Jepp, Who Defied the Stars (Hyperion, 2012) by Katherine Marsh was eye-opening for me. I had no idea that dwarfs were treated so badly.
Jepp, who has always lived with his mother at their inn, has been offered a chance to go to Coudenberg Palace. He takes it and then finds he is to be humiliated to serve as entertainment for the Spanish Infanta and her royal court. He and the other dwarfs are held prisoner and live at the whims of those around them. However, this intelligent young man doesn't resignedly accept his fate.
The story was inspired by real characters in history and the author's mother's interest in astrology. Read more here.
I encourage anyone who starts reading this book and finds the formality of the writing a bit off-putting to push through--soon you'll not notice it at all as you become engrossed in the story.
Sophomore Adam Ziegler has been hiding in the dark of the high school theater. Of course, he runs the lights so that's one reason he's hidden. But there's more to it than that. Like his father dying 2 years ago. And the feud between the actors and the techs. But then he's attracted by an actress named Summer and crosses the line. 
His book Since You Left Me is coming out in August. And in summer of 2013, Allen has a thriller series called Boy Nobody coming. Woo Hoo!
