Wednesday, December 04, 2019

#AMonthofFaves Underrated Books We Think Deserve More Buzz

I didn't know how much I would have to say on today's #AMonthofFaves topic but when I perused the list of books I'd read in 2019, I found quite a few which I was surprised I hadn't seen more people talking about. If you've read around here, or followed me on Instagram, for any length of time, likely none of these will be surprising to you.

Please note, all images come from Goodreads and they are not affiliate links.

The Perfect Predator: A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug: A Memoir 
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I don't know why I haven't heard more about this book. It's about a scientist trying to save her husband from a superbug. He is dying in the hospital and eventually they use phages to try and cure him. I found this book so interesting and first heard about it from my massage therapist. Why hadn't I come across it before? I don't know.

Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America 
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My friend, Emily, recommended this book. I flew through it. The opiate crisis is so big right now, why are more people not reading this book? It's so important to find out how it started and what might be done to rein it in.

The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House 
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I found this book in a list of books a blogger had read this past summer. She is not a blogger who regularly writes about books. I loved this book so much, I wrote a review of it. (You can read it here.) I really think everyone should read it as it is so interesting and really gives an up close and personal look at The White House and what keeps it running. And I'm not even American, so I think this book is should be even more interesting for those of you who are.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars 
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There is a blogger I read who writes a monthly book review. I don't always love the books that she reads but I often find good recommendations from her readers' comments. That's how I found this book. To me, this book felt like what would result if The Night Circus and Where The Crawdads Sing got together and had a baby. It isn't magical like The Night Circus but I had the same feeling of wonder while reading it.

The Lost Girls of Paris 
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Everybody knows about The Orphan's Tale so why is no one talking about Jenoff's next book? When an author has a stunning novel, I always wonder, "Can they do it again?" And, in my opinion, the answer this time is a resounding, "Yes!" I read this book in one sitting because I had to know what happened. Why, then, does it feel like I'm the only person who has read it?

The Cafe by the Sea (Summer Seaside Kitchen, #1)The Endless Beach (The Summer Seaside Kitchen, #2)
I don't know where I first came across Jenny Colgan (likely a readathon) but she is my new favourite author of 2019. How come it feels like no one else has discovered her? Her books are lovely, featuring quirky heroines. One of her books had me sobbing by the end, I was so devastated by what was happening to her characters. I would recommend starting with her series above. But don't read The Endless Beach in public.


Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive 
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I read this book after I found out I was losing my job. I've been unemployed for three months now and am starting a new job next week. This book, which I read in the last weeks of my previous job, was such a reality check. I have so much support and am in a stable marriage, where my spouse has a stable job. This is not the reality for everyone around us, and this book helped me not take that for granted.

The Girl He Used to Know 
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This book was so delightful to read and it sucked me in and I read it all at once. I don't know why more people aren't reading it. The main character, Annika, is so beautifully written and I just fell in love with her.

Trans Like Me: A Journey for All of Us 
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I know this list is getting long but I couldn't end it without talking about this book. It opened my eyes to so many issues and concerns from the transgender community. It talked about the history of transgender people. And it is a book that I found so powerful. I think everyone should read this book and I don't know why they aren't.

As you can tell, there are a lot of books I read this year which I think deserved more buzz. Have you read any of these? Do you agree with me? Was there buzz around some of these which I just missed? Fill me in!

#AMonthofFaves is hosted by Kim and Tanya at GirlXOXO (link here) and T of Traveling With T (link here).

10 comments:

  1. I've been wondering about Dopesick. I'll have to put it on my list.

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    1. It was very well done. However, as a parent, it scared me as to what my kids might be exposed to. Yikes.

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  2. The Perfect Predator sounds right up my alley! And I've been meaning to read The Resident forever- sounds so compelling.

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    1. I was surprised by how much I loved The Residence! And how into The Perfect Predator I got. They are both well worth the read, in my opinion.

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  3. Dopesick looks interesting. In our area they are turning a lot of old shopping centers into medical offices. In the end, there is always a trail of money...so sad.

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  4. Both of the Jenny Colgan books are on my TBR list and there are 2 others on your list I want to read!

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    1. I am so happy I discovered Jenny Colgan this year!

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  5. Yes I agree with this list! And any book I haven’t read is already on my TBR. I think of them all, I’m most shocked that “where the forest meets the stars” is so overlooked. Like you, it reminds me of Crawdads and given the blazing success of Crawdads, how is this book not going viral as well?!?!?!

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  6. I haven't been reading much .,.. any ... non-fiction, but have been feeling in the mood for it recently so I made a note of some additions to my TBR from your list.

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    1. I read a lot of really great fiction this year. I highly recommend it :)

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