The book I finished this week that made me cry was HONEY by Victor Lodato. I loved this book, the audio is fantastic, one of my favorite audios of the year. Honey is an 82 year old spitfire who narrates the entire story. She's the daughter of a mobster and she quite literally knows where some bodies are buried. I laughed so much throughout but I also cried - while driving which is never easy but I was unprepared for the emotions. I told my mom about it and now she's reading it and also loving.
Other favorites that made me cry-- You already know I'm going to say A LITTLE LIFE by Hanya Yanagihara which led to 90 min of sobbing, THE BRIGHT HOUR by Nina Riggs, THE HEART'S INVISIBLE FURIES by John Boyne, MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb, ONE DAY by David Nicholls, WE ARE THE LIGHT by Matthew Quick, THE BOOK THIEF by Marcus Zuzak, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein, THE SUN DOES SHINE by Anthony Ray Hinton. Two other books that have made me cry this year are THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb and THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans
I have Honey on my Audible wish list. I keep going back-and-forth between that book and another to use my credit for this month. I think I’ll definitely go with Honey.
I cried all through WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR. I was listening to you and Tina talk last nite, when u were talking about it, I almost started crying just thinking about it!
I have a copy of HONEY coming and am looking forward to it.
Oh, that's one of my favorite reading joys too!! Off the top of my head, my favorites that made me cry are THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy, WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR by Paul Kalanithi, and LOVED AND MISSED by Susie Boyt. I can't wait to see what others people have!
I just finished WHO IS MAUD DIXON? and was underwhelmed. But now I'm reading HOWARDS END by EM Forster and British lit is perfect for this fall-like weather we're having! 🍂
Loved and Missed is on my tbr, I really want to get to that before the end of the year. When Breath Becomes Air is an all time favorite of mine too. Funny you mentioned The Road, someone just dropped that off in my little free library and I grabbed it. British lit for the fall does sound perfect
I’m not much of a crier when I read, but I absolutely wept reading The Book Thief- more than once, and during rereads! I also cried at the end of The Help. And while I’m not sure I cried, The Road kept me up at night. It absolutely wrecked me.
I finished DISAPPOINT ME this week and loved it. It was so much more than I expected. Still debating, but it was possibly 5⭐️s!
Someday I'll reread The Book thief, what a gem that book is. I remember being consumed by it. I wish I was consumed by every book I read haha. Glad Disappoint Me was a winner for you, I feel like you've had some great reads over the last couple months- do you feel like your quality of reads has been high lately?
My reading this year has been leaps and bounds better than last year! But I’ve also DNF’d White crazy! I also remembered yesterday browsing an independent bookstore in Charlotte, North Carolina. I left a book off my list of books that made me cry. WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS is another one.
I did! I recently heard both Liz, Hein, Murray, and Jason Blitman recommend WHEN CRANES FLY SOUTH on separate podcasts. I’ve never seen or heard of it otherwise and it was the very first book I saw when we walked in to the bookstore. And coincidentally, they both talked about how much it made them cry!
It's funny but the last book that made me cry was THE CORRESPONDENT. The author definitely has the writing magic cause I abhor epistolatory novels (only read this because I succumbed to the hype!) and she still made me sob like a dramatic pre-teen! It would've been a 5 star if a traditional narrative. I just saw a very interesting new title that I got all excited about until the dreaded told through letters!!! UGH (If you are wondering, it is Happy New Years by Maya Arad (translated from the Hebrew). Even my beloved books in translation! ACK!!!
I typically avoid epistolatory novels just because that structure hasn't worked for me in the past, but The Correspondent was so wonderful I'm thinking it's broken my knee jerk reaction to avoid that structure, we shall see. Are you still going to give Happy New Years a try?
I have it in my cart so maybe. I am traveling out of state this week and will be visiting 2 new to me bookstores. I like to buy something if I can and am not of anything I’d want/need. So if they had it, I’d take that as a sign!😊
BTW, about 100 pages into Honey and am loving it! Although you and are not book twins, I know that when one of your recommendations sounds interesting to me…it usually really is!!😉
Safe travels during your trip and have a great time bookstore browsing! I'm thrilled to hear you're loving Honey, her voice is so strong, she carried that story brilliantly
I definitely cried in A LITTLE LIFE by Hanya Yanagihara, but not in the parts you might assume.
Current read: TRUE GRIT by Charles Portis. Largely because someone on substack, I think Samantha Irby, said it was better than LONESOME DOVE. And I read LONESOME DOVE earlier this summer and it made its way into my all-time top 5! True Grit, 88 pages in, doesn’t hold a candle to Lonesome Dove but I’ll still finish it.
100/10 recommend Lonesome Dove! And I will shout this from the rooftops to anyone who will listen! It was never on my TBR list. I have no interest in “westerns” (despite being from Texas and having cattle ranchers in my family). It’s everyone’s dad’s favorite book (making it even less attractive). I was 3 years old when it won the Pulitzer. It felt irrelevant.
And yet, it has railroaded its way into my soul and my top 5 books of all time ever.
I too am planning a big sampling weekend. Let’s hope we both land on a five star or two.
I most recently cried my eyes out while reading The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman. What a gut punch of a novel. My second by her (What She Left Behind) and both blew me away.
Maaany! The last one that made me cry was ATMOSPHERE, also THE CORRESPONDENT and WILD DARK SHORE. I cry very easily, but I mostly read crime, otherwise I'd probably cry with every book 😂
Oh wow, I’m adding LONESOME DOVE and HONEY to my tbr. I would have to say THE CORRESPONDENT was the last book that brought me to tears, another one off the top of my head is WINTER GARDEN by Kristin Hannah. I’m currently reading THESE SUMMER STORMS by Sarah MacLean, a family saga and complicated relationships, a good read for Labor Day weekend!
Happy Saturday! Renee I missed you so much on the threads while you were gone! So happy you had a great rejuvenation period though!
Books that made me cry:
1. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (I absolutely loved this love story and was even happy with the movie adaptation!)
2. THE NIGHTINGALE (because of course)
3. SHARK HEART (this book was so unexpected and touching to me.)
4. THE LOVE OF MY LIFE by Rosie Walsh (I think this is an underrated gem and another unexpected book for me.)
5. CASTLE OF WATER (your fault Renee for recommending 😂 my husband was also crying on the front porch when he read it!)
6. MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE ( I had to pay homage to my 21 year old self reading this when it published and crying on my parents couch. I remember loving Nicholas Sparks in those days and it is a good memory for me.)
I am currently reading MY FRIENDS for my neighborhood book club. I am not sure Fredrik Backman is for me. I know that is a wildly unpopular opinion but I think the banter and writing style at times gets to me. I enjoyed A MAN CALLED OVE but that is the only one by him I really liked that I have tried. I am also reading BITTER SWEET by Hattie Williams and loving it so far. Next up ISOLA for book club. Has anyone read that yet? Also if anyone had good Spooky season recs I am here for it! So loving this weather! Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone! 🤗📚
Thanks Ashley, I'm happy to be back and chatting books with everyone. I totally forgot about Castle of Water! Yes, total tear jerker, I loved that book so much and will reread it again someday. I've never read The Time Traveler's Wife, I think because I watched the movie and figured I knew the story--but I completely forget the movie so maybe I'll read the book someday:) It makes a lot of books that made me cry lists so I'd like to find out if it would make me cry too. I dnfed My Friends, I don't vibe with Backman's writing overall, although I did love Beartwon, that's the only book of his I've liked
I don’t think I vibe with it either. My Friends is picking up a bit today but he may be a one hit wonder for me although my friend told me last night I should try Anxious People. Did you ever try that one?
I also only liked Beartown and Ove by him. I really liked the ending of Anxious People but not the majority of the book. Other than the two I loved his writing feels gimmicky to me.
Definitely THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURY and ONE DAY are two books from the past that popped in my mind. Most recently, TRESPASSES and THE BUDAH IN THE ATTIC that made me cry in the past two weeks. My current reads are DERAILED BY JAMES SIEGEL a best seller from 2003. And, DOMINION BY ADDIE E CITCHEN. I am anxiously awaiting for the release of THE HALLMARK MAN BY ROBERT GAIBRAITH on Tuesday. I
I read Derailed in 2013 and really enjoyed it. I think it was also made into a movie with Jennifer Anniston but not surprisingly the book is much better
I am not much for crying when reading but I am sad at times. A few that come to mind are LOVING FRANK by Nancy Horan, BLACK AND BLUE and EVERY LAST ONE both by Anna Quindlen, THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE by David Wroblewski, and HAMMET by Maggie O’Farrell.
I recently read ISOLA by Allegra Goodman, and really liked it! The long middle section is excellent. The writing is so good and I was invested in the outcome.
I forgot about Hamnet but that could've made my list too. I've seen Loving Frank show up on other lists of books that are tear jerkers, maybe I need to read it:) I would really like to get to Isola before the end of the year, I'm glad to hear you not only liked it but the middle section was so good, often that's the place in a book that can drag
I have to admit it takes a lot for a book to make me cry but I sobbed until late in the night when finishing We Begin At the End. Also I was so beside myself while reading Dear Edward at the hairdressers that I didn’t have the nerve to go back for another appointment! I just finished Life and Death and Giants (Ron Rindo) last week - no actual tears but a huge lump in my throat.
The list of books that made me cry would be very long so I thought I would narrow it down to books that made me sob.. most of Kristin Hannah, 28 SUMMERS, THE LOVELY BONES, MY SISTER’S KEEPER (I was reading this at work a million years ago and had to go hide so I could stop crying 😉), BROKEN COUNTRY, THE RIVER IS WAITING, THE BRIGHT YEARS, HELLO BEAUTIFUL, WE ARE THE LIGHT, NOTES ON AN EXECUTION and THE CORRESPONDENT. I can’t remember details but I clearly remember the feeling those books left.
I’m currently reading I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE by Wally Lamb and although I like it, it’s long and heavy and I’m ready to be done with it!
The book I finished this week that made me cry was HONEY by Victor Lodato. I loved this book, the audio is fantastic, one of my favorite audios of the year. Honey is an 82 year old spitfire who narrates the entire story. She's the daughter of a mobster and she quite literally knows where some bodies are buried. I laughed so much throughout but I also cried - while driving which is never easy but I was unprepared for the emotions. I told my mom about it and now she's reading it and also loving.
Other favorites that made me cry-- You already know I'm going to say A LITTLE LIFE by Hanya Yanagihara which led to 90 min of sobbing, THE BRIGHT HOUR by Nina Riggs, THE HEART'S INVISIBLE FURIES by John Boyne, MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb, ONE DAY by David Nicholls, WE ARE THE LIGHT by Matthew Quick, THE BOOK THIEF by Marcus Zuzak, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein, THE SUN DOES SHINE by Anthony Ray Hinton. Two other books that have made me cry this year are THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb and THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans
I have Honey on my Audible wish list. I keep going back-and-forth between that book and another to use my credit for this month. I think I’ll definitely go with Honey.
I think you’ll like it!
I am not a crier but I for sure teared up while reading The Sun Does Shine.
I cried all through WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR. I was listening to you and Tina talk last nite, when u were talking about it, I almost started crying just thinking about it!
I have a copy of HONEY coming and am looking forward to it.
Someday I’ll reread WBBA, it’s almost been 10 years since I first read it and what I mainly remember is his writing was beautiful and I sobbed
I sobbed Michelle!
Oh, that's one of my favorite reading joys too!! Off the top of my head, my favorites that made me cry are THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy, WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR by Paul Kalanithi, and LOVED AND MISSED by Susie Boyt. I can't wait to see what others people have!
I just finished WHO IS MAUD DIXON? and was underwhelmed. But now I'm reading HOWARDS END by EM Forster and British lit is perfect for this fall-like weather we're having! 🍂
Loved and Missed is on my tbr, I really want to get to that before the end of the year. When Breath Becomes Air is an all time favorite of mine too. Funny you mentioned The Road, someone just dropped that off in my little free library and I grabbed it. British lit for the fall does sound perfect
Be prepared for THE ROAD... There are some brutal scenes. Like ones I still can't get out of my mind. I love the book but worth noting 🙃
Thanks for the heads up:)
I just bought Loved and Missed on Pango! Moving it up the list!
I want to get to that one too!
I also cried after WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR!
I’m deep into Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.
I’m not much of a crier when I read, but I absolutely wept reading The Book Thief- more than once, and during rereads! I also cried at the end of The Help. And while I’m not sure I cried, The Road kept me up at night. It absolutely wrecked me.
I finished DISAPPOINT ME this week and loved it. It was so much more than I expected. Still debating, but it was possibly 5⭐️s!
Someday I'll reread The Book thief, what a gem that book is. I remember being consumed by it. I wish I was consumed by every book I read haha. Glad Disappoint Me was a winner for you, I feel like you've had some great reads over the last couple months- do you feel like your quality of reads has been high lately?
My reading this year has been leaps and bounds better than last year! But I’ve also DNF’d White crazy! I also remembered yesterday browsing an independent bookstore in Charlotte, North Carolina. I left a book off my list of books that made me cry. WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS is another one.
Did you find anything good on your bookstore browse?
I did! I recently heard both Liz, Hein, Murray, and Jason Blitman recommend WHEN CRANES FLY SOUTH on separate podcasts. I’ve never seen or heard of it otherwise and it was the very first book I saw when we walked in to the bookstore. And coincidentally, they both talked about how much it made them cry!
You’ll have to let me know what you think, I’ve had an audio of that but it hasn’t felt like the right time in the summer to dive into it.
It's funny but the last book that made me cry was THE CORRESPONDENT. The author definitely has the writing magic cause I abhor epistolatory novels (only read this because I succumbed to the hype!) and she still made me sob like a dramatic pre-teen! It would've been a 5 star if a traditional narrative. I just saw a very interesting new title that I got all excited about until the dreaded told through letters!!! UGH (If you are wondering, it is Happy New Years by Maya Arad (translated from the Hebrew). Even my beloved books in translation! ACK!!!
I typically avoid epistolatory novels just because that structure hasn't worked for me in the past, but The Correspondent was so wonderful I'm thinking it's broken my knee jerk reaction to avoid that structure, we shall see. Are you still going to give Happy New Years a try?
I have it in my cart so maybe. I am traveling out of state this week and will be visiting 2 new to me bookstores. I like to buy something if I can and am not of anything I’d want/need. So if they had it, I’d take that as a sign!😊
BTW, about 100 pages into Honey and am loving it! Although you and are not book twins, I know that when one of your recommendations sounds interesting to me…it usually really is!!😉
Safe travels during your trip and have a great time bookstore browsing! I'm thrilled to hear you're loving Honey, her voice is so strong, she carried that story brilliantly
I definitely cried in A LITTLE LIFE by Hanya Yanagihara, but not in the parts you might assume.
Current read: TRUE GRIT by Charles Portis. Largely because someone on substack, I think Samantha Irby, said it was better than LONESOME DOVE. And I read LONESOME DOVE earlier this summer and it made its way into my all-time top 5! True Grit, 88 pages in, doesn’t hold a candle to Lonesome Dove but I’ll still finish it.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a negative review or remark about Lonesome Dove- I own it but just haven’t picked it up yet. Someday:)
100/10 recommend Lonesome Dove! And I will shout this from the rooftops to anyone who will listen! It was never on my TBR list. I have no interest in “westerns” (despite being from Texas and having cattle ranchers in my family). It’s everyone’s dad’s favorite book (making it even less attractive). I was 3 years old when it won the Pulitzer. It felt irrelevant.
And yet, it has railroaded its way into my soul and my top 5 books of all time ever.
your thoughts echo mine - and now I'm even more excited to give it a chance
Also cried at the end of WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR and EVERY NOTE PLAYED by Lisa Genova.
Currently reading KINDRED by Octavia Butler and listening to FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston (reread).
Oh…KINDRED is one of those books that I wish I could read again for the first time!
I too am planning a big sampling weekend. Let’s hope we both land on a five star or two.
I most recently cried my eyes out while reading The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman. What a gut punch of a novel. My second by her (What She Left Behind) and both blew me away.
We were both cry babies this week🤣 I'm glad you shared yours because that seems to be under the radar
Maaany! The last one that made me cry was ATMOSPHERE, also THE CORRESPONDENT and WILD DARK SHORE. I cry very easily, but I mostly read crime, otherwise I'd probably cry with every book 😂
Murder and mystery to break up the tears haha. That resonates with me!!
Oh wow, I’m adding LONESOME DOVE and HONEY to my tbr. I would have to say THE CORRESPONDENT was the last book that brought me to tears, another one off the top of my head is WINTER GARDEN by Kristin Hannah. I’m currently reading THESE SUMMER STORMS by Sarah MacLean, a family saga and complicated relationships, a good read for Labor Day weekend!
Winter Garden has been on my tbr for years! This group is really making me want to dip into Lonesome Dove too
Omg WINTER GARDEN destroyed me! (Probably didn't help I was like 2 months postpartum 😆)
Happy Saturday! Renee I missed you so much on the threads while you were gone! So happy you had a great rejuvenation period though!
Books that made me cry:
1. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (I absolutely loved this love story and was even happy with the movie adaptation!)
2. THE NIGHTINGALE (because of course)
3. SHARK HEART (this book was so unexpected and touching to me.)
4. THE LOVE OF MY LIFE by Rosie Walsh (I think this is an underrated gem and another unexpected book for me.)
5. CASTLE OF WATER (your fault Renee for recommending 😂 my husband was also crying on the front porch when he read it!)
6. MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE ( I had to pay homage to my 21 year old self reading this when it published and crying on my parents couch. I remember loving Nicholas Sparks in those days and it is a good memory for me.)
I am currently reading MY FRIENDS for my neighborhood book club. I am not sure Fredrik Backman is for me. I know that is a wildly unpopular opinion but I think the banter and writing style at times gets to me. I enjoyed A MAN CALLED OVE but that is the only one by him I really liked that I have tried. I am also reading BITTER SWEET by Hattie Williams and loving it so far. Next up ISOLA for book club. Has anyone read that yet? Also if anyone had good Spooky season recs I am here for it! So loving this weather! Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone! 🤗📚
Too many books Renee too many! At 48 years old I’m choosing what works for me and what doesn’t!
I feel this!!
Thanks Ashley, I'm happy to be back and chatting books with everyone. I totally forgot about Castle of Water! Yes, total tear jerker, I loved that book so much and will reread it again someday. I've never read The Time Traveler's Wife, I think because I watched the movie and figured I knew the story--but I completely forget the movie so maybe I'll read the book someday:) It makes a lot of books that made me cry lists so I'd like to find out if it would make me cry too. I dnfed My Friends, I don't vibe with Backman's writing overall, although I did love Beartwon, that's the only book of his I've liked
I don’t think I vibe with it either. My Friends is picking up a bit today but he may be a one hit wonder for me although my friend told me last night I should try Anxious People. Did you ever try that one?
Yes, my book club picked it and I did the audio and didn’t like it at all. I feel like I’m an outlier on that one, so many people loved it
I also only liked Beartown and Ove by him. I really liked the ending of Anxious People but not the majority of the book. Other than the two I loved his writing feels gimmicky to me.
LeAnne that’s how I feel! I have been looking at My Friends all day because book club is tomorrow! I have been watching Friends with my son instead 😂
Oh well! 😂🤷🏻♀️
Definitely THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURY and ONE DAY are two books from the past that popped in my mind. Most recently, TRESPASSES and THE BUDAH IN THE ATTIC that made me cry in the past two weeks. My current reads are DERAILED BY JAMES SIEGEL a best seller from 2003. And, DOMINION BY ADDIE E CITCHEN. I am anxiously awaiting for the release of THE HALLMARK MAN BY ROBERT GAIBRAITH on Tuesday. I
I read Derailed in 2013 and really enjoyed it. I think it was also made into a movie with Jennifer Anniston but not surprisingly the book is much better
I remember crying while reading THE SWIMMERS by the same author as BUDDHA IN THE ATTIC.
The most recent book was WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH by Lisa Ridzén. It’s beautiful, a gem I won’t soon forget!
I’ve heard such great things about that one.
Well deserved hype! I’d love to hear your thoughts if you give it a try
I just bought this one!
I am not much for crying when reading but I am sad at times. A few that come to mind are LOVING FRANK by Nancy Horan, BLACK AND BLUE and EVERY LAST ONE both by Anna Quindlen, THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE by David Wroblewski, and HAMMET by Maggie O’Farrell.
I recently read ISOLA by Allegra Goodman, and really liked it! The long middle section is excellent. The writing is so good and I was invested in the outcome.
I forgot about Hamnet but that could've made my list too. I've seen Loving Frank show up on other lists of books that are tear jerkers, maybe I need to read it:) I would really like to get to Isola before the end of the year, I'm glad to hear you not only liked it but the middle section was so good, often that's the place in a book that can drag
I have to admit it takes a lot for a book to make me cry but I sobbed until late in the night when finishing We Begin At the End. Also I was so beside myself while reading Dear Edward at the hairdressers that I didn’t have the nerve to go back for another appointment! I just finished Life and Death and Giants (Ron Rindo) last week - no actual tears but a huge lump in my throat.
I want to read Dear Edward someday, I loved Hello Beautiful. And I just got a copy of the Ron Ringo on Thursday, very excited for that one
The list of books that made me cry would be very long so I thought I would narrow it down to books that made me sob.. most of Kristin Hannah, 28 SUMMERS, THE LOVELY BONES, MY SISTER’S KEEPER (I was reading this at work a million years ago and had to go hide so I could stop crying 😉), BROKEN COUNTRY, THE RIVER IS WAITING, THE BRIGHT YEARS, HELLO BEAUTIFUL, WE ARE THE LIGHT, NOTES ON AN EXECUTION and THE CORRESPONDENT. I can’t remember details but I clearly remember the feeling those books left.
I’m currently reading I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE by Wally Lamb and although I like it, it’s long and heavy and I’m ready to be done with it!