Mandie forced me to drop everything and read this, and I'm glad she did. Its status as one of the must-reads of fall is rightfully earned. It kept me up past bedtime and distracted when I should have been thinking of other things. And it's only Book 1 of a trilogy and I can't wait to find out what happens next!!! 
 (Nitpicky aside: I did wish someone would have caught all the comma splices, but hopefully that will be corrected in the next edition!) 
 I won't restate the good synopsis given by Goodreads, but if you like gripping, burn-the-midnight-oil sci-fi or dystopia, have ever wondered how far goverment control and/or reality TV will go, liked House of the Scorpion or Life As We Knew It or Uglies or The Giver, this book is for you. It also reminded me of the short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. 
 And Mrs. Drake, wherever you are, here is MORE science fiction with a girl protagonist (with plenty to keep the boys engrossed as well). Go out and read it!