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Home » Books » Library Finds » If You Liked The Hunger Games: 5 Other Dystopian Novels to Try
books for those who liked hunger games series
November 11, 2011

If You Liked The Hunger Games: 5 Other Dystopian Novels to Try

From the Kitchen of Katie Kick

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This year I’ve been hooked on Young Adult books. Particularly of the dystopian novels variety. Blame it on The Hunger Games. After devouring the trilogy in less than a week, and far too many very late nights I had one thing on my mind: Where can I get more? I want more books like The Hunger Games!

I scoured Goodreads for related titles so I could find a few new dystopian novels to get my hands on. I found a few (summarized below) that sounded promising and checked them out from the library. Here are some of my picks for fans of The Hunger Games. I read a few others, but these were my favorite recommendations of what I’ve read so far.

Luckily, all of these books are the first in a new series with multiple books queued up for publication in the next year or two, so you’ll have plenty to read. I have the sequel to Matched on hold at the library since it just came out this month. Can’t wait till it’s my turn!

If You Liked The Hunger Games: 5 Other Dystopian Novels to Try

DELIRIUM

Published 2011 by Lauren Oliver

Find Delirium on Amazon

delirium cover image

In Lena’s world love is a disease. There was a time, before the cure, that people thought love was a good thing. Now they know that a life without love is a life without pain. It is safe, predictably, and happy.

Now that scientists have eradicated love, Lena’s government requires all citizens to receive the cure to deliria before turning eighteen. Lena tries not to think about her mother’s last words to her (the forbidden “I love you”) or the rumors of a community of  uncured “invalids” beyond her Portland, Maine, border.

What’s the point? She believes that the government knows what’s best. That is until ninety-five days before receiving the cure, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love. Look for part two, entitled  Pandemonium, early spring 2012.

DIVERGENT

Published 2011 by Veronica Roth

Find Divergent on Amazon

divergent cover image

Society is split into five factions — Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) — each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a “perfect society.”

Upon turning sixteen, individuals must choose the faction which they will devote their lives. Beatrice “Tris” Prior makes the difficult choice to leave her family’s group and pursue another faction, a choice that surprises even herself.

After surviving the brutal initiation of the Dauntless faction, Tris discovers the brewing unrest and conflict beneath what should be the “perfect society.”

Tris bands together with others in the  Dauntless faction. Their mission: to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself. Look for part two, entitled Insurgent, late spring 2012.

Enclave

published 2011 by Ann Aguirre

Find Enclave on Amazon

enclave cover image

Deuce lives in an apocalyptic world where people earn the right to bear a name only if they’ve survived the first fifteen years.  By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters.

The purpose of a huntress is clear–to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks.

Finally becoming a huntress as she’s dreamed of her whole life, Deuce is caught off guard by a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. Deuce’s troubles are just beginning when the mysterious Fade is assigned as her hunting partner.

Deuce quickly learns that Fade doesn’t like following orders and deviation from the society’s world results in harsh punishment. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their home, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth.

Book two, entitled Outpost, will release fall 2012.

MATCHED

published 2010 by Ally Condie

Find Matched on Amazon.

matched cover image

Cassia grows up in a world where nothing is left to chance. The Society calculates each choice for her – what she will eat, her future job, and her husband – thus removing “user error” from the equation.

Every choice is optimized for the best possible results and no one questions this method, until there’s a mistake in Cassia’s Match for husband. When she plugs in her microchip two faces are revealed rather than one: her lifelong best friend and another boy.

Does she follow The Society’s plan for her or rebel against their predetermined life to seek her own path? Book two, entitled Crossed, was released November 2, 2011.

WITHER

published 2011 by Lauren DeStefano

Find Wither on Amazon.

wither cover image

Rhine Ellery lives in a world destroyed by  genetic engineering. After scientists attempt at perfecting humanity by ridding the world of disease, cancer, and illness is proved a failure, the lives of future generations have literally becoming a ticking time bomb.

Men live to age 25 and women only to 20. In order to preserve the human population in their poverty-stricken world, girls are shipped off as young as 13 to marry and have children with eager husbands – some so eager they go to the extreme of kidnapping their future brides.

For Rhine life means being thrust into a posh life with Linden Ashby against her will. Though she lives in a gorgeous Florida mansion with her two sister wives and is treated like royalty, she longs to escape back to reality with her twin brother. Look for book two, entitled Fever, in February 2012.

What Young Adult Dystopian novels have you enjoyed?

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Meet Katie Kick

My lifelong interest in cooking has shown me that part of the goodness in life is enjoying delicious food with friends and family. I love trying new foods, discovering new places & things that help my family live the good life.

More About Katie
Updated: January 23, 2020

Reader Interactions

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  1. Olivia says

    February 22, 2013 at 8:55 AM

    Such a good post!! I love THG and Matched. I would recommend AFTER THE FEAR by Rosanne Rivers, it’s a dystopian with a bit of romance and a lot of action!

    Reply
  2. liv says

    January 25, 2013 at 11:43 AM

    SO GLAD I FOUND THIS!!!

    Reply
  3. Jennine says

    January 24, 2013 at 12:45 PM

    I also loved The Hunger Games, Divergent (all time FAVORITE series ever) and I am currently reading Outside In (sequel to Inside Out) by Maria V Snyder which is another awesome series!!

    Reply
  4. Jammie says

    January 16, 2013 at 7:41 PM

    The uglys have been the best books Ive read to date!!!!!!. Ive already read Hunger games (twice) and Divergent and Insurgant . Looking for something as good 😀

    Reply
  5. Naomi says

    December 20, 2012 at 9:40 PM

    I have read Divergent and I am half way through Insurgent, I love this series. The action, drama, and romance is perfectly wriiten and I cant wait till Fall of 2013 to read the final part of the series. I lve trilogies, so thanks for posting the others to read; btw Uglies series is really good too, it’s a four part series by Sott Westerfeld

    Reply
  6. Holly M says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:08 PM

    I’ve read the hunger games and am REALLY obsessed with it. I’ve read divergent and I want to read matched. Divergent was AMAZING!! If you like the hunger games I can almost gerente you’ll love divergent too. Another amazing book is the host by stephenie Meyer. Don’t be scared by the size. It’s pretty big but it’s so great that I wish it was longer. Also the first few chapters are pretty boring but don’t let it stop you from reading it. It gets sooo good. I’m also going to read beautiful creatures and city of bones. They seem really good.

    Reply
  7. victoria til says

    November 13, 2012 at 3:41 PM

    matched is better ! its becoming a movie ( :

    Reply
  8. victoria t says

    November 13, 2012 at 3:38 PM

    matched is ahmazing ! i thought no book would compare to HG but then i read matched , and its better ! people are probably like suuure it is . . but no lie ! they’re even making it into a movie ! trailer comes at november 19 on abc family, and the trailer is one of the commercials for breaking dawn part 2 ! #cantwait !

    Reply
  9. Leanne says

    October 28, 2012 at 7:07 PM

    I loved the Hunger Games trilogy. I read the Maze Runner series but wasn’t that impressed. Hands down the Divergent books are my favorite of all time!!! I am hooked and am sitting on pins and needles until the third one comes out. So now I am searching for something to fill that void. Any suggestions…PLEASE HELP!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      October 30, 2012 at 6:43 AM

      I wrote a part 2 to this post with more recommendations here: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/books/if-you-liked-the-hunger-games-5-more-dystopian-novels-to-try-part-2

      Reply
  10. katie says

    October 3, 2012 at 12:18 AM

    HUGE HUGE HUGE fan of both the hunger games and the divergent series! I was hooked on both of them and now I can not wait intil the third book(divergent series) is released 🙂 <3
    Am really hoping it comes SOON, my life is over with out knowing whats going to happen!!!!!!!! arghhhhh 🙁

    could someone please recomend some really good books.

    Reply
    • katie says

      October 3, 2012 at 12:27 AM

      im thinking of reading matched but im not sure :/

      Reply
    • Katie says

      October 30, 2012 at 11:05 AM

      I wrote a part 2 to this with more recommendations here: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/books/if-you-liked-the-hunger-games-5-more-dystopian-novels-to-try-part-2

      Reply
  11. Lilly says

    September 15, 2012 at 12:42 PM

    DIVERGENT AND INSURGENT (BOOK TWO) IS AMAZING, i think better than the Hunger Games! the Gone series are also really good

    Reply
  12. georgie says

    August 7, 2012 at 3:59 PM

    Loved the Hunger Games, obviously 🙂

    Also loved Delirium and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver and Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth. Amazing 🙂

    Reply
  13. Andrea says

    July 13, 2012 at 5:38 PM

    I loved Hunger Games, but Chaos Walking is the best series I´ve read. The story is so original and you never know what is the truth.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      July 17, 2012 at 9:55 AM

      I read Chaos Walking a while back too, very original plot, holy cow, that’s some imagination on the authors part. I found it difficult to begin, but was hooked once I caught on to the lingo of the main character. Its a great book, that SHOCKS you with surprises throughout the series.

      Reply
  14. AmandaR says

    July 13, 2012 at 11:13 AM

    Hunger Games was absolutely wonderful and got me hooked on dystopian love stories!!
    I read Matched as well and purchased Crossed but I have been putting off reading it because I know the third book does not come out until november and i liked it so much i would hate to wait.
    I finished Divergent in a day (as of last night) and am going to Barnes & Noble today for Insurgent because unlike matched, I CANT WAIT!! haha I was completely overcome by this book and hope the 3rd book is released quickly!
    My next hit and run is Delirium and I am hoping it is as good as the three ive listed above! I feel like ive read the best books out there already and now anything else will pale in comparison!!

    Like i said, Im ALL ABOUT the dystopian society meets love story, where government and independence clash. If you have any other suggestions thatd be great!! I am too hesitant to pick up the uglies because it doesnt really attract me.

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      August 8, 2012 at 9:05 AM

      Look at my thread! I have read a lot!!! And have some waiting on my nook!!!

      Reply
    • Katie says

      October 30, 2012 at 11:06 AM

      I wrote a part 2 on this topic with more recommendations here: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/books/if-you-liked-the-hunger-games-5-more-dystopian-novels-to-try-part-2

      Reply
  15. Deirdre says

    July 13, 2012 at 8:46 AM

    I introduced my daughter to Kiki Strike, Gallagher Girls, Kronos Chronicles, Uglies, Divergent/Insurgent. She wasn’t so impressed with the Heist Society, but enjoys the Nicholas Flamel and Percy Jackson stories for highlighting SF and NY.

    After expressing my doubts, I let her make her own decision re. Hunger Games — she chose the movie, read Catching Fire, then set them aside to re-read Divergent. Her comment before drifting off one night was, “When my friends are moody, it’s nice to go hang out with Tris.”

    We listened to The Apothecary on a car trip, and she was happy to find the book when we got home. As a parent, the Uglies and Divergent/Insurgent made for the best conversations – would love to see more along these lines of thoughtful commentary on society, peers, and choices. (Dystopia is best when there’s room for humor!)

    Reply
  16. Taunya says

    July 9, 2012 at 8:57 PM

    I devoured Hunger Games, and Divergent and Insurgent and cannot believe I have to wait for the last book! To fill the void I read and loved Providence by Jamie McGuire, followed by next 2 in the series Requiem and Eden. Very hard to put down, suspense, action, great love story and unexpected twists in this series. Can’t wait to read as many of the recommendations on here as possible! Thanks!

    Reply
    • AmandaR says

      July 13, 2012 at 11:15 AM

      You should consider going with Matched next!! Very similar to the 2 you loved!! Im feeling your pain about the third book in the Divergent series!! 🙂

      Reply
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Meet Katie Kick

Hi, I’m Katie! Thank you so much for visiting my corner of the internet. I am passionate about cooking delicious and beautiful, yet accessible, food for my family and friends. I love tasting new foods, discovering new places and things that help my family live that good life.

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