Delirium

I was so excited to read this book that I actually snatched from a 15 year old's hands telling her that I'd "preview" it for her. HA.

And, true to form, Lauren Oliver has written a compelling and slightly addictive story of a world where love is considered to be a deadly disease. Much like Scott Westerfeld's Uglies trilogy, this world mandates brain surgery when kids come of age... and there's a small faction that refuses to live within this constraint.

There is something missing in this world, though. Whereas the world of Uglies is complete and believable, the world of Delirium seems more like a random departure from our current society -- an almost Nazi-ish regime complete with raiding parties and a hellish prison system.

Read it for the thought-provoking premise and for the beautifully crafted love story. Just don't put her science fiction under a microscope because you'll be disappointed.