Every Book I’ve Given Five Stars to This Year
Like many of us, my love of reading has grown over the past few years. I don’t know if it is because I was bored during covid, or if BookTok is just introducing me to books that are actually interesting to me. I try to stay consistent with reading but it is hard if the books just aren’t very compelling. I use the app Goodreads so I can keep track of what I read. You can rate books and put them on separate “shelves” based on their genre, if you’ve read them, or if you want to read them. I have only started using it the past few years but have compiled SO many books that I want to read! Most of the books I have rated only have four stars so you can know that the ones with five are genuinely so good!
Dark Places by Gillian flynn
I just finished this book this past weekend and it was amazing! Gillian Flynn wrote “Gone Girl” which is also a cult favorite. This book follows the life of Libby Day, the sole survivor of the massacre on her family’s farm in Oklahoma. Her brother is in jail for allegedly committing the crimes because of Libby’s testimony, but she begins to doubt her brother’s guiltiness when she meets Lyle, a member of the Kill Club, a group of people who solve murders and crimes for fun. This book takes so many turns and I never would have expected the ending!
Sharp objects by gillian flynn
Another Gillian Flynn book that I just finished reading, “Sharp Objects”, also warrants five stars. Camille Preaker, a journalist, returns home to her childhood town Wind Gap, Missouri to investigate the murders of two teenage girls. She struggles with her mental health, her crazed mother, and her younger half-sister Amma. This book is so well written and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The plot twist at the end was crazy and unexpected. There is also a television adaptation of “Sharp Objects” on HBO that was great too and portrayed the characters perfectly. TW: self-harm, rape
Carrie soto is back by taylor jenkins reid
I know Taylor Jenkins Reid is BIG on BookTok so when I saw the stand for this book at Barnes and Noble I had to pick it up. It follows Carrie Soto, a retired professional tennis player and she returns back to the game to attempt to break more records. I didn’t think I would love this book because tennis doesn’t really strike me as super interesting book material. I was so surprised when I finished reading and didn’t want it to be over. Carrie Soto’s relationship with her dad and coach is compelling and emotional. I would recommend this to anyone because of how fast paced and fun it is.
tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by gabrielle zevin
This book was all over Good Reads readings lists early this year. When I originally grabbed it, I didn’t know it was going to be about video games, something I am definitely NOT interested in. I didn’t even read the back of the book before I started reading, but Zevin made video games interesting to me. This book follows the twisted relationship between Sam and Sadie and their journey as game makers. It was surprising and kept me flipping the page.
a little life by hanya yanagihara
Every Book I’ve Given Five Stars to This Year
I actually read this book towards the end of 2022 but I will never not recommend it! It is my all time favorite book. At first, it was a little slow and intimidating because of how long it is, but once I got into it I couldn’t stop reading. The characters, Jude, Willem, JB, and Malcolm, all live confusing lives. The book’s main character, Jude, has a difficult past that gets revealed throughout the book. This is definitely not for someone looking for a quick light-hearted read, but the messages in it are phenomenal. TW: self-harm, abuse, rape, suicide, addiction.