I love books that don’t get all wrapped up with flowers and bows at the end, so I’ll be watching this list as well. Pretty much anything from the original Oprah’s book club meets this criteria! Alternate recommendation for something more recent: If you want something that is tragic and sad and devastating from beginning to end (in a way that will leave you forever changed) I recommend A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.
Adam Silvera’s books kind of don’t (They Both Die At The End being an example) every time I finished one of his 3 books I cried. (What if it’s us with Becky Albertalli not included)
@Lynn I can understand wanting to read something that doesn’t end happily. I find that many books are really great until the end when the author employs a ridiculous, poorly thought out twist in order to make the end “happy.” I see this a lot in Jodi Picoult’s books. She chooses a really complex, thought-provoking subject and the first 3/4 of the book is good until she tries to tie the happy ending up with a sweet little bow.
Any books where people have a illness and where they die.
Oh dear silvia by Dawn French
Me Before You
The seven days of us
Anything by Cormac McCarthy. After The Crossing, you’ll need therapy. 🙂
The bronze horseman
divergent
I love books that don’t get all wrapped up with flowers and bows at the end, so I’ll be watching this list as well. Pretty much anything from the original Oprah’s book club meets this criteria! Alternate recommendation for something more recent: If you want something that is tragic and sad and devastating from beginning to end (in a way that will leave you forever changed) I recommend A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, most upsetting. ☹️???
‘The Constant Princess’ by Philippa Gregory
A Little Life
‘Love Story’ by Erich Segal
Yes, I agree with all who suggested A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. It is emotionally devastating and I will never forget it.
Following
All these titles are not available in my kindle! Y?
The road de mccarthy
A fine balance
Requiem for a Wren by Nevil Shute
Gone With the Wind. I read it in 7th grade and it was the first book that didn’t have a happy, all-tied-up-ending for me.
Lol so funny because I thought the post said DID have a happy ending so I said Scarlett? It greatly redeemed GWTW in case you haven’t read yet❤
The Stand. Stephen King.
racing in the rain…oldie , but cried
Book Thief
The Guilty Wife
Handmaids tale
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, My Sister’s Keeper, You Before Me, Sarah’s Key
Forbidden by tabitha suzuma…amazing book!
The fault in our stars
Me Before You
Inferno by Dan Brown
The bunker diary by Kevin Brooks
One Day
Allegiant by Veronica Roth (but definitely read Divergent and Insurgent first lol)
My sisters keeper
https://payhip.com/b/txao
Behind Her Eyes
The boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
I just finished The Nightengale
Cried and cried it was hard to read through the tears
The Grapes of Wrath
Short history of a marriage
The Diary of Anne Frank
Atonement! I just finished it yesterday and I’m still recovering ?
@Josie I loved atonement, I read it for the first time this year.
@Sean it’s definitely good I just couldn’t believe how devastating it was! Glad I read it but not one I could repeat.
@Josie ? I agree
@Josie great book but it still makes me angry
@Alison me too, I know so many people feel sorry for Briony but I just got angrier every time I even saw her name ?♀️
Paul Kalinithi:When Breath becomes Air…I adored it and it made me cry too!
The Bell Jar
The fault in our stars, wonderful well written book
Adam Silvera’s books kind of don’t (They Both Die At The End being an example) every time I finished one of his 3 books I cried. (What if it’s us with Becky Albertalli not included)
Marley and Me ???
I’ve never read it or seen the film because I know it’s really sad.
We Need to Talk About Kevin
@Neva agree with this one. Chilling
@Alison I agree with both of you. Chilling was the right word for that book.
Cujo by Stephen King is depressing in the extreme …
The Mill on the Floss
Tess of the D’Urbevilles
Or virtually any Thomas Hardy novel. There’s a saying that if you want a Hardy novel with a happy ending, start from the back. ?
Hunger games
I ugly cried after finishing mocking jay !
Me too
A fine balance by rohinton mistry ?????
The Age of Innocence
The ablutionest by John Boyne
Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther. One heart wrenching read.
Past The Shallows
Ethan Frome by Willa Cather or Julius Winsome by Gerard Donovan. Or if you like something more old style horror then Turn of the Screw.
Atonement by Ian McEwan
The Street by Ann Petry – in my top 10 books – excellent
The Fault in our Stars,
Looking for Alaska,
The Book Thief,
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
OMG why?
@Lynn I can understand wanting to read something that doesn’t end happily. I find that many books are really great until the end when the author employs a ridiculous, poorly thought out twist in order to make the end “happy.” I see this a lot in Jodi Picoult’s books. She chooses a really complex, thought-provoking subject and the first 3/4 of the book is good until she tries to tie the happy ending up with a sweet little bow.
Why not? ?
A Farewell to Arms.
Flowers in the attic
Message in a bottle