I have been seeing this type of post going around lately and I have loved reading them. I think it is really interesting to try and guess what books you believe will be 5 stars! I am hoping to read these books and then let you know how right or wrong I was. I am going to talk about five books that I physically own. If you have seen any of my book reviews then you will know that I do not provide a star rating for books. In my mind 5 star books are books that end up on my favourites shelf. I have to be able to connect to the characters and the story.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
I have yet to see a bad review for American Gods. I have only read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Gaiman but I thought it was really interesting. His writing style is incredibly unique, and I have been told that American Gods is his best book! I love mythology, and the premise of this books seems so original! This book has probably been on my physical TBR the longest and I have no excuse for not reading it. I just know it is going to be a favourite!
The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill
I just bought The Lonely Hearts Hotel this weekend and to be honest, it was the title and the cover that intrigued me. I then read the synopsis and it sounds exactly like the type of book that I will love. It is historical fiction and set in Canada (my country) which is amazing! Read this synopsis and I think you will understand why I have a feeling it will be a 5 star book!
With echoes of The Night Circus, a spellbinding story about two gifted orphans in love with each other since they can remember whose childhood talents allow them to rewrite their future.
The Lonely Hearts Hotel is a love story with the power of legend. An unparalleled tale of charismatic pianos, invisible dance partners, radicalized chorus girls, drug-addicted musicians, brooding clowns, and an underworld whose economy hinges on the price of a kiss. In a landscape like this, it takes great creative gifts to thwart one’s origins. It might also take true love.
Two babies are abandoned in a Montreal orphanage in the winter of 1910. Before long, their talents emerge: Pierrot is a piano prodigy; Rose lights up even the dreariest room with her dancing and comedy. As they travel around the city performing clown routines, the children fall in love with each other and dream up a plan for the most extraordinary and seductive circus show the world has ever seen.
Separated as teenagers, sent off to work as servants during the Great Depression, both descend into the city’s underworld, dabbling in sex, drugs and theft in order to survive. But when Rose and Pierrot finally reunite beneath the snowflakes after years of searching and desperate poverty the possibilities of their childhood dreams are renewed, and they’ll go to extreme lengths to make them come true. Soon, Rose, Pierrot and their troupe of clowns and chorus girls have hit New York, commanding the stage as well as the alleys, and neither the theater nor the underworld will ever look the same.
With her musical language and extravagantly realized world, Heather O’Neill enchants us with a novel so magical there is no escaping its spell.
Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
Fredrik Backman wrote one of my favourite books that I read this year. If Britt-Marie Was Here is anywhere near as good as A Man Called Ove then I know it will be a 5 star book! It sounds like a charming and funny novel and the synopsis gives me the same vibe as A Man Called Ove. I have really high hopes for this book!
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck wrote my favourite book of all time- Cannery Row. I adore his writing, and everyone always says that East of Eden is his best work. I have been putting it off for reasons unknown. I think the length of it has been intimidating for me, but I really want to make time for it! This is the book that I am probably most confident in believing will be 5 stars for me.
Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The first book, Illuminae, was a 4.5 if not 5 star book for me! Many fellow book bloggers have let me know that they thought Gemina was even better! I love how these books are written, and I have been really in to SciFi this year. I think that the Illuminae Files will end up being one of my favourite series of all time.
I would love to know if you have read these book and if they were 5 stars for you or not! This is a great idea for a post and I have a feeling I will be doing this again!
East of Eden has been on my TBR for quite some time, but just like you, I’m still a bit intimidated to actually get around to it. But now I’m tempted to read this… probably I will once I’m done with Sense and Sensibility!!
You have been reading a lot of great books lately! I think East of Eden will be perfect for you!
Haha, thank you!! I can no longer go without reading/books!! I’m so looking forward to reading East of Eden. Thank you <3
I was wondering whether to read Illuminae. Those books are so popular. I find it hard to guess what I’ll love, because knowing the subject doesn’t tell me about the writing style.
That’s so true. I think since I started blogging I have a better understand of what I like and what I don’t like but it is still hard!
I’m working on one of these posts right now too! Good luck with your list! I can’t wait to read your review for East of Eden 🙂
Thank you! Excited for your post!
I’m reading American Gods right now, and I think it will be a 5-star book too!
That’s awesome to hear. So glad you are enjoying it!
I’m so curious about Gemina. I can’t wait to re-read Illuminae! I LOVED it.
Me too! I am really excited to read Gemina!
American Gods is on my tbr as well. I also want to read Illuminae, and since Gemina is on your list, I’m guessing Illuminae was pretty good..?
haha, i would make the same predictions considering these books! i also think they will be five star reads!
Hahaha it was not hard to come up with these!
American Gods is one of my all time favorite books! And I’ve just put East of Eden on my list for next year. I’m really looking forward to reading it. Might have to check out The Lonely Hearts Hotel now too as I enjoyed The Night Circus. ❤
So happy to hear you loved American Gods! I was excited to see that the Lonely Hearts Hotel was compared to The Night Circus as well!
I bought American Gods while I was traveling in Europe because I’ve heard great things about it as well — but it’s such a humongous book and will probably take me a loooong time to finish if I start it now. 😅 Illuminae was an amazing read for me as well, and I can’t wait to get to Gemina soon! Those two books are on my shelf and just waiting for me to read them… I’ll get to them eventually, but I have no doubt I’ll enjoy them both when I do read them. This is a great list — hope you get around to reading them soon too! 😋
It’s definitely the size of American Gods that stops me from reading it!! Gemina is also a big book but I think will be a faster read! They are both on my shelf waiting for me to pick them up!
Ooh, the book you shared the synopsis for sounds so good! Hope all these predictions end up living up for you! 🙂
Thank you so much! Doesn’t it sounds interesting? Really excited for that one!
I read and enjoyed Gemina. It wasn’t a five star but it was soclose.
That is how I felt about Illuminae! I am hoping Gemina is just a little bit better for me and reaches that 5 stars!
Oh it is! I’m hoping that Obsidio is EVEN BETTER! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one.
Hope you love Gemina! It was 5 stars for me XD I’ve heard some not negative reviews for American gods just that it drags a little but I’m still excited to read it and think I’ll like it too, I love Good Omens and Stardust 🙂
I liked Gemina just as much as Illuminae (both 4.5) so there’s a very strong possibility it’ll get 5* from you- it was a fantastic book! And if you liked Cannery Row you’ll definitely love East of Eden- it’s my favourite of his books 😀
Happy to hear that about Gemina! I know everyone loves East of Eden. I have no excuse for not reading it yet!
hehehe well lots to look forward to then 😉
I think pretty much every Neil Gaiman book I’ve read has been a 5 star read. Of course, American Gods is still on my TBR. And I paused halfway through my reading of Gemina because I figured there would be a cliffhanger ending and I didn’t want the wait for Obsidio to be so long. I enjoyed the first half of the book and will probably finish reading it soon.
I think a lot of people rate all of his books five stars! He is such a unique writer!
That is a good reason for not finishing Gemina. When does Obsidio come out? Maybe I will read Gemina closer to the release date.
It is currently scheduled for a March 13, 2018 release.
American Gods is a fantastically weird read. I also recommend reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
Definitely adding Good Omens to my tbr. Thanks for the recommendation!
You are welcome! If you have time check out my book reviews at mcgeetraveltales.com