How many five-star reads do you have on your bookshelf?
How many five-star reads do you read in one year?
What is a five-star read?
Elusive Five-Star Reads
***Titles are links to my reviews or an Amazon Affiliate Link
My Definition of a Five-Star Read
- The best of the best
- WOW factor
- Book hangover
- Well-written
- Highly engaging (hopefully from the first page)
- Satisfying conclusion
- Thought provoking themes
- Many points of connection
- Memorable characters
- Strong sense of place
- Well paced throughout
- Unique premise (usually)
- On my “lifetime favorites” list
- On my reread shelf
- Highly memorable read of the year
- Tell everyone about it
- Provokes strong feelings/emotions/reactions
I award very few five-stars in a year. For me, they are elusive and truly the best of the best. The memory of reading it lingers. Years from now, I will be able to tell you what the book was about, the themes, and how it made me feel.
Although I’ve tried to define a five-star read, I find that it one of those “you’ll know it when you read it” experiences. Reading is a personal experience, and much depends on the reader’s connection with the story….i.e. what the reader brings to the reading experience.
I understand that no two people read the same book, but don’t tell me if you didn’t love my 5-star read!
I listed a few examples of my five-star reads so you can get an idea of what kinds of books receive five stars from me. I have a shelf of five-star reads on Goodreads.
Five-Star Reads
(in no particular order)
A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
A perfect complicated family drama (not dysfunctional); multiple perspectives;10 Reasons to Love A Place For Us post
Project Hail Mary (audio) by Andy Weir
A memorable and unputdownable story of survival, friendship, and sacrifice (audio is the best format)
The Boys in the Boat (audio) by Daniel James Brown
Compelling narrative nonfiction, themes of competition, hardship, friendship, teamwork, and trust (audio is fabulous)
James by Percival Everett
Powerful and unforgettable reimagining of Huckleberry Finn from enslaved Jim’s POV, literary historical fiction, FREE Book Club Kit here
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Multiple points of personal connection, memorable character, love epistolary, FREE Book Club Kit here
One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter
Compelling and heartfelt historical fiction
West with Giraffes by Lynda Rudledge
A unique premise, unlikely companions, and an unforgettable road trip, FREE Book Club Kit here
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
Suspense, intrigue, and friendship by the queen of well-written histfic
The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore
Page-turning narrative nonfiction
The Girl from Guernica by Karen Robards
Fast-paced, page-turning, unputdownable, captivating, suspenseful histfic
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Unforgettable character and memorable setting (histfic)
Highly Recommendable for Book Club!
I confidently recommend ALL these titles for book clubs!
Find my FREE Book Club Kits here.
QOTD:
Have you read any of my five-star books? How many five-star reads have you read so far this year? Share the title of your recent five-star read in the comments.
I’m linking up with Deb @ Deb’s World, Sue @ Women Living Well After 50, Donna @ Retirement Reflections, and Jo @ And Anyways… for the May installment of #WhatsOnYourBookShelfChallenge.
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~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for reading bad ones.”
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~Madeleine Riley
***Blog posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.
All books I review are purchased or borrowed from the library unless explicitly stated that the book is free (arc).
Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website receives all credit for book covers and author photos.
© ReadingLadies.com
Cool post! I will be checking out all of these. I have read Project Hail Mary. It’s my favorite book of all time.
Thanks! Happy to hear we share the love for PHM! Eager for the movie!
You’ve read my mind Carol. I’ve had this idea for a post in my head for a couple of weeks now as I’ve been trying to pin down what makes a 5 ⭐ for me. I still haven’t sorted my ideas out but you’ve definitely given me more things to think about.
I think it is hard to pin down. It’s more of a “you’ll know it when you read it” feeling! For me, it boils down to a personal or emotional connection which can be attributed to the themes. 🤷♀️ Thanks for commenting!
I agree on your qualifications! The best of the best! I have read 5 on your list, at least 2 were 5 star for me, especially Project Hail Mary. So far this year, I have awarded 11 books 5 stars (out of about 48), I guess I am a little more generous maybe?, but 2 were rereads and still 5 stars. Five of my 5 star reads this year were: Here One Moment, by Liane Moriarty, Defending Jacob, by William Landay, One True Thing, by Anna Quindlen, Clock Dance by Anne Tyler, and I Am, I Am, I Am, a memoir by Maggie O’Farrell. So only one was a recent release.
Thanks for sharing and for your recs! I love to reread a book and it holds up to my 5 star rating! I enjoyed Clock Dance and I Am I Am triggered anxiety so I had to dnf, but it was well written! I’ve had three 5 star reads this year (The Correspondent, One Good Thing, and Kate & Frida) and several 4.5s. Wishing you a bounty of 5 star reads in 2025!
It’s definitely a “you’ll know it when you read it” experience, Carol. Great post. 💖📚
Thanks Sandy!
Hi, Carol – I love the saying that “none of us ever truly read the same book.” To me, those words ring so true. I read both ‘Boys in the Boat’ and ‘The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek’ before I was writing reviews for every book that I read (2020). I do clearly remember reading both of them, and I did give each of them a star-rating on Goodreads. Neither of them were five-star status for me, but I totally appreciate how they would be for someone else. Same with my five star reads (recent ones include: ‘The Witness for the Prosecution,’ ‘Foster’ (Claire Keegan), and ‘Oliver Twist.” I could definitely see those books not appealing to all. Thank you for this thought-provoking topic!
Reading is personal! I think I enjoyed Boys in the Boat because I buddy read it with my husband…actually we listened to the audio which was great! And I fall hard for a unique premise so Book Woman was appealing in that way! I loved Foster but my very fav of hers is Small Things Like These. I still need to watch the movie adaptation. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I also gave Project Hail Mary 5 stars! Such a fun book. And I’m in the same boat when it comes to giving books 5 stars, it’s quite rare. So far I’ve only given one book 5 stars this year, which is Chess by Stefan Zweig.
I think I’ve given 3 (out of 70!)! One was 4.5 rounded up! Thanks for the rec…I’ll look it up!
I like how you choose a 5 star. I feel like I probably offer too many 5 star (must be my people pleasing personality and not wanting to make others feel bad…lol). Plus I know that everyone has their own opinions so what I think is a 5 star someone else will not.
I think it takes a while to solidify our individual star rating system! And you’re right, it’s subjective!
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