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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

arts

Fall in love with romance novels this Valentine's Day

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Happy Valentine’s Day, bookworms. Welcome to chapter 25 of the book column. Reading a book might not be considered a traditional way to spend your Valentine’s Day, but as "anti- Valentine’s Day" traditions become more popular, a book may be just what the love doctor calls for this year. 

Romance novels often carry the negative connotations that they are written by lonely, middle-aged women and are highly erotic. However, there are many different types of romance novels and love stories. 

Some of my favorite love stories and popular novels work perfectly for a relaxed, anti-Valentine’s Day. 

While author John Green is not a favorite in my books, he does write popular young-adult novels that are almost exclusively love stories.

Green's books allow you to follow his character Hazel and Augustus as they fall in love despite the tribulations of life-threatening diseases in "The Fault in Our Stars." If that's not your cup of tea, you can also wonder what happened to the main character's long-term crush Alaska in "Looking for Alaska."

Both novels prove John Green has cornered the market on teen romance.

His books are on the shorter side, so they would be easy to finish within a few days of Valentine's Day. 

John Green is a contemporary author, but not all love stories have to come from modern novels. Classics also contain great romantic plot lines. Stories that most people know, like “The Great Gatsby,” “Pride and Prejudice" and “Little Women” all contain heart-warming love stories. 

These classics are some of my favorites, and they should be on your reading list, too. 

While classics and John Green offer alternatives to traditional romance novels, that doesn’t mean readers should rule out the stories everyone thinks of when they hear “love story.” 

Pop-culture phenomenons such as “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “Twilight” are popular romance novels. While many brush them to the side, romance isn’t the only genre they cover. Both stories have an aura of mystery to them that carry on throughout their respective series.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” and “Twilight” are movie franchises as well. Don’t have time to finish a book next week? Watch the movie. It’s a great option for a "Galentine’s Day" party with your friends. 

These books could be enjoyed as a community, too. Have a group of friends read the same romance novel, then host a book club meeting Feb. 14 for another "Galentine's Day" celebration. 

If book lovers aren’t looking for alternatives to traditional Valentine’s Day plans, don’t fear, books could still play a role in the special day. Romance novels and love stories make great gift ideas on Valentine’s Day. 

The lover's holiday is looming near, so grab the perfect love story to enjoy or to gift soon. 

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