The Wave – A Bookworm's Paradise

Hiya everyone! Today I bring you the third post in the series of themed recommendations that I have been doing on my blog since last week (read the first post here and the second one here in case you missed them!) Today’s theme is underrated or underhyped books which are favourites of mine.

I constantly keep bugging all of you to read Six Of Crows (in a very non-threatening way, of course😉) but I have realized of late that I don’t need to. 8 out of every 10 people I find on Goodreads have read (and loved, mostly) this duology. Similar is the case with so many books – Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, The Lunar Chronicles(I haven’t read this yet eek!), Hunger Games and countless more that we hear spoken about everyday in the bookish community. But what about all those books which are in no way lesser than these hot shots, but due to some reason are hardly ever mentioned in this blogosphere, or in the bookish community in general? There are so many hidden gems out there which definitely deserve much more hype than they get. So today I am going to be recommending you some amazing books which are unfortunately on the lowest rung of the ladder of “status in the bookish society”. Click on the cover images to add the books to your Goodreads TBR!

Nevermoor: The Trials Of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Of course this HAD to be on the top of this list! Nevermoor was one of my favourite reads in 2020, and it breaks my heart to see how so few really talk about it. All the characters were just *chef’s kiss* and it was endearing to see a child rejected by all (including her own father and step mother) because she was supposedly cursed and then later finding her place in Nevermoor. And Jupiter might just be the best fictional character ever written.

Malamander by Thomas Taylor

Why haven’t more people discovered this amazing book yet? It might be the only book written in first person POV that I have enjoyed so far. The main character, Herbie, was so simple yet so complicated, oblivious yet witty. You can read my full review of Malamander here.

The Wave by Morton Rhue

The Wave is a contemporary historical fiction based on a true event. It is a quick read, but it is truly thought-provoking and a must-read if you’re interested in history (like me!) blended with some high school drama.

The Flame Of Olympus by Kate O’Hearn

This was kinda like Percy Jackson set in a more contemporary world! There were redemptions, new friendships and so much more in this middle grade novel based on Roman mythology.

The Miracle On Ebenezer Street by Catherine Doyle

This is under-hyped on an epic level – only about 300 ratings on Goodreads! It was one of those warm (uhh metaphorically of course, its set during Christmas lol) and fluffy books you’d want to hug (does that sound weird 🙃) and will definitely cheer you up.

The Finisher by David Baldacci

I realize that this is probably the first time I am speaking about this book on my blog, but it use to be quite a favourite of mine when I bought and read the entire series. The Finisher is the first book in the four-book Vega Jane series, a dystopian fantasy that fans of Divergent and alike would probably enjoy.

And we are done for today! Hopefully your TBR got a little bigger!

Let’s Chat!

Have you read any of these books? Which is your favourite underrated/underhyped book? Let me know in the comments!

P.S. I am sorry if I am being a little boring nowadays, school’s really got to me and I think I may have began experiencing blogging burn-out. Hopefully I’ll be back to writing my normal *fun* posts soon!

‘The Wave’ by Morton Rhue was a book that left a lasting impact on my mind, and I am sure it will do the same to you as well. Perhaps if you check out my book review of this very novel The Wave by Morton Rhue (Review) you will get a better understanding of what I am going to talk about in this post.

Here are the 3 main lessons that this amazing novel taught me –

Past horrors can repeat themselves : Though we may believe that horrible crimes, like those done by the Nazis, are purely historical, that is not the case. These behaviors are human, and instead of fading with time, such impulses have only grown within us. The high school students were sure that they would never succumb to and blindly follow the orders of a dictator, like the Germans followed Hitler. But they were wrong. Even on knowing so much of history, they became what we can call a ‘mini Nazi army’.

2. It is very easy to become a part of a group, but very difficult to come out of it and regain your lost individuality : The students in the book had become one unified group, with actions so co-ordinated that it felt as if they were joint together with some invisible bond. They lost their individuality and forgot that each one of them was unique. It is very difficult to overcome group-thinking, and this was what was the main idea of this novel.

3. Not all quick reads are brief and boring : I always used to steer clear of short novels, because for some reason, I felt that they got over too quickly, without narrating the actual story. The Wave begs to differ. The story was comprise, and surprisingly detailed at the same time. After reading this book, I have begun to think that perhaps the length of the novel does not matter as much as the impact the story leaves behind. Yes, not-so-lengthy books, prepared to be devoured!

These were some things I learnt after reading this book. What did this novel teach you? And do you think, like some others, that the Wave did more good than bad? And if you have not read this novel yet, do you plan on reading it now? Do let me know your views in the comments section.

See you in my next post. Till then, happy reading!