This week our topic was suggested by Kathy from I Read, I Write, I Review, she wanted to know what some of the books that have made us cry are. Now, I have made it pretty clear to anyone who talks to me on Twitter or reads my contemporary reviews that my emotions are pretty much a hot mess. I often find myself crying at the most random thing, from a sweet commercial to a sad movie, anything can spark my tear ducts to start leaking. I used to be able to reign it in a bit more but it seems that ever since I popped out my kids my hormones (and emotions) have just gone haywire.
A lot of people would think that I would be embarrassed by this or that it would be something I tried not to talk about but nope, I love me a good cry, I really do! After something, such as one of the books mentioned below, touches me and brings out all my emotions I feel so refreshed after that I had let everything out. Maybe when the tears do come I let out some tears that I have been holding in for other things in my life and that's why it feels so good, who knows, but it does! So here are some books that made my eyes leak (click the cover to read my review):
Yes, one of the books that got me going was a zombie book (laughs at self.) But anyway, all of these touched me in an extremely emotional way and they are all books that I am quick to recommend in any book related conversation. This Is Not A Test got me because of Sloane's family history and the memories that she looked back on throughout. What Happens Next and If You Find Me dealt heavily with rape and dealing with the aftermath, which is always something I find very hard to read. Before I Fall touched me so immensely because of the transformation that the MC goes through and the way all the threads of the day come together in the end. And If I Stay and Where She Went were just amazing all around. In If I Stay I was wrecked over Mia's dilemma and the position that her mind was in whereas Where She Went had me reeling over Adam's heartbreak. All of these novels are ones that you should have read by now, and if you haven't they should definitely be on your TBR.
So what are some books that made your eyes leak?
Zombie books can break your heart as easily as contemporaries can! The book that made me curl on the floor and sob more than any other was Feed by Mira Grant. And then Deadline. Such a cruel woman, our Mira. And then there was, of course, The Clockwork Princess and The Book Thief and Between Shades of Gray. If You Find Me made me cry, but mostly I just wanted to throw up, exactly like most of the characters.
ReplyDeleteOh, and let's not forget Froi of the Exiles. That one almost killed me. :)
I'll have to finally finish This Is Not a Test. I've had a copy for ages.
Thanks for sharing!
I have only read If I Stay and Where She Went out of these and I did cry. I'm pretty sure I will bawl my eyes out while reading Flawed, especially without the HEA. I'm planning on reading TFiOS soon and people have been warning me to get myself a box of tissues ready. I'm scared, but excited too. I cried while reading Pushing the Limits, Slammed series (especially Point of Retreat - I've re-read #5 times and it's still one of the worst cry books ever for me), The Sea of Tranquility etc etc etc. It's not hard to make me cry. I know Virgos are a little more sensitive than the others lol so it's probably my excuse, ha.
ReplyDeleteGirl, my emotions are a hot mess too. We have that in common. I cried every other page during If You Find Me, but I didn't cry at all during This is Not a Test. The rest I have not read yet. But I DO cry a lot. OMG Stormdancer (which I know you didn't like) made me sob like a looney tune at the end. I'd rather NOT cry, to be honest, but I'd rather feel emotion than not when reading. :D
ReplyDeleteJenni, I completely agree with you! Some people scoff at the idea that zombie/supernatural books can start the downpour, but I think that sometimes they encourage tears more so than heartfelt contemporaries. OMG, yes Feed made me bawl so much. So did If I Stay! I was a mess for like a month after reading Forman. Boy, does she know how to make a girl resort to Ben & Jerry's. All them feeels. :') Another book that left me in a tizzy and made me cry is The Fault in Our Stars. I know, I know an expected pick but gosh Augustus Waters. :( <3 This sounds a bit weird but I feel like crying because of a book is so much more powerful and sad compared to when it's because of a movie. It's amazing how much a few words can move you! Nice post, Jenni! <3
ReplyDeleteFlawed is on my list too!! I have a few paranormal books on my list also, not just contemporaries. I am an overly sensitive emotional mess too haha! I cry at like everything. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm trying to cut down my list to books that made me go through like an entire box of tissues though, not ones that had calm tears. That happens all the time. Lol!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes, I pick tear jerkers just so I can cry- weird but I like crying about books- especially if they were SO good. If I were to make a list, The Book Thief By Markus Zusak would be right at the top. It was just- URGH. I recommend you read it if you haven't yet.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Jenni! I love this topic. <33
There is nothing wrong with a little crying, even though I am far from pretty when I cry, well according to my kids. lol If You Find Me, and Forman's books were ones that really got to me too. I am guessing that I really need to pick up This is Not A Test, and Before I Fall though. Must do that soon. I even have Flawed, and haven't read it yet. *runs and hides* Great post!!!
ReplyDeleteI´ve read and loved If I Stay and Where She Went and I cried a lot.
ReplyDeleteI also cried like a baby with. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa, Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry, Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead and Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer
I knew What Happens Next would be on this list!! I think this is the book that bonded us as Contemporary Soulmates. Flawed broke my heart, too. I still need to read my copies of Where She Went and If I Stayed. I think I'm just prèoaribg myself for major tears. Another series that made me cry my eyes out was the Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready.
ReplyDeleteThese books!! I'm one of those people that starts tearing up at the slightest mention of a book that made me cry. (so you can only imagine what I'm doing now - but all of these have made me cry. Well, except Flawed - i haven't read that one yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd I always have to add TFIOS in on these lists now - no matter how cliche it is, it's such an incredible book and so sad, but not in a bad way...
I cried so much during Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. That book hit close to home. That's the only book I can think of that I cried while reading. I tend to stay away from books with more depressing topics. Great post :)
ReplyDeleteI was also very touched by This is not a test. I can't wait to read If you find me, Before I fall and If I stay.
ReplyDeleteFlawed and If You Find Me definitely brought out the waterworks in me. I cry at randoms a lot too most recently The Princess and the Frog's ending.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about the Gayle Forman books! They made me cry buckets and I was in public when I read them. On airplanes and boats and stuff as I traveled last summer. I was always the girl with her nise stuck in a book and tears running down her face. All while trying not to make an ugly crying face!
ReplyDeleteI love a book that can make me feel so much that I cry. This Is Not A Test is one of my favorite books. I know I felt really sorry for Sloane and her family life, but I can't remember if I cried. If I Stay got me good. I haven't read Where She Went yet because I know it'll do the same (it's also the last book, and if I read it then Mai and Adam's story will be done). Before I Die probably made me cry more than any other book I've ever read. I was crying throughout the last five chapters at least. Pretty much any story with a character or MC that is chronically ill will get me.
ReplyDeleteTiger's Curse series by Colleen Houck made me cry as well as The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare.
ReplyDeleteI've read all of these except Flawed and This Is Not a Test, and none of them made me cry...What Happens Next probably came the closest. The adult books that have made me cry in recent memory are The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey and Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls by Mary Downing Hahn. But it's the sad children's books that usually get me the most... I read Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy for the first time as an adult, and I bawled.
ReplyDeleteCool, you decided to do this topic. :) Anyway... Books that have made me cry. (Can't find the list I did for it, so this is off the top of my head...)
ReplyDelete-- This Is Not A Test (agree with you on that)
-- The Sky Is Everywhere (I was convinced of something here and I was devastated for part of it.)
-- The Hunger Games (One word: Rue)
-- Tiger's Curse (That freaking ending! Gah!)
-- The Fault In Our Stars (Read it a week after my grandma was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. I saw these tears coming a mile away.)
-- Shadow Kiss (I think I went through half a box of Kleenex?)
Genre isn't a deciding factor for me. (Possibly because I write paranormal / urban fantasy?) If I believe in the characters, believing in their pain comes naturally to me. I will admit two things here: (1) Sometimes I'll find a book so intense that I have to walk away from it and come back after reading something else. and (2) Sometimes I'm a total wuss and I'll check to make sure I'm getting a happy ending before I start a book. There are just times when I *need* that and if a book doesn't give that to me during those I get cranky. An author can take me on any journey under the sun and I'll gladly go so long as I know it'll turn out alright.
The only ones I’ve read are This is not a Test and Before I Fall, although neither of them made me cry. Not even close. I guess I’m the heartless one!
ReplyDeleteI am very hard to cry about books, movies and TV shows though mostly because I feel silly. There are a few that have made me cry though…
What Happen Next, If I Stay, Where She Went, and Find Me are all excellent stories that made me cry as well, Jenni. I was glad they all were positive overall and left me with good feelings in the end! Excellent post. :)
ReplyDeletemy god.. don't even.. every time I remember If I Stay, I just feel like crying.. that book had me crying at page 15 (I even remember the page number! that car scene.. ugh *cries*). Other books I cried were Harry Potter (4,5,6,7) < yup all of them. Sever by Lauren DeStefano (still pissed about that), and even Heartbreak River by Tricia Mills
ReplyDelete- Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf
Yes I also cried at Before I Fall and If I Stay & Where She Went. I haven't read the others but some tear jerkers for me were Harry Potter, Delirium, The Time Traveler's Wife, Clockwork Princess, Shade & Shift.
ReplyDeleteI know I bring this book up ALL THE TIME, but Second Chance Summer ... made me BAWL!
ReplyDeleteI know I'm not exactly the contemporary queen but a lot of the ones you mentioned there are one my long-term reading list (lol), especially If I Stay. As for books that have made me bawl, there's Harry Potter (books 5, 6 & 7), Liesl & Po, Mistborn and Days of Blood & Starlight. Like you, I can cry at the drop of the hat - like a cheesy commercial or random moment that does nothing for anyone else!! You definitely do feel so refreshed and cleansed after a good cry though :)
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