Fear

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.

Steelheart

by Brandon Sanderson

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Revenge, Fathers, Shame & Pride, Order & Chaos, Fear

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure

Steelheart, a 2013 young adult sci-fi/fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson, is the first installment of The Reckoners trilogy. The story takes place in dystopian Chicago, dubbed “Newcago,” which is overrun by evil superhumans called Epics and ruled by a functionally invulnerable tyrant named Steelheart. David Charleston, an 18-year-old boy whose father Steelheart killed 10 years before, joins a rebel group called the Reckoners hoping that they will help him take revenge on Steelheart. Borrowing elements... Read Steelheart Summary

Stone Cold

by Robert Swindells

Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Trust & Doubt, Equality, Apathy, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Death, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Economics, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure

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Strong Ground

by Brené Brown

Publication year 2025

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Gender Identity, Teamwork, Community, Science & Technology

Tags Leadership, Self-Improvement, Business & Economics

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Suite Francaise

by Irene Nemirovsky

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Fear, Family

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Holocaust, French Literature, Jewish Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Military & War, World History, Biography

Suite Française, by French-based Ukrainian writer Irène Némirovsky (born 1903), was published in the original French upon its discovery in 2004. However, Némirovsky started writing Suite in 1941, during the Nazi occupation of France, when those with a Jewish ethnic background like her faced persecution under the contemporary antisemitic regime. She and her husband, Michel Epstein, and their two young daughters, Denise and Élisabeth, had fled Paris for Issy-l’Évêque, a rural village in Burgundy. There... Read Suite Francaise Summary

Summer in the City

by Alex Aster

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Death, Fathers, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Equality, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance

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Summerland

by Michael Chabon

Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Childhood & Youth, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Sports

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Summit Lake

by Charlie Donlea

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Memory, Revenge, Death, Place, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Politics & Government, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense

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Sunburn

by Chloe Michelle Howarth

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, LGBTQ+

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Sylvia And Aki

by Winifred Conkling

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Education, Race, Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Family, Fathers, Mothers, Siblings, Social Class, Community, Equality, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, World War II, Children`s Literature, Military & War, World History, Arts & Culture

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Taming 7

by Chloe Walsh

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Friendship, Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult

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The ABC Murders

by Agatha Christie

Publication year 1936

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Good & Evil, Justice, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Relationships, Social Class, Horror & Suspense, British Literature, Classic Fiction

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The Acorn People

by Ron Jones

Publication year 1976

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Friendship, Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Gratitude, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Disability, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Children`s Literature, Disability

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The Artist's Way

by Julia Cameron

Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Literature, Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Fear, Hate & Anger, The Past, Art, Language

Tags Self-Improvement, Psychology, Arts & Culture, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Religion & Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

... Read The Artist's Way Summary