"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Monday, August 8, 2011

Top Ten Underrated Books

Hosted by The Broke and Bookish
Books that I think are underrated and haven't received the recognition they deserve. (In no particular order.)

1.  Couch by Benjamin Parzybok--- a modern-day epic journey remotely similar to The Lord of the Rings, except this time the object of fascination is a couch.  This book is very, very funny. I wish more people would read it. Here's my review. (2008)

2.  The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch--- set in Olympia, Washington this coming-of-age story is poignant and funny and environmentally accountable. I love the local references.  I wish I could talk students and teachers into giving this book a try. (2005)

3.  The Dairy Queen (and sequels) by Catherine Gilbert Murdock--- a delightful YA series about a girl, DJ, who works her Dad's dairy farm and is very athletic.  She is asked to help out the neighboring school's Quarterback with his skills and a budding romance develops. I love this series and so do all the girls who read it on my recommendation, but it seems like I'm the only one saying how good it is! (2006+)

4.  The Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness--- I've been singing the praise of this futuristic/dystopian series every chance I get, yet it hasn't caught on the way it deserves.  Try it. First book is The Knife of Never Letting Go! (2008+)

5.  Tales of the Madman Underground: A Historical Romance, 1973 by John Barnes---I know, I know.  Every chance I get on this blog, I sing the praises of this book.  Isn't it time you give it a try? It was my favorite book of 2010 and hardly anyone knows it. Read my review. (2009)

6. Tales of Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan---a collection of 15 vignettes by a talented artist.  Every kid at my school who has read this book loves it and so do I. Graphic novels. (2009)

7. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson---everyone I know who has read this book loves it.  I think it deserved more attention in the award categories last year. What I said about the book. (2010)

8. The Cardturner by Louis Sachar---recognize the author? He wrote Holes! Sachar says this book is his best and he wrote Holes!  This book is amazing and deserves more attention. Read about it here. (2010)

9. Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel---I liked this book so much that I wrote the author and told him so!  It is about human and animal rights.  It has a lot of discuss and to think about.  My review. (2010)

10. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan---this book by well-known YA author David Levithan is considered an adult book.  It think this book is very clever with each chapter similar to a dictionary entry. This is one of my favorite reviews I've written. (2011)



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28 comments:

  1. Helen's Book BlogAugust 8, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    I've only read Dairy Queen, but really enjoyed it. Tales of the Madman is on my TBR list. I'll have to get it once school starts up again

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  2. AllieAugust 8, 2011 at 9:14 PM

    I've only heard of a couple of these, so I suppose I should add these to my list! :)

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  3. Alexis @ Reflections of a BookaholicAugust 8, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    Wow! I haven't read any of these. I will take note of these titles.

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  4. RedAugust 9, 2011 at 6:41 AM

    I've heard so many good things about The Lover's Dictionary, I should probably give in and read it already!

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  5. Sash and EmAugust 9, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    I love David Levithan!

    Check out my Top 10!

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  6. Jenni ElyseAugust 9, 2011 at 9:31 AM

    LOL. When I read that The Chaos Walking series was written by Patrick Ness, I thought of Elliott Ness and though I didn't know the man who put Capone in jail wrote a series. Then, I realized I was thinking of Elliott Ness.

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  7. Marie KAugust 9, 2011 at 10:27 AM

    I've got The Highest Tide on my bookshelf and I've nominated it twice to my book club, but it hasn't been voted in. Lover's Dictionary has been on my wishlist for a while. Glad to know it's good!

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  8. Ashley @ Book LabyrinthAugust 9, 2011 at 10:53 AM

    Yesss for 'The Sky is Everywhere' - definitely one of my favourite books.

    I really want to read the Dairy Queen books, and the Patrick Ness ones as well.

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  9. AnnAugust 9, 2011 at 11:14 AM

    Wow! What an awesome list. You have just added 10 more books to my TBR pile. Top of the list is going to have to be 'Tales of the Madman Underground' - I'm sold!

    http://thebookgatherer.blogspot.com/2011/08/top-10-tuesdays-underrated-books.html

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  10. Michelle SantiagoAugust 9, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    hi anne! yes, dairy queen is an awesome contemporary YA and i wish more people would read it. i really want to read the sky is everywhere.

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  11. DTAugust 9, 2011 at 12:38 PM

    Thanks for stopping by my blog! There are so many good books that I am discovering today. I'm afraid my TBR list will be ten miles long now!
    http://www.deadtreesandsilverscreens.blogspot.com

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  12. Sarah @ Y.A. LoveAugust 9, 2011 at 12:44 PM

    I haven't read Dairy Queen, but I obviously should because it's been on a couple of lists like this one. The Chaos Walking trilogy is brilliant. I'm a big fan of The Sky is Everywhere; I read it after a student highly recommended it.

    Thanks for stopping by my post today :)

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  13. Laura (All the Word's a Page)August 9, 2011 at 2:22 PM

    I completely agree with your choices, namely cause I haven't read any of them. LOL!

    Here's my Top Ten: http://bit.ly/qqOf7F

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  14. Jenna St. HilaireAugust 9, 2011 at 2:34 PM

    Ooh, now I want to read The Cardturner. :) The Dairy Queen sounds like fun, too. Thanks for the list!

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  15. MEAugust 9, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    I had The Chaos Walking series too. And we also have the same blog background lol.

    My Top Ten

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  16. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 4:21 PM

    I've heard about The Lover's Dictionary, but have yet to pick it up. Maybe this will give me the push I need...

    Great list!

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  17. LBCAugust 9, 2011 at 4:44 PM

    I really enjoyed your list. I've heard of quite a few of these books, but not read them. I have read, and really enjoyed, The Lover's Dictionary and The Sky is Everywhere. I've heard good things about Jim Lynch's Border Songs as well, but I haven't seen the one on your list.

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  18. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    The Cardturner *slaps forehead, shakes head* I love that book! I have The Sky is Everywhere on my list and I have seen it on quite a few others today. Great book. Here is my list: http://wp.me/pzUn5-wF

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  19. Two BibliomaniacsAugust 9, 2011 at 6:10 PM

    I loved Holes and can't wait to check out The Cardturner! By the way, impressive review on the Lover's Dictionary and what a unique book!

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  20. JennyAugust 9, 2011 at 6:11 PM

    Hey, Anne. I'm trying to pick at least one book from each top ten today and I chose Tales of the Madman Underground. It sounds interesting. I love this top ten because great obscure books need more light shown on them.

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  21. Deb Nance at ReaderbuzzAugust 9, 2011 at 6:22 PM

    As always, I agree with you completely. Tales of Outer Suburbia is marvelous. And I really liked The Lover's Dictionary, too.

    Here's my Top Ten post for this week: Top Ten Underappreciated Books
    And don't forget to stop in and sign up to win in the Readerbuzz August Giveaway!

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  22. Alison Can ReadAugust 9, 2011 at 7:35 PM

    I thought the Cardturner was one of the best books from last year. Any book that makes bridge interesting has to be good.

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  23. MeganAugust 9, 2011 at 7:35 PM

    Couch sounds hilarious, and Half Brother sounds like a book that would be right up my alley. Thanks for adding some great books to my wishlist!

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  24. MichelleAugust 9, 2011 at 9:46 PM

    Half Brother- what a great read! Gives so much to think about. Now I will definitely have to get to The Cardturner, and the Dairy Queen series!

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  25. Carole RaeAugust 10, 2011 at 12:38 PM

    Honestly...I've never read any of them! Great list! Maybe I'll check some of them out! ^.^

    Carole

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  26. Audrey (holes In My brain)August 10, 2011 at 7:13 PM

    CHAOS WALKING *brings out pom-poms* definitely one of my favourite YA series ever, it seriously racked up those Carnegies! :P DQ series is so fantabulous, I agree, and so are Shaun Tam's books-- brilliant. fab list :)

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  27. danyaAugust 10, 2011 at 7:27 PM

    Thanks for dropping by! I've heard good things about the Chaos Walking series. Also, I can see how that Lover's Dictionary review must have been lots of fun to write! I'd really like to give that book a try at some point.

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  28. Emily HAugust 16, 2011 at 2:51 PM

    This is an older post so I apologise for commenting so late, but I wanted to say that I LOVE the Dairy Queen trilogy! I reviewed the Dairy Queen on my blog last month, and one day I'll do the other two. But seriously, what a great contemps read. I kind of wish there were more because I want to see what DJ does at U Minn!

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