Emeline lives a boring existence deleting art that came from life before the current world. When she is matched with a high ranking official, it promises to give her the better life she’s always dreamed of. But she meets a lower ranking mystery man, and everything she knows about the order of their world is brought into question.

This book has a ton of early buzz, and I totally get it. I was quickly sucked in, and had a hard time putting it down. The class system and technology are interesting and facilitate drama. It is book one of a series, and I will definitely read book two. This is for fans of series like Divergent or Matched, and I kind of also got an early Night Court Rhysand vibe from Emeline’s match, Collin. TBD if that holds up in the second book.

For about the first half of the story (roughly 55%, I'd say), this felt like every other YA dystopian riff on The Bachelor. Arranged matches, girl from the oppressed side of society gets brought up to elite status and given a bunch of fancy dresses, she's kept in the dark about ever major event going on around her, she falls in love with a poor boy who's part of the grand rebellion, and forces outside her control end up elevating her to be a leader/icon/symbol of the rebellion.

That's not a negative comment, but it illustrates WHY it took me so long to get through this and WHY I'm not gushing about how this is the greatest book I've ever read in my life. Because the second half - where the action starts - THAT'S where it gets good. It's still not the best thing ever, but once Emeline is FINALLY out of the stage of the story where nobody tells her anything "to keep her safe," then she actually has some agency and can make her own choices.

I also like that this seems to have a nuanced take on the whole "Us vs. Them" thing. This is part of Jenna Hager's "Thousand Voices" brand and the stated purpose is to provide stories to spark conversation. Most dystopias (for better or worse) are usually about how Big Brother is the Ultimate Evil and the little guy always does the right thing - and that can be true to a point. But it fails to take into account the people who are on one side or the other who might not be everything the easy sound-bite descriptions claim they are. That talking heads and clickbait might not actually be the whole story. I appreciated the idea that there are all kinds of people on different sides of an issue. No one movement is entirely good or bad, just like people aren't all good or all bad.

I'm interested to see how this goes. I really hope this series doesn't fall into the trap of having a good first installment, then the second one just spins its wheels doing nothing. That would be disappointing.

"Conform" is the most gripping story I've read in a long time. Fans of Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass, and Silver Elite will love this dystopian story following Emeline, Hal, Collin, and a host of other thoughtfully well-written characters as they navigate a government set on controlling citizens through various methods of manipulation and force.
I found it so hard to put this book down--picking it up every time I had even one minute free. I'll be recommending it to all of my friends and can't wait for the second in the series.

Conform was raw, gripping, and impossible to put down. The tension, the emotion, the slow unraveling of everything these characters thought they knew—it got under my skin in the best way. Dark, angsty, and addictive. I couldn’t look away.

This book paints a gripping dystopian world that feels both chilling and disturbingly plausible. The characters are complex and resilient, navigating a society on the brink of collapse. The plot is intense and thought-provoking, exploring themes of survival and hope in the darkest times. The writing is vivid and immersive, pulling you deep into the harsh realities of this future world. It’s a powerful, unforgettable read that stays with you long after the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC to preview!

I’ll start my review by saying that I will probably read the sequel if one becomes published.

This dystopian book seemed like a combo of The Handmaid’s Tale, Hunger Games and Divergent. I generally liked the plot and where it was going and the setting of the book. However, I wished that the author could have elaborated more in descriptions of the setting and for some of the characters. I understand not revealing the motivations of characters, but I think it would have helped to have more physical characteristics and background that were not so general. Also, having the book from Emeline’s perspective would have given the author the opportunity to let the reader understand more about her. I thought that opportunity was lost.

The introduction of Hal was kind of strange. Some rando shows up in her office in an environment where no one is allowed to communicate with their co-workers, yet this guy struts in unquestioned(?) I felt like his whole introduction was random and annoying.

Also, please, I beg of you. Before publication, please change the pet name/nickname of the main character! I think if any guy called a woman he barely knew that it would gross her out! (Just my honest opinion!)

Honestly, I am not sure I understand the ending. The last parts of the novel had so much going on that I couldn’t keep up with who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. I guess I will need to read the sequel to find out.

I got about 53% in and decided the books not for me. I'm not a huge fan of handmaid's tale and it has a lot of similarities. If you enjoy the Handmaid's tale, you'll love this book. I wasn't able to fully submerse myself into the world, I don't remember a lot of world building. I don't think the book was my cup of tea, but I don't think it's a bad read.

This book took me way out of the reading comfort zone and I loved it!!! This does not read like a debut and it grabbed me right from the start!!

This world exists up in the clouds and there are several classes of people. The Illum are the highest class and Collin is one of them. He needs to pick a female to procreate with and picks a defect, Emeline. Emeline is a feisty one and seems to get in trouble a lot. She finds herself drawn to another man too!!

It reminds me a lot of the Hunger Games which I loved. It’s a book about finding yourself, questioning those in authority, some romance and so much more. Loved it and look forward to the next two books in this trilogy.

Excellent dystopian romance and one of the best overall books I’ve read lately. The character and plot development has great pacing and the twists are unpredictable. It’s hard to tell who to trust until the very end. I’m very eagerly anticipating reading more!

I enjoyed the world building and the relationship dynamics that occured from that base spot. This felt like a good return to true dystopian and government revolution/revolt.

This book will be the best big Dystomance! Loved the love triangle, loved the world in the clouds… but now can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Incredibly engaging story. Found myself thinking about this book when I put it down in between reading times. Feels a little like 1984 and The Giver in terms of its dystopian vibe. Excellent read, I look forward to seeing what comes next in the series.

Out October 14, 2025
Reading Conform feels like trying to fit into a pair of jeans you know weren’t made for you—but you wear them anyway because they make a statement. Ariel Sullivan spins a twisty tale about identity, control, and the quiet resistance of staying true to yourself. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at being told to “follow the rules” or felt like the oddball in a world that worships sameness, this one hits home hard—and with wicked charm.

The main character feels like the friend we all have who’s a little too smart for their own good, probably doodled “Down with Authority” in the margins of math homework, and talks in dry sarcasm that hides genuine angst. Sullivan’s writing is sharp, even playful at times, but there's a grimy undertone of surveillance and conformity that keeps you tense. It’s creepy fun, in the way that dystopia should be. Some parts stretch believability (who really thinks beige jumpsuits are a vibe?), but the emotional core sticks. It’s for the black-sheep readers who know that blending in isn’t always surviving—and standing out is its own kind of bravery.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

Forced myself to finish this one and then didn’t understand the ending. I must have skipped something in my skim to the finish. Sort of a cross between The Handmaid’s Tale and Cinderella.

I absolutely love this book! I don’t read a lot of dystopian books, but this one I had heard about on the today show and requested it on Netgalley when I saw it on here - I’m so glad I did and I’m so glad that I got approved for it because this is probably one of my new favorite books and I cannot wait to read the continuation of this story. The only downside to reading the ARC is that now I have to wait twice as long to read the sequel. For a first novel, Ariel Sullivan has really set the bar for herself.

Thank you so much to the Publisher and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars rounded to 5.

I’m back in my Dystopian era. I enjoyed this book so much and appreciated the uniqueness of it. The world building was nicely done and I appreciated having such a genuine and honestly normal FMC, who had flaws which translated to some of her decisions but were authentic to her character. The pacing was steady and I found myself interested in all parts of this book and loved how my feelings and emotions regarding the characters and the storyline overall intensified from beginning to the end. I’m cheering on Emeline so hard and can’t wait to see how she progresses throughout the series and I really hope she and Hal are endgame. 🤭The concept of this story reminds me of the one present in the handmaid’s tale and I think fans of THT will enjoy this one. I really hope I can find someone else who has finished the arc so we can yap about it together. What a thrilling and intense adventure.

It's been a while since I read a dystopian book so I was a little hesitant going into this book, but to my surprise I adored this book so much. Sullivan's writing was really easy to read and I loved the pace of the plot. Emeline was a female main character that I really liked and watching her grow from the beginning to the end of the book was great, too. I wish there were more romantic moments in the book to solidify her relationship with both Hal and Colin but hopefully later in the series we will get more intimate moments.

This was a pretty decent dystopian book. It's been a while since I've read anything in this genre, and I have some mixed feelings, but I thought this was overall a decent debut. I thought the world-building was well done, though I think some things could have been expanded on more, such as the courtship process. The plot was also pretty interesting, and I liked that the book was very fast-paced; I was pretty entertained throughout. I didn't mind Emaline and thought she was pretty good for the most part (if annoying at times). I would have liked to get different POVs throughout the book, as I feel that would have enhanced the story.

I didn't love the writing style, as the underuse of contractions got a bit annoying and choppy quite quickly, but it didn't impede too much on my reading too much. I also thought there were a lot of events that were not well-explained, and left me with some questions. I think everything with the constant monitoring via cameras and trackers should have been explained more (how was everyone not constantly being caught doing things they weren't supposed to be doing?). As mentioned earlier, I also would have liked a bit more elaboration on the courtship process (is there just a bunch of balls they go to? What's up with that?). The biological family dynamic could have also used a bit more elaboration, in my opinion.

The romance/love triangle was decent, but I didn't really love either of the love interests. Collin was okay in the beginning, but we didn't get anything from him for the last 70% of the book (no real character development, in my opinion), and I just couldn't sympathize with him. Hal was fine and a bit more of a reasonable character, but he also felt extremely one-dimensional, and there was basically no chemistry between him and Emaline. I don't mind love triangles, but I feel that expanding on and only having one love interest probably would have served this book better.

Overall, this was a pretty decent dystopian book, and I would definitely consider reading the second book.

I had no idea what to expect going into Conform and from the first chapter I was getting major Handmaid's Tale vibes, but I was quickly obsessed. The characters, the secrets, the betrayals, the wanting to protect the ones you love but definitely not doing it in the best way bc you're taking away their agency....just everything about the book hooked me. I don't even know who Em should choose bc Hal and Collin were both so good in different ways and challenging in others, not quite opposites. I loved how Ariel was highlighting how there was no good or bad side, both had errored and both had chosen violence that had too many casualties. Can't wait for book 2!

This book by debut author, Ariel Sullivan, is a must-read. This dystopian fantasy novel that will keep readers engaged and constantly wanting more. The suspense and plot twists make the mystery of the fantasy world come alive. Readers will find themselves rooting for a character, then changing their mind to root for another character, only to wind up being unsure of what the reality actually is. This book is the first in a series that will captivate readers and leave them begging Mrs. Sullivan to hurry up and release book two.