Top Ten Tuesday: Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s top is “Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads” and I was surprised how many books I like that fit in the under 2,000 rating bracket. I suppose I shouldn’t have since I tend to like the less hyped and more obscure books. (Did that sound pretentious? Yes. Have I ordered books from Australia because I love the series and they aren’t published in the US? Also yes, so it’s not completely unfounded.) I excluded books that I’ve read that haven’t been released yet because they’d obviously have a lesser number of ratings.

Please give some love to all those wonderful books that the users of Goodreads have slept on.

Easy Prey by Catherine Lo – 143 Ratings on Goodreads

“[Jenna] rolled her eyes, ‘Yeah Drew. I bragged about the fact I’d seen my law teacher naked.’” Although they all deny leaking the photos, only three people had access to the photos of Miss Bailey before they went public. There’s Jenna, the rebel, Mouse, the brains, and Drew, the jock.
Easy Prey is an outstanding dark and edgy thriller about sexting, rumors, and how one mistake can change the lives of many, complete with an epic twist at the end that you won’t suspect. Catherine Lo’s latest novel left me on the edge of my seat until the last page.

The Grave Keepers by Elizabeth Byrne – 170 Ratings on Goodreads

A grave is to think. It matters not what is in another’s grave. A grave is for the keeper alone. These are the tenets for grave keeping that Athena and Laurel’s family follow. But the sisters couldn’t be more different, one choosing to spend all her spare time in her grave, and other wanting nothing to do with the family business of grave keeping. Soon, their quiet lives are filled with mean girls, a runaway boy, and that ghost.
Creepy and whimsically kooky, The Grave Keepers is a stunning debut novel. Elizabeth Byrne crafts story of sisterhood and life before death that you won’t soon forget.

Speak of Me as I am by Sonia Belasco – 386 Ratings on Goodreads

Both grieving the death of a loved one, Melanie and Damon meet after Damon takes Melanie’s picture in the park. As Damon gains the staring role in Othello and Melanie paints sets, the grow closer, helping each other heal.
Touching and poignant, Speak of Me as I am is a beautiful story of death, love, and Shakespeare. Sonia Belasco crafts a stunning coming of age novel that is highly recommended.

In Her Skin by Kim Savage – 609 Ratings on Goodreads

Vivienne Weir disappeared at age nine, leaving the Lovecrafts desperate to have her back, and this is what Jo Chastian is counting on. Jo planned the perfect way to keep herself off the streets, pretend to be Vivienne and get adopted by the wealthy and mysterious Lovecraft family. It works, but everything isn’t as it seems especially when it comes to the Lovecraft’s daughter Temple.
Thrillingly addictive, In Her Skin makes you think you know what’s happening, then rips the carpet out from under your feet. You won’t be able to put down Kim Savage’s newest novel. It’s perfect for fans of Genuine Fraud and A Line In The Dark.

Saving Hamlet by Molly Booth – 677 Ratings on Goodreads

When Emma Allen, stage manager of her school’s play, falls through a trapdoor, the last place she expects to land is Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. Now caught between present day and 1601, came Emma save two potentially tragic productions of Hamlet before opening night?
In a wonderfully fresh debut novel, Molly Booth combines Shakespeare, time travel, drama club drama, and a hint of romance, Saving Hamlet proves that the show must go on.

This is My Brain on Boys by Sarah Strohmeyer – 1124 Ratings on Goodreads

What causes us to fall in love? The stars? Fate? Disney songs? Addie Emerson believes the answer is far less romantic than that: science. It’s her ticket to winning the coveted Athenian Award and a full ride to Harvard. Unfortunately, her heart has other ideas.
Unexpectedly wonderful, this novel by Sarah Strohmeyer was clever and sweet. This is My Brain on Boys is a highly recommended for anyone looking for an intelligent romantic comedy.

I’m Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl by Gretchen McNeil – 1129 Ratings on Goodreads

Beatrice Giovannini, AKA “Math Girl”, has the formula to skyrocket her friends from horrific bullying to the most popular kids in school. But when her boyfriend dumps her for the new girl, Bea uses the formula on herself, transforming into Trixie, the ultimate Manic Pixie Dream Girl. However, unexpected consequences complicates things, and ‘Trixie’ discovers that not everyone is as they seem.
Gretchen McNeil’s tough biracial heroine is witty and clever, flipping a common trope on its head. Akin to Legally Blonde, I’m Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl is a hilarious and sweet novel, not to be missed.

The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen – 1817 Ratings on Goodreads

Melanie Jane, Liv, Ana, and Peyton, four unlikely friends with one thing in common, they have all been wronged by the football team, who are the royals of the school and community. The girls band together to beat the boys at their own game, discovering a scavenger hunt they must complete to win the team’s lucky football.
Racael Allen’s The Revenge Playbook is hilarious, deep, feminist, and completely recommended. Like the saying goes, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo – 1818 Ratings on Goodreads

Jess likes Angie, but Angie likes Margot, and as Angie pulls Jess further into Margot’s elite boarding school circle, Jess begins to see the darkness creeping in at the edges. When a mysterious murder takes place, lines are drawn and Jess struggles with Angie and Margot’s relationship and the truth.
With a queer Asian protagonist at the center of this psychological thriller, Malinda Lo doesn’t disappoint. A Line in the Dark is gripping and emotional, capturing the line between friend and something more.

Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens – 1991 Ratings on Goodreads

For Billie, daughter of a small town Kentucky pastor, it’s always been her and her five best friends- the Hexagon. Things begin to get complicated for her, however, when romantic feelings start flying. Billie has a lot on her plate between her best guy friend and best girl friend falling in love with each other as she falls for both of them, and then there’s the matter of how she caught the church on fire.
Dress Codes for Small Towns is a vivid exploration of love, religion, identity, and sexuality. Billie is a real dynamite protagonist who you will be rooting for the entire time. Courtney Stevens’ latest novel made me laugh and brought me to tears more then once while Billie explored the gray areas of her life.