This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 A lot of books get compared to The Hunger Game, but The Culling probably fits that comparison better than most. It takes place in a dystopian world, there is a competition in which teens are randomly selected and then pitted against one another, and it is a violent and heart breaking story. But even though it's a bit derivative of The Hunger Games it is still unique enough that I think it's worth reading. 
 Right away The Culling sets itself apart with the male narrator - Lucky. Lucky lives alone with his brother and tries to keep his head down in a society dominated by government control and regulation. I loved the emphasis on family (another similarity to The Hunger Games - but a theme I'll never get sick of) and Lucky's brother is just so sweet! You are sure to fall in love with him instantly. 
 The stakes are high right off the bat and they never decrease. As soon as Lucky is picked in The Culling he must complete challenges against other teenagers. Whoever loses the challenge has to choose between their two Incentives (the people they care about the most) - who will live and who will die. You spend the whole time on the edge of your seat, heart pounding, because you don't want Lucky to lose. But you also don't want any of the others to face that choice either. No matter what happens it's sure to be devastating. 
 What really struck me about The Culling was how LGBTQ characters are represented. Being gay isn't presented as something different from the norm. No one even blinks at the mention of a gay couple or same sex marriage. It's as if the assumption of heterosexuality doesn't exist in this world. In many other books if someone suddenly announced they were gay it's usually met with surprise (even if it's understanding surprise) but that isn't the focus here. It's as if being gay is no more remarkable than the colour of your eyes or hair. I loved it! 
 At its heart The Culling is a story of surviving not for yourself but for others. Both literally in the case of the Incentives and figuratively in regard to the more day to day sacrifices people have made for one another. 
 Recommendation: The Culling is a fast paced and heart pounding read. Fair warning, it is a lot more violent than other YA books out there, but if that doesn't bother you than you should definitely pick it up!