Three words: Lesbian. Hunger. Games. This reminds me a lot of the 2010s dystopian YA novels that were out, and I love that this was has queer characters in it!

Fable for the End of the World
by Ava Reid
Pub Date: Mar 04 2025

By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.

Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet.

Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.

When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother she might stand a chance of staying alive.

For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.

As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing.

And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.

If you love the Hunger Games, you MUST read this book. It is post WWIV and a corporation has taken over the land. They will loan you up to 500,000 points (cash), but if you hit 500K, you (or your child) can be entered into a gauntlet where a super being hunts you down and kills you on live television.

Thank you Net Galley and Harper Collins for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Truly a great sapphic hunger games book! My first Ava Reid book and I LOVE their writing style. The dystopian tech based society was so well fleshed out.

Will provide a more depth review on goodreads in the future, accidentally became very busy.

Thank you for the arc!

Ava Reid delivers a YA dystopian novel that is not only shockingly parallel to contemporary life but also highly relatable to teenagers. Initially, Fable' s story feels reminiscent of The Hunger Games and even evokes George Orwell' s 1984 with its Big Brother overtones, but it quickly becomes distinctly different. Fable' s world is controlled by Cearus, an unknown entity without a face, along with several corporate workers who help govern society. Cearus oversees everything, including the debts of individuals. People constantly plunge into debt as there are no limits, leading to an endless cycle. This accumulating debt can only be addressed if someone enters The Gauntlets. The Gauntlets is a survival game where one must confront an Angel that is part human and part machine, the ultimate killing machine. Survive, and you win the Gauntlets. With this setup, readers are left with numerous unanswered questions about not only this society but also the rules of the Gauntlets. It' s uncertain whether this ambiguity is a deliberate effort to provoke thought or indicative of an underdeveloped concept. Now, moving on to the characters in this story.

The book utilizes a dual point of view from both Melinoë and Inesa, offering a refreshing perspective as we learn about the challenges both girls have faced before entering The Gauntlets. Inesa contends with a dysfunctional family; her father is missing, and her mother is a nightmare. Together with her brother, they strive to survive. Melinoë grapples with returning after struggling to overcome her last Gauntlet. She constantly sees the face of a girl, and no matter how many times she wipes it away, it never disappears.

The enemies- to- lovers trope is always appealing to readers, but for me, this felt rather superficial. What fosters their connection beyond being in the Gauntlet together? This dynamic reminded me of Peeta and Katniss. Despite enjoying the portrayal of two queer characters openly discussing their relationship until they realized they were being filmed, it seemed that once they recognized the cameras were on, they reverted to being "friends."

CW: Death, Murder, Classism, Addiction, Violence, Minor Sexual Content (off- page)

As soon as I finished it on my Kindle, I pre-ordered my finished copy. The quotes were verified in it.

If you love Dystopian books, you NEED to pick up this gem immediately.

It's absolutely incredible and it let me in such a state of disarray. I don't know what to do with my life anymore. I just know that I want more, that I NEED another book !

Inesa and Melinoë's story was one of a kind. I just loved them so very much.

Their love story was beautiful and it proves that love cannot be erased.

And the love between sister and brother in this one is incredible.

Read this if you love :

✨ Sapphic Romance ;
✨ YA Dystopian;
✨ Enemies to Lovers ;
✨ Forced Proximity ;
✨ Only One Bed ;
✨ Brother and Sister's loyalty ;
✨ Soul crushing cliffhanger.

Whew. I’m going to describe this as The Hunger Games meets Docile.

Inesa lives in a flooded village with her brother and mother. Everyone struggles, and they especially have since her father left and her mother became ‘sick’.

But they refuse to take on any debt that might make them vulnerable to the Gauntlet. The Gauntlet is a game wherein someone with more than 500k in credit debt is required to name someone to be hunted by an Angel to the death.

The central Angel in our story is Melinoë. She’s struggling as the last Gauntlet she was in, she struggled with having to kill a little girl and can’t forget it, no matter how many procedures her handler puts her through.

Inesa is thrown into the Gauntlet when it comes to light that her mother has been secret spending thousands upon thousands on sweet treats, fancy clothes, and other things she doesn’t need. Her little brother is determined to help her survive and goes with her and they try to outlast the Angel.

However when communication between Melinoë and her handler are cut off, she makes a deal with Inesa to help each other until the cameras are back. Neither of them bargained for what develops between them.

Overall a timely story of capitalism and corporate control..


Spoilery complaint: why did they get frisky when Melinoë had burnt up legs?????

Book Review: Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

Rating: 6/5 stars (Yes, you read that correctly!)

Oh. My. Gosh. I’ve been waiting for a novel that blends dystopian elements with beautiful character arcs, and Reid’s latest book knocked it out of the park. I've been DYING for a return to the dystopian genre, and Fable for the End of the World is exactly what I've been waiting for. Reid doesn’t just give us a decaying society but builds it out to feel alive. The way the world around the characters falls apart, while they try to hold themselves together? *chef's kiss*

AND LESBIANS! I cannot forget to mention lesbians...

This is my first "6 star" read of 2025, It is a must read for anyone who loves dystopian fiction, compelling characters, and a story that punches you in the gut with all the feels. I need more, and I need it now!

FABLE FOR THE END OF THE WORLD drew me in with its gorgeous cover and premise that reminded me of The Hunger Games. And boy did it deliver. Imagine The Hunger Games but if Katniss and Clove fell in love and Clove was also part muttation. Also, the Capitol is basically just Amazon. If that doesn’t pique your interest, I can’t help you.

I was totally riveted by the fast-paced yet introspective writing that walks the fine line between character- and plot-focused. And the ending was fantastic because it left me wanting more while still not being a cliffhanger: it’s satisfying but sad. I would very much read more in the same world, preferably about the same characters. I love them so much and their romance really had my heart in a vise grip.

I wish I had a time machine so I could go back about a decade (God, I’m old) and give this book to my teenage self, who was absolutely obsessed with The Hunger Games. (Not that anything has changed now.) Because it’s exactly the kind of book I wish I had, and I’m so glad that today’s teenagers and young adults have books like this!

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review (which turned out much longer than I planned because I simply have so much to say about how fantastic this book is).

I was very thankful to get an ARC of this one. This had major hunger games vibes and I was here for it. I think it is really important to read dystopian novels during our current political climate. The book also had a lot to say about women in media. I think this one was extremely well done and would be interested to read more by the author. Def recommend this one!!

I honestly don't know how I felt about this one. I just didn't feel much listening to it. I don't know if I didn't take to the world or the characters but I felt like something was missing. The plot and the concept were quite interesting, it just didn't fully work for me at that time. It wasn't a bad read though and I will be reading more Ava Reid books.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“So here we are, hating each other, repulsed by each other, both standing to gain from the other’s demise. And yet - I owe her my life, And she owes me hers.”

Ava Reid wrote another winner! I loved this book. If you love dystopian fantasy books and sapphic romances, this is a book for you!

The author was constantly making my heart ache and that is something I was hoping for from this book. It was giving Hunger Games vibes and social commentary about consumerism, online content, and how the government can and does control the information going out to their people.

Overall, Ava Reid knocked it out of the park. She is definitely an auto-buy author for me.

What to expect in Fable for the End of the World:
The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Sapphic Love Story
Enemies to Lovers
Dystopian fantasy world
Complicated family dynamics
Hunger Game Vibes

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one definitely took me a minute to get into, but once I did I couldn't put it down. The narrative was beautiful and haunting. It was honestly fairly unsettling to be reading this and living in the world we are now. My one critique is the pacing of the narrative. I found the romance to be compelling and lovely, but it felt like it happened out of nowhere. I understand physical attraction and the desperation to survive, but it really could have/should have been fleshed out more. The ending only served to shine more light on this issue. Will I be pre-ordering the sequel? Yes. Did I like the book? Also big yes. This was everything middle school hunger games obsessed wanted and more.

DNF-30%. I appreciate the homage to dystopian fiction and The Hunger Games but I just kept waiting for things to pick up or to feel more invested in the characters and I wasn’t. Also my own mood is playing a factor here but I haven’t picked it up in days. Could be a good read if you’re looking for a sapphic dystopian novel (that’s what drew me in).

This book was absolutely wild, in the best way possible! It’s like the best combination of The Last of Us and The Hunger Games. The world Ava Reid creates is brutal, where debt controls everything and survival is turned into a twisted game.

Right from the start, the story grabs you and doesn’t let go. Inesa is thrown into the Lamb’s Gauntlet, where she has to fight to stay alive. And Melinoë? She’s a deadly assassin who never fails, until now. Their chase through the ruined world is full of tension, action, and moments that made my heart stop.

But what really makes this book stand out is how unpredictable it is. The characters are complex, the stakes are high, and just when you think you know what’s coming, the story takes another shocking turn. And the ending?? Absolutely insane. I kept thinking, “how can this possibly have a happy ending?” And somehow, it did not, but in a way I never saw coming.

This is one of the most intense, unforgettable books I’ve ever read. If you’re looking for something different, something that will wreck you in the best way, please pick this up. It’s so good!

Ava Reid has done it again and made me escape into another world. As it’s advertised, this is a dystopian novel inspired by The Hunger Games and, in my opinion, Shatter Me. Like Ava, I loved THG as a teen, and dystopian YA continues to be a favorite subgenre for me. There’s something about an even more messed up fictional world than the one we live in that makes me feel a little better about the state of our world.

Melinoë and Inesa are cat and mouse in a deadly event called The Gauntlet. In this world, money is now “credits” and once those have been used up, a parent can choose to force their child into this deadly chase to get their debts forgiven. Melinoë is one of the Angels, the highly trained and quite mechanical assassins for The Gauntlets. They are normal humans until chosen for the Angel program, then they’re experimented on and trialed to “perfection”. Melinoë is chosen as Inesa’s assassin, and we go along their journey wondering how anyone can survive in this deteriorating world.

This was beautifully written, with a slow to intense beginning. I was left with questions at the end, so if you don’t like open endings keep that in mind. This is a standalone, but I would love other books wrote in this world!

Thank you NetGalley for sending a copy for me to review.

Having read from Ava Reid before, I felt more accustomed to her writing style going into Fable for the End of the World. This dystopian novel presents a bleak, corporate controlled future where accumulating too much debt results in being thrown into a brutal gauntlet. While the premise had potential, it didn’t leave as strong of an impression on me likely because I had just reread The Hunger Games series, which explores similar themes with more emotional impact.

One aspect I did appreciate was the inclusion of a sapphic romance. However, despite enjoying the representation, I wanted more in the ending. That being said, the novel does succeed in building an unsettling and emotional atmosphere, with the gauntlet taking a turn that kept me engaged.

The story weaves in multiple themes, from corporate greed and systemic oppression to survival, morality, and sacrifice. There’s a certain weight to the novel’s commentary on power and control, which makes it an interesting read for fans of dystopian fiction. While this didn’t become a standout read for me, I’d still recommend it to those who enjoy dystopian worlds.

Overall rating 3.5/5

Ava Reid's love letter to the 2010s dystopia of my youth has truly captured their spirit for a modern audience. Fable for the End of the World tells the story of a society that is flooded by climate change and then flooded with debt from an overarching company that has infiltrated government. Inesa becomes the latest Lamb in the Gauntlet - a murderous game only for those whose debt reaches so high it could only be paid with a life for the entertainment of the watching world. Inesa is hunted by Melinoë, an Angel who is on a last chance to prove she should remain as one of the Gauntlet's deadliest assassins. The hunt begins and Inesa tries to venture to the mysterious Drowned Counties that her father used to talk about with her brother Luka to assist.

The themes of surviving and a life outside just surviving I found incredibly poignant. Reid also does a beautiful job setting up the queer love story that allowed both girls the opportunity to learn more about themselves. The ending is my only real weak point in that I wished this was a duology in only a hope that we can see the ultimate victory instead of just a victory for now. It is unfortunately incredibly realistic in the continued exploitation of women's bodies and the lives of the poor - I would hope for a happier ending but I don't think that was what Reid was going for.

Again Ava Reid solidifies a spot on my auto-buy author list.

5/5

A dystopian novel from Ava Reid? say less! I enjoyed this sapphic YA romance that contains multiple layers of criticism for the current state of the world. It also reads like a love letter to The Hunger Games and the dystopian genre we all grew up loving. Tho you can see the inspiration throughout, this book it feels vastly innovative and makes for an enjoyable reading experience.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration

"Fable for the End of the World" is the second book I've read by Ava Reid, and it did not disappoint. One of my favorite things about her writing is how intentional it is. Reading her books, I can really feel all of the thought and research she puts into her work. And I love her inclusion of author's notes that dive deeper into some of her thinking.

By Reid's own admission, "Fable for the End of the World" was partially an homage to "The Hunger Games' and that era of socially conscious dystopian teen novels. One of my favorite parts of "Fable" was the worldbuilding, especially from Inesa's point of view. At times, the world really jumped off of the page and felt viscerally real. It was easy to connect the threads of how we got from today's world to the world of the book.

"Fable for the End of the World" is a standalone novel. However, I think it would have been stronger as a duology or even a trilogy. First, I would have loved a little more time to develop the characters. While Inesa felt fully realized, Melinoe often felt a little bit flat. I also thought that some of the plot aspects of the book were a bit rushed and the ending, while interesting, didn't feel totally conclusive. If anything, the ending felt like a great set up for a second book. Last, there were many worldbuilding elements I would have loved to know more about, but there just wasn't time to develop them on page. I'm not sure how much I bought into the romance on page, but I typically struggle a bit with YA romance so that could be on me.

Overall, I think "Fable" was a really successful entry into the dystopian sci-fi canon. My biggest critique is that I wish there were more of it. And can we take a minute to appreciate the title and cover? Wow.

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC. All opinions are my own.