Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a eARC of this book.

The year is 2050 and Earth is almost uninhabitable because of climate change. For some people who have been accepted to live in the Inside, there is hope of surviving. Funded by a group of billionaires, the Inside provides a safe haven for people to live protected by the hardships and horrors that now come with living on Earth. Jaqueline Millender is one of the billionaires who owns/runs one of the Insides. But her Inside has different rules and inhabitants specifically no men allowed. She thinks this will protected the women living in her Inside and eventually they will be able to have babies and raise the males in a way that will not repeat past mistakes and their awful treatment of women. The story is told through a variety of characters some inhabitants and/or employees of the Inside and some left trying to survive on the outside. This books deals with issues such as environmentalism, gender roles, trans rights, racism, morality and mortality. I really enjoyed this book. My only wish was that the ending was a bit slower. I did like the ending but thought it should have taken its time.

A strong concept and first half, followed by an ending that I felt wrapped everything up a little too tightly.
Yours for the Taking chronicles the creation of "Insides", gigantic structures designed to help humanity weather the coming climate apocalypse. This book covers one Inside in particular over the course of several decades from multiple perspectives, including it's sociopathic space CEO, head of medical staff, and a couple of the later generation born Inside.

I would recommend this book, but don't be surprised when it plays it a little too safe.

What if girlboss feminism... won?? In Yours For the Taking, we fast-forward to extreme climate devastation and look at what might happen if cis white feminism had full say over one of the alternative worlds that we use to escape. At first I was worried this might feel a little cliche, with lots of references to current clickbaity terms as "history" in a way that didn't quite feel natural. But once the story took off, I became really invested. The last third of the book was by far the strongest to me, I could not put it down. This does feel like a first novel, in my opinion, with some awkward pacing and occasional stumbles in dialogue. However, this does not diminish how much I enjoyed the book and recommend it. A really valuable look at how white cis women weaponize whiteness, cis-ness, and power with the goal of taking over the role of white men, instead of working toward the dismantling of the system entirely.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!

A, not so distant, futuristic dystopian novel that is equal parts original, scary relatable, and fast paced.
"Yours for the Taking" leaves you with a lot of food for thought in regards to the future of humanity. Feminism, gender, morality, and environmentalism are just a few of the topics Gabrielle Korn has you mulling over throughout this story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

This takes be back to OG dystopian societies! When I received this ARC, I fell in love with the book within the first chapter.

Setting in the year 2050, the main character is invited to a all special society. That is all I recommend knowing going into it. I believe that the minimal knowledge known while beginning to read the book is the best possible way to read it. I loved how Gabrielle Korn brought a new novel into the dystopian genre while keeping it original. Often dystopian novels tend to be similar, but Gabrielle Korn incorporated their own twist onto the genre.

Overall, this book was a 3.9/5. I absolutely loved it and would definitely recommend this to anyone considering it and will be getting my own physical copy once it comes out in December! Support LGBTQ authors and expand your reading horizons!

I do not like this book at all. At first, I thought it was amazing, a dystopian climate fiction with gender rep, trauma rep, mental health rep and lots of diversity. Then we get a crazy and Uber-privileged white woman who wants to have women only in the oasis they are creating. Those women are also largely non-cis. Great. However, the thing is that this book makes is a bad thing for anyone to be straight, for trans people to exit in the all female Inside and for mother to be the most important people in society such that people who cannot have children are not good enough and get less in the way of perks, supplies, good jobs, etc. Furthermore, I have just about had it with the new wave of books that show "women's Power" as the same as narcissistic, selfish, over-sexualized men but with vaginas. Women are powerful without being complete and utter assholes who drug women to force compliance, enforce pregnancy against the women's will, take advantage of female vulnerabilities. We already get enough of this crap from men. We don't need books that encourage women to be just as horrible, violent and merciless as men.

Yours for the Taking is a queer dystopian novel and I loved it! It's a book with badass women and power dynamics. We follow Ava as she is drawn into the orbit of corporatized feminism and the Inside Project. In Yours for the Taking, the concepts of survival and sacrifice are central to the story. Seeing the characters make their decisions, it made me think about how much we're willing to do in moments of weakness, for our own selfish reasons as well as the greater good.

I appreciate the diverse cast of characters we got in this story - it was queer and more! Also, I absolutely loved the snippets of New York City we got, from being in Brooklyn to Manhattan, that's my home! Books with a NYC setting are always a hit with me.

One thing I would say could have made this an even better read for me though was that if it were written in a multi-perspective format. I find that books written in that way make me feel more emotionally connected to the story and its characters. It makes everything feel real, which in reading a dystopian can be quite scary, but great.

***Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I don’t normally gravitate towards sci-fi but this book may have changed that for me. I can’t believe this is the authors first book, I thought it was very well thought out and executed. Each character was real and relatable. I loved the feminist themes and thought the concept of a “woman only” sealed community was very interesting… and seeing how that concept falls flat when someone enforces a rigid framework of what THEY believe makes a woman. Thought provoking and interesting, I flew through this book.

One of my favorite books I’ve ever read. I loved every second of it and didn’t want it to end. Please pick this up if you wish to do something insightful, meaningful, and overall excellent.

CW: parental abandonment (mentioned), heart attack (recounted), death of parent(s) (recounted), sexual harassment, recreational drug and alcohol use, physical injury, forced pregnancy, blood, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), substance abuse, overdose, suicide, kidnapping, transmisia, drugging

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When the world becomes almost unlivable due to the lasting damages of climate change, various oases, called the Inside, pop up in various places across the world and millions apply for their chance of survival. In Yours for Taking, it details the story of the North American Inside led by investor and womens’ rights activist Jacqueline Millender featuring interconnecting plot lines between Ava, Olympia, and Shelby during their fight for survival in the Inside.

I know that I’m not one for regularly reading the sci-fi/fantasy genre, especially dystopias, and I would have to be really interested in the plot to want to read it. Well, I can say that Yours for the Taking grabbed my attention when I first saw it on NetGalley and captured my attention throughout the book.

What I think Korn gets right in writing Yours for the Taking is the fact that it’s a really immersive reading experience. In addition to reading the plot as it plays , you also get commentary from Shelby as she writes about her experiences as Jacqueline’s assistant during the creation of the North American Inside. While you don’t get an exact timeline of when events are actually occurring in the book till the last third of the book, Korn makes up for it by having intertwined plot lines featuring the main characters of the book which results in a fast-paced read with quick chapters as the Inside occurs.

Another thing I found to be interesting about Yours for the Taking is that it really reflects the various sociopolitical and environmental concerns facing society today. With climate change becoming more of a global issue each day and inequality still becoming rampant, it was a bit eye-opening to see what our future could look like if we do not act to solve these issues.

Even though Yours for the Taking isn’t coming out until December, this is a book that you need to keep your eye on and I would especially recommend this title for anyone interested in reading a dystopian book that reflects the issues we currently face today.

An original premise that gave me much to think about. My only beef with the book is its abrupt ending, (particularly frustrating when the reader has invested so much time in the characters and world-building.)

This is a feminist tale with a capital F and it's a doozy--what if we created enclosed communities to save our species, but someone took the extra step to make one of these communities all women because, "What have men done except systematically dismantle our rights so they can abuse us, impregnate us, outearn us, and ruin the planet--all with no repercussions?"

It's a shame that this genuinely interesting premise isn't explored fully. It's the vision of a narcissist who lacks morals, who decides right off the bat to heavily drug all the resident and make everything in their community pink. So we pretty much know from the outset that things are going to go to hell.

Watching it happen IS interesting though, and the book has a number of complex female characters connected to this experiment who are easy to love and root for. I guess that's why the ending bothered me. When things fall apart the women are all quickly dispersed on different paths. It felt a lot like the move you'd make if you were setting this book up for a sequel. But I'm not sure it needs one.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an incredibly complex, engaging dystopia to explore and I loved it. The journeys of Ava, Shelby, Orchid and Olympia over the course of several decades were interwoven so well and each segment of the story was engaging. One aspect that felt really fresh to me was the next gen, born Inside - I'm so invested in what July especially does next. I'm (im)patiently awaiting book two! My only criticism is that the theme is very heavy-handed and preachy throughout the first fourth of the book or so. I agree with your perspective on the fatal flaws of white woman feminism but sections felt very on the nose and preachy. Trust your reader enough to be subtle rather than beating them over the head with The Message.

The deal: It’s 2050, the climate has rendered the planet increasingly unlivable, and people are applying to The Inside Project (a series of massive, contained structures) in hopes of surviving. Over the next few decades, we follow former Brooklynite Ava, doctor Olympia, girl boss billionaire Jacqueline, and her assistant Shelby. It’s a takedown of cis corporate feminism and also a portrait of queer love and chosen family. (I got an ARC from NetGalley.)

Is it worth it?: I mean, did you read that description? Extremely my shit. The world Korn built is bleakly rich, her characters well-drawn, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Pairs well with: The Record by boygenius, The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae

B+

This book is incredibly well written and well executed. The technology and the ideas aren’t really new but it’s a new spin on it that I’ve never seen before. The fact that it’s centered on the female experience and has actual representation in terms of race is also fantastic. This would be amazing for a women and gender studies class. It’s got the feel of Naomi Alderman’s the Power if it was actually better written. It also gives the feeling of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time series- with the desperate attempt to save humanity and the hubris of those in power.

What a ride. When I read the description of a feminist queer post-apocalyptic story of betrayal, hope, chosen family, and an indictment of the girlboss culture, I was sold. I couldn't wait to start reading it, imagining a book that took all the good parts of so many of my favorite femist, queer, and post-apocalyptic books. But I was wrong. This is a unique story that stands alone. It may have come from the foundations of feminist books before, but this one is absolutely on its own in every way, and I loved it for it.

The book takes place in 2050, when climate change has made earth unlivable. Ava is selected to be Inside, which is a weather-safe, indoor, city-sized safe place that only has room for a select few--and she's selected to be in the Inside run by Jacqueline, a billionaire businesswoman who thrives on girlboss culture.. Shelby is ambitious and delighted when Jacqueline hires her as her assistant. And Olympia is a Black medical student selected by Jacqueline to run the Inside's health department.

As the women interact with each other, they realize that everything isn't as rosy as what was promised. Their idenities both help and hinder their progress and their access. Jacqueline's vision is limited by her lack of understanding and unwillingness to learn, Olympia struggles as a leader with ethical dilemmas presented by Jacqueline's meglomania, Shelby sees what is really going on, and Ava finds strength to do the unthinkable.

This book is so much more than a post-apocalyptic feminist book. It examines what family is and what it can be, it dismantles corporate white feminism, and it celebrates queerness in a beautiful way, all while offering a scathing commentary on what our world could be like if we don't take action now. An exceptional book with the promise of great dialogues.

My only complaint: I wasn't a fan of the title and when I selected it off my device to read without re-reading the description, I thought it was a romance novel.

Many, many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book for my unbiased opionion.

This book was incredible, I could not put it down, if I didn't have to sleep I would have finished it in a day. The writing style made me feel like I was there every step of the way with each and every character, feeling their feelings, and going about their lives. I especially loved the multiple view points, connecting everyone's stories.

This book takes place over a span of almost 40 years starting as the world starts to shut down due to the massive destruction of climate change. I suggest going in mostly blind and experiencing everything first hand, bc its a wild ride!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of Yours For the Taking!

This was one of the most original futuristic, sci fi, apocalyptic, all female character driven stories. Set in 2050, the world is being ravaged by climate change and the select few are chosen to go on “the inside” as the only survivors. Families are separated as those members are chosen (or not) & selected to be part of this new community. Ava, our main character is selected & is brought into this all female haven, or so it initially seems. The leader”Jackie” has some crazy ideas for the future, her own offspring and the future of the women on her version of the inside. Interesting look at gender roles, apocalyptic themes and the long term impact of climate change. The concept of the inside, the crazy outcome of what it became and the strong relationships that developed throughout the book had me hooked from the first page. This book was given 5 stars for it originality. Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press & the author, Gabriella Korn for the opportunity to preview this unique gem in exchange for my honest review.

I have so many thoughts about this book, that I don’t know where to start. So, let’s start with the bottom line – This book is a masterpiece, go read it now.

Like other great dystopian novels (ie. 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale and Parable of the Sower), it takes the issues of today and fast forwards to the catastrophic future we’ll face if we keep going in the direction we’re headed.

Yours for the Taking starts in 2050, when climate change has made surviving on earth almost impossible. To ensure their own survival, billionaires have funded small, self-contained cities across the globe, known as “Insides” for the working-class to live in while they monitor and control the cities from space.

Most of the story is set in an Inside in what was formerly Manhattan and is primarily told from the point of view of the women who live in this Inside and the woman who founded it. While the characters are all women, they’re also incredibly diverse, with lots of LGBTIQA+ and racial representation.

The themes explored are timely and relevant. The author weaves commentary about wealth distribution, our reliance on corporations, feminism and climate change throughout the story so seamlessly, it’s nothing short of genius.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow this book! This is a lot going on and it is twisting and turning and always surprising and you are really not ever sure what is it about, what commentary is being made, or what is going to happen but we are on an sci-fi dystopian climate change adventure, so buckle in!

These bad ass woman are taking no prisoners. Actually as I finish this book I realize there are hardly any men in it all! Fine by me, but we come to see that we can't erase men, that's not going to work! What about non-binary and trans people? There is a lot explored in this book and it was a wild ride! I really enjoyed it.
It was face paced, creative and imaginative. I love sci-fi because I love seeing the worlds that writers come up with. Gabrielle Korn did a great job in their world.