I love books…….. a lot. I have a pile by my bedside, pile downstairs on the side table, in fact we have books in every room of the house. There are some that I keep coming back to and others that I only read once. Some that inspire me, some that evoke all sorts of emotions and some that take me places so exotic I can almost smell the frangipan.
Last month as part of the Tots100 Book Club Becky from Baby Budgeting recommended The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud for me and I am really looking forward to reading it.
Sometimes you stumble on a book that you wouldn’t normally read, but it comes at the right time and that is my book recommendation. A non-fiction
book that had a significant impact on me throughout 2011 (which was a hard year of firsts after the death of my mum). The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. This is a thought provoking read, which helped me refocus on the things that matter and inspired me to try and find the small things that make me happy.
My well thumbed copy!
It is much more than a self help book, it talked to me in a non flowery way. I stopped focusing on the negatives, leaving much more room for the positives. As someone who has suffered with depression in the past and been through cognitive behavioral therapy it really compounded previous learning and enabled me to make practical changes.
I have learned that by doing good, you feel good. That small changes, make big difference and that it is my right to be happy.

I’ve heard so much about this book – this post reminds me, yet again, that I should get myself a copy.
I think this is a life book that will have real longevity. I read a chapter a month so that I can try and focus on those suggestions for that month, rather than try and embrace everything all at once. A really lovely book to recommend and pass on to others – a gift of a book.
I haven’t read this book, it sounds great. I will have a look at. x
Thank you so much for recommending this to me Jen. I am trying to get my hands on a copy right now!
Kelly » Kelly, the Tots will send you a copy
I loved this book, I wasn’t sure I would be it is brilliant and I regularly read her blog.
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What a wonderful review. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy as I love reading these type of books.