Here are 10 underrated books that I think deserve more attention!
Please pay attention to genres and make sure to check trigger warnings!
The Divorcees – Rowan Beaird
Lois Saunders thought that marrying the perfect man would sort out her unhappy life, but soon finds she feels suffocated in a loveless marriage. The year is 1951 and being unhappy is not grounds for divorce – except in Reno, Nevada.
The Golden Yarrow is one of Reno’s most respectable ‘divorce ranches’ where women who want a divorce are forced to spend 6 weeks before the divorce is granted. Alongside half a dozen other women, Lois spends her days riding horses, sunbathing, drinking, and flirting with local men. But Lois is still unhappy.
Until Greer Lang arrives and completely changes Lois’ world. She sees something in Lois that no one else ever has and begins to encourage her to push against the societal limits that have always restrained her.
Genres: Literary, Historical
ASAP – Axie Oh
As the daughter of the owner of a famous kpop company, Sori has worked her whole life to become a kpop idol. Until one day she realises that she probably doesn’t want to live a life in the spotlight. But as the pressure to keep her flawless public image grows, all she can think about is the one person she shouldn’t be thinking of – her ex-boyfriend who is also a kpop idol.
Nathaniel is off-limits for a number of reasons – mainly because he’s in the biggest kpop band in the world – but when he finds himself facing scandal, Sori suggests he stays at her house to stay out of the spotlight.
Genres: Young Adult, Romance
Such Sharp Teeth – Rachel Harrison
Rory Morris isn’t exactly happy to be back in her hometown but she’s returned to be with her pregnant sister after she was abandoned by the father of her baby. After a night out at a bar where she bumped into an old friend, she hits a large animal with her car, and when she gets out to investigate, she is attacked.
She survives the attack and doctors say that there’s nothing wrong with her… but Rory begins to notice weird changes. She becomes unnaturally strong, all she wants to eat is meat, and she develops an aversion to silver.
Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Bright Young Women – Jessica Knoll
The year is 1978 and the ‘All-American Sex Killer’ has been terrorising women across the Pacific Northwest, but the members of a sorority at Florida State University aren’t thinking about that. Most of them have gone out of the night and when Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, is startled awake in the middle of the night, she makes the the mistake of deciding to investigate. She finds a horrific scene where her sisters have been maimed and killed. Pamela is quickly thrust into a terrifying mystery that captivates the public interest for decades to come.
On the other side of the country, Tina’s friend has disappeared from a crowded lake in broad daylight and becomes convinced the All-American Sex Killer is to blame. When she hears of the tragedy at the sorority she knows it’s the same killer and travels to Florida to investigate what happened with Pamela.
Genres: Thriller, Historical
Talking At Night – Claire Daverley
Will and Rosie meet as teenagers. They’re opposites in every single way. He’s her brother’s wild and unpredictable friend, and she overthinks everything and is on track for the perfect life. Until one day they meet and quickly become close.
But one day, tragedy strikes and their future together is shattered.
As the years go on, Will and Rosie constantly end up finding themselves back together.
Genres: Literary, Romance
Interesting Facts About Space – Emily Austin
Enid is a lesbian, a serial dater, deaf in one ear, obsessed with space, a true crime fanatic… oh, and she’s terrified of bald men.
She spends her time trying to forget her mortifying teenage years while constantly watching the old youtube videos she posted when she was a teenager. She’s attempting to forge relationships with her half-sisters that her dad had after he abandoned her and she’s dealing with her mother’s depression.
But as Enid stumbles through her first serious relationship she begins to suspect that someone is following her and her paranoia starts to spiral out of control.
Genres: Literary
Maeve Fly – C.J. Leede
Maeve Fly lives with her grandmother and works at the happiest place in the world as the world’s favourite ice princess. But by night, she is completely different.
And when her best friend’s brother, Gideon, moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her and she finds her world completely shifting.
Genres: Horror
If I Have to Be Haunted – Miranda Sun
Cara Tang has been able to see ghosts for as long as she can remember. But the dead have issues and Cara has enough of her own so she does her absolute best to ignore them. Until one day, she stumbles across the body of her school rival and accidentally speaks to his ghost. Cara usually spends her days arguing with Zach but now she has to figure out a way to bring him back to life.
After speaking to her grandmother (who is a ghost that lives in her attic) they discover that Zach was bitten by a magical snake and if they find the cure within a week they’ll be able to save him. Together Cara and Zach embark on an adventure through a magical realm to find the cure.
Genres: Young Adult, Adventure, Paranormal, Romance
Fantasticland – Mike Bockoven
Since the 1970s, FantasticLand has been the theme park where ‘Fun is Guaranteed!’ But when a hurriacane ravages the Florida coast and isolates every staff member stuck at the park.
5 weeks after everyone is trapped, the authorities finally make it to the park to rescue the survivors where they find a horrific scene – heads are on spikes, bodies litter the park.
The book is told as if it’s a true crime book about all of the horrific things that happened during the horrible experience.
Since the 1970s, FantasticLand has been the theme park where ‘Fun is Guaranteed!’ But when a hurricane ravages the Florida coast and isolates every staff member stuck at the park.
5 weeks after everyone is trapped, the authorities finally make it to the park to rescue the survivors where they find a horrific scene – heads are on spikes, bodies litter the park.
The book is told as if it’s a true crime book about all of the horrific things that happened during the horrible experience.
Genres: Horror, Thriller
