Books for 13 year-olds by Lynne Benton

 This week my youngest granddaughter turned thirteen.  I don't see her very often (they live a long way away) so I wasn't sure what to buy her, so I asked my son, her dad.  "She's got a list!" he said, and sent it to me.

I was delighted to discover that her list consisted entirely of books!  Given that we're often told that children/teenagers don't read any more, this was very gratifying to me - though I suppose her love of books may be in part down to her genes!  (I remember asking her a couple of years ago what was on her Christmas list, and after a moment's thought she said, "Books and earrings."  "Hmm," I said.  "Much the same as my list, then!")

Anyway, I thought I'd reproduce here the books on her 13 year-old's list.  Presumably most/all of these had been recommended by various friends, so they may or may not be representative of what the average 13 year-old would enjoy, but could be a useful guide for anyone planning to write or buy books for that age group.  I have to admit I've never read any of them, though I do like the idea of the first on the list, "The Lost Bookshop" and have downloaded a digital version on my Kindle.

1  The Lost Bookshop   by  Evie Woods

‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

2  Two Can Keep A Secret   by  Karen M Mc Manus

The follow up YA thriller from the author of the international bestseller One of Us is Lying.

A perfect town is hiding secrets. Secrets that somebody would kill to keep hidden.

Ellery's never been to Echo Ridge, but she's heard all about it.

It's where her aunt went missing at age sixteen, never to return. Where a Homecoming Queen's murder five years ago made national news.

And now she has to live there with her estranged grandmother, after her mother lands in rehab.

Malcolm grew up in the shadow of the Homecoming Queen's death.

His older brother was the prime suspect and left Echo Ridge in disgrace.

But now he's back- just as mysterious threats appear around town, hinting that a killer will strike again.

Then another girl disappears.

As Ellery and Malcolm race to unravel what happened, they realise every secret has layers in Echo Ridge.

'Tightly plotted and brilliantly written, with sharp, believable characters, this whodunit is utterly irresistible' – HEAT

3  If He Had Been With Me   by   Laura Nowlin

An achingly authentic and raw portrait of love, regret, and the life-altering impact of the relationships we hold closest to us, this YA romance bestseller is perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, Jenny Han, and You've Reached Sam.

If he had been with me, everything would have been different...

Autumn and Finn used to be inseparable. But then something changed. Or they changed. Now, they do their best to ignore each other.

Autumn has her boyfriend Jamie, and her close-knit group of friends. And Finn has become that boy at school, the one everyone wants to be around.

That still doesn't stop the way Autumn feels every time she and Finn cross paths, and the growing, nagging thought that maybe things could have been different. Maybe they should be together.

But come August, things will change forever. And as time passes, Autumn will be forced to confront how else life might have been different if they had never parted ways...

4  Imagine Me   by  Tahereh Mafi

The book that all SHATTER ME fans have been waiting for is finally here. The finale of Tahereh Mafi's New York Times bestselling YA fantasy series perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Victoria Aveyard's The Red Queen, Stranger Things and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows

Juliette Ferrars. Ella Sommers. Which is the truth and which is the lie?

Now that Ella knows who Juliette is and what she was created for, things have only become more complicated. As she struggles to understand the past that haunts her and looks to a future more uncertain than ever, the lines between right and wrong – between Ella and Juliette – blur. And with old enemies looming, her destiny may not be her own to control.
The day of reckoning for the Reestablishment is coming. But will the choice of which side to fight on be hers?

Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me series which has been published in over 30 languages around the world. She was born in a small city somewhere in Connecticut and currently resides in Santa Monica, California, with her husband, Ransom Riggs, fellow bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, and their young daughter. She can usually be found overcaffeinated and stuck in a book. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @TaherehMafi

I hope my granddaughter will enjoy all these - a couple of them I recognise from having previously bought her the earlier book/s in the series, so they're evidently still popular.  And I hope some of you may find this selection of interest too.

Website: lynnebenton.com

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