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.

Water Moon

by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hope, Joy, Love, Memory, Regret, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance

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Weedflower

by Cynthia Kadohata

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Justice, Race, Shame & Pride, Loneliness, Family, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Equality, Fear, War

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Military & War, World History, Japanese Literature, Arts & Culture, World War II, Coming of Age

Weedflower, Cynthia Kadohata’s 2006 historical fiction young adult novel, tells the story of 12-year-old Japanese American Sumiko amid Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and the US government’s ensuing involvement in World War II. Kadohata depicts the conditions of Japanese internment camps from Sumiko’s perspective, providing unique insight and education on the racism that Japanese Americans faced and the US government’s poor decisions.This guide references the 2009 paperback reprint edition from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.Plot... Read Weedflower Summary

We Used to Live Here

by Marcus Kliewer

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Memory, Mental Health, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Place, Self Discovery, Fate, Good & Evil, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, LGBTQ+, Religion & Spirituality, Horror & Suspense

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We Were the Mulvaneys

by Joyce Carol Oates

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Trust & Doubt

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Classic Fiction

We Were the Mulvaneys is a novel by American writer Joyce Carol Oates, originally published in the US in 1996. Set largely in the rural Northeastern United States in the 1970s, this story deals with the myth of the ideal American family and the ruinous effects it can have when real-life events threaten the appearance of familial unity. After having been featured as an Oprah Book Club selection in January 2001, the novel became a... Read We Were the Mulvaneys Summary

What Comes After

by JoAnne Tompkins

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Family, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction

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What Moves the Dead

by T. Kingfisher

Publication year 2022

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Gender Identity, Death, Plants, Place, Social Class, War, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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What She Knew

by Gilly Macmillan

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

What She Knew is the debut novel of British author Gilly Macmillan. First published in 2015, it was a New York Times best-selling mystery novel, nominated for both an Edgar Award and an International Thriller Writers award. Subsequent works by Macmillan feature the cast of Bristol detectives introduced in What She Knew. Titles include The Perfect Girl, Odd Child Out, I Know You Know, and The Nanny. Macmillan’s novels have been translated into more than... Read What She Knew Summary

What We Did to Survive

by Megan Lally

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Horror & Suspense

Megan Lally’s What We Did to Survive (2026) is a young-adult thriller that transforms a picture-perfect spring-break vacation into a harrowing fight for survival. The novel follows high-school senior Hannah, who joins her best friend Emmy’s family for a trip to a luxury resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. When Emmy’s wealthy new vacation boyfriend charters a private sailboat for their last day, Hannah and Emmy’s brother, Jackson, are brought along, but a brewing storm and... Read What We Did to Survive Summary

Where the Library Hides

by Isabel Ibañez

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Future, The Past, Place, Family, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Economics, Globalization, Politics & Government, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History

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White Bird

by R. J. Palacio

Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Disability, Death, Safety & Danger, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Friendship, Memory, The Past, Fear, Family, War, Grief, Conflict, Fathers, Justice, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Trust & Doubt, Hope, Gratitude, Loneliness, Loyalty & Betrayal, Appearance & Reality, Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Dramatic Literature, World War II, Holocaust, Military & War, World History

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Who Moved My Cheese?

by Spencer Johnson

Publication year 1998

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Fear, Appearance & Reality, Trust & Doubt

Tags Self-Improvement, Business & Economics, Leadership, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, MD, is an inspirational advice book on how people and businesses can respond to changing times and situations by learning how to adapt quickly and successfully. The book centers on a parable about two mice and two people who live in a maze and search for cheese—the things each wants in life—and what happens when the cheese they’ve been enjoying disappears. First published in 1998, the book proved... Read Who Moved My Cheese? Summary

Wings of Starlight

by Allison Saft

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Guilt, Hope, Joy, Love, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Friendship, Teamwork, Community, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale & Folklore

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