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How Books Earn Five-Star Ratings From Readers
An unforgettable world. A cast of lovable characters. A plot twist that leaves you breathless. What does it take for a book to earn a five-star rating?
To help us define perfection, we asked avid readers on Facebook and Twitter to finish this sentence: "When I give a book five stars, that means…" and listed some of the most popular answers. Which ones do you relate to? Share your favorites in the comments.
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1. "It cured my depression, cleared my acne, and aligned my chakras," says Brooklyn.
2. "That I think even the guy who loaded the book onto the delivery truck did a perfect job," says Heath.
3. "I called in sick to stay home and finish it and I will be pressing it into your hands next time I see you," says Judy.
4. "I couldn't put it down and was sad when it was done. A five-star book should pull you in and refuse to let you go," says Nathaniel.
5. "I want to read it again…and again…and again," says Denise.
6. "I will have difficulty finding my next read because this one really rocked me," says Tonya.
7. "I didn't guess the ending," says Claire.
8. "I forgot to sleep, eat, and everything else until I finished it," says Nenad.
9. "It means the characters came to matter to me; they were authentic; they drew me in and I came to care about them. A five-star book has changed me in some way that I can't even necessarily name." says Gracie.
10. "The author was able to drag me out of reality, paint a picture for me, and suck me into the story like I was truly there, every time I read that book," says Lizzie.
11. "That it profoundly affected me and changed the way I think or brought new meaning to my life," says Stephen.
12. "I was living the book, not just reading it," says Susan.
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Tell us what a five-star rating means to you in the comments!
Check out more recent articles:
February's Hottest New Releases
13 Ways of Coping with a Book Hangover
A Top Goodreads Reviewer Picks Her 26 Indie Books of the Season
Catch Up Now: These Big Series All Have Books Coming Out Next Month
To help us define perfection, we asked avid readers on Facebook and Twitter to finish this sentence: "When I give a book five stars, that means…" and listed some of the most popular answers. Which ones do you relate to? Share your favorites in the comments.
1. "It cured my depression, cleared my acne, and aligned my chakras," says Brooklyn.
2. "That I think even the guy who loaded the book onto the delivery truck did a perfect job," says Heath.
3. "I called in sick to stay home and finish it and I will be pressing it into your hands next time I see you," says Judy.
4. "I couldn't put it down and was sad when it was done. A five-star book should pull you in and refuse to let you go," says Nathaniel.
5. "I want to read it again…and again…and again," says Denise.
6. "I will have difficulty finding my next read because this one really rocked me," says Tonya.
7. "I didn't guess the ending," says Claire.
8. "I forgot to sleep, eat, and everything else until I finished it," says Nenad.
9. "It means the characters came to matter to me; they were authentic; they drew me in and I came to care about them. A five-star book has changed me in some way that I can't even necessarily name." says Gracie.
10. "The author was able to drag me out of reality, paint a picture for me, and suck me into the story like I was truly there, every time I read that book," says Lizzie.
11. "That it profoundly affected me and changed the way I think or brought new meaning to my life," says Stephen.
12. "I was living the book, not just reading it," says Susan.
Tell us what a five-star rating means to you in the comments!
Check out more recent articles:
February's Hottest New Releases
13 Ways of Coping with a Book Hangover
A Top Goodreads Reviewer Picks Her 26 Indie Books of the Season
Catch Up Now: These Big Series All Have Books Coming Out Next Month
Comments Showing 51-100 of 155 (155 new)
message 51:
by
sara
(new)
Feb 25, 2019 08:30AM
Para mi, cinco estrellas es cuando no puedo dejar de leer, solo pienso en ese libro, me encariño con los personajes, tiene una gran escritura, las tramas están bien tratadas... y se que va a ser un libro que lo voy a re-leer en un futuro y lo voy a tener presente toda mi vida para recomendarlo a mis hijos, amigos...
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For me, it's when a book isn't perfect, but I don't even care, because another aspect (or all other aspects) of the book was beyond perfect. Basically, Five stars means I loved it.
1 star – Hated it/DNF2 star – I didn’t enjoy it but not overly offensive, or it’s very poorly written
3 star – I enjoyed it, but it was forgettable, not something I’m likely to read again or recommend to others
4 star – I really liked it but it didn’t stay with me or affect me deeply. Still something I would recommend
5 star – LOVED it! Couldn’t put it down, neglected sleep/food, wishing I was unemployed so I could keep reading. Something I could read many times and not get tired of. Compulsively recommend to everyone I know. Stays with me for a long time after finishing it. Wishing I could read it again for the first time.
I give out five stars so much. If I get sucked in, really root for the romance, or need to know more about the world or characters, I usually give it 5 stars. I don't need to be blown away. I need to enjoy reading and not have anything that takes me out of the story
If it contains some lines, mostly if it’s many lines, that just shook me to the core, made me laugh a lot, I found so true. Those brilliant words that just add up and make me appreciate so much the written word. Lines that I’ve never seen written before in their profundity. Like Shakespeare’s words that are used in so many books and are said so many times. They matter. They change the world.
Also, if after I read a book I stay in its form for a while, think in the way the book was written.
Five-stars-book means I enjoyed that book very much and recommend it for everyone decidedly . The author transported me to his world and the main thought inspire my soul and gave me new great or cute ideas .👇🏻"The author was able to drag me out of reality, paint a picture for me, and suck me into the story like I was truly there, every time I read that book," says Lizzie.
4 star: I really liked it 5 star: I really liked it and felt that it was deserving of 5 stars
To get a 5 star rating from me requires a few key things: 1. Strong characterization. I am very much a fan of character driven books.
2. An interesting plot. I want a plot that makes sense in its environment.
3. A satisfying ending. An ending that doesn't come out of nowhere.
4. Writing that I'm not "fixing" in my head (or in fanfiction).
When I finish a 5 star book, I want to hold it close to my chest, sigh deeply, and go "that was perfect".
for me 1 star- didn't like it or couldn't finish2 stars- it was ok
3 stars- I liked it
4 stars- I loved it
5 stars- I'm obsessed with it!
1 star=DNF (I give books 100 pages or 10 chapters to peak my interest)2 stars= It was terrible, but at least I finished it.
3 stars= It was decent/I liked the concept/It started out well...but it could have been better.
4 stars= This was a great book. I may or may not read it again, but I'll put it on my staff picks shelf, and I'm glad I spent the time reading it.
5 stars= OMG EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.
My overall reviews are based on character development, accuracy (for historical fiction), world-building (for fantasy), believability, driving force behind the plot (can't put down-ness), originality, well-written, and above all, a good story (because as Tolkien said, that is why we read).
No.4 Hit the nail on the head, the books i've ever given 5 stars are the ones that completely blew me away.
When I want so badly for the book to not be over that I go on to read the acknowledgments word for word.
If I give a book a five star rating, I usually don't start another book for a day to give it the respect it deserves and I can ponder it. If it's part of a series I start the next one right away. If I can move onto another book right away and it's not the next book in the series, I know it wasn't a five start book in my opinion.
Numbers 5, 9, and 11. I only give 5 stars if the book affected me deeply, I’ll read it again, and I’ll probably buy a copy for my bookshelf.
I rate the same way as the 2nd answer, by Magali : 1 Star : Hated it/DNF
2 Stars : Did not really like it but finished it and it had some qualities
3 Stars : It was okay but I won't read it again
4 Stars : I really liked it and would be okay to read it again
5 Stars : OMG I LOVED IT AND I NEED TO READ IT AGAIN AND YOU REALLY SHOULD TOO !
A five star rating is a story told that touches me on many different levels, emotionally and psychologically, so in that manner, it may not have the same effect on the next person. That's why I read.
I rate a book 5 stars if it thoroughly entertained me, blew me away and/or left some kind of lasting impression on me.
Magali wrote: "For me it would be :1 Star : Hated it/DNF
2 Stars : Did not really like it but finished it and it had some qualities
3 Stars : It was okay but I won't read it again
4 Stars : I really liked it an..."
I use this system too, except my 3 Star reviews are ones I liked but do not want to own.
1= Suckie ,couldn't even finish the first 3 chapters.2 = I read , but was bored.
3 = I could take it or leave it , not going to stick in my mind.
4= Was really good and would recommend to others.
5= TOTALLY BLEW MY MIND !!! READ AGAIN PILE !!! Look up author and follow .
I'm keeping it in my library to read again, and if possible, finding the oldest hardcopy I can afford to buy. Something that can be passed down through the generations to ensure it doesn't disappear.
A 5 stars book is the one you remember when you are under the influence of hard drugs
Magali wrote: "For me it would be :1 Star : Hated it/DNF
2 Stars : Did not really like it but finished it and it had some qualities
3 Stars : It was okay but I won't read it again
4 Stars : I really liked it an..."
Same. 3 stars meant I liked it but I won't recommend it.
My Rating System5- Excellent- Complex character and plot, everything flows well, never bored, would love to read more by author, hated the book to end
4- Great- Developed characters and plot, flows good, liked it, would like to see more of this author, just missing a little "something"
3-Good to Okay- Not a bad read, liked it but needs a bit of polishing but not sad I read it. May or may not recommend but probably read more of this author.
2- Poor- Read but struggled. Characters and/or plot poor. Bored. Not likely to read another by this author unless I have read others by them and know this is a fluke.
1- Horrible
Comment #12 says it all for me. But if I give a 1, it was so bad that I really couldn't finish it.
1 estrella: asqueroso2 estellas: ni tan mal pero no es bueno.
3 Estrellas: no es el mejor loro del mundo pero te ha entretenido y por tanto lo has disfrutado un mínimo.
4 Estrellas: Increíble. Un libro buenísimo. Te encanta todo, los personajes, la trama, peeeero... No te gusta todo. O hay algo que no te convence.
5 Estrellas: Obra maestra. No hay nada que no me guste a excepción de pequeñas cosas. Un libro que merece ser leído y que realmente me ha gustado.
5 stars = it makes a huge emotional impact and I go "wow" when I finish, or I was just happy the whole way through, and nothing significantly annoyed me along the way.
i'm one of those people who love almost everything i read so its actually harder for me to give out a 1 star rather than 5. but five stars means usually that i loved it and i'm pressing it into your hand when im done
My Rating System: 1 = I really disliked it / I could not finish it*;
2 = Meh / I didn't like it;
3 = It's okay / I liked it;
4 = I really liked it;
5 = I loved it
*I am very forgiving when it comes to books, so if it has 1 star, I disliked it immensely.
I do give a lot of 5 stars, but as I've gotten older, I've tried to be more discerning in what I do pick up to read. A 5 star book is one that not only would I be willing to read again, but I am willing to try to talk a friend or student in to trying to read it. Grammar and good editing come into play, but it the overall - I really liked this book. It does not depend upon the genre. I admit there are some genre's that I do not enjoy reading, but if that genre has managed to keep my attention, and made me want to read it again, then it gets 5 stars.
5 stars means it moved me emotionally or it was good enough to read again.
1 star: A waste of time. I strongly dislike it. I don't give many, because I usually give up on the book early.2 stars: Forgettable, has flaws. Don't recommend to others.
3 stars: My most common rating. Enjoyed it, a decent showing. I will recommend to readers that I think will respond to it. Authors should not be ashamed of 3 stars.
4 stars: Really good. Achieves the author's goals, and has qualities that resonate with me. I will enthusiastically recommend to others.
5 stars: Exceptional and rare. I think about it long afterward. I shove this book at people and demand that they read it.
call me cold, but I don't rate books 5 stars until I either a) cry or feel intense emotion while reading
or
b) reread it and it's still awesome
5 stars means:
*stays up until 2 am*
*wakes up at 5 am to continue*
*At school, walks into wall and doesn't notice*
*Teacher calls on me*
Teacher: "Lemon, what is-"
Me: "GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR GO AWAY"
School: . . .
*stays up until 2 am*
*wakes up at 5 am to continue*
*At school, walks into wall and doesn't notice*
*Teacher calls on me*
Teacher: "Lemon, what is-"
Me: "GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR GO AWAY"
School: . . .
5 - I'll tell you to read it without even asking!4 - I'll tell you to read it, if you ask me
3 - It was ok
2 - I didn't like it
1 - I couldn't even finish it
I want to climb into the book and live the story!
I want to be one of the characters(not only for the super powers....)!
For a book to get five stars on my review, it must have all the qualities listed in the original post. It also MUST NOT have spelling and grammatical errors. The author must care enough to correct these problems before the book even gets to an editor. I see too many new authors who can't even spell words correctly in the book's description; why would anyone want to read an entire book full of those problems? Honestly: if you can't spell, please don't become an author.
For me it is all about the quality of my time. A 5 star read has provided me with reading time that I treasured. Absolutely just the right book for me at the right time. Characters, setting, and plot converging in a book I’d highly recommend to others.
For a non-fiction science book (which I read a lot of), five stars means it completely changed how I thought of a certain aspect of the world, and permanently affected the way I perceive it. And I will remember it for years afterward. When I first read "The Sea Around Us" a decade ago, it revolutionized the way I thought of the ocean, and every time I go to the beach, I think about that book and about how the ocean isn't as infinite as it seems. And that's what a science book has to live up to for me to give it a five-star rating.
My life will never be the same again because I read this book. Also, finishing a 5-star book makes me sad because for a moment life was vivid and surreal, now I'm back to the humdrum of the everyday and it will be a long time before anything else measures up.
I agree with 11. and 12. because a five star read should not (just) be thrilling plot twist.
For me a five star book is one I would not regretting reading and finishing in one night knowing i have a test tomorrow
For me it is:1 Star - Hated it.
2 Stars - Expected more, however I did finish it.
3 Stars - Met my expectations but that’s it.
4 Stars - Really liked it, left me a lot to think about.
5 Stars - Changed my life.
Hope you like it!
My rating system I kept simple for myself. 1 star=Hated it or couldnt finish
2 star=Didn't like it
3 star=It was ok, won't read again
4 star=liked it, might read it again some day
5 star=loved it, will most likely read again
One of three things:1. Cannot put the book down because the characters/story/writing are so good or engaging.
2. Loving the story/characters/writing and sad that I cannot be reading the book due to pesky life.
3. Loving the story/characters/writing but taking my time with the book because I'm a little sad about it ending.
If the book has very few flaws, I will give it 5. If I wasn't totally the above or it had flaws that annoyed me, I will give it a 4-4.5 depending.
If I realize the character is in my head, and I'm not just reading what's in theirs, it's usually 5 stars.If I think about stuff that happened in the book days after I've finished it, that's a good thing.
A book is a five-star book to me when I am transported to that book. It is real to me. I want, more than anything, for the characters to be real, because they would be my friends. A five-star book is a book that is more than a book. It's so real, and every pain felt in the story is felt by me, the reader. It's unexpected, unique, and undoubtedly real. It causes anger, laughter, and tears. A five-star book is one that changes me.
