Here, in no special order, is a list of books that Bah! readers and followers recommend for a good, uplifting read. Add yours to the comments section at the bottom and I will periodically update the page.

Kelly likes The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood “because it is so well crafted and written with superb characters – it inspires me to ‘achieve’ and it is superb testament to power of friendship amongst women +what you can get through with friends standing by you…”

Gillian suggests all of Mapp and Lucia because they are “comfortable and reliable yet…. acerbic. So, they are reassuringly familiar but… always spiky.”

Clodagh suggests Gorgeous Cakes by Annie Bell. “No explanation necessary – the clue is in the title. But especially for paradise slices – yum!”

Tricia  recommends 3 books: A Little Princess - heart-wrenching descriptions of poverty followed by glorious wish fulfilment and comeuppance for bad guys!”

The Blue Castle (LM Montgomery) “cut above potboiler romance, with prickly heroine and intriguing love interest”

and Braided Lives by Marge Piercy, “actually my favourite book ever – I’ve never identified so much with a protagonist”

Emily likes The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice, “so far I’ve had to buy 5 copies for daughters, god-daughters, friends etc”

Marie’s newest favourite is All my Friends are Superheroes - “small, sharp and sweet as a lemon cupcake”

Betty suggests Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews. “Great waiting room reading. When done with that try Savannah Breeze, also by Mary Kay Andrews and equally fun to read.”

Nicola (and half of the twitterverse) offers The Little White Horse - “glorious, romantic but edgy too” (As I appeared to be the only person who’d never heard of it, I read it immediately. It’s fab.)

Kate, Essie and Carole all suggest Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson – Kate says, “it’s like a real life fairytale that might just happen”

Jenny loves The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde – “I can’t recommend it enough”.

Diane likes The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett – “Things grow, and it all turns out happy”