Happy Monday, friends! I will be house-sitting for the next week and half, and it’s kind of like a mini vacation. At least, that’s how I’m going to treat it, even though I still have to work. It will be like a little getaway! Anyway, it’s time for another So You Liked post! I didn’t have a whole lot of inspiration this month, so I’m going with The Hunger Games! Dystopian lit is kind of making a little bit of a comeback, so maybe you’re in the mood for it this fall!
Yes, The Hunger Games is a dystopian book, but it has lot of other great elements you might like, too! Girl saving the world, love triangle, etc. So much to like!
Check out my other “So You Liked” posts here!
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Top Read-A-Likes for The Hunger Games
Do you like strong female protagonists?
Legendborn by Tracey Deonn
Bree decides to enroll in a summer program at UNC-Chapel Hill to get away from the memories of her mother. What she doesn’t expect is to stumble upon new information about her mother’s accident in a secret magic society at the college. Based on the King Arthur myth, Bree is absolutely a protagonist that you can root for. Just like Katniss!
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Zetian lives in a world where girls are offered up as sacrifices so that boys can pilot robots called Chrysalises. She offers up herself as a sacrifice, but ends up killing her pilot instead, making her a legendary Iron Widow. And ready to dismantle the world. I reviewed this book last week and it’s one of my new favorites! Zetian and Katniss would definitely find kinship in each other.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Katsa was born with the skill to kill a man with her bare hands. When she meets Po, her perspective on what she’s supposed to do with her life changes. Maybe, just maybe, she can make a difference. This book came out around the same time as The Hunger Games, so Katsa and Katniss are kind of like late 2000s sisters.
What about love triangles?
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
All Felix wants is to fall in love. When his pre-transition pictures are posted all over the school, he creates a fake Instagram account to catch the perpetrator. What he doesn’t expect is to fall for him. A precious love triangle, maybe a bit different than the one in The Hunger Games because it isn’t as high stakes.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
In Mare Barrow’s world, silver blood means you have special powers and red blood means you don’t. Mare is a Red, but when she exhibits supernatural abilities, her world is upended forever. This is your classic love triangle, picking between the “good” character and the villain. Which you could argue applies to The Hunger Games, too.
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Juliette’s touch is lethal. That’s why she’s been locked up and isolated for so long. When someone from her past is put into her cell with her, Juliette might finally find the courage to fight for her rights. Another love triangle between a villain and another good guy. But we get to learn more about the villain–who might not be a villain at all!
Maybe you love strong sister relationships.
Everything That Burns by Gita Trelease
In order to get her and her sister out of their brother’s debt, Camille dons a magic dress and goes to the gambling halls. However, doing magic in 1700s France is dangerous in and of itself. While their older brother isn’t any good, Camille and her sister have a strong relationship, and Camille would do anything to keep her safe.
One of the Good Ones by Maika and Maritza Moulite
Teen activist Kezi Smith has been killed under suspicious circumstances at a social justice rally, leaving her sister Happi and her family unsure how to move forward. So, Happi and her other sister go on the road trip Kezi never got to take. Even though the sisters don’t always get along in this book, it’s clear they would do anything for each other.
Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Rumi was only sure of one thing: she wanted to spend the rest of her life writing music with her sister, Lea. When Lea dies in a car accident, Rumi has to figure out what her future looks like now. Even if this is about the death of a sibling, it’s clear that Rumi and Lea were incredibly close, ready to support each other no matter what.
Or you’re looking for a book about rebellion/revolution.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
After Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, she knows that she’ll do anything to get him back. So, she goes to the rebellion to infiltrate their greatest military academy. Where Elias, it’s most promising student, is seriously reconsidering what his future looks like. One of my favorite fantasy series to date, and it will fit those rebellion vibes!
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
Godolia is slowly taking over countries with their robots called Windups. Those opposing them are called Gearbreakers. When Eris, a Gearbreaker, is captured, the last place she expects to find an ally is in one of the pilots of the Windups. This book takes a little to get going, but the rebellion feels a lot like what happens in Mockingjay.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
In New Beijing, a plague is running rampant through the city. Cinder is a cyborg living on the outskirts of society, but her path becomes tangled with Prince Kai’s when he needs something fixed. The rebellion more comes into play in the later books of this series, but you definitely get the set up in this book!
Perhaps you just want some good old fashioned dystopia!
Legend by Marie Lu
The US is now known as the Republic, a nation constantly at war. June is a prodigy, born into wealth and riches. Day is the opposite, fighting for his place in society. When fate throws them together, they learn more about their society than they could have thought. I would consider this another dystopian classic, and it will give you all those Hunger Games vibes.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
In the future, every single disease has been cured and people live forever. So, scythes act as death in order to combat over population. When Citra and Rowan are chosen to train as scythes, their lives are changed forever. One of my most recent favorite series, it’s action packed and sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Todd was born in a town of only men, where everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts. When a girl suddenly shows up, Todd learns that everything he’s ever known was a lie. The first book in a trilogy, you’ll be reminded of the fast-paced nature of The Hunger Games, and the ability to stand up to injustice.