This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Something Like Happy

Summary: With wry wit and boundless heart, Eva Woods delivers an unforgettable tale of celebrating triumphs great and small, seizing the day, and always remembering to live in the moment.

“It’s simple, really. You’re just meant to do one thing every day that makes you happy. Could be little things. Could be big. In fact, we’re doing one right now…”

Annie Hebden is stuck. Stuck in her boring job, with her irritating roommate, in a life no thirty-five-year-old would want. But deep down, Annie is still mourning the terrible loss that tore a hole through the perfect existence she’d once taken for granted—and hiding away is safer than remembering what used to be. Until she meets the eccentric Polly Leonard.

Bright, bubbly, intrusive Polly is everything Annie doesn’t want in a friend. But Polly is determined to finally wake Annie up to life. Because if recent events have taught Polly anything, it’s that your time is too short to waste a single day—which is why she wants Annie to join her on a mission…

One hundred days. One hundred new ways to be happy. Annie’s convinced it’s impossible, but so is saying no to Polly. And on an unforgettable journey that will force her to open herself to new experiences—and perhaps even new love with the unlikeliest of men—Annie will slowly begin to realize that maybe, just maybe, there’s still joy to be found in the world. But then it becomes clear that Polly’s about to need her new friend more than ever…and Annie will have to decide once and for all whether letting others in is a risk worth taking.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

The book cover had my mind set up for a fun story- some sadness, yes, but mostly positive.

Annie is nothing but positive. Unless she’s positive about being mad, discouraged, and just unhappy.

Polly is positive. She’s grabbing life & going to show it that she’s going to LIVE her last 100 days with fun, laughter & experiences.

I did enjoy this book- but it was not an easy read at times. Both Annie and Polly have their reasons for living life the way they do and both feel like “real” characters (although at times- they bordered on being cliches of really happy people and really sad people).

 

What I liked:

The cover. So pretty.

The actual basis of this book- the 100 Days of Happiness project. I think in our lives, our social media, pictures or it didn’t happen, overly scheduled, etc lives…. we’re forgetting about happiness sometimes. Happiness is not limited to the big things- the huge moments. The over the top stuff. Sometimes happiness is just making time for a cup of coffee with a friend. Using the damn nice plates. Spritzing the good perfume. Buying the ice cream because it’s tasty. Polly had the right idea (about some things!)

How Annie begins to get a grip on life. Annie has suffered a lot in the time before this book actually begins. We find out in flashbacks and stories between Annie and Polly as they get to know each other. And while I loved that Polly took Annie under her wing- some of Polly’s 100 days of happiness project did work my nerve a bit. In the end, Annie did see and understand that there was a happy medium in this happiness project- it didn’t have to be all big things or just small things.

 

Bottom line: This book really inspired me to think. To look around and wonder-am I living a happy live? Or am I waiting for the big things? I think this book would be perfect for book clubs- to have an in-depth and possibly on-going discussion about who they relate to more (Polly/Annie) and what they would choose for 100 days of happiness.

 

*This book was sent to Traveling With T by Little Bird Publicity. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

 

**Something Like Happy was a Setember 2017 #FuturisticFriday selection from Traveling With T.**

 

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T