I'm Seeing Stars!
This week, I was challenged to take a look at my TBR, and predict which books would earn 5-stars from me. My goal, when picking books, is for each to potentially be a 5-star read, but I took a critical look, and went for sure things, when I assembled this list.
When I think about books, which have rated high with me, they were entertaining and evoked some strong emotions. I also tend to like book with an emotional balance - not too heavy or too angsty, which tend towards the lighter side. A strong ending is another requirement for me. I need it to be happy or hopeful, but also tie up those loose ends, and not leave me wondering about the characters.
These are all YA books I have, and plan to read. Many are from authors I have had previous success with, while a few are new-to-me, but the books emitted that super-cute vibe I tend to adore so much.
- What I like About Me by Jenna Guillaume
- Meet Me at Midnight by Jessica Pennington
- It Sounded Better in My Head by Nina Kenwood
- The Lightness of Hands by Jeff Garvin
- What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter
- Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally
- The Summer of Impossibilities by Rachael Allen
- You Say it First by Katie Cotugno
- Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova
- You Don't Live Here by Robyn Schneider
What makes a book a 5-star read for you?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
Katie Cotugno is someone I'd like to read more of. Miranda Kenneally seems like I've seen good stuff on too. Fun covers too- these ten make a nice little cover collage!
ReplyDeleteKenneally's Hundred Oaks books have been winners for me, and I am excited for something new and different from her
DeleteI don't know of any of these books yet, but I am glad you have so many you think might be ones you can love. Fingers crossed they all will be, because I know you need some more five stars as there haven't been too many lately!
ReplyDeleteI have read books from many of these authors and they have earned high ratings from me. There are a few new to me authors on there, but the books sound like something I would love
DeleteYAY What I Like About Me is on your list! I adored it -- the Aussie author is such a gem and I really hope it's a wonderful 5-star read!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear good things. I love the whole concept of the book.
DeleteThese are all new to me, but I hope they all end up being the wonderful 5-star reads you expect!
ReplyDeleteBetween the descriptions and authors involved, I feel confident that these will be hits for me
DeleteSo many good books and I really do hope they are all five star reads for you!
ReplyDeleteI feel like I am back on track and my book radar is working again
DeleteI just finished What I Like About Me and I LOVED it! You're going to adore it too! I have Meet Me At Midnight and What I Like About You and both are books I'm really excited to read.
ReplyDeleteYeah!!!! I knew that book was a good fit for me
DeleteI hope these all turn out to be 5-stars for you!
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Fingers crossed! 🤞
DeleteI hope these are all 5 stars for you, Sam!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! They seem like a good fit for me
DeleteI have What I Like About Me to read as well. And I'm excited about Wayward Witch - I really liked the first two, though I enjoyed the first one a bit more.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I cannot wait to see how Brujas wraps up. It good really interesting in the last book, and now we get the strongest witches story
DeleteI have high hopes for You Say It First. I almost always love Cotugno’s messy stories that feel so realistic. And the premise of Kenneally’s Four Days of You and Me sounds like one I’d enjoy. Hope there are a lot of 5 star reads here for you, Sam!
ReplyDeleteAll Cotugno's books have been hits for me, and she does that HS-college transition well too.
Deletei tend to love books that walk the dark side of the world. i want to be blown away, unable to put the book down, but sometimes the book won't fit this criteria, but is so well written and has everything a book in that genre needs, that i have to give the 5
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
I equate being able to get lost in the story with being blown away. That's something a 5 star book does for me
DeleteOOh nice ones! All new to me ones. I hope you enjoy them all to the 5 & up star limit! ;)
ReplyDeleteHere's my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
I had a rough start this year, but I think my book picking mojo is back
DeleteEvery 5 star read (which is very rare for me) I had last year came as a total surprise & were books I hadn't planned on or knew about so I guess mine are all happy accidents lol
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's worth
I had quite a few that surprised me, and many were books I put off for so long, which frustrated me, because I let all that book goodness waste away
DeleteI do hope these all turn out to be 5 star reads for you. They are all new to be but I will be looking forward to your reviews!
ReplyDeleteI am very hopeful about these
DeleteA great story, likable characters and awesome writing makes a 5 star read for me! I'd love to read Meet Me at Midnight, I'm currently reading Jessica's other book Love Songs and Other Lies and it is really cute!
ReplyDeleteCharacters are so important to me. The plot or writing has to be really amazing for me to love a book with unlikable characters. Love Songs was 5 stars from me. I loved it! Hope you like it too
DeleteI'm looking forward to reading The Summer of Impossibilities!
ReplyDeleteI adored Allen's Taxonomy book, and am excited about her new book
DeleteThere are lots of great titles on your list! I am most looking forward to What I Like About You. :)
ReplyDeleteA book by a blogger about a blogger. I am definitely interested
DeleteI tend to like heavier reads than you have here, but I do like the idea of an emotionally balanced read. Not too heavy, not too light. I haven't read any of the titles you mention here, but several are on my TBR list. I'll definitely check them out when I'm in the mood for a lighter read.
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
I like an overall lighter tone, but I like the book to have some substance.
DeleteWayward Witch looks really good! I hope you love all of these!
ReplyDeleteI am ready to see how the series gets wrapped up, because the last book really turned it up a notch
DeleteIs it ridiculous that I am terrified of you jinxing yourself? This topic made me nervous for that reason 😂 But I too am very much looking forward to Four Days of You and Me and You Say it First, so hopefully you are right about them (all of them, really!)
ReplyDeleteLet's hope this becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Those two authors have been solid for me, so I feel confident about those two books
DeleteI always, always adore seeing your lists like this one in particular. It feels like a list I could have made and 10 books I could have picked out, too 😂 I can't wait to read You Say It First, It Sounded Better in My Head, What I Like About You, The Summer of Impossibilities and You Don't Live Here and well all of the others as well, they sound incredible :)
ReplyDeleteYou are probably the blogger with the most similar reading tastes to mine.
DeleteLet's meet at the end of the year right?
ReplyDeleteI think we will have the verdict on these books by the fall.
DeleteI'm much pickier about giving something five stars and I do plan to re-read my 5 star reads and see if any need to be downgraded but that is a job for the future!
ReplyDeleteI have a thing about revisiting things I loved, because i worry my feelings may change due to my life circumstances, etc. I don't know, I want to hold onto that good thing
DeleteGreat list Sam!!! I predict Four Days of You and Me will be a five star read, because Keneally never fails to delver. I look for strong emotions, and a superb ending in my 5 star reads as well. I love it when the story plays like a movie in my head, I can connect or relate to the characters in some way, and life lessons are incorporated as well. Great List!!!
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
I am excited to get a new book from Kenneally. She is wonderful! It's great to relate to the characters, but I find I like those who are different from me too.
DeleteI also need books to be neither too heavy nor too light and to have a strong ending that tells me the characters are ok. Wooliness or wishy washy endings (wait and see endings) annoy me.
ReplyDeleteI've only read one author on your list - Jessica Pennington - and I enjoyed it. I like the sound of Meet Me At Midnight so I'll keep an eye out for that one.
I'll be curious to see if your predictions were correct! :)
Wait and see endings make me nuts! I am a big stickler for a good, tied up ending. It can be a bit messy, but I need to know the direction the characters' lives are taking. Pennington writes the type of contemporaries I love. There is just enough drama and lots of feels, which is always perfection for me
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