Top Ten Books That Made Me Cry

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

This week's topic: Top ten books that made me cry.

And here we go, in no particular order...

This one is completely obvious. If you have even the faintest clue as to what this book is about, then you can easily guess why this book is on this list. I just... AUGUSTUS WATERS. And he lit up like a Christmas tree, Hazel Grace. And I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend. And I NEED TO STOP.

I cry for pretty much every character in this book. Even Sarah. A lot for Sam. And especially for James. I've said it before and I'll say it again--he could have been the best person, big brother, EVERYTHING if only he hadn't grown up the way he did. Just. GOODNESS. This book gives me feels.

 

 TY. Ohmygod Ty. I can't think about this book too long without crying. I can't even LOOK at this book too long without crying. And I'm pretty sure I'm crying for all the wrong reasons. Well. The right reasons for me. I can't even. 

 

It was one thing to go through everything from Sky's point of view, including Holder breaking down. But to experience it inside his head? I feel for this guy. And I heart him.

  

"Sometimes life gets in your way.

It gets all up in your damn way." 

 

THAT POEM. "Schooled." Totally made me cry. Also made me love Colleen Hoover even more.

 

 

My very favorite thing about this book is Santana. This was one of the books I read in my early days of reading avidly, and Santana was one of my first book boys. My heart hurts so much for him, but it got light when HE was all lighthearted, too, and I don't even know. All I know is that I cried, and I love Santana. And that this book is one of my all time favorites. Just in case you were wondering. 

 

You know what part got me? That letter. The one Johnny left. Not because I was particularly fond of Johnny (I'm terrible, I know!), but because I was SUPER fond of Dally, and that letter had Johnny telling Ponyboy to "Tell Dally. Tell Dally." And I was all OHMYGOD DALLY. So yeah. That happened. Fun fact: this is the first book I ever remember crying over. 

 

 The part that made me burst into tears in this one was when Charlie reads the poem. You know the poem. I LOVE that poem. But it also stabs my heart. 

 

The ending of this book did a number on my emotions, y'all. Pretty much from Liam's "amazing story of us" until the end, I was fighting tears. That part was one of the sweetest things ever and my heart fell apart all over the darn place. I practically know that whole part by heart now. So I read it and I finished the book and then I spent AT LEAST the next twenty minutes balling like a baby. I am so serious right now. And I love this book so hard, there aren't enough words. 

 

Yes, this is three novels. But I don't care. I'm counting it as one since it's all bound into one book. SO YEAH. This is the book I pick up whenever I need a good cry. Mostly I go to Don't Die, My Love and lose my shiz, but A Rose for Melinda makes me cry, too. I'll Be Seeing You is the sweet to balance out the heartbreaking that fills the other two novels. But on a serious note, I love these books, and Lurlene McDaniel writes some really good books. Goodness. SO MANY TEARS FOR THIS BOOK. So many.

And that's my list! What do you think? What would you put on your list? Did you make a list? I WANT LIIIIINKS! :) 

Fall From Love by Heather London Blog Tour (Review & Giveaway!)

 

Review:

 

Fall From Love by Heather London

Release Date: June 7, 2013

Format: ebook

Source: Author for review on blog tour

Buy It: Amazon | B&N

 

Description from Goodreads:

Struggling to put her life back together after a tragic mountaineering accident kills her college sweetheart, twenty-one-year-old Holly Treadwell is trying to set aside her grief, forge ahead in school, and find herself again.

When Carter Hansen, a guy who brings back horrible memories from the night of the accident, finds his way back into her life, Holly’s unsure if she should let him in. He terrifies her in more ways than one and invokes feelings in her that she thought were buried forever. Regardless of her fears, she knows she must face him in order for her heart to heal.

Everyone tells Carter that what happened on the mountain that night was just a terrible accident, but even then, he can’t help but carry around the guilt and is unable to forgive himself. He’s drawn to Holly and being near her helps ease his conscience and gives him the release he needs.

As Holly and Carter’s relationship grows, they begin to realize that the more time they spend with one another, the more their wounds begin to heal—her grief and his guilt. But when Holly learns the details about the night of the accident—what everyone has been keeping from her—it will rip open old wounds and tear apart what they’ve both worked so hard to overcome…

 

I read the synopsis of this book. I KNEW what this book was about. And yet, the beginning of this book still broke my heart. It was just...so sad. So, so sad. Luckily, the story was uphill from there. Heather London took my heart and STOMPED ON IT. Then she picked up the pieces and put them back together with a little Carter at a time.

So naturally I read this whole book in one night. I mean, I couldn't help myself. My heart was broken. Obviously I had to sit down and make it better. Right? And this book...it was perfect for that.

Character Rundown:
Holly: As usual, I was not a fan of weak Holly. You know, the one at the beginning of the book who can barely look Carter in the face? Yeah. I did not like her. I felt bad for her, but there was no love there. But as the story went on and she got better, I liked her more. So overall, she was a pretty all right character. I liked how calm she was sometimes. It was nice.

Carter: MY BOY. Mine. Alllll miiiiiine. He was so sweet. I felt for him a lot. I wish he could have been more open, though. He did way too much keeping to himself and walking on eggshells. Nevertheless, I heart him.

Plot. Nothing too shocking in this story. This story was more about character growth and learning how to deal with loss and whatnot. It was a phenomenal story, just not incredibly twisty-turny. There were secrets, though. Some I guessed, some I didn't. Those were interesting to wonder about.

Romance. You see, he was only ACTUALLY in, like, a chapter, but when Adam's accident happened, I legit missed him. So much. Like I said, my heart broke. Because Heather London painted the picture of what his and Holly's relationship was like SO well, it was incredibly sad that he was gone. But then there was Carter. His and Holly's relationship was refreshing compared to the sadness. However, I wish there had been more time of them being a COUPLE. I have a feeling that would have been even MORE cute than what they already were, especially based on the ending of this book.

The ending. You know who are hilarious? Josh and Jenna. *giggles*

Overall, Fall From Love was an emotional story that tore my heart apart and then put it back together piece by piece as I fell further into the pages. It was magnificent, and I most certainly plan on keeping an eye out to see what Heather London comes up with next. It's sure to be fantastic.

 

About the Author:

Heather London is a young adult and new adult author who loves to write stories full of romance, fantasy, and science fiction. She is a lover of only the finest of coffee and premium craft beer, but will settle for anything chocolate, regardless of its quality. Heather lives with her husband in Dallas, TX where she is currently working hard on her next project.

 

Links:

Website: http://heatherlondon.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6520318.Heather_London

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-London-Author/217852745010011

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hlondon06

 

Giveaway:

There's a tour-wide INTERNATIONAL giveaway for two paperbacks of Fall From Love! WOOT! You want this book, y'all. Trust me.

 

Just fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

♥Jessica(:

Titanic Giveaway Hop!

 

Hey, y'all! Today I'm participating in the Titanic giveaway hop.

 

What, exactly, does one give away in a giveaway hop such as this? Well, we're giving away books that involve tragic disasters or epic love stories.

 

So what, exactly, am *I* going to give away for this hop?

 

I actually couldn't think of anything until today, when I was in the car on the way to my brother's house (Wrestlemania, people. Cena all the way). I was sitting there, listening to whatever it was my dad was playing from his iPod and BOOM. I thought of it.

 

Flawed by Kate Avelynn

 

Why, you ask?

 

BECAUSE. The story of Sam and Sarah IS completely tragic. Goodness, I still tear up just thinking about it!

 

So that's what I'm giving away. If you wanna learn more about the book, click on the cover to go to the Goodreads page, or just check out my review. But I'm telling you know--this book? Is spectacular.

 

Now, read on for details and all that jazz.

 

Deeets:

- This giveaway is international

- ONE winner will win ONE copy of Flawed

- My giveaway policy applies, so be sure to have read it

- Enter through the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win! 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Thank you for entering! Now, hop on, kind people!

 

 

♥Jessica(:

Review: Flawed by Kate Avelynn ♥

Flawed by Kate Avelynn
Release Date: January 22, 2013 (but it's already available in ebook!)
Format: eARC, 336 pages
Publisher: Entangled
Source: For review

Description from Goodreads:
Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact . . .

Going into this book, I was prepared to be bombarded with emotions. Good, bad, happy, sad, ALL OF THE FEELS, you know? And...that's exactly what I got. That's exactly what I got and then some. When thinking of the book as a whole, the first word that comes into my mind is "amazing." Because this book? Well, it was amazing. But there were so many little things that contributed to that... Honestly, Flawed is a masterpiece.

After reading the synopsis, and then an excerpt, I was completely intrigued by this book. It's definitely the kind of thing that usually draws me in. There seems to be protective boys, a cute love story, and serious action. What I got was all that, but with an overall serious tone. If you're looking for a carefree, happy-go-lucky fluff book, do not pick up Flawed. But if you want a heartbreaking, wonderfully written, OHMYGOSH story, you should be right at home with Flawed.

Character Rundown:
Sarah: I did not like Sarah. At all. To me, she was too scared to do anything for herself and she bothered me to no end. I kind of feel bad about not liking her, though. I wanted so badly to like her, but she kept doing things I just could not deal with. And, as always, I understand WHY she did the things she did. Looking at her situation, I GET IT. But I can't just let it be. So I didn't like her.

James: James is a character that I'm conflicted about. Because I loved his character. But I probably shouldn't. He seems like he could have been the best brother ever, if not for their father. That's another reason why I love James--I can't put much blame on him. I blame their dad for most everything, and everything else I've deluded myself into putting the blame on Sarah for. Nevertheless, James was a great character to read and I really liked him. My heart is broken the most for him, because he had so much potential and it was all taken away from him.

Sam: Sam is my boy. He's the good guy who tries to take care of and fix everything. My heart is broken for him, as well. He got dragged into the problems because he simply loved Sarah. When he should have been a normal 18 year old boy getting ready to start his adult life however he wanted, he was dragged down by his love for Sarah. I don't blame him for this. There was some serious hope for them as a couple and I just plain adore Sam. That boy deserves so much, he has such a great heart.

Alex: I just want to take two seconds and say that I loved whenever Alex was around. He made me laugh when I was at the edge of my seat, on the verge of a freak out. He was sweet, too. All in all, he's a good guy.

Plot. This story was a roller coaster of emotions. There's some happy, some sad, some scared, some what the? and just some of everything. I hated whenever I had to put the book down. All I wanted to do was read and find out WHAT could possibly happen next. I barely ever guessed that right.

Love. I've already told you Sam loved Sarah. And Sarah loved Sam back. I wanted so badly for things to work out for these two as I read the book. When these two were together, not talking about James, I think I kind of liked Sarah. They had moments that gave me so much hope. These two...this book is full of heartcrushing events, but these two together made everything better.

The ending. My heart hurts. This whole book, full of feels, finally met up with me and...TEARS. I don't think it's possible to read this book without crying at the end. The ending made me smile, but it also tore up my heart. Bittersweet. Very bittersweet.

Overall, this is going to be one of those books that sticks with me for a while. It hurt me, but as I said, Flawed is a masterpiece. I hope everyone takes a chance with this book and reads it. It's not happy-go-lucky, but it is amazing. It's amazing and beautiful and surely one everyone should have the experience of reading.

♥Jessica(: