Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Books like 'Hunger Games'

The wildly-anticipated Hunger Games movie was released in theaters today, sparking a resurgence of interest in the dystopian trilogy: Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. For those of you who are addicted to these books, in which teens are forced to battle to the death on live TV, try checking out a few of these books like Hunger Games from your Community Library:

Matched by Ally Condie - Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her, so when Xander appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate--until Ky Markham's face appears for an instant before the screen fades to black. The newly-released sequel is Crossed; the series is on-going.
Divergent by Veronica Roth - In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomoly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all. The sequel, Insurgent, is coming soon; the series is ongoing.
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - Just before their sixteenth birthdays, when they will will be transformed into beauties whose only job is to have a great time, Tally's best friend runs away and Tally must find her and turn her in, or never become pretty at all. This is the first in a completed 4-book series, followed by Pretties, Specials, and Extras.
Unwind by Neal Shusterman - In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to survive until they turn eighteen. An as-yet unnamed sequel is forthcoming.
Maze Runner by James Dashner - Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape. This is the first in a completed trilogy, followed by The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure.

There are plenty of other great dystopias out there for Hunger Games fans hungry for more; share your suggestions by commenting!

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

Books like 'Hunger Games'

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