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When you close these books you feel happy to be alive, secure that life is worth living, and motivated to get out there and live an awesome life.

Some of these books may deal with the dark side of life, but they still convey that overall it is good to be alive and leave you feeling uplifted.
1

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4.30 avg rating — 5,017,859 ratings
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4.17 avg rating — 1,340,449 ratings
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4.30 avg rating — 4,638,897 ratings
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4.28 avg rating — 723,733 ratings
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4.27 avg rating — 335,382 ratings
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4.18 avg rating — 2,545,853 ratings
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10

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4.16 avg rating — 2,418,244 ratings
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11

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4.47 avg rating — 11,841,434 ratings
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12

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3.89 avg rating — 209,133 ratings
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13

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3.81 avg rating — 279,997 ratings
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14

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4.27 avg rating — 964,450 ratings
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15

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3.81 avg rating — 1,040,076 ratings
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15

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3.95 avg rating — 1,789,298 ratings
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17

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3.92 avg rating — 3,761,332 ratings
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18

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4.61 avg rating — 1,927 ratings
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19

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4.36 avg rating — 5,702 ratings
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20

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4.06 avg rating — 263,667 ratings
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21

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4.16 avg rating — 212,568 ratings
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22

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3.64 avg rating — 5,485 ratings
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23

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4.22 avg rating — 1,346,954 ratings
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24

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4.24 avg rating — 567,619 ratings
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25

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4.26 avg rating — 98,468 ratings
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26

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4.25 avg rating — 11,547 ratings
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27

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4.10 avg rating — 1,373,839 ratings
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28

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4.05 avg rating — 118,471 ratings
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29

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3.85 avg rating — 92,473 ratings
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30

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4.04 avg rating — 254,387 ratings
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31

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4.57 avg rating — 34,235 ratings
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32

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4.34 avg rating — 2,613,109 ratings
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32

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3.78 avg rating — 80,881 ratings
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34

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4.13 avg rating — 55,935 ratings
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35

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4.24 avg rating — 344,783 ratings
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36

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3.70 avg rating — 96,222 ratings
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37

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3.94 avg rating — 594,574 ratings
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38

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4.42 avg rating — 1,383,547 ratings
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39

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3.60 avg rating — 14,216 ratings
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40

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4.04 avg rating — 36,957 ratings
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41

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4.29 avg rating — 201,271 ratings
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42

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4.67 avg rating — 39 ratings
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43

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4.02 avg rating — 93,135 ratings
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44

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4.17 avg rating — 30,643 ratings
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45

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3.81 avg rating — 10,790 ratings
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46

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4.32 avg rating — 24,225 ratings
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47

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 175,870 ratings
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48

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4.05 avg rating — 215,226 ratings
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49

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4.81 avg rating — 42,685 ratings
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50

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3.97 avg rating — 1,085,822 ratings
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51

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4.28 avg rating — 474,378 ratings
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51

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4.03 avg rating — 20,275 ratings
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53

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4.38 avg rating — 1,284,118 ratings
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54

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3.86 avg rating — 24,114 ratings
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55

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3.96 avg rating — 198,657 ratings
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56

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4.19 avg rating — 124,010 ratings
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56

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3.83 avg rating — 49,500 ratings
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58

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4.39 avg rating — 456,169 ratings
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59

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4.23 avg rating — 236,077 ratings
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60

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4.33 avg rating — 196 ratings
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61

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3.91 avg rating — 337 ratings
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62

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4.14 avg rating — 40,831 ratings
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63

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4.35 avg rating — 1,226,630 ratings
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64

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4.55 avg rating — 749,749 ratings
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65

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3.98 avg rating — 36,386 ratings
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66

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4.06 avg rating — 121,010 ratings
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67

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3.91 avg rating — 306,469 ratings
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68

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4.68 avg rating — 19 ratings
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69

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4.08 avg rating — 131,148 ratings
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70

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4.41 avg rating — 39 ratings
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71

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4.09 avg rating — 82,307 ratings
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72

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4.08 avg rating — 100,227 ratings
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73

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3.94 avg rating — 200,741 ratings
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74

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4.15 avg rating — 811,515 ratings
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75

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4.10 avg rating — 355,954 ratings
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76

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4.01 avg rating — 608,879 ratings
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77

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4.13 avg rating — 22,714 ratings
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78

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4.17 avg rating — 23,305 ratings
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79

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3.88 avg rating — 155,661 ratings
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80

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4.13 avg rating — 51,675 ratings
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81

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4.03 avg rating — 379,577 ratings
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82

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4.03 avg rating — 87,177 ratings
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83

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4.12 avg rating — 25,359 ratings
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84

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4.19 avg rating — 5,538 ratings
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85

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3.63 avg rating — 117,769 ratings
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86

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4.49 avg rating — 121,050 ratings
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87

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3.81 avg rating — 91,481 ratings
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88

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3.86 avg rating — 46,586 ratings
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89

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4.10 avg rating — 9,487 ratings
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90

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3.76 avg rating — 14,232 ratings
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91

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4.05 avg rating — 82,930 ratings
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92

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3.77 avg rating — 331,657 ratings
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92

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4.05 avg rating — 266,750 ratings
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94

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4.39 avg rating — 1,019,112 ratings
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95

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4.04 avg rating — 587,359 ratings
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96

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4.36 avg rating — 226,569 ratings
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97

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4.31 avg rating — 534,415 ratings
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98

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4.17 avg rating — 200,138 ratings
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99

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4.25 avg rating — 58,671 ratings
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100

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 59,003 ratings
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359 books · 314 voters · list created April 12th, 2010 by April (votes) .
73 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


April 1050 books
8 friends
Charlotte 511 books
14 friends
Natalia 1033 books
12 friends
Susan 344 books
5 friends
Ragnheiður 1331 books
32 friends
Nadia 1728 books
1 friend
Patrik 710 books
0 friends
Rei ⭐ 3378 books
279 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-13 of 13 (13 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Cheryl (new)

Cheryl Oh, thank you for this list! I've been exposed to so much dystopia and melodrama and explicit & gratuitous nasty stuff in books that my friends and groups are reading lately I'm just exhausted.

Is there a way to save this list to my profile or some place handy so I can refer to it readily?


message 2: by Susan (last edited Feb 07, 2011 09:33PM) (new)

Susan Cheryl wrote: "Oh, thank you for this list! I've been exposed to so much dystopia and melodrama and explicit & gratuitous nasty stuff in books that my friends and groups are reading lately I'm just exhausted.

I..."

It should be on your "Listopia Votes" and "Your Lists" on your profile, if you've voted on this list. Also check out this list: Best Stress Free Books!


message 3: by April (new)

April Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Oh, thank you for this list! I've been exposed to so much dystopia and melodrama and explicit & gratuitous nasty stuff in books that my friends and groups are reading lately I'm just exhausted."

Exactly! That's why I started this list- to get good fiction recommendations that wouldn't depress me. I've been reading some of the books on this list. Last year, I started reading the Newberry Award winning books- starting from the most recent. That has been so fun. They are for kids, but they are some very well-written books that aren't too dark.


message 4: by Cheryl (new)

Cheryl Thank you!


message 5: by Chana (new)

Chana Thanks for inviting me to vote on this list. Fun!


message 6: by Alexa (new)

Alexa Yes, I realised that most books I have read have a strong dystopic element - so I actively made the effort of searching for a list of 'Uplifting' reads. However, having read some of the books on the list - I can say that I do not agree!

The Goldfinch? (Masterpiece but far from uplifting)
No Terry Pratchett! No Night Circus!


message 7: by April (new)

April Hi Alexandra,
I hope you'll add fiction you've found uplifting and vote for the books on the list that you think fit the bill. Thanks for stopping by!


message 8: by Marie (UK) (new)

Marie (UK) OK so explain to me THE HANDMAIDS TALE - uplifting someone needs their bumps read


message 9: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited May 16, 2020 01:22PM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) It says in the description "Some of these books may deal with the dark side of life, but they still convey that overall it is good to be alive and leave you feeling uplifted', so maybe that's why it's on this list. Among other things, it can make you feel happy that it is not true to life...


message 10: by April (new)

April Kara wrote: "Yes, I realised that most books I have read have a strong dystopic element - so I actively made the effort of searching for a list of 'Uplifting' reads. However, having read some of the books on th..."

Hi Kara! Please add the books to the list that you find most uplifting. I know everyone will find different books uplifting.


message 11: by April (new)

April Booklovinglady wrote: "It says in the description "Some of these books may deal with the dark side of life, but they still convey that overall it is good to be alive and leave you feeling uplifted', so maybe that's why i..."

Hi Booklovinglady!
(I'm a book loving lady too!) This is an open list that everyone can add to and vote on. I hope you'll vote for the books you find uplifting and add your own choices as well.


message 12: by Tate (new)

Tate why is the tunnel on this list?


message 13: by Alexa (new)

Alexa April wrote: "Booklovinglady wrote: "It says in the description "Some of these books may deal with the dark side of life, but they still convey that overall it is good to be alive and leave you feeling uplifted'..."

True. Still looking for uplifting reads as I've ventured into the territory of horror.


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