Finally I get to post a weekly update that is positive! It feels like I’ve been waiting a long time, but things are getting better. I still need the heating pad and a lot of rest, but with the heat, massage, rest, and stretches I’ve been doing are finally starting to relieve the sciatica. It isn’t anywhere near as intense as it was when it started, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.

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Mom is also doing better, although I still have to work hard to get her to rest. I also have to take my own advice and be as gentle with myself as I am with her—we both need to rest and relax for optimal functioning, so that’s the aim for this upcoming week. We both have a pretty busy week ahead of us, but it is all appointments to care for our physical and mental health. As I write this, I’m incredibly grateful to Amazon, which is a lifesaver for people with problems getting to or around the store. I currently have a subscription to Amazon Fresh, and for only $5 a month it lets me get free delivery, which totally pays off since grocery delivery from local supermarkets or Instacart costs more than three times that, per trip. Most of the time, I can get a same day delivery at no cost. You can learn more about this program here.

This week I want to open the floor to chat about what turns books into five star reads for us. I am aware that reading is a subjective experience, and how we feel about them is a completely unique experience. In fact, how I experience the same book can change so much on so many factors, including my own emotional state. 

But today, I want to hear from you all about what elevates a book into a five star read. I’m hoping to get a lot of opinions, just in case I ever decide to fulfill my dreams of becoming an author. I’ll start by sharing my own ideas. For a book to be a five-star read, it has to be engrossing and well-crafted, as well as having at least one character that I can connect with (see, subjective), showing character growth, and having a decent plot instead of ‘just vibes.’ Additionally, if I listen to it as an audiobook, the narrator has to have a voice that doesn’t grate on my nerves, and should be able to properly pronounce any foreign words in the book. For nonfiction, my criteria include having a fascinating story, telling it in a way where it doesn’t read like a textbook or nonfiction story, and being able to verify the claims they make with peer-reviewed or historical sources listed in a bibliography or appendix.

What elevates a book to a five star read for you?