Stung

Title: Stung
Author: Bethany Wiggins
Pages: 304
Language: PG
Content: PG
Level: Middle School/High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary: Fiona doesn't remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered-her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right wrist-a black oval with five marks on either side-that she doesn't remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. And she's right. When the honeybee population collapsed, a worldwide pandemic occurred and the government tried to bio-engineer a cure. Only the solution was deadlier than the original problem-the vaccination turned people into ferocious, deadly beasts who were branded as a warning to un-vaccinated survivors. Key people needed to rebuild society are protected from disease and beasts inside a fortress-like wall. But Fiona has awakened branded, alone-and on the wrong side of the wall . . .

Review: A fun twist on the dystopian genre.  This book had an original storyline and I didn't feel like re-reading a book.  The characters were believable and I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen to Fiona.

Blood-Kissed Sky

Title: Blood-Kissed Sky
Author: J.A. London
Pages: 338
Language: PG13
Content: PG13
Level: Upper Middle School/High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary:  There's nowhere left to hide.  

I thought vampires were our enemies--they controlled our lives, isolated our cities, and demanded our blood-- until I met Victor.  With Victor taking over as the new Lord Valentine, things were supposed to get better.  Instead, they're worse than ever.

Day walkers, a new breed of vampires who can walk in the sun, are terrorizing the city.  Blood supplies are low, and if Victor's vampires don't get enough, they will become infected with the Thirst-- a disease that will turn them into mindless killers.

To stop it, I must journey across the desolate wasteland to the very place where the sickness began.  I can only hope that the answers that await me are enough to save us all... before it's too late.

Review: This is the second in the Dawn Series.  The first did not keep me as interested as the second did.  There is one use of the F-word and a bedroom scene which includes making out and petting.  The main character does drink a glass of wine --she is underage-- but drinking is not a major theme in the book.  Overall, I would recommend this novel to anyone who is into the paranormal genre.  Quick and easy!

Breaking Point

Title: Breaking Point (Book 2 to Article 5)
Author: Kristen Simmons
Pages: 384
Content: PG13
Language: PG
Level: Upper Middle/High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary: After faking their deaths to escape from prison in Article 5, Ember Miller and Chase Jennings have only one goal: to lay low until the Federal Bureau of Reformation forgets they ever existed.  Near-celebrities now for the increasingly sensationalized tales of their struggles with the government, Ember and Chase are recognized and taken in by the Resistance—an underground organization working to systematically take down the government. At headquarters, all eyes are on the sniper, an anonymous assassin taking out FBR soldiers one by one. Rumors are flying about the sniper's true identity, and Ember and Chase welcome the diversion….Until the government posts its most-wanted list, and their number one suspect is Ember herself.

Review:  Following Article 5, Breaking Point follows Ember and Chase as they continue to try to find safety and security in a dystopian society.  New characters cross their path, and they must deal with characters from their past. For kids who love dystopian, this book will keep them intrigued, and waiting for the third installment.

Darkness Before Dawn

Title: Darkness Before Dawn
Author: J.A. London
Language: PG-13 (several swear words)
Content: PG-13
Level: Upper Middle School/Highschool
Recommendation: Good read, but optional

Summary: Only sunlight can save us.  We built the wall to keep them out, to keep us safe.  But it also makes us prisoners, trapped in what's left of our ravaged city, fearing nightfall.

After the death of my parents, it's up to me-- as the newest delegate for humanity-- to bargain with our vampire overlord.  I thought I was ready.  I thought I knew everything there was to know about the monsters.  Then again, nothing could have prepared me for Lord Valentine.. or his son.  Maybe not all vampires are killers.  Maybe it's safe to let one in.

Review:  This book was a good read that kept me entertained.  There are several swear words and a few references to underage drinking that might offend some readers.  I believe the characters are developed enough to keep a students' interest throughout the series, but the genre is getting crowded with similar books.  

Breathe

Title: Breathe
Author: Sarah Crossan
Pages: 384
Language: PG
Content: PG
Level: Upper Middle/High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary: Inhale. Exhale.  Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . . The world is dead.  The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen–rich air.

Alina has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful. Quinn should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her. Bea wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl. And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

Review: Another take on the dystopian genre - based on the precept that all vegetation as been killed out, and without BREATHE and their oxygen under the "dome" - there is no air to breathe.  Told from 3 different viewpoints, I had a hard time connecting with each character.    The action packed first chapter was great, but I had a hard time staying interested when the action died down.  Boys and girls who are fans of the dystopian genre will like this book.

Because It Is My Blood

Title: Because It Is My Blood
(Sequal to All These Things I've Done)
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Pages: 350
Content: PG13
Language: PG13 (4 swears)
Level: High School
Recomendation: Good Read

Summary: Since her release from Liberty Children's Facility, Anya Balanchine is determined to follow the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, her criminal record is making it hard for her to do that. No high school wants her with a gun possession charge on her rap sheet. Plus, all the people in her life have moved on: Natty has skipped two grades at Holy Trinity, Scarlet and Gable seem closer than ever, and even Win is in a new relationship.But when old friends return demanding that certain debts be paid, Anya is thrown right back into the criminal world that she had been determined to escape. It’s a journey that will take her across the ocean and straight into the heart of the birthplace of chocolate where her resolve—and her heart—will be tested as never before.

Review:  I was so excited for this book to come out, and it didn't disappoint - in fact - I stayed up WAY too late to finish it the night I got it.  Full of twists and turns, I had to keep turning the pages.  Romance, violence, suspense, this book has it all. There are a few references to pre-marital sex, and **SPOILER ALERT** there is a teen that ends up pregnant.

Article 5

Title: Article 5
Author: Kristen Simmons
Pages: 365
Content: PG/bordering PG13 for violence
Language: PG (a few light swears)
Level: High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary:  New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned. The Bill of Rights has been revoked and replaced with the Moral Statutes. There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different.  Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.  That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Review: For kids who like Hunger Games, Insurgent, Legend, this book will not disappoint.  Based on a very right-winged society, Kristen tried to find and save her mother.  The twists and turns keep coming. Adventure. Love. Fear. Sadness . Anxiety . Loyalty . Suspense and much more.  Great suggestion for those kids who enjoy dystopian novels.

Blood Red Road

Title: Blood Red Road (Dust Lands Series)
Author: Moira Young
Pages: 459
Language: PG13:  48 minor, 25 major, 23 vains, no "f"s
Content: PG
Level: High Middle/High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary:  Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.  Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Review: This book was supposed to raise the bar for dystopian novels.  Although I love the main character, and the book was full of action and character relationships, it fell short for me. The storyline is good, but some of the elements of the story just didn't fit for me and I could also do without the language.

Masque of the Read Death

Title: Masque of the Red Death
Author: Bethany Griffin
Pages: 319
Language: PG
Content: PG/PG13ish
Level: High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary: Everything is in ruins. A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them. So what does Araby Worth have to live for? Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does. And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Review: Although I found myself confused several times in the book, I enjoyed this book.  I think the author expected us to know more about the characters than he gave us, I found myself wishing for some kind of prologue to explain some of the characters and their relationships.  That said, the book was intriguing, a new twist on the dystopian genre.

After The Snow

Title: After The Snow
Author: S. D. Crockett
Pages: 304
Language: PG
Content: PG/PG13
Level: Middle/High School
Review: Optional

Summary: The oceans stopped working before Willo was born, so the world of ice and snow is all he’s ever known. He lives with his family deep in the wilderness, far from the government’s controlling grasp. Willo’s survival skills are put to the test when he arrives home one day to find his family gone. It could be the government; it could be scavengers—all Willo knows is he has to find refuge and his family. It is a journey that will take him into the city he’s always avoided, with a girl who needs his help more than he knows.

Review: Written in very tearse tongue, I had a hard time reading this book, simply because of the grammatical structure of the book.  However, the story of the young boy and his will to survive, (and help a girl survive as well) was intriguing and good.

Insurgent

Title: Insurgent (Divergent #2)
Author: Veronica Roth
Pages: 544
Language: PG
Content: PG13
Level: Middle School/High School
Recommendation: Must Read

Summary: Insurgent picks up right where Divergent left off. Tris must keep the people she cares about alive while dealing with the grief of the people she has lost. War is looming and Four and Tris are at the forefront while trying to decide who to trust, where to go and exactly what it means to be divergent. 

Review:  I love that no time was lost between book one and two. Very often the second book in a series suffers, but not Insurgent. We get to see a depth to each faction and the factionless which makes this series even more believable. Definitely a must read!

The Selection

Title: The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Pages: 327
Language: PG (7 minor swears)
Content: PG
Level: High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary:  For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.  But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.  Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review: The Bachelor meets the Hunger Games without any violence.  I began reading, anticipating an extreme dystopian society, but find although the United States has been overtaken, society is much more civilized than other dystopian novels.  There is a only a brief chapter that tells the reader what has happened to the United States to now be under the rule of a king, and leaves me wanting a little bit more history.  America, (the character, not the country) is full of vim and vigor, and I love her spunky attitude.  This book would be a good, easy read for girls, but I can't see any guys picking up this chick lit!

The Obsidian Blade

Title: The Obsidian Blade
Author: Pete Hautman
Pages: 320
Language: G
Content: PG (complex themes)
Level: Middle/High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary: The first time Tucker saw the disk, his father disappeared into thin air.  The Reverend Adrian Feye had climbed onto the roof to fix a loose shingle -- and suddenly he was gone.  An hour later, the Reverend came walking up the road, tattered and sunburned, bringing with him an unspeaking, yellow-haired, dark-eyed girl.  He refused to say where he had been, instead declaring that there would be no more prayer in the Feye house: He had lost his faith.


Now Tucker's family is unraveling.  The Reverend spends hours brooding in his study.  Tucker's once warmhearted and loving mother withdraws from the world, claiming she doesn't care to be watched by ghosts.  And, above them, the unearthly disk comes and goes.


Then, one day, both of Tucker's parents vanish.


From the distant past to an even more distant and terrifying future, Tucker desperately searches for his parents -- and discovers the astonishing secrets of the Klaatu diskos.


Review: This book is very innovative as far as the plot line is concerned.  Pete Hautman's novels always reflect his innovative imagination.  However interesting the plot is, the lack of character development detracts from it.  I found Tucker, the main character, to be somewhat flat, and the secondary characters are not developed as well.  60+ pages into the novel, I was still unsure as to what the book was about besides questioning one's faith and the destruction of a family unit.  Hautman does his best to keep the reader involved, but I am afraid that the average middle school or high school student would get bored before the novel truly takes off.  I would still recommend this novel to any science-fiction lovers or readers who are interested in the idea of a not-so-distant unhappy future.

Prized

Title:Prized
Author: Caragh M. O'Brien
Pages: 368
Language: PG 
Maturity: PG13
Content: PG13
Recommendation: Must Read
Level: High School


Summary: Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime.  In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?


Review:  I really enjoyed the second edition to this trilogy.  The plot line continues  without interruption, and the characters continue to be developed.  I think that most young adults and adults alike will enjoy this thrilling romance.  The recommendation that I would give this novel is a PG13 for maturity and content because of the main character's, Gaia's, career as midwife.  Early in the novel Gaia is approached by a pregnant teen who asks for help miscarrying.  Gaia then goes through an internal debate over the topic.  At the end of the novel, Gaia must also choose between saving a mother's life or the life of an unborn baby.  These are such heavy topics for anyone under the age of 13.  There is also another small scene (page 275) that is questionable in sexual content for young readers.  I am excited to read the third!

Legend

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Pages: 336
Language: G
Content: PG/PG 13 (violence)
Level: Middle/High School
Recommendation: Must Read

Summary: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Review: Although another dystopian novel, this one departs from the others. The book is told through two different characters. The reader is allowed refreshing insight to both worlds in this book. Full of action, suspense, and yes, a little romance, I loved this book!!!

Crossed

Title: Crossed
Author: Ally Condie
Pages: 367
Language: G
Content: G
Level: Middle/High School
Recommendation: Good Read

Summary:  In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky-- taken by the Society to his certain death-- only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.


Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border.  But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander-- who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart-- change the game once again.  Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.  

Review:  I really enjoyed the first novel in this series.  The second was sure to be a win, but now I'm reconsidering how much I enjoy the plot.  I thought that the characters were developed well throughout this novel and the plot seemed to be well developed, but I was left wishing there was an alternative ending.  I hope the third book can save the series for Condie's fans!  I would and do recommend this book for young adults because the content is very appropriate and the characters are lovable.

Birthmarked

Title: Birthmarked

Author: Caragh M. O'Brien

Pages: 368

Profanity: G
Mature Content: PG
Level:  Middle/High School
Recommendation:  Must Read

Summary:  In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside.  Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave.  But when Gaia's mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything  she has been taught to believe.  Gaia's choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

Review:  This book is another great dystopian novel about a feudal-type of government that require the less fortunate to provide babies to the "nobility" to counteract years of inbreeding.  Midwives serve as the liaisons between the two groups and provide the nobility with a certain quota of babies each year (the content is rated PG because of the description of a midwife's job).  The main character, Gaia, is easy to connect with because of her sincere personality, and you will find yourself rooting for her to succeed.  The novel has a great romance subplot as well.  I am excited to read the second in this trilogy!

The Eleventh Plague

Title: The Eleventh Plague
Author: Jeff Hirsch
Pages: 304
Profanity: PG
Mature Content: PG
Level:  Middle/High School
Recommendation:  Good Read

Summary:  In the aftermath of a war, America's landscape has been ravaged and two-thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza.  Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in search of material to trade.  But when Stephen's grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler's Landing, a community that seems too good to be true.  Then Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are.  And when they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler's Landing--and their lives--forever.

Review:  This novel is another great dystopian novel set in a not-so-distant future.  I really enjoyed the plot and the "what if" situation of a new type of influenza wiping out most of North America's population.  Most of the readers will find this setting to be a great topic to discuss with each other.  This novel is also a great read for boys because of the action scenes at the end of the story.  I did not connect with the characters because they weren't as well developed as other memorable characters.  The beginning was also a little slow, but stick it out if you like action-packed dystopian novels.

Divergent

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Pages: 496
Profanity: PG
Mature Content: Pg-13 (violence, some sexual content)
Level: High School
Recommendation: Must Read

Summary: Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

Review: Love, love, love it! I truly enjoyed this book. Boys and girls alike will find this book enthralling. There is violence though, and a few scenes that aren't for the faint at heart, so I would not recommend this for sensitive readers. There is also a couple of brief conversation about sex (not graphic though), so be careful of younger readers. I was captivated by the choices the characters have to make, how many realizations they come to, and how they work through their problems. The only problem about this book is waiting for the next one!

Enclave

Title: Enclave
Author: Ann Aguirre
Pages: 272
Language: G
Content: PG
Level: Middle/High
Recommendation: Must Read

Summary: New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20's. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters—or Freaks—who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight, in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs. As the two are guided by Fade’s long-ago memories, they face dangers, and feelings, unlike any they’ve ever known.

Review: Another dystopian hit. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this book . There is a lot of action to keep male readers enthusiastic about the story. I enjoyed the settings in this book and what the characters went through in each setting. For anyone who enjoys dystopian novels, this is a great read!!