Cover Image: Something Like Happy

Something Like Happy

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Unfortunately this didn't work on any of my devices, for some reason - it just opened a page of code! It worked for other people though, so maybe it was just an error on my end. But thank you very much for accepting me to read it.

Was this review helpful?

I went through so many emotions reading this book. There was sadness, hope, funny, and joy. The idea of a person dying from brain cancer yet making the most of every day she has left is not a normal book topic. Cancer is a taboo subject and I love how Eva Wood’s managed to take such a taboo subject and turn it into an uplifting and moving subject. It is sad, yet Polly manages to make such a difference in the world during her few short days she has left.

Annie, what a Debbie Downer, yet she understood Polly’s outlook. They didn’t agree for a lot of the book yet they were truly best friends. I liked that they called each other out, trying to outdo each other in the pity department at times, and always had each other’s backs in the short time they knew each other.

Something Like Happy is a book that the reader will finish and sit and think about what they had just read. There are so many life lessons to be learned in the book. Friendships, relationships, living life to the fullest, and being open to what is coming for you. As Annie and Polly said you are dying every day so live life to the fullest, as if you were dying.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great and captivating read, sometimes I forgot I was even reading.

Was this review helpful?

I ended up just totally loving this book! It's a feel-good story of second chances, fresh starts and family set in West Texas. It has a ton of heart!

Highly recommended for fans of contemporary women's fiction.

Was this review helpful?

Something Like Happy by Eva Woods was an emotional rollercoaster of a read. It followed Annie Hebden, a thirty-five-year-old woman who had been stuck in a rut after she suffered a terrible loss. She doesn’t enjoy her job, her roommate was irritating and she wallowed in her self-pity. Then she met Polly Leonard. Polly, the friendly and lively woman that inserts herself into Annie’s life, determined to be friends. Despite Annie’s multiple attempts at giving Polly the cold-shoulder, Polly persisted and eventually gets Annie to agree to be friends. Polly proposes that Annie joins her in a 100 days of happiness project where they will do things, big or small, that will bring joy into their lives for 100 days. Annie was convinced this could not work but finally agreed to play along. The two women go on an emotional journey celebrating their accomplishments, learning to live in the moment and gain strength from one another. This was a story about love, friendship, grief, and learning to find joy in simplicity.

“I think we should all live as if we are dying too – because we are, make no mistake. We should live as if we’re dying at some unspecified but possibly quite soon time. We can’t expect every day to be happy, and there’ll always be sickness and heartache and sadness, but we should never put up with a sad or a boring or a depressing day, just for the sake of it. None of us have time for that, whether we have a hundred days left or a hundred thousand.”

I really enjoyed the friendship between Annie and Polly in this book. The two women developed a bond that was stronger than friendship, and through their bond, they gave each other motivation and strength. This benefited both women since Annie struggled with depression after a terrible loss and Polly had to come to terms with her diagnosis of terminal cancer.

I was not a fan of the romantic subplot centered around Annie’s relationship with Dr. Max. It felt forced and unrealistic. The chemistry just was not there in my opinion. Also, the plot was a bit too predictable which took away from my overall reading experience.

All in all, Something Like Happy was a heartfelt, and enjoyable read. A bit on the sappy side and somewhat unsurprising. There were some things that could have been improved as far as the writing goes, but it is a story that is filled with potential.

Was this review helpful?

This book made me laugh and cry while imparting so much wisdom about dealing with the important things in life. Beautifully written.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I loved this book and so connected with the characters. I will be recommending this book to family and friends.

Was this review helpful?

Our protagonist Libby Miller finds out she has cancer and then comes home to her husband dropping a bomb of his own on her. Rather than face facts, she decides to run away to a Caribbean island where her parents were once happy. But is running away really the right answer? This book was great – I enjoyed Libby’s character and how she reacted once she was hit with both sets of news. It was a teeny bit predictable at the end but overall very well done. Overall Rating 4 out of 5.

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, as I hadn't realised one of the major themes around the character Polly and wasn't able to continue reading. However what I read was well-written and engaging and offered a good portrait of South London, and I'm sure it will do well and comfort / inspire a lot of people. Maybe the blurb could be made a little clearer so as to avoid people getting a shock.

Was this review helpful?

Beautiful story full of love, life, loss, grief, and hope. Funny, sad, and uplifting. Really enjoyed this book.

Was this review helpful?

Witty, engaging, seriously addictive - that's how I describe this book and the author's writing voice. 100 ways to be happy should begin with 'read this novel.'

Was this review helpful?

I honestly could tell by the writing of the first 2 chapters that it wouldn't be a good fit for our box and had to put it down. I may read it again in the future!

Was this review helpful?

This story struck a cord with me and resonated with my soul. Both main characters have had horrible, awful, very bad things happen to them and they have very different approaches to dealing with their lives. The story shows us that there are ways to improve each day, to find small bits of happiness even among the darkest days. The book is full of life lessons and ways that we can make each day a little better, for ourselves and for the people we encounter each day. *Spoiler alert* - The book was a bit hard for me to get through because the main character has lost a baby at a young age and I just recently had a baby two weeks ago. Her loss of the baby was a lot for me to handle and gave me minor panic attacks thinking about losing my own child. I’m glad I powered through (skimming parts where the baby was mentioned) but I want other readers to be aware in case that might be a trigger for them.

Was this review helpful?

This book is an uplifting yet never saccharine novel that makes a convincing case for finding joy even in the bleakest of circumstances. Annie learns that she can mourn for the life she’s lost even while looking to a more hopeful future. Polly’s #100HappyDays project won’t cure her illness, but it does make her last days (and those of her friends and family) more joyful.

Cynics might dismiss the idea that intentionally embracing happiness can make someone’s life better as the worst kind of magical thinking. On the surface, it does seem like the sort of annoying, positive-thinking claptrap that ends up blaming victims for the misfortunes that befall them. Wisely, Woods steers clear of such a message. But through her characters, she does make the case that happiness is something we can all achieve, even in the face of tragedy. Celebrating the good in life, no matter how small or silly, won’t make the bad things disappear, but it can make them a bit more bearable.

Was this review helpful?

Didn’t enjoy

Could not get into it

Will not recommend

Was this review helpful?

Something Like Happy by Eva Woods is predictable, sad, and sweet. There is nothing subtle about the points it tries to make. The book proceeds with its repeated message about the fact that everyone has a story and everyone must make the choice to be happy. Serious moments emerge from different sources, some predictable and the others more unexpected. The central theme is a reminder that we all need at times.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2017/11/something-like-happy.html

Reviewed for NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

4 Women’s Fiction Best Bets for September 2017
Scarlettleigh
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.
-Ben Franklin
A little play on words this month with this quote since we have two books with the word “Something” in the title. Of course, not everyone can write something worth reading –but the books this month are definitely worth reading.
All the books have an amazing sense of family— whether it be the family by blood, or the family by heart. And when you break it down –family is what gives meaning to our lives and these books celebrate that.

Something Like Happy by Eva Wood
Something Like Happy by Eva Wood
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
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.
Strengths:Wonderful balance of humor and poignancy; Engaging characters; Exceptional plot; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant and Humorous
Why You Should Read this: What a fabulous book. It will make you laugh, and you probably will cry, but the storytelling is wonderful. Eva Wood takes a heartbreaking scenario and spins magic within the pages of the book.
Something Like Family by Heather Burch
(Amazon | B&N)
Abandoned by his mother when he was young, twenty-two-year-old Rave Wayne knows all about loss. That doesn’t mean he’s used to it. After he’s dumped by the girlfriend he assumed he’d spend his life with, Rave is longing more than ever to connect.
Then, as if by miracle, he receives an invitation from his grandfather, a man he thought was long gone, to come for a visit in rural Tennessee. Loyal, honest, and loving, dear old Tuck is everything Rave could have hoped for. He’s family. Soon, Rave finds himself falling for a down-to-earth local girl, and he thinks his life is finally coming together.
But the past isn’t through with Rave. When his mother returns after many long years, looking to reconcile the terrible mistakes that once defined her, Rave struggles to put together the unsettled pieces of his heart. Will this once-estranged family be able to come together to understand the meaning of unconditional love, the fragile bonds of family, and the healing power of letting go?
Strengths: Family redemption; Engaging characters; touching patriotism;  Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read: This book sounded interesting with the description of the family struggles but it was so much more than that. Your eyes will be glistening more than once because of the wonderful way Heather Burch incorporates such genuine emotion into the book. One of the main voices of the book is a young man—which gives this book an exceptional uniqueness.

The Summer that Made Us by Robyn Carr
Summer that Made Us by Robyn Carr
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
That was then…
For the Hempsteads, summers were idyllic. The lake was a magical place, a haven where they were happy and carefree. All of their problems drifted away as the days passed in sun-dappled contentment. Until the summer that changed everything.
This is now…
After an accident turned the lake house into a site of tragedy and grief, it was closed up. None of the Hempstead women speak of what happened, and relationships between them are uneasy at best to hurtful at worst. But in the face of new challenges, one woman is determined to draw her family together again, and the only way that can happen is to return to the lake and face the truth.
Strengths: Family bonds;  Challenging scenarios; Engaging characters; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read: Robyn Carr’s books are always filled with characters stepping up to the plate to face difficult situations and succeeding to weather them successfully. Unique story of a family coming together after heartbreak.
Kitchen Charmer by Deborah Smith
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
These old mountains are smart, Lucy. They're alive. They can be gentle like mamas; oh, sure, they'll croon and they'll kiss you and they'll whisper while you sleep, and you'll learn what all the old rocks are saying, all these ancient ghosts, all their starshine wisdom. But these old mountains, sometimes they know you can't hear them any other way but to get smacked up along the head. You watch out, Lucy P, for you got the Charm, like us Netties do. You're a guardian of these mountains, and they're a guardian of you. They will warn you any how they have to.
They will slap the near life out of a Charmer.
They're doing it to make you and Gus listen. To make you ready.
Delta Whittlespoon, the legendary biscuit maker and owner of The Crossroads CafE, tried to warn Lucy Parmenter and Gus MacBride. Even their mystical North Carolina mountains can't block the turmoil of the outside world. As fear and ignorance threaten their community and everyone they love, the star-crossed couple must overcome brutal challenges and personal demons to forge an alliance that may be the only hope of Good triumphing over Evil.
Strengths: Appealing Mysticism; Larger-than-life characters; wonderful kinship relationships;
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read: Deborah Smith’s fans you know why you should read it –we’re been waiting for this book for a long time. Even though there is a cliff-hanger involved, this is a wonderful addition to the MacBrides series. Filled with wonderful analogies and metaphors of life.  

H&H Editor Picks:
Robyn Carr Excerpt: The Summer That Made Us
26 Romances You Won’t Want to Miss!
September 2017 Romance Novels New Releases Shopping List

Was this review helpful?

Polly and Annie are both thirty five years old, and meet in the hospital where Polly is being treated for a terminal illness and Annie is visiting her mother who has developed dementia. Polly is determined to make the most of the life she has left, and persuades Annie to join her in finding happiness every day.

Annie works at an unfulfilling job where she dislikes her coworkers. Her despair and sadness after the death of her infant son, and her subsequent divorce resulted in her losing contact with her friends. Life is as dull as her horrible apartment. The future seems to be bleak, with no hope for positive changes.

So Polly has her work cut out for her in drawing Annie into changing her outlook---and her life.

A memorable story of becoming friends while sharing adventures.

Was this review helpful?

Heartwarming. If I had to describe this book in one word that's the word I would use. Something Like Happy made me laugh a lot but also brought on some tears. Ultimately it really made me think about LIFE and how much time we have here on earth especially in times like these with all of the recent natural disasters, terror attacks, etc.

This story begins by introducing us to Annie, who in her mid thirties and miserable. She is down on her luck for several reasons which will come to light as the story evolves. While visiting her sick mother in the hospital, she meets Polly and her life will be forever changed. Polly is also in her mid thirties and was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer (brain tumor) and has been giving 3 months to live. She basically forces Annie to become her friend and their "happiness" adventures begin. You'll really enjoy hearing about all of the shenanigans that they ensue as the story unfolds. This witty tail will keep you entertained and it's a heart felt story about friendship, love, and dealing with loss. I highly recommend this refreshing read by Eva Woods.

Was this review helpful?