All ratings I posted here are only my personal opinions on the books. They should never be viewed as the general consensus among critics or even the public and it would be unwise for anyone to think so as this is just a personal book blog.
7 stars
Everyone should read this book. It’s a must. Even people who don’t really like reading books should read this at least once in their lifetime. Those who don’t know how to read should learn to read just so they could read this book. That’s how critical this rare piece of literature is! It’s a book I’ll be delighted to read over and over and over again.
6 stars
A must-read for readers and non-readers alike. It’s not just as perfect (in my eyes) as a 7-star book. Either I found something in it which I didn’t like or I felt that the author could still have done more to make this perfect. Nevertheless, it would do you well not to miss this book since your life depends on it. Just kidding. No, seriously it does.
5 stars
A great book. All book lovers should read this. However, it’s not that crucial for non-readers to read this also. Though it would be nice if they do because it has the potential to turn them into book lovers as well. It would simply be difficult for anyone not to like this book. (Those few who don’t like it have serious issues.)
4 stars
A half-great and half-good book. It’s a notch lower because it’s not a book for everyone. But I am glad to have read this book and I would have probably felt bad if I missed this. This is also the lowest rating any book should get for me to consider it gift-worthy or deserving of my recommendation.
3 stars
Just a good book. If I knew beforehand that this would be my rating, I wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic to read this since I already knew I wasn’t missing anything special. It’s very possible that I will not read this book again.
2 stars
A not-so-good book. I kinda feel bad that I subjected myself to hours (or even days!) of torture by reading this. The only reason it’s not a 1-star is because I can see why some people will like it and I still respect them for that. But if you haven’t read this book yet, do yourself a favor and read something else rated higher here. Please, I implore you.
1 star
Burn this book or crush it to smithereens with a sledgehammer! It’s not only an embarrassment to the world of literature, it’s also a shame for the entire humanity to have the misfortune of having a sorry excuse for a book like this ever exist, much less read by thousands or (heaven forbid!) millions of people who will forever have their earthly life tainted by such an abomination. Unfortunately, that includes me. If only I could Obliviate myself…
*******
Ratings criteria for Fiction
Fiction books I review are rated using an average score of these points.
1. Plot – How interesting, creative and intricate the plot was to me.
2. Characters – Did I find the characters well-developed and was I able to connect with any of them at all?
3. Writing Style – Did I like the literary devices the author employed? Was the dialogue effective?
4. Fun-O-Meter – Just a measure of how much I enjoyed the book!
*******
Ratings criteria for Non-Fiction
Visual Aids and Extras only have a half-point weight in the final score.
1. Writing Style – Does the tone of the book inspire me to keep turning the page?
2. Structure/Organization – How is the subject matter presented? Does it make sense?
3. Visual Aids – I want my non-fiction to include photos or illustrations.
4. Extras – References or sources need to be cited for credibility. Additional info on the subject is also a plus.
5. Fun-O-Meter – Did the book transport me to the time and place of the story? Just kidding. Same as fiction.
The overall score is not rounded off so it’s possible for books to have a rating halfway between a great book (5 stars) and a must-read (6 stars). No, I’m not doing this just to make things even more complicated. The ratings script I use simply doesn’t let me round off the average. <_<
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