Suggestions for Church Book Club - NO SEX!!

[Buckalew11]

oh and I have read some Dee Henderson and enjoyed those just fine. She has a huge following but in general, I don't really care for a lot of christian books. I have no idea why. Miss Julia's has some Christian humor thrown in that I usually agree with ( ) and I generally do not like historical fiction. I did read the Red Tent which was not Christian but about biblical people and another side of the story, possibly (but probably not. )

 

[minniecarousel]

Anything by Debbie Macomber would be great. Some of her books are the "yarn" books, but she also has a series that go by addresses in a fictional town in the Pacific Northwest. My Mom always looks forward to her new books (I think she's read everything by her!) Again, Amazon or Google could direct you to a good "starter" book.

 

[agnes!]

Please help me out DISers. I am looking for suggestions for my ladies church book club. I belong to the 'cool moms' group and the 'little old ladies' group. Those are my nicknames. Anyway the cool moms group just read The Widow's War by Sally Gunning. Good read. Moving story about a widow in the late 1700s. After her husbands death her home goes to her son in law. The story is about her fight to stay in her home. A flashback goes back to before her marriage and she's having SEX! Whoa didn't see that coming. Then later after her husband is gone she hooks up with a widow and they're having SEX!

OK sex is well and good but it's not what I need to share with my church ladies book club. So DISers please help me out. I'm looking for inspiring uplifting books with NO SEX, NONE AT ALL.

Help me out. Bring it on DISers! Thanks for your help.

Well, that leaves out the Bible .

There is a whole sub-genre of mysteries called a "cozy mystery." They generally have less violence & gore, and no sex.

They are like the Murder She Wrote, TV series with Jessica Fletcher, (Angela Landsbury,) or the Diagnosis Murder, TV series.

Agathe Christie books fall under this category, too.

There are also many "theme" books as cozy mysteries. Death by Chocolate, knitting/craft theme cosies, etc.

Heheheheheh, no sex but death and murder are ok ....

Have the members of your book group specifically asked for recommendations that don't have any sexual content? Just because they are a "church group" doesn't mean they might not be able to handle a racy scene or two.

There's always Christy by Catherine Marshall. A member of my (decidedly non-church and lots of sex-having!) book group tried to get us to read it for years until we finally said no and told her not to recommend it any more.

Of course even in Christy there were a couple of iffy scenes...

Why didn't you-all want to read Christy? It's a *wonderful* book, one of my all-time favorites.

Anyway, back to the OP...
I heartily recommend "The Help" by Katherine Stockett, wonderful book. Also, "McCarthy's Bar" by Pete McCarthy...a great read, very atmospheric. Lots of drinking but no s-e-x.

agnes!

 

[clutter]

I second "the Help." Also The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Wonderful, charming book that I didn't think I'd like, but I loved!

 

[LunchladyDoris]

All I noticed was one word....

 

[WL Fan]

Now THAT'S funny!

(And I'm sure there's no S..E..X in it, either!)

 

[Belle2667]

I liked the Yadda Yadda Prayer Group series by Neta Jackson. I'm hoping to start a ladies group for women my age group and I want to introduce this series as I think it touches how many women think and feel.

 

[goofy's friends]

Has anyone mentioned "Same kind of Different As Me" ?? Incredible book!!

 

[feenie]

The Scarlet Thread By Francine Rivers is an excellent book
Also
Pretense by Lori Wick.
Eve's Daughters by Lynn Austin.
They are Christian authors, but those are three excellent books.

Francine Rivers has others that are excellent as well, The Mark of the Lion Trillogy and Redeeming Love, but the Mark of the Lion books are set in ancient Rome... and while not graphic, do talk about the lifestyles that were common especially among the rich and bored.

Redeeming Love is a sort of retelling of the book of Hosea.... Again not graphic... But she is a prostitute.

 

[lovesmurfs]

There's a wonderful series by Beverly LaHaye -- Seasons. 4 books -- you'll laugh, cry and feel like they're part of your family.

First book is "Seasons of Blessing" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310235197/ref=oss_product

 

[feenie]

There's a wonderful series by Beverly LaHaye -- Seasons. 4 books -- you'll laugh, cry and feel like they're part of your family.

First book is "Seasons of Blessing" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310235197/ref=oss_product

I agree 100% with this reccomendation! I re-read this series every couple of years.

 

[DVCLiz]

Why didn't you-all want to read Christy? It's a *wonderful* book, one of my all-time favorites.
agnes!

Most of us had read it in high school and it certainly is a good story - but it's very preachy and a little smarmy and stereotypical and it's not a good book to discuss in a book club. It's essentailly a fictionalized version of Catherine Marshall's early missionary work in Appalachia and it has strong religious undertones.

There's not a lot of character development, nothing in the plot that would lead to a discussion the way my book club likes to discuss a book and author. It just wasn't an appropriate choice for our group, but this girl loooooved it so much and the rest of us had moved on to other kinds of books.

 

[karenos]

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

In Cold Blood is a great book, no sex... but a bit of violence. I'd take a steamy love scene over a blood soaked murder any day.

Just my 2 cents....
karenos

 

[Imzadi]

Most of us had read it in high school and it certainly is a good story - but it's very preachy and a little smarmy and stereotypical and it's not a good book to discuss in a book club. It's essentailly a fictionalized version of Catherine Marshall's early missionary work in Appalachia and it has strong religious undertones.

There's not a lot of character development, nothing in the plot that would lead to a discussion the way my book club likes to discuss a book and author. It just wasn't an appropriate choice for our group, but this girl loooooved it so much and the rest of us had moved on to other kinds of books.

Yes, it may have been a good book back in the '70s, as that style and content of writing was fresh & new at the time, but it is a real snoozer now.

 

[disneymom3]

Anything by Debbie Macomber would be great. Some of her books are the "yarn" books, but she also has a series that go by addresses in a fictional town in the Pacific Northwest. My Mom always looks forward to her new books (I think she's read everything by her!) Again, Amazon or Google could direct you to a good "starter" book.

Love Debbie Macomber. Also like some of Karen Kingsbury. One Tuesday Monring is one of KKs that I just loved. It's about 9/11.

Also really like anything classic. I am just an old fashioned girl. Look for Top 100 books on Google and there are a few differnt lists out there. I bet you will find tons of stuff many of you have never read. My DD is currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird and I reread it before giving it to her. I love that book. I also have Tess of the Dubervilles and Sense and Sensibilities checked out of the library right now.

Do you have a Christian bookstore near you? I would go in and ask for bookclub recommendations. Good luck. I would LOVE to be in a book club again.

 

[ajwomic]

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron hall
The Shack

 

[HOGFAN]

I'd rather do it than read about it!

I don't know, I just don't like those kinds of books. My sisters laugh at me but I've never cared for them or the "she's in love, she loses him, she finds love again" books (think Danielle Steele--eek!!)



This should be Ann B. Ross.

Love those books. In fact, I've read all you listed so if you read this thread again, Hogfan, I would love it if you'd PM me anytime you read some similar to these books and let me know the title!!

I love Adrianna Trigianni books: Lucia, Lucia
Queen of the Big Time
Big Stone Gap series
Very Valentine

I also enjoy Elizabeth Berg books.


Have fun with your book clubs. I'd love to be in one! I usually read a book and discuss it with my clients from time to time.

whoops, you right, Ann B. Ross. I too enjoy the Big Stone Gap books, tho I didnt mention them because I 'thought' they might have some slightly steamy parts.

 

[disney1990]

Not a novel, but a good suggestion.

Stop Acting Rich: ...And Start Living Like A Real Millionaire by Thomas J. Stanley

 

[hellokitty86]

Fannie Flagg has some wonderful books that you might be interested in:

Welcome to the World, Babygirl
Standing in the Rainbow
Can't Wait to Get to Heaven
Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man - One of the funniest books I have ever read!

I LOVED all these. I could read them over & over!! Especially Standing in the Rainbow.

 

[agnes!]

...Why didn't you-all want to read Christy? It's a *wonderful* book, one of my all-time favorites.

Anyway, back to the OP...
I heartily recommend "The Help" by Katherine Stockett, wonderful book. Also, "McCarthy's Bar" by Pete McCarthy...a great read, very atmospheric. Lots of drinking but no s-e-x.

agnes!

Most of us had read it in high school and it certainly is a good story - but it's very preachy and a little smarmy and stereotypical and it's not a good book to discuss in a book club. It's essentailly a fictionalized version of Catherine Marshall's early missionary work in Appalachia and it has strong religious undertones.

There's not a lot of character development, nothing in the plot that would lead to a discussion the way my book club likes to discuss a book and author. It just wasn't an appropriate choice for our group, but this girl loooooved it so much and the rest of us had moved on to other kinds of books.

Yes, it may have been a good book back in the '70s, as that style and content of writing was fresh & new at the time, but it is a real snoozer now.

Oh, ok.... I guess I was just expecting something along the lines of "not to our/my taste" or "all of us had read it before" but thanks for the detail .

agnes!
PS - I'd still recommend "McCarthy's Bar" and "The Help".