Midnight Library, by Matt Haig

Dora has decided to die. We know this from the beginning. Haig paints a picture of a woman in her 30s; a woman who could have been us all at some point in our lives. Dora, like anyone with depression, cannot see the value of her life, and every aspect seems like a lost cause. She has stopped searching for a reason to live. To die would quite simply be easier. For everyone, in Dora’s opinion.

In that very moment she makes her decision, she gets her first glimpse of the Midnight Library, and discovers its strangely morphic powers. She also meets Mrs Elm, the Librarian. For those who have been to any form of counselling, the librarian is a familiar figure. Compassionate but deeply probing. Quiet but supportive. A guide to oneself. Or in the case of Mrs Elm, a guide to the unopened books of Dora’s life. Dora’s path is not always easy, but it is necessary.

This is a fantastic book for anyone who has forgotten their own magic and focuses too hard on the "what if"s of life. A truly uplifting read that will spur you on to read more from Matt Haig.

- Anara 

Paperback, £8.99. Find this in the Fiction section!