Books like 'The Heartbeat Library'
Readers who enjoyed The Heartbeat Library by Laura Imai Messina also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary fantasy literary-fiction magical-realism realistic drama grief friendship
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Where Butterflies Wander by Suzanne Redfearn
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of In an Instant comes the moving story of a family grappling with grief and a woman with the power to help them through it—or stand in their way.After a tragic accident claims the life of one of her children, Marie Egide is desperate to carve out a fresh start for her family... -
![La misión de Rox by Laura Gallego García]()
La misión de Rox by Laura Gallego García
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRox ha partido a la región del oeste, devastada por los monstruos, en busca de una aldea perdida habitada por Guardianes. Mientras una riada de supervivientes acude a la Ciudadela en busca de un refugio seguro, tras sus muros florece un nuevo movimiento filosófico, la Senda del Manantial, cuyo líder predica el fin del mundo conocido… para bien o para mal...Categorized as:
drama literary-fiction romance fantasy young-adult action-adventure fiction contemporary -
![The Midnight Gang by David Walliams]()
The Midnight Gang by David Walliams
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWelcome to the Midnight Gang! Midnight is the time when all children are fast asleep, except of course for… the Midnight Gang. That is when their adventures are just beginning…When Tom gets hit on the head by a cricket ball, he finds himself at Lord Funt Hospital, and is greeted by a terrifying-looking porter...Categorized as:
drama friendship literary-fiction realistic action-adventure audiobook book children -
![The Houseplant by Jeremy Ray]()
The Houseplant by Jeremy Ray
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsGeorge, a fern, doesn’t appreciate being bought by Brenda at Garden Palace.And he certainly doesn’t appreciate being trapped in her house of humans. He yearns to be with the plants outside in the garden. With time, George learns to trust Brenda and think of her as his human. Then one day, tragedy strikes and George’s life will never be the same...Categorized as:
grief literary-fiction magical-realism adult anthologies audiobook contemporary fiction -
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![The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa]()
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsA life-affirming anthem to kindness and self-sacrifice, The Travelling Cat Chronicles shows how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy.We take journeys to explore exotic new places and to return to the comforts of home, to visit old acquaintances and to make new friends. But the most important journey is the one that shows us how to follow our hearts . . -
![The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom]()
The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsThe Next Person You Meet in Heaven: (B&N Exclusive Edition) The Sequel to The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch AlbomThis special edition contains an extra chapter and is available exclusively at Barnes & Noble... -
![Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life by Helen Fisher]()
Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life by Helen Fisher
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA thoroughly uplifting novel about a neurodivergent young man who unexpectedly builds a community and saves a friend in need by following—in a way only he can—his mother’s words of wisdom.Joe-Nathan likes the two parts of his name separate, just like dinner and dessert. Mean Charlie at work sometimes calls him Joe-Nuthin. But Joe is far from nothing...Categorized as:
literary-fiction friendship magical-realism fiction contemporary audiobook fantasy female-mc -
![The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer]()
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsYears ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel.“Clever, dark, and hopeful . .Categorized as:
magical-realism literary-fiction friendship romance fantasy fiction contemporary mystery -
![We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley]()
We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsKyrie McCauley, author of If These Wings Could Fly, delivers a powerful contemporary YA novel about a trio of girls fighting for each other in the aftermath of a school shooting and the lasting bonds of friendship. Perfect for fans of Laura Ruby and Mindy McGinnis... -
![Silver Threads by Bette Lee Crosby]()
Silver Threads by Bette Lee Crosby
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOn the day Jennifer Green was born a pile of stones was placed alongside her scale of life. A few were the dark gray of sorrow, but most were a pale blush color. The largest stone was the rose hue of a sunrise. That one would be placed on the scale the day she married Drew Bishop. Even more brilliant but a wee bit smaller was the pink stone glistening with specs of silver... -
![The Loft by Bette Lee Crosby]()
The Loft by Bette Lee Crosby
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings50 YEARS OF MEMORIES ARE HIDDEN IN THE WALLS OF THE LOFT... Annie only needs to find one... the one that will save Oliver's life. On the day of their wedding, Annie saw nothing but happiness ahead, but when an accident calls her back to Memory House, her world is changed forever... -
![During the Dance by Mark Lawrence]()
During the Dance by Mark Lawrence
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA short story (2000 words)A story of love, loss, and the dance in between. Absolutely not a romance.A short story about a child with a gift for seeing past the world...Categorized as:
drama grief literary-fiction magical-realism adult anthologies children contemporary -
![When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little]()
When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEverybody thinks Tara Doucet has the perfect life. But in reality, Tara’s life is anything but perfect: Her dear Grammy Claire has just passed away, her mother is depressed and distant, and she and her sister Riley can’t seem to agree on anything...Categorized as:
friendship literary-fiction magical-realism realistic animals book children children-books -
![Your Absence is Darkness by Jón Kalman Stefánsson]()
Your Absence is Darkness by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA spellbinding saga about the inhabitants and inheritors of one rural community, by one of Iceland's most beloved novelists. A man comes to awareness in a church in rural Iceland, not knowing why he’s there or how he arrived... -
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![The Shiver by Jakub Małecki]()
The Shiver by Jakub Małecki
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsONLY ONE CHAPTER - 1938-1969 One of the most renowned books of 2015.Polish bestseller.The book compared to the works of Johnatan Carroll, Fiodor Dostojewski, Andy Weir and Jurij Andruchowycz.The novel has been recommended by the best Polish Wiesław Myśliwski, Jacek Dukaj, Szczepan Twardoch, Wit Szostak.Masterly prose wrapped in magical realism...Categorized as:
literary-fiction magical-realism drama fiction contemporary audiobook historical-fiction fantasy -
![Dig. by A.S. King]()
Dig. by A.S. King
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe Shoveler, the Freak, CanIHelpYou?, Loretta the Flea-Circus Ring Mistress, and First-Class Malcolm. These are the five teenagers lost in the Hemmings family's maze of tangled secrets... -
![The Door-To-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn]()
The Door-To-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe charming international bestseller about an unlikely friendship between an elderly door-to-door bookseller and a nine-year-old girl that changes his life. Small-town German bookseller Carl Kollhoff delivers his books to special customers in the evening hours after closing time, walking through the picturesque alleys of the city...Categorized as:
friendship literary-fiction realistic fiction contemporary audiobook romantic-love fantasy -
![Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen]()
Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsThe first thing you learn when you climb a tree is to hold on. Now it’s time for Harry to learn to let go…Thirty-four-year-old Harry Crane, lifelong lover of trees, works as an analyst in a treeless US Forest Service office. When his wife dies in a freak accident, devastated, he makes his way to the remote woods of northeastern Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains, intent on losing himself...Categorized as:
drama friendship grief literary-fiction magical-realism realistic 21st-century action-adventure -
![Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett]()
Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"A lost young woman returns to small-town New Hampshire under the strangest of circumstances in this one-of-a-kind novel of life, death, and whatever comes after from the acclaimed author of Rabbit Cake. The Starlings live in Everton, an ordinary enough New Hampshire town... -
![さみしかった本 by Kate Bernheimer, ケイト バーンハイマー]()
さみしかった本 by Kate Bernheimer, ケイト バーンハイマー
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen a wonderful new book arrives at the library, at first it is loved by all, checked out constantly, and rarely spends a night on the library shelf. But over time it grows old and worn, and the children lose interest in its story. The book is sent to the library's basement where the other faded books live... -
![The Naming of Tishkin Silk by Glenda Millard]()
The Naming of Tishkin Silk by Glenda Millard
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGriffin Silk is an uncommon sort of boy, from an uncommon sort of family. The warm, loving home he shares with his father, grandmother and five big sisters (The Rainbow Girls) is marked by the aching absence of his mother and baby sister. Where have they gone and will they be coming home again? When Griffin starts school and meets Princess Layla the answers to his questions gently start to unfold... -
![The Plover by Brian Doyle]()
The Plover by Brian Doyle
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA compelling, marvelous novel by the acclaimed author of Mink River Declan O Donnell has left Oregon aboard his boat, the Plover, to escape the life that’s so troubled him on land. He sets course west into the Pacific in search of solitude...Categorized as:
literary-fiction magical-realism realistic action-adventure adult audiobook book contemporary -
![In a Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern]()
In a Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFinding your way is never a simple journey…Alice sees the best in people.She also sees the worst.She sees a thousand different emotions and knows exactly what everyone around her is feeling.Every. Single. Day.But it’s the dark thoughts.The sadness. The rage.These are the things she can’t get out of her head. The things that overwhelm her...Categorized as:
drama literary-fiction magical-realism fiction contemporary fantasy audiobook family -
![The Note Keeper by Cindy Kirk]()
The Note Keeper by Cindy Kirk
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe was a man who kept his promises… Taylor Higgs’s dad always promised that, like a compass, he may not always show her the way, but he’d be there to point her in the right direction.During her childhood, he frequently wrote her notes of encouragement, filled with his own brand of wisdom. In the aftermath of her father's sudden passing, Taylor is adrift, grasping for guidance... -
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![That's All I Know by Elisa Levi]()
That's All I Know by Elisa Levi
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsNineteen-year-old Little Lea lives in a rural town where life ends at the edge of the forest.When a stranger loses his dog on the first day after the end of the world, Little Lea warns him not to follow it into the forest, that people who enter never come out. Over a shared joint, she tells him about the burning in her gut, winding a tale of loss, desire, and conspiracies...Categorized as:
literary-fiction magical-realism drama fiction contemporary audiobook dystopia season-autumn -
![Oração para Desaparecer by Socorro Acioli]()
Oração para Desaparecer by Socorro Acioli
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsPrimeiro romance de Socorro Acioli após A cabeça do santo, Oração para Desaparecer conta a história de uma mulher que, sem lembrança nenhuma de seu passado, precisa reconstruir a vida em um lugar completamente desconhecido, apenas com a língua portuguesa como porto seguro.Cida, uma mulher sem identidade nem memória, reconstrói pouco a pouco uma nova vida em um lugar completamente desconhecido...Categorized as:
magical-realism literary-fiction romance fiction fantasy contemporary audiobook book -
![Portable Childhoods by Ellen Klages, Neil Gaiman]()
Portable Childhoods by Ellen Klages, Neil Gaiman
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEmerging from a unique and powerful voice, this innovative collection offers a tantalizing glimpse of what lies hidden just beyond the ordinary, skirting the border between childhood and adulthood...Categorized as:
literary-fiction magical-realism anthologies contemporary fiction lgbtq low-fantasy magic -
![The Infinity Year of Avalon James by Dana Middleton]()
The Infinity Year of Avalon James by Dana Middleton
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAvalon James and Atticus Brightwell have a secret--one that they aren't allowed to discuss with anyone. This secret is shared between two best friends. When you and your best friend turn ten years old magical things are said to happen. You both will receive some kind of magical power. It can be a power you can call on time and time again. Or it can be a power that comes once when you need it most...Categorized as:
friendship magical-realism realistic animals book children children-books contemporary -
![The Light in the Lake by Sarah R. Baughman]()
The Light in the Lake by Sarah R. Baughman
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA remarkable debut novel that takes readers on a journey of discovery, magic, science, and hope. Twelve-year-old Addie should stay away from Maple Lake. After all, her twin brother, Amos, drowned there only a few months ago... -
![Thief in the Light by Jaime Samms]()
Thief in the Light by Jaime Samms
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLucky Denver has wandering feet, sticky fingers and an unreliable moral compass-he's never had a home and he's not so sure he cares about what he's missing.Arnold Kreed, who runs a small-town B&B, knows what a home should be. So does his home, The Oaks-aka Mildred-and she has some very definite opinions on who should stay and who should go... -
![Safe as Houses by Marie-Helene Bertino]()
Safe as Houses by Marie-Helene Bertino
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSafe as Houses, the debut story collection of Marie-Helene Bertino, proves that not all homes are shelters. The titular story revolves around an aging English professor who, mourning the loss of his wife, robs other people's homes of their sentimental knick-knacks. In "Free Ham," a young dropout wins a ham after her house burns down and refuses to accept it...Categorized as:
literary-fiction magical-realism adult anthologies contemporary female-author female-mc fiction -
![Bounce by Megan Shull]()
Bounce by Megan Shull
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsYouTube star Jojo Siwa to star in the upcoming movie adaptation! "Bounce is a heartwarming story about a teenage girl who wishes she could trade her family for a new one on Christmas Eve. Her wish is granted and she finds herself 'bouncing' into the lives of other girls and living Christmas Day on repeat—learning the value of family, finding your voice, and the power of love... -
![The Lighthouse by Christopher Parker]()
The Lighthouse by Christopher Parker
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmy is struggling to put her life back together following the death of her mother. The loss has left her heartbroken, and she doesn’t know if her world will ever be whole again.Meanwhile, in Seabrook, a small town famous for its haunted lighthouse, Ryan Porter lives a simple but busy life, maintaining the ranch which he shares with his father... -
![Cent millions d'années et un jour by Jean-Baptiste Andrea]()
Cent millions d'années et un jour by Jean-Baptiste Andrea
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratings‘On the mountain, the only monsters are the ones you take with you.’Summer 1954. Stan has been hunting for fossils since the age of six. Now, having made a career out of studying the remains of tiny lifeforms, he hears a story he cannot forget: the skeleton of a huge creature, a veritable dragon, lies deep in an Alpine glacier. And he is determined to find it...Categorized as:
drama literary-fiction fiction historical-fiction action-adventure contemporary fantasy book -
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![[ (Seeing Cinderella )] [Author: Jenny Lundquist] [Mar-2012] by Jenny Lundquist]()
[ (Seeing Cinderella )] [Author: Jenny Lundquist] [Mar-2012] by Jenny Lundquist
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCalliope Meadow Anderson wishes her life could be more of a fairy tale—just like the stories she writes. Her best friend, Ellen, is acting weird, her parent's marriage is falling apart, and to top things off, she found out she needs hideously large and geeky glasses.But Callie soon learns they aren't just any glasses—they are magical and let her read people's thoughts... -
![O by Eka Kurniawan]()
O by Eka Kurniawan
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTentang seekor monyet yang ingin menikah dengan Kaisar Dangdut... -
![Harvey by Mary Chase]()
Harvey by Mary Chase
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWhen Elwood P. Dowd starts to introduce his imaginary friend Harvey, a six and a half foot rabbit, to guests at a dinner party, his sister, Veta, has seen as much of his eccentric behavior as she can tolerate. She decides to have him committed to a sanitarium to spare her daughter, Myrtle Mae, and their family, from future embarrassment... -
![The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan]()
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsLeigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird...Categorized as:
drama friendship grief literary-fiction magical-realism realistic asian-mc audiobook -
![The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page]()
The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom the author of the phenomenal bestseller The Keeper of Stories, comes the next uplifting story of how the most unexpected friendships are forged in the most unlikely of places . . .Jo Sorsby knows she is hiding from her past when she steps in to look after her uncle’s stationery shop...Categorized as:
friendship literary-fiction drama magical-realism romance fiction contemporary audiobook -
![Midnight at the Blackbird Café by Heather Webber]()
Midnight at the Blackbird Café by Heather Webber
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsHeather Webber's Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town Southern charm.Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate has returned to bury her beloved Granny Zee, owner of the Blackbird Café...Categorized as:
drama friendship grief literary-fiction magical-realism realistic 21st-century adult -
![The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi]()
The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsOne photograph, one treasured memory, one chance to go back . . . In a cosy photography studio in the mountains between this world and the next, someone is waking up as if from a dream. A kind man will hand them a hot cup of tea and gently explain that, having reached the end of their life, they have one final task...Categorized as:
magical-realism literary-fiction fiction fantasy contemporary audiobook cozy low-fantasy -
![Wizard Bakery by Gu Byeong-mo]()
Wizard Bakery by Gu Byeong-mo
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTraditional Chinese edition of a bestselling Korean children's book "The Wizard Bakery." Korean writer Gu Byeong Mo is the winner of the Changbi Literature Award for children. A sixteen-year old boy struggling with his new step-mother runs away from home and has an extraordinary experience at the Wizard Bakery one summer. In Traditional Chinese. Annotation copyright Tsai Fong Books, Inc... -
![The Bridge by Bill Konigsberg]()
The Bridge by Bill Konigsberg
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTwo teenagers, strangers to each other, have decided to jump from the same bridge at the same time.Aaron and Tillie don't know each other, but they are both feeling suicidal, and arrive at the George Washington Bridge at the same time, intending to jump. Aaron is a gay misfit struggling with depression and loneliness... -
![After Forever Ends by Melodie Ramone]()
After Forever Ends by Melodie Ramone
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOrphaned by her mother and brushed off by her dad, fifteen year old Silvia Cotton had lived a lonely life. That is until 1985 when her father moved the family from the Highlands of Scotland to the Midlands of Wales...Categorized as:
drama friendship literary-fiction magical-realism book coming-of-age contemporary fiction -
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![The View from the Seventh Layer by Kevin Brockmeier]()
The View from the Seventh Layer by Kevin Brockmeier
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsKevin Brockmeier--award -winning author of The Brief History of the Dead--has been widely praised for the richness of his imagination, the lyrical grace and playfulness of his language, and the empathic emotional complexity of his storytelling. And this dazzling collection once again affirms his place as one of the most creative and compassionate writers of his generation...Categorized as:
literary-fiction magical-realism anthologies audiobook contemporary fiction low-fantasy magic -
![Green Frog: Stories by Gina Chung]()
Green Frog: Stories by Gina Chung
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA short story collection that explores Korean American womanhood, bodies, animals, and transformation as a means of survival...Categorized as:
magical-realism literary-fiction realistic fiction fantasy contemporary audiobook anthologies -
![The Knife Thrower and Other Stories by Steven Millhauser]()
The Knife Thrower and Other Stories by Steven Millhauser
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Knife Thrower introduces a series of distinctively Millhauserian worlds: tiny, fabulous, self-enclosed, like Fabergé eggs or like the short-story genre itself...Categorized as:
literary-fiction magical-realism adult anthologies audiobook contemporary fiction low-fantasy -
![We Never Talk about My Brother by Peter S. Beagle]()
We Never Talk about My Brother by Peter S. Beagle
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsModern parables of love, death, and transformation are peppered with melancholy in this extraordinary collection of contemporary fantasy. Each short story cultivates a whimsical sense of imagination and reveals a mature, darker voice than previously experienced from this legendary author...Categorized as:
grief literary-fiction magical-realism adult angels anthologies contemporary fiction -
![Before You Go by Tommy Butler]()
Before You Go by Tommy Butler
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn this “dazzling debut” (Publishers Weekly), the moving story of one man’s quest for happiness is interwoven with speculative tales of the Before and After, resulting in a profound yet playful literary journey into the ache and wonder of being human.In the Before, humankind is created with a hole in its heart, the designers not realizing their mistake—if it was a mistake—until too late...Categorized as:
friendship literary-fiction magical-realism adult audiobook book coming-of-age contemporary -
![The Love We Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak]()
The Love We Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOn a train filled with quietly sleeping passengers, a young man’s life is forever altered when he is miraculously seen by a blind man. In a quiet town an American teacher who has lost her Japanese lover to death begins to lose her own self. On a remote road amid fallow rice fields, four young friends carefully take their own lives—and in that moment they become almost as one...Categorized as:
literary-fiction magical-realism realistic adult anthologies coming-of-age contemporary epic
![[ (Seeing Cinderella )] [Author: Jenny Lundquist] [Mar-2012] by Jenny Lundquist](https://48f-1.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/books/small/624501c609a68b2c0653f58c.jpg)
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