Book Recs: Books to Read After Sunrise on The Reaping

If you’ve just survived the gripping pages of Sunrise on the Reaping, and you’re looking for your next heart-pounding, page-turning, thought-provoking adventure, you’re in the right place. I don’t know about you but I may never recover after reading Haymitch’s story, especially when we are living through these unprecedented times. Are you the kind of reader that wants to keep reading in the same vein or do you move onto something different after you’re done? If you’re the first kind of reader, we have some recs for you! Whether it’s navigating dystopian worlds, tackling political intrigue, or battling supernatural forces, these books will keep you up long after sunrise (ha). 

Hell Followed With Us

by Andrew Joseph White
Published by: Peachtree Teen
on June 7, 2022
Bookshop
Goodreads

Prepare to die. His kingdom is near.
Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.
But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.
Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own.
A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors.

Books to Read After Sunrise on The Reaping

1. Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White

• Why You’ll Love It: If you’re into The Hunger Games’ dark atmosphere and survivalism, Hell Followed with Us offers a haunting, apocalyptic twist. Set in a world ravaged by a deadly virus, the story follows a transgender teenager on the run after a cult unleashes hell on Earth. It’s filled with gritty action, deep themes of survival, and a protagonist who is determined to live on their own terms. This novel’s exploration of identity and survival will keep you hooked from start to finish.

2. The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

• Why You’ll Love It: For fans of intense competitions and supernatural stakes, The Sunbearer Trials offers a thrilling ride. The story follows Teo, a young semidios, who is chosen to compete in a deadly trial to determine the fate of the world. If you loved the tense games in The Hunger Games, you’ll find the trials and their high-stakes challenges equally captivating. With diverse characters and an immersive world, this one is perfect for readers who want a fresh take on the battle-for-survival narrative.

3. The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

• Why You’ll Love It: In a society where young women are banished to the wilderness for their “grace year” to rid themselves of their supposed dangerous powers, The Grace Year explores survival, societal oppression, and self-discovery. Similar to The Hunger Games, this novel brings themes of sacrifice, power, and gender roles to the forefront as the characters navigate a brutal, unforgiving world. Kim’s haunting world-building and emotionally intense storytelling will keep you up late at night.

4. While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

• Why You’ll Love It: If you’re ready to switch gears from dystopian survival to a gripping political thriller, While Justice Sleeps is the perfect choice. Written by the renowned Stacey Abrams, this novel follows Avery Keene, a brilliant law clerk, as she uncovers a deadly conspiracy when her boss, a Supreme Court justice, falls into a coma. With high-stakes political intrigue and thrilling suspense, this one will keep you on the edge of your seat – and questioning everything you think you know.

5. Survive the Dome by Kosoko Jackson

• Why You’ll Love It: Survive the Dome is an intense survival story that takes place within a massive, oppressive dome surrounding the city of Boston. When the dome is activated, trapping people inside, a group of teens must survive the horrors that unfold. It’s got all the elements of high-stakes survival that you crave after reading The Hunger Games, plus an exploration of race, class, and power. Action-packed, emotionally charged, and incredibly thought-provoking, this is a must-read for fans of dystopian stories with social commentary.

6. All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

• Why You’ll Love It: If you loved the political tension and power struggles in The Hunger Games, All of Us Villains will have you hooked. Set in a world where powerful families must send their heirs to fight in a deadly competition for control over magic, this book brings together a cast of morally gray characters, all vying for survival and power. The intense rivalry, strategic thinking, and high-stakes drama will captivate readers who love survival stories that go beyond mere physical endurance to include psychological warfare.