Should we heed our fears, or work to overcome them? Suppress and ignore them, or face them head-on? Do we fight—or should we flight? These books unpack the universal human emotion of fear.
Publication year 1845
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1839
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Gothic Literature, Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction
American author Edgar Allan Poe wrote the Gothic short story “The Fall of the House of Usher” in 1839. It first appeared in Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine and later in Poe’s collection of short stories Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque in 1840. Poe is considered a founding figure of US Gothic and Romantic literature. He is best known for his poetry, including "The Raven" (1845) and "Annabel Lee" (1849), and short stories such as "The... Read The Fall of the House of Usher Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism, Romance
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Contemporary Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
OverviewBook DetailsThe Firm is the second legal thriller written by attorney John Grisham. It followed his 1988 debut novel A Time to Kill. The Firm was the top-selling novel of 1991 on the New York Times bestseller list, bringing its author international fame. It focuses on new Harvard Law School graduate Mitch McDeere, who accepts a financially lucrative position with a Memphis law firm that he discovers is embroiled in unethical and illegal activities.Author HighlightsGrisham... Read The Firm Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Grandparents
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1633
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Lyric Poem, Metaphysical, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World, Military / War
Publication year 1997
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Crime / Legal, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction
Paula Hawkins wrote The Girl on the Train over the course of six months in 2014. Hawkins, an Oxford-educated journalist and writer, drew on her experience as a reporter in London to structure the novel and describe its locations. Drawing immediate comparisons to Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Girl on the Train had similar performance, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2015, and remaining there for 13 consecutive weeks... Read The Girl On The Train Summary
Publication year 1975
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Food, Grief / Death, Sociology, Relationships, American Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Education
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Scandinavian Literature
The Girl Who Played With Fire is the 2006 sequel to Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2005). As a crime fiction novel, the story focuses on solving the murders of Dag Svensson, Mia Johansson, and Nils Erik Bjurman, for which the series protagonist, Lisbeth Salander, is the prime suspect. In addition to tracking the murder investigations, the novel examines The Impact of Trauma on Personal Development, The Role of Appearances and Media... Read The Girl Who Played With Fire Summary
Publication year 1945
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
C.S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce, first published in serial form in 1945 and as a novel the following year, explores an unnamed narrator’s experiences in Heaven and Hell. Although Lewis is best known for his contribution to children’s literature in The Chronicles of Narnia series, he also wrote many works of adult fiction and nonfiction. Almost all of his published work is either explicitly or implicitly religious in nature; many of his nonfiction works are... Read The Great Divorce Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction
The Great Greene Heist is a middle grade novel by Varian Johnson that follows Jackson Greene, a middle school boy and nearly reformed prankster, who tries to win his crush through hijinks. The novel was named Publisher’s Best Summer Book of 2014, ALA ALSC Notable Children’s Book in 2015, and received a Kirkus Star Review. Johnson published the sequel To Catch a Cheat in 2016. Johnson is also the author of The Parker Inheritance, which... Read The Great Greene Heist Summary