This book was so interesting! I love dystopian novels, and this one included a lot of queer and trans perspectives, which I haven't seen before. The plot was very black-mirror-esque, with a focus on an experimental society made up of all women, cloistered in a safe zone called the Inside, as the climate crisis destroys the world outside. Lots of rumination on what makes a woman, and how black and trans perspectives fit into the definition of "woman". This book switches between 3-4 different characters and settings and spans 20-30 years. I loved seeing everything come together at the end and getting justice for the wrongs that have happened!

I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrator! Their pacing and dictation were excellent.

🌈Queer rep: main characters were a white lesbian/queer woman, a black lesbian/queer woman, and a trans woman. Main relationships were FF, and F/NB. Secondary characters included lots of lesbian/queer women, nonbinary people, and a trans man. Secondary relationships included FF and F/NB.

Yours for the taking was one of my most impactful novels I read in 2023. It captivated me in its pointed and articulate take down of corporate feminism, a critique that feels particularly useful and acute as DEI loses steam in corporate America and power is shifting once again.

There were charachters I loved and characters I absolutely hated in this, which helped pull me through the events even when I hated the choices that were being made. I also adored the complicated instances and perspectives on love and especially motherhood in this book. As a trans woman, a queer woman and a new mother, it was a fascinating playground to explore some of my own feelings and the political beliefs I have that grow from them.

I was impressed with this novel's scope - what an undertaking! While I enjoyed the commentary on what is now considered Corporate Feminism, I found some of the elements a little heavy-handed. There were areas I wanted more detail on - including how the children born Inside dealt with their growing mental illnesses (a mere mention of a rise of OCD but nothing else??). I loved the premise, and it felt appropriately dystopian. Some lines made me laugh out loud - I loved how Korn portrayed aging Millenials in this novel - "we used to want to eat the rich!"

So much potential wasted here — 2.5 stars rounded down.

In theory, this is everything I love: CliFi, gayness, breaking down Big Issues. In reality, it skimmed over the surface of so many of these things that it became nonsensical and kinda pointless. Parts of this book made no sense. It's as if the author came up with certain plot points and then filled in some text around them to fit them in, not thinking of how they'd logically flow. The timeline in the 336 pages spanned literally about 23 years, with little attention paid to years 3-22 whatsoever. We were just thrust forward a couple of decades and expected to go with it.

I get what Korn was trying to do here - breaking down the age-old misandrist fantasy of an all-female world (which other authors have done with a bit more nuance and consideration), discussing motherhood in context of new-wave feminism, yada yada. But these were covered in such flippant ways, without any actual exploration or consideration that they just felt like cheap throwaways. I feel like Korn thought she was making Big Statements here but her fixation on doing so completely negated any meaning you could have really taken from the story here.

Because pretty much every element of this story was a mere tease rather than a considered, complex deep-dive, it was impossible to connect with any of the characters. It didn't help that the very notions Korn seemed to be trying to expel, she actually ended up cementing. Ava [spoiler]being utterly transformed by motherhood and realizing — despite being vehemently against/not wanting kids — that it was her life's purpose was really gross, for one[/spoiler], and July and Brook were caricatures at best, and that's being kind.

As others have mentioned in their reviews, this read VERY YA, but not the good kind. Instead, it felt like a vehicle for Korn to dance around a few edgy topics/ideas (that are actually kinda tired at this point, especially when you have nothing interesting to add to them), and I'm actually shocked this one went to print in this state. Where's the editor here?

I realize I've eviscerated this book, and I actually feel guilty about that — as a writer (who actually hasn't sat down to complete a full novel, so I'm behind in that regard), I realize how hard it is to please everyone and how terrible it must be to read reviews like this on something you put your heart and soul into. However, I can't lie and say I wasn't really disappointed by this one and wished it wasn't a very different book in the end.

I was really looking forward for this one, but it just didn't catch my attention and convinced me. It was a fine read, sometimes pretty tough and had to force myself to keep going. Love the Idea and the dystopian theme but overall not as good as I anticipated.

3.75/5 ⭐️

Thank you @stmartinspress & @netgalley for the eARC of Yours for the Taking which is out NOW!

Yours for the taking was a really interesting exploration of the climate crisis and cis feminism. I found the plot fascinating. Set in a dystopian world (though given our current climate crisis a possible eventual reality), ravaged by the climate crisis - Korn explores how society tries to survive following the implementation of cis feminism governing.

What worked for me:
The plot. I found the entire premise of Yours for the Taking so intriguing though increasingly disturbing.

What didn’t work for me:
This book is marketed as LGBTQ literature about love, betrayal, and feminism - which it is - but I kept thinking the book was YA. This may have been because of the somewhat superficial exploration and commentary on cis feminism, wealth distribution, and the climate crisis. But Yours for the Taking left me wanting more. I wanted a deeper, more nuanced exploration of these topics as the backdrop to the exploration was so engaging and these topics are so relevant and important.

Overall, I enjoyed Yours for the Taking. It was fine.

LIKES:
🌈 LGBTQ+ rep
🌿 Climate crisis
☄️ Dystopian
🔍 Exploration of cis feminism
❤️ Sapphic romance

Yours for the Taking is a thought-provoking entry into the rapidly expanding catalog of climate fiction. I liked the focus on young people and relationships and was caught up in many of their stories. I also appreciated the feminist focus. However, there were also issues that kept me from being fully immersed in the story. One of these was the writing, which I felt was a bit clunky, especially in the dialogue. I think the author did better with sections of exposition. I also think the characters could have been a bit better developed and that some of the "message" had been presented with a bit more subtlety. But, all in all, a good read.

Give me all the end of the world books! This novel was outstanding. We follow several women who are trying to survive after climate change has made the world inhabitable. Why did Earth suffer so badly? Why weren’t American citizens able to combat the effects of climate change and maintain what was theirs? Men were the problem, of course.

Jacqueline Millender’s response to the issue of toxic masculinity is to create Inside, a weather-safe, exclusive community in New York that only the best of the best women will be accepted. Inside was like a crazy episode of Black Mirror. I repeat, crazy!!! Can Jacqueline create a new and improved America in which women will rule?

Jacqueline was an evil, vindictive woman. Every time she appeared, I braced myself for whatever cruelties were going to come out of her mouth. Our other main characters, however, were entirely lovable. Rather than being angry at the ambiguity in the book’s ending, Korn’s writing filled me with hope for each of the characters (except Jacqueline… kick rocks, bitch). 🙏 An amazing story of perseverance and standing up for what is just.

WOW, this one got me thinking! I love how much this one pushed the idea of the perfect society. It pushed me to wonder what I knew and to wonder what I'd want.

How to make the perfect society. As the climate ravages the world, the elite few begin to plan above-ground dome-type societies and decide they are hand picking their survivors. So who gets to live in there? And why, what is your criteria?

You get this from many perspectives. You get it from Shelby and Olympia - two different right-hand type assistants to Jacqueline, the elite rich person who created their dome-society, their Inside. You also get Ava, a random person who was accepted into the Inside and is learning the new society (while still remembering the old).

But as they all get settled and started creating the next generation, it becomes clear as they grow from toddlers to kids to teens, that there are maybe some flaws in the thinking. I love how it got me wondering - what was okay? What wasn't. What would really make it different than how we live now - this 'better' society.

And I really appreciated the conclusion to this one. I highly recommend this one, it was a unique and fascinating read!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

"Yours for the Taking" by Gabrielle Korn is an interesting read. Korn brings a unique perspective to the narrative, exploring themes of self-discovery and empowerment. While the characters are relatable and the story has its moments, it didn't quite resonate with me as much as I expected. The writing style is solid, and there's a mix of humor and heart, making it worth a read for those seeking a different take on self-empowerment. Overall, it's a decent book, but it didn't leave a lasting impression on me.

Feminist, queer, dystopian story about the effects of climate change and a world free from men?! SIGN. ME. THE. FUCK. UP!!!! And wow did this book deliver. I heard about Yours for the Taking on a whim from another author I follow who read a very early copy and that single bit of praise was enough for me to take the chance on this book. I devoured Yours for the Taking in two days; I couldn't put it down.

I wish I had read this book for a book club, it would make the perfect discussion book as there is so much to reflect on. Between how we view and identify gender, to what feminism actually is, power dynamics, ethical and moral considerations. There is so much in these pages!

I loved the world building of the Inside, the (not so distant) look at what the world could become if don't take better care of mother earth, and that all of our characters were women (this one passes the Bechdel test for sure). I'll be thinking about this book for a long time to come. Five RAVING stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins press for an early copy of this book.

3.5 rounded up. i tend to enjoy more literary oriented scifi a lot more than my friends so i guess i just have to sit on this one by myself

This transported me back to when The Hunger Games and Divergent were running the dystopian fiction genre back when I was 12 years old. Such a captivating book with a unique premise. I felt allllll the emotions reading this - especially the ending. I could absolutely see this book having a continuation given how it left off, but it does leave off at a complete place to simply leave the reader to wonder. There are a lot of characters and perspectives in this book, and my only complaint is that it jumped around a bit for me, but I was still able to follow the plot.

I found the writing the most interesting when exposition is just being doled out. The dialogue was mediocre and it's biggest issue is that many of the characters seemed very similar so I had a hard time differentiating between them.

LThis is a book that is very hard to pin down my feelings about. I wasn’t sure how much I liked it as I was reading it, but the more that it sinks in, the more that I appreciate its message. It also felt completely plausible that in a near future with extreme effects from global warming that Inside could seem like an attractive solution to the ills caused by men.

I would love to see this translated into a television series to give the story more room to grow. It felt like the long time span and multiple main characters could benefit with more time to really focus on each of them. I especially would have loved to have seen more of the adolescent years of the children of Inside.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately I cannot post this right now on my social media as i am in solidarity with the reads for accountability.

I loved this! This was great! I actually really enjoyed the several POVs. I thought it was a really creative way to show just how gucked their world was getting. If you don't like multiple POVs you may not enjoy it but it was used so well.

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5. This novel is perfect for those that enjoyed Naomi Alderman’s The Power.

Dystopian gem 'Yours for the Taking' by Gabrielle Korn, set in 2050, explores survival in weather-safe havens led by Millennial tycoons. The narrative weaves the lives of Ava, Olympia, and Shelby against the ambitious backdrop of Jacqueline Millender's Inside Project. The story, though compelling, could benefit from streamlined character organization. Korn's debut delves into queer love, betrayal, and corporate feminism, skillfully using the dystopian genre to critique societal constructs. Fast-paced and thought-provoking, it tackles toxic feminism, capitalism, and gender norms. A captivating blend of speculative fiction and social critique, leaving readers anticipating Korn's future works.

The good: I loved the story! I was obsessed with what was happening in Korn's post-apocalyptic world and couldn't put this book down; I finished it in one evening. It's creative, thought-provoking, and discussion-worthy, and a few days later I'm still ruminating on it.

The bad: I found the writing clunky enough to be distracting. For example, sentences like "The truth was, she hadn't really stopped to think this point through, and she hadn't realized it until this conversation. She'd need to recalibrate a bit, which was a very unfamiliar process" are - to me! - way too skewed towards telling, not showing. Overall, the writing felt quite formulaic - X, then Y, then Z - in a way that succeeded in getting the plot across (and pulling me in), but that prevented me from feeling totally immersed in the story. For what it's worth, I felt the exact same way about Bonnie Garmus's wildly popular Lessons in Chemistry, so take this with a grain of salt!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Intriguing premise & good writing. I appreciate the critique and feminist ethos in a dystopian novel. You can sense the pandemic vibes and I loved the opening sci-fi/world overview. Feel like I've met Jacqueline Millender, if not on the news, then in movies or a corporate cult or something!