Are you looking to buy a book for a teen in your life but have no idea what teens these days are reading?  I may not be completely up to date with the latest books, but below are some great books for all kinds of teens, complete with age suggestions.  Best of all, if you click the links to read the reviews, you’ll discover a convenient link to Amazon and Barnes and Noble if you think you’ve found a good gift.  Please note that my age recommendations are very subjective: all teens are different, so make your judgment based on the individual.

For the history buff:

The Song of Troy by Colleen McCullough (Age 15+)

The tale of Troy is ancient, but it’s also timeless.  In Colleen McCullough’s The Song of Troy, she brings all of the legendary figures to life as humans, not as the legends they are now.  They’re flawed, but you can also detect the grand themes running through the novel.

Run Like Jäger by Karen Bass (Ages 12-16)

This is for a younger audience, mainly because it doesn’t have as much explicit content as my other recommendations.  It follows the story of Kurt, an exchange student in Germany, as he tries to figure out what his grandfather did in WWII and why he won’t talk about it.  It’s a deep examination of the nature of right and wrong, but it also lets the reader come to their own conclusion about Kurt’s grandfather and his actions.

Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn (Age 14+)

This book is definitely great for someone who likes history, but loves romance more.  It’s not entirely historically accurate, but you get the gist of the time periods the two lovers are in and their incredible journey through the centuries.  It does have brief sexual content, so it’s not recommended for sensitive teens. Continue reading →