"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 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, New Adult, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1958
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Natural World: Place, Identity: Gender
Tags Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, British Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
Doris Lessing’s 1963 short story “To Room Nineteen” explores the theme of female independence and autonomy—and of how difficult these are to achieve, especially at the time Lessing wrote it. Any reader familiar with Virginia Woolf’s classic essay “A Room of One’s Own” will find similarities here. Lessing, a Nobel laureate and accomplished writer within multiple genres, investigates boundaries and conventions throughout the canon of her work, frequently breaking down dichotomies and questioning cultural assumptions... Read To Room Nineteen Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Self Discovery
Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, New Adult
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1209
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Classic Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, German Literature, Fantasy
Publication year 1385
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classic Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Narrative / Epic Poem, Romance, Military / War, Education, Education, History: World
Troilus and Criseyde is an epic poem by Geoffrey Chaucer written between 1382 and 1386 in Middle English. The poem is divided into five books and features Chaucer’s innovation, the Rhyme royal stanza form, which is a seven-line stanza in iambic pentameter with an ABABBCC rhyme scheme. The poem is set during the Trojan War and tells the tragic story of Troilus, a prince of Troy who falls in love with a young woman named... Read Troilus and Criseyde Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1975
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, American Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Romance
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt follows the journey of a young girl’s decision to live forever or remain mortal. The book received many honors and awards, including the Janusz Korczak Medal and the 1976 Christopher Award as best book for young people, among others, and it was named an ALA Notable Book. Tuck Everlasting was adapted twice into a full-length feature film (1981 and 2002), and it appeared on Broadway as a stage musical in... Read Tuck Everlasting Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Mental Illness, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Turtles All the Way Down (2017) is a young adult novel by John Green, author of the successful novel The Fault in Our Stars. The story is narrated in the first person by Aza Holmes, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety, which greatly impact her daily life and her ability to maintain relationships. The story has been heralded as an accurate and personal depiction of OCD by the author, who has openly written... Read Turtles All the Way Down Summary
Publication year 1602
Genre Play, Fiction
Tags Classic Fiction, Elizabethan Era, Humor, Education, Education, Romance
Exploring themes of love, gender, and identity, William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or What You Will was first performed in England in 1602 and first published in 1623 after Shakespeare’s death. Twelfth Night takes its title from the twelfth night of Christmas, a raucous holiday marked with feasting and entertainment. The subtitle What You Will refers to freedom or a lack of restriction. This guide refers to the Folger Shakespeare Library edition of the text. Plot Summary The... Read Twelfth Night Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer, is a young adult adventure-romance about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire. Her struggle to build a relationship in a world filled with suspicion and danger helped make the book a number-one New York Times bestseller. The novel launched the Twilight book series including New Moon (2006), Breaking Dawn (2008), and Midnight Sun (2020), which has sold more than 100 million copies and received multiple young reader... Read Twilight Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Twisted, by Laurie Halse Anderson, tells the story of Tyler Miller and his family as Tyler is about to begin his senior year of high school. Tyler has recently been punished with probation and community service after vandalizing school property. As part of his community service, he works with his high school’s maintenance crew to repair the very building he defaced. Due to the physical labor he’s been doing over the summer, Tyler’s put on... Read Twisted Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Romance, New Adult, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Romance, New Adult, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: Asian, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Depression / Suicide, Love / Sexuality, Parenting, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
David Levithan’s 2013 young adult novel Two Boys Kissing is narrated from the perspective of the gay men who died during the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic. This chorus, resembling that of ancient Greek theater, observes the novel’s present-day characters—several gay teenage boys in neighboring American small towns—as they explore love, relationship, and identity. The central narrative follows two boys, Harry and Craig, who attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest continuous kiss by kissing... Read Two Boys Kissing Summary