I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid is a first person dual-POV Sapphic YA romantic dystopia. Inesa and her brother Luka run a taxidermy shop in New Amsterdam, killing what's left of the wildlife that hasn't been mutated and selling the stuffed animals to the more wealthy, all in an effort to not run into credit debt to Caerus. Melinoë is an Angel under Caerus’ employment, an assassin made to look flawless and fit a specific archetype to keep viewers watching when they kill. When Inesa’s mother sells her to Caerus to pay off a debt, Melinoë is assigned to kill her. But things don't go as planned.

Inesa's mother is a hypochondriac who is emotionally abusive towards her daughter and treats her son, Luka, as the golden child. It is very obvious almost from the very beginning how self-centered the mother is and how frustrating this is to Inesa because all of her efforts are centered around keeping the family afloat while her mother doesn't do very much to help. It might be triggering for some readers; I had a hard time with it due to my own experiences because it was quite accurate to how these family situations can play out. I definitely do appreciate showing these dynamics, however, because I do feel like we don’t talk enough about how mothers can also be abusers and how they get away with it due to cultural norms.

The worldbuilding around the Angels is incredibly tragic. The Angels are taken in before they’re ten and have their feelings stripped from them, their memories are at risk of being wiped if they get too emotional or traumatized, and their bodies are modified via plastic surgery without their permission. As if all of that wasn’t enough, when Angels are ‘retired,’ they are made wives or concubines of high level officials at Caerus and lose their memories and feelings of their time as an assassin. To top it off, they’re every move when they’re on assignment is broadcast for the entire world to see and they can see every comment about their bodies, their behavior, etc. It is very obvious that all of this is an allegory for how social media and society makes young girls feel like they have to grow up and look older a lot faster and how they need to bury their feelings as deep as possible because nobody is actually going to protect them. I would love a second book in this world focusing on another Angel because I feel like there’s a lot to explore with these themes in this way.

The romance between Melinoë and Inesa is a pretty fast burn as there is not a lot of time given for Melinoë to kill Inesa. It isn’t Instalove as Inesa is focusing on survival and is terrified of Melinoë the first time they meet while Melinoë is thinking about how to kill her target to put off her future a little longer. When they are forced to work together and they become emotionally vulnerable with each other is when the romance starts to grow. I love a quiet romance in YA because I feel so many romances that go big are big and explosive and full of passionate need and sometimes love is more gentle and shy and built on different things. It’s good for young people to have a variety of romance arcs to choose from when they pick a book up.

Content warning for child abuse, sexual assault, forced prostitution, and light gore

I would recommend this to fans of Romantasy who want a romantic dystopia, readers of YA dystopia who are looking for a Sapphic romance, and those looking for a sci-fi focusing on how social media impacts young women.

⭐️ 4

Nostalgic in the best way. This book feels exactly like those dystopias did back in the day in the 2010s and that's both it's strength and a weakness.

Both Inesa and Melinoë are enjoyable characters, I'm fond of their dynamic and their unique perspectives. Although I never fully bought their initial interest in each other, or perhaps how quickly they fell for each other, it was sweet once I was swept away by the story and their relationship had begun. If there's one thing that's completely worth it for this book, it's how this particular narrative/genre is usually so heteronormative and this story offers another ending, one where two girls find home and love with each other. If you were a queer girl growing up in the 2010s, you would've loved to have this book. I hope if you're a girl now, you love it, too.

That being said, it's setting is interesting enough, the premise is gripping and fast paced, but this is a surprisingly short book for the world it's built. Because of that we never go deep enough into these interesting elements of the world for me to be satisfied. I really wanted more. I get the sense that maybe this won't be only a standalone. The ending does leave it open for a sequel. I hope there is some sort of continuation!

You guys are not ready for what Ava Reid has in store for this glorious dystopian sapphic fantasy! This truly is a love letter to the dystopian ERA of the 2010s, especially the Hunger Games and you can definitely see the influence.


I was honestly hooked from the first chapter on. The setup for this world Reid created is raw and honestly not too far out there in terms of the future. We start being introduced to Inesa and her brother Luka, two siblings who ran a taxedermy shop as they try to preserve whats left of the natural wild life since mutated animals have slowly taken over the population. They represent the improvershed in this world. The ones with lesser left on the outskirts to fend for themselves in this post apocalyptic country.

The Gauntlet is this world Hunger Games, a devious and sinister event Caerus, the corporation that basically runs this country, created in order to keep the oppressed down and give desperate citizens a way out of debt. The Gauntlet is everything evil about humanity. The Hunters are called Angels- cold-blooded and beautiful killers trained since very young by Caerus to essentially become glorified celebrities for the people’s entertainment. Our main Angel Melinöe is our other main character in this story.


Inesa and Melinöe bring two different perspectives to this story being from two completely different worlds, but their relationship is truly the heart of this story. It’s heartbreaking, beautiful and tragic. I loved the different dynamics in this story and while Reid does borrow a lot of elements from dystopian series like The Hunger Games, they still create their own uniquely creative world that is grounded a little bit in our own reality but is still its own fantastical world.

Reid continues to solidify themselves as one of my favorite authors with their beautiful prose and their stories who always have powerful female characters at their core. I am so happy to add Inesa and Melinöe to my list of fictional characters that have truly touched my heart!

Fable for the End of the World will be out March 4, 2025! If you’re looking for a YA dystopian novel with a sapphic relationship, family dynamics, themes of corruption, post apocalyptic worlds, and what humans will do just to survive, or if you just love Ava Reid, i definitely highly recommend you preorder this one and pick it up when its out!


Thank you so much Harper Collins and NetGalley for the E-Arc!!

I’m a big Ava Reid fan so I went into this with high expectations, and I’m sad to report that I was disappointed by this one. I think there are people who will love this, though, and I really hope it finds its audience!

I felt that the world-building was not well-integrated into the story and there were information dumps that should have been presented throughout the story. The plotting was inconsistent and some of the plot drivers felt contrived to me. I didn’t find the romance to be believable because of the timeline (they only knew each other for a few days??), but it was beautifully written and their moments together were lovely. I will still read anything Ava Reid writes because I generally love her works.

this is Ava Reid’s best book yet. the way she told this story had me hooked from the first page and i was utterly absorbed and obsessed until the final sentence. she wrote the yearning and desire so well that I could feel it in my bones. i cared not only for these characters, but i cared for the world and the writing. i loved how i felt as though i knew each and every single character as my own friend and family member, that i wanted to survive. the ending left me in tatters. there is so much hope and so many questions, but i cannot help but dream for a perfectly happily ever after.

“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.”

Ava Reid is one of my favorite authors. And once again, her lyrical writing did not disappoint. I always find myself immersed in her stories and words and this time was no different.

Her dystopian world was a clash of Crier’s War + Hunger Games with a saphic enemies-to-lovers romance. The end result of both was perfection. I can’t say more without giving anything away. Just know that this is a book to pick up.

I really enjoyed this book! It reminded me of the Hunger Games. All of this author’s books have been over a 4 star for me so I am not surprised I loved this one too.

“I think about how, just over a day ago, I wanted so badly to touch her but never thought I would get the chance. How do people love, I wonder, knowing that every moment is so precarious, that at any second, it could all melt like snow, or turn to ash?”
This world was so cool. I’m not usually a fan of the dystopian genre but since one of my favorite authors of all time wrote a dystopian book, I ran to read said dystopian book. I loved the dual POV and the jarring distinctions between the two personalities and very different lifestyles they lived. Ava Reid is a master of writing atmospheric and original worlds, with incredibly poetic proses and deeply romantic relationships. Fable for the End of the World was no exception. I will never get over the way Ava Reid crafts such meaningful and moving stories in quite short standalone novels. The romance in this was phenomenal and I truly fell in love with these characters. My only issue was that I wish this ended differently, but I can appreciate the ending and understand why it ended the way it did.

Ava Reid’s sapphic, Hunger-Games-inspired dystopian novel tackles a future where regions are devastated by climate change and one corporation, Caerus, has taken over. The descriptions of the flooding and effects of climate change are so haunting and atmospheric, which is one of my favorite parts of Ava Reid’s writing. Not to mention, the theme of survival in a world where corporate greed and consumerism has taken control and the environment is warped was really emotional and well-done.

Most of my disappointment with Fable is that it feels half-baked. The world-building and character development need much more detail and elaboration, not only to distinguish itself from The Hunger Games (because it does read very similarly), but to make this world and these characters feel real and purposeful. Fable relies heavily on half-heartedly telling us about this dystopian future without showing or elaborating; we get some significant details about Caerus in the last 20% of the book when it would’ve been more effective to give us these details early on.

The romance between Inesa and Melinoë was sooo good, but it would’ve been even better if we had more background and development on Mel’s character specifically. I think if we spent more time with Melinoë before the Gauntlet started so she could show us the world she was born into and how she became this emotionless killing machine, it would’ve made her development later on way more plausible and earned.

I really enjoyed Fable! I just wish more elements had been paid more attention to. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the arc!

WHEN I TELL YOU I was pulled in, destoyed, put back together, and then destroyed again by this book… The story follows Inesa, a taxidermist, and Melinoe, an assassin. The corrupt Caerus government controls everything, and allows its citizens to fall heavily into debt. A solution to the debt: offer someone up as a sacrificial lamb in a live-streamed gauntlet. When Inesa’s mom offers her up, she has to rely on her survival skills—ones honed from living in a post apocalyptic wastes. Mel is still recovering from her last gauntlet, where she broke down after unaliving her target. She needs redemption, and Inesa needs to survive. In this beautifully written story, both girls begin to wonder if there’s more to life than what they’ve been conditioned to accept. And somehow, they wonder if all they need is each other.

The last time a book had me feeling this way was when I read the Hunger Games in middle school. I have a soft spot for dystopian, sapphic, and enemies-to-lovers storylines, so this was an absolute homerun for me. I am gnawing at the bars of my enclosure for a second book, and the first isn’t even out yet. This book has easily become one of my favorite reads of 2024. From the world building, character development, emotional pull, and tension this book has it all. I have no criticism to give, this was a flawless story that I believe everyone can read and enjoy, and I will be recommending this book to anyone that will listen to me yap.

A huge thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this review copy, this review is my honest opinion.

A sapphic enemies to lovers dystopian stand-alone? And with Ava Reid’s lyrical writing and nuanced themes? Utter perfection.

This book is inspired by the Hunger Games, but I think this book is much darker (in a good way!). I also loved her portrayal of sibling bonus. Inesa’s story in particular really hit home as someone who also had a narcissitic mom. Her circumstances were heartbreaking, and I think Ava Reid used her character to create a very honest depiction of parental inflicted trauma.

I would give this book 4.5 stars only because I wanted more from the worldbuilding, which was still impressive for being a standalone.

** spoiler alert ** This book was a callback to a lot of the dystopian novels I remember being popular when I was younger. It contained an interesting world that I wanted to know more about (even if the mutations let something to be desired in terms of science). I wish we had the chance to discover more about how the world got to its current environmental state, but that is likely just the interest in ecology in me shining through.

I generally liked the characters but felt that the romance between them came on far too fast given their situation and experience. They went very quickly from zero to a hundred so quickly that it took me out of the story. I liked them together, but I wish they had gone MUCH slower.

One thing I loved was that Reid didn't force a happy ending. She didn't shy away from leaving things feeling hollow but with a touch of hope and defiance reflecting the world in her story. I think it made for a fitting ending, and despite the lack of "happily ever after," left me satisfied.

Finally, I felt this book suffered from consistency issues. We went very quickly from panicking over killing a deer because the blood would attract the Wends (wendigo/zombie-like beings), to having open wounds but taking the time for intimacy with no care for the blood attracting attention. The same could be said over concern for Luka.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for reviewing it.

Ava Reid has cemented herself as an author I will read every single book from and still be left wanting more. Fable for the End of the World was dark, dystopian, and did not provide a happy ending wrapped up in a bow- but it was also hopeful, and romantic. I was thrilled to read Ava Reid's first foray into sapphic fiction and she did not disappoint. Melinoe and Inesa got their happily-ever-after in my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book. As a fan of Hunger Games and an even bigger fan of Ava Reid, I had really high hopes for this unique sapphic dystopian YA book and it did NOT disappoint. I loved that Reid went outside of her usual genre and revisited her old fan fiction with her current story-telling abilities and skill. This was definitely reminiscent of a certain dystopian series while also being so incredibly unique and fresh. As in her other books, there are heavy interpersonal and systemic abuse themes that were handled well. She also pulled in capitalistic overreach, surveillance, misogyny, and climate change to create this very believable dystopian world that was unnervingly close to our current reality. The other common themes in her books like the lore, atmosphere and flawed but relatable characters were also perfectly done. Melinoe and Inesa were nuanced, relatable, and I was genuinely rooting for them throughout the book. Even the side characters were well written and multi-dimensional. This is probably not a huge spoiler, but even though the story was complete, if this book doesn't have a sequel I will riot.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for letting me read an eARC!

I was super excited to read Fable, but unfortunately it didn’t live up to my high expectations. I did enjoy the reading experience, but the story didn’t impact me the way her first 3 books did.


Fable for the End of the World takes place over an extremely short period of time—a few days I believe—so there’s very little time to get to know any character, their relationships, or their world. Ava Reid’s lush atmospheric writing usually sucks me in quickly, but because of how little time there is to sit in this world before the fast-paced action starts, I found this book much less immersive. I generally don’t get invested in romances that take place over just a few days, and this short timeline also limited the thematic impact. It’s hard to make give meaningful commentary on such expansive issues as climate change and the ways more vulnerable people are abused by a corporatist system, with a story that is so limited in scope. 


I also found the characters’ ages to be a bit confusing. This is a YA book and the two main characters are both teenagers, but neither of them seems to actually live the day-to-day life of a teenager. Inesa is working full-time running a business alongside her even-younger brother, while Melinoe is an assassin. This isn’t a coming-of-age story that significantly centers their youth, and I think these characters would have fit well as young 20-somethings. I expect the decision to make them younger was (1) because this genre and type of story fits more cleanly in YA and (2) to include some commentary on how even children aren’t spared from these abuses. The latter point didn’t really land for me specifically because they read as adult characters.



This was still an enjoyable book, and I appreciate it for what it is, but it won’t stick with me in the way other books of hers have.

Ava truly never misses. What a wonderful book and such a beautiful love letter to dystopian stories. If it weren't for the open ending, with too many loose ends, it would've been perfect.

“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.”

Overall rating: 4 stars
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pub Date Mar 04 2025

Thank you to the author, HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperCollins and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the publishers + Netgalley !

I love Ava , everything she does is so beautiful and poetic , so when I saw she did a sapphic - dystopian- enemies to lovers I was all in .

As someone who loves The Hunger Games , this book was everything to me . It’s definitely a love letter to us HG babies .
This was dark , and full of desperation, sadness , gore , and just adult themes .
I love the tone that this sets , in a world where oppression , climate change , and debt has altered our world into something very scary ( that can totally happen ) . Also , the use of media and commentary on women was such a strong aspect that I very much enjoyed because it made the story feel more real !
I enjoyed this so much , and I hope we get a second !?
Ava as always does everything so beautifully, I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy !

I am... completely baffled by and obsessed with this beautiful story. This is my first Ava Reid book and I'm honestly completely shook at how gorgeously this was told. It made me FEEL things the whole time. I don't even entirely know what things, but the feelings are just overwhelming for sure.

In the reader's note, Ava called this book "a love note to The Hunger Games and dystopian novels from the 2010s" and that's honestly a great description. But I'd call it the distilled essence of those novels, and frankly dystopia at its best. From the eerie "wow this could be us one day" vibes to the almost easter egg moments where you see something that you recognize.

The romance adds to the story rather than distracts from it, a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers forbidden love.

In Fable for the End of the World, Ava Reid pays homage to the dystopian genre with a fascinating novel that takes all its own tropes and key elements but re-written in her unique lyrical and evocative narrative style.

(full review to come)

Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a solid 3.5 stars for me! Its biggest strength is without a doubt Reid's writing style and the world that she set up here. Her prose is always gorgeous in my opinion and this book was no exception. I also think this world we're reading about is super interesting and a cool newer take on the idea of a dystopia compared to some of the staples of the genre. It definitely brings something new to the discussion whilst also paying homage to the stories that this story takes inspiration from.

Frankly I found the beginning of this book prior to the beginning of the Gauntlet to be the most interesting and engaging. The familial dynamics Inesa deals with, along with Mel's interpersonal relationships were super interesting and had a lot of depth to them, and I think there was also a lot that could be explored about each of their own day to day lives. Once the Gauntlet started, I found the plot a big less engaging. I think that Inesa and Mel's relationship moved at such an odd pace, and had trouble buying into their change of hearts toward each other with how quickly it seemed to happen. It felt so shoe-horned in for me. I also didn't ever really feel the stakes for Inesa, despite how high they are on paper with her life hanging in the balance. It was engaging enough for me to keep reading, but at times it felt like I was doing so begrudgingly just to see where the story would end even if I didn't particularly care how we got there. I also found the ending to be a bit lackluster, given I am under the impression that this book is a standalone. Were there to be a sequel announced someday in the future, I would not be at all surprised.

Overall an interesting new take on the dystopian genre for a modern audience with sapphic representation which we ALWAYS need more of, and though it may not be for me I absolutely understand why someone would love this book and hope it finds the adoring audience it deserves!