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Explain your book ratings
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I rate books not just by how well they’re written, but by how deeply they moved me. If a story made me feel joy, sorrow, hope, or even haunted me days after I closed the last page, that’s what earns it a high rating for me. A technically perfect book that left me emotionally cold? Probably won’t get five stars. But a flawed book that hit me in the heart? That’s the kind of story I’ll remember and rate highly.As a reader, I don’t just consume stories, I feel them. What lingers with me is how your characters made me feel: the longing in a quiet moment, the ache of a goodbye, the thrill of a choice made too late. If your writing makes me feel something real, even imperfectly, I’ll treasure it.
Don’t worry too much about perfection. Focus on emotional truth and your readers will find themselves there.
ᯓ★raquel wrote: "I rate books not just by how well they’re written, but by how deeply they moved me. If a story made me feel joy, sorrow, hope, or even haunted me days after I closed the last page, that’s what earn..."I love this answer so much and it really resonates with me on a personal level. I too am in the, "go by feels" school of rating a book.
My book ratings? Less math, more vibes. Here’s the breakdown5- Soul Snatcher - Touched me deeply, worth acting on
4- Sleep-Stealer - Couldn’t put down; now hunting for more like it
3- It Was Fine - Enjoyable but forgettable. No regrets, but no raves
2 and 1 - Very Rare as I usually pick based on reviews).
V.B wrote: "ᯓ★raquel wrote: "I rate books not just by how well they’re written, but by how deeply they moved me. If a story made me feel joy, sorrow, hope, or even haunted me days after I closed the last page,..."I feel it's the only way I'm being true to myself
Rahul wrote: "My book ratings? Less math, more vibes. Here’s the breakdown5- Soul Snatcher - Touched me deeply, worth acting on
4- Sleep-Stealer - Couldn’t put down; now hunting for more like it
3- It Was Fine..."
Your rating system is perfection! Love it!
I would rate it…5 stars: if it made me laugh and cry, if there’s absolutely nothing I would change, and if couldn’t put it down
4 stars: if it was a good experience, if I would recommend it to someone else, and if I would reread it
3 stars: if I have really mixed feelings like there were things I loved and things I hated, or if it was forgettable even while I was reading it
2 stars: if it was a struggle to finish then it’s automatically two stars
1 star: if there’s absolutely nothing I liked about it and I want it to burn in hell
Book ratings are clearly super subjective. I'd love to hear your method for determining book ratings. What does each star mean to you? I'm curious as both a reader and aspiring author.
Read on, besties!