Five Dystopian YA Books You Should Read

By Molly Kelly

In this day and age, it is easy to access books at any time, in any format. If anyone knows this to be true, it’s me. I have a total of five library cards and three reading apps. There is no limit to the selection of books at our disposal. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the selection process, though, here are five dystopian must-reads:

1. Red Queen Series
Registering at number one on my list, the Red Queen series will get you over any “book hangover” or “reading slump” instantly. This series will drag you through many twists and turns, leaving you reeling once you reach the end - especially after reading one of Aveyard's infamous epilogues. This book takes place in a futuristic society where people are divided based on the color of their blood. Those with red blood live in poverty as servants, while those with silver blood live a lavish life and possess superpowers. One day, a red-blooded girl, Mare Barrow, discovers the impossible secret that she possesses powers. What will she do with these superpowers, seeing that she has red blood? The books taught me a lot about myself, and they will definitely do the same for you. The series includes the books Red Queen, Glass Sword, King's Cage, and War Storm. This series is perfect for readers ages twelve to sixteen who enjoy dystopian and fantasy books.


2. Three Dark Crowns Series
Haunting its way into second is the Three Dark Crowns series. These books will make you yearn to live in a place far away. Have you ever heard a poem as creepy as Three dark Queens/ are born in a Glen/ sweet little triplets/ will never be friends/ three dark sisters/ all fair to be seen/ two to devour/ and one to be Queen?

This series takes place in the future on a small island called Fennbirn. On this island, a queen rules, and when her reign comes to an end, she will give birth to triplets who will become future queens. Like everyone else on the island, the queens are born with powers that allow them control over certain entities, including the elements, nature, and poisons. Unlike the rest of the island, the triplets are separated at birth and raised by families who share their gifts and teach them that they must hunt each other to the death after their sixteenth birthdays. In the end, only one of the triplets can remain, and it is she who will sit on the throne.

If you are still skeptical about jumping into the series, you should know that this book is the perfect way to take a moment to escape reality.


3. The Cruel Prince
From the first paragraph, this book became a favorite of mine. With the enchanting plot and shocking struggles that the characters face, I couldn't even imagine how this series would continue.

In the early years of her life, Jude was taken from her home by her half sister’s Fae (fairy) father after he brutally murdered her mother and father. Once Jude and her sisters arrive in the High Court, they must find their place in this new world. If you enjoy coming-of-age stories with enough drama to disturb anyone, then this is the book for you.


4. Lunar Chronicles
Before you stop reading this article, hear me out. Though many have chosen to despise this series because it is a “teacher favorite” for book clubs, this series is able to both teach and enthrall a reader all at once. This incredible book series retells the stories of Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White in a dystopian world where injustice is accepted as the norm and happiness is just an old concept. That is, until a series of secrets are uncovered that could lead to the destruction of the tyrannical reign of an entire monarchy while saving the fate of earth. Does that sound boring to you?


5. Charlotte Holmes 
Who can refuse a good mystery? The truth is nobody can! This is why readers find the Charlotte Holmes books are so astonishing. This series follows the adventures of the enigmatic Charlotte Holmes, descendent of the detective Sherlock Holmes, and Jamie Watson, descendent of the doctor John Watson. It all begins when the two run into each other at their boarding school in Connecticut and slowly form a friendship that seems destined. As time goes by, the two begin to follow in their ancestors’ footsteps in ways that are more dangerous than the two, or at least Jamie, could have imagined. How does a person prove her innocence when she is the only suspect?