Honestly, I’m not a person that often cries when reading books. Maybe it’s just because I read so many books? It just doesn’t happen very often. So, when someone asks “What books made you cry?” I struggle. Movies and TV shows? Easy. Books are just different for me, I guess. But there is a list! It just might not be the books that you’re expecting.
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Made You Cry
In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner
Honestly, if anyone was going to make the list, it’s going to be Jeff Zentner. He’s quite honestly the king of writing sad YA books. His most recent, In the Wild Light, is partly a book about processing grief after the death of a loved one. It just hit home at the time I was reading it, and is one that will continuously hit those cords.
This is not a recent read for me, but the end of this book always leaves me a mess. I think it’s because I’m an older sister, and that ending just gets me. Katniss’s grief gets me. If I were to read it again today, I’d probably still be the same mess I was when I first read it.
Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt
Maybe this is cheating because this book hasn’t come out yet, but I’m still including it. Was it a full on cry? No, but there were moments in this book where I definitely teared up because it felt so relatable to me. Wren felt so relatable to me, and I’m so glad he exists for other teenagers.
Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
I distinctly remember the first time I read this book, almost staying up the whole night to finish it. Overall, this is not a sad book, but the feels! Especially towards the end. Henry is one of those characters that I just love more and more each time I read the book, and I really feel for him by the end of the book.
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Honestly, if you really want to get me to cry in a book, kill off someone’s pet. I guess I can read other character deaths all day long, but a pet? Instant tears. Probably because I love my cats nearly and dearly and can’t imagine my life without them, and those deaths just hit the hardest.
I’m struggling for another reason completely.. I keep crying at everything! 😂 for happy, sad, you name it I cry. IRL too 😳 graduation, wedding, pregnancy announcement .. I so need to read RWRB! Ive loved One last stop from them, and I heard so many good of that one.
Oh no!! Haha. That’s definitely a real struggle! And yes, read RWRB! One Last Stop is also amazing, though, definitely in my top!