Muddy Stilettos


<p>If January has you feeling grey, it’s time to switch off the news, put down your phone, and pick up something that actually makes your heart happy. We’re talking uplifting literature, or “uplit” &#8211; the feel-good reading trend joyfully taking over bookshelves with all its heartwarming, happy-ending glory. From global bestsellers to modern feel-good favourites, these reads are downright joyful and an absolute tonic for the January blues… and whatever fresh hell 2026 has collectively in store for us!</p>



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<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/71PtmCZjfNL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="Tales from the Cafe, Toshikazu Kawaguchi" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Tales from the Cafe, Toshikazu Kawaguchi</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Step back in time (without leaving your sofa) with this gentle follow-up to the global bestseller <em>Before the Coffee Gets Cold</em>. Returning to Tokyo’s magical café, where visitors can order a latte and revisit the past, the story follows four new customers, each bringing their own hopes, regrets, and tender stories &#8211; from a man hoping to see a lost friend to a retired detective finally facing what he left unsaid &#8211; while familiar faces from the first book add an extra layer of warmth. Thoughtful, comforting, and quietly emotional, it’s perhaps the original comfort read, revisited.</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/tales-from-the-cafe-before-the-coffee-gets-cold-toshikazu-kawaguchi/2533455?ean=9781529050868&amp;next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/81cd26ORnkL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>The queen of <em>uplit</em> herself, Emily Henry, (the gal behind <em>The People We Meet On Vacation</em> which has just been given the Netflix treatment) is back, and she’s bringing romance, rivalry, and seaside sunshine in spades. Alice Scott thinks she’s landed the scoop of a lifetime &#8211; interviewing reclusive heiress Margaret Ives. That is until Pulitzer-winner Hayden Anderson shows up, sparks flying and NDAs be damned. Set in a cute coastal town, this witty, heartwarming story of ambition, secrets, unexpected love and joy in the most unlikely places is the perfect feel-good, page-turning escape.</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/great-big-beautiful-life-emily-henry/7739364?ean=9780241739860&amp;next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/71sYWWEQN9L._SL1500_.jpg" alt="Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>A modern uplit classic, this tender, funny, and deeply moving novel proves the power of kindness and human connection. Eleanor Oliphant’s life is meticulously ordered &#8211; same clothes, same lunch, same two bottles of vodka every weekend &#8211; and, on the surface, she’s completely fine. But one small act of kindness begins to crack the walls she’s built around herself, pushing Eleanor into a world full of unexpected challenges, awkward encounters, and moments that are both hilarious and heartbreakingly real. Sharp, witty, and ultimately uplifting, it’s a story about learning that change &#8211; messy, uncomfortable, life-altering change &#8211; might just be exactly what you need.</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine-honeyman-gail/5258592?ean=9780008172145&amp;next=t&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23271372933&amp;gbraid=0AAAAABjGUH3wnZu3JndERJeKxNYmHTLmr&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA1JLLBhCDARIsAAVfy7h00x_3LDDksEoZ5OyCDvCL89NfS39-_C23PPp8os6-ibipmqppJ-MaArOqEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/81FOHDLuroL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, Hwang Bo-reum" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, Hwang Bo-reum</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>A Korean bestselling book about… books! Burned out and fed up with her carefully planned life, Yeongju quits her high-flying career and opens a tiny bookshop in a charming Seoul neighbourhood &#8211; a refuge for herself and anyone else in need of a little literary therapy. Surrounded by customers with their own disappointments and stories, she discovers just how much joy, comfort, and even magic the right book can bring. Gentle, uplifting, and full of heart, it’s a book about the power of uplifting books &#8211; basically the uplit dream in novel form!</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/welcome-to-the-hyunam-dong-bookshop-the-heart-warming-korean-sensation-hwang-bo-reum/0331edf49a422f32?ean=9781526662286&amp;next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/71kjWH25AxL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="The Switch, Beth O'Leary " /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Switch, Beth O&#8217;Leary </h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>From uplit favourite Beth O’Leary, this joyful novel proves it’s never too late &#8211; or too early &#8211; for a fresh start. When stressed-out twenty-something Leena swaps lives with her adventure-ready grandmother Eileen, Leena heads to a quiet Yorkshire village while Eileen tackles London, online dating and all. What follows is a delightful tangle of unruly OAPs, unexpected romances and gentle life lessons about reinvention at any age. Utterly charming, laugh-out-loud funny and full of heart, it’s classic O’Leary &#8211; comforting, uplifting and guaranteed to leave you smiling.</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-switch-beth-o-leary/f3d4288872deab41?ean=9781787475021&amp;next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/71Nntd-k5L._SL1500_.jpg" alt="The Rosie Project (series), Graeme Simsion" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Rosie Project (series), Graeme Simsion</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Following socially awkward professor Don Tillman as he attempts to apply logic, spreadsheets and scientific method to the business of love, this much-adored trilogy is funny, warm and unexpectedly moving. Beginning with <em>The Rosie Project</em> and continuing through <em>The Rosie Effect</em> and <em>The Rosie Result</em>, the series charts Don’s journey through romance, marriage and fatherhood, as his carefully ordered world collides with the glorious messiness of human relationships. Clever, compassionate and quietly uplifting, it’s a joyful reminder that connection rarely arrives in the form you expect &#8211; and that love, like life,  doesn’t need to be perfect to be profound.</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=the+rosie+project" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/81nGw2YfBuL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon, Mizuki Tsujimura" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon, Mizuki Tsujimura</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>A beautifully atmospheric Japanese novel that blends emotional depth with gentle mysticism. From bestselling author Mizuki Tsujimura, it follows a mysterious teenage “go-between” who helps arrange meetings between the living and the dead &#8211; not in a spooky way, but in a tender, life-affirming one. Exploring friendship, forgiveness, and the spaces between people, this soul-stirring story finds magic in the everyday and reminds us that healing often comes through connection. Utterly unique and surprisingly soothing, it’s perfect for readers who like their uplit with a touch of wonder.</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/lost-souls-meet-under-a-full-moon-from-the-japanese-bestselling-author-of-lonely-castle-in-the-mirror-mizuki-tsujimura/7678511?ean=9780857529657&amp;next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/71HUGB67fZL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="The Vintage Shop, Libby Page" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Vintage Shop, Libby Page</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Often described as hot buttered toast and a brew in book form, Libby Page’s <em>The Vintage Shop </em>is a joyful, big-hearted celebration of friendship, second chances and the clothes that carry our stories. Set among the cobbled streets of Frome, it follows three women at crossroads in their lives: Lou, opening a vintage clothing shop after the loss of her mother; Donna, in upstate New York, searching for answers about her past; and Maggy, newly divorced in her seventies and learning how to start again. The thread that connects them? A yellow dress, passed from hand to hand like a talisman. Warm, comforting and quietly uplifting, it&#8217;s giving <em>The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants</em> vibes and we&#8217;re here for it. </p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-vintage-shop-hot-buttered-toast-and-tea-feelgood-fiction-the-times-libby-page/04a1b0d74ec7c0c8?ean=9781409188339&amp;next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/81oQSJvNB1L._SL1500_.jpg" alt="My Friends, Fredrik Backman" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">My Friends, Fredrik Backman</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>From the author of <em>A Man Called Ove</em> and<em> Anxious People</em>, Fredrik Backman returns with a novel centred on the fierce friendship of four teenagers &#8211; and the bond they form that quietly ripples forward to change a stranger’s life twenty-five years later. It is a story about grief, loyalty, and the small moments that shape who we become. Funny, tender and deeply moving, Backman once again proves he’s unmatched at finding light, hope and humanity in unexpected places. Expect laughter, tears, and that familiar feeling of having your heart gently squeezed.</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/my-friends-fredrik-backman/6b001f077fb44819?ean=9781398516397&amp;next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/81II8kPjKL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="The Cat Who Saved Books, Sōsuke Natsukawa" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Cat Who Saved Books, Sōsuke Natsukawa</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>A whimsical, bookish Japanese novel celebrating the magic of reading and the stories that shape us, this charming tale is pure comfort for book lovers. After the death of his grandfather, shy teenager Rintaro faces losing the second-hand bookshop that has always been his refuge &#8211; until a talking tabby cat named Tiger appears with an unusual request. Together, they embark on a series of gentle, magical adventures to rescue neglected and mistreated books, discovering courage, connection and purpose along the way. Light, thoughtful and quietly uplifting, it’s a love letter to books &#8211; with a sequel coming soon (<em>The Cat Who Saved the Library</em>) for anyone who isn’t quite ready to leave this world behind.</p><p><a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-cat-who-saved-books-sosuke-natsukawa/41ea56f63e64fec5?ean=9781529081480&amp;next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BUY NOW</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



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<li><a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/gotta-have-it/best-new-books-coming-this-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ones to watch! Hottest new book releases for 2026</a></li>



<li><a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/podcasts/best-wellness-podcasts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ear therapy: the hottest wellness podcasts right now</a></li>



<li><a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/film-tv/new-movies-releases-january-2026/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">To the cinema! 9 new movies to brighten up your January</a></li>
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Uplit and loving it! 10 joyful reads to boost your mood

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