Rules? Guidelines? Miscellaneous?
Somewhere, someway, someone established the idea of a rating system. I don't know about you but I don't think in terms of rating stuff. However, I guess I must if I'm going to review books, movies or anything else that strikes my fancy.
What is a five star? How does a five star compare to a four star? I don't know. Wish I did, that would make a huge difference. I do know that even the five stars are far from perfect. If I have to make a distinction, a four star will get reread many times (sometimes hundreds of rereads because that's what I do) and a five star will get entire fantasies created for my brain's entertainment. If I read either a four or a fiver on Kindle, then I am probably putting a print copy on my wish list.
A three star means "okay, I've read that. Nice. Interesting. Might read again when I've forgotten certain elements." If a three star is part of a series, I might or might not continue with the next book. A three-bie probably won't end up on, or stay on, my bookshelf or Kindle.
I won't bore you with a one or a two rating. A one star doesn't engage me and I have usually put the book down by the second or third chapter. In fact, I probably didn't even purchase the book in the first place because I like to read the blurb, then the first chapter, followed by the last chapter (no spoilers for me!) before I commit.
A two star might have gotten my attention, but didn't keep it through the entire book. A two star movie is the one I walked out of. In other words, it got my attention (and probably my money) but that was the extent of our relationship. (Come to think about it, a one star is probably better than a two star. Hmmm.)
That said, there are a TON of books and movies produced which the masses love, but fall into my one or two star category. My husband complains about this all the time. He says I don't like "great acting" or some other nonsense. He's right. I don't care for great acting. I care for great characters, good dialogue and action. I don't care for reality. I am not impressed by "the human condition". Books and movies about someone's messy divorce or a child dying of some rare disease? I know those people. It might be inspiring, but that is not entertainment in my world.
Make me laugh. Make me cry (but not too much). Give me a Happily Ever After. Do not humiliate me. Do not take advantage of the less fortunate. Then we are talking about at least a three.
What is a five star? How does a five star compare to a four star? I don't know. Wish I did, that would make a huge difference. I do know that even the five stars are far from perfect. If I have to make a distinction, a four star will get reread many times (sometimes hundreds of rereads because that's what I do) and a five star will get entire fantasies created for my brain's entertainment. If I read either a four or a fiver on Kindle, then I am probably putting a print copy on my wish list.
A three star means "okay, I've read that. Nice. Interesting. Might read again when I've forgotten certain elements." If a three star is part of a series, I might or might not continue with the next book. A three-bie probably won't end up on, or stay on, my bookshelf or Kindle.
I won't bore you with a one or a two rating. A one star doesn't engage me and I have usually put the book down by the second or third chapter. In fact, I probably didn't even purchase the book in the first place because I like to read the blurb, then the first chapter, followed by the last chapter (no spoilers for me!) before I commit.
A two star might have gotten my attention, but didn't keep it through the entire book. A two star movie is the one I walked out of. In other words, it got my attention (and probably my money) but that was the extent of our relationship. (Come to think about it, a one star is probably better than a two star. Hmmm.)
That said, there are a TON of books and movies produced which the masses love, but fall into my one or two star category. My husband complains about this all the time. He says I don't like "great acting" or some other nonsense. He's right. I don't care for great acting. I care for great characters, good dialogue and action. I don't care for reality. I am not impressed by "the human condition". Books and movies about someone's messy divorce or a child dying of some rare disease? I know those people. It might be inspiring, but that is not entertainment in my world.
Make me laugh. Make me cry (but not too much). Give me a Happily Ever After. Do not humiliate me. Do not take advantage of the less fortunate. Then we are talking about at least a three.
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