Fave Tearjerker Reads

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” ― Robert Frost

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I am admittedly
a dark-writer.
Scribbler of
tragic incidents,
composer of
painful heartaches,
killer of
several lives.

It is then
I realized,
that the books
I loved,
are those which
make me cry,
and those
which dried up
my heart and eyes.

—
So here are my Five-Star Favorite Tearjerkers of all Time

1. Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks

2. Me Before You (Me Before You, #1) by Jojo Moyes 

3. If I Stay (If I Stay, #1) by Gayle Forman

4. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

5. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

6. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

7. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

8. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

10. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

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Photo credit: Goodreads

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In response to The Broke and the Bookish‘s Top Ten Tuesday today:

March 22: Ten Books I Really Love But Feel Like I Haven’t Talked About Enough/In A While

P.S. What are your top tearjerker reads? Or maybe your fave reads recently?

Tell me? 😀

~

Best Read Books of 2015

Out of 48 books read last year, only eleven (11) were given five stars. And they are…

Mystery/Thrillers

The Pelican Brief  by John Grisham

With twists and turns I have never predicted, this book made me an automatic fan of John Grisham.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

A book I have written a full-length review is surely a special one. I just love the melancholic and creepy story told by a unique storyteller.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

Insanely creepy yet touches realistic emotions of a family. The ending will surely give you goosies!

1st to Die (Women’s Murder Club, #1)  by James Patterson

I’ve been a Patterson fan and this book surely did not disappoint. With red herrings all over the place, he’ll surprise you with a twist you didn’t see coming.

Contemporary Fiction

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

I am not actually a  fan of medical drama novels but this one really moved me. Lisa Genova was able to tell the horrors of Alzheimer’s disease with candor, braveness and emotional softness. It’s just exquisitely done, definitely moving.

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

If you think this is a typical infidelity/love affair novel, think again. Liane Moriarty’s well-told story about a broken marriage without the usual cheating issues will make you a fan.

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

The ending of this Jodi Picoult masterpiece still lingers on me a year after I finished it. As my 100th read book and with its special story about motherhood and elephants, this is indeed one of the best novels that I have read last year.

Young Adult

Every Day (Every Day, #1) by David Levithan

The unique premise and the subtle complexity of the characters will really grip you and make you read this mysterious yet heartwarming novel in one seating. David Levithan is surely an author worth reading.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Its cover will pique your interest but it is the rawness of the story inside that will give you a major book hangover. It took me two days to brush off the roller coaster of emotions that Jennifer Niven has given me. P.S. Get tissues once you reach the last chapters.

Historical/Adult Fiction

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

A book worthy of its Pulitzer Prize award. A novel written in eloquent prose poetic paragraphs equipped with vivid imagery and breathtaking metaphors. Every readers should brave the more than 500-pages, because this is a novel truly worth reading.

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

I am definitely a Mitch Albom fan, but that is not the sole reason why this book gained five stars. It’s how the simple words were written in such a gorgeous way. It’s how every paragraph breathes the story. It’s how the end of each chapters that’ll make you gasp with surprise or melancholy. This book is great, really great.

–

©2016Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer. All Rights Reserved.

Photo credit: Favim and Goodreads

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What are the best books that you’ve read last year?

What book in this list piqued your interest?

I would love to know!

❤

~

Top Ten Tuesday: Book To Movie Adaptations I Still Need To Watch and I am Excited to Watch!

“Books and movies are like apples and oranges. They both are fruit, but taste completely different.” – Stephen King

The Broke and the Bookish Top Ten Tuesday for this week gave me a mixed ‘feels’.

November 10: Top Ten Book To Movie Adaptations I’m Looking Forward To or Ten Book To Movie Adaptations I Still Need To Watch

I love books and I love movies, too! But, a lot of novel-based movies are not as good as its printed counterpart. 

You agree with me?

Nonetheless, here’s the Book To Movie Adaptations I Still Need To Watch plus some Book To Movie Adaptations I’m Looking Forward.

Note: This list only includes books that I’VE READ.

— BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATIONS I STILL NEED TO WATCH —

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

3. Still Alice by Lisa Genova

4. Paper Towns by John Green

5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

6. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

7. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson 

8. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

9. Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) Part 1 by Suzanne Collins

10. The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

— UPCOMING BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATIONS I AM EXCITED TO WATCH —

1. Me Before You (Me Before You, #1) by Jojo Moyes

Yep. It’s on the works, now with complete cast and crew and Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke will play as Louisa Clark. The movie will be out on June 03, 2016.

2. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

That’s according to Rainbow herself. 🙂 Thought the latest news in that DreamWorks will do the film version but shooting and cast is yet to be revealed.

3. The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1) by Graeme Simsion

The movie is currently in development under Sony Pictures. Jennifer Lawrence of The Hunger Games has, sadly and recently dropped out of the movie. I am still excited, though!

4. The Selection (The Selection, #1) by Kiera Cass

Yes, I am still annoyed at Eadlyn of The Heir but I will not deny that I loved the first three novels of The Selection. So I was excited to know that Warner Bros. bought the rights to make a movie adaptation of this series!

5. The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

This gets me too excited! 😀 Last 2014, Warner Bros.  acquired the rights to produce a movie based on this book, that you know I truly love. There are no current news about its cast yet but I will be surely so happy if this project will push through. 🙂

6. Allegiant (Divergent, #3) by Veronica Roth

Yes, I am not a fan of how this series ended but of course I will still watch this film! The movie will be released on March 18, 2016.

7. Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) Part 2 by Suzanne Collins

I also don’t like the ending of this awesome YA series but still, I just want to know how the screenplay would interpret the written words for one last time. 🙂 This will be out on November 20!

8. The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

The Choice is one of my Top 10 favourite Sparks novel. (Here’s Part II) So I was giddy when he announced that it will be made into a movie. BUT, the trailer made me sad. I can clearly sense that the screenplay is entirely different. The worst part is that they ‘changed’ the part that made me love the story most.

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So there! Glad to share all of these with you!

Please comment and share your thoughts, and your TTT links, too!

🙂

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Debut Authors Who Have Me Looking Forward To Their Sophomore Novel

“Only a person with a Best Seller mind can write Best Sellers.” – Aldous Huxley

Debuts. First times. Fresh. New.

That’s The Broke and the Bookish idea of Top Ten Tuesday for this week!

November 3:  Top Ten Debut Authors Who Have Me Looking Forward To Their Sophomore Novel

And because I am not quite sure if I have read 10 debut authors, that will depend on what Goodreads will say, I am including authors that I have read FOR THE FIRST TIME and I will probably look forward in reading their words again! 🙂

Let the list begin!

— DEBUT AUTHORS —

Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling

I had no idea that Galbraith was actually J.K. Rowling but… this debut book is just creepy at its best!

Kiera Cass

The debut was great but the current sequels aren’t really impressive. 😦

Graeme Simsion

I am just a big fan of sometimes-lovable-sometimes-irritating Don Tillman! 😀

Lisa Genova

Still Alice is a debut novel? I didn’t know that until now! But it was one of my great reads for this year!

Nicola Yoon

I may not like the edning of this debut novel but I will surely read Nicola Yoon’s sophomore book! 🙂

— AUTHORS I’VE READ FOR THE FIRST TIME —

Anthony Doerr

Indeed one of the best books of this year! 🙂

Alice Sebold

I just love the melancholic and creepy story told by a unique storyteller.

Liane Moriarty

If you think you’ve read the same story, think again. Liane Moriarty’s original twist and turns will surely surprise you.

Jodi Picoult

I now understand why Picoult is one of the most-loved authors. 🙂

Rainbow Rowell

I am just sooo excited to read Carry On! 😀

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That’s it for this week!

I would love to read your Top Ten Debut Authors, too!!!

🙂

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Not Scary but Definitely Creepy Books

“So what, ghosts can’t hurt you. That’s what I thought then.” ― Stephen King, Bag of Bones

I am no fan of ghosts or monster novels that is why I am kinda having some hard time with today’s The Broke and the Bookish‘s Halloween-inspired Top Ten Tuesday.

October 27: Halloween themed freebie

So instead of promising that this list will be full of SCARY novels, which I cannot actually promise, I opted to share to you books that definitely gave me creeps. Here are the Ten Not Scary but Definitely Creepy Books:

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Death is the storyteller of this book, isn’t it creepy?

2. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Susie Salmon, a teenage girl raped and murdered, told her gruesome story from heaven.  Yeah, for me it’s creepy.

3. 1st to Die (Women’s Murder Club, #1) by James Patterson

A serial killer murders who murders newly-wed brides really sounds creepy to me.

4. Defending Jacob by William Landay

The main plot is actually a bit ordinary but the ending definitely give me creeps.

5. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

I had a lot of goosebumps when the main twist was told, it’s just… unexpected.

6. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Just like Leaving Time, I was not also ready when I reached the end of this book. It’s just so creepy!

7. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 

This novel and its movie are not just creepy. They are insane!!!

8. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

I never sang “Ten Little Indian Boys” after I read this book.

9. The Cuckoo’s Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1) by Robert Galbraith

As a sucker of whodunit and muder mysteries, this book indeed gave me a lot of creeps.

10. Rising Sun by Michael Crichton

As the first full-length novel that I have read, this book introduced me to the world of gross murders and thrilling plot. So yes, this complete my list.

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Photo credits: All book covers are from Goodreads.

So that was it!

I hope you agree that these books are creepy enough!

I would love to hear your thoughts!

And to read your list, too!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Author Duos You’d LOVE To See Write A Book Together

“A writer’s brain is like a magician’s hat. If you’re going to get anything out of it, you have to put something in it first.” ― Louis L’Amour

It’s Top Ten Tuesday again and this week, The Broke and the Bookish put the spotlight on the people behind the words, the authors!

October 13: Top Ten Author Duos You’d LOVE To See Write A Book Together

This will take a lot of time but I will try to do it quick! 😀

So here are the duos that I would love to see, hopefully!

1. Kiera Cass + Colleen Hoover = Fairytalish  and suspense/mystery YA

2. Rainbow Rowell + Graeme Simsion = Ultimate book with odd yet lovable characters

3. Anthony Doerr +  Alice Walker = Ultimate historical fiction

4. Alice Sebold + Jojo Moyes = Ultimate tearjerker

5. Stephen King + James Patterson = Ultimate sci-fi mystery thriller

6. Jodi Picoult + Liane Moriarty = Ultimate mystery/romance/family novel

7. E. Lockhart + Gillian Flynn = Ultimately ‘insane’ story

8. Paulo Coelho + Markus Zusak = Ultimate inspiring and spiritually deep novel

9. Gayle Forman + Robert Galbraith = Ultimate love and mystery thriller

10.  Mitch Albom + Nicholas Sparks = THE BEST NOVEL EVER! 😀 ❤ (Sorry for fangirling!)

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That’s it!

Share your thoughts to me, please! 😀

And your links, too!

🙂

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Auto-Buy Authors

First impressions are meant to last, especially with books and authors.

I have proven that after I first read a Nicholas Sparks novel, A Walk to Remember, and a Mitch Albom book, The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

Because the first Sparks and Albom novels that I read were both great, these two have become my favorite scribblers since then.

On the other hand, there are also some authors that I will not read again after a not-so-good first read.

Now, here are my top 10 auto-buy authors who like Sparks and Albom, have written awesome novels that made me want to read more of their stories.

I also included the first books that I have read from these authors as well as my top recommended reads from them.

Credits to The Broke and the Bookish for hosting this awesome book meme! ❤

(This list is not ranked.)

1. Alice Sebold

Genres: Literature & Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs
First read: The Lovely Bones
Books read: The Lovely Bones
Recommended: The Lovely Bones
What I love about her: Her unique way in presenting her story. Her so realistic yet so moving description of lost, grief, love and peace.

2. Colleen Hoover 

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Humor
First read: Never Never
Books read: Never Never, Never Never: Part Two and Ugly Love
Recommended: Never Never
What I love about her: She knows how to leave you hanging, in a good way. Engrossing, oh yes.

3. David Levithan

Genres: Literature & Fiction, Young Adult, Gay & Lesbian
First read: Every Day
Books read: Every Day
Recommended: Every Day
What I love about him: He can pull-off a seemingly impossible yet gripping premise that will keep you reading until you’re done. His words awake the if’s and how’s of your reading mind.

4. Lisa Genova

Genres: Literature & Fiction
First read: Still Alice
Books read: Still Alice
Recommended: Still Alice
What I love about her: Her expertise in the field of medicine and her in depth knowledge of expressing diverse emotions. She can mix these two and translate it into a beautiful masterpiece.

5. Graeme Simsion

Genres: Fiction, Romance
First read: The Rosie Project
Books read: The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect
Recommended: The Rosie Project
What I love about him: He can create a not so normal but so loveable character. His stories have the right amount of “cheesiness” and quirkiness.

6. James Patterson

Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Young Adult, Romance
First read: Mistress
Books read: Mistress, 12th of Never, The Christmas Wedding, Cross My Heart, First Love, Private L.A. and 1st to Die
Recommended: Mistress and The Christmas Wedding,
What I love about him: He is indeed a master of on-the-edge-of-your-seat thrillers but he can also write touching stories of love.

7. Jojo Moyes

Genres: Romance, Mystery, Fiction
First read: Me Before You
Books read: Me Before You
Recommended: Me Before You
What I love about her: She can make me cry.

8. Lis Wiehl

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fiction
First read:Face of Betrayal
Books read: Face of Betrayal, Hand of Fate, Heart of Ice, A Matter of Trust, A Deadly Business, Waking Hours and Darkness Rising 
Recommended: Heart of Ice and A Deadly Business
What I love about her: Her knowledge in police and investigation technicalities and her expertise in law make her novels thrilling and informative at the same time.

9. Rainbow Rowell

Genres: Literature & Fiction, Young Adult, Romance
First read: Eleanor & Park
Books read: Eleanor & Park and Landline
Recommended: Eleanor & Park
What I love about her: Her imperfect yet relatable characters. Her witty yet compelling storytelling technique. Her books are just so relaxing to read.

10. Paulo Coelho 

Genres: Literature & Fiction, Nonfiction, Biographies & Memoirs
First read: The Alchemist
Books read: The Alchemist, Brida, Aleph, Eleven Minutes, The Devil and Miss Prym, The Winner Stands Alone, Manuscript Found in Accra, The Zahir, Veronika Decides to Die and Adultery
Recommended: The Alchemist, Eleven Minutes and Manuscript Found in Accra,
What I love about him: Genius in writing wise words. Most of his books are spiritually moving.

BONUS

Yep. I know you know this is coming. 🙂

Of course, Albom and Sparks will be included in this list! ❤

Mitch Albom

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Literature & Fiction, Sports
First read: The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Books read: For One More Day, The First Phone Call from Heaven, Have a Little Faith: a True Story, Tuesdays with Morrie, The Time Keeper and The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Recommended: Tuesdays with Morrie, The First Phone Call from Heaven, Have a Little Faith: a True Story
What I love about him: Moving. Truthful. Inspiring. May it be fiction or non-fiction, Mitch Albom always has a full-of-sense words that go beyond the pages of his stories. It sinks into your mind and into your heart.

Nicholas Sparks

Genres: Literature & Fiction, Romance
First read: A Walk to Remember
Books read: The Last Song, Three Weeks With My Brother, The Best of Me, The Longest Ride, Dear John, The Choice, Message in a Bottle, The Notebook (The Notebook, #1), The Wedding (The Notebook, #2), The Guardian, True Believer (Jeremy Marsh & Lexie Darnell, #1), At First Sight (Jeremy Marsh & Lexie Darnell, #2), The Rescue, The Lucky One, Nights in Rodanthe, A Walk to Remember, Safe Haven, and A Bend in the Road.
Recommended: Message in a Bottle, Safe Haven, Three Weeks With My Brother, The Longest Ride, The Choice, The Wedding (The Notebook, #2), At First Sight (Jeremy Marsh & Lexie Darnell, #2),  and Nights in Rodanthe
What I love about him: Master of love and lost stories. Master of heart-tugging lines. He is that one author that you can love and hate all at the same time. Prepare yourself for that unexpected ending, because he is also an expert in writing surprising twists.

So there!

Please share me your thoughts! ❤

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BOOK READS: A Review of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

A creepy yet moving tearjerker.

As I said in my recent 2015 Reading Challenge update, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold  deserves a full-length review, which I haven’t done for quite some time now.

So let me tell you why for the first time in months, I have decided to find some time to write a review for this novel.

Genre: Adult Fiction, Supernatural Thriller

Published: 2002

Rating:  (MUST MUST! READ)

THE STORY:

Susie Salmon, a teenager, was raped and murdered one December afternoon on her way home from school. From her point of view from heaven, Susie described how the murderer lured her into an underground hiding place where she was gruesomely killed.

For years, her murdered body was left undiscovered, but Susie in heaven continuously watched how her family was left clueless and destroyed by her untimely disappearance and unknown tragic death.

Susie Salmon saw her grieving family drift apart from each other as her killer was left unpunished. How will their lovely bones find peace and closure?

THE BLURB:

Emotional. Unique. Compelling. Moving.

I think there are no words that can explain how this book has affected me. My heart is still aching as I write that short story summary. That’s how Alice Sebold has written such a special book.

As an avid crime novels fan, a gruesome death is nothing new to me. I have read far worst murders compared to Susie Salmon’s case. But The Lovely Bones is the first ever mystery novel that I read that was told in the victim’s perspective. And that made this story unique and emotionally moving.

The first pages vividly described the crime and well as Susie’s life and the people that surrounded her when she was still alive. Sebold’s way of introducing the characters though Susie’s perspective is simple yet cohesive. Thus, you will be lost in the story.

Susie’s story is also relatable. This makes her murder and her journey more compelling to read. Though there are scenes that I don’t think is necessary, I still think that Sebold deserves praises.

Piece by piece, the novel’s ‘bones’ have gradually fall back to its places and created a story that will leave the readers a book hangover.

THE WISE WORDS:

THE WRAP:

The book started with a tragedy, but it ended with peace.  Sebold ingeniously showed how time can put back the destroyed bones of one’s life.

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2015 Reading Challenge Super Update Part 5 (29th to 31st)

Reading has proven to be my fortress when I’m stressed. 🙂 I am so glad to share to you another update of my 2015 Reading Challenge!

Read on!

A popular author’s first book (29th) – You by Caroline Kepnes I am not quite sure if every reader will consider Caroline Kepnes a ‘popular’ author yet but I am sure that her debut novel was good. It is actually crazy good, take that literally. You is a story of love, a crazy love full of obsession and deceit. It is creepy and engrossing at the same time.

A book with magic (30th) – Never Never: Part Two (Never Never, #2) by Colleen Hoover  and Tarryn Fisher

“Wide-awake until over 12 midnight and then there’s no more page to read!” This is how frustrated I am because I really wanted to know what happened to Silas and Charlie! While this book’s part 1 is still better that this novel, Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher undeniably written a very interesting sequel that readers will finish  in just one seating. I just can’t wait for the third part!

A book that made you cry (31st) – The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold This book deserves a full-length review. So I will surely find time to share my thoughts about this tearjerker soon! That would be all for now! Happy reading! ~