Believing in people, institutions, or the spiritual world requires an act of trust. What happens when that trust is shaken, either by our own wavering commitments or an act of betrayal? Can trust ever be regained once it is lost? These are some of the ideas explored in this thematic collection.
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Italian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2014) is the third book in pseudonymous Italian author Elena Ferrante’s world-acclaimed adult fiction series The Neapolitan Novels. The four-novel series chronicles the friendship between first-person narrator Elena Greco and Raffaella “Lila” Cerullo from childhood to old age in an impoverished neighborhood in Naples, Italy. Translated by Ann Goldstein, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay documents the beginning of middle age, wherein the two women grapple with... Read Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Family, Society: Community
Tags Parenting, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Biography
An international bestseller, Ashley Rhodes-Courter’s 2008 memoir, Three Little Words, provides a moving account of her early life in the foster care system. Ashley is born to a teenage mother, Lorraine, who is not well placed to look after her. After her mother’s new partner, Dusty, moves in, things soon deteriorate. When the family moves to Florida, Lorraine and Dusty are both arrested, and Ashley is placed in foster care along with her younger brother... Read Three Little Words Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Politics / Government, American Literature
Throne of Glass is the first novel in the eight-book young adult (YA) fantasy series of the same name by author Sarah J. Maas. First published in 2012, the novel is loosely based on the Cinderella story. Throne of Glass was critically well-received. In 2016, Disney purchased the rights to a television adaptation. In addition to the Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas is the author of a second High Fantasy series, A Court... Read Throne of Glass Summary
Publication year 1883
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None is a work of fiction written by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Published between 1883 and 1885, the allegorical novel also known as Thus Spake Zarathustra is a collection of speeches by a character named Zarathustra to the villagers of The Motley Cow. Nietzsche uses many literary devices such as personification, allegory, and allusion. The philosophical points referenced in Thus Spoke Zarathustra include the death of... Read Thus Spoke Zarathustra Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: War, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Teams
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Environment
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
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 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Korean Literature, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Trust Exercise (2019), a literary fiction novel by Susan Choi, centers on two high school students who fall in love. As the plot develops, it becomes obvious that the relationship is not at all that it seems. Although Trust Exercise received mixed reviews from readers, critics praise the novel for challenging preconceived ideas of what a novel should be. It won the 2019 National Book Award for fiction. Choi is a best-selling, award-winning novelist who typically writes literary... Read Trust Exercise Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Great Depression, Animals, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Turtle in Paradise is a 2010 historical fiction children’s novel by Jennifer L. Holm. Set in the Florida Keys during the Great Depression, the novel follows an 11-year-old girl’s struggles and successes as she visits her aunt and cousins in the town where her mother grew up. The novel won the Golden Kite Award and is a Newbery Honor Book as well as a Junior Library Guild selection.This guide refers to the 2010 Random House... Read Turtle in Paradise Summary
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 1995
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery
Tags LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Love / Sexuality, Biography
Two or Three Things I Know for Sure is a 1995 memoir by American author and activist Dorothy Allison, a native of Greenville, South Carolina. A coming-of-age story that examines feminism and lesbian identity in the context of the patriarchal norms of the South, the book uses both narrative and photographs to tell the stories of the women in Allison’s family and their complex relationships with the men who both loved and abused them. Her... Read Two or Three Things I Know for Sure Summary
Publication year 1846
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Self Help, Biography
Published in 2020, Glennon Doyle’s Untamed is her third memoir. An accomplished writer, philanthropist, and activist, Doyle documents her lifelong journey of self-discovery and uses personal experiences to encourage women on their own respective journeys towards freedom. Through the intersections of gender, sexuality, religion, and race, Doyle unpacks the social conditioning that affects the lives of all humans, particularly women. Ultimately, Doyle offers a reflective guide to navigating life by looking internally and honoring one’s... Read Untamed Summary
Publication year 1963
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags American Literature, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Satire, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: European, History: U.S., Military / War, Crime / Legal, Post Modernism, Post-War Era
... Read V. Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Mental Illness