Following The Hunger Games is a tall order, but many authors are jumping onto the dystopic bandwagon these days with some spectacular results. As this is the first book in a planned trilogy (with movie rights!) and #3 on the 2012 YALSA Teens' Top Ten list, Legend by Marie Lu is a must-read that both guys and girls will enjoy.
Author Lu takes us to a future where the U.S. has been torn apart. A western portion of the country, the Republic, has broken away and battles for independence from the Colonies. The Republic is essentially a dictatorship, with sharp distinctions between the haves and have-nots and frequent outbreaks of the plague. Meanwhile, all teens in the Republic must endure a Trial. If they pass, they are trained to enter the military and support the war effort. If they fail, they enter "labor camps," which turn out to be something even more horrible.