Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books and Dani @ Literary Lion. Discussions pertain to topics related to reading or books. Share your opinions, and spread the love by visiting other “Let’s Talk Bookish” posts.
Prompts: How do you decide whether a book should get 5 stars? Do you try to keep 5 stars rating prestigious, or do you give them generously? Do you have a checklist of things a book must accomplish to be 5 stars? Are 5 star books perfect, or just very good? What are some of your favourite 5 star reads? What made them stand out?
Rather than a checklist, the amount of stars I give a book is often related to the likelihood of me rereading it. The book should speak to me in some way, whether it be through my emotions or connect me with the main character. It’s a combination of phenomenal writing, compelling characters, a satisfying ending, and an overall plot that I enjoyed. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it might feel nearly perfect to me. As someone who is normally detail-oriented and likes things explained clearly, I apologize. My explanation is completely nebulous. It’s hard to explain. Knowing a book is a 5-star read is a lot like being in love. You just…know. (Hehehe…)
I recently discovered I have two types of 5-star reads.
- The book I may never be able to read again: The first time was just magnificent. I was speechless. It might have even left me bawling. The first time will always be the best, especially if there was some twist I didn’t see coming. Often, the experience of reading it the first time will never be replicated.
- The book I will read over and over again: I will read this again in its entirety multiple times. Maybe I started on it again as soon as I finished. It was magnificent.
This is my all-time favorite novel. It embodies everything I love in a medieval fantasy including a strong protagonist, a compelling cast of characters, and an exciting plot that transports to another world. The series is not yet over and subsequent books have not been nearly as good but I’ve stuck with the it. I really want to find out what happens at the end.
I reread this nearly every year.
In Arrow to the Soul, a trained assassin who isn’t supposed to have feelings develops feelings for the person who is trying to capture her. It’s a common enough story but I knew this was a 5-star as soon as I picked it up because Lea Griffith’s writing is superb.
I recently finished another rereading. It’s still on my desk so I can still read my favorite parts again.
Kayley Loring is one of my favorite romance authors. Her books are hilarious. She’s stated in the past that she doesn’t believe the quality of Green is up to par with the rest of her novels. This is my favorite of her novels precisely because it’s a bit different from the rest. It’s not quite as funny but it hit all the feels for me and more.
I’ve already reread it.
This is my latest 5-star read. My review of it won’t be posted until a few weeks from now, but I was completely blown away by it. It was amazing. The experience was moving. I was in tears by the end.
I may never be able to read this book again.
Solomon is phenomenal author who took me back to my high school years. This was the highlight of 2020 for me. I connected with it on an emotional level and it also helped me to be more comfortable with telling people I love romance novels.
I reread it a few months ago.
What makes a book a 5-star read for you? If you have any 5-star reads, I’d love to hear about them!
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