Help! I need a light read that contains happy thought provoking themes

[Kiriko]

I just attempted to read Pretty Girls, (view spoiler)[ contains very dark subject matter please read the reviews (hide spoiler)] and I would really like to have a good nights sleep tonight so I need something to take my mind off of that......book.

Basically I would love to read anything at all that fills you with a happy warm feeling in your chest. It can be a funny/ comedy book or an epic love story or a self discovery journey type of book. I'm not sure if there is a genre for this, maybe YA....

I only have 2 preferences
1. It must be fiction, the more Fictitious it is the better
2. Absolutely no sex. It’s too soon

I'm really sorry if it's a vague confusing request, and I appreciate all the help that I can get.

[Aerulan]

Hmm I would suggest Howl's Moving Castle, but looks like you've read it.

Rose Daughter by Robin Mckinley, it's a beauty and the beast retelling, no sex. But a charming version, no real peril or anything.

If you'd be willing to read manga, Yotsuba&!, Vol. 1 (and the rest of the books in the series) is absurdly cute and hilarious, it's about a rather odd little girl who moves to a new house with her father and all her little adventures meeting the neighbors and going for ice cream and similar things. Her reactions make it all very funny and sweet and the subject matter is about as light as I can think of.

I'll see if I can think of anything else.

ETA: also when I get a book I need to purge from my mind I tend to reread my favorites. Getting a nasty surprise from a book tends to make me want to read something I already know I love rather than taking a chance on something new and being disappointed again.
Do you have any favorite comfort reads you could turn to?

[Kiriko]

Hi thanks soooo much Aerulan!!! I loved Howl's moving castle I watched the film from studio Gibli repeatedly until I found out it was based on a book. (I like the book better hehe) I think I have been trying to balance off the negative effects from the book by watching My Neighbour Totoro every afternoon for the last week but that may also be because my 3 yr old niece will not let us watch anything else.

I will give Rose Daughter a try it sounds .... safe :-) . I also love Manga (I'm kind of crazy into anything Japanese and Korean Drama!!!) and I was needing something to read while waiting for the next chapter of One Piece so thanks for the suggestion. Manga is sort of like playing roulette though, sometimes you get a really good story and some incredible art other times you get porn - at least it seems that way to me.

I guess I would say some of my favorite reads would be: The Princess Bride
Flipped
Pride and Prejudice

Also anything by Roald Dahl and Anne Fine. At least these are the books I can reread without skipping to all my favorite parts only. (Yes I am a child at heart, I guess that's why I feel so affected by Pretty Girls)

Thank you again.

[Shanna_redwind]

I just read the third book of this series, and enjoyed it . If you like a bit of light steampunk, this one might be for you. Airborn

[Kiriko]

Shanna_redwind wrote: "I just read the third book of this series, and enjoyed it . If you like a bit of light steampunk, this one might be for you. Airborn"

Thanks Shanna, I think I might be in the mood for a series, the blurb reminds me of Stardust (the movie though I did also read the book) which was really fun in my point of view so I am off to look for a copy.

[Melody]

Pretty Girls was a tough read, I can understand the need for some lightness after that. I'm always a bit apprehensive about recommending books because what if you don't like it or it's not what you were looking for. But I feel that the book Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen might help you have good dreams. Good luck. 😊

[Pamela]

I recommend Sourdough, by Robin Sloan. It fits your requirements and may be the best book I've read this year. Sourdough

[Rachel]

Maybe I Capture the Castle? It's a nice gentle coming-of-age tale.

I'd also recommend The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets and The Sweetheart Season.

[SamSpayedPI]

I second I Capture the Castle.

Other good, relatively angst-free COA story are Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Dandelion Wine.

And some good (not necessarily thought-provoking, but why do you need thought-provoking? What's wrong with a little escapism, especially during the summer?) fantasies that I love are The Hobbit, The Princess Bride, and Watership Down (which has its darker moments, but is a great read).

[Kiriko]

Melody wrote: "Pretty Girls was a tough read, I can understand the need for some lightness after that. I'm always a bit apprehensive about recommending books because what if you don't like it or it's not what you..."

So turns out I have read Garden Spells . I think I was not happy with the ending though I can't really remember why exactly.... The only thing I can clearly remember is the apple butter.

But thanks for the suggestion

[Kiriko]

Pamela wrote: "I recommend Sourdough, by Robin Sloan. It fits your requirements and may be the best book I've read this year. Sourdough"

Oooo so the reviews make it sound fun, also the premise sounds interesting. Also bread, I love bread (magic bread according to some reviewers). Thank you

[Kiriko]

I capture the castle sounds perfect, I instantly want to read it. Thanks Rachel and Sam

[Kiriko]

SamSpayedPI wrote: "I second I Capture the Castle.

Other good, relatively angst-free COA story are Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Dandelion Wine.

And some good (not ..."

Lol, I was probably still reeling from the attempted Pretty Girls read so I couldn't come up with a better way to phrase "I need books that make me think happy thoughts - stat"

[Christina]

All of these books meet your criteria. I enjoyed them all!

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Astrid and Veronika

The Bean Trees

The Butterfly's Daughter

Winona's Web: A Novel of Discovery

Love in the Present Tense

Veronika Decides to Die

[RavensScar]

These books always give me happy warm feeling. They're not "happy" all the time, but like I said they give me a warm feeling when I read them :)

Anne of Green Gables by L.M.Montgomary

Emma by Jane Austen

Which witch by Eva Ibbotson ( I know it's actually more for middle grade,but I've loved this book since I was a kid)

The Narnia books by C.s. Lewis

Shanna Swendsons Enchanted inc. book series

[Mandy]

It's more for a younger audience but Wonder is one of my favourites.

[Kirstin]

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

It's a cute young love, coming of age story set in I believe the 50s

[Ebookworm2016]

The Bookshop On The Corner by Jenny Colgan
This book was a very warm, cozy, happy read for me. And thought provoking in terms of thinking about taking the risk or playing it safe and the rewards/risks associated with both choices.