Rating Guidelines

[Dnelson]

Just curious how everyone gives out stars for books. I realized I was giving everything I liked 4 or 5 stars, and then when it came time to rate a book I didnt like it made me question my rating criteria!
How do you guys go about it?

[NayNay]

My thought on the rating

1-didn't like it
2-wasn't bad
3-liked it
4-really liked it
5-loved it

[Sandil]

1. Waste of bytes or paper,burn
2. Will not read it again, recycle
3. Average- Give away
4. Really good. Keep for a while and recommend
5. Excellent, Keeper, Haunting after put down, Read again and again. Highly recommend

[t'irla ~The Bookslayer~]

1. no redeeming qualities
2. *sigh*..it was ok but wish I didn't waste the time
3. not bad...had potential but just didn't quite get there
4. Was good..really enjoyed it..might even read it again
5. blew me away..loved it ..will read again someday.

[D.G.]

Although GR doesn't have half ratings, I note them on my reviews.

1: Hated it! Cannot say one good thing about it.
2: Didn't liked it, bored me, crazy premise, hated the main character.
2.5: OK - Interesting premise with big plot holes
3: Most of the books I rate fall under this rating for a variety of reasons.
--- I found the book entertaining but nothing else
--- Good book but with major pet peeve
--- Inconsistent book - i.e. great characterization with mediocre/bizarre plots
3.5 : Very good. Enjoyed it and found the book entertaining but didn't have a big emotional response.
4: Great! Really enjoyed it. I'd like to meet these characters.
4.5: Amazing! Tight plot, interesting characters, thought-provoking.
5: Loved it! Emotions were engaged big time (laughed, cried, couldn't sleep, etc.) Just thinking about the book makes me happy and I'd like to re-read it one day.

[Dnelson]

Thanks everyone, very helpful. When I have time I think I need to go back and re-evaluate my stars!

[Regina]

What do you do when someone posts a rude comment on one of your reviews? How do you respond?

[Ottilie]

Has that happened regina?

[Regina]

Yes, I had a low rating and negative review for Janet Evanovich novel. I was frustrated (as many fans are/were) with her lack of story progression and recycled ideas. Someone posted a mocking comment -- not calling me names, but criticizing me instead of disagreeing with me. You know? I love disagreements with my reviews or comments and discussions, but this was different.

[Ottilie]

Oh wow I haven't seen that happen to any of mine that is awful! Maybe just ingore it, it's probably not worth it.

[Regina]

That is good advice. usually the best method!

[D.G.]

I've never had that happened (which is a surprise because I've written several scathing reviews of popular books) but if another person would post rude comments, I'd just delete their post (which you can in your own reviews.) I can take respectful differences of opinion about a book but I would never tolerate personal insults. And I wouldn't go down to their level trying to engage the person. They are not worthy.

[Regina]

I responded, before I posted here and sought advice. LOL, always the best method -- react and then think about it.

I will go back and delete his post and my post. The weird thing is, it is a series that has a primarily female readership and it is a male reader attacking me.

[D.G.]

What a douche! Your comment was very restrained, Regina. I would have been tempted to insult him back.

[Ottilie]

Hahaha

[Regina]

Thanks DG, that makes me feel better. I was tempted to do so actually. I wrote a few things and then deleted. I don't get the attack on reviewers/GR members. Just disagree with me. And actually, I completely get that he would have enjoyed the book given it is his first foray into her books. I enjoyed them too, until I had read 20 or so of her books. I was just slow that it took me that long to pick up on her re-using ideas.

[Leea]

For some reason I feel like it's my review, my thoughts, my take on this book - leave it alone. I would never post a neg. comment on someones review of a book. Can't we just agree to disagree. How boring if we all loved the same thing. Jeez!

D.G. I really liked your rating system :)

[D.G.]

I don't get attacks either. Books are a very personal thing. Just because you like a book, doesn't mean everybody should like it as well and viceversa.

[Regina]

Exactly. It also doesn't mean I am a bad person or I think the person who liked it is less than smart. Just difference of opinion!

[D.G.]

Leea wrote: "How boring if we all loved the same thing. Jeez! "

Word!

[D.G.]

Leea wrote: "D.G. I really liked your rating system :) "

LOL, thanks! I really wish GR would have half stars in the ratings. As you can see, for me it's a big difference.

[Leea]

Same here :) I've noticed that some of my favorite books, I never reviewed because I read them when I was so new to GR. I think i'm always changing...

[Gwennie]

darn, I always miss the good stuff. I wanted to read the comment.

[Regina]

I haven't had a chance to delete, lol. It is still there! :)It is for my Wicked Appetite review (the first Diesel book)

[Gwennie]

I just looked and read it, then my mind instantly went to look for the 'like' button next to your response.

[Regina]

Thanks Wendy. :) I decided to work from home today and have (of course) a hundred things come up at work. So when I come back to GR quickly, I have been reading all of my friends' new posts and haven't had time to go back and delete it. I appreciate the support!

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Regina wrote: "That is good advice. usually the best method!"

I had someone recently tell me that I should go back and re-rate a review of mine, even though it looked like they did the "I'm sort of teasing you, but not really" method to come across as not looking harsh.
It was so hard to keep my cool. The response I gave was semi-rude, but I do admit to reacting in the moment.

[Gwennie]

I remember that one Stacia. I have yet to have anyone really be rude on one of my reviews.

[Regina]

Stacia that is frustrating! I did not see that.

This is the second one I have had. I had someone attack me in response to another review, but I tried to be positive. She didn't remain positive. :) LOL.

[Leea]

Regina, just read your response to 'Jim' That was an amazing reply. I wanted to give you a pat on the back and a high five. Love it!

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

I keep this on my profile because I don't use GR's rating system.

5 stars - Loved the book. One of my favorites. This rating does not mean it's necessarily one of the "best" books ever written, but that something about the book clicked with me personally.

4 stars - Really liked this book. Sometimes I'll note 4.5 in my review and that means the book could have been 5 stars, but one small thing held me back from going that extra bit.

3 stars - It was okay or I liked it but wasn't crazy about the book. If I note 3.5 stars in my review it means I liked it slightly better than average but didn't feel it strong enough to get a 4.

2 stars - Mildly disliked something about the book but didn't hate it either.

1 star - Couldn't stand the book.

[Kay]

I noticed recently when I hover my mouse over the star ratings it shows what each star could mean:

5 stars - It was amazing
4 stars - I really liked it
3 stars - liked it
2 stars - it was ok
1 star - didn't like it

Was this there before?? I know for a while authors and readers were getting into it b/c some books were getting low ratings. But going by these guidelines, 2 stars isn't bad. it's okay. I may go back and reevaluate some of my ratings.

[Kay]

I don't rate too many books below 3 stars unless it was horrible and I felt a real dislike for it. I noticed in the beginning when I first joined goodreads, I was very generous with my 4 stars and sometimes 5. But now, I seem to give a lot more 3 stars than before b/c a lot of books are just ok now. I guess my reading preferences have also changed since I've joined too.

[Leea]

Yeah, I agree. I try to research books before I read them and I don't really rate much below 3 stars.

[Gwennie]

That's always been there, at least since I joined goodreads, Kay.

I don't really go by that though. My 'ok' books are 3 stars. 2 stars are didn't really like it. And 1 stars are for books that make me want to have a lobodomy done to remove my memories of ever having read it.

[Kay]

oh okay. I guess I never noticed it before. There were some books that I wanted to forget but those turned out to be DNF for me. Those I just end up not rating at all since I didn't finish the whole book.

[Gwennie]

I have an abandoned shelf too. Usually my 1 star books are once where I forced myself to keep reading because they're so popular that I must be missing something. Like, .

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Kay wrote: "oh okay. I guess I never noticed it before. There were some books that I wanted to forget but those turned out to be DNF for me. Those I just end up not rating at all since I didn't finish the whol..."

I don't rate DNF's either and shelve them exclusively. The only time I've ever rated a DNF was if I skimmed to the end and read the conclusion, then I'll note it in my rating.

[Maggie the Muskoka Library Mouse]

My rating is as follows:

5 Stars= loved it, would recommend it
4 Stars= it was pretty good, would recommend it
3 Stars= it was okay, might recommend it to one or two people
2 Stars= didn't like it, wouldn't recommend it
1 Star= hated it, had to force myself through it and would not subject anyone else to it