Subversion

by Ruhi Parikh

NOTE: IF YOU ARE REVIEWING SUBVERSION AFTER MARCH 1, 2023, PLEASE DISREGARD THE REVIEWS BEFORE, SINCE HEAVY EDITS TO THE GRAMMAR AND PROSE HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE NEW EDITION, AND REFER TO THE EDITION(S) MADE IN 2023. THANK YOU.

Perfect for fans of Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth, book one of this action-packed dystopian series will have you at the edge of your seat until the very last page.

IT IS THE YEAR 2064, and Washington, D.C. is divided into the Rich and the Poor. The Rich bathe in their luxuries and brutalize the Poor, who have been laboring excessively after the Second Great Depression in the 2030s and the Dark Ages that had followed. As much as they want to rebel, they are aware of what dire repercussions await for them, especially from President Tobias Remington, a politician adamant to make the Poor suffer.

Blaire Cohen is a nineteen-year-old Poor woman who despises how they are treated daily. She and her family labor for the government, mining from the crack of dawn to dusk. Everyday she dreams of escaping the atrocious city with her family, willing to give them the life they deserve.

But that is until she gets kidnapped by a mystifying organization determined to destroy the treacherous government . . . and determined for her to join, too.

Blaire begins to embark on a life oozing with the unknown. Risky decisions must be made, and she must choose wisely, for the wrong one will lead to imminent consequences.

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia

364 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2023

About the author

Ruhi Parikh is a young adult Indian-American author attending Virginia Tech as a Creative Writing and PTW double major. She has loved to write ever since she was five years old, and she intends to keep on writing in the hopes of inspiring many people like her to create wonderful stories as well. When she is not writing, you can expect her to be either watching Netflix in bed, going for a long walk/car ride, or spending time with beloved friends and family.

TikTok: @writingwithruhi

Instagram: @ruhiparikhh

Reviews

[Ruhi Parikh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, everyone!

So, I know GoodReads isn't really a designated place for authors, but I still wanted to pop by and say my part before I scurry away from here, haha.

------------------------------------

Subversion was published today.

I felt thousands of emotions as I saw my book up on Amazon--excited, nervous, relieved, joyous, you name it. But mostly of all, I felt shocked, merely because I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that my freaking BOOK was now available for everyone around the world to read. I low-key pinched myself too.

This two-year project started off as a story on Wattpad. I wanted to try a new genre, something other than romance, so I immediately jumped onto the dystopian train. Not many people read Subversion first at the beginning, so I thought the dystopian genre wasn't for me. That I was just wasting my time.

Until I started a writing TikTok account.

I came into the BookTok/WriterTok world thinking that absolutely no one would watch my content. Why would they anyway? I was only talking about the same old thing--writing. Obviously people wouldn't be intrigued by my content.

Little did I know that my third post EVER, on the same day that I started my account, I would get thousands of likes and, as a result, hundreds of followers.

I was amazed by my growth on TikTok. People really wanted to learn more about Subversion--which I made several videos on. That is when a majority of my followers flocked over to Wattpad and devoured my story within days. The total read count went from 100 to 1,000. And more. And more.

I couldn't believe it.

Because of the immense love for Subversion, I felt a huge surge of motivation and ending up writing the book in just six months. The moment I finished writing the last chapter is when I burst into tears, feeling overwhelming gratitude for all who supported me. I still believe to this day that I don't deserve all this support.

Months flew by, and after an intense debate with myself, I decided to self-publish on Amazon. I thought it would be the best decision for me, and maybe in the future, I can pursue traditional publishing. But as of now, this is my decision, and I'm more than content with it.

The entire summer I was occupied with editing and editing and editing the actual CRAP out of Subversion--obviously before my actual editor started her work. After the heavy editing processed through, the beautiful cover was made. That's when it hit me, that Subversion was actually getting published. I spent my entire childhood desperate to follow my passion even though the entire world was against me, and I fought against all odds and persevered in the end... like a freaking boss.

And flash-forward to January 4, Subversion is now available for everyone to buy. My entire soul and body went into writing this work of mine, so of course I'm going to rate it 5 stars. I did all this--I made the world, the characters, the dialogue, the relationship, the environment, INNUMERABLE things. And as a teenager, I think that's pretty impressive.

I hope you all enjoy this story of mine. If you don't, then that's okay too. We all have our own opinions. But just know that the story doesn't end here... the story is actually just getting started--especially because it's a trilogy ;)

I love you all... and thank you for reading this <3

Love,
Ruhi Parikh

[Aafreen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I FINALLY READ IT (before I get started, congratulations on publishing a book Ruhi!!)
I would definitely recommend this book as a quick and relaxed read but you're probably wondering why I gave it one star and yes I know it seems harsh but this book was really not it for me. Maybe it's because I was reading it on my kindle which just made me feel like I was reading a professionally written book but the calibre of what I ended up reading was immensely disappointing and felt more Wattpad.
I liked the world-building a lot, it definitely took me back to my hunger games and divergent days and some of the plot-twists did really get me- I also loved the lowkey political commentary based around the corrupt government etc. See below for the things I didn't quite like.
THE MAIN CHARACTER
I did start off liking Blair but she descended into the basic dystopian girl-boss that hates everyone and everything. I saw it with Katniss Everdeen and was hoping Blair would have a bit more personality to her- a personality that isn't just 'ugh I hate rich people'. I know this book was marketed as a sort of cousin to the hunger games and divergent but it was giving twin sister and I was hoping for a unique dystopian book not a copy.
SHOW DON'T TELL (FIRST CHAPTER)
I've seen this a lot with other reviews but the first chapter really hit me in the face with information. I felt like I needed a break after I read it. Most books ease you in but it felt like this book was trying too hard to make sure the reader knew all the backstory in a minute so they could get on with the interesting plot progression. Also the writing felt stunted because it was too much 'Blair felt ... so she.. . Then ... happened so she felt... and Jax felt...' (not an actual sentence from the book) but what I'm trying to say is it felt like I was being spoon-fed stage directions not a book where I think about how the characters are feeling for myself
GRAMMAR MISTAKES!!
Didn't ruin the entire book or anything but just irked me slightly- there were a LOT of grammar mistakes. I recall Ruhi saying she paid for an editor on her tiktok but maybe some more peer review was needed like beta readers or something
RICH AND POOR?
okay so the poor hate the rich because they take all the resources etc but i really dont get why the rich hate the poor? like it doesnt even make sense? 'ew you're poor and gross and have no money' okay but is that a valid reason to hate someone?? also this is unrelated but i feel like jax and blair's relationship was not written about enough for me to root for them- they had like some deep conversations and that was it.
STRANGE DIALOGUE
people don't talk like how the people in this book talk. it was so formal and block-like. if you ignore all the other bits and just act out the speech, it doesn't sound natural at all. also i remember an era on booktok where people with actual siblings joked about book main characters calling their siblings 'big bro' and 'lil sis' etc coz no one does that irl but blair straight up does it many times

Sorry for the brutally honest review butttt all authors start from somewhere and I have no doubt that from a debut novel it can only go up. I can't wait to read the next books in the trilogy, well done Ruhi!

[Maya Cabrera · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would like to begin this review by congratulating Ruhi on self-publishing at such a young age. The industry is so tricky to navigate and I applaud her will, however, with publishing young comes more challenges. I've been following Ruhi on TikTok for a while and, as an avid reader of feminist dystopia, I was eager to get my hands on her debut. As a writer myself, I know criticism is not what authors want, but I feel honesty is needed here, so I hope Ruhi took the advice of her followers and found someone to browse reviews on her behalf.

The first thing that became abundantly clear with the opening chapter was that the grammar was not up to par. What upsets me about this is that Parikh claims to have invested in a freelance editor. No professional editor would miss such evident mistakes, which is saddening, because more peer-review and a stronger editor would give this book an extra star, in my eyes. The endless SPAG errors (I believe there was one in the blurb, too) seriously weakened the calibre of this book.

Many young authors have found success (just look at Chloe Gong and Alice Oseman) so this is in no way meant to discourage all young aspiring authors, but I can't help but feel there was a lack of experience within this book. I'm a Creative Writing teacher, and some of the main lessons I give my students are lessons that authors should be well-aware of, but I'll explain them now (this is not supposed to be offensive in any way, and I feel with a few years' experience, Parikh's writing could be a force to be reckoned with).
- PURPLE PROSE - excessive description at the beginning of a new setting can really deter a reader. You should weave it in as the character interacts with their environment, not create large paragraphs of endless metaphors that are hard to read.
- DIALOGUE - I often tell my students that they should read their dialogue aloud as though it were a conversation. Parikh's dialogue at times appeared robotic and overly-formal, especially for teen characters. This made it lengthier to read, and the characters harder to believe in.
- OPENING CHAPTER - what made the story so hard to read was the endless info-dumping (especially within the fast chapter). Using a first-person narrator is fine, but it leaves nothing to the reader's imagination and points out the obvious in a way that can come across as patronising.

Now, I'd like to say that Ruhi's advertising on her TikTok is phenomenal. Really good job. But, after reading the book, I can't help but feel like some of the words used are inaccurate? Something I always tell my students is that you cannot rely on what is 'trending' to make your book popular, because the book community is dynamic and subjective.
I saw Parikh claim a 'morally-grey love-interest' which I feel to be wildly inaccurate, in terms of Jax's moral ground. A man who is somewhat stoic and sarcastic, with a questionable background, is not 'morally grey'. Think Kaz Brekker, or Cardan Greenbriar. Characters that do bad things for bad reasons.
She also puts forward a 'enemies-to-lovers' romance, which I would use lightly. Whilst it is a trending trope on TikTok, so I see why she'd claim it, Blair and Jax's relationship dynamic was not nuanced enough to be classified as 'enemies'. They dislike each other temporarily, for reasons beyond personal character. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when you push forward such a popular trope, it should be a unique, interesting take on it.
Subversion is characterised as a 'dystopia' much like 'The Hunger Games' and 'Divergent'. This is an error that leads me to believe more research was needed. 'comp titles' are something I teach a lot; one or more book with similar themes to your own that draw in the right audience. The biggest no-no in the comping world is using popular series such as the above, which have become YA 'classics' and weren't published recently. It weakens Subversion which, although a dystopia, is too similar to the other two to even be distinguished. You cannot pluck out the two most popular titles within your genre, but should find books with similar themes to your specific novel.
There were many popular YA tropes within Subversion, which isn't a bad thing, but when you do this, you need to subvert it slightly, or make it your own. Otherwise it becomes tiring and predictable. The greatest example I can think of is the relative-isn't-actually-dead trope with Nico, which I found completely obvious and not surprising. Also the member-of-the-group-betrays-them trope.

What drew me to Subversion initially was the political aspect. I am enamoured by strong political commentary in YA novels, especially on capitalism. However, the book lacked nuance, which made it tiring and condescending. 'The Poor hate the Rich because they steal all the resources and exploit them; the Rich hate the Poor because...they're poor.' It felt insulting to anyone who has ever struggled economically. The capitalised 'Rich' and 'Poor' tried to fit the dystopian bill of separation causing tension but fell flat, because this is real. This happens. In a capitalist society, the poor are exploited and the rich profit. As someone who has read anti-neo-liberalist work by the likes of Naomi Klein on the destructiveness of capitalism, it felt ridiculous to frame this as 'dystopian', add guns and secret societies, and say 'imagine if this happened'. It does happen, you just need to look around you.

Another reason why I was desperate to read this book was because it was written by a successful woman of colour. If there is anything we need more of, it's women of colour in publishing. Then, when I found out the protagonist was Argentinian, my heart leapt. I'm Argentinian. Which is why I'm forced to say that this disappointed. It's just the little things; names, for example. It's important to make your character's identity shine and do your research, instead of mentioning it a few times and putting in a few Spanish words (some of which didn't fit in the context so choosing an Argentinian beta reader might've been beneficial). 'Blaire Cohen' is NOT an Argentinian name. I know the author probably wasn't intending to be offensive but claiming that Blaire's mother 'acts Argentinian' with 'her booming voice and dominant personality' (Chapter 1) really upset me. For years, Latinas have been trying to stamp out the harmful stereotype of the 'angry Latina woman'. This wasn't purposefully rude, but it was definitely misguided and shows inexperience. I think Parikh should research on 'tick-box diversity' because the queer representation could certainly be classified as such, too.

When creating a book, one must decide whether it is plot-driven or character-driven. After finishing Subversion, I still can't decide. The characters were all reduced to caricatures of popular YA tropes, with not enough development for them to stand on their own accord. As an advocate for strong female characters, I found Blaire's constant malice and lack of empathy to be disheartening. A woman needn't be sociopathic to be 'strong'; we needn't kill without remorse to be 'brave'. Blaire is no exception to internalised misogyny. Being poor is so much more than being resentful; it's a daily struggle, it's psychologically damaging. I wish Parikh had done more to address this rather than reducing the entire Poor population to hateful individuals. It lacks nuance, and could be taken as offensive, especially if the author has not had sufficient experience living in abject poverty. Very often I see male characters with potential just falling short because of the trope of the 'dark and handsome male love-interest with a sad backstory'. The backstory felt forced, with little baring on Jax's character as he said snarky one-liners and was pushed into the box of one-dimensional hunk of meat.

The only reason I felt the need to say this is because Ruhi Parikh is still young and has so many opportunities for improvement. From what I can see, she has startling potential and can really use criticisms to advance. I also saw that she is planning a sequel so I hope my advice was helpful in the advancement of this story.
Although, I really hope that this did not offend. As an author myself, I realise that criticism can be disheartening, but I in no way meant this maliciously. Parikh is a talented young writer, but self-publishing is no joke, and many books are pushed onto the slosh-pile for just falling short or being put out too soon. Good luck for the future.

[Layla · Rating 1 out of 5]

First of all, it's amazing that the author is only a teen and published a book. Good for you!

The premise was really good! And I LOVE dystopian stories. Unfortunately, I gave this a one star, because I don't think this book was ready to be published yet. There were a LOT of grammatical errors that made this feel like an unpolished, uncompleted, novel. And it got in the way of the reading experience. A lot of filler words could've been taken out, and there were some phrases that I felt could've been edited/worded better.

I'm not sure if the author had any critique partners for this novel, but for the next one I recommend it.

[amynicolecalvo · Rating 2 out of 5]

⚠️⚠️most of these mistakes should have been caught by an editor. I’m actually upset for the author because even me, as an almost 16 year old, could catch typos and filter words/phrases better than her editor. So please be aware of that when reading the book or my review⚠️⚠️

to start off, SO PROUD OF THIS YOUNG AUTHOR. It takes a lot of drive and guts to publish so that’s already incredible. but unfortunately, I did not enjoy this as much as I hoped I would.

This dystopian novel certainly transported me back to 2012/2014 era with Divergent and Hunger Games. I adored that aspect. However, at times the world building was quite messy. The entire “Poor” and “Rich” dynamic is a genuine issue in today’s society and it was not handled with much care. When you’re going to tackle a real issue with a fictional twist, you need sensitivity readers and beta readers who deal/have dealt with that issue. If the author had any, it did not come through in the story.
[she should have also had a sensitivity reader for her Argentinian main character. Representation isn’t just a few Spanish words and one mention of her background. There was also a off-hand comment in the first chapter that perpetuated the “loud” stereotype Hispanic women are often diminished with. So, once again, a sensitivity reader was needed]

Another major issue was the dialogue and writing. Dialogue also felt unrealistic (rarely any contractions, weirdly formal, etc) and did not feel like teenagers or young adults speaking. As for the writing, a major issue was the “show don’t tell” rule that we’ve all heard. I like to phrase it “describe, don’t explain.” Every single one of Blair’s emotions were “explained” or “told” to me. It made it difficult to connect and often times, it made me lose interest.
[quick note: please go read Maya’s review for more in-depth explanation on everything. It’s so well written. Just scroll to reviews, click the 2-star line, and find @Maya. Highly encourage if you’re curious]

Speed round of critiques: how information was divulged, character reactions were often way too dramatic, Jax’s character was very sporadic and one-dimensional, and overall difficult to cling to the plot when the characters didn’t feel genuine.

Speed round of things I enjoyed: THE LAST KISS SCENE (made me get butterflies) and the plot twists were definitely plot twists let me tell you.

2/5 stars for me :(

[lina darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are my own thoughts and opinions and in no way meant to be disrespectful.

For starters, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would.

The concept of the story sounds very intriguing, similar to the Hunger Games and Divergent. It’s set in a world where the Poor are left in a world to fend for themselves whilst the Rich dwell in riches and aristocratic opportunities. The story itself follows Blaire Cohen, a 19 year old, whom suffers the extremities of living poorly after experiencing social division. Determined to overthrow the government, she is recruited by a group of experts who share equal hatred of their situation. Danger lurks in every corner, suspense thickening as the plot continues to be built.

Personally, I couldn’t quite connect to the story. It felt a bit off as the writing tells the story instead of showing you the adventure Blaire takes. I would have really liked it if the description of the who, what, when, where, why and how flowed throughout the book - instead of being thrown in the first six chapters.

Maybe it wasn’t my cup of tea, or maybe I was too hyped. I simply couldn’t connect with the characters enough to be rooting for them.

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

[Skylar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The opening line instantly grabs the attention of the reader. The writing style is elegant and the first 10 chapters alone are packed with metaphors and smilies that really add to the story. The first chapter talks about the government in 2064, and many of the themes presented relate to the current government we have. I think it was a bold and important move to tie in the current government. The chapter titles and small lightning details are a nice touch. The main character, Blaire (age 19), acts her age. Her thinking process and actions do not feel forced and are well written. The other characters are also well written which makes it easy to form connections to them. I was only 2 chapters in when I fell in love with Blaire. She is the perfect combination of sass and genesis. You can tell that the author took her time writing and developing the characters. Blaire and Em´s relationship is just heartwarming.
The writing style is captivating and very descriptive. The story, for just being the first 10 chapters, is extremely action packed. There is also great diversity in the book that doesn't feel forced. I love Jax. You can tell he is a man written by a woman. He is literally respectful, nice, smart, and hot. Extremely hot and well written. The story is action packed and fast paced, which becomes almost addicting. I couldn't put it down without knowing what would happen next. The way information is revealed and the characters' reactions are so authentic. They make the characters feel alive.
Towards chapters 18 and 19 there are potential triggers (check the list on the back of the book), but they are dealt with well. The writing style of the chapters helps dissolve some of the major triggers, making it more digestible. The characters' relationships develop naturally, as you would expect if this story was real.
WOW BE PREPARED FOR PLOT TWISTS!! (but in a good way). I was absolutely shocked at the plot twist and really had no idea. There's no way to know since we receive all of our information through Blaire. The twist was so sudden and well planned that it turned out to be heartbreaking. Jax´s humor and ego never fails. He is by far the funniest character in the book (and one of my favorites). The relationship that begins to form between Blaire and Jax forms naturally and is well paced. They give off hot and smart vibes (Blarie) and a playboy who finally found his match (Jax) vibes AND I am so here for it. Their batner throughout the whole book is one of the main highlights, besides the amazing writing style.
I am very thankful to have been sent an ARC copy of this book. Overall, I enjoyed reading this action packed novel. I absolutely can not wait to read more from Ruhi. If you like the Maze Runner, The 5th Wave, Divergent, morally gray love interest, banter, plot twists, and a bad ass main character/group of friends/found family… THEN this book is for you. I´m telling you this book is addicting. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys this gerne just because of how fast paced it is. I was in a reading slump, but Subversion got me out of it. I once again would like to say a final thank you to Ruhi for allowing me to have an ARC.

[Annait L.J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an ARC reader, I had high hopes for the hype, but this book was not my cup of tea.

Perhaps it was the wording or the grammatical errors that I caught, but I found myself taking on an editor role as I went through each page. I had to pause at chapter 16 for a while because grammar aside, the book feels too rushed and the MC was very two dimensional. I eventually continued reading and though the story progressed, I couldn’t find myself emotionally connecting to any of the characters. That’s a must for me.

As a writer myself, I know a bad review isn’t what anyone wants, but I think going out of pocket for an editor would have been the most beneficial thing for this debut.

I have to give props to the world building though. The beginning was an info dump but it did create a natural setting. I think this was the best part of the book. Granted the Rich/Poor dynamic was a bit bland as well.

Work is needed and I look forward to seeing you progress.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an ARC reader, I was given a chance to read the book in exchange for a review.

I was definitely in a bit of a reading slump before reading Subversion, but once I started it, I was able to finish it in three days. Once I got into it, it was very easy to just get sucked up into the story and just read a lot in one sitting time.

First of all, I wanna talk about the writing style. This writing style is very unique and descriptive. The dialogue and interactions between all the characters feel very realistic and is written very well.

I love how the first chapters get straight to the point and are full of action. Most books have the typical main character waking up in the morning and getting ready blah blah, and I appreciate how you skipped that trope and had a first sentence that could grab a reader’s attention and lure them into the story.

The world building dump in the beginning was a bit overwhelming, but it makes more sense the further you get into the book.

Speaking of the world building, I think Ruhi really created a great dystopian, end-of-the-world type best for this story to be told in. In a world where people are treated accordingly to their financial status, that is similar to what we see in our real world today.

This book also tackles a lot about politics and how much corrupt power the government really has, and how that fear can control us.

I really liked Blaire as a main
character. She was sassy, and smart, and seemed to catch on to things very fast. She was also very strong, and to be honest, badass women always make the best main characters.

I also appreciate the fact she was able to slip up and have bad moments, it makes her feel like a way more realistic character and can make her more easier to relate to. You can tell she has changed by what she’s been through and her character has developed a lot by the end of the story. I love the bond she has with her family, how she is willing to do anything to protect them, and her and Em’s sisterly bond is just the cutest thing.

Jax was a very interesting love interest. He is introduced just as some Rich boy, but just like Blaire, has much character development by the end of the book. His little comments and jokes throughout the whole book lighten the mood and even made me laugh sometimes.

This story follows the classic trope, enemies to lovers, and I admit, after a while, I’m not the biggest fan of that trope. But what I like about this book is that it doesn’t feel forced or rushed and it actually takes time to happen. It makes it feel more real and really captures how awkward it is for these two characters as they get to know each other and come to terms with what exactly their feeling. I am also a fan of Blaire and Jax’s playful banter.

The other characters in this book are great. There are lots of strong female leads and every character has their each unique personality. I love how we get to see how each character interacts with one another as they are thrown together against seemingly impossible odds and have to work together towards one common goal. I also love all their commentary throughout the whole book.

This book also includes great diversity within the main group of characters.

And let me tell you, this book is a roller coaster of emotions. The plot twists are so great and I found myself urging to keep turning pages to find out what happened next.

After I finished the book, I sat there for at least two minutes just gathering my thoughts. I was definitely not expecting half the things I got from this book.

And overall, this book was great. The world building is very though and the setting is always explained in a lot of detail so you can imagine the scenes in your head. There are lots of talk of politics and how the government can use their power in many bad ways, and I feel we can relate to that in the real world.

The characters feel real in the way they feel and talk and interact with each other. They each have their own personality and backstory, and each show much character development by the end of the story.

I understand this is the first book in a trilogy, and I am totally going to read the whole series. I am excited to see what happens next.

And to Ruhi, your probably not going to read this, but I would just like to say you are a very talented writer. It takes a lot of dedication to write a book and get it out for the world to see. Your definitely going to inspire a lot of people.

Thanks for sharing your story, I loved reading it.


Best of luck on the rest of your writing journey!

[Addison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent this book as an ARC copy for a review.
First off, let me say that, from the very first sentence, I was in love with this book. After I started it, I couldn’t put the book down. After reading Subversion, I can definitely say that the book presented a serious problem in a very exciting and entertaining way. The society in which the book is set in could possibly be the way that America ends up in the future, and the book warns against how separation between people due to social class or political parties would affect the future negatively. The country is separated by social class, yet on a very extreme level.
While Subversion deals with serious topics, it is an exciting and fun read. There are many plot twists and unexpected turns, so things never really became predictable. The twists worked in the story nicely, and I never felt like they were thrown in just for the sake of having a plot twist.
Each of the characters has a distinct, different personality, and the character development between them is impressive and well thought-out. The characters are also very diverse, which I loved. The characters are constantly running and fighting for the greater good, and there is never a tedious or boring moment. I love books that are fast paced and action-packed, and this book displayed both beautifully. Additionally, the tropes included in this book are some of my absolute favorites, including (but not limited to) found family, enemies to lovers, and more.
As cheesy as it may sound, the vocabulary in this book was absolutely amazing! I learned quite a few words that I didn’t know before, which (in my opinion) makes the book much more appealing. The use of figurative language is also very admirable. Ruhi Parikh (the author) used them so well that they were helpful, without becoming too numerous or hard to understand.
The only thing I didn’t love about the book was that it was a bit repetitive, and the world building felt kind of rushed and overwhelming, but other than that it was wonderful! One thing you should know before reading the book, is that it is pretty violent, but gory things are not described too far in detail, so it is not an extreme drawback.
Overall, I really liked the book and I can’t wait for the release of the rest of the trilogy!

[insi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I begin, I want to thank Ruhi for selecting me to be an ARC reader in exchange for a thorough and honest review.

Firstly, Subversion presented a very important topic throughout the novel, one that is not discussed often. The separation between those who are rich and poor occurs all across the globe. The first few chapters really focus on nailing down the setting, and how the government is affecting people who are poor through the main character, Blaire Cohen. I really enjoyed how Ruhi guided us into the world she created, rather than throwing the reader into the kidnapping scene straightaway. I also love the characters within this story, especially those who belong to the organization. Most dystopian novels have characters who are so different and come from different walks of life, and as a team, they are able to accomplish what they need to. Ruhi definitely achieved that with diverse, and developed characters, most of which I adored. The world-building was also very simple in the novel and easy to understand, unlike a few dystopian novels that I have read in the past.

However, I personally did not like the dialogue in the book. When characters were speaking, it felt far too formal and almost as if they were saying things that people wouldn't normally say in real life. Because of this, it was a bit harder to connect with the emotions and feelings of the characters over the course of the novel. Furthermore, it felt that Blaire was stating what was happening, rather than showing it to the readers. Because the book is in first person, the reader generally views things from one character's perspective, but it didn't really feel like that when I was reading it.

Thank you again to Ruhi for sending me a copy of this book. I wish you good luck !

[Cheyenne Rhoades · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let me say thank you so much to Ruhi for choosing me as an ARC reader. I've followed her for a long time, and I was thrilled to get to read her book and review it.

Subversion is a YA dystopia following 19-year-old Blaire Cohen, a girl who is part of the Poor. She is kidnapped by the Subversives, a mysterious group that wants to rebel against the government and destroy the Rich, people who oppress the Poor.

This book is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, Red Queen, Fahrenheit 451, and 1984. It's a refreshing new dystopian novel that I feel has the potential to be the next "big thing".

The thing I like about this worldbuilding is that not only does it press in on real issues today, but that the story behind it isn't your stereotypical low-effort "nuclear war" dystopian story. The world was divided into the Rich and the Poor because of a second Great Depression, which I found was a unique new take. It takes place in Washington, DC, the supposed only city left in America, in the year 2064.

I love Blaire. She isn't just some 15-year-old white girl who wants to save the world through kindness and becomes the leader of some huge rebellion. She's older, diverse, more experienced, and she's ready to do whatever it takes to achieve equality--she's even ready to kill the Rich and to die for the cause of the Subversives, and she's not the only person trying to stop the government.

Blaire hates the Rich not only because they're oppressive and their president, Tobias Remington, is a total jackass, but also because they arrested her brother Nico for standing up to a Rich Guard, and she hasn't seen him since.

Blaire's hatred for the Rich leads to her being kidnapped by the Subversives, a mysterious group made up of Vienna Powers, a badass with a snarky personality, Jeremiah Morgan, an ex-Guard who lost his leg defending a Poor person and is searching for his missing family, Mallory Reaves, a kind runaway Rich girl who wants to help the Poor, and Dylan Faulker, a computer prodigy with a sarcastic attitude.

I love the diversity in the characters, too. Blaire is Argentinian, Jeremiah is African-American, and Vienna is Chinese. I appreciate the fact that not all of the characters come from the same background. Some were Rich, others were Poor, but that didn't stop them from becoming friends.

Blaire becomes friends with the Subversives, and they let her in on their plan to destroy the government, but Blaire gets a better idea: kidnap the President's son, Jax. Mallory says it's a great idea, since she used to be friends with Jax, and he hates his father.

So they make false aliases and sneak into a party Jax is holding for the Rich, and while he's busy flirting with Marie (AKA Blaire), Jeremiah knocks him out and they bring him to the Subversives' underground hideout and interrogate him.

Jax and Blaire hate each other. To Blaire, he's a pampered little Rich boy who thinks he can have whatever he wants. To Jax, Blaire is a mean Poor girl who likes lying and hurting people for fun. But eventually (after Vienna kicks him in the crotch a few times), Jax opens up to Blaire and admits that his father is an awful man who wants to kill all Poor people, and almost succeeded, but Jax overheard his plan and stopped him just in time.

Dylan records Jax confessing that he hates his father, and sends it to Tobias, but they surprisingly get no response back. That is, until (PLOT TWIST), Guards break into the Bunker.

Turns out, Dylan's name is actually Zachary Everett, and he's a Rich spy.

AAAAAGGHHHH!

Seriously, I suck at picking favorite characters, especially in dystopian books. Ruhi, if you're reading this, you owe me therapy. I still have trust issues from Maven Calore, and now this happens? Trust me when I say that I threw the book across the room and didn't read it for a few days.

As the Guards arrest them, Jax decides to join the Subversives rather than go back to his father. Vi shoots Dylan, but not before he taunts Blaire by telling her that he knows where her brother Nico is. They're thrown in jail and fear the worst. That is until Vi steals a Guard's gun and they break out.

As they escape into the woods, Vi confesses her dark past to Blaire: the racist president before Tobias killed her entire family because he thought they were Chinese spies. The only other person she'd ever told was Dylan/Zach, which shows that she's beginning to trust Blaire.

They're almost free until they make it to the Poor villages, where Blaire finds a Guard hurting her younger sister, Emilia. Blaire steps in to save her, but the Guards find her and her friends and bring them to torture chambers to await their executions.

The others are angry at Blaire for getting them caught, but they forgive her, and while they're there, Jax tells Blaire how he got a scar on his face: his father gave it to him for disagreeing with his totalitarian ideas. His father is an abusive asshole.

Tobias tries to get Jax and Mallory pardoned for their crimes because they're Rich, but Jax stands up to him and demands he be executed with the others, so Tobias disowns him, and tells Blaire that her brother Nico was actually the mysterious person who started the Subversives, but he found him and killed him. Satisfyingly, Blaire stabs him in the eye with a butter knife.

The others tell Blaire that it's true, and Nico made them promise not to tell her to protect her. They mourn him together.

The day before their execution, in enters Zachary, who survived Vi's gunshot. He means to torture them and tries to get them to turn on each other, but they turn the tables on him, and Vienna cuts his fingers off and shoots him (no, I'm not sad at all because I was kind of rooting for him. That would be weird!).

As they're brought to the public square to be executed, Blaire gives an inspiring speech about the unfairness in DC's society, and the Poor applaud her. Seconds before they're shot to death, a bomb goes off.

Blaire wakes up to chaos, Rich and Poor people fighting each other. She finds her family, and Jeremiah protects them while she and the others fight for their lives. Jax finds his father and shows him the same mercy he showed him as a child, and he kills him.

Another blast goes off, and Blaire wakes up in the hospital with the last people on earth she'd ever expect to see: Nico, alive and well, and Jeremiah's missing wife Layla.

Nico explains that he escaped prison and met Jeremiah, Vi, Mallory, and Dylan, and together they formed the Subversion act, but eventually, he was found and nearly killed by Tobias. But Layla rescued him, bringing him to a sanctuary city called Detroit that Tobias didn't want the Poor to find out about.

After a family reunion and a steamy kiss between Blaire and Jax (Ooh-la-la), Blaire, the Subversives, and her family, as well as the surviving Poor population, get on a train to Detriot to start their new lives, leaving the oppressive labels of Rich and Poor behind forever.

---------

Wow, I seriously enjoyed that book. Ruhi truly told a great and original story that brings you on a rollercoaster. I love the pretty writing and metaphors packed in there, as well as the beautiful speech Blaire gives about equality. It's very well-written, especially for being Ruhi's debut novel.

However, there were a few parts I didn't enjoy, too. There were a few typos and formatting issues, but I'm not going to comment on those seeing how I had an ARC copy.

The first ick was the dialogue. While some of it was good, I did find other parts to sound too forced and formal. Think "I am going to kill you," rather than "I'm gonna kill you.", which would work just as fine and sound more natural. It seemed sort of robotic and overly formal, and while I did like some of the jokes and banter, I found other parts rather cringey, although I'm not going to quote these because again, I read an ARC copy. Nothing too major, though, as this is the case with lots of books.

I also disliked how Blaire would call her siblings "brother" or "little sis", probably because I have three siblings and we usually call each other much fouler names lol. This is just something that irks me personally.

There was also a rather large info dump in the first chapter, but it's not too bad, and it did seem kind of necessary. But I can see why some people might dislike these.

I also thought that the writing did a bit more "telling" that "showing" in some parts . . . Sometimes there would be a description so good that I felt like I was there, but others the characters would straight up say something rather than show it (such as Jax saying "My father abused me." This seems like something that would better be hinted at (like "my father used to hit me") because it's something that would be very hard to talk about. I think that the writing would be even better than it is already if this happened a little more.

But all of these things are very minor and should not stop you from reading this book; not all writers are perfect during their first novel, and the low amount of mistakes in this book is impressive. I just wanted to point these out to give a little bit of honest critique (:

And while I did like the plot twist of Nico being alive and the leader of the Subversives, I saw it coming from a mile away. I am in no way calling Ruhi a bad writer for doing this, but it's just a slightly overused plot twist, especially in YA. I'm not complaining though, I love Nico, it's just slightly overused (which doesn't make it bad, just predictable).

It kind of bothered me how easily Blaire killed people without remorse, as I personally like reading the conflict characters have after killing for the first time. But it definitely shows Blaire's strong and willing personality, too. Not all characters need to be the same.

I loved the character development throughout the book and seeing the characters doubt themselves. I liked when Mallory stopped being the "nice girl" and fought like a warrior, and when Vi opened up to Blaire and finally let Jax call her by her nickname.

And the part where Jax stood up to his father gave me chills. I could picture the scene perfectly in my head, and I loved it so much that I'm tempted to draw it.

And if you love enemies to lovers, oh boy, is this the book for you. At this point, I'm not sure if I have a bigger crush on Blaire or Jax. The whole book, even when they hated each other, I was thinking "Just kiss already!" The romance, while fast-paced, is well-earned and not forced (as the case is with lots of enemies to lovers books). The part where Blaire is cleaning Jax's wounds had me squealing.

Before I go, I'd just like to thank Miss Parikh for delivering such a refreshing dystopian story. The genre hasn't really had much going for it since like 2015, and I truly feel that this book will go far. As a teenage writer myself, Ruhi's videos have helped me so much, and I'm so thankful for that, as well as getting the chance to read such a lovely book.

Knowing that Ruhi self-published her novel at such a young age makes her such a great role model for teen writers everywhere. Ruhi, you're truly extraordinary and insanely talented, and I'm excited to watch you grow as a writer.

[Jessica Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. So, here it is.

All I have to say is... WOW.

The novel is about a 19 year old Poor woman named Blaire Cohen who lives in a completely totalitarian version of Washington D.C. which is divided into the Rich and the Poor. The government treat the Rich like royalty and leave all of the luxuries to them, while the Poor are forced to suffer and are blamed for the economic crisis they were put in. It is later shown that Blaire gets kidnapped by a mysterious organization determined to destroy the government, and they basically want her to join too. The basic plot itself, if I'm being honest, is genius material. And considering the fact that all of this came from a teenager's FIRST-EVER published novel, that's so freaking impressive. Like for real!

The way this book lures you in with the opening line alone is absolutely appalling, and I love how, even in the first 50 pages alone, Ruhi executed many action-packed scenes. The writing is also so captivating, enthralling, and truly beautiful. And not only that, but the words written really do seem like it came from a 19 year old woman. Not once did I think the writing seemed off. It really seemed perfect and was crafted extremely well.

While the world-building dump in the beginning may seem overwhelming, I felt as if there was great reason to it. The complexity and confusion involved with the world-building in the beginning has to do with the complex and intricate setting in itself. And I feel like, since this is a trilogy, things will be making more sense as we progress further into the story.

Also, WHOOOO-WHEEE. The love interest is HOT ASF! His name is Jax Remington, a 20 year old Rich guy and the son of the controversial and notorious President Tobias Remington, and he is just SO well-written. Like, hats off to Ruhi on that. He's smart, REALLY hot (that scar is so badass btw), tall, built, a little bit egotistical but that's okay, funny, and genuinely caring (whenever he feels like it though). He is genuinely one of my favorite characters in the novel and I cannot wait to see how his character grows later on.

Speaking of characters, my oh my, they are written SO wonderfully!!! Next to Jax, Vi definitely has to be my other favorite character. Not only is she a girl boss, but she is also someone with such a heartbreaking backstory. Pretty much all of the characters have sad pasts, but Vi definitely has to be the most gut-wrenching. And the way these characters all have ONE goal in mind, no matter the odds they are thrown at, makes me love them more.

Next... the FREAKING PLOT TWISTS.

OMFG, the plot twists completely shocked, but in SUCH a good way. Not only is there one, but there's MULTIPLE, and they just hit you like a brick. You really don't see them coming. And compared to the other books I've read, they just throw plot twists at you that are so out of the blue and don't even make sense. But Subversion is so different. Sure, the plot twists may be so random and unpredictable, but when you read further, it makes so much sense why that could have happened and you then start to reread the past pages and hate yourself for missing the GENIUS foreshadowing (which, in personal experience, I did do LOL). Gosh, the foreshadowing and the plot twists were SO genius. Ruhi, if you're reading this, PLEASE give me some writing tips on this HAHA.

In summation, I would have to say this book is a 100% MUST READ. I must say, I was not expecting Subversion to be this good because, no offense to the author, but I thought that since this was a teenage author's first novel, I didn't think it would be, like, Hunger Games materials. But after reading the ARC copy, I have to say that I am SO wrong. So, to say again, this book is amazing and wonderfully crafted. If you love the Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner, and Shatter Me series... then this book IS. FOR. YOU.

Thank you Ruhi for giving me the ARC copy of Subversion. I cannot wait to read your other works!

[Lillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent an ARC copy if this book in exchange for an honest review and here it is.
I would give this book a 5 out of 10 stars itself. I loved the basic plot of the story and I feel like Ruhi carried that very well. Subversion had wonderful world-building and really put you in the scene for what the setting government is like. It is such a quick read, I finish it in less than a week, and get you so interested in just the first couple of chapters.

The story follows 19-year-old poor citizen Blaire on her journey of becoming a part of the subversion act and bringing down the government with a group of others. I love how each character had their own well-developed and distinct voice to them. The writing of the book felt very thought-out and not like you just read words it really made you feel like you were thinking it.

While there are reasons I can see it may not be the best choice for some people I overall enjoyed it. I like how the love story is playing out, there is just enough of tension and hitting and just enough of the pull away that adds to the enemies to lovers. I definitely love how realistic some reactions to events were. It was just as if it really happened, how some people reacted and Ruhi did a good job at showing that. I can say with honesty Blaire was not how I thought she would be, not my favorite main character but she proved herself through actions. Blaire is definitely a character you must grow into liking. I do however think the love interest was great, he was very well written and you could tell he was written by a woman but he was funny, caring, and a bit egotistical but I loved it.

The best thing about this book was the plot twists. Some you could see coming but even if you did it really got you with the way it ended. The plot twist was the best part, in every chapter something was happening and I loved that because it kept you wanting more and wanting to know what else could possibly happen, and just when you thought nothing could it did. This is by far one of the best things I have read with plot twists even if some are very well known she used them in an amazing way. Plus the ending to Subversion leaves you wondering what's next. It has an ending to where your think now that everything is calm what's the problem.

I could definitely say this is something to add to your TBR. It is such a quick and easy read that could get you out of a slump because I know it worked for me and if you love classic dystopian novels like Maze Runner and Divergent you will love this. I can not wait to see more from this writer.

[Araceli Navarro · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's safe to say that I very much enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. Going into it and from everything the author posts on her TikTok page about the book made me so excited to get to read it, and I was more than thrilled when I found out I was selected to receive an arc copy of Subversion.

The story follows Blaire, who is a nineteen-year-old woman who lives in a society in which the rich and the poor are separated into two social classes. The government favors the Rich over the Poor and does everything it can to make sure the Rich have all the power, leaving the Poor with little to nothing to live off of. Blaire despises the government for everything it has put her through and wishes for it to be destroyed, and when she is kidnapped one day by a mysterious group of people who all dream of the same things she does, she finally has the means to fulfill her goal.

For starters, I highly enjoyed the fact that the book got into all the action almost right away. I usually don't like it when books take 50-100 pages to explain what's going on before getting into the action, but this book thoroughly and effectively built the world Blaire in under 50 pages, which made the beginning very enjoyable.

From the start, I found the plot absolutely intriguing, and I've heard of books that were somewhat similar, but none of them dragged me in as this book did. The entire way through, the plot had me engaged and never wanting to put the book down. I read the entire thing in just a few days, and I don't usually read that fast unless the book has me by the neck, which this book absolutely did. And, oh boy, get ready for those plot twists because this book has a few that will definitely leave you with your jaw on the floor.

The characters were very enjoyable and I liked their distinct personalities, especially between Blaire, Jax, and Vi, but for some reason, I found it hard to tell the difference between Jeremiah and Dylan. I feel as if maybe their personalities were somewhat very similar at times, which made it difficult to tell them apart. I often found myself asking who was who, and I wish their characters were worked on just a little more.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the book in its entirety, and I would like to give the author a huge thank you for sending me an ARC copy of the book. This is definitely a book that is worth reading and I am stoked to have been able to read it and give a review on it!

[Pal Chokshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are like me and have been wishing for a book to take you back to 2014 when we had Divergent, The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games… this is it. Subversion is a action packed, dramatic, twisting story that will keep you on the edge as you read it. The story takes place in 2064 when Washington DC has been separated into rich and poor sectors, our main character blaire cohen falls under the latter. When she is recruited / kidnapped by this group of individuals, all from different backgrounds, she is given the opportunity to take down the man she hates most in this world: President Remington. The story follows blaire and her adventures with this group and the relationships she builds as trust is gained. Don’t be fooled, while there is action and adventure, we do get to see a budding romance for our main character. Her smart wit and intellect is nicely contrasted with our morally grey love interest. Thank you author! It was so easy to get attached to this book and follow the story as they all worked to take down Tobias Remington. The beginning of the story tears at your heart as you see the harsh conditions Blaire and her family have to face. The introduction of her little sister pulls at your heartstrings even more, truly understanding the reason Blaire wishes things were different, better. The dialogue between the characters felt
natural and not rushed.The action scenes were descriptive, i think i may have winced a bit during the last one. AND don’t even get me started on the final plot twist!!! absolutely amazing. I would definitely have liked to learn more about how the distinction between rich and poor came to be or even like a little history chapter more about the rise of the totalitarian society. Additionally, more romance in the next books pleaseeee ;)))


The author does a great job at keeping you on your toes. Subversion is full of memorable characters and scenes which leave you wanting more from miss Blaire Cohen.

I think it’s amazing Ruhi Parikh our author was able to get a start on wattpad with this book and have it grow so much love that she is able to make a dream come true and have it published. As an ARC reader I am truly honored to be able to receive a copy and
support Ruhi on her journey as a now published author!

[carina taves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, I’d like to thank the author, Ruhi, for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I was absolutely thrilled to read this book!

“Subversion” is a dystopian novel set in the 2060s that follows 19-year-old Blaire Cohen as she navigates a society divided into Rich and Poor. Belonging to the least favored group, she is forced to work with a few other individuals — the Subversives — who hate the government as much as she does and wish to overthrow it.

I feel I should start by saying that I was wondering, from the moment I set eyes on this blurb, about how certain aspects of the story would be unraveled along the way. Let it be said that I loved this book plot-wise. I can tell the author put a lot of thought into paving the way to write that story and world building overall, and I genuinely enjoyed how action-packed it was. Jax was a really likable character, and he was actually my favorite out of them all — followed by Jeremiah, surprisingly.

I have to mention some things that bothered me, though. A common phrase amongst writers is “show, not tell”, and I felt that this book lacked on that front. For example, instead of telling the readers about something that happened to the characters, it would’ve been better if a flashback was shown. Another point that is somewhat tied to that is the structure used in dialogues. I felt like I was reading an essay multiple times throughout conversations between two different people — not only that, but structures that would usually be used in descriptions (which could’ve done wonders in terms of showing instead of telling) were used in dialogue, making the whole section sound off sometimes —, which unfortunately ended up being an obstacle in terms of connecting with the characters. Some things felt too formal to be said, making it seem like a lot of what came out of their mouths was forced and/or staged.

I was slightly bothered me by something that is actually very common amongst dystopian novels. A lot of times, the authors try to make certain characters “”edgy”” (I don’t think that’s the right word for this specific set, but that’s the best I can come up with right now) but end up (accidentally) turning them into near-sociopaths. I actually felt that deeply with Blaire, a mc with great potential who was reduced to her hatred — which was completely justifiable, by the way — many times throughout the installment. Something that authors often forget — or perhaps underestimate — is that the readers are actually quite smart. They can catch on things that are stated in very subtle and vague ways, without having to read the same information (albeit with different words) three different times. This happened with “Subversion”, but it’s honestly not Ruhi’s fault. As authors — and I’ll definitely include myself in here —, we want to make sure our audience is with us in every step of the way, thus trying to ensure that certain points are crystal clear in the reader’s mind. Still, I couldn’t refrain from pointing it out, since this is a constructive review.

I did love the parallels and metaphors Ruhi crafted with our society, and events that have happened — and are still happening — in human history. In a way, Parikh found a way to carve deep and meaningful critiques to real world issues, and that is something I must congratulate her for. In that sense, some of the criticism I’m talking about was explicit, whilst a part of it was almost like a subliminal message seeping though Blaire and Mallory’s eyes, and I genuinely thought that was brilliant!

I found the plot-twists to be interesting, though I saw some of them coming because of common tropes usually presented in YA literature (which, again, is not Ruhi’s fault). Some exchanges were infuriating, and I genuinely found ironic humor sprinkled between certain pages. The book just got better as it went by, and I found myself on the edge of my seat towards the ending!

If you’re a fan of Veronica Roth, then this book is for you. I believe most negative (if you could call it that) aspects will be solved throughout the trilogy, since they are almost all technical. This is the author’s debut novel — which she should be EXTREMELY proud of, by the way — and there is a lot of room for improvement in that sense! I was HOOKED from start to finish, which is another way to attest to what I said about the content showcased and how all the conflict and occasional romance unravels. Overall, I genuinely loved the plot and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next volume of the series! :)

[kathryn vinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ARC read this book and was asked to leave a thorough and honest review, so here it is.

Subversion was truly not what I was expecting.

I’m no stranger to dystopian novels, and so I assumed that Subversion would follow the same sort of format.
However, upon reading the book, I was pleasantly surprised. Blaire, the main character of Subversion, is not your typical Katniss, Juliette, Triss, or Ruby.
Yes, she is strong, brave, and devoted to her family, but she’s ready to kill. She wants to kill. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always here for girl bosses girl bossing (and Subversion is certainly not lacking in diverse and lovable girl bosses). But many of the characters in Subversion, including Blaire, lack the same remorse for killing that most YA protagonists have.
I’m in no way saying that they need to obsess and grieve each death, but their apparent lack of empathy made it hard to connect with the characters at parts.
Segwaying a bit to what Ruhi did really well (and there is a lot), Subversion is full of twists and turns, none of which you’ll expect. Each chapter makes you want to read the next, and I ended up reading Subversion in three days.
The main characters of Subversion are as unique and lovable as they are faulted, making them utterly human. It is evident through Ruhi’s writing that she spent a lot of time creating these characters, which certainly paid off in the execution of Subversion.
Writing a book is not easy (I should know because I wrote/am currently writing one), but Ruhi has written her debut novel with grace and confidence.

I have a few final comments on the story overall, which are simply suggestions of things I would have loved to have seen included.

Firstly, I wish we had explored the Subersives plan more because the reason dystopian novels are so fascinating is how they choose to change the government (the big idea is that you cannot displace a ruler without having a plan for what comes next). This ties into another thing that I would have loved to see included; the reasoning behind the hatred.
While we understand the Poor’s reasoning for hating–thanks to the characters’ willingness to open up to Blaire (the narrator)–we never get a clear explanation for why the Rich hate the Poor so much. We understand that The Rich despise The Poor and want them dead, but as a reader, I found myself wanting something deeper, some sort of resentment that must have led the entirety of a large population to hate an even larger one.
This was a bit disappointing because of the highly authoritarian and oppressive government in Subversion, which Ruhi did a great job building. It just leaves you wanting more.

Anyways, congratulations Ruhi on your debut novel! I cannot wait to read what you write next!

[Whatever33 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been following Ruhi for a while on tiktok and its been really great to see her grow as a writer. It was a rather well written book. She's a very passionate writer and that's clear as you read the book. I really enjoyed all the descriptions and her writing style was easy to read, which is a big plus for me. The plot twists were enjoyable and the character interactions between the characters felt organic and fun, the had chemistry as friends and as a group. I did enjoy the plot twist with Dylan in chapter 23, but I wished that his character got more depth instead of being used as a plot device to advance the story because his character had a lot of potential. I also wasn't a big fan of the love interest personally, since I found his personality to be rather shallow and obnoxious. I also felt that him and Blaire didn't have a lot of chemistry, it felt like they experienced more aesthetic attraction rather than romantic since it was kind of insta love. We will be getting more of his POV in the second book so hopefully I'll be able to enjoy his character a bit more. I absolutely adored the side characters, specially Vi, Mallory and Jeremiah. They were the highlight of the book for me and found them to have great chemistry with Blaire and the Love Interest as friends. The friendship aspect feel slightly forced at the beginning but eventually developed organically as the story went on and I grew to really enjoy it. I found Blaire to be an enjoyable protagonist, she was smart and had a personality and goals of her own outside of the main narrative, which was very refreshing to see in a YA novel nowadays. As for the world building I throughly enjoyed the setting, I found it to be well-written and well developed, it was a unique take on the Dystopian genre. The descriptions and use of the 5 senses created an eery atmosphere highlighting the grim nature of the world that Blaire is living in. I found the class system to be an interesting concept and realistic to our world, however I wish it was a little bit more developed, specially as when it came to the Rich people's hatred for the Poor. I felt like it would have made for interesting social commentary and mirroring towards current classism in our modern society. Overall it was a very enjoyable book and it got me out of a reading slump. It was a strong debut novel, specially for someone as young as Ruhi and I commend Ruhi for being so brave as to share her amazing novel with us and I cannot wait to read the sequel and delve back into this world. 💗

[Isabel Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best dystopian books I’ve ever read. I’m an aspiring author and this book inspired me to write a dystopian some day!!
I loved the story and it was evident that it was well thought out. I did not see the main plot twist coming!!
I also loved the characters. Usually I find that in dystopian novels the characters have no depth or emotion but these characters really did. My favourites were Jax and Mallory. Loved their backstories and character arcs.
This book was so brilliantly written. I was able to picture everything in my head and I can’t do that with a lot of books.
I loved the advanced use of vocabulary.
They were the main reasons I loved the book. I’d recommend to everyone who loves the dystopian genre.
Well done Ruhi

[Hattie Inman · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was a whole damn MASTERPIECE. from the plot twists, the tension, the backstories, the characters, the environment--you name it. hats off to Ruhi for this wonderful story. i cannot WAIT for the sequel!

also... where is my Jax Remington at????

[Becca Vinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I was sent an arc copy of Subversion in exchange for an honest review.
Personally, I really enjoyed the story. The characters were well developed, and their backstories combined with their unique personalities helped create truly lovable characters. The character relationships seemed honest, and despite the dystopian setting of Subversion, I felt like these characters could exist out of their world. The plot was also fascinating, and it never went the way I thought it would go. Coming into the book, I thought it would follow the same format as other dystopian novels, and I was pleasantly surprised by Ruhi’s brilliant originality in creating a debut novel that was anything but predictable.

The only minor issue I had with the book was the world-building. In Subversion, we enter a world that is split between the poor and the rich, each group having immense hatred for the other group. I thought the hostility from the rich could’ve been explored more. I think it could’ve been wise to give them a reason for hating the poor so much (besides the fact that they don’t have much money) or explore the blind hatred they feel as just that, blind.
These are just my opinions, and none of them are meant to hurt the author in any way.
Despite some small grammatical and world-building errors, Subversion is a wonderful debut novel. Congratulations Ruhi!
(Also my rating is much closer to 3.5-3.75 stars but Goodreads does not have that option.)

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay this book was fucking amazing!!! It got me out of a reading slump!!! I did stop reading it for about 2 months to finish other books, but when I finally picked it up again I finished it quite quickly.

[Mysterious Parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good. I recommend everyone read this book. I can't say anything bad. The story line, the plot! There is nothing to question about it. This book is a true pleasure. Please keep up the good work!!!

[Claudia Dunlop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read this yet but it is the top of my tbr so it deserves a five star rating. From everything I’ve seen of it, it literally looks so good and I’m so excited to read it. I’ve loved following the authors writing journey on tik tok so I’ve been anticipating this for a long time!!

[Meaghen Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

So where do I start??

I started following Ruhi on tiktok probably mid last year and ever since I’ve been so intrigued and interested in her book that this became one of my most anticipated read of the year.!!

Subversion is as if Divergent and The Hunger Games had a child, you discover D.C after the Dark Age and the separation between the Rich and the Poor, which reminded me a lot of sector 12 and the capital in The Hunger Games.

Blaire’s story was really captivating, i feel like when she got kidnapped by the Subversive could have been longer and maybe more throughout because that was one of the moments i felt that was really rushed, i wish we could of seen more into that but if not I really like the concept of how that plan worked out.

I loved every character in this story except Tobias and Zach obviously, i feel like when they kidnapped Jax and kept him in the underground room was a but rushed? I would of liked to see more interaction, but Vi was amazing in every scene!!

The plot line was fantastic and really well thought, it feels also very realistic which is something i loved!!!

The number of plot twists this book had?? Don’t even get me started on when her brother shows up?? When he supposed to be dead hellooo???
Or when they find out Dylan is Zach at that moment i also really wanted to kill him, thank you Vi for doing that!!
Or when I thought really thought that Jax was about to shoot Blaire gosh! Making me go through so many emotions at once..

Lastly, the tension between Blaire and Jax??? Amaazzzzinggg I can’t wait to get more from them in Book 2!

I’m so proud of you for writing this amazing book! It was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 it didn’t disappoint!

[Lady Sif · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an arc from the author to review this with honesty. Note to author: all critiques are simply my personal opinion. Nothing I state here is said to harm you but to help you grow as a writer.

Let's begin. Personally, I loved the story. I loved the conflict and the plot between rich and the poor. And since this is the authors debut novel, I have to say congratulations on creating an articulate storyline and world. I am so proud of you.

The issues that I had with the novel are small compared to how much I loved the book which is why I give it a full five stars. For starters, I didn't like how the world-building was just dumped on us in the beginning. We have the main character, Blaire, who talks about the rich and poor conflict and how it started/how it functions. I think there was a better way to incorporate this rather than having it as an info dump in the beginning. I just felt extremely overwhelmed, trying to process all this information at once. Also, I had some problems with the author telling rather than showing. Other than that, I had no other problems in the book.

Also, the plot twists!!!!! I can't even begin to tell y'all how shocked I was!!! They're not bad, I promise! They're so mind-oggling goooddddddd. Jax and Blaire's relationship is top tier and the characters are really well-written.

Again, I am so proud of you, Ruhi! And thank you so much for giving me an arc!

[mahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent an arc copy of this book to review and I can confidently say that I love this book! The setting of this book is in future D.C. where the city is divided amongst the Rich and the Poor. The current President in the book, Tobias Remington is corrupt and only favors the Rich, while the Poor must do what he says or else they will be killed.

A group of Poor and former Rich people decided they have had enough of being treated like they are not a human being. They formed a group and called themselves the Subversives and made plans on how they can over throw their current government.

The main character is 19 year old Blaire Cohen who is classified as poor. This book takes you through her journey of fighting for not only her rights, but also her family’s and every poor person in the United States. While doing this, she is determined to look for answers behind her brother’s disappearance and what happened all those years ago. Along the way, she even finds herself falling for who she used to believe was her enemy.

Subversion has ups and downs and grabs your attention from the very start. It makes you experience heartbreak and betrayal from plot twists you would never see coming.

Thank you Ruhi for giving me the opportunity to become an arc reviewer - I loved this book so much! Also, congratulations on your first published novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading novels about changing corrupt governments!

[Daniel Ayala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay lets get into it

First of all, thank you Ruhi for sending me your book! Im so grateful for this ARC and can’t wait for your book to hit the store soon!

Subversion is a dystopian novel that follows the story of Blaire a young girl living in the United States in the year 2064 where people are divided between the rich and the poor, our main character forms part of the poor group and she’s very upset because the situation just keeps getting worse, she gets resulted by a group of people called subversives and together they’re gonna try to defeat the government.

I loved Blaire, specially because in most dystopian books the main character tends to be a little bit weak at the beginning but Blaire is super strong since moment 1 of the book.

Ruhi did an amazing job, I can’t even begin to think how much she had to work on this book to do everything by herself at such a young age, and although sometimes I wished the book showed more instead of telling you I think Ruhi is an amazing writer with so much potential to uncover as the years pass by. Ruhi I wish you all the best and I will be buying this and your other books as they come out!

[Sophia Collie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. Ok so let me just start off by saying that this book truly is astonishing. It has a very complex plot with TOP TIER worldbuilding. The characters were very well developed, and had very distinct personalities. This book also had SO MANY incredible plot twists that flowed together really well. While I would’ve personally like to see more of Blaire and Jax’s relationship, I am just going to call that personal preference.

After reading the other reviews, I must say that they made me extremely nervous to read because I thought I was going to be disappointed. But, as soon as I realized that I could NOT put this book DOWN, I was shocked that people thought so lowly of this book? Don’t get me wrong there were certainly times when I didn’t really vibe with the writing style but again, personal preference. And guys, the author’s only 18, keep that in mind before you bash this amazing creation.

In summary, I LOVED this book and CANT WAIT for the sequel. I applaud Ruhi for all of her hard work and dedication that went into Subversion, especially at such a young age. I aspire to be as determined as her when writing my own stories as a teen. Thank you for your time.