Guest Post: Cassie from Culture Coverage Suggests 5 Free E-Books for Teens

5 Free E-Books to Encourage Your Teenager’s Reading Habits

I would like to thank Liz for publishing this article. She provides detailed and thoughtful reviews that cover the gamut of genres from graphic novels to children’s books. If you want to support independent authors, check out her self-published and small press category.

In today’s digital world, teenagers are more connected than ever before, thanks to the prevalence of smartphones and fast network connections. Besides networking with friends on social media networks, they’re also exploring and discovering new apps and technology that seem interesting or entertaining. With so much content and information available, sitting down and reading a physical book might seem like a hassle. Luckily, e-books provide a digital solution for your busy teenager. Plus, you can find hundreds of books for free!

Of course, before joining free e-book sites or providing your teenager with an Amazon account, you’ll want to set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN). These services not only protect private information by hiding your IP, but they also provide improved security control by preventing certain types of files from being downloaded or uploaded. While not foolproof, it adds another layer of security.

If you’re looking for ways to encourage your teen’s reading habits, suggest these amazing YA books.

The Forgotten: The Lux Guardians, Book 1

Saruuh Kelsey

Source: Goodreads

After the death of their genius father, the Ravel twins find themselves thrust from Victorian London to a London in shambles after a solar disaster. They quickly learn their father’s invention caused the disaster and must find a way to prevent it from happening. The book combines dystopian elements with Steampunk for a unique perspective. The intrigue and action keep the plot advancing at a quick pace. There are multiple points of view, which can be confusing to follow at least in the beginning. Still, once they start reading, it won’t be long until they ask for the sequel.

Glimpse: The Zellie Wells Trilogy, Book 1

Source: Author Website

Stacey Wallace Benefiel

It seems fated that Zellie should fall in love with Avery. He’s the son of her mom’s high school sweetheart. When she learns the feelings are mutual everything seems perfect, until a jarring vision of his death shakes her to her core. She learns these visions are hereditary and will come true if the two stay together. Zellie has to decide whether to stay away from Avery to save his or life or risk everything and find out how to change the future. Although the teen dialogue comes off as a bit stereotypical, the characters themselves are developed, and the emotions ring true. If you're looking for a paranormal book for your teen with a strong heroine and no vampires, try out this book.

The Contamination Series, Books 0-3

Source: Author Website

T.W. Piperbrook

This isn’t the R.L. Stine books you might have enjoyed when you were younger. Piperbrook adds a new layer to the horror/suspense genre. A strange virus has mysteriously infected almost everyone in the tri-state area turning them into mindless killing machines. It’s up to a band of survivors to fight back the horde and find the answer to how this plague started. Piperbrook weaves a plot full of conspiracy and action while also developing rich and likable characters. While it might not be a thought-provoking story of redemption, it is definitely a page turner.

Awaken: The Sorcha Series, Book 1

Source: Author Website

Susan Alford and Lesley Smith 

After the death of their father, twins Lucas and Lily realize that they have a special gift. Years later when they enroll in college, they learn their true identities as Sorchas—warriors of light that fight against evil—and they learn they are not alone. There are ten others, each with their own different spiritual gifts. Alford and Smith breathe life into their characters by introducing unique personality traits and quirks. By the time the action starts, you are already invested in their lives and choices. The character development makes the suspenseful plot and sudden twists more dramatic.

Source: Publisher Website

Nariko’s Map: Legends of the Kunoichi, Book 1

Alex Redwood

After samurais attack and kill her family, Nariko finds herself on a farm full of girls who arrived under similar circumstances. She soon learns the farm is a training ground for an all-female ninja army. As she improves her skills as a kunoichi, Nariko must dive into the war that destroyed her family and search for answers about her past. While Nariko might not be real, the all-female ninja army is based on history. Mochizuki Chiyome, a feudal Japanese noblewoman in the sixteenth century, created a group of all female ninja agents.  The women she recruited were prostitutes, victims of the civil war and young orphaned girls. Not only is this a great read, but it might also pique your teen's interest in Japanese history!

Do you have any other suggestions for great fee eBooks for teens? Tell us in the comments below!

About the Author: Cassie loves anything related to literature and technology. She can’t wait to begin teaching her own children the joys of reading using modern technology!

Escape from Witchwood Hollow

Source: Publisher Website

Escape from Witchwood Hollow by Jordan Elizabeth (Curiosity Quills Press, 2014, 180pp.)

In Arnn, New York, there is a very bad place called Witchwood Hollow. In 1760, Lady Elizabeth Clifford fled there to escape her pursuers when she was accused of witchcraft. In 1850, naive teenager Albertine took a short-cut through the woods to get to her father’s house—only to never find her way out. Fast-forward to 2001: high schooler Honoria has come to Arnn after the tragic death of her parents. When she hears about the legend of the woods and the dreadful witch who lives there, she becomes intrigued, and decides to find out more—yet  little does she know that her quest could very well become her undoing…

Escape from Witchwood Hollow is a quick read, barely 200 pages in length. Now, as a fan of horror films, I was delighted with the premise, and the foreboding atmosphere that accompanied the story was great. However, I never really got a sense of who the characters were as people, and I also have somewhat mixed feelings about the ending. These two things ultimately made my reading experience a little disappointing, but I would still recommend it to readers ages 14-up.

A Riveting Sequel

Source: Author Website

Boil (Salem’s Revenge #2) by David Estes (Self-Published, 2014, 416pp.)

In this grisly sequel to Brew, witch-hunter Rhett Carter and his Glock-toting friend, Laney, head to a ruined Washington, D.C. after their show-down with the Reaper. As they become involved with President Washington, the former VP and only survivor of the Presidential cabinet, new truths come to light, allegiances become blurry, and neither Rhett nor Laney know who to trust. Another riveting story from an author who continues to impress with his seemingly endless creativity. Just a warning: the story’s gore, blood, and reappearance of Flora, the devious, man-eating shape-shifter, may make you want to take a shower after reading. Recommended for stout-of-heart readers, Ages 16-18.

Pretty Much Like Every Post-Apocalyptic Novel Out There for Teens

Source: Author Website

Autumn in the City of Angels (Autumn #1) by Kirby Howell (Streetlights Publishing, 2013, 362pp.) 

After 90% of the world’s population is killed off by the Crimson fever, Los Angeles lays at the mercy of rivaling factions of survivors. As 17-year-old Autumn Winters tries to navigate these different groups, she meets a mysterious young man named Gray, and feels an instant and unquestionable connection to him. After they’re separated, she goes looking for him, and finds that he's part of a group living in the abandoned L.A. subway. Unfortunately for Autumn, this group is the rival of the Restoration Front, the most aggressive, nasty bunch of survivors in the area that will stop at nothing to wipe other groups out. As the two bands vie for survival, Autumn learns that her love interest, Gray, is actually hiding a secret that could prevent the two of them from ever getting together. 

The only way to review this kind of book is to review it first as a teen romance, and then as a post-apocalyptic novel. While I was reading this, it made me realize that I have forgotten how much I can’t stand mushy teen romance. Autumn’s frequent mention of her love interest’s mind-blowing physique/piercing blue eyes really got on my nerves—but then again, I’m pretty sure the author’s target audience for this book wasn’t cynical library assistants in their late twenties. Instead, I probably should ask: Will this novel appeal to teenage girls? If the girls in question are former Twihards suffering from Improbable Romance Withdrawal Syndrome, then yes. They will probably find Gray and Autumn’s attraction to one another quite appealing. Is Autumn herself an attractive heroine/role model for young girls? To tell the truth, she’s kind of flat—but then again, so is Bella from Twilight, and most every other heroine in this kind of genre.

As for the science fiction elements of this novel: they could use some work. The most glaring detail is, as one Amazon reviewer pointed out, the curious lack of bloated corpses left behind after the initial wave of fever-deaths. Yes, the heroine does come across a body inside a parked car on the Los Angeles freeway, and another survivor reports clearing an entire apartment building of bodies weeks after the fact…but there never seems to be any problem with unpleasant odors that are usually found lingering in the wake of such a disaster. (Perhaps one of the symptoms of Crimson fever is rapid decomposition upon death?)

In any case, it’s a perfectly nice, clean book for tween girls looking for something to swoon over. Compared to every other book in the dystopian/post-apocalyptic genre, its flat characters and their attempts to deal with their situation don’t really stand out at all. Recommended for girls Ages 13-15.

Estes' Latest Proves That JK Rowling Does Not Own the Teen Witch/Wizard Genre

Source: Author Website

Brew (Salem’s Revenge #1) by David Estes (Self-Published, 2014, 399pp.)

To anyone who thinks that J.K. Rowling now owns the teenage witch/wizard genre in the wake of Harry Potter, I would like to introduce them to David Estes’ latest novel, Brew. Forget the valiant struggle against evil by Hogwarts’ Gryffindor graduates. Estes’ magic-folk return to their monstrous, old-world origins—and then some.

As the novel opens, we meet Rhett Carter, a mild-mannered teen whose favorite activities include book blogging and hanging out with friends. Then, out of the blue comes “Salem’s Revenge,” a day of gruesome horror and violence against humans by the demonic witch species—punishment, they claim, for centuries of abuse at the hands of mankind. Suddenly, Rhett has no home, no family. On top of that, his two best friends, girlfriend Beth and best bud Xavier, are missing. In the aftermath of the attacks, Rhett stumbles across quiet Mr. Jackson, a neighbor and former CIA operative. He knows all about the witches, and he can show Rhett how to fight them. With Mr. Jackson’s training, Rhett now has a new goal in mind: not to just survive, but to survive long enough to find his friends, and extract sweet, sweet vengeance against those who murdered his family.

I pretty much have only good things to say about Brew. Like the teen protagonists in Estes’ Dwellers/Country Saga, his heroes and heroines are brave, stoic, and very human. The almost constant death-scenes are surprising at first, then seem only inevitable as Estes proves that he pulls no punches when it comes to character death. Another thing I liked was the lack of romance that seems so prevalent in YA fiction these days no matter what the genre. Although Rhett frequently reminisces about his girlfriend, these scenes serve to emphasize his emotional attachment to her, and end up making his desperate search all the more heart-rending. For those who found themselves fascinated by the incendiary terror found in Rick Yancey’s apocalyptic 5th Wave, I recommend Brew for Ages 16-Up.

The Apolline Sibyl

Source: Author Website

The Apolline Sibyl (Apocalypse Signs #2) by Dave Becker (Self-Published, 2014, 310pp.)

When we last left Kalos Academy, Tony and his friends had just managed to stall the demonic Sinthos in his efforts to bring about the apocalypse. Now at the beginning of the gang's sophomore year (narrated by Tony's friend Jenna instead of Tony himself), things get even crazier. First, a wounded giantess staggers onto the marching band's practice field and collapses. While the school assures its students that the woman has been sent to the hospital for treatment, Jenna and friends discover that the mysterious female is actually still on campus, lying in a comatose state. Then, Sinthos again makes an appearance, this time demanding that the gang steals an ancient artifact from the school and hand it over to him. When they refuse, Sinthos makes his wrath known: red clouds of death hover over campus, lava bubbles up in the school swimming pool, and earthquakes rock the town's residential area. As the world falls to pieces around them, Tony, Jenna, and their friends resolve to fight Sinthos to the bitter end.

What I really like about this series is Kalos Academy itself. The author does a great job of describing what classes are offered, and what an average school day is like. I was also very impressed with how the author handles the mystery of the giantess. On the downside, however, the overall tone of the story seems a bit rushed, and while the pacing is consistent enough to keep short attention spans engaged, it also hinders possible character development. Overall, an interesting, action-packed plot, with under-developed characters. Recommended for Ages 14-16.

Legacy

Source: Publisher Website

Legacy (Legacy #1) by Ellery A. Kane (BalboaPress, 2014, 254pp.)

In 2041, our world has been laid bare by desolation and war. Cities lay in ruins. The United States is a military state, with armed government thugs (called Guardians) patrolling every sidewalk, and government-sponsored companies like Zenigenic churning out mood-altering pills. In the middle of this there is Lex Knightley, a young woman whose mother invented the anti-fear drug, Emovere. Although her mother was once a high-ranking forensic psychiatrist at Zenigenic, Dr. Knightley has since resigned from the company  after she discovered Emovere has devastating side-effects. Now a sympathizer for an anti-government group, Dr. Knightley sends daughter Lex to make contact with the so-called Resistance. Lex ends up spending a month at their headquarters, making friends and learning more about the past connection that she shares with a mysterious, troubled youth named Quin. While at first Lex thinks she's among friends, she soon begins to realize that neither the Resistance, nor the government they fight against, is entirely trustworthy. With the help of Quin and a group of ex-Resistance fighters, Lex sets out to find the truth about what's really going on in the world.

Overall, Legacy's plot is engaging, and has a sound (if not entirely original) premise. In regards to the characters, they could all definitely have been fleshed out a bit more, but this does not retract from the story's quality too much. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

A Promising Start to a New Dystopian Trilogy

Fire Country (Dwellers/Country Saga #4) by David Estes (Self-Published, 2013, 402pp.)

Scrawny, clumsy, head-in-the-clouds Siena lives in fire country, a land where a long-ago catastrophe caused the sky to turn from pale blue to blood red. The average lifespan is thirty years, and mankind has resorted to polygamy to survive. Young people are required by law to start breeding in their mid to late teens, and every three years, teens are paired with new mates during an event known as the Call. This Law is not to be questioned. Or so Siena thinks. An unlikely heroine, she doesn't even begin to question her prescribed role in life until a few months before her Call ceremony. As she prepares to consider her preordained fate as a soon-to-be Bearer, a classmate, Lara, suggests the unthinkable: what would happen if young women rebel against the status quo?

Estes has created a memorable heroine in Siena in this first volume in the Country Saga (sister series to the Dwellers Saga). Although some of the concepts he explores here are a bit cliche (the fire country tribes are too much like Native Americans in some aspects, while their enemies, a notoriously feral all-female tribe, are too much like Amazons), Fire Country still proves to be a promising start to a new dystopian trilogy.

An Awesome Addition to the Series

Sacrifice (Daughters of Lilith #3) by Jennifer Quintenz (Secret Tree Press, 2014, 290pp.)

In Incubus, evil incubus Seth succeeded in opening the Seal between the human and Lilitu worlds. Sacrifice begins two weeks later, where we find Braedyn Murphy and the rest of the Guard watching the Seal 24/7. As if things weren’t bad enough, a mysterious new cult has shown up in town, and claimed Lilith as a figurehead for their feminist cause. But are they really a cause for good, or something more sinister?

How would I describe this third installment? In a word: awesome. Seth is a spectacular villain, the kind you love to hate, but also love to read about. Cassie is given a much bigger role when she volunteers to go undercover and spy on the cult, and the interactions between Braedyn and Karayan really adds texture to the latter’s character. Sacrifice has just the right amount of drama and romantic tension to keep the pace flying, with a dreadful climax that will have you glad that there’s a fourth book in the works. Recommended for Ages 16-Up.

Zein

Source: Author Website

Zein: The Prophecy (Zein #1) by Graham J. Wood (New Generation, 2014, 334pp.)

Zylar of the Zein race plans to destroy all who oppose him in his quest to occupy the earth. His purpose in doing so is to wipe out humanity and strip the planet of its zinithium, a rare element currently unknown to mankind, but highly prized by the Zein.

Zylar is not without opposition, however. A prophecy speaks of two brothers that will defeat him: Kabel Blackstone, the nephew hidden from Zylar at birth, and Tyson Mountford, Kabel’s human half-brother. Together, these three characters lock in a deadly struggle that will determine the fate of the earth.

I have to admit that while I love science fiction, this YA novel wasn’t quite my cup of tea. Although the action is non-stop, the novel favors plot development at the expense of character development, and I found it hard, at times, to feel gripped by the characters’ plight. Due to suggestive content and violence, Zein: The Prophecy is recommended for older teens, Ages 16-Up.