Do I Know My Own Reading Taste? | 5 Star Predictions Update

Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog! 

Two years ago, I wrote this blog post about my latest 5 star predictions, and the time has finally come to review! I can't believe it's taken me two years to get through these six books...granted, I read five of the six rather soon after writing this post, and it's only taken me this long to get my hands on the sixth and final book. But I've finally done it!

As per usual, I will go through a quick wrap up of my previous predictions, and then I will give you a list of new books from my physical TBR that I think will end up being 5 star reads for me. Well, you know the drill by now, I'm sure.

Okay, let's get started!

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Wrap Up

1. Babel by R.F. Kuang

I said this seemed like an easy guess back in 2022, and I was right. This was absolutely a 5 star read for me. It was one of the last books I picked up that year, so it's been a while since I read it, but there are moments that I still think about to this day. R.F. Kuang was able to bring these characters to life in such a strong way, not to mention an incredibly unique magic system and the overall tone of revolution that built and built throughout the novel. I know that it was super hyped up, but this is one of the few times where I fully agree with the amount of hype it got. I will probably end up rereading this book next year, just to experience those feelings again.

2. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I remember being nervous about this book, because I had just started stepping into horror as a genre and I wasn't yet sure what I liked, so I was just randomly picking up popular horror books to see what floated my boat, so to speak. This felt like jumping into the deep end of the pool, but I ended up loving it. Another win for me! Unfortunately, the other books I've read from Silvia Moreno-Garcia have not been as successful, but I'm still holding on to this book as a blueprint for what I enjoy in horror.

3. The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu

Our first failure. I was actually reading this up until a couple of days ago, when I decided to DNF it. I started it on the first of the month and not only did I not retain anything from the 200 pages I read, but I also was actively starting to avoid picking it up in favor of, well, pretty much any other book. I don't know if it just wasn't the right time for me to read this, or if I genuinely wasn't liking it, but either way I've decided to put it down. For now, at least. Whether or not I ever pick it back up again is still up in the air.

4. Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel

This ended up being a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I really liked the Hindu mythology woven into this narrative, and Kaikeyi was an excellent character to follow. I can't quite remember why it was only 4 stars and not 5 stars, but I liked it enough to purchase my own copy, so maybe a reread in the future can confirm that for me. I know that Vaishnavi Patel is coming out with a new book this year, and I'm very excited to read that one! 

5. The Dawn of Yangchen by F.C. Yee

Another flop, unfortunately. I read the other Avatar books by the same author that were about Kyoshi and I really enjoyed those, so I had rather high expectations for this book, but sadly, this ended up being a 2.5 out of 5 stars. I was incredibly bored throughout the novel, and didn't care about any of the characters or their motivations. Yangchen didn't feel like the Avatar to me (and before you come for me about how every Avatar is different and unique, I want to clarify that she didn't have that spirituality that tends to follow every Avatar in the cycle). I can't even remember what the other character's names were, or what they wanted. I know there is a sequel to this book, but I won't be reading it.

6. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

Ending on a high note! While this wasn't a full 5 out of 5 stars for me, I did end up giving it 4.5 stars, which is basically the same. This was more romantasy than fantasy, but it ended up being a romance that I actually rooted for, so I'm not that mad about it, to be honest. I said in my prediction that this book is often compared to a Studio Ghibli film, and that's why I added it to the list. And yes, this absolutely gave me Ghibli vibes. I could so easily visualize the animation as I was reading, it was that descriptive and atmospheric. I don't read YA very much anymore, but if anyone has comp titles to this book, please send them my way!

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New Predictions

1. Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

We're all aware that I read a lot of Japanese translated literature. I've probably read more books from Japan than from every other country I've read from combined. There's just something about the prose that scratches my brain just right. I've seen a lot of mixed reviews on this book, but I just have a gut feeling that it's going to be a favorite. Like The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, this book also gives me Studio Ghibli vibes. Since I finally got my hands on a copy, I'm sure that I'll be picking this up soon.

2. The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave 

I talked about this book in my book haul, but I'll just say it again here. Kiran Millwood Hargrave wrote one of my favorite books, The Mercies, and I've been dying to pick up her other work. I know that this novel takes place in the summer, so I'll be picking it up then. Historical fiction has slowly been inching its way into my most read genres, and I know that Kiran always does a ton of research for her books, which is something I deeply appreciate.

3. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

I've tried to read this a couple of times, actually, but my library hold always expired before I could get too far into it. Now that I have my own copy, though, I can finally take my precious time while reading. I know this book is very slow and full of political intrigue, which I really enjoy, but it needs to be read slowly and thoroughly if you want to follow everything that's happening. It really just seems like the type of book that I fall head over heels for.

4. The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

I could have probably interchanged this with the other T. Kingfisher book on my TBR (The Twisted Ones) and have achieved the same result, but it doesn't really matter. I've really liked nearly every book I've read by her, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this one just as much. I don't think I know anything about this book, but I like going into horror novels rather blind. Plus, and this is just a bonus, look at that cover! I know covers shouldn't determine whether you pick a book up or not, but this was absolutely a cover buy, and I refuse to regret it.

5. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Since I DNF'd Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell last year, this is officially the book that's been on my physical TBR the longest. I got a copy before I even started watching BookTube, way back in 2017. It's the favorite book of my sorority big, Jenna. We bonded over our love of books and she bought me a battered mass market paperback copy of The Name of the Wind when I mentioned I hadn't heard of it. I've since gotten a nice, floppy paperback, and I've acquired the sequel, as well. This book really sticks in my head as a winter book, so I'm holding out until November/December to read it. Don't ask me why, it's just the way my brain works.

6. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Finally, I couldn't make this list without adding in a sci-fi. I feel like I've hit all of my most read genres now...fantasy, horror, historical fiction, and now science fiction. Even though I've had this book for a while, I've been avoiding it since it's primarily a pandemic story. But I'm ready to take the plunge now! The only thing I know about this book is that it's a short story collection where all the stories are connected in some way. I really like those particular short story collections. I also know that it's a little sad, and a little spooky. Sounds like a recipe made for me, honestly.

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And that's all for today! Tell me, do you think I'm right with these new predictions? Or do you think these books will end up being flops? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or DM me on Instagram (link in sidebar under the heading "More Media").

Until next time, friends!