“Tough subjects” are some of my absolute favourite kind of books, so I’m thrilled to be participating in this Top Ten Tuesday topic! So without further ado, here are some of my favourite intense, dark, gritty, emotional books:
Going Under by S. Walden
WOWIE! This book was so intense and had me at the edge of my seat. But it also deals with some really scary sexual abuse topics. It’s intense, and kind of ‘wrong’, but so incredibly good.
My Review • Goodreads
Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley
Pretty Girl-13 is dark and creepy. It deals with kidnap and abuse—two very intense subjects. But it also talks a lot about how people deal with abuse psychologically (i.e. developing multiple personalities to cope with the trauma). This book is dark and gritty, but will have you totally addicted.
My Review • Goodreads
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
This book mixes abuse and romance. The romance is a great way for the character to have support and someone to lean on, as she uncovers the abuse from her past, which she hid so deep down that even she didn’t know it was there! It’s an emotional whirlwind for sure!
My Review • Goodreads
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
The Sea of Tranquility is a brilliant example of two people coming together to support each other through the traumas of their past. Even though it’s a bit dark and emotional, the romance also makes it incredibly sweet and heartfelt.
My Review • Goodreads
In The After by Ashley Mackler-Paternostro
This book is like the movie Enough. It’s sad, devastating, powerful, but also has that element of bittersweet hope. In The After is about an abusive relationship and how you can get out of it when there’s a child involved. There’s always a risk of the abusive parent gaining custody, and that’s something every parent wants to avoid!
My Review • Goodreads
Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
Wow the end of this book will blow your mind. Ultimately I think it’s about forgiving people who cause you pain. It’s a tough thing to learn, but man.. this book rocks that message! But Ten Tiny Breaths is also fun, and sexy. It’s a great read all around!
My Review • Goodreads
Captive in the Dark by CJ Roberts
I actually like the second book in this series—Seduced in the Dark—even more, but I’ll list book #1 for the sake of this post. Captive in the Dark deals with Stockholm Syndrome. Enough said? This book is scary, SUPER dark, intense, and all kinds of incredible. It’s definitely only recommended for adults or ‘mature’ readers. But damn, it is incredible.
My Review • Goodreads
The Program by Suzanne Young
I totally did not expect The Program to be as emotional as it was. Just imagine: your brother committing suicide, your friend being hauled away for depression, your other friend committing suicide… and now you’re in danger of losing your boyfriend and yourself. An emotional wreck wrapped up in an amazing dystopian book. Go for it!
My Review • Goodreads
Premeditated by Josin L. Mcquein
Sexual abuse, fierce friendship, heartbreak, and the promise of revenge. This book will rip through your heart and soul! Plus it’s a fun read.. because it’s about undercover revenge! Girl power! Premeditated is actually quite similar to Going Under now that I think about it.
My Review • Goodreads
Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick
This is one of those books that’s just indescribable. You have to read it to get it. It does involve a student-teacher relationship. But it’s raw, dark, and gritty. The story will completely own you and pull you under.
My Review • Goodreads
Two of those are on my list too! 🙂 But good choice. I still have to read most of them.
I still need to write my review but I LOVED The Sea of Tranquility. I have to give it 6 stars. It was freaking perfection.
Awesome list. Will check a few of these out.
So from that awesome list of yours, I’ve only read one.. That’s Pretty Girl-13 and I really liked it! It was definitely a difficult subject. I really need to read Ten Tiny Breaths and The Program soon, see what all the fuss is about. 🙂
Oh, Going Under got a better cover, so, since you vouch for it, I can maybe add it to my GR shelves without feeling like a creeper. The girl with just swimsuit bottoms on a diving board over a bed pool was weiiiiird.
I liked Ten Tiny Breaths too, even if the romance was a bit too sweet and perfect and immediate.
Drowning Instinct is my favorite dark contemp ever. All of the love for it. ALL THE LOVE.
I haven’t read any of these 🙁 I’m definitely not a tough-subjects reader, like at all. I struggled to compile my list, because some of the books that I read dealt with some tough-subjects, and they were prevalent but didn’t permeate the entire book.
OH! You put Pretty Girl-13, Drowning Instinct, and Ten Tiny Breaths on this list. Those have been my absolute FAVORITE reads this year. *happy sigh* This list is perfect.
Even before I clicked on this post I knew for sure that Captive in the Dark and Hopeless would be on here. (Also The Sea of Tranquility, even though I haven’t read it yet)
I want to read Premeditated so freaking bad but Random House hates me 🙁
Great picks, even though I’ve only read 2. But those are in my all time favorites list.
Shoot, I haven’t read any of these, but several of them are on my list. Top of that list is definitely The Program. It sounds like such a good book!
I have some reading to do since I haven’t read a single one of these! I trust you and I know there must all be great!
The Sea of Tranquility = YES!
I’m reading Drowning Instinct now and I’m really loving it so far, I can already tell that it’s totally going to tear me apart! haha
Love your list Ashley, I have to add a few of these to my TBR list!
I have this NEED to read The Program. And everything I’ve heard about Hopeless makes me think I would really like it. I know I have Ten Tiny Breaths on my TBR because I literally haven’t read a bad review of it!