Are there books you just don’t see talked about enough, and you can’t understand why, because you loved them? Here are three underhyped titles, with less than 5,000 ratings on Goodreads, I think you should read…
Crownchasers, Rebecca Coffindaffer | 2,410 ratings
Alyssa Farshot has spent her whole life trying to outrun her family legacy. Her mother sacrificed everything to bring peace to the quadrant, and her uncle has successfully ruled as emperor for decades. But the last thing Alyssa wants is to follow in their footsteps as the next in line for the throne. But when Alyssa’s uncle becomes gravely ill, his dying wish surprises the entire galaxy. Instead of naming her as his successor, he calls for a crownchase, the first in seven centuries.
This was such a fun space romp of a book! The Crownchase competition pits Alyssa against other elites from the galaxy. The winner inherits the throne. Alyssa finds herself in a deadly battle that she doesn’t even want to be a part of. The energy of this book makes it a pretty quick read and the ending won’t be what you expect.
The City Beautiful, Aden Polydoros | 2,636 ratings
Chicago, 1893. Alter is working hard to bring his family to America. But when Alter’s best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World’s Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: possessed by Yakov’s dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter than anyone knows.
I’m honestly so sad that this book hasn’t gained more traction. It was a Cybils Award nominee when I read it and I pushed for it to win. Ultimate, Vespertine won out but I still felt The City Beautiful was such a strong story and I’d love to see more people read it.
A Door in the Dark, Scott Reintgen | 5,548 ratings
Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays—Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids. Which doesn’t sit well with any of them. A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.
So this one has a bit more than 5,000 ratings but I still want to include it. Reintgen is the author of the Nyxia Triad, a YA sci-fi trilogy that I read and loved. I listened to this one on audio and enjoyed it as well. Nyxia has gotten a much stronger following and I’d hoped that would trickle down to A Door in the Dark. If you love dark academia vibes with a touch of wizardy and some sci-fi portal travelling mixed in, you’ll love this.
Night Theater, Vikram Paralkar | 2,866 ratings
A surgeon working in a small village clinic has his outlook on life changed one night when a teacher, his pregnant wife, and their young son appear. Killed in a violent robbery, they tell the surgeon that they have been offered a second chance at living if the surgeon can mend their wounds before sunrise. So begins a night of quiet work during which the surgeon realizes his future is tied more closely to that of the dead family than he could have imagined.
I can’t even remember how this book got on my radar but it hooked me immediately. It unique and, at the time, was unlike anything I’d read before. I’ve since sought out books similar to this one because I enjoyed it so much. It’s one of those books that reads like fiction but feels like a subtle philosophy lesson. I mean that in a good one. This one is really thought provoking.
Yesterday is History, Kosoko Jackson | 2,901 ratings
Weeks ago, Andre Cobb received a much-needed liver transplant. He’s ready for his life to finally begin, until one night, when he passes out and wakes up somewhere totally unexpected…in 1969, where he connects with a magnetic boy named Michael. And then, just as suddenly as he arrived, he slips back to present-day Boston, where the family of his donor is waiting to explain that his new liver came with a side effect—the ability to time travel.
This book is a lovely and heartbreaking story of time travel and a tragic queer love triangle. My only complaint about this book is that at times it felt rushed but I loved the premise and the idea for this. It’s definitely worth a read.
What book do you think more readers needs to read?
