VOYA

According to the Society, whose Officials make all the rules and provide for all needs, Cassia's perfect match is a boy she's known all her life: Xander. At seventeen, the two have a dreamlike matching night in person, unlike most matches, which must be viewed on a screen due to physical distance. No one ever has two matches, but the next day when Cassia faithfully uses her microcard to view Xander's picture and information, his picture disappears, only to be replaced by Ky, another local boy. Ky is an aberration and therefore unmatchable, yet Society has matched the two as an experiment unbeknownst to them. Society has created a perfect world without disease or struggle, but it has stolen all freedom and choice in exchange. Cassia discovers the difference between loving and being in love, thanks to her grandfather's secret gift of a poem—"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night"—along with his last bit of wisdom that it is okay "to wonder." This powerful debut novel, the first in a trilogy, demonstrates mastery of metaphor and characters that are strongly rendered. Reminiscent in tone and style to the Hunger Games series (Scholastic), this engrossing, futuristic, dystopian read will satisfy readers. The author does a frighteningly believable job of building a new world, and the romantic cover art symbolically represents Cassia's plight. It is a great read for fans of Meyer, Collins, and Lowry, and the story will linger with readers. Reviewer: Ava Edhe