I'd recommend the newer book, Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines, to people who like the Hunger Games, Graceling, Tamora Pierce, the Uglies series, Maximum Ride, and other action books featuring strong heroines.

With a few futuristic touches, this dystopian novel has a pretty contemporary feel, with the exception of the inclusion of a reality-tv-like Gladiator subculture, where gladiators fight (often to the death) for mass entertainment. The Gladiator lifestyle is simultaneously revered and scorned by the overall society.

Lyn is the daughter of seven gladiators. As is common in Glad culture, Lyn's mother remarries a new Gladiator each time she is widowed. The book opens as her current and favorite father, Tommy, prepares to go into the arena. When the winning gladiator claims Lyn's dowry bracelet (worn by Tommy for good luck), the Gladiator Sports Association (GSA) tries to force her to marry the victor.

Lyn is a fiesty and likable character who is determined not to let the powerful GSA control her life. She is equally determined to protect her younger brother, Thad, whose special needs make him especially vulnerable. If you can get past the author's confusing use of dashes, instead of quotation marks to denote dialogue, this is a pretty exciting and suspenseful read.