Underrated Books Recs 2016 | k&b

So we all know those few books everyone and their mothers have read and recommend, and I myself am guilty of reading those super popular contemporary or classic books. However, when I am not sucked into this void of reading popular reads (also known as booktube here), I find myself stepping away from the crowd and trying out some books that I picked up myself at the book store, simply while browsing around. So today, I will be sharing with you a few of the books that I find underrated that I personally adored!

1) Forgive Me Leonard Peacock, by Matthew Quick
I have talked about this book loads on my blog, but if you do not know what it is about, it is the story about a boy who decides that he wants to kill himself and his former best friend. The summary itself was roughly those two lines, and that is what intrigued me. The plot itself wasn't out of the ordinary, but the character and his development (or un-development I should say) kept me thinking and wondering things about my own life and my school and classmates, and their issues. If you want an eye-opening, more "serious" contemporary book, this one is for you.

2) Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri
Another favourite of mine that I have talked about loads on this blog. Interpreter of Maladies is an anthology of various short stories all focusing on immigration, cultural shock and adaptation. For an immigrant like me, it was relatable and very close to my heart. For non-immigrants, this will open your eyes to the hardships these people have to face. The writing style was lovely, and every story was different in its own way.

3) Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Proooobably my favourite book of all times. I would say I liked this book because I am Canadian, and because I love child literature, but really, the story speaks for itself. After one or two chapters, you are HOOKED! Anne is such a lovely protagonist, the kind that sticks with you, kind of like Harry Potter. She is precious and her adventures will make you laugh and cry.

4) Safe Haven, by Nicholas Sparks
I think everyone knows about Nicholas Sparks and his books for hopeless romantics, but some of the more popular ones like Dear John, The Notebook and A Walk To Remember are nothing compared to Safe Haven in my opinion. This is the one Sparks book I cried happy tears, and the characters and their stories felt more real (although still hard to relate to). The success of his other books overshadowed this one, but this is a must for any Nicholas Sparks or romance lover out there!

5) Love and Other Foreign Words, by Erin McCahan
Another beautiful book with a beautiful cover overshadowed by Stephanie Perkins and John Green (I love them, don't get me wrong). Many people have talked about this book, however saying they did not like it, so I decided to read it and judge for myself. I was completely blown away by McCahan's writing style and desperately want more now. Her characters are attaching, although somewhat annoying, but the lightness and simplicity of her plot was great.

6) OCD Love Story, by Corey Ann Haydu
Oh. My. Goodness. This is the first book I read in 2016, and will probably be my favourite. This book was phenomenal. Because I am slightly (very) OCD myself, I totally understood the main character and her compulsions, as well as the boy in the story. For OCD people, you will easily relate to this book and for non-OCD people, you will be enlightened. Haydu did an amazing job dealing with the topic, and will open the eyes of many people who do not understand what it is like dealing with something such as OCD.

Here you have my top 6 underrated books! I strongly suggest you read these books, and I'm sure there are more books that are being overshadowed by these popular authors, especially those by independent authors. If you have any suggestions, make sure to tell me!

​Katherine x