If You Like The Hunger Games, You’ll Love…

The Hunger Games trilogy has taken the world by storm. It made a household name of Jennifer Lawrence, and it has become one of the best-selling trilogies ever and has made author Suzanne Collins the best-selling Kindle ebook author of all time.

Chances are, you read the books (or saw the films) and you loved them. So what should you read next? Well, we think that if you like The Hunger Games, you’ll love…

Divergent series by Veronica Roth

Every list of books that are great for people suffering from post-Hunger Games blues is topped by this series. It starts in a dystopian society where, on a particular day, every sixteen year old has to dedicate themselves to one of five tribes, distinguished by virtues. There is Abnegation (they are selfless), Amity (peaceful), Candor (honest), Dauntless (brave), and Erudite (intelligent). The main character, Beatrice, has to decide whether to stay with her family or stay true to herself, a decision that becomes more complicated as war between the tribes looms.

The Maze Runner series by James Dashner

This plot is a little bit complicated, but it starts with Thomas, who wakes up in a strange place remembering nothing except his first name. He is ushered in to The Glade, an open expanse surrounded by a deadly maze, by the other boys there, all of whom have arrived in the same bizarre way. Unexpectedly, a girl – the first girl ever seen in The Glade – shows up with a message that challenges everything The Gladers think they know.

Gone series by Michael Grant

In the town of Perdido Beach, people aged 15 and over suddenly vanish, and the town is surrounded by an energy field. As the children left behind struggle to cope in a world without adults, some of them begin to develop supernatural powers. Factions begin to form between groups of children, and as tensions grow, some children try to figure out what happened and how to put things right. Unfortunately, time is limited, as people disappear as soon as they turn fifteen.

Legend series by Marie Lu

In this series, June doesn’t immediately seek to take down a dystopian government. Instead, she lives in a wealthy part of a warmongering nation that used to be the western United States. She is being primed to enter the military elite when her brother is apparently murdered by the country’s most wanted criminal. She seeks him out to take revenge, but when she finds him, she discovers that they are both pawns in a much bigger government conspiracy.

Uglies series by Scott Westerfield

The Uglies series explores a future where every sixteen year old has to undergo plastic surgery to fit in with a strict definition of beauty. As if that weren’t bad enough, the procedure also damages the parts of the brain that allow people to argue, become angry and be creative. The story follows Tally, a sixteen year old who is eager to become pretty until she meets an underground group called “uglies” who have refused to have the procedure. She then learns the cost of the procedure to both individuals and wider society.

Matched series by Ally Condie

Love is complicated, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could run an algorithm and just find the person who is right for you? That is the premise of this series, which sees the government using algorithms to make every decision for the populace, from what to read to who to marry and when. Cassia has never had a problem with this arrangement, until the computer accidentally matches her with two people. She falls in love with the man suggested in the computer glitch, and as she decides to follow her heart, she begins to challenge the society that tells her what she is doing is wrong and transgressive.

 

These are our recommendations for books you’ll love if you like The Hunger Games, but what do you think? Which books would you recommend?

And do you really fear for sixteen year olds in the future? Looks pretty grim for them…