I would say Legend for dystopian, Eragon for fantasy, or Enders game for sci fi. When I was younger I really enjoyed Percy Jackson as well. I don’t know if it holds up for 13 year olds though, it’s a little juvenile and you kinda have to grow up with it to like it, but it might be worth a shot. It got me into reading when I was 9-10

41

That’s about when I read the Hunger Games and Divergent. The Red Queen is pretty clean, too, but there might be some more mature stuff.

33

Any Melissa Meyer book (cinder series or renegades) are good I’d check with the mom first because there’s some violence. I read it at 13ish but yk

20

the His Dark Materials trilogy is really good also Project Hail Mary is fine for any age

11

The mysterious Benedict society is really good

11

Six of crows duology! I gave it to me 12 year old cousin and she loved it

10

Let’s see. Definitely Percy Jackson, the mortal instruments, blood of Eden, Holly black is a good one, Sarah Rees Brennan, the legend series, challenger deep, Neal shushterman in general, tell me three things, all the bright places

9

The giver quartet was my favorite series around that age - interesting lineup of books and nothing super mature in it besides dystopian themes and mild violence

8

The Cruel Prince (Folk of the Air series)

8

my sister loved the good girl’s guide to murder series at that age!

7

Any book written by Elizabeth Lim and the Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson!

6

Scythe by Neal Shusterman- it focuses a lot on death and is also a dystopia, so it may not be to everyone’s taste, but I read the whole trilogy as a 13 year old girl and it’s still one of my favorites today! The violence is also notable.

5

Here’s some I really loved at that age, with my Fantasy/Sci-Fi bias: Warriors (Erin Hunter), Graceling (Kristin Cashore), Airborne (Kenneth Oppal), Ranger’s Apprentice (John Flanagan), The Two Princesses of Bamarre (Gail Carson Levine), Howl’s Moving Castle (Diana Wynn Jones), Animorphs (K.A. Applegate), The Tombs of Atuan (Ursula K. Le Guin), AND OBVIOUSLY The Hobbit x1000000

5

I enjoyed Artemis Fowl as a kid! Fun fantasy heist books

5

I believe Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series and Once Upon a Broken Heart are smut free or at least closed door, and they’re amazing

4

the graceling series!

4

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder trilogy, Caraval trilogy + Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy (they're interconnected), The Inheritance Games trilogy

4

The seven realms series by Cinda williams china

3

“Half Moon Investigations” by Eoin Colfer is a pretty cool teen detective book. Haven’t read it in years so double check me on the age appropriateness

3

If she likes romance, Sarah Adams is closed door but idk about other adult themes. The Firekeeper’s Daughter is like a YA thriller with indigenous rep. Truly Devious and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder are YA true crime (third Good Girl’s Guide is pretty dark tho so her mom should check content warnings before she buys her the series)

3

the selection series!

3

I love everyone pouring out recs from their teen years 🥹

2

Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao and Loveless by Alice Oseman

1

Sarah Dessen, Kassie West,

1

Aru Shah and the End of Time!!! Very fantastical and super fun, it’s kinda like Percy Jackson but it features Hindu mythology! Super cool and interesting read (still love this one)

1

Uglies /pretties/ specials series it’s SO good I still re-read it occasionally as an adult lol 😆 it’s incredible I think especially in today’s day and age of everyone getting plastic surgery

1

the inheritance games, the naturals, red queen, the cruel prince, twilight, the reappearance of rachel price (or any holly jackson book)

1

Warrior cats

1

check & mate by ali hazelwood if she was a fan of tsitp

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