Clean Teen Reads discussion

oooh! Good idea!

Dont read....
SING ME TO SLEEP
good storyline, just if you're really touchy, wouldn't go there. tends to bother parents :P Nothing really ig happens, except for a couple makeout scenes. no sex scenes, but pretty borderline. Wish they had of just kept the good ole story :(

LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green
one of my favorite books, but this time... there is a sex scene. I hate it when people do that :(

Two books I have read this year that had 'stuff' are
Graceling by Kirstin Cashore
These is my Words (don't remember the author and I guess this one is also and adult book...)
It is so disappointing to me when I read 'stuff' I never wanted to know about!

oh. that's wonderful. lol.
that stinks really when authors do that. makes me feel like theyve sold out to the man

The Wicked books by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie. Umm, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. Jellicoe Road (On the Jellicoe Road) by Melina Marchetta. There are a lot of books that don't go all the way but almost do.

Yea, those books drive me nuts. its just like ehhhhhh nooo but yyeaaaa so frustrating :S and its a lot of the time, like, what if someone else sees this? right?

BLINK AND CAUTION don't read it its got every kind of 'stuff'you can think of.

I mean a little kissy kissy is ok but not when they go all the way. It's like, really?!

Thanks, Garrett! Whose it by? @Ally - yea, i mean, all teenage girls like reading SOME love whatever but some writers just take it too far. the part that bothers me is that some romance novels have some REALLY good story lines.
Ooh, wouldn't suggest reading Ransom My Heart by Meg Cabot, or Mia Thermopolis. Good story... but erm... basically harlequin romance. :P haha

Here is an article in the Wall Street Journal that tells of how publishers are purposely pushing inappropriate material for YA fiction.

Those of us - parents, kids and authors, who strive to read and/or write clean books - face this uphill battle.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001...

Its really intresting. Thanks! :)

You're welcome. Hopefully, it will help to understand the environment one faces in trying to make decisions on what books to read.

Avree The Quirky ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ wrote: "Thanks, Garrett! Whose it by? @Ally - yea, i mean, all teenage girls like reading SOME love whatever but some writers just take it too far. the part that bothers me is that some romance novels have..."

Tim Wynne-Jones.

Sweet, Garrett :)
Thanks Shawn, for the link. It's interesting. The thing I find interesting is that those 'gatekeepers' will flag books that have really nothing bad in them, and let the REALLY bad ones go free. :S

Oh yes, there are inconsistencies. But is it good to be aware of the general mindset. The sad part is the poll and the number of people who consider this crud helpful!!! Not from where I stand as a parent.

My mom used to check out my library books, but she never does anymore. She trusts me, and she knows that the percentage of good books vs. bad books is ridic and its really hard to find a good book. My sister has founda couple really good writers. One of them is M. M. Kay? I haven't read it yet, but it looks good.a nd older too, so shouldnt be so graphic. I like Sarah Dessen - tends to be very balanced. Enough 'love' storyline to keep me happy but very clean. if that makes sense :P

Yes, it makes sense. :)

Oh don't read Elixir by Hillary Duff. It has such a good storyline but it got ruined by 'stuff'.

I have read a MMKay book. I really liked it. clean for sure. and Older.

didnt know hilary duff was a writer. how was the actual writing talent? :P haha
sweet, i'm going to read it son, ive been busy tho :P

Hilary duff is actually a pretty good writer, but I assume she had a BUNCH of help. The story is really good and I hope there's a second, cleaner, book in that series.

That's cool.. Surprising, but cool. IDK if you ever read miley cyrus' biography but the writing was... okay. i was surprised. and i didnt read it, i flipped thru it lol

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl Who Played With Fire
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest
They all contain S&M and SEXUAL themes (all the things you know about sex is there)

Dead Until Dark
Contains 3 pages full of losing virginity scene -_- too unhealthy for teenagers.

I Am Number Four
MANY KISSES AND SESNUALITY

Skulduggery Pleasant Mortal Coil
Kissing scenes and kissing a vampire when you have another boyfirend (BEWARE PARENTS)

Scott Pilgrim
Sexual and sensual pictures and contains gays and lesbians

Dark Matter
Falling in love with a same sex friend (horror books can make yor kids homosexual BEWARE PARENTS)

The Hunger Games
Kissing scene and the normal reaction of getting pregnant before getting married. (BEWARE PARENTS your kids might do it behind you after reading Catching Fire)

That's all what I have... books are like songs they re made from SATAN BEWARE we are in a WAR of decency against satan's deeds... beware humens

Hey Ash, thanks for the contributions :)

Hey, I came up with a rating system, chekc it out ;)
Just thought of another book.

Another Kind Of Cowboy - about a 4.5
Never finished it because the writing kinda sucked and the story was about a gay cowboy coming out. But it doesn't tell you that until you read it.

Thanks, Scribbler :) I love this list :P
I own Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, actually, and I agree.... I love her writing, and the storyline (other than the rape), but I'm careful who I recommend it too.
Ohh... I should post the rating system here too lol

1 - Equivalent of a G movie. Nothing bad, what so ever.
2 - Nothing bad, but maybe a slightly more mature theme.
3 - A few minor kisses ('He leaned over and kissed her' stuff), no swearing.
4 - A few (few being, 3 maybe 4) kisses, with some minor swearing. (d*mn, he11, etc) Mature themes here. (eating disorders, diseases, loss of parent, etc)
5 - Major swearing (one or more f-bomb), at least one make out scene. (More mature themes here, like homosexuality, loss of virginity, pregnant before marriage, etc.)
6 - Gore, swearing, multiple make-out scenes.
7 - Gore, make out scenes, one sex scenes, swearing, majorly mature themes.
8 - Haha... Worse books.

Books I wouldn't recommend:

The Constant Princess: it's about Katherine of Argon and it's really awesome until you reach their wedding night which lasts a whole stinking chapter then after that it's fine again until Henry falls in love with Katherine and then there's more not so good scenes soon follows suit.

Cosette the supposed sequel of Les Miz: It's about Cosette and Marius and their lives together which also has a nice looooooong honeymoon room scene....once read it...it will haunt you.

Sweet, thanks for the input! Don't you hate books like that :S lol.
Oh, btw, I don't think I've seen you around before, so welcome to the group :)

Another book: the guardian...there's several scenes that aren't the greatest, like there is a few scenes that are suggestive...you know some sex scenes that shouldn't be there but is. Oh, it's written by Nicholas Sparks.

The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks. haha, thanks :)

Anna suggested a new rating system as follows:

Educational value:
Positive messages:
Positive role models:
Violence & scariness:
Sexy stuff:
Language:
Drinking:

I think that this is a good idea, but understandable if you don't have all those details :) But, can we please start adding the ratings we made up? thanks guys :D hehe. they're a couple posts above. :)

Hey everyone I have a lot to go here but I don’t hate these books in fact they’re really good which is why I'll give you the pros along with the cons.

The Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine—This is one of the best vampire teen series that I’ve read so far. It has great plot building, and character depth (so if you want to be writer this author is a good one to ‘study’. However, there is quite a bit of violence, sex, swearing and death. (It takes place in a town run by vampires so a lot of the violence and swearing for me were expected).

The Wicked Lovely books by Melissa Marr—These books again are good to ‘study’ because of the plotting and the mythology of faeries behind it. However, there is again sex, violence, swearing and death. (These are faerie books and the main mythology of ‘modern’ faeries is that they aren’t good…so what happens if you find out you are one? That’s the main premise.)

The Immortals Series by Alyson Noel—These books are interesting and creative. The main idea though is that Damen has found his soul mate Ever and they are constantly through the whole series are trying to be together (take that in any way you can think). Again violence, death, sexual insinuations and encounters later.

Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen—I really like this book and author as you guys have said previously, but this one has two sex scenes, not completely descriptive but enough.

Forget You by Jennifer Echols—I didn’t hate this book either but the first time I read the beginning I had to put it down and come back later. Lots of sex scenes and very descriptive!

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles—I love the first one, Perfect Chemistry, but it (and the rest because there are now 3, with different main characters,) have gang violence considering some of the leading characters are in a gang, the first has a sex scene and prior to that they talk about it A LOT. It is like a modern Romeo and Juliet minus the family feud.

Derby Girl (AKA Whip It, like the movie) by Shauna Cross –This book has really good girl power in it but because she’s a roller derby girl it has a lot of punching and swearing, and a sex scene.

Two Way Street by Lauren Branholdt—I really liked this book but there was an non-descriptive yet still a sex scene at the end that I was unprepared for. But I liked the story of the two who are going off to college.

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland—This book I like the premise of but it has a homosexual relationship in it, which is fine, but I was surprised with the sex scene at the end considering the time that the story takes place.

Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead—Another good teen vampire series but there is a lot of fighting and violence along, with sexual situations and swearing. The characters, dialogue and plot are good though if you are okay with the situations.


More to come later, since I’ve read so much I’ve only gone through my first couple of pages of my goodreads. Let me know if you have any questions about the previous books I’ve mentioned above.

Emily wrote: "Two books I have read this year that had 'stuff' are
Graceling by Kirstin Cashore
These is my Words (don't remember the author and I guess this one is also and adult book...)
It is so disappoin..."
I know!!! I loved Graceling fine and it wasn't to bad compared to other books I have read, but the prequel was BAD there was a sex scene and the entire book was talking about sex. Like one of the main characters tells the other character that he sleeps with too many woman and the main character had sex with someone. Thankfully they didn't go into any detail but you could tell what they where doing.

THE SILVER PHOENIX is REALLY bad. The main character goes on a journey to find her father at the palace. On the way she meets this prince that doesn't know about his past. One part of the journey, they stop at a tavern. Also at the tavern is a creature that stays alive by having sex and has a third breast to make up for her "missing heart". Then the main character stays at a house for the night then during the night she almost gets raped. Happy story right? Because that is only 1/8 of the book. Later in the book she has sex.

Another one is "The Lovely Bones" Suzie is raped, her dad has an affair, Suzie's "boyfriend" kisses her and otherwise fools around and Suzie somehow gets into her somewhat best friend's body and you wouldn't believe this loses her virginity in a very disgusting way and her older sister gets engaged way too soon to a weirdo of a guy after they have a nice, loong sex scene.

Scribbler wrote: "I'm not sure what to rate this one. ZEL, by Donna Jo Napoli

The problem I have with it isn't necessarily 'stuff' (though there is some) but I found it in the Children's Section at the library, an..."

Yes, there are books that belong on the Teen or even Adult shelf at libraries and bookstores. Depending on how big your library “system” is you could ask them to fix it but the shelf placement is usually the decision of the publisher. It also depends on how old the main character is because “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd is a teen book in other countries because the main character is a ‘teen’.

At indie bookstores I'm annoying and always ask, if “The Song of the Lioness” series by Tamora Pierce is in the juvenile section that it be moved to the teen section, because the only reason it’s in the kid section is because the main character is 10 years old (but it is about a girl secretly becoming a knight so it has lots of fighting in it.) It is one of my favorite series that I never thought I would like but especially by the 2nd book it gets inappropriate for kids.

There's *stuff* in Graceling, Stardust, Wickflicker. I had to put all of these books down because my mom wouldn't let me read them. (Great topic BTW)

Is uglies okay to read?

yes in fact, it is our mother dauther book club book

SILVER PHINOX the story is good...but it is about this king that wants to have a 12 year old as his wife...DON'T READ!!!

THE PREQUEL TO GRACELING I liked the first one, there wasn't too much "stuff" unless you are looking for it. The second...ugh

Jordyn{readingmonster} wrote: "And a ton of these books listed here aren't even YA books, that's why there's ahem "graphic" scenes. Lovely bones and dead until dark are NOT considered YA"

I wouldn’t necessarily say a ton of the books listed here aren’t young adult, though I do understand what you mean. Like you said there are a lot more influences in the world other than books that cause people to act a certain way. One thing I find interesting is that though a publisher can label something “Young Adult” that is just what audience THEY think will gravitate towards the title and cause good sales, it does not mean that a teenager won’t pick up a book that is considered “Adult Fiction” like Lovely Bones which IS about a teenager in the 70’s (and I can say that it is a YA book in a few countries).
As a librarian, I can even stretch “Young Adult” to mean whatever a 12-17 year-old decides to read. It is a matter of opinion though, like you said, and I know that no matter what a “clean” group does there will always be a book that some people think is a totally great read and others might find something in the book that causes them discomfort. Personally, I’ve listed quite a few books I am obsessed with above but probably aren’t right for everyone in this group. Not every book is for everyone’s taste.

Jordyn{readingmonster} wrote: "Thanks for not bashing out at me.
I agree. Not every book is for everyones taste. I work part time at my towns library and our age group for young adult books are 13 to 19. Anything under that age..."

You know I'm such a bibliophile I would actually need to cater that request around a specific person. If I know what they like I can usually steer them in a good direction of books. For example, yesterday one of my regulars at the library was checking out books for himself, he’s not even ten yet, and he was checking out Burned by Ellen Hopkins. Because I knew him, I moved him to reading something else. I’ve read Burned and though I’m against censorship there are some things kids shouldn’t read YET. 1) because they won’t get it, and 2) because it won’t be a good experience coming from a younger certain mindset.

So I guess you’d have to give me a persona to answer that question.

Jordyn{readingmonster} wrote: "Ok, what books would be bad for let's say a 14 year old religious girl."

(For the moment anyway) I would say, stay away from: Simone Elkeles, though I love her. Jennifer Echols, Jane Eagland, The House of Night series, Malinda Lo, Kody Keplinger, Chris Humphreys, Pete Hautman, Gail Giles, Ellen Hopkins…there’s a few more but these are all for much older teens.

It again really depends on the type of religious level that the parents and 14 year-old are at. I have religious parents who hate magic or mythical creatures in books and others who don’t care.

I would try: Eva Ibboston (A Countess Below Staris), Polly Shulman (Enthusiasm & The Grimm Legacy), Gail Carson Levine (Ella Enchanted), Jessica Day George (Tuesday’s At the Castle), Jean Ferris (Once Upon a Marigold), Catherine Gilbert Murdock, (Dairy Queen), Jerry Spinelli (Stargirl), Cinderella Cleaner series, Mary E. Pearson (The Adoration of Jenna Fox).

Thanks a whole, whole bunch!!!

Books to stay away from:

- Really graphic sex scenes. Was forced to read this in English. Really unfortunate, because if it weren't for that and the billions of f-words, it would have been a really great book.

- Again, unfortunate, since all the other books in the series are great.

- Not too bad; I really liked this book. But I'm mentioning it for drugs, abuse, and mild sexual content (ie, "We had sex", but that's it.)

- Language and sex. "Play me like a cello." Eugh, ask anybody. I talk about how disturbing that scene was ALL THE TIME.

- For a book that never had any actual sex, it was pretty detailed. Whenever the main character listened to music, it was like she had orgasms, and she found a way to have "sex" with a guy by sharing headphones with him and listening to the music. Don't get me started on the "she must sleep with seven men and have seven children and if you sleep with her twice you shall diiiiiiieeeee" prophecy.

- I quit this one a few pages in because it made me really uncomfortable.

- Wow, please don't get me started. Descriptions involving words like (view spoiler)[penis, pubic hair, etc. (hide spoiler)] and made me all around uncomfortable a LOT. I wish I could unread this book. Seriously.

- No sex, no language, but this book was so mentally twisted and screwed up, you just shouldn't read it anyway.

- Very mild. Sam and Grace share a bed the entire book, mostly nothing besides sleeping, except for one inevitable scene. But it fades to black pretty fast, but it was a crummy book anyway, so not worth it.

- Lots of language and some sexual content. There's a part where Mackie is making out with this girl in her room, and takes her shirt and bra off, and then they kiss for awhile longer, and then are interrupted and then they leave. It was...really random and had no point.

- Again, pretty mild, never any descriptions. But mostly Charlotte and Harlin wanted to make out, wanted to go farther and kept getting interrupted. There's a part where they're waiting to get picked up from a party, and I guess she just lifts her skirt and his takes off his pants and they do it and then get in the car and go. Which is just disgusting. :/

- Lots of language, drugs, alcohol, making out, etc. Chloe nearly had sex with a guy from a club in the parking lot, and to this day, I still don't know if she had sex with Brian. I don't even know how that would have happened, considering he was half dead in a hospital bed, hooked up to a million wires, but it said she put her pants on in the morning, sooooo...

- Don't get me wrong. I LOVE this book and this series. But Clare kind of pushed it in this one, having promised to never have her characters have sex. But there's a makeout scene in an alley where Clary's tights rip at her thigh, and there's another "bedroom" scene where Clary is essentially in bra and panties and Jace has his shirt off, and the only reason they stop is because the plot interrupted.

- This is the worst one yet. It was graphic without "saying" it was graphic. There were lots of f-words, and it was just so dirty is was like...reading porn. It was bad, and some things you can't unread, no matter how much you wish you could. It was AWFUL, and I don't recommend reading it when it comes out.

- I'm only fifteen pages in so far, but so far, there's been an alley makeout scene, including him shoving his hand up her shirt and into her bra, and her having her hand down his pants. Ugh. Not a great start.

- I LOVED this book. I had no problem with the things in it. I am only mentioning it because it might make some people uncomfortable. There's a scene where Hannah relays, very undetailed, a rape that takes place in a room in whose closet she is hiding. The only extent of this description is "I heard the springs creak as he got on the bed...When he was done, I heard his footsteps on the floor and the door open and close behind him." That was all. There's one other part, where that same guy feels Hannah up in a hot tub, where she's only in her bra and underwear. (view spoiler)[It mentions him rubbing her stomach, and sticking his fingers down her panties and around her bra, and kissing her neck, but really, that's all. Something along the lines of "He stuck a couple fingers down there, and massaged around my breasts while he kissed my shoulders and neck, while I didn't react. When he was done, he said thanks and left." (hide spoiler)] But I'd recommend reading it, because it was a great and life changing book, and was not dirty in the sense that you felt dirty reading it. It relayed events and wasn't trying to "turn the reader on", like most authors who write dirty scenes are trying to do. It just tells it like what's happening, being honest about it and explaining. Nothing else.

Ok so a couple books to completely steer clear of are:

It's not graphic, but they are like having sex every other page. But it's not descriptive they just act like or say their going to and then it ends and comes back after their done.

It's been awhile since I read it but I do remember them talking about sex a lot and around the end sorta it has a kinda scene I think.

Most Nicholas Sparks aren't good, but this has to be the worst. I would call it a graphic sex scene. But I don't know cus this is definitely one of the worst.

This one comes close in the worst scenes that I've read. Sex scene I mean.

The House of Night series starts out with MAJOR stuff and continue the whole way through!

Just finished reading Bumped and Thumped by: Megan McCafferty. I would have to say it was between a 5 and 6 on the scale above. There was a part that said... I'm Gay and I have God. Oh really? The whole focus on the books is all about sex and premarital sex at that. Basically, what if only teens could have babies? Don't recommend this book at all.

I just read the wings series, and it is pretty ok, no sex scenes or anything, but in the 3rd and 4th ones, there are quite a few makeout sessions between laurel and tamani and they are very descriptive. they made me think about wanting to do that with someone, and just wanting that because of something i read, not someone i met, i feel like, seriously? why ruin a great idea by adding things that are sexually arousing? i am just sick of getting into a series and wanting to finish it, but the romance just getting out of hand. But, without that, it's a pretty good series with only minimal swearing (ie D and H words).

hey does anyone know about The Ask and the Answer. anything in the violence and or sexual department I should watch out for?

No, sorry.

I read the first two books of Fire and Thorns trilogy, and they were kind of okay- I still don't know if they were really worth reading though, the girls agreed to take some pills that kept you from having children in case they found their boyfriends or something stupid like that- and then in the third book, there may or may not have been a sex scene. There probably was, but I shut the book right then and there and didn't open it again.

Scribbler,

I think that's a great idea, but maybe it would be better just to classify the book.The whole point of me being in this club is so I won't know the bad stuff that happens in certain books. If we post EXACTLY what happens in each book, we miss the good stuff in the book (if there is any) but still end up knowing the inappropriate stuff. If you want to do something in the fashion you speak of, maybe you could just classify it… for example:

- So-and-so-book - Sexual
- So-and-so-book - Heavy Cursing