I’ve basically been obsessing over The Lunar Chronicles ever since I read CINDER back in 2013. I absolutely loved the way Marissa Meyer combined fairy tale retellings, a dash of magic, and a completely original story all under a science-fiction backdrop. The characters and stories have captivated me from the start and now that the series is complete, I wanted to share some of my other favorite books/series for Lunar Chronicles fans to fill that void!

12 BOOKS TO READ
IF YOU LIKED THE LUNAR CHRONICLES

IF YOU LIKED THE LUNAR CHRONICLES…

Try… ARMADA by Ernest Cline.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
I absolutely adore Ernest Cline’s books and ARMADA is perfect for Lunar Chronicles fans who are looking for more spaceship action! It’s not as futuristic as The Lunar Chronicles nor does it contain that element of magic but it is deliciously nerdy and sci-fi. If you’re looking to try out more science fiction and you love things like nerdy pop culture, video games, Star Wars, and more, then Ernest Cline’s books are a must for you! Even if those aren’t your favorite things, the books are still incredibly enjoyable. I also fully recommend the audiobooks if you’re an audio listener because Wil Wheaton narrates them and he really just brings the characters to life and amps up the action!

Try… NIL by Lynne Matson.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
NIL is an incredibly fun sci-fi series for those who want a little mystery with their science-fiction. The books have a serious Lost feel (like the TV show) and I loved how this was a different sort of sci-fi with the environment being the anomaly/variable instead of a technology or ability. Another bonus for Lunar Chronicles fans is the structure of the series and how it’s similar to the Lunar Chronicles POVs from book to book — book one revolves around Charley and Thad and then the focus shifts in book two with new POVs from characters Rives and Skye but still involved the main characters from the first book.

Try… THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
You may have seen news and flails for THRONE OF GLASS flying around (especially if you’re diving in head first into the book community!) and let me tell you, the obsessed fans are totally spot on with the praise for this fandom! The Throne of Glass series has grown to be so entertaining, detailed, unique, and fascinating. Admittedly, book one is actually my least favorite of the series but not because it’s not as good — it does a lot of setting up for the rest of the series (a six book series in all (seven if you include the bind-up of novellas) with book four just released in September 2015) and I just think the series really takes off from THRONE OF GLASS! The characters, the plot, the magic — everything really grows so immensely and this series is so exciting! It’s another really big fandom out there right now and you can read the first three books and join us in flailing and trying to wait patiently for the rest of the series!

Try… STEELHEART by Brandon Sanderson.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
STEELHEART is a YA series by Brandon Sanderson with a superhero sort of twist. (Or supervillain, rather.) It’s a little bit dystopian with the main characters end up living in a world where the “Epics” are dominating the average humans and essentially run things like tyrants. The book is thrilling, thought-provoking, and has some great comic relief from main character David who always finds a way to come up with a joke or two to keep things light. I love the “crew” aspect which is something I really enjoyed in The Lunar Chronicles. I really enjoy when seemingly random groups of characters join up to form a crew and usually save the world!

Try… SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
Leigh Bardugo’s books are simply amazing and The Grisha Trilogy is one of the first fantasy series that I really fell in love with. SHADOW AND BONE and its sequels are definitely in the fantasy realm but I think fans of The Lunar Chronicles will appreciate and latch onto the magical aspects that have a root in science as well. The characters are also wonderful with characters like Alina and Sturmhond (who appears in the second book) giving characters like Cinder and Thorne a run for their money!

Try… UNREMEMBERED by Jessica Brody.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
THE RAVEN BOYS isn’t so much fantasy as the other recommendations on this list are (you’ll find more magical realism/paranormal/mythology), but I had to include it because along with Harry Potter, The Lunar Chronicles, and The Grisha Trilogy, this is one of my TOP TOP TOP fandoms. I just re-read THE RAVEN BOYS in preparation to do a series re-read before the last book in the series, THE RAVEN KING, comes out in 2016 and I fell in love all over again, much like I do each time I read Harry Potter. I’d say where HP has a strong world and plot that sweeps readers away, THE RAVEN BOYS accomplishes the same thing on an emotional level and I cannot recommend this series enough!

Try… LOOP by Karen Akins.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
I wanted to include LOOP in the list because this is one of my new favorite “light sci-fi” books! “Light sci-fi” seems to be a new thing, especially in YA, where readers can have that science-fiction experience but not be bogged down with too many technological details and I also like to think of the “light” in terms of the overall feel as well. LOOP has some great banter between the two main characters and Bree is such a firecracker! She reminded me a lot of Cinder at times and I loved how the book introduced time travel in a way that allowed a lot of readers to really get into the concept without being overly complicated.

Try… TIGER LILY by Jodi Lynn Anderson.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
I was looking through my favorite reads for another fairy tale retelling to include and TIGER LILY was at the top of the list. This book is so beautifully done and really evokes so many feelings in a way that any Peter Pan story has never done for me before. I really loved Tiger Lily’s spirit, Tinkerbell’s sass, and seeing the complicated relationships they have with the Lost Boys. Even if you’re not a big fan of Peter Pan (I wasn’t), you should definitely check out TIGER LILY! It’s an absolutely wonderful retelling.

Try… ILLUMINAE by Aime Kaufman & Jay Kristoff.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
If you’re looking for more adventures in space, ILLUMINAE will probably blow your mind. It’s an incredibly unique book, completely told through emails, instant messages, logs, recordings, etc so the narrator is essentially the documents themselves. It can be a bit tricky to catch onto if that’s something brand new to you but it’s so worth it! The story was just fantastic and I was completely hooked the entire time, my heart racing at some parts and swooning at others. There are plenty of surprises for readers as well so you’ll always be on the edge of your seat! The book also takes place almost entirely in space (in the somewhat distant future) for those who are looking for that sci-fi action!

Try… THE 5TH WAVE by Rick Yancey.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
THE 5TH WAVE hooked me right from the start and I’ve been inhaling this series ever since! I was a bit skeptical since it deals with an alien invasion and aliens are not usually my thing but I immediately fell in love and the whole concept was so well done that it pulled in a person like me who actively avoided “alien books”. The great (and scary) thing about these books is that the invaders take on human bodies so the main characters don’t know who to trust and who to doubt so that question of manipulation is always in the back of the reader’s mind. I thought that was a great tie-in to the concept of Lunars and their glamour/manipulation powers!

Try… ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS is another fun “light sci-fi” book. There was a possibility of a second book but after some careful consideration by the author, she felt that it just wasn’t working out as a series and instead chose to keep this as a stand alone. There are so many sci-fi series out there that if you’re looking for something to start and finish right away, ALL OUR YESTERDAYS is a great option for you! I also loved the villain in this book. It was so interesting how everything played out and how the characters were involved. It was really well don and one I recommend!

Try… UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi.
Review // Goodreads // Amazon
UNDER THE NEVER SKY wasn’t a book that I immediately went to for a Lunar Chronicles comparison but it actually works out quite nicely! I love the science-fiction and fantasy blend that happens in this series and it was just beautifully written as well. There’s also some amazing character development. I’ll admit that it took me a bit of time to warm up to Aria (the female lead) but I absolutely loved how she grew throughout the book and really changed throughout the series. It’s such a wonderful trilogy and I hope that Lunar Chronicles fans would enjoy it as well!

So what do YOU think? Which books would you recommend for fans of The Lunar Chronicles? The series is so unique that it’s hard to give out super specific recommendations but I definitely wanted to include some of my favorite sci-fi books/series as well as some other epic series (which for me happen to be fantasy)!

I hope you enjoyed the post! If you’re looking for more reading guides or recommendations or more posts about The Lunar Chronicles, check out some of my links below! 

More reading guides and/or recommendations: 

• If You Liked… Harry Potter: I came up with a brand-new list of HP recommendations for adults who grew up with the series and are looking for more life-changing reads!
• The Book Addict’s “GUIDE” to Duologies: Two-book series are gaining popularity… which are your favorites?
• If You Liked… Anna and the French Kiss: Loved ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins? Here are some other adorable romances I think you’ll enjoy!
• If You Liked… Divergent: The “If You Liked” series is back! See which books I recommend for fans of Veronica Roth’s hit series DIVERGENT!
• If You Liked… If I Stay: For fans of IF I STAY, here are a few hand-picked selections of books you should read next!
• If You Liked… The Fault in Our Stars: With so many great YA adaptations hitting the big screen, I wanted to make a lovely graphic of suggestions for people who have enjoyed them! This one kicks off the series with recs for THE FAULT IN OUR STARS fans!
• The Book Addict’s “GUIDE” to Male POVs: Sometimes I’m just craving a good male POV or want to diversify my reading away from the females. Check out some of my favorite books from a guy’s perspective (mostly YA, some adult, some alternating male/female POV)!
• The Book Addict’s “GUIDE” to “Crossover” Books: Know adult readers who want to get into YA? Or YA readers who want to pick up new adult reads? Check out this guide to “crossover” books!
• The Book Addict’s GUIDE to paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy: The second in my series of guides! I hard a hard time separating these three so they all got smushed together.
  Infographic: A guide and compilation of paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy recommendations
• The Book Addict’s GUIDE to contemporary: First of many to come! I created a road map/choose your own adventure-style guide to YA contemporary romances. If you’re looking for a good contemp read, start here!
  Infographic: A guide and compilation of contemporary recommendations

More posts about The Lunar Chronicles: 

• The Lunar Chronicles Book Tag
• The Lunar Chronicles (Re)Read Along | Cinder’s Cyborg Features | Scarlet Quotes
• Fairest Blog Tour | Fierce Reads 2014 Fall Tour (Chicago) Recap
• Reviews: Cinder | Scarlet | Cress | Fairest | Glitches | The Queen’s Army | Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky | The Little Android
• 10 Things I Felt About This Book: Cinder | Scarlet | Cress