"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 Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Magical Realism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Where the Heart Is was published in 1995 and is the first novel by award winning American novelist Billie Letts. The novel is set in Letts’s home state of Oklahoma and follows the story of teenager Novalee Nation and her ne’er-do-well boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens. The novel was chosen as a selection for Oprah’s Book Club in December of 1998. It also won the Walker Percy Award in 1994. The novel was made into a... Read Where the Heart Is Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Romance, Contemporary Literature, Western, Music
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, New Adult, Sports, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Bullying, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Winger is a young adult novel written by American author Andrew Smith and first published in 2013. It belongs to the genre of contemporary early 21st century teen fiction and garnered recognition from the American Library Association (ALA), Publishers Weekly, and the Junior Library Guild. Because of Winger’s storyline involving LGBTQIA+ issues, it was also chosen as part of the ALA’s 2014 Rainbow List in 2014, made up of books for children and young adults... Read Winger Summary
Publication year 1922
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Relationships, Education, Education, History: World, Romance
“Winter Dreams” (1922) is one of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Gatsby cluster stories,” which informed the creation of his renowned novel The Great Gatsby. Like The Great Gatsby, “Winter Dreams” features the themes of love and longing, the futility of the American dream, illusion and disillusionment, and the fleetingness of time.This study guide references Collected Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald (45 Short Stories and Novels), released in 2013 by ESCBO Publishing.“Winter Dreams” begins in Minnesota when... Read Winter Dreams Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Russian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Health / Medicine, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Romance, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Food
With the Fire on High is a 2019 young adult coming-of-age novel by Dominican American author Elizabeth Acevedo, who won a National Book Award for her 2018 young adult novel, The Poet X. It tells the story of Emoni Santiago, a teenage mother of Puerto Rican descent, and her senior year at a Philadelphia high school. The novel focuses on Emoni’s enrollment in a culinary arts class and her subsequent journey of self-discovery. With the... Read With the Fire on High Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Humor
Publication year 1920
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Romance, Classic Fiction, Relationships, British Literature, History: World
IntroductionWomen in Love by D. H. Lawrence was written from 1913-1917 and published in America in 1920, though it wasn’t published in Britain until 1921. The novel’s publishing was delayed due to its prequel, The Rainbow, being banned. The Rainbow and Women in Love were originally intended to be two parts of one novel, but the publisher ultimately decided to publish them separately. Both novels feature conversations about sexuality that were considered explicit in their... Read Women In Love Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Bullying, Depression / Suicide, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton follows a 16-year-old boy with schizophrenia as he navigates mental illness, life at a new school, and a clinical drug trial. The book won the Yalsa Best Fiction for Young Adults award in 2018 and was a nominee for the Rhode Island Teen Book award. Roadside Attractions released a feature film of the same name based on the book in August 2020. This guide follows the 2017 Random... Read Words on Bathroom Walls Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, British Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
In the juvenile fiction novel Wrecked, Maria Padian portrays a timely narrative about sexual assault on college campuses. Her careful treatment of this subject earned the text several awards, including the Fall 2016 Kids’ Indie Next Pick, the Maine Lupine Honor Award, and the Maine Literary Award. Originally published in hardcover in 2017 by Algonquin Young Readers, Wrecked also received positive recognition from Booklist, Book Riot, Kirkus Reviews, and the School Library Journal, among others.Plot... Read Wrecked Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Language
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Parenting, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World
Written in 2014 and published by Delacorte Press, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is the eighth book in the Outlander saga by author Diana Gabaldon. The series follows Claire Fraser, a time-traveling World War II nurse who married Jamie Fraser, an 18th-century Highlander and insurrectionist against the British crown. The Fraser family occupies multiple timelines in the series, which celebrates family and romantic love. The novel spans colonial America to the Highlands of Scotland... Read Written in My Own Heart's Blood Summary
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Romance, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Written on the Body is a short novel by British author Jeanette Winterson. Several international publications followed the original 1992 publication of the book. The text, which is a first-person narrative, is directed at an adult reading audience. The narrative, which presents accounts of numerous love affairs, also ruminates on the nature of love, fidelity, spirituality, and death. Winterson, who was raised by members of a Pentecostal Church, trained as a missionary and started to... Read Written On The Body Summary