I think one of the very few books I've rated 5 stars is A Man Called Ove, because it really made me feel something. I'm not big on fantasy or sci fi but would be willing to read it and occasionally like them. One excellent read that surprised me was The Martian because I usually don't go for something like that but I would consider it 5 star as well. I'm admittedly an extremely tough customer when it comes to books, and I do enjoy reading even a 2 or 3 star at times.
A few books I rated a 2 or 3 but generally enjoyed reading:
Sharp Objects
In Five Years
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
I'm quick to DNF if I don't feel gripped by the story but will stick with it if I really need to know what happened. If the protagonist is really unlikeable, they need to be compelling and have a real foil. The science doesn't have to make perfect sense, but it has to feel plausible. A romance needs to have a real plot and end goal that isn't just hooking up or getting married. Those are all qualities that would be more likely to lead me to DNF versus stick with a book through a slump.
Thanks for any recs! Fiction or non, etc.
by Region-Certain