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10 Clean Book Favorites

Do you have difficulty finding books that are just good, clean reads?

I used to struggle a lot with this, but over the past few years, I’ve become “plugged in” to many ways to find interesting, educational, suspenseful, clean reads.

The books I will list here (more than ten because a few are series recommendations) are perfect for adults, but I wouldn’t hesistate to hand them to teens, either. Several of these were recommended by high school and college-age girls I know.

So… get out your TBR (I like to keep track of books I want to read on Goodreads), and I hope you discover some new books in this post!

10 Clean Book Favorites

I love reading across various genres, so hopefully, you will find something here no matter what you prefer!

Historical Fiction Clean Books

The Timeless Series by Gabrielle Meyer

I have read the first two books in this series (the third is coming out soon) and love them because they are strongly based on history and have the element of “time crossing.” Gabrielle Meyer (a homeschool mom) has done a lot of research, and we learn about the Civil War, Pear Harbor, WWI, September 11, and more.

The main character in each book lives in different eras of history and must decide by her 21st birthday which era she wants to remain in! The best thing about these books is that all of the characters are aware of God’s sovereignty and goodness in their lives and listen to Him for guidance.

I’m not one for time travel in books, but I couldn’t read these two books fast enough!

The Swan House Trilogy by Elizabeth Musser

I breezed through all three of these books last summer! They were set at the historic Swan House and were of great interest to me because they were set in and around Atlanta.

The first book, The Swan House, sets the stage by introducing our main character:

“Mary Swan Middleton has always taken for granted the advantages of her family’s wealth. But a tragedy that touches all of Atlanta sends her reeling in grief. When the family maid challenges her to reach out to the less fortunate as a way to ease her own pain, Mary Swan meets Carl—and everything changes. For although Carl is her opposite in nearly every way, he has something her privileged life could not give her. And when she seeks his help to uncover a mystery, she learns far more than she ever could have imagined.”
— book jacket

Through the series, we travel through Mary Swan’s life and witness her faith and resiliency. Her life is far from perfect, but that is what I loved about the book.

The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green

Jocelyn Green is a go-to author for me when I am seeking clean historical fiction.

The Metropolitan Affair takes place during the Roaring 1920s. It is a love story set in the museum, and we get a behind-the-scenes look at museum work and art fraud. If you like a bit of a mystery, this one is for you!

The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron

This book is TOUGH. It is based on the true story of Holocaust heroine Stefania Podgórska, a 16-year-old Catholic girl in Poland who not only took care of her younger sister but also hid 13 Jewish people in the attic of her tiny apartment.

If you or the reader you are giving this to is sensitive to violence and suffering, please be aware that parts of the book can be dark. Ultimately, there is a message of hope and love. As noted, the book is YA, so it’s great for your high school readers.

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce

This is another first in the series… I quickly read the rest of the series when I finished Dear Mrs. Bird! (They made for great poolside reading last summer.)

This book was funny, serious, sad, historical, and full of hope and goodness.

Set in London during the early years of WWII, our narrator is Emmy, doing her best for the war effort and pursuing her dream of being a war correspondent. War is devastating, and life turns out much differently than expected, but the resilience, grit, and humanity shown by all the characters make this a gem of a book.

Literary Fiction and Romance Clean Books

The Incredible Winston Browne by Sean Dietrich

Sean Dietrich (aka Sean of the South") is my favorite living writer. His books are full of humor, warmth, insight, and faith. I’ve read everything he’s written, and I think The Incredible Winston Browne is my top pick.

This is the story of a small-town sheriff, a mysterious little girl, and a community that comes together to help her. The theme of this story (and his others) is that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things.

The Printed Letter Bookshop and Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

It must tell you something that I’ve included two books by Katherine Reay in this list. Her books are a SURE THING and are among the very few books I take the time to reread!

These books are light and sweet but have a deeper meaning simultaneously. Katherine Reay weaves her faith so naturally into her books, and it brightly shines through. You really can’t go wrong with anything she has written.

I’m Not Charlotte Lucas by Kasey Stockton

I love a good romance, and I’m Not Charlotte Lucas is one of them.

“Northern California girl Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Lucas has two great loves: Diet Coke and Pride and Prejudice. But her passion for Regency classics is tempered by a very real fear: Charlie is terrified of having to endure the fate of her namesake—spinsterhood. Despite her best attempts to maintain a modern sensibility, she can’t say no when an elderly neighbor asks Charlie to attend a charity ball with her grandson. Blind date or not, Charlie is powerless to resist the allure of a real-life ball. Soon it’s clear that she will struggle to resist the charms of her blind date too.”
— book jacket

I appreciated the 100% wholesomeness of this book and the celebration of family values - so refreshing for a contemporary romance.

For More Book Recommendations:

Connect with me on Instagram and Goodreads for more book recommendations.

If you’re looking for a community of like-minded readers, check out my private Facebook group, Homegrown Book Picks. It’s my favorite place to be online!

Do you have a favorite clean book recommendation? Please leave it in the comments below… I’m always looking for more books to read!

The Lives of Recent Homeschool Graduates

Do you wonder what the future looks like for your homeschoolers?

What will happen when they graduate from your homeschool? What will YOUR life look like as a “retired” homeschool parent? Will they be equipped for the “real world”? Will they get into college?

When we abandoned the ideal of public school in 2008, some of those questions were on my mind. Now that we’ve completed our journey, I have the answers (and I wish I hadn’t worried so much about the questions back then!).

This blog has been relatively quiet for the past year - oh, I’ve posted here and there, but it’s been hard to put into words what the completion of homeschooling has truly been like. My adult children also value their privacy. I’m trying to keep what I share about them to a minimum - because it’s THEIR life.

Mostly, I’ve struggled with just telling you it will BE OK. And, of course, when I write that it’s over, it’s really OVER - so coming to this blog to write has been hard, too.

Where My Homeschool Graduates Are Now

Advice: It’s all going to be ok. I promise.

I wrote a lot about my daughter's application to college, etc… Homeschool to College has been a popular series on the blog, so check it out if you missed it. Too many homeschooling parents make it too difficult when applying to college. We took a straightforward route, and it worked well.

The Life of Recent Homeschool Graduates

Anna graduated from college in 2023 and is now working at a school for children with special needs children. We always knew she had a heart for anyone on the margins and nurtured this in her. In my mind, I pictured her working with the elderly or those with special needs.

Grant graduated from our homeschool in 2023 (yep, I had a high school and college graduation simultaneously!). After taking different electives in high school to match his interests and after doing an evaluation with YouScience, he applied to the only university in our state that offered a Sports Communication degree. He is finishing his freshman year now and has received hands-on experience in sports communication (announcing games, working the scoring tables, etc.…).

Both kids are doing what interests them and what they love. This is a direct result of homeschooling!

(Y’all - I look tired in this picture because I WAS!)

Recent Homeschool Graduates

The Life of a Retired Homeschool Mom

Advice: Don’t lose yourself in homeschooling so much so that you don’t have anything left for just YOU.

(I hope this makes sense.) I am abundantly thankful that I had been building the SQUILT Music Appreciation curriculum for several years and could transition into full-time when the kids were gone. Having something to do for ME was quite helpful.

There were still days, however, when I found myself a bit weepy - especially after my son left for college. I recall going on a walk one day and texting him - “Are you having any trouble with being homesick?” to which he replied, “Nah.”

What? After everything I did for him and all I sacrificed to homeschool him, he wasn’t homesick?!? How ungrateful could he be? It just took my husband and a good friend to talk me off the ledge and remind me it was BECAUSE of homeschooling that he was well-adjusted, doing well in classes, making friends easily, and not pining away for home.

Now, I fill my days with the following:

  • Serving homeschool families in SQUILT Music Appreciation

  • You’ll always find me reading (come see me at Homegrown Book Picks!)

  • I am cleaning out all the places in my home that I neglected while homeschooling - ha!

  • I joined Bible Study Fellowship; I should have done this sooner because it’s been wonderful!

  • I am making my health a huge priority (at 52, a lot has crept up on me, so I’m working on this!)

More Homeschool Thoughts to Follow

It’s been tough to gather all of the thoughts I’m having about this time of life. There is so much goodness to share, but at the same time I want to be honest about some of the harder aspects, too. There are curricula I am so glad we used - and others not so much. There are big subject areas I am thankful we emphasized.

I have a lot to share with you!

I would do it all over again, but I wish I could give my younger self some advice—it would ease the road a bit.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below, and I will address them in the next post - I want to help this next generation of parents homeschool their children confidently and well.

You might also like:

Don’t Forget the Mom Who Has Graduated Her Homeschoolers

Homeschool Curriculum We Have Used and Loved