As a lover of books I wish I had more friends I could recommend a title or two to. Usually it's just because I've enjoyed a really good story and want to share but sometimes, when life is hard, or wonderful, or needs a bit of explaining, I know some of my previous reads could be helpful. I had no idea this was bibliotherapy but apparently it is! I buy books because they resonate with me for many different reasons but, with so many genres and titles out there, we can all do with a little help to find a particular book.

With most of the stages of life covered by Molly Masters there are suggestions here to make the task of getting, or giving, advice mostly from a fictional setting, much more positive. Of course this isn't a one stop shop and there will be mistakes made but one thing we can be sure of is that there will always be another maybe more suitable title out there waiting in the wings.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Harper Collins UK, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a very good reference book to have on your shelves because everyone needs a helping hand sometimes.

This lovely little book presents reading as a form of therapy, with recommendations for all ails, including Self-Love and Discovery, Creativity and Inspiration, and When Adulting Begins.

Bilbiotherapy starts with a questionnaire providing some suggestions of chapters that might be immediately helpful, or you can just jump to the chapter that appeals the most. Each chapter is comprised of a short introduction on how books can support that topic, followed by an in-depth presentation of a few select books, and finally a list of book titles for further reading with a short description of some of the themes in the book.

This isn't a book to read in one sitting, but rather a companion to browse when you need a little support.

A recommended read for fans of The Novel Cure, 1,000 Books to Read Before you Die, and books about books.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting and enjoyable read. Definitely one to dip in and out of as and when needed.
I have also added a few more to my TBR list!

To be honest, I was a little sceptical about Bibliotherapy by Molly Masters before reading it, but I was completely won over by it. It's a much more in-depth look at reading as healing than so many of its type. I liked Molly Masters' long introduction to the topic and her detailed look at the books she selected in different categories. This is clearly not really a book to be read from beginning to end, but rather a tool to use in various circumstances. As such I'd recommend that it be bought in hard copy and not as an ebook, the form in which I accessed it.

Amazing suggestions on what to read for therapy.

Love the part on mental health as I personally was suffering from mental illness recently. Have noted down the books that were suggested!

Bibliotherapy : Books to Guide You Through Every Chapter of Life. The idea of prescription books is really good one, but I think it is difficult to have a 'one book suits all approach'. The books suggested here are biased towards feminism, and the younger female genre. It would work better if there were separate books for different demographics and sexes. I thought the book suggestions at the end of each chapter were a good idea, as lots of suggestions were given, but they needed a little more than a single sentence of information.. I thought some chapters were better than others, and some I skimmed over because the subject did not interest me. A good idea but geared towards a selective audience.

A gorgeously illustrated,beautifully written love letter to lifelong readers. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about someone’s common love for reading. This book was lovely

A beautiful little handbook on reading as a form of threapy. Stunning art throughout, a fun little quiz leading you to well researched, thought-out chapters to aid you in whatever area of life you need help in.
There are a variety of specialised book recommendations for each chapter, perfectly curated for you!
This would make a beautiful little addition to anyone's book collection.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6712411788

I absolutely want to buy this and own it in hard copy! I don’t think the ARC e-version does it justice.

The recommendations are perfect and I’m surprised I have already read 75% of them!

Thoughtful and thought provoking.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I've come across similar books before. This one seems more contemporary though. The colourful illustrations are attractive and the writing style friendly.
I think the range of books recommended is good, lots that are popular and easy to get hold of and others that might not be on your radar.
I especially liked the quiz being used to direct you to areas of interest.

This colorfully illustrated guide recommends books as "medicine" through different phases of life. Chockfull of fantastic books to add to your TBR, and a great gift for the book lovers in your life!

Fitting and appealing book design. Would have expected more from the recommendations as they seem pretty well-known, I have encountered similar books (namely The Story Cure) where the listed titles seemed more curated and special. Still, I can see this selling well.

I love the concept of prescribing a book! Giving personalised book recommendations is my favourite thing about working with readers and books and the idea of Bibliotherapy builds on that in a really fun and helpful way! The illustrations are gorgeous, the recommended reading is fantastic. As I was reading this I began a whole new spreadsheet to add some of the books that Masters was prescribing straight to my TBR with a note as to when would be best to read. A really nice gift for the avid reader in your life or a wonderful treat to yourself!

Bibliotherapy - as the name implies, this is a fantastic concept. Whoever came up with the idea are genius(es).
This may be one of my top three non-fiction books of 2024 so far, and definitely one of my favourite non-fiction books ever because;
1. This is a great resource to turn to for all changes, milestones, chapters, up and downs in your life when you need advice on what to read.
2. The topics/themes/chapters covered are rich.
3. The recommendations are wonderful. The range is great.
4. The author's prose is gripping. The paragraphs or short essays on the topics or books discussed are informative and fun.
5. The presentation is modern, eye-catching yet not distracting.

I really enjoyed this guide. The illustrations are lovely and it gave me so many books that I want to check out. It really explains how readers use books to escape and feel transported and provides recommendations for many different topics

This book felt like chatting to a friend! So amazing to read the narration, the book reviews, the book suggestions - my TBR list has now grown immensely! Some slight things that I didnt like, some pop culture and trend references that didnt quite hit the mark, or books that were repeated on suggestion lists for different themes, but I could look past this and still enjoyed the read.

I loved this guide and how it sums up perfectly how readers feel transported through books and I found so many good books to check out in many different genres that interest me