Books Where Characters Struggle Through!
I know, I know! I was supposed to feature books, which I struggled with, but I struggled so much with the topic, that I decided to turn it around. It's no secret in these parts, that I have developed a penchant for grief books. Everybody experiences losses, be it the loss of a person, a relationship, or one's innocence. There are so many things we can lose. I find comfort in reading about how people deal with their losses. It sounds sort of sad, but really, these books have all shown that though we may struggle, we gain strength and insight during those tumultuous times.
Laura Tims
Series: n/a
Publisher: Candlewick
This book is on my Faves of 2017 list. Sam was struggling in so many ways after a hit and run left her with a permanently injured leg and no mother. She sort of lost her identity with her mobility and her anchor with the loss of her mother. This book made me feel so many things, and I loved it!
Fiona Wood
Series: The Six Impossiverse Series, #2
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Wildlife follows a group of teens as they completed their term in the wilderness as part of their outdoor education program. One of the students, Lou, was grieving a huge loss, and as part of her grieving process, she wrote letters. Needless to say, I shed tears every single time she wrote one of those letters. It was heartbreaking! One of my favorite moments was when she made a breakthrough, because I really liked Lou and wanted her to heal.
Adi Alsaid
Series: n/a
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
After Carlos' brother is killed, he struggles as the brother left behind. His grief manifests as auditory and visual hallucinations, which tell him to run away to America and pursue his dream of being a chef. I loved that pursuing his passion led to his healing.
Jessica Park
Series: Flat-Out Love, #1
Publisher: CreateSpace
This whole family was grieving a loss, which was kept under wraps for most of the story. The result of the family's denial was dysfunction, anxiety, and strange, irrational attachments. Park always packs tons of feels in her books, and this one was no exception to that rule.
Vi Keeland & Dylan Scott
Series: n/a
Publisher: CreateSpace
Both Nikki and Zach suffered from tragic losses. This book was really emotional, and that emotion was amped up, because of the secrets surrounding them. I loved the way their lives were intertwined without them knowing, and how they were able to heal together.
Sarah Ockler
Series: n/a
Publisher: Simon Pulse
After a boating accident, Elyse is left with no voice. She flees to a small island in search of solitude as she grieves the loss of not only her voice, but her dreams. My heart ached for Elyse. There she was on the cusp of stardom, but without a voice, she could no longer pursue her dreams as a singer. I loved seeing her work through her pain and find a new purpose and a new dream.
Morgan Matson
Series: n/a
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
After Amy's mother took a position on the east coast, she was forced to drive cross country as part of the move. The only problem was that Amy had recently been in a car accident in which her father died, and she was still working through her pain. This really was an epic detour, and it was wonderful the way Amy was able to sort out her feelings and even make some steps towards healing.
Sarah Dessen
Series: n/a
Publisher: Penguin Group
Macy's whole world was upended when her father died suddenly. She reacted by withdrawing and depriving herself of anything she once enjoyed. She became the great pretender, but mostly, she was pretending that she was no longer grieving the loss of her father. It was so wonderful when a chance encounter brought the Wish caterers into her life. They helped her grieve out loud and heal and it was a beautiful thing.
Julie Buxbaum
Series: n/a
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Jessie was essentially starting a whole new life: new state, new home, new school, and a new family, but she had to do it without of the most important person in her life, her mom. She felt like she had nobody to turn to, and then she begins to get emails from Somebody/Nobody. I really liked that Buxbaum showed there is no one way to grieve and that is ok to let others help you through your pain.
Paula Garner
Series: n/a
Publisher: Candlewick
This was a really beautiful story of loss: loss of a limb, loss of a sibling, loss of son, loss of a best friend, loss of a future. I was touched so many times, and I shed many tears. I sort of lost it during the last 10 pages, but Garner left me with a full heart from all the feels.
I don't read a lot of grief books but sometimes they can be affecting and thought provoking. Tell Me Three Things is one I wanted to read. Wildlife sounds good too.
ReplyDeleteTell Me Three Things was wonderful! I am such a Buxbaum fan, and she gas an adult grief book, After You, which I loved too.
DeleteI completely know what you mean, sometimes I need a good cry, and to remember that my life isn't all that bad! I loved the Truth About Forever, Sarah Dessen is an amazing author. Left Behind sounds really good, I'll have to read that soon :)
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT if you're interested: https://victoriajaynesbooks.wordpress.com/2017/09/05/books-i-struggled-with-but-loved-by-the-end-top-ten-tuesday-44/
Dessen is one of my faves. Her newest book is a grief book too, and I she'd some tears reading that one too.
DeleteI love books that are sad or deal with tough topics - even if it's not specifically about grief. I love Amy and Roger, and I want to read Flat-Out Love.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Park knows how to gut you. The Flat-out books were my intro to her, but Left Drowning was probably even more emotional.
DeleteI loved Tell Me Three Things and Amy & Roger's. I just got Flat Out Love and can't wait to get to it! Great list!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely a Flat-out fan, and it showed yet how there are so many ways to grieve. I hope you like it!
DeleteFlat Out Love was sooo good, funny and heartwrenching! Tell Me Three Things and The Truth About Forever were also wonderful. Not sure I'd love Amy & Roger today. I think Roger being hung up on his girlfriend would bug me, but who knows. Great list here, Sam! :)
ReplyDeleteAmy & Roger is my fave Matson book. They both grew and healed together during that road trip
DeleteNice flip on the topic today! I have had so many Sarah Dessen books recommended to me, it's crazy. There are one or two in my TBR closet (yeah, I know), but I haven't gotten to them yet.
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thanks!
If you like YA contemporaries that are low angst and mild drama, you will like Dessen. I find her books very heartwarming, and the touch upon issues while keeping the stories on the lighter side and very hopeful.
DeleteTell Me Three Things sounds like a really good read.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my TTT post this week:
https://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2017/09/top-ten-tuesday-ten-books-that-were.html
Tell Me Three Things was my gateway Buxbaum book. I went on to read her adult releases, and loved them too. No regrets.
DeleteInteresting twist on this week's topic!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/05/top-ten-tuesday-123/
Thanks. If I am struggling, I usually DNF, so I had nothing for the actual topic.
DeleteOh nice twist of the topic! These are all new to me ones since I don't read contemporary. I think I would struggle to apply this one to my paranormal reads...only because I have a really bad memory for this one. I guess they all would've struggled in some sense. Saving the world is hard work! LOL!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
When I think of paranormals that I have read, I feel like there was always some deaths or a loss of their life before.
DeleteThis week's topic was a tough one so I like the spin you put on it, especially since all of these books are new to me. I love finding new books to read in people's TTT lists :)
ReplyDeleteI was able to come up with 2 books (and one I DNFed). But I love when the characters struggle in a book and come out stronger and better versions of themselves because of it.
DeleteI really like your take on this topic!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hate to miss a TTT because I don't finish books I don't like. This worked for me. =)
DeleteGreat list! I haven't read any of these but I have heard great things about almost all of them. I do love when characters grow in a story. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of YA, so I expect growth, but I really love reading about the different ways people grieve. At some point, everybody hurts and there is some comfort reading about how others work through it. (and now I am singing the REM song)
DeleteI actually liked The Truth About Forever - and was really surprised to know that I liked it. :)
ReplyDeleteIf you say Dessen, I will probably say I liked it. I think there were like 2 of her books that were not as good as the others, but I still thought they were ok, and The Truth About Forever had such a fun group of people in it. I remember liking them so much.
DeleteI like how you turned this around. I haven't read any of the books on your list but I should check them out. I like books with a bit of struggle in them.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that is why I love books like this so much, because I can identify with the struggle and I like knowing that they made it to the other side.
DeleteI love your unique take on this week's list! I absolutely loved Phantom Limbs, so I totally agree with you there. I am really looking forward to reading The Art of Feeling, Summer of Chasing Mermaids, Amy & Roger, and Tell Me Three Things- I own them all, I just need to get to them! Great picks :D
ReplyDeletePhantom Limbs is a book I wish more people read, because I really loved it. I plan on going HAM on my shelf-love after October. I hope we both read some of the books we own and have been meaning to get to.
DeleteI like your spin on the topic. My favorite grief book is probably Bridge to Terabithia, even though the grief doesn’t show up until the end.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Annnnd, now I am crying. Terabithia is so heart wrenching. The grieving is at the end, but it's more meaningful because of the build up. We had to get the full picture to understand the loss, and maybe that is why I am in tears right now.
DeleteI loved The Truth About Forever SO MUCH, it is probably my favorite Sarah Dessen book so far, seeing Macy opening up to the Wish crew and starting to live again was amazing. I really-really want to read Flat-Out-Love. Wonderful list!
ReplyDeleteVeronika @ The Regal Critiques
I got chills from your describing the book. It is definitely one of my top Dessen books, and I love Jessica Park. She writes these books that are all raw and emotional. This one just touched me so much, and I loved the companion books that followed too (Flat-Out Celeste was stupendous).
DeleteI understand better now why you're having a banner year for books about grief, Sam. It's such a great, positive thought to have about books like this. For me, I tend to venture into books like this only so often because when done well, they wreck me.
ReplyDeleteThey wreck me, but then they build me back up. That is my one requirement, and I have been mostly lucky, because the YA genre does tend towards positive growth in general.
DeleteI've only red three books from your list and it was a great idea to write your post from the character's struggle. The Truth About Forever is one of my favorite books :)
ReplyDeleteThe Truth About Forever was wonderful! I have read all of Dessen's books, and I am a total fangirl of her's. I turned the topic around because I couldn't think of books I struggled with since I am a mad DNFer
Delete