I'd like to recommend one title in particular (and one that has been super popular since it came out). Divergent by Veronica Roth takes place in 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.
Divergent started out strong. I liked that it was set in a city that I knew. It set recognizable landmarks into a dystopian future. In this future society is divided by personality trait to avoid violent tendencies (this is becoming a theme in dystopian fiction; we need to change humanity to avoid warfare and violence). Our protagonist, Tris, chooses the hardest and toughest group thus going against her family. What feels like the entire middle of the book focuses on her training process. It didn't explore what it means to be Divergent (which Tris is - she tested into multiple groups) enough to my liking. In the end, a war begins between factions.
If you're looking for an exciting read that doesn't feel like every other dystopian novel, then Divergent is for you!
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