What was your favourite book when you were 14?

[stillsleeptraining]

I've been asked to give this as a gift, but my reading habits took a really weird (and completely unmonitored) turn at this age and absolutely wouldn't be appropriate!

Hoping someone can suggest something that resonated and is appropriate. My kids are too little for me to be in this headspace!

I’ve just remembered that l also read Frost in May and the Born Free trilogy at this age. I have always loved Miss Read’s books and definitely read some of these then. Reader’s Digest condensed books were also a thing at the time. I was 14 in 1979 and teenage books were not really going at the time apart from for reluctant readers, which meant that around the age of 13/14, we moved on to adult books. My dad often told me l should be reading Dickens as a teenager, which, of course, put me off altogether until l was ready to discover him for myself.

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy

Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough

Lots of readers digest stuff (condensed novels) that my Mum had lying around - there was one by Peter Benchley about a girl that made a living diving in California that I remember

Flambards

Loved Jane Eyre

The Peter Benchley one was The Girl of the Sea of Cortez! Loved it. Have just ordered it for DD.

I read lots of Agatha Christie at that age.

At 14 Diana Wynne Jones was my absolute favourite author, and my favourite at 14 was probably The Homeward Bounders (which is an obscure one of hers). I was also reading Anne McCaffrey, Stephen King, Agatha Christie and a lot of Jack Vance.

The joy of sex. Till mum took it back and hid it better

I loved

This is a strange one. But it was a Ben Elton book called Dead Famous.
I loved it and brought it to school as my reading book and even done a spoken book report about it.

The earth, my butt and other big round things.

absolutely loved it and have given it as a gift on more than one occasion

Snap. I wasn't much of a reader.

IT and the Poldark Books.

Up until then, it had been Point Horror books.

So glad to see someone else has mentioned I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. I loved it at 14, love it still and so does everyone I force to read it now 😁
There is a recent film adaptation too.
Just off to re-read...

Gone With The Wind

Collins Field Guide

Harry Potter x

Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird.

I think I also did a few classics, Vanity Fair, Pride & Prejudice, Far From the Madding Crowd, Lorna Doone. Plus Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

Another vote for To Kill A Mockingbird.

Tough also as a nerd The Count of Monte Cristo and other 3-volume Victorian sensational fiction (The Woman in White, anyone?)

The Woman in White is a fantastic page turner. Sir Percival Glyde and his shenanigans! Count Fosco and his mice! Marian Halcombe climbing across rooftops!

Loved that book

@Jojoanna I love the whole series but definitely prefer Laura's teen years. So really Little Town + Happy Golden Years are my favourites.

Oh yes! And lace with the fish scene!

I also read sweet valley and chalet school. Plus the adult porn!

Forever, Judy Blume

The Sweet Dreams series of books

and there were make your own adventure stories in the 80s, read a page decide turn left turn to page 23, turn right turn to page 152 and so on

Hollywood Wives

Me too. I went through my father's bookcase and it included The Gulag Archipelago. Not the easiest reading.