5 Star Predictions: 2022 Edition

January 5, 2022January 1, 2022 fangirlfury3 Comments

One of my favorite ways to kick off a new year of books & blogging is with five star predictions! There are just some books that you know (and really ultimately hope) will be 5 star reads. For me, most of my 5 star predictions include books from my favorite authors that I know have a 95% chance of being a perfect/5 star read for me or a book with a synopsis that sounds really amazing.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon | Release Date: January 11

Weather Girl is definitely a 5 star prediction case due to the fact that Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of my favorite authors (also why she is on this list twice). I loved her 2021 adult contemporary romance, The Ex Talk, and Weather Girl has another really unique synopsis, following a meteorologist and sports reporter who team up to get their divorced bosses together.

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas | Release Date: February 15

I honestly haven’t even really read the synopsis of House of Sky and Breath but I am obsessed with anything Sarah J. Maas writes and I loved House of Earth and Blood so much when I first read it in 2020 – I’m actually going to do a reread before reading this sequel!

5 Star Predictions: 2021 Release Edition

January 8, 2021January 3, 2021 fangirlfury10 Comments

You know that feeling you get before you even start reading a book that there’s a very likely possibility that you’re going to completely love it? That’s how I feel about the following 2021 releases! For the past two years, I’ve predicted what new books I would rate five stars as I read in the new year (mini spoiler alert but I went 4/6 for my 2020 new release five star predictions). Since I’ve talked about all the books below in my anticipated release posts for 2021, I’m not going to go into too much about the book itself. I’ll link to their Goodreads if you want to find out more about the synopsis, but I’ll be focusing on why I think it’ll be a five star read.

Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie Sue Hitchcock | Release Date: April 1

I have so much love for Bonnie Sue Hitchcock’s The Smell of Other People’s Houses that I expect to fall in love with this new book and its writing style just as much. I really like books and honestly stories overall that unexpectedly interweave characters and storylines, and I believe that’s we can expect in this book about the lives of teens in Alaska and the American west. Add it on Goodreads

Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle | RD: April 6

Sarah Hogle’s Twice Shy is another case where I think I’m going to absolutely love this one because I loved her debut, You Deserve Each Other, and the synopsis has me completely smitten – a woman inherits an estate from her great aunt and has to deal with the grumpy groundskeeper. Add it on Goodreads Read More »

2020 5 Star Prediction Results

December 14, 2020December 9, 2020 fangirlfury5 Comments

Back in January, I went through my most anticipated 2020 releases and predicted which ones were the most likely to earn 5 stars in the Fangirl Fury star rating book. I’m actually surprised I only chose 6 books because I LOVED so many 2020 releases. In today’s post, I’ll be going back to those six books I predicted would be 5 star reads for me to see if I was correct about my predictions. I’m super content with my predictions, especially since the few books I weren’t so right about were SO close to being 5 star reads and still rank among my most enjoyed books of the year.

My Correct Predictions

We Are the Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian – We Are the Wildcats was one of my most anticipated YA releases of 2020, and I’m so glad it delivered. I know this one has mixed reviews, but as a former field hockey player, I loved that the sport was the backdrop and the setting held so many relatable moments for me. However, you definitely don’t need to be a field hockey player or even into sports to enjoy this one. I just loved how We Are the Wildcats was really about each of the six girls it followed (trust me, the multiple perspectives WORKED) and had so many messages about feminism and what it means to be part of a team.

Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett – As one of my all-time favorite authors, it’s really no surprise that Jenn Bennett’s Chasing Lucky was indeed a five star read for me. I loved, LOVED the summer coastal town meets bookstore setting. Lucky and Josie’s romance was so sweet and mature, two elements that I tend to find and love across all of Jenn Bennett’s books.

House of Earth & Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas – I read House of Earth & Blood between the last few days of my spring break and what we didn’t know at the time was the beginning of the pandemic lockdown. I really wish it didn’t turn out that way, but I was content staying home reading this 700+ page beast. I normally hate feeling that it’s taking me days on days to read one book, but I totally took my time reading House of Earth & Blood because there were so many details and I wanted to linger in Sarah J. Maas’ writing for as long as possible (which ultimately ended up being maybe a week total because I am the reader I am who needed to find out what happened next). As expected, House of Earth & Blood was definitely a 5 star read for me and I could so see myself giving every upcoming book in the Crescent City series 5 stars as well.

Undercover Bromance (The Bromance Book Club #2) by Lyssa Kay Adams – Undercover Bromance wasn’t the most perfect contemporary romance I’ve ever read, but I did end giving it 5 out of 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much. I loved the balance between contemporary romance fluffiness and steam and its deep dive into more serious topics. This book also solidified the Russian as my favorite character in the series.

My Not-So Correct Predictions

10 Things I Hate About Pinky (Dimple & Rishi #3) by Sandhya Menon – 10 Things I Hate About Pinky was such a fun way to get back into the Dimpleverse. I loved Sandhya Menon’s play on the frenemies-turned-loves trope. I wanted a few more cameos from the other members of the Dimpleverse, especially since this is the last book in the companion series (for now). I know I read a lot of books with the enemies-to-lovers trope, but some of the plot points and fall-out felt a little predictable to me. I gave 10 Things I Hate About Pinky 4.5/5 Stars.

Majesty (American Royals #2) by Katherine McGee – I realize there’s only two books in this category, but I’m the most disappointed that Majesty wasn’t a 5 star read because I loved American Royals so much upon my first read and reread. I still loved being back in the world of the American monarchy with Majesty and did like the plot direction, especially when it came to Beatrice. However, I really, really hope there will be a third book because Majesty fell into middle book syndrome for me (even as a the sole sequel!). Some of the bigger reveals and ending overall felt lackluster. I gave Majesty 4.5/5 stars.

What were some of your 5 star reads in 2020? Do you predict what will be your favorite reads of the year? Have you read any of the books I mentioned? Share in the comments!

2019 5 Star Predictions Results

December 30, 2019December 15, 2021 fangirlfury2 Comments

Many of you likely know by now that I love to create themed or different types of TBRs. One of my new-to-me TBRs in 2019 was a 5 Star Predictions to-be-read list, in which I chose 6 backlist books that came out before 2019 that I believed would be 5 star reads for me. Out of the six books I chose, I only read 4 out of 6.

I still have to read Jennifer E. Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. In an effort to get to more backlist titles on my TBR, I plan on picking it up from the library in 2020. I did not pick up I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman, partly because I lost interest in its synopsis, partly because my local library system does not have it and I’m not sure if I want to buy my own copy (it’s also not sold here in the US).I also created a 5 Star Prediction list for 2019 releases and posted my results a few weeks ago.

I ended up enjoying all the books on my TBR. The books that ended up not receiving 5 stars were only slightly off.

My Correct Predictions

A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti- A Heart in a Body in the World basically earned a 5 stars from me as soon as I started reading. I really couldn’t let go of this book, in love with its fantastic cast, story, and writing style. After surviving a horrific tragedy, Annabelle decides to run 2,700 miles across the country, followed by her grandfather and brother in a RV. It’s definitely a very relevant book, following a hot-button issue here in the US. While heart-breaking, Deb Caletti approached the situation and Annabelle’s reaction so incredibly well.

My Real Name is Hanna by Tara Lynn Masih- My Real Name is Hanna was such a unique historical fiction read set during the Holocaust, following a Jewish girl whose family is forced to go into hiding in the woods when the Gestapo raids their Ukrainian village. I learned so much while reading this book, all complimented by Tara Lynn Masih’s beautiful and vivid writing style.

Five Star Predictions: 2019 Release Edition

January 25, 2019January 25, 2019 fangirlfury7 Comments

With all of the amazing 2019 releases to come, this fangirl will hopefully be giving out plenty of five star rating. Today I’ll be predicting my five star 2019 releases.

I’ve covered all of the books below in my 2019 most anticipated releases posts, but today I’ll be explaining why I think I’ll be rating these books to be 5 star reads and perhaps among my favorite reads of the year.

Last week, I shared my five star predictions for non-2019 books on my TBR.

ALMOST ALL THE CONTEMPORARY: 5 Star TBR Predictions

January 18, 2019January 11, 2019 fangirlfury9 Comments

Five star prediction posts are some of my favorite blog posts to read- like Lauren’s of Bookmark Lit– and BooktTube videos to watch- like Regan’s of PeruseProject.

As a life-long reader and book blogger, I’ve still haven’t exactly cracked the formula of what makes the perfect read for me. However, most of my five-star reads, regardless of the genre, can be rated as such for their 1) their un-put-downablility and 2) a premise that relates to my bookish & other interests AND delivers of course.