This is a different kind of “recommendations” list. Or… maybe a TBR list? Of books we are dying to read, but too scared to (for whatever reason, taboo, too scary, too sad… you get the picture).
I posted this on Facebook late last night and already have a ton of awesome book suggestions that have some of us too antsy to jump in, and yet those of us that HAVE read ‘em are here to help! LOL!
I’ll start! Mine would be “Tampa” (it sounds too crazy and taboo and disturbing and so many er… “loved’ it, or enjoyed being psyched-out by it, but I’m scared). Also “The Empty Jar” ’cause I hear it’s ugly-crying from start to finish. My poor heart.
Jacqueline: Me Before You: A Novel, I just don’t think my heart can take the sadness. It stares at me from my kindle home screen, lol!
Also, I was scared to start Mud Vein but I recently finished it. That was lovely, and terrible, and moving
Maryse’s Book Blog: Both books that I absolutely LOVED!!!! 
(my review of Me Before You and my review of Mud Vein)
Niki: You MUST read Me Before You! I held off on it for awhile because I don’t do sad books or sad movies, but this one is totally, totally, undeniably worth the ugly-crying!!!
Lauren: I agree, I’m afraid to read Me Before You even though it’s been on my TBR list for a while…
Jill: It was worth evry single tear
Suanne: Me Before You. It’s so hyped up right now, I’ll hold off. I’m always a decade behind the times anyway. I didn’t read Harry Potter until this year and I just started Game of Thrones.
Tracey: After You: A Novel the sequel to Me before You I haven’t the guts to read it …I’d like to but nope my finger hovers over the purchase button but the pure terrified chicken in me hauls back the finger …maybe on next week /year
Kelley: It is good! Don’t be scared. All the characters end up getting nice closure.
Kim: LOL!!! I’m only 30% in The Empty Jar and I’ve been crying since the get go
Jo: The empty jar- 12% and gut wrenching already. But I shall be brave
Maryse’s Book Blog: EXACTLY!!!! But I hear it is SOOOOO GOOOOOOD!
Kim: It really is beautiful!!
Lauren: It got a 4.69 on Goodreads. I’ve just purchased it and added it to my TBR list! This is why I love Maryse’s Book Blog – I learn about great books that I would never have known about.
Krystal: I’m soo worried ! Lol but excited. I know I have prepare my self !!
Meagan: Forbidden! I’ve owned it awhile now, but haven’t read it yet! I don’t even know why, possibly cause I know it will break my heart
Maryse’s Book Blog: I also loved this one but, I too, was scared to read it. (my review)
Lauren: Forbidden was one of those books that I couldn’t put down, it wrapped you up, chewed you up and spit you out. It’s worth the read but I hated the ending. Don’t be afraid of it because it’s a taboo subject because it really is beautiful and readers always root for love to win.
Jamie: CARNAGE: Book #1 The Story Of Us , Me Before You , The Empty Jar … I don’t mind ugly crying as long as I do it on the way to a happy ending!! 
Kat: Arsen. A broken love story & The Ground Rules reading about cheating twist all my vital organs. And so many books that are ‘hyped’ up and loved loved. Like Making Faces I desperately want to read it but am worried I’ll be disappointed. Like Me Before You, yes it was enjoyable, no I didn’t cry, but I knew where is was going from the first chapter. To me it just wasn’t as amazing as everyone is saying.
Lauren: Arsen was amazing, absolutely you should read it. Ground rules was good, not great and ends kind of with a cliff hanger but it didn’t make me want to read the second book right away. Still sitting in my TBR list. I’ll get around to it. But definitely read Arsen. You won’t regret it.
Kat: Thanks Lauren! When I get to it I’ll let you know what I think. I’m even taking a screen shot so I don’t forget
Tanya: You have to read Making Faces! Beautiful story! 5 star read for me. Loved it!!
Rebecca: I don’t remember the name but it is a new one you posted this week and said you wouldn’t be able to read it. So, when I read the synopsis my heart cracked and I got choked up and thought ummmmm NOPE! That sounds like my worst nightmare! (Husband dies and then dog does too- NO. THANK. YOU) I would have to be medicated to read it.
Maryse: Ahhhhh yes that was Odin’s Swan Song by Jaime Loughran. GAH!! No i won’t be able to. I just can’t.
Angie: Yours Always by Rhonda R. Dennis. I just know this book is going to break my heart!
Cassie: Tampa was very out of my comfort zone, but it’s good.
Shantell: Which author?
Cassie: Alissa Nutting. The book cover was super graphic, they had to make it all black.
Lauren: I read Tampa and it was terrible. The taboo part of the story wasn’t what made it bad it was the writing and the protagonist is annoying. The best thing about the book is the cover art – well played. But I say don’t waste your time.
Sadie: So many of these books listed are favorites of mine – me before you, fault in our stars, forbidden, mud vein, how to kill a rock star, bronze horseman… Not sure what that says about me. I also liked Tampa!
Maryse: LOL Sadie!! I was just thinking, I have a review for almost all of these and I LOVED them all. 
You ‘n me… birds of a feather. ‘Cept I’m a-scared of Tampa!
Sharon: Waiting for Wyatt because I’m worried the animal abuse will get too graphic.
Lisa: I think you would be ok. If memory serves, no actual abuse was talked about in detail. It was more the aftermath…like what the dogs have become after trauma. Like one dog hides in the back of his kennel. It’s been awhile but I don’t remember anything graphic that upset me.
Sharon: Thank you.
Katarzyna: The Life of Anna series by Marissa Honeycutt! This is what I’m curious about but definitely too scared to read. I found out about that series on your blog( of course!), I’ve got it on my Kindle but still, I’m too afraid to go there…
Maryse: OMG YES!!!! That one is on my scaredy-cat list, too. The reviews seem amazing, but the things I’ve been hearing, and the shocking scenes, and some of my fellow reader’s reactions… well. All of it. I don’t think I can.
Stacy: A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole! I am too afraid to read it!!!
Kelly: A Thousand Boy Kisses and Desperately Seeking Epic
Joanne: Read it!!! So amazing.
Laura: So so so good!
Jan: Me too I’m not 100 percent sure what it’s about and everyone is saying its a tear jerker so I’m scared someone is going to die, and I can’t read them!!!
Stacy: I know, I can’t do sad endings, they stay with me too long!!!
Lynn: The Fault in Our Stars
Jennifer: Same here…
Lisa: The Bronze Horseman. I know it will be epic and powerful but I hesitate for some reason. I bought it on sale and it’s been sitting on my Kindle waiting.
Jeannie: Thoughtless, How to Kill a Rock Star (I started it and couldn’t finish it, I was too scared lol) and Forbidden. I just can’t bring myself to read any of them.
Amber: I wish I had never read Unseen Messages. I wish someone had warned me. I was depressed for days 
I’ve never seen the movie titanic-I know how it ends
Barbara: I finished reading the The Black Lotus Series I don’t think I can read more of this subject, and some point it was too graphic, too much I had to Take some breaks the whole series is !!!! The writing Was good !!!
Carina: Unlit Star Trust me. Cried for days after. Such a beautiful book.
Claire: I survived Bright Side, A Thousand Boy Kisses, The Fault in Our Stars, Forbidden and Me Before You, though I sobbed hard at them all. Next up is All the Bright Places
MY REVIEWS of some of these!
- Book Review – Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
- Book Review – Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher
- Book Review – Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
- Book Review – Carnage by Lesley Jones
- Book Review – Arsen by Mia Asher
- Book Review – The Ground Rules by Roya Carmen
- Book Review – Making Faces by Amy Harmon
- Book Review – The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
- Book Review – Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens
- Book Review How to Kill a Rock Star by Tiffanie DeBartolo
- Book Review – Unseen Messages by Pepper Winters
- Book Review – Bang by E.K. Blair
I am happily addicted to reading but I need to expend my book energy (especially when one puts me in an emotional frenzy - SO fun!). So, I release my feelings about the stories, by writing them down here. It's my book therapy. 
{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
Wait…is How To Kill a Rock Star a death book? Maryse! I need warning labels stat!
I can’t tell ya, R. Renee!!!! You’ll have to email me privately.
But I HATE spoilers so i’ll be in pain telling you anything.
Forbidden has stayed with me even 2yrs after reading it, ive never been so conflicted. It says alot about the author that I started out feeling one way about this taboo story and ended up feeling the total opposite!
Everything on this list.
Anything Amy recs.
From my trip A History of Glitter And Blood and The Walls Around Us. Though I’m pretty sure that they are not death books.
*takes deep breath to start praising above books*
*sees Bev’s comment*
Ooh, you brat! <——- giggling while I say that
Fine. FINE. I'll only comment on those up there if someone specifically asks me. *crosses arms and grumbles* Y'all already know which ones I would recommend anyways…
Screw it! Me Before You, After You (not amazing like MBY but still a wonderful followup), Mud Vein (5 love/hate stars for me), Forbidden, Arsen, Thoughtless, How to Kill a Rock Star, Bright Side…all of those were EPIC. Carnage…I was emotionally drained, but not in the way I like.
A Thousand Boy Kisses was good but didn’t affect me like it did everyone else. *scratches head* Maybe I’m broken right now?
And you know what? In addition to the ones I just listed, I have every single book up there sitting in my library waiting to be read. Every. Single. One. I am so at home here.
Lol. We are such opposites. I have not read one single book on here.
I do want to read The Bronze Horseman, though.
Oh, wait I read or read part of Making Faces. I’ll have to finish it. I think I liked it a lot but ended up skimming ahead. Then thought I’d go back and read it.
I loved Carnage! I was kinda mad when the Author published the second book lol. I read it and it was good but I thought Carnage was better. I recommended it and the messages I got were hysterical! What’s really funny is I’ve owned How to Kill a Rock Star for a few years and that’s the book I’m scared of even though I’ve read every book mentioned above except two. Taking Chances by Molly McAdams took forever for me to finally read. I loved it and made my daughter read it. I will never forget the day she read it….she was so mad at me. That’s our thing though I recommend books to her and she doesn’t read the synopsis so she never sees it coming! Great post, Maryse!
Being the weak hearted quivering ball of nerves that I am….I usually avoid anything Amy and Maryse are getting all excited about.
But Im surprised how many of these Ive read and loved..
HtKaRS, Bronze Horseman (please read it Bev), Making Faces, Arsen, Thoughtless and Fault in Our Stars.
Oh….and Brightside, but that one did a number on me! DNF at about 70% cos I couldn’t take it.
Maybe Im not as pathetically scared as I thought *shrugs*
Ok I’ve read most of these because I usually just go for it but Bright Side, I look at that seemingly innocuous cover but always abort. Not sure why I’m hesitant about that one *shrugs*
Are you sure this isn’t Amy’s Favorites List? Haha!
I’ve stayed away from Forbidden because I saw a spoiler that ruined it for me. But the book that scares me most is Brightside!!! I want to read it, I can’t read it, I’m scared to read it….. It’s a constant cycle!
Amy gave me the final nudge to read Me Before You and I was so happy I did! Loved it!
Great list Maryse!
I’m with Bev!!! This is basically a “which books NOT to read” list for me. I cannot do death, dying or overly depressing stories and I absolutley NEED a HEA. However, I do like “cheating” books (that sounds awful I know) and Thoughtless is my all time fave. I too have had Bronze Horseman on my TBR forever and haven’t had guts to read it yet.
Maryse, you should totally read TAMPA! For those who have kids, it might be cringe-worthy, but it’s worth the experience being in the head of a pedophile. For me, I was fascinated! Mind you, I rated it 2.5 stars on Goodreads only because at the 70% mark the protagonist did something completely unforgivable in my eyes. It pissed me off royally, and I rated the book poorly because of that one incident. That said, I will be going back to upgrade my rating because TAMPA has turned out to be one of those reads that NEVER leaves my mind! Even though it’s been quite a while since I read it, I find myself thinking about it all the time. And that, in my honest opinion, is what makes a good book.
Also, have you read LITTLE PEACH???? That short but impacting little book WRECKED me like no other book has before. I thought about it for MONTHS. It’s one of my top three reads of last year!
“Taking chances” by Molly Macadams was the book that I will never forget. I cried for days after. My husband wanted to take away my iPad if I wouldn’t stop crying!
I read the sequel to it “Stealing Harper”, and it was as bad. Very sad books.
I read some of the above books that some of you mentioned, Me before you, Arsen, etc but nothing made sad as this two.
I would recommend it to anyone that has not read it yet.
YAY!!!!
I’m so glad you guys are using it “as needed” for your TO READS or your NOT TO READS.
But what I’d love to include are more “dark” or “scary” or “thrillers” or risqué/forbidden love on here.
Nothing too crazy though.
The risqué/forbidden may be hard to find with this group.
*eyes Unseen Messages in TBR* *moves it down*
Like, twice a year I can handle sad. So, when i do, it beyter be Epic.
Michelle, read Bright Side. Don’t judge by the crappy cover. It’s one of the most touching stories I’ve ever read.
I’ve yet to read Me Before You even though I got it from the library. Too much sadness!
Therapy by Kathryn Perez was on my list… but I conquered that one… (Thanks Amy!)
Me Before You is still on my list. I don’t know if I’m scared to read it… or what my problem is. Hmmm….There was one I was avoiding and now I can’t remember what it is…
Is it my birthday? Because this list is one heck of a present! I have been wanting to read Forbidden for a while now but I couldn’t remember the name. This, Tampa and The Empty Jar are going on my Kindle ASAP! It’s angsty day for me!
I’ve read three beautifully fluffy feel good books in a row. If there’s ever a time when I should jump into my tbr and drag “bang” out, it’s now. *shivers*
I am so scared of The Life of Anna lol.
Waiting for Wyatt was so good! I loved it! The animal abuse was never described in detail though so if you guys are afraid of that, don’t worry about it.
The Bronze Horseman is one of my favorite books ever! The love story is so epic!
Anne, I’ve never read anything remotely like LoA. Easily the most gruesome book I’ve ever read. I don’t know why, but it is mesmerising, addicting, and I’ll never forget it.
That’s right Fabi, perfect description of LoA.
Okay just downloaded a sample of the first book in The Life of Anna series. Wish me luck!
I’m, good luck Anne! I’ll be curious to hear what you think of it.
Oooooh you are tempting me bad!!!!!!!!!
And now… *looks up Little Peach*
LOL Lisa… me ‘n Amy are bad, aren’t we?
I am at 50% on the first book in the Life of Anna series and wow! Its pretty disturbing but not as bad as I thought. So far so good.? I hate Devin and Jack so much!
Jean, we should BR tackle Bright Side. I feel like everyone else has read it and I’m missing out!
Oh yeah I haven’t touched Life of Anna either…does it get more gruesome/disturbing as you go on with the series?
But being bad is sooooo fun, Maryse!
Tell me you, too, get a cheap thrill when someone reads one of our “freak out” books and they freak out as well?!? Or maybe I’m just demented a little like that… Nah, it’s just great to have someone empathize with us over those books. 
Taking Chances and Stealing Harper…I’m so with you guys there. Hurt me badly, those two. Especially Stealing Harper. To be in HIS head? At *that* part? GAH!!
Oh Jean…you KNOW part of this list (the part with the books I’ve read) has my name all over it!
ALL of you who still haven’t read Forbidden, Bright Side, or Me Before You because you are scared…seriously, READ THEM!!! They will stay with you.
Exceptions: Anyone who may have a trigger with the taboo issue in Forbidden (it’s been mentioned by one of our friends here…won’t say who without their permission). And Jean because she had the ending spoiled. That just ruins the whole dang book.
Oh, and then you have to watch the trailers (plural!!) for the MBY movie…but only AFTER reading the book for the biggest impact.
Um, I do not want a pedophile thoughts to stay in my head. Nope.
Speaking of heads……have you watched Sherlock? ???
Finished Enslaved and wow! That ending!! Starting book 2 now!
Michelle, to answer your question about the LoA series. Just when you think it can’t get any darker, it does. Then…it gets darker still.
Anne, we were typing at the same time. LOL – addicting isn’t it? Although, I admit I had to take breaks between some of the books.
Ok seriously, is everyone in love with Anna? That’s kinda pissing me off. They meet her and boom fall in love :/
Anne, have you gotten to any PNR parts yet? She’s pretty special.
Wow Anne! You finished that first book fast! I’m impressed! Yes Fabi, Anna is quite special.
Michelle, I would be more than happy to read Brightside with you…..I think we’ll need the support. Let me know when you are ready! Amy did get me to read MBY and she’s really never steered me wrong. I’m just finishing up When You Make It Home and then was going for Undecided, but I could definitely squirrel!
Fabi I kinda know something is different with Anna but I don’t know what yet. Like that there’s some PNR though! Didn’t expect that!
Jean yeah I read all day yesterday lol
Gus! I tear up just thinking of Bright Side
*shakes head* not only no to BS but a no to the moon and back no
Lan…think of Gus as Bright Side in reverse, if that makes any sense. I couldn’t have read Gus right after BS though because…well, you know why. Trying to avoid spoilers here.
Gus starts off kicking the sh!t out of your heart but ends in the most wonderful, relief-filled place. And I have the perfect songs for both books. Both songs still give me a lump in my throat whenever they pop up on my playlist. GAH!
“not only no to BS but a no to the moon and back no” <—— *giggle*
Hi Maryse , too scared to read , Bella Jewel thirteen , but that is one of my favourite authors, also the fear series , I want to read this but am scared .
13 wasn’t that bad. It is dark, but in the realm of dark things, it was good, but not as scary. I really liked it.