Defend the Turf

Attack the Block is a comedy/horror movie (think Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) with a surprising dash of morality thrown in. When an alien crash lands in their council estate, a gang of teenagers do what anybody else would: they kill it. However, this one fatal decision causes a full-scale alien invasion and the boys and their leader, Moses, are left to defend the block. They team up with Sam, a woman they had previously mugged, to thwart the police, fight against drug dealers, and protect their neighborhood. Along the way, both Sam and Moses begin to realize that they are responsible for the consequences caused by their actions and prejudices. HM

Not what you'd expect!

Set in the not-too-distant future, Bernard Beckett's novel Genesis puts a modern spin on Plato's Republic. This brief but deep story of dystopian society paints a grim portrait of what Earth has become following years of war and plague: Civilized society has been confined to a remote, walled island near the bottom of the world. Here, inhabitants sacrifice their freedom in exchange for safety and security. This way of life is all young Anex has ever known. Now, hoping to receive a highly-coveted invitation to join the elite Academy, the country's governing body, Anex undergoes a very rigorous enterance examanation. For this, Anex chooses to research and speak on the trial and eventual fate of Adam Forde, an infamous historical figure who defied the government's demand of ultimate submission in order to rescue an outsider. As part of Adam's punishment, he must work with a highly advanced robot named Art. Brings up the argument: What makes us human. The ending will shock you! Not a light read by any means, but definitely worth checking out!

Sleepless in...Maine

One of Stephen King's hidden gems. Shortly after losing his wife to cancer, Ralph Roberts begins suffering from insomnia, waking earlier and earlier each night. At first, he attributes it to getting older (he is, after all, in his 70s), but soon Ralph is lucky to get in two hours before he finds himself lying wide-awake in his darkened bedroom. It's not until Ralph begins seeing strange things--colored envelopes surrounding friends and neighbors that reveal things like health, hidden emotions, and secret agendas--that he realizes something is very wrong. Meanwhile, a storm is brewing in Ralph's small Maine town: An internationally-known women's rights activist has been invited to speak, and certain people will do anything to keep her out. People who have dangerous plans that, if carried out, will throw the universe out of balance and put an end to known life. And Ralph is the only one with the power to thward these plans. With the help of an unlikely ally and some very odd otherworldly beings, Ralph embarks on a race against time to save the universe. Insomnia may be one of King's odder offerings, but it's one of the author's best.

The Host

In a distinct departure from the vampire romances that have made her a teen lit icon, author Stephenie Meyer focuses on a different, more mature audience with her first adult novel, The Host. In this science-fiction thriller, which takes place in the not-too-distant future, parasitic aliens called Souls have invaded Earth. These creatures have taken over the bodies and minds of humans, all but driving the race to extinction. The Host focuses on one such Soul called Wanderer, who has been implanted into the body of a young woman named Melanie. Only Melanie refuses to fully surrender her mind as expected. Overwhelmed with feelings and memories from the very life she has been trying to erase, Wanderer is soon driven unwillingly to find a colony of surviving humans hidden deep within the desert. Among these survivors is the man Melanie loves and the child she'd do anything to protect. Wanderer's sympathy for the humans turns to curiosity and then to love. How can Wanderer put her feelings aside and complete her mission? Never before has this creature been so emotionally torn about a duty that, before, felt so right. An action-packed story that begs the question: What makes us human?