
Now that we are a quarter of the way through the year, I thought it would be fun to shine a light on all of the five stars books I have read so far in 2021! As of writing this post, I have read 37 books and ten of them have been fives, which is great. Let’s talk about them!
I was nervous going into Legendborn because it is so hyped, but it deserves it! I adore our main character, Bree, and the nuanced conversations around race and intergenerational racism that are found in this story. I am not someone who is very familiar or invested in Arthurian legend, but I thought that Tracy Deonn did some really incredible things with the source material. I even liked the hints at a love triangle in here, which is really saying something!
Piranesi is one of the most beautiful and strange books I have ever read. I wouldn’t even know how to describe it to you- you just have to go into it trusting the process. The atmosphere and writing is what makes this book so special and it truly blew me away.
Concrete Rose is the prequel to The Hate U Give, and I may have enjoyed it even more than THUG, which is saying a lot. I think reading Concrete Rose makes you appreciate THUG in a new way. I adore Maverick as a character and loved that we got more of his backstory and more insight into how he turned into the father that he is in THUG- just so wonderful!
No surprise here! I think many people rated The House in the Cerulean Sea five stars when they read it last year. It was exactly the book that I need at the time that I read it. So comforting and surprisingly hilarious!
It is not often that I give an essay collection five stars, but I couldn’t give Disability Visibility anything less! This is such a brilliant an insightful collection and it make me look at the world in a new way. I hope that Alice Wong puts out a volume two!
Do I talk about A Dark and Hollow Star too much? I just can’t help myself- I love it so much! The only fae story that has ever worked for me. We got a title reveal for the sequel, A Cruel and Fated Light, and I cannot wait!
The Brown Sisters series is one of my favourite romance series and Act Your Age, Eve Brown quickly became my favourite book in the series, so of course I had to give it five stars! I just adore Eve so much!
Surprise, surprise- I gave another one of Tiffany D. Jackson’s novel five stars. She is arguably my favourite author and I think Monday’s Not Coming might just be my favourite book of hers. It hit me in a different way and I can’t stop thinking about it!
I often end up giving hard-hitting YA contempories written in verse five stars, and Punching the Air was no exception. It is a book that I would visit again, which is not something I do often!
Jade City is the latest edition to this list, and I was blown away by it! The atmosphere and family dynamics in here were everything. I was not expecting to become so emotionally attached to this story. I ordered the sequel, Jade War, and it should be here on Thursday. I cannot wait to read it!
That’s it! I would love to know if you have read any of these books and your thoughts on them. How many five star books have you read so far in 2021?
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I’m excited about so many of these, I’m glad you enjoyed them!
I hope you love them as much as I do!
I have read 39 books so fare and I have given 5 stars ratings to: Honey Girl, Can’t Take That Away, If We Were Villains and A court of Silver Flames. I have given a lot of four stars, but these were my top choices.
Amazing! Honey Girl was so close to five stars for me. Such a beautiful book.
If We Were Villains has been on my tbr for years. I need to get to it!
Legendborn and Piranesi are SO GOOD
The best! My first two five stars of the year.
the house in the cerulean sea is also one of my fav reads from 2021!!
It’s just so charming!!
I’ve read 34 books and have only given ONE a fully enthusiast 5 star rating…..a few 4.5 that I’ve rounded up to 5 but they just didn’t have that full wow feeling that I reserve for 5 stars. Even with my one 5 star I don’t have the same “you must read this book” endorsement that usually comes with a 5 star.
Ah I hope you find some strong five stars throughout the rest of the year!!
The fun is in the trying! 😍📚
I LOVED A Dark and Hollow Star!! Piranesi is on my next up list, so I’m glad to hear some raise for it
I cannot wait for the sequel!!!
I’m curious to see what you think of Piranesi.
Cerulean Sea and Dark & Hollow Star were both big faves of mine too! I’m looking forward to reading Legendborn this month.
Ohhh I think you’re going to love Legendborn!!
Thanks!
I’m currently reading Legendborn and right now, I’m just so in awe of how much I see myself in Bree with how she keeps describing what it’s like to lose her mom – everything she’s feeling is what I felt and it just really hits home… I really hope I end up loving this book once I finish it
Wonderful Blog As Usual.
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i also really enjoyed legendborn! selwyn kane is my favorite character so i’m VERY excited to see what the sequel has in store😂
I love him too. I have a feeling we will get a lot of him in the sequel!!
Quite a few of these are on my TBR pile so I’m even more excited to get to them now! I also love Tiffany D. Jackson’s work but I haven’t gotten around to Monday’s Not Coming yet, I need to prioritise getting my hands on a copy ASAP. 🙂
I love seeing all these five star reads! I’m really looking forward to Concrete Rose!
It was wonderful!
Love these! Some are already on my TBR, some I just added after reading this post. I agree with you , 100%, on Monday’s not Coming, that book has stuck with me everyday since reading it. Gut wrenching. Thanks again for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
you included SO many books i’ve been dying to read on this list! Piranesi, The House in the Cerulean Sea, Disability Visibility, Act Your Age Eve Brown — i’m so glad to see that someone loved them. i’m supposed to go to the bookstore today, so maybe i’ll finally get around to picking one of them up. great list!!
Yay!! You’ll have to let me know if you end up grabbing one!
I cannot wait to read Jade City!
I can’t wait to read Jade City!
It is so good!!!
Legendborn and Peranesi are both on my shleves. I didn’t enjoy The House in the Cerulean Sea >.< lol I know a lot of people loved it but I didn't like Klune's writing. I've never heard of A Dark and Hollow Star till today. All the sudden I've seen it everywhere lol Maybe I need to check it out
Ah I think House in the Cerulean Sea was the book I needed in the moment but I don’t get what you’re saying!
I would love to see what you think of A Dark and Hollow Star!
The only one I’ve read on this list is The House in the Cerulean Sea, and I gave it five stars. So many of these are on my tbr though so I look forward to getting to read them!
I’d love to see what you think of them all!!