This is a dystopia book set in the 2040's. It involves a world with a very highly developed virtual reality system that many people escape to, avoiding real life. When the creator of the whole thing dies, he leaves his fortune to the first one to find the easter egg he's hidden somewhere in the thousands of worlds he created. And, because he was obsessed with the 1980's, the book and the characters and the mystery all refer heavily to the 1980's games, music, movies, and culture. I enjoyed as much as I got to, and wished I had had time to finish it. (And I don't enjoy dystopia books.)
(Unfortunately, the book was due back to the library before I finished it, but I've been assured by those who have finished it that it is well worth reading. I enjoyed the half I read. Also, there is more language in this than I usually prefer. If that bothers you, you are forewarned. And, Kristen, I'm pretty sure there's even some romance involved, I just got to the very beginning of that part.)
Book two: The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
This is a book on my list of need to read. It is a children/young adult fantasy. Three siblings in an orphanage find an atlas that allows them to travel through time and get caught up in the fight between good and evil. It is the first book in the trilogy. Both my husband and my 9 year old have recommended it to me, so it has wide appeal.
