“But I think individuals are capable of compassion. Actually, I know they are. 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 before a nuclear blast.”

4.5 ⭐️ WOW. Fable came to me at the perfect time. In recent weeks, I’ve been reflecting on my fears about what the future holds for our world. Issues like climate change, violence, and homophobia have been weighing heavily on me—and on many of the young people I work with. Leave it to Ava Reid to address these topics so thoughtfully. In this futuristic dystopian novel, Reid delves into a reality that many of us would rather not imagine. She explores themes of capitalism, wealth inequality, climate change, trauma, depression, and individualism. Yet, she also portrays hope, strength, community, love, and the importance of FEELING. I highly recommend checking out Fable when it hits shelves; I know I’ll be buying my own copy on March 4th!

- Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! -

Ava Reid crafts a gripping and thought-provoking dystopian tale in Fable for the End of the World. Set in a society controlled by the oppressive Caerus corporation, the story follows Inesa, a resourceful taxidermist thrust into the deadly Lamb’s Gauntlet, and Melinoë, the cold yet haunted assassin sent to kill her. As they navigate a dangerous cat-and-mouse chase through apocalyptic wastelands, their perspectives shift, challenging their beliefs about survival, redemption, and even love. The novel’s richly imagined world, complex characters, and exploration of human connection make it a compelling read.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid is exactly what you’d expect from her: a brutal, beautiful, and achingly human story wrapped in a dystopian fever dream. The world-building is darkly brilliant, the prose reads like poetry with teeth, and yes, the cover is stunning (at this point, it’s practically a law of the universe—Ava Reid’s books must look as devastatingly gorgeous as they feel).

This time, Reid takes us to a decaying, debt-ridden world controlled by Caerus, a corporation so ruthless it hosts televised bloodsport to remind the underclass exactly where they stand. Enter Inesa, a scrappy survivor with a sharp mind and a penchant for preservation—fitting, since she literally runs a taxidermy shop in a town that’s sinking both literally and figuratively. When her own mother signs her up as a sacrifice for the Gauntlet (thanks for nothing, Mom), it’s impossible not to feel the gut punch. And Inesa isn’t a "chosen one" archetype—she’s not special because of prophecy or fate. She’s special because she refuses to let the world break her, even when it’s coming at her with a knife.

Then there’s Melinoë—the assassin who is as tragic as she is terrifying. She’s the poster child for what happens when a person is stripped of their humanity piece by piece until all that’s left is a weapon. Or at least, that’s what she thinks she is. Reid layers Mel’s character with such subtle vulnerability that watching her unravel as she hunts Inesa is both terrifying and heart-wrenching. She’s caught between what’s been done to her and what she desperately hopes she can still be. And the fact that these two girls—both enemies and victims—begin to see something tender in one another amidst the carnage? That’s Ava Reid’s magic right there.

The tension between them is electric, not because it’s some doomed "enemies-to-lovers" trope slapped into place, but because it feels like survival itself hinges on whether they choose destruction or grace. The love story isn’t soft—it’s jagged and tentative, like two people reaching for warmth in a world that keeps trying to convince them that warmth is a weakness.

The dystopian elements are sharp and disturbingly believable. Caerus’s hold over society through debt is painfully on-the-nose in the best way. Reid isn’t just imagining some far-off hellscape; she’s holding up a mirror to the worst parts of our own reality and asking, "How far off is this, really?"

If there’s one small downside, it’s that the pacing in the middle starts to sag just a bit. There’s so much internal reflection (and rightfully so—these characters have a LOT to process) that the tension of the chase falters here and there. But it’s a minor quibble in a story that otherwise grips you like a hand on your throat.

Four stars because it’s devastatingly good—dark but not hopeless, violent but still tender. It’s not an easy read, but Ava Reid doesn’t write easy stories. She writes stories that crack open your heart and leave you questioning what survival and sacrifice really mean. And as always, I’ll be adding this physical copy to my collection because her books don’t just sit on shelves—they haunt them.

thank you harpercollins for the ARC copy! this review is 100% my true thoughts and opinions about the book.

i did really enjoy this, i’ll give it a 3.5 because the setup and the plot were great, and i liked our characters but i feel like it started going too fast and jumbled towards the end. the last 25% or so was underwhelming compared to the rest of the book. i honestly think that this would’ve been great as the first book in a duology.

overall i do recommend this because sapphics in a dystopian world, need i say more? i’m interested enough to read more from ava reid, as this was my first book of hers.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

“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.” - Fable for the End of the World

i absolutely needed to read this the moment i heard ava reid’s next book was going to be a sapphic dystopian romance, and this made me nostalgic in all the right ways. would it be going too far to say that this book stands as proof that we need a revamped dystopian-genre renaissance? i don’t think so. i want more hunger games but gay.

i’m a stickler for dystopian worldbuilding, since that seems to be what makes or breaks the stories in this genre, and i was pleasantly surprised by how refreshing Reid’s New Amsterdam felt. i was quickly drawn into the nuances of this world.

i enjoyed reading from both inesa and mel’s perspectives, and reid was smart in how she used their povs to flesh out the world from both sides. i’ve seen other reviews saying that Fable bears too many similarities to the Hunger Games, but i disagree; Fable’s characters, world, and story provided enough bends on the genre and their inspiration to feel fresh and unique. the ending especially made it stand out to me among others, while simultaneously wrecking me.

i will say not to go into this book expecting a ton of action, which is why it’s a star off for me. it’s more of a romance and character study, which i won’t complain about because i found both compelling, but i do wish the middle of the story had felt a little less stagnant setting-wise. i would have loved the opportunity to explore more of this world.

A dystopian world in which you can pay off your debt by sacrificing someone you love to The Gauntlet. The Lambs-your average person from these poor communities- are hunted in their community by an Angel, a cyborg like human who has been modified in some way to hunt. We get to see both sides of the story through the dual POV, told in alternating chapters.
Of course it is rightfully being compared to series like The Hunger Games, but this story has enough unique elements to see it's individual impact on the Dystopian YA genre. We've got enough world building and character development to keep us interested but not overwhelm us with exposition, which is often hard in these first of a series novels.
The main reason I gave this story a knock down for star rating is how quick the romance happened. It seems odd to me that they went from hunter/hunted to "being in love" in the course of a few days. Like is it just the trauma bonding?

This is the dystopian book all millennials will love. This is what all the books after Hunger Games wanted to be. It was so well written with compelling characters.

3.5 stars

I think, on the whole, Reid’s YA books are superior to their adult books. There’s not nearly as much stiffness, none of the rambling descriptions or awkward ham-fisted messages. The YA books feel different at their very core.

I will say, what really hurt me with this book were small details. Like Melinoë never once reloads her rifle? And the only mention of bullets as separate from the gun itself was when she gets all new gear (but she still doesn’t load them? So what were they even for?) I also feel like Inesa and Melinoë’s narrative styles weren’t distinct enough; without context clues, one couldn’t tell which of them was narrating. And there was a weird obsession with throat syringes? I feel like that’s wildly unsafe and impractical but okay. And the big climactic scene doesn’t really hit as hard as it could have because we spent the whole book with Inesa and Melinoë, leaving Luka and especially Lethe as mere sketches that don’t feel much like people.

Things that worked really well for me: pacing (especially during the first 70%), the reality of existing in a broken system that is designed to stifle the underprivileged, Melinoë’s growth / character arc (her trauma, her relationship with/dependence on Keres, and Azrael’s role), the cannibal/zombie people.

Was it a masterpiece? No. Did it feel like the old 2010s dystopian era? Mostly yes, though there was a lot less rebellion/“burn down the broken system” energy, which I think hurts the story overall.

I do really love this author’s work. I really need to get into the author’s adult works more because I really am drawn to the writing style the author has. I had such a beautiful time with this story! Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed the concept of this book. The setting was interesting. I also liked each of the characters individually and their stories. I almost wish that it wasn’t a romance at all. I would have liked for it to go a little more deeper into the world. I wanted to know more about Caerus and life outside of the city. I just wanted depth from the world and how it came to be that way.
For me the romance was the weakest part of this book. It felt very lacking. I didn’t feel their romantic connection at all. Not enough buildup, not enough chemistry between the characters. I liked the characters individually.
Overall this wasn’t my favorite read, but I liked the writing style and I’ve enjoyed other books from this author. I’ll continue to check her work out!

Ava Reid just knows how to tell a darn story!

The concept isn’t new, more a mash up of some common dystopian tropes, but with the signature Ava Reid flair and style.

Oh did I mention this is a sapphic tale?? Having a well known author like Reid bring love stories about queer people to the mainstream is wonderful. I am glad to see more publishers backing away from performative inclusion and just letting authors tell good stories with good characters.

Overall the setting, pacing and story were fantastic but the conclusion felt a little underwhelming, not in a terrible way. I just think she did such a good job in the first 2/3 of the book that the wrap up felt less impactful to me.

an enjoyable hunger games-inspired dystopian novel with a sprinkling of romance.

so fun fact this is actually my first ava reid novel in all my years of reading. i've seen her acclaim for years now, but i've never been able to properly dig into one of her books. however, i love the hunger games, so i was eager to request and read this.

this follows inesa, a young girl, in a dystopian united states ruled by a megacorporation named caerus. she and her family are struggling to get by, and her mom subsequently puts her up for a gauntlet (a livestreamed hunt) in order to avoid paying off her debt. inesa and her brother luka try to escape and survive while being hunted by an trained assassin (an angel) named melinoe. however, melinoe and inesa slowly turn from enemies to allies to something more while staving off caerus.

the worldbuilding is great! you get enought information to be placed in this dangerous and toxic world. from lower esopus, with its flooded streets and dingy houses, to melinoe's penthouse and the glittery city, to the mystical drowned county and the dominion of old england. the world comes to life. the entire first like 20% of the book was worldbuilding and individual character work which did make it a bit hard to get through but the book went fast asl after that.

i enjoyed the character work in this book. obviously with dual povs you run the risk of making the two characters sound/feel the same, but inesa and melinoe were definitely very distinct. i also think azrael and luka are good characters; especially azrael. he occupies this space of being melinoe's father figure and her master and her puppeteer all at once, and that sets up a toxic dynamic with melinoe. when melinoe and inesa are chasing and hunting each other, that is where the book shines. i love the action and the tenseness as inesa races to escape and melinoe races to capture. loved loved loved the parallels of inesa and melinoe. their relationships with death are so different; inesa treats life reverently. even working as a taxidermist, she is used to death but still is appalled by the idea of killing. meanwhile, melinoe is a born and bred killer, but she begins to change as she allies with inesa. i loved how melinoe, who was built deliberately to not be human, begins to develop and grow feelings beyond what she was made for.

the romance was instalove, and i think it could've been built up stronger. i wish there was more tension built up between them two. also tbh having caerus livestream them making out is a nasty violation my god??? like idk. i was rooting for them though but i really think this book would've benefitted from having a sequel and exploring their relationship even further. the ending of chapter thirty though GOD it hit me in the chest.

there isn't a hea, but i think the ending makes sense for the story. i think the ending isn't necessarily tragic; it reads more wishful and hopeful. if ava reid has ever wished to write a sequel (and i see her books so i know she will write that sequel) i need her to get on that zoom and start,

i enjoyed this! maybe i need to tune into more ava reid. perfect for those who miss the 2010s-dystopian ya novels and fans of the hunger games,

thanks to netgalley and harper collins for the arc!

In this Hunger Games meets Black Mirror tale, Inesa, an underclass citizen, lives in a world where one singular corporation, Caerus, grows richer with society's insurmountable debt. Despite her efforts to help her family stay in the black, Inesa receives notice that her mother has hit the debt threshold. Payment doesn't come in the form of credits, but instead from the Lamb's Gauntlet; a livestreamed hunt where Angels, trained assassins, are assigned to eliminate the sacrificial lambs. Selfishly, Inesa's mother sacrifices her to be the Lamb in her place. The Angel assigned to Inesa's Gauntlet, Melinoë, is faced with an ultimatum. Fail the mission and become decommissioned to be wed to Caerus' CTO. As the hunter and hunted enter the gauntlet, they question the world they live in and whether they are truly enemies.

if NetGalley had an option for half stars, I would rate this 4.5 stars. I am rounding up.

this book would be of interest for those that enjoy:
✨ dystopia
✨ dual POV
✨ hunter x hunted
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ LGBTQ+
✨ young adult
✨ science fiction
✨ societal commentary

I was captivated by this story with only two chapters: the first introducing us to Inesa, <spoiler>the Lamb</spoiler>, and the second introducing us to Melinoë,<spoiler>the Angel</spoiler>. Both of their characters had moving backstories and I was drawn to all the complex relationships in their lives. this story was written with incredible emotion and descriptions that made me emotionally attached early on. I loved how Inesa had darker features and Melinoë in contrast was light as it visually represented how both characters come from completely different social classes. when tides turn in the Gauntlet and they need to rely on each other to survive, they both see the truth of who they are and who they are meant to be. however, I feel that their love story was underwhelming and rushed. the pair said "i love you" within days. of course, in this scenario it is after immense duress and one too many near death moments and these girls are only seventeen. the "i love you" is what threw me off the most.

the pair becomes more vulnerable with each other in ways that no one else in their life has ever seen. unfortunately, when they believe the livestream has been cut off and they become their most vulnerable, the cameras are sneakily on and the whole world DOES see. throughout the story, there is further commentary on how women are viewed in the media. Melinoë makes comments repeatedly about how much surgery she has had since Angels are to look breathtaking at every moment and how the surgical scars are hidden so no one can see how ugly they truly are. this commentary addresses how those in the limelight are scrutinized over everything that is said and done, including how the media can influence whether they are beloved or hated. in addition, this book is a commentary on society as a whole and what the world could become in the trajectory we are already on. it touches upon climate change, societal gaps widening, and the cost of these changes.

the ending of this tale is not a happily ever after, and while i figured it would not end in happiness, i was convinced that would be the case. i was anticipating full anarchy and them sticking it to the man, but that was not the case. i also figured this was to be a standalone book, but i have so many questions left unanswered i wonder if this is not the case.

thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Everyone will be comparing this book to the Hunger Games and rightfully so, in the best way possible. Fable manages to capture the tension, social commentary, and rage of the Hunger Games books while also creating something wholly its own.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid was an okay read. I have such a weird relationship with the work of Ava Reid. The premise for her books are always so interesting and I want to love them so much but most (but not all) of her titles fall a little short with the execution. I think there are some plot points that weren’t flushed out enough which makes me wonder why they were even put in to begin with. I honestly think this would have been stronger if it focused on only a couple of the things instead of going to far with other points. The characters kind of blended with each other and there were moments were I confused the two characters. The writing was a little convoluted at times and it just made my overall experience of reading it unenjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the Advance Reader Copy!
Well, where to start? This had some really cool elements to it-dystopian, Hunger Games type of outline, sapphic romance, enemies to lovers.. you get the idea..
I thought it started out really strong and I had my guesses along the way, but boy was I wrong on all fronts of that.
The majority of the story focused on the budding romance between predator and prey (Angel and Lamb if you will), but there was some really great lead up to the actual gauntlet beginning and when they began to rely on each other for survival.
I get that it's an enemies to lovers, but it became very instalove- which it's a standalone so I guess it's to be expected. That's not what got me, it was the ending.
It was just very unsatisfying and not at all what I was expecting. I truly wish there was more to the story and we could find out what happens to Mel and Inesa, but I guess it up for interpretation.
Also, the dad situation.. what even was the point? I thought for sure at some point he'd make an appearance- even be the guy behind it all, but NO- he's just a run of the mill POS father that walked out on his kids and left them with little hope for a better future or survival. And even that hope was wiped away because it was all made up.. like he was just a red herring, and really served no purpose. They could have just said he died rather than skip out on them and it still would have driven the plot in the same way. Guys my brain hurts..

This delivered all the promised lesbian dystopian hunger games vibe wonderfully. It was so good. Especially reading it from the context of our current political climate. This was different than previous of Reid’s work, but it’s a welcomed change. The quality that I’ve come to expect from her is still there. So happy I got this early because it was such a good read!

This was phenomenal, this is so different from other Ava Reid books, but it still kept her high quality of writing. I need basically everyone to read this.

If you love dystopian novels and were deep into The Hunger Games and Divergent, you will love these. You can see the fingerprints of this time but Fable stands completely on its own. The world created in the book feels like it could truly happen, especially considering the current political climate - I read this and kept thinking to myself how prescient it could be. With the way that corporations take over and everything is commodified and stratified, this felt like the updated version of the Hunger Games districts done in a way that felt like it might be what we are quickly headed to in our own world. Everyone so engrossed in their tablets and everything is content rather than real life.

The discussion of how we break people down so simply in society and our quest for our own ability to move up is interesting and so intrinsic to this story. What happens when we try to remove every part of you that's human? Can we truly take away what ultimately makes you who you are? How do we strip away basic human behaviors like leaning on our neighbors and make each of us afraid of this? How do we make everything around us a commodity and kindness into a type of debt that can be exploited? Ava Reid explores this in a way that I thought was really engaging and new. It brings together all the best parts of the dystopian genre and brings it into our current day.

Ava Reid has such a knack for creating characters who are both hardened by their worlds but also "too soft" as well. Those characters who though they may be the heroine, they aren't the typical bad-ass with no feelings, they are softer and trying to understand how they could possibly fit into the world around them. I think the exploration of how this softness fits into the world and how can it exist within the parameters of their society is unique without verging into "not like the other girls" territory. It gives space to see how you can be strong without being the strongest physically and that you can endure without losing that part of you. I think that Inesa, and ultimately Melinoë, are part of this in ways that are unique to each of them and they learn from each other as well.

My only issue with the book was how quickly it felt like the romance happened. Ultimately, it felt like a believable romance, but I wish there had been longer for our characters to get to the point that they did. The pacing of this was the only thing that felt off, it felt both slow and natural while also being underscored in the text of how quickly time was passing. I think I just wanted them to have more time to fall into this.

I would highly recommend Fable. This is such a unique book in the space and I think it is going to be a favorite for many in 2025.

This book was like lesbian hunger games and I ate it up.

I really loved learning about Melinoë and her backstory. She kind of reminds me of Finnick in the way that her body is not her own. Her memories get wiped ever so often and she’s made to kill people. It really shows how everyone is a victim of Caerus and no one, even the ones who seem to have a “better life”, come out unscathed.

Ava Reid has done it again. Her books always leave me completely speechless. I’ve  never really read any sort of science fiction or dystopian book, and I truly wasn’t sure how I would feel about this one - but of course, Ava Reid is my favorite author, so I had to read it. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint in the slightest. Truly, Ava’s books are not just books, they are works of art. This book is no different. It was filled with so much softness and so much love and so much hope! I absolutely adored the two main characters. And oh! My gosh! The multiple POVs and first person narratives were just perfect! The second to last chapter had my jaw on the floor and the very final chapter just ripped me to shreds. I always know that I’m going to feel deeply while reading an Ava Reid book, and ugh, feel deeply I did. Ava is constantly pushing me out of my comfort zone and I am forever grateful for her and her writing. I can’t wait to see what she does next!