5* - Books that I not only loved, but I actively remember for a while after reading it. The stories not only stick, but also influence what I look for going forward. If there are any flaws in the book, I don't find them impactful at all. I only have a handful of these.
4* - Books that I thoroughly enjoyed. The only difference between 4* and 5* is that I find some of the flaws harder to overlook. Maybe I was bored with a certain section, or think passages could have been reworked a bit. But I still would very much recommend these books and think they are well worth the time.
3* - Books that I liked, but felt were just about average. The flaws are significantly harder to overlook, but despite that, I still enjoyed the read. Still, they aren't bad books by a long shot, and I would still recommend them, however they most likely aren't the first thought that pops into my head as I believe there are better books out there.
2* - Books that I did not like. Perhaps the concepts were cool, but the execution left me wanting. Usually, I'll finish a 2* book and think it wasn't worth my time. I wouldn't recommend these books to anyone.
1* - Books that I not only hated, but felt that they actively wasted my time. Everything about them felt awful and I often regret reading them. Sometimes, I'll even refund these if I realize I won't DNF. Not only would I never recommend these books, I'll actively express how I felt about them if it comes up in conversation.
I don't actually rate anything lower than a 3*. I've read that authors shouldn't do that because it kind of creates a stigma around that author and people might be hesitant to work with them. As an author who already has a hard enough time networking, I didn't want to dig my own grave. Instead, I just don't rate them. Plausible deniability at its finest.
But I know what book gets what rating.
Also, I really wish Goodreads was out of 10 instead of 5. Or maybe gave half stars. No matter how much I love a book, I don't think I've ever read something that was absolutely perfect. But, to me, 5* sort of implies perfection. I'd give those books 9/10 or 4.5/5. But I don't feel like, with the current system, that they should get a 4* because they are markedly better from my perspective.
RHNewfield t1_jdd9occ wrote
Reply to How do you rate your books on Goodreads? by pensieve64
5* - Books that I not only loved, but I actively remember for a while after reading it. The stories not only stick, but also influence what I look for going forward. If there are any flaws in the book, I don't find them impactful at all. I only have a handful of these.
4* - Books that I thoroughly enjoyed. The only difference between 4* and 5* is that I find some of the flaws harder to overlook. Maybe I was bored with a certain section, or think passages could have been reworked a bit. But I still would very much recommend these books and think they are well worth the time.
3* - Books that I liked, but felt were just about average. The flaws are significantly harder to overlook, but despite that, I still enjoyed the read. Still, they aren't bad books by a long shot, and I would still recommend them, however they most likely aren't the first thought that pops into my head as I believe there are better books out there.
2* - Books that I did not like. Perhaps the concepts were cool, but the execution left me wanting. Usually, I'll finish a 2* book and think it wasn't worth my time. I wouldn't recommend these books to anyone.
1* - Books that I not only hated, but felt that they actively wasted my time. Everything about them felt awful and I often regret reading them. Sometimes, I'll even refund these if I realize I won't DNF. Not only would I never recommend these books, I'll actively express how I felt about them if it comes up in conversation.
I don't actually rate anything lower than a 3*. I've read that authors shouldn't do that because it kind of creates a stigma around that author and people might be hesitant to work with them. As an author who already has a hard enough time networking, I didn't want to dig my own grave. Instead, I just don't rate them. Plausible deniability at its finest.
But I know what book gets what rating.
Also, I really wish Goodreads was out of 10 instead of 5. Or maybe gave half stars. No matter how much I love a book, I don't think I've ever read something that was absolutely perfect. But, to me, 5* sort of implies perfection. I'd give those books 9/10 or 4.5/5. But I don't feel like, with the current system, that they should get a 4* because they are markedly better from my perspective.