Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Last week some of us talked about how many books are depressing, dealing with war, dysfunctional families, etc. What books do you feel are upbeat or hopeful? They might still address serious topics - or they might not!

I’m only halfway through it, but A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers has a hopeful optimistic vision.

I agree about A Psalm for the Wild-Built. I enjoy fantasy by authors like Terry Pratchett and Joanne Harris. I recently read a non fiction book called The Keys Of Kindness by Claudia Hammond which was about research into kindness. The Women of Primrose Square by Claudia Carroll is a good example of serious topics being tackled in a genre seen as less serious.

A lot of romance novels. Not all of them, actually one of my favourite authors K.J. Charles writes fairly dark romances with murders before you get to the HEA, but a lot of them do have a slightly more optimistic view on life and there's something to be said for KNOWING that the main characters are going to be happy at the end no matter how much they go through.

Some of my favourite happier romance authors (slight caveat on the "happier" sometimes, there can be a lot of angst before that point...):

Cat Sebastian
Talia Hibbert
Alessandra Hazard (her books can be bonkers, but they make me very happy)
Jordan L. Hawk
Annabeth Albert

Small Things Like These a serious topic with hopeful message

Great question! Here are a few that come to mind.....

The Guncle by Steven Rowley (very funny but also has serious moments)
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (lots of adventures)
Singing in the Comeback Choir by Bebe Moore Campbell (lots of love and music)
The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson (technically a mystery I think, but it does leave a hopeful feeling)

Almost anything by Elinor Lipman! I just love her storytelling.
Rachel to the Rescue is delightful!

I found the following to be uplifting without being too syrupy:

The House in the Cerulean Sea
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Project Hail Mary
Less Is Lost
The River Why

Pam wrote: "I’m only halfway through it, but A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers has a hopeful optimistic vision."

Anything by Becky Chambers! I LOVE her Wayfarer series starting with The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. It's so cute.

I think Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch and the Murderbot series (All Systems Red) also kinda fall into this category.

The first one that pops into my head is Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters. I found it cute and sweet without being syrupy.

A favorite of mine is Chasing Fireflies. This one does deal with heavy issues, but the patriarch of the family is so strong and certain that it feels like no harm can come to anyone in his reach. The author is a Christian writer, and I'm sure there were passages in the book that reflect that, but if it was bash you over the head heavy-handed, I wouldn't have rated it so highly.

When the real world really gets too intense, I can always go back and read one of my childhood favorites- A Wrinkle in Time.

Interesting, I found A Wrinkle in Time quite scary when I was about 12 and read it. But it's tame compared to The Hunger Games and similar recent youth favorites.

That scene where they arrive at the town and everyone is completely synchronized- still creepy as heck. But I feel like Meg had so much love and support around her through the whole thing. Maybe that's the benefit of being older looking back on it.

I just finished a book about a death doula....she helps people make peace with death in their final moments....yet despite that, it was surprisingly upbeat.

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Nikki Brammer