Book Recommendations for the Reluctant Reader
I am a firm believer that it is not that you don’t enjoy reading, it’s just that you haven’t found the right book yet! To save you the trouble of spending ages trying to find that magical book, we have rounded up a list of the best book recommendations to suit even the most reluctant reader.
This is a popular choice by schools as assigned literature for English classes so perhaps you may have already read it (or skimmed through the CliffsNotes!). Do not let the academic connotations put you off it. Perhaps in part because it was written by Hinton when she was a teenager, the dialogue and characters are witty and humorous, even during grave events. A huge percentage of teen novels are love stories, so this drama is a welcome change.
The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs (via goodreads)
Sarah Crossan uses the less typical writing style of verse to convey beautiful stories. Don’t let this unusual narrative discourage you because it is actually the perfect format to build your reading confidence. Verse novels are much quicker to read but as Crossan proves with this coming of age novel they do not skimp on content.
Grace and Tippi. Tippi and Grace. Two sisters. Two hearts. Two dreams. Two lives. But one body.
Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins, joined at the waist, defying the odds of survival for sixteen years. They share everything, and they are everything to each other. They would never imagine being apart. For them, that would be the real tragedy.
There was a point when almost every teenage girl had a copy of this book somewhere. Even those who hated reading found themselves admitting to having read – and also enjoyed- the love story of Hazel and Gus. John Green’s poignant novel told a beautiful but painful story that enraptured its readers. Regardless of how reluctant a reader you are this is hard to put down. If you have already read and enjoyed this novel, there are plenty of alternatives by John Green to keep you entertained.
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.
You are probably familiar with the critically acclaimed film adaptation of this coming of age story, but the book is even better. It can be simple to mistake an easy read with easy subject matter but that is far from the truth. Stephen Chbosky creates a novel that is effortless to read but also utterly enthralling no matter how reluctant a reader you may be.
Perhaps films are more your forte than literature but if you fancy a romcom in book form then this series more than delivers. It is utterly hilarious and the perfect easy read for a bit of light escapism. A vast quantity of the literature we consume is American or British so the unique Irish references of OMGWACA create a full package that little else can touch – though Normal People is perhaps in the running! For a book that you will fly through but never want to finish the adventures of good ol’ Aisling are a winner!
Newly single and relocated to the big city, life is about to change utterly for this wonderful, strong, surprising and funny girl, who just happens to be a complete Aisling.
Have you any book recommendations for a reluctant reader?
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