Below are my favorites with similarities to the Hunger Games - dystopian with a solid romantic element:
The Shore of Monsters by David J. Nix – 2011. Five generations earlier, a horde of monsters nearly obliterated humanity. All males are dead or ruined by a monster plague; words like 'father' and 'romance' have lost meaning. When teenager Sky joins an expedition to the shore that falls apart, she must survive amongst the monsters that roam the ruins. She gets unexpected help from a very surprising source. Mystery, action, and romance follow!
Across the Universe by Beth Revis - 2011. When 17-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo on a spaceship, she expects to be thawed 300 years later upon arrival at a new planet. However, her world turns upside down when she is awakened fifty years too early and finds herself embroiled in the mystery surrounding the attempted murders of frozen passengers. Her life endangered by Eldest, the tyrannical leader of the ship's maintenance population, she turns to her only ally: Elder, the young man destined to take Eldest's place as leader. As they solve the mystery together, romance blossoms between Amy and Elder, complicating an already complex situation.
Blood Red Road (Dustlands Series) by Moira Young – 2012. In a post-apocalyptic future, 18-year-old Saba’s twin brother is stolen by black-clad riders. When tough-as-nails Saba launches a relentless search to recover him, she must fight for her life in gladiator cages, overcome enemies both creature and human, and learn to trust others for the first time. And try as she might, she can’t help but fall for the charming scoundrel Jack, who just may understand her more than she knows. The author tells Saba’s story in a raw first person format that blows you away. Must read for dystopian lovers!
Delirium by Lauren Oliver – 2011. In the tightly controlled society of a future America, love is forbidden, classified as ‘deliria’ by authorities. Three months before her 18th birthday and a mandatory procedure to ‘cure’ her deliria, Lena meets Alex, who sends her heart aflutter. As love blossoms between the two, Lena questions what she has always been told about love, and begins to consider the unthinkable: not submitting to the cure, and choosing deliria instead. Beautifully written, but a little slow.
Divergent by Veronica Roth – 2011. In a future dystopian Chicago, each 16-year old must choose to belong one of five factions, each of which represents a dominant personality trait. For most the choice is easy – simply follow the results an aptitude test. For Beatrice, however, the choice is not simple. Her test indicates three aptitudes. In addition to complicating her life, this fact makes her dangerous to the community for reasons she does not know. What she decides promises to put her in danger, and possibly tilt the entire balance of society.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan – 2010. Seven generations have passed since the Return, a plague that reanimates dead humans into creatures that feed on the living. Teenager Mary lives inside one of the last enclaves of uninfected, protected by a chain link fence that surrounds her village. When the fence is breached, Mary flees the village with a small band of survivors. Their flight toward an uncertain salvation is both harrowing and revealing, as they try to determine if they are humanity’s last hope.
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff – 2006. Fascinating novel about the outbreak of a 21st century world war as seen through the eyes of Daisy, a 15 year old American staying with her cousins on a remote England farm. At first utopian, the kid's existence degenerates into horror as the war encroaches on the farm. Through the several month period covered by the story, Daisy grows from a self-centered girl into a determined survivor. This book will leave a mark on the reader for years to come.
Unwind by Neal Shusterman - 2009. In post-war future, the abortion debate has been solved through compromise. Parents may elect to have their teenage children "unwound", a process where the teens organs and body parts are harvested for others. The story follows three runaway Unwinds, each discarded for behavior, religious, or economic reasons. As the trio embarks on a harrowing journey of escape, the reader will ponder very heavy moral questions, and wrestle with how much a bad decision can affect future generations. This is a masterpiece on every level!