When you go to a bookstore to choose your next read, the options can feel endless. Do you reach for a popular bestseller that everyone seems to be talking about, or do you choose a hidden gem that is in a deep corner with no reviews to guide you? Is it a story that might just change your life, or perhaps a book that might end up being a letdown?
Popular books come with the promise of entertaining stories, and while hidden gems offer a unique experience, they are often outside the mainstream radar. So, what is it going to be? An adventure that will live up to its reputation or an unexpected one? In this blog, we’ll break through your indecisiveness and help you decide on the perfect book that you will definitely not regret picking up.
In today’s fast-paced world, it is hard to ignore the impact of social media on our reading habits. Platforms like TikTok have taken book recommendations to a whole new level by creating a subcommunity on the app known as “BookTok.” As USA Today describes, BookTok is like a virtual ongoing book club. Walk into any bookstore, and you’ll likely find a dedicated “BookTok” section filled with the latest trending titles. And who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? But why not take it a step further and become the one who introduces the next must-read?
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with following popular opinion, it is nice to remember that every best-selling book we see on social media was once a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Did it not take someone’s curiosity and the simple act of sharing it with a friend that set off this chain reaction to popularize it? So why shouldn’t you be that person?
There’s also something incredibly rewarding about finding a hidden gem, a book that hasn’t yet been swept up in the social media whirlwind. When you take the time to browse beyond the bestseller lists, you might just find a story that relates to you in ways you may have never expected a bestseller to.
So, how do you decide which path to take? Let’s explore both of these sides.
Popular Books
Let’s start with the obvious choice: popular books. These are the titles that everyone is talking about; they’re featured in your neighborhood book club, they are recommended by celebrities, and, of course, are trending on social media. Picking up a bestseller comes with certain assurances:
- The comfort of knowing your favorite celebrity liked the same book,
- The ease of joining into conversations about it,
- Access to various formats (audiobook, e-book, special editions),
- A higher chance of sequels or movie/TV show adaptations,
- And, most of all, the chance to get engrossed in a good story.
Hidden Gems
But what about the books that don’t make it to the front displays of bookstores or reels on TikTok? Hidden gems are those under-the-radar books that may not have the same marketing strategy as popular books, but that does not mean they are less magical than the popular ones you have read before. They are perhaps just written by lesser-known authors or published independently with less marketing budgets or celebrity endorsements to get them that bestseller status.
Moreover, hidden gems dive into topics that are often underrepresented, giving a voice to stories that do not always get told. They challenge those conventional narratives and focus on unique ones. According to Gitnus, romance novels account for 34% of the fiction market, and crime and mystery are 29%.
This leaves a significant portion of the market open to exploration beyond these popular genres. Hidden gems fill this gap by highlighting diverse experiences that are possibly more favored by lesser-known cultures or exploring unconventional relationships and settings, such as educational or feel-good books for children.
If you’re ready to step off the mainstream path and engross yourself in a book that hasn’t yet made its way to the bestseller lists or on the top of your TikTok feed, A Hippie Mile by Allie Bobbitt (Author, Illustrator), Hope Bobbitt (Illustrator), Shawn Bobbitt (Illustrator) is the perfect read for your children with its storytelling brilliance.
Join Gabe, Junebug, and their free-spirited parents, Leo and Autumn, on a road trip full of surprises. With their old, beat-up school bus as their trusty ride, they dive into adventures from roadside picnics with new friends to fixing a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. Each stop along their journey brings laughter and important lessons that could help your child’s mental growth.
These two siblings, who weren’t exactly thrilled about spending time together, ended up having a blast. They explore secret hideouts, tackle the challenges of their quirky family, and discover that sometimes the most memorable moments come from the messiest situations, helping your child create a joyful and supportive relationship between your siblings.
What makes it stand out the most are not just its beautiful illustrations but the engaging storyline that will teach your children the importance of family, friends, traveling, and embracing the unexpected. Read this hidden gem by getting your copy from Amazon now!
