Books
Do you believe in true love? Fate? Destiny? Love at first sight? With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, love is certainly in the air. It’s time to dust off your inner romantic, and do a little reading on that special something that makes the heart tick.
Literature has always shown us that true love can be magical, and it can be quotidian. Readers have seen true love exist in the smallest parts of life, as well as in the grand romantic gestures. In literature, true love can move the earth and stars, and it can withstand the most intense obstacles. Every time you read about true love, you get the chance to discover something new about yourself and the way that you bring love into this world.
But books have also asked a lot of important questions about love. What makes love true love? And, where does love come from? Love is not always straight forward, and there are many books out there that challenge our perceptions of what true love really means.
So, let’s get our swoon on. Here are 11 books that have their own special take on true love, perfect to read on Valentine’s Day 2018:
'The Love That Split the World' by Emily Henry
Described as Friday Night Lights meets The Time Traveler's Wife, this book has a little magic, a little adventure, and a lot of love. When small-town Kentucky girl Natalie Cleary starts to see strange things, a mysterious apparition tells her she has "three months to save him." The next night, she meets a boy named Beau, and falls instantly in love. Now everything is on the line.
'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman
OK, if you want a little farse in your life, you've got to pick up this classic. The Princess Bride is a zany, hilarious, unforgettable adventure story, but it actually spends a lot of time poking fun at true love — and the ridiculous things we do in its name.
'The Sun Is Also A Star' by Nicola Yoon
This stunning YA novel makes a scientific argument for love at first sight and fate through the story of two New York teens — one, a Jamaican immigrant set to be deported; the other, the American-born child of Korean immigrants — who fall in love over the course of one day.
'Wild Beauty' by Anna-Marie McLemore
In the lush gardens of a beautiful estate lives the Estrella women, all of whom are cursed. Any person they fall in love with will vanish, the legend says.. But when a mysterious boy appears in the gardens, everything changes.
'The Raven Boys' by Maggie Stiefvater
This four-book series centers on Blue, a girl who has grown up knowing that if she kisses her true love, he will die. So when she gets wrapped up with a group of boarding school boys — the Raven Boys — and their quest for an ancient Welsh king, everything becomes hopelessly, thrillingly tangled.
'Ali and Nino' by Kurban Said
This underappreciated classic tells the story of two people whose love conquers every imaginable obstacle. Set in Azerbaijan, Ali is a Muslim schoolboy from an aristocratic family, and Nino is a Christian girl. When they fall for each other, their love must withstand the pressures of cultural differences, and the dangers of war.
'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' by Milan Kundera
This beautiful book asks a lot of questions about love: Is it meant to be, or did it just happen by coincidence? This is perfect if you're in the mood for an intellectual exploration of love, fate, and everything in-between.
'The History of Love' by Nicole Krauss
In this beautiful read, a book ties together two people who have lost each other across time, distance, and generations. This is a lovely exploration of love and the remarkable ways it can endure.
'The Passion' by Jeanette Winterson
Set against the backdrop of magical Venice during the Napoleonic Wars, this story about a French soldier and the daughter of a Venetian boatman whose destinies become intertwined is hopelessly romantic.
'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman
In this fantasy adventure, a star falls from the sky in the shape of a girl and gets mixed up with Tristan, a boy from a small town determined to bring her back to the mortal world as a present for his crush. Pirates, witches, royal feuds, and more populate this original fairy tale, told only as Gaiman can.
'Everything Leads to You' by Nina LaCour
Film is at the heart of this beautiful love story. Set designer Emi is at the start of her Hollywood career, and would label her love life as A Mess. But when a mysterious letter leads her to Ava, her world is turned upside down in the best of ways.
