Books are a unique way for people to escape this world and to enter a new one full of twists and turns. Dystopian books are full of imaginary societies, full of suffering and injustice. While they are fictional stories, they all have a base in truth, and people can learn from them. Here are five hard to put down dystopian books. 

The 100 by Kass Morgan 

This novel follows several teenagers living in a dystopian world where  Earth is inhabitable, and society lives in space. While this lifestyle has worked so far, oxygen is running out on the ships and the inhabitants need to return to Earth. As an experiment, the government sends 100 teenage convicts down to earth to track their vital signs and to see if Earth is now safe. Follow their thrilling lives in all four books: The 100, Day 21, Homecoming, and The Rebellion. This series has also been adapted for a television series.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel, broaching critical topics such as censorship and the importance of literature to individuals and society as a whole. The story follows a man by the name of Guy Montag, a firefighter, who is responsible for burning down houses with books in them. After witnessing an elderly woman make the decision to die among her books, he begins to question his role in society. This novel is also adapted for screens, this time as a movie.

Life as we Knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Miranda, a sixteen year old girl, is living a normal teenage life until, one day, an asteroid strikes the moon, knocking it out of orbit. Her life turns upside down as tidal patterns shift, destroying coastal civilization, power lines, and supply chains. The story follows her journey in the fight for survival through a series of journal entries. The series includes four books: Life as we Knew it, The Dead and the Gone, This World we Live in, and The Shade of the Moon. 

The Selection by Kiera Cass

A group of 35 girls have been selected to compete for the heart of the young prince Maxon, and to live with all the comforts of the palace, but for America Singer, being selected is catastrophic. Her family and love of her life, Aspen, are out of reach. It all changes when she meets the Prince. Living in the castle would provide her with a life of luxury and a much more promising future. The series consists of five books: The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Heir, and The Crown. 

Legend by Marie Lu

Prodigy follows the lives of two 15year olds, June and Day, as they navigate a dystopian Los Angeles. June is a prodigy in the Republic, a nation at war with all its neighbors, and is being trained to be high up in the military. On the other hand, Day is the Republic’s most wanted criminal. June’s brother, Metais, dies and Day is the top subject. June is devastated and uses her love for her brother to fuel her need to avenge his death. Follow the ups and downs and twists and turns they face in all three books, Legend, Prodigy, and Champion. 

These are just a few of the amazing books in the dystopian genre. All five of these thrilling stories are perfect for reading all year round. Curl up with a book on a rainy day, or just to enter a different world.