Peela Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 My teens have stopped reading and it occurred to me from the responses in a thread where I asked about it yesterday, that apart from the Twilight series, we just never got into teen literature at all. They have both been big fantasy lovers in the past. Not so much sci fi. Any good series that might entice them back into reading for pleasure? They dont have to be brilliant quality (Twilight wasn't) but since they are not reading at all for fun anymore....something addictive and reasonable quality would be good. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 My son liked The Hunger Games series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins - several threads on the boards about it Rogue and Knight series by Hilari Bell Heir Apparent by Vivian van de Velde Now You See It by Vivian van de Velde Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil series by Rosemary Clement-Moore Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (I'm still on the wait list for the 2nd book) Farsala Kingdom trilogy by Hilari Bell Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz Sure Fire, Death Run, and Sharp Shot by Jack Higgins and Justin Richards Secrets of Immortal Nicholas Flamel series by Michael Scott I should add that I love these books too and have read all of them multiple times (aside from Beautiful Darkness because I'm still on the wait list for it at the library). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love2Smile Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 My girls LOVE The Warriors Series. It's about cats. Think "Watership Down" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Did they like the Twilight series? This was the first series that my oldest read that really got her excited about reading. She has found many (many, many) series since then that are similar and she really loves. Vampire Dairies by L.J. Smith House of Night by PC Cast and Kristen Cast (written by a mother with her teenage daughter) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead Night World by L.J. Smith Edited to add: You mentioned they liked Fantasy. One of my favorite fantasy authors is Mercedes Lackey. She has a variety of series dealing with magic, elves, alternate histories. Valdemar, 500 Kingdoms (retellings of classic fairy tales), Elemental Masters, Halfblood Chronicles (written with Andre Norton), among others. Edited January 23, 2011 by dottieanna29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Percy Jackson and the Olympians series Rangers Apprentice Pendragon Oh, what is it by Angie Sage, Septimus Heap? Chris D'Lacey's dragon series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series is quite good; I don't know if your kids would think it too SF, but I'm not a science fiction fan and I enjoyed the books. Catherine Jinks's series starting with Evil Genius is also enjoyable (and set in Australia :)). I'm only part way through the second book, so I can really only speak to the first one, but they all have the same main character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I LOVE Dean Koontz books, some are much better than others. I started reading them in high school. I also just read a series by Margaret Petersen Haddix- very good, but maybe a tad young for high schoolers...probably more middle-schoolish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 In addition to some of the suggestions already given, if they like fantasy, definitely Graceling by Kristen Cashore. So, so good. There's a sequel as well. And in addition to Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series, there's his new one, Leviathan. And if they don't know Megan Whelan Turner yet, go get them The Thief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I LOVE Dean Koontz books' date=' some are much better than others. I started reading them in high school. I also just read a series by Margaret Petersen Haddix- very good, but maybe a tad young for high schoolers...probably more middle-schoolish.[/quote']:iagree: I love Dean Koontz. I think he only has two series (Odd Thomas and Frankenstein) but a ton of stand alone books. His stories are often very spiritual in a low-key, non specific way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I enjoyed David Eddings books as a child. The Belgariad was the first series I read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Dd has me reading the Gone series by Michael Grant. The first book, Gone, is a cross between Steven King for teens and...well, that's about it. All of a sudden, everyone over the age of 15 disappears and these kids have to fend for themselves - and it's disturbing and heart warming. Weird but interesting, macabre but tamer than adult books. I'm just starting the second one, Hunger, and Lies is the next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Our teens like the Peter series by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Peter and the Starcatchers, etc.). Also: The Heir series (starting with The Warrior Heir) by Cinda Williams Chima, also her Seven Realms series. The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (and others) by Michael Scott Incarceron and Sapphique by Catherine Fisher The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner The Tunnels series by Brian Williams and Roderick Gordon Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull The Stoneheart trilogy by Charlie Fletcher The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper Monstrumologist and The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey (a little gruesome, but SO well written) The Dreamhouse Kings series (starting with House of Dark Shadows) by Robert Liparulo Dragons of Starlight series(starting with Starlighter) by Bryan Davis Dragon Keepers Chronicles (starting with DragonSpell) by Donita K. Paul The Door Within trilogy by Wayne Thomas Batson The Dragon King trilogy and The Raven King trilogy (Starting with Tuck) by Stephen Lawhead The Mistmantle Chronicles by M.I. McAllister The Gideon trilogy (Starting with The Time Travelers) by Linda Buckley-Archer 100 Cupboards series by N.D. Wilson Triskellion trilogy (series?) by Will Peterson I've read and enjoyed most of these myself. :) They've ALL been read by at least one of our children or myself so they are recommended on experience! The Hunchback Assignments series looks very interesting to me, but haven't read it yet. Our kids like several graphic novels, their favorite right now being the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi. I like the Genius series (Starting with Evil Genius) by Catherine Jinks, but there is some language and I haven't given them to my kids yet. Probably will let my 15 and 16yo start them if they're interested. Fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Theif series by Megan Whalen Turner Shadow children series by Haddix (might be a little young?) Everything by Tamora Pierce hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Hunger Games series is a favorite at our house, too. Warning though: the books are too addictive. Ds stayed up all night twice reading book 1 and book 2. So give them to your teen in the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 When I was 16, the "racy" Alexandria Quartet was what all the girls (in my group) were reading. We also all read my broken-record book: Kristin Lavransdatter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The Overlander series, but the same author as Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Terry Pratchett's Discworld books The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 We also all read my broken-record book: Kristin Lavransdatter. Love this book!! I second (or third?) The Hunger Games series. I see that your 16yo is a girl - now these aren't all fantasy but my teen girls have loved Mrs. Mike, Jackaroo (this has two sequels but we haven't read them yet), Robin McKinley books such as The Hero and the Crown or The Blue Sword and her retelling of Beauty and the Beast is fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 We're enjoying Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series about a boy genius who discovers fairies are real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy in Australia Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 We've just had this issue creep up on us, too. At first I was blaming electronic games, but DH has convinced me it's just the age. The one thing I found that turned everything around for us was finding novels for him about WWII. It's a huge interest of his, and he has started reading again, quite voraciously, after I found a couple of books for him from the library. He also likes sci-fi, but obviously not quite as much. Do they have any interests or topics that particularly fascinate them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 We've just had this issue creep up on us, too. At first I was blaming electronic games, but DH has convinced me it's just the age. The one thing I found that turned everything around for us was finding novels for him about WWII. It's a huge interest of his, and he has started reading again, quite voraciously, after I found a couple of books for him from the library. He also likes sci-fi, but obviously not quite as much. Do they have any interests or topics that particularly fascinate them? Hi Lucy- well, yes...computers :) Actually ds likes surfing so instead of buying him a book this Christmas I bought him a surfing magazine and he was thrilled with it. I don't know if he actually *read* it though. Dd is a photographer and artist so she likes photography magazines and Australian Geographic magazines....again, for the pictures :) Dd loves travel and her dad is taking her to Paris in May. This last year I gave her Under the Tuscan Sun to read and she liked it...but it was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of interest in reading. SHe liked it, liked the topic, the Italian recipes etc...but just said she didnt like reading much any more. Oh well. Thanks everyone...I am going to take your lists and see what my library has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Michael Scott's Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel the Artemis Fowl series the Iron Fey books by Julie Kagawa Hunger Games series was intense, dd and I loved it The Alex Riders were fun I enjoyed The Vampire Diaries and I really didn't think I would, dd hasn't read them yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I enjoyed David Eddings books as a child. The Belgariad was the first series I read. The Belgariad remains one of my all time favorite reads. Which brings up a couple more I recall and love.. The Dragonriders of Pern, Anne McCaffrey Spellsinger, Alan Dean Foster the Darkover series, Marion Zimmer Bradley The Dragon and the George series The Way of Spider, W. Micheal Gear (trilogy, the Way, the Web, the War) My dd adores the Ranger's Apprentice series and The Sister's Grimm and everything by Gail Carson Levine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 maybe if you think back to the books you loved at that age? i read and reread asimov's foundation trilogy, and then almost anything else he wrote. Asimov: Foundation etc Jonathon Livingston Seagull The Hobbit and Lord of the rings and then i discovered Dick Francis (because i loved horses) and that opened up a whole new genre for literature one year, our teacher chose a new genre each month and we read books in that genre. that opened up a lot, too. (and reconfirmed that i'm just not a horror story kind o' gal) what a great task! ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Right now we are reading and immensely enjoying Catherine Fisher's books Incarceron and Sapphique. I don't know if it is me or him who is enjoying them more. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 DS2 recommends: Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card Ender's Shadow, Orson Scott Card Age of Fire series, E. E. Knight Anything by Markus Zusak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Anything and everything by Terry Pratchett. Especially the Discworld and Tiffany Aching series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) Anything by Robin McKinley, especially The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword. The Kingdom Cycle by Cynthia Voigt--Elske, Jackaroo, On Fortune's Wheel, Wings of a Falcon Edited January 24, 2011 by AndyJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I think you've got lots of good ideas but no one has said Xanth series by Piers Anthony! If I remember correctly the first starts a little slowly and if they can't get into it to skip the first chapter or two. But if they do get into it, I believe there are 25+ other books in the series ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meggie Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I will put in another plug for Terry Pratchett. I've never read them myself, but my husband read some of the disc world books and said they were absolutely amazing. Something about the guy's humor. I guess they were really funny. I'm not a fantasy type person, but my newest favorite book in the whole world is Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson. Oh. My. Heck. That guy is a literary genius. I had a friend once tell me she thought Stephanie Meyer was a literary genius and I almost gagged. She is not compared to Brandon Sanderson. His book, Elantris, is also really, really well done. He has a trilogy out, The Mistborn Series. I read the first one and loved it, but didn't get into the next two, so I just had my husband tell me what happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcjlkplus3 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr) was EXCELLENT. Stephen Lawhead would probably be fine for older teens (written for adults not YA) and all of his are wonderful. Robin McKinley and Piers Anthony were two I liked as a teen. I've heard good things about Fable Haven. Percy Jackson and 39 Clues are a little younger but both are very enjoyable series. I like Lynn Kurland's fantasy books (I like all of hers actually) 9 Kingdoms, there are 2 different trilogies. They are not YA but they are "PG rated". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Garth Nix's "Abhorsen" series. Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen. They've read the "Tomorrow when the war began" series, haven't they? Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Sorry to sound negative, depressing, or whine-y in any way, but I find it quite sad and frustrating to find books that my very picky dc will like. They're not into fantasy much or sci fi. They both loved Harry Potter. Dd loved Twilight, but she's vampire-d out now. She used to love books a year or so ago. Now, most of the books she reads reluctantly, may I add, are quite dark and depressing. She did read and loved one of my favorites, "Funny in Farsi". I guess soon she'll start to read my own books. But it's still hard to find good books for ages 12 and up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamrachelle Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Fallen and Torment by Lauren Kate are also pretty good too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freerange Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Terry Pratchett's Discworld books :iagree: start with Reaper Man, then read the rest chronologically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 They've read the "Tomorrow when the war began" series, haven't they? Rosie I was going to ask the same. I find that literature set in ones own country and written by a resident of said country has a tone of "home" that is hard to pin down but unmissable. It makes the read nostalgic and comfortable all at once. A year in Provence, and its sequel Tu Jours (sp?) Provence are about a British family who move to Provence, it's like a series of essays about their life there, its very entertaining. We had a Tuscany one along the same lines, The Hills of Tuscany rings a bell, but I can't find it. Along the lines of food and Europe, I read Chocolat and it's sequel The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris. They are adult books, so you might want to preread but I found them mesmerising. She also wrote Five Quarters of the Orange, which has the same features of food, France and a slight hint of something amiss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renmew Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I'll be the third or fourth to mention Westerfeld's Uglies. The first three were great! I did want to give you a heads up, though, that the book does include teens cutting, and although the books eventually look down on it, it's too little, too late. I actually told my principal about it and we decided to take them out of our K-8 school library. They're great books, but better IMO for the older teen set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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