The 2010 dystopian era was a a memorable time for readers and Fable for the End of the World brought me right back. Although this was inspired by The Hunger Games, Ava still managed to set us up with a unique dystopian world set in a half-sunken town. Parents that accrue an unpayable debt begin sacrificing their children to The Lamb's Gauntlet, a livestreamed assassination spectacle. It is controlled by Caerus, a corporation that encourages massive accumulations of debt.

When it comes to the gauntlet I would have liked the stakes to be higher and for it to have lasted longer. The MCs brother came along to help her and their separation felt abrupt. In general, the side characters could have been more fleshed out. When it came to the romance the chemistry was lacking and I wished it would have slowed down. I did enjoy the dual POV from both sides, when it came to the romance and the gauntlet though.

Real life issues were flawlessly woven into the story and is one of the things I've always loved about their novels. Unfortunately it was missing Ava's normal charm, prose, horror elements, and overall atmosphere that I've come to love and expect. In spite of all of that I still enjoyed this book, it just wasn't my favorite when compared to past novels. Overall it felt rushed, especially the ending. I'm hoping for a sequel to answer lingering questions.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for a complimentary early release copy of Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid.

Fable for the End of the World is a nice enjoyable queer fantasy story! The gauntlets and angels were both interesting aspects to read about, I like that we got to see each angels background story as it really made me feel for each of them. Even though the angels aside from Melinoë are background/side characters they feel fleshed out really good to the point they could each have their own book! I’m happy that this book switches between the two main characters perspectives, I liked seeing how the both of the reacted and what they thought during different scenes. Inesa and Melonoë were both sweet and entertaining characters, I enjoyed reading from both of them however while their romance is sweet I wish we would have gotten just a little more with the two of them.

The sibling bond between Inesa and Luka is heartfelt, I really felt for the both of them during their gauntlet experience, aside from that I am a little iffy about the ending of Fable for the End of the World and I’m hoping that this ending is hinting at another potential book to this series!

Overall a four star read! I will definitely be reading more from this author! Ava Reid writing style comes across as simplistic but it’s beautiful and the details are very vivid.

3.5. I will start with there is a lot to like here, and Romance is usually not my jam. Dystopian romance, though, was intriguing to me. The story starts with some amazing world building and characters. I truly enjoyed getting to know the details of this climate changed, basically Amazon run world. I liked that it kept you in one area and dove more into the strange history of this North Eastern landscape. Inesa and Luka are real lived in characters with a (all too often true) parent that gave up. Melinoe is just trying to escape the reality that she lives in, and right now, that hits pretty hard. What brings this down a bit for me is the pacing. It starts perfectly. Moving at a pace that is interesting but doesn't lose world building or character development. The Gauntlet is a faster bread and circus style Hunger Games driven by corporate greed and getting right into it is intense. Once the romance aspect hits, the pacing comes to a crawl. This isn't a bad thing, and is necessary to build a strong connection between the two lovers, but for me it would have been nice to build the romance side by side with everything else going on. Instead, it feels like they got trapped together to quickly build their feelings. The romance aspect is sweet and tender and gives you hope, but once things get going again, it is break neck speed to the end. As far as I can tell, this is a one-off book, but man, if it were to expand into a short series or duology, I think it would be an amazing one. There is a lot presented in the world building that is either not addressed or has no real resolution as of now. The ending is harsh but fair and leaves you with hope, but I truly wish there was more and that it didn't sprint to the end. Overall, this was outside my normal style but definitely worth the read, and I hope the author continues this story at some point. If not, still solid and would recommend to Romance and Dystopian fans.

Short and Sweet Review

Inesa lives in a half sunken town where she works at a taxidermy shop with her brother and they barely make ends meet. Unbeknownst to them their mother has them in the red and that means they’re going to need to pay it back and to do that she enrolled Inesa to be in the gauntlet. The gauntlet is almost impossible to survive but with her brothers help Inesa thinks she has a chance. Caerus is a corporation that controls all aspects of society and they’re the ones who made the gauntlet. Each gauntlet has an Angel the one responsible for hunting down the lamb. Melinoë is the angel for this gauntlet and she’s a trained assassin and she was trained to hunt down and kill the lambs. The last gauntlet didn’t go well for Melinoë and she’s still haunted by what happened and no matter how many memory wipes she gets she can still remember. When the gauntlet starts its a normal game of cat and mouse but due to certain circumstances the girls start to work together and might even be falling for each other.

Fable for the End of the World was almost like The Hunger Games but very unique. We have people who owe debts end up sacrificing their loved ones into the gauntlet which is exactly what happens to our main character Inesa. Inesa and her family aren’t well off. Inesa works at the taxidermy shop and her brother does the hunting, their mother thinks something is wrong with her health and spends a majority of the money which is why the family is in the red. Inesa was a good character more often than not she would roll with the punches and try to make the best of certain situations. I do feel bad that she had no choice in the decision and she was basically thrown to the wolves. Melinoë is our hunter and in the last gauntlet she ended up killing the lamb but it was in a way that made everyone watching the stream hate her. I thought Melinoë was an interesting character because she was made to kill but you could tell she has feelings and the one that came across the most was remorse. What I thought was interesting was that this gauntlet wasn’t confined to a space Inesa could run to where ever she wanted or she could stay and fight but her tactic was to run and survive. The wastelands where the girls are was interesting because we see creatures that have been mutated that are after both of them and that’s how the girls end up working together, they also think the cameras are off. I liked the romance, they didn’t just jump in but it was a slow burn and I think they helped each other especially when sharing their perspectives on life. The most captivating thing about this book was the world and the plot and just seeing Inesa and Melinoë navigate their circumstances.

Overall, I really liked this book. I will say I don’t like endings that are open to reader interpretation but in my head it was a happy ending. If you’re looking for a dystopian novel thats reminiscent of YA dystopians that came out in the early 2010s but is also very unique, add this book to your TBR!

I ate this up. Fastest I’ve read a book in a long time. This book belongs with all your favorite 2010s dystopians. The perspective Reid chose made for such a unique story, beautifully written and artfully crafted. I want to explore so much more of this world. Now mind you, it was VERY similar to the Hunger Games in terms of themes (and a scene or two). Did I mind? Not at all.
I’ve thought about this book every day since finishing it and can definitely say I’ll be rereading it.

Thank you so much HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC.

This was the sapphic dystopian book I've been waiting for and was nonetheless devastated by. Ava Reid has a way with words and the ending torn me in two and I already know how divisive it's going to be. If you are a Hunger Games/Divergent/Fifth Wave fan, you will like this!

Rated at 4.5 stars, rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book does not have a happy ending. But it has a devastatingly hopeful one, and I think that made it even better than any true happy ending could have.

Fable for the End of the World is a story about doing what you need to in order to survive while also clinging to humanity and a desire to do more than simply survive—to truly live. When I read that it was pitched as a The Hunger Games meets The Last of Us, I did feel a little skeptical about how that would play out. I do believe that Fable for the End of the World met my expectations and then some.

Moreover, this book felt a little too real for something that is mildly dystopian/futuristic sci-fi. With a government run by a corporation and the rich and wealthy thriving in their shining cities while the less fortunate suffer the direct impact of climate change… I couldn’t help but feel that this book represents a pathway we might be stumbling down in the real world. That aspect of it definitely added a thread of dread in my mind as I was reading, knowing that while this is a fictional tale it could very easily happen in real life.

I really, really liked this one. A love letter to 2010s YA dystopian books like The Hunger Games & Divergent, but still held its own.

I can always trust Ava Reid to have imperfect and interesting characters in her books. The two main FMCs felt real, and each had their own struggle. I also always love her writing style.

I did want more from how The Gauntlet played out, and the ending fell just a *little* flat for me. The enemies to lovers seemed quite a bit too quick. I also would’ve liked more world building, but these three things didn’t impact my enjoyment of the book that much. Would love to have a sequel or even a prequel to this.


Thank you to the publisher for the e-arc!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and absolutely did NOT disappoint! The premise is wild and the story had me hooked right away, We NEED more dystopian stories published - this is so nostalgic but also modern feeling. Hunger Games girlies will LOVE this.

Set in a dystopian society where climate change has further stratified humanity by class, a large mega-corporation has devised an economy where all citizens can get the items and services they want, but at a price. If an individual goes into too much debt, they’re forced to nominate someone for the Gauntlet, a televised chase and brutal murder by superhuman women called Angels, that is broadcast to all devices and screens. Inesa has her relatively peaceful life with her family until her mother reaches the debt threshold and nominates her for the Gauntlet. With her background of knowledge from her now-missing father, and the help of her brother, she might stand a small chance of actually surviving, but the Angel assigned to hunt her down her has her own plans and motivations.

Despite its obvious Hunger Games references (acknowledged by the author!), this book did feel fresh and very thoughtful. Some twists felt a little too obvious, but there were quite a few events that surprised me. If I had to knit pick I’d say pacing dragged in the cabin scenes towards the last third and the final conflict felt a little anticlimactic, and the main human villain (i.e. not a corporation felt a little one-dimensional. I absolutely loved the ending and loved how it concludes neatly but also sets up an opening for a second book, but it might not be for everyone.

Huge thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this Advanced Reader Copy! This review is my honest opinion and offered voluntarily!

I’ve come to the realization that my love for Ava Reid’s books are at a 50% rate. I loved A study in Drowning and Lady MacBeth. I didn’t enjoy Juniper and Thorn or The Wolf and the Woodsman quite like I expected to. Fable fell into the later category for me.

In a very 2013-2016 era style of post-apocalyptic YA novels (think Hunger Games, Grace Year, Wilder Girls) featuring romance, gritty survival, humans hunting humans, this novel really tried and had moments that kept my eyes glued to the pages. And yet, the quick turn around from enemies to lovers, the way Inesa didn’t show much grit until the end, the untied strands of the parents’ plots, and the what-really-was-the-point of the Wends(?) left me wanting.

I adore Ava Reid’s lyrical writing. She is talented and has a beautiful mind when it comes to storytelling, and that’s why it pains me that I didn’t have that thrilling experience that I hoped for. It’s difficult to give a review for an author you respect and who has generously gifted 2 ARCs when it’s something that I didn’t particularly enjoy. But the point of the ARCs are for authentic reviews, and I need to gracefully leave a 3 star for this book.

2.75⭐️ rounded up to 3⭐️

I went into this book expecting YA dystopian with lesbians and you know what? That is what I received.

While reading I kept thinking that it’s probably something I would have devoured as a middle schooler obsessed with YA dystopian novels. It is almost a perfect cross between “The Hunger Games” and “Uglies,” both of which I loved when I was younger. I really appreciate a new dystopian novel, definitely written for tweens and teens, centering a lesbian relationship. It’s the only thing that, although not surprising, I think was desperately missing from the first YA dystopia trend in the 2010s.

With all that being said, I think this book was very middling. It wasn’t great, but it certainly wasn’t bad, perhaps just not for me. I think the world-building was a little clumsy and pretty surface level. I liked the idea that was beginning to be created: a flooding world due to human activity, ruled by companies and capitalism putting people into debt which, in turn, forces them to give up themselves or, more shockingly, a family member to be hunted for entertainment. However, I think that a little more time fully fleshing out what it’s actually like to live in this world and what the world outside of our two main characters’ lives looks like was needed before throwing them into the hunt.

I also think the romance was pretty rushed. Honestly, the book itself had a pacing problem and it felt like we were just flying through everything but I think where that was felt most was the romance. I don’t think either character really got to know the other before suddenly they were making heart eyes at each other. Mel is supposed to be programmed into being cold and unfeeling and seems to just flip and suddenly she’s in love with her target? Inesa, I think, is worse considering not only has Mel been literally hunting her and like actively trying to kill her. I feel like it should take more than like 12-16 hours before you’re like over that?

All that being said, I do think these are problems that won’t strike the average middle schooler who will pick up this book. I think that this book wasn’t written for me and, at the end of the day, that’s okay. Like I said before, I’m just really happy that a popular author is releasing a YA dystopia novel with lesbians as the main couple.

Wow. Just wow.

This is my third book by Eva Reid, and it is, hands down, my favorite.

Reid creates a dystopian world that feels like a terrifyingly real glimpse into our future—where the lines between capitalism and politics have blurred into something monstrous. It’s a brutal, unflinching look at consumerism and power, and I couldn’t tear myself away.

But what really got me? The characters. Inesa and Melinoë are the kind of strong, complicated female leads I love—flawed but determined, and impossible not to root for. Their journey together was raw, emotional, and deeply personal, as each fought to reclaim her humanity in a world that sees them as disposable.

And let me tell you—between that ending and the sharp social commentary, this book has been on repeat in my brain since the last page. If there’s a sequel, I will cry tears of joy.

I loved it, and it has officially cemented Reid as a permanent fixture on my must-read list.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Back in my dystopian ERAAAAA! This was such an interesting premise and it was executed so dang well. Ava Reid continues to stun me with her exceptional world building and storytelling skills.

Thank you netgalley for my ebook arc!

Fable for the End of the World kept me on my toes the entire time. This Hunger Games inspired novel tells the story of Ines and Melinoë. Fable for the End of the World can be dark but damn I could not put this down. I really loved the ending, it was a realistic ending to their story.

I will always recommend this book!

3.5⭐️
This book gave me so much nostalgia for my dystopian era when I was younger! If you loved The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, or This is How You Lose the Time War or enemies to lovers and sapphic love stories, then I highly recommend picking this up!

We follow Inesa, who gets chosen for The Gauntlet, and Mel, an angel assigned to hunt her in this fast-paced dystopian ya romance! The Gauntlet scenes were very fast paced and filled with action scenes that had me not wanting to put the book down. I enjoyed Inesa and Mel working together to survive while getting to know each other on a deeper level. I loved the overall vibes of the story and the action scenes but found myself not connecting with the two characters as much I normally do. Despite this, Ava’s writing and storytelling pulls you into the story has you wanting more by the end. I know this is a standalone but I would love a sequel or maybe a novella because I feel like there is so much left to explore in this world and story!

Thank you to Harper Collins for the e-ARC in exchange for my review!

Fable for the End of the World is a dystopian high stakes adventure for all the lovers of The Hunger Games and people who wish for a better world. This fast-paced sprint through poisoned woods filled with mutations and unknown danger is the setting for small rebellions and redefining survival, life, and love.
The Lamb’s Gauntlet is the ruling corporation’s way of giving the citizens a chance to erase their crushing debt. The selected Lamb faces an Angel, a cybernetically enhanced assassin in a live-streamed spectacle. Inesa’s cruel and negligent mother offers her up as a Lamb. Melinoë is the cold and calculating Angel who’s never failed. But this Gauntlet is haunted by the girls’ pasts and when they are forced to help each other their views begin to shift. They find in each other what they’ve always craved. Love.
Oh, this book is amazing. It’s a loving homage to The Hunger Games so it has a glimmer of nostalgia. But like all her books Ava Reid does something a bit like magic. She digs deep into the dark pain of humanity while holding up a light for the reader. We feel the helplessness but never forget the hope. Fable is a high-stakes dystopian tale where the greatest risk is to believe there is more. This is a story of queer love and human understanding in a landscape where empathy has been forgotten.

Feeling like a dose of dystopian nostalgia, anyone?

3.5/5 stars

Fable for the End of the World is a love letter to The Hunger Games, but with corporate corruption and a rotting, polluted world, and of course Ava Reid’s signature gothic poetic prose.

"𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘷𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘪𝘣 𝘤𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵."

The story follows Inesa, a hardworking, poor shop girl chosen as the Lamb for slaughter in a livestream assassination spectacle, and Melinoe, the beautiful, brutal Angel sent to track her down.
It’s a fast-paced, bingeable sapphic ya romance that feels nostalgic yet relevant.

However, I found it lacking in the visceral, hauntingly atmospheric style that I associate (and love) Ava Reid for. It feels like a well written version of a book I’ve read before with more depth; meaningful social commentary beneath its murky surface.

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵… 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺…”

Overall a decent and thoughtful read, but lacking in originality and that extra *spark* that makes me feral for a book.

I am wrecked by Ava Reid's Fable of the End of the World. This one takes a lot of processing power. My immediate thoughts are thought-provoking and heart-wrenching.
Reid gives us a dystopian future where drinking water is toxic, floods are prevalent, the land has been irradiated, animals and people have mutated, and the divide between the haves and have-nots is perpetuated by the ruling corporate government through a credit system. When the debt gets too high, they come to collect, and the debtor can "sponsor" a family member to the gauntlet where they will be hunted by a genetically altered and mechanically enhanced killer known as an Angel. Henceforth, canceling said debt.
I am left with these questions: What happens when an Angel experiences a bit too much humanity and is haunted by memories? To what extremes will people go to survive? What does it mean to be human? What happens when that last vestige of hope is extinguished?

'"I think individuals are capable of compassion. Actually, I know they are. 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.”'

This well-written, visually immersive, exploration of these ideas is hauntingly close to what our reality can easily become. I was absolutely fully invested and am still thinking about it afterward. Melinoe and Inesa will live together in my mind for a while. The climax was so suspenseful that I had to fight my anxiety not to skip to the end before finishing it. 
Even so, the end is not satisfying. It is hope and hopelessness battling through the last page and beyond. 
The relationship between Inesa and Melinoe is powerful. Trauma bonding, for sure, but the level of vulnerability they share, and their chemistry is well above that. I melted when Inesa thought of Melinoe as her Angel.
The relationship between Inesa and her brother is also complex and solid.
I do hope that this isn't the end of their story. There is so much more to be said unless we are meant to accept that the worst of humanity will, in the end, ultimately retain power. But I think there will always be someone somewhere with enough hope to carry on.

"The love is what Azrael— and Caerus— can’t afford to lose. And maybe that makes love the most powerful force in the world, after all."

#enemiestolovers #dystopian #youngadult #sapphic #corporatocracy #creditocracy #environmentaldestruction #notHEA #UnitedStates #worldbuilding #actionpacked
I received a free ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

i am blown away and also sick to my stomach and also on the verge of tears. like i am actively running around my apartment yelling and my roommate is calming me down. this book is fantastic. a phenomenal dystopia with excellent political/societal commentary that captured my attention and never let me go. i loved inesa and melinoë so much and i wanted them to find freedom and peace and love. i should have known better. i was first outraged when the dogs showed up and melinoë found out that every intimate moment between her and inesa had been shown to the world. every but of vulnerability on display for everyone in what should have been a private moment. yet again, i let myself hope, and i really thought that they were going to make it to the drowned county. i was naïve. when azrael showed up with lethe and luka, my heart cracked. melinoë getting stabbed and taken was painful, but nothing was worse than the headline that she had been given to visser and wiped. the nothingness behind her eyes and the pain that inesa felt was horrible. i wish they would have died together, rather than have this horror inflicted on them. this book offers insight into the state of our environment, our norms, and the people we place in power. it is a statement on how quickly things can go awry and how greed and malice can ruin us.