Here are Novel Novice Twilight’s staff book recommendations!

We’re always updating, so be sure to check back regularly for new picks (the newest books will be at the top). And if you have a book you’d like to recommend, mention it in the comments!

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
Capturing witches, binding boggarts, driving away ghosts. . . . all these are the job of the Spook. It’s a lonely life but it takes a special person to be a Spook. Only a seventh son of a seventh son can even be considered for the job and Tom is just that. Many have come before Tom and they’ve either died or run off too scared to complete the job. Old Gregory, the Spook, is getting too old to fulfill his duties as Spook so Tom is the last hope. This is a coming of age story unlike all the others. Definitely a good read!

The Outsiders by S.E Hinton
The Outsiders examines the battle between the social conflicts through the trials of two sets of teenage boys: the Greasers and the Socs. Within the story, you follow two young men, Ponyboy and Johnny, as they come to terms with defining murder and self defense, their relationships to each other and their fellow Greasers, and try to understand the way the world works. This story is funny, action packed, and ultimately heart breaking. This is my third year teaching this story and I have yet to have a child dislike it.

Night by Elie Wiesel
This short novel is one of the most chilling and poignant stories of the holocaust. It tells the story of a young teenage boy who struggles with ideas of humanity after witnessing mankind at its very worst. The novel is not only informative but well written and easy to read. It offers readers a companion story to the much read Anne Frank. The novel’s questioning of the world touches the reader.

Nothing But the Truth (and a Few White Lies) by Justina Chen Headley
One of the funniest books I’ve read. My friend recommended it to me and I loved it. When I first heard of the book, I found the title very intriguing because it pretty much summed up my life at the moment (Ha ha). Much like the title itself, the protagonist was just as relatable as she was intriguing. Her character develops a lot as you read further into the story; she goes from being the “outsider” to finally feeling comfortable in her own skin. Keep in mind that this novel covers some pretty heavy topics so I wouldn’t recommend people as young as 12 or 13 to read it.

Here is a short summary of the book from the author’s website:

“Hapa (Half Asian and half white) Patty Ho has never felt completely at home in her skin. Life at House Ho is tough enough between her ultra-strict Taiwanese mom (epic-length lectures and all) and her Harvard-bound big brother. But things get worse when a Chinese fortune teller channels Patty’s future via her bellybutton…and divines a white guy on her horizon. Her mom then freaks out and ships her off to math camp at Stanford. Yes, math camp. Just as Patty writes off her summer of woe, life starts glimmering with all kinds of probabilities.”

Revelation by Kate Brian
Revelation is a book from the Private series! It is amazing, but be ready for a surprising ending-my jaw hit the floor when I read the last page! Reed the main character is going through a rough time in this book when she is kicked out of her high class dorm! She is also trying to unravel the criminal who killed her former rival Cheyenne …

The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The Crucible is a play that is taken place in 1692 Salem, MA. You can just guess what this is about…the famous Salem Witch Trials. As I was reading this play I was appalled at how the citizens of Salem do to blame each other of “witchcraft.” I had to read this for school, but I thought it was quite interesting, plus, it’s not that long! Only 150 pages!

Troy by Adele Geras
Troy is ANOTHER book I have to read for school and if you like Greek mythology I strongly recommend it! I have just started it but it looks like it’s going to be good! It is the almighty Trojan War seen through the eyes of the Olympian gods and goddesses! It involves Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Helen, and Paris!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Recommended for ages 16+
I first read The Perks of Being a Wallflower nearly ten years ago, when I was a junior in high school. I recently reread the book and fell in love with it all over again. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming of age story, similar in tone to The Catcher in the Rye and Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak. It deals with adult issues – you know, like sex, drugs & rock ‘n’ roll … and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. But it’s also a very real story with very raw emotions. The narrator is Charlie and he tells us his story through a series of letters he writes to a mysterious “friend.” What makes Charlie so interesting as a narrator is his place on the “fringes of life.” (I’m quoting the back of the book, there). That’s because Charlie is a natural “wallflower,” as the title suggests, and yet he is not afraid to participate in life, at least in small degrees. He is an ardent observer and he shares these observations with the reader in a very innocent, almost child-like way. Charlie’s story is both enchanting and heartbreaking. I think it is a great book (a beautiful book) for adults and teens, alike, though I have put an age recommendation with this book because it does deal with some mature themes. (As I mentioned before, those themes do include sex, drugs and alcohol.)

Dracula by Bram Stoker
Come on, it’s the original vampire novel! Of course, Dracula is a far cry from the Twilight universe – but this book is sort of a classic of vampire stories. It’s also a really great story – about Count Dracula in his journey from Transylvania to the streets of London, in his pursuit of Mina Harker. And of course, along the way, there is some blood-sucking, some bug-eating and some vaporizing. Told through various journal entries, letters and other correspondence, Dracula provides a unique narrative. Even if you’ve seen the Bela Lugosi Dracula movie, or Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula or any other Dracula movie – you don’t really know the real story, until you’ve read Bram Stoker’s original novel.
This book is probably best suited for older teens and adults, because it does deal with some mature themes.

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
Individually, the trilogy is comprised of these books: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. They chronicle the story of young Lyra, as she ventures from the Oxford college where she has been raised to alternate universes in an epic battle involving men, angels and even more fantastic creatures. Pullman acknowledges that his trilogy was inspired by Milton’s Paradise Lost. Indeed, the trilogy’s title (His Dark Materials) is taken from a direct passage from Paradise Lost. Even if you have not read Milton, you will love this story. It is a sweeping epic – yet at the very heart of it, is a story about a girl looking for her place in the world and learning about love as she grows up. I began reading this trilogy when I was in sixth grade and had to wait until I was a senior in high school for the last book to be published, but it was well worth the wait. Since then, I have reread these books countless times and I never get tired of them. They are incredible. They changed my life (literally) and will probably always be my very most favorite books in the whole entire world. (And please, please, disregard anything having to do with the debacle that was “The Golden Compass” movie that came out last year. It was awful and did the original novel a great disservice.)

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
This is where it pays to know a little bit of your British history. The Other Boleyn Girl is the fictionalized story of Mary Boleyn – the sister of Anne Boleyn, the famous second wife to Henry VIII. Most of history has focused on Anne – the woman who seduced Henry VIII and convinced him to divorce his first wife (thereby breaking away from the Catholic Church and leading to the creation of the Church of England) to marry her. She was later accused of adultery and beheaded at the Tower of London. But what makes The Other Boleyn Girl so refreshing is that this sordid, well-known tale takes backseat to Mary’s story – which, as Gregory tells it, is far more interesting and inspiring. At a time when women were taught to be obedient, Mary learns to be strong and follow her heart (and her mind). Again, please disregard the movie version of this book that came out last year. It wasn’t very good, not at least compared to the book – which is fantastic. (I should add another age warning here – there are some adult themes in this book.)

The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Yes, it is an obvious choice because Stephenie Meyer wrote it, but I only read it this summer. The Host was a great book, not nearly as amazing as the Twilight series, but I definitely recommend reading it. The Host is about a girl named Melanie who had her body taken over, like many other humans by alien creatures. Melanie is resistant to the “soul” that took her body over, and is still mentally aware of what goes on throughout the story. Wanderer, the invader of Melanie’s body, is quickly drawn to Melanie’s two most important people, her boyfriend Jared and her little brother Jamie. I thought The Host was a very entertaining read, and don’t be scared off because it has a science-fiction label.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
I seem to be reading a lot of sci-fi recently, but it’s not a genre that usually interests me. I’m currently reading this book because I was suppose to read it for Summer Reading, but procrastinated. I don’t know if it will end up being a good book, but it has lots of potential. Ender’s Game is a book by Orson Scott Card, an author Stephenie loves, about young kids training to defend the world from aliens. The aliens had attempted to take over Earth twice already, so 6 yr old kids like Ender have to prepare for a war. I have seen some similarities between Ender’s Game and The Host, so maybe you’ll like this if you read The Host. I can’t really tell you much more because I just started it.

We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
I actually started reading this book right after I finished Eclipse because I had nothing to read with neither Breaking Dawn or The Host released yet. The story, by Robert Cormier, is about how a house gets trashed on April Fool’s Day and the aftermath resulting from the vandalism. We All Fall Down is quite graphic and disturbing at times, so this book isn’t for everybody. It was actually on the Top 100 Most Challenged Books from 1990 to 2000, by the ALA. There were several parts of the book that I didn’t like, but if you are looking for a short read, check this book out.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The first in a trilogy (City of Ashes being the second and the third, City of Glass, coming out on March 24, 2009), City of Bones introduces you to the other side of Manhattan. Underneath all the shopping, site-seeing and debutantes, the city has something more. Vampires, werewolves, Fair Folk, and Nephilim all coexist with the unknowing humans living in the area. Nephilim are humans with angel blood that have the soul mission in life of protecting the human race from Downworlders, or demons. The first book in the trilogy follows the story of 15-year-old Clary Fray, who is thrown into the world of Nephilim and Downworlders after her mother is kidnapped and she is almost murdered.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Also the first of a trilogy (succeeded by Pretties and Specials, and a companion book to the trilogy, Extras), this book will be very appealing to those who fell in love with The Host. This sci-fi action novel takes you to a world where everyone is required to have surgery to become Pretty when they turn sixteen. Becoming exceptionally beautiful is the dream of every child before they come of age, but the operation isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Undergoing the transformation means losing a part of yourself, but is the price worth it? This book raises some important questions about what our society will go to just to be accepted by our peers. It also reminds you where real beauty lies in each person.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Told from the perspective of Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old autistic boy living England, the story opens with Christopher finding a neighbor’s dog killed in their back yard with a garden fork. On the path to finding out who murdered the dog, Christopher discovers many hidden secrets about his family and his closest neighborhood friends. An unusual look into the mind of someone who has Asperger syndrome, this book is definitely worth a read.

Poison by Chris Wooding
Recommended age: 12+
Poison is a very mysterious and stubborn teenage girl. She lives in a very different world. It’s dark and dreary with very many unique creatures. Poison never had much that meant a lot to her. So when her baby sister is abducted by a Phaerie, Poison goes on a very challenging adventure to go get her sister back from the Phaerie Lord. Poison soon steps into a menacing world, where she must use everything she has to get to her sister. Poison and her friends soon find themselves in a sinister world where anything and everything is twisted. Poison soon finds she has to write the right path for herself and for her people before everyone and everything is destroyed.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire
(for older readers age 16 and up probably – nothing explicit but some scenes inappropriate for younger readers)
This book is The Wizard of Oz as seen through the eyes of the Wicked Witch of the West. The story begins when she is born and ends when Dorothy melts her with a bucket of water. You travel with her as she goes to school with Glinda and find out many interesting things about all the Oz characters along the way. By the end of the story you will absolutely feel for the Wicked Witch. I can say you will NEVER watch “The Wizard of Oz” the same way again!

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
This is the true story of Alice in Wonderland. Alyss is the rightful heir to the throne in Wonderland but her demented Aunt Redd feels Alyss has stolen her glory. In order to save Alyss from her evil Aunt Redd, Hatter Madigan transports her to our world where he accidentally loses her. Alyss grows from a 6 year old to a 16 year old in our world. She meets Lewis Carroll and tells him her story. Up until this point no one believes her story and tells her she needs to keep her head out of the clouds. Mr. Carroll believes her and decides, with her permission, to write her story to be published. Alyss is elated that someone has finally taken her seriously. Then when the finished book is revealed to Alyss, she is horrified to find the crazy Alice in Wonderland story that we all know and love. Just when Alyss is ready to give up all hope and abandon her past, Hatter Madigan finds her and transports her back to Wonderland where she must defeat her Aunt Redd.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
This is the first in a trilogy of books (The People of Sparks and The Prophet of Yonwood are the other two) which deals with humanity surviving a global war and destruction. Ember is a completely self-contained, self-maintained city. All food and supplies come from giant storerooms under the city and a handful of greenhouses. All the books in the library, apart from the city history The Book of Ember and the schoolbooks The Book of Letters and The Book of Numbers, have been handwritten by residents over the years of Ember. All the light in the city comes from lamps and floodlights; when these are extinguished, the city is completely dark, with no stars, sun, or moon. The electricity in the city comes from an ancient hydro-electric generator in the underground Pipeworks; keeping the aging generator operational is a constant task. Beyond the borders of Ember are the dark Unknown Regions, which are un-explorable because none of the Emberites can produce a mobile source of light. Ember was constructed many years ago by the Builders, but nothing is known about them other than the facts that they built the city and provided its supplies. The book follows two 12-year-olds as they look for a way out of their failing city. The book deals with human response in times of crisis and how certain innate responses remain the same no matter the time or place.

The Giver by Lois Lowry
The world Lowry creates would be considered an ideal and perfect world by many. There is no war or fear or pain. There is no color or worry or choice. Everything is under perfect control. There is no greed or hate or lust or want. Every person is given a role in the community. Every person is assigned the best possible spouse. Children are assigned to the best matched married couples. There is no memory of the past and all the pain and suffering that people have gone through is forgotten … except in the case of the giver. The giver is the one person in the community chosen to carry all the memories (good, bad, and indifferent) of the past. Should there ever come a time when the community council can’t make a decision due to lack of past information, they call on the giver to help make the right choice. It’s both a blessing and a curse to be the giver. Jonas has been chosen to be the next giver. Will he find it a blessing or a curse?

Tess of the D’Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy
This novel tells the story of a young woman who is seduced by a man who has less than honorable intentions. In fact there is great debate concerning if Tess willingly gave herself or was raped. Regardless, Tess is branded an outcast by her community when she becomes pregnant. In order to find herself, she moves and starts a new life. Her new life leads her to meet Angel. Once Tess tells Angel her secret things spiral out of control. While the novel sounds like a soap opera, it is a brilliant 19th century look at a woman’s need to find her identity and an examination of the unfair double standards place on the sexes.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
A short novel that follows a young governess and her two interesting charges. Are the children being stalked by ghosts or is it merely the workings of a wild imagination? The consequences are dangerous for all involved.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
What does it mean to be a teenage girl? Follow one girl through her first year in high school as she struggles to find the voice to express the horrible crime that was committed against her. This book is touching, depressing, and witty all at the same time.

Avalon High by Meg Cabot
Age Recommendation: 13+
This book is great! It is about a girl named Elaine and she and her professor parents move, forcing Elaine to go to a new school. She is instantly swept away by the star quarter back Will Wagner and is surprised that he seems to like her back – even though he has a girlfriend. I just recently read this book and really enjoyed it!

Private by Kate Brian
Age Recommendation: 15+
Private is a very intriguing book – and the series is now on their 7th book! I adore these, even though they have more grown up material. In the first book of the series Reed goes to a private school on a scholarship and is taken away by the mysterious Thomas Pearson. She also wants to get into the popular dorm, Billings. She must goes through many tasks to get into Billings and throughout the series she finds out if it was really the right thing to do. These books I find addicting I don’t know why, but they are filled with juicy gossip and ups and downs you would NEVER expect.

The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith
If you love Twilight, you will love The Vampire Diaries. These are actually a collection of four books originally published in the 1990s. They have since been reissued in two paperback volumes (with very spiffy covers, I might add). The Vampire Diaries is about the struggle between two handsome, mysterious brothers and Elena, the girl torn between them. If you pay attention, you may even notice some similarities between one of these brothers and our own Edward Cullen!

Stardust by Neil Gaiman
This was made into a movie last summer and while the movie is actually quite excellent, the book is even better. It is simply a beautiful story about a boy who sets out to find a fallen star to win a woman’s heart and, in the process of his incredible (and magical) journey, he grows up and discovers who he really is.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Yes, I know – two books by Neil Gaiman! But this novel is one of my favorite books ever. It is the story of a man who both figuratively and literally falls through the cracks of modern-day London and finds himself in another world that exists within our own. It’s an amazing journey and will change the way you look at the world.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
This is perhaps one of the most quintessential books in American Literature. The story of Holden Caulfield is a coming of age story in the truest sense. And while his narrative may be littered with slang, curse words and inappropriate thoughts, it is a beautiful story and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Have a book you’d like to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments!