"The course of true love never did run smooth," wrote William Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream—and he knew what he was talking about. A text from this study guide collection might be just the thing to remind you of the bliss and pain of love.
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Romance, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Western, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
The Selection is the first book in the titular romance trilogy by American author Kiera Cass. First published in 2012, The Selection was pitched as a dystopian interpretation of the hit television show The Bachelor, and as Publisher’s Weekly stated in their review, the Selection is “[a] cross between ‘The Hunger Games’ (minus the blood sport) and ‘The Bachelor’ (minus the blood sport).” In a future set in the land of Illéa (formerly the United... Read The Selection Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Religion / Spirituality
The Serpent King is a young adult novel by American musician and novelist Jeff Zentner, originally published in the U.S. in 2016. This coming-of-age story about three youths growing up in a small town of Forrestville, Tennessee, explores individual, family, and social identity, along with love, loss, and religion. The novel won an American Library Association William C. Morris Award for Young Adult Literature, an International Literacy Association Young Adult Book Award, and it was... Read The Serpent King Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, History: World, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Humor, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Chinese Literature, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
IntroductionPublished in 1987, The Shell Seekers was written by Rosamunde Pilcher and is her first bestseller. Inspired by Pilcher’s conversation with Tom Dunne at St. Martin’s Press about her children’s desire to see their mother become famous, the novel is the author’s attempt to create a story for women based on the experiences of her generation. Set in 1984, it tells the story of Penelope Stern Keeling and her children (Nancy, Olivia, and Noel) and... Read The Shell Seekers Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family
Tags Disability, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Matthew Quick’s debut novel, The Silver Linings Playbook, was published in 2008 and adapted into a major motion picture in 2012. The novel became a New York Times Best Seller, and the film received eight Academy Award nominations. The book centers on protagonist Pat Peoples, a former history teacher who receives court-mandated psychiatric institutionalization for a crime he does not remember committing. Due to his mental health treatment, Pat is an unreliable narrator. The story... Read The Silver Linings Playbook Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Gender
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Travel Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, History: European, Mythology, History: World, Fantasy, Romance
The Song of Achilles, author Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel, retells the events of Homer’s Iliad. Published in 2012, the book reimagines the relationship between ancient Greek Trojan war heroes Achilles and Patroclus. Narrated in the first person by Patroclus, the narrative explores themes central to ancient Greek mythology, notably the immutability of fate and the pursuit of glory.The novel begins with Patroclus narrating his birth and early childhood. Son of King Menoitius, the undersized and... Read The Song of Achilles Summary
Publication year 1774
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery
Tags Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, German Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Romance
The Sorrows of Young Werther (in German, Die Leiden des jungen Werthers), written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is a semi-autobiographical epistolary novel published in 1774. The story unfolds through a series of letters penned by the eponymous protagonist, Werther, and mainly chronicles his experiences in the small town of Wahlheim. Werther, a sensitive and idealistic young man, arrives in the town and becomes enamored with Lotte, a local magistrate’s daughter. His unrequited love becomes... Read The Sorrows of Young Werther Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Humor, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Romance