ABOUT

The YA Fan Club is designed for teenagers and young adults to come together and share their passion for Young Adult literature. The club as a way to promote reading among youth in the library.

The follow Book List has been curated just for this purpose:

Fans of Young Adult fiction are given alternative title (mostly series') that are similar to popular YA series' These books aren't necessarily obscure, but are recommendations for those who wish to continue reading something similar to their favourite series.

For fans of 'Hunger Games' (Suzanne Collins):

Tomorrow, When the War Began

Common themes: war, dystopia

Author: John Marsden
Series: Tomorrow series
Publisher: Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 1995

This book tells the story, of first-person narration, of a group of teenagers who find their country has been invaded by unknown foreign forces while there were away camping.

Ellie is the protagonist, tasked by her group to write down their story and the outside events that contributed to their situation. Seeing their town empty and livestock dying, the local citizens held hostage by these foreign military invaders, and forced to go into hiding; the group use their strength and wits to concoct brazen plans that foil the actions of the invaders and also ensure the group’s survival.

The book has many similarities to ‘The Hunger Games.’ In terms of plot, the setting is a dystopian one with the protagonists in a desperate situation where they must survive against all the odds. War is also a prevalent theme. Both series’ are packed with action and exciting tension whilst also providing a few slower, and sometimes comic, moments to allow for deeper character interaction and development. 

For more information: 
Goodreads
Author website

For fans of 'Harry Potter' (J.K. Rowling):

The Warrior Heir

Common theme: magic prodigies

Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Series: The Heir Chronicles
Publisher: New York: Hyperion Books for Children, c2006

Teenage protagonist Jack is led to believe he’s a regular kid who needs medication for health reasons, until he fails to take his medicine and discovers the near-tragic power he is capable of.

Jack later learns he comes from a magical group known at the Weirlind. The Weirlind are divided into two opposing houses: the Red Rose and the White Rose that regularly battle it out in deadly duels to determine who is the ruling house.Things turn dire for Jack when he finds himself to be an elligble player for the upcoming duel.

This story is similar to Harry Potter in that the protagonist is a young child who grows up in a mundane world with unfavourable conditions, and then later learn their identity and true destiny is something entirley different and beyond their experience of reality. Both series’ feature magic and wizards, and both are compelling in their writing.

For more information: 
Goodreads

For fans of 'The Lunar Chronicles' (Marissa Meyer):

The Goose Girl

Common theme: fairy tale and folklore-inspired fiction

Author: Shannon Hale
Series: The Books of Bayern
Publisher: New York: Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2003

As the principle title suggests, this is a Young Adult retelling of the German tale ‘The Goose Girl’, where a Princess is forced to live as a goose-herder after her false friend deceives her, steals her identity and goes off to marry a Prince in another Kingdom.

The novel is mostly true to the tale with a few slight adaptations. The world building of the novel has humans capable of magic gifts known as people-speaking, animal-speaking and nature-speaking; the latter being the rarest. The story consists of and is driven by many of the characters baring these gifts in one form or another, including the protagonist.

Like the Lunar Chronicles, the Goose Girl is a complex retelling of a folk tale. However, the Goose Girl departs from this similarity as its subsequent sequels further expand on the other characters involved. Meanwhile the Lunar Chronicles is made up of books that each feature a different fairy tale that connects with the previous folk stories. Both series’ feature a protagonist who is a rightful heir and have their engaging moments.

For more information: 
Goodreads

PART 2 For fans of 'The Lunar Chronicles' (Marissa Meyer):

Carve the Mark

Common theme: science fiction

Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Carve the Mark
Title: New York, NY: Katherine Tegen Books, [2017]

Carve the Mark tells the story of two teenagers who were born with gifts that leave them at the mercy of others. Cyra is used by her brother to cause pain to others, and Akos is an oracle who is kidnapped and sent to Cyra’s nation. Despite being from warring nations and planets, they create an unlikely bond as two teens just trying to survive chaos and carnage.

Like the Lunar Chronicles, Carve the Mark is young adult science fiction with extensive world-building, and a political backdrop (warring nations) that determines the plot and relationship of the characters involved.  Both series also feature characters that have been taken from their original homes and families.

Carve the Mark, however, has more of a fantasy and magic element, and is more focused on how the characters act and behave due to their need for survival.

For more information: 
Goodreads
Author website

For fans of 'Throne of Glass' (Sarah J. Maas):

Grave Mercy

Common theme: assassins

Author: Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin
Publisher: Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2012.

Grave Mercy tells the story of how protagonist Ismae finds herself in the saving grace of a convent and out of the cruel fate of an arranged marriage. Only to discover she has been gifted by the God of Death, and must live a life full of danger and difficult choices if she is to stay at the convent.

I have chosen this title as it has in common with the Throne of Glass series the theme of assassins. In both series a young female protagonist is forced to use her gifts or talents as an assassin and perform difficult, grueling tasks to ensure her freedom. Both series’also include romance and have courts as part of their backdrop.
One of the biggest appeal elements for these series’ is the main character: a strong, gifted teenage girl who don’t let life just happen to them, they fight for the life they want no matter what it takes.

Fore more information: Goodreads

For fans of 'The Mortal Instruments' (Cassandra Clare):

Half-blood: a Covenant novel

Common theme: demon-slaying

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Covenant
Publisher: Contoocook, NH: Spencer Hill Press, 2011

Teenager Alexandria’s half-blood (half-god/half-mortal parent and mortal parent) status had left her with two options in life: serve full-blooded powerful beings or slay daimons. Choosing the latter, Alexandria must graduate the Covenant she is training at or she will be turned into a daimon herself, hunted by her full-blooded love interest she is forbidden to be with.

Half-blood is similar to Covenant as it deals with characters who are non-human (or seemingly human) who are involved with demons and demon-hunting. Half-blood is also similar to Mortal Instruments on account of the romance involved. Supernatural elements abound featuring not just demons, but also gods and vampires.

Half-blood also looks at pre-determined fates and addressing taboos as thematic concerns.

I would recommend this book to a female reading audience rather than a general young adult audience on account of its romantic content. I would also recommend the book to those interested in supernatural themes and interesting in reading stories involving demons.

For more information:

Goodreads

For fans of 'His Dark Material' (Phillip Pullman):

Seraphina

Common themes: quests, supernatural beings

Author: Rachel Hartman
Series: Seraphina
Publisher: New York: Random House, 2012

Seraphina takes place in a world where dragons exist and are heavily involved with humans, being able to take on a human appearance, and either contributing to society or testing the uneasy truce between dragons and humans.

Seraphina, the musically-gifted titular character, finds herself in the midst of dragon-human drama at the royal court. Seraphina must assist in investigating a murder and exposing court secrets while at the same time guarding her own dangerous secret pertaining to her gift.

Like His Dark Materials, the book is written in the fantasy genre and features magical beings such as dragons, demons and spirits. Both stories also feature female protagonists on dangerous missions. Apart from thematic concerns, both books have significant world-building as well a richly detailed writing.

On it’s own, Seraphina also features engaging writing and a well-written, realistic main character.

For more information: 
Goodreads

For fans of 'The Raven Cycle' (Maggie Stiefvater):

The White Cat

Common theme: curses, psychics

Author: Holly Black
Series: Curse Workers
Publisher: New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010

Cassel does not seem to possess the curse-working magic of his family, who have turned to crime as a means to profit from their gifts. So Cassel pretends he is a regular, harmless boy, despite the fact that he is a murderer. All lies and secrets start to unravel, however, when a white cat appears in his dreams.

Curse Workers shares many similarities with The Raven Cycle: namely the thematic concerns of curses and psychics. Like The Raven Cycle, it is written in the urban fantasy genre with a compelling style and unnerving tone.

What makes The White Cat interesting, however, is an unreliable narrator, who struggles to recount what really happened: challenging the reader to piece together the story.

For more information:
Goodreads
Author website

For fans of 'Vampire Academy' (Richelle Mead):

Blue Bloods

Common themes: vampires

Author: Melissa De la Cruz
Series: Blue Bloods
Publisher: New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2006

This book tells a fantastical story of how the wealthy elite of New York as descended from vampires. A shocking secret uncovered by the teenage daughters of these affluent families. One such girl is introvert Schuyler, who undergoes a strange transformation when she turns 15 and discovers the murder of her popular schoolmate.

Like Vampire Academy, Blue Bloods is an urban fantasy that features teenage vampires, takes place in a private school and is concerned with social classes. Both books are compelling in writing style, fast-paced and both have a suspenseful tone.

I would recommend Blue Bloods to young adults who like Vampire Academy, who like to read about vampires, and who like fast-paced writing and suspense.

For more information:

Goodreads

For fans of 'Percy Jackson' (Rick Riordan):

The Shadow Thieves

Common themes: Greek mythology

Author: Anne Ursu
Series: Cronus Chronicles
Publisher: New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006

A range of strange occurrences in Charlotte’s life culminate in her journey to the underworld. Where she must face Greek mythological creatures and figures in order to find a cure for her ailing friends, suffering from a strange, threatening illness. Charlotte is accompanied by her cousin Zee, who too has to solve the very same mystery plaguing his own friends back at home.

While being a unique story in its own right, The Shadow Thieves shares many similarities with Percy Jackson, namely it is written in the fantasy genre and is mythological fiction. Thematic similarities include friendship, Greek deities, and hell as a location. Both stories also contain humour.

For more information:

Goodreads