#TopTenTuesday: Top 10 Underrated Hidden Gem Books!
There are some books that get tons of publicity and hype everywhere! Especially on Bookstagram there are a lot of books that are ALWAYS talked about: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and the Throne of Glass series, to name a few. And while I love all those series, over the years I've discovered a lot of "hidden gem" books, that don't seem to be as popular or frequently talked about, but are nevertheless amazing. These books span all genres – fantasy, contemporary, romance, etc – but the thing they all have in common is they are underrated! This is a list of 10 hidden gems I’ve discovered, and they are all novels I've rated 5/5 stars. If I have a full review on Goodreads, I've linked it.
I hope you find some new books that you enjoy! Happy Reading!
1. The Winner’s Curse series
by Marie Rutkowski
Release Date: 2014-2016
Genre: YA Fantasy
Goodreads Synopsis:
As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.
Why I Recommend:
I read this series in February, and in my Goodreads review I made the bold claim it might be the best book I'll read in 2018. But I stand by it! There was NOTHING I disliked about this book (and the following two books in the series) which is a pretty incredible feat, especially in a nuanced fantasy book. The characters are wonderful and complex, and the story is fast-paced, lyrical, and thought-provoking while still being completely engrossing. You can read the full review here! And the reviews for Book Two and Book Three as well!
2. Lockwood and Co series
by Jonathan Stroud
Release Date: 2013-2017
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
Goodreads Synopsis: For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions. Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.
Why I Recommend:
READ THIS SERIES!!!! This is one of my favorite series of ALL time, right up there with Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and the Raven Cycle. I found it in the bookstore in the Middle Grade section, but I would NOT say it's Middle Grade - perhaps MG in the way Harry Potter is still classed sometimes as MG. There's five books in the (finished!) series, and each one gets better and better. There's ghosts, mysteries, friendship, edge-of-your-seat excitement, complex themes, and, best of all, AMAZING characters and wonderful, witty writing. You can check out my spoiler-free review of the last book here on Goodreads!
3. Uprooted
by Naomi Novik
Release Date: 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Goodreads Synopsis:
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life. Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood. The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her. But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.
Why I Recommend:
This book has both elements of fantasy, magical realism, romance, and magic all wrapped up in a fantastic Adult/YA novel. I loved it, I know people in their 30s who loved it, and my Dad is the person who recommended it to me originally! So this book truly does appeal to all types of fantasy lovers. It has an amazing slow-burn romance, really interesting kind of magic (not your typical wands, etc) and probably the MOST unique villain I've seen in a long time. You can read my full Goodreads review here!
4. Cruel Beauty
by Rosamund Hodge
Release Date: 2014
Genre: YA Fantasy
Goodreads Synopsis:
Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him. With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people. But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.
Why I Recommend:
I read all day and night in order to finish this book! IT completely captivated me. Although I'm a fan of fairytale retellings in general, I did expect this book to be "just another retelling." But it was actually so unique and wonderful: it took the Beauty and the Beast tale and completely made it its own! The relationship was so great, and there's a undercurrent of mystery, too. I usually describe this book as Beauty and the Beast meets Rumplestiltskin meets Jareth the Goblin King from Labyrinth. AWESOME. You can read my full Goodreads review here!
5. Maybe Someday
by Colleen Hoover
Release Date: 2014
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Goodreads Synopsis:
Sydney is living in an idyllic bubble—she's a dedicated student with a steady job on the side. She lives with her best friend, has a great boyfriend, and the music coming from the balcony opposite hers is fast becoming the soundtrack to her life. But when Sydney finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, the bubble bursts. The mysterious and attractive man behind the music, Ridge, gives Sydney hope that she can move on and they begin to write songs together. But moving on is harder than she expects, Sydney can only hope…. Maybe someday…
Why I Recommend:
I read this in a single day because I couldn't put it down! This was my first Colleen Hoover book (I bought all her other books after this), and I loved the honest way Hoover portrayed a modern relationship: the struggles, heartbreaks, worries, ups and downs... It also has a deaf main character, which is awesome. If you're looking for an addictive NA romance about music and love, read this!
6. Elsewhere
by Gabrielle Nevin
Release Date: 2005
Genre: YA Contemporary/Fantasy
Goodreads Synopsis: Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. She wants to get her driver's license. She wants to graduate from high school and go to college. And now that she's dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesn't want with a grandmother she has only just met. And it is not going well. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?
Why I Recommend:
This is one of my favorite books ever, and one that I've reread more than five times. It's so much more than a normal YA book; I always think the synopsis portrays it as a funny, LOL-sort of book. It's not. It's honest and heartbreaking and a bittersweet and SO moving. It speaks about death, life, grief, and is ultimately a hopeful, beautiful book about moving on. Full Goodreads review here!
7. A Study in Charlotte
by Brittany Cavallaro
Release Date: 2016
Genre: YA Contemporary Mystery
Goodreads Synopsis:
The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar. From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.
Why I Recommend:
This book was my first 5 star read of 2018, and it was completely unexpected! The writing is witty and quirky, and the characters are flawed, believable, and oh-so-smart. Cavallaro has perfectly portrayed the teenage decedents of Watson and Holmes, and there's so many clever plot twists that I couldn't put it down! The final book in the series just came out in March 2018, so now you can binge read the whole series start to finish! You can find my full Goodreads review here!
8. A Discovery of Witches
by Deborah Harkness
Release Date: 2011
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical-Fantasy
Goodreads Synopsis:
A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together. Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery, so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks, but her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries--and she's the only creature who can break its spell.
Why I Recommend:
The All Souls Trilogy has recently started to get a bit more popular (a TV series based on it is slated to come out in 2018!!!) But it still doesn't have as much hype as it deserves. The series is written by a historian, and features a super smart scholar (and witch) as its protagonist. It is chock-full of witches, vampires, romance, and gallivanting around Oxford, and is completely wonderful!
9. The Undomestic Goddess
by Sophie Kinsella
Release Date: 2005
Genre: Adult Contemporary Fiction
Goodreads Synopsis:
Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She’s made a mistake so huge, it’ll wreck any chance of a partnership. Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she’s mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they’ve hired a lawyer–and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can’t sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope–and finds love–is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake. But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does…will she want it back?
Why I Recommend:
Although Sophie Kinsella certainly isn't "underrated" as an author, I usually find that people have never heard of this particular book! But it's my favorite that she's written. It's the perfect book to go to if you ever want to just feel better about ANYTHING. It's cozy and hilarious. The writing is laugh-out-loud funny and the main character Samantha is SO relatable. You can read my full Goodreads review here!
10. Vinyl
by Sophia Elaine Hanson
Release Date: 2015
Genre: YA Dystopian/Urban Fantasy
Goodreads Synopsis:
All citizens within the soaring black walls of Revinia have metal Singers grafted into their skulls at birth. The parasitic machines issue a form of auditory hypnosis called The Music, which keeps their minds malleable and emotions flat. All artistic expression—especially real music—is strictly prohibited. On the edge of the city, nineteen year old Ronja struggles to support her cousins and disabled mother. A chance meeting leads to her kidnapping by an underground resistance striving to preserve the human spirit. Violently severed from her Singer by the brash young agent Roark, Ronja revels in her newfound freedom until the consequences of her disappearance begin to unfold.
Why I Recommend:
This book takes place in a world where music has been weaponized to keep citizens "under control," and the story just explodes in unique-ness from there! The cast of characters is diverse, complex, and realistic, and I absolutely loved the writing and pace of the novel! Before this book I wouldn't usually go for an urban fantasy/dystopian book, but the gritty world and the uncrushable human spirit portrayed in its pages completely sucked me in.
Thanks for reading! Let me know your favorite underrated book or series in the comments!