First up, The Darkest Path, by Jeff Hirsch. I've read 2 of Hirsch's other books and he writes great dystopian, stand-alone titles. If you're not up for a series, Jeff Hirsch might be the author for you. In The Darkest Path, a religious cult called "The Glorious Path", has taken over most of what was formerly the United States. They come into an area and allow people to make "The Choice" - to either follow the path or not. If not, let's just say they don't live too much longer. Callum Roe and his brother were taken by the Path six years ago. Cal has been looking for an opportunity for them to escape from the very beginning, so when an opportunity that he thinks will give them a better chance to get out doesn't come through, he finds himself desperate. When Cal kills the man who is supposed to be in charge of him to protect an innocent, Cal knows he has to go on the run. Can he escape the Path? Can the United Commonwealth defeat the Path and regain ground in the country? You'll have to read this exciting adventure to find out!
Another dystopian novel you might like is The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau. This is the first book in a 3-book series. The good news is that all 3 books have been published, so if you like it, you won't have to wait around for the rest of the series to be published! In The Testing, our main character, Cia, lives in a future United States that has been destroyed by nuclear and biological warfare. Slowly, society has been rebuilding itself and trying to restore the Earth to what it was before it was destroyed. In every community, students in the graduating class typically end up training with people in their community, but a lucky few get chosen for Testing. If you pass the Testing, you can attend the University and continue your education. It has been Cia's dream to go to the University for her whole life, so when she is chosen for the Testing, she is thrilled. Cia comes to find out, though, that if you don't pass the test, you just might pay with your life. This book is a thrill ride from the start, because you just don't know who Cia can trust. If you like The Testing, you can check out book 2, Independent Study, and book 3, Graduation Day.
And I've got a couple of recommendations for the ladies. No offense guys...I'm just not sure these books would be up your alley, but hey, feel free to give them a shot if you like a little romance. :)
You all know I love Kasie West (Pivot Point, Split Second, and The Distance Between Us). Her newest book, On the Fence, didn't disappoint me. In this book, Charlie has grown up with her dad and 3 brothers. Her mom died when she was 6, but she doesn't really have any memories of her. Her neighbor, Braden, is also around a lot, so much that Charlie almost considers him to be like an extra brother...until she doesn't. When she has trouble sleeping because of strange nightmares about her mom's death, Charlie goes out to sit at her fence in the backyard and Braden starts joining her there and they have conversations between the fence. Charlie realizes that maybe she has more than just sisterly feelings toward Braden, but does he feel the same way? And why is she having these strange dreams about her mom's death? You'll have to pick up On the Fence to find out.
And finally, if you're missing summer a little bit, you just might enjoy Jen Calonita's Summer State of Mind. This is actually a companion novel to a previous book called Sleepaway Girls. You don't have to read them in order - I haven't read Sleepaway Girls, but I want to now! In Summer State of Mind, Harper's dad decides that she needs a reality check. His idea of that reality check - send Harper to camp for the summer. Harper knows right away that she is going to hate her time at Whispering Pines camp. But a bet with her twin brother, who's also attending the camp, give Harper a reason to dig in and do her best to adapt and survive the summer camp experience. This was a really fun read, and there is a love interest for Harper, as well. If you want a light and enjoyable read, you'll enjoy Summer State of Mind.
There you have it. Only The Darkest Path is available in our Congress Library. I also have a copy of this one too. If you're interested in the other titles, they're available at MCPL. In fact, you can get The Testing, The Darkest Path, and Summer State of Mind as e-books on overdrive. I have a link to MCPL's overdrive system on my reading page on our team website. Happy reading!
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