Tag: dystopian

Purple background with white lettering and a circular pin showing a snake on one side and a bird on the other.
Posted in Award Winners, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Sunrise on the Reaping

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

How can a book you know the ending too (it’s a prequel) be so compelling? But that’s how I found Sunrise on the Reaping (Scholastic Press, 2025) by Suzanne Collins.

Set in The Hunger Games world, it’s about Haymitch–yes, the drunken mentor! This story takes place when he’s young and has to go through the trials himself. Haymitch isn’t selected as tribute from District 12, but when the boy tribute does a runner and is killed, Haymitch is shoved into his place and forced to reenact his “choosing” as if his name was really drawn. It doesn’t get better from there.

Seeing the contrasts and similarities between this time period and other other books set in the world is fascinating. Living with Haymitch’s experience is very different than “knowing” he went through it. And, yes, if you haven’t heard, there will be a movie. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about read The Hunger Games.

Read some of the bestselling author’s thoughts on this book here. Here is a link to her other books and Suzanne’s bio.

cover of The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne, both characters are jumping, she's chewing bubble gum, money is falling in the background
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2021) by Jonathan Stroud was a fun and harrowing adventure story. This is book one of the trilogy (Although it definitely stands on its own.)

Red-headed Scarlett McCain is an outlaw in a dystopian Britain. After robbing a bank, she accidentally saves skinny and weak Albert Browne from a horrific bus accident and the Tainted. Both have secrets and are the run (The Brothers-Scarlett, and people from Stonemoor-Browne).

Albert is especially a sympathetic character. Though aimed at younger audience, I think many YA readers would enjoy this book too.

Read about the author here and see his many books here.

cover of Best of All Worlds
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Best of All Worlds

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Best of All Worlds (Scholastic Press, 2025) by Kenneth Oppel was fascinating, mysterious, and a freaky story of survival.

Thirteen-year-old Xavier hadn’t wanted to go to the cottage with his dad and pregnant stepmom–he’d rather be gaming at home with Mom and his brother–but when he wakes up the first morning, it’s as if the cottage has been removed from one place and plunked down somewhere else. Have they been abducted by aliens, as Xavier expects, or by the government for a secret project?

Later in the story, three years have passed, and Xavier is 16, so this book may not be appropriate for younger readers. I don’t know how else the author could have ended the book, but it wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped.

Read about the award-winning author here and check out more books here. (Note: the website appears to not have been updated recently.)

cover of Internment
Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Internment

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Internment (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Hachette, 2019) by Samira Ahmed might be even more of an important read than it was when it first came out. Or perhaps I should say, this powerful book continues to be important.

Here are two of the lines on the first page that really give you a sense of what’s coming. “Most of the town is at the book burning, so I should be safe. Or, at least, safer.” Scary? Yes!

In a horrible near future story, 17-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim Americans. Her boyfriend is on the outside. She, her new friends, and boyfriend, fight for their freedom.

This novel was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards for Young Adult Fiction Best Books 2019, chosen as a Semifinalist Best Fiction for Young Adults 2019-2020, on the Georgia Peach Book Award List 2020-2021, on the Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards List sponsored by the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association, was nominated for the Lincoln Award 2021, and the Winner of the Pennsylvania State Literacy Association’s Keystone to Reading Secondary Book Award for 2020-2021.

Read about this bestselling author here. Samira writes young adult, middle grade, comics, and is in and has edited anthologies. Read more here.

Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Divergent

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Divergent Divergent (Katherine Tegan Books, 2011) by Veronica Roth is one of those incredible books that holds you tight to itself.
Beatrice has been raised in a very self-abasing faction, but now has to choose which faction to belong to. Her tests were . . . inconclusive . . . a fact she must keep to herself. Choosing another faction will mean she will be separated from her parents and her brother, but how can she stay? Abnegation doesn’t really fit her.
Veronica Roth has created such a strong and believable world that it’s hard to imagine this society doesn’t exist. I’m not alone in admiring her work–today I found out there’s going to be a movie! And I came across a fansite for the trilogy. I, too, am really looking forward to the next few books, although I was very satisfied with book one–it truly could stand alone.
If you like The Hunger Games, I bet you’ll like Divergent.
Read more abut Veronica on her website.