I rate in half-star increments, up to 5 stars total. I often use half-stars when I feel a book just doesn't neatly fit into one of the levels. I use stars mainly because the major review sites do, but I hope readers view my comments as more important than the actual number of stars. My star ratings are generally intuitive; I may just read a book thinking "this is a solid 3-star book," but I've included some of my thought process below to help shed some light on that process.
5 Stars: Highly Recommended! The book was well-written and well-edited, and was difficult to put down. Perhaps the concept was unique and thought-provoking, or the storyline was extremely engaging. In a 5 star book, I am able to really immerse myself into the story, and I'm left satisfied, full of reflections, or wanting more, in a good way.
4 Stars: Definitely Recommended! I really enjoyed the book. The difference between a 4 star and a 5 star review is generally something to do with the voice, writing style, character development, or the storyline of the book. All those things may have been good, but one (or more) just wasn't "great," in my opinion.
3 Stars: Recommended! I enjoyed the book, but it may not have been unforgettable. There may have been excessive errors or a lack of complexity or voice in the writing style. Maybe the plot didn't really go anywhere, or I wasn't as engaged in the story as I'd like to have been.
2 Stars: Not Quite My Thing. I may have finished the story just to finish it, but that means there was still something there that I liked. Books in this category may have an overly excessive numbers of errors, a plot that just didn't ring true, poorly developed characters, or just didn't feel like books I'd necessarily recommend. That doesn't mean that someone else won't like the book.
1 Star: Not Recommended. If I feel a book is in this category, it's unlikely I'd even finish it. I don't rate books I don't finish.
Obviously my ratings are all subjective and your own experience may vary! If you are the author of a book I've reviewed, and you feel you want to clarify or comment on one of my observations, please feel free. I welcome any respectful discourse on a book. My interpretations are really just that- my interpretations. I have gotten feedback from readers who were interested in books based on my reviews, even if they weren't glowing reviews. I try to be specific so readers can make informed choices, and just because I comment on an element I may not enjoy doesn't mean someone else won't enjoy it.
Note: I generally put my reviews onto places such as Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. As I rate in half-star increments and those places uses full stars, I tend to split the difference when choosing the number of stars for each site. So a 3.5 star rated book will show up as 4 stars or 3 stars, in equal amounts (or more of the higher rating if an unequal amount). I will always indicate my true rating somewhere in the review.
Note: I generally put my reviews onto places such as Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. As I rate in half-star increments and those places uses full stars, I tend to split the difference when choosing the number of stars for each site. So a 3.5 star rated book will show up as 4 stars or 3 stars, in equal amounts (or more of the higher rating if an unequal amount). I will always indicate my true rating somewhere in the review.
If you have a book you think I should review, please read my review policy!
