Matt O'Neill's book promises to turn happiness into a learnable skill, focusing on eight primary bad moods—shame, guilt, hopelessness, sadness, fear, desire, anger, and pride—and offering strategies to overcome them. Then focuses on eight primary good moods—humility, responsibility, confidence, acceptance, gratitude, love, joy and peace—and showing how we often lie and self-sabotage, then providing a truth to counter and overcome each lie. The author's approach of contrasting each negative mood with its positive counterpart provides an intriguing perspective on emotional management.

O'Neill's writing is direct and accessible, making emotional concepts digestible. The book's brevity is both a strength and a weakness. Concise chapters provide quick, actionable guidance, but readers seeking deep psychological insights might find the treatment superficial. The God-centered approach adds a spiritual dimension that will resonate differently with various readers.

The most valuable aspect is its emphasis on personal agency. O'Neill reinforces that we are active creators of our internal emotional landscape, offering techniques for cultivating confidence and breaking free from negativity. However, the book doesn't break significant new ground in the self-help genre, with many concepts feeling familiar to seasoned personal development readers.

"Good Mood Revolution" serves as a solid primer for individuals beginning their journey of emotional self-improvement. It's a quick read that provides practical lessons and a framework for understanding and managing one's emotional state. The book's greatest strength lies in its accessibility and its core message: happiness is not something to be chased, but something to be consciously created using the tools (and downloadable exercises) he provides.

A big thank you to Advantage Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is totally fine, but it's just another way of saying what people have been advising for years: don't listen to that angry inner voice, be mindful and in the moment, and focus on what you can control. I don't love the suggestions that this is all it takes to be happy, but I can accept that this might put you in a good mood once in a while. I think this is best for people who don't suffer from chronic depression or anxiety.

Good Mood Revolution gives simple tips for living a happier life but at times these tips are a bit too simple for my liking. The book paints a picture in which simply choosing to be in a good mood gives the desired result. Maybe it is for some, but I believe this to be a bit more complicated.

Some of the advice relating to perspective shifting is useful, such as: "the difference between excitement and anxiety is the story you tell yourself about the sensations you feel". Other advice, like the chapter on responsibility, suggests choosing not to be a victim and becomes reminiscent of the lessons of the NXIVM cult where participants were shamed for "choosing" to be the victims of such heinous crimes as sexual assault. This is a dangerous road to go down and this book goes all in without even a mention that there ae situations where you might truly be a victim.

Additionally, the book consistently touts that if you trust in God good moods will follow. By no means is this the sole focus of the book, nor does it come without actionable advice, but it was an unexpected element. Most self help books do include a spiritual aspect, however the religious implications here may be off putting to certain audiences of different faiths.

Overall, the simple exercises throughout the book are helpful but the core message of "choosing" a good mood ignores the more complicated nature of life.

Authentic happiness is not what most people are usually experiencing. O'Neill helps readers work through a series of emotions to joy and peace. We learn how to conquer bad moods, and how to choose good moods by altering thought patterns. While we will never be free of challenges, we can be free of negatively thinking about them. O'Neill shares some of his own experiences in giving readers good ideas and practical suggestions. While there is some space to write responses, additional resources, such as worksheets, will be available at the book website.

A couple of my favorite insights include the role of forgiveness in conquering anger and recognizing that a disappointing event might very well be making the way for something better in the future. Another section I really liked was his teaching on getting rid of victim thinking. And perhaps the best, the importance of gratitude, a way of loving your life as it is.

This is a good book for readers who desire to live a life of authentic, sustainable joy. This book gives us the tools but we will have to do our own inner work. While not particularly a Christian book, O'Neill does mention God's role in our joy and the importance of daily thanking God.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Good Mood Revolution by Matt O’Neill

Hey hey, my favorites! 😁💚 Let’s talk about Good Mood Revolution, a book that’s a total game-changer for anyone seeking a happier, healthier life!

After reading this, I can honestly say Matt O’Neill has cracked the code on how to balance your mind and body for better moods. From nutrition tips to simple strategies for managing stress, this book feels like a manual for taking care of yourself holistically. What stood out most to me was how seamlessly he connects small lifestyle changes to big emotional shifts.

Here’s my takeaway: Good Mood Revolution isn’t just about being happy; it’s about building a strong foundation so you can handle life’s ups and downs with grace. I found the chapters on food and mood especially insightful—who knew your plate could be the key to peace of mind?

This book left me inspired and ready to make changes that feel doable, not overwhelming. If you’re looking for something practical, uplifting, and rooted in science, you’ve found your next read. Trust me, your future self will thank you!

#annieethebookiee
"Buzzing through books that light up your life!"

If you’re tired of chasing happiness and ready to start living it, Good Mood Revolution: Igniting the Power of Conscious Happiness by Matt O’Neill is the guide you need. O’Neill approaches happiness not as an elusive state of being but as a skill that can be mastered with intentional effort. His revolutionary framework helps readers confront and conquer the eight bad moods that often hold us back—shame, guilt, hopelessness, sadness, fear, desire, anger, and pride.

What I found most compelling about this book is its actionable advice. O’Neill doesn’t just stop at identifying negative emotions—he equips readers with practical tools to transform their mindsets and moods. His strategies for cultivating unshakable confidence and breaking free from negativity are particularly empowering.

The tone of the book is inspiring yet grounded, making complex concepts about emotional well-being accessible. While some parts may feel slightly repetitive, the consistent reinforcement of key ideas helps drive home the message.

Overall, Good Mood Revolution is an uplifting and transformative read, perfect for anyone looking to take charge of their emotional health and lead a life of purpose and passion. It’s more than a book—it’s a call to action for a happier, more fulfilling existence.

Rating: ★★★★☆
This is a fantastic resource for readers at any stage of their self-improvement journey!

Thank you to NetGalley, Matt O'Neill, and Advantage Books for the eARC of this book.

"When you listen to the ego, you harm your joy. To reclaim your happiness, you must become consciously aware of the manipulative thoughts the ego presents you and then decide to let them go."


"The more pleasurable something is, the happier you feel. The second dimension of happiness is loss versus gain. The more gain you receive from something, the happier you feel. But this two-dimensional model of happiness is incomplete. You could have pleasure from drugs, and you could gain by stealing from someone. Both actions would be detrimental to your long-term well-being."


This book starts of with the negative emotions and how to cope with them. There are different tools such as gratitude and affirmations that have been included in this book. These are helpful for someone who is struggling to regulate their emotions. Both sides, negative and positive, have theory attached to them from a psychological perspective. This is what I found interesting in this book. I also liked some of the examples that the book provided in atune to the coping strategies. This book is well laid out and impressive given the amount of research mental health teams have to run through in order to publish this book. I highly commend the author.