Teens would rather be endlessly scrolling through Instagram or TikTok rather than picking up a book to read. But, reading is one of the best ways to improve your vocabulary, comprehension of new topics, and can reduce stress. If you ever decide to become an author, web designer, journalist or someone who writes, reading books will expose you to different writing styles, which then could lead you to create your own writing style.
Why should you read a fiction book in particular? Fiction books are a great way to escape reality and open the world to possibilities to immerse yourself in other worlds. They transport you to different eras, different sceneries around the world, and you are introduced to new ideas. Each book has its own writing style based on the author.
Some fiction books are long and include many unnecessary details. Others have the perfect sprinkle of scenaric details, dialogue and all of the characters are interesting to travel along with. Some books have each chapter written from a different perspective, while others are just descriptive chapters with no dialogue, but make it feel like you’re within the story. That’s what I love about fiction books, there are no two similar books.
My favorite book genre is dystopian, or as many people know it, sci-fi. One of the most popular sci-fi series is “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. If you haven’t read this series yet, this is one of those books that you have to read in your lifetime. This series follows a 16-year-old girl, Katniss Everdeen, through her survival story during the Hunger Games, a national event where girls and boys from each district fight against each other. I love this series because it’s fast-paced, thought-provoking and has a strong female protagonist.
My favorite book in the dystopian genre is “Divergent” by Veronica Roth, especially the first book. This book is about a society divided by factions. Tris Prior, the protagonist, goes through a test that decides the best-fitting faction. The test marks her Divergent, which means she doesn’t fit into just one faction. She then has to be cautious and hide her true identity but people start to get suspicious of her. I love this book because it’s similar to “The Hunger Games” series with Tris being the female protagonist and I love the setting with the Dauntless faction being in a large underground “Pit”.
If you’re someone who prefers mystery books, I recommend “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.” This series is a trilogy by Holly Jackson and my favorite mystery series of all time. The first book is about Pippa Fitz-Amobi who re-investigates a local murder case for her final school project. I will admit, this is a deeper topic, but I love this series and everyone I’ve recommended it to enjoyed it.
If you want a less intense series, I recommend the “Alex Cross” series by James Patterson who has a jaw-dropping nine Emmy Awards and an Edgar Award. This series features Alex Cross, who is a part of the Metropolitan Police Department and the story follows him as he solves mysteries and threats towards his family. I love the “Alex Cross” series because I feel like people can relate to it, especially his son, Ali. Ali wasn’t able to have a lot of freedom and Alex was very protective over him.
If you’re someone who wants to get in on the adventure and survival of teens, I recommend the series “Gone” by Michael Grant. This series includes over five books, and follows two teenagers whose town loses electricity and people who are 15 and older, vanish. They get trapped in a large barrier with no escape, and they must survive with what they have. I love this series because one of the main protagonists has to step up to be the leader of the town, but also some of the teenagers develop superpowers. This leads to larger wars and evolving animals.
Books that have supernatural characters, like vampires and werewolves, are a whole new branch of fiction books. The “Twilight” series by Stephanie Meyer is the perfect example. Bella Swan falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen. She then realizes how much she wants to live with Edward and wants to become a vampire. This story follows her through her struggles with building a relationship with vampires, all while trying to keep the werewolves away. I love this book because Stephanie Meyer is such a fantastic author and this book is fast-paced and easy to follow along.
Everyone loves the classic fairy tales where both the princess and prince get a happy ending. Fantasy fiction is such a fun genre to read because a lot of the
books are based on classic fairy tales, such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, or Aladdin. Take “The Lunar Chronicles” by Marissa Meyer, the series includes spin-offs of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White set in a futuristic setting. I also love this book because the author tells it in such a great way that’s easy to understand. Instead of most books that pack all the setting details into the first couple of pages, she slowly gives more and more details throughout the entire book. I also love how each book is about a different set of characters in their own worlds, but the last book has them coming together as a group to stop the villain.
This is just a glimpse into the world of fiction books and there are so many more genres out there. Whether you’re into fantasy, romance, mystery, or sci-fi, there’s a book out there for everyone. I like to remember that fiction books have the power to shape our perspectives about the limits of imagination. From arenas in “The Hunger Games” to flying snakes in “Gone”, these books have powerful messages hidden inside the fantasy worlds. All of these books include themes of freedom, friendship, teamwork, truth, and above all, storytelling.
Reading is a great way to pass time and you get educated in the process. Reading helps you increase your vocabulary and comprehension skills, can reduce stress and can help you prepare to sleep.
As a book lover myself, I believe that reading is one of the most important entertainment activities. Reading fiction books is a worthwhile experience. Whether it’s for entertainment, learning purposes, or to boost your imagination, fiction books have the power to improve our lives.
