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Survival Show
American Idol meets The Hunger Games in this campy, dystopian satire about a teen betting her life that her singing talent can make her a star from the celebrated author of This Book Is Gay, Juno Dawson.
The world just seems to take and take from Taryn Beck, but there’s one thing it’ll never her voice. Only when she’s singing does Taryn feel like she can escape her reality—free from the aftermath of the War, free from the Scottish refugee camps where she and her family now live, and free from the responsibility of making ends meet for the sake of her sick brother.
Taryn’s voice is her one ticket out, and that’s why she enters to be a contestant on the world’s most watched television Starmaker, where kids from the New Peace Global Alliance compete for the chance to join an all-singing, all-dancing pop group. Rise to the top, and a life of luxury, stardom, and money awaits.
There’s only one small catch. The lowest ranking face a televised public execution. Starmaker thanks their participants for their noble sacrifice to Project Population.
Taryn’s about to sing for her life.
The world just seems to take and take from Taryn Beck, but there’s one thing it’ll never her voice. Only when she’s singing does Taryn feel like she can escape her reality—free from the aftermath of the War, free from the Scottish refugee camps where she and her family now live, and free from the responsibility of making ends meet for the sake of her sick brother.
Taryn’s voice is her one ticket out, and that’s why she enters to be a contestant on the world’s most watched television Starmaker, where kids from the New Peace Global Alliance compete for the chance to join an all-singing, all-dancing pop group. Rise to the top, and a life of luxury, stardom, and money awaits.
There’s only one small catch. The lowest ranking face a televised public execution. Starmaker thanks their participants for their noble sacrifice to Project Population.
Taryn’s about to sing for her life.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2026
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June 2, 2026I received this book through NetGalley.
Survival Show had a really fun concept. It gave me American Idol meets Squid Game vibes, but with a YA dystopian style. A singing competition where the stakes are life or death? That setup seemed interesting right away.
I liked the way the story played with fame, and survival. Then the idea of people’s suffering being turned into entertainment was very much, humans would absolutely turn survival into content and call it a show.
The YA dystopian feel was definitely there, and I can see this being fun for readers who like big, dramatic concepts. The premise was a strong part for me.
Where it didn’t fully land was the filler in the middle. With this kind of setup, I wanted and expected the tension to stay higher throughout, but there were some slower parts where not much felt like it was happening to move the story forward. I still found the idea interesting, but I wanted the story to move along.
This was a creative mash up, YA dystopian read with a strong concept. I’d recommend it to readers who like deadly competitions, reality TV satire, media criticism, survival stakes, and YA stories with American Idol meets Squid Game energy.
Survival Show had a really fun concept. It gave me American Idol meets Squid Game vibes, but with a YA dystopian style. A singing competition where the stakes are life or death? That setup seemed interesting right away.
I liked the way the story played with fame, and survival. Then the idea of people’s suffering being turned into entertainment was very much, humans would absolutely turn survival into content and call it a show.
The YA dystopian feel was definitely there, and I can see this being fun for readers who like big, dramatic concepts. The premise was a strong part for me.
Where it didn’t fully land was the filler in the middle. With this kind of setup, I wanted and expected the tension to stay higher throughout, but there were some slower parts where not much felt like it was happening to move the story forward. I still found the idea interesting, but I wanted the story to move along.
This was a creative mash up, YA dystopian read with a strong concept. I’d recommend it to readers who like deadly competitions, reality TV satire, media criticism, survival stakes, and YA stories with American Idol meets Squid Game energy.
April 19, 2026
sooooo much fun
May 3, 2026
When Juno Dawson was asked what her dream YA novel would be she said "The Hunger Games meets the Spice Girls." Survival Show was the novel that Dawson created from this idea, and while I'm not really a fan of either of these this was a great novel.
Juno Dawson brings us a brilliant dystopian world and while some authors of dystopian fiction spend long chapters explaining how society has become Dawson brings it naturally to life through story and dialogue. The characetrs are great, the plot fast paced and it builds up to a tense and satisfying ending.
Being a 61 year old man I may not be the obvious target audience for a YA novel about a teenage band, but I found Survival Show to be the sort of escapism that I love. Let's hope that my daughter enjoys this book as much as I did when I pass it on to her next week.
Juno Dawson brings us a brilliant dystopian world and while some authors of dystopian fiction spend long chapters explaining how society has become Dawson brings it naturally to life through story and dialogue. The characetrs are great, the plot fast paced and it builds up to a tense and satisfying ending.
Being a 61 year old man I may not be the obvious target audience for a YA novel about a teenage band, but I found Survival Show to be the sort of escapism that I love. Let's hope that my daughter enjoys this book as much as I did when I pass it on to her next week.
April 14, 2026
oh my god this book had me HOOKED
where do i even begin??
i could definitely see the popstar/dream academy inspo (basically that but make it hunger games style) and omg if there’s one thing i’m weak for, it’s some reality tv vibes i love it sm
firstly, i love love loveeee this and when i saw that there was gonna be a sequel in the acknowledgments, i screamed
like it’s been so long since i felt so passionate about a book i finished from an author i’ve never read from (i NEED to pick up her majesty’s royal coven ASAP now omg)
anywaysss
the dystopian aspects was also so good but so jarring?? like it’s set maybe 50ish? 100? years into the future? so the stuff they call “classics” are the things that are trendy today (did i have a ✨moment✨ when they featured kateye’s gnarly as one of the songs? yes. like will that stand the test of time? who knows) and also seeing the us split into red states and blue states i was like okay i see what they’re doing here
and i loved the gameshow aspects (of course) and i LOVED the sisterhood vibes (pls pls plsss i need more of the girl group in the next book like sure i want to see them take down the system but PLS can i guiltily ask for them absolutely rocking it on stage too??)
but also like was the writing a tiny bit funky at times? was taryn a little bit too childish and mary-sue with her voice? yes. but was it entertaining as hell and i basically read it in one sitting WHILE in a reading slump so likeeee
aaaaa anyways omg i cannot waitttt for the sequel (i PRAY a certain someone isn’t dead omgggg SURELY??! i know it would be so cliche but IT WOULD BE THE BESTEST PLOT TWIST PLSSSS JUNO??? BUT ALSOOOO IM ALSO CONSIDERINGGGG THE OTHER OPTION WHICH WOULD BE SO SO GOOD TOO)
thank you sm s&s for the arc!
okay spoilers below bcos i need to yap
.
.
.
[redacting spoilers till post publication]
where do i even begin??
i could definitely see the popstar/dream academy inspo (basically that but make it hunger games style) and omg if there’s one thing i’m weak for, it’s some reality tv vibes i love it sm
firstly, i love love loveeee this and when i saw that there was gonna be a sequel in the acknowledgments, i screamed
like it’s been so long since i felt so passionate about a book i finished from an author i’ve never read from (i NEED to pick up her majesty’s royal coven ASAP now omg)
anywaysss
the dystopian aspects was also so good but so jarring?? like it’s set maybe 50ish? 100? years into the future? so the stuff they call “classics” are the things that are trendy today (did i have a ✨moment✨ when they featured kateye’s gnarly as one of the songs? yes. like will that stand the test of time? who knows) and also seeing the us split into red states and blue states i was like okay i see what they’re doing here
and i loved the gameshow aspects (of course) and i LOVED the sisterhood vibes (pls pls plsss i need more of the girl group in the next book like sure i want to see them take down the system but PLS can i guiltily ask for them absolutely rocking it on stage too??)
but also like was the writing a tiny bit funky at times? was taryn a little bit too childish and mary-sue with her voice? yes. but was it entertaining as hell and i basically read it in one sitting WHILE in a reading slump so likeeee
aaaaa anyways omg i cannot waitttt for the sequel (i PRAY a certain someone isn’t dead omgggg SURELY??! i know it would be so cliche but IT WOULD BE THE BESTEST PLOT TWIST PLSSSS JUNO??? BUT ALSOOOO IM ALSO CONSIDERINGGGG THE OTHER OPTION WHICH WOULD BE SO SO GOOD TOO)
thank you sm s&s for the arc!
okay spoilers below bcos i need to yap
.
.
.
[redacting spoilers till post publication]
April 10, 2026
Thank you Simon & Schuster YA for sending me an ARC copy of this book!
Taryn is a 17 year old girl who wants to financially help her family, especially her sick brother, so she signs up for Project Population’s ‘Star Maker’ show, where you train to be a part of a global idol group, where the judges & the public vote for who they want to make the final cut of the group. However, if you’re eliminated from the show, you die as part of the show’s contract with project population.
As soon as i read the premise for this book, i was immediately intrigued and desperate to pick this up. As a huge fan of girl groups, I have a huge interest in girl groups produced from survival shows, like katseye in HXG dream academy, and girlset (formally VCHA) from JYP a2k and more. So the twist of ‘if you’re eliminated you die,’ was just such a genius concept i needed to get my hands on a copy!
The book overall I did enjoy. And I think if you are also interested in girl groups, and celebrity pop culture then you’ll likely enjoy it too!
I liked the structure of this book, how the chapters belong to different sections of the process, like applying, the group challenges etc. it’s clever and mimics how survival shows work, so it works really well and fluidly here!
However, there was just a few areas of this book that bugged me a little bit, that made me knock it down a few stars quite early and throughout.
SPOILERS BELOW!
The book is set in the UK. Despite the dystopia plot, the book is set in a very lightly slightly twisted United Kingdom, Scotland and England. Taryn, the fmc, mentions passing Newcastle and Leeds on her way to London, and as a northern it really took me out of the book. I was thinking, why is it relevant that we need to name these cities? That exist today? When this book feels like dystopian rather than realistic? Also, Taryn mentions never having visited London, doesn’t know what Wembley Stadium is, however knows exactly how to get to Victoria Coach Station to travel home? It just didn’t make sense to me. It would’ve been more believable if the cities were made up but faintly represented London to make it familiar but not extremely on the nose.
Another thing that was too on the nose for me personally, was the direct mention of girl groups alike Katseye, that have very similar experiences to what these characters are going through in this novel. It was a little too close to them, which is likely to excite their audiences when reading this book, but it concerns me a little. If this book is to critique the kpop industry and the music machine, you probably shouldn’t be mentioning multiple real examples of young girls who went through it in your dystopia novel of their experience.
The book definitely picked up the pace once the tv show was in progress and especially towards the end I couldn’t put the book down! Although the ending was a little rushed but still okay! But because of this significant great pacing, it meant the first quarter of the book’s pacing stuck out a little because the build up was slow. Doesn’t necessarily mean it was a bad time, the exposition was definitely essential to understand the motivation for Taryn signing up for the show and understanding why she would risk her life, but it did mean you need patience to stick with the book.
With the characters, I felt like Taryn and Leela’s friendship could’ve had more moments together, because the set up pre-dollhou5e felt like they were going to be ride or die best friends, but during the show it felt quite distant, like Taryn wasn’t really spending much time with anyone but Cade. It felt like the focus was only on one pairing at a time, rather than how Taryn is developing friendships simultaneously. Further, I saw the potential with the Taryn and Cade pairing, but the age difference between them just didn’t have me rooting for them like I wanted to. It is explicitly stated that Taryn is 17, and towards the start it’s unclear how old Cade is, only that he has been an idol since Taryn had posters of him on her walls at 12. but towards the end we discover he’s 21. As someone who turns 21 this year, I’m not even looking at anyone under 20 - and while that is a personal preference, and a 4 year age gap isn’t problematic, i don’t think 17 and 21 together is appropriate, because she’s still a minor and underage. And personally, I feel uncomfortable with the ages of this romantic pairing.
As previously stated, I enjoyed reading this book, I liked the premise, I was hooked, the writing was easy to read and the structure was formatted nicely - despite many of grammar & spelling errors in this copy, so i’d definitely recommend if you’re already interested! Check it out on April 23rd 2026!
Taryn is a 17 year old girl who wants to financially help her family, especially her sick brother, so she signs up for Project Population’s ‘Star Maker’ show, where you train to be a part of a global idol group, where the judges & the public vote for who they want to make the final cut of the group. However, if you’re eliminated from the show, you die as part of the show’s contract with project population.
As soon as i read the premise for this book, i was immediately intrigued and desperate to pick this up. As a huge fan of girl groups, I have a huge interest in girl groups produced from survival shows, like katseye in HXG dream academy, and girlset (formally VCHA) from JYP a2k and more. So the twist of ‘if you’re eliminated you die,’ was just such a genius concept i needed to get my hands on a copy!
The book overall I did enjoy. And I think if you are also interested in girl groups, and celebrity pop culture then you’ll likely enjoy it too!
I liked the structure of this book, how the chapters belong to different sections of the process, like applying, the group challenges etc. it’s clever and mimics how survival shows work, so it works really well and fluidly here!
However, there was just a few areas of this book that bugged me a little bit, that made me knock it down a few stars quite early and throughout.
SPOILERS BELOW!
The book is set in the UK. Despite the dystopia plot, the book is set in a very lightly slightly twisted United Kingdom, Scotland and England. Taryn, the fmc, mentions passing Newcastle and Leeds on her way to London, and as a northern it really took me out of the book. I was thinking, why is it relevant that we need to name these cities? That exist today? When this book feels like dystopian rather than realistic? Also, Taryn mentions never having visited London, doesn’t know what Wembley Stadium is, however knows exactly how to get to Victoria Coach Station to travel home? It just didn’t make sense to me. It would’ve been more believable if the cities were made up but faintly represented London to make it familiar but not extremely on the nose.
Another thing that was too on the nose for me personally, was the direct mention of girl groups alike Katseye, that have very similar experiences to what these characters are going through in this novel. It was a little too close to them, which is likely to excite their audiences when reading this book, but it concerns me a little. If this book is to critique the kpop industry and the music machine, you probably shouldn’t be mentioning multiple real examples of young girls who went through it in your dystopia novel of their experience.
The book definitely picked up the pace once the tv show was in progress and especially towards the end I couldn’t put the book down! Although the ending was a little rushed but still okay! But because of this significant great pacing, it meant the first quarter of the book’s pacing stuck out a little because the build up was slow. Doesn’t necessarily mean it was a bad time, the exposition was definitely essential to understand the motivation for Taryn signing up for the show and understanding why she would risk her life, but it did mean you need patience to stick with the book.
With the characters, I felt like Taryn and Leela’s friendship could’ve had more moments together, because the set up pre-dollhou5e felt like they were going to be ride or die best friends, but during the show it felt quite distant, like Taryn wasn’t really spending much time with anyone but Cade. It felt like the focus was only on one pairing at a time, rather than how Taryn is developing friendships simultaneously. Further, I saw the potential with the Taryn and Cade pairing, but the age difference between them just didn’t have me rooting for them like I wanted to. It is explicitly stated that Taryn is 17, and towards the start it’s unclear how old Cade is, only that he has been an idol since Taryn had posters of him on her walls at 12. but towards the end we discover he’s 21. As someone who turns 21 this year, I’m not even looking at anyone under 20 - and while that is a personal preference, and a 4 year age gap isn’t problematic, i don’t think 17 and 21 together is appropriate, because she’s still a minor and underage. And personally, I feel uncomfortable with the ages of this romantic pairing.
As previously stated, I enjoyed reading this book, I liked the premise, I was hooked, the writing was easy to read and the structure was formatted nicely - despite many of grammar & spelling errors in this copy, so i’d definitely recommend if you’re already interested! Check it out on April 23rd 2026!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dream academy but make it Hunger Games stakes. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this.
This book takes place roughly 2070, so actually not that long from now. The thought of the world changing THIS MUCH in just 40 years is a bit of a stretch, but I digress. That must’ve been some war and flood I guess? Life isn’t Panem level miserable, but it sounds like only the top 10% are actually doing well. Taryn and her family are firmly at the bottom of the barrel, English refugees living in a refugee camp in Scotland, where the only options for most are the army or Laborforce. With a sick brother who needs a liver transplant, Taryn’s family is desperate enough to consider Project Population, a program that’s now worldwide due to popularity apparently ($500 for every year you’ve been alive, as a way to incentivize the elderly to “retire” to not waste resources). Joining Starmarker is Taryn’s best shot at helping her brother and escaping a miserable life.
Starmaker is a singing competition show for the chance to join a girl group, open to girls aged 14-21, but the lowest voted get publicly executed. Being a good singer isn’t enough to guarantee safety; all the contestants are good singers. The survival show starts at the final ten, where eliminated contestants will be executed via Starmaker’s partnership with Project Population. There’s also other reality shows mentioned like Bride or Die (the bachelor but you die if you don’t get picked I guess?) and Endurance Island. What is it with this government and their obsession with finding excuses to kill people as a form of population control?
There are a large amount of pop culture references, making it feel more YA than most dystopias. They even perform Gnarly by Katseye, for a final evaluation; I kid you not. It’s a bit corny, but that just means this is geared towards a younger audience than me, and I absolutely enjoyed this book regardless. The readability factor is off the charts and I absolutely devoured this. Could not put it down! And don’t get me wrong. Despite the younger audience feel and endless pop culture references, this book is brutal when it comes time to the eliminations. Some parts of this are a hard read.
Also, I’m just glad people are still writing dystopias, because I miss when they were trendy. A dystopia in 2026 is like a shining light in a sea of fantasy novels. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel. This book has a Freida McFadden level of readability, largely due to the incredibly imaginative plot. This was a stand out read of this year!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
This book takes place roughly 2070, so actually not that long from now. The thought of the world changing THIS MUCH in just 40 years is a bit of a stretch, but I digress. That must’ve been some war and flood I guess? Life isn’t Panem level miserable, but it sounds like only the top 10% are actually doing well. Taryn and her family are firmly at the bottom of the barrel, English refugees living in a refugee camp in Scotland, where the only options for most are the army or Laborforce. With a sick brother who needs a liver transplant, Taryn’s family is desperate enough to consider Project Population, a program that’s now worldwide due to popularity apparently ($500 for every year you’ve been alive, as a way to incentivize the elderly to “retire” to not waste resources). Joining Starmarker is Taryn’s best shot at helping her brother and escaping a miserable life.
Starmaker is a singing competition show for the chance to join a girl group, open to girls aged 14-21, but the lowest voted get publicly executed. Being a good singer isn’t enough to guarantee safety; all the contestants are good singers. The survival show starts at the final ten, where eliminated contestants will be executed via Starmaker’s partnership with Project Population. There’s also other reality shows mentioned like Bride or Die (the bachelor but you die if you don’t get picked I guess?) and Endurance Island. What is it with this government and their obsession with finding excuses to kill people as a form of population control?
There are a large amount of pop culture references, making it feel more YA than most dystopias. They even perform Gnarly by Katseye, for a final evaluation; I kid you not. It’s a bit corny, but that just means this is geared towards a younger audience than me, and I absolutely enjoyed this book regardless. The readability factor is off the charts and I absolutely devoured this. Could not put it down! And don’t get me wrong. Despite the younger audience feel and endless pop culture references, this book is brutal when it comes time to the eliminations. Some parts of this are a hard read.
Also, I’m just glad people are still writing dystopias, because I miss when they were trendy. A dystopia in 2026 is like a shining light in a sea of fantasy novels. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel. This book has a Freida McFadden level of readability, largely due to the incredibly imaginative plot. This was a stand out read of this year!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
May 9, 2026
Labelled as The Hunger Games meets the Spice Girls/K-pop, Survival Show is a high stakes Y.A. novel featuring a singing competition that literally ends in death for the unsuccessful participants.
The idea of this one was fun but I just didn't connect with it. The Hunger Games aspect just felt very much like a filter or aesthetic being used - there's a reason the original novels (can't include the spinoffs, still gotta read those 😅) hit so hard, with their strong political message. Here it feels like the message is barely present, as the girls go from worrying about their potential live-broadcasted deaths, to squealing over guest judges and having makeovers. It all felt very surface level.
It was a fun concept, and most of the cast were great, but Survival Show seems much too caught up in the facade of appearing like a quirky dystopian novel to really make a statement.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!
The idea of this one was fun but I just didn't connect with it. The Hunger Games aspect just felt very much like a filter or aesthetic being used - there's a reason the original novels (can't include the spinoffs, still gotta read those 😅) hit so hard, with their strong political message. Here it feels like the message is barely present, as the girls go from worrying about their potential live-broadcasted deaths, to squealing over guest judges and having makeovers. It all felt very surface level.
It was a fun concept, and most of the cast were great, but Survival Show seems much too caught up in the facade of appearing like a quirky dystopian novel to really make a statement.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!
April 26, 2026
This was fantastic! I cannot wait for the sequel. It's chilling in how you can see all of this might actually happen.
February 13, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Survival Show is set in a reimagined world after a war and flood. It follows the story of Taryn Beck, a teenager who makes it her mission to provide her brother with life saving medical treatment, by entering the reality TV show “Starmaker” - if Taryn wins, she, along with her 4 band mates, will live a life of luxury, stardom and wealth. But if she’s eliminated, she will lose her life to “Project Population”, an initiative designed to cull the community.
This story is a mix of The Hunger Games and The X Factor which makes for a unique and clever plot which lovers of Dystopian YA novels and KATSEYE will absolutely adore.
I really liked Juno Dawson’s writing style, it was clear and easy to read. I think Dawson also did a really good job at portraying the darker side of the music industry and these competition shows. I particularly loved the Nadine Coyle/Irish PopStars reference “you told us you were born in June, and that you are a Gemini. But you lied about the year that you were born, didn’t you?”
With that being said, in all honesty, this was not the most enjoyable read for me. I do, however, think that my main issues with the book were solely due to my age, and had I been reading this at 16/17 years old, I would have LOVED it.
First of all, I did not fully connect with any of the characters, they felt incredibly young and I actually found them quite frustrating. Again, this could be an age thing, but I found myself wanting to shout at them and tell them “just stop bickering, stop making poor choices, stop selling each other out, and why didn’t you just get out of there when you had the chance!” The death and loss of each other was never a surprise to them, it was fully expected but never taken seriously until it happened.
I also really struggled with the pacing of this book. I felt like the build up to the start of the show went on a little bit too long whereas the results show felt too rushed, and although the writing was good, those moments felt too short for me to fully experience the emotions of the remaining girls and the eliminated contestant.
Things seemed to pick up a bit towards the finale/ending of the book, and I was satisfied with the way it ended. Iappreciated the twist at the end, I genuinely didn’t expect that reveal and I did gasp a little.
Survival Show is set in a reimagined world after a war and flood. It follows the story of Taryn Beck, a teenager who makes it her mission to provide her brother with life saving medical treatment, by entering the reality TV show “Starmaker” - if Taryn wins, she, along with her 4 band mates, will live a life of luxury, stardom and wealth. But if she’s eliminated, she will lose her life to “Project Population”, an initiative designed to cull the community.
This story is a mix of The Hunger Games and The X Factor which makes for a unique and clever plot which lovers of Dystopian YA novels and KATSEYE will absolutely adore.
I really liked Juno Dawson’s writing style, it was clear and easy to read. I think Dawson also did a really good job at portraying the darker side of the music industry and these competition shows. I particularly loved the Nadine Coyle/Irish PopStars reference “you told us you were born in June, and that you are a Gemini. But you lied about the year that you were born, didn’t you?”
With that being said, in all honesty, this was not the most enjoyable read for me. I do, however, think that my main issues with the book were solely due to my age, and had I been reading this at 16/17 years old, I would have LOVED it.
First of all, I did not fully connect with any of the characters, they felt incredibly young and I actually found them quite frustrating. Again, this could be an age thing, but I found myself wanting to shout at them and tell them “just stop bickering, stop making poor choices, stop selling each other out, and why didn’t you just get out of there when you had the chance!” The death and loss of each other was never a surprise to them, it was fully expected but never taken seriously until it happened.
I also really struggled with the pacing of this book. I felt like the build up to the start of the show went on a little bit too long whereas the results show felt too rushed, and although the writing was good, those moments felt too short for me to fully experience the emotions of the remaining girls and the eliminated contestant.
Things seemed to pick up a bit towards the finale/ending of the book, and I was satisfied with the way it ended. Iappreciated the twist at the end, I genuinely didn’t expect that reveal and I did gasp a little.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really loved it. No surprise really as I've been a Juno fan since Hollow Pike. Hunger Games meets X Factor.
April 1, 2026
I was in a pretty big reading slump which made picking up this book kind of hard, but once I did boy was it hard to put it down!!
Imagine you mix Popstar Academy with Black Mirror, you’d find something almost like Survival Show.
Survival Show follows Taryn Beck, a flood refugee from the Republic of Scotland whose younger brother is in dire need of medication. Her dad sees the only way for his son to survive is to donate his life to “Project Population” and get the payout( aka paying people to undergo euthanasia). But Taryn has another plan. Use her voice to get onto Starmaker, the most popular girl group survival show on the airways.
This book I think proves dystopian literature is starting to be less like a scary, far-away future and lean closer towards being a pretty damn accurate reflection of society. So be warned and read with caution, this book might sound a lot like your socials feed rather than a fictitious story!
My only tiny issue with this book was that sometimes it over explained situations and emotions but I can let that slide as it is YA.
Survival Show has solidified itself as a new favourite YA dystopia in my rotation of recommendations! A must read when it releases on the 28th of April!
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Imagine you mix Popstar Academy with Black Mirror, you’d find something almost like Survival Show.
Survival Show follows Taryn Beck, a flood refugee from the Republic of Scotland whose younger brother is in dire need of medication. Her dad sees the only way for his son to survive is to donate his life to “Project Population” and get the payout( aka paying people to undergo euthanasia). But Taryn has another plan. Use her voice to get onto Starmaker, the most popular girl group survival show on the airways.
This book I think proves dystopian literature is starting to be less like a scary, far-away future and lean closer towards being a pretty damn accurate reflection of society. So be warned and read with caution, this book might sound a lot like your socials feed rather than a fictitious story!
My only tiny issue with this book was that sometimes it over explained situations and emotions but I can let that slide as it is YA.
Survival Show has solidified itself as a new favourite YA dystopia in my rotation of recommendations! A must read when it releases on the 28th of April!
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 23, 2026
Such an interesting concept: a talent show taking place in a dystopian world, in which the eliminated contestants are literally eliminated. This book was creative, endlessly entertaining and kept me guessing at all times. Personally, I would have liked more worldbuilding and some more depth in the characters and their relationships. But since this is a YA, I could let it slide and just enjoy all the twists and turns.
Want to Read
February 18, 2026this sounds hilarious actually I am very happy for the teens of 2026
May 4, 2026
This was a fun, easy read! I feel like being compared to the hunger games was a big stretch but it was still entertaining. Good characters, great storyline.
May 16, 2026
Juno Dawson wrote the 'Eurovision in Space' episode of Doctor Who so I am excited about this! A talent show with a twist... when you're eliminated, you're eliminated in every sense of the word. The creative dystopian world felt vaguely familiar, almost as if we let certain politics run its course this is where we're going to end up. The tension and drama ramps up and I have to keep reading to find out what unfolds. It was dark but great!
May 30, 2026
This was both absolutely terrible and absolutely fantastic. No I will not elaborate.
May 26, 2026
how FUN!!! dramatic, campy storyline interweaved with genuinely SAD parts! loved every bit
June 8, 2026
This book is quite gnarly.
Satire built on the Americas next top model reality show area + the K-pop surivial concept set in a dystopian future, was not on my bingo card for new release of the year. But it sure makes for some unhinged entertainment.
If you are not familiar with these two things you would probably wonder what the hell this book is, but it is packed with commentary about reality tv, how far people are willing to go for success and how much of themselves they are willing to give up to achieve it.
The makeover chapter felt like I was back to my childhood watching ANTM where girls were having their hair chopped off, waves sewn in and of course that one girl that comes out looking exactly the same in their before and after.
I was howling laughing when Gnarly by Katseye was mentioned as "A song she remembered from childhood". Did not see that one coming. Especially since the Prelude - World Scout survival show had Debut by Katseye as a performance.
And ahh, not the Swedish girl being the first to be eliminated. Don't give me representation to immediately crush it. Diva we needed you.
I felt nothing for the romance and the plan itself was very shaky at best, I tough we were turning full divergent "escaping the fence" there for a second. But it was quickly reeled in and left me a little she'll shocked.
This book is basically vibes, satire and commentary delivered in a fun and a little crazy package made for the chronically online. The end was chaotic but also so real, there's always intense drama att the end of a survival show, and then it just ends. Only for the next one to be announced and the circle starts anew.
This book is pretty brilliant, but I still can't say that it's amazing, hihi.
Satire built on the Americas next top model reality show area + the K-pop surivial concept set in a dystopian future, was not on my bingo card for new release of the year. But it sure makes for some unhinged entertainment.
If you are not familiar with these two things you would probably wonder what the hell this book is, but it is packed with commentary about reality tv, how far people are willing to go for success and how much of themselves they are willing to give up to achieve it.
The makeover chapter felt like I was back to my childhood watching ANTM where girls were having their hair chopped off, waves sewn in and of course that one girl that comes out looking exactly the same in their before and after.
I was howling laughing when Gnarly by Katseye was mentioned as "A song she remembered from childhood". Did not see that one coming. Especially since the Prelude - World Scout survival show had Debut by Katseye as a performance.
And ahh, not the Swedish girl being the first to be eliminated. Don't give me representation to immediately crush it. Diva we needed you.
I felt nothing for the romance and the plan itself was very shaky at best, I tough we were turning full divergent "escaping the fence" there for a second. But it was quickly reeled in and left me a little she'll shocked.
This book is basically vibes, satire and commentary delivered in a fun and a little crazy package made for the chronically online. The end was chaotic but also so real, there's always intense drama att the end of a survival show, and then it just ends. Only for the next one to be announced and the circle starts anew.
This book is pretty brilliant, but I still can't say that it's amazing, hihi.
June 7, 2026
A reality TV show where getting voted off means death? Safe to say I was intrigued from page one. 🎤💀📖
Survival Show was a fun, fast-paced read that kept me entertained throughout. The concept is great—a reality TV competition where contestants are fighting for a place in the world’s biggest girl band, but elimination comes with the ultimate consequence.
This was very much a YA read, but that was exactly what I was after. It was easy to get into, entertaining from start to finish, and the perfect book when you’re looking for something fast-paced and fun.
I flew through this and was definitely invested in finding out who would survive and who would make it to the end. I enjoyed all the drama, alliances and twists along the way.
I also liked that there was more to the story than just the competition itself. Alongside all the reality TV drama and twists, Dawson explores celebrity culture, society’s obsession with entertainment, and how far people will go for fame and success. It also looks at class and inequality, showing how things like healthcare, opportunities and even your future can depend on where you’re born and how much money you have. At times, it made me think about how easily people become invested in watching other people’s struggles for entertainment. It added another layer to the story and made the stakes feel even higher for the contestants.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a unique premise and plenty of drama. While it wasn’t a standout favourite for me, I’m glad I picked it up and would recommend it to anyone who loves dystopian fiction mixed with reality TV chaos.
Survival Show was a fun, fast-paced read that kept me entertained throughout. The concept is great—a reality TV competition where contestants are fighting for a place in the world’s biggest girl band, but elimination comes with the ultimate consequence.
This was very much a YA read, but that was exactly what I was after. It was easy to get into, entertaining from start to finish, and the perfect book when you’re looking for something fast-paced and fun.
I flew through this and was definitely invested in finding out who would survive and who would make it to the end. I enjoyed all the drama, alliances and twists along the way.
I also liked that there was more to the story than just the competition itself. Alongside all the reality TV drama and twists, Dawson explores celebrity culture, society’s obsession with entertainment, and how far people will go for fame and success. It also looks at class and inequality, showing how things like healthcare, opportunities and even your future can depend on where you’re born and how much money you have. At times, it made me think about how easily people become invested in watching other people’s struggles for entertainment. It added another layer to the story and made the stakes feel even higher for the contestants.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a unique premise and plenty of drama. While it wasn’t a standout favourite for me, I’m glad I picked it up and would recommend it to anyone who loves dystopian fiction mixed with reality TV chaos.
April 28, 2026
I first heard about this book when I saw Juno summer 2025, promoting book 3 of HMRC and I knew this was going to be such a fun read!
This is like a black mirror episode, where the hunger games meets pop star academy! And I couldn’t put it down.
I also hear the audiobook has the songs as actual SONGS?? I’ll be running to BookBeat for an instant re read.
Thank you netgalley and Simon YA for this e ARC
This is like a black mirror episode, where the hunger games meets pop star academy! And I couldn’t put it down.
I also hear the audiobook has the songs as actual SONGS?? I’ll be running to BookBeat for an instant re read.
Thank you netgalley and Simon YA for this e ARC
June 10, 2026
3.5⭐️
April 26, 2026
Survival Show by Juno Dawson 🎤
Addictive. Absolutely addictive.
This was my first book by Junp Dawson and just WOW. Set in a dystopian world, Taryn and her family are refugees. Her brother sick so Taryn decided to audition for Starmaker a brutal contest where girls are pitted against each other to become idols. They will either win and form DOLLHOU5E or die. Girls around the world take part in these auditions and Taryn does not expect to make the cut. She has an amazing voice she lacks the moves. But suddenly she finds herself in the final 10 fighting for her life and the chance to help her family. It’s not gonna be easy, with contestants who would do anything to win, you can’t trust anyone.
This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read. Unable to put it down, I was completely hooked and totally unable to guess what was going to happen next. It was filled with action, drama and high stakes which kept me turning the pages. If you love or have an interest in K-Pop and idols, I would definitely check this one out. With strong friendships and heartbreaking moments she won’t see coming this book will have you on the edge of your seat. The ending has me needing more!
Rating 5⭐️
Thank you to Simon YA Books for the proof copy
Addictive. Absolutely addictive.
This was my first book by Junp Dawson and just WOW. Set in a dystopian world, Taryn and her family are refugees. Her brother sick so Taryn decided to audition for Starmaker a brutal contest where girls are pitted against each other to become idols. They will either win and form DOLLHOU5E or die. Girls around the world take part in these auditions and Taryn does not expect to make the cut. She has an amazing voice she lacks the moves. But suddenly she finds herself in the final 10 fighting for her life and the chance to help her family. It’s not gonna be easy, with contestants who would do anything to win, you can’t trust anyone.
This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read. Unable to put it down, I was completely hooked and totally unable to guess what was going to happen next. It was filled with action, drama and high stakes which kept me turning the pages. If you love or have an interest in K-Pop and idols, I would definitely check this one out. With strong friendships and heartbreaking moments she won’t see coming this book will have you on the edge of your seat. The ending has me needing more!
Rating 5⭐️
Thank you to Simon YA Books for the proof copy
May 7, 2026
Quick, easy read but it was more X factor than hunger games and was hoping for more dystopian vibes.
April 23, 2026
I absolutely loved Survival Show by Juno Dawson.
Going into this, I was a little worried it might feel too similar to other YA dystopian books like The Hunger Games, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The more I read, the more hooked I got, and by the end I’d flown through 390 pages in eight hours.
This book is SO fun. Truly one for the gays, the they’s, and the girls.
It manages to deal with deeper themes such as ED, mental illness and addiction.
While mentioning that, it still felt light, entertaining, and genuinely funny. There were multiple moments where I actually laughed out loud, especially at some of the references.
The plot kept me invested the whole way through, the pacing was great, and I really loved the character development of Taryn in particular. I also love girl groups, so a YA book centred around that world was basically made for me.
Juno Dawson never misses when it comes to world-building, and once again she created a setting that was so easy to get swept up in.
Overall, such a fun and addictive read, and an easy five stars from me. I’d definitely recommend picking this one up.
Going into this, I was a little worried it might feel too similar to other YA dystopian books like The Hunger Games, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The more I read, the more hooked I got, and by the end I’d flown through 390 pages in eight hours.
This book is SO fun. Truly one for the gays, the they’s, and the girls.
It manages to deal with deeper themes such as ED, mental illness and addiction.
While mentioning that, it still felt light, entertaining, and genuinely funny. There were multiple moments where I actually laughed out loud, especially at some of the references.
The plot kept me invested the whole way through, the pacing was great, and I really loved the character development of Taryn in particular. I also love girl groups, so a YA book centred around that world was basically made for me.
Juno Dawson never misses when it comes to world-building, and once again she created a setting that was so easy to get swept up in.
Overall, such a fun and addictive read, and an easy five stars from me. I’d definitely recommend picking this one up.
May 2, 2026
Picked this up and couldn’t put it down until I finished it.
April 30, 2026
Audiobook 1.7 stars |
When I started listening to this book I was excited but then after I while it felt like AI hade wrote it. It hade almost no emotion and had so many holes in the story.
When I started listening to this book I was excited but then after I while it felt like AI hade wrote it. It hade almost no emotion and had so many holes in the story.
April 21, 2026
cute, fun, enagaging! OTT, or maybe so OTT it's satire? I can never tell (that's on me). Like Josie & the Pussycats (film) or Hunger Games Sunrise on the Reaping or Libba Bray's Beauty Queens. So, not groundbreaking or original.
May 23, 2026
Absolutely phenomenal, quite literally best book I’ve read this year. Right up my street.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC
Thank you netgalley for the ARC
May 12, 2026
So much fun so campy I loved it
June 27, 2026
3.5*
"Survival Show" by Juno Dawson is a fast-paced and sharply conceptual dystopian YA thriller that pulls you straight in with its high-stakes premise. The idea is gripping from the start, and the story moves quickly which helps you fly through the book.
There’s a strong satirical edge running through it, and plenty of moments that feel tense and entertaining, even when things get chaotic. While some elements could have used a bit more depth and refinement, the energy of the book carries it through.
An entertaining, quick read that works especially well if you enjoy dystopian fiction and media-driven thrillers with a dark twist.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK Children's | Gallery YA for a digital review copy of "Survival Show" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
"Survival Show" by Juno Dawson is a fast-paced and sharply conceptual dystopian YA thriller that pulls you straight in with its high-stakes premise. The idea is gripping from the start, and the story moves quickly which helps you fly through the book.
There’s a strong satirical edge running through it, and plenty of moments that feel tense and entertaining, even when things get chaotic. While some elements could have used a bit more depth and refinement, the energy of the book carries it through.
An entertaining, quick read that works especially well if you enjoy dystopian fiction and media-driven thrillers with a dark twist.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK Children's | Gallery YA for a digital review copy of "Survival Show" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
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