It would be really fun if you did a video for your one star reads too!

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

Ooo, great idea! I’d probably have to do 2 stars, because most of the time I DNF a book that’s feeling like a 1 star 😂

This is such an interesting video! I give five stars to books that move me in some way - even if they just make me really happy. Most of the time the writing is great, but occasionally, there will be a book that isn’t written the best that I still just love.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

That’s great criteria for a five star! Gotta love a book that makes you really happy, good writing or not!

Fantastic video and topic! I relate so much to your assessment of what makes a 5 star read for you. Typically, I have about 5 or 6 five star reads a year and lately I've noticed similarities between them in the same year. One year, was cozy, loving, upllit. Another year was redemption. Last year was literature with slightly surreal narratives. This year I'm drawn to gorgeous worlds - Kristin Lavransdatter, Jonathan Strange, and Piranesi. Small Things Like These is another 5 star from this year, but the writing is gorgeous.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

I’m not surprised you relate to a lot of this, given our similar reading tastes! I love that you’ve noticed similarities in the same reading year. It’s really interesting how sometimes there’s something specific that really speaks to you.

I reserve the 5-star rating to books that resonate with me personally and if I get the urge to reread them. I don't reread them right away, I find that 1 or 2 years is a good interval, which gives me time to acquire a physical copy or the audiobook version.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

A book has to be one I’d reread for me to rate it 5 stars also! But I also would reread a 4 star book usually. It’s fun to hear how differently people choose what makes a 5 star for them!

This is sooo interesting! It reminds me of your bookish buzzwords video 😍 It seems like plot doesn't matter a ton to you, which is fascinating! Beautiful and wise writing seem to matter the most. We still need to buddy read And Then There Were Five!!

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

It definitely has similarities to my bookish buzzwords video, but with more self-discovery built right in 😜 beautiful and wise words are exactly what I’m looking for! You said it in a much more concise way than I did 😂

I loved Agnes Grey too! My favorite of the Bronteë sisters books is Shirley but this is a close second!

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

I haven’t read Shirley yet!

@jenniferclark677

Ай бұрын

@@beautifulminutiae I'll be waiting to see what you thiink of it then 😉

Love it! I can be similar in some ways. I do like plot though, and I like to mix up mystery thrillers with classics. To balance it out.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

I love that! It’s a fun way to break up heavier or more demanding books.

Love this idea! I need to do this for my reading life too

@beautifulminutiae

27 күн бұрын

It was enlightening. I think it’s something that would be fun to do periodically. I think my tastes change over time!

This was a fabulous video! So interesting. One of my favorite videos you've made.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

Aw, thanks Nichole! ❤️

This was really fun to see! For the most part, I try to give out five stars to the books that are new favorites, books that really stuck with me, and books that I'm sure I'll want to re-read at some point, though sometimes one or more of those turn out to not be true within a few months of reading/rating them 😅 And some years I feel like I'm fairly generous with five stars and other years I'm very stingy.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

It’s interesting how it can change from year to year, isn’t it? Or how a book can feel like a new favorite or a definitely reread, but then doesn’t after some time. Sometimes I like to wait a few weeks to officially rate a book to see if it’s sticking with me or not.

@Coffee_and_a_Book

Ай бұрын

@beautifulminutiae I agree. This year I've been waiting to update them at the end of each month. By that point I have a much better idea of how I feel about the books.

I am pretty stingy with five stars. I can totally love a book and it will still be somewhere between 4-5. I tend to save five for the books that change me in some way, create really good discussions with others, or inspire me to do something with it.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

Those are great criteria for 5 star reads! I usually need to have engaged with a book in a very meaningful way for it to get 5 stars as well.

I just looked at my five star reads for 2024 so far. They are mostly older middle grades and two memoirs. Surprisingly, there were two historical fiction which is not usually my favorite.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

You’ve had a great middle grade year, it sounds like! It’s always interesting when you have an unusual genre on there too!

I love a book that makes me think or feel deeply about a topic but will also give five stars if a book just brought me pure joy😊even if the writing wasn’t top notch 😂

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

I love that! I think a lot of people rate books purely on how much fun/enjoyment they experienced while reading it.

But yes I've thought abt how i used to read and what i like to read now. I do like a certain level of prose. I did have to realize that even tho some posts of a book made me angry or a certain character, then that should hold just as much weight as a book where i love everyone and the themes etc etc. It's that emotional response. I don't care to delve too much into themes although you can't miss some sometimes. I do read mostly for pleasure and "escapism" but now and then i like to learn something. I dont think i really like to read "fun" books tho. I like the ones that hit me hard in different ways. I definitely think for me to read a "fun light" book i have to be in the right mood.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

I’m the same way in that a light fluffy book doesn’t do it for me most of the time anymore. Not only do I have to be in the mood, but the writing better be fantastic if the rest of it isn’t very impactful 😂

I'm thinking i need to use Breaking Bread with the Dead as my 2nd chance book for SBB. 😅 the parts i read that turned me off were where he was addressing those who expect classics to be fine read through a modern lense and not accounting for changing of society. Those people want to criticize classics for portraying elements of today's society that were not as prevalent etc etc. I should have taken into consideration his audience. I have no issue separating now from then and know that classics should be approached differently.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

Yes, I think part of his reasoning for addressing the book that was is that he’s a professor that encounters that kind of mindset A LOT! Many people have a difficult time separating the past mindsets from a reading experience. I think he also talks about how experiencing things we strongly disagree with in a “safe” way (aka the pages of a book) helps us prepare/practice to listen to and “break bread” with those who disagree with us in real life on contentious issues.

Wait, you didn't rate Warbreaker five stars?! 😂 I love that one. I think I would rank it in my top few Sanderson books. Tress is one that I was rather disappointed with. It's not so much that it's not as epic as others, but that I couldn't really connect with the characters. I stopped rating books for a long time because it didn't seem to give me useful information. Now a 5 star read is one that I want to own. Usually books that hit that mark for me are ones that make me feel and think deeply. And usually I have to have a strong connection with the characters.

@beautifulminutiae

Ай бұрын

Haha nope, Warbreaker is one of my least favorite Sandersons. I still enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars, but I didn’t connect with it in the same way that you did. I’ve given most Sandersons 5 stars, except for the novellas, Warbreaker and the Skyward books. I’ve not yet read Mistborn era 2, Elantris or his secret projects (other than Tress). I think Tress was just right book right time. I kind of wonder if I’d have rated it lower if I’d read it at a time where I wasn’t so stressed and exhausted. It was the fun I needed right then! I think 5 stars as a mark for a book you’d want to own is great! I think 5 stars are that for me as well!