Good Books for Kids Lists!: Dystopia Book List

I'm working up a Dystopia database (because I love them!). This is a work in-progress and all of the books don't have descriptions... yet.

~Pam

Notes:
Because we want to have them all of the titles on the same page, we've not added many covers because that increases load time. With Amazon's 'preview' software, however, you can get a look at the cover and the star-rating which should help picking your next good read.

Series are listed using the title of the first book. Thus the "Night Creatures" series is listed under B's for Burn Bright.

We've use a shorthand for certain genres of dystopic books. Here's some definitions that help to keep descriptions short.

Scifi based - Books with a scifi backdrop. (Think spaceships, parallel dimensions....) "Across the Universe" is an example, and this is the category were the most debate is likely to occur about whether a book/series is truly a dystopia.
Zombie themed - It might sound like we're dissing these books, but that's not the case. Instead it's merely meant to imply that there's a device, an event, or a virus that makes part of the human population zombie-like. "Forest of Hands and Teeth" is an example.
Red book titles mean that the book is either a stand-alone, or that only one book has been published in the series. Blue book titles are for series where more than one book has been published.

Descriptions in italics are not ours but publisher blurbs.

Numbers!

1984 by George Orwell

A classic. Orwell writes about Winston Smith, a low level bureaucrat who runs afoul of the THOUGHTPOLICE when he tries to find out the truth of what is going on. Other dystopian terms are coined by Orwell in this and Animal Farm.

ALL GOOD CHILDREN
by Catherine Austen

Max, his sister Ally and their mother return home to Middleton to find Ally’s classmates acting strange. Turns out that the government has created a “vaccine” that makes kids so much easier to live with and teach. Now the decision Max's family has to make is go along with the rest of the parents or flee.

Really enjoyed this book and can't understand why it hasn't gotten wider press. ALL GOOD CHILDREN is not an action-driven dystopia. Instead it's a great book with good world building and characters.

Word Count: 73,559
Page Count: 312
Accelerated Reading level: 4.1 / points: 10.0
AR quiz: 147391

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
ISBN-10: 1554698243
sample pages available

"The Atherton Series" by Patrick Carman

Edgar, a gifted climber, secretly scales the treacherous walls separating the three worlds of Atherton: the humble grove that is his home...a mysterious highland realm of untold beauty and sinister secrets ...and a vast wasteland below, where a monstrous danger lurks that could destroy them all.

While searching the forbidden cliffs for a treasure lost in his faded memory, Edgar discovers the first of many startling revelations to come: the three realms are beginning to collapse, turning his entire world inside out. Atherton is not what it seems, but something far more dangerous, with a history locked inside the mind of a madman and a future beyond Edgar's wildest imagining.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

A Classic. This is a dystopia that is dark and violent and filled with drugs and rape and excessive government.

"Across the Universe" by Beth Revis

Scifi based, the action takes place on a colossally large spaceship without FLT travel. Important people are frozen. The rest of the ship has citizens that carry on with agriculture and what-not in depressing circumstances. Wasn't supposed to be like that but something went wrong a few generations back... but what?

This one has a bit of romance, some adventure, and some good mysteries to solve. Across the Universe was a good read. A Million Suns did not please as many people.

Across the Universe
A Million Suns
Shades of Earth (Jan 15, 2013)

"Jenna Fox Chronicles" by Mary E. Pearson

Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

"Birthright" by Gabrielle Zevin

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, takes it all in stride until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame.

All These Things I’ve Done
Because It Is My Blood (September 18, 2012)

America Pacifica by Anna North

Eighteen-year-old Darcy lives on the island of America Pacifica--one of the last places on earth that is still habitable, after North America has succumbed to a second ice age. Education, food, and basic means of survival are the province of a chosen few, while the majority of the island residents must struggle to stay alive. The rich live in "Manhattanville" mansions made from the last pieces of wood and stone, while the poor cower in the shantytown slums of "Hell City" and "Little Los Angeles," places built out of heaped up trash that is slowly crumbling into the sea. The island is ruled by a mysterious dictator named Tyson, whose regime is plagued by charges of corruption and conspiracy.

"Shadow Children" #1-7) by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend. Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, but now Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself.

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1) by Susan Ee

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Animal Farm by George Orwell
A classic book which some might argue isn't a dystopia. Orwell uses a farm and farm animals euphemistically to conclude that oppression will lead to violence. "Four legs good, two legs bad!"

"A Resurrection of Magic Series" by Kathleen Duey

Sadima lives in a world where magic has been banned, leaving poor villagers prey to fakes and charlatans. A "magician" stole her family's few valuables and left Sadima's mother to die on the day Sadima was born. But vestiges of magic are hidden in old rhymes and hearth tales and in people like Sadima. Gradually, magic is restored, but it is available only to the wealthy and is strictly controlled by wizards within a sequestered academy of magic. Hahp, the expendable second son of a rich merchant, is forced into the academy and finds himself paired with Gerrard, a peasant boy inexplicably admitted with nine sons of privilege and wealth. Only one of the ten students will graduate -- and the first academic requirement is survival.

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

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 has perfected the art of keeping a low profile but that changes when 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.

"Ashes" Trilogy by Ilsa Bick

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons when an electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

Really liked this book. It's a quick fun adventure read at first, and then it slows in the second half and becomes more of a sinister mystery story. If you can handle the change in plot direction, Ashes has a lot to offer. Can't wait for #2.

Ashes
Shadows (September 25, 2012)

Ashfall by Mike Mullin
Fifteen-year-old Alex is home alone when the supervolcano erupts at Yellowstone. His town collapses into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence, forcing him to flee. He begins a harrowing trek in search of his parents and sister, who were visiting relatives 140 miles away. Along the way, Alex struggles through a landscape transformed by more than a foot of ash. The disaster brings out the best and worst in people desperate for food, clean water, and shelter.

This is a fast paced, lively novel that only requires a moderate amount of suspension of disbelief. The characters are interesting and the writing is good. And despite the fact that it's about dark times, it maintains an upbeat attitude. Violence. Non-graphic sex/rape. Mild language. More shallow than deep. Enjoyed it. Guy-friendly. Recommended!

Ashfall
Ashen Winter (October 16, 2012)

Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari

Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it.

If it wasn't for the romance Ashes, Ashes might make a good guy-friendly read. Characters are developed through back-story for the most part, and the tone is gritty and pretty dark. Very Mild violence. No bad language. No 'adult' situations. This one is probably suitable for middle-graders who won't be bothered by the grim theme. Ending was a bit of a disappointment. Check it out at the library first.

Awaken (Awaken #1) by Katie Kacvinsky

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done online. She's okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Suddenly, she gets a feeling that maybe there is a better way to live, a way that is different from what her society and parents have told her. Now she must learn to stand up for herself, as she and Justin struggle to make their own space.

"Bar Code" by Suzanne Weyn

The bar code tattoo. Everybody's getting it. It will make your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will become your identity. But what if you say no? What if you don't want to become a code? For Kayla, this one choice changes everything. She becomes an outcast in her high school. Dangerous things happen to her family. There's no option but to run . . . for her life.

"Tomorrow Girls " by Eva Gray

Louisa loves CMS -- the survival skills classes, the fresh air--at her new school. She doesn’t even miss not having a TV, or the internet, or any contact with home. It’s for their own safety, after all.

Or is it?

"Birthmarked Trilogy" by Caragh M. O’Brien

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.
One of better dystopias. Birthmarked is very well written and has engaging characters and a setting that is logical. Book2 is better in every respect. Highly recommended.

The Blending Time by Michael Kinch

It’s 2054, and plagues, devastating pollution, and predetermined (and deadly) jobs are the norm. Seventeen-year-olds Reya, D’Shay, and Jaym meet during a sea voyage to Africa, where they are to become “blenders,” creating offspring with native Africans (who can no longer reproduce with each other). Each blender encounters horrific experiences, including rape and attempted murder, but all find sympathetic allies and make their way to the underground resistance movement.

"Dustlands" by Moira Young

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 four cloaked horsemen capture Lugh, Saba's world is shattered, and she embarks on a quest to get him back.

Blood Red Road is a great adventure read but you'll have throw your 'suspension of disbelief' into high gear. Recommended!

Blood Red Road
Rebel Heart (October 30, 2012)

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
and
Brave New World Revisited

A stunning classic. Waaaay back in the 1930's Huxley was almost prophetic in his worry about humans being enthralled to a ruling class. He writes about humans being borned in labs and being drugged into subservience. Revisited is a lesser work.

"Bumped" by Megan McCafferty
A virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile.

"Night Creatures" by Marianne de Pierres [KINDLE ONLY]

Retra doesn't want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night. Retra is a Seal - sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn't crave parties and pleasure like all the others. But her brother left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him.

"Candor " by Pam Bachorz

The picture-perfect new town of Candor, Florida, is attracting more and more new families, drawn by its postcard-like small-town feel, with white picket fences, spanking-new but old-fashioned-looking homes, and neighborliness.

But the parents are drawn by something else as well. They know that in Candor their obstreperous teenagers will somehow become rewired - they'll learn to respect their elders, to do their chores, and enjoy their homework. They'll give up the tattoos, metal music, and partying that have been driving their parents crazy. They'll become every parent's dream.

"The Books of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau

It is always night in the city of Ember. But there is no moon, no stars. The only light during the regular twelve hours of "day" comes from floodlamps that cast a yellowish glow over the streets of the city. Beyond are the pitch-black Unknown Regions, which no one has ever explored because an understanding of fire and electricity has been lost, and with it the idea of a Moveable Light. "Besides," they tell each other, "there is nowhere but here" Among the many other things the people of Ember have forgotten is their past and a direction for their future. For 250 years they have lived pleasantly, because there has been plenty of everything in the vast storerooms. But now there are more and more empty shelves--and more and more times when the lights flicker and go out, leaving them in terrifying blackness for long minutes. What will happen when the generator finally fails?

"The Compound " by S.A. Bodeen

Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they’ve become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day. As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary—and their sanity—Eli can’t help but wonder if he’d rather take his chances outside. Eli’s father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe—really?

"Dark Inside" by Jeyn Roberts

Mason is at hospital watching his mother die when his school is blown to bits and everyone he knows is killed. At nearly the same time a huge earthquake flips a bus and Aries, another teen, watches as her best friend die. Far away Clementine is the only survivor of an murderous rampage at her small town's hall meeting.

What's going on? It's hard to say. The world is falling apart but it's not clear what the source of the trouble is. Is there Evil underground or is it in the mysterious boy's head.

Enjoyed this one. Recommend it even though it's possible it's not a 'pure' dystopia. Well written and creepy.

Dark Inside
Rage Within (September 4, 2012)

"Dark Life" by Kat Falls

Ty has spent his whole life living deep undersea. When outlaws attack his homestead, he finds himself in a fight to save the only home he has ever known. Joined by Gemma, a girl from Topside, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and discovers some dark secrets to Dark Life. Secrets that threaten to destroy everything.

Dark Parties by Sara Grant

Sixteen-year-old Neva has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere, in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield "protects" them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. But there's nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Or so the government says...

Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a "dark party" to recruit members for their underground rebellion. But as Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she's ever known, including the people she loves the most.

"The Declaration" by Gemma Malley

When a Pincent Pharmaceutical van is ambushed by the rebel group known as the Underground, its contents come as a huge surprise-not drugs, but corpses in a horrible state. It appears that the pharmaceutical company's top drug, Longevity-which is supposed to eradicate disease and ensure eternal life-isn't living up to its promises. Now a virus is sweeping the country, killing hundreds in its wake, and Longevity is powerless to fight it. But when the unscrupulous head of Pincent claims that the Underground is responsible for releasing the virus, it's up to Peter, Anna, and their friends to alert the world to the terrifying truth behind Longevity before it's too late.

"Delirium" by Lauren Oliver

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. And I’ve always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

Delirium
Pandemonium
Requiem (2013)

"Divergent" by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

Divergent is a fast-paced romance-driven read. Told in First Person, readers who liked Hunger Games and are tolerant of long drawn out romances are likely to find it just as interesting. Upon reading book#2 we've had to back off of our hardy recommendation. ~~Indulgent~~ Insurgent requires quite a bit of 'suspension of disbelief'. But still a fun summer-read type of book.

Some language, some sexual content, some romance (a note I add for some guys who asked me to add notes about such things).

"Drought by Pam Bachorz"

Ruby dreams of escaping the Congregation. Escape from slaver Darwin West and his cruel Overseers. Escape from the backbreaking work of gathering Water. Escape from living as if it is still 1812, the year they were all enslaved.

When Ruby meets Ford--an irresistible, kind, forbidden new Overseer--she longs to run away with him to the modern world, where she could live a normal teenage live. Escape with Ford would be so simple. But if Ruby leaves, her community is condemned to certain death.

Dry Souls (Dry Souls #1) by Denise Getson

Kira has never listened to the rain on the roof, swum in a lake or seen a cloud. All of those things need water, and in Kira's world nearly all of the water has disappeared due to the ecological disasters created generations earlier. What remains is strictly rationed by the government. Kira never doubts this system until the day she discovers a wonderful gift - she can bring forth water merely by touching the ground with her hand. Suddenly Kira dreams of refilling streams, rivers, and lakes and ending the permanent drought afflicting mankind. Unfortunately the government appears to have different ideas. Controlling the water has given them an unprecedented degree of power over the population - power, the government may not want to give back.

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

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.

The Eleventh Plague is an interesting read. The story sort of falls into two sections: one, before Stephen arrives at the enclave, and two, afterwards. The protagonist is certainly flawed and many of his problems he brings on himself. Some of found his mistakes appropriate for guy his age. Others of us found his stupidity annoying.

"Empty by Suzanne Weyn"

Fossil fuels are gone. Nobody expected the end to come this fast. And in the small town of Sage Valley, decisions that once seemed easy are quickly becoming matters of life and death. There is hope - there has to be hope - but there are also sacrifices that need to be made, and a society that needs to be rethought. Niki, Tom, and Gwen may find what they need to survive. But their lives are never going to be the same again.

Ker...thunk! That's the sound you'll hear as you are whacked over the head with Ms. Weyn's MESSAGE. She very clearly lets middle-schoolers know what the ramifications of running out of oil and gas will be. There won't be Bic pens or contacts or nail polish or even buses to drag students to school -- the only place to get a hot shower. No language, violence, or other warnings. Check it out at the library first.

"Razorland" by Ann Aguirre

In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning.

Enclave was an enjoyable, fast-paced read. iPam enjoyed the fact that the author wasn't afraid to 'ditch' characters I had come to like. I did think though that some solutions came a little easily. Violence. Grossness. No language that I can remember. Some discussion of rape. Will require a low grade 'suspension of disbelief'. Recommend!

Enclave

"Eve" by Anna Carey

Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Eve
Once (July 2012)

"Exodus" by Julie Bertagna

Less than a hundred years from now, the world as we know it has disappeared beneath the sea. Only fifteen-year-old Mara has the vision and the will to lead her people in search of a new beginning in this harsh, unfamiliar world.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

A classic about all that is sacrosanct to our team. In the world of Guy Montag books are for burning, along with the homes they are hidden in. The plot twist comes when Guy finds out that there is a past that he knows nothing about (of course, because those books are burnt) where citizens weren't afraid.

Feed by M.T. Anderson

For Titus and his friends intend to party on the moon for Spring Break, but instead some old crank does something to their 'feed' and they end up hospitalized. It's not so bad though because Titus has met this cool homeschooled girl, Violet, who is different from everyone else he's ever known. Their feed eventually gets turned back on, only something is seriously wrong with Violet's.

This isn't going to be a book for everyone. It's character based and not an action story. I thought Anderson did a great job of world building with this one. Certainly gave me food for thought about where the world would head once the corporations get their hands on the inside of our heads. Funny in place, but definitely not upbeat.

Flawless Ruins by Kieryn Nicolas

In 2238 life in America is finally perfect. The Wars are over and the CommWall is in place, blocking communication with what remains of other continents. The women are content to have great education, choice careers, and glamorous hair. Best of all, when every girl turns seventeen she's given her Like; an adorable, perfect spouse tailor-made just for her. Everyone looks forward to the day she gets her Like, and Morgan Waters is no exception—until she accidentally stays out past curfew and stumbles across someone who appears to be a Like but claims to be a man. Morgan's perfect world crumbles around her in the midst of a forbidden romance, forcing her to deal with the realization that her life may not be so flawless after all.

Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick

Global warming has caused the sea to rise until cities are turning into islands and civilization is crumbling. Ten-year-old Zoe discovers a small rowboat and keeps it a secret until she sets out alone on the great sea to find her parents. She lands on tiny Eels Island, where she must survive in a nightmarish world run by wild children, and stand up to its boy-leader, Dooby. Zoe and a boy called Munchkin escape from Eels Island and cross the sea to the mainland, where they find not only Zoe’s parents but a new family and a new world.

Flux by Beth Gooble

Several years earlier Nellie and her mother fled the Interior and its hated security police for the Outbacks, a loose-knit resistance of small cities, towns and rural areas. Since then her mother has disappeared and twelve-year-old Nellie is on her own, scrounging a living where she can find it. When loneliness opens her mind to flux, the ability to alter her vibratory state in the molecular field, she learns to travel to other levels of reality. When a prank by the Skulls, an unruly gang of boys, reveals several large scars on her scalp, Nellie is forced to confront the terrifying truth that her vague memories of experiments that took place while she lived in the Interior are real.

Flux
Fixed

"The Forest of Hands and Teeth" by Carrie Ryan

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

There's a lot of angst and hand-twisting in the first book by Mary so Forest of Hands and Teeth won't be for everyone. It's well written though and Ryan's zombies are certainly sinister and creepy. I-Pam could not have gotten through the book if it hadn't been for the audio version. The lady that read Mary's part was brilliant. At some point I will read the second book. Or get the audio. Advice: sample it at the library first.

Genesis by Bernard Beckett

Anax thinks she knows her history. She’d better. She’s now facing three Examiners, and her grueling all-day Examination has just begun. If she passes, she’ll be admitted into the Academy—the elite governing institution of her utopian society. But Anax is about to discover that for all her learning, the history she’s been taught isn’t the whole story. And that the Academy isn’t what she believes it to be.

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

As a modern gladiator's daughter, Lyn and her family live by the rules of the Gladiator Sports Association. But those rules can turn against you. When Lyn's seventh father dies in the ring, his opponent, Uber, captures Lyn's dowry bracelet—and her hand in marriage. To win her freedom, Lyn will do what no girl has done before: enter the arena and fight her father's murderer—even though she's falling in love with him.

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry

**Newbery Winner**

The story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community.

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan

**One of School Library Journal’s Best Fiction Books of 2011**

The Empyrean is the only home 15-year-old Waverly has ever known. Part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space, she and her boyfriend Kieran will be pioneers of New Earth. Waverly knows she must marry young in order to have children who can carry on the mission, and Kieran, the handsome captain-to-be, has everything Waverly could want in a husband. Everyone is sure he’s the best choice. Still, there’s a part of Waverly that wants more from life than marriage, and she is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

Suddenly, Waverly’s dreams are interrupted by the inconceivable – a violent betrayal by the Empyrean's sister ship, the New Horizon. The New Horizon’s leaders are desperate to populate the new planet first, and will do anything to get what they need: young girls. In one pivotal moment, Waverly and Kieran are separated, and find themselves at the helm of dangerous missions, where every move has potentially devastating consequences, and decisions of the heart may lead to disaster.

"Gone" by Michael Grant
In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. Everyone except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to get help.

Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate.

Helper 12 by Jack Blaine

Helper12 works as a Baby Helper in Pre Ward, the place where babies spend their first six months of life before they’re tracked for vocations and sent to training. One day, a Society family “adopt” one of the Pre Ward babies and Helper12! The Director sells her to them, and there’s nothing she can do but go. At the Sloanes, Helper12 enters a world where people should be able to enjoy life—with high position and riches come the opportunity for individual freedom, even the chance to love—but that’s not what she finds. The Sloanes are keeping secrets. So is their biological son, Thomas. Helper12 has some secrets of her own; she’s drawing, which is a violation, since Baby Helpers aren’t tracked for Art. And she’s growing to love the child she was bought to care for—at the same time that Ms. Sloane is becoming disenchanted with her impulse baby buy.

The Host (The Host #1) by Stephenie Meyer

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. The Wanderer who has Melanie's body is rather surprised by this. As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
**National Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature**
**Newbery Honor Book**
**Printz Honor Book**

Matteo Alacrán wasn't born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium. As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patrón's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect.

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.

"The Hollows" Amanda Hocking

This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door." Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

Hollowland is a fast-paced adventure book with a kick-butt heroine. I-Pam got it for FREE for my KINDLE but it's also available as a paperback. This was my first Amanda Hocking book and I enjoyed it. Very fluffy stuff that you'll need to throw your 'suspension of disbelief' into high geer. Lots of violence and gross-ness (yay!). Some language. One scene where heroine beds down, but not graphic.

"The Hunger Games " by Suzanne Collins

This is the series that gave 'the BIG boost' to YA, bringing it to the attention of adults and teens alike. The setting is Post-war where the winning community keeps the others under control by violence and intimidation. The Games requires a tribute of children who are made to compete to the death. Since it's so popular won't say more, except that some people thought Book#3 was a violent and therefore not satisfying ending.

"Incarceron" by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells and corridors, but metal forests, dilapidated cities, and wilderness. It has been sealed for centuries, and only one man has ever escaped. Finn has always been a prisoner here. Although he has no memory of his childhood, he is sure he came from Outside. His link to the Outside, his chance to break free, is Claudia, the warden's daughter, herself determined to escape an arranged marriage. They are up against impossible odds, but one thing looms above all: Incarceron itself is alive . . .

Incarceron is a convoluted story that some say didn't live up to it's hype. Sapphique was much more engaging and less obtuse. Only book3 will dictate whether this series will stand the test of time.

"Insider" by Maria V. Snyder

Trella is a scrub. She works on the lower level of a community where she and her ilk do the dirty work that keeps the operation going, mostly for the benefit of the Uppers. Known as Queen of the Pipes, Trella’s job cleaning ductwork also allows some privacy, as she finds places to hide. To help her only friend, she becomes involved protecting the Broken Man, a prophet who preaches about a mysterious Gateway.

"Chaos Walking" by Patrick Ness

If you don't like tales told in dialect, this scifi based series might not be for you. Otherwise this is a fantastically clever and well told story of what happens in a other-world colony when humans contract a virus that opens their minds to the thoughts of everyone around them.

Highly recommend this series to scifi fans.

Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu

Los Angeles, California Republic of America. He is Day. The boy who walks in the light. She is June. The girl who seeks her brother's killer. On the run and undercover, they meet by chance. Irresistably drawn together, neither knows the other's past. But Day murdered June's brother. And she has sworn to avenge his death.

"Last Survivors" by Susan Beth Pfeffer

"I guess I always felt even if the world came to an end, McDonald’s still would be open."

High school sophomore Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth, the way “one marble hits another.” The result is catastrophic. How can her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis are wiping out the coasts, earthquakes are rocking the continents, and volcanic ash is blocking out the sun? As August turns dark and wintry in northeastern Pennsylvania, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

"The Line " by Teri Hall

When Rachel and her mother move to Mrs. Moore's house-the one with the greenhouse, right next to the Line-Rachel starts questioning things. There are so many rumors of horrible things that lie beyond the Line-in a place called Away-but no one dares to talk about it. And it's no use asking questions- especially of Mrs. Moore, who has always lived by the Line, or of her mother, who is just happy to have a place to stay, especially since Rachel's father died in the war. But then Rachel comes across a recorded message-one that could only have come from Away. And the voice on the recorder is asking for help. As things start to unravel, the question becomes, how far is Rachel willing to go to cross the Line and do the right thing?

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Marcus, a.k.a “w1n5t0n,” is 17 but thinks he knows how the system works, but his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco.

"Escape From Furnace" by Alexander Gordon Smith

Alex Sawyer seeks to break free of a hellish underground penitentiary for teenage offenders. But with every step toward freedom, Alex finds there will be no escaping the secret horrors and nightmarish creatures haunting his endless nights until he confronts and destroys the prison’s mastermind.

Part Incarceron, part Maze Runner. This action series is guy-friendly and geared towards the younger end of the YA spectrum. Which is to say that it's suitable for Middle-schoolers. A little bad language. Mild violence.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

LothF's never struck me as a dystopia until someone argued it was on LibraryThing. The tale is a shipwreck and what happens when boys are free to make up their own rules. A classic.

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

Sixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury. There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he’s trying to kill them.

"Matched" by Ally Condie

On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her Match. Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life. Except he's not. In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love. How many children they have. Where they work. When they die. But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own. And that's when her whole world begins to unravel...

bookcover of MAZE RUNNER (Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

"Maze Runner" by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the 'The Glade' his memory is blank. But he’s not alone. Just like him, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the ever shifting maze where they are imprisoned. All they know is that every morning the stone doors open and that they have until night to try and solve the mystery.

Dashner's series is most excellent. There's a constant flow of mysteries to solve and the action is non-stop. Violence. Fake bad language. No 'adult' situations. Highly recommend to scifi addicts.

Memento Nora (Memento Nora #1) by Angie Smibert

In Nora's world you don't have to put up with nightmares. Nora goes with her mother to TFC--a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic. There, she can describe her horrible memory and take the pill that will erase it. But at TFC, a chance encounter with a mysterious guy changes Nora's life. She doesn't take the pill. And when Nora learns the memory her mother has chosen to forget, she realizes that someone needs to remember. With newfound friends Micah and Winter, Nora makes a comic book of their memories called Memento. It's an instant hit, but it sets off a dangerous chain of events. Will Nora, Micah, and Winter be forced to take the Big Pill that will erase their memories forever?

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"The Obernewtyn Chronicles" by Isobelle Carmody

The Other Life (The Weepers) by Susanne Winnacker

Sherry has lived with her family in a bunker for more than three years. Her grandfather's body has been in the freezer for the last six months, her parents are at each other's throats and two minutes ago, they ran out of food. Sherry and her father must leave the safety of the bunker. What they find is an empty Los Angeles, destroyed by bombs and haunted by Weepers - savage humans infected with a rabies virus. While searching for food, Sherry's father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a vineyard where a handful of survivors are picking up the pieces of their other lives, before the virus changed everything. Sherry must find a way to help her family, stay alive, and decide whether Joshua is their savior or greatest danger as his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman
Earth Mother is always watching... And one brave girl is about to find out why.

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Partials by Dan Wells
Partials are genetically enhanced warriors who were designed to win America's last war. Unfortunately they rebelled, leaving the entire world population huddled together on Long Island. The Partials mysteriously retreated, however humankind hasn't been able to grow at all over the last 11 years as not a single baby has survived more than 3 days after birth.

It's the devastating virus that 16 year-old Kira is determined to fight. And nothing... not the domineering governors of her community, nor the Partials, nor the mysterious Voices, are going to stop her.

Partials is a book with twists and turns and action on both the physical and political front. The ideas are interesting and keep you reading past the few jumpy segments. Kira is a strong female lead but it's the secondary characters that are presented more broadly. Worth reading.

The Pearl Wars (Skyship Academy #1) by Nick James

A devastated Earth's last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers—political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth's stratosphere—and the corrupt Surface government.

Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.

The Pledge (The Pledge #1) by Kimberly Derting

In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed. Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom….

"Possession" by Elana Johnson

Vi knows the rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them…starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous—everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn.

The Predicteds by Christine Seifert

"We wanted to know what makes a good kid good and a bad kid bad. Can you blame us for that? We found an astoundingly, marvelously simple answer: The brain isn't so much a complicated machine as it is a crystal ball. If you look into it, you will see everything you want to know."

-Dr. Mark Miliken, senior researcher at Utopia Laboratories

Pure (Pure #1) by Julianna Baggott

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony

It's 2041 and sixteen-year-old Molly McClure has lived a quiet life on an isolated farming island in Canada, but when her family fears the worst may have happened to her grandparents in the US, Molly must brave the dangerous, chaotic world left after global economic collapse—one of massive oil shortages, rampant crime, and abandoned cities.

Molly is relieved to find her grandparents alive in their Portland suburb, but they’re financially ruined and practically starving. What should’ve been a quick trip turns into a full-fledged rescue mission. And when Molly witnesses something the local crime bosses wishes she hadn’t, Molly’s only way home may be to beat them at their own game. Luckily, there’s a handsome stranger who’s willing to help.

The Returners by Gemma Malley

London teenager Will Hodge is miserable. His mother is dead, his father's political leanings have grown radical, and his friends barely talk to him. To top it off, he's having nightmares about things like concentration camps. Then Will notices he's being followed by a group of people who claim to know him from another time in history. It turns out they are Returners, reincarnated people who carry with them the memory of atrocities they have witnessed in the past. Will realizes that he, too, is a Returner. But something about his memories is different, and with dawning horror, Will suspects that he wasn't just a witness to the events, he was instrumental in making them happen. Set in the near future, with the world on the verge of a new wave of ethnic cleansing, Will must choose to confront the cruelty he's known in his past lives, or be doomed to repeat it…

"Rot and Ruin" by Jonathan Maberry

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

A Guy-friendly read. Maberry's book will give you an entirely different view of zombies. Starts a little slowly but has a lot to offer, like good characters and plenty of action. Recommended.

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"Salt" by Maurice Gee

Scored by Lauren McLaughlin

The Secret Under my Skin by Janet McNaughton

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me isn't your standard dystopia. That's because Juliette isn't your standard person. She's untouchable. Deadly. A part of the world destruction in a way that other characters aren't. She can draw the life from people, and this has made her an outcast. Has possibly made her borderline insane.

Tahereh Mafi's writing style leave the question of insanity up in the air and the reader is left wondering if Juliette is disturbed because of her confinement and treatment, or is she really a new type of human with a different worldview.

Shatter Me is definitely chicklit. We recommend it with the caveat that the intense 'different' writing style might not be for everyone.

Shift by Charlotte Agell

Ship Breaker (Ship Breaker #1) by Paolo Bacigalupi

"Gripping" by Robin Wasserman

The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle

Starters by Lissa Price

In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers her renter plans to do more than party--her body will commit murder, if her mind can't stop it. Sixteen-year-old Callie lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first--the very young and very old. With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters, and fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie. Hope comes via Prime Destinations, run by a mysterious figure known only as The Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to seniors, known as enders, who get to be young again. Callie's neurochip malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her rich renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, even dating Blake, the grandson of a senator. It's a fairy-tale new life . . . until she uncovers the Body Bank's horrible plan. . . .

Sudden Independents by Ted Hill [KINDLE ONLY]

18 is it. When the oldest kid in town turned eighteen, the plague chased him down and now Jimmy has one more thing to worry about—that he’s running out of time.

While Jimmy is trying to put food on the table for his little brother, that brother, Hunter, finds a little girl named Catherine under a cottonwood tree in the middle of nowhere. When Catherine magically heals Hunter’s broken arm, Jimmy hopes he will survive his eighteenth birthday if he can protect her from the horseman responsible for unleashing the plague.

Taken (The Taken Trilogy) by Zia Marie [KINDLE ONLY]

Taken is an affordable amazon published book that's worth reading. Scifi based, it has Jackson and his little sister suddenly finding themselves in a parallel universe where are kept captive until they agree to 'live by the rules'. There's some mysteries to solve with this one, and where the author shines is in keeping the reader guessing as to who are the good guys.

Tankborn by Karen Sandler

Kayla and Mishalla are GENs, Genetically Engineered Non-humans, and in their strict caste system, GENs are at the bottom rung of society. When they are assigned Kayla finds herself caring for Zul Manel, the patriarch of a trueborn family. She also finds a host of secrets and an unexpected friendship with Zul's great-grandson. Meanwhile, Mishalla finds that the children she is supposed to care for are being stolen in the middle of the night. Both girls must put their lives and hearts at risk to crack open a sinister conspiracy, one that may reveal secrets no one is ready to face.

Tankborn is a scifi based dystopia that features a cast system and a mystery. There's a lot of world-specific jargon meant to get readers into the alien-planet mood. Kel-grain, for example. There are also hover cars and the expected bullies that come with a cast system. Younger readers are probably going to enjoy this book more than adults with decades of scifi reading under their belts. Thin romance.

The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix

For as long as Tessa can remember, her country has been at war. When local golden boy Gideon Thrall is awarded a medal for courage, it’s a rare bright spot for everyone in Tessa’s town—until Gideon refuses the award, claims he was a coward, and runs away. Tessa is bewildered, and can’t help but follow Gideon to find out the truth. But Tessa is in for more than she bargained for. Before she knows it, she has stowed away on a rogue airplane and is headed for enemy territory. But all that pales when she discovers a shocking truth that rocks the foundation of everything she’s ever believed—a truth that will change the world. But is Tessa strong enough to bring it into the light?

The Hunt by Andrew Xia Fukuda (May 8, 2012)

Imagine a world where the vampires won. Where they have a full society that has taken place of our. Where humans are nearly extinct. Now imagine that amongst these non-sparkly vampires a small number of humans have managed to hide. They do it by wearing false teeth, by never sweating or ever displaying any emotions. This is the world where Gene exists. A world he was just managing to survive in. That was until he was 'lucky' enough to win the contest that every non-human on earth was dying to win: a chance to hunt down and kill the very last human in captivity.

Intense and creepy. Fukuda has written a great first book in this series. Very violent. Some adult situations. Very intense.

Those That Wake by Jesse Karp

New York City’s spirit has been crushed. People walk the streets with their heads down, withdrawing from one another and into the cold comfort of technology. Teenagers Mal and Laura have grown up in this reality. They’ve never met. Seemingly, they never will. But on the same day Mal learns his brother has disappeared, Laura discovers her parents have forgotten her. Both begin a search for their families that leads them to the same truth: someone or something has wiped the teens from the memories of every person they have ever known. Thrown together, Mal and Laura must find common ground as they attempt to reclaim their pasts.

"The Tomorrow series" by John Marsden

We've seen this series listed on several dystopia book lists but it's not exactly a dystopic novel. The setting is rural Australia and driving element is an invasion by a foreign government, not some demise of society in general. "Tomorrow, When the War Began" is a good read though so we'll be keeping it on the list. Mild language and violence. Would have been all right for mature middle-graders except for some sexual content. Nothing graphic thus far.

Well written book that is worth adding to your list.

"True Sight trilogy" by David Stahler Jr

"Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

Scott Westerfeld has created a fascinating future world where at age 16 all citizens undergo a series of operation that correct any physical flaws. The new Pretties are then left to party and live a life of luxury as the their younger, unaltered friends look on enviously. Tally Youngblood is waiting for her turn when she meets Shay, a girl who convinces her that there's something strange about the Pretty life and that she ought to consider joining up with the Smokies, people who reject the system and live in hiding.

This is a fast paced read that could certainly qualify as a 'page turner'. Many people only read the first two books and consider that satisfying.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.

Check it out at the library first. This one won't be for everyone as some of the concepts aren't entirely original and the writing seems more geared to middle schoolers. (If you enjoyed "I Am Number Four", then you'll probably enjoy Veronica Rossi's book too.)

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz

Kid has a vague sense of unease but doesn’t question this existence until one day she witnesses a shocking anticorporate prank. She follows the clues to uncover the identities of the people behind it and discovers an anonymous group that calls itself the Unidentified. Intrigued by their counterculture ideas and enigmatic leader, Kid is drawn into the group. But when the Unidentified’s pranks and even Kid’s own identity are co-opted by the sponsors, Kid decides to do something bigger—something that could change the Game forever.

The Returners by Gemma Malley

"Unwanteds" by Lisa McMann

Every year thirteen-year-olds are sorted. The strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university. The artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths. Alex tries to be stoic when he is declared an Unwanted. But when he leaves his twin brother, Aaron, who is declared a Wanted, he discovers that behind the "death farm" mirage there is a place called Artime.

Conflict arises as the brothers find themselves pitted against one another in an ultimate, magical battle.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

**Starred Review** SchoolLibraryJournal
**Starred Review** PublishersWeekly

In America after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement: The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process called "unwinding." Unwinding ensures that the child's life doesn’t “technically” end by transplanting all the organs in the child's body to various recipients. Now a common and accepted practice in society, troublesome or unwanted teens are able to easily be unwound.

Neal's writing in Unwind has a similar tone to Scott Westerfeld's style in his Uglies Series -- which is a good thing. Unwind is an engaging, fast paced story that develops through the eyes of Connor, Risa, and Lev.

Variant (Variant #1) by Robinson Wells

Benson thinks Maxfield Academy is going to be the school of his dreams, but what he finds is anything but. It turns out that it's a place where, like the Hotel California, you can check in, but never leave. If you liked I Am Number Four, a scifi fantasy which was pretty awful, you'll probably like this book. It's so much better written. If you liked Maze Runner, you might also like this one as there is danger and an underlying mystery to solve. If you like your YA 'grittier' you should probably read a sample before deciding whether to pick it up.

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

An epidemic based tale, there are surprise! no zombies in this one. Instead The Way We Fall tells the course of the disease through journal entries. There is a palatable realism to the responses of citizens and the government. No real violence. No 'adult situations'. Coughing may cause you cringe after reading this book. Interesting but not outstanding. Book#2 may change that.

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Hundreds of millions of people have already died, and millions more will soon fall-victims of disease, hunger, and dehydration. It is a time of drought and war. The rivers have dried up, the polar caps have melted, and drinkable water is now in the hands of the powerful few. There are fines for wasting it and prison sentences for exceeding the quotas.

But Kai didn't seem to care about any of this. He stood in the open road drinking water from a plastic cup, then spilled the remaining drops into the dirt. He didn't go to school, and he traveled with armed guards. Kai claimed he knew a secret-something the government is keeping from us...

And then he was gone. Vanished in the middle of the night. Was he kidnapped? Did he flee? Is he alive or dead? There are no clues, only questions. And no one can guess the lengths to which they will go to keep him silent. We have to find him-and the truth-before it is too late for all of us.

The Wind-up Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

**Winner of the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novel**

Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. One of the New People, Emiko is not human; instead, she is an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, soldiers, and toys of the rich in a chilling near future in which calorie companies rule the world, the oil age has passed, and the side effects of bio-engineered plagues run rampant across the globe.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

Hannah Payne's life has been devoted to church and family. But after she's convicted of murder, she awakens in a new body to a nightmarish new life. She finds herself lying on a table in a bare room, covered only by a paper gown, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home, for whom observing new Chromes--criminals whose skin color has been genetically altered to match the class of their crime--is a sinister form of entertainment. Hannah is a Red for the crime of murder. The victim, says the State of Texas, was her unborn child, and Hannah is determined to protect the identity of the father, a public figure with whom she shared a fierce and forbidden love.

A powerful reimagining of The Scarlet Letter, When She Woke is a timely fable about a stigmatized woman struggling to navigate an America of the not-too-distant future, where the line between church and state has been eradicated, and convicted felons are no longer imprisoned and rehabilitated but chromed and released back into the population to survive as best they can. In seeking a path to safety in an alien and hostile world, Hannah unknowingly embarks on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to question the values she once held true and the righteousness of a country that politicizes faith and love.

Winter’s End by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

Escape. Milena, Bartolomeo, Helen, and Milos have left their prison-like boarding schools far behind, but their futures remain in peril. Fleeing across icy mountains from a terrifying pack of dog-men sent to hunt them down, they are determined to take up the fight against the despotic government that murdered their parents years before. Only three will make it safely to the secret headquarters of the resistance movement. The fourth is captured and forced to participate in a barbaric game for the amusement of the masses — further proof of the government’s horrible brutality. Will the power of one voice be enough to rouse a people against a generation of cruelty? Translated from the French, this suspenseful story of courage, individualism, and freedom has resonated with young readers across the globe.

"The Chemical Garden" by Lauren DeStefano

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

Wither is a strong, engaging book, but guys should know that it leans a bit towards the chicklit. Fever does not advance the storyline much, but expands upon the disaster that is Rhine's world. Romance dominated. Adult situations, but nothing graphic. Creepy.

Wither
Fever

X-Isle by Steve Augarde

Ever since the floods came and washed the world away, survivors have been desperate to win a place on X-Isle, the island where life is rumored to be easier than on what's left of the mainland. Only young boys stand a chance of getting in, the smaller and lighter the better. Baz and Ray are two of the lucky few to be chosen, but they soon discover that X-Isle is a far cry from paradise. Ruled by Preacher John, a dangerous religious fanatic, it's a violent, unpredictable place, where terrible things can happen at any moment. The boys hatch an extraordinary plan in order to protect themselves-the construction of a mighty weapon of defense. But can they complete this weapon in time, and are they really prepared to use it to secure their freedom?

"XVI" by Julia Karr

Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world - even the most predatory of men - that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past - one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

The general review consensus is that Truth is much better than XVI, and I point this out so that you know going in that this is a new, apparently creative author, who is still finding her way. I haven't tracked down this book yet, but the preview sample is very readable.

XVI
Truth

compiled by Pam T

Pages

Dystopia Book List