Come On, Get Happy!
Bring on the puppy piles and unicorn kisses! I can't imagine there are many out there, who are not looking for a little lift right now. I won't lie, and say that I am "ok", because I'm not. It's tough times right now. Worrying about our loved ones, our health, our country, and our world. For most, their normal day-to-day has ceased to exist, and it's in times like this, that I appreciate the escape a book gives me. I have made no secret of the fact, that I often flee life via my books, and tend to read certain types of books in search of that exact thing.
This week, we were supposed to build a list around a certain genre, but I wanted to talk about books that make me happy. When I think about books that bring me joy, they are usually super cute and low drama. Then, there is my love for romance books. They always make me happy, because seeing someone find their HEA never fails to make my heart soar. I also adore seeing someone achieve something great, be it a small or big success. Because of that, I gravitate to sports books. I love having someone to root for and cheer on.
I honestly have a LOT of fun and happy books on my read shelf, but as always, I want to try and feature newer releases.
- My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma
- Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
- 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
- Lucky Caller by Emma Mills
- The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
- Throw Like a Girl by Sarah Henning
- Michigan vs. the Boys by Carrie S. Allen
- Stealing Home by Becky Wallace
- Have a Little Faith in Me by Sonia Hartl
- Announcing Trouble by Amy Fellner Dominy
- A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard
- How We Roll by Natasha Friend
What books have made you happy?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
Books are a happy place and an escape for many of us, so true. Thank goodness we have them! The current situation is terrifying and so uncertain- I'm glad we as book bloggers have each other, and books, to turn to. As for your list, yes HEA's and success at reaching goals can be so inspiring. I think My So-Called Bollywood Life sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that video! It brought a definite smile to my face! :)
I love a good blast from the past. Happy to hear you appreciate the Partridge Family as much as me. I am definitely using this time to escape the chaos, and I feel really left out, as I am not playing Animal Crossing. Bollywood was such a fun book. I loved the characters and the story, and it was an ear-to-ear smiling inducing book
DeleteI don't think there's a list that could make me smile more -- this is exactly what we need right now.
ReplyDeleteI think we all need that right now. It made me happy just making the list
DeleteEmma Mills' books are like the ultimate feel-good books, I really need to get to Lucky Caller!
ReplyDeleteEvery. Last. One. Of. Them. I always scream about her books, because they always leave me feeling better than when I first picked them up
DeleteThis crisis has not mixed well with trying to read for me! I'm not even wanting to read Harry Potter! I'm just flopped in front of the TV rewatching favourite films!
ReplyDeleteYou have to do whatever will help you get through it. If TV and movies help, watch them
DeleteI need to read more happy books. I am on a waitlist for A Quiet Kind of Thunder, so I’ll get to read it eventually.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
That book!!! There's this very super sweet scene, where they listen Hall & Oates' You Make My Dreams Come True, and between the music and all the cuteness, my happiness could not be contained.
DeleteI love that you built a list around a theme of happiness. Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo, Fame; Fate, and the First Kiss by Kasie West; and the Mindy Kim books by Lyla Lee are some books that made me happy.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere Only We Know is my favorite Goo book. That book absolutely made me happy, and I could list every Kasie West book, because they are go-tos for me. I have not read the Mindy Kim books, but I have the new YA Layla Lee book, and am looking forward to it.
DeleteI LOVED Lucky Caller! I can't wait to read Throw Like a Girl.
ReplyDeleteEvery single Emma Mills book has been a make-me-happy hit for me. I cannot stop screaming about her books. I hope you get to read Throw Like a Girl. It was fantastic!
DeleteLove your list, Sam!! Unfortunately, 10 Blind Dates is the only one I've read so far, but I loved it! So many of the rest of these are on my TBR, but I did add How We Roll.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you are looking for something to make you smile, maybe you will consider one of the others. How We Roll was such a sweet story of friendship. My heart exploded from reading that book
DeleteI asked for recommendations of happy, uplifting books and you delivered BIG TIME. I knew I could count on you, Sam :)
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT!
You see, I was reading your mind, when I wrote this post
DeleteI haven't been able to focus enough to read lately but there is nothing like the high of a book that makes you HAPPY.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the only consolations with all this is that we're all in it together. Which is horrible when you think about it too much lol but it makes it somewhat easier to have support from around the entire world.
Hang in there Sam and wishing you 100's of happy making books.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I do feel a kinship with many, though, I could do without the finger pointing and complaining. We need to focus on solutions and what we can do.
DeleteCute topic and choices! All new to me ones of course!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
I wanted to do something positive
DeleteThere have definitely been tears on my part over the past week, but I'm hopeful and trying to focus on when we'll be on the far side of the bell curve.
ReplyDeleteHere's to keeping our sights on the bright side. :)
Be well and take care of yourself
DeleteI totally get why you would want to flee into books Sam! That's what I do too! And preferably with sweet and cute ones.
ReplyDeleteThat's my go-to pick-me-up
DeleteI've read the first two on your list and loved them! Great way to go with your list. I might have a little less happy books on my list this week, but they are ones that I do like!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Top 10
I am the queen of the light and lovely books. They are my faves, and honestly, this list could have gone on for days had I let it.
DeleteTweet Cute, 10 Blind Dates, and Lucky Caller are some of my favorites from this year! Most of the others are on my TBR! I've been trying to flee into books, but it isn't working. The kids are home since school is cancelled, and since we can't go anywhere, everyone's a little stir crazy. They can't read for themselves, so I read to them, but that leaves little time for me to read myself. My husband is considered necessary personal, so he's gone like normal during the day.
ReplyDeleteI've tried to keep the kids busy, since they've been asking about playgrounds, the library, and the other stuff we used to do, and it's really wearing me down. I'm exhausted at the end of the day, so my blogging and reading are taking a hit. I'm happy you're finding an escape and getting away from it all, even if it's temporary. I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow, or a month from now, but I feel like it's going to get worse before it gets better.
We signed up for a Mother & Son dance that's not going to happen, so are they going to refund that money? What about soccer that I signed him up for in February? His piano lessons? Gymnastics for the girls? A lot of this is paid for in advance, and right now it's a big question mark. To say I'm anxious and stressing would be an understatement.
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
I can only imagine trying to harness the energy of three young children for this amount of time. May the force be with you! I am curious how all the small businesses are handling the cancellations. I know all the money from our concerts has been kept, so far, as they plan to reschedule. But, if there are conflicts, we are supposed to get refunds less fees (which is a lot with concerts). Hang in there. That's all we can do.
DeleteI really liked My So Called Bollywood Life and it is definitely a happy book! I didn't know you read The Running Dream and I have that one on my tbr for a very long time. So I am looking forward to reading it. I also have Have a Little Faith and Tweet Cute on my to read list. Ooh, A Quiet Kind of Thunder is happiness inducing as well.
ReplyDeleteI checked out The Running Dream, because I fell in love with Flipped, and needed to read more from that author. So far, I have loved every one of her books, and Running Dream was such an incredibly feel good book. I want Barnard's books to get more love. They are honest and wonderful and I love them all
DeleteFantastic List! I need happy books. right now. Like you, I'm really struggling right now with so much fear and anxiety. Yes to Tweet Cute, 10 Blind Dates, Throw Like a Girl, and Announcing Trouble. Those were all super cute, light, feel good books. I'm glad to hear Lucky Caller, Have a Little Faith in Me, and Stealing Home were all "happy" books as well, because these all caught my eye when they came out. Now I have books to add to my "pick me up TBR."
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
I suggest all of Emma Mills books if you need to feel happy. She never fails to make me smile
DeleteWe definitely need more escape and more happy at the moment! What's going on in the world is terrifying. We're now as close to complete lockdown as we can get before they close food stores etc. It's madness. (Necessary madness but still...)
ReplyDelete10 Blind Dates, Tweet Cute, Lucky Caller and Throw Like A Girl are all ones I'd ike to read one day. :)
It's my understanding that food stores have to operate. Otherwise, what would they do? Have the National Guard come in to distribute rations? I had to pick up medication for my father yesterday, and it does look like they are taking precautions for the cashiers, but what about the people stocking the shelves? I am only going out when necessary. I would not have been at the market yesterday, if my father didn't have a respiratory infection. I would wait until we were almost out of food. I hope you get to escape, from time to time, into a good book during this ordeal
Deletegreat post. i think we are all looking for a bit of happy right now
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
I hope you find something that makes you happy. Search for those pockets of light!
DeleteYou're taking me back with that Partridge Family theme song. :) We could definitely use some fun and happy right now. I'm surprised to see Michigan and the Boys listed. I thought that dealt with darker subject matter but I could very well be confusing it with something else. Tweet Cute sounds so adorable. :)
ReplyDeleteI have been singing the song for days, but there are worst things, right? Michigan dealt with people opposing a girl on a boys team, but it was feel good. The family support, Michigan's strength and spirit, and the general vibe of the book was upbeat. I felt good, when I was done with that book
DeleteI think we could all use some feel-good books these days. I do want to read Tweet Cute! It sounds adorable.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I dare you to read that book and not smile. Fun, cute, sweet, and all the tasty food mentioned didn't hurt either
DeleteThis is so funny because I just jumped over here from Paper Procrastinators where Malka was specifically asking for recommendations of "cute contemporaries or romances, that aren’t angsty." I'm going to go back over there and tell her to stop by here!!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Oh, how wonderful! I hope she finds something that appeals to her on the list.
DeleteA Quiet Kind of Thunder is the only book from your list that I've already read and I loved it so I'm eager to try the other titles. I also completely agree about the need for happy books right now.
ReplyDeleteI have been lucky enough to read four of Barnard's books, and I loved them all.
DeleteI just put out a post talking about how I was struggling to find happy, fluffy books to read and I'm so glad Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction sent me here! I just adore A Quiet Kind of Thunder and The Running Dream, so I was so happy to see those on this list!
ReplyDeleteBut there were quite a few on this list that I hadn't heard of before! How We Roll sounds like a book I will absolutely love, so I immediately ran to order myself a copy! Throw Like a Girl and Announcing Trouble also sound amazing, so I'm definitely going to have to read those as well! This was such a fantastic post and came exactly when I needed it most! 💕
Happy, fluffy is my brand. I have read tons! So glad you found a few new-to-you books, and I hope you love them, if you read them
DeleteThe perfect topic for our current climate. I basically just added all these books to my TBR. XD Thanks for the recommendations, Sam! The ones I am most looking forward to reading are My So-Called Bollywood Life and How We Roll. I definitely need more fluff in my life.
ReplyDeleteHave you read all these books already?
My Top Ten lists always feature books I have read, unless it's an anticipating/TBR topic. I linked to my reviews too. How We Roll was such a delightful surprise. I loved seeing these two kids, that were struggling a bit, develop such a beautiful friendship, where they championed each other. Bollywood was just fun. The family was fabulous, and I think I smiled continuously as I read that book
DeleteOooh, I assumed the links were just to Goodreads only -- I didn't bother to click, just hover. Silly me. ;)
DeleteI do Goodreads If I didn't feature the book on my blog. Otherwise, I link to my reviews.
DeleteAh this is such a lovely list, I always love and need books to make me feel happy and all warm inside! <3 I have Have a little faith in me on my TBR and have been hearing amazing things about it, I'm SO excited to read it, hopefully soon! :)
ReplyDeleteHave a Little Faith was a real surprise. There was so much more to that story, than described in the synopsis. It was fabulous!
DeleteI love, love, LOVE Tweet Cute and Lucky Caller, and Have a Little Faith in Me was one of my favorite novels this year. It always makes me happy to see it highlighted by other bloggers, because I think it's so damn underrated. I need to read 10 Blind Dates, although I think that will only happen close to Christmas. Great list, Sam! :)
ReplyDeleteHave a Little Faith deserves the love. It was a standout for me as well. I am telling you! If you need a pick me up, do it! Read 10 Blind Dates. Yeah, it's a holiday-ish book, but it's just so darn heartwarming and fun too. I floating after that one
Delete"because seeing someone find their HEA never fails to make my heart soar" - THIS THIS THIS. Romance is always my happy go-to genre. It makes me happy seeing the characters happy and finding love for themselves. I also agree with the low drama. Like I embrace the drama but for me to fully enjoy a book (especially romance), I need it not to be the center of everything. I mean, there are books that seemed to revolved around the drama more than the other aspects it could delve into.
ReplyDeleteI have to be in the mood for too much drama and angst. Most of the time, I prefer low drama, and I like for the drama to come from outside the relationship vs within.
Delete