three years of 5 star books
all the books i've rated five stars since 2021
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I love to read. I think a person’s favourite book tells you a lot about them, and their bookshelf (or in some cases, the lack of it) tells you equally as much.
As for me, my favourite book, and the accompanying bookshelf, have changed immensely over the last five years. Originally, this was going to be every book I’ve ever given 5 stars, but when I look back at my journal from 2020, that was pretty much every book I read.
From 2021 onwards, the way I consumed media about books, and books themselves, had changed considerably due to the advent of Booktok. While it opened up an entire world of literature, it also heavily influenced my opinions on certain books, and with time, space, and the rereading of books that I once gave 5 stars, I quickly realised that no, actually, I could be picky about my book ratings, and I didn’t have to like a book - any book - just because other people did.
This is not to say I regret my year or so on Booktok - for making me actually want to read again, I will always feel a sense of gratitude towards it. Additionally, once I moved past the so-called “Booktok classics”, I tumbled into little corners of booktok where people were recommending genuinely fantastic books that I continue to cherish. If I trace back the origin of every book that has changed me in some way over the last three years, I will, some way or another, land at Booktok.
Now, what does a five star rating look like? To me, it’s a matter of the heart. I have read some incredible literature, but if it doesn’t reach into my soul and make a mark, I don’t want it. Writing, more often than not, plays a huge role in this. Characters and plot are important, yes, but it’s the style and flow and imagery, in particular, evoked by the writing that really matter to me. Of course, I like a unique book, whether it be in style, format, or plot. I also like a book that makes me think, that weaves itself together and keeps me trapped, trying to figure it out. Very rarely do I rate books 5 stars that take me a while to read - normally I am consumed by them - but there is the occasional exception.
I hope that’s enough to guide you. Enjoy!
2021
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
There is no book I hold closer to my heart than this. I read this for the first time in early 2021, and suffice to say it changed my life. I have two all-time favourite books, and this is one of them. This truly warms my heart every time I read it (it’s a biannual event, at this point) and fills me with warmth and hope. Although it’s sometimes seen as being a trashy, fluffy romance, I wholeheartedly disagree. There’s a lot of depth to the characters on all sides, and the unfolding of the story is crafted exceptionally well. Casey McQuiston is perhaps my favourite author, ever, and their books consistently knock my socks off, so to speak. If I was to point at a defining point in my life in literature, it would be reading this book.
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Another early 2021 read, it was this book (and above) that made me trust Booktok. Alas, this later on turned out to be misplaced, but this book was just so good that I couldn’t help it. Great writing, but more importantly, fantastic characters. All of January’s problems and everything she is going through feel intensely personal, as do the discussions of love and grief. Just a great book.
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
This is one of those modern classics that is undeniably a masterpiece. Although it’s not an upbeat book, which I usually prefer, the weaving together of storylines and the intricate setting were simply fantastic. To quote my initial thoughts upon finishing it: “amazing.”
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
Speaking of masterpieces, this is another one. I read this over the course of one (long) evening in October, and I emerged from my room that night irrevocably changed. This was one of those books that I simply could not understand how someone would dislike. A plot that had me on the literal edge of my seat and a striking (to say the least) main character, as well as really great writing, made this one of my top books of the year.
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
This was my favourite book of the year, one that I later chose to study briefly in my English class in 2022. What sets this apart is it’s writing. It honestly feels like there is fairy dust embedded in the pages of this book. This is a book about family, and about love, and forging your own path. Read it!
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
This was one of the last books I read in 2021, and it had a profound impact on me. Incredible narration, with a skill to bring you right in next to her throughout the moments of her life. You read a book like this and you gain an understanding of how hard society works to maintain its oppressive social order. One of the few books I would say is required reading.
2022
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
I’m convinced that all this man writes is gold. Along with incredible writing, the plot is also fantastic - the way each person’s story ties together is remarkable, and the abrupt switches in narration only serve to build up the intensity of it all. Such a work of art. I preferred this over All the Light We Cannot See because of the diversity of perspectives and stories, from ancient history to the future, and how they all managed to connect.
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
One of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read. Feminism in the real, modern world, with a focus on those who feminism has tended to ignore - largely poor, black women. Intersectional feminism is the cornerstone of this book, and it has made me a better feminist and a better person. A collection of essays on the topic, there were no weak links - the learning that this contains makes it required reading for any feminist, and really anyone who wants to live a life more conscious and considerate of the people around you.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
You know how I said at the start that Red, White & Royal Blue is one of two of my all-time favourites? This is the second. I swear to God, this book changed my life. It rewired my brain. I finished it and started reading it again straight away. I have never read a more romantic book than this, still, and it is hands down the most beautifully written book I have ever read. This book changed what a romance could be, I’d even say it changed what a book could be to me. I could never say a bad word about this book because there is nothing bad about it, except that it ends.
The Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty
This may be my favourite series of all time. Originally, I rated the first book (The City of Brass) 4.75 stars, not quite getting full marks, but with a reread (in 2024) it joined the other two books (The Kingdom of Copper and The Empire of Gold) in getting 5 stars. The worldbuilding and the pure imagery evoked in this series, with its gorgeous writing, is outstanding. The intricate plot, spurred on by the endlessly complex politics in this world, had me hooked, as did the relationships between all of the characters. This is adult fantasy done right.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
My favourite Emily Henry book, by a mile. I read this in one sitting, sitting in my room with highlighter in hand, and, reader, I cried. The main character, Nora, was immensely relatable and supremely easy to love, and the unfolding of the relationships was captivating. As with every Emily Henry book, this is deeper than a standard romance, and the discussions of family and sisterhood were done really, really well.
Devotion by Hannah Kent
Lent to me by my school librarian, when I picked this book up, it was like an unexpected, fantastic gift. Such beautiful, intricate writing - and such a unique storyline, as well. A beautiful historical portrayal of love and life that never went where I expected.
2023
The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta
Written by a couple, this book was, at every point, never what I expected. A love story, but not a romance. I could not help but love the two main characters, Win and Leo, with my whole entire heart, slightly to my surprise. Their development and the chronicling of their story was just so good. It had this unique quality to it - I couldn’t tell you what it was, but this book was special. I’ve never read writing quite like this, particularly not in a love story. I return to the closing chapters sometimes, just for the pure joy they bring me.
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I strongly believe that this is one of the best books to come out of the 2010s. A truly unimaginable plot, the construction of a post-pandemic world is incredibly realistic and incredibly haunting, particularly post-Covid. The threads that link together over and over in this book create a tapestry, and one that had me thoroughly engrossed over the evening I read it in. I emerged from this book a different person, and it is a go-to recommendation.
If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio
This was an absolute treat to read for an academic mind. Half of this is a sort of murder mystery, and the other half is impossible to explain. What stands out in this book is the relationships between the group of main characters, and how their setting contributes to their eventual downfall. I’d say it’s a story about love, if you look closely enough. While I may have enjoyed it more if I was more well-versed in Shakespeare, it was fantastic either way and gripping the whole way through.
all about love by bell hooks
When I say required reading, I mean it! This explores relationships and love in all their forms, from romantic love to self-love. This book is about making love a focus in your life, and the real importance of love in living a fulfilled life. For me, this was a book I digested in parts, one chapter every morning for a couple of weeks, and this allowed me to linger on the ideas and digest them properly. No matter what type of perosn you are, you will benefit from reading this book.
2024…?
It is April, already, and I am yet to rate a book 5 stars. I have read some fantastic books, a couple of which will be mentioned below, but none have quite cracked that glass ceiling. Perhaps some treasures will come along soon. Until then, some honourable mentions.
Honourable Mentions
These are books that weren’t quite 5 stars, for some reason or another, but I felt they deserved a mention because they are all incredible.
The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir
This series is a bit of a mindfuck, to say the least. It takes at least up until halfway through the first book (Gideon the Ninth) for things to start making any sort of sense, but once this happens, it all falls into place. All of the other books that have been released so far are much the same, but they create this thrilling narrative that leaves you wanting more, always.
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
As with any collection of essays, there are strong ones and weak ones. In this case, almost all of them were incredibly strong, each with their own plot and message that manage to be incredibly impactful. Superb writing, and just a treat to read.
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
I read this for school, for the first time in 2022 and then multiple times in 2023, and each time it was a deep read, for lack of better word. Translated from Japanese, it follows a young woman after the death of her grandmother, and how kitchens of all types become her second home. Just gently touches your heart, this book.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
It’s almost a year on from reading this, and still the only way I can think to describe this book is like a dream. There’s this hazy quality to the story, with hugely evocative writing, and it was incredibly immersive to read. Such a unique storyline, and having recently read Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro, he is firmly cemented as one of my top writers simply because of the way he writes.
White Holes by Carlo Rovelli
It surprises me a bit that this is the only book about physics on this list, considering my love for it, but in fairness, this book was equally as much about love, and art, and humanity, as it was about physics. The most beautiful poetry woven into discussions of a complex physical phenomenon, this book was made for me.
The Modern by Anna Kate Blair
This is my most recent read on the list, having finished it just about two weeks ago. Written in first person, this book spans five months in the life of a woman who works at MoMA, and how she navigates her new and existing relationships. It’s about art, about love, about queerness, about identity. Within the story itself, in a way that feels vital to it, there are frequent academic discussions and analyses of art, of philosophy - it’s like we’re in the narrator’s mind. Just a book that shifted my world on its axis, slightly.
Reading has been such a big part of my life pretty much since I learned how to read, and this relationship is one of constant evolution. When I was younger, reading was a way to escape my world whenever it got too dreary or too complicated, and now, it’s how I expand my worldview, and my heart. As with any piece of art, writing can describe the indescribable, cut me open to my core. I hope the future brings me many more masterpieces, books that speak right to my soul.
Until then, happy reading!
Hazel