Divergent by Veronica Roth

If you are looking for young adult novels that are blazing new trails, then this is not for you--it follows the Hunger Games formula to a tee, right down to the strong female heroine, the evil empire that is attempting to take over and control over what is left of the dystopian world, and the concept that absolute power corrupts (really, what was Marx thinking?  Communism?  Not happening).

The reason to read this is that it is competently written, the heroine, Tris, has her own voice (she is not Katniss Jr.), and since I am not one to re-read books over and over again, finding something in the young adult range that I can enjoy is always a treat, even if it retreads ground that has already been covered. 
Another reason to read it is that the movie will soon be upon us, and I usually prefer to have read the book before I see the movie.  One or the other, whatever you see second lacks the surprise of the first, but somehow I prefer the surprise to come in written form--not to mention that if the movie is a bit disjointed (I am thinking of the Harry Potter movies, which I am pretty sure I coul dnot have followed if I had not read the books) it is easier to follow if you know where it is going to begin with.