Picked by The 13th Reality fans

Here are 55 books that The 13th Reality fans have personally recommended once you finish the The 13th Reality series. Book DNA is a community of authors and super-readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Book cover of The Maze Runner

Linda Lee Author Of Cursed

From my list on unconventional YA apocalyptic fantasy.

Why am I passionate about this?

As we watch the news–the increasing number of earthquakes, volcanoes, wars, inflation, the rapid progress of AI, unelected elites deciding they know best for the world, and more–we don’t know how to process it all, and it leaves us feeling anxious. My passion for helping my readers not just escape but actually live better fuels me. I created this retelling of the Book of Revelations from the POV of celestial warriors and fallen angels in the unseen realms of our world to allow my readers to “make more sense” of the world and be at peace.

Linda's book list on unconventional YA apocalyptic fantasy

Linda Lee Why Linda loves this book

Talk about crazy experiments! Maze Runner is an epic quest combined with a nod to those who love solving puzzles on steroids. This is truly an end-of-the-world scenario, or I surely hope it is. While I can see some mad scientists excited about such an experiment today, it is still frowned upon. Thank goodness. But Maze Runner explores “science” gone rogue.

Indifference again plays a central role in the plot as those outside the experiment use a variety of psychological warfare techniques to keep the participants engaged in the game. The reader feels sorry for them having to overcome everything that’s thrown at them or die. I loved how the group of teens had to work together to figure out what was going on and then face the difficulty of extracting themselves from the maze. Ultimately, I loved that friendship and working together triumphed at the end of the day.

By James Dashner ,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked The Maze Runner as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The first book in the New York Times bestselling Maze
Runner series - now a series of major movies starring Dylan O'Brien!

SEE THE FILMS. READ THE BOOKS. ENTER THE MAZE ...

When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers
is his first name. But he's not alone.

He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade - a
walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone
maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they came to
be there - or what's happened to the world outside.

All…


Book cover of Divergent

Lyndi Alexander Author Of Windmills

From my list on fantasy with female underdogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to cheer for underdogs, and young women who are in this category have my special devotion. As a child of the 1960s, I remember a time when women didn’t have the same rights and opportunities as men, and we still seem to be fighting it today. Coming from a trauma-based childhood myself, I find myself comparing and contrasting coping mechanisms. Luckily, I haven’t found it necessary to kill anyone with dragon stone or jacked-up hornets so far. It delights me when these girls win, whether they game the system or fight their way with guns and knives.

Lyndi's book list on fantasy with female underdogs

Lyndi Alexander Why Lyndi loves this book

I loved these books. The mystery of this society and its strict divisions fascinated me. I related to Tris immediately and her need for more excitement than her Abnegation family could provide. The detachment felt by so many of the characters in their daily roles resonated in my soul as something I have felt as well when confined by societal definition.

As I reflected in our own society, those at the top scheme to gain power for themselves, regardless of the effect on the rest of the people. I was proud of Tris and her colleagues, who joined together to create a better, more just society.

By Veronica Roth , Nicolas Delort (photographer) ,

Why should I read it?

17 authors picked Divergent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The explosive debut by No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth.

DIVERGENT - a major motion picture series.

For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice. Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs.

Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her. The hardest choices may yet lie ahead....

A debut novel that…


Book cover of The Hunger Games

Lizzie Fry Author Of The Coven

From my list on dystopian worlds that rival our own binfire planet.

Why am I passionate about this?

As well as being a novelist, I am also a script editor for film and TV. I specialise in thriller narratives and big themes in screenwriting, so it's no accident I am drawn to them in fiction too. Dystopian worlds offer such a rich backdrop for the BIG questions and observations. By putting new societies and threats under the microscope in stories, it can hold a mirror up to what's going on in real life. I think of dystopian novels as being akin to the canaries in the coal mine: they are not only cathartic, they sound the warning bell on where we are going as a society ourselves.

Lizzie's book list on dystopian worlds that rival our own binfire planet

Lizzie Fry Why Lizzie loves this book

I love this book because of Katniss Everdeen's depth. She’s not just another “kickass hottie”, she’s complex, with a powerful character arc driven by a deep sense of responsibility.

The book’s commentary on mental health and Katniss' parentification resonated with me personally. The story world of all the districts and President Snow's iron grip on them is well-drawn and has parallels to our own, too. 

By Suzanne Collins ,

Why should I read it?

59 authors picked The Hunger Games as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been close to death before - and survival, for her, is second nature. The Hunger Games is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever...


Book cover of The Eye of Minds

Randy C. Dockens Author Of Myeem

From my list on science fiction stories of amazing worlds.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by science fiction and by Biblical Scripture. That may seem dichotomous to some, but not to me. I have a passion for science and for Scripture because both bring understanding about our world from the microcosm to the macrocosm. My writings are a mixture of science and mystery with a science fiction feel and a Christian perspective. I like stories that show how truth arises even from the dark, confusing, and ambiguity of life to help one discover something about God they may not have considered before, and at the same time enjoy a fun, fast-paced, and exciting journey as they read.

Randy's book list on science fiction stories of amazing worlds

Randy C. Dockens Why Randy loves this book

While not science fiction in the classical sense, it is a story of a different kind of world where virtual reality and reality blur. The main character almost lives in a virtual reality gaming program, but when he is to do something in the real world, he finds he can’t really tell the two apart and that leads to grave consequences.

By James Dashner ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Eye of Minds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

From James Dashner, the author of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, comes an edge-of-your seat adventure. The Eye of Minds is the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyper advanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams ...and your worst nightmares. To catch a hacker, you need a hacker. For Michael and the other gamers, the VirtNet can make your wildest fantasies become real. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Who wants to play by the rules anyway? But some rules were made for a…


Book cover of The Maze Cutter

S.M. Sykes Author Of Eyes of Blue

From my list on ignite hope in a dying world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a fan of Young Adult fiction, even into my late thirties. This is why when I decided to write my first novel, I wrote it for that genre. My biggest draw to this type of book is the emotional connection and hope you get from younger characters. Like most of us, we lose hope as we get older, so reading a book about a young character full of hope in a chaotic world gives me a little of that hope back. Young people feel things much stronger than we do when we’re older. It feels good to reconnect to that and remember what it’s like. 

S.M.'s book list on ignite hope in a dying world

S.M. Sykes Why S.M. loves this book

I loved the Maze Runner series when it came out. So when I heard that Dashner had started a new series with all new characters, I was excited. When I could finally sit down with it, I was not disappointed. The characters are young and naive because they have been secluded on a small island for the last 73 years.

Their lack of knowledge showed up immediately in the new and horrifying world they had been thrust into. All of this kept me engaged to the point that I tried to read the entire book in one sitting. The main theme that I got from the characters was the hope that they had. The hope was that they would stay alive, if not safe, and that they would be able to help the world with their immunity. 

By James Dashner ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Maze Cutter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

The First Book in a New Series Set 73 Years After The Maze Runner Seventy-three years after the events of THE DEATH CURE, when Thomas and other immunes were sent to an island to survive the Flare-triggered apocalypse, their descendants have thrived. Sadina, Isaac, and Jackie all learned about the unkind history of the Gladers from The Book of Newt and tall tales from Old Man Frypan, but when a rusty old boat shows up one day with a woman bearing dark news of the mainland—everything changes. The group and their islander friends are forced to embark back to civilization…


Book cover of The Rule of Three

S.M. Sykes Author Of Eyes of Blue

From my list on ignite hope in a dying world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a fan of Young Adult fiction, even into my late thirties. This is why when I decided to write my first novel, I wrote it for that genre. My biggest draw to this type of book is the emotional connection and hope you get from younger characters. Like most of us, we lose hope as we get older, so reading a book about a young character full of hope in a chaotic world gives me a little of that hope back. Young people feel things much stronger than we do when we’re older. It feels good to reconnect to that and remember what it’s like. 

S.M.'s book list on ignite hope in a dying world

S.M. Sykes Why S.M. loves this book

When I read this book, I was very glad I came to it late. I never had to wait to get the next book in the series. While I am recommending this book in particular because it is the first, the whole trilogy is needed to get the full effect of the story.

Following 16-year-old Adam through this story was fun and exciting. The emotions ranging from scared as hell to hopeful throughout kept me engaged. The main feeling I kept was the hope that he and his family would stay safe in the community stronghold that they had built. I also hoped that even though society had fallen fast, maybe it could eventually be healed. 

By Eric Walters ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Rule of Three as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

One shocking afternoon, computers around the globe shut down in a viral catastrophe. At sixteen-year-old Adam Daley's high school, the problem first seems to be a typical electrical outage, until students discover that cell phones are down, municipal utilities are failing, and a few computer-free cars like Adam's are the only vehicles that function. Driving home, Adam encounters a storm tide of anger and fear as the region becomes paralyzed. Soon-as resources dwindle, crises mount, and chaos descends-he will see his suburban neighbourhood band together for protection. And Adam will understand that having a police captain for a mother and…


Book cover of Rust-Colored Rain

S.M. Sykes Author Of Eyes of Blue

From my list on ignite hope in a dying world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a fan of Young Adult fiction, even into my late thirties. This is why when I decided to write my first novel, I wrote it for that genre. My biggest draw to this type of book is the emotional connection and hope you get from younger characters. Like most of us, we lose hope as we get older, so reading a book about a young character full of hope in a chaotic world gives me a little of that hope back. Young people feel things much stronger than we do when we’re older. It feels good to reconnect to that and remember what it’s like. 

S.M.'s book list on ignite hope in a dying world

S.M. Sykes Why S.M. loves this book

I found this book on TikTok. The author's words and images inspired me to order it. Once I picked up the book, I couldn’t put it down. The book is thought-provoking from the first page. What is Oliver hiding from his wife? The zombie apocalypse starts, and you almost forget about the question as you follow Oliver and Zoe as they struggle through the end of the world.

I loved that even though this book is about a new type of zombie apocalypse, the overall feeling I got from it was the hope that Oliver and Zoe kept. They hoped that the other was alive and that they could keep each other safe when they were reunited.

By Otto Schafer ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Rust-Colored Rain as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The world was ready to defend against an asteroid of epic proportions… but nobody was ready for what came after.On the last day of normality in Mackinaw, Illinois, Oliver McCallister thinks his worst problem is figuring out how to come clean to his wife about the secret he’s been keeping from her. Zoe McCallister thinks her worst problem is squeezing in an errand at the courthouse before another long day of nursing classes—and worrying about whatever Oliver is hiding from her.

Oliver has just started his garbage route when an emergency broadcast announces the arrival of a ten-kilometer-long asteroid. A…


Book cover of Divided We Fall

S.M. Sykes Author Of Eyes of Blue

From my list on ignite hope in a dying world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a fan of Young Adult fiction, even into my late thirties. This is why when I decided to write my first novel, I wrote it for that genre. My biggest draw to this type of book is the emotional connection and hope you get from younger characters. Like most of us, we lose hope as we get older, so reading a book about a young character full of hope in a chaotic world gives me a little of that hope back. Young people feel things much stronger than we do when we’re older. It feels good to reconnect to that and remember what it’s like. 

S.M.'s book list on ignite hope in a dying world

S.M. Sykes Why S.M. loves this book

The guilt that a teenager can feel can be gut-wrenching, especially when he fires the first shot to start a second civil war. It was amazing to follow the story of 17-year-old Danny Wright through the ups and downs of a new civil war.

I loved the character development and how the author developed the characters' feelings. I felt Danny's guilt and hope that one day he would be able to save his mother and then his loss when he lost her forever. I love this book because it sent me on a rollercoaster ride of emotion while scaling the political landscape of another American civil war. 

By Trent Reedy ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Divided We Fall as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

The provocative, incendiary military thriller -- now in paperback!

Danny Wright never thought he'd be the man to bring down the United States of America. In fact, he enlisted in the Idaho National Guard because he wanted to serve his country the way his father did. When the Guard is called up on the governor's orders to police a protest in Boise, it seems like a routine crowd-control mission ... but then Danny's gun misfires, spooking the other soldiers and the already fractious crowd, and by the time the smoke clears, twelve people are dead. The president wants the soldiers…


Book cover of Fourth Wing

Rick Stepp-Bolling Author Of Patch Man

From my list on most provocative series first fantasy books.

Why am I passionate about this?

I fell in love with fantasy and science fiction when I was a boy and began reading Greek and Roman mythology, DC Comics, and Tom Swift kids' books. The interest never waned. Of course, I made my way through Asimov, Tolkien, Herbert, Clarke, Heinlein, and LeGuin when I was older, and that hooked me to be a forever science fiction/fantasy reader. So when I began my own writing career, I had ample role models to fall back on in my chosen genre. It helped that I obtained a Master's degree in English. Now I have written seven books in the Patch Man series, with five already published, and a fantasy entitled Gray Riders.

Rick's book list on most provocative series first fantasy books

Rick Stepp-Bolling Why Rick loves this book

Dragons. Who doesn’t love a good book with lots of dragons? I’m also a sucker for academies—here, schools to teach the potential dragon riders who will be bonded with their dragons until death do they part.

I am, however, not a lover of romances, and this book contains plenty of x-rated sexual encounters for those who enjoy heavy-breathing scenes. But when the plot turns to dragon and rider connections, then I’m hooked.

By Rebecca Yarros ,

Why should I read it?

44 authors picked Fourth Wing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An Instant New York Times Bestseller
A Goodreads Most Anticipated Book

"Suspenseful, sexy, and with incredibly entertaining storytelling, the first in Yarros' Empyrean series will delight fans of romantic, adventure-filled fantasy." --Booklist, starred review

"Fourth Wing will have your heart pounding from beginning to end... A fantasy like you've never read before." #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history.…


Book cover of The Union

Mary Ting Author Of ISAN

From my list on addictive stories that are impossible to put down.

Why am I passionate about this?

I juggled being a mom with two kids and my career, as a teacher, so I had no time for myself. When I did get the chance to pick up a book, I craved stories that whisked me away from reality—books that were full of action and kept me turning the pages. Even though I enjoy other types of genres, my heart always goes back to dystopian books, which is why I eventually wrote my own series.

Mary's book list on addictive stories that are impossible to put down

Mary Ting Why Mary loves this book

This book hooked me from the first page, and The Union has all the exciting elements I love in a book—fast-paced, danger, action, and romance.

I didn’t want to put the book down, so I stayed past my bedtime, especially since I wanted to know about the protagonist’s love interests. It was easy to get lost in the book. The author did an amazing job with the details of the characters and the world-building.

By T H Hernandez ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Union as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

After global warming and a second civil war devastated the former United States, two different societies rose from the ashes – the Union, a towering high-tech utopia, hugging the perimeter of the continent, and the devastated, untamed midsection known as the Ruins.Seventeen-year-old Evan Taylor has an easy, privileged life in the Union. What she doesn’t have is any idea what to do with the rest of her life. She only knows she wants to do something meaningful, to make a difference in the lives of others.When she’s kidnapped and taken into the Ruins as a pawn in a dispute involving…