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Quick answer: If you loved Catching Fire, try The Hunger Games, Mockingjay, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Sunrise on the Reaping, Divergent and Red Queen. Each one offers rebellion, deadly games, oppressive governments and a heroine who becomes a symbol.
Suzanne Collins's 2009 sequel picks up after Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark win the 74th Hunger Games. Their act of defiance has sparked unrest in the districts, and President Snow is determined to crush it. For the 75th Games, the Quarter Quell, past victors are forced back into the arena. Readers love its twists, its new characters such as Finnick and its cliffhanger ending. These books share its rebellion and its tension.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | readers who want to reread the start |
| Mockingjay | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | readers who want the finale |
| The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | Suzanne Collins | 13+ | readers who want Snow's story |
| Sunrise on the Reaping | Suzanne Collins | 13+ | readers who want Haymitch's Games |
| Divergent | Veronica Roth | 12+ | readers who like factions |
| Red Queen | Victoria Aveyard | 13+ | readers who like rebellions |
| Battle Royale | Koushun Takami | Adult | older readers |
| The Maze Runner | James Dashner | 12+ | readers who like trials |
| Legend | Marie Lu | 12+ | readers who like rebels |
| An Ember in the Ashes | Sabaa Tahir | 14+ | readers who like brutal empires |
| The Darkest Minds | Alexandra Bracken | 13+ | readers who like teens with powers |
| The Selection | Kiera Cass | 12+ | readers who like competitions |
| Scythe | Neal Shusterman | 13+ | readers who like moral games |
| Uglies | Scott Westerfeld | 12+ | readers who question society |
| Powerless | Lauren Roberts | 14+ | readers who like trials and romance |
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss volunteers for the Games.
Best for: readers who want to reread the start.
2. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Katniss becomes the face of the rebellion.
Best for: readers who want the finale.
3. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
A young Coriolanus Snow mentors a tribute.
Best for: readers who want Snow's story.
4. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
The story of Haymitch's Hunger Games.
Best for: readers who want Haymitch's Games.
5. Divergent by Veronica Roth
A girl fits no faction.
Best for: readers who like factions.
6. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
A girl with a power joins a rebellion.
Best for: readers who like rebellions.
7. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
Students are forced to fight to the death.
Best for: older readers.
8. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Teens are trapped in a maze.
Best for: readers who like trials.
9. Legend by Marie Lu
A prodigy and a criminal clash.
Best for: readers who like rebels.
10. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
A slave spies on a military academy.
Best for: readers who like brutal empires.
11. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Kids escape government camps.
Best for: readers who like teens with powers.
12. The Selection by Kiera Cass
Girls compete for a prince.
Best for: readers who like competitions.
13. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Teens train to end lives in a perfect world.
Best for: readers who like moral games.
14. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Everyone gets surgery at sixteen.
Best for: readers who question society.
15. Powerless by Lauren Roberts
An Ordinary enters deadly trials.
Best for: readers who like trials and romance.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Catching Fire: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Catching Fire. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Finish with Mockingjay, then read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Sunrise on the Reaping for Panem's history. For more deadly games, Battle Royale is the adult original, while Scythe adds moral questions. Red Queen and An Ember in the Ashes offer the same rebellion.
Related: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins: Summary and Key Takeaways · The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Catching Fire about?
Katniss and Peeta's victory sparks unrest, and they are forced into a special Hunger Games.
What is the Quarter Quell?
A special Hunger Games held every 25 years; the 75th forces past victors back into the arena.
Who is Finnick Odair?
A charming past victor from District 4 who becomes an ally.
How does Catching Fire end?
Katniss is rescued from the arena and learns District 12 has been destroyed.
What age is it for?
It suits readers 12 and up.
Is there a movie?
Yes. The 2013 film starred Jennifer Lawrence.
Should I read The Hunger Games first?
Yes. Catching Fire is the second book.
What is the arena like in Catching Fire?
It is shaped like a clock, with a new danger in each section every hour.