Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books that Made Me Smile and Cry

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week’s theme is Top Ten Books That Made Me Smile and Cry.

I read a lot of books and most I love, but there are few which have made me want to smile so much I physically can’t hold it in. I find myself sat reading with a massive smile on my face because the story or the characters or the relationships just make me so happy I can’t help but smile. Then there are others which have moved me to tears; the story or the situation or even the writing itself is so emotional I can’t help but cry at the saddest parts. So for this week’s theme I didn’t pick books that made me laugh, instead I picked five that I couldn’t help smiling through, and five that moved me to tears.

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Top Five Books that Made Me Smile

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

There is so much happening in this book; the story is brilliant and the characters are all excellently written but it was the relationship, and pretty much every interaction, between Simon and Baz that I couldn’t help but love. The two fought through so much to be together in the end but it was probably more than worth it.

He shakes his head, and he’s saying something, and I think I might kiss him.
Because I’ve never kissed anyone before. (I was afraid I might bite.) And I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone but him. (I won’t bite. I won’t hurt him.)
I just want to kiss him, then go.
“Simon…,” I say.
And then he kisses me.

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Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

The main aspect to this story is the relationship between Simon and Blue, which don’t get me wrong I loved, but the part that made me smile the most was Simon’s relationships with everyone else; his parents, his sisters, his friends. As he struggled with coming out to everyone their reactions to his news and the support they give him is one of the best parts of this story.

There’s this pause. We’re still looking at each other. And there’s this feeling in my stomach like a coil pulled taut.
“It’s you,” I say.

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Something Old, Something New (Stars Above) by Marissa Meyer

I loved all of The Lunar Chronicles books and Something Old, Something New is the perfect epilogue to the series. After everything the characters have been through in all the previous books it was nice to see each of them finally get their happy ending.

“It wasn’t until that moment, seeing Kai’s smile and being wrapped up in his arms – both of them ignoring the fact that the world was watching – that she realized he was the home she’d been missing.”

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Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Set in Paris, the most romantic city in the world, Anna and Étienne have the perfect backdrop for their budding relationship. I loved both characters and their growing relationship throughout the book, even as friends they were perfect for one another.

“But—”
“But what? You love him, and he loves you, and you live in the most romantic city in the world.”

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Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

This book is like a modern-day fairytale. There is so much happening for all of the characters, what they are going through and experiencing, but Bone Gap has such beautiful writing and a beautiful story that it made me believe magic could be real again.

“You will see the world. You will have love affairs with boys who see past a pretty face. You will be strong. You will call and tell me about it.”

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Top Five Books that Made Me Cry

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Lennie’s grief for her sister and everything she goes through is so moving. She’s missing a major part of her life and it’s so easy to see through the writing that missing piece in her soul. Losing a family member is never easy and I feel that is shown through the whole story in everything Lennie goes through.

“Grief is a house where no one can protect you
where the younger sister
will grow older than the older one
where the doors
no longer let you in
or out.”

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Narrated by Death so much of this story which tore me apart; everything Death sees at the front lines of the war and his unique look at the world, both the war and Leisel’s life. The very end of this book shattered me to pieces and I was devastated but even still the writing and the narration was beautiful beyond words.

“He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry.”

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All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

As it tells the story of both Marie-Laure and Werner we watch them both grow up and we see all the ways the war affects their lives. At the end both have been irrevocably changed by what they lived through, saw, and experienced; and at the end I was a mess of tears.

“You know the greatest lesson of history? It’s that history is whatever the victors say it is. That’s the lesson. Whoever wins, that’s who decides the history.”

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The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry

This was another beautifully written book which I couldn’t put down. The relationship between Natalie and Beau was so moving but so heartbreaking at the same time when it was revealed how both were able to slip through into each other’s worlds. The story this book tells is an unforgettable one which will stay with you after it’s finished.

“There’s nothing scarier than hearing someone you love cry, except imagining a world where that sound stops. Suddenly I can’t breathe. Can’t be here. There’s nothing scarier than loving someone.”

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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This is the only book by John Green I have read so far but it is a brilliant one. You know from the beginning the relationship between Augustus and Hazel is not going to be an easy one but the journey John Green takes you on; showing you their lives, their relationship, their struggle with their disease, will move you to tears.

“I want more numbers than I’m likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful.”

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So what do you think? Did you take part in this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, if so let me know what books made you laugh, smile or cry were.