Thursday, March 23, 2017

YA Dystopian Books-- Where Are They?









This is more of a thinking out loud post than it is something that is going to generate discussion-- but I've been wondering something & it's: WHERE IS ALL THE YA DYSTOPIAN?

Remember back in the Hunger Games heyday when you couldn't shake a stick without hitting a knock-off??  Well, I was one of those people who were SO annoyed by it.  I didn't understand why everyone had to just jump on the bandwagon and write mediocre copies of the series.  Seriously, even the covers of those books were all the same.




So, in the sea of copies, there were a few that were unique and worthy of praise.  But you know, I didn't read them because I was annoyed.  Now, for whatever reason (mostly because I'm difficult), I've been in the mood for dystopian books.  I like a good apocalypse book and I've been wanting to read books that explore what happens after a world changing "event".

The thing is, there aren't any!  Right now it seems like what is being published as far as Dystopian goes are fairy tale retellings or high fantasy crossovers.  And yeah, I like a good retelling, and I'm trying to branch out in to fantasy more, but honestly I just want to read a good Hunger Games knock-off.


I recently read The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee, which I wouldn't say is the classic definition of dystopia, but it's in the ballpark.  I really did like it, but I'm not seeing anything new or upcoming that is like it.

I know trends come and go (and that there are plenty of backlist books I could read), but just because it isn't a "trend" doesn't mean it should be extinct!

I know I'm like 7 years late to this party.... but UGHH.


I need your help


I want to read a new Dystopian that has these elements:
  • 2017 release date
  • Futuristic setting
  • A powerful government or entity in charge
  • Things look grim
  • No magical or fantasy elements
  • No monarchies
  • No space
(Now I bet you're waiting for me to say I want that whole Twilight bandwagon book phase to come back.  Well, rest assured, I won't be asking for more vampire romances.  Ever.)



Any suggestions?


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19 comments:

  1. Well i did get this new dystopian book to review in January which i absolutely loved! It's called Poisoned Iris by Cindy Mezni!
    Kariny @kariny's boox frenzy

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    1. I've never heard of it, but YAY!! It does sound a little spacey-- but I'd be okay with that if I knew it was really really good!

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    2. Ah don't worry it actually has nothing to with space :P!

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  2. I thought I had a series for you until you said no space >.< It's true that they've declined in popularity- I'm guessing because it's been overdone and all the rage shifted to fairytale retellings which also seem to be slowing down a bit. I wonder what the next big trend will be!

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    1. Hmmm... I'm terrible at predicting trends!! We've already been through Vampires, Faeries, Angels, Dystopian, and that weird 50 Shades erotica era. I hope whatever it is, it's fun!!

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  3. FIRST!!! Just kidding. Not first and also it makes more sense on my post for today but still.

    But this is a really good question. I definitely think it was a huge trend for awhile and they saturated the markets so much that people stopped writing and reading them. I feel like there will come a point where fairy tale retellings will go that way eventually.

    But I definitely have some recs if you want. I already told you Steelheart but also The Darkest Minds is great and I also liked the Legend Trilogy but not as much. Also some new ones like The Scorpion Rules, The Forgetting, and The Bone Season are fantastic.

    Okay, that's all I got for now. Great post!
    Cassi @ My Thoughts Literally

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    1. I still want to start that trend!!

      Someone on Twitter told me The Darkest Minds-- which has been on my TBR for a while. I think I will try Steelheart. Although I'll be SUPER nervous because I know how much you love it and I don't want to NOT love it, ya know??

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  4. I was never really BIG on dystopia. I love The Hunger Games books, but I didn't read too many other dystopian type of reads. I just heard bad things about a lot of them. I do agree though - just because something isn't "trending" anymore, doesn't mean the whole genre or "main idea" should go away!

    Lauren

    p.s. are you on facebook? Your link for your blog fb here doesn't work.

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    1. I was never into Dystopia either-- but I always want what I can't have I guess?? Now that there are NONE, I'm in the mood for them LOL. I am on FB-- thanks for telling me about the link!!

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  5. Oooh, I almost said the Starflight/Starfall trilogy, which I ADORE, but that's quite spacey. lolz. Maybe the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver? Love is a disease and teenagers are "cured" by having their partners chosen by a sort-of gov't. I seriously loved it, too, but the last book disappointed me a bit. Ha, totally agree about the Twilight obsession. I was in high school when it was happening && one of my bffs nearly stole my books, but I'm so glad the vampire romance thing is dying since The Vampire Diaries recently ended as well.

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    1. Delirium is on my MUST list because I love Lauren Oliver so hard. I can't with the Vampires-- I really hope that trend stays DEAD.

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  6. I didn't read a ton of dystopia - just the Hunger Games and Divergent. I did read and LOVE Delirium series. So yeah I wold recommend that but otherwise I got nothing!

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  7. I'm with you. I saw an article a while back that said YA dystopian was all played out, and I was like, um, no one asked me what I thought lol. I'm not done w/ it yet! So yeah... guess I'm late to the party too but I want more YA dystopians.

    the only recommendation that comes to mind is Wilders, due later this year. It's futuristic and it sounds a little dystopian? http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31246586-wilders

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  8. It's not a 2017 release (though the sequel is!) but you should totally check out FLASHFALL by Jenny Moyer! It was a total surprise to me last year, and it's absolutely fabulous :) I also miss dystopian books, and there aren't a lot of good ones recently ><

    Brittany @ Brittany's Book Rambles

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  9. I love dystopians too, and I'm definitely not sick of them. I'm reading one right now called Ignite by Danielle Rogland. It comes out on April 5th. I'm only about 10% in so far, but I'm really liking it and so far there doesn't seem to be any magic involved (although there are people with weird symbols on their hand). I'll let you know what I think!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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  10. I don't know of any for this year, but I have some suggestions that are a little older.

    Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis and Blood Red Road by Moira Young, both are about a water shortage leading to violent societies and girls having to step up to protect their families.

    Lesser known than those two, is The Fearless by Emma Pass, the characters frustrated me from time to time, but I think sometimes that can be good anyway, it's about a girl who has to rescue her younger brother when super-soldiers take over the world following an adverse reaction to the government's experimental PTSD medication.

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  11. I love dystopians. I wish there were more of them- but more unique ones, not all the same formulaic ones from 2012. But alas. I agree with Brittany's rec about Flashfall and Flashtide. Flashfall was a fave of mine from last year! I do hope that they will come back around. I have been (on and off) writing one, and maybe in 34 years when I am done, it will be time for dystopian again ;) I am trying to come up with some recs, but the 2017 part is really making it hard hahah. Now if you want older recommendations, I am definitely your girl!

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  12. Ok, this is an older book so it doesn't meet your requirements, but it's AWESOME and I have to recommend it. I've never had a student dislike it, it's tense, and really makes you think. I normally book talk this one for a grade level genre project at the start of the school year and then it's constantly checked out for the rest of the year. You really should try UNWIND by Neil Shusterman Don't bother with the other two books in the series, this was originally written as a standalone and the first book is the best.

    Inkling's latest: What are your Comfort Reads

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  13. I was thinking about this recently too! I wanted to read all the dystopia after THG but I never really liked that many lol. Legend was a good one and I've been meaning to read The Darkest Minds. As for recs, I can't think of one book that meets all those things. I thought I had some and then you said no space lol. I get that though, I'm not a big space/sci-fi fan either.

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