Books That Will Give You All the Feels

It’s the middle of March, just after midterms. More than halfway through the semester. So before the next wave of workload hits you, why not read a few heartwarming books to take a break from this hectic semester? Here here - I have 3 books you get started with!

---

Midnight Library by Matt Haig (5/5 stars)

If you watched Pixar’s “Soul” and loved it, you should definitely read this.

Have you ever wondered how your life would have been like if you chose a different path? What if you had chosen to stick to the CCA you did as a kid and tried to make a career out of it? What if you chose to go to a different university? What if you could find out all the outcomes from those choices?

Matt Haig’s “Midnight Library” creates a world between life and death where you can explore all the choices you regret never making, in the form of a library. We follow the protagonist Nora Seed as she is given a chance to live an alternate life from the one she is currently living in and search within herself about what makes life worth living in the first place.

I had already found the plot of the book interesting, but what made it even better was the philosophical undertones of Haig’s writings. Nora’s thought process was realistic: she did not suddenly gain an appreciation of life just because her alternate lives were different from what she expected. Instead, she had to really contemplate why she thought the way she did, and what she saw to be the true meaning of life. As I read more, I can't help but sympathize with Nora, which only made it more rewarding when her outlook on life slowly but surely became more optimistic. Needless to say, this is a book that will really make you see your own life from a different perspective.

All About Us by Tom Ellen (3.5/5 stars)

Similar to “Midnight Library,” “All About Us” also brings up the idea of choices and consequences, but tackles it in a much more lighthearted way. Ben’s relationship with his wife Daphne has never been rockier. After getting back in touch with his university crush Alice, he begins to wonder if things would have worked out differently if he had ended up with her instead…only for him to be able to find out for himself when Ben is transported back to 5th December 2005, the day he chose Daphne over Alice.

If you’re a sucker for good dialogue and strong characters, this is definitely a book you should consider reading. The book is filled with fun banter between characters, as well as numerous early 2000s pop culture references. Although Ben made me wring my hands at some of the stupid decisions he makes throughout the book, his desire to become a better person and accept his flaws is what makes him so relatable and easy to sympathize with. However, although the plot starts off strong, I skimmed over few pages near the end of the book. Although it was interesting to see Ben's inner dilemma between choosing Daphne and Alice, it soon started to feel unnecessarily repetitive as he constantly mulled over his decisions throughout the book.

Anyone who loves contemporary romance books should definitely give this a try!

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (4.7/5 stars)

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be wholesome.

“A Man Called Ove” follows the story of Ove, a grumpy old man whose life changes when a chatty young family moves into the house next door and accidentally flattens Ove’s mailbox in the process. We all probably know of someone like Ove: he’s the old man who grumbles about young people having it too easy these days and scolds policemen for not doing their jobs right. All he seems to be is a bitter old man with nothing better to do.

When I first picked up the book, I couldn’t see how I could end up liking Ove as a character, but I was pleasantly surprised at how fast he grew on me. If you’re thinking that Ove suddenly becomes a happy jolly old man by the end, don’t hold your breath: he is still as grumpy and bitter as he is at the beginning of the book. Yet Backman shows that just because someone is grumpy and bitter, that doesn’t mean they can’t be kind, caring, and lovable as well. As I slowly learned more about Ove and his relationships with different characters, I can’t help but smile at how soft-hearted he really is. The only reason why I didn't give it 4.7 stars is that the slow pacing of the book made it hard for me to stay interested at the beginning.

If you decide to try and read this, let me tell you this: don’t let the story’s slow plot fool you. Stick it to the end and you’ll soon find yourself falling in love with all the characters and their love for one another.

---

So there you have it, 3 books to uplift you after the last few busy weeks! Disagree or agree with the reviews? Let us know in the comments below!