The Easy Way I Rate the Books I Read Out of 5 Stars
There’s all kinds of rating systems out there for books, but I came up with one that’s easy for me to remember, helpful to look back on, and straightforward to understand. All the ratings are out of 5 stars, but there are half or quarter stars to add as well. Here’s how it goes.
1 Star Books
If a book is only one star, that means I didn’t finish it. Either the writing style, the storyline, or the characters were so bad, I couldn’t finish it. And because I didn’t finish, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
2 Star Books
Anywhere in the two star range means I did not like the book, but I did finish it. These books just weren’t good for one reason. And I would not recommend these books usually.
2.5-2.75 Stars
These are books I personally didn’t like, but I believe one of two things happened.
First, I didn’t do enough research, and this book just wasn’t for me while it would still work for someone else who enjoys this type of book. In this case the book has positives, and I’m just the wrong audience. So I would recommend it to the right reader, as was the case with Wicked.
Second, a few books that I’ve read fall into this category that were good reads up until the end of the book. The ending was so disappointing or so badly written that I left feeling like I didn’t even like the book.
3 Star Books
Three stars is where a lot of books fall for me unless they’re some of my favorites. Books that receive just three stars means I liked the book to read the entire thing, but they weren’t great. They don’t really stand out, and I probably forgot about them after I put them down.
3.5 Stars
Three and a half stars means the book was more enjoyable than average for me, but had a few major problems for me. Either holes in the storyline, a not great ending, or a bad writing style kept me from loving the book.
3.75 Stars
The best of the three star books are ones with enough flaws, but really good ideas for a plot. They left me thinking about the book or feeling good, but I wouldn’t read them again. A good example of this is The Tattooist of Auschwitz which has a captivating story but pretty bad writing.
4 Star Books
Four star books are ones I found really enjoyable and would definitely recommend. A flat out four star review means I really liked the book and most everything in it with only minor complaints. One example of this is the Red Queen book.
Four stars also includes non-fiction books that I actually found pretty darn good to read because most I find pretty boring.
4.25 Stars
These books are all around good books that I had a pretty enjoyable time reading. Usually, I go looking for more information on these books and love to recommend them to others. A good example of this is The Housemaid, which I read in one day because I couldn’t stop.
4.5-4.75 Stars
Books this high in the rating are ones I had a really great time reading, may read again in the future, and would definitely recommend to others. I still think about these books from time to time and find reasons to talk about them or recommend them again. And it makes me excited to see things on social media about them or when other people are reading them.
This category also includes non-fiction books that I think I really got a lot out of or made me actually change the way I was doing something. Also non-fiction that were easy and enjoyable to read since most are not for me.
Two examples of these books are The Name of the Wind and Lightlark.
5 Star Books
If a book is a full five stars, which isn’t that often, it means that I LOVED this book. The characters, the plot, even some of the dialogue lives rent free in the my head long after I’m not reading anymore. And odds are I’ll read the book again at some point.
My Book Rating System
When you’re rating your own books, go with whatever system feels natural to you. This is what I use to make it easier on myself and on you as my reader to know my thinking behind the ratings.
Happy Reading!
