What is Panem Reading?

The elite career tributes in District 1 are precisely the ones who would be swept away in the glitz and glamor of House of Marionne. The first of a series featuring secret societies, forbidden love and betrayal, this dazzling tale is perfect for anyone who loves morally gray characters and dark magic. 

If you took the wealth and opulence of District 1 and combined it with a dangerous puzzle, then you’d get The Inheritance Games. This exclusive deluxe edition includes gorgeous full-color stenciled edges, embossed foil jacket, foil stamped case, ribbon bookmark, a bonus epilogue and more.

District 2 might be the most militaristic of the districts. The Capitol’s army of Peacekeepers train here; weapons are developed and manufactured here too. A post-apocalyptic novel about a teenager-turned-bioweapon and the cult trying to use him against humanity. Hell Followed With Us is a breathtaking debut about fighting back against your oppressors.

Who needs to manufacture weapons if a single touch is enough to kill? In the hands of District 2, Juliette’s power would be put to absolutely terrifying uses, and in her world, that’s exactly what she’s grappling with. Juliette sees it as a curse, but The Reestablishment wants to use it as a deadly weapon. Will Juliette find the strength to fight for herself?

Technology and rebellion, two things that go hand in hand in District 3 also find their way in Brandon Sanderson’s bestselling Skyward series. In the conclusion to this epic sci-fi quartet, the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Pick up our exclusive edition of this thrilling fantasy for a unique jacket, a custom case and endpapers and all the backmatter from the first three books now compiled in one place for fans.

With teenage pilots and giant transforming robots, Iron Widow would be a must-read for people in this district. Plus, with a rebellious 18-year-old out for vengeance, this thrilling feminist sci-fi novel is one we’ve championed since it first released and was the Young Adult winner of our Children’s and YA Book Awards in 2022.

All the Stars and Teeth is one of our former monthly picks, and citizens of District 4 would be drawn in by this action-packed high seas adventure. A pirate, a princess and magic gone awry, sail the kingdom and face a destructive new magic in a journey to save the kingdom. 

Take to the high seas in this story set in the same universe as Tricia Levenseller’s bestselling Daughter of the Pirate King. With dangerous waters and deadly sea creatures, the citizens of District 4 would find endless entertainment in the pages of this book.

Known for being the power and electricity hub, District 5 would find The Electric Kingdom to be a thought-provoking tale about the pain of survival and finding beauty in one another’s lives. A story of art, storytelling and love in a ravaged earth, this genre-smashing novel follows the survivors of a devastating Fly Flu as they seek better lives.

With a form of power everyone in Panem might recognize, this tale of magic, murder and a centuries-old tournament where teenagers fight to the death would be the exact type of entertainment citizens of District 5 would be looking for. 

With globetrotting parents and a journey that takes her from Buenos Aires to Cairo, Inez Olivera has lots of experience with transportation, just like the citizens of District 6. Except for Inez, hers takes her on a magical and mysterious adventure through Ancient Egypt. Our exclusive edition has an alternate cover, a unique case and case stamp, and designed endpapers. 

What better form of transportation than a hotel that travels? We’d argue that there are a lot, actually, since this hotel is a darkly enchanting place that one simply doesn’t just leave. In Hotel Magnifique, Jani must unearth the mystery of the hotel’s magic to save her sister and the other staff from a fate worse than never returning home.

A dark dystopian thriller about girls banished for their entire sixteenth year so they can release all magic into the wild, The Grace Year is a haunting tale about societal perceptions of women and female relationships. With nonstop action, this novel is a sharp and gritty story that is hard to put down.

District 7 is heavily wooded, so we couldn’t help but mention The Hazel Wood. When Alice’s dies and her mother goes missing, she must venture into the titular Hazel Wood to try to get her mom back. A fiercely stunning modern fairy tale, pick up this novel for the start of a series about literary obsession and the lengths a mother will go to protect her child.

Coming this January, all citizens of District 8 have A Fragile Enchantment on their TBR lists. When a magical dressmaker finds herself at the center of a scandal due to her chemistry with the groom, she must decide what she’s willing to expose for the two of them to be left alone.

As the uniform makers for the Peacekeepers, District 8 has an intimate knowledge of textiles, as does Maia Tamarin in Spin the Dawn. Maia risks her life to pose as a boy and compete in a competition for the role of imperial tailor. Pick up this breathtaking fantasy of magical dresses and backstabbers. 

If the people in District 9 haven’t already read this tale reminiscent of Rumpelstiltskin, they should. When Serilda must spin straw into gold or be killed, she enlists the help of a mysterious boy, but every bargain has a price, and Serilda quickly learns that the castle walls are hiding more than just one secret.

District 9’s worst nightmare, Dry tells the story of a draught that quickly becomes catastrophic. A harrowing story of a Californian suburb turned upside down when their taps run dry, this novel is an action-packed tale about how far one girl will go to protect herself and her family.

With some animals in captivity and other beasts terrorizing a city and its surrounding jungle, Beasts of Prey is the start of a series that would endlessly entertain District 10. Not only would they relate to sixteen-year-old Koffi, but they’d find themselves rooting for her as she faces frightening magic and untold danger.

Just like District 10 raises livestock, Mikira Rusel’s family breeds enchanted horses in This Dark Descent. An action-packed fantasy steeped in Jewish folklore, forbidden magic and an enchanting romance, this tale of a dangerous horserace will keep you on the edge of your saddle… er seat.

Members of District 11 would kill for Briseis’ ability to take tiny seeds and grow them into plants with rich blooms. An enchanting and mysterious story This Poison Heart brings elements of Greek mythology into this modern fairy tale about a girl trying to conquer the dark forces around her.

This spine-tingling debut was one of our 2022 Children’s and YA Book Award Finalists, and it’s a nightmarish story about Hollow’s End — a place of magic and mystery that draws visitors for its miracle crops and livestock. But when the crops are infected and starts to poison the people of the town, Wren and her ex-boyfriend must uncover the cause.

District 12 is remembered for many things, most notably the fact that it’s the home of Katniss Everdeen and Lucy Gray from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This rebellious nature is one Laia from An Ember in the Ashes knows well as she risks her life and joins the Empire’s greatest military academy to spy for a rebel group in exchange for their promise to rescue her brother.

As the coal mining district, citizens here would love Fireborne. This series starter is perfect for fans of Fourth Wing in a tale of dragonriders whose friendship — and rivalry — aren’t the only fiery parts of this book. With difficult choices that toe the line between betrayal and loyalty, this gripping novel will leave you flying to pick up the next book in the series.