A really good book for a 17 year old to read? A book you couldn't put down?

Question

I need a really good book to read. I'm 17 and have read many books about teens and drama (drugs, sex, pretty much everything) some of my favorites are The Perks of Being a Wallflower and all books written by Augusten Burroughs, James Frey etc. I like really extreme stuff.

I read constantly in 9th and 10th grade but didn't pick up a book in 11th grade at all. I'm a new senior in high school and I really want to get into the habit again. Suggestions? I want a book I don't want to put down.

*** I hate books set in the past. I need something current and that I can relate to.

If it starts with "During the war", "In 1965", it instantly turns me off and I will not read it.

Answer 1

First of all, many books may start "During the war," since there is always a war going on somewhere, so don't let that stop you!
To the books:
"Grendel" by John Gardner... yes, THE Grendel, but a fine book and a page-turner, very well-written!
"The Traveler" by John Twelve Hawks...a very good time, a book set just a little in the future (maybe!) and supposed to be the start of a series. I hope so because the Traveler was he**a exciting and I want more! It's in paperback, could've been under sci-fi or fantasy or fiction, I just can't remember. Must be getting old and feeble.
"The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls... a first book that made it big; a true story that reads like fiction, a very present piece. I really liked it. A girl-to-young woman story.
"She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb... about a girl with an eating disorder who goes through this and that until she may or may not come out the other side. A bit older of a book, but I couldn't put it down.
and I may be finished with the more current list; I've been reading older books myself.
OH, except for Neil Gaiman's stuff, and Sherman Alexie, a Native American who is a true story teller...the last one I read in one sitting it was so dark and angry--had to know the ending. It was "Indian Killer." But usually Alexie combines the dark and light to a good blend of great stuff, very hard to put down.
Good luck with picking up on reading again!

Answer 2

I quite liked Please Don't Kill the Freshman, by Zoe Trope. It's kinda one of those quintessential teen books, along the lines of the Perks of Being a Wallflower. Absolutely amazing style, not neccesarily as plot-driven. I always fall back on Ender's Game as one of those books you can never put down, but you've likely read that. I really enjoyed Ella Minnow Pea, which is not nearly as juvenille as it seems, and I thought it held some disturbing parallels to today's government. But that was definitely an all-nighter book. I absolutely loved Flower's for Algernon (very sad), and couldn't put down My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Piccoult. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is an amazing book written from the perspective of an autistic teenage boy, and absolutely captures every autistic person I've met. I liked Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, though much of my motivation in picking it up was that the author's name is Fanny Flagg. It honestly looked like it could be dreadful, but it was really quite good. A Great and Terrible beauty, while hardly challenging, is a quick moving book that you won't be able to put down. Fantastic bubblegum reading for a weekend. If you don't mind gay lit (non-essential to plot, nor graphic. poo) (I'll take my cues from Augusten Burroughs being on your list) David Sedaris has absolutely hilarious collections of short stories, the funniest of which are perhaps the Santaland Diaries. I would recommend listening to him on This American Life, the archives can be found on npr's website. White Oleander was both disturbing (12 year old girl losing virginity to 30 some foster dad) and absolutely entrancing, a perfect combo in my book. The movie was decent, the book was AMAZING. Well, hope this is a decent starting list. enjoy!

Answer 3

Hey hey! So I am also an older teen and an avid reader! My taste is very random and I have read anything I can get my hands on... So I'd try: The Truth About Forever, and Just Listen (Sarah Dessen)--adorable The Artemis Fowl series (by Eoin Colfer)--usually for younger kids but I found it FASCINATING The Twilgiht Saga (Stephenie Meyer)--you either love it or hate it The Time Traveler's Wife (?)--long but the concepts are, well, wow. Ella Enchanted (Gail Carson Levine)--for younger kids generally but a must-read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Sherman Alexie)--hilarious, simply hilarious. The Gemma Doyle series (Libba Bray)--a little dark but incredibly witty and it has it's moments of genius; great concepts and plot! I personally didn't like the last book so if you must have happy ending then this isn't for you The Princess Diaries (Meg Cabot)--a guilty but worthy pleasure; like chocolate! And I have dabbled into romances and read by reccomendation only. I'll tell you now some romances are cringe-worthy but some love stories I'll keep in my heart forever: Comanche Moon (Catherine Anderson)--beautiful The Spymaster's Lady (Joanna Bourne)--gritty and amazing Lord of Fire (Gaelen Foley)--wow Flower's from the Storm (Laura Kinsale)--!!!! Mine Till Midnight (Lisa Kleypas)--cliche but amazingly well written The Bridgerton Series (Julia Quinn)--HILARIOUS MUST-READ Stephenie Plum Series (Janet Evanovich)--hilarious if it's your style Happy reading! :) P.S. Tell me what you think of these!

Answer 4

The kite runner by khaled hosseini and a thousand splendid suns by the same author. The books are of mature content and grief and sorrow predominate throughout the book. Tragedy unfolds through most of the pages. They contain heavy symbolism and is written in beautiful prose and are truly modern masterpieces.

Answer 5

Try Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, Candy by Kevin Brooks, Smack by Melvin Burgess, or The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides.

These are all pretty edgy, each in its own way.

Answer 6

I would go with "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Seybold. It's a murder mystery about a young girl, who looks down from heaven and tries to help solve her own murder. Wonderful book.

Answer 7

This is fantasy, full of anachronisms.
Philip Pullman: The Golden Compass
and its two sequels, its a trilogy. Could not put it down, I don't read a lot of fantasy myself, it is one of the best books I have ever read.

Answer 8

books by jackie collins-eevrything about sex, drugs and all exciting stuff...read dangerous kiss or chances or lucky's revenge!!

Answer 9

My favorite author (& was my mom's too) is Clive Cussler...his "Dirk Pitt" hero, and his sidekick, Al. I can't put them down.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Pitt

Answer 10

Here's a great book and I was hoping people would read it. Go here and please tell me what you think. It's a great read if you liked harry potter, it's Blinding Darkness. Perhaps get it at http://www.lulu.com/content/1153050

Thank You