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Happy Sunday my friends! By now you know that one of my very favorite things to do is get your book recommendations. We’ve talked about books before and you have some seriously stellar thoughts when it comes to extracurricular reading. Hearing about what you’re reading makes me feel like I get a little glimpse at your nightstand, and less like I’m sitting alone at my desk eating cinnamon rolls for dinner (although that’s not really the worst thing and I should stop complaining).
Each season of the year holds a different type of fiction on my nightstand. In the Spring I like to read inspirational books… something like This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women (which is seriously so great). In the summer I go a little lighter (in the hopes that I’ll be reading with a cocktail in hand and beach in view… something like Gone Girl is perfectly salacious. In the Fall I like to add a little weight. This year I read We Are Water and The Lowland. It’s like taking the heavy coat out of the closet in preparation.
In the Winter I like to destroy myself. I like to completely break my literary heart. I want my fiction to be heavy, with the weight of one of those kinda scratchy/almost comforting wool blankets.
I asked you what I should read if I were the sort that wanted to, you know… break my own heart. Here’s a list of some of your suggestions. I haven’t read all of these books just yet, but hopefully it’s a long winter with at least a few Sunday mornings spent languishing in bed with hot coffee and a book. Right?
Let’s break our hearts a little. This is by no means a complete list. Feel free to add to the list in the comments below.
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
The Dinner by Herman Koch
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My Sisters Made of Light by Jacqueline St. Joan
Paint It Black by Janet Fitch
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green *This is what I’m reading now!
Angela
Thanks for the great topic and recs! More votes for The Light Between Oceans and Code Name Verity. Gorgeous, stunning, crushing! I won’t soon get over them.
Jessica
Freeman by Leonard Pitts, Jr, is one of my favorite books ever. It takes place at the end of the Civil War. A freed slave looking for his wife he left behind. So well written and heartbreaking.
More books to add to my growing list.
Jana
If you are not already reading “The History of Love” begin immediately. It is the most beautiful book. I make everyone read it. Do it now!
Jackie {TheBeeroness}
The Fault in our Stars made me cry like a crazy person. I seriously have no idea how a person can cry so hard over an imaginary person dying. And then I made other people read it and cry over the imaginary person dying.
Sarah
The Book Thief!
Nicola
Really enjoyed reading everyone’s recommendations and adding loads of books to my goodreads list. Thank you! My two faves from this year were The Elegance of the Hedgehog and The Help. Not heartbreakers really but just the kind of books you want to thrust into someone else’s arms and say ‘read this, trust me.’ x
foodnerd4life
The Fault in Their Stars, literally broke my heart. I sobbed on a flight back from Venice by myself – think the stewards thought I was having a break down! God I love reading!
FoodNerd x
http://www.foodnerd4life.com
Betsy
So weird! Nothing I reply or comment ever gets posted….
joythebaker
that seems strange. this is here.
Andrea M
Oh, I enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars! I would definitely recommend picking up Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro. It’s so beautifully, wonderfully sad.
Michelle N
Just finished The Snow Child recently. Sad but lovely adult fairy tale meets portrayal about homesteading in Alaska in the 1920s.
I’d add Joseph Boyden’s The Orenda to the list. My favorite I’ve read this year. Tragic in some ways but thought provoking and facinating.
Lizzie
I just read The Fault in Our Stars last week. So sweet!!
Carlinne @Cook with 2 Chicks
The Fault in Our Stars will definitely break your heart. I also absolutely LOVED The History of Love. I am reading The Book Thief and have a feeling it’s also going to be a heartbreaker.
Happy Reading!
Amber
They aren’t necessarily books that will make you cry, but puhlease read all of Marisa de Los santos’ books! I am a big time reader and her books really resonate with me in a big time way (and everyone else I recommend them to!) They weave together stories of strangers, best friends, neighbors, lovers and small-world moments perfectly.