Dear Dystopians, How Did I Miss You?

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Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s theme is: Top Ten Books I Can’t Believe I Haven’t/Want To Read From X Genre (for example I feel like I’m pretty well read in contemporary YA but there are some STAPLES I can’t believe I haven’t read. Or if you just want to books you WANT to read in a particular genre..not necessarily long overdue)

I have been a fan of dystopian books for a long time. Yes, I have widely broadened my horizons (especially over the past year), but I do still love a dystopian from time to time! So it is rather shocking that these have somehow managed to escape my claws:

(These boxes all link to Goodreads!)

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So, any of these that you recommend I read sooner than later? Any that I should probably avoid? And how do you feel about dystopian books in general?

Posted February 3, 2015 by Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight in Top Ten Tuesday / 64 Comments

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64 responses to “Dear Dystopians, How Did I Miss You?

  1. I also have some of these dystopian reads on my TBR! I’ve read Birthmarked but haven’t continued with the series yet. I really need to read The Murder Complex too! Too many books, too little time!

  2. The Selection is just… terrible. Honestly. And it only gets worse with each book. I seriously can’t even tell you why I kept reading them but I did (okay, I actually do know. It’s the gorgeous covers!)

    I thought The Program, however, was incredible and moving and heartbreaking. I’m actually planning a reread of it soon, so I can FINALLY get to the sequel and to the companion book that is coming out this spring.

    I also really enjoyed Enclave. It was very different from any other book I’ve read before and I especially enjoyed the main character. I seriously need to get to those sequels sometime soon.

    • The covers DO kind of reel you in, no? I feel like I almost want to give them a chance, since I own them all… but maybe they’ll end up being a desperation read somewhere down the road 😉

      I am convinced that I need to read The Program since so many of you are vouching for it! And I am glad Enclave is unique, again, since I have all the books!

  3. Omg! I have a half-drafted post of dystopians for the prompt too. *hi fives* I went on a dystopian craze about 3 years back…actually dystopian is what started me on YA in the first place. SO I HAVE READ A LOT. But then…I’ve only read 4 on your list. 0.0 Clearly I have massive holes too. I VOUCH FOR RED RISING. AJFDKSLAFD FEEEEEELS AND BEAUTIFUL CLEVER WRITING.

    • Yay!! Great minds 😉 And ME TOO! That is how I got into YA! I read THG, and then pretty much every other dystopian I could find… and then eventually started branching out. I cannot wait to see your list!

  4. Great list, Shannon!

    I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere near The Selection; I just can’t take a character called America Singer seriously, and honestly the plot sounds like it’s just been made dystopian to fit in with the hype. I really need to read The Handmaid’s Tale, though, and I’d like to read Red Rising, too. 🙂 I read Across the Universe a couple of years ago, but while I liked it I didn’t like it enough to read the other two in the trilogy. That’s just my opinion, though! 🙂

    • Yeah, I see what you mean! Especially when I look at the pub date- seems a bit too much to be a coincidence! Some people have said that even though it isn’t some great literary work, it IS enjoyable, so maybe that’ll work? And I have been on the fence with Across the Universe for literally years. So apparently I won’t be in a great hurry either 😉

  5. I’ve read 3 of them and seriously dissapointed. The murder complex is murderously disgusting, the selection is like you said, a-mere-reality-show, and across the universe has all the self-centered characters I hate. I don’t know about the rests, but if I were you, I’d probably start with Wither.

  6. I’ve got The Program on my radar late last year and been wanting to read it since. But, in one way or another, I do not why I still haven’t had this in my hands. And yes, Red Rising. How I keep seeing you this past few months.

  7. So many good books on that list. I loved the Wither series. And The Handmaid’s Tale is one of my favorite books. Red Rising is on my TBR as well. 🙂

  8. I guess I’m one of the very few that really enjoyed The Selection books haha. I also really enjoyed The Program, and Wither, although I wasn’t crazy about books 2 & 3 in the Wither series. I actually just bought Red Rising and I can’t wait to see what all the fuss is about 🙂

    • Ohh I am glad you liked them! I know some people absolutely LOVE them (though I am not sure how I feel about a fifth book coming out in the series, plus all the novellas…) I want to buy Red Rising in paperback, because I think I’ll be more likely to read it but that seems like such a waste of money since I have the Kindle book!

  9. The Selection is the only one of these I read. Actually I listened to the audiobook of the Selection and the Elite while driving cross country. The covers are absolutely gorgeous.

  10. I’ve read Wither and Selection and really liked them both although there’s much controversy about Wither. I really also want to read Across the Universe, The Murder Complex and The Program and I’ve heard some very good things about Birthmarked!
    Happy Reading 🙂

  11. The Selection series was great. Cheesy sure, and a few cringe worthy moments but overall a really fantastic series with great characters. I was hesitant with Enclave as well, but ended up really loving it. The 2nd book fell a little short for me, but the 3rd was the best of the series. And Deuce received that name in an interesting way, it wasn’t just what she was named at birth. Haven’t read the others on your list, and only Murder Complex is on my TBR. Hope you enjoy whichever you get to first.

  12. If you only read one from this list, read The Program! It’s amazing and mind-blowing and totally makes you think about mental illness IRL and just wow. Now I’m reminded about the fact that I still haven’t read book two!

    Technically I “own” all the Selection books, but they were gifts for my sister so really they’re not mine lol. But whenever I want to read them I’ll just steal them from her shelves 😉

    • I HAVE to read The Program. Basically everyone has insisted I do, so yeah, it is happening. I need to stop requesting crap so I can read a few of my long overdue books! I would totally steal the books. And they are pretty, so I wouldn’t be giving them back either 😉

  13. I haven’t read any of these either, although just like you I love a dystopia now and then. I own Birthmarked, but even though I have owned it for a long time I still haven’t read it. The Selection is on my to-read list as well and with those prettty dresses on the cover I would love to own this series in paperback, but will probably settle for e-copies as those are cheaper.

    • Hahah the pretty dress totally sucked me into buying the books (even though they’re ebooks, they look pretty on my Kindle too!), and I have had Birthmarked on my TBR for ages! Hopefully we’ll get to them soon (or at least, someday!) 🙂

  14. Haha I was just as hesitant before picking up The Selection, but the book is a lot better than it may seem from the protagonist’s name. The book is a bit reminiscent of a reality TV show (there are cameras filming the contestants, after all), but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I attempted to read The Handmaid’s Tale a while back, but in a market scene I decided to wait on it until I was a bit older. I hope you enjoy these dystopias, though!

  15. RED RISING RED RISING RED RISING. I’m just going to say that OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL YOU OBEY ME AND READ IT. But honestly, haven’t read anything else on your list, but I should. Like The Program. And the Handmaid’s Tale. ALSO LOOK AT THOSE GRAPHICS. WHERE DO YOU GET ALL THIS TIME TO DO THESE THINGS?

    • I know, I must read it! I am worried about the wait time between Golden Son and Morning Star though! But no, I will get on the ball, Val, promise!

      And thank yoU!! I am glad you appreciate them. Also, I never sleep 😉

  16. I’ve been seeing Birthmarked for forever! I really want to check it out, plus Vault of Dreamers. 🙂
    I read The Selection and wasn’t a huge fan, but I do own book two and I plan to read it this summer. Maybe we can buddy read if you want to, Shannon! (Yep, America Singer is such a tacky name.)
    I didn’t enjoy Wither too much, but the premise was nice.
    YOU MUST READ ACROSS THE UNIVERSE! This was one of my first sci-fi books and one of my favorites. Love.
    I’ve heard awesome things about Red Rising! We must both read it!
    I read Enclave and was bored out of my mind. Not sure if I want to continue this series.
    THE PROGRAM IS ANOTHER MUST READ. So many feels with that duology, girl.
    I also need to read The Murder Complex since Lindsay Cummings is such a sweetheart, plus I own the book!

    • We should definitely buddy read!! I feel I do better with some accountability 😉 I was a bit bored when I read the sample of Enclave, which is why I didn’t continue initially… but maybe it gets better? And I will definitely read Across the Universe (even if it is mostly so I can have the prettiness on my bookshelf!)

      And I own it too, and really want to read it! I think Lindsay was the first author who followed me on Twitter 😉 She made my day, so I should really read her book!

  17. The Selection was good. The gorgeous covers really drew me in! The whole love triangle kept making me cringe, and the books aren’t a favorite, but there were some redeeming qualities, so overall they were good.

  18. The Selection is one of those reviewers either loved or hated, which is why I haven’t read it either. Wither & Across the Universe are on my list too! I am afraid of Handmaid’s Tale, it isn’t even on my list. I look forward to hearing about it though. You have to read Red Rising already! Just yes! I liked your layout for this post, it looks really nice. 🙂

    I’m hesitant towards dystopians right now. There are just so many of them out there and so many that are just the same. You know?

    • Aw thanks! I will definitely be getting to Red Rising soon- it’ll end up being like THG and appear on every list 😉

      I agree! That is why I think I haven’t read these, mainly because I am burned out a bit. But I know I’ll be ready for dystopians again someday, and there these will be!

  19. I can totally vouch for Starters and Wither. Although I did have a few problems with Wither, I did like it overall (and Lauren’s tweets are hilarious). I remember really liking Starters. Though I haven’t continued either series yet.

  20. Aaaah I haven’t read any of these. I think The Selection would probably just annoy the hell out of me from what I’ve heard, but I do feel like I should read Red Rising (it sounds kinda cool and people are flailing all over the internet) and The Program sounds interesting, but some of the reviews put me off, so I’m not sure whether I’ll read it yet.

    In general, I love dystopians, but I can’t read them all the time. I have to be in the mood for them or I won’t enjoy them. Right now I’m LOVING The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken.

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