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Hi guys, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday! Today is all about the underrated, hidden gem books. So now is basically the time where I admit that I don’t read a lot of underrated books. Because I feel like I’m always behind on my TBR, I tend to mostly pick out the most known and loved books, the ones with the most reviews. One of the things I want to work on this year is to pick up more books on a whim, never mind if they are popular or well-known.
Instead of doing a post with books I read that are underrated, I took a look at my Goodreads list of books STILL TO BE READ with a low amount of ratings. The following are all books that A) were released already in 2016 or before, B) sound super interesting to me, but C) they all have less than 400 ratings on Goodreads. Meaning, not many people are reading or reviewing them.
If you’d like more info, the title link per book will take you to the Goodreads page. Here they are:
If the Dress Fits by Carla de Guzman
It’s an adult romance. It’s diverse. It focuses on body positivity. And one of my favorite tropes: the fake date (which may not be so fake after all). I NEED IT NOW.
A Bond of Venom and Magic (The Goddess and the Guardians #1) by Karen Tomlinson
An epic fantasy, with fae, legendary beasts, magic, adventure and a hint of romance. This basically hits all my buttons. What’s not to like?
Crown of Crimson (The Afterlight Chronicles #1) by Rose Reid
In this story, the princess is born with a sort of tattoo that marks her as destined for evil. So naturally, the king sends her to be raised as an assassin. Chaos ensues. I was hooked on the word assassin.
Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon
As I’m trying to read outside of my comfort zone this year, that also means some genres that are not fantasy nor contemporary. And this mystery/thriller about a girl whose best friend was convicted of murder immediately caught my eye.
Kingdom of Ash and Briars by Hannah West
Bristal is an elicromancer who can shape-shift. Because she is being hunted she takes several forms, like that of a man to infiltrate the prince’s band of soldiers, or that of a fairy godmother to help a cursed princess. Sound familiar? Shapeshifters AND hommages to several fairytales? YAS!
Red Winter (Red Winter Trilogy #1) by Annette Marie
A Japanese mythology story with a gorgeous cover? OMG I need this now. Emi is destined to become the human host for an immortal godess. But when she meets the mysterious and cunning spirit Shiro, things start changing…
Metaltown by Kristen Simmons
I’m not that into steampunk yet, but this dystopian steampunk story was in the October Fairyloot box and it sounds super intriguing. Must read this one.
Return Once More (The Historians #1) by Trisha Leigh
This is a sci-fi novel in which people have learned how to time-travel. A side-effect? Learning who your one true love is. So when our main character discovers her one true love is from Ancient Egypt, she is faced with a choice: resist from ever meeting him, or breaking all the rules to save him? Sounds so good!
The Midnight Sea (The Fourth Element #1) by Kat Ross
Another gorgeous sounding fantasy! Nazafareen is out for revenge on the demons that killed her sister, so she joins the King’s Elite Water Dogs. The Water Dogs leash wicked creatures called daeva, so Nazafareen links with a daeva named Darius. But when they grow closer, Nazafareen ends up questioning everything.
Flashfall (Flashfall #1) by Jenny Moyer
Honestly, the only thing I know about this book is that it is a dystopian sci-fi about miners. Not something I’d usually pick up, but it was in the December Fairyloot box and though it doesn’t have that many ratings on Goodreads yet, it did have a few raving reviews so I’m intrigued.
I basically have nearly all of these on my TBR ?? I actually have the Midnight sea on my kindle waiting for me!! ?? you HAVE to get to ABOVAM soon 🙂 that book is fantastic
Oh, I hope you’ll enjoy The Midnight Sea! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts 🙂
And I’m really hoping to get to ABOVAM soon, it just sounds so great!
Lots of interesting sounding titles! Thank you.
Here’s my list of books you might have missed.
Thank you 🙂
Great list! I still have to read Gilt Hollow to and I’ve had it for what feels like ages! Hopefully we can both read it soon.
Thanks! Hope we’ll both enjoy Gilt Hollow 🙂
Metaltown is one I wondered about, I like the description. Steampunk is hit or miss for me also but I’d like to try more. Return Once More I’ve only seen a review or two but both were positive as I recall.
I feel the same way about Steampunk, but I’d love to try Metaltown 🙂 Hope Retun Once More will be as good as it sounds!
I’ve heard really good things about Kingdom of Ash and Briars and Metaltown! I need to add them to my TBR. Great list!
Great, I’m looking forward to reading them soon 🙂
Great idea! I LOVED Kingdom of Ash and Briars, and it’s on my list too! I’ll definitely be adding Return Once More to my TBR. It sounds amazing!
Glad you enjoyed Kingdom of Ash and Briars! I hope to get to it soon 🙂
These are mostly new to me. I love the sound of If the Dress Fits so I have to check that out. Greta list!!
Thanks! Hope we’ll both enjoy If The Dress Fits 🙂
Great list! I’m really interested in Flashfall, Metaltown and Red Winter. I will probably add them to my TBR. I’ve not really tried much steampunk either. My reading list is getting huge, but I like it because it gives me more choices.
Thanks! I hope we’ll both enjoy those books! I understand, my TBR is growing out of control too, but I don’t mind all that much because there’s always a book to read 🙂
Crown of Crimson and The Midnight Sea both look so good! How have I not heard of these?? I’ve read Flashfall, which I really enjoyed, and Kingdom of Ash and Briars, which I didn’t enjoy at all. :/ I hope you get to read these soon though and enjoy all of them!
I know, they sound so good, why aren’t there more people talking about them? So happy you enjoyed Flashfall, though I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy Kingdom of Ash and Briars. Hopefully I’ll get to all of these soon 🙂
Haha I got Metaltown and Flashfall from Fairyloot too.I really need to actually read the books from my subscription boxes though lol
Haha, I totally relate, I ordered 4-5 subscription boxes last year and haven’t read any of the books yet *oops*
Love the look of so many of these books! 🙂
Yes, they do look gorgeous 🙂
Little confession: I am now adding these to my tbr. All of them. I was sold after reading the first one was about body positivity and the not-so-fake fake date. YES PLEASE. Great list, Lindsey!
Haha, yes, the body positivity and fake-date-trope was all it took to get me intrigued as well 🙂 Hope it’ll live up to both our expectations!
OH THESE COVERS THOUGH. The Midnight Sea is 1000% calling to me because of gorgeousness factor.? And I haven’t read Metal Town or Ash & Briars but those are two I’d love to try someday too! I’m hoping my library buys them heheh.
There are just so many underrated books out there omg. I mean, I do want to read more of them, but I also want to read the popular books so I can flail and chat with other bookworms about them! It’s a definite #bookwormproblem.?
I know, these covers all look so gorgeous! Ah, I hope you’ll get to read Metaltown and Kingdom of Ash and Briars soon!
And yes, that’s definitely another reason to read the popular books first: there’s already a big fandom to engage with 🙂 And flailing about books with other bookworms is one of the best things about reading 😉
Great list! I actually just read a fantastic review for Flashfall too and so have added that to my TBR.
Oh, that’s great! Can’t wait to read it too 🙂
I have to check these out because I’ve never even seen them ?
They just sound so good, so I hope they’ll live up to my expectations 🙂
Ahh I’ve been eyeing If The Dress Fits for a while ever since people started to promote it on twitter. I didn’t know it has a fake date trope, which is my favorite, so now I’m even MORE excited 😛 Red Winter has such a GORGEOUS cover and omg sign me up for a Japanese mythology!! I’m sold hahaha great list! 😀
I totally relate, the fake-date-trope is one of my favorites too 🙂 And yes, Red Winter looks AND sounds so great, hope it’ll live up to our expectations!
Looking at A Bond of Venom and Magic makes me think it was a graphic novel! I’d read that. 😛
And I love the sound of If The Dress Fits. I LOVE fake dates/relationships/romances/marriages and anything with that trope done well, I usually really enjoy even if it doesn’t offer anything ‘new’ (so to speak).
Haha, you’re right, the cover art does make it look graphic-novel-like 🙂
And yes, I also can’t get enough of this trope! If it mentions anyting like that, chances are really high I’ll pick it up!
Hahaha! I have like all of these on my TBR. I heard Flashfall was really good!
Oh that’s great, I’m looking forward to reading it! Hope they’ll all live up to our expectations 🙂
Oooh Flashfall sounds interesting!
It does, hope it’ll live up to our expectations! 🙂
I’ve seen Metaltown, Flashfall and Return Once More but haven’t read them. I’m guessing that’s something I need to fix!
Genesis @ Latte Nights Reviews
I hope they’ll live up to our expectations 🙂 Happy reading!
Some of these I have on my to potentially buy tbr but haven’t moved up very high as of yet like The Midnight Sea. Hopefully one day soon.
Yes, so many books, so little time right? 😉 Hope you’ll enjoy them when you get to them though!