Hello humans! Today’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt was Thanksgiving/Thankful freebie. I was pondering which books I wanted to talk about and I decided that, since this kind of season tends to be a season of giving back, I would recommend some lesser known books to you all.
Some of these are indie books or self-published, some of them just didn’t feel like they got the hype they deserved (recognising that I’m in the UK so some books just don’t quite make it across the pond) and some are backlist titles you might have forgotten. Hopefully, you enjoy these recommendations and find something fun to add to your TBR.
Covers link to Goodreads pages, Amazon links are all affiliate links.
If you fancy reading a book about vampires that doesn’t fall into the clichés that so many others do, I would recommend Josie Jaffrey’s The Gilded King.
Ok, if you follow me on Twitter this one isn’t so much of a hidden gem, it’s right there in the open. I love this book, it isn’t too long and it’s so rich and beautiful. Look no further if f/f Beauty and the Beast retellings are your jam.
Kass Morgan isn’t exactly a little-known author, but I feel like not enough people have talked about how much fun Light Years is. Think excellent teen drama, but in space.
I cannot express enough love for this book. If you like palaeontology, fat representation and really sweet stories you can do no better than Jill Baguchinsky’s Mammoth. I don’t read a lot of contemporary, but this was one of the best books I read this year.
One thing I do read quite a lot of is dystopian fiction. I adored All Rights Reserved, I think it’s a very clever take on some of the ideas attempted in other dystopian books. This feels triumphant and evocative and it made me cry more than once. I need to read the sequel.
Another fairly well-known author but I feel like, in the UK especially, not enough people talked about Tess of the Road. This is a fabulous book that is so empowering and beautifully written. Also, it has dragons and I cannot fault a book that has dragons.
Maybe I move in the wrong circles, but this was another book that I didn’t seem to see much coverage of. I think it’s such a clever concept and the prose is amazing. If you like fantasy then this is certainly one to pick up. It’s also another book that has a sequel that I need to read!
This was a book I got in a Fairyloot box and, though it took me a while to get to it, I really enjoyed reading it. It’s got quite purple prose, so beware those who don’t like that sort of writing, but if you do then this is a lovely twisting modern fantasy.
The creepiest and best depiction of Fae I have yet to come across (and I normally abhor reading books with Fae). This book is so impeccably researched which can make it a bit dense at times, but it’s worth a read if you like darker fairytales and their ilk.
Another Fairyloot find, this book is fairly trope-y, but still a huge amount of fun. I love the journey in it, I liked the characters, it actually really surprised me. If you’re looking for a wintery read then you could certainly give Even the Darkest Stars a go.
So, those are my ten picks this week, why not treat yourself and get a new book (let’s be honest, you’ve earned it).
See you tomorrow for Want to Read Wednesday!
J
I like the sound of Wicked Like a Wildfire! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
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Thanks, it’s a really fun read and the sequel is cool too!
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Lovely list! I love Even the Darkest Stars and Wicked like a Wildfire. I’ve seen The Gilded King around, but I didn’t know it was about vampires. I haven’t read a vampire book in ages, but this sounds interesting!
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It’s not overtly vampires, it’s like vampires on the down low, would recommend!
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I have Light Years out from the library – I’m really excited to read it!
My TTT post!
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Nice! I actually saw it in a book shop this morning so maybe I just missed the hype!
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