I've been reading a lot of thriller/horror and depressing books lately (that were all pretty good books) and I'd like to switch to some happy, feel-good books...

I probably have a few on hand, but would love to hear some recommendations on your favorites. :)

Thank you!!

Anyone? I'm looking for a friend book...girly fiction...summer/beach book - something along those lines.

Wow -- I would have thought you would have received lots of recommendations by now. Since I don't usually read "happy, feel-good" books (not because I don't like them, but because...oh, I don't know), I can't really help you. You might want to check the "Chick Lit" Forum -- I would imagine that there are a number of readers there who could give you good suggestions. Good luck!

Thanks, Deb - I didn't even notice until last night those genre forums were there! Yeah, I was hoping to get lots of recommendations from here, but there must just be lots of scifi/horror/sad book lovers around these parts (like me).

I picked up Five Fortunes by Beth Gutcheon at Goodwill on a whim to try and am really liking it so far. I'll be checking the chick lit forum for sure though, thanks! :)

It's hard to recommend anything with such a vague request.  What "feel good" means to you, might mean something completely different to me.  My feel good books are mostly Christian Fiction.  If that interest you check out Karen Kingsbury, Beth Wiseman, or Beverly Lewis.

Other feel good books are about animals.  Can't think of any right now except Marly and Me.   Ask in some of the other forums maybe?   I like family drama that turns out ok at the end - that's another type of feel good for me.  

I came back to suggest you read some of the threads such as "Best Book of the month, year" or "What are you reading now" on this forum.  You get some great ideas of books such as this one that I just added to my reminder list.   You can tell by what the readers write if it's feel good or not.

March  The Widow's War
              Author: Sally Gunning

  I loved everything about how Gunning told this tale.  The dialogue, historical detail, and believable characters were masterfully done. "Lydia" questions society's rules and expectation as a recently widowed woman on pre-revolutionary Cape Cod. This is the story of a woman with spirit and courage as she struggles for her own "independence".  I've walked the same areas of this town and found the "tour and descriptions" at the end of the book a wonderful addition

I tend to like Mary Kay Andrews when I'm looking for something fun.  If you like science type SciFi I'd read Robert Buettner (sp?) . His Orphan series books always make me laugh out loud.

Love Walked in by Marisa de los Santos. It's wonderful!

Thanks for the suggestions!

I might have been a little too vague at first. I'm looking for some good friendship stories or a good island/beach book. A happy or funny read. I just finished Five Fortunes by Beth Gutcheon and I really enoyed it. I'm going to check out the suggestions mentioned here, too - thank you!

How about Lorna Landvik or Jennifer Chiaverini?  Both are very feel good type authors.

I was in the same boat as you Kelly.  Needed some lighter reading after reading some very good but depressing books. 

I've just finished  "Barefoot" by Elin Hilderbrand and I decided to start a series and just finished "Murder on Astor Place" by Victoria Thompson.  Very easy  and light reads.  The reviews of the 2nd book in that series, "Murder on St. Mark's Place" say it isn't a light read but I haven't read it yet.

I think the best friend feel good story ever written is Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie.  And it made me laugh out loud.  No matter what stage of life you are at, these women will entertain you.    Also, Jane Austen in Boca was a laugh out loud book for me.  Maybe geared more to us women looking at taking care of our folks, but none the less heartfelt and funny.   I also loved First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. 

I like Dorothea Benton Frank for beach reading - all her books are set in the SC Islands off Charleston.  I just finished Land of Mango Sunsets - I liked it.

I second Lorna Landvik.  Chicklit isn't my usual flavor, but I fell in love with Landvik's work.  Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons is a lot of fun, as is Patty Jane's House of Curl. 

A Year on Ladybug farm by Donna Ball was a great feel-good book. Three women in their early 50s contemplate buying an old farm house and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. I'm in my early 30s and found it to be a great, feel good read.

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited about these suggestions - thank you! I have a couple of them (hopefully) on their way from a PBS'er and will be adding more of these to my list. :)

Thanks!

Anything by Marian Keyes.

Give Katie Fforde a try! 

"Hunting Unicorns" by Bella Pollen-great British humour.

I also put a vote in for Lorna Landvik.  Billie Letts too. 

"The Ladies Of Missalonghi" by Colleen McCullough-a very different type of "ghost story"-the ending tickled me so much I laughed at the end-not because it was funny, but because it was such a pleasant, happy ending-quick read too.

Very funny British books-the books about Lucia by E.F. Benson.

A new favorite author I discovered-Cathie Pelletier.  Very funny, but sometimes serious undertones as well.  I read her Mattagash, Maine series (3 books) and I was cracking up regularly.  She's written some other books outside this series I have TBR, but they sound funny too.

Jean Shepherd writes humor books-have you seen "The Christmas Story"?  This movie is based on one of his stories.  Even his titles are strange. 

Have fun looking for books!

..translate to "laugh out loud books" to me.

My favs:

Raney by Clyde Edgerton

A walk in the woods by Bill Bryson

for that matter anything by Bill Bryson!