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Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

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Brief synopsis (no spoilers): Post-apocalyptic world where everyone has a surgery that makes them perfectly pretty when they turn 16. Tally is one of the last of her year in school to turn pretty. When she makes friends with Shay she learns about a group of people who have refuse to have the surgery and run away to live in a place called the Smoke. This knowledge turns Tally's whole world upside down and Tally must make some hard decisions about moving forward. 

Category: YA

Why I chose this book: Had started the series before and wanted to give it another try. 

My personal opinion (the review): In our modern world where sometimes it seems that beauty is everything, who wouldn't want a surgery that would make everyone beautiful, slender, and muscular for the rest of their lives. However, it's so scary to think what we might be willing to give up for the price of beauty. And the lengths that some might go for control. Overall not a top favorite, but an interesting read. 

Warnings
Language: None
Violence: Very mild
"Adult" situations: Mild kissing, nothing intense. 
Death: Only one minor character

Movie rating equivalent: PG-13

Protagonist description: At first Tally seems whiny and a bit boring, but as the story progresses we see that there is more to her than we originally see. She thinks quickly on her feet and is able to piece things together in a way that not many of her peers can do.  

Point of view of story: First, Tally

Book length: Short

Story flow: Started out slow, but got better as it went

Grammar and spelling issues: A few weird things in the way they talk, but nothing that is hard to understand. 

Character connection (no spoilers): I'd love more backstory on David. 

For series:
Independent or integral: Independent as first in series

Series review as a whole: Still deciding

If you only have time for one, read: Uglies

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