyment I had of this novel. Melinoë's journey of finding herself and breaking the shackles put on her to become her own person was empowering. Overall I loved them and their romance (despite the ending which I'll get to later) and I also loved Inesa's and Luka's sibling relationship and how they fought for each other all the way through, even in the quiet moments.

I did also enjoy all the themes and commentary (of which there were A LOT) and how starkly parallel it is to today's world. I've saved so many quotes from this novel and it all really drew me in. The vibes and the setting were all there. I didn't even care of some of the worldbuilding needed some more fleshing out, it was enough to tell the story in my opinion. I would honestly love a sequel especially after that ending. Speaking of endings...

I know this isn't the fact of Ava necessarily, but marketing has got to stop marketing it as a romance. They know, along with the rest of the publishing world as well as readers, that a romance book REQUIRES a HEA/HFN, there is no getting around it. It is the ONE RULE thats been around since the dawn of time practically. The ending wasn't a HEA/HFN, it wasn't even hopeful, it was TRAGIC. The MCs aren't together at the end, one is even married off to a sleazeball of a man, and nothing changes in the world for them to end up together by the last page. They are worse off than when they started actually. It was pretty infuriating and it was the biggest thing that impacted my enjoyment of the novel and knocked it down a whole star. I honestly could've lived with the tragic ending if it was clear that this was going to be a series but it is marketed as a standalone. It may end up with a sequel (there is clear potential for it) in which case I will happily read it of course, but as is it does set up the wrong expectation and is again, infuriating instead of hopeful like I think was intended.

I would like to end this review to give a notice on what should be in the content warnings for publication and for anyone else reading this review to decide if it is best for them to read. There is obviously way more than what I will list here, these are just the ones that were the most impactful to me as a reader. This novel has very clear references of pedophilia, child porn, AI generated content specifically around children, and the fade to black sex scene between the two underage FMCs was broadcasted live to millions of people unbeknownst to them at the time. This obviously all harks back to the commentary and themes the novel portrays about this dystopian society but it still something to be noted for those that would like a heads up about this content.

well umm I actually kind of liked this like yeah it’s not never seen before worldbuilding which is okay. I’m fine with reading stories that are similar to others but sometimes we gotta admit we can’t even come close to a masterpiece. it’s very hard to write a story that gives hunger games vibes and then being able to hold a candle to this. this book doesn’t come very close. as I said I did like this but I feel like this story would’ve been told much better in multiple books with more plot. and don’t talk to me about the ending cause I can’t stand it.

3.5 stars 💫 | review posted on goodreads

I cannot write this review without spoilers, because I need to rant, I need to vent out what I read here. Because what the hell was that ENDING?! I'M UPSET. This was one of my most anticipated reads, and to say the least, it disappointed me so much. All that pent-up tension, that chemistry between Inesa & Melinoe, ALL OF IT was only for them not to end up together at the end?! The ending was rushed, there could've been more to the story. The pacing was slow, the story's direction was lacking. All I know is that ending left me hanging. I don't know if I will ever write a full review later after this book gets published, but for now, these are the only things I can say, or rather I could manage to say about this book.

what to expect:
🍃 Dual-POV
🍃 Dystopian
🍃 Enemies-to-Lovers
🍃 Sapphic romance
🍃 Forced Proximity
🍃 Hunger Games-inspired
🍃 Live streamed deadly game

Thank you to the Author, the Publisher, and Netgalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First of all, the world-building is incredible. Growing up on dystopian novels, I’ve come to appreciate a well-thought-out world, one that not only showcases the creative (and sometimes ugly) ways people choose to survive but also offers an in-depth look at how that society came to be. The depiction of class divisions and how they manifest in day-to-day life gave me the same feeling I had while reading The Hunger Games series. It delivered sharp commentary on injustices present in our world today without feeling heavy-handed or repetitive.
The unique dynamic between the main characters was another highlight. An enemies-to-lovers arc I did not see coming! It added an unexpected layer of tension and tenderness that kept me fully engaged. While a couple of twists were somewhat predictable, the journey to those moments was thoroughly enjoyable.
Overall, this was an immersive, thought-provoking read that I’d definitely recommend to fans of dystopian fiction and complex character-driven stories.