Trust & Doubt

Believing in people, institutions, or the spiritual world requires an act of trust. What happens when that trust is shaken, either by our own wavering commitments or an act of betrayal? Can trust ever be regained once it is lost? These are some of the ideas explored in this thematic collection.

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea

by Valérie Zenatti

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Mental Health, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Family, Social Class, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Justice, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea (2005) is a young adult novel by French author and translator Valérie Zenatti. It was first published in French as Une bouteille dans la mer de Gaza. The novel begins when 17-year-old Israeli Tal Levine learns about a bombing at a neighborhood café. She is moved to send a letter in a bottle, which reaches 20-year-old Palestinian Naïm Al-Farjouk. Tal included her email address, and they begin corresponding. Initially... Read A Bottle in the Gaza Sea Summary

A Dog's Life

by Ann M. Martin

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Gratitude, Grief, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Death, Animals, Food, Place, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Animals, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction

... Read A Dog's Life Summary

A Fatal Grace

by Louise Penny

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

A Fatal Grace is the second title in Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Armand Gamache cozy mystery series. First published in 2007, it won the 2007 Agatha Award for Best Novel and has been hailed as “a highly intelligent mystery” by Library Journal. The series currently consists of 15 titles, most of which have reached the top of the New York Times Bestseller List. Penny has won multiple awards for the series, including the Anthony (five... Read A Fatal Grace Summary

A First Time for Everything

by Dan Santat

Publication year 2023

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Friendship, Love, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Hope, Joy, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Future, The Past, Self Discovery, Community, Art, Beauty, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Children`s Literature, Romance, Biography, Coming of Age, Travel Literature

... Read A First Time for Everything Summary

A Flicker in the Dark

by Stacy Willingham

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Memory, Love, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Childhood & Youth, Death, The Past, Midlife

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read A Flicker in the Dark Summary

After

by Anna Todd

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Sexual Identity, Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Love & Sexuality, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

After by Anna Todd is a fan fiction romance novel with characters loosely based on the band members from One Direction. The novel principally features the band’s lead singer, Harry Styles, as the inspiration for main character Hardin, and Anna Todd herself as the inspiration behind the protagonist, Tessa. Todd originally wrote After on Wattpad, a social storytelling platform, but it was adapted as a published novel by Simon and Schuster in 2014. After is... Read After Summary

After We Collided

by Anna Todd

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Conflict, Forgiveness, Fathers, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Love & Sexuality, Trauma & Abuse, Relationships, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

... Read After We Collided Summary

A Game of Thrones

by George R. R. Martin

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Loyalty & Betrayal, Love, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Femininity, Grief, Wins & Losses, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Justice, Social Class, War, Economics, Siblings, Mothers, Fathers, Marriage, Family, Daughters & Sons, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Disability, Gender Identity, Birth, Childhood & Youth, Death, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Social Class, Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality, Trauma & Abuse, Grief & Death

A Game of Thrones is a 1996 epic fantasy novel by George R. R. Martin and is the first in his long-running A Song of Ice and Fire series. The novel introduces the audience to the fictional world of Westeros, where characters become embroiled in a complicated web of plots, conspiracies, and betrayals as they pursue power. A Game of Thrones won numerous awards on publication and was adapted for television in 2011. This guide... Read A Game of Thrones Summary

A Heart in a Body in the World

by Deb Caletti

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Gender Identity, Music, Trust & Doubt, Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

A Heart in a Body in the World is a young adult novel by Deb Caletti, published in 2018. The novel is a work of contemporary realism and is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book.Other work by this author includes the novel, Honey, Baby, Sweetheart.Plot SummaryThe novel follows the story of Annabelle Agnelli, a high school senior living with her mother Gina and her brother Malcolm in Seattle, Washington. Annabelle is a talented cross-country runner... Read A Heart in a Body in the World Summary

A House for Mr. Biswas

by V. S. Naipaul

Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Revenge, Birth, Mental Health, Aging, The Past, Death, Childhood & Youth, Midlife, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Marriage, Religion & Spirituality, Fate, Equality, Power & Greed, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Self Discovery, Literature, Economics

Tags Historical Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Poverty, Finance, Depression & Suicide, Social Class, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

A House for Mr. Biswas is a 1961 historical fiction novel by V. S. Naipaul. The story takes a postcolonial perspective of the life of a Hindu Indian man in British-owned and occupied Trinidad. Now regarded as one of Naipaul's most significant novels, A House for Mr. Biswas has won numerous awards and has been adapted as a musical, a radio drama, and a television show. Naipaul is also known for the works The Mimic... Read A House for Mr. Biswas Summary

Al Capone Shines My Shoes

by Gennifer Choldenko

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Disability, Siblings, Fame, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Disability, Realistic Fiction, World History

Al Capone Shines My Shoes (2009) is the second book in Gennifer Choldenko’s Tales from Alcatraz series. The novel is set on the prison island of Alcatraz during the height of the Great Depression. The protagonist and narrator is 12-year-old Matthew “Moose” Flanagan, whose father works as a guard and electrician at the notorious prison. When Moose receives a note from Al Capone, a famous gangster and prisoner of Alcatraz, he finds himself caught up... Read Al Capone Shines My Shoes Summary

All Her Little Secrets

by Wanda M. Morris

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Appearance & Reality, Femininity, Race, Mental Health, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Shame & Pride

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read All Her Little Secrets Summary

All the Glimmering Stars

by Mark Sullivan

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Food, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Globalization, Nation, War, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Historical Fiction

... Read All the Glimmering Stars Summary

All the Water in the World

by Eiren Caffall

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Climate, Environment, Food, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Art, Beauty, Equality, Justice, Literature, Music, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt

Tags Science Fiction

... Read All the Water in the World Summary