So technically today’s TTT prompt was Top Ten Books I Loved but Never Reviewed, but, since I’ve only been running a blog for a little over the month, that applies to the vast vast majority of books I’ve ever read. Thus, I decided to do books that I loved but that I don’t think I’ve ever actually remembered to recommend to people instead!

The Ruby Redfort series

I love this series so very much, and I would honestly have read dozens of these books if Lauren Child kept churning them out. They’re funny and clever and Ruby is one of my favorite protagonists. Even though they are middle grade the plot feels sophisticated enough to be YA, and anybody who likes spies or movies or witty heroines should give these books a go. I don’t really know why I never recommend these books, but “teenager who is also a secret agent” is a very niche genre, so that might be part of it.

The Three Dark Crowns series

I loved this series despite only liking two of the four main characters, which is difficult to do. I couldn’t stand Jules, and didn’t love Mirabella, but I loved Arsinoe and Katherine enough to make up for it. The setting is really interesting and the magic system is so unique. Despite that, I never remember to recommend these books, and I don’t really know why. Perhaps its because the most basic version of the plot being sisters who have to kill each other to become queen seems cliche without descriptions of the world building and background.

The Of Fire and Stars series

I adored this book, though I still haven’t read the sequel. I keep meaning to, but then I think I should reread the first one before doing that, and then I think that I should read the other new books I have before doing rereads even as I am rereading The Selection or The Lunar Chronicles for the tenth time, and it’s a whole thing. This is one of the precious few high fantasy books where the two main characters are queer, and especially where they’re lesbians, so it’s really important to celebrate it, but I don’t think I’ve recommended it to anybody since I was gushing about it to a few friends while reading it.

That Inevitable Victorian Thing

I really enjoyed this book when I was reading it. I remember loving the setting and characters, though I don’t really remember much of the plot. It’s on my “need-to-reread” list, so I’ll get to it soon! My guess as to why I never recommend it is that the setting is a hard concept to explain, but I don’t really know.

A Winter’s Promise

This is another high fantasy book with a fascinating magic system that deserves more love, but that I don’t think I’ve ever recommended to anybody. It’s translated from French, which is the main reason I picked it up, but it’s really good and it deserves more attention. Despite that, I don’t recall ever recommending it to anybody, which is something I will seek to rectify, as with the other books on this list.

The Prince and the Dressmaker

I love this book, but I think the reason I’ve never recommended it to anybody is simply that, when somebody asks for a graphic novel recommendation, my mind instantly jumps to one of Tillie Walden’s books, like On a Sunbeam or Spinning, which are probably my two favorite graphic novels of all time. However, this book deserves love too, so I’ll try to remember it next time I’m telling somebody about graphic novels.

The Inquisitor’s Tale

I love Adam Gidwitz’ books so much; the A Tale Dark and Grimm trilogy was one of my favorites as a kid. However, I never remember to recommend The Inquisitor’s Tale, even when talking to people who are buying for somebody in the target age group (though people of all ages can read this book). I don’t know why that is; maybe it’s because when I’m thinking about books for 10-11 year olds I think about the books I adored as a 10-11 year old, and I read this book as an older teen.

The Beauty That Remains

This is a lovely contemporary book that probably suffers the fate of my never recommending it due to the fact that I just don’t recommend contemporary books that much. I don’t love contemporary YA that much; there are definitely books I like in it, but they very rarely capture my heart in the way that other YA books do, so I usually default to well-known series like To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.

The Snow Like Ashes trilogy

I loved this series when I read it 4 years ago, but I don’t think I’ve ever recommended it to anybody and I don’t really know why. People should read these books! I think I just read a lot of high fantasy, and this isn’t necessarily the first one that jumps into my head when people ask for recommendations in that genre.

The Ash Princess trilogy

This series is wonderful. I think the only reason I rarely recommend it is because I keep putting off the third book, and the way that that book turns out, mainly the resolution of the love triangle, will somewhat affect how I think of the rest of the series, so I’m just hesitant. I don’t really know.

What are some books that you think back and realize you’ve never recommended to anybody even though you really should have?