My recent 5-star reads

Spoiler: it's all fantasy

I used to read A LOT when I was younger. My parents regularly took me to the library so I could get lost in the worlds without taking all their money with them, because I most often read one book a day.

One. Book. A. Day.

Then, I grew older, got addicted to social media, and entered an approximate reading break of… 6 years.

Fortunately, I recently broke out of it! I deleted TikTok, spent less time on Instagram and other apps, and have been actively trying to spend more time doing the things I used to love. And one of these things is reading.

I read 27 books in 2025, and as of March 2026, I have read 10 books this year (Thanks to public libraries and Libby, because who could afford all those books)!

That being said, I don’t give a novel 5 stars often. It has to convey a certain feeling, and most importantly, catch me at the right time to make it into my top reads. Most of the books I read are somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, but a few have ranked higher in the past couple of months!

First of all, let me share my merits for a 5-star read with you:

• vibes.

Yes, I’m sorry. Because at the end of the day, a novel could have the best plot, relatable and complex characters, and beautiful prose, but if I’m not feeling it, I’m not feeling it. Timing is especially important, and I might feel differently about a book if I read it again at a different time, but alas, I have never read a book twice (because I already know how it will end, so I unfortunately get bored easily).

With that disclaimer, let’s begin!

1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

This book is one of my most recent reads, and what can I say, I absolutely LOVED it.

The prose? Incredible.

The story? Tragic.

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

The ending actually made me emotional, which happens very rarely nowadays, and that alone was worth one extra star. I love to feel when reading, but most books I have consumed over the past years didn’t really do it for me, unfortunately.

One of Madeline Miller’s other novels, Circe, is on my reading list right now, and I hope I will love it as much as I did this one!

2. Crier’s War by Nina Varela

After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, Designed to be the playthings of royals, took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.
Now, Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.

Can you tell I love queer stories?

Crier’s War had interesting characters with their own goals and motivations, a good pace, and good writing. What more could you want? I read that book fast because I was engaged till the very end, and started reading the sequel immediately after.

If that doesn’t mean it’s a great novel, I don’t know what does.

3. Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

Loved the themes.

Loved the characters.

Loved everything.

Magic has made the city of Tiran an industrial utopia, but magic has a cost—and the collectors have come calling.
An orphan since the age of four, Sciona has always had more to prove than her fellow students. For twenty years, she has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry. When she finally claws her way up the ranks to become a highmage, however, she finds that her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues will stop at nothing to let her know she is unwelcome, beginning with giving her a janitor instead of a qualified lab assistant.

A dark academia novel with an engaging writing style and important social commentary. This novel led me to read The Sword of Kaigen, which I also thoroughly enjoyed, and whatever M.L. Wang writes next, I will read.

A little bit of a shorter post today, but we only finished moving into our new flat a couple of days ago, and got WiFi last Friday, so I am still in the process of settling down and giving myself time to organise my thoughts and plans.

Have you read any of the books I wrote about today? Reading is subjective, so let me know your thoughts! What is your recent 5-star read? Let me know!