30 Heartbreaking Books That Will Ruin You on Purpose

Why do we read heartbreaking books? Maybe because they let us feel things we can't access otherwise. Maybe because they remind us we're not alone in our hardest moments. These books deliver.

Tragedies, devastating losses, and stories with no easy resolutions. For when you want to grieve through someone else’s grief.

Use the filters below to narrow by genre, or scroll for our complete list. Each book was chosen specifically for its heartbreaking feel — not just its rating.

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