When it comes to books, I am no stranger to the dystopian and psychological thriller genre. Once I graduated from high school, I was reading all the dystopian novels that I could get my hands on. I also got into thrillers, and I can’t get enough of them. Here’s a list of my favorite thrillers, dystopian, and I added a romance comic and a childhood favorite series to the list.
1. The Family Across the Street By Nicole Trope
I love a book with a twist, and this book got me hooked right at the very beginning, and the ending I did not expect. This psychological thriller is about a family that seems perfect, but they start behaving secretly on the hottest day of the year. A tragedy happens, and shows that they are not who they appear to be, and unknown to the outside world, they are being held hostage by an unknown captor. It is told in multiple perspectives and is told in just seven hours. The shocking twist makes you want more.
2. The Foster Family By Nicole Trope
This book is about Elizabeth, her husband, and their 5-year-old foster son, Joe. Elizabeth loves him like her own child. One day, she looked out into the garden where she saw Joe playing just moments before and felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. She was meant to protect him from his mother and from her husband. The police find just a tiny blue sandal near the water, and Joe can’t swim. Elizabeth has a secret she has been keeping for years. It’s eating her alive with guilt. It was time to tell the truth, even if it meant losing Joe forever.
3. The Series of Unfortunate Events By Lemony Snicket
My 3rd pick is a series I fell in love with when I was around 9 or 10 years old. My neighbor had almost all the books, and I read all 9 in probably less than a week because I got hooked. This series follows a Sister, her little brother, and their baby sister. They all have unique talents, such as Violet, being brilliant at inventing, and Klaus, who has read so many books that he knows so many facts about random subjects. Lastly, their baby sister, Sunny, who can’t do much but has 4 very sharp teeth. They were at the beach when they were told by their banker that their parents had died in a fire. Throughout the 13 books, they spend their life running away from an evil man who is after their fortune, doing anything and everything to make them fearful for their lives.
4. Heartstopper Series by Alice Oseman
This series is completely different from the other 3 on this list. Romance isn’t what I usually go for, but this series is different. It follows two boys, Nick and Charlie, who become really good friends, and then slowly they fall in love. The latest book is about Charlie working on being head boy in school, and Nick worrying about going to college and what he will be without being able to see Charlie whenever he wants. This series contains discussions around mental health, eating disorders, and falling in love.
5. The Gender Games by Bella Forrest
Violet Bate’s world is divided by a toxic river, where women rule the East and Men rule the West. Her brother has disappeared, and she’s been consumed with anger. She is sentenced to death for her crimes, but one decision can save her life. She must go over to the other side of the river, where the men rule; she is in more danger than she could have predicted, and she must sacrifice many things in the forbidden kingdom, including forbidden love.
