Another week, another Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. This time I’m talking about books that have under 2000 ratings on Goodreads that I’ve enjoyed. I’ve talked about most of them before on other posts, but I can’t help to mention them again! I noticed they are all a bit unconventional, but they have all stayed with me after reading them for one reason or another and I’m glad I can share them again with you. Let’s check them out:
1. SALT FISH GIRL BY LARISSA LAI
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopia
I read this one for college 5 years ago so my memory is foggy. I remember this though: Chinese mythology, LGBTQIA+ representation, two characters connected… one in nineteenth century China, another in a futuristic Pacific Northwest. Doesn’t that sound appealing? There’s a lot going on, maybe it’s a bit confusing, but I recall loving the complexity. The first chapter is about the myth of creation and it’s probably the most beautiful opening chapter I’ve ever read.
2. THE DANCING GIRL OF IZU BY YASUNARI KAWABATA
Genre: Short Stories
Coming from a Nobel Prize winner, I’m surprised the collection doesn’t have more ratings. These stories are very simple and autobiographical. They are all very similar, but what I liked about them was the tone. It’s such a specific feeling and image and I have in my mind when I think of these: melancholy, sadness, simplicity.
3. GRIEF IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS BY MAX PORTER
Genre: Magical realism, Fiction, Poetry
A crow figuratively embodies grief and visits a family who has lost their mother/wife. It is told through vignettes, some told by the children, other by the father, and the more poetic ones by the crow. It’s a very different read and I think I didn’t scratch the surface when I read this. It’s complex, it’s raw, and it’s beautiful too.
4. A GUIDE TO BEING BORN BY RAMONA AUSEBEL
Genre: Short Story, Magical Realism
Probably one of my favorite reads of the year so far. Every single story is entrancing, unique and bizarre in its own way. A boat in the middle of the sea filled with grandmothers, people who grow arms when they fall in love, a guy with drawers in his chest, a girl whose baby is an ever changing animal… The book is divided in four parts: Birth, Gestation, Conception, and Love. Life and death are recurring themes, but each story is very different to the next, which I loved.
5. PANTOMIME (MICAH GREY TRILOGY #1) BY LAURA LAM
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQIA+
I’m always looking for representation and I’m really glad I found this book! Pantomime is about Gene, who is intersex. After their* family betrays them, they adopt a new identity as a boy called Micah and joins a circus. The story follows Micah getting to terms with who they are, running away from home and dealing with the magical mythology that surrounds their world, which is pretty cool (though that’s more explored in the second book).
*I refer to Micah with the neutral pronoun ‘they’ because they never disclose what they prefer or how they identify in this book.
6. TEATIME FOR THE FIREFLY BY SHONA PATEL
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Set in Assam (India) during the 40s, it tells the story of Layla living with her husband near the tea plantations among the English wives of other tenants, elephants, and man-eating leopards. Even though the romance wasn’t the best, it’s a book that captivated me through the historical fiction parts and I really enjoyed reading it.
These aren’t really my kind of reads, but I’m glad you enjoyed them 🙂
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That’s okay 🙂 I knew they were a little unconventional when I was writing the list haha
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I really like how you included the different genres! I love historical fiction, so Teatime for the Firefly sounds really interesting.
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I love this list! So many books I haven’t heard of yet and so many I’d like to look up and check out for myself. Salt Fish Girl sounds like something I’d really enjoy, and I do like me some poetry, so maybe I’ll check out Grief is the Thing with Feathers as well.
Here’s my TTT. 🙂
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Thank you. I hope you check those out and enjoy them 🙂 The poetry in Hope is a Thing with Feathers is very free, I would say it’s more of a poetic novel than a novel with poetry if that makes any sense haha
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Hmmmm, do you mean it’s a story entirely written in verse, like Ellen Hopkins’s stuff? 😮
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Oh no! I am so sorry for the confusion. I meant it had no traditional poetry, but that the book is, overall, very poetic. It’s prose.
I have no idea how to explain it and I haven’t read Ellen Hopkins so I can’t compare it. Ignore my comments please haha
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Oohhh, no need to be sorry! I just assumed and I must have misread something, haha. It still sounds like a solid book though – I’ll have to check it out. 🙂
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I don’t think I have even heard of any of these. I’ll have to go check them out. Have a great week!
TTT
Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know
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Thank you! I thought some of these were more popular, but I was surprised when I saw they were under 2000 ratings. I hope you have a great week too 🙂
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Salt Fish Girl sounds very good hehe. I don’t have enough underrated books read to make my own list so I did my own topic hahah. Happy reading! http://www.curious-daisy.com/uncategorized/ten-books-you-should-read-asap-book-recommendations/
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Salt Fish Girl has a place in my heart 🙂 Haha that’s okay, I’ll check your creative topic 😛
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I’m loving the cover for A Guide To Being Born! I’m gonna have to look into it! Great Top Ten! 😀
My Top Ten Tuesday!
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It’s a stunning cover, I’m also in love with it! I hope you do pick it up one day and enjoy it as much as I did.
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A Guide to Being Born definitely sparked my curiousity! My TTT
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I’m so glad 😀 it’s so unique.
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Tea time for the firefly – what a gorgeous title. Nice diverse selection. Here are my Top Ten Underrated books: http://marelithalkink.blogspot.co.za/2016/07/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-underrated.html
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Thank you! Right? I love that title very much.
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Interesting choices – the only one I’ve heard of before is Pantomime which I really want to read. 🙂
Check out my TTT and my current international giveaway.
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Pantomime is great, and the second book really expanded the world in a cool way!
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Sadly, I haven’t read any of these but I love the cover on that first one.
My TTT http://www.anovelglimpse.com/2016/07/05/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-i-enjoyed-that-have-under-2000-ratings-on-goodreads/
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That’s okay 🙂 I love these sort of posts to discover new reads.
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Ooh A Guide to Being Born is really high up on my TBR because I heard Joce from squibblesreads talk about how much she loved it. I just added Grief is the Thing with Feathers to my TBR it sounds really intriguing. I also went to add Pantomime, but discovered it was already there haha. Great list, Esther 😊 I’m always discovering so many amazing books from you!!
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Aw, I’m glad you liked it! I’m so happy A Guide to Being Born is high up your TBR, it’s beautiful!
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