Pandemonium

Delirium, the first book in the trilogy, introduced a dystopia in which love is a deadly disease to be eradicated. Chaos reigns as Lena begins working for the resistance and is swept into a battle for freedom. Plenty of action and rising stakes move the story briskly along; the cliffhanger ending offers some rewards while anticipating more dramatic turns to come.

The first book in the trilogy, Delirium (rev. 3/11), introduced a dystopian America in which love, "amor deliria nervosa," is a deadly disease to be eradicated. In this aptly named sequel, chaos reigns as Lena begins a new life in the Wilds and is swept into the war between Deliria-Free America and the growing resistance. The old Lena is dead, buried in the fire and ashes that took her beloved Alex during their botched escape attempt. The new Lena, callused and lean from the endless scrabble for food and shelter outside the bordered communities, survives a bitter winter with the other toughened Invalids -- those uncured from the deliria and therefore still capable of feeling. She re-enters the city under a false identity, working for the resistance. While following orders to tail Julian Fineman, the youth leader of the DFA, she and Julian are both attacked and imprisoned underground. In their battle for freedom, Lena discovers unexpected inner strength and, incredibly, another chance at love. The suspenseful page-turner takes readers into the heart of a harsh new world where Lena and her friends fight for the survival of humanity. Plenty of action and rising stakes move the story briskly from one twist to the next; the cliffhanger ending offers some rewards while anticipating more dramatic turns to come. lauren adams