Top Ten Tuesday: Underrated Books

Hello readers! Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday. This week, we’ll be looking at books with less than two thousand ratings on Goodreads.

I have to say this was HARD. I kept thinking of great stories that were over the limit but it was good to come up with ten books that need a little more love.

If you’d like to create your own list, give it a go. Top Ten Tuesday was launched by The Broke and the Bookish and has been hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl since January 2018. To find out more simply visit the host website by clicking here. 

The Librarian, Salley Vickers

Love books about books? Read this! The story follows a children’s librarian in the 1950s. Sylvia moves to a new area and ends up stuck in the middle of vicious small-town gossip. Click here for my full review.

They Do Things Differently There, Jan Mark

I ADORED this book when I was a child. Two girls living in suburban Crompton Rosehay decide there’s another world’s hidden behind their quiet, English town. They imagine a universe of mermaid factories and militant nuns.

Surviving the Evacuation: Zombies Vs The Living Dead, Frank Tayell

Most zombie books focus on young, healthy survivors. This short story from Frank Tayell is set in a care home for the elderly. Retiree George Tull hates it. His only friend there, Mrs O’Leary, is confined to bed after an operation. When the dead start to rise and the care staff run, George has to make sure he and Mrs O’Leary survive.

Solitaire, Jane Thynne

The latest instalment in Jane Thynne’s spy series. When World War Two broke out Clara – a German-British actress – stayed in Berlin and declared her loyalty to the Reich. Her colleagues don’t know that she’s risking her life to pass information on the Nazis to the British government.

Strange Magic, Syd Moore

This fun, quick read is set in my part of the world. After her grandfather’s death, Rosie Strange is surprised to inherit his ramshackle museum, which focuses on England’s murderous, historic witch hunts. The author challenges the ‘Essex Girl’ stereotype while putting Rosie through a series of supernatural adventures.

The Emperor’s Babe, Bernardine Evaristo 

I read this over a year ago, and it stuck in my mind. Written in non-rhyming verse, The Emperor’s Babe tells the funny and poignant story of Zuleika. A neglected, former child bride living in Roman Londinium, she catches the interest of visiting Emperor, Septimius Severus.

Father Frank, Paul Burke

Frank Dempsey has a secret. He’s a popular Roman Catholic Priest but he doesn’t believe in God. Frank joined the priesthood because, well, he wasn’t much good at anything else. This funny, easy read is set in North London.

Merivel: A Man of His Time, Rose Tremain

The follow-up to Rose Tremain’s popular book, Restoration. Merivel is back and he’s as flawed as ever. Charles II’s aging courtier decides to try his luck at Versailles in France with mixed results.

Crown Witness, Gillian Linscott

Nell Bray is a suffragette in the early twentieth century. When she’s not campaigning for the vote, she solves mysteries. Crown Witness sees Nell and her friend, Simon, stop a plot at George V’s coronation.

Odysseus Abroad, Amit Chaudhuri

Is it fair to include this book? It’s my current read. It’s about Ananda, a wannabe poet who moves from India to 1980s London, and his quirky uncle Radhesh. I’m half way through and looking forward to the rest.