Awaken

As violence in schools grew out of control, one man put a plan into action to protect the future: the Freeman Digital School.  Being the daughter of the man who is considered a hero and one of the most powerful in the nation, Maddie barely knows human contact is.  Now almost everything in Maddie's life is done digitally, but something about this bothers Maddie. When Maddie meets Justin, an exciting and people-loving young man who "rescues" others from a constantly plugged in life, she feels truly alive for the first time.    

Kate Kacvinsky creates a world that could eerily be not so far away from where society is right now, which is what makes this a very engaging read.  However, while there was an attraction written between Maddie and Justin, it fell a little flat for me because it was well, you know, scripted. I also had a seriously hard time not comparing this to Matched, which really knocked it out of the park.

There is a sequel coming that I think I'll still read because for a first novel, it's got a lot of potential.  

* Read for possible inclusion on the 2012/2013 YARP list.