Happy Tuesday! It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, the weekly feature run by That Artsy Reader Girl where you choose ten books to fit a weekly prompt. This week’s prompt is books I enjoyed but never talked about on my blog. I had to bend this one a bit because I do monthly wrap-ups and WWW Wednesday posts that mean every book I’ve read since I started my blog has shown up a minimum of twice. So without just going to books I read before starting my blog, here are the books that I gave 4 or 5 stars to but didn’t write a blog review of and have rarely (if ever) used in TTT posts, book tags, etc.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
I really enjoyed this trilogy, they’re such an interesting take a on the fae world. I gave each book 4 or 5 stars and always enjoyed diving into this world.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
I read this book almost 2 years ago and I still remember it pretty clearly. It’s such a mind-bending tale, it really made me think.
The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry
Back in the worst of the pandemic when my library was closed, I reached for this book that had been sitting on my shelf unread for years. It was such a pleasant surprise and a really unique twist on a YA romance.
The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero
This middle grade book hit me hard, I cried my eyes out. It is a beautiful story that takes a horrible piece of world history and puts it into an enchanting middle grade book. This is far and away the best non-fantasy middle grade book I’ve ever read.
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
I don’t know what it is about this book that made it stand out from other contemporary fiction about a women who is messed up and then finds love. But it did and I loved it.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
I picked up this book knowing nothing about it and read it in an afternoon. It was such an interesting story, it really pulled me in. I recently recommended it to someone and couldn’t even say what it was about but something about it left an impression.
Slay by Brittney Morris
I read this at the end of 2021 and really enjoyed my time. It really has its own voice and I wish I hadn’t put it off for so long thinking it was just a gamer story, it is so much more than that. I learned a lot and it made me think, it has some great discussions on race.
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
This series was a great read and it’s definitely a unique and well-built world. I don’t think this series gets the love it deserves from the book community but if you like YA fantasy, it’s a great one.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
I read this duology back at the beginning of 2019, right when I was starting to read a lot. I fell in love with it immediately. It really stands apart, it reminds me of nothing I had read before or since.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
I’ve read the initial Red Rising triology but haven’t continued beyond that yet. The first book was by far my favorite and the only one I gave 5 stars. The sci-fi with a hint of Hunger Games vibes was right up my alley.
Susan Lyn Knits and Reads 
I’ve heard good things about Slay.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-enjoyed-but-have-never-mentioned-on-my-blog/
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I’ve read both Little Fires Everywhere and Strange The Dreamer. Little Fires Everywhere was only okay for me, I actually enjoyed the TV miniseries more. Strange The Dreamer I really didn’t like, it was too dense and weird for me. I’m glad you enjoyed them more!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/03/01/top-ten-tuesday-357/
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Strange is definitely a polarizing book. I don’t always like purple prose but something about that book, it just worked.
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That’s totally fair, I realise I’m very much a black sheep on that one!
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Strange the Dreamer has some of the most gorgeous writing I’ve come across. I never did get around to the sequel. I really enjoyed The Cruel Prince as well
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The sequel was also great. I loved Taylor’s writing but have somehow never read anything else of hers.
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I think I read the first Daughter of Smoke and Bone book but I don’t remember much about it.
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RECURSION is a great read! I loved DARK MATTER, too. Mind-benders, for sure.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
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I want to read more by Crouch but have only read Recursion so far. I think he has a new one coming out too.
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