This Year's 5 Star Reads
To be honest, I thought about not writing this post. I just posted my top 10 best books of 2018 and have talked a lot about the others that are on this list before, but in the end I chose to share because I thought it might be a good list to have a massive list of books I really liked all in one place.
There are 20 books on this list! A lot of readers seem to take immense pride in how few books they rate 5 star. I get it. Especially as a book recommender- you don’t want to get in the habit of rating everything a 5, or no one will trust your opinion. But that’s not me. I generally give books that 5 star rating based on how it made me feel, not from the standpoint of a literary criti. Also, at this point, I think I’m pretty good at picking out books I think I’ll like, so I'm stacking the deck. I do hope to take more chances in reading next year (2019 reading resolutions coming soon), so it’ll be interesting to see how many I rate 5 star next year.
Here are the books that did get that 5 star rating!
Fiction
An American Marriage, Tayari Jones
For readers who like stories that examine current issues via stories of specific people in a specific place in time.
Kindred, Olivia Butler
If you don't know much about sci-fi but might like to give it a try.
Dark Matter, Blake Crouch
If you like your books with a little science and want to read a powerful story that explores, quite literally, what might have been.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
A world famous celebrity tells her life story with surprising depth.
Then She Was Gone, Lisa Jewell
If you like your suspense novels well written with vivid characters and a story that's not too dark.
The Hunger, Alma Katsu
For fans of Stephen King who want to try macabre historical fiction.
Sharp Objects, Gillian Flynn
If you need a reminder about why Gillian Flynn is the queen of suspense.
A Head Full of Ghosts, Paul Tremblay
If you want to read a book that truly scared me. (I'm still thinking about THAT scene.)
The Woman in the Window, A.J. Finn
A classic psychological thriller with the story told by the very definition of an unreliable narrator.
Us Against You, Fredrik Backman
If you like omniscient narration and quotes that jump off the page and demand to be seen.
Watching You, Lisa Jewell
For fans of domestic thrillers with gossipy neighbors where everyone's a suspect.
The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah
If you need proof (like me) that historical fiction is not boring.
Waiting For Eden, Elliot Ackerman
If you want to read a tightly written story with a moral quandary that drives the plot.
Misery, Stephen King
For an introduction to one of horror's best villains of all time.
Non-fiction
From the Corner of the Oval, Beck Dorey-Stein
A real life coming of age memoir with equal parts comedy and angst, set in the Obama White House.
I'll be Gone in the Dark, Michelle McNamara
If you want to read a story about a serial murderer and rapist who went unknown for 30 years... Until this book.
Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson
For an introduction to the injustice in the US criminal justice system that does not read like a text book.
Bad Blood, John Carreyrou
For a real life example of the truth being stranger than fiction.
Becoming, Michelle Obama
If you need inspiration and want to get to know the former First Lady outside of the White House.
