20+ books that changed our lives, according to readers

We all have that one book. The book that marks the “before times” and the “after times.” The book that left you not quite the same. There can be a lot of power in 250+ pages. More than just entertainment, books can shift our perspective, spark movements, inspire change, and leave a lasting impact.

For me, that book is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. How could a novel so dark and haunting shine with such hope? I felt so desperately sad for the boy and his father, I’d read until they got to safety and leave them there—often for days, abandoning the book on my nightstand knowing that when I picked it back up, they’d face the inevitable. But despite the bleak, post-apocalyptic world, goodness endures.

We asked readers on social: What are some books that changed you? Whether they hooked you on reading, shaped your worldview, or introduced you to your husband (seriously!), here are 20 life-changing reads as chosen by Libby users.

Pop over to Instagram to read the rest and follow @Libby.App for more bookish conversation.

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

2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

3. Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

5. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

6. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Tuck Everlasting. The first book to blow my mind. I was in 4th grade and I've been chasing that high every since.

7. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

8. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

9. Solito by Javier Zamora

10. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

11. Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler

12. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

They Both Die at the End (I wish this book was around when I was a teenager, but I'm so happy it's here for kids today).

13. We the Living by Ayn Rand

14. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

15. The Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene

16. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

17. The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher

18. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson @isabelwilkerson completely shifted by world view.

19. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

As @madiantin said, there was a definite before and after: Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. I stayed up all night reading it in my 4th year of college (the first time I had done that since I was a tween/teen with the HP books) and was like

20. Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward

➡️ Discover your next life-changing read on the Libby app.

*Title availability may vary by library & region.

Published Feb 13, 2025

Annie Suhy

Annie Suhy is a writer for Libby Life. When she’s not working, practicing yoga, or petting cats, she’s doing paint-by-numbers and buying more plants. An avid poetry fan, her favorite collection is The Splinter Factory by Jeffrey McDaniel. She is an Aries.