Emotional Annihilation Toolkit
Are you currently not crying to the point of vomiting, but you want to be? Need to conduct a science experiment to find out if you are in fact the ugliest crier in all of Pagebound? Well, do I have the list for you! Brought to you by the fine, very sad, folks of Pagebound! These books have been frequently suggested or upvoted in PB club posts about sad books! Suggestions in any genre, and extra tissues, are welcome!
created by acidicchaos
last updated July, 2026
Comments
Roots by Alex Haley. Took me right out.
as a water sign i’m an expert in crying 🙂↕️ i think the stationery shop by marjan kamali would be a great addition!
as a water sign say no more!! Immediately added!! With love and plenty of spare tissues, yours in tears - AC (Scorpio Ascendant)
As a water sign, this list will destroy me, I'll blame you for shortening my life span 🥹 Thanks anyway 🥹
Also, I remember crying on The Storyteller's Secret if ever
Just went to add it and I see a couple with the same title - do you remember the author's name by chance?
Yes sorry about that, it's Sejal Badani! It's a red cover.
Also by another Indian author, Girls Burn Brighter by Shoba Rao, this one is stomach churning
Beautiful!!! Added!! I shall blame you for these when I'm ugly sobbing on the floor hahaha
sincerely, a scorpio sun🦂
Lol as a scorpio sun + pisces moon, I think my libra and sag placements must be working overtime because I do not cry easily at books/movies 😅
omg with the water moon too? i’m such a baby i try to blame it on my water signs but i only have two placements the rest are air and earth😭
🦀🌞 and 🦂⬆️ 😜
Fellow water sign I'm already tearful 🥲🦀
Would love this as a quest ngl 😭😭😭
I second this 🙂↕️
I'm just imagining what that forum would look like hahahaha
Haha just a lot of "omfg my face hurts from crying so bad" and lots of "yessss the catharsissss"
100% gets my vote
hi yes Shark Heart: A Love Story would do nicely here 🥹
I'm starting to get a little scared about how many books on my TBR are a good fit for this list - did not realize this one was going to make me sob! Added to the list! Thank you!!
bill you angel you knew exactly the right add
thought of you and nezuu immediately 🩵
also reccing know my name by chanel miller! i think i cried at about 3 separate parts when reading this 😭
Yessssss I have been avoiding this one because I know it will destroy me. It definitely needs to be on this list!! Thank you!
understandable, i was not expecting to cry as much as i did 😭 i feel like i read so many sad books at least it comes in handy now 💀😭
wait. Project Hail Mary? 🧍♂️ (I haven't watched the movie either, was just surprised to see it pop up because I have evidently not encountered a lot of talk about its emotional side hahaha)
I haven't read it so idk, but it was suggested a couple of times. I thiiiiink because of loneliness/isolation but tbh everything is kind of blurring together for me at this point.
People who have read it - let me know if it's a good fit!
Ahhh gotcha, makes sense, sounds like something that could pull at heartstrings in it!
I also have light criticism of this pick. There are emotional parts to the book, but I don't see it making anyone cry all the way through.
Great list!!
Thank you!! If it's not a tear jerker it's gotta gooooo!
may i suggest i'm glad my mom died by jennette mccurdy 😭🙂↕️
Yesssssss fantastic addition for the list!! Added!! Thank you!!
I see you have a few Kristin Hannah books in here, but unless I've missed it, Home Front would be a good add. I had to put that book down to cry three different times 😭😭
Yess!! Added!! I saw so many Kristin Hannah recs on those posts! I haven't read any of her books yet, but I feel like I could pick up any of her books if I need a good cry now hahahah
She is vile for how much she makes people cry I think it's why I've avoided her books this year 😬😬😬
another rec: solito by javier zamora that one killed me
I definitely see why this one killed you... it's gunna kill me too! Added!! Thank you!!
"the death of vivek oji" definitely made me ugly cry multiple times. great list🥲 my other would-be suggestions are already on here
Omg thank you for this!! Added to the list AND my TBR! I already know I will be ugly crying to this one!
i hope you like it! 🫶🏻
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead made me WEEP recently, would definitely recommend that one
Ooooh I have The Underground Railroad on my TBR tooooo! Yay!! Added to the list thank you in advance for making me sob haha
You’re so welcome! It was wild because I thought I was in the clear and then something happens near the very end and I was done for, a mess
gotta love a good sneak attack sob hahah
May I submit to you "Atmosphere" and "Here We Go Again"?
Yesss! I bawled in Atmosphere and now I need to check out Here We go Again! Thank you for the recs! Both of those are added now!!
Literally the last 20-30 min of listening to Atmosphere and driving to work and was considering pulling over because the amount I was crying was UNSAFE lmao
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
now THIS is a great list
I need this as a quest. ASAP. Because omg is this my jammmmmmmmm. 🖤💜🖤💜
here are a few of my recs for this list!!!
- five little indians by michelle good
- the hunger we pass down by jen sookfong lee
- the poppy war by r.f kuang
- last night at the telegraph club by malinda lo
- milktooth by jaime burnet
- if beale street could talk by james baldwin
- a sweet sting of salt by rose sutherland
yum sad books
Love a good cry. Someday Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli, Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan and Louder Than Hunger by John Schu definitely come to mind as ugly cry books for me.
