Yes, I'm a Johnny-come-lately but I couldn't put down the Hunger Games trilogy! Anything else totally addictive?

[Elsqueak]

Don't normally go for teen fiction but Ms Collins had me hooked.

I tried Twilight but really it was Dawson's creek dressed up in vampire clothing...sorry Edward fans! Having said that I like the genre just like it a bit more grown-up.

Any recommendations for more? Would love to hear your favourite trilogies!

[Elsqueak]

Trilogies? Is that right? Hmmm....

[Cheddars]

Have you tried Anne Rice? The vampires are much more grown up .

[Elsqueak]

Oh yes, years ago Cheddars! I blame Anne Rice for my love of all things vampy.

Was with her up until ' Mnemnoch the devil' & then she lost me. Really enjoyed Lestat 's rebellious vampire up til then.

I guess the Sookie Stackhouse books might be the way to go but as I've seen the Trueblood series think it might be confusing.

[CoteDAzur]

Yes, Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire is great, and so are its first 3-4 sequels.

Anne Rice's The Witching Hour & its sequels are very good, too.

Alternatively, you can go on to 50 Shades Of Grey, which was apparently originally written as Twilight fan-fiction. The very few people I know who have liked Twilight are the same very few people who like 50SOG.

[Elsqueak]

Can't bring myself to read 50 shades. Think the bad writing would annoy me.

The witching hour? Is this to do with the Mayfair witches? Or Merrick (think I read Merrick. The one with David Talbot, right?)

There's a real trend for Supernatural/futuristic love triangles lately.

[DuchessofMalfi]

How about A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. It is a YA book, but I loved it. Very sad though.

[CoteDAzur]

Yes, The Witching Hour has the Mayfair witches. It is a pretty good book, and the start of the whole story.

[SecretSquirrels]

The Radleys by Matt Haigh, I don't normally go for vampires but this was fun.
Not a children's book though.

[Elsqueak]

Mmm, thanks for the suggestions.

The Radleys sounds good, Secret, thanks as does A monster calls Duchess. Love a bit of dark fantasy! The front page image looks really intriguing.

Will probably get Mayfair witches too. Thanks Cote!

Anyone read Freda Warringon's vampire trilogy? Think it was:

A taste of blood wine
A dance in blood velvet
The dark blood of poppies

So good but bloody Kindle haven't got them...

[TunipTheVegedude]

I think you should read more teen fiction. It's where a lot of the good writing is these days. I think because writers feel they have to work really hard to keep the attention of teen readers who might otherwise be seduced by tv and computer games, there's a high level of unputdownability in the genre compared with fiction aimed at adults.

My nephew who loved The Hunger Games also loved The Knife of Never Letting Go (first book in a trilogy) by Patrick Ness but I haven't managed to get into it. Worth a try though.

I really liked Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (another dystopian YA trilogy).

There are some great series for slightly younger readers, too - Michelle Paver's prehistoric ones, Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve.

[Elsqueak]

Oo, I like the sound of "The Knife.." Tunip, and Uglies sounds interesting too, thanks.

Hmm, Teen fiction does tend to more action oriented stories. I may have a low attention span...! I guess they could well be competing with tv which is very rapid information distribution, isn't it. Although, I think reliving my youth may be a large factor!

I do read meatier novels too but sometimes I just want to be entertained. Especially with two little ones running around.

[TunipTheVegedude]

At best they are very thought-provoking as well as entertaining. There's just no room for poncy writing in YA. It's great.

I am the same - a house full of young children makes ease of reading important, but I like books that actually say something, IYSWIM.

[Elsqueak]

Yes, I think that's it. Cut the flowery crap and get to the point writing is easier at the moment.

I often don't have time to indulge in meandering prose...especially when the baby might get up at any moment.

[Elsqueak]

Yes, I like books with original things to say too.

The thing with The Hunger Games was that although Katniss was 16 she had to deal with overwhelming situations that I as an adult would struggle with. I really admired her.

I like an assertive female protagonist...probably why I find Bella Swan so unappealing.

[ninjanurse]

There is a fab trilogy by a lady called Susan Beth Pfeffer. Post apocalyptic YA but totally gripping. They are called, Life as we knew it, The dead and the gone and This world we live in.

[Elsqueak]

They sound good, ninja. Thanks. Love a bit of post apocalyptic stuff.

[CoteDAzur]

I think those of you currently dabbling in teenage books could find what you need in speculative fiction (what used to be called sci-fi).

If you haven't read any Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, or Arthur C Clarke, or always wondered what the fuss is about 1984 and Brave New World, this could be your moment to catch up on some culture-defining classics.

Or you can pass directly to brilliant stuff like Snow Crash - easy to read, no "poncy writing", with very original ideas. In fact, Time magazine says it is one of 100 best English language books of "All Time".

[TunipTheVegedude]

I don't know Cote, I've read all the things in your 2nd para (not the complete works of Asimov etc but plenty of them) and in general I find sci-fi doesn't have the strong characterisation, and hence emotion intensity, of YA. With the exception of 1984 they leave me remembering the situations, not the characters.

[outtolunchagain]

My teen is currently gripped by the Gone,Hunger etc books by Michael Grant.they must be gripping because he normally struggles to stick with a book

[DisappointedHorse]

I love anything post apocalyptic, The Road, The Stand, Z for Zachariah?

Have you read the Phillip Pullman dark materials trilogy? I'd say that's YA and utterly brilliant.

[CoteDAzur]

Tunip - If you revisit sci-fi, I think you will find it a much changed genre. Since William Gibson published Neuromancer in early 1980s, it's all our connected near-future, and not about space battles and green Martians.

William Gibson was the one and only great author of this genre until his silly ad agency books of the last couple of years. Neal Stephenson is the foremost writer of the genre at the moment. I cannot recommend Diamond Age and Snow Crash enough. His Cryptonomicon and Anathem are brilliant and brain-hurty, so probably not what you are looking for re easy books with a bit of action.

[TunipTheVegedude]

That's interesting Cote, thank you

[NewYearsEvelyn]

We read the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth and the Mortal Instruments books. Would also recommend Brave New World, just loved it. Margaret Atwood is alright and all. Also read the Knife of Never Letting Go books. Lush...

[SecretSquirrels]

The Secret Apocalypse by James Harden is a good YA apocalypse tale.

[Elsqueak]

Z for Zachariah! I did that at Gcse English...goodness, that takes me back.

Heard good things about Philip Pullman - will look into those.

The Michael Grant books look good too.

I've read 1984. Loved it. Also liked 'War of the worlds'. I also dabbled with Philip K. Dick, also great reading.
Snow crash does look compelling reading, Cote.
On a side note, Neal Stephenson does remind me of Ming the Merciless. He looks wonderfully eccentric!