#underrated books

[mayzi33]

******SPOILERS, SO MANY SPOILERS AHEAD.*********

I have so much to say I'm afraid my brain might explode. So I'll try to keep calm despite still being at the verge of tears.

When I first started this book series, I thought it would be the usual light, cutesy fantasy about friendship and family. And oh boy, OH BOY WAS I WRONG.

On a side note, something I'd like to point out I noticed, from the first book to the third, the lighting on the cover progressively gets darker. Of course, representing the story itself as the plot gets darker as well. On the last book, it's still dark, but there's a light coming from Janner, Kalmar and Leeli, like they finally reached sunrise after a long, ruthless night. Something i'm pretty sure was said at some point on the books themselves, about no matter how long the night is the day will always come.

Anyways. Back to the topic at hand. As the story progressed, I keep growing more and more connected to these characters, and each chapter I rooted more and more for the Jewels Of Anniera.

I'd like to add that I'm an only child, yet, somehow, I can tell Janner is one of the best eldest sibling characters ever written. My whole life I've only watched siblings around me and their relationship with eachother, especially on the eldest's side, and somehow, Janner reminded me of every friend, family member or random stranger I saw on the streets someday that have siblings.

Janner is such a complex character. He is by no means perfect, but he does have a golden heart. One of the things I was most impressed by was how the author described Janner's feelings, whatever it was the longing for his father, or just feeling burdened by his siblings. And yet, no matter what Janner is feeling, the narrator never invalidates his feelings or antagonize him. Janner is a child, a child who went through a lot. He is allowed to miss a father he never had just as he is allowed to sometimes be annoyed for always having to make sacrifices for his siblings. But one of the things I admired the most about Janner (along with everyone else I'm pretty sure) was his character development. At the first book, he'd roll his eyes at the mere thought of having to look after his siblings and saw them as a burden. At the second book, he learned the hard way how much Kalmar and Leeli matter to him, and how it hurts to be away from them. On the third book, he took pride on his title as Throne Warden and role as the eldest sibling, being devoted to protecting the High King and Song Maiden. And at last, on the last book, he leaves pride aside. He doesn't take care of Kalmar and Leeli because it's his duty, because it's honorable, neither because that's what he has always been told to do. He does it because he loves them above all else, because he finally sees how strong the bond the three of them share truly is, because he feels the blessing the Maker has gifted them, and how much stronger they are when they're together.

Janner is a kind, brave, clever, beautiful boy.

And I will forever believe that they managed to get him the water from the First Well to heal him. I will nor accept any other ending.

Kalmar. At first, the typical goofy, troublemaking sibling, more like a comic relief. But again, OHOHOHO BOY... DID THAT CHANGE.

I definetely did not expect for them to take the turn they did with Kalmar. I could tell that he would have some character arc mainly towards maturing and taking responsability, but I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE LIKE THAT. Seeing that bright, easy-going, smiley little boy loosing his usual joyful personality when he was fanged, slowly loosing his sanity and growing on his self loathing was really something painful yet beautiful to watch. Like Janner, he also had to learn his lesson on the hardest way possible. An extrovert kid like him, having everyone turning their backs on him and looking at him with hatred, and yet, he learned to keep his head high, like a High King. (the phrase "keep your head held high or else your crown will fall" is literally perfect for him.) And most of all, seeing him risk his life to aid a strange cloven, (that turned out to be his father) grant the Hollowsfolk his forgiveness despite everything they did to him, show mercy and compassion to the Fangs despite everything they did, all of these things make Kalmar an inspiring ruler, and leaves me assured that he will be a great king after all.

Now, Leeli, sweet, pure-hearted Leeli. I will be honest, at first I was afraid that they would make her the typical "overly nice and overly fragile female character", but again, BOY WAS I WRONG. (I don't know how many times I will repeat that, I apologize.) At some points in the books, she didn't have as much spotlight as her brother and I felt like she was kind of being thrown aside. But there's always a turn the books take that make her lack of spotlight at first worth it. So young, the youngest of the Jewels Of Anniera, yet she has seen and done so much. Has a bad leg, needed to use a crutch since she was little, yet that literally never stopped her. She strives to keep up with her brothers, and despite his kind personality she shows she can be festy and even scary when she wants to. (I will never forget that moment in the second book where she was yelling at the trolls and fangs and they were actually eager to obey her lol). She hates it when people assume she's weak and often refuses help, proving she's perfectly capable. But at times, she does need help, which shows us all it's okay to have someone to rely on. She was the link between Janner and Kalmar, no matter how much they argued nor how mad they were at eachother, she was always there for both of them and connecting them back together. She may not be able to fight like her brothers, but she found her own strenght. Her music, something that has always brought joy and hope to others turns out to be an ACTUAL weapon. She kicked a Green Fang to defend her puppy, she was the first one to see the pain and kindess through Peet, Nugget sacrificed himself for her showing how her strong her love for others really is, she stopped A FREAKING DRAGON from killing her grandpa, she led an army of dogs, she defeated countless fangs with nothing but her song. One of the best child female chracters I've seen in a while. She is feminine, has her weak points, but she finds her strenght, not in swords, punches or bows but on a whistleharp. I love her so much I can't describe it.

I love all of these kids so much. I am *proud* of them. I know it's a weird thing to say about fictional characters, but these books just make me feel this way. I can't name a single character I didn't connect or feel empathy with.

Nia, such a strong, independent woman, raising her children having lost her husband and kingdom, yet keep her head held high like the queen she is.

Podo, a man who has sinned, takes shame on them, yet shows that sinners can still be good people. Loves his family above all else, protected and took care of them until his last breath, might have been a little rough around the edges, but always showed a soft spot for his daughter and grandkids.

Artham, a broken man, haunted by the shame of loosing his brother, slowly, but surely, healing. Learning to move on by protecting his nephews and niece, making what was once a weakness a strenght.

Oskar, an old man that was always sitting on the library, letting go of his peaceful life and risking his life to accompany the Wingfeathers through thick and thin.

Sara, who was taken from her family, abused and had all her hope crushed, finding her courage back after meeting Janner and taking after him, being a sisterly figure, leader and queen ti billions of orphan children, and helping them find their strenght and fight for their freedom.

Maraly, a rude strander girl who was raised horribly her whole life by her abusive father, finally finding true love and a true father figure.

Everything about this story has touched me. A broken world taken by an evil monarch who turned to be just another broken soul, filled with hopeless people, people who had surrended to the darkness... Saved by three children, who brought light everywhere they went. A boy with scars, a boy inside a wolf, and a girl with a crutch. Kids who one day were mere peasants, the other were the Jewels Of Anniera, and a year later, heroes of Aerwiar.

I've smiled, I've laughed, I've been shocked, I've been scared, I've been mad, I've cried. I have red lots, and I mean LOTS of books. Different stories, different worlds, different characters. Yet none of them has touched me half as much as The Wingfeather Saga.

It has war, tears, bloodshed, betrayals, sacrifices and sorrow. But it also has love, joy, hope, laughter, wonder and light.

This story definetely deserves way more fans and recognition. I hope that with the new animated series (which I'll definetely watch later) it begins to gain more love.

Anyways. I really love this in case y'all couldn't tell already. Have a good day/afternoon/evening.

#the wingfeather saga #janner wingfeather #kalmar wingfeather #leeli wingfeather #the warden and the wolf king #podo helmer #nia wingfeather #book rant #andrew peterson #christianity #underrated books #fantasy books

[howtotrainyourdragontoread]

How to Train Your Dragon: the Book Series

first off, a pinned post:

hi! you can call me rain, and i'm here to talk about the *book series* of How to Train Your Dragon.

this is NOT an account to hate on the movies. the first movie was one of my childhood favorites and i still love the soundtrack.

but you know what is also good? you know what has intricate plots and great characters and excellent, profound themes and messages, and is really another thing entirely? the books. (I'll make a post - probably multiple posts - about the differences, but really they should just be considered separate things at this point.) There's 12 books and they tell a wonderful story and I love them, and I think more people should read them. and that's why i'm here today

#httyd #httyd books #how to train your dragon #book series #underrated books #hiccup horrendous haddock iii #<- get it because hes like the only one thats consistent #toothless

[readsinunderrated]

Me: *reads a book* Me: *loves the book* Me: *gets on tumblr to see related posts*

Tumblr: You thought you read something popular?

Tumblr: Here there are like six people and a shoelace in this fandom.

#underrated books #lockwood and co #uprooted #song of the forever rains #night circus #books

[brightbeautifulthings]

Katzenjammer by Francesca Zappia

"They're all so dark, Dad said one day, watching over my shoulder as I worked at the kitchen table. Why don't you paint things like a blue sky, or a field of flowers, or a bird flying on a breeze? Something happy that your mom can put on the fridge. She can put these on the fridge, I said. Maybe just one flower? he asked. There are no flowers where I live, I said."

Year Read: 2023

Rating: 4/5

About: Cat has been stuck in School for as long as she can remember. The hallways slowly expand and contract with School's breathing, the showers run red with blood, and the students have divided themselves into changed and unchanged. While the unchanged hide in the fortress of administration, Cat and her friends haunt the courtyard and hallways. Her best friend is turning into cardboard, and Cat's face has become a cat mask made of her own hardened flesh. There are no doors or windows in or out of School, and something is hunting them down one by one in the hallways. To escape, Cat will have to understand why they're trapped in the first place. Trigger warnings: Some triggers are listed at the end of the review because they include spoilers. Character death, guns, violence, blood/gore, dismemberment, body/eye horror, bullying, slut-shaming, vandalism.

Thoughts: Thanks to @ninja-muse for recommending this book, since I'm not sure I would have found it on my own. This is probably my favorite Francesca Zappia novel to date, and one of the best novels on this subject I've ever read (more on that after the spoilers). However, I believe it's best to go into it not knowing much more than the description provides. This book works extremely well as a slow reveal. What starts out as a mindfuck becomes slow understanding as we realize more or less alongside Cat what is happening in School, and you'd be doing yourself a disservice to read the spoilers if you plan to read this. However, it covers a number of very heavy and potentially triggering topics (and it's difficult to gush about how I think it works without giving things away), so I'll include those thoughts at the end. I can't stress it enough though. If you're not easily triggered, stop here and go read this book!

This is also one of the best examples of uncanny horror that I've read in a long time. Zappia expertly manages to capture the quality of a nightmare without sacrificing the continuity. School is creepy and semi-sentient, and the changes it brings about in half the students are a study in body horror. Perhaps even more terrifying are the parallels it draws to some very real life horrors such as bullying and, indeed, I found the flashback chapters of Cat's surfacing memories of her former life of being targeted, bullied, and slut-shamed at school more difficult to get through than the surreal scenes of hacked up bodies or bloody showers in School. Real life horror always affects me a lot more than the supernatural, and Katzenjammer does an excellent job of balancing both. The ending is cathartic and effective, and there's less of a plot twist than a sort of inevitable, dawning horror-- which is honestly the best kind.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS. TURN BACK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Remember how I said that real life horror is always worse than the supernatural or the uncanny? I stand by that statement. Zappia draws such excellent parallels to real life in her uncanny School that it's almost impossible not to realize before Cat does that the traumatic event that put them there was a school shooting. I've read a couple YA novels that handled the subject fine, but I don't think any of them capture it as well as this one. We need something like the supernatural School and the horror of bodies changing in ways we can't explain to fully grasp the senseless horror of gun violence. Killing children makes no more sense than hallways that breathe or girls who turn into their cat masks. It takes Cat the entire novel to understand the horror and absurdity of what's been done to her and to accept it-- that there are reasons but not excuses, and that we will never know all of them. I cried a little at the end, but I think the real life horror of it is too big for tears. Instead, it's a feeling that will sit with me long after I've turned the last page.

#book review #francesca zappia #katzenjammer #ya horror #underrated books #4/5 #rating: 4/5 #2023 #ninja-muse

[bubblegumbabycow]

does anyone have any good book recs

my tbr list is looking a little too small

#underrated books #books and reading #books #books & libraries #bookstagram #booklr #currently reading #bookworm #reading

[luxshine]

Can you imagine The Never Ending Story written by Stephen King? Well, wonder no more, because The Talisman is... sort of like that. It's a fantasy story about a child traveling to a parallel world in order to save the life of his ailing mother AND the other world's queen, but written jointly by Stephen King and Peter Straub? It brings a lot more horror to the table than what we're used to from fantasy tales. Still, it's an amazing read, and one I absolutely recommend! https://youtu.be/nEZ99xIgDSY?si=CrzMusvFvdWncxn-

#Calico chimera #Luxshine arts #Stephen king #King mondays #Stephen king books #The talisman #Mirror worlds #Fantasy #Young adult adventure #Underrated books #Peter straub #Speedpaint video

[mydarlingdearestdead]

books I have either never seen anyone post about or didn't see enough of that I loved:

The Other Ones by Fran Hart- Pax, my child. Anyway, short and haunted. you'll love it

Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot- disabled rep, trans rep, gay rep... all in one book along with an amazing plot. just go read it.

Not my Problem by Ciara Smyth- sapphic, set in Ireland, uses words like 'Craic' which I love despite hating them used in actual conversation. also Kavi. I adore him.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Ábíké-Íyímídé- I don't know how to describe this book and do it justice. just read it.

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie- Ophelia is so easy to kin and I adore her. Anyway, sapphic and really just a story about discovering yourself

Thirteen Stories by Jonathan Sims- a horror book about a cursed (not like witches cursed) apartment building and its residents and owner. (Also includes a trans character called Damian but that's not really a plotline)

All the bright places by Jennifer Niven- (fine this one is pretty big) reluctant wandering and an even more reluctant participant in Violet, as well as an overly eager one in Finch. (Spoiler alert: she smiled at him)

Lore by Alexandra Bracken- greek mythology with a twist, absolutely insane genius. I love it.

Okay that's it for me, maybe I did this as a means of procrastination, you'll never know

#(I did) #book recommendations #book recs #books #reader #reading #book #idk what to tag this #underrated #underrated books

[princessofbookaholics]

#books #booklr #book #reading #read #bookworm #reads #bookaholic #bookaddict #underrated books #underrated #polls #book polls #book poll

[oleander-r]

WANNA TALK UNDERRATED BOOKS? HWVE YALL READ THE CHARLOTTE HOLMES SERIES THAT SHIT HAS SOME OF THE MOST GORGEOUS LINES I HAVE EVER READ IN MY LIFE AND THERE IS SUCH A LACK OF JAMIE WATSON CONTENT ON THE INTERNET AND I AM IN LOVE WITH HIM

#books #reading #charlotte holmes #jamie watson #a study in charlotte #underrated books #in love #jamie watson owns my whole heart

[mylove4reading]

I binge read "not even bones" on webtoon and love every second of it. As much as most people find Nita unlikeable, I kind of love her character, she's intriguing enough to make me continue the series and she's a bit different from most characters I read from webtoon. I love her relationship with Kovit, and the fact that Nita accepted him as he is as well as him with her. 💗💕

I was scared a bit scared in the story that they would change their characters as being morally grey to hero type of thing but I'm glad they stayed as grey🤭

Not to mention the side characters💗☺🤭 my favorite😍

#not even bones #webtoon #underrated books #young adult #nita #kovit #unnatural #rebecca schaeffer

[catandherwips]

"You are monstrous, Your Reverence."

"Let the greatest of my sins be forgiveness for the unforgiveable."

"I will not beseech Thee for mercy...for I know you will have none."

Marzanna quotes. ♥️

#Bookblr #render to silver #current read #underrated books #writing books #bisexual main character #indie author #Indie writer #book quotes #monster fucker

[mayzi33]

I've done it. I've finished the Magic Misfits books.

Right now im still in denial that it finally ended for me... I've cried the tears I had to cry, and now I'll say the things I have to say.

Now, where do I start. When I got the first TMM book, I was expecting a silly little children story that would make me laugh. But it did so much more than that. I don't know how, but it did.

Each of the characters have touched me in a way, and taught me things as I red the story.

Carter taught me that it's okay to have difficulties. It's okay if you don't have much, if your clothes are ragged, your hair is dirty, or your stomach is empty. It doesn't make you less than anybody, you're still able to do what you want. As long as you are honest, enduring, and keep hoping, you will find a home. Friends, family, people who love you for being you, no matter what you went through.

Leila taught me that it's okay to feel sad. What makes you a bright person isn't about being happy all the time, it's about overcoming your despairs, and keep going. The people who love will still love you, whatever you have a smile or tears in your face.

Theo taught me that it's okay to be imperfect. No one is perfect, nothing is perfect. Everyone has its ups and downs, friendships have their ups and downs, but that's what makes them stronger. It's being able to overcome it, and still love one and another, and yourself.

Ridley taught me that it's okay to be frustrated. It's okay to snap sometimes and have a hard time saying what you really feel. You can still find ways to assure the people you love that you love them, even if they have their flaws, even if you have your flaws, you are still able to love.

And how could I forget, Izzy and Olly taught me that no situation is lost. There's (almost) always time for a good joke. Rough days become stories, that you can laugh about in the end.

The Magic Misfits is way more than a children's story. It's a story about acceptance, hope, trust, love. It shows us that anyone can be anyone, there's always two sides of the coin, not everything is what it seems to be, nothing is impossible, together we are stronger, and most of all... Real magic can be anywhere if you look for it.

Truly, it has been a ride, and I'll still hold onto the hope that it might get a sequel someday. For now, I'll just go through my five stages of grief by reading fanfics, making some edits, and looking for TMM content in the depths of every media.

This story deserves so much more love and attetion, that's why I'm telling you, TMM fandom, what a wise "phsych" woman once said.

"Alone we are weak. Together we are strong."

What do you say we try to bring more people into our club? Because I will certainly not shut up about these books until I get at least one of my friends to read them.

Anyways.

I'll.

Sit.

And.

Cry.

In.

A.

Corner.

Now.

#the magic misfits #carter locke #leila vernon #ridley larsen #theo stein meyer #olly golden #izzy golden #dante vernon #fantasy books #books and reading #underrated #underrated books #needs more love

[yejihyos]

“Ishu smiles, and my breath hitches at the sight of it. She smiles so rarely that each one – the genuine ones that light up her entire being – feels like a gift. Like something private she has only reserved for me.”

#hani and ishu's guide to fake dating #hani ishu #bookblr #book quotes #underrated books

[readsinunderrated]

I just re-read Howl's Moving Castle and honestly guys I love this book so much it has one of the most chaotic vibes ever.

#howl’s moving castle book #howl’s moving castle #hmc book #sophie hatter #howl jenkins pendragon #underrated books #underappreciated

[brightbeautifulthings]

Hello, lovelies! Tell Me Something Tuesday is a meme created by Rainy Day Ramblings and currently hosted by Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, That's What I'm Talking About, For What It's Worth, Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Offbeat YA. It provides weekly discussion prompts on various book and blogging topics with optional participation. You can sign up for prompts here.

This week’s prompt is: What are some of your favourite indie/small pub authors/books?

I adore this prompt because I have SO many small/indie press books that I love that don't get enough attention. It's the saddest thing to love an incredible gem of a book and know it’s not getting the proper hype. I was going to try to narrow this list down to five (and then ten), but these all deserve my love and recognition, so here are ten indie/small press books you might not have heard of, and two you probably have (although if you've spent any amount of time on my blog, you’ve probably heard me screeching about all of them before).

The Art of Escaping by Erin Callahan (Amberjack Publishing) I could scream forever about Callahan's writing. She's easily one of my favorite small press authors, and I would read anything she ever published without question. A very well-done YA contemporary coming-of-age story about authenticity and friendship, with barely a hint of romance.

Dream Keeper by Amber R. Duell (The Parliament House) Why why why haven't more people read this book? It's A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) meets Rise of the Guardians (2012), complete with Sandman and Weaver, a sweet romance, and some truly spectacular world-building. I haven't stopped raving since I read it.

The Goblins of Bellwater by Molly Ringle (Central Avenue Publishing) There isn't enough goblin fiction out there, in my opinion (and I've looked), but this is easily my favorite of what I've read. It's a paranormal romance with complicated characters and a gorgeous setting, where goblins are pure and simply the villains-- no sexy goblin king here.

The Shadow Glass by Josh Winning (Titan Books) Speaking of sexy goblin kings. Hi, hello, have you heard me screaming about this book too? Fans of 80s nostalgia fantasy like The NeverEnding Story (1984) and Labyrinth (1986) will find so much to love about this. It’s basically a spiritual sequel to those films about what happens when we grow up and don't believe in magical worlds anymore--and how much we still need them, even as adults. Complete with talking puppets!

Daphne by B.C. Johnson (self-published) Technically, this is a horror novella set in the Deadgirl universe, but it's my favorite in the series, and I don't think readers unfamiliar with the other books will have trouble following it. If you need a violent, lesbian harpy in your life, with a blend of Greek/Norse mythology and a body count, this is for you. You had me at eat them alive.

Smoke and Key by Kelsey Sutton (Entangled Teen) Yet another book I can't believe more people haven't read. It's such a strange, gruesome little afterlife story with a dash of romance, like The Corpse Bride (2005) without the slapstick humor or the singing. Exactly my kind of weird.

The Chronology of Water by Lidia Yuknavitch (Hawthorne Books) A gut-wrenching and beautifully crafted memoir about what happens to women in particular when we don’t fit the labels our culture has made for us. Fans of Cheryl Strayed will adore it.

After Always by Barbara J. Hancock (Entangled Teen) Sometimes the blend of paranormal and romance hits exactly the right note, and this book nails it. I adore the haunted house setting and the lovely, atmospheric writing, but I stayed for the excellent character arc of Lydia both grieving her lost boyfriend and realizing he wasn't good for her.

Theories of Forgetting by Lance Olsen (Fiction Collective 2) If you like experimental fiction at all, you absolutely need to read some Olsen. While I feel it's not quite as thematically whole as Calendar of Regrets, it might be a bit more accessible. It's smart and easy to read if not to understand, since while there are a lot of big concepts in here, the writing itself isn't overly complicated (also assuming you can decide where to start, since both sides look like the back cover of the book-- good luck!).

We Told Six Lies by Victoria Scott (Entangled Teen) This is a weird, fucked up little thriller about a toxic relationship, so of course that's exactly why I love it. The characters are complex, codependent, and completely unaware of how badly they behave, and the plot is tense and mysterious. One of my favorite underrated YA thrillers.

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee (Duet Books) We've reached the part of my list where you've probably heard of these books, but they're well-worth mentioning, especially for superhero fans. Great characters, fun world-building, and excellent queer representation across the board.

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic (self-published) You knew this was going to make the list, right? This book is so immensely popular on Tumblr that sometimes I forget it was a self-pub. I've read and reread it so many times, and the characters are so compelling, the story so immersive, that once I've started the first, I can't stop until I've finished the trilogy. Well-deserving of its hype.

#underrated books #indie press #indie publishing #small press #small publishers #tell me something tuesday #booklr #discussion post #list #book list

[bubblegumbabycow]

What’s an underrated book/series you have read that you think needs more recognition??

#bubblegumbabycow #underrated books