The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This is another thrilling YA novel that features a dangerous competition. The Hunger Games are a fight to the death between young people from different districts, and the story is full of danger, suspense and well-drawn characters.

 

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

If you like Stiefvater’s writing style and characters, then you’ll likely enjoy her other YA series that features a group of friends searching for a sleeping Welsh king. The books in this series have a similar atmospheric quality to The Scorpio Races.

 

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

This standalone fantasy novel follows a young woman named Agnieszka who is chosen to serve a reclusive wizard known as the Dragon. The book features magic, adventure and romance, and like The Scorpio Races, it’s a standalone novel that has garnered critical acclaim.

 

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

This is a science fiction novel that features a society stratified by color caste, and a young man named Darrow who infiltrates the highest levels of society to overthrow their structure. Like The Scorpio Races, this book is full of danger, suspense and memorable characters.

 

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

 This is the first book in an ongoing fantasy series that follows the story of Kvothe, a gifted young musician who becomes a renowned wizard. The book is well-written and immersive, and it features a world that is richly imagined.