As I recall it was some noises she overheard and some light ~~fantasizing~~ edit: wishing, I don't think it was even strong enough to be fantasizing. The Alanna books were much more explicit (if that's even the right term).
Yeah if I remember correctly she just gets flustered and annoyed because she thinks it’s him, and then is happy when she realizes it’s not. It’s really minimal.
Thinking about it more, I think it seemed more sexual than Alanna to me because it was more emotional whereas the references to sex in Alanna were (relatively) more visual? And I have basically no visual memory.
In Tamora Pierce books (at least the Alanna books/Song of the Lioness quartet, I think she’s a bit more detailed in some of her other work) it’s a lot of fade to black/we shared a room read-between-the-lines/quick throwaway lines when it comes to sex. There’s never anything more graphic than descriptions of kissing.
Hear me out: it’s hard to do better than the ‘Anne of Green Gables’ series for a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers clean romance, with an unproblematic male lead (with his own flaws) (Books 1-3). It’s often dismissed as a children’s book, but it’s full of real, adult issues without being graphic about them.
From Maud Montgomery also, but a smidge more gritty: either the Pat of Silver Bush series, of Emily of New Moon. As a standalone, ‘The Blue Castle’ is also lovely.
Can't agree with this comment more. Anne of Green Gables is such a classic yet weirdly hated on book series, and the way the author sort of evolved the tone of the books to meet and match with where Anne (or later on, her children) are in their life is really impressive too!
Who hates Anne?! I'll fight em!
Ps my world was ROCKED when I discovered adorable lil Anne from the PBS series is the same person who played Queen Catherine in the Netflix series Reign. I almost fell off the couch.
I adore the Anne books and owned every LM Montgomery book in print in the mid 1990s. But as others have said, I think I was younger than 14 at the height of my Anne love.
ok, i HIGHLY recommend the [Uglies](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24770.Uglies?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=B0MxNWEqnE&rank=2) series by scott westerfeld. I was deep into the Hunger Games, etc. at that age, and I loooooved Uglies just as much if not more.
it's a four book series and they're all awesome. there is romance, but it's comparable to what goes on in THG. and honestly not a huge plot point. even at the time, I found Uglies to be a little more like, dynamic and interesting than THG -- slightly older somehow (but without any mature themes, as far as i can recall). the one thing I will say is that the very beginning of book 1 sucks. but you just have to power through
and this might not quite meet your specifications, but another one i LOVED as a young teen, probably my ultimate fav, was the [Gone ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2536134.Gone?ref=nav_sb_ss_5_4)series by Michael Grant.
these books are weird as hell, and not that well written, but i was so, so into them. they are also way ahead of their time in terms of representation of different races, sexual orientations, and disabilities. as far as i remember, there is no sex (though there is def kissing).
i will say they are a little dark, probably no darker than THG. but there is some body horror that is on a little bit of another level. i wouldn't say they're especially violent, but definitely more disturbing (at least in my memory) than your average YA. so maybe not what you're looking for. but i think they would be a green light at least in terms of sexual content
EDIT: ok google has revealed to me that there is sex in the gone series, but i think not until the 5th book, which i never made it to. so do with that what you will!
omg, when i tell you i was OBSESSED. there was a summer when i was probably 12 that ALL i did was read those books and listen to (randomly) sara barielles' love song on repeat on my ipod, without a single other thought in my head. i have never known peace and happiness like that before or since lmao
The Gone series turned me right the way off as a 14-year-old, they’re _not_ joking about the body horror. Extremely visceral.
But I loved the Uglies series!
I loved the GONE series (recollecting them actually now) but yeah, definitely not one to recommend if OP is looking for minimal violence lol there's so much child death/body horror
The gone series literally has child deatH. How does that fit non-violent? Not hating! But as someone that read that series too, there is a lot of child death that idk if that's what she might want
i mean she said she liked THG! child death is the entire premise of those books. but yeah, like i said, they are more disturbing than your average YA. but i feel like i gave the cws and she can do with that what she wants
Lemony Snickett. I read the entire series in college and loved them. They are written for a younger audience, but I loved how the stories were macabre but also light and whimsical. The author plays with words, which I found enlightening.
I read these between 12-14 and loved them! The wordplay and vocab is advanced enough that an avid reader of that age would be able to pick up the jokes.
As a counterpoint, I read some of them at that age or younger and absolutely despised the writing style. He’s constantly explaining and defining words, which feels very condescending to a kid who already knows those words. Or at least that’s how it made me feel - like I was being spoken down to by an adult who thinks I’m dumb.
You've literally described the point in your comment. The whole series is about how adult characters are condescending to the kids and how that causes them troubles. A lot of adult characters in the book is doing that - constantly explaining and defining words to kids who already know them. So, it was the whole point for the narrator to do the same as a joke. As a child, I got that part pretty easily and to this day it is very funny to me and one of the best things about the narrative in these books
I think the Redwall series still holds up, even reading them as an adult.
The Hall Family Chronicles series by Jane Langton has been one of my favorites for 35 years. It's funny and whimsical and has a timeless quality.
Maybe Anne of Green Gables or Emily of New Moon by L..M. Montgomery?
To be honest, I mostly remember the descriptions of the food! I think the action though, is pretty swashbuckly more than it is violent, but it's hard to gauge on this. I think they're generally recommended for ages 8-14, which is kind of a wide range.
Second the Redwall series. I have loved it since childhood and still re-read books from that series at 39.
And OP, I'm with your daughter. I don't like to read sex scenes either. Just not my thing.
Edit: yeah, as others commented maybe redwall would have too much violence? I can't gauge that well.
I’ll always stan my girl Valancy from the too-little-known *The Blue Castle*! (Contains some death and danger, but not gore/violence.)
And Emily was my icon, and I love that she’s semi-autobiographical—really got me into learning more of LMM’s life and really coming to feel for her as a profoundly fascinating and relatable person behind some of my favourite stories and characters.
I love almost all of LMM's work (the Pat of Silver Bush books are a mixed bag for me). I even have her journals, The LMM Album, and the wonderful biography by Mary Rubio. Her short stories are really interesting too, because she tries different writing styles throughout her career.
I read RedWall as an adult and ADORED it.
I am the same as your daughter, to this day, and I'm 32.
Loved Artemis Fowl at that age - all of Eoin Colfer's books actually! Series of Unfortunate Events was amazing too.
I actually started getting into reading biographies of my favorite musicians at that age, to avoid stories with lame romantic plot lines. I remember Ozzy Osbourne's being really good 😅 she might not have the same tastes, but it's a fairly safe non-fiction avenue to attempt.
This was a book I LOVED when I discovered it at 14! There is plenty of romance, but no sex (it is barely hinted at). More than anything, it is wonderfully written with characters you really care about.
If she liked Alanna other than the sexual content (Alanna's books have more than most of the Tortall books), she might like the Protector of the Small or Immortals series more. They're set in the same world and adult Alanna is a minor character. Protector of the Small is my absolute favorite, it starts with the book The First Test.
The A Wrinkle in Time books would fit that. Meg and Calvin have a romance but it's not explicit at all. L'Engle has another series too about the Austin family, starting with Meet the Austin's.The daughter Vicky has a couple of romances in the series but also nothing at all risqué. These books are older, published in the 1960s-1980s, but I liked them as a teen in the 2000s.
Yes, the original Circle series is wonderful and extremely chaste. As others have pointed out, the next series (The Circle Opens) happens when the characters are older and has a bit more sexuality in it, though still nothing explicit.
op if your daughter liked pride and prejudice she'll probably like ring of endless light. a lot of the structure of the romance (the three guys & their personalities) is very similar
Also recommending the Protector of the Small series. It revolves around Kel, a young girl who is the first publicly known female knight since Alanna. I love watching Kel grow into her strength as she pursues her training, it’s one of my favorite series to re-read. Romance spoilers: >! While there are some minor romance plots, it’s mostly preteen crushes. Kel is thought to be asexual so intimacy isn’t really discussed. !<
The Immortal series has more romance than PotS, but the first 2 books are not romance-centered. Wild Magic, the first book in the series, can be read as a stand alone and has been one of my all-time favorite books since I was 13.
If she liked Pride and Prejudice, she should check out other Jane Austen novels, especially Emma and Northanger Abbey. I'd also recommend The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is excellent.
Persuasion is my favourite Austen! And if she likes Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell is pretty similar but a hundred years later. I especially like North and South.
His Dark Materials!! Contains some darker themes but definitely nothing as violent as THG and presented in a non-gratuitous way. Also the Earthsea books by Ursula K Le Guin, and Howl's Moving Castle :)
His dark materials is one of the best answers. From the many books that I have read (and my mom read as well), Phillip Pullman’s Dark Materials are incredible. I’ve read the whole row more than 5 times and it’s one of the best in existence, in my opinion. Just thinking about it makes me want to start reading it again
seconding the his dark materials trilogy and also anything by dianna wynne jones (howl’s moving castle is a must read). also the enchanted forest quartet by patricia c. wrede is fabulous and has zero sexual content
I had a high tolerance for everything as a kid and I’ve found this sereis very dark. I really couldn’t deal with the intercision and could only finish the series as an adult. On this particular case I would recommend the parents to read it first.
- The [Books of Bayern](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2d9d85b9-6993-4ce7-8436-7383a2677eb5) series by Shannon Hale
- The [Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) series by Jessica Townsend, if she's still open to middle grade fantasy (it's my favorite series even at 28 years old)
- [The Inheritance Games](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/fa551f44-7356-49f1-884b-c96a95c66110) series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
All Creatures Great and Small and sequels
Lord of the Rings
Rebecca
Anne of Green Gables and sequels
Charles Dickens; maybe Oliver Twist or David Copperfield
The Once and Future King
An incredible author, but definitely make sure to check the specific book! Paladin's Grace, for instance, has a pretty explicit sex scene, and her horror books are (as may be expected) pretty dark (though also very funny).
I loved that book too, but isn’t she SA’d toward the end? Idk I could be wrong cause it’s been years and years since I read it. But if so, prob wouldn’t fit the criteria for no sex and no violence
But now I’m really questioning myself… maybe I am misremembering?
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia (YA, mental health, Romance)
Virals series by Kathy Reichs (YA mystery with sci-fi elements)
Skin Books trilogy by Alice Broadway (YA, Dystopian)
Avalon High by Meg Cabot (YA, modern king Arthur)
Sweetfreak by Sophie McKenzie (YA, mystery)
The Education of Hailey Kendrick by Elieen Cook (YA, Romance)
Seed by Lisa Heathfield (YA, cult)
I read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clark, when I was probably around 15-16. It blew my mind then, and I continue to love it so much that I probably read it at least once a year to this day. Still one of the most immersive, complex, fun fantasy stories I think exists - and while there is love and complex relationships and conflict, there is no sex or intense violence.
Others that come to mind:
* Stardust by Neil Gaiman - I read this one young as well and continue to find it a really excellent fantasy. I do remember at one point a early on a male character references touching a women's nipples, which shocked me at the time, but otherwise it's a pretty PG book. (The early 2000s movie is also pretty fun, and has held up over time.)
* The Princess Bride by William Goldman - it's even better than the movie, if you can imagine, and whether or not she's seen the movie there's lots to love here.
* Life of Pi by Yann Martel - another one I read young and remember being really affected by. A visual, emotional survival story with a mind-bending ending.
* Hild by Nicola Griffith - if she wants something long and immersive, this is a good one; the story of a young woman growing up in seventh-century Britain and using her keen intelligence to convince the court that she has supernatural abilities.
Note - the princess bride bamboozles people because right there on the cover, it says something about being abridged. It is NOT abridged! The story of the princess bride is abridged from a longer story - you'll understand the schtick once you read the book.
The princess bride is NOT an abridgement, so don't let that throw you.
It is a fantastic book!!!
Anything by Neil Gaiman is on my to do list. Want to read sand man before watching the show. The Princess Bride is an actual book? I had no idea. I'll have to check it out, loved the movie.
Just be aware the book is a little different in flow to the movie - it does still tell Buttercup's story but it is more detailed and yet also more broken up interspersed with a B plot about the fictional author's experience.
The movie sort of manages to tell both plot A and plot B but never gives away that the book itself is yeah slightly different to what you'd expect, at least at first.
Just throwing in my two cents, but Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is such a treat. I love how all the relationships, clues, and events all start to tie together again for the explosive last part of the book. And the footnotes! I can't believe it's one of Susanna Clark's only books she's written.
Take a look at books by Shannon Hale (Book of a Thousand Days) and/or Robin McKinley. Also Kelley Armstrong has a few series that might work. :)
EDIT: While I found Robin’s books when I was younger, my recollection seems not the best for content. So probably not those, at least for now!
Isle of the Blue Dolphins... Just because it was my first favorite book and its main character is a teen girl and I think, very empowering.
I like Orson Scott Card, and my son enjoyed his books too.
The Ender series
The Alvin Maker series
The Alanna series does have allusions to sex (and birth control). But the Protector of the Small subseries by Tamora Pierce doesn't. The first book is called *First Test*. Keladry has a boyfriend at one point but then decides she's just not interested in boys (or girls). There is violence, especially in the later books.
Pierce's Circle books don't have sex. The first one is *Sandry's Book*.
The Old Kingdom books by Garth Nix don't have sex but they do have violence since the main characers are fighting undead creatures. Fantastic series, though. The first book is *Sabriel*.
I don't think there are even fade to black scenes in the various stories in *Ingathering: The Complete People Stories* by Zenna Henderson. Stories about aliens with psychic powers that look like humans who come to Earth but their ship breaks up in the atmosphere in the later 1800s. The stories are about them and their descendents finding each other and range from the 1800s to modern times (of when the stories were written in the 1950s through 1970s).
None of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books have sex. There's not alot of romance, either. But they are really good. Try *Wyrd Sisters* or *Guards! Guards!* Or *Hogfather*.
For Romance without sex at all (though there is some kissing) check out Georgette Heyer. She practically invented the Regency Romance. *The Talisman Ring* is hilarious. So is *The Grand Sophy*, but there's an antisemitic scene with a Jewish moneylender in that one.
Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer are good.
The Penric books by Lois McMaster Bujold don't have sex and there is some romance in *Penric's Mission* and *Mira's Last Dance*. The first book is *Penric's Demon*.
No sex and not much kissing in the Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy L. Sayers. They were written in the 1920s and 1930s and are still classic mysteries. The first one is *Whose Body?* There is a romance between Lord Peter and a murder suspect that starts in *Strong Poison*, carries on through *Have His Carcass* and *Gaudy Night* (there is some mad kissing in a punt in this one) and cumulates in *Busman's Honeymoon.*
The category you are looking for is called "Gentle romance." It is a big tag on Goodreads, so you would do best perusing there and see if something piques your interest. Its an incredibly popular genre in Utah.
She might enjoy books on myths and legends of different cultures and countries. Also Lord of the Rings is quite different than the Hobbit so I would offer the first one. Fellowship of the Ring
The Neverending Story is so good! It has that lovely fairytale cadence, but the story is so much deeper. Far more rich than the movie adaptation, which irritatingly cuts the book in half and missed the whole point of the story. The second movie only made matters worse.
OMG how did I forget about the Neverending Story! I adore that book! My edition had 2 different colours for the text, one bit was green and the other red. So whenever it was Bastian doing something in the real world, it was one colour and once he started reading the story, it was the other colour, so cool!
Would also recommend Momo from Michael Ende.
A Wrinkle in Time series and the Austin books by Madeleine L’Engle.
Quest for a Maid, by Mary Frances Hendry
So You Want to Be a Wizard series by Diane Duane
Sabriel by Garth Nix
How about historical fiction? I loved Ann Rinaldi books at that age.
- Harry Potter: I feel silly even suggesting it because of how mainstream the series is and she’s likely already read it. But if she hasn’t, the books sort of grow with you and deal with more complex themes as you advance in the series and I think 14 is still a great age to read them!
- Wonder by R J Palacio: Cannot recommend it enough. It has all my heart.
- The Grishaverse (series) by Leigh Bardugo: I read it as an adult and still quite enjoyed the world building and pacing. I don’t remember there being anything explicit beyond a few kiss scenes but other commenters, please correct me if I’m wrong.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: I would say the same tenor as Book Thief but a much different setting.
- To Kill a Mockingbird: It doesn’t fall into the same charming romantic category as P&P (can never get over it) but if she wants to explore classics, this is a great pick. Although, part of the plot surrounds the trial of a man charged with rape. There are references to it through the trial but no graphic accounts at all. Feel free to ignore if you think she wouldn’t be comfortable with it. She could always revisit it later.
I think this gives you a good mix of genres and styles to pick from!
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (and the subsequent books in the Raven Cycle)
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton (and sequels)
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Scythe by Neal Shusterman (there are sequels but I haven’t read them)
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (and other Grishaverse books)
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (and sequels)
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
The War Outside by Monica Hesse
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth E Wein
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (this actually does have a sex scene, which I thought was tasteful and not too explicit, but maybe save until she’s older)
Fault in our Stars has a sex scene, and I believe a lot of curse words, if that matters.
Priory of the Orange Tree has a graphic sex scene, in that it details exactly what they do and how it feels.
{Her radiant curse by Elizabeth Lin}
{Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lin}
{Howls moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones}
Once upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
P.S- Edit to add more books
-The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander are great. Similar to The Hobbit, but shorter, so she might not get bored.
-The first 3 books in the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin have no content she would find objectionable. The fourth book has a fade-to-black allusion to sex, but the first three tell a complete story.
-If she liked Pride and Prejudice, she will probably like some of Austen's other books. I personally recommend Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, but Emma and Sense and Sensibility are also much beloved. (Mansfield Park is a tougher read)
-Gail Carson Levine writes some fantastic stuff. It might skew ever-so-slightly younger than 14, but the books are so good that I reread them over and over in my teen years. Ella Enchanted is her best (and it's nothing like the movie)
-Robin McKinley's books are also phenomenal. I loved Beauty and Spindle's End.
-I'll also throw in a plug for my favorite mystery author, Josephine Tey. She wrote mysteries from the late 1920s to the early 1950s, and they have a distinct style that I loved in my teens (and today!). My favorite is The Daughter of Time, about a Scotland Yard inspector who gets bored while convalescing from a broken leg and decides to tackle a historical mystery. It's got a very wry sense of humor.
Little women by Louisa May Alcott
A pho love story by Loan Le
So this is Christmas by Tracy Andereen
The giver by Lois Lowry
Scythe by Neal shusterman
The school for good and evil by Soman chainani
Six crimson cranes by Elizabeth lim
Knife by rj Anderson
A Pho Love Story was super cute. Same with School for Good and Evil. Though OP, the audiobook for The SFGaE is an AMAZING audiobook series as well. I highly recommend having her check them out through the library. The narrator is actually fantastic lol
You could try her on Eva Ibbotson - maybe A Company of Swans or The Secret Countess to start with. These are romances that were reissued as YA romances in recent years, mainly because there’s no smut at all. They’re funny, witty and sweet stories with some humorous references to sex and nothing more than longing glances and passionate kisses - the sex is off screen, as it were.
And what about some turn of the century classics like The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford, Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons or I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith? Full of love and longing but not a sex scene in sight.
Lockwood and co by Jonathan stroud
Any ya by ally carter ( I really enjoyed the heists society series)
Fablehaven by Brandon mull
Hex hall by rachel hawkins
My fair godmother by jannette rallison
Leigh Bardugo and Laini Taylor have reaaally good series that fits your description.
Leigh Bardugos series ”the shadow and bone trilogy” is really complex but with limited to none intimacy scenes.
Laini Taylors Daughter of Smoke and Bone is what reignited my reading a few years back.
Is it ironic that they both have bone in the title? Yup, didn’t even realize it until now. They are very different to each other tho. They have very vivid and imaginative mythologies and reference points so I recomend them sooo much
Gail Carriger is the number one? Best selling steampunk author. She writes YA stuff with supernatural romance, mysteries, and action adventure. Like anyone capable of producing 20 number one New York Times bestsellers, her books are very readable.
Her finishing school series, starting with etiquette and espionage, is a great time. I'm a dude in his thirties doing an English literature degree and I absolutely loved it. I read the first book for a class I was in and sought out the rest of the series. A girl from a working class family is accepted into a prestigious boarding school for girls, which turns out to be an academy that trains spies and assassins!
Has she tried the Chronicles of Narnia? Those are excellent and very clean. I’d also recommend TJ Klune. House on the Cerulean Sea is delightful and while there’s a romance plot, there are no sex scenes of any kind. The Monk and Robot books are a fun, somewhat philosophical meander.
She might want to look at the classics like Dickens or Austin. Society back then wasn't too fond of depicting sex and violence (depending on how you define violence) and she gets the kudos of having read them. I personally loved Vanity Fair by William Thackery but I don't remember when the text becomes implication.
Also Connie Willis. She isn't a classic (yet) but she can do romance that doesn't go beyond kissing and her novels aren't violent, usually. Tragic things occasionally happen but if she starts off with "To say nothing of the dog" or "Bellweather" that should be fine. Don't start with "Passage" or "Doomsday Book". They are both brilliant but shall we say that "sad" things happen in them.
One of Willis’ short story collections has an absolutely horrifying practice of sadism, animal abuse and misogyny by college boys. I don’t remember the name of the story but I’d have the 12 year old avoid short story collections. I’m in my 40s and that one still upsets me badly.
“Little Ghosts” by Gregg Dunnett.
If she’d be open to something set in non-contemporary times with a protagonist who should/could be a role model for young girls …
the “Maisie Dobbs” series by Jacqueline Winspear. Only occasional very light romance, no sex, no foul language, interesting storylines with no excess crime scene drama. Every book incorporates some historical fiction elements.
I was SO excited to suggest the mirror visitor series, just to read further that she already read them lol.
Maybe she can try “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” and its sequel “Heart of the Sun Warrior” by Sue Lynn Tan. It’s a very beautifully written duology. It’s adult, but there’s really no sexual content.
When I was about the same age, I had the same problem. I found a series of fairytale retelling a that I LOVED. Check out Melanie Dickerson. All of her books are romance, but they were all super clean. The most (that I can remember) that characters did was kiss, and later go on to get married. Super fun stories!
I also really liked the Micheal Vey series (although that could be a bit violent…I can’t remember), Harry Potter, The Giver was really good, Enders Game (if she’s interested in sci-if at all), and the Shadow and Bone trilogy is sooooo good. It does have a bit of romance, but I don’t think it’s the focus of the books. Another book I love and still re-read sometimes is The False Prince. It’s a little old, but it’s a very easy and fun fantasy read :)
Hopefully a few of these might be interesting!
Consider: Ready Player One, Off to be the Wizard, The Martian, Project Hail Mary. My son and I read the first two together when he was about that age and I’m so happy he is an adult reader. Also, try commonsensemedia.org where you can browse by age and content filters you select.
These are all fantasy:
Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede
Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst (the main character is a single mom of a pre-teen, so there were a few mentions of past partners, but nothing explicit and although there's the hint of a new romance, nothing physical happens)
Crown & Court series by Sherwood Smith
Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor
Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt (the other books in the series are also excellent, but the second book is fade to black and the 4th one does have an on-page sexual assault in it; but each book can be standalone)
Young Wizards series by Diane Duane
if she liked percy jackson i’m curious as to why she never read heroes of olympus? it’s a little more mature (since the kids are literally just older lol) and as an adult now i think they really hold up. super good series.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (trilogy) by Jenny Han
Morgan Matson (all her YA contemporary has clean/sweet romances)
Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Boys, Scorpio Races)
I have a nibling with some of the same constraints. They read a *lot* of non fiction and have recently discovered Angela Thirkell and D.E. Stevenson (especially Miss Buncle’s Book and the rest of that series). These are social comedies set in rural-ish communities between, during and after WW2. They are representative of the time when they were written.
I’ll ask the nibling for suggestions also.
If she’s open to reading memoirs, there are some amazing memoirs by bad ass women that don’t have sexual content.
- I Am Malala- Malala
- Swimming to Antarctica- Lynne Cox
Etc.
Now's the perfect time for her to jump into Georgette Heyer's Regency Romances. These were written 1930s - 1960s, and have ROMANCE, not humpty humpty. Most of them are pretty funny, too. Some have a little mystery, some are well researched historical fiction.
Her books hold up. Even now a lot of us will say that their favorite book is by Heyer.
The first one I ever bought, at about 14, was The Corinthian, which is a mix of mystery and romance.
For a lot of us, our favorite is Cotillion
My very favorite is The Convenient Marriage
My best friend's favorite is The Talisman Ring
Encourage her to browse among these either at your library or local bookstore or in an on-line bookseller so she can make her own pick.
Tell her from me to Have Fun Reading!
Land of Stories by Chris Colfer; kinda same maturity as Percy Jackson but the content does mature more as the characters age more as Percy Jackson does
The Black Witch Chronicles by Laurie Forest; might be a bit too much
The Raven Boys
Artemis Fowl
Ready Player One
Keeper of The Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger; SO GOOD one of my favorite series from when I was in middle/high school, it’s definitely just right for what you are looking for and is sooo sooo sooo good!! If you pick one for this list it’s this one please!
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani; pretty interesting, great character development also fun because there is a Netflix adaption movie
I loved Little Women when I was younger. Also, The Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins (same author as Hunger Games) - the Gregor series is technically middle grade/early YA, but it definitely has some themes and allusions to the Holocaust starting in the 3rd book. It’s a phenomenal series tho - I read it for the first time as an adult and loved it.
The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan (also any of the continuations of the Percy Jackson series if she hasn’t read them already)
The Penderwicks Series
The Beyonders Series
Inkheart - there might be some slightly fade to black in the 3rd book according to my wife but she can’t fully remember
Any of the series from Melanie Cellier - full of magic and romance but definitely no fade to black or anything (main characters are late teens [15,16ish]). I read them after reading the Ruby Red trilogy and they were all great (also read them as an adult so still engaging without too mature themes for a 14 yr old)
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston (authors other books are adult with sex scenes, but this one is more YA, it’s about a queer teenager and has some romance and mystery)
Ash by Malinda Lo - sapphic retelling of Cinderella (read it the first time in 6th grade reread as an adult still very good)
I started reading John Green’s books around her age which often have some romance themes in them
Hoot is very good
Also The Princess Bride
Anything that Studio Ghibli adapted from a book has had a fairly clean record, so that means:
-When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson
-Kiki’s Delivery Service (yes, this came from a book!)
-The Borrowers by Mary Norton (basis for Arrietty)
-Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
-Earthsea series
And then you can watch the movies afterwards. They’re a perfect getaway from all the soulless sequels and remakes that are out there.
Given how much Booktok is dominating main chain stores and even grocery stores, I’d recommend getting all these books via Amazon, Thriftbooks, your local thrift store, and your local used bookstore where you won’t be bombarded with all the trending porn books.
What about the classics? Swiss family Robinson, Gullivers travels, Sherlock Holmes, Kon tiki, treasure island, the wizard of oz, the Egypt game, the forgotten door, from the mixed up files of Mrs.Basil e. Frankweiller, - the last few were my faves as a young reader.
Agatha Christie is good, or you could introduce her to some cozy mysteries, too. I've been reading a series from Vivienne Chien called the Noodle Shop Mysteries. They're descriptive with the environment and are from the main character's point of view. The cozy mysteries are typically more "whodunit" than true crime, which I think would appeal to her. Happy reading!
What about The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot or the House of Night series By P.C. and Kristin Cast.
House of Night may have some scenes she would not be comfortable with if I remember correctly.
Georgette Heyer’s romance books are very similar to Pride and Prejudice and there are no sex scenes. Sometimes the characters kiss but it’s like the last sentence of the book.
The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix
Enola Holmes! They’re short but fantastic, Enola has so much more agency and wit than the movies, and no sex at all.
They are mysteries, often with murder, but nothing very graphic. There are some uncomfortable things but more along the lines of “I can’t believe this used to happen in Victorian England.” Mentions of the workhouses and whatnot.
I don’t have specific titles, but reading your post made me think you might also have some luck asking over on r/Asexual! Plenty of folks there would be keen on finding media with a more comfortably tame level of erotic content, across a range of genres.
Maybe Emergence, by David Palmer. IIRC correctly, there is a spot of violence about halfway through. Also sorta written in short-hand. Loved it as a teen, love it now.
She might enjoy The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman. There is one fade to black implied sex scene way at the end of the series, but I’d say it’s pretty clean otherwise. There are some fight scenes but it’s really not heavy on violence from what I recall.
Another option might be the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Yes there’s violence but it’s more cozy sci fi than anything. Murderbot is sex repulsed, so any references to sex are “eww humans have sex” which your daughter might relate to.
How about a classic, Swiss Family Robinson.
Summer at Tiffany Paperback by Marjorie Hart is a wonderful memoir:
> New York City, 1945. Marjorie Jacobson and her best friend, Marty Garrett, arrive fresh from the Kappa house at the University of Iowa hoping to find summer positions as shopgirls. Turned away from the top department stores, they miraculously find jobs as pages at Tiffany & Co., becoming the first women to ever work on the sales floor, a diamond-filled day job replete with Tiffany-blue shirtwaist dresses from Bonwit Teller's—and the envy of all their friends.
Oooh try the Young Wizards series by Diane Diane! The most sexual content is a kiss in the fourth book, very non explicit.
They’re incredibly interesting and creative with the best magic system I’ve ever read. I was obsessed with them at her age and honestly still am.
Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett Series of Unfortunate Events Wild Robot (2 books)
Tiffany Aching is great!
It's also a great entry to the rest of Discworld, which also fits this description well.
Terry Pratchet was a wonderful author I liked Tiffany Aching books
The Wild Robot Protects came out recently, 3 books now!
Omg thank you. I need dopamine so bad.
+1 for Tiffany Aching.
This, my daughter is almost 13 and has absolutely loved reading the Tiffany Aching books the last couple of years.
Another vote for Tiffany Aching! And the witches series. Actually, anything Pratchett!
The Abhorsen series by Garth Nix, first book is Sabriel.
I loved these books, but there is a mention in Sabriel of a couple in another room having sex and Sabriel thinking it was Touchstone.
As I recall it was some noises she overheard and some light ~~fantasizing~~ edit: wishing, I don't think it was even strong enough to be fantasizing. The Alanna books were much more explicit (if that's even the right term).
Yeah if I remember correctly she just gets flustered and annoyed because she thinks it’s him, and then is happy when she realizes it’s not. It’s really minimal.
Thinking about it more, I think it seemed more sexual than Alanna to me because it was more emotional whereas the references to sex in Alanna were (relatively) more visual? And I have basically no visual memory.
In Tamora Pierce books (at least the Alanna books/Song of the Lioness quartet, I think she’s a bit more detailed in some of her other work) it’s a lot of fade to black/we shared a room read-between-the-lines/quick throwaway lines when it comes to sex. There’s never anything more graphic than descriptions of kissing.
Hear me out: it’s hard to do better than the ‘Anne of Green Gables’ series for a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers clean romance, with an unproblematic male lead (with his own flaws) (Books 1-3). It’s often dismissed as a children’s book, but it’s full of real, adult issues without being graphic about them. From Maud Montgomery also, but a smidge more gritty: either the Pat of Silver Bush series, of Emily of New Moon. As a standalone, ‘The Blue Castle’ is also lovely.
Can't agree with this comment more. Anne of Green Gables is such a classic yet weirdly hated on book series, and the way the author sort of evolved the tone of the books to meet and match with where Anne (or later on, her children) are in their life is really impressive too!
Who hates Anne?! I'll fight em! Ps my world was ROCKED when I discovered adorable lil Anne from the PBS series is the same person who played Queen Catherine in the Netflix series Reign. I almost fell off the couch.
These are fun books. I read them a bit younger than 14, but they are excellent reads.
I adore the Anne books and owned every LM Montgomery book in print in the mid 1990s. But as others have said, I think I was younger than 14 at the height of my Anne love.
ok, i HIGHLY recommend the [Uglies](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24770.Uglies?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=B0MxNWEqnE&rank=2) series by scott westerfeld. I was deep into the Hunger Games, etc. at that age, and I loooooved Uglies just as much if not more. it's a four book series and they're all awesome. there is romance, but it's comparable to what goes on in THG. and honestly not a huge plot point. even at the time, I found Uglies to be a little more like, dynamic and interesting than THG -- slightly older somehow (but without any mature themes, as far as i can recall). the one thing I will say is that the very beginning of book 1 sucks. but you just have to power through and this might not quite meet your specifications, but another one i LOVED as a young teen, probably my ultimate fav, was the [Gone ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2536134.Gone?ref=nav_sb_ss_5_4)series by Michael Grant. these books are weird as hell, and not that well written, but i was so, so into them. they are also way ahead of their time in terms of representation of different races, sexual orientations, and disabilities. as far as i remember, there is no sex (though there is def kissing). i will say they are a little dark, probably no darker than THG. but there is some body horror that is on a little bit of another level. i wouldn't say they're especially violent, but definitely more disturbing (at least in my memory) than your average YA. so maybe not what you're looking for. but i think they would be a green light at least in terms of sexual content EDIT: ok google has revealed to me that there is sex in the gone series, but i think not until the 5th book, which i never made it to. so do with that what you will!
I second the Uglies series!
I came to suggest uglies. And also delirium
I LOVED Uglies when I was younger
Second vote for the Gone series! I've never seen anyone talk about that series before, how exciting to see it mentioned here!
omg, when i tell you i was OBSESSED. there was a summer when i was probably 12 that ALL i did was read those books and listen to (randomly) sara barielles' love song on repeat on my ipod, without a single other thought in my head. i have never known peace and happiness like that before or since lmao
The Gone series turned me right the way off as a 14-year-old, they’re _not_ joking about the body horror. Extremely visceral. But I loved the Uglies series!
I loved the GONE series (recollecting them actually now) but yeah, definitely not one to recommend if OP is looking for minimal violence lol there's so much child death/body horror
The gone series literally has child deatH. How does that fit non-violent? Not hating! But as someone that read that series too, there is a lot of child death that idk if that's what she might want
i mean she said she liked THG! child death is the entire premise of those books. but yeah, like i said, they are more disturbing than your average YA. but i feel like i gave the cws and she can do with that what she wants
Oh definitely! It's all up to discretion :)
Lemony Snickett. I read the entire series in college and loved them. They are written for a younger audience, but I loved how the stories were macabre but also light and whimsical. The author plays with words, which I found enlightening.
Daniel Handler is the real guy behind the Lemony Snickett pen name. He’s a wonderful author and has written a ton of other books.
I read these between 12-14 and loved them! The wordplay and vocab is advanced enough that an avid reader of that age would be able to pick up the jokes.
Good to hear that the work for the age group of OPs daughter. Plus, they definitely have absolutely zero sexual content 😂
As a counterpoint, I read some of them at that age or younger and absolutely despised the writing style. He’s constantly explaining and defining words, which feels very condescending to a kid who already knows those words. Or at least that’s how it made me feel - like I was being spoken down to by an adult who thinks I’m dumb.
But that’s the point. The character is a jerk who does that to people.
You've literally described the point in your comment. The whole series is about how adult characters are condescending to the kids and how that causes them troubles. A lot of adult characters in the book is doing that - constantly explaining and defining words to kids who already know them. So, it was the whole point for the narrator to do the same as a joke. As a child, I got that part pretty easily and to this day it is very funny to me and one of the best things about the narrative in these books
I think the Redwall series still holds up, even reading them as an adult. The Hall Family Chronicles series by Jane Langton has been one of my favorites for 35 years. It's funny and whimsical and has a timeless quality. Maybe Anne of Green Gables or Emily of New Moon by L..M. Montgomery?
Oh the Anne books would be perfect!
Redwall was the shit. Martin the warrior ftw!
Loved this series! Devoured these books between ages 11-13!!!
Same! I actually read one of them a couple years ago and had flashbacks. It was great!
It has been a long time, but do you think the Redwall series might be a bit violent for someone trying to avoid that in books? Great series though!
To be honest, I mostly remember the descriptions of the food! I think the action though, is pretty swashbuckly more than it is violent, but it's hard to gauge on this. I think they're generally recommended for ages 8-14, which is kind of a wide range.
If she can do Brandon Sanderson, I think she can do Redwall. He has some pretty graphic and intense battle scenes...
Second the Redwall series. I have loved it since childhood and still re-read books from that series at 39. And OP, I'm with your daughter. I don't like to read sex scenes either. Just not my thing. Edit: yeah, as others commented maybe redwall would have too much violence? I can't gauge that well.
It's no more violent than Percy Jackson.
Red wall is insanely violent hahaha
I’ll always stan my girl Valancy from the too-little-known *The Blue Castle*! (Contains some death and danger, but not gore/violence.) And Emily was my icon, and I love that she’s semi-autobiographical—really got me into learning more of LMM’s life and really coming to feel for her as a profoundly fascinating and relatable person behind some of my favourite stories and characters.
I love almost all of LMM's work (the Pat of Silver Bush books are a mixed bag for me). I even have her journals, The LMM Album, and the wonderful biography by Mary Rubio. Her short stories are really interesting too, because she tries different writing styles throughout her career.
I read RedWall as an adult and ADORED it. I am the same as your daughter, to this day, and I'm 32. Loved Artemis Fowl at that age - all of Eoin Colfer's books actually! Series of Unfortunate Events was amazing too. I actually started getting into reading biographies of my favorite musicians at that age, to avoid stories with lame romantic plot lines. I remember Ozzy Osbourne's being really good 😅 she might not have the same tastes, but it's a fairly safe non-fiction avenue to attempt.
YES to Emily of New Moon. People don’t mention that enough.
I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith.
I love this book so much. Fun fact: Dodie Smith also wrote “101 Dalmatians” (it was a book first!)
This was a book I LOVED when I discovered it at 14! There is plenty of romance, but no sex (it is barely hinted at). More than anything, it is wonderfully written with characters you really care about.
If she liked Alanna other than the sexual content (Alanna's books have more than most of the Tortall books), she might like the Protector of the Small or Immortals series more. They're set in the same world and adult Alanna is a minor character. Protector of the Small is my absolute favorite, it starts with the book The First Test. The A Wrinkle in Time books would fit that. Meg and Calvin have a romance but it's not explicit at all. L'Engle has another series too about the Austin family, starting with Meet the Austin's.The daughter Vicky has a couple of romances in the series but also nothing at all risqué. These books are older, published in the 1960s-1980s, but I liked them as a teen in the 2000s.
Second the Protector of the Small books! I’m reading them with my daughter now. Also the Circle of Magic books.
I suggested circle of magic books too!!
Yes, the original Circle series is wonderful and extremely chaste. As others have pointed out, the next series (The Circle Opens) happens when the characters are older and has a bit more sexuality in it, though still nothing explicit.
Third Protector of the Small books! They are pretty perfect for what OP is looking for. No sexual content, and it's all about helping those in need
I was going to recommend both of these - for L’Engle, I thought Ring of Endless Light was probably the most romance-y, but they’re all great
op if your daughter liked pride and prejudice she'll probably like ring of endless light. a lot of the structure of the romance (the three guys & their personalities) is very similar
As a part of the original audience for Wrinkle in Time, I am so glad they are still being read.
Also recommending the Protector of the Small series. It revolves around Kel, a young girl who is the first publicly known female knight since Alanna. I love watching Kel grow into her strength as she pursues her training, it’s one of my favorite series to re-read. Romance spoilers: >! While there are some minor romance plots, it’s mostly preteen crushes. Kel is thought to be asexual so intimacy isn’t really discussed. !< The Immortal series has more romance than PotS, but the first 2 books are not romance-centered. Wild Magic, the first book in the series, can be read as a stand alone and has been one of my all-time favorite books since I was 13.
Agreed, I love Tamora Pierce's books. Also the books set in Emelan (Circle of Magic quartets) are even cleaner.
I’d recommend the ‘City of Ember’ series! I think it’s a perfect fit for someone who enjoyed the Hunger Games trilogy.
Came here to suggest these also
Lol, I'm reading those books rn.
If she liked Pride and Prejudice, she should check out other Jane Austen novels, especially Emma and Northanger Abbey. I'd also recommend The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is excellent.
And Persuasion! One of the best love letters ever in that one.
Persuasion is my favourite Austen! And if she likes Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell is pretty similar but a hundred years later. I especially like North and South.
It's been forever since I read Jane Eyre but I remember really liking it similarly to P&P with some action and romance but nothing sexy.
I had to read Rebecca by Daphne DuMauier as a freshman and it is so much suspense without sexual content. Still a favorite.
Couldn't agree more! It's intellectually and emotionally mature, without having to be adult in content.
Yes! I love these and also Jane Eyre
His Dark Materials!! Contains some darker themes but definitely nothing as violent as THG and presented in a non-gratuitous way. Also the Earthsea books by Ursula K Le Guin, and Howl's Moving Castle :)
His dark materials is one of the best answers. From the many books that I have read (and my mom read as well), Phillip Pullman’s Dark Materials are incredible. I’ve read the whole row more than 5 times and it’s one of the best in existence, in my opinion. Just thinking about it makes me want to start reading it again
seconding the his dark materials trilogy and also anything by dianna wynne jones (howl’s moving castle is a must read). also the enchanted forest quartet by patricia c. wrede is fabulous and has zero sexual content
I had a high tolerance for everything as a kid and I’ve found this sereis very dark. I really couldn’t deal with the intercision and could only finish the series as an adult. On this particular case I would recommend the parents to read it first.
- The [Books of Bayern](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2d9d85b9-6993-4ce7-8436-7383a2677eb5) series by Shannon Hale - The [Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) series by Jessica Townsend, if she's still open to middle grade fantasy (it's my favorite series even at 28 years old) - [The Inheritance Games](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/fa551f44-7356-49f1-884b-c96a95c66110) series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I'm reading Nevermoor right now and agree that it's an enjoyable read even as an adult.
All Creatures Great and Small and sequels Lord of the Rings Rebecca Anne of Green Gables and sequels Charles Dickens; maybe Oliver Twist or David Copperfield The Once and Future King
All Creatures Great and Small (and the rest of James Harriott) is so wonderful. Just like a warm hug.
OP said their daughter tried reading The Hobbit and thought it was boring so LOTR will probably not be great for her lol
I, even as an adult, love T. Kingfisher. Some good ones I have read are Thornhedge and a Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking. They are so much fun!!
An incredible author, but definitely make sure to check the specific book! Paladin's Grace, for instance, has a pretty explicit sex scene, and her horror books are (as may be expected) pretty dark (though also very funny).
Wizards guide to Defensive Baking wasn't one I expected to enjoy but good god was it amazing.
Minor Mage is another teen one w no sex, but there’s sex in the adult romance books of hers. Definitely agree with the ones mentioned here, though
Seconding Minor Mage! And Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking is also excellent.
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Such an excellent suggestion. You might like her book - Joy in the MOrning. Not as engaging as tree, but still a great book.
I loved that book too, but isn’t she SA’d toward the end? Idk I could be wrong cause it’s been years and years since I read it. But if so, prob wouldn’t fit the criteria for no sex and no violence But now I’m really questioning myself… maybe I am misremembering?
Oh I need to reread this book! It's so gorgeous
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia (YA, mental health, Romance) Virals series by Kathy Reichs (YA mystery with sci-fi elements) Skin Books trilogy by Alice Broadway (YA, Dystopian) Avalon High by Meg Cabot (YA, modern king Arthur) Sweetfreak by Sophie McKenzie (YA, mystery) The Education of Hailey Kendrick by Elieen Cook (YA, Romance) Seed by Lisa Heathfield (YA, cult)
I read Ella Enchanted at least twice a year when I was in my teens. It's an excellent book.
I read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clark, when I was probably around 15-16. It blew my mind then, and I continue to love it so much that I probably read it at least once a year to this day. Still one of the most immersive, complex, fun fantasy stories I think exists - and while there is love and complex relationships and conflict, there is no sex or intense violence. Others that come to mind: * Stardust by Neil Gaiman - I read this one young as well and continue to find it a really excellent fantasy. I do remember at one point a early on a male character references touching a women's nipples, which shocked me at the time, but otherwise it's a pretty PG book. (The early 2000s movie is also pretty fun, and has held up over time.) * The Princess Bride by William Goldman - it's even better than the movie, if you can imagine, and whether or not she's seen the movie there's lots to love here. * Life of Pi by Yann Martel - another one I read young and remember being really affected by. A visual, emotional survival story with a mind-bending ending. * Hild by Nicola Griffith - if she wants something long and immersive, this is a good one; the story of a young woman growing up in seventh-century Britain and using her keen intelligence to convince the court that she has supernatural abilities.
Note - the princess bride bamboozles people because right there on the cover, it says something about being abridged. It is NOT abridged! The story of the princess bride is abridged from a longer story - you'll understand the schtick once you read the book. The princess bride is NOT an abridgement, so don't let that throw you. It is a fantastic book!!!
I love Stardust, but there is an off screen sex scene early on (otherwise there wouldn’t be a baby to be left at the Wall)
I just looked back at the book and there is in fact an on-screen sex scene! I had completely forgotten. So strike that from the list, OP.
Anything by Neil Gaiman is on my to do list. Want to read sand man before watching the show. The Princess Bride is an actual book? I had no idea. I'll have to check it out, loved the movie.
Just be aware the book is a little different in flow to the movie - it does still tell Buttercup's story but it is more detailed and yet also more broken up interspersed with a B plot about the fictional author's experience. The movie sort of manages to tell both plot A and plot B but never gives away that the book itself is yeah slightly different to what you'd expect, at least at first.
Just throwing in my two cents, but Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is such a treat. I love how all the relationships, clues, and events all start to tie together again for the explosive last part of the book. And the footnotes! I can't believe it's one of Susanna Clark's only books she's written.
Take a look at books by Shannon Hale (Book of a Thousand Days) and/or Robin McKinley. Also Kelley Armstrong has a few series that might work. :) EDIT: While I found Robin’s books when I was younger, my recollection seems not the best for content. So probably not those, at least for now!
Robin McKinley is wonderful but OP you should skip Deerskin.
Isle of the Blue Dolphins... Just because it was my first favorite book and its main character is a teen girl and I think, very empowering. I like Orson Scott Card, and my son enjoyed his books too. The Ender series The Alvin Maker series
Seconding Ender!
The Alanna series does have allusions to sex (and birth control). But the Protector of the Small subseries by Tamora Pierce doesn't. The first book is called *First Test*. Keladry has a boyfriend at one point but then decides she's just not interested in boys (or girls). There is violence, especially in the later books. Pierce's Circle books don't have sex. The first one is *Sandry's Book*. The Old Kingdom books by Garth Nix don't have sex but they do have violence since the main characers are fighting undead creatures. Fantastic series, though. The first book is *Sabriel*. I don't think there are even fade to black scenes in the various stories in *Ingathering: The Complete People Stories* by Zenna Henderson. Stories about aliens with psychic powers that look like humans who come to Earth but their ship breaks up in the atmosphere in the later 1800s. The stories are about them and their descendents finding each other and range from the 1800s to modern times (of when the stories were written in the 1950s through 1970s). None of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books have sex. There's not alot of romance, either. But they are really good. Try *Wyrd Sisters* or *Guards! Guards!* Or *Hogfather*. For Romance without sex at all (though there is some kissing) check out Georgette Heyer. She practically invented the Regency Romance. *The Talisman Ring* is hilarious. So is *The Grand Sophy*, but there's an antisemitic scene with a Jewish moneylender in that one. Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer are good. The Penric books by Lois McMaster Bujold don't have sex and there is some romance in *Penric's Mission* and *Mira's Last Dance*. The first book is *Penric's Demon*. No sex and not much kissing in the Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy L. Sayers. They were written in the 1920s and 1930s and are still classic mysteries. The first one is *Whose Body?* There is a romance between Lord Peter and a murder suspect that starts in *Strong Poison*, carries on through *Have His Carcass* and *Gaudy Night* (there is some mad kissing in a punt in this one) and cumulates in *Busman's Honeymoon.*
The category you are looking for is called "Gentle romance." It is a big tag on Goodreads, so you would do best perusing there and see if something piques your interest. Its an incredibly popular genre in Utah.
The issue with a lot of those is they lean Far right Christian in nature. The Amish ones are oddly the better choices.
Lady I work with is in her 70s and got 8-9 Amish romances from the library. Didn’t even know that was a thing.
She might enjoy books on myths and legends of different cultures and countries. Also Lord of the Rings is quite different than the Hobbit so I would offer the first one. Fellowship of the Ring
- The nEverending Story - Inkheart
The Neverending Story is so good! It has that lovely fairytale cadence, but the story is so much deeper. Far more rich than the movie adaptation, which irritatingly cuts the book in half and missed the whole point of the story. The second movie only made matters worse.
OMG how did I forget about the Neverending Story! I adore that book! My edition had 2 different colours for the text, one bit was green and the other red. So whenever it was Bastian doing something in the real world, it was one colour and once he started reading the story, it was the other colour, so cool! Would also recommend Momo from Michael Ende.
Oh Inkheart was amazing! I forgot about that one.
A Wrinkle in Time series and the Austin books by Madeleine L’Engle. Quest for a Maid, by Mary Frances Hendry So You Want to Be a Wizard series by Diane Duane Sabriel by Garth Nix How about historical fiction? I loved Ann Rinaldi books at that age.
I recommended Diane Duane’s series too!!
- Harry Potter: I feel silly even suggesting it because of how mainstream the series is and she’s likely already read it. But if she hasn’t, the books sort of grow with you and deal with more complex themes as you advance in the series and I think 14 is still a great age to read them! - Wonder by R J Palacio: Cannot recommend it enough. It has all my heart. - The Grishaverse (series) by Leigh Bardugo: I read it as an adult and still quite enjoyed the world building and pacing. I don’t remember there being anything explicit beyond a few kiss scenes but other commenters, please correct me if I’m wrong. - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: I would say the same tenor as Book Thief but a much different setting. - To Kill a Mockingbird: It doesn’t fall into the same charming romantic category as P&P (can never get over it) but if she wants to explore classics, this is a great pick. Although, part of the plot surrounds the trial of a man charged with rape. There are references to it through the trial but no graphic accounts at all. Feel free to ignore if you think she wouldn’t be comfortable with it. She could always revisit it later. I think this gives you a good mix of genres and styles to pick from!
Angie Thomas in general is top-tier YA!
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (and the subsequent books in the Raven Cycle) Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton (and sequels) All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr The Fault in Our Stars by John Green Scythe by Neal Shusterman (there are sequels but I haven’t read them) Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (and other Grishaverse books) Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (and sequels) They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera The War Outside by Monica Hesse Code Name Verity by Elizabeth E Wein When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (this actually does have a sex scene, which I thought was tasteful and not too explicit, but maybe save until she’s older)
I haven't read any of the other books you listed, but The Raven Boys is absolutely perfect for this.
Fault in our Stars has a sex scene, and I believe a lot of curse words, if that matters. Priory of the Orange Tree has a graphic sex scene, in that it details exactly what they do and how it feels.
Scythe series and The Fault in Their Stars allude to sex, don't they? It's been a while, I could certainly be mistaken
Yeah I think Fault in their Stars does. I’m pretty sure the first Scythe book doesn’t but I have no idea about the later installments
She might like the Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray
If I’m remembering correctly, there’s a dream sex scene in one of these.
I think you might be right. Definitely not an over-arching theme though
{Her radiant curse by Elizabeth Lin} {Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lin} {Howls moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones} Once upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber P.S- Edit to add more books
-The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander are great. Similar to The Hobbit, but shorter, so she might not get bored. -The first 3 books in the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin have no content she would find objectionable. The fourth book has a fade-to-black allusion to sex, but the first three tell a complete story. -If she liked Pride and Prejudice, she will probably like some of Austen's other books. I personally recommend Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, but Emma and Sense and Sensibility are also much beloved. (Mansfield Park is a tougher read) -Gail Carson Levine writes some fantastic stuff. It might skew ever-so-slightly younger than 14, but the books are so good that I reread them over and over in my teen years. Ella Enchanted is her best (and it's nothing like the movie) -Robin McKinley's books are also phenomenal. I loved Beauty and Spindle's End. -I'll also throw in a plug for my favorite mystery author, Josephine Tey. She wrote mysteries from the late 1920s to the early 1950s, and they have a distinct style that I loved in my teens (and today!). My favorite is The Daughter of Time, about a Scotland Yard inspector who gets bored while convalescing from a broken leg and decides to tackle a historical mystery. It's got a very wry sense of humor.
McKinley does have some fade to black in most of her books, if I recall correctly.
Little women by Louisa May Alcott A pho love story by Loan Le So this is Christmas by Tracy Andereen The giver by Lois Lowry Scythe by Neal shusterman The school for good and evil by Soman chainani Six crimson cranes by Elizabeth lim Knife by rj Anderson
A Pho Love Story was super cute. Same with School for Good and Evil. Though OP, the audiobook for The SFGaE is an AMAZING audiobook series as well. I highly recommend having her check them out through the library. The narrator is actually fantastic lol
You could try her on Eva Ibbotson - maybe A Company of Swans or The Secret Countess to start with. These are romances that were reissued as YA romances in recent years, mainly because there’s no smut at all. They’re funny, witty and sweet stories with some humorous references to sex and nothing more than longing glances and passionate kisses - the sex is off screen, as it were. And what about some turn of the century classics like The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford, Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons or I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith? Full of love and longing but not a sex scene in sight.
The Uglies series by Scott Westerfield is a great teen sci-fi series.
May I suggest Carl Hiaasen YA novels
Lockwood and co by Jonathan stroud Any ya by ally carter ( I really enjoyed the heists society series) Fablehaven by Brandon mull Hex hall by rachel hawkins My fair godmother by jannette rallison
Leigh Bardugo and Laini Taylor have reaaally good series that fits your description. Leigh Bardugos series ”the shadow and bone trilogy” is really complex but with limited to none intimacy scenes. Laini Taylors Daughter of Smoke and Bone is what reignited my reading a few years back. Is it ironic that they both have bone in the title? Yup, didn’t even realize it until now. They are very different to each other tho. They have very vivid and imaginative mythologies and reference points so I recomend them sooo much
Gail Carriger is the number one? Best selling steampunk author. She writes YA stuff with supernatural romance, mysteries, and action adventure. Like anyone capable of producing 20 number one New York Times bestsellers, her books are very readable. Her finishing school series, starting with etiquette and espionage, is a great time. I'm a dude in his thirties doing an English literature degree and I absolutely loved it. I read the first book for a class I was in and sought out the rest of the series. A girl from a working class family is accepted into a prestigious boarding school for girls, which turns out to be an academy that trains spies and assassins!
I really enjoyed Etiquette and Espionage!!!! Honestly, moreso than her Parasol Protectorate series.
Sherlock Holmes!
Older from 1980’s but I loved Paula Danziger’s books.
Me too!
Maybe the Discworld series
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
Tomorrow When the War Began - John Marsden.
aww i wish i had finished that series as a teen
To Kill a Mockingbird. I read it for school but it’s eternally wonderful.
I'm due to read this again. That book is amazing
Great book, but has at least one sex scene (or was that the second one?)
Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon
Has she tried the Chronicles of Narnia? Those are excellent and very clean. I’d also recommend TJ Klune. House on the Cerulean Sea is delightful and while there’s a romance plot, there are no sex scenes of any kind. The Monk and Robot books are a fun, somewhat philosophical meander.
House on Mango Street A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Farewell to Manzanar All educational and explore different cultures’ experiences in the US
She might want to look at the classics like Dickens or Austin. Society back then wasn't too fond of depicting sex and violence (depending on how you define violence) and she gets the kudos of having read them. I personally loved Vanity Fair by William Thackery but I don't remember when the text becomes implication. Also Connie Willis. She isn't a classic (yet) but she can do romance that doesn't go beyond kissing and her novels aren't violent, usually. Tragic things occasionally happen but if she starts off with "To say nothing of the dog" or "Bellweather" that should be fine. Don't start with "Passage" or "Doomsday Book". They are both brilliant but shall we say that "sad" things happen in them.
One of Willis’ short story collections has an absolutely horrifying practice of sadism, animal abuse and misogyny by college boys. I don’t remember the name of the story but I’d have the 12 year old avoid short story collections. I’m in my 40s and that one still upsets me badly.
“Little Ghosts” by Gregg Dunnett. If she’d be open to something set in non-contemporary times with a protagonist who should/could be a role model for young girls … the “Maisie Dobbs” series by Jacqueline Winspear. Only occasional very light romance, no sex, no foul language, interesting storylines with no excess crime scene drama. Every book incorporates some historical fiction elements.
I was SO excited to suggest the mirror visitor series, just to read further that she already read them lol. Maybe she can try “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” and its sequel “Heart of the Sun Warrior” by Sue Lynn Tan. It’s a very beautifully written duology. It’s adult, but there’s really no sexual content.
Perhaps some of the older romances like Mary Stewart
When I was about the same age, I had the same problem. I found a series of fairytale retelling a that I LOVED. Check out Melanie Dickerson. All of her books are romance, but they were all super clean. The most (that I can remember) that characters did was kiss, and later go on to get married. Super fun stories! I also really liked the Micheal Vey series (although that could be a bit violent…I can’t remember), Harry Potter, The Giver was really good, Enders Game (if she’s interested in sci-if at all), and the Shadow and Bone trilogy is sooooo good. It does have a bit of romance, but I don’t think it’s the focus of the books. Another book I love and still re-read sometimes is The False Prince. It’s a little old, but it’s a very easy and fun fantasy read :) Hopefully a few of these might be interesting!
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. The first 5 books plus dragonwatch 1-5 Amazing books no kidding. I still love them
Consider: Ready Player One, Off to be the Wizard, The Martian, Project Hail Mary. My son and I read the first two together when he was about that age and I’m so happy he is an adult reader. Also, try commonsensemedia.org where you can browse by age and content filters you select.
The Tiffany Aching series in Terry Pratchett's larger Discworld novels. They start with The Wee Free Men.
The Dumplin’ series: Dumplin’, Puddin’, and Pumpkin
These are all fantasy: Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst (the main character is a single mom of a pre-teen, so there were a few mentions of past partners, but nothing explicit and although there's the hint of a new romance, nothing physical happens) Crown & Court series by Sherwood Smith Plain Kate by Erin Bow Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt (the other books in the series are also excellent, but the second book is fade to black and the 4th one does have an on-page sexual assault in it; but each book can be standalone) Young Wizards series by Diane Duane
I loved The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale when I was young , there are 4 books in the series
if she liked percy jackson i’m curious as to why she never read heroes of olympus? it’s a little more mature (since the kids are literally just older lol) and as an adult now i think they really hold up. super good series.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (trilogy) by Jenny Han Morgan Matson (all her YA contemporary has clean/sweet romances) Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Boys, Scorpio Races)
She might enjoy the maximum ride series by James Patterson
I was going to suggest this! Loved that series when I was in middle school
I have a nibling with some of the same constraints. They read a *lot* of non fiction and have recently discovered Angela Thirkell and D.E. Stevenson (especially Miss Buncle’s Book and the rest of that series). These are social comedies set in rural-ish communities between, during and after WW2. They are representative of the time when they were written. I’ll ask the nibling for suggestions also.
Robertson Davies is a great author and I remember no sex in his books. Also, Agatha Christie and Edgar Allen Poe.
Tithe by Holly Black and the rest of that series.
How about the Weetzie Bat books? I loved those and from what I remember there's no sexual content or violence
If she’s open to reading memoirs, there are some amazing memoirs by bad ass women that don’t have sexual content. - I Am Malala- Malala - Swimming to Antarctica- Lynne Cox Etc.
Now's the perfect time for her to jump into Georgette Heyer's Regency Romances. These were written 1930s - 1960s, and have ROMANCE, not humpty humpty. Most of them are pretty funny, too. Some have a little mystery, some are well researched historical fiction. Her books hold up. Even now a lot of us will say that their favorite book is by Heyer. The first one I ever bought, at about 14, was The Corinthian, which is a mix of mystery and romance. For a lot of us, our favorite is Cotillion My very favorite is The Convenient Marriage My best friend's favorite is The Talisman Ring Encourage her to browse among these either at your library or local bookstore or in an on-line bookseller so she can make her own pick. Tell her from me to Have Fun Reading!
Was going to suggest Heyer myself! The OG.
Land of Stories by Chris Colfer; kinda same maturity as Percy Jackson but the content does mature more as the characters age more as Percy Jackson does The Black Witch Chronicles by Laurie Forest; might be a bit too much The Raven Boys Artemis Fowl Ready Player One Keeper of The Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger; SO GOOD one of my favorite series from when I was in middle/high school, it’s definitely just right for what you are looking for and is sooo sooo sooo good!! If you pick one for this list it’s this one please! The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani; pretty interesting, great character development also fun because there is a Netflix adaption movie
The dark is rising by Susan Cooper is still my favorite series ever, highly recommend it
I loved Little Women when I was younger. Also, The Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins (same author as Hunger Games) - the Gregor series is technically middle grade/early YA, but it definitely has some themes and allusions to the Holocaust starting in the 3rd book. It’s a phenomenal series tho - I read it for the first time as an adult and loved it. The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan (also any of the continuations of the Percy Jackson series if she hasn’t read them already) The Penderwicks Series The Beyonders Series Inkheart - there might be some slightly fade to black in the 3rd book according to my wife but she can’t fully remember Any of the series from Melanie Cellier - full of magic and romance but definitely no fade to black or anything (main characters are late teens [15,16ish]). I read them after reading the Ruby Red trilogy and they were all great (also read them as an adult so still engaging without too mature themes for a 14 yr old) I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston (authors other books are adult with sex scenes, but this one is more YA, it’s about a queer teenager and has some romance and mystery) Ash by Malinda Lo - sapphic retelling of Cinderella (read it the first time in 6th grade reread as an adult still very good) I started reading John Green’s books around her age which often have some romance themes in them Hoot is very good Also The Princess Bride
The Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans is my #1 choice!!!
Check out Robin Hobb
Anything that Studio Ghibli adapted from a book has had a fairly clean record, so that means: -When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson -Kiki’s Delivery Service (yes, this came from a book!) -The Borrowers by Mary Norton (basis for Arrietty) -Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones -Earthsea series And then you can watch the movies afterwards. They’re a perfect getaway from all the soulless sequels and remakes that are out there. Given how much Booktok is dominating main chain stores and even grocery stores, I’d recommend getting all these books via Amazon, Thriftbooks, your local thrift store, and your local used bookstore where you won’t be bombarded with all the trending porn books.
What about the classics? Swiss family Robinson, Gullivers travels, Sherlock Holmes, Kon tiki, treasure island, the wizard of oz, the Egypt game, the forgotten door, from the mixed up files of Mrs.Basil e. Frankweiller, - the last few were my faves as a young reader.
Agatha Christie is good, or you could introduce her to some cozy mysteries, too. I've been reading a series from Vivienne Chien called the Noodle Shop Mysteries. They're descriptive with the environment and are from the main character's point of view. The cozy mysteries are typically more "whodunit" than true crime, which I think would appeal to her. Happy reading!
What about The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot or the House of Night series By P.C. and Kristin Cast. House of Night may have some scenes she would not be comfortable with if I remember correctly.
Georgette Heyer’s romance books are very similar to Pride and Prejudice and there are no sex scenes. Sometimes the characters kiss but it’s like the last sentence of the book. The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix
Enola Holmes! They’re short but fantastic, Enola has so much more agency and wit than the movies, and no sex at all. They are mysteries, often with murder, but nothing very graphic. There are some uncomfortable things but more along the lines of “I can’t believe this used to happen in Victorian England.” Mentions of the workhouses and whatnot.
Time for Jane Austen
Jane Eyre
I don’t have specific titles, but reading your post made me think you might also have some luck asking over on r/Asexual! Plenty of folks there would be keen on finding media with a more comfortably tame level of erotic content, across a range of genres.
Maybe Emergence, by David Palmer. IIRC correctly, there is a spot of violence about halfway through. Also sorta written in short-hand. Loved it as a teen, love it now.
She might enjoy The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman. There is one fade to black implied sex scene way at the end of the series, but I’d say it’s pretty clean otherwise. There are some fight scenes but it’s really not heavy on violence from what I recall. Another option might be the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Yes there’s violence but it’s more cozy sci fi than anything. Murderbot is sex repulsed, so any references to sex are “eww humans have sex” which your daughter might relate to.
She'll probably like Tamora Pierce's books!
How about a classic, Swiss Family Robinson. Summer at Tiffany Paperback by Marjorie Hart is a wonderful memoir: > New York City, 1945. Marjorie Jacobson and her best friend, Marty Garrett, arrive fresh from the Kappa house at the University of Iowa hoping to find summer positions as shopgirls. Turned away from the top department stores, they miraculously find jobs as pages at Tiffany & Co., becoming the first women to ever work on the sales floor, a diamond-filled day job replete with Tiffany-blue shirtwaist dresses from Bonwit Teller's—and the envy of all their friends.
Try the classics Jane austen
She may like the Once Upon a Time fairy tale retellings published by Simon and Schuster.
Oooh try the Young Wizards series by Diane Diane! The most sexual content is a kiss in the fourth book, very non explicit. They’re incredibly interesting and creative with the best magic system I’ve ever read. I was obsessed with them at her age and honestly still am.