TOP 10 TUESDAY (#9): BOOKS UNDER 2000 RATINGS

“Books fall open, you fall in.” 

David T.W. McCord

*Top 10 Tuesday was created by the blog Broke and Bookish, if you want to see all the topics, past and future, you can go here.

This week's theme was: 10 books (15 in my case, 'cause well... It's me) under 2000 ratings that you have read. But I didn't do it like that, because it was going to be mainly Buffy the Vampire Slayer related and that would be pretty fucking boring, honestly.

So I decided to do 15 books of my enormous tbr list instead, because there are some books that sound pretty great and that don't recibe enough love.

I'm probably even going to do a series out of this 'cause there's a fuckton of them and I'm cool like that.

Show these books some love, people! Do you have some recommendations? Tell me in the comments!

PS: I gave myself some rules to have a little bit of organization in my head.

1. They had to be published before 2016, so they had a little more chance to be read and rated.
2. They had to have a rating of 3.50 or more.
3. And... Well, that's it. I'm not very good at making lots of rules.

PPS: Sorry for posting this so late, but life is a bitch, you know?

1. (Don't You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

"I found a quote from some guy that summed up the lucky thing pretty perfectly for me. It went like this: “Depend on the rabbit’s foot if you will, but remember it didn’t work for the rabbit."

Rating: 

3.58

Num. Ratings: 

1,665

Publication Date:

June 10th 2014

Summary:

Welcome to Gardnerville.

A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.

Except...
There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.

Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.

2. Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros by Matthew Christian Reinhart (Design), Michael Komarck (Illustrations)

"The powerful have always preyed on the powerless, that's how they became powerful in the first place."

Rating: 

4.63

Num. Ratings: 

355

Publication Date:

June 10th 2014

Summary:

Inspired by the Emmy® Award–winning credits sequence that opens each episode of the hit HBO® series, Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros is guaranteed to thrill the show’s legions of fans.

Featuring stunning pop-up recreations of several key locations from the series, including the formidable castle of Winterfell, the lavish capital city King’s Landing, and the Wall’s stark majesty, this book—designed by renowned paper engineer Matthew Reinhart—takes you into the world of the series like never before.

Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros features a total of five stunning spreads, which fold out to create a remarkable pop-up map of Westeros that is perfect for displaying.

The book also contains numerous mini-pops that bring to life iconic elements of the show, such as direwolves, White Walkers, giants, and dragons. All the pops are accompanied by insightful text that relays the rich history of the Seven Kingdoms and beyond, forming a dynamic reference guide to the world of Game of Thrones.

Visually spectacular and enthrallingly interactive, Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros sets a new standard for pop-up books and perfectly captures the epic scope and imagination of the series.

3. Unbound (Unwind Dystology #5) by Neal Shusterman, Michelle Knowlden, Jarrod Shusterman, Terry Black, Brendan Shusterman

"I'd rather be partly great than entirely useless."

Rating: 

4.17

Num. Ratings: 

738

Publication Date:

December 15th 2015

Summary:

In the New York Times bestselling Unwind Dystology—Unwind,UnWholly, UnSouled, and UnDivided—Neal Shusterman thrilled readers with the story of a society that deals with its out-of-control teens by “unwinding” them—transplanting more than 99% of their bodies into other people.

In the latest installment of this sequence, Shusterman—along with collaborators Terry Black, Michelle Knowlden, Brendan Shusterman, and Jarrod Shusterman—explores even more aspects of a world that has accepted the unacceptable. These short stories examine the world of unwinding in a way we haven’t seen before, providing a fresh framework, new characters, and a different take on some events.

With UnBound, Shusterman’s fans can continue to get caught up in the world he has created in this “gripping, brilliantly imagined futuristic thriller” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

4. Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown (Edward Scissorhands #1) by Kate Leth, Drew Rausch (Illustrator)

"You see, before he came down here, it never snowed. And afterwards, it did. If he weren't up there now... I don't think it would be snowing. Sometimes you can still catch me dancing in it."

Rating: 

3.59

Num. Ratings: 

356

Publication Date:

May 19th 2015

Summary:

An all-new adventure revisiting Edward Scissorhands' two decades after the end of the fan-favorite movie! In a castle just outside a sleepy suburban town, a brilliant inventor created Edward Scissorhands... but left him tragically unfinished.

Two generations of exile have left Edward digging through abandoned experiments, but once he wakes up a creature left buried, he discovers he isn't the only one missing a vital piece. As Edward tries to fix a grave mistake, he comes face-to-face with a teenage girl who was sure he was only myth... despite the stories her grandmother told her about the man she could never touch.

5. 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

"Yep, she was a disastrophe. Pathetic."

Rating: 

3.79

Num. Ratings: 

1,774

Publication Date:

September 17th 2013

Summary:

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo.

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

From master of suspense Gretchen McNeil comes a riveting and deliciously eerie story about the lives we wish we had – and how they just might kill you.

6. Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie

"Fear tingled along David’s spine. The children filled him with a superstitious awe. He kept expecting them to stop in unison and stare at him, like something out of a horror movie."

Rating: 

3.83

Num. Ratings: 

1,033

Publication Date:

May 20th 2014

Summary:

From an acclaimed horror writer, a chilling tale of blood-hungry children who rise from the dead in this innovative spin on apocalyptic vampire fiction.

Suffer the Children presents a terrifying tale of apocalyptic fiction, as readers are introduced to Herod's Syndrome, a devastating illness that suddenly and swiftly kills all young children across the globe. Soon, they return from the grave…and ask for blood. And with blood, they stop being dead. They continue to remain the children they once were...but only for a short time, as they need more blood to live. The average human body holds ten pints of blood, so the inevitable question for parents everywhere becomes: How far would you go to bring your child back?

7. Liberty by Annie Laurie Cechini

"I knew the minute I woke up the deal was going to go bad. I had that sense in the base of my gut, the hairs rising on my neck, all the signs that point to impending danger—or paranoia. I usually attribute it to the latter, barrel through, hunker down, and it all works out. I knew this was not one of those times."

Rating: 

3.96

Num. Ratings: 

78

Publication Date:

February 1st 2013

Summary:

A Stolen Vial

Eternigen is the miracle drug that allows humans to travel in deep space. Seventeen-year-old space captain Tabitha "Dix" Dixon has the only vial of Eternigen in existence.

A Relentless Enemy

Eira Ninge always gets what she wants. She wants the Eternigen, and she'll do anything-and kill anyone-to get it.

A Deadly Curse

Since Dix stole the vial, everyone she loves seems fated to die. When young resistance messenger Jordan Berrett steals her heart, she has to decide if it's worth risking his life to let him get close. When Dix is involved, even falling in love can turn deadly.

A Chance For Freedom

If Dix can get her hands on more Eternigen, she and her crew can escape the solar system, leaving her dark past behind. But getting the Eternigen won't be easy, and the bodies keep piling up. In the end, the cost of freedom may be too high.

8. Poetry and Short Stories by a Bipolar Girl by Melissa Burke

"I don't understand people. One person—one—can cause so much hurt. And yet I love them anyways. So it isn't people I don't understand—it's myself."

Rating: 

4.30

Num. Ratings: 

20

Publication Date:

August 12th 2012

Summary:

This book was written by a young woman with bipolar disorder, who wrote poems and short stories both in her manic and depressed states.

It's meant to shed some light on bipolar disorder and depression for those who don't suffer from those things, know someone who does or just want to understand what goes through the mind of someone with mental illness.
It's also meant to show those who go through the same things that they aren't alone.

And while doing all of that, it's also just a fun book to read.

9. Slayers (Slayers #1) by C.J. Hill

"Promises were like laws; smart men knew when to break both."

Rating: 

4.10

Num. Ratings: 

1,963

Publication Date:

September 27th 2011

Summary:

Dragons exist. They're ferocious. And they're smart: Before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant, so their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it – these "Slayers" are descended from the original knights, and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a smart but spoiled senator's daughter who didn't sign up to save the world.

The dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands. The Slayers must work together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall in love. But will they survive?

10. The Shadow Club (Shadow Club #1) by Neal Shusterman

"I haven't told anyone the whole story yet. I don't like to talk about it, because it scares me. I get nightmares. When I was little, I got nightmares about werewolves, or dumb things like that. Now I get nightmares about myself."

Rating: 

3.84

Num. Ratings: 

1,442

Publication Date:

February 18th 2002

Summary:

The Shadow Club starts simply enough: the kids who are tired of being second-best get together and, for the first time, talk about how they feel. But soon the members decide to play practical jokes on the first-place winners they envy, and things begin to spin dangerously out of control.

"This is a provocative novel . . . The plot is ingeniously simple and the course of events compelling. Brisk enough to snag a popular audience, but forceful in impact, it will leave readers thinking." (Booklist, starred review)

11. Balloon Animals by Jonathan Dunne

"My son's got the I.Q. of a robot but I don't have the dough to send him to school."

Rating: 

4.05

Num. Ratings: 

155

Publication Date:

October 1st 2012

Summary:

Balloon Animals is a pilgrimage and road-trip of unusual dimensions.

Follow me, Jonny Rowe, on a wild goose-chase from Ireland to the USA with my American grandfather's remains in my red birthday balloon. I use 'remains' in the loosest sense of the word: my grandfather, 45, puffed his last breaths of air into my birthday balloon before suffering a massive heart attack right there at my birthday party which becomes his deathday party.

Feeling responsible for 45's death, and as a thank-you for filling Clinical Dad's void after leaving that questionable suicide note, I make it my quest to return 45 to his birthplace amongst the corn of Iowa, USA, suspended inside his soul-bubble. This journey might also help me with my identity-crisis ... I'm a genealogy student, by the way. And who knows, maybe I'll find love - I tend to find things when I'm not looking for them.

Join me on a desperate race against time to unveil the truth as my birthday balloon begins to deflate and loose 45 forever to the wind

12. Once Upon a Zombie, Book One: The Color of Fear (Once Upon a Zombie #1) by Billy Phillips, Jenny Nissenson

"It was an allegorical, metaphorical, rhetorical question."

Rating: 

4.04

Num. Ratings: 

196

Publication Date:

October 1st 2015

Summary:

Unexplainablenews.com is reporting strange phenomena in cemeteries in Scotland, Germany, Italy, and America. Only one individual knows what's happening - and why! This person also knows the one girl who can prevent an unspeakable and imminent catastrophe from taking place. But will she?

When Caitlin Fletcher's mom disappeared (or left?) four years ago, Caitlin began suffering from breathless bouts of anxiety. Her new move to London, with her Dad and her brainiac sister, threatens to lead to more situations that will trigger panic. Now, she's having anxiety over the possibility of having anxiety!

Caitlin's life takes a turn for the bizarre when she's tricked into climbing down a "rabbit hole", landing in a wondrous fairy tale universe - except it's crawling with savage, starving blood-eyed zombies. But what's scarier - a blood thirsty zombie, a panic attack....or the painful truth?!

13. Ruthless by Carolyn Lee Adams

"I will not be a victim. I will not think like a victim. I am going to avenge all those little girls. I am going to win."

Rating: 

3.71

Num. Ratings: 

993

Publication Date:

July 14th 2015

Summary:

A spine-tingling debut about the ultimate game of cat-and-mouse in reverse as a teen struggles to retain hope—and her sanity—while on the run from a cunning and determined killer.

Ruth Carver has always competed like her life depends on it. Ambitious. Tough. Maybe even mean. It’s no wonder people call her Ruthless.

When she wakes up with a concussion in the bed of a moving pickup truck, she realizes she has been entered into a contest she can’t afford to lose.

At a remote, rotting cabin deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ruth’s blindfold comes off and she comes face-to-face with her captor. A man who believes his mission is to punish bad girls like Ruth. A man who has done this six times before.

The other girls were never heard from again, but Ruth won’t go down easy. She escapes into the wilderness, but her hunter is close at her heels. That’s when the real battle begins. That’s when Ruth must decides just how far she’ll go in order to survive.

Back home, they called her Ruthless. They had no idea just how right they were.

14. 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger

"We girls watch from our boxes like orchids in a greehouse. Sheltered from the past. Blinded to the future."

Rating: 

3.70

Num. Ratings: 

1,275

Publication Date:

May 12th 2015

Summary:

In the year 2054, after decades of gender selection, India now has a ratio of five boys for every girl, making women an incredibly valuable commodity. Tired of marrying off their daughters to the highest bidder and determined to finally make marriage fair, the women who form the country of Koyanagar have instituted a series of tests so that every boy has the chance to win a wife.

Sudasa doesn’t want to be a wife, and Contestant Five, a boy forced to compete in the test to become her husband, has other plans as well. Sudasa’s family wants nothing more than for their daughter to do the right thing and pick a husband who will keep her comfortable—and caged. Five’s family wants him to escape by failing the tests. As the tests advance, Sudasa and Five thwart each other at every turn until they slowly realize that they just might want the same thing.

Told from alternating points of view—Sudasa’s in verse and Contestant Five’s in prose—allowing readers to experience both characters’ pain and their brave struggle for hope.

15. A Reaper of Stone (A Reaper of Stone #1) by Mark Gelineau, Joe King

"All the comfort and magic of the place was gone, replaced with cold dread. New world or old, it seemed the stain of treachery and the promise of violence was always near. She just hoped the old man and the girl were smart enough to avoid running headlong into it."

Rating: 

3.85

Num. Ratings: 

181

Publication Date:

September 18th 2015

Summary:

A Lady is dead. Her noble line ended. And the King’s Reaper has come to reclaim her land and her home. In the marches of Aedaron, only one thing is for certain. All keeps of the old world must fall.

Elinor struggles to find her place in the new world. She once dreamed of great things. Of becoming a hero in the ways of the old world. But now she is a Reaper. And her duty is clear. Destroy the old. Herald the new.