My kid loved the audiobook of Careless People - the Facebook tell all.

Historical fiction by Ruta Sepetys.

I Capture the Castle! Such a great book. She is the perfect age. Also, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Anonymous wrote:Definitely have her read 1984. It is more relevant in 2025 than ever before.

If she has not read Animal Farm you could start there - but I agree that there are likely more contemporary choices she might prefer. But Animal Farm is great, short and so many parallels to our current day ("4 legs good, 2 legs bad")

Mine reads romance.

15 year old daughter isn't a huge reader -- mostly she's just slow at at unless also listening to audiobook at at least 2x -- but brings home stacks of contemporary YA romance. No fantasy, no science fiction, nothing historical, no murder mysteries. Lots of book covers in beachy colors with two people looking at each other or facing away. Boy and girl, two girls, two boys doesn't matter, just the romance part.

Anonymous wrote:I would like to see my daughter read books this summer. She is intelligent and high achieving and I want her to be able to relax this summer, but also spend time looking at books instead of her phone. She’s already exercising/playing sports a great deal so I would like her to do something calming. She says reading is boring and nobody her age reads books. Are your teens reading books? If so, and recommendations for books? Anything I recommend is quickly rejected. Not necessarily looking for anything super intellectual or academic. Just fun and engaging. Something that might foster a love in reading that existed in elementary school and seems to have gotten lost.

My 15 year old DD reads a lot. She likes fantasy. If you think she'd like that genre, maybe start with Sarah Maas. My DD seems to have read a lot of her stuff. If she likes that, there seem to be lots of other writers like her. It is not intellectual or academic, but is a better way to pass the time than social media. We encourage it by taking time to take her to the library, giving her books along her own interests for birthdays and holidays (and not trying to push on her what we think she should read), and being interested in hearing her thoughts on books she's read. Graphic novels can be a good bridge back into books too. there are a lot of classices that have been rewritten in recent years in graphic novel form. Lots of historical fiction written in that format too.

What is DD interested in? Start from there and do not place any limits (e.g., banning a book is too mature).

FWIW, my DD devoured all the Jenny Han books.

I think Truly Devious is YA but the setting/murder mystery is pretty gripping.

Romantasy is super popular right now. I'm not personally a Maas fan but she's super popular among teen girls.

I really love Rainbow Rowell's Carry On/Wayward Son/Any way the Wind Blows. It's sort of a Harry Potter critique.

The Magicians Trilogy by Lev Grossman is another favorite of mine but I'm not sure you have to be older to understand Quentin.

I was more of a reader at that age but Slaughterhouse 5 changed how I thought about books at that age.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely have her read 1984. It is more relevant in 2025 than ever before.

I like 1984 but I wouldn't have a 15 year old who isn't reading try to tackle that one.

Given how big BookTok is I don't buy the whole "teens aren't reading" thing.

To be honest I'd buy her a YA Romance that's trending on TikTok. Something like The Love Hypothesis or The Hating Game.

My teen is a little bit younger, but all her friends are big into Romantasy. She's not as much, but some crossover books that her friends have enjoyed and she also enjoys include:

- The False Prince
- Ranger's Apprentice
- anything Marissa Meyer

For a 15 year old who wants a fast paced, plot driven read I'd also throw in The Inheritance Games.

Second the idea of audiobooks. If OP really wants to force it, what about a bedtime read-aloud? I know teens who still get them.

My 15 year old enjoyed the Inheritance Games, the Selection series, The Hunger Games series, and the Scythe series, and then for graphic novels the Heartbreaker series.

Mine is reading One Dark Window right now and likes it. She goes in phases on reading. Her favorite series from the past year or two is Powerless.