Ten books you might have missed but should read!
There are so many books in the world, sometimes you can't get through everything. So I'm recommending ten books I've read myself that I think languish on the shelves undeservingly. So in alphabetical order, here are my ten books you've might have missed but should read.
Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh – this is the story of a young girl who grew up in care who has no one to call her own. But one person had a connection with her and she taught her the Victorian Language of Flowers.
Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin – want to read the original Harry Potter? This came out when my Mum was a teenager and when you read it and you can see where JK Rowling got a lot of her ideas. Luckily the similarities stop there and there's a whole new fabulous world for you to discover.
Underground by Andrew McGahan – a futuristic Australian thriller that is hilariously action packed. Perfect for fans of Terry Hayes, Lee Child with a dash of Aussie humour to really make it sparkle.
Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell – a fantastically researched novel of old Japan. David Mitchell brings to life the year of 1799 through the eyes of a Dutchman living in Japan. Constrained to a small man-made island in Nagasaki Harbour he nonetheless meets and falls in love with a Japanese girl.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – for those who love Neil Gaiman, and other well written fiction with elements of magic this is the perfect book for you. A victorian gothic tale that spins a web between characters in a way that will delight you.
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa – a maths professor who has only 80 minutes of memory hires a housekeeper with a young son who is interested in maths. Between the three of them a strange family forms and a story that will sit with you for many years to come.
The Cats Table by Michael Ondanjte – the lovliest book where nothing happens. It's a funny little semi-autobiographical story of when Michael went from Sri Lanka to England on a steamship to boarding school.
Between Shades of Gray by Ruth Sepetys – a harrowing tale of World War II told through the eyes of a young Lithuanian girl. Beautifully written but heartbreaking., love, life, loss and a part of the war you've never heard about.
High Sobriety by Jill Stark – at turns funny, brutally honest and informative this autobiography will make you reassess your own alcoholic habits, without judging you.
When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman – once there was a young girl and she called her rabbit God. With her big brother by her side, this is the story of a family, day to day life and yet so much more.