Hi friends! I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while now and I’m so happy to be getting to it. Ever since I saw MegWithBooks’ video, I’ve wanted to do a 5-Star audit. I want to know what makes a book a 5-star read for me, so I’ll be looking at some books from the past few years to see if I can spot a pattern. Let’s dive in!
{You might also like – Yours Truly Review}
What Makes a Book a 5-Star Read?
The first thing I did was round up some of my recent 5-star reads. This list has my 2023, 2022, and some of my 2021 5-star favourites.
Next I looked at the things these books have in common, and I found six tropes that tend to get high ratings from me:
Dark Academia Books
Immediately it’s obvious that I am a Dark Academia fan. The Whispering Dark, If We Were Villains, and A Discovery of Witches all fit into the theme. Although there are a few more things that make up a 5-star read than just Dark Academia.
I like my dark academia books to have a school setting (imo that’s a requirement, but to each their own) there should be murder, and it should have a forbidden romance, or enemies-to-lovers relationship. There’s a high chance I would give books with these elements 5-stars.
Second Chance Romance
Happy Place just destroyed me, and made a pretty compelling case for second-chance romance. And it’s not just second chance romance in terms of couples who have been together, broken up, and then gotten back together. I’m also talking about second-chance at love kind of romances, where both of them had bad relationships, think they are unlovable, and then find love again.
That shit slaps. I mean Yours Truly, Book Lovers, and How to Fail at Flirting all have this trope, and I am here for it.
Romance Books with Representation
Truthfully I might just give every Chloe Liese book I read 5-stars, but she’s made such a big impact on me with her stories. I love romance books with positive representation. Such as If Only You – bi/pan rep, as well as anxiety, autism, and celiac rep. It feels so good to be seen in books, especially romance books.
The same goes for Icebreaker and Everything For You (basically all the Bergman Brothers books), they just have such good representation that you don’t often see in romance books. I am here for it.
Sci-Fi Books Set in Space
I’ve always been a big sci-fi fan, and I grew up with Star Trek and Star Wars and nerdy parents. The closer a book gets to being Star Trek-like, the more I like it. However, I also like sci-fi with romance (seriously read A Spark of White Fire). Give me intergalactic love any day, love between species or forbidden love.
I also like my sci-fi to paint a hopeful picture of the future. I want to think that a future where we don’t all hate each other is achievable. And I also want space travel and cool tech. I still cannot stop thinking about To Be Taught if Fortunate.
Morally Grey Women
Yes, I support women’s wrongs. I LOVE morally grey, unlikeable women. Ianthe & Harrow from The Locked Tomb series, Rin from The Burning God, and Anna from Hench. All are questionable, and all of them are favourites.
Horror Stories with Ghosts & Twists
2022 was my horror year, and I found some new favourites, such as Dead Silence and These Fleeting Shadows. Both of these books have ghosts and twists, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Now I’m on the hunt for more space ghosts and more haunted houses.
There you have it! These are some of the things I look for in 5-star reads!
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adore this post so so much
Nettle and Bone is on my TBR. Excited to read it.
I love dark academia, but it’s been a while since I read one. I also love a good ghost stories!
I love that you took the time to dissect your 5-star reads and really find out what you love the very most. I should definitely do the same thing soon!