5.25.2012

12 Books to Read After The Hunger Games


After 5 weeks of working with the youth in our church, they finally had their performance a few weeks ago. It was a skit based on The Hunger Games, and they did a great job-- writing, acting, and choreographing the majority of it themselves.

Of course, I --like nearly everyone out there-- read and loved The Hunger Games. I tend to like dystopian novels in general. In fact, I've read so many that I thought I'd put together a little list of recommendations for those of you itching for something to read after burning through The Hunger Games trilogy. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should provide a good starting point {and who doesn't like a good book to read during a long holiday weekend?}

12 Books to Read After the Hunger Games:



fig.1  The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson-- a quick, not altogether unpredictable read, but quite enjoyable anyway.

fig.2  The Compound by SA Bodeen-- a tale of an uber rich family living in an underground compound after a nuclear holocaust.

fig.3  The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan-- this is a series, but the first book is the best. It has zombies. Enough said.

fig.4  Gone by Michael Grant-- one day everyone over the age of 15 disappears. It's like Lord of the Flies with a sci-fi twist. Plus it's an ongoing series, which ups the addiction factor.

fig.5  Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer-- The Moon is knocked into a closer orbit with Earth. Panic and death ensue. Good times.

fig. 6  Matched by Ally Condie-- Life is perfect until it isn't. Dystopian in the vein of Fahrenheit 451. 

fig.7  The Maze Runner by James Dashner-- This ongoing series keeps you guessing. Who's in charge? And just what are their motives?

fig.8  Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi-- unflinching account of boy living in a world where resources are limited and government has broken down.

fig.9  Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden-- this is possibly my favorite 'end of the world as we know it' series. A group of New Zealand teenagers form a guerilla resistance group when they come home from camping in the bush only to find that their country has been taken over by invaders. Violent and suspenseful.

fig.10  Uglies by Scott Westerfeld-- the strength of this series is its premise and the questions it raises about beauty and self-worth {the plot is unfocused and meanders aggravatingly}.  

fig.11  Wither by Lauren DeStefano-- a world where everyone dies young.

fig.12  Z is for Zachariah by Robert O'Brien-- Chilling. A young girl believes that she's the last living human being on Earth after a nuclear war. Then one day, there's campfire smoke on the horizon.


Have a great weekend, all!

{if anyone has the source for the "May the odds be ever in your favor' image, please drop me a line!}



10 comments:

Kristina said...

I read Hunger Games because of you, actually! You posted about being excited for Catching Fire, so I was all, "Hmmm, I shall check it out." The rest is history.
Z is for Zachariah sounds awesome, and I've heard great things about The Maze Runner, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and all things Scott Westerfeld. Have you checked out Divergent yet? It's a great Dystopian, and the sequel just recently came out (the final book in the trilogy comes out next year). Also, if you like zombies, my brother can't stop telling me to read Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. I've also heard really good things about Delirium by Lauren Oliver (another Dystopian people can't stop talking about).
Obviously, I'm a huge book nerd. :)
Happy weekend!

Anonymous said...

I read hunger games because of you too lol
if i may suggest a book?
I Am Alive by Cameron Jace?

Apis Melliflora said...

I had to pick a genre to study in graduate school for English literature...and it was utopian/dystopian narratives. Love 'em.

Thanks for the list!

I'm curious how they wove a faith based message in with the Hunger Games!

Amber - Binkertation said...

oooh thanks for the list - I'll be putting a number of these on my 'to read' list - Matched is already on it!

Aimee said...

We finally got to see the movie last night on our date night. I couldn't remember the last movie we went to. It was heaven to be in the theater and take it all in. I had been waiting a long time.

Have you ever read the Tripod Trilogy? The first book is called the White Mountains and I read it with my dad when I was little and had Scott read it last summer. It is a fun dystopia series and got me all nostalgic for books of my youth.

http://www.amazon.com/White-Mountains-John-Christopher/dp/0689856725/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338150455&sr=1-1

MelancholySmile said...

I just finished Warm Bodies (picked it up at the library the afternoon you recommended it!) and it's a great read (just ignore some of the language). Divergent and Delirium are next on my list!

MelancholySmile said...

I'll check it out! It's always fun to get new book recommendations. :)

MelancholySmile said...

You're the second person to recommend the Tripod books, so I'll definitely have to check them out! Glad you got to see The Hunger Games. Date Nights after having kids are rare and precious things. ;)

The Queen Vee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Queen Vee said...

I've been reading a lot of Dystopian and YA lit the past couple of years. You must add the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud to your list. It is one of my favorites and if you read it you have to read all the footnotes. I just finished a new book, start of another series, and really liked it...Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I liked the Maze Runner but didn't care as much for the other two books in that trilogy.

Glad you're back Melancholy, you've been missed.

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