The challenge proved to be harder than I initially thought it would be- I originally thought I would have no problem finding 10 of these. But after looking at my Goodreads account, I found quite a few books with <2000 ratings that I would prefer stay in the abyss of obscurity and not quite enough lovable, obscure books. Apparently I don't read as many super unknown books as I thought I did? So, rather than share a bunch of books that I really don't like, I've supplemented this list with some books that have more ratings than specified, but these all have <5000 ratings. For simplicity's sake, this list doesn't include comics that would qualify.
Here are the books!
Top 6 Books That Have Under 2,000 ratings
1. Silhouette of a Sparrow by Molly Beth Griffin was an absolute gem. It's historical, it's cute, it's woman-centered, and it stars two young lesbians without being creepy or age-gappy! Seriously, there are like two men in the entire novel and about a million awesome female characters. It can be a little cheesy at times, but it's quite a lovely coming-of-age novel and very underrated.
2. Dust City by Robert Paul Weston has been a favorite of mine since I was young. If you like fairy tale retellings, especially with dark twists, this is for you. What happens when the magic starts to run out in a happily-ever-after world? This novel will show you, and might shock you. It has a really cool vaguely post-apocalyptic setting with a lovable protagonist and isn't super sad.
3. Through the Dark by Alexandra Bracken is a collection of novellas that I read courtesy of the wonderful Clara @ Lost in My Library, and it made me cry. Multiple times. I do not recommend reading this while you're trapped on a bus with 30 other teenagers for the next 8 hours, but I do highly recommend reading this sometime (preferably at home with a blanket and/or a small animal). This collection is absolutely beautiful and poignant- a perfect extension of the intricate, heartbreaking world developed in the The Darkest Minds series.
4. Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby is cute and sad and beautiful and you should read it. It's kind of a coming of age novel that features a deaf girl navigating life, friendship, and tragedy while learning her own identity. It is pretty sad, but the kind of bittersweet sad that made me reflect about life instead of inconsolably sobbing for several hours. It's really great, trust me.
5. Lizard Radio by Pat Schmatz is a book I've posted about before, and I'll post about it again because it's super cool. Did someone say surrealist science fiction? This novel is definitely trippy and not for everyone, but one of very few YA books with gender nonconforming protagonists. There's also a great message and a hopeful ending, helping to create an absolutely unique and unforgettable adventure.
6. Willful Machines by Tim Floreen has one of the most unique premises I've seen lately, featuring a whole host of ethical questions with a great gay romance. Also, dystopian robots. Just, dystopian robots. What more could one want in a novel beyond gays and dystopian robots?
Honorable Mentions (slightly above 2,000 ratings but still underrated and great):
7. Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block has quite a few haters, but I don't love it any less. Yes, it is a flawed book. Yes, it is slightly confusing. Yes, please stop bashing it. I loved this book for its adorable yet courageous crew of queer kids on a roadtrip mission to survive the surrealist apocalyse. Think Mad Max crossed with Percy Jackson and made a thousand times gayer. It's kind of trippy, and the magical realism tends to frustrate many readers, but don't take anything too seriously and just accept the story world and you should be ok. This book also inspired the title of my blog (non sum qualis eram) and holds a very dear place in my heart. It has a beautiful cover and one of the few positive, non-invasive portrayals of a trans guy in YA Lit, and I just love it so, so much.
8. Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills is another one of those precious positive portrayals of trans guys in YA. I read it last summer and loved it a lot. There were a few things that definitely irked me as a trans person, but it was a very cute and positive coming-of-age story with a quite satisfying ending.
9. Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero is an intersectional feminist powerhouse and chock full of girlpower. Gabi attempts to survive senior year while the world throws challenge after challenge her way. Poetry, family, and friendship are her rocks. There is a lot of serious content in this book, and it's presented in a light way but still some very heavy stuff. However, it has a beautiful ending that makes the entire book worth reading.
10. Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley is another fabulous book I owe to Clara @ Lost in My Library. It's a bittersweet book, and doesn't flinch away from the time period it's set in. Two girls slowly fall in love despite the obstacles that the time of school desegregation throws at them. Admittedly, one girl is facing quite a few more obstacles, and this novel describes them in vivid detail. This book will not be easy to read, but it will be worth it.
I love that we got a pretty huge chunk of these books from each other. And YES Through the Dark!! How did I miss that one? And I'm sorry that you had to read it on the bus, but I LOVED getting to see your reactions. Even if you did cry. (This is coming from someone who read it on a plane.)
ReplyDeleteWow, what a terrible place to be while reading Through the Dark! What is it with us and accidentally reading tearjerkers in public?
DeleteGuys I need to read all of these..... Who has them?
ReplyDeleteYesssss! I have Dust City and I'm pretty sure I still have Hurt Go Happy, but the rest were library books or from Clara.
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