Top 5 Books I Don’t Talk About Enough | Top 5 Tuesdays

Hello again! It’s Tuesday, and of course that means it’s time for a Top 5 post. Top 5 Tuesdays and their topics are brought to you by Shanah @ the Bionic Bookworm. Check out her blog, she’s awesome, and this page for the list of topics for August!

This topic was a little tricky for me. I feel like I do a good job of talking up all the books I know and love, but there are definitely books that can use some more attention. I am pretty stoked about this list.

Let’s check it out:

1) Nooks & Crannies – Jessica Lawson

This is such a fun, cozy little mystery written for middle-grade readers. Personally, as an adult, I loved it! A young girl and several other children are thought potentially to be the long-lost grandchild of a very rich, philanthropic woman. She brings them to her mansion in order to find out which one might actually by the child, but something about her and her mansion is fishy and the young girl, who fancies herself a sleuth, rallies the other children to get to the bottom of it.

I feel like I don’t promote this one enough. I had such a blast reading it and I try my best to recommend it to children who are looking for a good mystery. It’s very much about giving children agency, which I love.

2) Boys Don’t Knit (in Public) – T. S. Easton

This book was so much fun to read! Any guesses why I picked it up?! The main character is a teenage boy who has a crush on one of his teachers. He gets into some shenanigans but ultimately ends up having to pick an extra-curricular class, where he discovers he actually loves knitting – and he’s good at it! But he’s desperate to keep it a secret from his friends and family.

I don’t know why, but I haven’t had a chance to really toot this book’s horn yet. It’s a really cute, funny YA that sort of breaks down the barriers of what is considered acceptably “masculine.”

3) See You in the Cosmos – Jack Cheng

Another middle-grade! I couldn’t help it, because this book blew me away! I wasn’t expecting it to be so fantastic. I actually think it would appeal to adults, simply because of the subject matter that is addressed in it. To put it simply, a young boy has built a rocket that he wants to send into space. He goes on a long journey and ends up befriending several people along the way. It deals with some pretty heavy issues, like depression, schizophrenia, and infidelity. But it’s a really hopeful story about a kid who has such big dreams.

I really love this book, and not just because of the science and space stuff. I definitely wanted to give it a shout-out because it is fantastic!

4) Beartown – Fredrik Backman

I didn’t expect this book to hit me in the feels so hard. I thought it was just going to be a slice-of-life story about a small town that is obsessed with hockey. But it was so much more than that. This story follows a lot of characters, but their stories are so inter-woven, I actually didn’t mind. It also deals with some heavy stuff, like rape, which I wasn’t expecting. I was feeling so many things: anger, sadness, hope. Backman is really a masterful storyteller and this book is such a masterpiece.

I know I’ve mentioned it before on the blog, but it can always do with some more promoting.

5) The Nest – Kenneth Oppel

I have definitely promoted this book before on this blog, but I’m here to do it again, because it isn’t enough!

This book is so subtle and creepy. It gets under your skin. It’s fantastic, and honestly I don’t care that it’s middle-grade. If you’re an adult, this book will still creep you out. Oppel is an excellent writer and you will definitely be hit in the feels with this. It deals with a young boy who wants to help his baby brother, who is suffering from a lot of health issues. He makes a deal with a hive-queen, who approaches him in a dream…or was it a dream? The main thrust of the story is if he should trust the hive queen or not. You won’t guess the ending, I guarantee it.

Thoughts & Thanks!

What do you think of my selections? Did any of your favorites make it on this list? Thank you for reading this post. Let’s chat in the comments! And, as always, happy reading!