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Original poster

Adult book ideas for nearly 13 year old boy please

87 replies

VanessaBet · 14/01/2018 20:26

DS is a very prolific reader and has enjoyed all the usual suspects, loves Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Philip Pullman etc, has read Hunger Games, Watership Down, LOTR, Pratchett and so on but finds it hard to find anything in the 'teen' section at the library, claiming 'they're all either about love or someone is running away from something'!

I've introduced him to SE Hinton (one of my favourites as a teenager) and am now attempting to find less teenage/kid focussed books for him which aren't too unsuitable. (I know he'll find the less suitable stuff of his own accord - I guess I mean full on sex scenes or disturbing violence - but I don't want to be the one who gives it to him, if you see what I mean!). So far he's enjoyed the Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell, the James Herriot vet books, Gerald Durrell's Corfu sage but he's fast and I'm running out of ideas from my shelves if I haven't reread them recently!

I'm thinking of suggesting Rebecca, The Woman in Black and Cold Comfort Farm which I remember enjoying as a teenager - any other suggestions please?

OP posts:
Original poster
VanessaBet · 14/01/2018 21:13

Good suggestion @ButteredScone but done those! He enjoyed them.

@Katescurios I've wondered about Kindle unlimited but couldn't find much on there that I wanted to read so not sure if he would. I go to the library at least once a week so am happy to order books there. He does like sci-fi and fantasy (he's just finished David Eddings series and 2001: A space Odyssey) so some of your suggestions could be great - I'm not that au fait with those genres.

@AndNoneForGretchenWieners I might check out the Bless me Father books for me!

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fruitpastille · 14/01/2018 21:11

I used to love Dick Francis.

Katescurios · 14/01/2018 21:04

Have you considered setting him up with kindle unlimited? £7.99 a month mainly new unknown authors but thousands of free to read books of different genres.

I read a book a day so got it to curb my spending, now I only buy a book occasionally when a favourite author releases a new book rather than scouring the charity shops constantly for new reads.

ButteredScone · 14/01/2018 21:03

Douglas Adams

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 14/01/2018 21:02

Not sure if they might be a bit dull for a teenage boy, but I liked the Bless Me Father series by Neil Boyd as a girl, they were similar in style to the James Herriott stories but about a parish priest rather than a vet.

Katescurios · 14/01/2018 21:01

Thinking back to my teen years

Robert Jordan wheel of time series (there are fought 83million books in this series, I enjoyed it but did not complete it because it just kept going and going....)

Trudi canavan
Marian zimmer Bradley - dark over series

All fantasy/sci fi

Original poster
VanessaBet · 14/01/2018 21:00

Oh yes, the Aubrey suggestion has reminded me of Hornblower as well, he'd probably like those.

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AdaColeman · 14/01/2018 20:58

Another vote for Liam Hearn.

The Woman in White, The Blue Carbuncle, The Aubrey/Maturin series of Naval adventures.

Original poster
VanessaBet · 14/01/2018 20:51

@Katescurios Yes he's zoomed through all the Pratchetts at a rate of knots last year!

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Original poster
VanessaBet · 14/01/2018 20:50

Shardlake - yes I think I have read one of those, are they mysteries set in Henry VIII's time? I read Brother Cadfael ones for a while when I was younger - they were similar but medieval.

I've not heard of Liam Hearn, thank you I'll check those out.

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Katescurios · 14/01/2018 20:47

Has he read any Terry Pratchett's books. I love them all over again every time I read them as an adult but think that they are great for teens too.

NotAPenguin · 14/01/2018 20:46

My nearly 13 year old is currently reading his way through the Shardlake books by CJ Sansome - maybe not the most suitable but I decided that was cancelled out by the historical content, he's doing the tudors in history.

He also really enjoyed 'Across the nightingale floor' series by Liam Hearn. And just read and enjoyed the book thief for school.

I am going to give him SE Hinton on your recommendation!

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