Shatter Me follows the story of a 17-year-old girl named Juliette Ferrars in a futuristic dystopian world ruled by the Reestablishment; a totalitarian government which promises to “help” people by taking away their basic rights. Juliette, who has the power to torture and kill anyone she touches, was taken away from her home and placed in an asylum for 264 days because she accidentally killed a toddler. However, everything changes when a boy named Adam arrives in her cell and Juliette starts to trust him.
This dystopian novel keeps readers guessing throughout the whole book as it unfolds the life of Kathy who reminisces about her childhood at Hailsham Boarding School. Here, Kathy and her friends, Tom and Ruth, lead seemingly ordinary lives at the school. However, they gradually become aware of their purpose as clones made for organ donation. As they grow older, the kids confront the reality of their existence, seeking a “normal” life. This novel explores the ethical dilemmas surrounding cloning and organ harvesting, raising many questions about the value of life.
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is a satirical novel that explores the absurdity of human pursuits and the destructiveness of technological advancements. The story follows the narrator, John (or Jonah), as he attempts to write a book about the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. His research leads him to the enigmatic Dr. Felix Hoenikker, the inventor of the apocalyptic substance Ice-Nine, which can freeze water instantly.
In the Headquarters of WICKED, a team full of teenagers has been put to the ultimate test, completing one impossible task to another. Thomas has lost everything, his memories, friends, and even his own identity are gone. As the final tests come to completion by a team of scientists and other people, Thomas wants answers to everything he had to go through. His rebellious nature finally wins and he escapes the complex only to see a whole new world. Will Thomas ever be free from the chains of his past?
Scythe by Neal Shusterman is a book in a futuristic world where people can’t die. The only people who can take lives are scythes. These people’s jobs are to kill people to prevent the world from becoming overpopulated. The story follows Citra and Rowan, two kids chosen to be apprentices to Scythe Faraday. As they enter the Scythe world, Citra and Rowan start seeing the corruption and moral dilemmas.
Summary: Dark Age by Pierce Brown is the fifth book in the Red Rising series, continuing the story of Darrow, a lowborn revolutionary fighting against a tyrannical society ruled by a color-coded hierarchy. Set in a future where humanity has colonized the solar system, the story explores into themes of power, betrayal, and the consequences of war.
Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End is a Young Adult, LGBT novel that recounts the final hours of main characters Mateo and Rufus’ lives after being informed that they only have 24 hours to live. Confronted by this daunting news, both characters are forced to confront their fears and regrets as they set off together to fulfill their final wishes.
Summary: Want by Cindy Pon is a gripping cyberpunk thriller set in a future Taipei, where pollution and class disparity dominate society. The story follows Jason Zhou and his group of friends as they plot to take down Jin Corp, the company responsible for the environmental destruction and health disparities plaguing the city. To infiltrate the elite circles of Jin Corp, Zhou, and his friends undergo dangerous transformations and navigate a world of high-tech espionage and moral ambiguity.
The book Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is a young adult dystopian novel which follows Juliette, a girl whose touch can kill. She’s locked away in prison and is suddenly needed by the Reestablishment who fear war. She doesn’t know how to control her power, or her curse, which is what she thinks. She doesn’t know who to trust either. Now Juliet must make her own choices, and make sure she makes the right ones.
The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu is the second book in the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy. Set during an alien invasion, the book explores humanity's response to the Fermi Paradox, proposing the "Dark Forest" theory as a solution: the universe is a dark forest where every civilization is like a hunter hiding in the darkness, seeking to survive while avoiding detection by conflict.
