Hunger by Jackie Kessler

Lisabeth Lewis is seventeen and anorexic. When a friend confronts her about it, she decides it's time to end everything and tries to commit suicide. But she's interrupted by a young man with a package and a command, "...go thee out unto the world." The package is a Scale. Lisabeth has just become Famine, one of the Four Horsemen (women?) of the Apocalypse.

Of course, she believes it has all been a dream. However, she can't ignore the Scales that appear out of nowhere (that no one else can see) or the black horse in her backyard eating her mother's flowers. Or the riot she starts in Sydney, thousands of miles from home.

Once Lisabeth learns what real hunger is like from villagers eating dirt cookies, how can she continue to live like she has been? And how can she use this power to help instead of hurt?

An interesting concept--I've never read anything like this anyway. Lisabeth is a hard character to really like at first, but she has many redeemable qualities as the story goes on. There are amusing parts (especially when Death is singing) and the ending is especially moving.

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for the past six years, right after a nuclear attack on the United States. There was no time to wait for Gram or for Eddy, Eli's twin brother. Eli's response is to pull back from everyone and try to survive without getting attached to anyone else. They have another 8 years before they can think about leaving.

But things aren't going well. They are running out of food, and Eli can't stomach the idea of his dad's solution. His mom is pregnant again, the vegetable garden is dying, and Eli's dad is acting crazy. Then Eli finds a wireless connection. Soon he questions whether there was an nuclear attack at all--especially when he finds out Eddy is still alive.

Crazy paranoid but fantastic book. I enjoyed the character development and although I'm not surprised at the ending, I thought it worked with the book.