Clean Reads discussion

I have teenage daughters who are looking for relevant clean reads. The YA genre can be extremely SCARY. I'd love some suggestions with depth, enlightenment and pure themes. Warning: I am hyper sensitive and usually steer clear of Fad ficiton. (Didn't read the Harry Potter books and am completely turned off by the whole Twilight madness.) If it draws a "Star Trek Convention" type mentality, please don't bother suggesting it :) I don't want any cheerleader, mean girl, shallow beauty pageant, popularity contest, feminist, violent, werewolf, vampire type books, I want something they can relate to but which is worthy of their rich, young minds. Any suggestions?

A few that come to mind:

Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1) by Elizabeth Peters - the whole series is clean & fun & lots of info on Egyptology

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset - 3 books about a woman growing up in 14th century Norway - the author won a Nobel for Literature in 1928 for these books - they're on my all time favorites list

Watership Down by Richard Adams - another all time favorite

These Is My Words by Nancy Turner - follows a girl growing up in the Arizona Territory (1860s?)

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - the first book written (during the 1860s) in the genre of Victorian mystery/suspense

The Face of a Stranger by Anne Perry - #1 in the Monk series - the whole series is Victorian mystery, but the first one is the best by far

Emma by Jane Austin - I really enjoy the dry English humor of this book & it seems to age well in that the themes apply to our times as much as they did when the book was written

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - another all time favorite

None of these books I've suggested are YA books specifically - they're just ones my daughter & I both enjoyed. I guess you can tell that I do enjoy a lot of the older, more classic style of books. There's not so much to guard against with language, violence & sex.

Rachel wrote: "I don't want any cheerleader, mean girl, shallow beauty pageant, popularity contest, feminist, violent, werewolf, vampire type books"

that cuts out pretty much everything!! how about the little house on the prairie series? **sorry, having a snarky moment here** okay, i'm better.

definitely:
the blue sword by robin mckinley but not its sequel/prequel the hero and the crown
the princess academy by shannon hale, despite its title, has a wonderfully strong young woman as protagonist.
the safe-keeper's secret by sharon shinn. and its sequel.

maybe, depending on how you feel about its popularity:
the hunger games by susanne collins

do they like classics? there's always P&P with the incomparable elizabeth bennet.
what about fantasy? juliet marillier's wildwood dancing is excellent, as is allison croggon's pellinor series.

and for younger teens, i like wise child by monica furlong. also, the arthurian legend series by kevin crossley-holland -- first one's the seeing stone

well, that should give you enough for the whole winter. i need to go find something to do!

Great list of books so far. I can't wait to wade in. And once my girls get older, I will be dragging this list back out (of course, I've got about 10 years before that...).

I agree with Princess Academy, as well as all of the other books I've read by Shannon Hale. She writes about strong young women rising above odds, and being that she's an LDS author, I find them delighfully and refreshingly clean.

I LOVE anything by Shannon Hale. Jessica Day George is amazing as well. I love her stuff. She is from Utah and all of her books are clean. (Dragon Slippers trilogy, Princess of the Midnight Ball, etc.) Wildwood Dancing was wonderful. Loved it. I also love anything by Janette Rallison. Her books are hilarious! My favorite is My Fair Godmother. So funny and all of her books are clean! I like the Fablehaven series as well. They are clean, sometimes a little scary like Harry Potter, but not as dark. Those are just a few of my favorites!;)

Thank you all!!! And Joy, "snarky" or not I think you hit the nail squarely on the head. :) About your "Hunger Games" comment, I don't have a problem with a book being "popular" per se, it's when its following becomes cult-like and obsessive (and girls start calling my 18 year old son "Edward") that I get disgusted. The summary of "Hunger Games" sounded a bit cruel/violent to me--what is your opinion for someone who is hyper sensitive?

Laura, thank you for the "older" list; my favorite books are definitely under that heading. My all time favorite book is "Song of Years" by Bess Streeter Aldrich, written in 1938. I love Jane Eyre and anything (except "Northanger Abby") written by Jane Austin.

Tracy, both my girls loved Princess Academy and my younger teen is very taken with her "Bayern" series. I'll admit that I was disappointed with the looser morals in her "Austenland", and there was more of "The Brothers Grim" influence in her "Book of a Thousand Days" than is my normal preference (thus, my previous werewolf comment)but for the most part she has been a decent choice.

We'll start on all your lists and let you know what we think, so maybe we can define our interests a little better. Thanks so much for your help.

I don't know if they like this type of book, but Uglies by Scott Westerfield is really clean, and enjoyable. :)
Also, Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. It's technically an adult book, but it's completely clean, and a really really good story.

the hunger games might be too scary for a sensitive soul. i'd rate it a pg-13 on the scary scale.

the city of ember by jeanne duprau is highly engaging, and definitely not violent or scary.

your son must be quite a looker. ;) i'm admittedly a big fan of the twilight series, and was quite obsessed with harry potter. to me, it's just a lot of fun! there is that line between fiction and reality, though, and some people seem to miss it all together.

I LOVE the Amelia Peabody series, and seriously considered Archaeology after reading them! All of the Anne series would be good, had she not read them.

I'm trying to think back to my teenage years, and I really got into the classics ... Victor Hugo was and still is my favorite author, and while Hunchback of Notre Dame is disturbing, it's one everyone ought to read. ALL-time favorite, however, is Les Miserables. Any version. Phenomenal. Also, The Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leraux (I think), is just so good, but is a good one to read if you want to get a little spooked. The Neverending Story, so good, David Copperfield is also one I loved, and I really enjoyed The Great Gatsby.

Laura suggested "These Is My Words". I'm pondering reading it. Is there any content to be concerned about for me or my daughters? Has anyone else read it?

There is one scene depicting violence toward the main character, but it is one of the best books I've read this year.

Is the scene graphic? Are there any sexual connotations?

I just read "The Swan Kingdom" by Zoe Marinott, I think is her name. It's really good. Sort of a retelling of the story with the princess and her brothers who get turned into swans. There is one paragraph about a dream, but I completely missed it the first time.
Also, a new series I've been reading is the Stravagante series by Mary Hoffman. Superb, and squeaky clean. :)

The Gallagher Girls series is pretty good!:) They are by Ally Carter and there are three out right now. I really liked them, and they were clean!:)

Rachel -- it depicts an attempted rape while the main character is bathing with her daughter. It's fairly intense. Of course, before any serious damage is done to anyone the romantic hero comes in and saves the day, but while it isn't graphic, it is fairly terrifying.

Rachel & Elizabeth - Thanks, E, for answering Rachel's question about 'These Is My Words'. Rachel, I wouldn't want my pre-teen reading this, but older would be okay - imo.

I'd totally forgot about it until Elizabeth mentioned it. I don't have young children anymore (all are married) so I don't find myself thinking of my kids reading the book I'm reading. I used to always think 'would this be okay for the kids?' while I was in the book. I even read a book once that was lots of fun & I thought my boys would like....only thing was the language of one character. So I went back through my purchased copy of the paperback & used a blue photo pencil to edit out the offending words. Voila! The boys loved the book - though I always wondered if when they saw the blue mark they 'said' the word in their head as they were reading.

The things we do as parents!

Anything by Tamora Pierce is usually good. Nothing graphic, I don't think. It's been a little while. I read them as a sixth grader, so I'm sure they were clean. Except the Trickster's Choice/Trickster's Queen series. But the reason I recommend her highly is you said teenage girls, and I loved her books so much because of her strong female protagonists.

Laura wrote: "Anything by Tamora Pierce is usually good. Nothing graphic, I don't think. It's been a little while. I read them as a sixth grader, so I'm sure they were clean. Except the Trickster's Choice/Tricks..."

Tamora Pierce is pretty good, Except for the Lioness Quartet, The Immortals Quartet, and the Trickster's couplet you mentioned... All of those do include sex...not graphic, like you said, but still.

But as for the Circle of Magic, The Circle Opens, etc, and Protector of the Small Quartet goes, those are really good. I think Beka Cooper is fine, too, though I can't really remember it a lot...

Oops. That was me. Sorry mom!! :)

Emily wrote: "I really like Tamora Pierce as well. Beka Cooper actually does have some sex in it. It might just be in the 2nd one, but it has more detail/passion than Lioness or Immortals, being a "YA" book. "

It is just the second one, I'm almost positive. And I'll take you guys' word for the Immortals, being as I haven't read those.

Alright, I need some strict clarification here. I didn't even make it to page 15 of "These Is My Words" before some very graphic material surfaced, which was extremely offensive to me (not to mention the scarring that it would have given to my teenage daughters had they read it). There was certainly nothing "attempted" about that experience and since there was MUCH damage done before any kind of hero ever surfaced I can only think that the "intense" scene, that was eluded to previously by Elizabeth is still yet to come.

I was not exaggerating when I said that I was "hyper sensitive". There is RARELY a book that I feel wouldn't be safe for my young children, but that I enjoy. ("The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom and "Christy" by Catherine Marshall are a few exceptions. I wouldn't want my children carrying those life burdens until they were teens and could shoulder them, but there is so much inspiration that comes out of those trials that they are worth every page.)

Having re-stated my position, I need to know if there is enough uplift and light to keep moving forward in this book, or if I should just shut it and be done with it. So far, it is just dark and violence and it's making me nauseous.

Also, there are quite a few people who suggested the book, "Wildwood Dancing" but when I read the summary it stated that the setting was "Transylvania and a main character is named, "Piscul Draculi". I thought I was quite specific about not wanting anything to do with the whole vampire craze. How about if I make this easy (or eliminate everything entirely, as Joy would say) and ask for suggestions to steer clear of fantasy altogether. That limits the playing field considerably doesn't it, but let's see if we can make any headway in that direction.

You have all been so very gracious and I know that I am being annoyingly picky, but discretion is the reason I joined this group in the first place and is the reason I spend so much time researching reviews on Goodreads. Thanks for your patience and for your help. I am confident that once we get more familiar with each others tastes that someone is going to suggest a book that becomes a "kindred spirit".

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Rachel -- I appreciate your standards. I don't remember the violence in the first part, other than indian raids ... is that what bothered you? It is the story of trying to survive and thrive in the West, so that is something that I had anticipated, and I'm sorry that I forgot to warn you about it.

In my opinion, it is a beautifully written tale about personal growth and overcoming the greatest trials we as women can face. Sarah not only self educates herself, she provides for her family on her own, falls in love with a man designed for her, and lives a full life. It really is heartwarming, but it does deal with traditional Old West themes and temptations.

try sharon shinn!! i really have enjoyed her books so far, and have just finished another one. they are very light (not fluffy), but deal with interesting issues. i just read general winston's daughter , which kept catching my eye on the library shelf. it's great. it felt very much like more-accessible e.m. forster. i'd give all her books so far a PG rating. i really think you'd like them.

as for wildwood dancing , it was pre-vampire craze, so it's not really the same type of book at all. it is based in bulgaria, and draws on the local mythology and language -- thus the overlap with our vampire fiction. however, you might find even wildwood dancing to be on the edge of your super-sensitivity.

Elizabeth wrote: "Rachel -- I appreciate your standards. I don't remember the violence in the first part, other than indian raids ... is that what bothered you? It is the story of trying to survive and thrive in th..."

I can deal with the indian raids, but there was a very graphic, brutal rape within the first 15 pages. I don't really want to go through that again if more of the same is coming up.

i was just going to read the first beka cooper , how much immorality are we talking about?

I didn't even remember the first rape, but after looking up a summary I do remember it. The one scene I do remember is an attempted rape, but is nowhere as bad as the first. I must have blocked it out. It really is a beautiful book... I'm sorry I had forgotten that part.

You know, Rachel, it would probably help to know exactly what kind of 'rating' a book would have that you'd approve of..... PG?.....G? That would help me in thinking about books you might approve of & enjoy as well.

I always look at Amazon's reviews of a book I'm looking at - even though they don't specifically rate books. The comments made usually include references to things I wouldn't want to read. And lots of times the national reviews will include key words that tell me what I want to know. (sexy, sensual, violent)

Laura wrote: "You know, Rachel, it would probably help to know exactly what kind of 'rating' a book would have that you'd approve of..... PG?.....G? That would help me in thinking about books you might approve o..."

That's a hard call because books are a little different than movies (I loved "The Hiding Place" in book form but the movie was awful and it was only rated PG (had a definitely PG-13 feel). However, I guess it's a good place to start. I copied pieces of the MPAA movie ratings below to help. As far as they go, I would have to say I generally prefer to stay in the G-PG arena. Hope that helps.

G: “…contains nothing in theme, language, nudity, sex, violence or other matters that... would offend parents... Some snippets of language may go beyond polite conversation but they are common everyday expressions. No stronger words are present…Depictions of violence are minimal. No nudity, sex scenes or drug use are present…”

PG: “ … more mature themes… may be some profanity and some depictions of violence or brief nudity. But these elements are not deemed so intense as to require that parents be strongly cautioned beyond the suggestion of parental guidance. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated motion picture…”

PG-13: “…may go beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities or other elements, but does not reach the restricted R category… Any drug use… More than brief nudity [but:]… will not be sexually oriented… may be depictions of … but generally not both realistic and extreme or persistent… single use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words, though only as an expletive… More than one such expletive requires an R rating, as must even one of those words used in a sexual context…”

R: “contains some adult material… include[ing:] adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements…”

Okay, Rachel, I've been thinking about more books I could suggest.

One of the book series that I really enjoyed was the 'Anne of Green Gables'. Very sweet & not anything I can remember that would be PG13. There are 8 books in the series - so lots to read & enjoy.

It's been a few years since I've read it, but 'The Hobbit' was enjoyable. I never did read any of the Lord of the Rings & I definitely didn't enjoy the movies, but in my memory 'The Hobbit' was more innocent, but still lots of adventure.

'Where the Red Fern Grows' is another favorite. There is scene when one of the dogs protects the boy & is killed by a bear, but I don't remember it being graphic.

I'm hoping these are a little closer to your ideas.

Virginia wrote: "Tamora Pierce is pretty good, Except for the Lioness Quartet, The Immortals Quartet, and the Trickster's couplet you mentioned... All of those do include sex...not graphic, like you said, but still.

But as for the Circle of Magic, The Circle Opens, etc, and Protector of the Small Quartet goes, those are really good. I think Beka Cooper is fine, too, though I can't really remember it a lot..."

The Lioness Quartet ruined my innocence when I read the first three at age nine. Though after that, I've never picked up another and am not really the expert, I'd avoid like the plague...

The Hobbit is definitely one of the best books I've read, and I enjoyed Lord of the Rings. I really like Tolkien's poems which he scatters through the narrative, those poems got me hooked on poetry. ;)

Robin McKinley and Shannon Hale are really good, as well, although I've heard that a book of McKinley's has some sex in it...(don't know how true that is)

The Once And Future King, for those who like rewritten legends. That's a classic one.

This is my first post...nice to be here! ;)

Lorian wrote: " I've heard that a book of McKinley's has some sex in it...(don't know how true that is) "

very true... of sunshine. i was really disappointed, since the other books of hers i'd read had been great. i've heard there's some promiscuity in dragonhaven as well, which i haven't read, but sunshine was definitely and unfinishably R rated.

Try Jean Thesman. Many of her books are out of print so look at your library. Particularly good ones that I remember are Molly Donnelly, The Rain Catchers and A Sea so Far.
Ann Rinaldi writes good historical fiction for the age.
The Enola Holmes mystery series by Nancy Springer are other ones that I would highly recommend. Enola is the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes. They are really fun books.
The shoe series of books by Noel Streatfield. They are classified as middle grade books but I am 30 and I still like them. :-)
Greetings from Nowhere by Barbara O'Connor.
Try books by Karen Hesse
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson is an absolute gem.
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman. It has been awhile since I read it but I am pretty sure it would fit your criteria.
Alright, that's a list for you to pursue. Hopefully some will work for you. I just checked out like 20 YA and middle grade books. Will let you know if any of them fit your criteria. :-)

Edit that list-I just remembered something that happens in The Rain Catchers and I don't think it will meet with your strict criteria.

Rachel wrote: "I have teenage daughters who are looking for relevant clean reads. The YA genre can be extremely SCARY. I'd love some suggestions with depth, enlightenment and pure themes. Warning: I am hyper ..."

Rachel,
I noticed that Hunger Games was recommended. I have to admit that I loved this book and so did my teenagers, but I would say it is PG-13 on violence level. You might want to read it first.

One series that my teenage daughter enjoyed was Jannet Oak's Love Comes Softly series. She read just about anything she could get her hands on by this author. It is very clean. If you are looking for a little more action, I love the Zion Chronicle and Zion Covenant Series by Brock and Bodie Theone. I also love Shannon Hales books.

Rachel,

I was also disturbed by the violence in the beginning of These Is My Words. The worst of it is definitely in the beginning of the book, but I would probably have put it down if it hadn't been recommended by several friends who generally share my standards. I think you'd be happier not reading it, but if you're interested in finishing it, you've definitely already read the worst part.

Also, I don't know anyone outside of my family who reads Bess Streeter Alrich. She's one of my all time favorite authors, and I love Song of Years. Thanks for reminding me. Those are about to go on my Amazon wish list. :)

Lauralyn wrote: "Rachel,

I was also disturbed by the violence in the beginning of These Is My Words. The worst of it is definitely in the beginning of the book, but I would probably have put it down if it hadn't ..."


Actually, I'm sad to say that I did continue on after the first "incident" in These Is My Words" because so many people said "the worst was over", but I found other descriptions disturbing as well, and when I got to the second "incident", I was so disgusted that I called it quits. Nothing can be redemptive enough for me to continue wading through that kind of darkness. Yuck!

So excited to find a kindred spirit regarding Song of Years!!! You're right, you never hear of very many other people who know who Ms. Aldrich is. Would love some suggestions from you along those same lines, if you have any.

I don't really have any suggestions for books with the pioneer setting/theme similar to Aldrich. Here are a couple of authors you might want to check out if you haven't, and if you can find them. It seems like all the good authors have been weeded out of my public library, so my wish list is always a mile long. :)

Elswyth Thane's Williamsburg novels follow a family through various periods in American history. The first book takes place during the Revolution and the last two are during WWII. Possible things that you might not like: somewhat racist ideas that are appropriate to the time periods covered but not so much what we think now; possibly occasional mild swearing--I can't think of anything at the moment, but there are probably a few h words or d words; some battle scenes from the wars but nothing detailed or disturbing--not at all the kind of violence you often see in modern war based books; occasional drinking. These books were very popular back in maybe the 1950's. I'm sure that if they were movies, they'd be PG.

D.E. Stevenson writes light romantic type novels--several with a WWII England setting. She has four books (the Mrs. Tim novels) that are fictionalized diary versions of her own life that I especially love because I like her relationship with her husband--especially in the second one. It's rare to find a book that covers married life instead of just the time leading up to it. If you can find a copy of Miss Buncle's Book, definitely read that. It is hilarious and fun and very clean. Possibly occasional drinking/smoking in them depending on the book, but I don't think there is any bad language, etc. I think many of her books would make G movies with others making a very mild PG.

Mary Stewart's mysteries are quite clean--no graphic description of crimes, etc. They do have some occasional mild swearing (h and d word stuff) and some occasional drinking/smoking that's not super intertwined in the story or anything. I'd say PG rating.

I'll finish this novel length post by pointing out that although I'm a fairly picky reader, I think I'm not as careful as you are. Things that didn't stand out to me might stand out to you. I hope there's something there that you (or others on this list) can use.

Lauralyn

I just thought, if you haven't read any of Gene Stratton Porter's books, you'd definitely like those. Totally squeaky clean G rated books.

Also, I know a number of people mentioned Anne of Green Gables, but if you haven't read others of L.M. Montgomery's work, she has many good books. None of her novels have anything objectionable. Many of them have similarities to Anne, but one of my favorites is The Blue Castle which is about an adult character and is really funny. My 13 year old has read it and enjoyed it, and we have lots of little inside jokes together from it.

Lauralyn

Lauralyn wrote: "I just thought, if you haven't read any of Gene Stratton Porter's books, you'd definitely like those. Totally squeaky clean G rated books.

Also, I know a number of people mentioned Anne of Green ..."

I love Gene Stratton Porter, in fact I just finished reading "Freckles" again last month, but I have only read three of her novels, so I will try to find others. Our library is TINY which makes my choices so limited. I also loved the 'Anne' series but I had forgotten that the author wrote other books so I will head that direction as well. My 14 year old daughter has been begging me to read her a book (she still loves that :)and that sounds like a good choice.

Thank you, thank you for leading me in the right direction. My sister says I am very difficult to please because she claims I am inconsistant in my 'sensibilities'. I hate violence, but I love Charles Dickens. I loathe most swearing, but "bible language" makes me think of my beloved grandpa. So far, I haven't discovered inconsistancies with sexual subjects. Sexual violence is out, period. There is a series called, "The Work and The Glory", which I did finish, which briefly touched on the subject in as little description as possible, but it still made me sick. And (married, or unmarried-- private is private and I don't want to read about it.)

I don't know if that helps you to steer me, or hinders you, but I can sense a common undercurrent, which is refreshing. I did go to your book page (which was open)and found many titles that I wasn't familiar with, but seem old and hard to find. I guess I'll have to start hunting:) I hope you can find something of interest on mine, so I can return the favor.

Rachel -- have you read the follow-up series to WATG? It's called Children of the Promise ... and I loved it!! It's about the Steed family leading up to and during WWII, and it's well done. Not as long as WATG, and easier to get through, in my opinion. I'd give it a try.

I have to tell you that I'm terrible about putting books on my Goodreads thing, so there are probably thousands of things I've read that aren't on there. I hate trying to rate them because so often there are books I really, really enjoy reading, but they're not great literature or anything so then I feel like they deserve better than a 3 because I really like them but they don't really deserve a 4 because they're nothing all that great. It's a huge dilemma for me, but I should just get over it and put things on there anyway.

I know what you mean about being inconsistent. I think that whether a book is ok or not is often about how it makes me feel. If it makes me feel icky, I don't like it even if another book may have had something heavy in it that I liked. There are some things that just aren't ok no matter what, but there are lots that are kind of gray, and then it really depends on how I feel when I read it.

If you like Charles Dickens, have you read anything by Anthony Trollope or Elizabeth Gaskell (except don't read Sylvia's Lovers--way depressing)? Both were contemporaries of Dickens and both used their writing to point out some of the social evils of their day. They read much like his work.

Lauralyn

I don't know if any of these have been mentioned -- but the Number One Ladies' Detective Agency series? They're really easy-going, and there's very little offensive in them. (Then again, I was in labor when I read the first four [REALLY long labor:], so I'm sorry if I've missed something!)

I'm slapping my head on this one ... but the Leven Thumps series would be perfect! It's a fun series, clean, no swearing, and allows your imagination to soar!

I reccommend Fablehaven and the Percy Jackson series. Love these, and they're aimed more towards younger teens, so they're clean. And they're amazing stories. Also Wings by Aprillyne Pike, and The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum are really good. (Plus they were both written by LDS authors, so they're clean!) Although, that doesn't really account for the Twilight series. Breaking Dawn, there were some scenes that I wasn't very comfortable with. Fablehaven was also written by an LDS author.

Some other good ones:
Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
Anything by Shannon Hale, or Gail Carson Levine.
Inkheart and Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund
The Once Upon a Time Series

Erica wrote: "I reccommend Fablehaven and the Percy Jackson series. Love these, and they're aimed more towards younger teens, so they're clean. And they're amazing stories. Also Wings by Aprillyne..."

The Percy Jackson series are some of my favorites ever! I love the mythology type stuff. WIngs by Aprillyne Pike I can also vouch for, loved that! Gail Carson Levine is good, as is Cornelia Funke, though I'm surprised you mentioned her without mentioning Thief Lord.
The only Shannon Hale book I've read was Princess Academy, and that was really good!

Thief Lord wasn't one of my favorites. I loved Dragon Rider and Inkheart a whole lot more. I don't know, maybe I'll just have to read it again. Goose Girl by Shannon Hale is really good too.

Laura wrote: "A few that come to mind:

Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1) by Elizabeth Peters - the whole series is clean & fun & lots of info on Egyptology

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset - ..."

Laura wrote: "A few that come to mind:

Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1) by Elizabeth Peters - the whole series is clean & fun & lots of info on Egyptology

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset - ..."

Laura,
You suggested "The Woman In White". I've read about 200 pages and have decided that maybe Mystery/ Suspense is not my favorite genre as it makes me uptight not knowing who is good and who is bad :) It has been interesting but now it is starting to make me nervous as it is leaning in the "creepy" direction. If it is going to actually cross that "creepy" line, I think I would be better putting it down right now because it will stay in my mind "forever". What is your advice?

Rachel, I just finished "The Woman in White," and it doesn't cross the line from creepy to actually violent or horrific. My problem with it was that it is so slow paced, it took me a month to finish it.

If it would be helpful for you to know for sure who the bad guys are you could message me.

Beth A. wrote: "Rachel, I just finished "The Woman in White," and it doesn't cross the line from creepy to actually violent or horrific. My problem with it was that it is so slow paced, it took me a month to finis..."

I just don't want to read about murder. And if their is no redemption or enlightenment in the story I don't want to waste my time. My sister said she read it years ago in Eng. Lit. and doesn't remember much about it except that she doesn't think she especially liked it. Did you feel like it was a month wasted or a month invested? Thanks for helping.

"The Woman in White" just wasn't one of my favorites. So maybe try something else?

Have you read Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers or The Secret School?

I don't think they've been suggested yet, and they might fit what you want- YA, not fantasy, not dark, clean. Good luck...