What Makes a Book a Five Star Read?
In a recent post I shared my 2025 reading goals, and how I ultimately want to prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to the books I read. One of the ways I’m hoping to achieve this is by NOT setting a numerical book goal for myself. Instead, I set the goal of having at least two 5 stars reads each month. That probably leaves you (and myself) wondering, “What makes a 5 star read anyways??” Well, the answer is different for everybody. I figured that the most crucial part of being able to reach that goal was to hone in on what books/themes really knock it out of the park for me. I really enjoyed the process of digging deep and examining the books I love and (maybe more importantly) why I love them. Let’s crack into it, shall we?
Found/Chosen Family
One of the themes that really resonates with me is the concept of found/chosen family. As someone who grew up in a family who, despite their flaws, were exemplary models for welcoming people with open arms. When I was younger, I’d bring my friends over to my
grandma’s farm and she’d insist that EVERYONE call her “grandma” and make themselves at home. Community is something I feel I’ve been lacking in my own life, and I’m working at connecting with others around me and forming community with them. I love when characters have a bond so strong, it’s present throughout all parts of the story. Some examples of 5 star reads where this theme was showcased is Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. This book features an unlikely band of characters who are all under the suspicious eye of Vera Wong. Despite Vera suspecting each of them for the murder of a man she found dead in her teashop (not a spoiler this literally happens in the first chapter,) she forms an unlikely attachment to these younger characters who give her life a new purpose. She often makes huge batches of the most delicious Chinese dishes you’ve ever heard of to share with her newfound family. Vera and her chosen family of suspects lean on each other during tough times and rally together to uplift and support each other’s dreams and goals. And don’t you worry, the book has a happy ending for Vera and her family.
2. Feels Like A Hug
I’m a sucker for a good cozy read where I can curl up under a warm blanket with my pups by my side and a chai tea latte in my hand. A cozy read to me is one where I can sink deep into the story and not want to leave. Where things are light and fluffy, and if there are some heavier topics brought up I trust the author is using those hard things to further the story or develop the characters for the better. I find that mystical realism is my go to genre for a book that feels like a hug. A few examples of 5 star reads that were just so cozy and comforting are, The Kamogawa Food Detectives series by Hisashi Kashiwai, A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (this is the first book in the Monk and Robot series,) and the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. These were all short novels that you can read in an afternoon if you’re really committed, or you can read them in short spurts to really soak in the good vibes. And now that I’m thinking about it, these three examples also all have the common theme of centering around food/coffee/tea. What can I say, I consider myself to be a major foodie and often eat my feelings so it checks out that I find books about food to be very comforting.
3. You Can Tell The Author Had Fun
Now this one is a little harder to nail down as it’s so subjective to the individual reader, but do you ever get that giddy feeling as you’re reading a book where you’re just so excited to turn the next page. Or if you’re an audiobook reader like myself, do you ever look for another chore to do around the house just so you can listen to one more chapter. And these stories don’t necessarily have to be compulsively readable page-turner thrillers. They could be slow paced, deep dive, slice of life books. As long as they suck me in and have me hanging on every word because I can feel the joy and fun leaping from the pages! A lot of the time, my most unexpected 5 star reads (and all time favorites) come from this category. My most recent five star read that falls under this category is Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. If violins, alien refugees from an intergalactic war, a deal with the devil himself, and GIANT DONUTS sound unrelated and not that interesting, do yourself a favor and go read this book. It’s got heart, tenderness, queer joy, high stakes, and humor. It was absolutely delightful and I could tell the author had a lot of fun bringing these unlikely characters together.
Another book I read at the beginning of this year that was just so much fun was The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis. This book was a little on the longer side, but I ate up every word of it. An alien tumbleweed who kidnaps our main character and forces her on an epic road trip collecting a ragtag band of characters along the way, only to end up right back where they started - in Roswell. It’s only after they dodge conspiracy theorists, federal authorities, cultural differences (between the humans and aliens of course) and a language barrier that they’re able to find out just what the heck this extraterrestrial creature wants.
In Conclusion
For the moment, these themes are my reliable big three when it comes to predicting if a book will be a 5 star read. Now of course this isn’t an exact science, and I may come across a book that fits into one of these themes and it ends up NOT being 5 stars which is okay too. These are more just guidelines that have helped me realize the types of books I like and helps me gravitate towards those instead of the shiny new #Booktok or #Bookstagram title that may not even be something I’m genuinely interested in reading. A whole new world of TBR possibilities were opened up for me when I started analyzing which books I loved and why I loved them. I’m also excited to see how these themes shift and change depending on the context of my reading life and my regular life. I’ll be sure to keep everyone updated if another automatic 5 star theme pops up for me. In the meantime, I’d like to know, what themes make a 5 star read for you?
