Good book for 17 year old

[MissJeanBrodiesprime]

I’m looking for a good book for my dd (17) to read on holiday. She does not love books, has convinced herself she’s “not a book person”.

We’re going on holiday in a few weeks to a place where there will be very little phone access, no WiFi at all and likely no signal. Apart from swimming and walking there won’t be a great deal else to do. So I’m thinking it’s the ideal time to encourage her to read a book. I know reading is not for everyone, but I think if she could read something fairly adult that’s not too taxing, also not boring, but that she might find unputdownable then it will do her so much good and help to broaden her knowledge of the world around her. May be a gentle crime thriller (she tried Agatha Christie once, but didn’t finish it). Something not too scary as she tends to struggle with being able to tell between fiction and reality sometimes and can be a little anxious, but something well written, may be a bit inspiring, and not just mindless drivel.

I could try her on another Agatha Christie, I have several, but if anyone has any ideas at all it would be greatly appreciated!!

Jurassic Park? I loved that and read it continually from age 12 onwards. Interview with the Vampire? Although may be a bit depressing, still very teen and should catch her imagination.

Honestly some kids don’t like reading books 🤷🏻‍♀️ would she prefer non-fiction, craft or puzzle books? Adult colouring books? I would let her chose herself at that age - both my kids have always been happy reading but my DDs best friend always struggled not to read, but to keep her attention reading. Her mum was always complaining what a chore it was to get her to literally read one chapter at school. At 17 help point out lots of options but let her choose. What’s her interests? Would a autobiography of her favourite person work?

I used to like reading travel adventure books in my late teens prior to going travelling myself. I loved reading and learning about what other people did to survive all sorts of stuff.

How about some classic chick-lit? Bridget Jones? Or something more contemporary but similar? Reading trashy novels is a good way to get non-readers hooked on the act of reading then they can upgrade to better stories later on.

What sort of person is she? What are her interests?

Barbara Vine a Fatal Inversion - couldn't put that down!

A book of short stories - Maeve Binchy ones are great holiday reads.

Rebecca by Daphne DM.

Mindless drivel might be just what she likes though , the Shopoholic series are good holiday reads and funny.

Big pile of magazines.

Philip Pullman's Sally Lockhart books. Eva Ibotson. Maybe a bit young in an old fashioned sense but I enjoy them, well written but of suspense but not worrying.

What about something like Terry Pratchett or Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Easy to read and not challenging. As a teen I didn't like many detective books but didn't mind Dick Francis ones as I loved horses. Or something more teen lit like the Twilight series. Other options are autobiographies? Is she into sports or music at all?

Hard to know what to recommend without knowing what she's interested in....

I used to read a lot of my mum's books at that age... she reads a lot of historical fiction, of all different time periods. I like history myself so enjoyed reading a lot of those. Things like Philippa Gregory, the Other Boleyn Girl etc. I enjoyed Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks at that age. Also really enjoyed Bridget Jones and things like that.

A man called Ove, My Grandma sends her regards and apologies. Both by Fredrick Backman.

My 16 yr old loved these

Twilight Saga
The Hunger Games - highly recommend
Normal People - Sally Rooney

Hidden Pictures?

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley, bet she loves it.

Yes to twilight, hunger games or the divergent series.
Girl with the dragon tattoo series?

Have a look at Sarah Dessen and sally Thorne. Not thrillers but my dn loves her books and she's not a big reader.
A favourite is The Hating Game

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. A really lovely, easy read. (It is sad though).

I would say at her age New Adult Fiction is the way to go. Colleen Hoover books are easy to read and a lot of her books have follow ups.
i think she would like the Slammed Series. The main girl is around your daughter's age. Its a romance but also a twist and is a bit of a tear jerker.
Hopeless is also a good book from Colleen Hoover. Romantic, but with twists and turns and just really good

Gerald Durrell My Family And other Animals

I came on to say the hunger games, see it has been mentioned a couple of times already. I loved the series as did my teenager

Trouble - Non Pratt
Every day- david Levithan
One Day- David Nicholls
The body finder series - Kimberly Derting
The daughter of smoke and bone series- Laini taylor
Happily ever after- Harriet Evans

The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas is a fantasy series and its amazing for a girl that age. Also the authors other series A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Not gonna lie at that age I was reading fairly adult bonkbusters lol - Jackie Collins, Victoria Fox & Tasmina Perry 🙈🙈

I’ve just finished Where the Crawdads Sing which I enjoyed and think would meet your description. It’s also been made into a film which may appeal to DD as she could plan to see it after to compare to the book.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

I was about 17 when I first discovered the Tales of the City books by Amistead Maupin. I'm not sure what made me choose them as I was still into Judy Blume etc at 17 but I ended up reading all 6 in the series in one go (there's 9 in the series now).

A biography of someone she's interested in.
A factual book about something/activity/hobby.

Fiction -
My sisters keeper.
The fault in our stars.
The time travellers wife.
Fantasy - Discworld but not from the beginning, probably one of the Tiffany books.
Ben Elton did some passable books, could look at them.
Depends on her interests.

Thank you all so much! Some great suggestions there!

It’s hard to say what she’s interested in, in terms of reading. Certainly not any kind of bonkbusters as she’s just very self conscious and gets embarrassed easily, so would baulk at any I put before her. She’s def not into scary, even The Hunger Games, which my older dd has read would probably be too much for her. I will check out some of the suggestions. An adult colouring book would be good too as someone suggested. I dont want to force her to read and would never do that if she doesn’t want to, but I want her to be able to see a view of the world somehow that she’s not going to get purely from what she sees in her own surroundings. She even refuses to watch films, but it’s through books and films I learned so much myself.

I will have a word with her and see what she says, although I think she’ll probably say not to bother getting any lol.

Anyway, thanks again everyone.