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Buzzard
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Expected 22 Sep 26In 2086, corporations are monitoring fertility. Abortion is illegal. And the last woman alive who can perform the procedure is in hiding.
Seven years ago, midwife Mae Bastet was arrested for infanticide in the fractious Arizona Territory for providing health care to women in need. She was torn from her sons and sent to Buzzard—an experimental private prison deep in the Sonoran Desert, run by the paramilitary corporation Obsityan.
Desperate to reunite her family, Mae tries to keep her head down, swallow her prison-issued hormone supplements, and do her job as a glorified school nurse to Obsityan’s army of teenage drone pilots. But when mysterious, improbable pregnancies begin cropping up in her charges, she uncovers a web of secrets that has the power to destroy Obsityan. Mae must stay complicit in Obsityan’s crimes or hold fast to her midwife principles and risk never seeing her sons again.
Buzzard is a ferocious dystopian debut that traces the possible trajectory of our current political and technological reality—and the power of our deepest human bonds.
Seven years ago, midwife Mae Bastet was arrested for infanticide in the fractious Arizona Territory for providing health care to women in need. She was torn from her sons and sent to Buzzard—an experimental private prison deep in the Sonoran Desert, run by the paramilitary corporation Obsityan.
Desperate to reunite her family, Mae tries to keep her head down, swallow her prison-issued hormone supplements, and do her job as a glorified school nurse to Obsityan’s army of teenage drone pilots. But when mysterious, improbable pregnancies begin cropping up in her charges, she uncovers a web of secrets that has the power to destroy Obsityan. Mae must stay complicit in Obsityan’s crimes or hold fast to her midwife principles and risk never seeing her sons again.
Buzzard is a ferocious dystopian debut that traces the possible trajectory of our current political and technological reality—and the power of our deepest human bonds.
- GenresDystopia
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨️ ARC REVIEW ✨️
Buzzard by Inez Ray
Publication date: September 22nd 2026
Thoughts
In all honesty I was hesitant going into this but it was absolutely phenomenal! If you enjoy dystopian reads then I urge you to give this debut a go! This book really needs a sequel and I truly hope we get one because it's just ughhh I can't even put into words how good this read; was again an experience in itself, it has you thinking, forces you to be hit with a harsh reality check of poverty and question of what if abortion becomes illegal? This read was up there with hitting me in my feels. The writing style was so good it was so raw which again played the part in the emotional part, the nurse who wanted to help any way she could. This read was truly something else both reading experience and plot wise! I was so invested to the point I felt like I was inside the pages myself ❤️🩹 highly recommend!
Plot Summary
Set in 2086, fertility is tightly controlled by corporations and abortion has been outlawed. Mae Bastet, a midwife once arrested for helping women, is imprisoned in a remote desert facility run by a powerful private company, where she’s forced to work under strict rules while longing to see her sons again. Trying to stay out of trouble, Mae keeps her head down, until a series of strange pregnancies among the girls in her care raises alarm. As she uncovers disturbing secrets about the corporation, she’s faced with an impossible choice: protect herself in the hope of reuniting with her family, or stand by her beliefs and risk losing them forever.
Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC
My Bookstagram
Buzzard by Inez Ray
Publication date: September 22nd 2026
Thoughts
In all honesty I was hesitant going into this but it was absolutely phenomenal! If you enjoy dystopian reads then I urge you to give this debut a go! This book really needs a sequel and I truly hope we get one because it's just ughhh I can't even put into words how good this read; was again an experience in itself, it has you thinking, forces you to be hit with a harsh reality check of poverty and question of what if abortion becomes illegal? This read was up there with hitting me in my feels. The writing style was so good it was so raw which again played the part in the emotional part, the nurse who wanted to help any way she could. This read was truly something else both reading experience and plot wise! I was so invested to the point I felt like I was inside the pages myself ❤️🩹 highly recommend!
Plot Summary
Set in 2086, fertility is tightly controlled by corporations and abortion has been outlawed. Mae Bastet, a midwife once arrested for helping women, is imprisoned in a remote desert facility run by a powerful private company, where she’s forced to work under strict rules while longing to see her sons again. Trying to stay out of trouble, Mae keeps her head down, until a series of strange pregnancies among the girls in her care raises alarm. As she uncovers disturbing secrets about the corporation, she’s faced with an impossible choice: protect herself in the hope of reuniting with her family, or stand by her beliefs and risk losing them forever.
Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC
My Bookstagram
Want to Read
February 27, 20262086. Abortions are illegal, corporations monitoring fertility, and a woman who can perform them is the last one alive & in hiding.
This dystopian debut should be on your list.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bindery Books and the author, Inez Ray for an early copy.
Publication date: September 22, 2026
This dystopian debut should be on your list.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bindery Books and the author, Inez Ray for an early copy.
Publication date: September 22, 2026
February 8, 2026
Mad Max x Handmaids Tale x Chain Gang All Stars.
This is a dystopian that follows the last woman alive who can perform abortions. She’s currently in a prison rehab…. For giving abortions.
The ownership of women’s bodies, corporate greed and destruction and a future we all fear is too close.
This book is the moment.
Incredible storytelling. A visual and visceral experience. Heart-wrenching. Gutting. A 2026 must read.
This is a dystopian that follows the last woman alive who can perform abortions. She’s currently in a prison rehab…. For giving abortions.
The ownership of women’s bodies, corporate greed and destruction and a future we all fear is too close.
This book is the moment.
Incredible storytelling. A visual and visceral experience. Heart-wrenching. Gutting. A 2026 must read.
March 18, 2026
thank you bindery books and netgalley for the ARC.
something that has set my 2026 reading year apart from the other years is my desire to incorporate more speculative fiction. it began with me revisiting the “earthseed” duology by octavia butler. which completely changed my outlook on the future.
in the science fiction genre, there’s sometimes a glamorization of the future. there’s an advance in technology, in politics, etc. it’s interesting, there’s so much to look forward to.
but when it comes to speculative fiction, the writer poses a question for the future. with octavia butler, the question was: what will happen to the world if empathy dies?
in “buzzard” by inez ray, the question is: what if abortion becomes illegal? the world of “buzzard” is complicated. it’s set in the 2080s, in a time of civil conflicts in the United States and poverty. but at the same time, technology has advanced and there are certain progressive communities that have found ways to deal with issues that our generation has not figured out.
“buzzard” follows a mid-wife named mae that performs abortions, which have become illegal—in ALL cases, even when a woman’s life is at stake. it is as though ray is showing that our current debates about abortion and all its nuances are pointless. all of our bickering is pointless. we need to fight for our rights.
“buzzard” is a harsh reality check. we see how abortion is tied to poverty and it’s a cycle. abortion is banned. a woman is forced to give birth to her baby, even though she can’t feed her five other children. her husband is also dead because he got blown up at a factory. the children she has might get sold to a contractor to get food and stable shelter.
i was very impressed by the writing style. it was matter of fact, raw and harsh—it had the tone of an older nurse that wanted to help the world but constantly got pushed around. there was a sense of withdrawal in the pages, almost similar to the old sheriff in “no country for old men” by cormac mccarthy. the writing kept on beat with the flow of the story. i also liked how we got to see different characters’ perspectives.
i genuinely do not have anything negative to say about this book and im picky. so far, this book is in my top 10 for this year. my big three—writing style, characters, pacing—were also checked off. the imagery and intensity were out of this world. i would LOVE for this book to get adapted into a mini series.
to me, i would put this close to octavia butler’s “earthseed” books. it contains so many important messages on reproductive health, our individual burdens to fighting for our rights, etc.
something that has set my 2026 reading year apart from the other years is my desire to incorporate more speculative fiction. it began with me revisiting the “earthseed” duology by octavia butler. which completely changed my outlook on the future.
in the science fiction genre, there’s sometimes a glamorization of the future. there’s an advance in technology, in politics, etc. it’s interesting, there’s so much to look forward to.
but when it comes to speculative fiction, the writer poses a question for the future. with octavia butler, the question was: what will happen to the world if empathy dies?
in “buzzard” by inez ray, the question is: what if abortion becomes illegal? the world of “buzzard” is complicated. it’s set in the 2080s, in a time of civil conflicts in the United States and poverty. but at the same time, technology has advanced and there are certain progressive communities that have found ways to deal with issues that our generation has not figured out.
“buzzard” follows a mid-wife named mae that performs abortions, which have become illegal—in ALL cases, even when a woman’s life is at stake. it is as though ray is showing that our current debates about abortion and all its nuances are pointless. all of our bickering is pointless. we need to fight for our rights.
“buzzard” is a harsh reality check. we see how abortion is tied to poverty and it’s a cycle. abortion is banned. a woman is forced to give birth to her baby, even though she can’t feed her five other children. her husband is also dead because he got blown up at a factory. the children she has might get sold to a contractor to get food and stable shelter.
i was very impressed by the writing style. it was matter of fact, raw and harsh—it had the tone of an older nurse that wanted to help the world but constantly got pushed around. there was a sense of withdrawal in the pages, almost similar to the old sheriff in “no country for old men” by cormac mccarthy. the writing kept on beat with the flow of the story. i also liked how we got to see different characters’ perspectives.
i genuinely do not have anything negative to say about this book and im picky. so far, this book is in my top 10 for this year. my big three—writing style, characters, pacing—were also checked off. the imagery and intensity were out of this world. i would LOVE for this book to get adapted into a mini series.
to me, i would put this close to octavia butler’s “earthseed” books. it contains so many important messages on reproductive health, our individual burdens to fighting for our rights, etc.
May 9, 2026
Buzzard - Inez Ray ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much to Bindery Books for access to this ARC.
Buzzard is a book that is an uncomfortable, gripping read set in a dystopian future where fertility is monitored and abortions are illegal. Mae is in hiding as the only woman alive who can perform the procedure. She has a marred history: arrested for ‘infanticide’ and sent to an experimental prison run by the corporation, Obsityan, all the while desperate to find her two sons. We follow Mae’s story before her arrest, in prison, in hiding through the lense of her own view and interviews with a young woman hellbent on bringing Obsityan to heal.
As a lover of The Handmaid’s Tale this book was right up my street! Ray created an expansive world with a diverse cast. I loved Mae as our main character - she was a toughened woman with a kind heart. Sona, our young interviewer, was tenacious. Kaax was such an interesting study on friendship and morality - her girl boss nature at war with what is the right thing to do. In such dire situations do you look after yourself or those around you? And my favourite character Aeryn - an orphaned child pilot within the prison experiment. I don’t want to say too much about her story but I bloody loved her. This book is an ode to female strength.
Without spoilers, I’m fairly certain I know where Mae’s other son was, and I would love a book featuring this character and their story, please.
Overall, this book was a frightening read given the current political climate within the US - is this what awaits us? This made the book all the more compelling as it explored the morals, relationships and politics of a world where women’s rights are stripped away. Please do check the trigger warnings before reading this book as it contains strong themes.
Thank you so much to Bindery Books for access to this ARC.
Buzzard is a book that is an uncomfortable, gripping read set in a dystopian future where fertility is monitored and abortions are illegal. Mae is in hiding as the only woman alive who can perform the procedure. She has a marred history: arrested for ‘infanticide’ and sent to an experimental prison run by the corporation, Obsityan, all the while desperate to find her two sons. We follow Mae’s story before her arrest, in prison, in hiding through the lense of her own view and interviews with a young woman hellbent on bringing Obsityan to heal.
As a lover of The Handmaid’s Tale this book was right up my street! Ray created an expansive world with a diverse cast. I loved Mae as our main character - she was a toughened woman with a kind heart. Sona, our young interviewer, was tenacious. Kaax was such an interesting study on friendship and morality - her girl boss nature at war with what is the right thing to do. In such dire situations do you look after yourself or those around you? And my favourite character Aeryn - an orphaned child pilot within the prison experiment. I don’t want to say too much about her story but I bloody loved her. This book is an ode to female strength.
Without spoilers, I’m fairly certain I know where Mae’s other son was, and I would love a book featuring this character and their story, please.
Overall, this book was a frightening read given the current political climate within the US - is this what awaits us? This made the book all the more compelling as it explored the morals, relationships and politics of a world where women’s rights are stripped away. Please do check the trigger warnings before reading this book as it contains strong themes.
April 5, 2026
I received this book as an Advanced Reading Copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
This book is both shocking and filled with hope and humanity. In the distant 2080s, Mae, a midwife trained in both births and terminations, finds herself incarcerated and sent to the Buzzard prison as a child killer. This is a time when abortions are highly illegal, and she is separated from her two sons, who must fend for themselves as teenagers.
The story is skillfully crafted in two timeframes. The first timeframe takes us back to Mae’s time with Obsityan’s army of teenage pilots, where she encounters unexplained pregnancies while the future timeline depicts her as a fugitive and undergoing an interview with Sona, who can probably help her bring the truth to light. This all leads her on a journey to uncover a web of secrets.
The book delicately touches on the sensitive subject of abortions and manages to do so with a great conclusion and a tender ending. It is highly recommended.
This book is both shocking and filled with hope and humanity. In the distant 2080s, Mae, a midwife trained in both births and terminations, finds herself incarcerated and sent to the Buzzard prison as a child killer. This is a time when abortions are highly illegal, and she is separated from her two sons, who must fend for themselves as teenagers.
The story is skillfully crafted in two timeframes. The first timeframe takes us back to Mae’s time with Obsityan’s army of teenage pilots, where she encounters unexplained pregnancies while the future timeline depicts her as a fugitive and undergoing an interview with Sona, who can probably help her bring the truth to light. This all leads her on a journey to uncover a web of secrets.
The book delicately touches on the sensitive subject of abortions and manages to do so with a great conclusion and a tender ending. It is highly recommended.
March 7, 2026
Thank you Ingram for the ARC!
This was just okay. I was really excited about the concept, but I think it wasn't the strongest execution. I found my attention waning and it took me longer than usual to finish it. I didn’t really enjoy the switching from present to past - I’m picky about how it’s done. But if you don’t mind that, you may enjoy this. I do think it's a really timely topic and interesting way to explore it.
This was just okay. I was really excited about the concept, but I think it wasn't the strongest execution. I found my attention waning and it took me longer than usual to finish it. I didn’t really enjoy the switching from present to past - I’m picky about how it’s done. But if you don’t mind that, you may enjoy this. I do think it's a really timely topic and interesting way to explore it.
February 19, 2026
I’m surprised yet again, Buzzard had a hard task to accomplish, as this genre of dystopian novels has had so many strong stories over the years, how could another be added!? (The home of the ever living god and, handmaids tale to name two)
I really appreciated the authors perspective as a doula and midwife, it really helped MAE solidify as a character for me. Highly recommend.
Review in exchange for net galley ARC
I really appreciated the authors perspective as a doula and midwife, it really helped MAE solidify as a character for me. Highly recommend.
Review in exchange for net galley ARC
March 25, 2026
Updated review 26/03/2026:
Thank you to Bindery Books for an ARC of Buzzard by Inez Ray via Netgalley 🫶
**Content warning, discusses abortion**
Set in a not too distant future, corporations main priority is fertility and increasing the birth rate. Abortion is illegal and anyone caught performing the procedure is jailed, potentially for life.
Mae is one of the last surviving old school midwives, and is put to work in prison to look after the up and coming drone pilots.
When young recruits keep showing up pregnant, Mae is meant to report them, but instead she begins to untangle a giant web of lies.
What follows is a dystopian exploration of bodily autonomy.
This was a really solid debut from Inez Ray!
If you’ve read any Margaret Atwood / The Handmaids Tale, you’ll pick up on similar vibes and themes, but it’s different enough to stand on its own.
There’s a few time jumps and different perspectives which keep you engaged in the story.
There’s a few things that didn’t feel fully fleshed out to me and I didn’t quite understand, so I feel like a bit more attention to the background lore and information would’ve helped it flow more easily.
Buzzard releases 22 Sept 2026 and if you’re into dystopian vibes check it out!
Buzzard ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (really picky but I’m gonna say 3.75)
____________________________________________
Original review 24/03/2026:
A very solid dystopian debut!
Very Margaret Atwood-esque.
Need to sit with it for a few days to try and understand some things I’m confused by, and I would’ve loved to have seen the resolution of things more towards the end.
Full review to come!
Thank you to Bindery Books for an ARC of Buzzard by Inez Ray via Netgalley 🫶
**Content warning, discusses abortion**
Set in a not too distant future, corporations main priority is fertility and increasing the birth rate. Abortion is illegal and anyone caught performing the procedure is jailed, potentially for life.
Mae is one of the last surviving old school midwives, and is put to work in prison to look after the up and coming drone pilots.
When young recruits keep showing up pregnant, Mae is meant to report them, but instead she begins to untangle a giant web of lies.
What follows is a dystopian exploration of bodily autonomy.
This was a really solid debut from Inez Ray!
If you’ve read any Margaret Atwood / The Handmaids Tale, you’ll pick up on similar vibes and themes, but it’s different enough to stand on its own.
There’s a few time jumps and different perspectives which keep you engaged in the story.
There’s a few things that didn’t feel fully fleshed out to me and I didn’t quite understand, so I feel like a bit more attention to the background lore and information would’ve helped it flow more easily.
Buzzard releases 22 Sept 2026 and if you’re into dystopian vibes check it out!
Buzzard ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (really picky but I’m gonna say 3.75)
____________________________________________
Original review 24/03/2026:
A very solid dystopian debut!
Very Margaret Atwood-esque.
Need to sit with it for a few days to try and understand some things I’m confused by, and I would’ve loved to have seen the resolution of things more towards the end.
Full review to come!
February 25, 2026
A friend of mine, a cis man, has recently asked me why so much of what he called "women's fiction" (I would not call Buzzard women's fiction, but we will ignore that) has to do with sexual assault and unwanted pregnancy. As a woman, such a question put me in a state of great surprise, and without hesitation, I said, Because rape is a central theme in women's lives. It sticks with you. Whether you experience it, or hear about it, or see it happen somehow, it changes the way you think (ahem kinda spoiler but Sona..?). A sad admission, perhaps. He then asked why we would ever want to read about it. A loaded question, is it to see the injustice of the system reflected at us, to see ourselves represented, or is it to prepare ourselves for the worst? I do not know.
What I do know, however, is that despite my friend's judgment, Buzzard is not about rape at all. It is about women's ability to persevere through it, the desire to improve the system, and the importance of reproductive care and its accessibility. Buzzard is about abortion, yes, something you might not think you agree with or need until you suddenly do—Mae does say the Christians and Mormons were her best customers. It's about motherhood, and understanding that motherhood is not always the best choice, and, even when it is chosen, it is a tough path. It's about the heroism of the medical workers who follow their oath of "do no harm" in the face of the law, even when it means performing an illegal abortion. A hand can let go of the oppressed, a cage can rust and fall apart, but a human can not be replaced. Mato would agree.
"Buzzard is not a prison," RONDA, the stupid but friendly AI assistant, will tell you. And it's not technically, I suppose, in the same way, it was not Gilead that imprisoned Offred, not the house that the Waterfords inhabited, but rather the ideology of the regime. Mae's crimes are ideological in the same way as eating pork or killing spiders would be in some religions. Many people, myself included, I suppose, are comparing this work to Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, but I would actually say it is more similar to The Testaments, both in its structure and the general ideas. Regardless, if you enjoyed either of those works, or 1984, or even works of different genres dealing with reproductive rights, like Ernaux's Happening, you will enjoy Ray's work. It's a good mix of plot and character development, futuristic technologies, climate awareness, and, of course, questions of reproductive care.
At times, the world of the novel is uncomfortably close to our own. One change here, one change there, and we are in Buzzard ourselves. Honestly, I don't discount the possibility of an already existing "Buzzard" in the US in 2026.
I would have appreciated more resolution on InfiniCity and more of a backstory/timeline on the original split/cessation of AZT, and the establishment of other mentioned territories. But I would have preferred more information on the history and ideology. While those are not necessarily essential for the plot of the novel and the central themes, considering this work is futuristic/dystopian fiction, such contextualizations might enrich the world (consider The Handmaid's Tale and the flashbacks detailing the onset of Gilead).
Overall, an excellent debut. I applaud Ray for writing something so touching and noteworthy in the oversaturated world of today's dystopian fiction, and particularly appreciate her commitment to the reproductive rights cause and the detail in which she goes into, both on the medical side and the thought process of the workers.
Thank you to the Bindery and to Netgalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What I do know, however, is that despite my friend's judgment, Buzzard is not about rape at all. It is about women's ability to persevere through it, the desire to improve the system, and the importance of reproductive care and its accessibility. Buzzard is about abortion, yes, something you might not think you agree with or need until you suddenly do—Mae does say the Christians and Mormons were her best customers. It's about motherhood, and understanding that motherhood is not always the best choice, and, even when it is chosen, it is a tough path. It's about the heroism of the medical workers who follow their oath of "do no harm" in the face of the law, even when it means performing an illegal abortion. A hand can let go of the oppressed, a cage can rust and fall apart, but a human can not be replaced. Mato would agree.
"Buzzard is not a prison," RONDA, the stupid but friendly AI assistant, will tell you. And it's not technically, I suppose, in the same way, it was not Gilead that imprisoned Offred, not the house that the Waterfords inhabited, but rather the ideology of the regime. Mae's crimes are ideological in the same way as eating pork or killing spiders would be in some religions. Many people, myself included, I suppose, are comparing this work to Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, but I would actually say it is more similar to The Testaments, both in its structure and the general ideas. Regardless, if you enjoyed either of those works, or 1984, or even works of different genres dealing with reproductive rights, like Ernaux's Happening, you will enjoy Ray's work. It's a good mix of plot and character development, futuristic technologies, climate awareness, and, of course, questions of reproductive care.
At times, the world of the novel is uncomfortably close to our own. One change here, one change there, and we are in Buzzard ourselves. Honestly, I don't discount the possibility of an already existing "Buzzard" in the US in 2026.
I would have appreciated more resolution on InfiniCity and more of a backstory/timeline on the original split/cessation of AZT, and the establishment of other mentioned territories. But I would have preferred more information on the history and ideology. While those are not necessarily essential for the plot of the novel and the central themes, considering this work is futuristic/dystopian fiction, such contextualizations might enrich the world (consider The Handmaid's Tale and the flashbacks detailing the onset of Gilead).
Overall, an excellent debut. I applaud Ray for writing something so touching and noteworthy in the oversaturated world of today's dystopian fiction, and particularly appreciate her commitment to the reproductive rights cause and the detail in which she goes into, both on the medical side and the thought process of the workers.
Thank you to the Bindery and to Netgalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Buzzard is a hell of a debut. It is sharp, it takes every concept farther than many authors are afraid to and that alone gives the story so much power. It is a book that will be incorporated into every curriculum I have that is appropriate for a story like this (taking into account the content warnings and the audience of students). Dystopia always reflects reality in some way and Inez Ray does not shy away from pointing a finger and saying look. That lack of subtlety in this book will be polarizing to the casual readers, but I loved the author’s tone.
I’ve seen other reviews use other novels to compare this story to, but I think it is a disservice to the author. It is a reinvention of the dystopia fiction we fell in love with during the reign of the Hunger Games with a much more pointed tone and hyper focused content message. The story follows Mae, a midwife and nurse through recounting her time at Buzzard, a military base where high value prisoners are sent to serve Obsityan until their sentences have been fulfilled. Some prisoners work their way into command positions, others want to leave as soon as they commute their sentence. Mae is one of the last people in the dystopian remnants of the US who is trained to do abortions, an operation illegal in Obsityan territories, and is arrested for running an underground women’s clinic dedicated to safe births and safe abortions. Sona who is interviewing Mae many years after her time imprisoned at Obsityan feels like a stand in for the reader. In a way, Sona as a plot device serves as a way to allow the reader to develop this relationship with the story which is evident towards the end. We get to twine the thread of logic Mae gives us to understand the decisions she made and why.
While this story is about Mae, there are a few other POVs we get and it is a little confusing at first, but you pick up on who is who pretty quickly. I don’t want to talk too much about the plot because I have too much to say and so much analysis that will have to wait until the book is fully published. I will update my reviews then. Overall, this is a diverse, sharp commentary on the surveillance state policing women’s bodies, it incorporates some incredibly niche location history (as someone who grew up in the southwest, some of the details about the mountains and desert areas are eerily accurate) and is an incredibly uncomfortable piece to consume and sit with as the world stands in April of 2026. I highly recommend to anyone who is comfortable with the content warnings.
CW high: sexual assault/rape, abortion procedures, pregnancy
CW medium: suicide, drug use, blood
Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I’ve seen other reviews use other novels to compare this story to, but I think it is a disservice to the author. It is a reinvention of the dystopia fiction we fell in love with during the reign of the Hunger Games with a much more pointed tone and hyper focused content message. The story follows Mae, a midwife and nurse through recounting her time at Buzzard, a military base where high value prisoners are sent to serve Obsityan until their sentences have been fulfilled. Some prisoners work their way into command positions, others want to leave as soon as they commute their sentence. Mae is one of the last people in the dystopian remnants of the US who is trained to do abortions, an operation illegal in Obsityan territories, and is arrested for running an underground women’s clinic dedicated to safe births and safe abortions. Sona who is interviewing Mae many years after her time imprisoned at Obsityan feels like a stand in for the reader. In a way, Sona as a plot device serves as a way to allow the reader to develop this relationship with the story which is evident towards the end. We get to twine the thread of logic Mae gives us to understand the decisions she made and why.
While this story is about Mae, there are a few other POVs we get and it is a little confusing at first, but you pick up on who is who pretty quickly. I don’t want to talk too much about the plot because I have too much to say and so much analysis that will have to wait until the book is fully published. I will update my reviews then. Overall, this is a diverse, sharp commentary on the surveillance state policing women’s bodies, it incorporates some incredibly niche location history (as someone who grew up in the southwest, some of the details about the mountains and desert areas are eerily accurate) and is an incredibly uncomfortable piece to consume and sit with as the world stands in April of 2026. I highly recommend to anyone who is comfortable with the content warnings.
CW high: sexual assault/rape, abortion procedures, pregnancy
CW medium: suicide, drug use, blood
Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Inez Ray and net galley for this early release copy of Ray’s debut novel, ‘Buzzard’.
As someone who one day dreams of writing and publishing a novel, I feel privileged to have read this, your debut baby, and been given space to reflect and review! I am grateful for the publishing space created by Michael LaBorn, to ensure that no voice goes unheard. As a lover of dystopian, sci fi literature, I was excited to see how this not so distant future would play out.
I want to start by saying the real time references in this book were pertinent and powerful.
Inez pulled focus on the Magdalene laundries, the contradictions of who can have abortions, and who cant, prolific SA rings that center around the US, what’s happening with ICE…..
There were links to Rachel Corrie, a heroic activist who lost her life defending Palestine; these powerful links to our modern lives were the heart and the soul of this book.
My trouble with this novel, may pertain more to my reading style. I found it a little difficult to truly connect and care for the characters due to the jumping of timelines, tenses and character pov. This is a shame given the intense importance and relevance of the content.
Since the book was written in third person perspective, and we had around 5 different POVs, it gave us more of a helicopter vision, than a pilot one.
While this serves the plot, it didn’t serve the reading experience as much. I would have loved if it was, perhaps, 1st person. Or, if it only followed Mae. Or alternatively, if chapters were signalled by the new POV.
I also felt like the beginning of this novel had really crisp and clear depictions of language, setting and character. This meant I felt like I could taste, and smell and feeeeeel this setting much more than the others.
I rarely say this, but I think this book was too short. I think with another layer of editing, perhaps, we could learn more about the rebellions, life now in Obsityan. I would loved to see more of the inner workings of Buzzard. More doctors appointments. Perhaps an earlier connection to Aeryn? To see her before she was this ‘living doll’.
Honestly, the story was great, the bones of the characters are too, I just think they could be more fleshed out within the novel. More words, more backgrounds. Occasionally, the shifts in time, flashbacks, and pov made it tricky to distinguish who was talking. Unfortunately, this meant that some of the information, tone, or characteristics maybe have been lost.
Overall, a good debut novel that I think could do with a little tweaking to really drive home to importance of the messages. Ones that people need to hear!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
As someone who one day dreams of writing and publishing a novel, I feel privileged to have read this, your debut baby, and been given space to reflect and review! I am grateful for the publishing space created by Michael LaBorn, to ensure that no voice goes unheard. As a lover of dystopian, sci fi literature, I was excited to see how this not so distant future would play out.
I want to start by saying the real time references in this book were pertinent and powerful.
Inez pulled focus on the Magdalene laundries, the contradictions of who can have abortions, and who cant, prolific SA rings that center around the US, what’s happening with ICE…..
There were links to Rachel Corrie, a heroic activist who lost her life defending Palestine; these powerful links to our modern lives were the heart and the soul of this book.
My trouble with this novel, may pertain more to my reading style. I found it a little difficult to truly connect and care for the characters due to the jumping of timelines, tenses and character pov. This is a shame given the intense importance and relevance of the content.
Since the book was written in third person perspective, and we had around 5 different POVs, it gave us more of a helicopter vision, than a pilot one.
While this serves the plot, it didn’t serve the reading experience as much. I would have loved if it was, perhaps, 1st person. Or, if it only followed Mae. Or alternatively, if chapters were signalled by the new POV.
I also felt like the beginning of this novel had really crisp and clear depictions of language, setting and character. This meant I felt like I could taste, and smell and feeeeeel this setting much more than the others.
I rarely say this, but I think this book was too short. I think with another layer of editing, perhaps, we could learn more about the rebellions, life now in Obsityan. I would loved to see more of the inner workings of Buzzard. More doctors appointments. Perhaps an earlier connection to Aeryn? To see her before she was this ‘living doll’.
Honestly, the story was great, the bones of the characters are too, I just think they could be more fleshed out within the novel. More words, more backgrounds. Occasionally, the shifts in time, flashbacks, and pov made it tricky to distinguish who was talking. Unfortunately, this meant that some of the information, tone, or characteristics maybe have been lost.
Overall, a good debut novel that I think could do with a little tweaking to really drive home to importance of the messages. Ones that people need to hear!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Buzzard is a dystopian debut set in 2086, where corporations monitor fertility, abortion is illegal, and the last woman able to perform the procedure is hiding in plain sight inside a private prison. The concept is urgent and unsettling, and the book does deliver a genuine sense of a world that has drifted just far enough from our own to feel like a warning rather than a fantasy.
The writing style is raw and harsh, which suits the setting; at times, the dialogue felt at odds with the characters delivering it. The story is told in third person across around five POVs, which creates more of a helicopter view than an intimate one. The time jumps, while scattered and disorienting early on, do eventually settle into a logical chronological shape by the end.
My main issue is the execution of this great idea of a novel. The pacing caused my attention to drift, and it took me longer than usual to finish. Some characters who are clearly important, like Kaax and her relationship with Mae, felt more like plot tools than fully realised people. More background and world-building here would have gone a long way. I also wanted more from the inner workings of Buzzard itself: more doctor visits, more texture, more detail on our surroundings. You get the overall picture, but it feels distant.
The ending is emotional but incomplete. Several major plot threads are left unresolved. Did Mae find her other son? What did Sona ultimately do with the footage? Did her efforts cost Obsityan anything, or did exactly what Mae warned her about come to pass? These are not small loose ends. The storyline around poverty, illegal abortion, and corporate control over fertility is the moral core of the book, and it deserved a more satisfying resolution. Whether Sona's actions meant anything is the question the whole novel builds toward, and it goes unanswered.
A note on one recurring detail: if I got a dollar for every time "bile rose up" in a character's throat, this book would have paid for itself three times over.
Overall, a promising debut with a really important premise, but one that could benefit from tightening the pacing, deepening the secondary characters, and giving its storylines the endings they earn. If a sequel is coming, I hope it delivers what this one left unfinished.
Buzzard is a dystopian debut set in 2086, where corporations monitor fertility, abortion is illegal, and the last woman able to perform the procedure is hiding in plain sight inside a private prison. The concept is urgent and unsettling, and the book does deliver a genuine sense of a world that has drifted just far enough from our own to feel like a warning rather than a fantasy.
The writing style is raw and harsh, which suits the setting; at times, the dialogue felt at odds with the characters delivering it. The story is told in third person across around five POVs, which creates more of a helicopter view than an intimate one. The time jumps, while scattered and disorienting early on, do eventually settle into a logical chronological shape by the end.
My main issue is the execution of this great idea of a novel. The pacing caused my attention to drift, and it took me longer than usual to finish. Some characters who are clearly important, like Kaax and her relationship with Mae, felt more like plot tools than fully realised people. More background and world-building here would have gone a long way. I also wanted more from the inner workings of Buzzard itself: more doctor visits, more texture, more detail on our surroundings. You get the overall picture, but it feels distant.
The ending is emotional but incomplete. Several major plot threads are left unresolved. Did Mae find her other son? What did Sona ultimately do with the footage? Did her efforts cost Obsityan anything, or did exactly what Mae warned her about come to pass? These are not small loose ends. The storyline around poverty, illegal abortion, and corporate control over fertility is the moral core of the book, and it deserved a more satisfying resolution. Whether Sona's actions meant anything is the question the whole novel builds toward, and it goes unanswered.
A note on one recurring detail: if I got a dollar for every time "bile rose up" in a character's throat, this book would have paid for itself three times over.
Overall, a promising debut with a really important premise, but one that could benefit from tightening the pacing, deepening the secondary characters, and giving its storylines the endings they earn. If a sequel is coming, I hope it delivers what this one left unfinished.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After Mae is arrested for providing illegal abortion services to women in need in the post-apocalyptic southwest, she is given the opportunity to use her rare skills as a nurse in a special private prison. But as Mae uncovers more about the insidious nature of the operation, she finds it increasingly difficult to keep her head down and serve her time. Years after an incident where Mae was believed dead, she is discovered by another young woman who can't help but make waves in a world that makes her feel powerless.
On paper, this book checks a lot of boxes for me. I enjoy the dystopian setting in the not so distant future and (as a nurse who has worked in a women's hospital) the themes the book touches on are ones that are close to my heart. That being said, this one fell a little flat for me. I was very intrigued from the beginning, the idea of the message board forum really grabbed my attention, but to sum up my feelings, I just wanted more of everything. I liked the way the story moved between Sona and Mae in the present in the house interacting, the recording of their conversation, and flashing back to the scenes in the past that Mae is talking about. However the inclusion of the occasional chapter from Mae's son was too much and I felt diminished the events later in the book.
The best way I can put it is I felt like I was disconnected, floating above the characters throughout the book and not along side them. The things that Mae is recalling for her interview with Sona are upsetting, the descriptions of the events often graphic, but I didn't feel for the characters. This surprised me because I do have such strong personal experiences with patient advocacy and bodily autonomy specifically that these topics usually strike a strong chord. The concept of the book was intriguing and the story itself was interesting. There is some really powerful imagery that packs a punch and up until the end of the book I loved the points the author was making. I could see how this disassociation I felt with the characters could actually serve the book well if that disconnect was the point, but some lines at the end drive home the idea that people>profits and emphasize the nuance in personal situations and the importance of being the guiding force of one's own life.
I do think that people who typically like a dystopian story with a side of feminist rage will enjoy this one. Thanks to Net Galley, Bindery Books, and the author for the opportunity to read and review the book! All opinions are my own.
On paper, this book checks a lot of boxes for me. I enjoy the dystopian setting in the not so distant future and (as a nurse who has worked in a women's hospital) the themes the book touches on are ones that are close to my heart. That being said, this one fell a little flat for me. I was very intrigued from the beginning, the idea of the message board forum really grabbed my attention, but to sum up my feelings, I just wanted more of everything. I liked the way the story moved between Sona and Mae in the present in the house interacting, the recording of their conversation, and flashing back to the scenes in the past that Mae is talking about. However the inclusion of the occasional chapter from Mae's son was too much and I felt diminished the events later in the book.
The best way I can put it is I felt like I was disconnected, floating above the characters throughout the book and not along side them. The things that Mae is recalling for her interview with Sona are upsetting, the descriptions of the events often graphic, but I didn't feel for the characters. This surprised me because I do have such strong personal experiences with patient advocacy and bodily autonomy specifically that these topics usually strike a strong chord. The concept of the book was intriguing and the story itself was interesting. There is some really powerful imagery that packs a punch and up until the end of the book I loved the points the author was making. I could see how this disassociation I felt with the characters could actually serve the book well if that disconnect was the point, but some lines at the end drive home the idea that people>profits and emphasize the nuance in personal situations and the importance of being the guiding force of one's own life.
I do think that people who typically like a dystopian story with a side of feminist rage will enjoy this one. Thanks to Net Galley, Bindery Books, and the author for the opportunity to read and review the book! All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books for another amazing story and for the chance to read it early!
Buzzard was an easy 4.5 stars for me, and honestly, one of those reads that will still be turning over in my head days later. It's tense and unsettling in all the right ways, but what really hooked me was how personal and grounded it feels. This isn't just a "big idea" dystopian story; it's about one person trying to live with themselves in a world that keeps asking for smaller and smaller compromises. The near-future setting feels uncomfortably close to our reality, which made every scene hit that much harder.
Every plot choice feels loaded, even the small ones, and I found myself holding my breath, hoping they'd find a way through without losing too much of who they are. The internal conflict is just as gripping as the external danger, and that balance made the story really hard to put down.
The relationships were a huge standout for me. They're messy and complicated in a very believable way, full of unspoken tensions, mixed motives, and moments of unexpected tenderness. I especially appreciated how the book shows the different ways people try to protect each other when the system is stacked against them. There are no easy answers here, but there are genuine moments of connection that keep the story from feeling hopeless.
The worldbuilding is also really well done. Instead of dumping a ton of background information, the book lets the world unfold through conversations, small details, and the characters' everyday choices. That slow reveal made the whole thing feel more real and more frightening, because you start to see how this world could grow out of our own. It's the kind of story that makes you think about where we are right now and where we might be headed.
Overall, Buzzard is dark, thought-provoking, and surprisingly full of heart. It's the rare book that works as both a gripping, character-driven story and a sharp warning about what happens when we look away for too long. Easy 4.5 stars from me, and I'll definitely be thinking about this one for a long time.
Buzzard was an easy 4.5 stars for me, and honestly, one of those reads that will still be turning over in my head days later. It's tense and unsettling in all the right ways, but what really hooked me was how personal and grounded it feels. This isn't just a "big idea" dystopian story; it's about one person trying to live with themselves in a world that keeps asking for smaller and smaller compromises. The near-future setting feels uncomfortably close to our reality, which made every scene hit that much harder.
Every plot choice feels loaded, even the small ones, and I found myself holding my breath, hoping they'd find a way through without losing too much of who they are. The internal conflict is just as gripping as the external danger, and that balance made the story really hard to put down.
The relationships were a huge standout for me. They're messy and complicated in a very believable way, full of unspoken tensions, mixed motives, and moments of unexpected tenderness. I especially appreciated how the book shows the different ways people try to protect each other when the system is stacked against them. There are no easy answers here, but there are genuine moments of connection that keep the story from feeling hopeless.
The worldbuilding is also really well done. Instead of dumping a ton of background information, the book lets the world unfold through conversations, small details, and the characters' everyday choices. That slow reveal made the whole thing feel more real and more frightening, because you start to see how this world could grow out of our own. It's the kind of story that makes you think about where we are right now and where we might be headed.
Overall, Buzzard is dark, thought-provoking, and surprisingly full of heart. It's the rare book that works as both a gripping, character-driven story and a sharp warning about what happens when we look away for too long. Easy 4.5 stars from me, and I'll definitely be thinking about this one for a long time.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review~
It's hard to overstate how much I adored this. I was captivated - at times in a way where it was like watching a dog get hit by a car; I wanted to look away, but the horror demanded a witness. I was very much lost in the world of Buzzard. A politically charged dystopian novel with just a schmear of sci-fi. An in your face commentary on the state of the world and where it can go. I think this work will be in the same league as Handmaid's Tale and will one day be talked about just as incessantly.
The problem at the center of this universe is antique: who has the right to women's bodies? Us, the Men or the Fetus? Orbiting this issue is the rights of trans individuals and the appetites of powerful men. Ray seamlessly weaves pronouns & the pain of womanhood & The Audacity of Authority to try and lord over any of it into this gut-punch of a novel.
An experimental prison in the middle of the desert? Great setting choice - the desert is always liminal and desolate, it's a great backdrop to this dark story.
A tough-tortured-spiritual adjacent-forthright woman for a main character? Mae is, at once, everything I fear becoming and everything I wish to be.
A small cast of both despicable and pitiable support characters? Sometimes a character can even be both?! You spoil me, Inez Ray.
4.6/5 - I wish there was more story, the ending came too quick. I just wanted to see Justice. Some form of it. Isn't that what women have always asked for?
Mae tells us:
"These guys, these companies, these empires. They're just always going to get away with shit like this. They always have and they always will."
Yet...we're still left with something.
**SPOILER!!**
When Mae and Mato reunite just before his child is born, that familiar fluttering erupted in my chest. I feel it swell as Mae drops to her knees and Mato embraces his mother for the first time in over 20 years. It's Hope. And it sears right through all the pain this story brings to the forefront.
Beautiful, heart wrenching, hard to read but totally necessary book in the library of any woman.
It's hard to overstate how much I adored this. I was captivated - at times in a way where it was like watching a dog get hit by a car; I wanted to look away, but the horror demanded a witness. I was very much lost in the world of Buzzard. A politically charged dystopian novel with just a schmear of sci-fi. An in your face commentary on the state of the world and where it can go. I think this work will be in the same league as Handmaid's Tale and will one day be talked about just as incessantly.
The problem at the center of this universe is antique: who has the right to women's bodies? Us, the Men or the Fetus? Orbiting this issue is the rights of trans individuals and the appetites of powerful men. Ray seamlessly weaves pronouns & the pain of womanhood & The Audacity of Authority to try and lord over any of it into this gut-punch of a novel.
An experimental prison in the middle of the desert? Great setting choice - the desert is always liminal and desolate, it's a great backdrop to this dark story.
A tough-tortured-spiritual adjacent-forthright woman for a main character? Mae is, at once, everything I fear becoming and everything I wish to be.
A small cast of both despicable and pitiable support characters? Sometimes a character can even be both?! You spoil me, Inez Ray.
4.6/5 - I wish there was more story, the ending came too quick. I just wanted to see Justice. Some form of it. Isn't that what women have always asked for?
Mae tells us:
"These guys, these companies, these empires. They're just always going to get away with shit like this. They always have and they always will."
Yet...we're still left with something.
**SPOILER!!**
When Mae and Mato reunite just before his child is born, that familiar fluttering erupted in my chest. I feel it swell as Mae drops to her knees and Mato embraces his mother for the first time in over 20 years. It's Hope. And it sears right through all the pain this story brings to the forefront.
Beautiful, heart wrenching, hard to read but totally necessary book in the library of any woman.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is one of those dystopian novels that feels terrifying not because it seems impossible, but because it feels frighteningly plausible.
Set in 2086, a future where corporations control fertility, abortion is illegal, and women’s bodies are heavily monitored, the story follows Mae, a midwife imprisoned. Separated from her sons and sent to a private prison in the desert run by a brutal paramilitary corporation, Mae is forced into compliance while working as a nurse for teenage drone pilots. But when impossible pregnancies begin appearing among the girls under her care, she uncovers something far darker happening beneath the surface.
What made this book so powerful was its profound humanity, despite the horrific world it portrays. Beneath the dystopian horror, this is ultimately a story about, bodily autonomy, survival, compassion, and the lengths people will go to protect one another. Mae is such a strong and memorable protagonist. She is resilient, compassionate, exhausted, angry, and deeply human in every choice she makes.
The atmosphere throughout the book feels suffocating. The surveillance, corporate control, and the constant fear hanging over every interaction all felt incredibly immersive and unsettling. And the political and social commentary here is razor sharp.
The book does not soften its message or hide behind subtlety, and I appreciated that immensely.
I also loved the structure of the story, how the timelines slowly unravel and the emotional weight only grew stronger as the story progressed.
This is not an easy read emotionally, and the content warnings absolutely matter, but it’s an incredibly impactful one. It’s brutal, thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and raw. Yet it still manages to hold onto hope and humanity underneath all the devastation.
Thank you so much Bindery Books, Inez Ray, and NetGalley for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
Set in 2086, a future where corporations control fertility, abortion is illegal, and women’s bodies are heavily monitored, the story follows Mae, a midwife imprisoned. Separated from her sons and sent to a private prison in the desert run by a brutal paramilitary corporation, Mae is forced into compliance while working as a nurse for teenage drone pilots. But when impossible pregnancies begin appearing among the girls under her care, she uncovers something far darker happening beneath the surface.
What made this book so powerful was its profound humanity, despite the horrific world it portrays. Beneath the dystopian horror, this is ultimately a story about, bodily autonomy, survival, compassion, and the lengths people will go to protect one another. Mae is such a strong and memorable protagonist. She is resilient, compassionate, exhausted, angry, and deeply human in every choice she makes.
The atmosphere throughout the book feels suffocating. The surveillance, corporate control, and the constant fear hanging over every interaction all felt incredibly immersive and unsettling. And the political and social commentary here is razor sharp.
The book does not soften its message or hide behind subtlety, and I appreciated that immensely.
I also loved the structure of the story, how the timelines slowly unravel and the emotional weight only grew stronger as the story progressed.
This is not an easy read emotionally, and the content warnings absolutely matter, but it’s an incredibly impactful one. It’s brutal, thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and raw. Yet it still manages to hold onto hope and humanity underneath all the devastation.
Thank you so much Bindery Books, Inez Ray, and NetGalley for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a terrifying book to read in the current political climate of the US. The year is 2077, 2080, the year is 2086 and yet somehow also the year is now—as if I can already see the groundwork of Buzzard's events being laid, while also hoping very much to be wrong. I almost want to describe it as prescient, but calling it prescient sounds like I'm thinking things will turn out this way for the US and I would really love to be incorrect on that topic...
Honestly, I feel like saying I "enjoyed" this read would be the wrong word to choose, but it was definitely propulsive, and it captured my attention from the start. The alternating timelines and points of view were used well, in my opinion, and I liked the way the story was allowed to unfold slowly, in a way that combined both plot and character. Everyone in this book felt real in a very messy, very complicated way, and even the conclusion isn't tidy, which I feel really suits a story like this one. There are bits of storyline that don't get neatly wrapped up at the end, but to me that felt like the right way for the story to end, rather than with a bow tied up and put on top of the narrative.
If Buzzard was attempting to be an unflinching, speculative look at a future where reproductive rights are not only threatened but actively dismantled, and how determination and hope and community can thrive even in such desperate circumstances, then I feel as a reader like it succeeded in that aim.
This was a hard book to read in some ways, mostly because it is quite graphic and doesn't shy away from frank descriptions of acts of sexual violence or the medical processes involved in terminating a pregnancy. It also didn't feel gratutious, but I would advise readers to mind the warnings and be careful of their triggers.
Honestly, I feel like saying I "enjoyed" this read would be the wrong word to choose, but it was definitely propulsive, and it captured my attention from the start. The alternating timelines and points of view were used well, in my opinion, and I liked the way the story was allowed to unfold slowly, in a way that combined both plot and character. Everyone in this book felt real in a very messy, very complicated way, and even the conclusion isn't tidy, which I feel really suits a story like this one. There are bits of storyline that don't get neatly wrapped up at the end, but to me that felt like the right way for the story to end, rather than with a bow tied up and put on top of the narrative.
If Buzzard was attempting to be an unflinching, speculative look at a future where reproductive rights are not only threatened but actively dismantled, and how determination and hope and community can thrive even in such desperate circumstances, then I feel as a reader like it succeeded in that aim.
This was a hard book to read in some ways, mostly because it is quite graphic and doesn't shy away from frank descriptions of acts of sexual violence or the medical processes involved in terminating a pregnancy. It also didn't feel gratutious, but I would advise readers to mind the warnings and be careful of their triggers.
April 3, 2026
Thank you to Left Unread & Bindery Books for the ARC of this book!!
Buzzard follows Sonadorah as she abandons her job to find Maeven, the fifty-eight year old woman who might be the only person left that knows how to perform an abortion, hoping to gain a way to dismantle a corporation and empire.
This book found me at a time where I observed myself trying to find comfort in those controlled, ‘safe’ spaces like Buzzard where I wouldn’t have to worry about anything other than my assigned tasks. It’s hard sometimes, in the current state of the world we’re all experiencing together, to deal with how alone you feel. Buzzard has a sense of that loneliness, it shows how sometimes the only option is fighting back, or hiding under the wing of that oppressive force. The latter is pathetic, but the former can put not only you, but also your loved ones, in danger.
Mae, from Sona’s perspective was a lying, escapist, convicted criminal, but from mine she was a caring and attentive midwife, who wanted nothing more than to save a young girl.
I loved this book. The prose is commendable, and there were a dozen times where I could understand the exact sensations a character was feeling.
It sat in my emails for a while, and I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to pick it up, and then I saw a review that incentivised me to open it within the hour. Buzzard is a phenomenal piece of art, and to me can be classed as a modern classic. It frightened me a couple times, when I realised how close we were heading toward that exact same path. There’s nothing I want less than to be there—and that’s exactly why books like this exist. Buzzard is a warning to never trust those controlled spaces, no matter how ‘well’ they try to treat you.
Buzzard follows Sonadorah as she abandons her job to find Maeven, the fifty-eight year old woman who might be the only person left that knows how to perform an abortion, hoping to gain a way to dismantle a corporation and empire.
This book found me at a time where I observed myself trying to find comfort in those controlled, ‘safe’ spaces like Buzzard where I wouldn’t have to worry about anything other than my assigned tasks. It’s hard sometimes, in the current state of the world we’re all experiencing together, to deal with how alone you feel. Buzzard has a sense of that loneliness, it shows how sometimes the only option is fighting back, or hiding under the wing of that oppressive force. The latter is pathetic, but the former can put not only you, but also your loved ones, in danger.
Mae, from Sona’s perspective was a lying, escapist, convicted criminal, but from mine she was a caring and attentive midwife, who wanted nothing more than to save a young girl.
I loved this book. The prose is commendable, and there were a dozen times where I could understand the exact sensations a character was feeling.
It sat in my emails for a while, and I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to pick it up, and then I saw a review that incentivised me to open it within the hour. Buzzard is a phenomenal piece of art, and to me can be classed as a modern classic. It frightened me a couple times, when I realised how close we were heading toward that exact same path. There’s nothing I want less than to be there—and that’s exactly why books like this exist. Buzzard is a warning to never trust those controlled spaces, no matter how ‘well’ they try to treat you.
February 8, 2026
Buzzard is raw representation of a post apocalyptic world defined by women’s lack of rights to choose. This nearly knocks it put of the park with eerie sentiments that echo current unwavering decisions today. Think of Inez Ray’s writing as The Outer Worlds game meets Handmaids Tale. A modern narrative of the fear of women existing to be property in a post-apocalyptic environment that only cares about their bottom dollar. Spine chilling writing that comes alive through expressive diction and a poetic register that enhances the narrative.
What does it mean to lose your agency? This is what Buzzard explores as it shows the dangers that agency removal implores. A well constructed narrative with the right pacing to keep you hooked without giving away too much information. Absolutely loved every chilling moment that is written here. The immersive blend of weaving advertisements from Obsityan and local dissidents was remarkable. What does it look like to revolt from the confines of an unjustified court room?
Bindery Books chooses beautiful covers that really deploy the narrative’s themes. You see yellow and think of this cheerful environment- however the world is anything but. Remember how yellow also stands for fear. It is a fear driven society that allows for agency to be revoked willingly. This book is a conversation starter to avoid a world written in blood. Thank you Inez Ray, Bindery Books, and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.
For tarot readings, recommendations, and reviews, visit my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com
What does it mean to lose your agency? This is what Buzzard explores as it shows the dangers that agency removal implores. A well constructed narrative with the right pacing to keep you hooked without giving away too much information. Absolutely loved every chilling moment that is written here. The immersive blend of weaving advertisements from Obsityan and local dissidents was remarkable. What does it look like to revolt from the confines of an unjustified court room?
Bindery Books chooses beautiful covers that really deploy the narrative’s themes. You see yellow and think of this cheerful environment- however the world is anything but. Remember how yellow also stands for fear. It is a fear driven society that allows for agency to be revoked willingly. This book is a conversation starter to avoid a world written in blood. Thank you Inez Ray, Bindery Books, and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.
For tarot readings, recommendations, and reviews, visit my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This dystopian novel follows one of the last people able to perform abortions in a world where they’ve been outlawed, as she recounts her story.
It’s a heavy and brutal book. I kept thinking about how close some of its themes feel to reality right now including women’s autonomy, power, and the way justice is often shaped by those who least deserve it. The story doesn’t just sit with abortion but it pushes into harder spaces including abuse, trauma, and the protection of people in power. Nothing is softened or made easy to look at. With the main theme being abortion, one thing that stood out to me was how this book refused to romanticize abortion. It doesn’t frame it as something simple or clean, but instead shows the emotional and physical weight it carries, regardless of the circumstances.
That said, the world itself felt underdeveloped. I wanted more from it. More detail, more character development, more sense of how this society actually functions. The characters also didn’t fully land for me. I never felt deeply attached, and most of their outcomes didn’t hit as hard as they could have (with one small exception). The ending while clearly meant to be open, left me wanting something more solid that could have made a bigger impact.
I still think it’s worth reading, especially for the themes it tackles. Just go in prepared and check the trigger warnings. It doesn’t pull its punches, and it approaches some very dark places.
It’s a heavy and brutal book. I kept thinking about how close some of its themes feel to reality right now including women’s autonomy, power, and the way justice is often shaped by those who least deserve it. The story doesn’t just sit with abortion but it pushes into harder spaces including abuse, trauma, and the protection of people in power. Nothing is softened or made easy to look at. With the main theme being abortion, one thing that stood out to me was how this book refused to romanticize abortion. It doesn’t frame it as something simple or clean, but instead shows the emotional and physical weight it carries, regardless of the circumstances.
That said, the world itself felt underdeveloped. I wanted more from it. More detail, more character development, more sense of how this society actually functions. The characters also didn’t fully land for me. I never felt deeply attached, and most of their outcomes didn’t hit as hard as they could have (with one small exception). The ending while clearly meant to be open, left me wanting something more solid that could have made a bigger impact.
I still think it’s worth reading, especially for the themes it tackles. Just go in prepared and check the trigger warnings. It doesn’t pull its punches, and it approaches some very dark places.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This review is based on advanced reader copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
I came into this book with great excitement. The premise was really strong. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to it—or at least it didn’t land for me at all. Even though some parts were quite interesting, I couldn’t fully get invested in the story, mainly because of three things:
First, the worldbuilding felt too shallow, especially for a dystopian setting. It would have added much more depth if we’d learned, even briefly, a bit more about the history that led to the world looking like this. Also, the story would benefit from more explaining. I felt like reading random names and phrases, without much of a context.
Second, the writing style felt too clinical. At times, it read more like political pamphlets or medical papers than a novel. For me, that’s wasted potential. With more emotional depth, especially in the characters, this could have worked much better. As it stands, I just didn’t feel connected to them or particularly invested in their fates.
Third, the timeline and structure were messy. The story constantly jumps between past and present, while also introducing multiple POVs and narrative styles. Instead of adding depth, it made the whole book feel chaotic. I think it would have benefited from fewer POVs—keeping the dual timeline but simplifying the perspective.
I do think the core idea is great, but the execution didn’t convince me.
I came into this book with great excitement. The premise was really strong. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to it—or at least it didn’t land for me at all. Even though some parts were quite interesting, I couldn’t fully get invested in the story, mainly because of three things:
First, the worldbuilding felt too shallow, especially for a dystopian setting. It would have added much more depth if we’d learned, even briefly, a bit more about the history that led to the world looking like this. Also, the story would benefit from more explaining. I felt like reading random names and phrases, without much of a context.
Second, the writing style felt too clinical. At times, it read more like political pamphlets or medical papers than a novel. For me, that’s wasted potential. With more emotional depth, especially in the characters, this could have worked much better. As it stands, I just didn’t feel connected to them or particularly invested in their fates.
Third, the timeline and structure were messy. The story constantly jumps between past and present, while also introducing multiple POVs and narrative styles. Instead of adding depth, it made the whole book feel chaotic. I think it would have benefited from fewer POVs—keeping the dual timeline but simplifying the perspective.
I do think the core idea is great, but the execution didn’t convince me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I both enjoyed and hated this book. I liked it for the story telling, the believable characters and the message. But hated it for how chillingly similar it feels to aspects of real life in current times. Just look at the world around you and you can see echoes of these issues within this book's pages.
Buzzard depicts a dystopian future where corporate power and greed has taken over personal autonomy and human rights. Communities are split, fertility is monitored, abortion is illegal, and midwives like Mae Bastet are hunted and charged as criminals.
I loved the way this book was written; at some points being back in time with Mae at Buzzard, and at other times giving us an interview transcript in present times recalling things that happened and more of the thought process behind them. It helps keep the story at a good pace, and keeps things interesting.
My only issue with the book is that I wanted more! You get this big climax, filled with action, and then it almost feels like a rush to wrap up the rest of the book. So many questions are left unanswered, and characters futures left uncertain, so I can only hope a sequel is in the works.
Overall a really good read, I enjoyed it a lot.
If you feel like a futuristic handmaid's tale-esque story will be up your alley, then definitely give this book a go!
Buzzard depicts a dystopian future where corporate power and greed has taken over personal autonomy and human rights. Communities are split, fertility is monitored, abortion is illegal, and midwives like Mae Bastet are hunted and charged as criminals.
I loved the way this book was written; at some points being back in time with Mae at Buzzard, and at other times giving us an interview transcript in present times recalling things that happened and more of the thought process behind them. It helps keep the story at a good pace, and keeps things interesting.
My only issue with the book is that I wanted more! You get this big climax, filled with action, and then it almost feels like a rush to wrap up the rest of the book. So many questions are left unanswered, and characters futures left uncertain, so I can only hope a sequel is in the works.
Overall a really good read, I enjoyed it a lot.
If you feel like a futuristic handmaid's tale-esque story will be up your alley, then definitely give this book a go!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
At first this reminded of The Handmaid's Tale and then it became its own phenomenon. It brings up about some very pressing topics like population decline in America and presents a world one of the most dystopian solutions available. It's also very interesting coming from the perspective of a midwife (the main character and the author herself). That brought in a bit of a mystical quality as well which I found really interesting to read.
Some parts felt like they could have been fleshed out more, while others I think could have been pushed aside. For instance, I was very engrossed by Mae and Aeryn's relationship, but not as much with Kaax and Mae in the end. I also wanted to hear more about Mato and Vic and less about Sona. Some of their conversations fell flat for me, although the start of the book with Sona finding Mae was really captivating (cinematic even).
In the first third of the book I was sure I'd give this 5 stars but it started to lose me at some point. I stopped connecting with Mae because there was so much going on I guess and the details of what was happening started to blur a bit too. Maybe I read it too slowly though. I think it's a very timely and important book with themes of reproduction rights and population decline right at the forefront so I'd still recommend it.
Some parts felt like they could have been fleshed out more, while others I think could have been pushed aside. For instance, I was very engrossed by Mae and Aeryn's relationship, but not as much with Kaax and Mae in the end. I also wanted to hear more about Mato and Vic and less about Sona. Some of their conversations fell flat for me, although the start of the book with Sona finding Mae was really captivating (cinematic even).
In the first third of the book I was sure I'd give this 5 stars but it started to lose me at some point. I stopped connecting with Mae because there was so much going on I guess and the details of what was happening started to blur a bit too. Maybe I read it too slowly though. I think it's a very timely and important book with themes of reproduction rights and population decline right at the forefront so I'd still recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book.
Buzzard is the kind of dystopian story that lingers long after the last page. What makes it so unsettling is that the world it presents doesn’t feel impossibly far away. The government holds overwhelming power, everyday life is dictated by strict rules disguised as “guidance,” and what remains of personal freedom is tightly controlled.
At the center of the story is Mae, a forbidden midwife who has spent years helping people in quiet, hidden ways. In a world where compassion itself can become illegal, Mae’s work places her directly at odds with the system. Through her story, we see the lives of the people the government has forgotten or erased—those who exist on the edges of society while the official narrative insists everything is under control.
Mae’s choice to help others and speak about what she has seen comes with consequences. In this world, even acknowledging suffering can lead to punishment or exile. Yet through it all, there remains a thread of hope woven into the story, carried by people who refuse to stop caring about one another.
Buzzard is unsettling, thoughtful, and feels less like a distant future and more like a warning about what happens when power goes unchecked.
Buzzard is the kind of dystopian story that lingers long after the last page. What makes it so unsettling is that the world it presents doesn’t feel impossibly far away. The government holds overwhelming power, everyday life is dictated by strict rules disguised as “guidance,” and what remains of personal freedom is tightly controlled.
At the center of the story is Mae, a forbidden midwife who has spent years helping people in quiet, hidden ways. In a world where compassion itself can become illegal, Mae’s work places her directly at odds with the system. Through her story, we see the lives of the people the government has forgotten or erased—those who exist on the edges of society while the official narrative insists everything is under control.
Mae’s choice to help others and speak about what she has seen comes with consequences. In this world, even acknowledging suffering can lead to punishment or exile. Yet through it all, there remains a thread of hope woven into the story, carried by people who refuse to stop caring about one another.
Buzzard is unsettling, thoughtful, and feels less like a distant future and more like a warning about what happens when power goes unchecked.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow, this was a difficult read, but I'm still glad to have read it. We follow Mae, a midwife arrested for providing illegal abortions in a near-future USA. Mae is forced to work for a prison/corporation thats training youths with prior criminal activity who are also being forced to work for this prison/corporation as drone pilots. While Mae is working at this facility, she starts to notice pregnancies happening to the young girls who are pilots in training, and soon realizes this is a bigger and deeper issue than just a few teen pregnancies. She puts her own life on the line to try to stop the abuse of power that is happening at this facility, but at what cost?
Despite this book having really dark, difficult elements such as child sexual assault, descriptions of abortions and miscarriages, and child loss, the author did write these scenes with integrity to the women and children, and there wasn't unnecessary depth to the descriptions of abuse. As someone who's experienced some of this, reading it was difficult but I appreciated how it was handled. Please be sure to check trigger warnings for this one.
Overall this was a fast-paced and suspenseful read. I enjoyed how the story was wrapped up and look forward to reading more from Inez Ray.
Despite this book having really dark, difficult elements such as child sexual assault, descriptions of abortions and miscarriages, and child loss, the author did write these scenes with integrity to the women and children, and there wasn't unnecessary depth to the descriptions of abuse. As someone who's experienced some of this, reading it was difficult but I appreciated how it was handled. Please be sure to check trigger warnings for this one.
Overall this was a fast-paced and suspenseful read. I enjoyed how the story was wrapped up and look forward to reading more from Inez Ray.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Reminiscent of Red Clocks by Leni Zumas, read that if you enjoyed this! Honestly this sadly didn't feel as out of reach and dystopian as I wished, it feels like a clear path in some respects, especially when it discussed the monitoring.
It's 2086 and corporations monitor fertility, abortions are outlawed, and the last known midwife who can perform them is in hiding. Seven years ago, Mae Bastet was arrested for infanticide in the Arizona Territory for providing necessary healthcare procedures to women in need. She was torn from her two sons and send to an experimental private prison called Buzzard run by the paramilitary corporation Obsityan.
Mae takes the prison issued meds, some of which are experimental, and attempts to keep her head down as she works as a nurse for the army of teenage drone pilots. All the teenagers working at Buzzard are on medication to suppress their fertility, so when more improbable pregnancies begin popping up, Mae finds it harder to turn a blind eye. (and of course, the people who arrested her for performing abortions now have her performing abortions for them). Mae must decide if she is going to keep her head down until her time is up or if she can stand up for what she feels is right.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
It's 2086 and corporations monitor fertility, abortions are outlawed, and the last known midwife who can perform them is in hiding. Seven years ago, Mae Bastet was arrested for infanticide in the Arizona Territory for providing necessary healthcare procedures to women in need. She was torn from her two sons and send to an experimental private prison called Buzzard run by the paramilitary corporation Obsityan.
Mae takes the prison issued meds, some of which are experimental, and attempts to keep her head down as she works as a nurse for the army of teenage drone pilots. All the teenagers working at Buzzard are on medication to suppress their fertility, so when more improbable pregnancies begin popping up, Mae finds it harder to turn a blind eye. (and of course, the people who arrested her for performing abortions now have her performing abortions for them). Mae must decide if she is going to keep her head down until her time is up or if she can stand up for what she feels is right.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book NEEDS a sequel!!!
A dystopian world (it doesn’t feel quite as far off from our present as I’d like!) in which abortions are illegal. Fertility is heavily monitored. The rich are purchasing babies from ‘orphan farms’ and Mae is perhaps the last woman alive who knows how to perform surgical abortions.
As the story flashes back from present day, we learn the story of her imprisonment and separation from her teenage sons. We reach a precipice where she must choose between her morals and the chance to see her sons again.
In the present, Sona was raised in wealth and luxury under the wing of her father. She believes they are working for the good of humanity and seeks out Mae for evidence of Obsityan’s misdeeds. Her naivety up against Mae’s pessimism (or lived experience!) gave for some great conversations.
I’ve experienced withdrawal before and also thought it was depicted really well here. The ending of this book was pretty open and I would be very interested in a continuation.
My favourite two quotes:
“Look, little nurse, we're all gargling the dick of collapsed capitalism, but some of us get paid to do it."
“Have you not studied history? What are they teaching you? People don't care what happens to poor people.”
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
A dystopian world (it doesn’t feel quite as far off from our present as I’d like!) in which abortions are illegal. Fertility is heavily monitored. The rich are purchasing babies from ‘orphan farms’ and Mae is perhaps the last woman alive who knows how to perform surgical abortions.
As the story flashes back from present day, we learn the story of her imprisonment and separation from her teenage sons. We reach a precipice where she must choose between her morals and the chance to see her sons again.
In the present, Sona was raised in wealth and luxury under the wing of her father. She believes they are working for the good of humanity and seeks out Mae for evidence of Obsityan’s misdeeds. Her naivety up against Mae’s pessimism (or lived experience!) gave for some great conversations.
I’ve experienced withdrawal before and also thought it was depicted really well here. The ending of this book was pretty open and I would be very interested in a continuation.
My favourite two quotes:
“Look, little nurse, we're all gargling the dick of collapsed capitalism, but some of us get paid to do it."
“Have you not studied history? What are they teaching you? People don't care what happens to poor people.”
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is quite an intense book, the narrative is built between three timelines, all near-future and juggling complex background political events. To me, this is a real virtue of the book, how at some point a character will just reference yet another faction/group/territory, and it just settles in seamlessly in the structure, it really makes it feel like a real complex situation is behind the book's events.
Other than the great pacing and weaving of interview segments and flashbacks, truly an ingenious and always interesting setup, I also loved the characters, they are messy and complex and often abrasive, they just feel like real stressed out people.
The prose and dialogues were a bit more hit or miss for me, but awkward sections weren't frequent enough to hinder the fast action and pull me out of the narrative.
While the pacing is very quick and makes you want to know both what happens and how this world works exactly, I did have to be in the right headspace, as it deals with heavy topics and doesn't shy away from much.
I also really enjoyed the end, even if I didn't really see much point in the last sections' additional POV (), I'd love to read more from this author!
I thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review
Other than the great pacing and weaving of interview segments and flashbacks, truly an ingenious and always interesting setup, I also loved the characters, they are messy and complex and often abrasive, they just feel like real stressed out people.
The prose and dialogues were a bit more hit or miss for me, but awkward sections weren't frequent enough to hinder the fast action and pull me out of the narrative.
While the pacing is very quick and makes you want to know both what happens and how this world works exactly, I did have to be in the right headspace, as it deals with heavy topics and doesn't shy away from much.
I also really enjoyed the end, even if I didn't really see much point in the last sections' additional POV (), I'd love to read more from this author!
I thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Buzzard is a visceral, boundary-pushing debut that feels hauntingly relevant to today’s conversations about bodily autonomy. Set in a fractured future Arizona, Inez Ray crafts a story that is unapologetically raw. Prospective readers should be aware of heavy themes, including reproductive violence and abortion, which are handled with a bluntness that may be difficult for some, but feels essential to the world-building.
The protagonist, Mae, is a standout—refreshingly likeable precisely because she is so flawed. Her mistakes and internal conflicts make her journey feel grounded and deeply relatable. I also loved the subtle, clever nods to Egyptian folklore (like Mae’s surname, Bastet), which added a layer of mythic weight to the dusty, high-tech setting.
While the shifting perspectives and non-linear time periods occasionally felt a bit disorienting in the first half, the threads eventually pull tight if you stick with it. Once the rhythm of the chapters settles, the payoff is immense. This is a timely, sobering look at reproductive rights and corporate control—a "must-read" for fans of gritty, socially conscious sci-fi.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
The protagonist, Mae, is a standout—refreshingly likeable precisely because she is so flawed. Her mistakes and internal conflicts make her journey feel grounded and deeply relatable. I also loved the subtle, clever nods to Egyptian folklore (like Mae’s surname, Bastet), which added a layer of mythic weight to the dusty, high-tech setting.
While the shifting perspectives and non-linear time periods occasionally felt a bit disorienting in the first half, the threads eventually pull tight if you stick with it. Once the rhythm of the chapters settles, the payoff is immense. This is a timely, sobering look at reproductive rights and corporate control—a "must-read" for fans of gritty, socially conscious sci-fi.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
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