In this edition of Bookmark This! we revisit Valentine’s Day with libraries you’ll love, woke ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day, and the reemergence of the rom-com as a new type of story.

Fall in love…

With one of these libraries. Hint: you can get to two of them on the 6 train.

Abbey Library of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Image Courtesy of Mental Floss

Pop Sonnets

To read your favorite contemporary(ish) love songs as the Bard would have versified them, check outPop Sonnets. Unfortunately, no new pop sonnets have been released lately. But, in good news – you can check outthe bookor test out anonline sonnet generator to make your own.

Courtesy of Pop Sonnets

Rom-coms, skewed

Ever wonder why you haven’t seen any movies lately starring a quirky and adorable Meg Ryan look-alike falling desperately in love with a debonair business mogul, single parent, and/or inspired artist? This article would argue thatthey’re still coming out but they’re turning conventionson their head, this article explains that they’ve been financially drivento longform on the small screen, and this article explores somerecent romcoms whose diversitylets the films tell a narrative that goes beyond the cotton candy fluff of bygone romcoms.

Pick-up lines never quite right?

One of these literary lines might have more success.

Courtesy of BookBub

And on a romantic note…

If those pick-up lines didn’t work, you could go with one of the most romantic lines from literature instead.

Courtesy of Hitched

Write what you know

These authors met, fell in love, and continued to be authors whether their relationships with each other became legend or tragedy. Or find more literary power couples here: seems there’s something to be said about authors whose partners are other authors.

Nick Laird and Zadie Smith
Courtesy of the Huffington Post

Fairy tale tropes

When Disney princesses collide in the rap battle below, the conventions behind their fairy tales come to light.

Woke Valentine’s

The arguments against Valentine’s day are numerous: it’s a commercial holiday, it’s inherently sexist, it’s exclusionary, and more. So if you’re going to celebrate, be woke! Whether yougo see a performanceofThe Vagina Monologuesor givea socially aware gift(the first is a bit ridiculous, but reasonable suggestions follow) to your significant other, you can celebrate Valentine’s Day in a way that makes you feel good about yourself (even if you’re against it as a holiday, broadly speaking). Or you can make it your own by getting someone a bookish Valentinethat will last.

Courtesy of Tatyana Fazlalizadeh

Swoons ahead

Valentine’s Day is a day for romance. You’re in luck: there are plenty of romance novels to choose from. You could start with this list of the best romance books from 2017. Or, if you’re a seasoned romance novel reader, you can think about where romance will go from here.

No matter what you do, have a great day today!