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 capitol.

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 from the certain death of the games.

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.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

If you have read the Hunger Games 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 fans of the Hunger Games Trilogy.

Gregor the Overlander (The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins)

In this book by Suzanne Collins, Gregor falls into a dark Underland from the laundry room, in his apartment. The world is on the brink of war and his arrival has been foretold in a prophecy.

Now Gregor must stay and play his part while solving the mystery of his father’s disappearance years ago. This series came before the Hunger Games series and is geared toward a slightly younger crowd. I would definitely recommend this to a middle-grade fantasy reader.

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

I had heard so much about this book and was so excited to read it.  This is one of the books like The Hunger Games that was so similar, I had a hard time not comparing it. 

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. It is fast-paced with non-stop action and reminded me most of Mockingjay.

The Thousandth Floor by Katherine McGee

Set 100 years in the future in a thousand-floor tower, New York’s privileged elite navigate romance, privileged, 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 loved sci-fi, forbidden love stories, and the fight for survival, This is one of the books like The Hunger Games you need to read.

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 4 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 book introduces us to Cinder.  She is a cyborg (part human, part machine) who lives with her……..you guessed it….. two step-sisters and stepmother.

If you’ve read and loved Cinder, check out this list of books just like it!

Divergent by Veronica Roth

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

Beatrice must make the choice between staying with her family and becoming who she was meant to be. This first book in the trilogy is unlike anything that I had read before. It drew me in and kept me turning the pages until the end. Of course, nothing is really as it seems in this dystopian YA Fantasy that is perfect for a list of books like The Hunger Games.

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. There was something about this book that reminded me of the Capitol and is a perfect pick for a list of books like The Hunger Games.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

This trilogy like the hunger games could have been put in so many different categories it was hard to choose.

Thomas wakes up surrounded by a group of strangers. They are all boys lilke 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 except nobody has ever made it out. When a girl arrives with a message, the first girl ever, the must head her message and “remember, survive, run”.

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

Seven families compete every twenty years for 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. Sound like The Hunger Games?

I loved this 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. While some aspects are different, there is a lot about this book that is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games.

Payback’s a Witch (The Witches of Thistle Grove #1) by Lana Harper

This adorable romance was the perfect post-Halloween read for me. Emmy Harlow must return home to her magical town of Thistle Grove to arbitrate a spell-casting tournament. The winner has control of magic in the town.

Emmy ran away because of a broken heart but now, her heart may be on the mend thanks to the beautiful and powerful Talia. I loved this book. The magical competition in this book made it a must for our list of books like the Night Circus. The Stakes of this game make it perfect for books like The Hunger Games.

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, this destination-based competition is played by Scarlet as she tries to get this year’s prize – her sister Tella – before anyone else can.

There is a love story and magic as the stakes get higher the longer Scarlet plays. This is the first book in three-part series that gets better and more complicated with each new book.

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

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Every word captivated me from beginning to end and I couldn’t put it down. The story was magical- both literally and figuratively and the descriptions are so vivid.

The stage has been set for a magical competition between the pupils of two very powerful magicians. The stage: the night circus. The pupils, a man and woman, are unsure of the rules, unsure of how to win or when the competition will end. As the competition continues, the opponents fall in love- a situation that only complicates their predicament.

This is magic in a way that I never imagined it before. The story has twists and surprises that left me wondering how I didn’t see what was right there all along. Not only can you find this book in our list of the Best Romance Novels of all Time, but you can also find it on our list of the Best Carnival and Circus Books, 24 Books Like the Hunger Games. And now, you can find books just like it in our post of Books Like the Night Circus. Can you tell we love this book?

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 right now I’m loving this story.

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.

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 it’s rules.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

We have talked about this series so many times that it has its own blog page of books that are similar.  It is so much fun- think hunger games meets the bachelor.  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?

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 a 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.

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.