7 of the Happiest Books to Brighten Your Year

What is it about reading that readers love so much? It turns out that there are as many reasons to love reading as there are people who love to read. Many find a means of escape from the daily stresses of life between the covers of a book. Some read to understand other people’s perspectives or visit places they have never been before. Others read for entertainment. However, to anyone who has found themselves lost in a good story, it is evident that books have the power to impact our emotions and can evoke belly laughs or streaming tears with the turn of a page. For those who read for grins and giggles, check out these happy books:

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

Described on its cover as a “thumping good detective-ghost-horror-whodunnit-time travel-romantic-musical-comedy-epic,” this book is great for any time of the year when you just need a good hard belly laugh.

How To Be Idle: A Loafer’s Manifesto by Tom Hodgkinson

When the daily grind has got you down, this book offers hilarious insights into why we are so work-obsessed and how to be a better loafer.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

This book takes looking at life from a new perspective to a whole new level when the heroine swaps lives with her 79-year-old grandmother to get a break from her high-flying career.

The Lido by Libby Page

United by a shared interest in the fate of a local swimming hole, 26-year-old Kate and 86-year-old Rosemary find friendship in this heartwarming tale of community, teamwork, and self-belief.

Sinners and Saints by Allie Bloom

One part coming-of-age story and one part tale of personal redemption, this lighthearted romp follows a young niece and her roguish uncle on their concurrent journeys of self-discovery and growth.

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce

A young female journalist dreams of becoming a war correspondent in blitz-torn London but finds herself running the agony aunt column instead in this story of female friendship.

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

This heartwarming story follows several years of the life of a celebrated author whose life’s mission becomes returning lost objects to their owners.

A Few of the Best Books in the Last 5 Years

There are classic books which most people are familiar with, then there are modern books. Modern books will grab your attention and pull you in immediately. Here are some of the best books in the last 5 years.

We have all seen the news lately. This book, An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, starts with a fairytale ending and ends with everyone’s worst nightmare. In the beginning, newlyweds Celestial and Roy begin their married life. Then, Roy is wrongfully convicted of rape and murder. This emotional tale will pull you in and not let you go until the last page. This novel will get you thinking about modern-day issues such as wrongful conviction and imprisonment, emotional turmoil in a marriage, and prejudice in the justice system.

If your mind is fixed on feminism, then pick up The Power by Naomi Alderman. This features a dystopian world in which women are physically dominant. With the touch of a hand, they send electric shock waves to whoever and whatever they please. Your imagination will be transported to a world in which the social dynamics have been turned in a way only Naomi could have dreamed of.

If you’re looking for historical fiction, then try reading Hamnet. This novel takes place during the Black Death in which the world is seen through William Shakespeares’ eyes. Seen through the eyes of a brilliant author, set in a time where the world was crumbling. Any reader of Hamnet is sure to be transported to a time and place of wonder and disaster. Written by Maggie O’Farrel, this book won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

If you’re looking for an in-depth novel that will take you inside of a character’s life, look no further than Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo. This diverse and wide-reaching tale will grab your heartstrings with its poetic style and intrigue. The characters’ stories are linked together through the masterful style of Evaristo. Evaristo’s purpose, to engage the reader in a story of being Black and British throughout history.
Finally, if Greek mythology is your vibe, consider picking up the New York Times Bestseller Circe. In this tale, Madeline Miller tells a story of a place where mortals and gods collide. The story follows Circe, who is banished to a remote island by the vengeful Zeus.

How Writing Can Calm Stress

Journaling is a Simple Way to Reduce Stress Stress has a way to creep into everyday life. Thankfully, there are some simple ways that stress can be managed. One of those ways is journaling. Journaling has many positive benefits for the mind and soul. It’s a way for people to unwind, let out their true feelings, and take charge of their life. There are many different ways to journal and a whole slew of different topics a person can write about. That’s why anyone can journal no matter who they are. One of the biggest benefits of journaling is that it reduces stress.

When a person sits down with nothing but a pen and a blank page, their mind instantly opens. This is a chance for someone to let out all those pent up feelings of anger, fear, and sadness in a safe space. A journal is private and therefore, it’s really a time when a person can let out everything they are feeling. This is a great way to calm the mind because it’s essentially dumping all of those negative thoughts on paper and only keeping the positive ones internalized instead.

Journaling is also great for stress-relief because it’s a way for someone to escape the real world. Journaling takes a person into a different world through poetry, self-expression, and drawing. When they enter this new realm, they’re allowed to escape whatever is stressing them out for a little while. Journaling is also a great way for someone to take charge of their life.

A person can use journaling to plot out their day, their goals, their to-do lists, and more. It gives them an opportunity to have an organized place for all their thoughts. Keeping these written down is also a great way for a person to hold themselves accountable. When they hold themselves accountable, they’re better able to manage their time and goals. 

Overall, journaling is great because it brings the world of creativity and structured lists together. A person can use journaling as a creative outlet when they need a break from whatever is stressing them out. A person can also use journaling as a way to keep track of what they need to do. When a person has something they can look at with goals and structure, they feel more on top of things which helps to reduce stress.

Inspirational Quotes Gathered by Edita Kaye

“Everything starts with yourself—with you making up your mind about what you’re going to do with you life.” Tony Dorsett

“Life itself is the proper binge.” Julia Child

“Where thou art, that is home.” Emily Dickinson

“Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.” Douglas MacArthur

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, not touched…but are felt in the heart.” Helen Keller

“It is necessary to try to surpass one’s self always; this occupation ought to last as long as life.” Queen Christina of Sweden

“Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.” Dale Carnegie

“Chance never helps those who do not help themselves.” Sophocles

“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.” Danny Kaye

“Don’t wait for your ship to come in; swim out to it.” Anon

“Trust your hopes, not your fears.” David Mahoney

“Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.” Michelangelo

“Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won’t have to hunt for happiness.” William Gladstone

“It is a funny thing about life, if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” Somerset Maugham

“The only place were success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Vidal Sassoon

“In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer.” Albert Camus

“This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” Philippians 3:13

“To be happy, drop the words if only and substitute instead the words next time.” Smiley Blanton M.D.

“No seed shall perish which the soul hath sown.” John Symonds

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

“Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.” Christine Bowee

“Why not go out on a limb? Isn’t that where the fruit is?” Frank Scully

“There are only two ways to live your life: one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as if everything is.” Albert Einstein

“Remember, you can’t steal second if you don’t take your foot off first.” Mike Todd

The Best Books for Spring 2021

Spring is an excellent time to hone one’s reading muscles, and 2021 promises no shortage of books with which to do so. Whether fiction or nonfiction, there are likely several good books from either genre sure to pique your interest, with reviewers recommending many noteworthy examples. Let’s look at three of Spring 2021’s best books:

1 – Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese-American Heroes in World War II

Author Daniel James Brown recounts the story of Japanese-Americans who volunteered for service after Pearl Harbor. Sent to Europe to fight against the Nazis rather than to the Pacific Theater to face the Empire of Japan, these Americans also had to worry about their families, many of whom faced internment camps and xenophobia back home. Known as the Nisei, these second-generation Japanese-American WWII service members served heroically and sometimes suffered greatly.

2 – Klara and the Sun

Kazuo Ishiguro’s past works include classic works of fiction such as Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go. As in his previous works, Ishiguro’s plot in Klara and the Sun turns out to be quite the opposite of what the characters think they understand. The story’s protagonist, Klara, is a robot or “Artificial Friend” built to serve as a child’s companion. She’s intelligent but can’t see everything when that’s what she must do. So, she ends up another of Ishiguro’s tragic figures fated to experience sorrow.

3 – The Flip Side of Free: Understanding the Economics of the Internet

The old saying that “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” applies equally to the “free” internet: If you aren’t paying for the product, you are the product. World Bank Group’s digital development specialist Michael Kende describes how unified standards made the web accessible for all while also examining various risks, including cybersecurity. Finally, Kende delves into various impending social considerations as the public realizes just how much a free internet is costing everyone.

Spring is always a time of renewal and new life. This year promises a good chance to break out the latest fiction thriller or thought-provoking nonfiction examination of some issue of import or historical significance. See your favorite bookseller now to grab some of 2021’s best books. 

The Best Winter Meals and Recipes

  1. Fireside Feasts and Snow Day Treats: Indulgent comfort food recipes for winter eating
    When the weather turns cold, what could be better than sitting by the fire and enjoying home-cooked food with family and friends. From comforting casseroles and bakes to seasonal snacks and warming drinks – this is the ideal cook’s companion for the winter months.
  2. The Healing Soup Cookbook: Hearty Recipes to Boost Immunity and Restore Health
    Warm your heart, nourish your body―the healing power of soup.     Move over apples―it’s a bowl of soup a day that can really keep the doctor away. The Healing Soup Cookbook is your complete guide to discovering the health (and flavor) benefits that a bowl of hearty, nourishing soup can bring to your life.
  3. New England Soup Factory Cookbook: More Than 100 Recipes from the Nation’s Best Purveyor of Fine Soup
    The New England Soup Factory restaurant has won the Best of Boston award four times. People skip school to eat their soups. A pregnant in labor stopped by the restaurant on the way to the hospital to satisfy a last-minute craving. New England Soup Factory soups are like no other soups. And now you can recreate these delicious soups in your own home. The New England Soup Factory Cookbook contains 100 of Boston’s best-tasting traditional and creative soup recipes.
  4. The Good Food: A Cookbook of Soups, Stews, and Pastas
    Drawing on the diverse cooking traditions of the Americas, Italy, France, India, Morocco, and the Middle East, Daniel Halpern and Julie Strand bring together almost two hundred recipes, including not only the quintessential examples of each cuisine, but also unusual dishes that provide surprising gastronomic rewards.
  5. The Pasta Friday Cookbook: Let’s Eat Together
    Pasta Friday is a weekly pasta tradition that turns neighbors into friends, and friends into family. Restaurateur and food writer Allison Arevalo shows you how to start your own tradition by cooking comforting, delicious pasta dishes to feed your family on a busy weeknight, or for a crowd on the weekend.

Halloween Books Recommended by Edita Kaye

If you’re looking for some spooky Halloween themed books to read this October, you’ve come to the right place! These books will be sure to send a delightful tingle up your spines and get your in the Halloween spirit!

Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete
by James Dean (Author, Illustrator) 

Pete the cat is back, mostly for the candy and not so much for the scary surprises. Follow Pete on his trick or treating journey as he discovers what is waiting behind each new door. Each page in this book offers something new and hauntingly fun!

Little Blue Truck’s Halloween 

by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry 

It’s time for a Halloween party and Little Blue Truck is on his way to pick up all of his animal friends for a costume party they are sure to remember. Discover what each animal’s costume will be while enjoying rhymes that will delight and engage you for hours.

Room on the Broom 

by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffle

Disaster happens as a witch is flying merrily on her broom! First she loses her hat, then her bow, and finally her wand! Watch as 3 animal friends help the witch to recover her lost items in exchange for a ride on the broom. But wait! A hungry dragon is lurking. Could it be a disaster or will these lovely characters save the day?

Snowmen at Halloween 

by Caralyn M. Buehner and Mark E. Buehner | Aug 20, 2019

What do snowmen do when no one is watching? One pair of kids is about to find out! Before trick or treating a group of friends make snowmen and head off to enjoy the spooky festivities only to discover the snowmen are gone when they return! Don’t worry, they’ve left a very special message behind for their human friends.

The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin 

by Sonali Fry and Sanja Rescek | Aug 5, 2014

The even more Halloween themed twist on the famous Itsy Bitsy Spider rhyme is all about a small pumpkin just trying to find his way back home. With a little help from a friendly witch, he is well on his way back to the safety of his porch!

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything 

by Linda D. Williams and Megan Lloyd | Jul 23, 2019

The little old lady thought she wasn’t afraid of anything suddenly got the scare of her life while walking in the woods one night. This quirky, fun story is best read aloud and is sure to please readers of all ages. 

Hoot Howl Halloween 

by Becky Wilson, Parragon Books, et al. | Sep 12, 2018

Press all of the buttons in the haunted house to explore the creepy sounds of Halloween! From witches cackling to bats flapping, and bones rattling, this story will surely get you in the mood for Halloween!

The Legend of Decimus Croome: A Halloween Carol 

by Kevin Purdy | Apr 19, 2017

Worse than scrooge, this grumpy old man hates Halloween! Watch how this crotchety man sees the errors of his ways after visits from ghosts reveal the misery he has caused! Everyone will thoroughly love this Halloween version of the great Charles Dickens classic.

The Spooky Wheels on the Bus 

by J. Elizabeth Mills and Ben Mantle | Jul 1, 2010

A haunting version of the classic Wheels on the Bus song, this Halloween twist will have kids singing along in no time. Count from one up to 10 to see all of the goofy ghosts and passengers this bus picks up along the way.