Emotion Genre

It is early nineteenth century London and Elizabeth Philpot is a single middle-class woman, ageing out of marriageability. After moving to Lyme Regis, a small town on the south coast of England, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with teenager Mary Anning. Born into poverty, Mary and her family make their living hunting fossils on the shore and selling them in their shop. Based on a true story Remarkable Creatures follows the tumultuous lives and friendship of Elizabeth and Mary as they hunt for fossils and make new discoveries on the Jurassic Coast. In a world dominated by men and a town dominated by gossip and religion, these women fight for recognition in the scientific and paleontological community. In this novel, historical fiction author Tracy Chevalier takes the reader on a heart-wrenching yet inspiring journey of friendship, loyalty, jealousy and ostracism.

Originally written in Spanish and later translated into English, "Love in the time of cholera" is a story of an untold relationship between the two main characters of the book and how their relationship grew, and how they stayed devoted to each other regardless of time, distance, and age. Their relationship changed when one got married to someone else and experienced some strange years in marriage and the other waited for her with all devotion for years. A potential tale of genuine love and emotions invested in a relationship of 50 years!

“What is a name? A little Hans, a little Ralf. Wee little Johann.”

Johann has spent his life on the right end of a knife. He is the shadow of every citizen of Elendhaven, picking up skills and knowledge with the blood of a professor, a seamstress, a butcher, a sorcerer.

“If Johann was the monster of Elendhaven’s night, Florian was the monster of its mornings and afternoons.”

Florian has spent his life cherishing the last silver spoon his family has. Elegant furs and silks cover up the dark tint to his eye, his very persuasive tone, and the black sores that trail up his arm like a burn.

“For a corrupted world, apocalypse is the only hope for redemption.”

When a vengeful man finds a broken toy, why wouldn’t he throw it at his enemies?

“In a certain sense, Elendhaven truly is the end of the world.”

En Route Vers Nowhere is unabashedly chick-lit, but that doesn’t mean it takes itself too seriously. This book is full of laughs, gaffes, and tender not-quite-platonic moments. As Sara and Sebastien travel aimlessly through the Quebec countryside, the story flashes between their first meeting as children, the awkwardness of their high school mutual crushes (never discussed openly, of course), and their current road trip using a highly sketchy mostly-broken vehicle. It’s pretty clear from the start how this story will end (with a long bus ride home from the middle of nowhere, of course!), but it’s the journey that counts, not the destination.

Who wouldn’t want to get away to a nice, quiet beach house for the summer? Romance writer January Andrews, that’s who. Still reeling from the discovery of an uncomfortable family secret and a sudden breakup, and trying to overcome a bad case of writer’s block, she finds herself living next door to her nemesis: gruff, pretentious literary author Augustus Everett. Emily Henry’s writing keeps things mostly light, even while dealing with some serious topics, and delves into the importance of seeing the world from one another’s perspective. Like its characters, Beach Read is both wry and cute, playful and thoughtful.

Evelyn Hugo: actress, socialite, and scandalous wife to seven different husbands. During much of the twentieth century, her name dominated headlines and captivated millions, but now she has receded into the background, living her life in quiet luxury. When Monique Grant, writer for Viviant magazine, is plucked from obscurity tasked with telling Evelyn’s final story, author Taylor Jenkins Reid takes readers on a fast-paced, emotional journey full of love, loss, and self-discovery. What could someone as famous as Evelyn Hugo possibly want from Monique Grant, and what shocking discoveries lie within? For fans of romance and historical fiction, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is sure to be a compelling read.

Ruth is a passionately protective mother of her four-year old daughter Fern. After recently suffering a tragedy Ruth’s life finally seems to be on track. While her husband James helps move their belongings to their new home, Ruth and Fern spend a chaotic weekend with Ruth’s lifelong best friend Steph. Growing up Ruth could never seem to break away from Steph, being constantly reminded that her friend was confident, loud, and carefree, all the traits she lacks. Ruth begins to reminisce about how her friend is constantly intertwined in her life including being close friends with her husband and she starts to resent that she has nothing special to herself. While at the cottage Ruth stays vigilantly worried about all the threats to her and her daughter's safety including the neighbor who seems a little too friendly. Ruth is encouraged by Steph to let loose saying that these are just suspicious thoughts, that she should drink, smoke, mingle, and slip into “cottage time.” However, as the days progress it becomes evidently clear that these suspicions of Ruth’s may be actual threats.

Nothing is off the table in Clive Barker’s Books of Blood; across six collected volumes, this horror short story collection explores taboo, dark humour, and horror that is typically considered to be ‘off-limits.’ The anthology has been inventively framed: each tale has been carved into the skin of a psychic medium, a bloody transmission from ghosts and spirits of the great beyond. We meet horrific creatures on-board the “Midnight Meat Train,” witness the surreal image hands staging a revolution during “The Body Politic,” or find revel in the gross-out kills of the titular character “Rawhead Rex.” Books of Blood is a grab-bag of stories that will have readers repulsed, laughing out loud, and scared by Clive Barker’s unique brand of horror writing.

Malinda Lo’s young adult novel Ash presents a queer twist on the classic tale of Cinderella, following a young girl as she makes her way through a rich fantasy world filled with fairies, huntresses, and witches. The story isn’t necessarily driven by plot, but rather by a feeling, as we embark on an exploration of the mystical and a sweet tale of first love. Lo’s storytelling voice is gentle, perfectly capturing the innocence of a child growing up and discovering her own power. This book is for anyone who loves fairy tales. As the author herself says: “Ash is a fairy tale, and fairy tales end with ‘they lived happily ever after’”.

Hailed as a “STEMinist rom-com” Love on the Brain follows brilliant and eccentric neuroscientist Bee Königswasser as she accepts a new position leading a team at NASA. The only catch? She must co-lead with her grad school nemesis, Levi. As they lead their team to create a groundbreaking new astronaut helmet Bee finds her heart changing as Levi continuously cooperates with her, backs her up against misogynistic engineers, and swoops in to save her when she gets into unexpected situations. As she learns more about him, particularly about his 17-year-old cat Schrödinger and their shared love of Star Wars it becomes increasingly difficult to continue hating him. An easy, hilarious, and heartwarming story it’s great for readers who loved her breakout novel The Love Hypothesis, and anyone who likes enemies to lovers and miscommunication tropes.

Patricia is not your average housewife. She adores a good bloody murder – that is, in her books. Patricia and her local book club love to gather and discuss the juiciest true crime books they can get their hands on. But what happens when life begins to resemble the books that Patricia is fascinated by? As James, the new handsome stranger in the neighborhood, settles in, Patricia finds herself at the center of a horrific mystery: there are people going missing. No one knows who is doing it, nor does anyone seem to care except for Patricia. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires is a gripping novel and will have you imagining the horror Patricia encounters through its vivid, violent language.

Senhor José, a middle aged low-grade clerk at the Central Registry of an unnamed city, lives a routine and mundane life. Once concerned with little else beyond the records of birth, marriage, divorce, and death housed in the labyrinth of the Central Registry; the structure of his life is suddenly uprooted when he stumbles upon the file of an anonymous woman.His seemingly inexplicable obsession with finding the Unknown Woman sets him on a journey in which he discovers the effects of loneliness, the complexity of human communication, and what truly separates life from death.

Rebecca was dead. She had been dead for one year, yet at the same time, there was a presence at Manderley that made it seem as if she were still alive. The seaside estate, surrounded by lush gardens, was the home of Maxim de Winter and his new wife. But the newcomer at Manderley has felt uneasy since her arrival, and she was suffocating under Rebecca’s stifling hold.

Told from the perspective of Maxim de Winter’s new wife, Daphne du Maurier’s haunting page-turner is perfect for fans of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. Rebecca will leave readers questioning reality from fiction, and sanity from insanity.

The stone diaries chronicles Daisy Goodwill Flett's life, which begins in 1903 in rural Manitoba and unfolds over the course of the twentieth century. Written from the perspective of the people who encounter Daisy throughout the various chapters of her life, this contemplative and moving novel explores the everyday tragedies and accomplishments of ordinary people. Carol Shields creates an intimate portrayal of Daisy through rich and poetic language, taking readers on a poignant journey through twentieth-century North America.

Franny Stone is on a quest to prove her love despite a dark past and an uncertain future. The novel is set in a world where almost every living creature is extinct. While following the last flock of Arctic terns on their final migration Franny finds herself stuck in Greenland. She convinces Ennis Malaone, captain of the Saghani, to help with a promise of a golden catch to entice him and his crew to embark on the dangerous journey. As the Saghani sails South secrets are uncovered and hearts are broken. Franny is left to make a choice of what she is willing to compromise from her past for her newfound purpose. McConaghy speaks to readers in a way that is intimate and impactful while emphasizing that we must love before it’s lost.

romance story that takes place in Regency London where wealthy aristocrats try to find their children marriage matches that further their families’ fortunes and status. Debutant Daphne Bridgerton is the 4^th child within a house of 8 children and the eldest daughter. She is considered the Diamond of the season. Her parents were somewhat of an anomaly in the marriage market as they did have all the aristocrat desirability for each other but also had a love match. Daphne wants a husband who loves her however she is too honest and naïve to understand the romantic games that men are playing around her. Simon Basset is the Duke of Hastings and one of the most eligible bachelors and a “Rake” with a capital R, but he has no desire to marry even though the marriage market demands he should. Simon’s best friend happens to be the Viscount Anthony Bridgerton who is Daphne’s older brother. In a world of glamour, style, and Georgian regency period Daphne and Simon devise a plan to fake a courtship to get all the men to come after her. However, in the end “love ignores every rule”.

Noemi loves her life in Mexico City attending parties and studying to become an anthropologist, so she is not thrilled when a confusing letter arrives from her cousin and her father forces her to travel to the Mexican countryside to check in on her. While staying with her cousin and the family she married into, Noemi begins to have some pretty uncomfortable nightmares. The more she learns about the families past the more she begins to wonder what might be causing these nightmares. This post-colonial horror will have you second guessing yourself at every turn and will keep you up much longer than intended.

Disconnect from conventional thinking with adolescent Ruth and her transient aunt Sylvie in Pulitzer Prize winner Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping (1980). Housekeeping (1980) is a story of individuality in the face of mounting communal pressure to conform to a conventional life. Where convention seeks shelter, Robinson’s protagonists find danger. The church, state, and school are highly coercive forms of thinking. Housekeeping (1980) pushes back against negative cultural connotations imposed on deprivation, solitude, mourning, and regret, while shattering positive cultural connotations attributed to ambition, success, community, and recognition. Robinson’s graceful prose places high value on emotional experiences that come from within. Characters find presence in absence, life in death, and happiness in loneliness. If you enjoy this author, you may also want to read the poetry of Emily Dickinson, the transcendental philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Susan Cain’s Quiet (2012). For a deeper dive into Marilynne Robinson’s insights and upbringing, explore her collection of personal essays entitled When I was a child, I read books (2012).

Head Over Heels is for the romcom reader looking for the perfect balance of fluffy and serious, combining a lighthearted love story with the backdrop of abuse in Olympic gymnastics. Seven years after an injury brought her gymnastics career to a premature end, Avery returns to her hometown looking for a fresh start. Instead, she finds herself pulled back into her old life when a new gymnastics coach recruits her to help train an aspiring Olympian. This coach happens to be her high school crush and, now that they’re working together, it seems like he might have feelings for her too. But the reveal of a dark scandal involving Avery’s former coach threatens to disrupt everything. With equal parts romance and tragedy, this book is an essential read for the Emotion genre.