The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and Signal Moon by Kate Quinn!

Between life and death there is a library.

When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change.

The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren't always what she imagined they'd be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.

Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?

This book was an interesting read for me... Not because it's outside of my normal reading - which it is - but because I listened to it whilst struggling to keep my head above the proverbial water whilst battling through a particularly vicious depressive episode. Reading a book where the character's life is really a bit shit so she decides to unalive herself could have been a step too far for many in my position but, for me, it was beautifully eye-opening. 

It is obvious that the author knows depression. He's been there... He's stared into the abyss and, one way or another, he's come out the other side of it. It's right there in how he writes Nora. Writes the librarian. In how he tells Nora's story... And it's so compelling. 

I loved the concept of a library in between life and death. Of being able to experience the lives you could have lived if you changed just one thing... The ultimate game of what if... Of facing down all those regrets and seeing what would have happened if you had just done/not done something... And then having to make a choice. To stay. To go. To try again. 

The book is sad but also hopeful. A thoughtful, thought-provoking, story that makes you examine things through a different lens and gently, empathically, urges you to never give up. 

It was definitely one of the most beautifully written and unique books I've read in a very, very, long time. 

My only complaint is that we didn't get to see how life ended up for Nora! Yes, we know what her choice was but... Was she happy in the end?

The audiobook version is narrated by Carey Mulligan and she was spectacular. She really brought the story to life. She poured so much heart into Nora... I really recommend the audio.