Books to Read if You Like The Hunger Games

10 Sep 2015

We’re always looking for new books to read with the same appeal as The Hunger Games. It must be dystopian, it must be a page-turner, it must be a good book for teens, and it must have great characters.

We’ve seen a lot of ‘books to read if you like The Hunger Games’ posts around the internet, filled with great recommendations like Matched, Legend, and Cinder. Since we’re all about what’s new and now, our book list is full of new releases that have a similar appeal to The Hunger Games. You might not have heard of these titles and authors, but we urge you to check them out if you love teenage dystopian books!

We recommend going down the list in order. Our top pick, Initiation, is only $0.99! Also check out our recommendations for books like Divergent.

Top 10 New Books to Read if You Like The Hunger Games

---

1. Initiation by Rebecca Royce

This is our top pick for brand new books to read if you like The Hunger Games. Initiation is a science fiction dystopian adventure about a girl named Rachel who is on a quest all alone – a quest that usually people embark upon in pairs. If you liked the love story, adventure, engaging plot, and fighting in The Hunger Games, you’ll love Initiation.

Bonus: it’s only $0.99 for Kindle!

---

2. Renegade by Kerry Wilkinson

Renegade is book two in Kerry Wilkinson’s Silver Blackthorn Trilogy (get book one here). Renegade will resonate with fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent because of the political structure in the novel. There is, of course, a tyrant akin to President Snow. Dystopian fans will also find a lot to love in the faction-like structure of society that Wilkinson presents.

It’s full of adventure, non-stop action, and compelling prose.

---

3. Evolution by Stephanie Diaz

Evolution is our pick for people who liked Ender’s Game, Ready Player One, AND The Hunger Games. Stephanie Diaz’s novel is a dystopian romp through space, complete with aliens, battleships, and a team of teenagers who are fighting to save the world.

Evolution is the third in a series – pick up Extraction (book one) and Rebellion (book two) as well!

---

4. The Institute by Kayla Howarth

If you loved Katniss and Prim’s relationship in The Hunger Games, The Institute is your next read. It’s about a girl who will do anything to protect her brother from the Institute – the overarching government that reeks of tyranny.

The Institute is a character-driven dystopian with never a dull moment.

---

5. Mindwalker by A.J. Steiger

If the government had the technology to wipe away all of your traumatic memories, would you take advantage of it? Would you delete horrific moments from your mind? In Mindwalker, that is a reality. If the mental hijacking of Peeta fascinated you and you want to read more about a version of that future, pick up Mindwalker.

This is a highly-rated YA dystopian thriller that will keep readers thinking.

---

6. The Well by Catherine Chanter

The Well deals with a dystopian future that is all-too plausible: a world in which water is scarce. Those who have access to water are subjected to violence by those who don’t. The Well is less YA than The Hunger Games, but older readers who love dystopians, literary fiction, and thrillers will love it.

If you like Margaret Atwood and Gillian Flynn just as much as The Hunger Games, this is the book for you.

---

7. The Young World by Chris Weitz

The Young World is written by an acclaimed film writer, and reads like an action-packed post apocalyptic movie. In this version of a dystopian future, a sickness has decimated the population. Survivors gather together and form tribes to find a way to live in the new world.

If your favorite parts of The Hunger Games were the arena scenes, The Young World is for you.

---

8. The Cage by Megan Shepherd

This one is for Hunger Games fans who devoured Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies trilogy. The Cage blends the trapped sense of the arenas from The Hunger Games with the all-terrain adventures of Westerfeld’s novels. And, of course, there’s the love interest.

The Cage is a dystopian suspense with plenty of science fiction elements.

---

9. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

If you loved the high-powered politics of the Capitol in The Hunger Games, pick up The Testing. This book features a sixteen-year-old who is one of the best and brightest of all new graduates, and is therefore fast-tracked to becoming a leader in a post-war civilization.

The Testing is a great book to read for readers who enjoyed Matched by Ally Condie and The Hunger Games.

---

10. The Young Elites by Marie Lu

If you liked The Hunger Games and the Legend trilogy, you’re in luck: Marie Lu (author of Legend) has a new release for YA dystopian fans. It’s a historical fantasy rather than a futuristic dystopian, and has all of the quintessential adventure elements that dystopian readers know and love.

It’s the first in a new series that will appeal to Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, and X-Men lovers alike.

---

Sign up for our email and we’ll send you the best new books in your favorite genres weekly.