Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Set in the not-too-distant future (the year 2044,) Cline's dystopian yet hopeful tale is a fun, thought-provoking and clever story.

Orphaned high school senior Wade Watts lives in the "stacks" - giant stacks of trailers piled on top of one another - with his aunt and several others just outside of Oklahoma City. In an effort to escape his bleak reality, he spends his days logged into the virtual world, "OASIS," where he has created an alternative identity and also where he attends school. When not attending his online classes or hanging out in a chat room with his best friend, he devotes his time to pursuing the ultimate gaming challenge - OASIS creator James Halliday's complex multi-layered puzzle, the winner of which will receive Halliday's fortune.

When Wade solves the first puzzle, he (or his avatar, Parzival,) is suddenly thrust into the limelight, triggering untold fame and infamy, as he becomes the main target for the evil corporation, IOI, who employ thousands in the hopes of solving the puzzle (and gaining the fortune and power) first. The floodgates are then open, as Wade's best friend, online crush, and brothers from Japan also solve the first puzzle, soon to be followed by the IOI bots (i.e. "Sixers.") It isn't long before the Sixers have the advantage, and are the closest to solving the final puzzle.

Can Wade and his friends outsmart and defeat the Sixers? Or will they all go down in fiery defeat? Will Wade ever be able to function in reality, instead of just online?

Cline's love of pop culture shines through in this endearingly geeky homage to the 1980's. There are so many layers to this story, it has the potential to appeal to a wide audience. Rumors indicate that a movie is already in the works!

The Sunflower by Richard Paul Evans

Looking for a light, gentle romantic read with a social conscience? Richard Paul Evans might be just what you are looking for.

Christine is stunned when her fiance, Martin, calls off their wedding (that she has planned in a bridezilla-like fashion) one week before hand. Her best friend, Jessica, in an effort to pull Christine out of her deep depression, signs them up for a volunteer trip to Peru, where they will put in time at an orphanage.

Paul, the director of the orphanage, an American ex-pat who also happens to be a doctor, has some baggage of his own to deal with. However, when he first lays eyes on Christine, he is transfixed by her. Although their time together is brief, the adventures they encounter in the jungles of South America allow them to get to know each other fairly well - enough to know that they both will have some tough questions to answer about their future at the close of the trip.

Ultimately, this is a romance, which guarantees a happy ending. Not even the appearance of Martin towards the end of the story can thwart the budding romance between Paul and Christine. Will they remain in Peru, working at the orphanage together? Or will they come back to the U.S. to live happily ever after?

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

John Grisham, best known for his legal thrillers, has strayed outside his normal genre on several occasions, and met with success each time. He has written Playing for Pizza, Bleachers, and this title, Skipping Christmas, all of which are beyond the scope of his usual fare.

Skipping Christmas details the story of the Kranks, a suburban family who decide to buck the yearly holiday traditions of overspending, overdoing and overstressing in favor of taking a luxury vacation. Their grown daughter has joined the Peace Corps, so will not be home for Christmas, giving Luther and Nora the perfect opportunity to escape. What Luther, who is the catalyst behind the plan, does not anticipate is the reaction of his neighbors, coworkers and friends who consider the Krank's antics high treason. When Luther and Nora discover that their daughter is coming home for Christmas after all, will they choose to stick with their master plan? Or will they manage to pull together a Christmas to remember?

While this is a nice, quick read for this busy time of year, the story lacks any real oomph. Luther is rather unlikable; Nora is much more sympathetic, so the reader wants things to work out for her sake. That being said, this might be just the sentimental light story that will make readers happy this time of year.