4.5!!! First of all big shout out to NetGalley and Harper Collins for letting me read the e-arc!
This was devastating, beautiful and kept me in the edge of my seat.
There are hunger games elements mixed with fighting to survive the elements! Like many hunger games style books, there are eat the rich vibes and lots of underlying themes of classism, and the nasty behavior of the one percent.
I love our two main characters who are both in devastating situations for different reasons. Each of them have had to fight to survive in this awful system in different ways.
Also, ITS GAY HUNGER GAMES.
This book screams about the power of queer woman from the roof tops and I LOVED THAT!!

Pitching this as Hunger Games x Annihilation x West World. In dystopian, drowning Upstate NY, a cute, doe-eyed girl named Inesa is making ends meet by selling taxidermied animals that will go extinct. Inesa gets put into the a 1 on 1 Hunger Games by her Munchausen’s afflicted, QVC addicted mother and must survive an arbitrary number of days to win ~the Gauntlet~. If she wins, her loans will be forgiven, which as a post-grad student, I can get on board with.

Melinoe is a cold-hearted, part-tech, part-human killer Angel who is sent to hunt Inesa to prove that she’s still got it because at the ripe of 17, she’s old news and is up to get decommissioned and sold as a tech mogul concubine. Will Melinoe be able to break that cold, hard exterior to make sparks fly with Inesa? Hopefully. If they can get away from the cannibalistic mutant humans and other horrors of the wasteland!!

Ava Reid is amazing at writing character-driven novels, with interesting fleshed out characters who have intriguing backstories. For an action focused dystopian fantasy novel, I wish the world was more fleshed out and we got more information on how everything worked. The things we did find out didn’t necessarily add up. Like why are Inesa & Luka killing endangered animals, someone call WWF. Or why is the world set so far in the future that animals and climates dramatically evolved, but we're still relying on Amazon Prime (albeit via helicopter)?!? There are issues like the objectification and violence against women, the harm of social media, climate change and government institutions that the novel didn’t take the pages to explore. There were beginnings of so many great ideas that needed more page time to truly shine and make a statement. Overall, an interesting and solid read and I'm interested in seeing whether there will be sequels!

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid (e-ARC)
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

This book is exactly what it presents itself as: it truly is a fable for the end of the world as we know it. Inesa and Melinöe live in a future dystopia that has an eerie amount of parallels to the state we are in now, here in the US.

The government has been overrun and absorbed by a single corporation (*cough*) named Caerus that controls society through a cruel credit system, creating a massive divide between the upper and lower classes.

Inesa is sent to the Lamb’s Gauntlet; she is the lamb and she will be hunted down by one of Caerus’ assassins to pay for her mother’s debts. Melinoë is the Angel praised for her ruthlessness, sent to hunt down Inesa. This sets off a gripping sapphic enemies to lovers game of cat and mouse.

Ava Reid says that this is her love letter to The Hunger Games, and it certainly shows. But where THG was a bold statement of rebellion, Fable shows itself in its quiet moments of tenderness. Fable is a heart-wrenching book about hope and I loved every moment of it!

The setting was gritty and sunken and absolutely perfect. I knew of course that Ava is the master of ambience, but I didn’t expect such a vivid and realistic look at a future following war and nuclear disaster. Absolutely brilliant in the details on world building!

I loved the pace of this book, and I really feel like it was the PERFECT length which is a compliment I hand out very rarely. This book leaves you feeling somber hope, which after the last few days is something that feels pretty good.

As always: if she writes it, I will read it! ♡

Thank you Ava for such a tender love story and to Netgalley and HarperCollins Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 rounded up.

The cover alone had me hook, line, and sinker.

Fable for the End of the World is a Sapphic YA that follows all of our guilty pleasures; the Roman gladiator-style fight to the death before the ever-eager crowd. Ava Reid doesn't shy away from her obvious inspiration from the YA Dystopian à la the Hunger Games and the cultural impact it and fanfiction had on (internet) society.

I could complain about the world-building and our main relationship but as I'm not exactly coming from a young adult standpoint, I'm going to stay in my lane.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for this eARC in return for an honest review.

3.75 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑 (rounded up)

This is absolutely the love letter to the late 2000s/2010s dystopian novels most of us grew up on it’s claiming to be. But it’s so much more than that too.

Family struggles, sibling highs and lows, the struggle of not feeling good enough. The pressures of growing up in a digital world. First loves. This book packs so much into its pages.

The world building is what stands out the most to me, it’s a world ravaged by the climate crisis and radiation and Reid still finds spots to make it beautiful. The growth our two FMCs go through is also something I really enjoyed.

Overall this story is an excellent bit of nostalgia that I absolutely enjoyed fully.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Ava Reid for this eArc!

This book has truly changed my perception of the world and the future and I will never be the same. Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid follows Inesa from Lower Esopus Creek and Caerus assassin Melinoë as they are forced to perform in the streamed ritual of the Gauntlet to entertain the citizens of New Amsterdam. While Inesa and Melinoë could not be more different in their situation and what is expected of them, they are forced to discover the bonds that string everyone together. Inesa and Melinoë are burned by the expectations of people and perceptions of the world around them as they fight for themselves and the future they deserve. While New Amsterdam isn’t a real place, every moment, feeling, and situation in this book is rooted in reality. Reid has proven herself to be a master at writing meaningful social commentary in fictional worlds. This book is dark and explores the horrors of humanity while highlighting what it means to come together as people who share a world. Through the evolution of Inesa and Melinoë’s relationship, you are forced to reconcile what humanity truly means in a world that is hyper-focused on individual differences and survival. In addition to the powerful content of the book, the writing is exceptional and transports you into the destroyed world that Caerus controls. Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid is a must-read.

Thank you sincerely to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

AMAZING COVER ART!

The concept of being so in debt to a massive corporation that you can just sign a family member up to be hunted by an assassin in a reality television show is…well, it’s pretty far-fetched. I love it BUT unless you have some excellent world building to get me to buy in, it just seems so unbelievable that I found myself struggling get into it.

With regard to the world building I kept thinking… why? Why is it like this? And then not really getting a satisfying answer. I think there were some really cool elements (climate issues, mutations of animals, extinction, neighborly debt, etc) but it felt just a tad sparse. I’d love to see it fleshed out even more because it really intrigued me.

The characters independently were interesting, especially Mel. I was expecting more tension between them as Angel and Lamb, but the romance seemed to happen so fast, that it felt a little too forced.

Despite that I am intrigued to learn more about the corporation. And Dad was mentioned so much, so I feel like I need answers on what happened to him?

I think the ending suggests there may be a sequel. I am interested to see what happens next! I have a lot of questions!

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid is a must-read for fans of queer YA dystopian. From the very first page, I was hooked. The story blends current societal issues with a possible future, where AI and unchecked capitalism cause chaos. It’s a narrative that feels too real, yet still eerily speculative.
That said, I do wish there was more world-building; the setting had so much potential for greater depth and complexity. The ending, is left open-ended, which has me hoping this will be the start of a series. Overall, it’s a compelling and thought-provoking read, and I’m eager to see where Reid takes this world next.

Thanks HarperCollins Children’s Books for the Arc

The Hunger Games was the definitive dystopian of the 2000’s capturing our public obsession with the 24hr new cycle. Fable is a dystopian for the 2020’s touching on the horrors of the climate crisis and our fixation on social media. These problems of the modern world are viewed through the lens of two queer teens trapped in the oppression of a hyper capitalist dystopia. Reid’s commentary on society is grim and impeccably executed. However, she doesn’t leave you without the hope that love and community can prevail. The romance between our two main characters is the core of this story and the connection between them was palpable. Overall a really well done story that will stick with me for a while.

CW: parents with substance abuse disorder, gore, death of a child, implied sexual assault, and misogyny

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4

This one is for the dystopian girls!!! In this world Reid creates, there are humans, machines, hybrids of the two, mutated animals, and everything in between. In this society, many people struggle to make ends meet, and when they must, they take out credit. When someone has racked up enough credit, they have the option to nominate themselves or a loved one to be a "Lamb" in something called a Gauntlet.

In the Guantlet, an "Angel" (who are half human, half machines crafted by the government to unalive people) hunts down the "Lamb" over 13 days. If the "Lamb" is captured and k!lled, consider that family's debt cleared. If the "Angel" is k!lled.... well, that doesn't happen very often.

In "Fable for the End of the World", we have Mel (Angel) and Inesa (Lamb) in dual POVs fighting in a Gauntlet. Will they defeat each other or will their love conquer all in this sapphic, dystopian romance?

I had a good time with this book. I give it 3.5/5 due to the middle dragging a bit, not everything being explained, and the ending left me thinking "That's it?" HOWEVER, I definitely think it's worth the read especially if you're a fan of dystopian novels.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins, for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Ava Reid is always a must read!

Fable for the End of the world is a dystopian enemies to lovers romance following Inesa as she is forced to participate in the Gauntlet to clear her mothers debt. In the gauntlet the "lamb" must try to survive while an enhanced "angel" tries to kill them, all while being televised for everyone to watch.

I am probably biased because I love anything dystopian and anything sapphic, but I really had a great time with this book. I thought the worldbuilding was well done and enjoyed the way Reid tied the current dystopian future in the book back to a gradual build starting with issues very relevant to our modern society, making it feel like a very realistic and possible portrayal of our future. The character work also really stood out to me. I thought Reid did a really good job of fleshing out the characters and showcasing the way they all were shaped differently by the current state of the world and the ways everyone's perceptives were so heavily and differently manipulated by the government/ruling corporation. I also really appreciated the two main relationships, the sibling relationship between Luka and Inesa and the romantic relationship between Inesa and Melinoë, though I do feel like the romantic relationship was hurt by some pacing issues towards the end of the book. The whole last section of the book felt a little rushed and almost like it was missing something. I really enjoyed the build up of the story and relationships leading up to the climax, but then it all got wrapped up very quickly in a way that felt a little unsatisfying which I think some extra length may have fixed. I also have mixed feelings about the ending, which was left quite open-ended with some unanswered questions but also felt realistic at the same time, so I will probably decide how I feel about it after sitting on it for a bit. But overall, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book, had a very hard time putting it down from start to finish, and would recommend for any fans of of ya distopian fiction.

Thank you to netgalley for the e-ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC of Fable for the End of the World.

A dystopian enemies-to-lovers sapphic romance. This is for those that grew up reading the dystopian genre in the 2010s. While the story is heavily inspired by the Hunger Games, I thought that Ava Reid did a great job bringing new elements of a dystopian world and characters to life. Like everything by Ava Reid, I did not want to put this down and was completely sucked in from chapter one.

In a world where a corporation, Caerus, has completely taken over the government and encourages the underclass citizens to live off of a credit system and therefore accumulating massive amounts of debt. Once a citizen reaches the debt threshold, someone must be punished in the form of a live-streamed assassination (the Gauntlet) completed by the Caerus created Angel- a woman trained and medically modified to be lethal. Our main character Inesa finds herself nominated as the “Lamb” after her mother maxes out her debt and decides to take zero accountability. The Angel assigned to complete the Gauntlet is Melinoe. The story is told in dual POVs - Inesa and Melinoe’s as the Gauntlet does not go as Caerus plans.

This story hits on so many relevant social issues of today and makes this dystopian world feel not so far away from where we are today. Capitalist takeover, over reaching government control, climate change, women’s equality, internet culture and anonymity on the internet and more. With so many heavy topics, this is a very dark and bleak. I found the romance to be tender and sweet and shine a little light in the midst of the heaviness of the dystopian world. I know this is marketed as a stand alone, but I am BEGGING for a sequel.

Well I devoured this. Perfectly encapsulated the dystopian YA books of the mid 2000s. It was a fast-paced indictment of an unfortunately very possible future with characters that you couldn’t help but root for.

This isn’t my favorite of Ava Reid’s books, but one thing I always fall for in her novels is her prose. It’s so rich and transportive, even when it’s describing something rather dark and blunt. I couldn’t help but root for the characters as they showed their intense humanity and resilience as they just try to do their best and survive.

Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fable for the End of the World is my first Ava Reid book but it won't be my last.

Reid's writing is dark and beautiful, exactly what I need from a Hunger Games-inspired climate change novel. The romance here is fairly light touch as the author builds the sci-fi dystopian elements, but it provides a strong enough foundation to propel a series.

I am excited to see what will happen next to Inesa and Melinoë.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFByV6YNV0Q/?img_index=1

Ava Reid is fast becoming a must read author of mine! I loved the premise of this story and I feel like she invoked the memory of books like the Hunger Games while adding new twists, interesting characters and a dark ending. The one part that I had trouble with was that the romance in this story felt a bit rushed due to the speed of pacing in this book. While the speed led to a super exciting and thrilling read, I had a more difficult time believing a romance had been built that fast. Overall, super dynamic and interesting to think about!

Ava Reid has created a Must Read MASTERPIECE! This dystopian fantasy novel was twisted, dark, and unsettling. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book! The twists and turns, and back and forth throughout prevent you from guessing the ending so well! I had to sit and stare at the wall for a good half hour after finishing. Reid definitely tugs on your heartstrings with this book. Inesa and Mel and their journey and development were chef's kiss! When I heard that Ava Reid wrote a lesbian dystopian fantasy I RAN to NetGalley and until I was approved for this ARC I was checking my email religiously. I can't wait to get my physical copy and this WILL be a special edition purchase as soon as it gets released.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley. This Review is honest, unbiased and completely my own.

Ava Reid writes a dystopian YA novel was always bound to turn out well but as always with her work, I’m thrilled with the end result in ways I couldn’t have anticipated.

I felt fully drawn into this world. I honestly shudder to think what nightmares Ava has had about water/drowning because she is so effective at making it sinister. Loved the waterlogged world, the creatures, and of course, the difficult choices the characters had to make.

I want to start by thanking HarperCollins for the eARC of this book.

This story was fantastic! The plot was reminiscent of The Hunger Games, but also vastly different. It is a dystopian masterpiece! I was fully engaged throughout the entire book, always wondering what was going to happen next.

I adored the main characters, Melinoe and Inesa. Their growth from start to finish was strong, and I loved the bond that developed between them. The side characters in this story were also memorable, especially Inesa's brother.

I will definitely be recommending this book, and can't wait to pick up a physical copy when it is released in March.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Childrens Books for the opportunity to read and give my honest review for Fable for the End of the World early!

Before I get into anything else, Ava Reid is such a talented world builder and her writing is beautiful. I genuinely enjoy her prose and her voice, and this book was no exception on that front! Her dedication made me tear up, as did her note to the readers. I believe her tried and true fans, those that know and love her style and know what to expect from her, will love this book. Overall, I feel it is an important addition to the world of YA sapphic books as well.

With that said, I do not believe I picked up this story at the right time for me to enjoy it fully. Ava Reid crafted this tragically bleak and lonely world, where capitalism governs and most people live in fear of their debt building to a point where only extreme sacrifice can rectify their balance. The rest live in a wealthy, urban environment (NYC inspired) with specific standards of beauty, ways to signify their wealth and status, and brutal forms of entertainment - reminiscent (to me) of The Capitol in The Hunger Games. This was a lot to absorb with the real world being... what it is, especially with how brilliant Ava Reid is at atmosphere and world-building.

The main characters are complete opposites in many ways - hunter and prey, but both struggling with these roles and what got them there. For me, the romance was not strong enough to balance the bleakness and heaviness of the setting + all the other characters and variables at play. The success of Sci-Fi in YA (for me) is typically those small moments of light, humanness, and hope - they keep the morale up, keep us invested in a possible positive outcome (not a HEA - just that possibility that keeps you pushing). The first moment where that could have been introduced, it was made clear that helping others implies a debt is owed - so everyone avoids helping each other at all costs. It was an important moment, but made it clear that I would not find what I was looking for / needed in this world she had created.

My one and only gripe with the two Ava Reid books (this being one of them) that I've read is that her message can be a bit on the nose or heavy handed - it's everywhere we look! Which builds a great atmosphere, but can lead to a lack of that mentioned balance that I personally need to enjoy this genre. Others may feel differently!

I did end up putting the book aside before finishing it. I don't consider it a DNF, as it was purely out of personal need for something lighter for my mental health, and not at all a quality issue. I don't read books with this kind of atmosphere very often, and if I had picked this up at a my own pace instead of as an ARC, I may have felt better about it! That's fully on me.

I gave Fable for the End of the World 3 stars, because while I did not finish it, it was not a quality issue. I personally could not continue at this time, but I hope to revisit. If I can finish reading before publication day, I will edit my review here and anywhere else with new thoughts.

Thank you again to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review!