"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 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Romance
Catching Fire (2009) is the sequel to The New York Times bestseller The Hunger Games (2008), and the second novel in author Suzanne Collins’s trilogy of the same name. Catching Fire is a young adult dystopian science fiction novel that takes place in the future, amidst the ruins of what was once America. Catching Fire details the aftermath of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s victory in the 74th Hunger Games from the first novel. Despite... Read Catching Fire Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender
Tags Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender
Tags LGBTQ, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Diversity, Religion / Spirituality, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Romance, New Adult, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Children of Blood and Bone (2018) by Tomi Adeyemi is a young adult fantasy novel and the first book in the Legacy of Orϊsha trilogy. Adeyemi is a Nigerian American author and creative writing coach who graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English literature. Following her graduation, she studied West African mythology in Brazil, which partly inspired her to write Children of Blood and Bone. Adeyemi also wrote Children of Blood and Bone... Read Children of Blood and Bone Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Humor, Satire, Romance, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Chinese Literature
China Rich Girlfriend is an adult novel published by Doubleday in 2015, the sequel to Singapore-born author Kevin Kwan’s internationally bestselling romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2013) and second in a trilogy which concludes with Rich People Problems (2017). Billed as a satire, a mock-epic, and a sprawling family saga that peers into the lives of the ultra-wealthy in Asia, China Rich Girlfriend depicts the efforts of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-born American university professor, and... Read China Rich Girlfriend Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Relationships: Family, Society: Community
Tags Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy, Food, Modern Classic Fiction, French Literature, Historical Fiction
Chocolat by Joanne Harris was first published in 1991. It is in the magical realism genre, presenting a realistic, recognizable world but with magical or fantastical elements, blurring the lines between realism and fantasy. Chocolat follows Vianne, a single mother who arrives in a small French village and opens a chocolate shop despite opposition from the local priest. Many of the villagers find new experiences and connections in her indulgent, magical chocolaterie.Chocolat won multiple awards... Read Chocolat Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family
Tags Lyric Poem, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, African American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Religion / Spirituality
Marilyn Nelson is part of a coterie of writers who published in the late-1970s and 1980s after the revolutionary fervor of the Black Arts Movement. Though the period during which Nelson wrote is less acknowledged than those aforementioned, it was a time when diverse Black poetic talents emerged. Nelson’s contemporaries included Afaa Michael Weaver, Yusef Komunyakaa, Rita Dove, Ntozake Shange, Melvin Dixon, and Essex Hemphill. Their work grappled with the aftermath of the Vietnam War... Read Chosen Summary
Publication year 1967
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: World, Religion / Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Christian literature, Romance, Inspirational
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore
The fairytale “Cinderella” provides the foundation for Marissa Meyer's 2012 novel Cinder, which puts a futuristic and dystopian twist on the classic tale of love and the complexities of social class. Cinder lives her life as a cyborg: she is part human and part machinery. Although part of a social class that takes a place low on the social hierarchy, Cinder uses her personal machine structure to benefit her work as a mechanic. Equipped with... Read Cinder Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender
Tags Mythology, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Historical Fiction, History: World, Fantasy, Romance
Published in 2018, Circe retells the story of the eponymous Greek mythological figure. The novel is also popular among the online BookTok community. Although traditionally viewed as a heartless, savagely beautiful witch who lures sailors to their deaths, the Circe of Madeline Miller’s imagining is quite different. This Circe is a multidimensional, flawed, and empathetic character struggling to find meaning and worth in her immortal life. Through Miller’s detailed and honest first-person narrative, which takes... Read Circe Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
City of Ashes (2008) by Cassandra Clare is the second novel in the six-part Mortal Instruments series. The book follows 16-year-old Clary Fray, who has recently discovered that she is not an ordinary mortal, but a Shadowhunter, part of a group who saves the world from demons. In City of Bones (2007) the first book of the series, Clary also learned that she is the daughter of rogue Shadowhunter Valentine Morgenstern and that her romantic... Read City of Ashes Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Romance, Action / Adventure, Class, Love / Sexuality, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007) is the first in the Mortal Instruments series of young adult urban fantasy novels, followed by City of Ashes. The book follows a seemingly ordinary 15-year-old girl as she learns she is descended from an ancient race of demon hunters. City of Bones is a New York Times bestseller and inspired several media adaptations, including a graphic novel of the same name (3rd World... Read City of Bones Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
City of Girls is the third novel by author Elizabeth Gilbert, published in 2019. Gilbert is a New York Times bestselling author whose novels include Stern Men (2000) and The Signature of All Things (2013). A noted writer of nonfiction, she has also written a biography entitled The Last American Man (2002), as well as several memoirs including Eat Pray Love (2006), Committed (2010), and Big Magic (2015). Eat Pray Love became a worldwide bestseller... Read City of Girls Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Romance, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (Walker Books, 2009) is the third installment of the young adult urban fantasy Mortal Instruments series and chronicles an epic Shadowhunter battle against an old foe’s return. City of Glass was a finalist for the Teen Choice Book of the Year and for the 2009 Goodreads Choice Awards. Clare was born in Iran to American parents. She spent several years traveling before she settled in the United States, where... Read City of Glass Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Isabel Allende’s novel City of the Beasts tells the story of Alex Cold, a fifteen-year-old boy from California who accompanies his journalist grandmother on a life-altering journey through the Amazon. The narrative opens with Alex at home in California, angry and frightened over the illness of his mother, who is undergoing cancer treatment. When his mother gets a chance at receiving a promising new treatment in Texas, Alex’s parents send him to stay with his paternal grandmother, the adventurer... Read City of the Beasts Summary