Self-help is the most popular and the fastest growing genre in nonfiction literature. It seems like most people really want to help themselves. Wading through the sea of self-help books can be daunting, and it’s hard to figure out which ones are really worth your time. I did a deep dive into self-help books geared toward teaching the reader how to uncover the life they want and how to get it. While each of these books may carry the “self-help” label, they are anything but the cheesy, empty promises that accompany most books in the genre. These books are rich, full of great advice, and actionable steps to make your dreams come to life. Here are five books that will help you uncover your dreams and build the life you really want.

We all love good design. You probably find yourself appreciating good design every day. There’s nothing quite like the glory of an airplane, a perfect pair of jeans, or the simple satisfaction of a perfect chair. The smart phone you hold in your hand was one of the most carefully designed items we’ve ever seen. Maybe even more so, you find yourself getting frustrated over poor design. You can’t always put your finger on it, but something in your brain knows when the curtains in the restaurant are hung a little too high, the handle of your coffee mug is just a little too thin, or the cut on your suit jacket just isn’t quite right. Design is important. And it doesn’t happen by accident.

Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you had made different choices? Wandered down another path? Opportunities you passed up, relationships you left behind, paths you didn’t take. But what if you could see the way these other choices would have played out— what if you could live the life you didn’t choose? The Midnight Library explores all of these ideas and more in this novel about life, death, choice, possibility, and hope.

Living in the modern world is a lot. The expectations, the packed schedules, the always-growing, never-ending to-do list. There always seems to be more to do, more to buy, more to become. In a world full of modern conveniences and time-saving devices, you’d think we’d have all the time in the world for slowing down, savoring, and general human being. But instead of embracing this extra time with quality connection and sufficient rest, we cram our schedules with more work, more stuff, more events. A lot of it is good. But most of it is unnecessary.

You can’t exist within the world of books and not know about Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love. The memoir was a phenomenon, even garnering a film adaptation starring Julia Roberts (as is true most of the time, the book is about a billion times better than the movie). Eat Pray Love became so popular that it became somewhat of a joke— just another example of a white woman on a generic journey to rediscover herself in the middle of her life.

It’s the best time of year for story time! From now ‘til January, my story time book selections will be guided by the calendar, with all things Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas on the way. I love choosing holiday books for story times, and Halloween is no exception. Halloween is extra special because it involves my little library patrons all dressed up in their costumes of choice.

One of my favorite parts of my job as a youth librarian is recommending books to young readers, especially middle grade readers around ages 9-12. I’ve been recommending my trusty old classics like Harriet the Spy, The Giver, and Matilda for as long as I can remember.