Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by those awesome ladies at The Broke and The Bookish. This week we’re going Anti-Valentine’s Day by talking about books that broke our hearts a little. I’ll be honest, this is a tough one for me. I crave happy endings. I fact, I need them. But I was able to come up with a few.
1. Princess on the Brink by Meg Cabot- Don’t laugh, but this book really made my heart sad. When Michael left for Japan I was so devastated for Mia. I mean, using sex to manipulate your boyfriend to stay in NYC? Sounds like a foolproof plan (or not). And yet, it didn’t work. And don’t even talk to me about that slimy Corn Hater, JP. He was just waiting for the opportunity to slip in there. HATE HIM!
2. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness– Now, this is not a romantic book on any level. But damn if it didn’t break my heart more than once.
3. If I Stay by Gale Forman– How many times did I cry when reading this? I can’t even count. There were so many moments: the obvious ones between Mia and Adam, of course; but the memory of Mia reading Harry Potter to Teddy or the moment when Grandpa gave his little speech to Mia. They all killed me—but in a good way. In the way that makes you feel more alive.
4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor– I know I’ve been talking about this book so much lately, and if you’ve read it you understand. There is so much beauty and love here and there is tragedy. There are victims of circumstance and there are victims of misunderstanding, but oh it’s so beautifully painful to watch it all play out.
5. Delirium by Lauren Oliver– I don’t want to spoil this book for anyone, but I totally burst into tears during its last moments. It was a wonderful book all the way through, but the end—even though I knew it couldn’t be a happily ever after—it totally rocked me.
6. Mockingjay- I know most people either loved or hated this book. I was more in the first camp, although there were things I would have done different. There were moments that really touched me (Peeta with the frosting roses) and moments that hurt to read (obviously the big event in the Capitol) but I have one word for you all: Finnick. Oh, that one hurt.
7. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler– This book is so beautifully written and even though it’s mostly about two best friends, it begins with a common tragedy: Frankie’s older brother, Matt, has died. And Frankie doesn’t know that Matt and her best friend, Anna, were in love. The secret and the loss create tension between the girls and their problems are very realistically portrayed…but it’s the flashbacks of Matt that are totally breathtaking.
8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte- Don’t tell me that you didn’t cry when she left Mr. Rochester. I don’t know if I could have done it.
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling- I’m a huge sissy la la, but my heart really broke for Harry when Sirius (SPOILER ALERT) died. Sirius was totally hot awesome and the closest thing to family our poor little Harry had.
10. The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta– I adored Tom in Saving Francesca, so it totally hurt to see what a dark guy he’d become (that’s right Lloyd Dobbler School Of Wisdom, the world is full of guys. Be a man). And the family history! Marchetta is SO good at this. She weaves so many storylines together and there is a ton of tragedy and so, so much love. All of her books have broken my heart at least a little bit.
YA Crush 
We are book soul mates because the first book on my list is Princess on the Brink! Ugh, this one broke my heart, as silly as it sounds! Yes to all these books, even the ones I haven’t read. And I agree with you wholeheartedly about Melina Marchetta – I’ve burst into tears over each of her books I’ve read (which is only 2 so far, but still…).
Yea for book soul mates! I was SO bummed at the end of Princess on the Brink. I really thought it would all work out in the end (I mean, it did, but not at the end of that book).
Princess on the Brink is a really good one, as are all the ones right before the last one brings home the happy ending. I just finished listening to Order of the Phoenix and I have to say, that was heartbreaking, as will be Half-Blood Prince, which I’m listening to now. And Mockingjay, even though the end was tough, it was real and realistic. There were so many haunting scenes, but Finnick was tough. “You love me, real or not real?” Ugh. Can’t wait to reread those!
Gah! I forgot that line. Real or not real? It breaks my heart a little just thinking about it because he was never the same again. I know he ended up OK, but he wasn’t as soft (in a good way) as he once was. Damn you Capitol! And holy cow, I love Half Blood Prince. I think it may be one of my favorites (but really, how can I choose). Totally made me cry.
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We have a couple in common, and you have a bunch that I forgot! The Knife of Never Letting Go broke my heart over and over. 😦
So good! I still need to read the last one but I fear it all coming to an end. Such a great series.
I’ve read a few that you mentioned and there are a few I want to read – agreed, the entire Hunger Games series was so raw and emotional!
I just read it again and it was still good the second time around.
I really need to read the daughter of smoke and bones, I have heard so much about it! There are quite a few books on your list that I haven’t read! More to be added to the TBR pile.
Jamie @ A Book Club of One
It’s so wonderful! 🙂 My TBR list is ginormous too (but I guess that’s good, right?).
So so agree with If I stay and Mockingjay!! Great list 🙂
Thank you!
How did I forget If I Stay? That one broke my heart before I’d even read the first 25 pages, I think. The Knife of Never Letting Go is on my list, too. That one’s a heartbreaker through and through.
I never expected to love that one like I did. I just want to protect Todd and Viola. Oh and Manchee! Still breaks my heart.