I received this letter from Barbara, who is looking for books to share with her daughter:
Hi! I vividly remember my first romance book experience — I swiped one of my mother's Harlequin romances shortly before I turned 12 and there was no holding me back from the genre after that glorious and eye-opening introduction to Greek millionaires and the shy British virgins they woo, etc! Now my daughter will be turning 12 in a few months (gasp! how did THAT happen?) and I'm trying to figure out what to gently suggest to her to bring her over to the romance-reading side of things…
She reads at a high school level (at least that is what her teachers tell me) but she's not ready for anything too explicit sex-wise as she's still rather mortified by the whole idea. I give her another year until that becomes a compelling factor in reading choices…she loves mysteries, history and mythology. She is not a huge fan of the vampire genre (holy crap is there a lot of vampire-y YA stuff out there!) and is more of a Buffy kind of gal versus Bella. She's also not quite to the age where lots of angst is appealing. We found the Goddess series by Aimee Carter from Harlequin Teen and she's devoured those…
So, I'm just wondering if anyone might have any other suggestions for her?
Thanks so much.
I confess, I'm completely at a loss, here. Not too much angst and more Buffy and asskicking than doormat and Bella. Ok: I had just typed up a whole list of ideas and then realized they were all too old for this reader in terms of age and comfort. DAMMIT. My recommendation-fu deserts me at this time!
Do you have ideas? I'm going to keep hitting my head with my laptop until I can come up with something. Or you'll post the idea that's flying around the outside of my brain that I can't grab and I'll start yelling.
The Narnia series…. LOTR & Hobbit…. Agathia Christie…
I wholeheartedly agree with the recs for Shannon Hale. I started with Princess Academy and then read all of the Bayern series and Book of a Thousand Days right after my daughter was born. She’s 4 now, but I can’t wait until she’s around 10-13 to introduce her to them!
I also wanted to recommend the Parasol Protectorate series, but I couldn’t remember if it had any explicit sex. These books are funny on their own, but when you know a bit about the societal mores and thoughts ( or perhaps just modern views of the strict social rules and mores) the parody takes on so much more meaning. These are the funniest books I have read in a while—perhaps ever; the protagonist is referred to as a ” diminutive gherkin” by one the main vampires.
I also want to recommend Anne Perry’s The Cater Street Hangman. This is the first of 28 books in the William and Charlotte Pitt series. These are mysteries, but I know the Cater Street Hangman has a romantic element.
Seconding L. M. Montgomery, obviously Anne, but also the Emily of New Moon series – that doesn’t get enough love. Also seconding Susan Cooper’s the Dark is Rising, and don’t forget Madeline L’Engel’s Murray Family series, starting with A Wrinkle in Time.
Also recommending two “oldies” – Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman (16 year old Boston society girl moves to Canada for her health and marries a Mountie; there are sequels, but I haven’t read them – too scared they won’t hold up). The other oldie is Desiree, by Annmarie Selinko. It’s based on a true story – Desiree was engaged to Napoleon, but was jilted for Josephine and ended up marrying Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte and becoming Queen of Sweden.
If she likes historical fiction, I’d recommend Code Name:Verity, Mrs. Mike, The Witch of the Glen, Treasure Island (you knew I’d get pirates in there[g]), and Mara, Daughter of the Nile, though she may find the latter a bit young for her.
I would also second the fantasy recommendations of anything by Maggie Stiefvater, Sharon Shinn’s YA novels (General Winston’s Daughter, etc.)and add to the mix Wen Spencer’s A Brother’s Price.
Like many others I recommend Georgette Heyer. Frederica, The Grand Sophy and The Toll Gate are great reads for younger girls. Also The Bath books, which have young heroines as well. A Lady of Quality and Black Sheep are very good.
Also Meg Cabot’s Mediator series, especially if she likes Buffy. These are probably at the library.
Early Katie Fford and Jill Mansell might also be suitable.
Another mystery that mixes with romance is The Impertinent Miss Bancroft by Karla Hocker. This is book one of a trilogy and ad far as I can tell, the third book doesn’t exist. Very frustrating, but I loved this book and the sequel the Incorrigible Sophia.
My entry-way drugs at that age were Elswyth Thane’s Williamsburg novels and Georgette Heyer.
Thanks, Mom.
I forgot to mention Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series, it’s terrific fun during the Napoleanonic Wars with English spies and dashing ladies.
I was going to recommend Megan Whalen Turner’s Thief series as well! Also Mary Stewart, who is definitely not explicit. They may be a bit slow to a modern reader, because they contain a lot of description, but many of her books are set around Europe so there’s some fun travel stuff along with the romance and mystery.
I would second the Tamora Pierce novels. I read those in middle school and adored them! She actually has several series set in the world of Tortall, so she can keep reading for a while.
In Chronological Order:
Song of the Lioness Quartet (Features Alanna)
The Immortals (Features a new heroine Daine, but Alanna is still in the story)
Protector of the Small (another girl wishes to follow in Alanna’s footsteps—Kel)
Daughter of the Lioness
There is also another series featuring Beka Cooper, it delves into Tortall’s past, and was great.
I also recommend visiting your local teen librarian! Speaking as one I love it when teens come in seeking book recommendations, and I know there are more books out there than the Twilight books—they are just harder to find!
The 500 Kingdoms books are part of Harlequin’s Luna line, I wouldn’t categorize them as YA, but I wouldn’t hesitate to put them in the hands of an advanced reader.
I second the recommendation for Cameron Dokey’s fairy tale books. Her heroines are great and there are no cardboard villains. I especially recommend Sunlight and Shadow (The Magic Flute) and Beauty Sleep (Sleeping Beauty).
Also in the fairy tale retellings category, East by Edith Pattou is an awesome retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon.
For the most part, my suggestions have already been named (Georgette Heyer, Cynthia Voigt, David Eddings, Patricia Wrede), but there are some others that I’ve thought about: “The Spirit Ring” by LM Bujold is YA with a teenage heroine and “Jacob Have I Loved” by Katherine Paterson (not really romance, although I found it as a teen – very similar in style to Voigt’s Dicey books).
I agree with a lot of these. I would also recommend Kelly Armstrong’s YA books, Darkest Powers trilogy. This is the order they follow: The Summoning, The Awakening and The Reckoning. Alsolutely loved them.
Also, Alison Croggon’s quartet is also really good, The Books of Pellinor. Both of these series have strong heroines and action but some romance as well.
Not to mention Patricia Wrede’s Enchanted Forest novels, which are fantastic and good 12 year old reading.
I would recommend a lot of the books that are already on here but I don’t think I saw The Bloody Jack series listed yet. It’s a historical fiction series that follows the main character, Jacky Faber, as she dresses up as a boy and joins the Royal Navy and wackiness ensues. There is a romance that threads throughout the series, and at one point, in the first book, she’s worried she’ll be raped. But it’s pretty clean, and when there is sex it’s very vague.
And has someone already mentioned the Caroline B. Cooney Time Travelers quartet? It starts with Both sides of Time.
Regarding 500 Kingdoms – I read The Fairy Godmother this last summer, and was disappointed with it. As a fairy tale fan, there were some aspects that I liked, but it mostly felt like a huge info dump. (As others have said, I think there is at least one love scene in the first book.)
Personally, I think the Once Upon a Time book series is better suited to a preteen. Also, Beauty, by Robin McKinley.
Blue Moon, by Cameron Dokey was one of my favorite books in high school. There’s some light making out, but nothing sexual.
Book of a Thousand Days, by Shannon Hale. I didn’t enjoy it, but then again I think it was because it was geared towards a younger audience than myself.
One YA series I enjoy as an adult is the Wildwood series by Juliet Marillier. So far there’s only two books, but I was glued to them. (Don’t start her on Sevenwaters until she’s a bit older. It’s a great series, but it’s definitely not for younger readers.)
I think the Pitt series is too heavy for a 12 yo.
Soulless has semi explicit sex but the sequels do not.
They Loved to Laugh is a sweet historical romance about a girl who goes to live with a Quaker family.
Cress Delahanty and others by Jessamyn West.
Jackaroo and sequels by Voight (I think).
Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander—loosely based on Welsh myths.
Keturah and Lord Death
I second Mercedes Lackey’s 500 Kingdom books. They’re great as an alternate take on the fairy tale world and really spin the godmother angle and while there is some romance there is no sex mentioned. When I was her age I was already deeply immersed in David Eddings’ novels and especially liked the Elenium and Tamuli series’. His writing is mostly fantasy/adventure with light mixes of romance. In part of the Belgariad the reaction of one of the main characters when another dies was the very first time a book had me crying like a baby 🙂
So many good suggestions. I loved Tamora Pierce and Robin Mckinley at your daughters age. I also read Victoria Holt. Phillip Pull man’s Golden Compass has been mentioned, but I would also add his Ruby in The Smoke series. The herione is very strong and the romance is very gentle until later in the series.
It’s old fashioned, but L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle. It has paragraph after paragraph of descriptions of livingrooms, but if she skims that, it’s a wonderful love story with no explicit sex (despite the two characters getting married).
OMG Long Thread! I couldn’t read all the comments, so apologize for duplicates, but:
1) I think Dorothy Sayers is too complex for a 12 y.o., even one who reads at HS level – historically, thematically, psychologically, and word usage. Love her books, but too hard.
2) Clan of the Cave Bear? Just saying. You know, starting some controversy.
3) Ursula K LeGuin’s Wizard of Earthsea?
4) Anne McCaffrey is PERFECT but I suggest starting with the core Dragons of Pern set – they’re the best, the gateway drug, the hook.
5) A quick read for her, b/c it skews to about 10 – 12 y.o., but if she hasn’t read Lloyd Alexander’s Taran series – Chronicles of Prydain – there’s a sweet little romance b/w Taran and Eilonwy that goes from teasing to promises to each other. Lloyd Alexander has several other books, mostly out of print, that are more YA age.
6) ** MARY STEWART ** – the whole Arthurian series, and all her stuff like Airs Above the Ground, The Moonspinners, Madam Will You Talk? – the books where governesses solve Cold War spy mysteries and end up with rich businessmen, etc, but b/c of the spy element they weren’t really category romance. From MaryStewartNovels.com: “Mary Stewart’s legacy as an author is vast. She is considered by many to be the mother of the modern romantic suspense novel.” I was reading everything by her and Helen MacInnes that I could find at the library at the same time I started reading Harlequins. No angst, just adventure. I always pictured her heroes as looking remarkably like Remington Steele.
There’s a lot of good stuff here. I can definitely get behind Tamora Pierce, I am always trying to pimp those books out, they are FANTASTIC! Same goes for the Queen’s Thief series, and Aly Carter (though I like the Gallagher Girls better than the thief ones, personally).
The only new ones I have to offer is the Bloody Jack series (not as gory as it sounds) by LA Meyer. It’s about a girl who disguises herself as a boy and joins the British Navy during (or maybe just before, it’s been awhile) the Napoleonic Wars. There’s a pretty strong romantic thread when she falls for Jamie, who’s another ships boy. There’s some violence, but nothing particularly graphic.
“The Witch of Blackbird Pond” by Elizabeth George Speare- that’s from when I was a teen twenty *mumble* something years ago, and I recently purchased it for my nook. It definitely held up. A girl out of her element in the mid-1800s Connecticut, two boys vying for her interest, and prejudice.
Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep
“Cinder” by Marissa Meyer: Cinderella with cyborgs in China
The Finishing School series by Gail Carriger stars with “Etiquette and Espionage” and it comes out in March, I believe. I was lucky enough to read an ARC and it’s very fun with a heroine who takes charge and potential romantic interests among the boys at a neighboring school.
The Matched series by Ally Condie. It’s a “utopian” world that doesn’t hold up to close scrutiny, and a love triangle
Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series (yet again with the love triangle, involving Puck!)
These are all YA, so there is no sex.
I think I was a bit younger than your daughter, but I loved Patricia Beatty’s novels when I was a kid. They’re historical, they have strong heroines, and there’s usually a romantic element.
If you want non-explicit sex scenes, Inspirational is always an option, if you’re religious. I believe that I’ve read somewhere on this site that there are non-Christian Inspirational books, though they are harder to find.
I second Heyer, Pullman, McCaffrey recommendation and would add Dragonriders of Pern to the latter. And has no one mentioned Jane Austen? P&P and S&S at least? (This is one day later than I initially tried to post—forgive if it echoes someone else.)
I devoured anything by Mercedes Lackey when I was her DD’s age. Surprised it took so long to mention the excellent Darkest Powers series by Kelly Armstrong, which I adore. For mordern day dragons, Sophie Jordan has an excellent series that starts with Vanish. Ally Condie’s Dystopian trio is very good. Try Kat Falls, too. I agree with Tamora Pierce, but maybe start with her “dog” series. Alanna left me a little upset for some reason. Enjoy all these books yourself, too!
Are you me? 😉
Seconding the EXCELLENT Amelia Peabody mysteries, Austen, and Heyer, as well as Diana Wynne Jones and Robin McKinley (my favorite is *The Outlaws of Sherwood*; great female characters, plus two romantic story lines).
Some of the early titles by Mary Balogh are straight-up Regencies rather than historicals, so they don’t have any explicit sex. The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray (YA series) is excellent, and hits all of your historical – mysterious – romantic – mystical requirements. Ann Rinaldi (YA) also has some well-written historical fiction with romantic elements. Another good standalone title is *Seven Daughters and Seven Sons* by Barbara Cohen and Bhija Lovejoy. It may be in juvenile or YA at your local library. Here’s a description:
“In an ancient Arab nation, one woman dares to be different. Buran cannot—Buran will not-sit quietly at home and wait to be married to the man her father chooses. Determined to use her skills and earn a fortune, she instead disguises herself as a boy and travels by camel caravan to a distant city. There, she maintains her masculine disguise and establishes a successful business. The city’s crown prince comes often to her shop, and soon Buran finds herself falling in love. But if she reveals to Mahmud that she is a woman, she will lose everything she has worked for.” It’s beautifully written, and the 5-star Amazon rating is fully deserved.
Also, the Flavia deLuce mysteries by Alan Bradley are HIGHLY recommended. Flavia is a precocious 12-year-old English sleuth, but the series is written for adults and is funny, complex, and often a little dark. Totally appropriate for a strong 12-year-old reader, though. Full of pre-teen angst and sibling rivalry. 😉
Yes, definitely Sorcery and Cecilia as well. 🙂
I was glad to see Sarah Dessen on that list. 🙂
YES! These are fantastic! I’d also recommend The Westmark Trilogy. It gets a lot less attention than The Prydain Chronicles, but it’s full of adventure and romance.
Close! It’s actually Vivian Vande Velde, and she is awesome. My favorite of hers, a fantasy with romantic elements, is A Hidden Magic. 🙂
Deanna Raybourn does really well with portraying a gothic sensuality without any explicit sex. Great historical mysteries with engaging secondary characters. 🙂
Natalie Babbitt rocks (my faves are Goody Hall and The Devil’s Storybooks), but her stuff may be a little on the young side for this reader. Babbitt tends to be assigned in around fourth grade these days.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond is soooooo good.
Mostly I agree with many of the recommendations here, particularly Megan Whalen Turner, Eva Ibbotson, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Georgette Heyer. I also love Elizabeth Peters but think that the Vicki Bliss series might be a better entry to her work since the heroine is younger than the heroines of the Amelia Peabody books or the Jacqueline Kirby series. In my teens, twenty-somethings were fascinating but someone in their forties would have seemed old. Writing as Barbara Michaels, she also produced early paranormals and both contemporary and historical romantic adventure. Some may seem a mite dated now, but you might want to check out my faves, The Sea King’s Daughter (Michaels) and Legend in Green Velvet (Peters.)
My own introduction to romance was Mary Stewart’s Moonspinners. I still enjoyed it the last time I read it, but some of Stewart’s work may also seem dated now. (All that sophisticated smoking) If your daughter approaches it as a historical novel set in the sixties, it might could work for her. I was in my later teens when I encountered Heyer, and her books definitely had that special spark, but I recall struggling a bit with the language. Heyer’s work is well larded with unfamiliar Regency slang, and Heyer doesn’t explain terminology in infodumps. You have to get it from context clues. I read well above grade level but didn’t always have the patience to decode non-contemporary language.
I just finished a book that I intend to acquire for the HS library where I work. Coronets and Steel by Sherwood Smith is marketed as an adult fantasy, a homage to Prisoner of Zenda with nods to Austen and urban fantasy. The heroine is thoroughly kick-ass twenty something woman with a background in ballet & fencing & lots of other interesting stuff, who travels to Europe and in the course of many adventures encounters two possible love interests. Sexxytimes is mostly transcendent kisses and anything else is mostly non-explicit. Actually, Coronets & Steel brings to mind both Stewart and Peters. It’s also the first in a series.
Although I don’t remember any sex in the later 500 Kingdoms books (and I only read the first 3), the first book definitely did have a few vivid sex dreams, and then one sex scene towards the end. I’m probably being a bit conservative, and I think for a mature teen, it would be absolutely no big deal at all; but for a 12 year old who’s not sure if she wants to read about sex, maybe not quite yet.
When I was around that age, I loved Ann Rinaldi. She writes some lovely historical young adult novels with a romantic lean (all totally innocent). I also loved Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre. Beverly Clearly actually has some great books for teen girls, like Fifteen, Sister of the Bride, and The Luckiest Girl.
If you don’t mind inspirational novels, Dee Henderson has some great books too.