rachaelsreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
kbranfield's review against another edition
5.0
Something Like Happy by Eva Woods is an emotionally compelling, poignant yet uplifting novel that is quite memorable.
Thirty-five year old Annie Hebden has suffered tremendous loss and heartache in recent years. Unable to move past her sorrow or forgive those who have hurt her, she is absolutely miserable and wallowing in grief and self-pity. The only child of a single mom who has recently been diagnosed with early on-set dementia, Annie is bewildered by the sudden attention of Polly Leonard. With a quirky style and an effervescent personality, Polly has every reason to be unhappy yet she is instead a shining star whom everyone loves. She is determined to live life to the fullest and Polly decides Annie is the perfect companion to join her as she embarks on a one hundred happy days challenge.
Annie is mired in negativity as she goes to a job she hates and bemoans her fate living in a dingy flat with a much younger flatmate, Costas. She has let all of her friendships wither and she refuses to join her co-workers in any after-hours activities. In the aftermath of her mother's diagnosis, Annie finds herself even more overwhelmed and unhappy than before. She is initially not at all receptive to Polly's overtures but Polly is not one to take no for answer and Annie suddenly finds herself firmly back in the land of the living.
Despite her circumstances, Polly is relentlessly upbeat and positive, larger than life and determined to live on her own terms. What begins as a begrudging friendship soon turns much deeper as Annie finds herself reluctantly confiding in Polly. When Polly finds herself at a low point, will Annie be strong enough to offer her friend the support she needs as she faces the truth about her future?
With a wonderfully diverse cast of characters and a clever storyline, Something Like Happy is a heartfelt novel of friendship and healing. Eva Woods deftly blends sorrow and joy in this inspiring story that will linger in readers' hearts and minds long after the last page is turned. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this enchanting novel.
Thirty-five year old Annie Hebden has suffered tremendous loss and heartache in recent years. Unable to move past her sorrow or forgive those who have hurt her, she is absolutely miserable and wallowing in grief and self-pity. The only child of a single mom who has recently been diagnosed with early on-set dementia, Annie is bewildered by the sudden attention of Polly Leonard. With a quirky style and an effervescent personality, Polly has every reason to be unhappy yet she is instead a shining star whom everyone loves. She is determined to live life to the fullest and Polly decides Annie is the perfect companion to join her as she embarks on a one hundred happy days challenge.
Annie is mired in negativity as she goes to a job she hates and bemoans her fate living in a dingy flat with a much younger flatmate, Costas. She has let all of her friendships wither and she refuses to join her co-workers in any after-hours activities. In the aftermath of her mother's diagnosis, Annie finds herself even more overwhelmed and unhappy than before. She is initially not at all receptive to Polly's overtures but Polly is not one to take no for answer and Annie suddenly finds herself firmly back in the land of the living.
Despite her circumstances, Polly is relentlessly upbeat and positive, larger than life and determined to live on her own terms. What begins as a begrudging friendship soon turns much deeper as Annie finds herself reluctantly confiding in Polly. When Polly finds herself at a low point, will Annie be strong enough to offer her friend the support she needs as she faces the truth about her future?
With a wonderfully diverse cast of characters and a clever storyline, Something Like Happy is a heartfelt novel of friendship and healing. Eva Woods deftly blends sorrow and joy in this inspiring story that will linger in readers' hearts and minds long after the last page is turned. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this enchanting novel.
andrearbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Something Like Happy by Eva Woods was a book that made me feel all the feels. I read this as I was traveling, and I was publicly and privately a mess of laughs and tears as I read. This book was absolutely wonderful. The story focuses on Annie who is 35 and struggling with life in so many ways. She's in the hospital visiting her mother who has dementia when she meets Polly. Polly has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. With this, she's decided that she's going to soak up all she can from the life she has left. She also decides Annie is going to come along for the ride. Polly has decided to commit to 100 happy days, and she convinces Annie she needs to do this, too. The story then treks through each day. Polly's positivity is powerful as is Annie's pain, and that's what makes this story so beautiful. Polly refuses to give up on Annie, and as she goes she keeps pushing her friend to live a life that makes her authentically happy. This book was just so beautifully done. Faced with a terrible diagnosis, Polly makes a choice to live. Each day shows how she does this. With this, the story still shows the struggles of her diagnosis which makes it all the more real. This was such a wonderful reflection on the curveballs life can throw us, how we find connection, and what it means to take control of where we're going. I loved this one so very much, and it was just the burst of energy and joy I needed.
michaela_young's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sha_z's review
4.0
This is a great uplifting book to remind you of how precious life is.
In this book there’s Annie and Polly. Polly is dying of brain cancer so she lives her life to the fullest and inserts inspirational quotes whenever possible.
To be frank, I am not a fan of motivational quotes and seeing people put these quotes as captions on their photos make me cringe most of the time. But this book was written so well that it made me realise that yes, it’s the little things that really counts and can actually make you happy. There are some cheesy parts in this book, here and there but it was bearable. Reading the authors note at the end of the book was inspiring too!
In this book there’s Annie and Polly. Polly is dying of brain cancer so she lives her life to the fullest and inserts inspirational quotes whenever possible.
To be frank, I am not a fan of motivational quotes and seeing people put these quotes as captions on their photos make me cringe most of the time. But this book was written so well that it made me realise that yes, it’s the little things that really counts and can actually make you happy. There are some cheesy parts in this book, here and there but it was bearable. Reading the authors note at the end of the book was inspiring too!
slhart923's review against another edition
5.0
Great book! A book about an unlikely friendship between a lady who has had a string of bad luck that has caused her to be grouchy and a lady dying of cancer who has more life in her than most. This book reminds you to live, make the leap, forgive people, try new things, be happy, let go of people, and things that dull your world and find happiness by changing small or big things in your life. Try 100 happy days. Loved this story and loved the new friendship between Annie and Polly.
tinie_frogie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lisaeirene's review against another edition
5.0
This was a delightful, tear-jerker, sweet, enduring book. The main character, Annie, is stuck. Her life sucks. Her jobs sucks. She's divorced and some other tradegies in her past are keeping her stuck in this cycle of self-pity and depression. She's at the hospital visiting her mom, who has Alzheimer's, when she runs into Polly--this vibrant, colorful, full of life and energy woman who also happens to be dying of cancer.
Polly kind of forces Annie into a friendship and in the next 80 days or so they spend most of their time together kind of ticking things off Polly's "Bucket List". But Polly has ulterior motives--she wants her last gift to Annie and the people in her life to be for them to realize how much time they have and they should be happy and do things that MAKE them happy.
It's really an uplifting book that makes you reconsider things in your own life.
Polly kind of forces Annie into a friendship and in the next 80 days or so they spend most of their time together kind of ticking things off Polly's "Bucket List". But Polly has ulterior motives--she wants her last gift to Annie and the people in her life to be for them to realize how much time they have and they should be happy and do things that MAKE them happy.
It's really an uplifting book that makes you reconsider things in your own life.