BOOKS LIKE THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY FOR DEEP THINKERS: 10 MIND-EXPANDING READS THAT STAY WITH YOU

Books Like The Midnight Library for Deep Thinkers: 10 Mind-Expanding Reads That Stay With You

Books Like The Midnight Library for Deep Thinkers: 10 Mind-Expanding Reads That Stay With You

Blog Article

If The Midnight Library by Matt Haig cracked your soul open and made you rethink your entire existence, you’re not alone. BookTok, Goodreads, Everand and literally every existential reader with a cat and a journal have spiraled (in the best way) after finishing this book.


But what happens after you turn that last page and stare at the wall for 10 minutes?

You crave more. More alternate realities. More life-what-ifs. More "holy sh*t" moments that keep you awake at 2 a.m. wondering if you chose the right path.

Well, I’ve got you. Below is your next-level reading list: 10 books like The Midnight Library that dive deep into choices, identity, and meaning — with bonus points if they completely emotionally wreck you.

Spoiler: They’re all available as audiobooks too (yes, I got you multitasking queens, kings and in betweens).

1. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson


If you ever wanted a do-over — like, your entire life as a redo — this is the book. Ursula Todd is born, dies, and is reborn again and again, each time with the chance to alter history (including WWII).

  • Why You’ll Love It: Grounded historical fiction with a metaphysical twist.

  • Perfect For: Fans of The Book Thief and All the Light We Cannot See. Ideal for readers 20+ who love the ripple effect of choices.

  • Audiobook? Yep — and it’s beautifully narrated.


2. Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore


Oona wakes up every New Year in a different year of her life. Sometimes she’s 19, sometimes 50 — total chaos. But also... such a metaphor for how disjointed life feels sometimes?

  • Why You’ll Love It: Whimsical but philosophical. Great pacing. Emotionally real.

  • Perfect For: Twenty-somethings questioning the timeline myth. Think: Eleanor Oliphant meets Russian Doll.

  • Audiobook? Yes. Highly bingeable


3. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab


Addie makes a deal to live forever... but no one remembers her. Until someone finally does. And then it hurts.

  • Why You’ll Love It: Lyrical, gothic, romantic, devastating.

  • Perfect For: Lovers of sad girl literature. Fans of Taylor Swift’s Folklore. Millennials who romanticize the 1700s.

  • Audiobook? Yes, and the narration is hauntingly good.


4. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch


Jason wakes up in a life that isn’t his. Or maybe it is? Welcome to multiverse chaos and an adrenaline-fueled existential crisis.

  • Why You’ll Love It: Thriller with brains. Literally quantum theory + dad feels.

  • Perfect For: Sci-fi skeptics who still want emotional resonance.

  • Audiobook? Yes. Fast-paced and gripping.


5. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger


Time travel meets soulmates, but not in a sappy way. This one hits hard.

  • Why You’ll Love It: Bittersweet, beautifully written, timeless love story.

  • Perfect For: Hopeless romantics who overthink mortality.

  • Audiobook? Yes, dual narration adds depth.


6. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr


One book. Five characters. Hundreds of years. All connected by the power of story.

  • Why You’ll Love It: Ambitious. Emotional. A love letter to books and humanity.

  • Perfect For: Literary fiction lovers who highlight every paragraph.

  • Audiobook? Yes, and it’s an epic.


7. Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid


Hannah’s life splits in two based on a single decision. You literally get both timelines.

  • Why You’ll Love It: Easy to read, hard to forget. Makes you question fate.

  • Perfect For: BookTok’s TJR stans. Rom-com readers who want depth.

  • Audiobook? Yes, light and emotionally satisfying.


8. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North


Harry dies. Then lives again. Same life. Again. And again. Until he tries to stop a future catastrophe.

  • Why You’ll Love It: Smart, suspenseful, big questions.

  • Perfect For: Sci-fi fans who love reincarnation loops and ethical dilemmas.

  • Audiobook? Absolutely. A slow burn but worth it.


9. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin


Liz dies. But in the afterlife, she ages backward. Weird? Yes. Beautiful? Also yes.

  • Why You’ll Love It: YA but surprisingly profound. Short, sweet, stings a little.

  • Perfect For: Teens to 30s. Fans of They Both Die at the End.

  • Audiobook? Yes. Comforting narrator vibe.


10. The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton


Groundhog Day meets Knives Out. A murder mystery where the narrator wakes up in a new body every day until he solves the murder.

  • Why You’ll Love It: Mind-bending, intricate, totally addictive.

  • Perfect For: Puzzle solvers, thriller fans, readers who love to say “Wait, what just happened?”

  • Audiobook? Yep. And it’ll make your commute feel like a time warp.


Final Thoughts (or... A Quiet Existential Spiral)


Books like The Midnight Library are more than just fiction. They’re companions for late-night overthinkers, healing salves for those in transition, and thought experiments for curious souls.

If you’re looking for books that make you feel, think, and question everything — this list is your next obsession.

So light a candle, pour that oat milk latte, and dive headfirst into your next alternate timeline. ????????

Tag me if you sob. We’re in this together.

Report this page