Entering Eden: A Young Adult Dystopian Thriller of Survival, Surveillance, and Rebellion

by Mel De Pablos

WELCOME TO EDEN.
WHERE PARADISE WAS NEVER THE GOAL.

For six years after the Blast, Eve believed the Army of XY was the enemy. Now she knows the truth is far more complicated, and every road has been leading to Eden.

Eve survived by hiding as a boy. Inside Eden, she can finally live openly as herself, surrounded by astonishing technology, flawless order, and carefully manufactured belonging. But freedom from one disguise does not mean freedom. Beneath Eden’s perfection lies a system built on surveillance, experimentation, and control. Every movement is watched. Every weakness is tested. Every act of defiance has a price.

Meanwhile, Leo and the others follow a trail of secrets across Europe. Eve must survive Eden long enough to uncover what its leaders are planning and decide who she can trust without losing herself in the process.

Because in Eden, there are only two choices:

OBEY.
OR DISAPPEAR.

Blending high-stakes survival, found family, and near-future science fiction, Entering Eden is a young adult dystopian thriller about identity, bodily autonomy, belonging, rebellion, and the seductive face of authoritarian control.

Entering Eden is Book Two of The Last Girl on Earth trilogy and should be read after The 23rd Pair.

499 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 19, 2026

About the author

Mel De Pablos is a Berlin-based author writing in both English and German, because apparently one language wasn't complicated enough.

She is the author of the YA dystopian series "The Last Girl on Earth," including "The 23rd Pair" and "Entering Eden," as well as the poetry collection "An Author & Her Dog: 100 Days. 100 Words. 100 Inspirational Poems." She is also working on a middle-grade fantasy series, because one fictional world apparently wasn't enough either.

Her stories explore identity, survival, impossible choices, and what it means to remain human when the world around you is determined to decide who you should be.

When she's not writing, editing, or putting fictional people through entirely unnecessary amounts of trouble, Mel works as a TV journalist and shares her author journey online with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Miss Monroe, who frequently steals the spotlight. She also loves books, TV series, movies, and the occasional midnight snack.

Reviews

[Laura (BookishPixie)]

Another fantastic read from Mel De Pablos! Entering Eden, the second installment of The Last Girl on Earth, kept me hooked. I was a little confused, in the beginning, by the change of circumstances, but it didn't take me long to regain the timeline and the perspective. It's fast paced. It's action packed. It really keeps you turning the pages.

I've loved watching the characters grow. Not only facing external challenges, but negotiating their own views and demons.

Now to put my patient pants on... Because I REALLY need to know what happens next!!

[Lucille Stephenson]

ARC REVIEW!!!

Amazing book from start to finish! Even had me thinking the story was going one way at one point & managed to trick me! I’ve loved every minute of this book. I can’t wait for the next one!

[Leslie Garcia]

This series just keeps getting better!

After The Last Girl on Earth, I was already invested in Elias/Eve’s story, but Entering Eden takes everything from Book 1 and turns it up several levels.

In the first book, Elias/Eve is focused on survival—staying hidden, avoiding capture, and convincing everyone she’s a boy. In Entering Eden, she starts taking her power back. Watching her find her voice, fight back, adapt, and discover just how strong she really is was one of my favorite parts of the book.

And the character growth doesn’t stop there. Audrey’s journey was another highlight. Watching her push through her fears and insecurities while discovering her own strength was incredible. Her relationship with Alex also continues to develop in a way that felt genuine and engaging.

Then we get Nate and Lily. 👀 These twins quickly became favorites. Their arrival adds another layer of mystery and suspense, and I loved the questions and twists surrounding them.

The found-family aspect continues to grow beautifully, with returning characters becoming even more important while new characters add complexity to the story.

And Eden itself?! The world-building inside the facility was phenomenal. Mel De Pablos creates the environment so vividly that I could actually picture myself walking through it. You don’t just read about Eden—you feel like you’ve entered it.

There’s also the perfect mix of sarcasm, mystery, drama, slow-burn romance, tension, push-and-pull, and frustration that kept me completely invested.

And because apparently Mel wasn’t finished entertaining us after the story… 😂

The character interview, glossary, and bloopers were such fun additions. The interview especially gave little glimpses into the characters and their perspectives that I absolutely loved.

Entering Eden delivered everything I wanted from Book 2 and left me needing Book 3 AND the novella. 👀📚

If you’re looking for a dystopian series with strong character development, found family, mystery, slow-burn romance, immersive world-building, and plenty of twists, add this series to your TBR.

Mel, what have you done to me?! I NEED THE NEXT BOOK. 😂📚🔥

[My_Books_In_Nooks]

ARC REVIEW ‘Entering Eden’

Eve has been captured and brought to Eden where more girls are. Where I expected Eden to be a place where the girls would be safe, this was actually so far from it.
It felt super high tech, which was really cool.

Meanwhile, Leo and Sophie are on a race against time to try and find Elias/Eve, when they finally join forces with the resistance for their mission.

More secrets are coming out.
During their escape, sacrifices have to be made to take out Eden from within.
Which we will find out in book three!

This book is engaging and kept me flipping those pages.
There were a few instances though where the scenes kinda lingered too long imo. Would have liked to see those shorter, would have kept the chapter count smaller.

I really enjoyed all characters, even Sophia surprised me.
Eve/Elias is also something else entirely, which makes me wonder how that happened? Was there something more in those vaccines?
Horst continues to be a hoot!
Leo, ahhh, so disappointed in him being ‘weak’. Was really rooting for you. Now I actually hope Nate will step up🫣

The author continues to intrigue us on this dystopian world. I cannot wait to see what book 3 has in store for us.
4/5⭐️

[Tracie Joy]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The end of the world has no business being this much fun

I loved The Last Girl on Earth, but Entering Eden somehow made me even more invested in these characters.

Eve remains exactly the kind of heroine I love—smart, sarcastic, stubborn, vulnerable, and still figuring out who she is after spending years surviving as Elias. Her identity is handled with real depth rather than being treated as something she can simply leave behind.

And then there’s Leo.

Leo. Leo. Leo.

But this book belongs to the whole cast. Audrey is fierce, loyal, and an incredible friend. Alex is brilliant, awkward, and quietly wonderful. Nate became one of the most intriguing characters for me as he began questioning the system that shaped him. And Sophia surprised the hell out of me—I did not expect my feelings about her to become quite so complicated.

That’s what De Pablos does especially well: nobody is simply good or bad. People love fiercely, make terrible choices, betray one another, protect one another, and sometimes discover that everything they believed was wrong.

Eden itself may be the most unsettling character of all. It looks safe, clean, controlled, and almost perfect—until Eve starts discovering what that perfection costs.

There’s danger, mystery, found family, betrayal, humor, slow-burn romance, and enough twists to keep me saying, “Okay, ONE more chapter.”

Paradise is complicated. And I absolutely loved it.

★★★★★ Five very enthusiastic stars.

[Jules unmuted]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No spice. But there is some lovely tension.

One of my favorite books as a teenager is the Giver by Lois Lowry. I say that to say this book gives me those vibes and I love everything about that.

Has the dystopian that we all love with a utopia type of vibe. It’s how a government can decide who to eliminate and who to keep and then who superior and who’s not.

I was engaged from the start and every chapter was a what’s gonna happen next situation and feeling. The pacing is fantastic. The backstory in the middle loved.

I’ll be honest when it comes to relationships I’m not sure who I’m rooting for anymore except for Alex and Aubrey. They are definitely endgame.

Mel is such a fantastic storyteller and I’m loving her world that she has created. And the LGBTQ plus representation that she puts in these books is fantastic.

[Ann Dunbar]

There are so many twists and turns throughout Eve’s story, and I was constantly wondering who she could trust and what was really going on. I loved the contrast between this supposedly perfect society and what Eve begins to discover underneath it. It didn’t take long before I was completely pulled into her story.

Eve is resilient, sarcastic, and determined, and I loved watching her continue to fight no matter what was thrown at her.

And that ending?! Yes, it ends on a cliffhanger, and now I want Book Three. Like, now.

If you enjoyed The Last Girl on Earth: The 23rd Pair, you’ll definitely want to continue Eve’s story with Entering Eden.

Thank you, Mel de Pablo, for trusting me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jamie Jam]

Mel has created such a fascinating dystopian world, and I loved diving back into it! The concept is compelling, the atmosphere is unsettling, and the questions surrounding humanity’s future kept me invested.

What really made this story for me were the characters. Alex, Audrey, and Leo stole my heart. Their loyalty, determination, and mission to find the people they love brought so much emotion to the story. Sophia surprised me, a lot. You go girl! And Nate? His addition to this new environment was absolutely perfect. Mentor, protector, whatever role he needed to fill, he was exactly what this story needed!

We still don’t know if humanity wins in the end, but one thing is certain: I’ll absolutely be picking up the next book to find out!

[Elli Gator]

Gelungene Fortsetzung des spannenden ersten Teils! Ich bin begeistert von den Charakteren und habe es genossen, sie bei ihrer Entwicklung zu begleiten und neue Figuren kennenzulernen. Ich habe so sehr mitgefiebert und war so neugierig wie es weitergeht, dass ich das Buch an einem Wochenende verschlungen habe (und ich lese echt langsam).

Ich empfehle dieses Buch (und den ersten Teil) wärmstens - der Autorin gelingt es vielschichtige und gut beobachtete und sympathische Charaktere sowie eine Welt, die dystopisch, klug durchdacht und voll technischer Spielereien steckt, zu schaffen! Der Aufbau und Ablauf der Story ist sehr spannend und nimmt immer wieder Wendungen, die ich nicht in Betracht gezogen habe. Und daneben steckt dieses Buch auch noch voller Witz!

Ich freue mich sehr auf den nächsten Teil ✨

[Jill E]

Need a page turner? May i suggest Entering Eden by Mel De Pablos. I personally loved book one ( The Last Girl On Earth: The 23rd Pair) just a little more. However I loved the continuation of the story. Picked up right where it left off with the character building being top tier and this story has found family, danger, betrayal, tenison, suspense, and plot twists. I can't wait for the last book to see how this all wraps up. Highly recommend!

[PlotTwist]

I loved getting to see Eve actually be herself more, and I really liked getting more Audrey. It felt like both were finally becoming who they were meant to be.

The missions were exciting and I loved all the tech, especially getting more of what was shown in the first book plus some fun new surprises. The humor was great throughout, and it was fun getting all those extra scenes like in book one.

I love how unique the whole story felt, it was unsettling and different in the best possible way.

[Hell of a book (Helga)]

This review does contain spoilers for the first book: The last girl on earth – the 23rd pair. So if you haven’t read that one yet, please do not continue reading.

First of all, I love the way the author provided a little recap of book one. It was creative and fun while also refreshing your memory. I love it when authors do that!

This book does not pick up where the previous one left of. At first I was a bit confused with the time jump and what was going on. Maybe I was even a bit annoyed about the fact that I had no clue what had happened in the meantime. But I ended up loving it and it didn’t take long before the story sucked me right in.

I loved the idea of Eden and the image the author created. Raising some very interesting questions. The perfect society as they see it and what they are willing to do to create that. Sparking a debate on what the image of perfection is while showing that what is Eden for someone, is a prison for the other. How it’s about control and scarily touches real life in certain aspects. And like the first book, it had vivid description but still left plenty of room for your own imagination!

The characters in this one are also strong again. Eve, who is stripped from her identity again remains resilient, funny and bad-ass. I didn’t think she could grow a lot more as a character, but I was wrong. We also get introduced to Nate. Someone that takes a bit of time to warm up to but turns out to be an excellent addition. The characters of Audrey and Alex get deepened while Leo stayed a bit behind and even though I was a big fan of him in the first book, it didn’t bother me at all.

This book definitely started even stronger than the first one. I was intrigued and went from surprised to stunned real fast. The author even succeeded in making my jaw drop to the floor. Something that doesn’t happen often because I usually see twists and turns coming. I did feel this book dipped slightly in the middle but maybe that was because it was multiple POV and I was just dying to get back to Eve’s POV.

If the ending is a good indication of where book 3 is leading up to, I cant wait to read it. Although I am curious how the author can wrap everything up in just 1 more book.
I would highly recommend this book if you like dystopian stories about the creation of a perfect society and thought-provoking stories that don’t shy away from serious subjects but don’t feel heavy while reading them!

On a scale from 1-10, I rated this a 9.

[Mia MP]

Review of advance copy received from Author

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Entering Eden takes everything established in The Last Girl on Earth and expands it into something darker, more complex, and much more disturbing. What begins as a story of survival becomes an exploration of genetic control, surveillance, eugenics, engineered humanity, and the terrifying question of who gets to decide who deserves a future.

One of my favorite things about this book is the contrast between the darkness of its dystopian world and Eve’s irreverent, sarcastic voice. Her humor never diminishes the stakes; instead, it becomes a form of resistance. Eve refuses to let Eden define her, even when its system turns her genetic identity into both a privilege and a target.

The world-building is another major strength. Eden initially appears to be a sanctuary, but the deeper Eve goes, the more horrifying its true purpose becomes. The revelations surrounding genetic classification and the Elysium Initiative make the setting feel like an active part of the story rather than simply a backdrop.

I also loved the character development. Eve remains the emotional center, but Nate, Yate, Teo, Audrey, Sophia, and the rest of the resistance each bring something meaningful to the story. Their relationships create humor, tension, loyalty, conflict, and increasingly the feeling of a chosen family. The Leo revelation was especially painful because it shows that the consequences of Eve’s identity aren’t limited to the larger dystopian conflict, they hurt the people she loves.

The ending doesn’t neatly close the door, and I think that’s exactly right for this trilogy. Eden turns out to be only one piece of something much larger, leaving the reader with the feeling that the real conflict is just beginning.

Entering Eden is a compelling continuation that deepens both the world and its characters while raising much bigger questions about humanity, identity, freedom, and survival.

[Heather Shower]

Entering Eden takes everything that made the first book compelling and turns the intensity all the way up. The emotional depth pulls you in, the danger keeps tightening its grip, and the story makes it ridiculously easy to keep saying, “just one more chapter.”
This series continues to shine because its characters feel human. They aren’t flawless, untouchable heroes who suddenly become unstoppable. They’re people who are terrified, broken, determined, sarcastic, resilient, and still choosing to fight. Watching ordinary people find extraordinary strength in themselves is one of my favorite parts of this series.
And Eve? Absolutely incredible. Her resilience, determination, and sheer refusal to give up had me rooting for her even harder. Seeing her navigate Eden, the headquarters of the society responsible for the annihilation of women, brought an entirely new level of tension to the story. The stakes feel brutally real, and every victory feels earned.
But Eve isn’t carrying this story alone. Leo, Aubrey, Alex, the Sisterhood, and even Nate bring so much personality and heart to the story. Some characters you’ll adore, some will make you want to scream, and others will have you immediately texting someone because you NEED to talk about them.
And Eve’s sarcasm? Still elite. 😂
Then there’s the romantic tension. 👀 The kind that sits quietly beneath the surface and makes every interaction feel just a little more charged.
Entering Eden is suspenseful, emotional, addictive, and packed with characters you genuinely become invested in. This isn’t just a story about surviving the end of the world. It’s about refusing to let the world decide who you become.
I am completely invested in this series, these characters, and whatever comes next.

[Melly]

The way Mel fictionalizes real historical actions…the use of propaganda and words to brain wash or warp the thinking of a population, the way there is always a group trying to “make life better” by basically getting rid of anyone not like them, ranking people to separate them and cause division among them, creating an elite faction of society that is above reproach and the laws …she does this so well. As a history buff, I loved this. As a retired English teacher, I wish I was still teaching so my classes could read these books. And at the rate technology is advancing now, the way it is used in these books is totally believable. And the characters with the internal and external conflicts they have! There is man vs self, man vs man, and man vs society~it’s all in here. I still have questions. But…that is why this is a trilogy. I can’t wait to read book 3 when it’s finished to get my answers. These characters are rich, full of life, and well-developed. This is dystopian at its finest. I’ve read some that I could see coming true in the future sometime. But this one. I can totally see this or something similar being a possible near future scenario for the world today. And that’s scary. I absolutely love the world and characters Mel De Pablos has created and brought to life for us.

[Conny]

Entering Eden, der zweite Teil dieser Dystopie-Trilogie hat mich von der ersten Seite an total gefesselt!
Der Einstieg ist extrem stark – man schwankt beim Lesen ständig zwischen packender Spannung und der puren Neugier, endlich zu erfahren, wie Eve nach Eden gekommen ist.

Besonders gut gefallen hat mir die Dynamik und Entwicklung der Charaktere:

• Eve & Nate: Die feinfühlige Entfaltung ihrer Beziehung und Eves innere Zerrissenheit kommen unglaublich authentisch und greifbar rüber.

• Leo & Sophia: Die aneinander wachsen und sich aufgrund ihrer Gegensätze so wunderbar ergänzen.

• Alex: Ein toller Charakter mit viel Tiefe! Seine Entwicklung von Unsicherheit zu wachsendem Selbstbewusstsein ist wunderbar beschrieben.

Mein Highlight ist Part III, wenn alle Handlungsstränge und einzelnen Geschichten langsam aufeinander zulaufen und zusammengeführt werden – hiervon bin ich einfach ein großer Fan.
Und schließlich der Showdown zwischen Leo und Nate sowie Eves Wendepunkt: Beides fühlt sich rundum stimmig an.
Das Buch bleibt bis zum Ende extrem spannend und nervenaufreibend. Durch die wundervollen, bildhaften Beschreibungen konnte man sich jede Szene perfekt vorstellen und ist den Figuren noch einmal ein ganzes Stück nähergekommen.
Insgesamt gefällt mir der zweite Band sogar noch etwas besser als der erste. Ein absolut gelungenes, spannendes und emotionales Buch!

[Skye Daniels]

Thank you to the Author for letting me be part of her ARC team.

I had such a good time with Entering Eden. This sequel takes everything from the first book and opens up a whole new side of the story. The idea behind Eden really makes you think and how the people running it are convinced they’ve figured out what society should be. The deeper you get into their world, though, the more you see the cost of making everyone fit someone else’s idea of perfection.

Eve is still everything I loved about her in the first book. She is tough, stubborn, funny, and determined not to give up. I also loved seeing more of Aubrey and Alex, and Nate ended up being an addition I wasn't expecting to like as much as I did. I loved the mix of danger, found family, friendships, and that romantic tension that had me waiting for every little moment.

This series has definitely sucked me in. The writing is phenomenal and I'm dying to see where book three takes everyone!

[Millie Moss]

Entering Eden is an incredible second installment in The Last Girl on Earth series! The heart of the story and characters anchor you, the adventure and suspense propel you into turning pages.

In the first book you learn about a threat that feels too close for comfort, and in the second, it feels like you are neck deep in it!

The characters continue to stay deeply human and believable. To me, this series isn’t about invincible heroes rising, it’s about ordinary people becoming extraordinary instead of resigned.

You will bond even harder with the characters, and you’ll discover some new ones that are addictive to discuss with other readers.

Entering Eden gives you a bit of everything in just the right amount. It will leave you satisfied, but at the same time you will be craving to know more! I already can’t wait to see what Book 3 will have in store for me.

[Shay loves books]

I don’t think I cld give this as many stars as it needs! I fell in love with this series and it just captured my heart!

I had the pleasure of Beta and Arc reading this book and I loved every second of it! This is the second book in her series The Last Girl on Earth (which by the way, was absolutely amazing also).

I love the characters and the way Mel told the story just grips you and don’t let you go. This book picks up right where book 1 ended and keeps going. You will laugh, cry, hold your breath and will make you keep reading til the very last page, and make you want to keep wanting to turn the pages long after the book has ended.

I cannot wait for book 3. This series deserves so much more hype than it gets!

❤️Eve and Leo forever❤️

[Stephannie]

I’m so intrigued by Elias/Eve story.

She is captured and taken to Eden, where she endures challenges to become part of the perfect society. She is determined to survive and her character growth is incredible.

On the outside, we also get to see what Leo, Audrey, Alex, Sophia, and the rest of the resistance are doing to help get “Elias” out of Eden.

Everything about this book was spectacular! I love that we got to learn more about all the characters, and I’m so excited for the next installment of the series!

[April ( bookloving cancer warrior )]

Phenomenal book two in Eve’s journey. I was blessed to be a beta reader for this book and I was so grateful to have the opportunity. I lived that the first half of the book was Eve’s POV in Eden and that the second half was the POV’s of her friends and family. The character growth of Audrey was incredible. She is really becoming a bad ass and I love it. I can’t wait to add the physical book to my collection in September. 10 out of 10 read.

[Claire Evans]

What an amazing second installment, we finally see Eve come out of hiding and enter edin, where she is set different tasks to learn and complete. I dont want to put to many spoilers because you will want to devour this book. Fast pace and you dont want to put it down. Ladies also welcome Leo.... my god....🥵. Mel your writing is like pure butter. I cant wait to see what else you have up your sleeve x

[Renee Oquinn]

Honestly I loved this book 2 even more!. Book one was great and the whole story and concept really make you think and it sticks with you for awhile after your finished. In this new installment we continue evens story after a wild cliffhanger as she ventures into the enemy territory and we learn of much deception and danger. The character growth is amazing and even though I did not see the ending with Leo coming it fits and im really looking forward to seeing more of the new characters.

[Hope de l'Ancre]

Will come back to leave a more in depth review...but definitely a 6 star read for me!

[Tracy Booktalk]

This is even better than book 1. I will be back to write a full review. Run and read Book 1 The Last Girl on Earth because this wonderful book is coming soon.

[Alana]

I bumped up my rating, because the longer this book has stayed in my heart the more I love it.

6 out of 5 stars

In book one, we go on an adventure with Elias/Eve because she IS the last girl on Earth. right?

In book two, we follow Eve while she is in Eden, the headquarters for "the perfect society" that masterminded the annihilation of women across the world. This book not only shows the resilience of Eve, and all that she has been through, as well as her determination to survive, and thrive; it also shows the resilience of Leo, Aubrey, Alex, the Sisterhood, and yes, even Nate (you'll meet him, and probably love him).

The sarcasm that Eve brings is always top tier and I thoroughly enjoyed this book! And the romantic tension throughout.... my heart is in a puddle (happily)!