Starters

Lissa Price's debut sets up one of the more original dystopian concepts of the YA boom — seniors renting teenagers' bodies — and handles it with real moral seriousness about identity and exploitation. Callie is a resourceful, grounded protagonist, and the pacing earns its Hunger Games comparisons. World-building is patchier than it should be, and you'll need the sequel for full resolution, but this is a strong, inventive opener.