I am going to participate in another read-a-thon! Hooray! As you might know, if you’ve been nosying around here for a little while, I am addicted to participating in read-a-thons. I’ve had this one in the books to participate in for a while now and I’m pretty keen to get on to it.
To give you a little bit of an update as to where I’m at with my reading life – I’ve been working through all the books I’ve received at Christmas as well as a few hauls from the last couple of months and for the most part I’ve chomped my way through those. I would say I’ve read 95% of my Christmas books and I’m pretty happy with my progress. What does that mean? This is an absolutely perfect time to take a break from my hardcore reading to snuffle through some underhyped books and see what they’re all about.
This read-a-thon is running from:
27th February – 4th March
The lovely Charlotte @ RamblingsOfAnElfpire is hosting this read-a-thon and she’s done a very clever thing where she’s starting it on a Saturday rather than a Monday. Which means I’ll actually be able to slay some books before the craziness of the week sets in. What ‘defines’ underhyped is really up to you – books you think are lesser known, or have under a set amount of ratings on Goodreads, etc. It’s your decision and a good lot of fun.
What am I counting as ‘underhyped’? Basically anything with under 6,000 ratings on Goodreads and books that I think sound amazing but that I’ve heard exactly 3% about in the blogosphere. Let’s get people reading them! Woot!
This is actually going to run over my first week back at uni for the year so I could be quite busy getting lost on campus and forgetting to do class readings which will take away from my leisurely reading time. So! I’m not going to be overly ambitious, for once, and pick only 3 books. But enough rambling – let’s get on to the books!
Book one:
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi (dystopia)
Author: Anna Sheehan
Published: August 2011
Publisher: Orion
Pages: 352 {paperback}
At the time of writing this:
Goodreads Rating: 3.84
Number of Ratings: 5,782
It should have been a short suspended-animation sleep. But this time Rose wakes up to find her past is long gone— and her future full of peril.
This book was a little something that I snatched up in some bargains around Christmas. It’s a futuristic retelling of Sleeping Beauty so YES. Of course I want to read something like this. It sounds ridiculously good and that cover is beyond pretty. I’ve heard literally nothing about this other than my own findings so here I am dragging it kicking and screaming into the world of internet peoples so that we can all jump around and read it – and just generally have an amazing time.
I feel like this is my most obscure pick but it’s actually the book with the most ratings on Goodreads. Go figure. Have you read this book? Have you even ever heard of this book?? Am I living under a rock??!
Book two:
Wards of Faerie by Terry Brooks
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Author: Terry Brooks
Published: March 2013 {1st pub. August 2012}
Publisher: Orbit
Pages: 486 {paperback}
At the time of writing this:
Goodreads Rating: 4.01
Number of Ratings: 4,622
When the world was young and its name was Faerie, the power of magic ruled — and the Elfstones warded the race of Elves and their lands, keeping evil at bay. But when an Elven girl fell in love with a Darkling boy of the Void, he carried away more than her heart. Thousands of years later, tumultuous times are upon the world now known as the Four Lands. Then a young Druid stumbles upon the secret account of an Elven girl’s heartbreak.
This was a Christmas present . . . from 2014 – don’t give me that look! I’ve changed my ways, now I actually read the presents I’m given when I get them. This is by the same author of the Shannara Chronicles (which I may or may not have only just worked out) and I’m pretty sure this is meant more as a companion to those books? But oh well, I think this sounds fabu-tastic and I’m pretty keen to sink my teeth into it. If it doesn’t make any sense then I guess I’ll just have to buy the entire Shannara Chronicles and read them (or even watch the TV series).
I have heard nothing about this book but I’m sure if I were more involved with Shannara shenanigans I probably would have. But given how popular the main series is (over 50,000 ratings!), I was surprised to see this with under 5,000 ratings.
Book three:
The Shattered Court by M. J. Scott
Genre: Fantasy (paranormal – witches), Romance
Author: M. J. Scott
Published: April 2015
Publisher: Roc
Pages: 313 {paperback}
At the time of writing this:
Goodreads Rating: 3.53
Number of Ratings: 1,230
Entangled in a court ruled by tradition and intrigue, a young witch must come to terms with newfound power and desire—and a choice between loyalty and survival.…
I was so excited for this book when it came out last year. I had it pre-ordered and everything. But I also had about 300 other books pre-ordered so I didn’t get around to it. I’m so excited to read this because MAGIC and THAT COVER and to be honest 98% of the reason I bought this was the title. I don’t even know why I like the title so much but I do, okay?
I’ve heard nothing about this book either – and as you can see it’s not got a whole bunch of ratings on Goodreads, it’s also got a relatively low rating. Let’s bump it up!
I’m only challenging myself to three books this time, which may even prove to be enough of a challenge in itself, but we’ll see how I go! I can’t wait to start this one as I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to pay attention to some of the books just outside the spot light.
Howeeeeever, if I magically finish all of these (I won’t, I’m sure I won’t) this is the book that is my backup:
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Author: Joanne M. Harris
Published: February 2014
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Pages: 302 {paperback}
At the time of writing this:
Goodreads Rating: 3.68
Number of Ratings: 3,948
With his notorious reputation for trickery and deception, and an ability to cause as many problems as he solves, Loki is a Norse god like no other. Demon-born, he is viewed with deepest suspicion by his fellow gods who will never accept him as one of their own and for this he vows to take his revenge.
So I picked this up yonks ago and I really should read it. I highly doubt that I’ll actually get around to reading it but a girl can dream, alright? 99% of the reason I want to read this is Tom Hiddleston. The other 1% is Chris Hemsworth. Call me shallow but you know you agree deep down inside.
What’s an underhyped book you’ve read that blew you away?
Let me know in the comments below!
Upside-Down Books 
I think I’ll be joining in, too! Now to figure out my TBR…
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Yay! It’s so hard to choose – I can’t wait to read all my books 🙂
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