30 Days of Books
Day 5: a book that makes you happy.
I think the answer to this depends on the definition of happy. I mean, all books make me happy because they take me into the mind of another human being on a completely personal and intimate level like nothing else can. That being said, I read a lot of plot-heavy books with dark themes and characters who generally have a lot on their plate, so-to-speak. So, I'll tell you about a book that makes me happy not based on the contents, but on the acquisition of the thing.
Have you ever shopped at an Ollie's? They're wonderful for those who have a deep desire to find intriguing Indie books that never really make the best-seller list but really do deserve to. Perhaps my favorite book-buying story came from perusing the shelves of the Ollie's Fiction section one afternoon and leaving with one titled Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier. This book is a few hundred pages long and super unique in terms of the subset of fantasy that deals specifically with witches. It really sucked me in and got me excited for the sequel, yet I couldn't find the rest of the trilogy anywhere.
Two years later, I had mostly forgotten about this book, even though I'd lent it to my best friend (other library) and she'd fallen in love with it too. Heading home from a visit with my parents, I thought I might make a pitstop for lunch and drop into the Ollie's next door for a little brain-break. You'd never guess what I found.
The sequel is just as great as the first, and I haven't found the third yet (except online, of course, but I have a sort of funny little hope that I'll stumble upon it much like I did the first two at another Ollie's someday).
Anyway, check them out. They've gained quite a little fan-base since and are a really fast, yet fulfilling read.