by Rebecca Ihim
First published 2026
Shantavia Lerogaski was supposed to take a gap year after graduating as valedictorian. Instead, her sister vanishes from The Commons, an elite 22nd-century college that controls the world. To find her, Shantavia must enroll at the very institution where her exceptional intelligence marks her as a threat. The Commons celebrates conformity above all else. Students face elimination if they fail to think, act, and appear like everyone else. Shantavia enters six brutal testing zones where failure means death or worse. Her survival depends on the mysterious Patron named Pesh, but she cannot determine if he wants to help or destroy her. As attraction complicates their relationship, Shantavia questions everyone around her, including her closest allies. The school measures every thought to ensure students remain common copies of one another. Shantavia must choose between preserving her brilliant mind and saving her sister's life.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, romance, thriller, young-adult, dark-academia
Vibes: dark, high-stakes, intense, psychological, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, high-stakes-competition, mysterious-love-interest, sister-rescue
Setting: The Commons
Period: 22nd century
Hardcover · DEEP Publishing
Content warnings: death, violence