5 Books That Will Make You Cry

I love when a book makes me cry. There's something about having so much empathy for a character that you become physically emotional that's really special. It's cleansing and it's utterly human. When a book makes me cry, I know it's good because I've connected with the characters enough and been emotionally moved enough that I have a physical reaction. So, here are five books that made me cry, and that'll make you cry too.

1. 'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett

This book is a must read. There's a part of this book that just breaks you. Kathryn Stockett is able to portray the issues of the civil rights movement in such a potent and emotional way. The two main protagonists of the story (Aibileen and Skeeter) are well written and both are easy to empathize with. The stories of some of the side characters, though, are what truly moved me in the book. Skeeter and Aibileen were vehicles for a bigger story, one that involved dozens of smaller stories. Those stories are hard to read at times, as they are absolutely heartbreaking.

2. 'Turtles All the Way Down' by John Green

At this point, anyone who reads within the young adult genre has read at least one book by John Green. Whether you love him or think he's overrated, you should give his new book a shot. Green illustrates the experience of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder in a very emotional way. Aza's story is not sugarcoated. The most universally relatable part of the novel comes from the strife in Aza's relationship with her best friend, Daisy. The story as a whole is overtly emotional, and there's something for everyone to connect with.

3. 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak

This book is the single most emotional piece of writing that I have ever read. Every time I reread this book, I end up crying in a ball in my bedroom for at least an hour. This book is an exploration of humanity and it is so blatantly emotional in nature that I don't see how anyone can read this and not end up crying. Through the narrator and Liesel Meminger, Zusak tells a beautiful story about family and empathy in Nazi Germany, and it is absolutely heart-wrenching. You will cry until your face is puffy, you get headaches, and your heart hurts.

4. 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' by Jenny Han

Do not write this book off as a traditional young adult romance book, because it's not. It's more than that. Jenny Han tells a coming of age story that's about friendship, family, and lifelong bonds as much as it is about romance, if not more. The story holds the same nostalgia as the last summer that you consider to be a part of your childhood. This is one of those books where the emotional aspect sneaks up behind you and surprises you. Those who have a close relationship with your mom beware. This one hurts.

5. 'Safe Haven' by Nicholas Sparks

This list wouldn't be complete without a good 'ole fashion romance novel. People like romance novels for many reasons, but one of the reasons is the same reason why people like chick flicks—people like to cry, and isn't that what this list is all about? Safe Haven is one of the more poignant and applicable romance novels out there. Katie's story is the story of many women out there, and the realness of it is what makes it so heartbreaking.