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Quick answer: If you loved Shatter Me, try Unravel Me, Red Queen, The Darkest Minds, Divergent, The Selection and Matched. Each one has a heroine with dangerous powers, a dystopian world and an intense romance.
Tahereh Mafi's novel follows Juliette, who has been locked away because her touch is lethal. When the authoritarian Reestablishment wants to use her as a weapon, she must decide who she is and what she will fight for. Readers love its poetic, crossed-out narration and swoon-worthy romance. These books share the same powers, rebellion and longing, and most are series, so a reader who falls for one will have plenty to read next.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unravel Me | Tahereh Mafi | 14+ | readers who want more Juliette |
| Red Queen | Victoria Aveyard | 13+ | readers who like hidden powers |
| The Darkest Minds | Alexandra Bracken | 13+ | readers who like kids with powers |
| Divergent | Veronica Roth | 13+ | readers who like factions |
| The Selection | Kiera Cass | 12+ | readers who like romance in dystopia |
| Matched | Ally Condie | 12+ | readers who like forbidden love |
| Delirium | Lauren Oliver | 13+ | readers who like forbidden love |
| Legend | Marie Lu | 12+ | readers who like dual narrators |
| Shadow and Bone | Leigh Bardugo | 13+ | readers who like dark lords |
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | readers who like rebellion |
| Cinder | Marissa Meyer | 12+ | readers who like retellings |
| Vicious | V. E. Schwab | 16+ | older readers |
| Uglies | Scott Westerfeld | 12+ | readers who like dystopian classics |
| Renegades | Marissa Meyer | 13+ | readers who like superheroes |
| Red Rising | Pierce Brown | 16+ | older readers who want more intensity |
1. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Juliette joins a resistance movement and learns to control her power.
Best for: readers who want more Juliette.
2. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
A girl with common blood discovers a rare power.
Best for: readers who like hidden powers.
3. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Children who survived a disease develop powers and are put in camps.
Best for: readers who like kids with powers.
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth
A girl discovers she does not fit in her society's factions.
Best for: readers who like factions.
5. The Selection by Kiera Cass
A girl competes for the prince's heart.
Best for: readers who like romance in dystopia.
6. Matched by Ally Condie
A girl falls for someone outside her assigned match.
Best for: readers who like forbidden love.
7. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
In a world where love is a disease, a girl falls in love before her cure.
Best for: readers who like forbidden love.
8. Legend by Marie Lu
A prodigy and a criminal take opposite sides.
Best for: readers who like dual narrators.
9. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
An orphan discovers her power.
Best for: readers who like dark lords.
10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss becomes a symbol of revolution.
Best for: readers who like rebellion.
11. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
A cyborg mechanic is caught in a plague and a royal plot.
Best for: readers who like retellings.
12. Vicious by V. E. Schwab
Two college friends gain powers and become enemies.
Best for: older readers.
13. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
A girl waits for the surgery that will make her pretty.
Best for: readers who like dystopian classics.
14. Renegades by Marissa Meyer
A girl infiltrates a team of superheroes.
Best for: readers who like superheroes.
15. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A miner rises to overthrow the elite.
Best for: older readers who want more intensity.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Shatter Me: 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.
How to Choose
Continue with Unravel Me and the rest of the series. For dangerous powers, try The Darkest Minds, Red Queen or Renegades. If you love the romance, choose The Selection, Delirium or Matched. Older readers can try Vicious or Red Rising. If Juliette's poetic, fragmented narration was what hooked you, look for books with a strong first-person voice, such as Delirium and The Darkest Minds. For a lighter take on a girl caught between powerful factions, Cinder and Legend move quickly and are easy to binge. Many of these are long series, so a reader who finishes one will have plenty more to read.
Related: 15 Books Like Wings of Fire Kids Will Love: Dragons, Quests and Animal Adventures · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is Shatter Me for?
It is usually recommended for ages 14 and up.
How many Shatter Me books are there?
There are six main novels plus several novellas.
What order should I read Shatter Me in?
Read the novels in publication order, adding the novellas as you go if you like.
Is Shatter Me spicy?
It has some mature romantic scenes, but it is YA.
Why are words crossed out?
Juliette's crossed-out thoughts show her inner conflict and are part of the book's style.
Is Shatter Me finished?
The main series is complete, and Tahereh Mafi has continued the world with spin-off books about other characters.
Is Shatter Me good for reluctant readers?
Yes. The short chapters, emotional voice and fast plot make it easy to keep going.