Dawn

Written by : Octavia E. Butler

First line: Alive! Still alive. Alive...again.

Why you should read this book: Deep, provocative, sensual, and powerful, this is the first book of the Lilith's Brood or Xenogenesis Trilogy, in which Lilith Iyapo, a strong young woman who has survived the chaos that ensued after nuclear winter destroyed much of Earth's resources, finds herself captive of an alien race that wishes to preserve their own species by interbreeding with the remaining humans. Lilith, and others like her, has been held in suspended animation for centuries while the Oankali have waited for Earth to become habitable again, and worked to learn all they can about our strange, aggressive, hierarchical species. Fiercely protective of her body and her freedoms, Lilith must learn to embrace her captors, their customs, and ultimately, their desires if she is to ever see her home world again.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're always on the lookout for smut, and the thought of humans interbreeding with aliens sets off your internal Geiger counter.