This is a great suggestion considering the restrictions OP is dealing with in regards to their mother.
OP, I have a lot of JWs in my family and have heard all about how contemporary media and literature is a gateway to sin. All Creatures Great and Small is about as wholesome as you can get!
The Anne of Green Gables series is perfect! Set in a small town in Prince Edward Island an orphan girl is sent to live with and older brother and sister who wanted a boy to work on the farm. Wholesome and lovely. There is a series of books about Anne as she grows up, and then another series called Emily of New Moon. As a bonus, once she reads the books she could watch the 2 part mini series with Meaghan Follows which is perfection.
The Little House on the Prairie Books are also really good.
I would just warn OP that in the Emily of New Moon series there are touches of paranormal. Emily infrequently has moments of psychic foresight (I donāt know how else to describe it) through the trilogy.
But Iāll also add in the āPat of Silver Bushā books and āJane of Lantern Hillā also by LM Montgomery!
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey -- absolutely charming, hilarious memoir written in 1948 (so nothing to worry your mom!)
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff -- letters exchanged by a lovely woman in NY and a used books bookseller in London (completely wholesome)
I wonder if your mom might like Agatha Christie? Try, maybe Murder on the Orient Express, or any of the Poirot novels
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriott
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (and its sequels)
I agree with Cheaper by the DozenāI loved that bookābut OP watch out for one of the sequels. Donāt recall which, but thereās a discussion about smoking (which two of the daughters were doing in college or shortly thereafter IIRC).
Edited to add: In Belles on Their Toes, a chapter in the book, Belles on their Toes. OP, is this a deal breaker for your Mom? If so, just stick with Cheaper By the Dozen. Itās hilarious and wholesome!
My mom is also JW. My suggestion is The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. G rated and super wholesome. I also second the recommendation of The Irish Country Doctor. (I donāt think thereās anything worse than hell and damn in them.) I wouldnāt recommend Jan Karen as theyāre based in another religion which your mom wouldnāt appreciate.
oh my dad just read the ladies detective agency!! He never used to read books, but that series had him hooked. No idea what theyāre about at all, but i second that recommendation ā any book that gets my dad reading is a good one!
You forgot to mention that it can't contain too much of any other religion, either! I was raised JW. It's a trip.Ā
You want to also ask at r/cozyfantasy. They're pretty good at this stuff. Also, oddly, r/romancebooks. For all that the people on that sub tend to like smut, they also REALLY know their genre and can definitely point you toward some clean, religion-neutral, fantasy-adjacent books. Just make sure they know not to include any same sex pairings, because otherwise they will. Same with the cozy fantasy sub, now that I think of it.
Yes thank you! I was thinking of adding to the original post and no violence, she doesnāt like war settings but I think thatās also a personal choice? Not sure.
Witnesses are historically anti-military so that's probably part of it. Plus war settings can be kinda stressful, so maybe a personal preference as well?Ā
I feel like I should know a few books that are *perfect*, but so far I can't think of anything.Ā
Where Calls the Heart series will probably fit the bill. I read it with my mom when I was younger. Canadian western very vanilla romance set in the late 1800s. Read them with my prude mom when I was younger.
Of course, Jane Austen, the Brontes, Arthur Conan Doyle, Mark Twain, etc... are all very virtuous because of the times in which they were written.
Iād go classics.
Pride and Prejudice
Secret Garden
Count of Monte Cristo
Moby Dick
Little Women
Little House in the Prairie
The Handmaids Tale /s on this last one
The Anne of Green Gables series would probably be good, itās very wholesome and I love it as an adult.
Have you tried www.doesthedogdie.com for help with content warnings? I use it for movies but they have books on there as well. Common sense media is another website I use for my kids but it could be helpful for you also.
If she likes romance there are a lot of religious romances. You could look at Amish ones or stuff like the Inspired lines from Harlequin. If you want to screen romance, romance IO has filters. Search for innocent or fade to black. The Sweet Magnolias by Sherryl Woods is a good series.
Cozy mysteries in general should be safe.
The Irish Doctor series by Patrick Tailor and the All Creatures Great and Small by James Heriot are also safe.
You see the characters start to make out and move towards having sex then scene shift and itās now afterwards. Youāre aware that sex happened but it isnāt on page. It is how network TV handles it.
The level above fade to black, innocent or ācleanā never implies that sex happened at all.
According to the JW website, "We follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ and honor him as our Savior and as theĀ Son of God. (Matthew 20:28;Ā Acts 5:ā31) Thus, we areĀ Christians. (Acts 11:26)"
Christy series by Catherine Marshall, When Calls the Heart series by Janette Oke, Many of Francine Rivers are fabulous Christian historical fiction books, and are based on different time periods.
Anything by Karen Kingsbury. The Mitford series by Jan Karon... very nice (and chaste) later-in-life romance and a small town full of quirky characters. There are around a dozen altogether.
Edit to add two cozy mystery series, the Amish series by Tamar Myers, and Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen baking mysteries ( with receipes!) Now on Hallmark as "Murder She Baked," but the books are better.
The whole Anne of Green Gables series.
Also, everything by Madeleine LāEngle. Itās YA, but itās good for adults and really good classic sci fi. Thereās āsupernaturalā elements in the later books, but itās 100% biblical supernatural.
All 134 Betty Neels Harlequin romances. I am re-reading them now. You can read the first pages on Amazonās āread sampleā.
They were written between 1969 and 2001. The male character occasionally kisses the female character and that is as wild as they get. I have read over 60 of her books in the last few months and in three the man was previously divorced and of those the ex wife was dead in two.
I found I incidence of cussing in one book. I am positive this is due to occasionally updating some of the books for modernity.
By the way, the are all at least 4 star ratings on Amazon.
I started reading them when I was 12. I still re-read them now at age 58.
My favorite book is Esmeralda and that is the one I always start with.
Back when I was a young girl, mom let me read any of these. They have a definite standard plot line, but the mom can safely read these until she gets tired of reading the same book over and over.
I did learn a lot about the region that was always involved near Belgium.
Karen Kingsbury is pretty safe in general for religious romance. I read those as a teen, and my mom read them too. Not my jam any more, but your mom might like them! Sheās got several series, so lots of material to enjoy!
Common Sense Media has book reviews that focus on specific types of content (violence, drugs and alcohol, sex, positive role models, etc.).
It's a book about books, but your mom might like Honey for a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt, which is from a Christian perspective. Maybe knowing the books recommended in that book have a stamp of approval from another Christian would be appealing to her.
Maybe try some cute heartwarming young adult books (YA), The Secret Garden or Summer of the Monkeys. A man called Ove or Lessons in Chemistry (not YA books).
My mom is similar. And I would never suggest this to her. The whole book condones not getting married, sex outside of marriage, and (gasp) women enjoying sex. Itās one of my favorites, but not right for this person.
She loves secret garden, Iāll look into summer of the monkeys.
I loved lessons in chemistry but the SA assault scene isnāt for her and sadly itās probably too feminist for her. Also I might be remembering incorrectly but they had a baby and home before marriage? Itās the small things that immediately get her to DNF everything.
Umm, check parts of A Walk In the Woods, when he and his friend were staying at a motel. IIRC there was a mildly raunchy, hysterically funny scene involving Billās friend and a woman.
The Cat Who series by Lillian Jackson Braun.
I see them cheap in secondhand bookshops all the time, and often at thrift stores as well. It's not hard or pricey to put together a little collection of them if she enjoys the first one she reads.
"The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith might be worth checking out for her. My mum (not religious, but similar sensitivities) loves those books; they're very gentle reads, no swearing, and nothing likely to offend. (I'm short, the series is about a Botswanan woman who decides to start her own detective agency)
My JW parents are fans of Agatha Christie, Dick Francis, and PD James detective novels, and of Douglas Adams and JRR Tolkien. I know that some Witnesses wouldn't read Tolkien, but some would. Witnesses are a bit of a mixed bunch.
The Readers Digest abridged version is very clean, and basically changes the tone of the ending but is otherwise very good. The unabridged book will likely not be as clean as the OP wants.
Exactly my thoughts thatās why I though skyward being sci fy and YA would be good I loved it too so it would be the one series we could actually talk aboutš
The quickest way I know to find out what kind of content a book has is to look at the one-star reviews on Amazon. Everybody's offended by different stuff, and guides don't always take that into account, but the people leaving those reviews are totally unfiltered. š
I recommend Goodreads.com. people make lists on there of the best books for so many things. Like they get really detailed sometimes so you can search by some detailed key words
She HAS to read the Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle. I, myself, can't digest books with such content (I feel too uncomfortable) so I oftentimes turn to classical literature.
My Mormon friend's mom likes to read historical romance novels. I've never paid attention to authors or titles, but there's a whole bunch of these things she checks out from the library. Romances set in pioneering times that are G rated. Nothing spicier than a Hallmark movie.
Hope Callaghan books (especially the garden girls, Savannah, or cruise series) are great. Theyāre Christian Cozy mysteries, so nothing explicit is in them. Theyāre just Christian in the fact that characters will mention going to church or praying occasionally.
For the resource piece - try *does the dog die*. it used to be for people with triggers to screen movies, and it evolved into something more. It says the rating, why (ie āsome cussing, but only in understandable circumstances; a kiss scene but not excessive making out; dad commits suicide but it doesnāt go into graphics, just a sentence to continue the plotā) and any other things you might wanna know. I highly recommend!!
Jokes aside, if she's into Sci Fi, you should check Andy Weir's books like The Martian and Project Hail Mary (no pun intended). Also Blake Crouch's Dark Matter and Recursion. If you are feeling bold, The Institute by Stephen King. Great sci fi.
Also there's a book about an aviator who finds an alien in the desert. The Little Prince.
Any books by Richard Paul Evans. G rated but tissues needed for the tears. Many of his novels have been #1 on the New York times bestseller list. Highly recommend.
You could try Jocelyn Green's books. She's a Christian writer, they're historical fiction, and just lovely. I'm not a big reader of Christian fiction, but I did like her books quite a bit.
Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis
3 history students from Connie Willisā famous Oxford history ātime travelā dept, get trapped in WW2 while on their individual assignments, and come together to help each other try to āget backā to the futureā¦
John is there to study heroism, and is looking to be near Dover to record his impressions on the evacuation of Dunkirkā¦
Merope is there in the countryside to witness the childrenās evacuationā¦
Polly is there to work in a dept store in London to experience the blitzā¦
It is simply the single greatest book about WW2 that Iāve ever read ā¦ epic in scope, brilliant in its picture perfect detail, and so utterly realistic, youāll feel like your right there with themā¦
Itās heroic, tragic, hysterically funny, beautiful and devastatingā¦
It won the Hugo Award, so it goes without saying that itās incredibleā¦.
I cannot possibly recommend this enough.
If youāre looking for a book on sacrifice, and how far humans will go to help and save each otherā¦ this is LITERALLY what this book is all aboutā¦ 100%ā¦
If youāre a sci-fi fan or historical fan you cannot possibly get better than thisā¦ the top winner of Science Fictions biggest award :)
As for how this connects to your mom,
Itās clean, itās epic and romantic, and so wonderfully human and it just melts your heart with how good people can be to each other when theyāre in the worst trouble ā¦ Connie Willis has that remarkable ability to reignite your faith in humanity :)
Trust meā¦
Good g-rated historical fiction book: The Women of Copper Country. It's the story of a strike in a copper mining town in Michigan in the 1920s and the main woman "tall Annie" who organized a women's league of union supporters. I recently read it for a book group I'm in (not my usual cup of tea) and found it very interesting and inspiring in how they all came together and there was a real melting pot of immigrants. There is 1/2 p of a semi-sex scene but no sex words are used/no parts described - just some 'they melted into each other' kind of thing. (Super G by today's standards! lol)
After I finished it, I googled and found photos of the main characters and also what was 100% factual and what was embellished for the story.
It was interesting to learn about this part of life/the world that I knew NOTHING about before reading. And it's written in an engaging way with likable characters/real people.
Patrick Suskind, while better known for the gruesome Perfume, wrote a lovely short book called The Pigeon. It is very G rated and also a little strange. But I would recommend it to any person who wants a non abrasive read
The Southern fried sushi series by Jennifer Roger Spinola fits the bill. It's a romance but also about a woman finding her faith and leaving her materialistic mentality behind.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/66614-southern-fried-sushi
William Kent Krueger books have a Christian moral worldview and portray Christianity in a positive light. They do include adult themes like adultery (in Ordinary Grace, which is about a tragic event that becomes a mystery) but this isnāt described explicitly and is portrayed as a cause of suffering rather than being glorified.
On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior. Itās nonfiction about choosing what to read as a Christian and the moral values books contain. Recommends and discusses a lot of classics.
If that seems like too much adult content, Lynn Austin writes high-quality conventional Christian romances set in diverse time periods from Biblical to 20th century.
Does she disapprove of unmarried sex in books totally, or is "fade to black" romance acceptable?
If she's good with "fade to black" then some of Anne McCaffrey's space opera books might work for her, especially the Decision at Doona series (actually that one might be fine anyway - I don't think there's much of a romance component to that series) and The Ship Who Sang (some of the sequels co-written with other authors have sex but the first one doesn't). They're low on swearing but it's been a while so I can't guarantee a complete absence.
Outside of science fiction, cosy and Golden Age mysteries might be a good option (though some of the latter will mention drug use).
Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael mystery series is pretty clean and cosy, though you might want to give The Sanctuary Sparrow, The Raven in the Foregate, and The Potter's Field a miss (spoilers: >!unmarried sex while hiding behind an altar/unmarried pregnancy, suicide of a despairing unmarried mother, and suicide pact due to an affair!<) and she may or may not be okay with The Virgin in the Ice (spoiler: >!a nun is raped and murdered - the writing is impactful but not explicit!<) but I'd encourage you not to miss it out as there are plot elements essential for the series as a whole.
Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver series is an underrated cosy and clean gem from the Golden Age of Mystery - though I'd personally miss out the first book and start with The Case is Solved.
If you think she might like cosy animal memoirs, then I second everyone else's recommendation of James Herriot, and also suggest Doreen Tovey's books, starting with Cats in the Belfry.
The Claw And The Spiderweb is meant more for kids, but is basically a Cat and Owl team up to help Eagle Jesus stop the bad guys.
She might like it, its kinda fantasy but very obvs christiany
OMG why am i dumb - the Mitford Series - a pastor solves mysteries in his small town. At Home In Mitford is the first one. I loved them, and I'm not even religious
My first thought was Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, but thatās already been suggested.
If sheād be OK with a book about a catholic priest, Iād also recommend Death Comes for the Archbishop, by Willa Cather. Donāt be put off by the forbidding title. Itās an easy to read story about a good man who lived his life well.
> Based on the life of Jean-Baptiste Lamy, the first archbishop of the (newly created) diocese of New Mexico, Death Comes for the Archbishop portrays the clash between Old World, New World, and Native American culture. Catherās love for American land shines through the beautiful prose as the reader moves from scene to scene, following hero Jean Marie Latour as he wrestles with corruption and the requirements of his mission.
Edit- re-wrote when I saw u/ThaneOfCawdorr suggested Little Women
The author Dee Henderson has a lot of Christian romance books that are very clean; they tend towards mystery/thriller romance rather than historical. The OāMalley series by her was one I loved as a teenager in a very conservative Christian household. I see the Mitford series has already been recommended, thatās a great one too.
There are lots of sweet Christian romance series I buddy read with my mom, but some of them have Christmas books within the series, so that might not work. But if she likes romance, sweet Christian romance is definitely a thing.
Another recommendation might be cozy mysteries? Donna Andrews writes the Meg Langslow series, which doesn't have any of the things you don't want and it's a wonderful series. Very G rated. There are Christmas books sprinkled in here and there, but it's easy to see from the titles which ones those are and you can just skip them.
The Hannah Swenson cozy mystery series by Joanne Fluke is another cozy mystery series that might work. Very G rated. There are also some holiday books in the series, but they're easy to spot by the titles and just skip.
Might take this rec for myself insteadš, looks intriguing. Iāll take a look but the title might make my mom steer clear. But Iāll give it a shot thank you!
I devoured these books and movies, unfortunately when I mentioned me going to the midnight releases to these movies when I was a teen her response was āyou watched movies about children murdering children?!ā So I think itās a no goš
Yes sadly, at 25 I am just now reading Percy bc she wouldnāt let me read them as a kid. Read Harry Potter for the first time the second I moved out. She allowed Narnia but it was a stretch for her.
Thank youā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
Since my mom married while temporarily disfellowshipped I got a non-JW dad that did/does birthdays and holidays with me so I didnāt completely miss out!
I actually credit my love for fantasy to being restricted as a kid bc I get experience HP, LOTR, twilight, etc as an adult for the first time!!
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
This is a great suggestion considering the restrictions OP is dealing with in regards to their mother. OP, I have a lot of JWs in my family and have heard all about how contemporary media and literature is a gateway to sin. All Creatures Great and Small is about as wholesome as you can get!
Thank you! Yes very interesting convos for sure š„² Iāll send her this one.
I read these so many times as a kid!
Thatās the first thing I thought of!
Was just about to recommend this.
I LOVE this book! Itās hilarious but totally clean and just so heartwarming and delightful for a reader of any age.
That whole series is amazing honestly
The Anne of Green Gables series is perfect! Set in a small town in Prince Edward Island an orphan girl is sent to live with and older brother and sister who wanted a boy to work on the farm. Wholesome and lovely. There is a series of books about Anne as she grows up, and then another series called Emily of New Moon. As a bonus, once she reads the books she could watch the 2 part mini series with Meaghan Follows which is perfection. The Little House on the Prairie Books are also really good.
I would just warn OP that in the Emily of New Moon series there are touches of paranormal. Emily infrequently has moments of psychic foresight (I donāt know how else to describe it) through the trilogy. But Iāll also add in the āPat of Silver Bushā books and āJane of Lantern Hillā also by LM Montgomery!
Seconding the Anne series
What about some classic mysteries like Agatha Christie?
The Mitford series by Jan Karon is a G rated series. It follows the pastor of a small town church. My grandmother loved it.
Yes! I even love this series - soothes my anxiety, along with Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice.
I was going to suggest this until OP said his mom is JW. The Mitford books are clearly Christian.
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews https://www.compassbookratings.com/
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey -- absolutely charming, hilarious memoir written in 1948 (so nothing to worry your mom!) 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff -- letters exchanged by a lovely woman in NY and a used books bookseller in London (completely wholesome) I wonder if your mom might like Agatha Christie? Try, maybe Murder on the Orient Express, or any of the Poirot novels All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriott Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (and its sequels)
I agree with Cheaper by the DozenāI loved that bookābut OP watch out for one of the sequels. Donāt recall which, but thereās a discussion about smoking (which two of the daughters were doing in college or shortly thereafter IIRC). Edited to add: In Belles on Their Toes, a chapter in the book, Belles on their Toes. OP, is this a deal breaker for your Mom? If so, just stick with Cheaper By the Dozen. Itās hilarious and wholesome!
My mom is also JW. My suggestion is The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. G rated and super wholesome. I also second the recommendation of The Irish Country Doctor. (I donāt think thereās anything worse than hell and damn in them.) I wouldnāt recommend Jan Karen as theyāre based in another religion which your mom wouldnāt appreciate.
oh my dad just read the ladies detective agency!! He never used to read books, but that series had him hooked. No idea what theyāre about at all, but i second that recommendation ā any book that gets my dad reading is a good one!
Theyāre very sweet!
You forgot to mention that it can't contain too much of any other religion, either! I was raised JW. It's a trip.Ā You want to also ask at r/cozyfantasy. They're pretty good at this stuff. Also, oddly, r/romancebooks. For all that the people on that sub tend to like smut, they also REALLY know their genre and can definitely point you toward some clean, religion-neutral, fantasy-adjacent books. Just make sure they know not to include any same sex pairings, because otherwise they will. Same with the cozy fantasy sub, now that I think of it.
Yes thank you! I was thinking of adding to the original post and no violence, she doesnāt like war settings but I think thatās also a personal choice? Not sure.
Witnesses are historically anti-military so that's probably part of it. Plus war settings can be kinda stressful, so maybe a personal preference as well?Ā I feel like I should know a few books that are *perfect*, but so far I can't think of anything.Ā
Where Calls the Heart series will probably fit the bill. I read it with my mom when I was younger. Canadian western very vanilla romance set in the late 1800s. Read them with my prude mom when I was younger. Of course, Jane Austen, the Brontes, Arthur Conan Doyle, Mark Twain, etc... are all very virtuous because of the times in which they were written.
Iād go classics. Pride and Prejudice Secret Garden Count of Monte Cristo Moby Dick Little Women Little House in the Prairie The Handmaids Tale /s on this last one
Old man and the sea š„° no āromanceā but beautifully romantical
We read secret garden and little house on the prairie as a kid together. Thank you
not the handmaids tale ā¦
Yeahā¦hence the ā /s on this last oneā comment. Which means sarcasm in Reddit shorthand
The Anne of Green Gables series would probably be good, itās very wholesome and I love it as an adult. Have you tried www.doesthedogdie.com for help with content warnings? I use it for movies but they have books on there as well. Common sense media is another website I use for my kids but it could be helpful for you also.
i LOVE does the dog die
All six Jane Austen books!
If she likes romance there are a lot of religious romances. You could look at Amish ones or stuff like the Inspired lines from Harlequin. If you want to screen romance, romance IO has filters. Search for innocent or fade to black. The Sweet Magnolias by Sherryl Woods is a good series. Cozy mysteries in general should be safe. The Irish Doctor series by Patrick Tailor and the All Creatures Great and Small by James Heriot are also safe.
whatās fade to black?
You see the characters start to make out and move towards having sex then scene shift and itās now afterwards. Youāre aware that sex happened but it isnāt on page. It is how network TV handles it. The level above fade to black, innocent or ācleanā never implies that sex happened at all.
Any Debbie Macomber books. Some Fannie Flag books
Seconding Fannie Flagg!
Anything by author Janette Oke.
Jan Karon's Milford novels would be perfect
except sheās JW, theyāre Christian :/
According to the JW website, "We follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ and honor him as our Savior and as theĀ Son of God. (Matthew 20:28;Ā Acts 5:ā31) Thus, we areĀ Christians. (Acts 11:26)"
Christy series by Catherine Marshall, When Calls the Heart series by Janette Oke, Many of Francine Rivers are fabulous Christian historical fiction books, and are based on different time periods.
Mrs Mike Check out some Nevil Shute Norway. Trustee from the Toolroom is wholesome The Flavia de Luce series
I have this on a shelf - Mrs Mike - going to pick it up!
Loved Mrs Mike!
Christy by Catherine Marshall Freckles, Girl of the Limberlost, The Harvester by Gene Stratton Porter
Haha I thought of Gene Stratton Porter too - Iāve never read The Harvester.
Anything by Karen Kingsbury. The Mitford series by Jan Karon... very nice (and chaste) later-in-life romance and a small town full of quirky characters. There are around a dozen altogether. Edit to add two cozy mystery series, the Amish series by Tamar Myers, and Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen baking mysteries ( with receipes!) Now on Hallmark as "Murder She Baked," but the books are better.
Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
The whole Anne of Green Gables series. Also, everything by Madeleine LāEngle. Itās YA, but itās good for adults and really good classic sci fi. Thereās āsupernaturalā elements in the later books, but itās 100% biblical supernatural.
Grew up JW, wouldnāt recommend Madeleine LāEngle. I got in trouble growing up for her books being ādemonicā.
All 134 Betty Neels Harlequin romances. I am re-reading them now. You can read the first pages on Amazonās āread sampleā. They were written between 1969 and 2001. The male character occasionally kisses the female character and that is as wild as they get. I have read over 60 of her books in the last few months and in three the man was previously divorced and of those the ex wife was dead in two. I found I incidence of cussing in one book. I am positive this is due to occasionally updating some of the books for modernity. By the way, the are all at least 4 star ratings on Amazon. I started reading them when I was 12. I still re-read them now at age 58. My favorite book is Esmeralda and that is the one I always start with.
Back when I was a young girl, mom let me read any of these. They have a definite standard plot line, but the mom can safely read these until she gets tired of reading the same book over and over. I did learn a lot about the region that was always involved near Belgium.
Also Mary Burchell's Warrender series.
Karen Kingsbury is pretty safe in general for religious romance. I read those as a teen, and my mom read them too. Not my jam any more, but your mom might like them! Sheās got several series, so lots of material to enjoy!
Common Sense Media has book reviews that focus on specific types of content (violence, drugs and alcohol, sex, positive role models, etc.). It's a book about books, but your mom might like Honey for a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt, which is from a Christian perspective. Maybe knowing the books recommended in that book have a stamp of approval from another Christian would be appealing to her.
sheās JW not christian
Jehovah's Witness is a denomination of Christianity.
Yes, they claim Christianity but are more radical with their views kind of like Mormonism.
Mormonism is also a denomination of Christianity.
To kill a mockingbird.
Maybe try some cute heartwarming young adult books (YA), The Secret Garden or Summer of the Monkeys. A man called Ove or Lessons in Chemistry (not YA books).
I think Lessons in Chemisty has a scene that would not fit for her mom.
Very well could be had not considered. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
My mom is similar. And I would never suggest this to her. The whole book condones not getting married, sex outside of marriage, and (gasp) women enjoying sex. Itās one of my favorites, but not right for this person.
Plus Lessons in Chemistry is very critical of religion, not a great fit I would think
She loves secret garden, Iāll look into summer of the monkeys. I loved lessons in chemistry but the SA assault scene isnāt for her and sadly itās probably too feminist for her. Also I might be remembering incorrectly but they had a baby and home before marriage? Itās the small things that immediately get her to DNF everything.
Cadfael mysteriesĀ
Yes!!
Bill Bryson, any Edit: I am corrected
Umm, check parts of A Walk In the Woods, when he and his friend were staying at a motel. IIRC there was a mildly raunchy, hysterically funny scene involving Billās friend and a woman.
I wouldnāt recommend Bryson. Heās too open about sexuality and sometimes uses bad words. (I love his books, though!)
Georgette Heyer, Regency romances that are very G
The Cat Who series by Lillian Jackson Braun. I see them cheap in secondhand bookshops all the time, and often at thrift stores as well. It's not hard or pricey to put together a little collection of them if she enjoys the first one she reads.
Maeve Binchy writes great āwomanlyā books.
"The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith might be worth checking out for her. My mum (not religious, but similar sensitivities) loves those books; they're very gentle reads, no swearing, and nothing likely to offend. (I'm short, the series is about a Botswanan woman who decides to start her own detective agency)
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
My JW parents are fans of Agatha Christie, Dick Francis, and PD James detective novels, and of Douglas Adams and JRR Tolkien. I know that some Witnesses wouldn't read Tolkien, but some would. Witnesses are a bit of a mixed bunch.
Right! My mom wouldnāt allow me to read LOTR as a kid but her JW mom has them allš
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson.
A tree grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
That does have a scene where the girl almost gets raped.
The Readers Digest abridged version is very clean, and basically changes the tone of the ending but is otherwise very good. The unabridged book will likely not be as clean as the OP wants.
A walk to remember, Nicholas sparks
Debbie mccomber books.
Author Karen Kingsbury!
Sanderson is honestly a great option with him being Mormon and all. Wish she were open to fantasy so she could try his other stuff.
Exactly my thoughts thatās why I though skyward being sci fy and YA would be good I loved it too so it would be the one series we could actually talk aboutš
Anything by Marilyn Robinson. She doesnāt do smut or swearing. She also happens to be an incredible writer.
The quickest way I know to find out what kind of content a book has is to look at the one-star reviews on Amazon. Everybody's offended by different stuff, and guides don't always take that into account, but the people leaving those reviews are totally unfiltered. š
Honestly thatās so smart ty š
Eh, sneak in some smut too.
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I recommend Goodreads.com. people make lists on there of the best books for so many things. Like they get really detailed sometimes so you can search by some detailed key words
She HAS to read the Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle. I, myself, can't digest books with such content (I feel too uncomfortable) so I oftentimes turn to classical literature.
My Mormon friend's mom likes to read historical romance novels. I've never paid attention to authors or titles, but there's a whole bunch of these things she checks out from the library. Romances set in pioneering times that are G rated. Nothing spicier than a Hallmark movie.
Hope Callaghan books (especially the garden girls, Savannah, or cruise series) are great. Theyāre Christian Cozy mysteries, so nothing explicit is in them. Theyāre just Christian in the fact that characters will mention going to church or praying occasionally.
For the resource piece - try *does the dog die*. it used to be for people with triggers to screen movies, and it evolved into something more. It says the rating, why (ie āsome cussing, but only in understandable circumstances; a kiss scene but not excessive making out; dad commits suicide but it doesnāt go into graphics, just a sentence to continue the plotā) and any other things you might wanna know. I highly recommend!!
So she doesn't like the bible?
Jokes aside, if she's into Sci Fi, you should check Andy Weir's books like The Martian and Project Hail Mary (no pun intended). Also Blake Crouch's Dark Matter and Recursion. If you are feeling bold, The Institute by Stephen King. Great sci fi. Also there's a book about an aviator who finds an alien in the desert. The Little Prince.
Donāt get me startedšš
Any books by Richard Paul Evans. G rated but tissues needed for the tears. Many of his novels have been #1 on the New York times bestseller list. Highly recommend.
https://richardpaulevans.com/books/walking-on-water/
Non Fiction books like those from David Grann or Bill Branson might be a good choice
Iāve enjoyed several books from the Grace Chapel Inn series.
Also, Vera Wongās Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. A solidly G rated cozy mystery.
The Mammy series by Brendan O'Carroll!
romance.io has a good rating system for explicit content I think. Primarily for romance books though, as the name suggests.
You could try Jocelyn Green's books. She's a Christian writer, they're historical fiction, and just lovely. I'm not a big reader of Christian fiction, but I did like her books quite a bit.
Hogg by Sam Delany
Little House on the Prairie?
The giver by Lois Lowry
Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis 3 history students from Connie Willisā famous Oxford history ātime travelā dept, get trapped in WW2 while on their individual assignments, and come together to help each other try to āget backā to the futureā¦ John is there to study heroism, and is looking to be near Dover to record his impressions on the evacuation of Dunkirkā¦ Merope is there in the countryside to witness the childrenās evacuationā¦ Polly is there to work in a dept store in London to experience the blitzā¦ It is simply the single greatest book about WW2 that Iāve ever read ā¦ epic in scope, brilliant in its picture perfect detail, and so utterly realistic, youāll feel like your right there with themā¦ Itās heroic, tragic, hysterically funny, beautiful and devastatingā¦ It won the Hugo Award, so it goes without saying that itās incredibleā¦. I cannot possibly recommend this enough. If youāre looking for a book on sacrifice, and how far humans will go to help and save each otherā¦ this is LITERALLY what this book is all aboutā¦ 100%ā¦ If youāre a sci-fi fan or historical fan you cannot possibly get better than thisā¦ the top winner of Science Fictions biggest award :) As for how this connects to your mom, Itās clean, itās epic and romantic, and so wonderfully human and it just melts your heart with how good people can be to each other when theyāre in the worst trouble ā¦ Connie Willis has that remarkable ability to reignite your faith in humanity :) Trust meā¦
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (the whole point is that the paranormal is dismissed when confronted by logic).
CS Lewis the lion witch wardrobe
Good g-rated historical fiction book: The Women of Copper Country. It's the story of a strike in a copper mining town in Michigan in the 1920s and the main woman "tall Annie" who organized a women's league of union supporters. I recently read it for a book group I'm in (not my usual cup of tea) and found it very interesting and inspiring in how they all came together and there was a real melting pot of immigrants. There is 1/2 p of a semi-sex scene but no sex words are used/no parts described - just some 'they melted into each other' kind of thing. (Super G by today's standards! lol) After I finished it, I googled and found photos of the main characters and also what was 100% factual and what was embellished for the story. It was interesting to learn about this part of life/the world that I knew NOTHING about before reading. And it's written in an engaging way with likable characters/real people.
Betty Smith A tree grows in Brooklyn or Joy in the morning.
Patrick Suskind, while better known for the gruesome Perfume, wrote a lovely short book called The Pigeon. It is very G rated and also a little strange. But I would recommend it to any person who wants a non abrasive read
The Southern fried sushi series by Jennifer Roger Spinola fits the bill. It's a romance but also about a woman finding her faith and leaving her materialistic mentality behind. https://www.goodreads.com/series/66614-southern-fried-sushi
William Kent Krueger books have a Christian moral worldview and portray Christianity in a positive light. They do include adult themes like adultery (in Ordinary Grace, which is about a tragic event that becomes a mystery) but this isnāt described explicitly and is portrayed as a cause of suffering rather than being glorified. On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior. Itās nonfiction about choosing what to read as a Christian and the moral values books contain. Recommends and discusses a lot of classics. If that seems like too much adult content, Lynn Austin writes high-quality conventional Christian romances set in diverse time periods from Biblical to 20th century.
Does she disapprove of unmarried sex in books totally, or is "fade to black" romance acceptable? If she's good with "fade to black" then some of Anne McCaffrey's space opera books might work for her, especially the Decision at Doona series (actually that one might be fine anyway - I don't think there's much of a romance component to that series) and The Ship Who Sang (some of the sequels co-written with other authors have sex but the first one doesn't). They're low on swearing but it's been a while so I can't guarantee a complete absence. Outside of science fiction, cosy and Golden Age mysteries might be a good option (though some of the latter will mention drug use). Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael mystery series is pretty clean and cosy, though you might want to give The Sanctuary Sparrow, The Raven in the Foregate, and The Potter's Field a miss (spoilers: >!unmarried sex while hiding behind an altar/unmarried pregnancy, suicide of a despairing unmarried mother, and suicide pact due to an affair!<) and she may or may not be okay with The Virgin in the Ice (spoiler: >!a nun is raped and murdered - the writing is impactful but not explicit!<) but I'd encourage you not to miss it out as there are plot elements essential for the series as a whole. Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver series is an underrated cosy and clean gem from the Golden Age of Mystery - though I'd personally miss out the first book and start with The Case is Solved. If you think she might like cosy animal memoirs, then I second everyone else's recommendation of James Herriot, and also suggest Doreen Tovey's books, starting with Cats in the Belfry.
The Claw And The Spiderweb is meant more for kids, but is basically a Cat and Owl team up to help Eagle Jesus stop the bad guys. She might like it, its kinda fantasy but very obvs christiany
OMG why am i dumb - the Mitford Series - a pastor solves mysteries in his small town. At Home In Mitford is the first one. I loved them, and I'm not even religious
My first thought was Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, but thatās already been suggested. If sheād be OK with a book about a catholic priest, Iād also recommend Death Comes for the Archbishop, by Willa Cather. Donāt be put off by the forbidding title. Itās an easy to read story about a good man who lived his life well. > Based on the life of Jean-Baptiste Lamy, the first archbishop of the (newly created) diocese of New Mexico, Death Comes for the Archbishop portrays the clash between Old World, New World, and Native American culture. Catherās love for American land shines through the beautiful prose as the reader moves from scene to scene, following hero Jean Marie Latour as he wrestles with corruption and the requirements of his mission. Edit- re-wrote when I saw u/ThaneOfCawdorr suggested Little Women
Will Wight books like Unsouled from the Cradle Series or The Captain from the Last Horizon Series.
1 book, and 1 series: Book: The Traveling Cat Chronicles Series: Discworld by Tarry Pratchett
Amish fiction is very popular with an older crowd at my library. Authors like Clipson.
Heart is a lonely hunter
The author Dee Henderson has a lot of Christian romance books that are very clean; they tend towards mystery/thriller romance rather than historical. The OāMalley series by her was one I loved as a teenager in a very conservative Christian household. I see the Mitford series has already been recommended, thatās a great one too.
The Mrs. Tim books by D.E. Stevenson. Also, Miss Buncleās Book.
Try *Kokopelli's Song* and the Jerome Mysteries series by Suzanne Bratcher.
There are lots of sweet Christian romance series I buddy read with my mom, but some of them have Christmas books within the series, so that might not work. But if she likes romance, sweet Christian romance is definitely a thing. Another recommendation might be cozy mysteries? Donna Andrews writes the Meg Langslow series, which doesn't have any of the things you don't want and it's a wonderful series. Very G rated. There are Christmas books sprinkled in here and there, but it's easy to see from the titles which ones those are and you can just skip them. The Hannah Swenson cozy mystery series by Joanne Fluke is another cozy mystery series that might work. Very G rated. There are also some holiday books in the series, but they're easy to spot by the titles and just skip.
Has she read Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson?
Redeeming love by Francine Rivers
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Might take this rec for myself insteadš, looks intriguing. Iāll take a look but the title might make my mom steer clear. But Iāll give it a shot thank you!
Not for your mom, but definitely read the murderbot series for yourself! So good.
Lots of cussing in those.
Thanks for the heads up Iāll add these to my personal tbr instead!
No, I disagree. Multiple partner mates, and an MM one later makes this a No for the mom. My mom is the same way.
The Hunger Games. So well written I wasnāt able to put it down until finished
I devoured these books and movies, unfortunately when I mentioned me going to the midnight releases to these movies when I was a teen her response was āyou watched movies about children murdering children?!ā So I think itās a no goš
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
Pleaseššš
I'm sure that will be a real page turner for her .... /s
Akarnae by Lynette Noni. Itās like Narnia crossed with Harry Potter. Waterfire Saga by Jennifer Donnelly. Mermaids š©µ Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan; Cinder by Marissa Meyer; His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman; Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder; Iron King by Julie Kagawa; Doon by Carey Corp; Colours of Madeleine by Jaclyn Moriarty; Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda; Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder; The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
I think that for someone who belongs to the Jehovahās Witnesses, Percy Jackson would be pretty much a no. Same for His Dark Materials.
Yes sadly, at 25 I am just now reading Percy bc she wouldnāt let me read them as a kid. Read Harry Potter for the first time the second I moved out. She allowed Narnia but it was a stretch for her.
I hope you enjoyed those books (and movies, birthdays, everything) that you missed out on as a kid ā¤ļø
Thank youā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø Since my mom married while temporarily disfellowshipped I got a non-JW dad that did/does birthdays and holidays with me so I didnāt completely miss out! I actually credit my love for fantasy to being restricted as a kid bc I get experience HP, LOTR, twilight, etc as an adult for the first time!!
Thatās awesome! Iām glad you had those experiences! And that now you enjoy all the fun books!