Spring is in full bloom, but even in the sunny weather it can be hard to notice all of the joys in life. Here are three books with protagonists who face this difficulty and, through their various journeys, find the light at the end of the tunnel.

“The Collected Regrets of Clover” by Mikki Brammer

Image via St. Martin's Press

In this fiction novel, Clover spends her life as a death doula, focusing so much on the dying individuals she looks after that she forgets she has a life to live too. Although compassion and gratitude can take you a long way, Clover eventually decides to go after what she wants in her life. This book conveys the message that death is the reason to celebrate life, and Clover as a character exemplifies why you should have the tenacity to make your life as amazing as you would want it to be for someone else.

This novel releases on May 9; you can pre-order the book for $25 on Amazon.

“The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig

Photo via Viking Publishing

Are you looking for a read that will push you to take agency and full control of your life? Look no further than “The Midnight Library.” Each book has its own unique purpose and so does everyone’s life; this fiction novel in particular will show that you needn’t look beyond what you already have to make life count. The main character, a depressed Nora Seed in her thirties, realizes that no matter how many times your life changes and how many lives you’re given, none of them will be significant until you choose to truly live. Seems like the perfect way to head into summer with full momentum.

This novel was first published in 2020, and the paperback version releases on May 9. You can purchase the paperback version for $13 on Amazon.

“The Museum of Ordinary People” by Mike Gayle

Photo via Grand Central Publishing

If you want a few pointers on how to romanticize all the mundane things in life, dive into this book and discover that every experience and every life is extraordinary. The plot centers around Jess, who has to re-live her childhood and unlock new discoveries after her mother passes away. In doing so, Jess demonstrates the beautiful transition from connecting our pasts to the futures we create for ourselves. if you’ve read novels by Armistead Maupin or Anne Youngson, this story by Mike Gayle is for you.

You can buy the book for $12 on Amazon.