Michael Vey: Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

Michael is a 15-year-old high school freshman with Tourette's syndrome.  His best friend, Austin, is brilliant, but lacks social skills.  They are definitely not in the "in" crowd, but they have a secret.  Michael can generate an electric shock and deliver it at will.  His mother has always insisted that he keep his power secret, but Austin knows and is determined to figure out how Michael's powers work.  When, one day, Michael discovers that a cheerleader, Taylor, also has electric powers, they form a club to try to find out where their power came from.  The searching alerts some evil men who want to use Michael, Taylor, and teens like them to eventually rule the world. 

This is a series that is popular with kids who like Rick Riordan and Harry Potter, but I had never read it.  When it first came out, my kids read it and told me I probably wouldn't like it because it was too violent.  This week, when I ran out of other things to read and was waiting for a hold, I decided I ought to read it because it is so popular.  As it turned out, my kids were right.  I did not like it.  It is really dark.  Michael and Taylor are tortured by an evil chick called Michelle, and manipulated by the chief bad guy in really cruel ways.  I finished the book, but I am pretty much done with Michael Vey.  Actually, I haven't really liked anything by Evans. His Christmas books I read were really over the top wish fulfillment, and in a way this was, too.  This was wish fulfillment for a teen boy (who has awesome power, defeats the bad guy, and gets the girl), while the others were what Mr. Evans thought was wish fulfillment for middle aged women.  So, yeah, I am done. (326 p. 2011)