The 11 Best Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic Books

Best Post Apocalyptic Books → The 11 Best Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic Books

The world is a scary place - so it's no wonder that so many people are drawn to post-apocalyptic stories. These tales offer a glimpse into a world where everything has gone wrong, and often focus on the human spirit as it strives to survive. They're dark, intense, and often full of mystery and suspense. Not to mention, they're the perfect escape from reality.

If you're looking for some good YA post-apocalyptic books to read, look no further! In this blog post, we share our picks for the best young adult post-apocalyptic books out there.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

When 18-year-old Cassie Sullivan hears gunshots and sees that the world around her is crumbling, she knows that the 5th Wave has begun. The first four waves - disease, natural disasters, war and starvation - have already killed billions of people and left the earth in ruins. Now, it's up to Cassie and a small band of survivors to save humanity from total annihilation.

The 5th Wave is a post-apocalyptic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. With action, romance and suspense, it's no wonder this book has become a bestseller (and now - film). If you're looking for a heart-pounding read, The 5th Wave is definitely for you.

Wool by Hugh Howey

Hugh Howey's "Wool" is a gripping tale of suspense and adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world. After a nuclear war has destroyed most of civilization, the survivors are forced to live in a giant underground silo. To prevent another disaster, the residents of the silo are forbidden from going outside. But when the silo's computers begin to fail, a group of brave young adults venture into the unknown world outside the silo in search of answers.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is a gripping tale of a young adult apocalypse. In a not-too-distant future, the United States has been decimated by war and is now divided into 12 districts. Each year, two tributes from each district are chosen by lottery to compete in the Hunger Games, a televised event in which the 24 participants must fight to the death.

The story follows Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl from District 12 who volunteers to take her sister's place in the Hunger Games. With the help of her district partner Peeta Mellark, Katniss sets out to survive the Games and overthrow the repressive regime that controls them.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Veronica Roth's dystopian novel Divergent, the world is divided into five factions: Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), and Erudite (the intelligent). At the age of sixteen, every citizen must choose which faction to belong to for the rest of their lives.

For Beatrice Prior, the decision is not an easy one. She was born into Abnegation, but she doesn't feel like she belongs there. She doesn't fit in with her selfless family, and she longs for something more. When she takes the faction test, she is shocked to discover that she is Divergent - a rare individual who does not fit neatly into any one faction.

As war threatens to divide the factions, Beatrice must decide where her true allegiance lies. Roth's novel is a thrilling tale of self-discovery and bravery in the face of adversity.

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow is a young adult science fiction novel about a girl named Ellie Chu who falls in love with a boy named Miren. Set in the future, the world has been taken over by aliens who have banned music and imposed strict rules on humans.

When Miren asks Ellie to help him find a way to share his music with the world, she agrees. The two set out on a journey to find the perfect song to unite humanity and save the world. Along the way, they must outwit the aliens, survive dangerous challenges, and discover the power of love and music. The Sound of Stars is an unforgettable story of hope and resistance in the face of oppression.

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi

In War Girls, Tochi Onyebuchi imagines a bleak future in which nuclear war has decimated the population and the few remaining survivors are confined to armored bunkers. Life is harsh and dangerous, and the only release from the monotony is the occasional fight to the death in the arena.

Into this world comes a group of young women, all of whom have been orphaned by the war. They have been given the opportunity to compete in the arena, and if they win, they will be granted their freedom. But as they prepare for battle, they must also grapple with the question of what it means to be human in a world that has already lost so much.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Maze Runner (and its sequels, The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure) is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where the sun has become deadly and the earth has been uninhabitable for generations. The story follows a group of teenage boys who are sent to live in a community known as the Glade. The boys are forced to navigate their way through a gigantic maze, which is filled with deadly creatures known as Grievers. 

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is a Young Adult post-apocalyptic novel written by Carrie Ryan. The novel tells the story of a small group of survivors living in a world overrun by zombies.

The protagonist, Mary, is a young girl who has never known anything but the zombie-infested forest. One day, she meets a boy named Travis, who claims to have seen a different world beyond the forest. Travis convinces Mary to go on a journey with him to find this new world, and along the way they are joined by several other survivors. Together, they must fight their way through the hordes of zombies that stand between them and safety.

The Fever King by Victoria Lee

In the young adult apocalypse book The Fever King, seventeen-year-old Noam Álvarez is a sorcerer who can control electricity. When a deadly virus starts killing off the population of New York City, Noam is recruited by the government to use his powers to help stop the spread of the disease.

However, as he begins to use his magic to help save lives, he quickly discovers that the virus is not the only threat they're facing. There are dark forces at work, and if Noam can't stop them, the entire city will be destroyed.

Uglies by Scott Westerfield

Imagine a future world where everyone is beautiful...at least on the outside. That's the world of Uglies, a young adult novel by Scott Westerfield.

The book is set in a future society where people are divided into two classes: the pretty ones, who are wealthy and live in cities, and the uglies, who are poor and live in the country. At the age of 16, all uglies must undergo surgery to become pretty. But when one girl, Tally, meets a boy who doesn't want to be turned into a pretty, she starts to question everything she knows about her world. Is beauty really worth sacrificing your freedom?

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

When sixteen-year-old Miranda's mother drives her to the edge of town and abandons her, she has no choice but to find her way back home on foot.

But home is now a different place than it was when she left it. A meteor has struck the moon, causing it to break apart and fall to earth. The resulting disaster has sent the planet into complete chaos, and Miranda finds herself in the middle of it all.

Life As We Knew It is an action-packed young adult novel that chronicles Miranda's fight for survival in a world that has been completely transformed.

If you’re looking for a great way to escape the stress of real life, look no further than young adult post apocalyptic fiction. These books are a fantastic way to appreciate all that we have while also enjoying a good story. Whether you’re into zombies or nuclear fallout, there’s sure to be a book out there for you.

So what are you waiting for? Pick your favourite and start reading! :)