Hi friends, happy Wednesday! I have been reading a lot of new releases lately and ever since I started book blogging. It’s easy, really, to get swept up in all the new, shiny book covers and new books every Tuesday. It’s easy, really, to forget these books that came out last year, the year before that and the years even before that.
☂️ Related blog post: Are we too into new releases?
Today, I thought I’d shine the light on some backlist books, hoping that this will inspire you to remember about these “old” books we had such a great time reading, these “old” books that deserve all the love and should, still, get some hype to this day. To be completely honest, it’s also kind of a reminder to myself to read more backlist books and, boy, there is an awful ton of these books that are still waiting on my TBR to be read.
You can click on the covers to get to the goodreads page of the book!
☂️ Backlist books I loved
The Forbidden Wish, Jessica Khoury
Why I recommend it ? It’s been a hot minute since I screamed about The Forbidden Wish, SO LET ME DO THIS RIGHT NOW. I love this book with ALL MY HEART, it’s an Aladdin retelling with one incredible main character, a wonderful world-building and the writing is stunning and why isn’t this more hyped, I don’t know I LOVE IT AHH.
? read my review
180 seconds, Jessica Park
Why I recommend it ? This book has a college aged main character and I loved that, I also loved that it was an adorable love story, an interesting exploration of father/ adoptive daughter relationship, friendships and this broke my heart and made me sob SO HARD and… I loved it.
? read my review
This Is How It Happened, Paula Stokes
Why I recommend it ? My sister bought me this book for my birthday two years ago (I think?) and well this book is proof of how much she knows my bookish taste. This was a 5-stars read for me, with an amazing main character, a really great thought-provoking story about social media influence and just, just everything, I loved it.
? read my review
Just Visiting, Dahlia Adler
Why I recommend it ? Just Visiting is one of these books that really deserves way more hype than it’s getting. It’s perfectly tackling that moment between high school and college, friendships, complicated family relationships, it has blooming romance and sex positivity and the friendship and yes, this was such a good book okay.
? read my review
Pretending to be Erica, Michelle Painchaud
Why I recommend it ? This book was such a promising debut with an intriguing premise: a girl pretending to be someone else, basically. This was filled with tension and action and very, very intriguing, too from beginning to end.
? read my review
Sanctuary Bay, Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz
Why I recommend it ? This has a creepy boarding school setting and I always live for this kind of setting okay. This was chilling, mysterious and addictive from beginning to end and I really loved it.
? read my review
Vanishing Girls, Lauren Oliver
Why I recommend it ? You know me, I’m a huge fan of everything Lauren Oliver writes. Vanishing Girls was one of these books that caught my heart and shatter me into one thousand million pieces. This has siblings at its heart, sisters, a dual POV and a suspenseful, captivating storyline that broke me.
? read my review
Bittersweet, Sarah Ockler
Why I recommend it ? This is one backlist, underrated contemporary book that made me warm and soft and it has cupcakes okay, that should be one big argument there for you. Add to that a cute love story, a great main character and adorable family vibes and you got this tiny little gem.
Awaken, Katie Kacvinsky
Why I recommend it ? I have read a lot of dystopian books and, like the market has had its period filled with it, I had, too. If I turn to them a little less now, Awaken is one of these dystopian books that I will always love, for its story based on heavy technologies to its world-building and great characters. Sadly, it’s also one of these that hasn’t gotten a lot of hype and it deserves more!
The Wrath and The Dawn, Renée Ahdieh
Why I recommend it ? Okay. Is this book popular? YES. Has this book actually been released in 2015? YES and I was shocked. But when I noticed, I knew I had to mention it in this list, because I love it too much not to. The characters, the gorgeous writing, everything about it is INCREDIBLE.
? read my review
☂️ You might also be interested in: 14 backlist books I should have read by now…
Did you read any of these books? What are some backlist books you really enjoyed?
Do you have any recommendations for me? Let me know in comments!
Twitter ☂️ Goodreads ☂️ Bloglovin ‘☂️ Support the blog
Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books says
Ah I love reading backlist books even though it is so easy to get caught up in new releases.
I remember loving Bittersweet when I read it years ago. I should reread it at some point!
Marie says
Thank you so much, Kristin! Bittersweet was such a good read 🙂 <3
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog says
Great list! I loked Just Visting and really liked Vanishing Girls. This is How It Happened is sitting on my shelf. I need to get to it!
Marie says
Thank you so much, Grace! I hope you’ll love This Is How It Happened, it’s such a great read 🙂
Paige @ BookishPaige_ says
Oooh The Forbidden Wish is on my physical tbr, can’t wait to get to it ^_^
Marie says
AHHH this makes me so happy, can’t wait for you to read it! I hope you will love it 😀
Thank you for your comment, Paige! <3
tasya @ the literary huntress says
I love TWATD, I remember the first time I’ve read it and fell in love with the prose, world building, the food, and the characters <3 I'm really due for a reread now ahaha.
Marie says
Same here, I loved this book so much, I need to re-read it <3 <3
kozbisa says
I read half of these. I love Ockler’s books, and am determine to finish them all one of these days. Same with Stokes — she is very underrated. 180 Seconds was really emotional, but that’s what Park always does to me. Vanishing Girls was a big hit for me. I just thought Oliver did a phenomenal job with that story, and TWatD is just stunningly written. I still want to read Just Visiting and Pretending to Be Erica. Those books have been on my TBR for eternity.
Marie says
AH YES I need to read ALL of Ockler and Stokes’ books just as well, I’ve been loving everything by them so far, they’re so underrated <3
I hope you'll get to read Pretending to be Erica and Just Visiting sometime soon, both were so good! 🙂
Thank you so much for your sweet comment <3
DearDominique says
There are so many older books I want to read but the new releases keep grabbing my attention!
Marie says
Ahah I get that, same thing happens to me way too often ?
LisaDay says
I have been reading a lot of backlist books recently as well, none of which are on your list. I just finished LIght Between oceans, which I loved.
Marie says
Oh I’ve heard great things about Light between oceans I’m glad you loved it 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment! <3
Angela says
The Wrath and The Dawn was so good! I love reading backlist books, most of what I read is backlist. There just seems to be an unending supply of books out there!
Marie says
I loved this book SO much 😀 Agree, there are so many gems there <3
Hannah says
I haven’t read any on these in your backlist but I’ve been reading a few of mine including Water For Elephants and The Tattooist of Auschwitz both of which are brilliant!
Marie says
YAY, so happy you’ve been reading some backlist books you’re loving! 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂
Aline @ Fully Booked says
(Okay I tried to like this post and I don’t know if it worked but I LOVE THIS POST OKAY WP is just being weird)
Backlist books deserve so much love! I loved The Forbidden Wish and The Wrath and the Dawn, they were both so incredibly beautiful and amazing??!! This is How it Happened was SO SAD ahhh. 180 Seconds sounds so amazing and I’m so tempted by the cupcakes in Bittersweet hahaha. Thank you for these recommendations! ❤️ Loved this post.
Marie says
WordPress can be really weird at times ? Thank you so much!!
I’m so happy you loved so many of these books, too! I hope you’ll give Bittersweet a try, I really enjoyed it! <3 <3
Raven @ Dreamy Addictions says
I loved The Forbidden Wish, 180 Seconds, The Wrath And The Dawn! I haven’t read Sanctuary Bay but It’s on my TBR list! I’m glad to hear that you loved it!
Marie says
Ahh yay so happy you loved these <3 I hope you'll enjoy Sanctuary Bay 🙂
Thank you! <3
kristinazilieva says
Ahh The Wrath and the dawn is one of favourites as well <3 Loved the whole world building and wish it was more than 2 books in the series 🙁
Marie says
Ahhh same here, I loved this series so, so very much <3 <3
Thank you for your comment! <3
Mel says
Omg I LOVED this is how it happened. I wasn’t expecting to like it when I started it but now I push that book so much because it just blew me away. I’m glad to see you liked bittersweet as well; I’ve been meaning to read that book for ages.
Marie says
I loved it so, so much, such a great, underrated book <3 <3
I hope you'll give bittersweet a try, such a lovely read <3 Thank you so much, Mel! <3
Olivia @ Purely Olivia says
This is really a wonderful list! I added 180 Seconds and Bittersweet to my TBR, they both look like books I would really enjoy.☺️ I love This is How it Happened! I’ve read it twice and it just is so poignant and I love the characters.
I never exactly look when the books I read are from (unless I know they are new releases, haha) but I just finished Looking For Alaska, which I guess is considered backlist? I also just reread Paper Towns, my favorite John Green book.
Great post, Marie! <3
Marie says
Ahhh yay! I hope you’ll love both of these, they were so good <3
LOOKING FOR ALASKA what did you think of it <3 I love it so much, favorite book <3
Thank you, Olivia! <3
Olivia @ Purely Olivia says
Thank you!
Ooh, I didn’t know it was your favorite book?! I actually didn’t like as much as I thought I would sadly. :(( I had such a soft spot for Miles and thought he was adorable, and I loved his friendship with the Colonel, but something just fell short for with it. I still did like it, though!
Marie says
Oh it’s okay ahah my love for this book is pretty… unpopular haha. I’m glad you still found things you liked though, yay! 😀
May @ Forever and Everly says
Ah I love this post, Marie!! I’ve only read one book on here (The Forbidden Wish), which I loved, but all of these sound so good! Strangely enough I don’t find myself super interested in Renée Ahdieh’s books, even though they’re so well loved haha. Two backlist books I really love are Legend (which is pretty popular haha) and The Weight of Feathers — I love Marie Lu and Anna-Marie McLemore so much!!
May @ Forever and Everly says
(oh and I forgot to say it before — all your new graphics look so lovely!)
Marie says
Oh thank you so, so much, this makes me so happy ❤ ❤
Marie says
Ahhhhh. I need to read Anna-Marie McLemore’s books, I really do, they all sound INCREDIBLE <3 Thank you for the reminder! 🙂
Thank you!! <3 <3
Malka @ Paper Procrastinators says
The Forbidden Wish was really good! I remember being surprised at the time that it had so little hype! And I just added 180 Seconds to my TBR! It sounds amazing! I feel like most of the backlist I’d come up with would be super popular books that came out ages ago. Although there are a few backlist hidden gems that I’ve read like Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstom and The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen. They’re both SO GOOD!
Marie says
I’m so glad you love The Forbidden Wish as well! This book deserves all of the hype and more, it’s amazing <3
ooooh thank you so much for these recommendations, I'm going to check both of these out! 😀 Thank you, Chana! <3
Marie says
Sorry, Malka – not sure why, for a second before validating my comment, it told me you were Chana?! This is weird, sorry!! ❤
Lauren Becker says
I haven’t read any of these, but I do recognize them all!! I love backlist books – and I’m trying to read more books that aren’t new releases. My book club helps with that!
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
Marie says
Yay! That’s so great! Backlist titles deserve all of the love too <3
Thank you, Lauren! <3
deborahkehoe says
I like Bittersweet too. You gotta love cupcakes! Lol. The Wrath and the Dawn was a gorgeously written novel. So beautiful!
Marie says
Agree, such a gorgeous novel, I loved it so much. Can’t wait to read more from the author 😀
Thank you!! <3
Julianna @ Paper Blots says
OO I have not read/heard of Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver but I really loved her Delirium series when I read it! (even though I read the last two books in the wrong order). Also, I will always scream my eternal love for The Wrath and the Dawn & The Forbidden Wish! I’m so excited to read The Beautiful + Last of Her Name oMG
Marie says
Ahhhhhh. I feel like no one has heard of that Lauren Oliver book, but it’s such a great one. I loved it so much 😀
I’m so excited to read The Beautiful and Last of Her Name as well, ahh both sound just SO GOOD!
Thank you so much!! <3
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight says
Awaken is one I have always meant to read- I own it, even! It sounds liek it’d be perfect for me, too. I love Vanishing Girls, one of my favorite Lauren Oliver books! Wrath is fabulous of course. And I LOVED This is How It Happened so much- I am glad to see it getting some love! Forbidden Wish was also good. Basically, I agree with your list wholly! I love giving a shout out to backlist books, so this is great!
Marie says
Ohhh Shannon, I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts on Awaken! I feel like no one has read this series, but I personally found it so good!
Thank you so much!! 😀
thebookishskies says
Marie, I know I’ve already mentioned this, but I’m still so in love with the new graphics on your posts. And the new headers too, they look so good & professional! They look amazing!
I’m always here for hyping up backlist books. I have a looooong list of books I didn’t get around to in previous years, and it’s pretty much impossible not to forget about a few titles when there’s so many new releases coming out every month. I’m happy you included The Wrath & The Dawn on your list too, because it’s a giant reminder that I need to conclude this duology ASAP! I have the second book but it’s been standing on my shelf for months now, and I really need to finish it. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it a lot, but I feel like I should probably re-read the first one too, since I forgot pretty much everything, lol.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Marie says
Ahhhh Lais thank you so much, this makes me SO happy!! Certain @nyxcorner will appreciate all the love for her fantastic post graphics 😀
I can’t WAIT for you to read The Rose and The Dagger, I really LOVE it so much and that entire series <3 <3
Thank you so much! <3
Dani @ Perspective of a Writer says
What an absolutely fun post Marie! I’ve loved many of the backlist books I’ve read since the beginning of the year. What a neat way to feature them again. I reallllllly need to get to The Forbidden Wish! I love the cover and premise and just need to read it! Not sure why I haven’t yet. ❤️
Marie says
Ahhh yes, you should give The Forbidden Wish a try, I loved it SO much, such a great read <3
Thank you, Dani 🙂
Kay Wisteria | Hammock of Books says
I really need to read Wrath and the Dawn someday! I have so many backlist books I need to read but it’s so hard with all those shiny new tempting books coming out haha
Marie says
Ahhh yes you should, it’s such a fantastic read, I love it SO much <3 I get that though, all of the new releases are way too tempting sometimes 😛
Thank you so much for your comment! <3
Beth (Reading Every Night) says
I find it all too easy to jump into new releases (I just get so swept away by the hype that everything else falls in the wayside) but you’ve featured some amazing backlist books in this post Marie. 🙂 ❤️
Obviously The Wrath and the Dawn is an amazing read (though wow I can’t believe it’s been that long since it was released) and I have The Forbidden Wish high on my TBR list. I will get around to it one day, I promise. 🙂 ❤️
Marie says
I couldn’t believe it either! I thought it was more recent than that, but wow the years really fly, don’t they!
I can’t wait to hear what you think of The Forbidden Wish 😀
meandinkblog says
Backlist books are full of amazing reads are definitely deserve enough hype as new releases!! And I’m sorry to say I haven’t heard of many of your list except for The Wrath and The Dawn which I am hoping to get to very soon– on my next order of the book depository I think!! It sounds great!!!
Also The Forbidden Wish— I don’t read fairy-tale retellings that often but being Aladdin I am definitely interested because I love Aladdin!!
This is how it happened sound super interesting as well!! Thank you for making this list– it has definitely given me some books to look into!! <3
Marie says
AHHH yes The Wrath and The Dawn and The Forbidden Wish, read these twoo! They are absolutely amazing and I loved the writing of these books so much. I hope you’ll love them 🙂
Thank you so much, this makes me so, so happy <3
Madeline Bartson says
Love this post! I find that I often end up only reading new-er releases because I figure they must be good if everyone is talking about them. But there are so many other amazing books that get lost in all the noise. Most of the time, I don’t even like popular books that much. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Thank you for the recommendations! ?
Marie says
Agree, there are so many books that get lost in all the noise, it makes me a little sad… but then again we can’t read everything either… SO many books haha.
Thank you so much for your sweet comment <3
Margaret @ Weird Zeal says
I haven’t read any of the books on this list, which means I have plenty to add to my TBR! As much as I love reading new releases and being a part of whatever everyone is currently excited about, I’d love to read more backlist and find books that are still amazing, even if they aren’t raved about as much anymore!
Marie says
I get that, I also want to make more of an effort to get back to older releases. I am way too often leaning towards the newest books ahah 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment, Margaret! Hope this list gives you some book ideas! <3
MetalPhantasmReads says
The forbidden wish!! Love that book so much and I’m so happy to see it in other places 🙂
Marie says
I love it so, SO much as well, such a great book 😀
Aurora Librialis says
I love this list and I love that you’re giving backlist books some love ❤️ It’s so easy to get caught up in all the shiny, new releases and forget about all the other amazing books on our TBRs. Posts like this are wonderful reminders! I’ll definitley add some of these to my TBR ? The Forbidden Wish is AMAZING ❤️
Marie says
Ahh yay this makes me so, so happy <3 I'm so glad you love The Forbidden Wish as well, it's SUCH A GREAT BOOK <3 <3
Melina Elisa says
As much as I love books, I’m not one for the hype of…new books? I just read whatever I find, so my books could be old, new, etc, but idk if you’ve noticed, but my reviews are typically not new releases? I love the books you recommended, there are so many I haven’t had the chance to read some of them! Great post Marie xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
Marie says
I feel like really being in the bookish community and following way too many authors and publishers and all on twitter makes me way too aware of the new releases, I forget other books at times haha 🙂
Thank you so, so much Melina, I hope you’ll get the chance to read some of them 😀
Matty says
I loved 180 seconds!
Marie says
Ahhh yay so happy to hear that! I loved this book so much as well 🙂
Nimika @ wordhaven says
okay but I LOVE THIS POST SO MUCH because I’m such a mood reader and keep looking for books that i’m craving in the moment and oh my books, MAJORITY of these books are that.
180 Seconds, Just Visiting and Bittersweet are kind of right up my alley rn and I am so adding them along with Awaken bc when someone specially points out an underrated dystopian, it HAS to be good.
also, addictive books with a creepy boarding school setting? yes to Sanctuary Bay ?
Marie says
Ahhh thank you so, so much! <3 I'm so happy I made your TBR grow and really hope you'll end up enjoying all of these books. I love a good underrated dystopian read and I feel like Awaken is precisely that. I hope you'll like it 🙂
ashley @ socially awkward bookworm says
I have so many backlist books that I need to read! So happy to see that you enjoyed all of these. A few that you listed that I still need to read.
Marie says
SO many books to read, so little time ahah 🙂
Thank you, Ashley! <3
inareadingworld says
I really enjoyed reading through this post! And of course it gave me even more books to add to my ever-growing TBR 🙂 silly question: does backlist just mean it came out a while ago?
Marie says
Ahh thank you so much, this makes me so happy! 🙂
Backlist just means a book that has been released prior to this year, so 2018 books can already be “backlist” books, that’s how I see it 🙂
inareadingworld says
Ohhh I get it! Thanks so much 🙂
Marie says
You’re welcome! 🙂
Meggy | Chocolate'n'Waffles says
Wonderful post, lovely! I daren’t look at my back list, haha!
Marie says
I get that ahah, too many books to read 🙂
Thank you!! <3
Beware Of The Reader says
I so loved The Wrath and the Dawn!!!!
Marie says
Ahhh me too, such an amazing read <3
Brooke Lorren says
These are all new to me, except for The Wrath and the Dawn!
It’s easy to miss some of the books you really want to read. I started putting together my summer TBR a couple days ago, and I came up with 25 books that I either owned and wanted to read, or heard about and wanted to read. They all came out last year or earlier (one book on my list is out of print). Since the TBR list I’m putting together only has 10 books on it, I used a random number generator to figure out which books I was going to read, LOL. I’ll try to get to the other books too.
Marie says
I’m glad I could make you discover some new books 😀
And yay that’s a great thing to do, make a TBR with backlist titles, I need to do that more too to prioritize them a bit better <3
Thank you for your comment! 😀
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious says
It is so easy to get swept up in the excitement of the new and shiny, and I hate that I have so many books on my physical TBR that I was so excited to read but never got around to… and are now not prioritized. Backlist books deserve all the love and I am trying to balance my ARC reading a bit (and my compulsive spending) to work on my TBR tower. This is a great post, Marie!
Marie says
Agree! It’s so so easy to get swept up and I know I’m so guilty of that so many times. I’m doing my best to give backlist books some love and to get more backlist books because there are so many gems there, too 🙂
Thank you so much!! <3
Amanda @Cover2CoverMom says
I purchased The Wrath and The Dawn when the ebook went on sale, but I still have yet to pick it up! I do really want to read it soon.
My latest backlist books that I loved have been Crazy Rich Asians, Salt to the Sea, Speak, and Moloka’i. Highly recommend them all 🙂
Marie says
Ahhh I hope you’ll read The Wrath and The Dawn soon, I love this book and the duology SO much <3
I've only read Crazy Rich Asians, but I really enjoyed it, I will have to check out the other ones! 🙂
Thank you so much! <3 <3
Luxe @ Mind of Luxe says
I’m currently reading The Wrath and the Dawn with some of my bookish friends and it’s been spectacular so far. I’ve heard great things about the books here on your list and I’ve put some on my TBR. This has inspired me to read more backlist books and I’m especially looking forward to reading Bittersweet someday. Great list!
Marie says
Ahh this makes me SO happy! I hope you’ll keep on loving it, this duology is one of my favorites <3
Thank you so much! <3
ioana @dragonwaffles says
Backlist titles NEED MORE RECOGNITION ???! Keeping up with new releases is exciting but tiring at times (and frustrating if you’re an international reader that can never get their grabby claws on them ?). So I just quietly prefer reading backlist titles in the background. And to passionately shout that SUCH TITLES DESERVE MORE HYPE because there are so great ones out there that have been forgotten!!! 2015 – 2016 books are worthy of attention and love too!!!
Marie says
Agree, it can be very frustrating at times and there are so many little hidden gems there, too <3 <3
theorangutanlibrarian says
Such a great list- I really liked forbidden wish and 180 seconds 😀 And I want to read vanishing girls as well!
Marie says
Ohh I hope you’ll get to read it sometime, it’s such a great book 😀
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
I’ve only read one of these, but I agree that backlist books have great value. There’s no reason that a great book should be forgotten just because it’s over a year old!
Marie says
Agree! It’s so easy to get distracted by new releases and I know I am, but I’m trying my best to find these little “older” gems, too 🙂 <3
Brooke Lorren says
The only one I’ve read or even heard of is The Wrath and the Dawn. But I agree that older books are awesome too!
Marie says
Glad you agree! 😀