Top Ten Tuesday Eve | Underrated Books

By Birdie

Ten Underrated Books

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is all about underrated books, or hidden gems.  I’ve been picking and choosing which Top Ten Tuesday’s I want to do, rather than just do them all, and I chose this week because who doesn’t like talking about great books that get no love.  I know I sure do.

I’m also looking forward to reading everyone else’s list of underrated books.  I’m sure to pick up some tips.

Happy Top Ten Tuesday!

Popular Underrated Books:

me-earl1. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

I have no idea why this book is only rated 3.58 on Goodreads.  I thought it was one of the funniest books I read in 2015.  And true that after a while the humor did overwhelm the story, and I did eventually look for the deeper meaning, I actually appreciated how the author stuck to his guns.  His characters felt real.  They were awkward, funny, and honest.

armada2. Armada by Ernest Cline

Sometimes I wonder if readers are harder on a book when they loved the debut so much.  Like, possibly people were unhappy with Armada simply because they weren’t past their love of Ready Player One?  I kinda think if Armada had been the debut the ratings would have been higher than 3.47.  Then the excitement for a followup would have been rewarded with RPO.

Underrated Books by Stacia Kane (I love her):

unholy-ghosts3. Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane

Downside Ghosts is my favorite Urban Fantasy of all time.  It breaks my heart that it only has a 3.64 rating.  Yes it is true that there’s a slang to the series that you have to get used to.  Yes, it is also true that the love interest Terrible is an unconventional hero, and that Chess is an emotional mess and a drug addict.  Yet they are perfection together.

made-for-sin4. Made for Sin by Stacia Kane

The wait for Made for Sin was painful.  Almost as painful as waiting for the next Downside Ghosts book.  I felt like I was hearing about this long before it was close to being written.  Stacia Kane is a good writer, and I thought it was entertaining.  I thought it was worth way more than its 3.35 rating on Goodreads.  I’m hoping there’s a sequel.

Random Underrated Books I Enjoyed:

heroine-complex5. Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn

I was shocked to see this Heroine Complex had a rating of 3.72.  I honestly thought this one was going to popular.  It had everything, a quirky heroine, sexy love interest, and a unique plot.  Maybe people didn’t like the monster cupcakes or the lighter tone for an UF book.  Me, I love anything Superhero, and I wasn’t disappointed at all.

there-you-stand6. There You Stand by Christina Lee

I don’t even remember where I discovered There You Stand.  I’d never read anything by Christina Lee before, and I didn’t anticipate liking it.  I actually loved it.  I loved Corey and Jude, I loved their dogs.  I loved the friendship and eventual love that developed between them.  There were things to dislike, but in the end they didn’t matter.  It’s definitely better than 3.88.

scar-boys7. The Scar Boys by Len Vlahos

I remember when this book was originally published and how excited I was to read it.  It sounded like it was written for me.  Then the reviews started rolling in and I got nervous.  I look at ratings.  They mean something to me.  3.77 was worrisome.  Luckily I was one of positive reviews.  I loved the whole story, particularly the friendship.

dinner-at-jacks8. Dinner at Jack’s by Rick R. Reed

My review says it all, but to summarize, I loved this book.  I was worried that the subject matter was to heavy to fit into one book but Rick Reed really paced the story well.  By the end I had no problem believing that the main characters were going to be fine, and get their happily ever after.  This one is 3.94, but it should be higher.

there-will-be-lies9. There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake

I love reading Magical Realism.  I love that they actually lean closer to contemporary, with a hint of magic.  In There Will Be Lies there could possibly be shifters, or it could be just Shelby’s attempt at processing the curve ball she was just thrown in life.  This was a book that made you think, and despite its 3.42 rating I gave it 4 stars.

One Underrated Book I Read a Long Time Ago but I Still Push:

crazy10. Crazy by Han Nolan

I read this years ago, but whenever I get an opportunity to talk about Hidden Gems I have to bring up Crazy by Han Nolan.  I loved this book and I feel like not enough people have read it.  It’s a shame.  While it does have a 4.0 rating and over 2000 ratings, I still feel like I need to do my part to spread the word.  If you haven’t read it, remedy that!

♥♥♥

Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

About Birdie

Don’t look for her in any bar, club, crazy raging party, or anywhere there may be a large gathering of strangers. She’s more likely to be found tucked into the corner of the couch watching one of her favorite shows, or preferably under a comforter with her current novel.

24 Responses

  3. Reg @ She Latitude

    I actually really liked Me and Earl and the Dying Girl too and was surprised when people didn’t like it! I feel like it comes down to the writing style – if you don’t like that kind of humour then the whole book will be a miss for you.

    Armada, though, I haven’t read. I LOVE RPO and the mixed reviews for Armada haven’t been convincing, but I might give it a try eventually.

    I have Heroine Complex on my TBR and I hope to read it soon! It sounds cute and funny. I thought it was going to be a graphic novel though (from the cover) and was slightly disappointed when it wasn’t. 😛

    Like

  5. Books, Vertigo and Tea

    You make such a valid point with Armada. While I have not read it and Ready Player One still sits here unopened, I am guilty of this with other authors. If I enjoy a series or book they release, it is as if my brain almost expects and compares all future reads of their work to this going forward. Unfair really.

    Like

  6. Valerie's Musings

    Thanks for all the great new reads for the TBR list!
    I also absolutely loved Armada. No, it’s not RPO, but to me it was a far more plausible scenario and was excellent in it’s own way.
    I also loved the post itself. I might have to do one of these posts myself!

    Like

    1. Birdie

      Oh man, I love hearing that you enjoyed it too! I was so sad that people were slamming it, because it was just so good! It was one of those times where I wished people would erase his first book, just long enough to appreciate Armada for what IT was.

      Like

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