They call them books for teens but they're every bit as exciting and engaging as the books on the shelf for adults. If you (or your teen) are not thrilled with the idea of dueling to the death like in the Hunger Games or if you loved the Hunger Games and want more, check these books out. "Legend" by Marie Lu is the tale of a society that limits its numbers through war and manufactured "plagues". Society sanctioned girl prodigy meets boy rebel and together, they will change their world. And then there's "Divergent" by Vernonica Roth which is the first book of a trilogy. In this society, you are allowed to choose your faction which will determine your path in life. The catch, if you choose a faction other than the one you were raised in, you forfeit almost all ties with your family. Fortunately for our heroine, there's a guy to connect with in her new faction. Ally Condie's "Matched" trilogy starts out as a romantic love triangle in book one and segues into an action/adventure in "Crossed" which is book two. For a different twist try "Delirium" by Lauren Oliver where society treats emotions (especially love) like a disease and everyone undergoes a procedure to have that portion of their brain REMOVED. Naturally it doesn't work on everyone and there are rebels who refuse to submit. For the guys who want more action and adventure, try "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi or "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner.
Feeling old school instead? "1984" by George Orwell, "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood, or "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury are all good choices and they're probably available on the shelf.
Enter the world of one of these books and through the author's dystopia, enter your own utopia as you escape your surroundings. It's not hard core science fiction. It's not fairies and druids and wizards and dragons. It's not warp speed and space jumps and tazers. Read the definition, it's everyday life, the setting is just a little bit different.
