2021 Five Star Predictions

I’ve done five star predictions only once before but I liked it so much that I’m doing it again. It’s a great way to see not only how well I know myself and my reading tastes but also to check if those book blurbs and publisher promotions raise the right expectations.

Here are the books I intend to read this year and  which I think will receive the highest rating. On my blog, that would be somewhere between 8 and 10 stars which translates to 5 stars on Goodreads. I am curious to see if my predictions hold up and if I even manage to read all the books on this list.

Fonda Lee – Jade Legacy

I’m starting with an easy one, the last part on the Green Bone Saga trilogy. I promised, this year, I’d be more adventureous with my predictions but you have to give me this one. I’m sure I will love it as much as the first two books in the series and I’m so excited to get back into the world of magical jade, feuding mafia clans, and great characters.
I’m very, very sure I will love this book and I trust Fonda Lee will deliver an amazing ending to this saga.

Hannah F. Whitten – For the Wolf

Here’s me being daring. This book sounds just up my alley, but you never really know before you read it. It has Red Riding Hood vibes, is recommended to fans of Uprooted and The Winternight Trilogy and those are all things I adore.
I have never read anything by Whitten before so the writing style and plot could still mess this one up. But I am optimistic and hoping to discover a new favorite.

Everina Maxwell – Winter’s Orbit

Another one that could go either way. Everything about this book sounds great, especially the “there’s only one bed” trope that keeps being mentioned on social media. An M/M romance in space that’s like if Anciallry Justice met Red White and Royal Blue. I can’t quite imagine what this will be like and it’s probably a book I either end up loving or hating, but I want to stay positive and hope for a five star read.
I also really like both the US and UK cover (this one is the UK version) and it gives me wonderful space opera vibes. Let’s make sure I read this when I’m in the right mood and then nothing can go wrong, right?

Vonda M. McIntyre – Dreamsnake

So far, these are all 2021 publications, but I don’t want to neglect my backlist TBR. Dreamsnake has been to-be-read for ages and while I’ve definitely encountered some less than great Hugo winners from the past, I think this one will work for me.
A dangerous quest in a far-future post-apocalyptic landscape with magical healing snakes? It sounds wild and I have never read anything by McIntyre before but here’s to hoping I didn’t completely misjudge my own reading tastes.

Catherynne M. Valente – The Past is Red

Oh look, it’s a new novella by my favorite author. I wonder if I’ll like it.
Okay, joking aside, even if this wasn’t written by Cat Valente, the premise sounds so good and the cover is so stunning that I am fully expecting this to get five stars. I mean, it’s set in a place called garbagetown, in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by climate change. That’s all I need to know really. And because this is a novella (so, probably short) and another safe choice, I’ll add a sixth book to my predictions list.

Alechia Dow – The Sound of Stars

Okay, this is tagged as “a girl who risks her life for books” so what could possibly go wrong? There’s also an alien who loves forbidden pop music. That sounds so damn cute I want to read it right now!
Although the word this book is set in does not sound inviting – alien invasion, forbidden books and music – I think the premise has so much potential. Again, this is an author I don’t know yet but if it’s well written and tells a compelling story, I don’t see why this shouldn’t get five stars.
The fact that the cover is gorgeous also doesn’t hurt.

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I did go for two easy choices but, just so you know I am restraining myself a little, I left off the next Murderbot novella, Rivers Solomon’s new novel Sorrowland, and the next instalment in Arkady Martine’s series – all of which I expect to love to pieces.

I’ll do my very best to read and review these books in 2021 so we can check back at the end of the year.