Some piteous emotions turning up in books (5)
I believe the answer is:
tomes
'books' is the definition.
(tome is a kind of book)
'some piteous emotions turning up' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates a hidden word (some of the parts of the word are used).
'turning up' is a reversal indicator.
'semot' is hidden in the letters of 'piteous emotions'.
'semot' back-to-front is 'TOMES'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for tomes that I've seen before include "Weighty books" , "works" , "Big books" , "Large scholarly books" .)