Forgotten Treasures: BBAW

Today’s Book Blogger Appreciation Week Prompt:

Today’s Topic:  Sure we’ve all read about Freedom and Mockingjay but we likely have a book we wish would get more attention by book bloggers, whether it’s a forgotten classic or under marketed contemporary fiction.  This is your chance to tell the community why they should consider reading this book!

Prior to book blogging, I was not always reading the latest title. I read books based on synposis, my emotions, and whichever had the loudest siren call. I do miss that, but I love reading the latest books, the YA scene has absolutely exploded with quality.

I chose the following two books because A) They are YA, B) They made my heart sing loudly and C) In my time blogging I have seen one review for the first one and zero reviews for the second, therefore I want to spread the love.

Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier is awesome. I remember coming back to this book in the library. I would pick it up and set it down. Finally, I was all APRIL you need to stop picking this up and putting it down and just bloody read it. I feel in love. This book has a lot of pages but they are absolutely engrossing. Here’s the blurb from goodreads.com:

Dimple Lala doesn’t know what to think. Her parents are from India, and she’s spent her whole life resisting their traditions. Then suddenly she gets to high school and everything Indian is trendy. To make matters worse, her parents arrange for her to meet a “suitable boy.” Of course it doesn’t go well — until Dimple goes to a club and finds him spinning a magical web . Suddenly the suitable boy is suitable because of his sheer unsuitability. Complications ensue. This is a funny, thoughtful story about finding your heart, finding your culture, and finding your place in America.

The other book I have chosen is Firebringer by David Clement-Davies. I know, I know people be hating on anthropomorphic books. But I love them. Give me a talking mouse, german shepherd, rat, etc and I am HOOKED. So, of course this was another browsing in the high school library what is that gorgeous cover MUST read book. I haven’t read very many books from the point of view of a deer, but this book is all that and a bag of chips. This book brings it. I mean it has a prophecy and animals. It’s like epic fantasy minus the bullshit. I mean, it’s not exactly Redwall or anything, but oh, it is so full of win.
Here’s the goodreads.com summary:

In a Scotland beset by Norse invaders, the deer -the Herla- are fighting their own war. A tyrannical new lord of the herd has ended the old way, the yearly play of antlers that ensured a change of leadership. At his command is a corps of young stags, scars on their brows and antlers sharpened for the kill, whose mission is complete dominion over the animal world. But Herla lore promises a hero, a fawn with a strange birthmark whose unique bond with all creatures, including man, will ignite an epic battle and free the Herla forever.

In this grand and gripping book, with its echoes of myth, legend, and gospel, David Clement-Davies has created a classic hero tale set in a society that is at once convincingly animal and a sharp reflection of our own.

 
What are your favorite forgotten treasures?

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April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.
About April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Comments

  1. Glad to hear you liked Born Confused! I have had it on my shelf for a while now and have yet to get to it. Will have to move it up the list!

  2. That first one sounds interesting!

  3. OMG!! Firebringer is one of my all-time favorite books! I read it 9 years ago when I was 15, and it blew my mind. Maybe the lack of reviews in the book blogging world for it is because of its release date? Anyway, thanks for calling attention to it, and consider this the second vote in Firebringer's favor!

  4. I was the same way before I started blogging! I don't think I ever read a book that was published in the same year. lol. I'll have to check out your choices!

  5. Anthropomorphic books were the backbone to my childhood and have a very presitguous classical history (Watership Down, Black Beauty, Lassie) so I will hear no hatred of them. I'm super excited to see one here on a BBAW post and 'Born Confused' looks awesome.

  6. I used to teach high school English and enjoyed reading YA. I haven't done so in quite a while, so I'll be going through your blog for good ideas.

  7. I used to teach high school English and enjoyed reading YA. I haven't done so in quite a while, so I'll be going through your blog for good ideas.

  8. FICTION STATE OF MIND says

    i ve never heard of this! its definetly on my wish list now thanks!

  9. Natalie (Mindful Musings) says

    I haven't read either of these, but I've seen them both around. Since you liked them so much, I'm putting them on my TBR list. Thanks for the recommendation!

  10. Born Confused sounds like a great book! I'm always on the lookout for books by South Asian authors, so I'm definitely adding that one to my list.

  11. A talking deer? Seriously? I'd only read it because I've gotten to know you well enough to trust your reviews.