Book Review: Uglies

TITLE: Uglies
Book 1 in the Uglies series
AUTHOR: Scott Westerfield
PUBLISHED: 2005
CATEGORY: Young adult
GENRE: dystopian, adventure
PREMISE: Tally can't wait to turn sixteen and finally be a Pretty but there's a snag in her plans: she has to betray a friend in order to do it.
MY REVIEW: Long before Hunger Games Westerfield was ahead of the game by writing a dystopian series. Sadly because they're everywhere now, this doesn't feel as fresh and as new to me as I'm sure to people who read it when it first came out. I sort of wish I found it before the dystopian trend happened. Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk. It's still a very good book either way.
Westerfield has become a favorite author of mine recently after discovering his Levianthan/Midnighters books. He's been around a few years and for good reason. His writing is solid, he's creative, he has good relateable characters, he helps teens think about issues without pandering or condescending to them.
So yes, because of the dystopians all out nowadays it doesn't feel new and shiny but this is definitely a solid book and I see why so many recomend it. Really looking forward to reading the rest of these.
WHO SHOULD READ: Westerfield fans, dystopian fans, Hunger Games fans
MY RATING: Four and a half out of Five Pretties