As an avid reader and BookTok consumer, I’ve read my fair share of books over the years, and there are quite a few that are too underrated for how good they are. While they may get some screen time on BookTok or have several solid Goodreads reviews under their belt, they don’t come close to many of the overrated romances made popular by TikTok. Here are 10 books that I believe deserve more hype than they’ve been given:
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman:
A Man Called Ove follows the story of a cynical older man named Ove. But while he is often critical and rude, he has a heart for the people in his neighborhood who need it. This book was Fredrik Backman’s debut novel and is often overlooked compared to Backman’s other brilliant books. It’s a fast-paced, easy read that is certain to stir the reader’s emotions.
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai:
No Longer Human, published in 1948, is a novel, in part, based on the life story of the author, Osamu Dazai. The novel details the struggles of Ōba Yōzō through various journal entries, the tragedies of which largely mirror Dazai’s own life, such as struggles with addiction and depression. It’s a difficult read topic-wise, but a confessional masterpiece at its heart.
Circe by Madeline Miller:
Miller’s novel Circe draws on various Greek myths, particularly the Odyssey, to tell the story of Circe, daughter of Helios and a sorceress herself. Told from her point of view, we can get into the head of someone often portrayed as a villain. Miller’s other star novel, The Song of Achilles, often overshadows Circe, and while it is just as well written, Circe also deserves more attention for its intricate details and brilliant storytelling.
Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland:
Our Chemical Hearts was published in 2016. The novel follows the main character, Henry Page. He’s a hopeless romantic, and a naive one at that. When he meets Grace Town, all goes well until it doesnt. Our Chemical Hearts is a YA novel that explores themes of intense first love, grief and loss, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven:
Jennifer Niven’s All The Bright Places is a book about two teenagers who meet while simultaneously contemplating suicide. They connect through their shared depression, helping each other navigate their struggles with grief, loss, and mental illness. They teach each other how to live, and while one does, the other succumbs to their depression. It’s a heartbreaking book with many trigger warnings. It’s a realistic representation of teenage struggles with mental illness, and a read that’s definitely worth it.
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt:
Orbiting Jupiter is a book about a 14-year-old boy entering foster care after having been incarcerated for assaulting a teacher. Narrated by his 12-year-old foster brother, the book details Joseph’s desperation to find his infant daughter and build a bond with her. It’s a novel detailing the struggles with family bonding, trauma, and sacrifice, and is another heavy but short read.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner:
Penner’s The Lost Apothecary is a dual-timeline, dual-POV novel that switches between the view of an 18th-century apothecary and that of a modern-day historian as she discovers the hidden secrets of the old apothecary who sells potions for women to use against the oppressive husbands and men in their lives. I couldn’t put this book down, and it did not disappoint in the slightest. It definitely deserves more appreciation than it’s been given.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone:
This is How You Lose the Time War is a book that, while sometimes complex, is so worth the read. It tells the story of two time travellers, Red and Blue, who fall in love through a series of letters they leave for each other across time and space. It takes science fiction, romance, and fantasy and wraps them all into a single novel.
I Fell In Love With Hope by Lancali:
I Fell in Love With Hope is a devastating novel about a group of terminally ill teenagers living at the hospital who are determined to live life to the fullest. The main character, Sam, has sworn off love after a heartbreak, but when a new girl arrives, he is forced to face his fear of losing people in exchange for finding hope in the connections he makes.
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
The Atlas Six is a dark academia series following six magicians, each with unique talents, who are chosen to compete for only five spots in a secret society that guards ancient knowledge. In one year, the six initiates will spend their time training, preparing, and fighting to be one of the five chosen, but when things go wrong, the rest of the initiates are challenged to uncover the past and shape their future. Now a completed trilogy, this series is worth the read for those who love dark academia fantasies with an alarming number of plot twists.
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