Books for teenage girls

[janeite]

Have put this in children's but suspect that actually I may want some adult recs too.

DD1 is 14 - which books should I get her for Christmas? This year she has read all of the Twilight series plus Host; all of Jane Austen's; I Capture The Castle; To Kill A Mocking Bird; a couple of Georgette Heyers (but didn't like them); A Gathering Light and various other teenage things etc.

What next please?

And what for dd2 who is 12?

[BonsoirAnna]

The Greengage Summer
Gone With the Wind

[janeite]

Great - thank you.

Wonder if she'd like Rebecca?

[BonsoirAnna]

Catcher in the Rye
The Great Gatsby
Lolita

[BonsoirAnna]

Yes, Rebecca sounds good.

[Hassled]

For the 12 year old (maybe the 14 year old as well - I still love it) Charlotte Sometimes.

[janeite]

Ooh yes - Lolita. One of my favourites.

I can't stand CITR but I suppose she ought to read it and we have copies of Lolita, CITR and Great Gatsby (which I also don't like much!).

[BonsoirAnna]

The Peacock Spring - not as good as The Greengage Summer, but quite readable nonetheless.

[janeite]

Charlotte Sometimes - love it - but they've both read it - and been forced to listen to The Cure too!

[Hassled]

The Camomile Lawn?

[BonsoirAnna]

One More River

[janeite]

Have not read that - googling now!

[Hassled]

Is 14 too young for the Tales of the City books?

[janeite]

Or that!

[BonsoirAnna]

The Endless Steppe

[Ivykaty44]

dd1 at 14 liked all the Philipa Greagory books as she loves the Tudor period, she is still reading the latest book.

[janeite]

I think girly classics might be the best bet - unless anybody knows any brilliant new books.

[janeite]

Yes - she may like Philippa Gregory. Thanks.

[ElusiveMoose]

Interesting, bonsoiranna, I actually prefer the Peacock Spring. One of my favourite books.

Is it crazy to suggest A Suitable Boy for DD1? Ludicrously long and a bit heavy in places, but wonderful central female character.

And I'm probably way out of touch now (it's a long time since I was a 12 year old girl!) but would Judy Blume be too young for DD2? A bit lowbrow compared with some of the stuff you're thinking of, but god I loved them.

[janeite]

Judy Blume has dated quite badly imho. The dds weren't impressed with the couple I tried to force on them.

I don't think she'd read A Suitable Boy tbh.

Lowbrow is fine - she read the Shopaholic books this year too and loved them!

[janeite]

Sorry - I said 'she' but actually both of them read them on holiday. Was a bit worried about the minor sex refs for dd2 but she passed no comment!

[BonsoirAnna]

Really? I thought the characterisation was so much more credible in The Greengage Summer than in The Peacock Spring.

My grandmother, who had a French degree and had spent a lot of time in France, and had also lived in India for many years, gave me both those books.

[ElusiveMoose]

I just really identified with the Una character. Maybe it's because I can be a bit spiky and difficult .

How about Orwell, if they haven't already done it at school? Animal Farm/1984.

Might also be a bit dated (sorry, I'm trying to think back a bit ), but how about Michelle Magorian for DD2? Goodnight Mister Tom and Back Home spring to mind.

Er.....what about some other classics, if DD1 likes Austen? Little Women? Jane Eyre?

[janeite]

Orwell - dd1 has read Animal Farm but no others.

She's read a few Michelle Magorians, including her most recent one and read Little Women (but dd2 hasn't).

She keeps side-stepping Jane Eyre!

[BonsoirAnna]

Brave New World - which I enjoyed more than Orwell, and bought and reread with great pleasure a few years ago.

[janeite]

I wonder if dd1 might like some Wyndham too? She claims not to like fantasy/sci fi but loved the silliness that was The Host so maybe now she'd give it a go?