As
a reader, I always found myself enjoying the pleasures of
reading books that not many people discover right away. However,
whenever I start watching Youtube videos of book reviewers or reading
blogs from my fellow readers, I come to discover that many books that
I found personally enjoyable are not always in the eye of someone
new. Most of the time, I only see people talking about the latest book
from very popular authors like Sarah J. Maas and J.K Rowling. After a while, it
becomes tedious to read or listen to the same thing repeatedly. While
I do support the success these talented authors have to give
us readers, I want to see more books that I've discovered in the past
in the hands of everyone to enjoy. So, here a few books I personally
believe need to have a shinning moment in the reader's eye.
1. The Falconer Trilogy by Elizabeth May
As a reader that doesn't fully enjoy faes in stories, this particular trilogy brought out a pleasant joy to be within the first pages. The story follows Lady Aileana Kameron, a powerful aristocratic who hides a deepening secret that no one else possesses in 1844 Edinburgh. Aileana comes from a ancient line of female warriors that can see and hunt down evil Sithichean (faeries in the Scottish lore). The overall dynamic of the first book was very well done with the characters being unique in their own nature. What was also enjoyable about the story was the way the author took the time to research the Scottish lore. It was portrayed in a sense that became easy to follow and exciting to learn more about in the future.
2. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
When I took African-American literature at SUNY Oneonta with Professor Choonoo, this novel impacted me the most with its honesty and fearless descriptions of how race and cultural differences were affected back in the 1950's. The narrative structure is so powerful with the rawest of emotions and characters that are so realistic. The way Ellison composed this novel was simply breathtaking with his way of language and ability to go into such depth with both the protagonist and the 'antagonists' actions, so readers could feel more of the great impact of historical events such as the Harlem riots.
3. The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum
Okay, so this one is a guilty pleasure for me because this was the very book that literally got me into reading full time. Following the idea of Dante and his lover Beatrice within the modern times containing the wonders of time travel and hot Italian men species, haha. The story itself is a classic, in my personal opinion, with Abby (the protagonist) being a strong-willed person with chances of reaching the stars in her writing; and Dante being a sweet and caring gentleman with a knack for acting and protectiveness over the people he cares about. I could go on and on about how I think this trilogy is a wonderful gem. It may not be the greatest in advance literature or fantastical such as the Harry Potter series, but it was a fun read.
All in all, these are only a few
examples of the hidden gems of my reading list. Some may be quite
similar to you, but to others, perhaps they are a greater discovery
for the different moods you're experiencing throughout the day. As a
reader, I already know that there is so much more stories to
discover, so much to learn and experience all in the condensed pact
of paper and a glorious cover to protect its powerful words. Each
book is a gem and a gem is only waiting to be reveal to the world
even when its hiding behind the popular ones.