24 Books Like the Hunger Games to Devour Now

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Since the Hunger Games movies were released a decade ago, the Hunger Games have become a household name. I was obsessed with these books and went on a search for other books like the hunger games I could read to cure my book hangover.

The Hunger Games Trilogy is a YA Sci-fi with the perfect amount of action and romance all tied up in a deadly game. So, whatever reason you loved this trilogy, we have the perfect book for you to devour.

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Table of Contents

Books Like The Hunger Games

Dystopian Sci Fi// Trilogies// Books with Deadly Games // Dystopian Romance // Dystopian Novels // Classic Dystopian Books // More Books like The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games in Order

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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 from the certain death of the games. This sci-fi book has everything but at its heart, it is a perfect pick for books about sisters. This young adult fantasy book has heart while making you turn the pages!

This book reminded me of Fourth Wing because of the kill-or-be-killed attitude. It is either graduate or die.

If you love The Hunger Games, check out these 24 books just like it!

catching fire the second book of the hunger games by suzanne collins

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.

hunger games trilogy mockingjay by suzanne collins

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.

Books Like the Hunger Games: Books by Suzanne Collins

ballad of songbirds and snakes

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.

Overlander and more books like Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Gregor the Overlander (The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins)

In this book like the Hunger Games 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, especially one looking for book series like Percy Jackson.

Books Similar to Hunger Games: Dystopian Sci-fi for Teens

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mortal engines

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

I had heard so much about this book and was so 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.

Thousandth Floor

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

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

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.

If you’ve read and loved Cinder, check out this list of books just like it! Young adult romance fantasy books for teens like this are hard to come by.

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Books Like the Hunger Games: Trilogies

divergent by veronica roth

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

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.

the maze runner maze runner book one by james dashner

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 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 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”. This book like The Hunger Games is a must-read.

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Books Like the Hunger Games: Deadly Games

All of Us Villains

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.

Paybacks a witch

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

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 a three-part series that gets better and more complicated with each new book. This series of YA fantasy romance books is a must-read.

The Girl Who Knew Too much

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

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

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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 a 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?

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Ultimate List of YA Fantasy

If fantasy books are your favorite books, then these are the perfect book lists for you. We carefully divided them into sub-genres.

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Dystopian Romance Books Like the Hunger Games

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Fourth Wing

Fourth Wing (Empyrean Series Book #1) by Rebecca Yarros

If you have not heard of this book and love fantasy, this is the book for you. Don’t be intimidated by the length of this dragon book for adults, I started and finished this 528-page bad boy in a day and a half. I cannot remember the last time I did that!

Violet Sorrengail had spent her life studying to be a scribe until her father died and her mother, the commanding general, ordered her to join the dragon riders. Violet will become one of the hundreds of candidates who fight to the death to be a part of this elite group.

Unlike the other candidates who have worked towards this their whole lives, Violet is small and brittle and never meant for this to be her path. And other candidates do not have the children of rebel leaders waiting to take revenge.

This adult fantasy book has everything and I loved every second. It lives up to the hype and then some. There are some very spicy parts of this grumpy sunshine romance toward the end so I would definitely agree with the adult rating on this book! If you read and loved this book, we have a list of books just like it!

Red Queen

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 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.

This epic series was a must for books like ACOTAR and Books like The Hunger Games. If you are looking for young adult romance fantasy books, this definitely needs to be on your list.

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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 and more books like the Hunger Games

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?

If you love this series, you can check out our post for more books like The Selection

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Books Like the Hunger Games: Dystopian Novels

Scythe

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

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

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.

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Classic Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games for Teens

The Giver

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

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.

the lord of the flies

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 worl

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.

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More Books Like The Hunger Games

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Which Books Like The Hunger Games Do You Want to Read?

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5 Comments

  1. Fabulous list!! I’d also recommend Community: the Awakening by Nicole Meredith. Such a fabulous dystopian novel – seriously one of the best I’ve read since the Hunger Games.