Today's Topic
Top Ten Books That Would Be On My Sobfest 101 Syllabus
So if you want to be introduced to YA, you gotta learn about the books that will rip out your heart and leave you with a major book hangover. You don't want to be blindsided by these books because it'll hurt so much more. So here's my class for the newcomer to the world of YA Sobfests:
1. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White- Nothing like Charlotte's Web to loosen the tears in your eyeballs. It's the ultimate elementary school downer.
2. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson- Friendship and death. Yes this is a good "bridge" into harder things.
3. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls- Ending the intro on the pinnacle of elementary sobfests. I mean, when you got animals that die, you know you're bound to be sobbing.
4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell- It's not going to make everyone cry, but with the abandonment by a mother AND a twin sister, it got me.
5. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver- It's a build-up and will eventually lead you to tears.
6. Winger by Andrew Smith- You'll laugh.... until you cry.
7. Torn Away by Jennifer Brown- Now we're getting into some straight up heart hurting.
8. Hold Still by Nina LaCour- Death, friendship, love... and a journal. It has all the ingredients.
9. Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott- Now we're getting into the tough stuff. A girl who blames herself for a best friend's death.
10. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling- Because J.K. Rowling knows how to pull out your heart and stomp on it with a cement truck.
11. Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick- A non-stop, soul-hurting, sobbing from beginning to end read.
***The John Green Portion of our class**
12. Looking For Alaska by John Green- Yes John Green deserves his own section based on his ability to make me feel like I'll never be okay again. And based on the fact that his specialty is to make his readers hurt inside.13. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green- Ultimate book hangover sobfest.
14. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks- The end all and be all of sobfests. If you do not cry, you do not have a soul. (J/K.... maybe).
So that's my class!! Hope everyone who's going back to school has a splendid school year!!
Ha I love this because I totally did Tear Jerkers 101!! I also had TFIOS. I can't believe I forgot the Notebook!! Great list!
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I totally agree with you about Torn Away. A beautiful book. This class certainly would be a sobfest! My TTT!
ReplyDeleteAll. The. Books. I just want all the ones I haven't read right now. It might be wrong to like books that make me so sad but I do. Great list!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT https://jazminjade.wordpress.com/2015/08/25/top-ten-tuesday-fantasy-101/
I suck because I've only read ONE book out of 10. Jesus.
ReplyDeleteI really have got to start reading Before I Fall...
Ella
My top ten tuesday
Ugh yes Half Blood Prince! I'm almost up to that in my re-read and I am DREADING the tears.
ReplyDeletehahahahahahahaha I'm dying at "the John Green portion of our class" LOL. And yes - good grief - The Notebook. Only movie I've ever watched where I sobbed out loud in the theater. Ugh. lol. (Love your presentation and your class title!) My TTT
ReplyDeleteSome of these books definitely look amazing. Adding them to my TBR as we speak! But I definitely agree with TFioS. I wanted to let you know that I've just nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award! Sorry if you've already done it but if not, I hope you get a chance to :) X http://originalbooker.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/blogger-recognition-award.html
ReplyDeleteUgh this list hurts so much! Took me right back to my childhood, crying under the covers over a fictional character!
ReplyDeleteLove your list, Michelle. I haven't read Torn Away but i LOVED Jennifer Brown's Hate List so I should really give it a try! Lots of books I have loved and cried over - I'd add to your list IF I STAY. *cries just thinking about it* BEFORE I FALL, I cried through the last 100 pages of that book. I don't remember seeing the words on the page I was crying so hard lol... This is such a fun topic this week - love seeing everybody's different lists. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is SUCH a great lst! I was so hurt by Looking for Alaska and Before I Fall. I loved them despite the hurt though. And who can forget about Harry Potter? So many hurts there *sob*. Some of these I haven't read, like Love You Hate You Miss You and Winger, but they're on my TBR list calling to me. Thanks for visiting Bookworm Book Reviews! It looks like you have the same taste in books as I do, so I'm following you now by email. Thanks again! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks sweetie!! I'm following back :)
DeleteCharlotte's Web, I loved that book when I was a kid but man was it sad. Harry Potter, of course, so many tearjerking moments there. I had to put down Before I Fall, I just wasn't getting into it at all. I want to try again, but I can't find the motivation at the moment!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2015/08/25/top-ten-tuesday-19/
I will not be taking this class! Okay, maybe I will. I'm usually a fan of books that are sad on purpose but the handful of books on your list I have read, like Bridge to Terabithia, Harry Potter, and Fangirl, are great. Great list.
ReplyDeleteCassi @ My Thoughts Literally
P.S. the second twist in The Raven Boys I was talking about in my post was about the teacher. But there's a bunch of great twists in that series.
Ahhh I thought maybe you meant Ronan's mother, but yes the teacher twist was good.... I wish it would've lasted into the 2nd book though :(
DeleteI'll need a box of tissue to bring to every class! There are some of these I'm afraid to pick up because of the emotions they will give me. Nice topic!
ReplyDeleteI completely forgot I read Hold Still and Love You Hate You Miss You! Those were great books.
ReplyDeleteYAY!! I can never find anyone who has read those 2! They're so underrated!
DeleteI haven't read most of these, with the exception of Harry Potter! What a great list! Thanks for giving me all these new suggestions!
ReplyDeleteHere are my Top Ten!
love how you split it up. There are some really good ones there. I still need to read forgive me leonard peacock. I have had it on my list for a while now.
ReplyDeleteAaaah! Where the Red Fern Grows :( Little Women should be on the list, always makes me cry...
ReplyDeleteLove the idea, only one I saw like it!
My ttt
http://hauntedgravebooks.blogspot.com/2015/08/top-ten-books-that-would-be-on-your.html
I think I have no soul.....no tears for me at the end of The Notebook....but that is no shock to me!
ReplyDeleteBut HOLY CRAP WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS and TORN AWAY. I think that was a few buckets worth of sobs right there.