"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 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Fantasy, Spy / Espionage, Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Realistic Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Rachael Lippincott’s 2018 novel Five Feet Apart portrays the intense relationship between meticulous Stella Grant and charming but rebellious Will Newman as they navigate life with cystic fibrosis. A genetic disease that affects both the respiratory and digestive system, cystic fibrosis significantly reduces the life span of those affected and limits their interactions with one another for fear of bacterial cross-infection. Alternating between the first-person point of view of both Stella and Will, the novel... Read Five Feet Apart Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Romance, Sports
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Flipped is a contemporary young adult novel by Wendelin Van Draanen. The main characters, Juli Baker and Bryce Loski, are neighbors in Mayfield, a fictional American town. Now in eighth grade, the two protagonists reveal the story of their relationship in a dual narrative of alternating first-person chapters that recount how Juli “flips” for Bryce at a young age but later decides she is not interested…right around the time Bryce finally “flips” for Juli. The... Read Flipped Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1979
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Classic Fiction
The American writer Virginia C. Andrews was born Cleo Virginia Andrews, in Portsmouth, Virginia. Known popularly as V.C. Andrews, she became a novelist late in life, having previously worked as a commercial artist, illustrator, and portrait painter. Flowers in the Attic (1979), which she wrote an early draft of in 1975, became a bestseller, although The Washington Post declared the book “deranged swill” and Andrews possibly the “worst writer I have ever read.” However, for... Read Flowers In The Attic Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1975
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, History: Asian, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Disability
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Frankly in Love is a coming-of-age novel written by David Yoon and published in 2019 by Penguin Young Readers, Putnam. The story revolves around Frank Li, a Korean American teenager torn between his American identity and the traditional expectations of his Korean parents. With its engaging storyline and exploration of cultural identity, Frankly in Love tackles themes of love, family expectations, and self-discovery. David Yoon’s writing skillfully portrays the complexities of Frank’s experiences as he... Read Frankly in Love Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, French Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Classical Period
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Humor, Classic Fiction
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is a 1987 novel by American author and actress Fanny Flagg, who also wrote an award-winning screen adaption of the book. The narrative contains two interconnected stories that unfold several decades apart. The frame narrative, which takes place in Birmingham, Alabama between December 1985 and December 1986, depicts the developing friendship between a middle-aged housewife named Evelyn Couch and an elderly widow named Ninny Threadgoode. As the... Read Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Class, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Community, Natural World: Food
Tags Travel Literature, Romance, Food, Italian Literature, Biography
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Humor
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Relationships