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The Enterprize
Iris should never have been born.
And now, fifteen years later, she's given a chance at freedom.
Centuries after the collapse of North America, starvation drives desperation. The Authority have mandated that all crimes be punishable by death. But when Iris and her brother are arrested, they are sent with fourteen other convicts to compete for the chance to pardon their crimes on live television. The only problem with the Enterprize? Get voted out, and you're executed.
Alliances are drawn. Secrets hidden. Loyalties tested and betrayal at every turn. Who can she trust when even her heart is at odds?
With only one leaving the Enterprize alive, Iris must discover a way to outlast the others. All while somehow, keeping her brother alive.
And now, fifteen years later, she's given a chance at freedom.
Centuries after the collapse of North America, starvation drives desperation. The Authority have mandated that all crimes be punishable by death. But when Iris and her brother are arrested, they are sent with fourteen other convicts to compete for the chance to pardon their crimes on live television. The only problem with the Enterprize? Get voted out, and you're executed.
Alliances are drawn. Secrets hidden. Loyalties tested and betrayal at every turn. Who can she trust when even her heart is at odds?
With only one leaving the Enterprize alive, Iris must discover a way to outlast the others. All while somehow, keeping her brother alive.
516 pages, Hardcover
Published October 4, 2024
11 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Melissa George
10 books17 followersMelissa George is a proud member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and resides in the peaceful mountain town of Estes Park. She has an MPH and enjoys exploring aspects of disaster management, which she incorporates into her dystopian writing.
When Melissa isn’t writing, she loves to spend her time running, coaching, acting, and kickboxing. She's a proud graduate of the University of Missouri Track and Field program, where she currently holds the school record for the 3,000m steeplechase. Following collegiate athletics, she pursued running on the professional level with the Roots Running Project for two years. Outside of sports, she loves to spend time with her husband and their three tortoiseshell cats: Katniss, Primrose, and Navi.
When Melissa isn’t writing, she loves to spend her time running, coaching, acting, and kickboxing. She's a proud graduate of the University of Missouri Track and Field program, where she currently holds the school record for the 3,000m steeplechase. Following collegiate athletics, she pursued running on the professional level with the Roots Running Project for two years. Outside of sports, she loves to spend time with her husband and their three tortoiseshell cats: Katniss, Primrose, and Navi.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 26, 2024
Not a genre that I typically enjoy however, the author held my attention. The book moved along at a great pace and instilled in me a desire to find out what was going to happen next. Also, the ending was quite unexpected and is a nice opening for future novel installments in this story.
March 9, 2025
Hunger games meets squid games meets battle royale in this gripping book! It hooked me from the start. I really enjoyed the premise. I definitely had to keep reminding myself that the main character was 15 and even though I felt some of her decisions and feelings were… amplified… that’s what it’s like being 15. I took a break in the middle of the book as it was just really long. But I enjoyed it! I look forward to book 2!
December 30, 2024
Absolutely LOVED this book. I haven’t read a book from this genre in a few years and this booked hooked me right away. The pace is fast from the beginning and has multiple jaw dropping moments. I encourage everyone to go give this a read, 12/10 recommend this book!
December 9, 2024
THIS BOOK got me rolling on the ground and crying tears of joy and saddens all at the same time, the plot twists somehow made the pages turn even faster! Love this book with all of my heart
March 20, 2025
I would like to start by lauding Melissa’s accomplishment. Writing a 500-page book is no small feat, and I’m sure this book will serve as a stepping stone toward a flourishing writing career.
It is difficult to write a review for a YA dystopian novel when the genre is already full of giants such as “The Hunger Games” and “Maze Runner”. This novel attempts to follow these standards by paying homage to the “life-or-death game” format. The main character is plucked from her forbidden life and placed in a place even more tortuous than before. The game is presented as a logical series of rounds with entertaining challenges between. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the focus of this book is not on the game or the world itself—rather the relationships that the main character has with the fellow players.
The sheer number of characters and relationships blurs the stakes of the game. Any time a character who Iris cares about dies, a relatively short mourning period was followed quickly by a replacement motivator. The constantly shifting target of who Iris is fighting for is exhausting and leaves for some confusing moments.
Of the characters portrayed in the story, Iris handles situations in the most dramatic fashion. She is quick to forgive and forget, which leads her to place her trust in questionable characters time and again. This causes the same mistake to be made, contributing to the length of the book.
The pace of the story is jarring. It jumps from fast paced voting/competition scenes to days of talking and introspection. Every single thought that Iris has is written several times in very similar ways and her constant internal conflict never feels resolved.
The ending of the book is perhaps the most confusing of it all. Within the last 15 pages, an entire new plot line is introduced to queue a sequel. This would have been fine except the information provided relies on world building that hasn’t occurred.
Even when the plot drew my interest, I would be distracted by numerous grammatical or spelling errors that detracted from the story. At times the vocabulary was a bit verbose and could have been slimmed down. But this is definitely something that can be improved with a sharp editors pencil.
As I said before, I think that the fact that this book was written was impressive. I encourage Melissa to keep on coming up with stories to keep people enthralled.
It is difficult to write a review for a YA dystopian novel when the genre is already full of giants such as “The Hunger Games” and “Maze Runner”. This novel attempts to follow these standards by paying homage to the “life-or-death game” format. The main character is plucked from her forbidden life and placed in a place even more tortuous than before. The game is presented as a logical series of rounds with entertaining challenges between. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the focus of this book is not on the game or the world itself—rather the relationships that the main character has with the fellow players.
The sheer number of characters and relationships blurs the stakes of the game. Any time a character who Iris cares about dies, a relatively short mourning period was followed quickly by a replacement motivator. The constantly shifting target of who Iris is fighting for is exhausting and leaves for some confusing moments.
Of the characters portrayed in the story, Iris handles situations in the most dramatic fashion. She is quick to forgive and forget, which leads her to place her trust in questionable characters time and again. This causes the same mistake to be made, contributing to the length of the book.
The pace of the story is jarring. It jumps from fast paced voting/competition scenes to days of talking and introspection. Every single thought that Iris has is written several times in very similar ways and her constant internal conflict never feels resolved.
The ending of the book is perhaps the most confusing of it all. Within the last 15 pages, an entire new plot line is introduced to queue a sequel. This would have been fine except the information provided relies on world building that hasn’t occurred.
Even when the plot drew my interest, I would be distracted by numerous grammatical or spelling errors that detracted from the story. At times the vocabulary was a bit verbose and could have been slimmed down. But this is definitely something that can be improved with a sharp editors pencil.
As I said before, I think that the fact that this book was written was impressive. I encourage Melissa to keep on coming up with stories to keep people enthralled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
This book was the most intriguing I’ve read in a while. In my incredibly busy life, it has been hard to find a book that kept me wanting to pick it up consistently to see what happens next, and the fact that this one is so long and I felt that way the entire way through (I was probably reading it for about two weeks) is a testament to Melissa’s writing and imagination.
I prefer books of any genre that show real, true emotion within the writing, to the point where you can tell the author themselves has genuinely experienced hardship in how realistic their characters’ struggles come across. This was nothing short of my expectations for a solid story. The character development was impeccable and I found myself invested and wishing I could be the executive so I could chart the path of the executions myself to keep my favorites alive.
If you’re looking for something fast-paced, creative, heart-wrenching, and silly all at the same time- something that paints a picture in your mind as if you’re watching a movie- look no further. The Enterprize is not one I would ever think is someone’s debut book if it had just fallen in my lap. Kudos to the talented author.
I prefer books of any genre that show real, true emotion within the writing, to the point where you can tell the author themselves has genuinely experienced hardship in how realistic their characters’ struggles come across. This was nothing short of my expectations for a solid story. The character development was impeccable and I found myself invested and wishing I could be the executive so I could chart the path of the executions myself to keep my favorites alive.
If you’re looking for something fast-paced, creative, heart-wrenching, and silly all at the same time- something that paints a picture in your mind as if you’re watching a movie- look no further. The Enterprize is not one I would ever think is someone’s debut book if it had just fallen in my lap. Kudos to the talented author.
September 1, 2025
I LOVE this book so much! Definitely one of the best I've ever read! It has been years since an author transported me into another world so seamlessly. The story is told in a refreshing way, it doesn't feel like "another dystopian novel." You get invested as soon as you read the first page. I love Melissa George's writing style so much, she was descriptive and vivid with her imagery that it was perceptible by touch. She even broke my heart into pieces when convicts were eliminated, especially in the last third of the story. I haven't been this invested in a book and its characters in years, it was something I couldn't put down and looked forward to reading every day (before and after work). It was a magical experience for sure! Melissa George is now number 1 on my top favorite authors list.
(I noticed a couple grammar mistakes, but they were ignorable and I understood the sentences regardless. Plus, I believe a lot of books have at least a couple grammar mistakes anyway so I'd say it's nothing out of the ordinary and it doesn't affect how good this book is)
(I noticed a couple grammar mistakes, but they were ignorable and I understood the sentences regardless. Plus, I believe a lot of books have at least a couple grammar mistakes anyway so I'd say it's nothing out of the ordinary and it doesn't affect how good this book is)
October 29, 2025
This book is described as Hunger Games meets Squid Games. It is an accurate description. The author did a phenomenal job putting those two concepts together and keeping me engaged. I felt for every character, their motives and, their tough decisions. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, the author would change it up. I really connected with the main character as I felt her decisions were very realistic even with her relationship choices. The tension was palpable as the author made me guess which characters were being truthful and which were being deceitful. The author made me legitimately hate certain characters and feel for others as intended. I did shed some tears at one point. Definitely worth the read. I enjoyed it and got a signed copy from the author which I will cherish. I am very glad I met this author and got to experience this book. It was a spontaneous buy that was worth it.
November 4, 2025
I really wanted to love this as the author caught me at a Barnes and Noble and sold me on its premise, AND she's local to Colorado. I definitely was pulled in by the concept and there were a lot of things I enjoyed while reading this. Unfortunately, it really fell apart in the last half of the book. The character arcs didn't make sense, there were a LOT of confusing typos and name mishaps (Ashlea must have been named Sheala at some point in the draft process?) and WAY too much time was spent on the love triangle. So much so, that it didn't make sense at all for the environment they were all stuck in. I do think this author shows a lot of promise to improve herself into a great author and I think I'm willing to read the series on to see if she continues to grow. But all in all, I was left feeling a bit disappointed at a good concept not reaching it's full potential.
November 4, 2024
The Enterprize takes the things I love about Big Brother, Survivor, and The Hunger Games and puts a spin on it all to create a really great world with high stakes.
I’m a very analytical person so world building is important to me and this story did not disappoint. The competitions are fun and twisty and the character development makes every turn gut wrenching (in a good way).
I’m also a sucker for a spooky cover :)
I wish this story could be adapted into a tv series because the one playing in my head is intense!
I’m a very analytical person so world building is important to me and this story did not disappoint. The competitions are fun and twisty and the character development makes every turn gut wrenching (in a good way).
I’m also a sucker for a spooky cover :)
I wish this story could be adapted into a tv series because the one playing in my head is intense!
July 18, 2025
This is one of the best book I’ve ever read! I met Melissa at a book signing and I am so glad I just so happened to be at Barnes and Noble when she was there. This book has unexpected plot twists, cliffhangers, betrayals, mystery, romance, and suspense like no other book I’ve ever read. I was completely and utterly hooked the entire time I was reading it, and could not put it down. I cannot recommend this book more, and I am picky when it comes to reading. The closer I got to the end the crazier it got and I can’t wait for book 2!!
January 21, 2025
OMG I need the next book ASAP! Dystopian books are not usually what I reach for, but this book had beautiful elements of romance, drama, and plot twists!
Once I started reading, I could not stop! I fell in love with each and every character and their story! I cannot wait to see what the next book has in store!
Once I started reading, I could not stop! I fell in love with each and every character and their story! I cannot wait to see what the next book has in store!
October 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Not typically the genre I read but I met the author at a local book store and was intrigued. It’s a well thought out story that keeps you guessing and I’m really looking forward to the next one!
January 6, 2025
A real page turner from the beginning. I wanted to keep reading to find out how it ends.
April 18, 2025
This is a must read and i’m DYING for more, can’t wait for book #2!
February 18, 2025
Everyone should read this book. It was so good!! The author had my attention the entire time. Whenever I thought I figured out what was going to happen the author basically said “gotcha”! I can’t wait for book two!!!
January 4, 2025
LOVED IT!!! The story is so complex and it will have you thinking one way, then totally change your opinion on it. I have not found many books where I’ve changed my opinion, but absolutely love when the author is able to do it! I also really enjoyed the attention to detail of the setting and characters. I could visualize everyone and everything so well. The ending is INSANE and I am dying to know what happens next!
November 9, 2024
This was such an exciting read and reminded me why I love dystopian books. I was impressed by the amount of depth the author brought to the characters and how captivating the story was throughout, bringing a new energy to dystopian themes. Even when characters were confined to small areas, the story and their interactions always kept me engaged.
I can't wait for the sequel to come out! I felt so attached to the characters that I didn't want the book to end.
I can't wait for the sequel to come out! I felt so attached to the characters that I didn't want the book to end.
October 5, 2025
The book is fast pace and moves quickly allowing the reader to move through the story without becoming bogged down with unnecessary details. It's dramatic, gory, and a thriller all in one. Romance is intertwined nicely but not too heavily it takes away from the plot. It's truly takes all the YA dystopian novels like The Hunger Games and Divergent and mixes them with Squid Games and Saw. 10/10
July 31, 2025
This was an exciting & intriguing adventure from start to finish! Especially the end had some crazy twists & set it up nicely for a sequel. Excited to see where the story goes from here & I'm team Artemis baby!!
September 29, 2024
If you like YA dystopian fiction with high stakes, interpersonal drama and a hint of mystery, this book is for you! George fills the books with tons of tension, action and drama.
December 10, 2024
This book was truly amazing! Had me gasping out loud and on the edge of my seat the whole team. I was rooting for everyone and also I loved the romance in this book. I really want to know what happens next!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews