Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Books that Make Me Smile. I am very conscious though, that many of the books that make me smile are the ones that I have already mentioned multiple times, so I was trying to think of other ways to spin this topic.
I did think I was onto a good thing when I thought that I would look for books that I have read that had words like smile in the title. It turns out I have read very few books with this word in the title, or grin, or any words like that. I needed a different tact.
My TTT list today is therefore a list of things that make me happy. So there are two books about music, two about cake, two about books, two about chocolate, and then finally two books with happy in the titles because these are just a few of the things that make me happy. And the fact that a couple of these books are set in Paris is a bonus. I have added a link to reviews where possible.
The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke (review)
Music and Silence by Rose Tremain
Cake: A Global History by Nicola Humble (review)
Chocolate Cake for Breakfast by Danielle Hawkins (review)
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (review)
The Chocolate Run by Dorothy Koomson
The Chocolate Thief by Laura Florand
Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts
The Garden of Happy Endings by Barbara O'Neal
I did want to cheat and share one more book this week. This is a performance of a children's book that I listened to this week, and it made me smile so many times. It is Taika Waititi and some of his friends reading Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach. It is pure joy to listen to, so here is the first episode.
That reading of James & the Giant Peach is wonderful! Funny. That makes me smile for sure. but the Book Thief made me sad ... it's quite dark
ReplyDeleteThe Book Thief made me cry too, but many years later I am left with happy memories
DeleteWhat a great list and fun post. The only books I've read is James and the Giant Peach and The Book Thief. I need to check the other books out!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do Laura!
DeleteA couple of these are old friends and others look like they'd be great fun. And thanks for the Giant Peach link -- I've always loved that. Thanks, too, for popping by my Paris in July post!
ReplyDeleteI hope enjoy the Giant Peach list. I feel like I might have to mention it several more times yet!
Deletewow so many chocolate titles:-) I must watch that video!
ReplyDeleteI could probably find more without trying too hard Sherry!
DeleteI love the book thief! So Good!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: http://theburstingbookshelf.com/10-authors-whose-books-i-always-buy/
It is such a good book Anna!
DeleteI find you can never go wrong with Nora Roberts :D
ReplyDeleteHere's my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Happy Reading!
Well, you can, but it is rare! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI don't know any of these but Chocolate Cake for Breakfast does sound really good ;)
ReplyDeleteChocolate Cake for Breakfast is a good read Annemieke
DeleteA great list. I loved Music and Silence and
ReplyDeleteThe Book Thief. Both great books. Might have to try some of your other suggestions.
My TTT.
I hope you do Marianne!
DeleteThis is a lovely spin on the topic, particularly because you worked in Paris, and that always makes me happy (too!)!
ReplyDeleteAny opportunity to drop in Paris is good for me!
DeleteSurprisingly, I haven't seen anything about this James and the Giant Peach reading. I'm so glad you included it on your list. I'll be checking that out today. I love Taika Waititi!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it Cheri! I really loved watching it!
DeleteCake and Chocolate make me smile too. :) I haven't read these, so I'll have to check them out. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteCake and Chocolate make a lot of people smile I am sure Poinsettia!
DeleteThe Book Thief is one of my favourite books!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/07/14/top-ten-tuesday-272/
It is a great book!
DeleteI have never read James and the Giant Peach. I feel like I've really missed out on a childhood favorite. One of my favorite sayings is, "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." So, your chocolate and cake books are right up my alley.
ReplyDeletehttp://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2020/07/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-that-make.html
I had never read James and the Giant Peach either, so this was a fantastic way to experience the story for the first time Cheryl!
DeleteI haven't read any of these, but I might try them out the next time I need cheering up!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do Michelle!
DeleteThe Chocolate Thief looks marvellous!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by earlier.
There's a whole heap of foodie type books set in Paris by this author Lydia!
DeleteI've only read Nora Roberts Happy Ever After (which is certainly a feel good book) but all the titles with cake definitely made me smile.
ReplyDeleteI can see why Sash1
DeleteOh I love how you shared things that make you happy and then chose books for them! Great idea! Loved The Book Thief, too. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Dedra. It was fun to put this list together Dedra!
DeleteThe Book Thief is one of my all time favorites. I was rather disappointed in The Little Paris Bookshop. Don't really know why. The words were beautiful, it just didn't work all that well together for me.
ReplyDeleteI love your spin! Cakes and books and chocolates. They make me happy too!
Here's my TTT
I think I was expecting more from The Little Paris Bookshop but it was still readable!
DeleteFun spin on the topic! I also did things that make me smile, like bookish socks and mugs :)
ReplyDeleteThe cover of CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR BREAKFAST is so cute! It sounds like a great book all-around. I need to check it out.
Happy TTT!
Susan
www.blogginboutbooks.com
That is definitely a fun read Susan!
DeleteSo many book and delicious-sounding choices from you this week. Thanks for visiting my blog. Have a great week! Stay safely away from the coronavirus!
ReplyDeleteDoing our best to stay as far away from it as we possibly can Anne!
DeleteI'm really liking this topic this week. It's nice to see what books make people happy. Anything with cake works for me haha. And thanks for sharing that video- how fun!
ReplyDeleteIt was such a fun experience to listen to the book that wasy Greg!
DeleteCake: A Global History sounds awesome... and something I should probably buy my wife, who is the cook and baker of the family! Good list. :D
ReplyDeleteI read it many years ago now Nicky, but I remember enjoying it!
DeleteYay on Chocolate Cake For Breakfast! Makes me want to read it again.
ReplyDeleteWhat....again??? lol
DeleteLoved The Chocolate Thief and the rest of that series! The Little Paris Books shop is such a neat cover! Great list and thanks for stopping by my TTT! :)
ReplyDeleteEven when I wasn't really reading I would still read all of Laura Florand's books as they came out.
DeleteA book called Cake would definitely make me happy. Cake is one of my favorite things ever! I loved The Book Thief too.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Any books about cake really AJ!
DeleteI've only read one of these books and it's an all-time favorite. However, it made me sob as I read the final chapters. Nonetheless, The Book Thief is an outstanding novel and I really should read it again. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteThe Book Thief would definitely make it onto a list of books that made me cry Les!
DeleteThere are mainly three types of publishing methods - self-publishing, traditional publishing, hybrid publishing. As a writer I always choose self-publishing to publish my book. Because I don't want to lose the rights & royalties of my books.
ReplyDeleteI love the title of Chocolate Cake for Breakfast because why not! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fun way to creatively change the topic. Love it. Who doesn't love a visit to Paris in a book? I know I do, especially since I don't see myself ever actually seeing Paris - at least not in my near future. :)
ReplyDelete