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Let’s be honest: The Hunger Games ruined us.
Deadly trials. Brutal systems of control. Teenagers forced to survive while adults play god. And that delicious mix of rebellion, trauma, and just enough romance to keep you emotionally invested.
If you’ve been chasing that same high ever since (welcome, you’re among friends), here are fantasy and dystopian book recs that hit similar vibes—ranked, rated, and Page Turner-approved.
No clones. No knockoffs. Just books that understand the assignment.
🔥 Empire of Flame and Thorns
If Katniss Everdeen was a fae and Peeta Melark was a broody dragon shifter, you’d get Empire of Flame and Thorns. A solid 5 star read for me.
Why you’ll love it:
- Oppressive regime
- Deadly power dynamics
- A heroine who learns how to survive and fight back
This one nails the enemies to lovers romance and deadly trials. Easily the strongest match on this list. Fair warning: the sequel didn’t work for me and I DNF’d it. Still, book one absolutely stands on its own.
🐺 Dire Bound
If Katniss was a wolf rider, Gale was royalty, and Peeta was anything but soft. This book perfects the love triangle and throws in an academy setting.
Why you’ll love it:
- Dangerous environments
- Dire wolves
- Strong internal conflict
Less spectacle than The Hunger Games, but the survival tension is chef’s kiss. Read my review here.
⚔️ We Who Will Die
This one leans hard into the death games energy. Picture Katniss Everdeen in gladiator games run by vampires.
Why you’ll love it:
- Gladiator-style combat
- Vampires
- Relentless stakes
If what you loved most about The Hunger Games was the raw brutality and survival psychology—this one delivers. Read my review here.
👑 The Ascended
If Katniss Everdeen had a secret superpower, the deadly games were deadlier, and Panem was ruled by ruthless gods.
Why you’ll love it:
- Mortals vs. Gods
- Training and trials
- Fight-the-system energy
Solid vibes, familiar tropes, and the start to an epic fantasy Hunger Games fans will devour. Read my review here.
🩸 Traitor Wolf
This one is for my young adult readers. If Katniss was forced to work with a wolf shifter to get through the deadly trials. Traitor Wolf is a rebellion-forward story with brutal choices and a society that thrives on control.
Why you’ll love it:
- Betrayal-heavy plot
- Power struggles
- Moral gray areas
It has the bones of a great dystopian fantasy—but with wolf shifters. Read my review here.
🚀 Red Rising
If Katniss was a guy, Panem was color-coded, and the rebellion ultimately took you to outerspace, then Red Rising is your Hunger Games book of choice.
Why you’ll love it:
- A rigid, color-based caste system
- Revolution brewing under the surface
- Inter-galactic
The first book has strong “elite academy death games” energy, but the series quickly expands into full-blown space rebellion chaos. It’s more brutal, more strategic, and heavier on war politics than The Hunger Games—but that same fight-the-system core? It’s absolutely there.
If Katniss made you crave revolution, Darrow will make you crave vengeance.
Final Verdict
If you’re craving:
- Rebellion + high stakes survival → Empire of Flame and Thorns or The Ascended
- Trials and competition → We Who Will Die
- Romance + Hunger Games vibes → Direbound or Traitor Wolf
- Epic space rebellion + Hunger Games vibes → Red Rising
No book will ever fully replace The Hunger Games.
But these come close enough to hurt in the best way. 📚🔥
Want more dystopian and fantasy recs with bite? Stick around. I’ve got opinions.
⬇️Your next epic re-read is calling! Pin this graphic before someone else steals your spot on the couch.
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