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If you loved
Books like The thing about jellyfish
A quiet, aching exploration of grief that uses the wonders of the natural world to make sense of the unimaginable. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The thing about jellyfish.
- quiet
- oceanic
- bittersweet
- contemplative
- 01
Goodbye days
Jeff Zentner
A big-hearted, tear-jerking exploration of survivor's guilt that balances the crushing weight of loss with the healing power of memory and laughter.
- 02
The truth about forever
Sarah Dessen
A sun-soaked summer of chaotic catering gigs, found family, and learning to let go of the need to be perfect.
- 03
How to Make Friends with the Dark
Kathleen Glasgow
A raw, unflinching exploration of the suffocating weight of sudden loss and the slow, painful process of letting the light back in.
- 04
The sky is everywhere
Jandy Nelson
A vibrant, messy, and deeply poetic exploration of how a heart can simultaneously break from grief and burst with new love.
- 05
What to say next
Julie Buxbaum
A tender, dual-POV exploration of how the most unexpected connections can pull us out of the darkest emotional depths.
- 06
Tell the wolves I'm home
Carol Rifka Brunt
A tender, tear-jerking exploration of grief, hidden loves, and the unexpected friendships that pull us back to life.
- 07
Hold Still
Nina LaCour
A tender, aching exploration of the quiet spaces left behind by loss, and the slow, messy art of learning to breathe again.
- 08
All the Bright Places
Jennifer Niven
A tender, devastating exploration of two broken teenagers finding a fleeting, beautiful world in each other.
- 09
We are okay
Nina LaCour
A hushed, wintry meditation on the profound loneliness of grief and the quiet courage it takes to let someone back in.
- 10
Playlist for the Dead
Michelle Falkoff
A poignant, music-infused journey through the messy, confusing aftermath of losing a best friend.
- 11
Second Chance Summer
Morgan Matson
A bittersweet, sun-drenched summer of rekindled love and inevitable goodbyes.
- 12
Love, Aubrey
Suzanne LaFleur · 2009
A quiet, deeply moving exploration of a young girl piecing her shattered world back together through letters and love.
