Pills and Starships by Lydia Millet

 It's the near future, past the "Tipping Point" when global warming can no longer be reversed. Seventeen year old Nat's parents have elected to die to ease the carbon footprint of mankind. They've bought a contract which allows a corporation to manage their death during one Final Week of luxury in Hawaii. Nat takes the mood altering pharmaceuticals on offer and mocks the meaningless language used by their resident therapist. But her hacker brother Sam has been doing some research and he has a different plan.

Gorgeous, literary sci-fi, in which our decaying world is fully realized and not too far from reality. It is a very bleak vision, but one with a hopeful ending. Definitely a book for independent thinkers. 

For ages 12+

Published by Akashic Books June 10, 2014

Review first published in Meet YA@DIESEL newsletter, July 2014

More Than This by Patrick Ness

More Than This begins with the death of its teenage protagonist and gets stranger from there. The book is set in a seemingly abandoned and desperately creepy landscape, as detailed as it is desolate. But this is so much more than just another dystopian adventure. Excellent pacing and realistic relationships counterweight the inherent paranoia in this perception jolting and genre busting novel. 

Hands down my favorite young adult book of 2013, not just for the writing, but also for the no holds barred approach to content.

Great for teens and grown-ups who enjoy psychological thrillers and sci-fi.

Published September 10, 2013 by Candlewick