I’m a weeper!
Yep, put me in front of a movie that tugs at the heartstrings and I’m a goner ~ break out the tissue box for me! Any sporting achievement and my eyes fill, I’m not even picky about the competitor being Australian – I’m just moved by personal triumph. When the Olympics come around I’m sure tissue manufacturers cheer given the boxes that get used at my house.
Strangely though, it takes an extra special book to make me cry. Not sure why but I rarely cry when reading – that doesn’t mean I haven’t been moved by a story or I’m not engaged, it just takes an extra special story to turn on the floodgates. One of those moments hit me two nights ago as I finished Lori Benton’s debut novel, Burning Sky. Yes, a debut novel. Lori’s book brought me to tears ~ why, I wondered. Well, it is evocative, beautifully rendered, and poetic, the characters are vivid and Lori has such a way with words that their feelings became my own. I was moved by their grief, their pain, and their joy. Now, I don’t want to pre-empt my review so won’t say more than about her novel but it did give rise to my bookish question of the week!
What book has moved you to tears (or some other visceral emotion), and why?
August 5, 2013 at 9:45 pm
I was sobbing by the end of Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. The scenes where Angel strips off her old self — sins, guilt, remorse — and is cleansed by God . . . well that image moved me so much. Rivers books always get me weeping. I am currently reading The Reunion by Dan Walsh for book club on Thursday. I have been given the heads up that I will need a box of tissues by book’s end. Have already felt the tears stinging, but no full fledged crying going on. Yet. Another book with characters with regrets.
August 5, 2013 at 11:45 pm
Beckie B. » Thanks for the great comment, Beckie. Redeeming Love is a beautiful story of redemption, isn’t it. I know Dan’s books are tearjerkers – hope you survive the onslaught!
August 5, 2013 at 9:47 pm
I cry over so many things, too! In fact I kept tearing up last night as hubby and son watched the first pro football game of the season–the Hall of Fame game–because they kept interviewing the new Football Hall of Fame inductees and their stories were so sweet! But also last night I was finishing up a book–You Don’t Know Me by Susan May Warren. I literally bawled through the end.
August 5, 2013 at 11:50 pm
Anne Mateer » oh, Anne, you make me feel so much better – glad I’m not the only one moved by sporting achievement! Thanks for sharing about Susie’s book – it’s the only one I haven’t read yet. I’ll be sure to snag some tissues when I read it.
August 5, 2013 at 11:11 pm
Not My Will by Francena H Arnold always makes me cry, even though I’ve read it a few times.
August 5, 2013 at 11:53 pm
Beth » Thanks for sharing – that’s an oldie but a goodie!
August 6, 2013 at 12:00 am
Francine Rivers’ book A Voice in the Wind is probably the only book I actually sobbed over, until I turned the page and realized there was a sequel. I did cry over Liz Curtis Higgs’ Lowland in Scotland Series (Thorn in My Flesh, Fair is the Rose, Whence Comes a Prince). That series put me through an emotional wringer.
August 6, 2013 at 1:52 am
I made the mistake of reading “Fair Is the Rose” on a quiet day at work. I bawled. My co-workers gathered around…”What’s wrong???”
“This book [*sob*] it’s just so [*sob*] go-o-o-ooood!”
Now I only read dry research books at work.
August 6, 2013 at 8:18 am
Sarah Sundin » Good plan, Sarah! Liz is very good at generating an emotional response, I agree.
August 6, 2013 at 8:19 am
Embassie » agree, agree, agree!!
August 6, 2013 at 1:43 am
I was very upset with the ending of “Love’s Pursuit” by Siri Mithcell. Was also saddened by a certain person’s death in Ronie Kendig’s Firethorn. Won’t reveal too much detail in case someone has not read these books, but fair warning…..keep a tissue handy!
August 6, 2013 at 8:19 am
Amy » Ronie’s books get me every time. I won’t always cry but my stomach is always in knots with the emotional tension!! And of course, Firethorn did me in. Amazing writing!
August 7, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Ahhhhhh!!! You made my day! I honestly cried when I wrote that scene. I mean, hands-over-face bawling!!!
August 7, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Ronie » well, of course you did. Gosh, you’d lived with those guys in your head so long! So moving and honouring, that whole scene and beyond.
August 6, 2013 at 2:07 am
There aren’t a whole lot of books that make me cry, but there have been a few that have left me breathless. It was just moving and powerful. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is the first one that comes to mind. The books that make me cry usually star animals like Dewey the Small Town Library Cat.
August 6, 2013 at 8:17 am
Katie » Animals will get you every time!!
August 6, 2013 at 2:22 am
Ohhh, Susan May Warren’s books often get me. 🙂 And older one of hers, Taming Rafe, got me soooo weepy. Also, When Heaven Weeps by Ted Dekker…I’ve read it probably five times and every time it’s left me a blubbering mess.
August 6, 2013 at 8:17 am
Melissa Tagg » Yes, yes, yes! Taming Rafe is one of my absolute faves from SMW. And WHW – yes, those early scenes were traumatic but so vivid and moving. Thanks Melissa
August 6, 2013 at 3:21 am
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.
The power had been out at our house for a couple of days, so we decided to drive down to my best friend’s house where we could have heat and a shower, etc. I was within one chapter of finishing when we arrived, so I told her “I have to finish this book …” being an avid reader herself, she totally understood. Then moments later, I bust out crying. She asked me what was wrong — all I could say was “I wasn’t expecting that ending …”
~Katrina
August 6, 2013 at 8:15 am
Katrina » Thanks for sharing that, Katrina. My MIL loves Jodi’s books but I haven’t read any yet. My bad!
August 6, 2013 at 5:28 am
Oddly enough, I’m not a huge book crier. It’s a bit less rare for me to cry in movies (since watching scenes and reading scenes are quite different for me), but even then I do not cry often. However, I did cry about five years ago when a main character died in the Left Behind series. Granted, I was fourteen, and it was a line that the husband said of his wife who died that sent me to tears.
Since then, the only two books that have almost got me to cry were Siri Mitchell’s Love’s Pursuit and Francine River’s Redeeming Love. I was getting through Siri’s book pretty slowly, so I kind of cheated and glanced at the ending. I probably would have cried had I not known what was coming, so it was my own fault. And the conclusion to Francine’s book was just beautiful–the whole story was. So that is my crying history 🙂
August 6, 2013 at 8:14 am
Marie Smith » Love’s Pursuit was SAD! But I adored that she didn’t just go for the expected ending – courageous writing!
August 6, 2013 at 6:37 am
Let me just begin my saying that I adhere to a philosophy of “Real Men Cry Sometimes.” With that being said I am able to admit proudly that I do cry over some movies (“It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Facing the Giants” always get me, as do a few others.) As for books, the ones who got me the most emotional are BJ Hoff’s Emerald Ballad Saga. If anyone has not read these, you must put them on your TBR pile immediately. (In fact, I think Harvest House may be running a special on the five titles in ebook format now.) These stories pull on all my emotions, from soaring thrills, to moving happiness, to weepy sadness. One of my all-time favorite series, I highly, highly recommend. The first of Lauraine Snelling’s Red River books got me, too. Very sad in places, but well worth the emotional roller coaster ride. Another great series!
August 6, 2013 at 8:13 am
Aaron McCarver » Glad to hear it, Aaron. Don’t think my hubs has teared up reading (well, he rarely reads!) but movies get him every time – lol! Our girls tease him about it!
I have BJ’s saga on my shelf and must get to it soon 🙂 Julie Cantrell’s Into the Free got me going, too, even in the very early scenes.
August 6, 2013 at 6:42 am
Sobbed and I mean SOBBED my way through Denise Hildreth Jones’s the First Gardener and Gina Holmes’s Crossing Oceans.
I gave my sister FG for her birthday and she rings me up about 2/3 of the way through weeping, “What are you trying to do to me?!”
August 6, 2013 at 8:10 am
Kara – Denise writes beautifully. Love your sister’s response 🙂
August 6, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Oh yes! Forgot about Crossing Oceans! I was a hot mess!
August 7, 2013 at 9:14 pm
Katie Ganshert » lol!
August 6, 2013 at 7:00 am
I’m such a crier too, especially anything sports! We’re not alone! 🙂 I mean, with stories like this, who wouldn’t?? Carry On’: Why I stayed http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9454322/why-stayed
I gotta think of some books I cried in recently, usually when there’s some kind of reconciliation with parents, I’m a goner!
August 6, 2013 at 8:09 am
Jamie » Yes, certain themes in books will always get me but not always bring me to tears. Thanks for sharing, Jamie
August 6, 2013 at 8:10 am
A couple of Aussie authors have made me well up in the last twelve months. Jo Wanmer – Though the Bud be Bruised – really got me going. And Meredith Resce knows how to draw a tear from me with some of her emotional scenes.
August 6, 2013 at 9:40 am
I’m not a big crier but there have definitely been some books that have brought on the tears. It’s usually because someone dies and the author does an amazing job of writing the feelings of the people grieving that you can’t help but cry because you feel the pain. The Healer by Dee Henderson is one that has made me cry several times, I think I cry harder each time. And the others that come to mind are, the Wings of Glory series by Sarah Sundin, Daughters of Fortune Series (especially Baroness) by Susan May Warren, and Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker.
August 7, 2013 at 9:17 pm
Abbi Hart » you are so right, Abbi. When the author can make the reader feel what the character is going through, it makes a book really special. That’s exactly what Lori does. Susie’s Baroness got me, too 😉
August 6, 2013 at 1:25 pm
Oooo! Call me a weirdo, but I love when a book can bring me to tears! Means I’m super invested. And it doesn’t happen very often. The ones I remember making me cry are Francine’s Mark of the Lion, Peace like a River, and The Help! I’m sure there are more, but those are the ones that come to the top of my head.
August 7, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Katie Ganshert » Not weird at all! I’ve read Francine’s Mark of the Lion series so many times. Beautiful stories 🙂
August 7, 2013 at 12:57 am
I’m a weeper too! (And a bit sensitive.) Especially when I’m reading a book that just draws me in. I can shed a tear if a book is just too good to be true – even if it isn’t a sad story. Tears of happiness sprung to my eyes when I finished Five Days in Skye, recently. SO romantic! I have read quite a number of emotional stories. One of them, Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke. The emotions, the sadness, the hear-rending pain was so raw and conveyed by the author in ways that definitely make her a wordsmith. Absolutely a powerful romance.
August 7, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Ganise » You are such a sweet soul, Ganise. Love that you tear up when happy, too. I know what you mean about both Carla’s and Cathy’s stories. Both emotional in different ways.
August 8, 2013 at 12:28 am
Bless you, Rel! Thank you!
August 12, 2013 at 2:59 pm
I can easily cry at movies and stories! One book that I remember crying through was Words by Ginny Yttrup. Kaylee’s journey got to me and I found myself crying as she had her small breakthroughs. Another is How Sweet It Is by Alice J Wisler. Something about Deena’s emotions simply feel real to me and I cried through different parts of it the first time I read it. Now that I know what happens, I don’t cry so much. But the first time I sure did! 🙂
Also, I find myself crying really often as I read the Bible. So often His gentle reminders for me through His Word just make the tears flow. With happiness and joy! 🙂
Great question, Rel! I’m a little late to answer but here I am. 😀
August 12, 2013 at 11:10 pm
Kara » I’m so glad you shared, Kara. Words was a tear jerker, for sure. Loved your comments about the Bible – you are so right, so many parts are tear inducing. Appreciate you!