"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 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Femininity, Society: Community
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams
Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
The Great Alone (2017) by prolific author Kristin Hannah, known for Firefly Lane (2008), The Nightingale (2015), and The Women (2024), tells the story of Leni Allbright’s coming of age in Alaska. The narrative encompasses Leni’s arrival, departure, and eventual return as an adult to the small town of Kaneq. The novel begins when Leni is 13 and her father decides to move the family to Alaska. Ernt Allbright, a Vietnam veteran who suffers post-traumatic... Read The Great Alone Summary
Publication year 1925
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags The Lost Generation, Music, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Modernism, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
The Great Gatsby is a fiction novel published in 1925 by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Inspired by Fitzgerald’s experiences during the Jazz Age of the 1920s, The Great Gatsby captures the prosperity and the hedonism of the era through a cast of characters who reside in the fictional Long Island towns of West Egg and East Egg. Despite a cold reaction from critics and audiences upon its release, many modern scholars include The... Read The Great Gatsby Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: War, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World
Written in epistolary form, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a historical novel set during the German Occupation of the English Channel Islands during World War II (WWII). The novel was co-written by Mary Ann Shaffer, an editor, librarian, and bookshop clerk, and her niece, Annie Barrows, author of the Ivy and Bean children’s books series. Shaffer began writing the novel, but when she was diagnosed with cancer she requested Barrows’s help... Read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags LGBTQ, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Parenting, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage
Tags LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Romance
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Romance, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Society: War
Tags Romance, History: World
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Disability, Action / Adventure
Written by Robin McKinley, The Hero and the Crown is a 1984 fantasy novel that acts as a prequel to McKinley’s 1982 novel, The Blue Sword. The Hero and the Crown focuses on the life and exploits of Aerin Dragon-Killer, the legendary wielder of the titular blue sword Gonturan, which first appeared in the previous novel. The Hero and the Crown focuses on Aerin’s personal development into a hero and a queen, emphasizing the physical... Read The Hero and the Crown Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Jewish Literature, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
The History of Love (2005) is a novel by American writer Nicole Krauss. The book, Krauss’s second novel, was awarded the 2008 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing and was a finalist for the 2006 Orange Prize for Fiction. It is a novel about the intersection of love, loneliness, language, and literature, as three characters are connected by a mysterious book called The History of Love. The novel plays with postmodern techniques like fragmentation and... Read The History of Love Summary
Publication year 1749
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Classic Fiction, Satire, Humor, Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature, History: World
First published in 1749, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling is considered one of the best and most influential early novels in English literature. Henry Fielding was a respected dramatist, essayist, and satirist, and as a public official, he helped to establish London’s first professional police force.A comic novel that blends romance, realism, picaresque, and social commentary—while passing itself off as a true history of a life as well as a reflection of human... Read The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
The Host is bestselling author Stephenie Meyer’s first science fiction novel, published as Meyer was wrapping up her Twilight series. Published in 2008, The Host blends science fiction, romance, and psychological drama. Meyer sets the novel in a dystopian future where Earth has been overtaken by parasitic aliens called “souls.” These souls inhabit human bodies, erasing their consciousness.The novel focuses on Wanderer, a soul who takes over the body of a human, Melanie Stryder, who... Read The Host Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, LGBTQ
The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) is a queer fantasy novel by TJ Klune, Lambda Award-winning author of The Extraordinaires and the Green Creek series. Klune is a queer author whose works often explore supernatural elements. Many mythological species feature in this novel, while other books focus on werewolves, ghosts, and the like. The book explores themes of Nature Versus Nurture, The Perpetuation of Prejudice, and Found Family.Klune’s work, particularly The House in the... Read The House in the Cerulean Sea Summary