Rating Scale

Rating Scale

5 Stars

These are the ones I finish and then would immediately read again. Stayed up late for them, read in one sitting and/or picked it up constantly throughout the day just to keep going. No story inaccuracies and characters fit well together. These are also the ones that I've re-read 3+ times and would still pick them up again. The ones I dream about or walk by my bookshelf and just pull them out with a flutter in my tummy just so I can think about the story again.

4.5 Stars

These are the ones I really loved and felt completely satisfied with them. I didn't find them lacking in some way; the story was complete on it's own, but when I finished I was happy and complete without thinking about reading again right now. Lots of times these are books that made me cry or put me in a certain mood. I might pick them up again when I need that but it might not be an anytime book for me. I will often stay up late for these since they're so compelling and pulled me into the story. Also, these could be super books that I'll definitely re-read, but twinged me a few times with things like gender roles.

4 Stars

I liked the story and enjoyed the characters and/or felt emotionally connected to everything, but most of the time didn't feel compelled to stay up past my bedtime. These are comfort reads or thought provoking reads that were well written. Some of them might have had enough of things like gender stereotypes that I cringed a bit while reading. Or maybe I loved it but was left feeling like I could have read a ton more about these characters and was sad to see their story end. For some stories, I loved it and stayed up late but it had general inaccuracies that bothered me: characters changed too much, grammar was a little too off, too many place inaccuracies, poor view of woman in an otherwise good story. And the totally subjective: liked it but it didn't give me happy twinges like a 5 star book.

3.5 Stars

These are probably my hardest to rate. Not that the story was bad, per se, but I definitely wouldn't pick it a second time. Maybe it had a specific audience that would enjoy it but that wasn't me. Maybe I finished it but it really felt like it was dragging.

3 Stars

Just sort of meh for everything. The story just didn't do it for me. I got through it but ended up feeling a bit like I wasted my time and wish I had those hours back.

2 Stars

Two stars normally means that it's an almost complete WTF book. Where I see no real reason for the story or where the characters seemed to “grow” in no noticeable way. I didn't believe their relationship at all. The writing could have been crazy and all over the place. Also, the story might be ok but the grammar is so bad it's almost unreadable.

1 Star

Usually something old-school that I just had to finish because of the WTF, but it was so bad I'd never say anyone should read it except when you need a good WTF moment. For other books, there's a good chance that if I rated it this low, I probably didn't finish it.