Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry

Top Ten Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

I am not too fond of this week’s topic. I don’t read very many books that make me cry. There have been times when certain moments in books have made me cry, but those moments don’t come around very often. So, with all that said, my list this week is kind of short. Here it is:

1. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom: I love Mitch Albom. He has a knack for writing inspirational stories that move the soul. Tuesdays With Morrie is one of my absolute favorite books. I loved reading about Morrie’s story. Yes, it’s a sad story, but that sadness isn’t without hope. Morrie’s impact on the lives of others is something that’s special and shows just how deep human connection can go. 
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: This is a truly special book. Told from the perspective of Death, The Book Thief captures all of the complicated facets of human nature and the pure intensity of human emotion. It’s a story about a girl who, when living in times of desperation and fear in Nazi Germany, can’t help but steal books to help her cope with the reality around her. It’s a story of fear, strength, love, family, and survival. It’s one of the best, most realistic books I’ve ever read. 
3. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold: The Lovely Bones is such an intense read on so many levels. It’s about a girl who is brutally murdered and then watches from Heaven as her family tries to solve her murder, find closure, and move on with their lives. Does it get more heartbreaking than that? With so many elements of human nature at play, The Lovely Bones explores so many areas of human emotion: fear, loss, confusion, loneliness, anger, love, hope…the list goes on. Witnessing the intense experiences the characters in this book endure is sure to bring a tear to your eye. 
4. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: I know this is a great love story, but I also think it’s kind of heartbreaking. Clare spends her whole life loving and waiting for Henry. Then, when she finally gets him, she constantly wonders if he will time travel away from her. When Henry finally does time travel–and he always does end up traveling, usually at the most inconvenient times–Clare is forced to wonder if he will return to her. This constant uncertainty is what makes Clare and Henry’s romance so sad for me. Claire never knows if or when the love of her life will return to her. I can’t imagine living through that; it would tear me apart. 
5. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen: I loved this books for so many reasons. It’s a book that has a little bit of everything; it has romance, humor, suspense, and tragedy. For me, Rosie’s role in the story is one of the things that made the book so emotional. She is what gave the book character. And, the moments where she and others faced August’s brutality were the saddest moments to read. 
6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling: I just had to include this one. I’m a product of the Harry Potter generation…what can I say? Anyway, I’m including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows not because of all the beloved characters who died, but because this book marked the end of an era. Coming to the realization that the series was finally over was like saying goodbye to some of my best-loved friends and closing a chapter of my life. It was a bittersweet moment. 
7. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan: This one will only makes sense to those who have read the Percy Jackson series and the Heroes of Olympus series. I won’t give any of the details away, but the ending to this book was heartbreaking for me. It’s one of those moments when the author decides to rip your heart out and crush your soul, and all you can do is think, “Why are you doing this to me?!” Okay, I’m being a little dramatic, but it was still really sad and definitely a tearjerking moment.

And, that’s all of the tearjerking books I can think of. I realize many of them aren’t really books that made me cry; mostly, they are books that I thought were emotional reads. Anyway, since I don’t have a complete ten, I’m going to finish off this week’s list with three books from my To Be Read list that I’ve heard will make me cry.

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 
2. Marley and Me by John Grogan 
3. Endangered by Eliot Schrefer

There you have it. Which books made your list?