Top Ten Tuesday: Books for People who Like The Hunger Games

Clearly The Hunger Games are officially a "thing."  Tons of people are reading the series.  Others are seeing the movie.  Most are doing both (Yay!).  So here are where you can go after you finish the trilogy and are either looking for another dystopia, a strong female lead, some social commentary, or just something catchy to read. 

Top Ten Books to Read for Fans of The Hunger Games:

1. Divergent, by Veronica Roth
It's a dystopia with a strong female lead.  The sequel, Insurgent came out recently, and the last entry is due next year.  A lot of people feel like they enjoy this book more than The Hunger Games, so it's a great place to go after reading Collins' trilogy.

2. The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Not just for younger fans of THG. This childhood favorite is a dystopia that a lot of adults enjoy revisiting.  I think this book is usually one of the first dystopias children are exposed to.  If you missed it or you just miss it, definitely check it out!

3. Unwind, by Neal Shusterman
It doesn't have a female lead, but the prominent female character definitely possesses Katniss-like wisdom.  This book also moves at a fast pace, plus there's some violence.  Male fans of THG would definitely like this book, I think.

4.  Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Probably more for the older THG fan, but not out of reach of younger teens.  Fans will appreciate this dystopia that includes genetic castes because the District system in THG has many similarities, i.e. assigned jobs per caste. 

5. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
More people seem to be getting into this series these days, or at least my friends and I are.  These books require a little more effort, but there's similar action - kids training for battle and political commentary.  They're also incredibly tough to put down.

6. Pretty Little Liars, by Sara Shappard
I know, this seems weird, but hear me out.  THG is a really fast read, which is exactly what the PLL series brings to the table.  It is by no means a well-written work of art, but it's entertaining, hard to put down, and features a murder or two.  The audio versions are also hilarious.

7. Almost Astronauts, 13 Women Who Dared to Dream, by Tanya Lee Stone
This one is a nonfiction entry, for the THG readers who loved seeing a strong female character as the protagonist.  This book details some real life tough girls who fought to be astronauts and were christened the "Mercury 13."  The photos in this book are incredible and the stories are moving, empowering, and sometimes anger-inducing.

8. The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness
I thought this dystopia had an original premise: the men of the town have "Noise," all of their thoughts spoken aloud for all to hear.  Thus, no privacy and also, no women.  THG fans may find the action and unique world interesting after reading about the world where people watch children fight to the death.

9. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Granted, I recommend this book to everyone.  But, I think there's a lot of heart to THG; beneath the violence, there's a lot in there about helping and protecting others who are weak.  So this book could appeal to those who enjoyed those aspects of THG.  Plus, it's just one of the best books ever.

10.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
This book is more of a stretch from the comfortable - it's a paranormal young adult story that involves time travel and supernatural powers rather than a dystopia with a lot of butt kicking and sticking it to the Man.  BUT, it's new, it's popular, and it keeps you hooked in the plot.  Teens like those things.  When this book isn't as new, I think it could still work as a recommendation because it's still an adventurous story and involves saving a distinct group of people.

I purposely left out Battle Royale because I felt that was a little too obvious.  But what would you recommend to a Hunger Games fan? What did you read after you finished Hunger Games?

More lists over at The Broke and the Bookish!!