Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a classic dystopian book. The story occurs sometime in the future, during the next world war. A plane of young British boys crashes on a small island. With minimal resources from the outside world, the boys try to find ways to survive. Some are focused on getting rescued, while others just want to have some fun. Ralph, originally the boy placed in charge, struggles to maintain order among the boys, especially against Jack, who is leading the boys down a dangerous path.
All of Us Villains by authors Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman is about seven teenagers picked as champions in a tournament occurring each generation, where only one can reclaim ancient magic for their families. Now exposed to the world, the Blood Moon Curse tournament is being watched and followed by everyone in the city of Ilvernath. The story follows the perspectives of four champions and their internal battle to choose between supplying their family with glory or rewriting the rules of their predicament.
Salama was once a pre-medical student living a normal life with a bright future ahead of her. Suddenly, when war breaks out in Syria, her life is uprooted, and she watches her brother and father taken away to fight at war. Later, her mom is lost in another fight near her neighborhood. Now, the only person Salama has left is Layla, her sister-in-law, who is carrying her brother’s child. Salama feels heartbroken that her brother won’t be there during the birth of his baby, or to support Layla, but she promises that she will keep Layla safe at any cost.
Dune by Frank Herbert is an interstellar tale set on the inhospitable desert planet of Arrakis (Dune), a place that holds a substance called the “spice” melange. This substance is highly coveted due to its magical properties, and as a result, many wars have been waged over it. The story follows the young heir of Arrakis, Paul Atreides, after his house is betrayed and his father killed.
Two Degrees by Alan Gratz follows three natural disaster stories of four teenage kids and how they handle the situations they’re in. Akira, who lives in California, encounters a wildfire, Owen and George, who live in Canada, encounter polar bear attacks, and Natalie, who lives in Florida, encounters a hurricane.
The Scorch Trials, the second book in the Maze Runner series, is about Thomas and the other Gladers trying to survive the second trial the people from WICKED set up. They have to face difficulties like sandstorms, starvation, and worst of all the crazy cranks. If the Gladers don’t make it to the end of the mountain in two weeks, they won’t get the cure they need.
The Life of Pi follows Pi Patel a young Indian boy who experiences a shipwreck while crossing the Pacific Ocean trying to start a new life in Canada with his family. The story starts off as a flashback into Pi’s life prior to the shipwreck and he recounts his time in Pondi Cherry, India- where he grew up. He spent a lot of time at his family-owned zoo and developed a strong love for animals!
Lord of the Flies is an exploration of human nature and the mask of civilization that keeps our instincts in check. The novel is set on a deserted island after a plane crash and highlights the boys' decline from order into chaos as they try to govern themselves. However, it slowly turns into savagery. Golding uses characters like Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and Simon to represent different parts of society, morality, and human behavior. The conch shell becomes a powerful symbol of order and democracy.
Project Hail Mary begins with a guy who wakes up not knowing where he is, how he got there or why he is in the situation he is. Eventually, he comes to find out what his purpose is by relying on his impressive memory. His goal is to save the Earth from a small microbe called Astrophage. Astrophage is a huge problem because as it spreads rapidly the sun starts losing its light. Pressure is on for this sole survivor as he tries to save Earth before its too late.
When an accident during a dust storm leaves astronaut Mark Watney stranded on Mars, everybody thinks he’s dead. Left alone with no communication, few resources and limited food and water, Watney will be a testament to the human instinct of survival. Armed with his botany and engineering skills, Mark sets out to survive by any means possible. Every day, he faces a new task ahead of him - all while knowing that his chances of survival become slimmer each day. After NASA finally discovers that he’s alive, the time for a rescue mission is quickly running out.
