Panic

Each year in the small town of Carp, seniors compete in a game called Panic, but the stakes are high. The winner could take home $67,000, but to do so means risking one's life over and over again in a series of dangerous challenges such as climbing up the water tower and going around it or running across a busy highway blind-folded. For Heather, the risk is worth it as she hopes to run away from her dysfunctional home with her little sister, but as the game progresses and alliances are formed and broken, Heather will discover she's not the only one with a secret and a need to win that will cause them to stop at nothing to win, no matter the cost.

Though this novel may seem reminiscent of The Hunger Games or Divergent, it's neither a science fiction or dystopian novel since it takes place in the present day U.S. and the competing characters are doing so of their own free will. As usual, Lauren Oliver excels at developing interesting characters and storylines.