24 Books Like the Hunger Games to Devour Now

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This is the first book in the Hunger Games series and it is epic! In the aftermath of what was once North America, there are 12 Districts surrounding the capital.

Each year, each district sends one boy and one girl to fight to the death in a competition called “The Hunger Games”. Katniss Everdeen volunteers as a tribute to save her younger sister, Prim, from certain death in the games where it is kill-or-be-killed.

Why We Love This Book: This sci-fi book has everything but at its heart, it is a book about family, love, and survival. This young adult book has a heart while making you turn the pages!
Find this book in Books Like the Hunger Games / Young Adult Fantasy Series / Books About Sisters / Sci-Fi Books / Books Like Fourth Wing / YA Dystopian Novels

Catching Fire ( The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Katniss and Peeta have won the Hunger Games and are supposed to be able to live out their lives in Victor’s Village but, the Capitol wants revenge.

There is a rumor of a rebellion and the only way for the capitol to squash the growing displeasure is with a quarter quell.

The Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

The Capitol wants revenge on Katniss and they know just how to make Katniss pay. The final book in the Hunger Games Trilogy is NOT to be missed. I will not give any more details because I cannot give anything away about this epic conclusion.

If you are reading The Hunger Games in order (as you must in order to understand the series), you will not be disappointed with this epic third book.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

If you have read The Hunger Games in order then you hate Coriolanus Snow.  But, how did he come to be the ruthless ruler of Pam-am?

This book takes us back to the morning of the reaping of the 10th Hunger Games.  Young Coriolanus is the mentor for the female tribute of District 12- the lowest of the low.  Now, their fates are entwined as his success in the capital will be determined by her success. 

This was not as good as the original trilogy; however, it provides enlightenment, insight, and so many answers. I think it is a must-read for books like the Hunger Games Trilogy.

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

I had heard so much about this book and was excited to read it.  I have a hard time not comparing this young adult fantasy book to the Divergent Series and The Hunger Games which were both amazing. 

This book is part fantasy and part sci-fi in a world of predator cities. Giant cities chase small towns and devour them in an effort to survive. Of all the urban fantasy books, this one closely resembles sci-fi.

Find this book in Books Like the Hunger Games / YA Dystopian Books / Urban Fantasy Books

The Thousandth Floor by Katherine McGee

Set 100 years in the future in a 1000-floor tower, New York’s privileged elite navigate romance, privilege, and temptation in this sci-fi YA novel.

It gave me gossip girl vibes with a futuristic feel except it opens with someone falling from their death from the top floor. Avery Fuller is genetically designed to be perfect but is her life as perfect as it seems? If you love sci-fi, forbidden love stories, and the fight for survival of the Hunger Games, this book is perfect for you to read.

Find this book in Books Like the Hunger Games / Sci-Fi Books / YA Dystopian Books

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

Akos and Cyra are caught in a battle between enemy countries fighting for control of the planet. When Akos is kidnapped and forced to serve Cyra, he learns that they are both struggling for survival.

The two become stuck in a rebellion and they have to choose between fighting for their families or fighting for what is right. Will they choose love for each other or loyalty to their family?

This dystopian sci-fi for teens is perfect pick for books like The Hunger Games

Cinder by Melissa Meyer

This four-book series is set in the future in a time of disease and war.  This series is part twisted fairy tale, part dystopia, and part sci-fi fantasy.  

Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel are re-imagined as you have never seen them before. All of them are smart and strong women far from the helpless damsels in distress we know them to be. 

The first in this series of classic book retellings introduces us to Cinder.  She is a cyborg (part human, part machine) who lives with her……..you guessed it….. two step-sisters and stepmother.

Find this book in Books Like Cinder / YA Dystopian Books / YA Romance Fantasy Books / Best Teen Fantasy / Books Like The Selection

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In this trilogy, Chicago society is divided into factions dedicated to a particular virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. On a selected day, all 16-year-olds gather to choose their faction.

Beatrice must choose between staying with her family and becoming who she was meant to be. This first book in the trilogy is unlike anything I had read. It drew me in and kept me turning the pages until the end. Of course, nothing is as it seems in this dystopian YA Fantasy.

Find this book in Books Like the Hunger Games / Books Like the Selection / YA Dystopian Novels

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally is about to turn 16, the time when every teen will undergo radical and high-tech surgery to make them unnaturally beautiful. Before the surgery, teens are sequestered because of how ugly they are to look at.

When Tally’s best friend runs away to live with a group of people who have rejected the surgery, her life takes a spin. She must choose to track down her friend and betray her or live as “an ugly” for the rest of her life.

It took me a while to wrap my head around just how messed up this society is but I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

Find this book in Young Adult Dystopian Novels / Books Like The Hunger Games

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas wakes up surrounded by a group of strangers. They are all boys like him who remember nothing about themselves except for their names. They are stuck inside a maze.

The only way out is through the ever-changing maze from which no one has ever escaped. When a girl arrives with a message, the first girl ever, she must head her message and “remember, survive, run”. This book reminded us a little of The Hunger Games because of the nature of the maze. It is all one big, deadly game.

Find this book in Books Like The Hunger Games / YA Dystopian Novels

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

Seven families compete every twenty years over control of high magick. When the Blood Moon rises, the blood veil falls and each family chooses one child to compete to the death. The stakes are high and the prize is epic.

I loved this urban fantasy book and it left me simultaneously freaked out and wanting more. The parents in this book are brutal and willing to sacrifice their children willingly. It is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, but, the magical competition in this book makes it perfect for a list of books like The Night Circus. This is one of the must-read young adult fantasy books.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber 

When it comes to YA Fantasy books, this one is a classic. The story begins with letters from Scarlett to Legend, the leader of Caraval- a game played once a year in a far-off destination.

Every year, every time it is played, the game is different. Filled with magic and wonder, Scarlet plays this destination-based competition to win this year’s prize – her sister Tella – before anyone else can. This is a game filled with magic where the stakes become higher the longer Scarlet plays.

Why We Love It: This is the first book in a three-part series that gets better and more complex with each new book. This series of YA fantasy romance books is a must-read.
Find this book in Stephanie Garber Books / YA Fantasy Romance Books / Books Like the Selection / Best Puzzle Books

The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Tiffany Brooks

Although this book does not have magic, it does have a deadly game that gave me Hunger Games vibes the minute I read it.

When a group of high school students is brought to a deserted island for a reality show similar to Survivor, nothing is as it seems.

As the competitors search for a treasure that has been lost long ago, things start to go very wrong on the set. And the local curse does say 7 will die before the treasure is found. This pick from books like The Hunger Games will keep you turning the pages until the last sentence.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

The Hunger Games meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this haunting and disturbing tale. At the age of sixteen, all women must go into the wild for a year to release their magic.  The people of Garner County call this the Grace Year and speaking of it is forbidden.

As Tierney James Grace Year approaches, she dreams of a world in which women aren’t pitted against each other in a battle to survive.  This book is eery and completely creepy.  I could not put it down

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I have been on some weird dystopian kick recently – which is funny because I had to be forced to read the Hunger Games. Now I can’t seem to stop! I’m sure I’ll switch gears this summer, but I love this young adult fantasy novel.

In this world, those with red blood are common and those with silver blood are elite with superhuman abilities. In the war against Silvers and Reds, Mare Barrow is special and so is this book. The ending was a total shock! I couldn’t put it down.

Find this book in Books like The Hunger Games / YA Romance fantasy books / Books like ACOTAR / YA Dystopian Novels / Books Like The Selection / Books with Red in the Title

Matched by Ally Condie 

Think of Matched as The Giver with a love triangle. Officials chose who you will marry, but Cassia falls in love with a boy she isn’t matched with and it causes her to reconsider everything she knows about her world and its rules.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

We have talked about this series so many times for a reason.  It is so much fun- think Hunger Games meets the Bachelor. It’s a reality TV royal match-making contest in a dystopian world.

But, in this case, the bachelor also happens to be the future king.  Can you imagine if William held a contest to see who would be the future princess?

Why We Love This Book: This is one of our favorite books about royals. It also happens to be the reason that Beyond the Bookends exits, but that is an entirely different story.
Find this book in Books Like The Selection / Ultimate List of YA Fantasy / Books Like ACOTAR / Books Like the Hunger Games/ YA Dystopian Books

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

In a world with no hunger and no disease, humans can no longer die of natural causes. In order to control the population, two teens are chosen to become the dreaded Scythe.

As Scythes, the teens must master the art of killing and are subject to a quota each day of people who are randomly chosen to die. As they slowly learn to fulfill their roles, they must also come to terms with the lives they will be leaving behind.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

In 2045, most people spent their days in the OASIS, a virtual reality world. When the elusive creator of the OASIS dies and leaves clues behind, the first person to solve the riddles will be in control of the entire OASIS and a massive fortune.

When Wade Watts solves the first clue, he might fight for his survival to win along with his group of misfit friends. Love, a fight for survival, and a group of loyal friends all give me Lunar Chronicle vibes.

Find this book in YA Dystopian Books / Best Sci-Fi Books / Books Like the Hunger Games / Puzzle Books for Adults

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

Earth has been invaded by an alien species that takes over the mind of the human host. The body remains intact. Melanie Stryder’s body has been taken over by Wanderer but Melanie refuses to fade away.

Melanie thinks about her love, Jared so much that Wanderer’s thoughts become filled with Jared as well. Suddenly, Wanderer and Melanie must work together to survive. When they find Jared it becomes a love triangle of two bodies and three minds.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Set in a dystopian world, the main character Jonas is special because he is the receiver. In his Idyllic community, he is the one that holds the secrets.

This Newberry Award-Winning classic is one of the most influential novels of our time. Interestingly, the Hunger Games has been added to many curriculums to look at dystopian worlds. If you love a classic, this pick is a must read from the list of books like The Hunger Games.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

This classic book tell the story of Meg, a high school student, who must travel through space and time to rescue her father.

Along with her younger brother and her friend, Meg learns about the tesseract- a wrinkle in time and space that she must travel through in order to save her father from Evil.

With its dystopian feels and fight against evil, this classic pick from books like The Hunger Games is a must-read.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

I may have read this one 20 years ago but, it is not a book that you can ever forget.

When a plane carrying a group of school boys crashes on a deserted island, they revel in their newfound freedom. With no adult to tell them what to do, they can do whatever they want.

Soon, all semblance of order is gone and the boys begin to terrorize each other as all hope for rescue is lost. This book is a dystopian fiction at its finest.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

I wont say how many years it has been since I read this book. But I will tell you that I haven’t forgotten any of it.

Set in a future in which all humans are genetically bred to uphold a particular place in society without question, the cost has been freedom in all aspects of the word.