Heart-Wrenching Books That Will Make You Cry

Who doesn't love a happy ending? We all love stories where the hero (or heroine) emerges victorious despite overwhelming odds, where lovers unite and where there is a happily ever after. But every now and then, comes along an emotionally powerful book that moves us to tears with its evocative prose and gives us a good, cathartic cry. We've rounded up a list of such books, so you may want to grab a box of tissues and come along for the ride.

1. All The Light We Cannot See

Set in Germany and occupied France during against the backdrop of WWII, this poignant tale of survival centers on the experiences of a blind French girl named Marie-Laure LeBlanc, and a German soldier named Werner Pfennig. Anthony Doerr's prose takes us on a haunting journey as we see the world through Marie-Laure's eyes and discover how the main characters are connected, and how Werner will finally redeem himself.

2. The Light between Oceans

Tom Sherbourne is a soldier suffering from survivor's guilt after returning from the trenches of World War One. Tom's life takes a turn for the better when he finds Isabel and falls in love. Together, Tom and Isabel live on the small and isolated island of Janus Rock where Tom finds employment as the lighthouse keeper after the war. Their idyllic life takes a harrowing turn when they make a devastating choice that will damage the lives of many people irreversibly. This is a story of grief, loss, and despair that shows us what happens when good people make a bad decision.

3. The God of Small Things

Arundhati Roy's debut novel is heavy with themes of social discrimination and forbidden love. Set in Kerala, India, it explores the tumultuous childhoods of fraternal twins Rahel and Estha and how a few fateful hours violently alter the course of their lives. The book won the Booker Prize in 1997 and is a tragic and captivating story of how the twins are separated, and how their love ultimately helps them find their way back to each other.

4. The Book Thief

Narrated by death itself, we navigate Liesel's world who is a teenager growing up in Nazi Germany at the height of the second world war. Tragedy is everywhere and death has never been busier. On this journey of hope, survival, and friendship, Liesel finds solace in her love for books and forges a deep bond with the Jewish man her family is secretly sheltering in their basement.

5. The Kite Runner

This heartbreaking story of betrayal and redemption begins with the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant. Set in Afghanistan, this is a devastating exploration of the relationship between fathers and sons, and the unbreakable bond between two friends, in life and even in death.

6. The Fault in Our Stars

A story that chronicles the last days of two teenage lovers suffering from terminal cancer, this is a heart-rending romance novel that is guaranteed to move you to tears. The Fault in Our Stars teaches us that being alive is priceless and that even though life can be short, it can still amount to infinity if we spend it the right way, loving the right people.

7. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

John Byone's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a grim young-adult novel that tells the story of the holocaust through the puzzled eyes of Bruno, the 8-year old son of the commandant of a concentration camp. The novel deals with themes of suffering, the innocence and naiveté of children, and the forbidden friendship between Bruno and Shmuel, a Jewish boy of his age. It is a deeply compelling reminder of the horrors of war and sheds light on the unseen perspective of everyday Germans who unwittingly took part in Nazi's ultimate solution.

8. A Thousand Splendid Suns

Published in 2007, this is the second novel by Khaled Hosseini, following the phenomenal success of his debut The Kite Runner. The book narrates the story of Mariam, an illegitimate child of a rich man and her friendship with Laila, a girl that is born to a wealthy family. The book is a deeply moving account of the reign of terror of the Taliban in Afghanistan and a chronicle of fear, violence, hope, and indestructible love.