My fellow bookish types and I frequently talk about books that we wish got more attention from readers, but my sense of how much attention a book is getting can be skewed by the media I read and the people I discuss books with…At least, until a few months ago, when I learned about a feature on Goodreads that could tell you how many other people have a particular book on their shelves in the last year. Now I can actually talk about books that are empirically underrated…at least in the last twelve months.
Here are some books from my Goodreads list that I know need more attention:
Crossing the Lines, by Sulari Gentill
A bunch of people added this book back in July, but not many people have rated or added it to their read list. I really loved the way this book twisted around on itself to tell the story of two authors writing each other into being. I want to give it to my writing friends as well as my reading buddies so that they can have a cerebral experience based on the creative power of writing.
Declare, by Tim Powers
This book is one that I kind of keep secret because, the few times I recommended it, the other readers gave up before finishing. Still, I absolutely adore the way this book blends fantasy with actual history. I didn’t know what was going on for most of it the first time I read it, so I can understand. I didn’t mind though. I enjoyed the mystery of it and the way the book refused to spoon feed information to me.
Salamander, by Thomas Wharton
This book has such low numbers on Goodreads that I think I can officially call it an undiscovered gem. This book is hard to find, unfortunately, because I would love to recommend it to readers who enjoy quirky, slightly academic, book-based adventures.