I’ve read a fair amount of books over the last years but I don’t think I’ve ever read a single one that gave me the 5-star-feeling that people always talk about… What is your all time favorite book? (I mainly read romance and thrillers but open to explore new genres)
by fantaalemon
20 Comments
The illustrated man is in my top 5, always recommend everyone to read it !
Michael Crichton’s books felt five-star for me. I guess I used to have the five-star feel earlier in my life when I was relatively new to reading.
Romance – gothic romance five stars to Daphne Du Maurier.
Gone girl, Dark Matter were last five star books for me from your preferred genres.
Salman Rushdie’s Satanic verses
Tolkien audiobooks read by Andy serkis
is a 5 star experience.
and I dont even like fantasy much
so whats your list?
all quiet on the western front is a 5 for me
The legend of Drizzt. Its 13 tomes but what a story!
I was pretty big on non fiction for a while and I found Helter Skelter to be very captivating. I just thought it was startlingly troubling for its time and I was just getting into true crime. Looking back I’m not sure if me now would still give it 5 stars. The same goes for Into Thin Air, but this was also a time period where I was obsessing over Mt Everest although I think Jon did a good job generally speaking but the controversy between him and the writer of “The Climb” did kind of kill it for me, because once I started questioning his personal recount of one thing it lead to the mistrust between reader and writer. These are two that I loved initially and would have given 5 stars but they have since deteriorated.
Enders Game. I was forced to read it in high school lit and I hated it and I hated sci fi and I didn’t want to read any of it. One star. Now, years later, after broadening my horizons, it was an amazing book. I would read it a couple more times just to try and pick up on things I didn’t before. I would now give it pretty damn close to 5 stars.
I really think that a lot of CJ Samson’s books are 5 stars are close for me.
I really love Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.
The first Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
I really loved How to Make love like a Porn Star. It’s my favourite biography.
I think reading is subjective. I have read and loved books other people hated and hated books that other people loved (the girl on the train anyone?)
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Sympathizer was the first time I read a book at or near the speed I read and enjoyed Harry Potter as a kid.
If you like romance and are open to try something with fantasy elements, try fourth wing by rebecca yarros.
Not sure how you judge a book, but for me 5 stars just means I enjoyed the ride and was happy at the end and a book I will re-read. It does not necessarily mean it was a perfect book.
For romance, have you tried Jennifer Crusie? Welcome to Temptation, Bet Me, and Faking It, are my faves of hers.
Random books that I marked 5 stars on Goodreads:
All Systems Red by Martha Wells (its book 1 of the Murderbot Diaries)
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree – slice of life high fantasy (the prequel, Bookshops and Bonedust is also a 5 star read for me)
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe. Has anyone else read it?
War of the worlds by H.G Wells.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.
Infected by Scott Sigler.
The Hobbit by Tolkien.
Rachel’s Holiday and the sequel, Again Rachel by Marian Keyes were certainly deserving of 5 stars in my opinion.
Read the classics. Go there with an open mind and a humble soul. Follow *them* where they lead you, don’t try to make them follow you.
This attitude led me to virtually every five star read I have.
The Idiot – Dostoevskij
The Broom of the system – DF Wallace
5 star books for me are ones that I will re-read and can’t bear to get rid of. Some favourites are:
The Pillars of the Earth by Kenn Follet. You’d think a story about building a cathedral would be boring but it’s anything but.
Jurassic Park by Michael Chricton. I enjoyed how it went into more depth with science and well, dinosaurs are awesome.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen- it’s a classic for a reason.
World War Z by Max Brooks. This is particularly enjoyable as an audiobook, as is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.
Circe by Madeline Miller- just found it beautifully written and very enjoyable.
Any of the Jeeves and Wooster books by P G Wodehouse- they are little slices of silliness and joy.
Reading is subjective.