I’ve always loved destruction and mayhem—maybe this is because as a teen I read dystopian fiction such as The Stand and Swan Song.

I do like novels that show what the future could be like—and what it would be like if it wasn’t pleasant. I guess for me, it allows me to experience these worlds without having to be in them. I’ve read some great YA dystopian fiction, but here are my favorites:

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

This is the perfect kind of dystopian setup. The moon is hit by a meteor and thrown off its axis and causes worldwide mayhem. It isn’t the actual event of the meteor hitting the moon but the aftermath of it and how it specifically affects Miranda and her family that makes this book a great read.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

In the near future, the reader meets Jenna who has survived a car crash. But Jenna isn’t all that she seems. This book explores the question of a moral dilemma—is the person really the same person when science and technology take over?

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

A lot people see parallels with The Adoration of Jenna Fox and this novel. After the Heartland War in the near future, to find a common ground on the abortion issue, a law is created to “unwind” or use up to 99.4% of a person (organs, tissue, etc) between the ages of 13 and 17 if the parents/guardians decide they are no longer wanted. The author does an excellent job of portraying the “unwind” teens and what they will do at any cost to save their own lives.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This was my favorite book of 2008 not only because of the dystopian nature. North America is now Panem, which consists of 12 provinces (the 13th has been destroyed) that must send two teens (one girl, one boy) between 12 and 17 to fight to the death on reality TV. While there is violence in the book considering the plotline, I found the relationships between the characters and how they must make certain choices very compelling.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

This is a book that I’ve read recently and the only one I must admit that gave me nightmares. How could it not? Mary lives in a village surrounded by zombies. Only a hundreds-year old fence keeps them out. And when the fence finally breaks—all hell breaks loose. I mean, really. Hell. Breaks. Loose. This is a book that will keep you up at night—if anything to find out if Mary can escape the terror and finally make it out alive.

The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Although this is not a YA book, the novel centers around a young character, Lauren Olamina, who is trying to live her life within her gated community. It’s 2024 and the US isn’t doing very well. Environmental and economic crisis has lead to total social downfall. And when her gated community is finally breached, Lauren has to go out into the unprotected landscape to survive. This book also haunted me for awhile because the downfall is something that could actually happen. It’s a shame that we lost this writer so soon. I really do miss Octavia Butler.