Reader Mailbag: How Do You Rate Books?
In the November 2024 newsletter, we asked readers how they rate books.
Here are the responses:
B: Hi
My rating system:
10 an ultimate favourite
9 the best
8 v v good
7 better than average- watch author
6 worthwhile average
5 meh average
4 below average
3 don’t bother
2 really disliked
1an ultimate dislike
A book can move up from a 9 to a 10 only after a period of time from when I read it. Currently I only have a few dozen 10’s but a few hundred 9’s that one day I’ll look through and I’m sure a bunch will get promoted. A book get promoted if it has stayed with me and I still get an emotional response thinking about it. I find that very long books tend to end up being 10’s, as do some of the Pulitzer winners. I try to be careful picking out books to read so I don’t feel I’ve wasted my time, so I’ve only got a handful of 2’s and a couple of dozen 3’s. Most of the books end up with a 7 or an 8.
Thanks for your always enjoyed newsletter!
Kenicia: I don’t rate the books I read at all. I tend to choose books I am likely to enjoy, and that is enough. However, I know a book was especially good when I keep thinking about the characters for days and wondering how the author sees their future. That’s usually what I most want to know from an author.
Keith: my standards are recently defined and still evolving. A 5/10 is the minimum worth reading / listening. Anything less than that is “delete / burn my copy and remove from history”. 7/10 is a good story with decent narration. 8/10 is very good, with either the story or the performance being excellent. 9/10 is approaching perfection of both the story and the narration. 10/10 is perfect in every way – I haven’t found any of those since I’ve started listening to audiobooks. (There have been a few 9’s though). Books read by their authors and books with an ensemble performance cast are an automatic 1 point deduction. Books read by Scott Brick or Danny Pino get an automatic +1 rating.
vhreads: Rating books – that’s a tough one.
Did it make me laugh out loud or cry – higher rating
Was I slower to turn the pages because I was afraid of what was next – higher rating
Did I figure out the mystery before the first half – lower rating
Was the first half slow – lower rating
Was it run of the mill fun or mysterious but nothing – average rating
Did I think the characters were dumb – lower rating
Did I get tangled up in the character’s lives – higher rating
For non-fiction – was the topic interesting and did I learn anything – higher rating
Also, I tend to score higher on online 5-star rating systems to benefit the author. I tend to score more closely on my personal 10-star rating system.
Chris: Hi Graeme. Your rating system sounds very useful, especially when you’re recommending a book to others. Mine is not as clear cut. I tend to judge a book by how interested I am in reading it. If I start a book and I keep picking it up and putting it down, then that’s a sign that I will struggle to finish it and don’t think a lot of it. Sometimes, if it’s for a book club meeting, I will push through and finish the book in most cases. Many times, I was glad I did. In one case though, everyone in the group hated the book that one particular person chose and none of us could finish it. It didn’t help that the book was very large and would have taken a long time to get through it anyways. So essentially, if I really love a book, I will read it every minute that I can, which usually means lots of staying up late, reading into all hours, which causes problems of its own. Every now and then, it takes getting through part of the book to get hooked and then I will not stop until I finish it.
Christine: I like to look at the ratings that library patrons mark in the books of between one star to 4 stars. It is very helpful and I have put a book back on the shelf when I see only 2 stars or less from previous readers. As for me, I dislike giving anyone a “bad mark/review”, so I only put a 4 star rating on books and they have to be really, really good, like Kirstin Hannah’s The Nightingale.
Louise: I guess I rate the books I read in a willy-nilly way. I have no set criteria. How much I am looking forward to reading it is the first step. If I don’t fall asleep while reading it, is a good sign I like the book. Another good sign is if I think about the characters during my day. The characters in a book I enjoy become good friends (or people I dislike in some cases) to me while I am reading the book. I keep a log (by author) of the books I read, along with a rating of each book. I have very few books rated 10. I will be curious to read how other people rate books in your newsletter next month. This is a great question.
AJP: My rating scale is generally pretty high – as long as I stayed engaged to the end of the story, enjoyed the plot and characters, and felt the story made sense – it is a 10. If it misses one of those a 9, two of those an 8, all three a 7. I feel most authors work really hard and even if it is not my favorite – I don’t want to discourage other readers who may enjoy it more than me, so I almost never go below a 7. Ang I never judge for typos, missing pages, other snafus that don’t reflect the actual story.
Sandra: I have never rated a book because I was very unsure what to use as a measuring stick. I like your explanation of how you rate a book and I think I’ll borrow that and start rating books too. Thanks for the personal input. It made a lot of sense.
Mark: Yes, I have a rating scale, and I keep a database of all the fiction I’ve read. It’s out of 5, and very specific:
Oddly, I’ll start in the middle.
4 is my “standard recommendation”. It was a book that I liked, and that I think others will enjoy, but if you don’t, we’ll still be friends. Example (mine are mostly from science fiction and fantasy, as that’s what I know best, but I’ll try to limit it to better-known books): Ender’s Game
4.25 – a very good book. Again, if you don’t like it, I won’t push you out a window, but I will definitely raise an eyebrow. Example: Leviathan Wakes (first book in The Expanse)
4.5 – A great book. If you don’t like this one, I probably *will* push you out a window. Examples: The Martian, by Andy Weir; Replay by Ken Grimwood (I know this is one of our host’s favorite books); The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
4.75 – One of the best books I’ve ever read. If you don’t like this one, we probably can’t be friends any more. Examples: Dune; Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
5 is not only one of the best books I’ve ever read, it also either changed my life, or made me cry. A 4.75 is just as good, but doesn’t have the emotional punch or the existential importance needed for a 5. I mean, there’s no better read than Dune, but it’s not like I’m going to go out and learn to ride a sandworm, right? Examples of 5s: Fahrenheit 451 (because of the importance of books); Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (because of the importance of friendship); Small Gods by Terry Pratchett (everything wrong with religion hilariously satirized); Catch-22 (the insanity of war)
For the record, only 89 of the 1,146 novels I’ve read so far rate a 4.75 or 5, that is, just under 7.8%. Another 187 (16.3%) rate a 4.5.
For the rest:
3.5 is a conditional recommendation; I liked it, but recognize not everyone will; also, a good read, but with some weaknesses. Examples: The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis; The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein; Wuthering Heights
3 – Just another novel; occasionally, a book with a good first half and a bad second half. Examples: Never Let Me Go (hopefully this rating doesn’t get me into trouble); Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
2.5 – A category specifically for disappointments, Usually, hyped books that weren’t very good, or books that I was hoping to be a lot better. Example: Startide Rising by David Brin (won both the Hugo and the Nebula Awards; was really looking forward to it, but it was just kind of dull).
2 – Two categories: dumb, and dull. A lot of pulp science fiction fits here (I rate short stories as well as novels). Example: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (it might have been fun in 1912, but it’s just boring now).
1.5 – Very uncommon; it’s a 1 (see below) but with some redeeming feature, maybe a great quote or an interesting idea. Example: The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks (thoroughly putrid book, with a great last chapter).
1 – The real horse manure. No redeeming features. Actively repulsive, often involving racism, cannibalism, torture, anti-marriage and anti-family screeds, anti-Semitism (you’d be amazed how much there is in current science fiction and fantasy), woke whining, anti-science, grotesque stupidity… Examples: The Bees by Laline Paull (bad biology, bad sociology, bad psychology, all presented with bad writing); The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson (normally “dull” gets a 2, but this 600 pages of the ne plus ultra of boredom earns a 1).
Obviously, I try not to pick up books that will be bad, but sometimes I get tricked (especially by award winners or nominees). But I have suffered through 32 books rating 2 or below, and another 25 rating 2.5, for a total of 57 bad books (5%).
Yes, I recognize that not everyone is quite as obsessive/compulsive as I am…
Donna: I’m not one to rate books. It’s very subjective. However if I find a book or author that keeps me engaged I usually tell people. Engaged, for me, includes believable characters (bad/ good), putting new twists on stories or making me laugh just to name a few. I enjoy many genres but science fiction/ fantasy are my favorites. Mysteries are a close second. A few favorite authors are Patricia Briggs, Andre Norton and Stephen Graham Jones. A few series I’ve enjoyed are Sandman Slim, Joe Leaphorn and Twisted Tales ( which is a young adult series that takes a Disney character, plot or certain scene and gives a what if this happened instead.)
Phoenix: this month you asked about how we rate books. Well, I don’t, really. Either I like it enough to finish it, or I don’t. I can’t tell you how many books I’ve simply given up on in the middle of the books. I’m almost 76 years old, and I haven’t got time to waste on a book I don’t like. I’ve never even thought about giving a numerical value of “like” to the books I’ve read.
Phillip: Hi Graeme – I rate books on a 1-10 scale as well. I think I’m more than fair with my ratings and tend to be on the high side with authors that I’ve read, rarely dipping below a 7. I know most published authors put their heart and soul into their work and don’t “wing it” like some might think. It’s a tough job and they have no one else to blame. They’re either good at wordsmithing or they’re not. That old saying that the cream rises to the top applies to writers more than any other profession in my humble opinion. I wanted to be a novelist, but the farthest I got was writing concert reviews for a regional magazine once a month. So I have a lot of respect for those who make a living at writing what they want to write
Melinda: I am generally a high rater for books I read and use a 1-5 scale. If I really enjoyed a book it gets 5 stars. If I struggled through it, I’ll give it 3 stars. Anything below 3 I keep to myself. It’s a lot about just enjoying the story and not looking for a great literary style. Reading should be for escape and enjoyment and I read every day.
Lisa: Hello! I rate my books based on the best books that I have ever read. If a book was as good as one of my favorites it will get a 5/5, if not, I will rate it with less stars.
Jessica: I usually give books a 10 unless I don’t like the ending. I take some stars off if I don’t like the ending. There was only one book that I gave 1 star because it was really bad. THat book I actually threw away after reading it. I didn’t want anyone to read it. I don’t rate books on my blog though.
Jannette: I really enjoyed this months newsletter, reviews and recommendations.
With regards to how I review, I don’t. I keep a list of books and have “considered” rating them but I never get around to it and think you are not really comparing apples with apples, not just because of different writers or genres but those ratings are likely going to be affected by how you feel when you do the review. That may not be a factor for others, but I think it would be for me. Having said that, I will comment in my spreadsheet if I don’t enjoy a narrator 😊
Janice: I rate from 1 to 5-which is not the simplified version of 1 to 100! In my book world, a 3 might be a 75-85 on a grading scale of 1 to 100-because I am not rating the entire universe of books, only the ones I have chosen to read based on advance reviews, the writer and my interest in the subject. I have worked in bookstores, or as a writer/book reviewer and a teacher, and have collected books nearly my whole life, so I have confidence in my judgment that a book is worth reading to start with, even if just for entertainment.
If it more than meets that expectation-if it engrosses me with the quality of the prose; a strong narrative voice; the depth of the characters and setting; a sequence of information/events (whether fiction or nonfiction) that is clear (not necessarily chronological) and that enhances my engagement and understanding; if it makes me think and feel deeply, offering a compelling and/or original “slant” on a significant aspect of our lives… if I know that this is a book I will never forget…it’s a 5.
If it aims to do these things and largely succeeds, but in some particular way falls short… while still engaging me and leaving me with a “takeaway,” glad to have read it… it’s a 4.
Most books I read end up with a 4, because I read selectively (but in many genres).
If the reading at any point becomes a chore, or if the book is too easy, too predictable/ conventional, even if in some ways original… or if it is deeply flawed, in a way that spoils my appreciation of its strengths … or if I know I will quickly forget it… it’s a 3. That is as low as I go in practice, because I don’t read randomly. A 3 is either a book I feel obliged to finish, and relieved when I do-or else one that is just popcorn, fun and forgettable.
If a book I chose to read turned out to be one I couldn’t even finish, due to an obvious bias, a disregard for facts or reasoning, the consistent use of clichéed ideas/language or of offensive/derogatory language serving no purpose, or a consistent lack of any quality of good writing-including a reason for writing beyond self-promotion-it would be a 2 or a 1, depending on the severity of what I consider “book fraud.” I can’t imagine wanting to read these titles unless I were paid to review one. Few get published by mainstream publishers. But some do, based on the “author’s” celebrity. This is why, more than best-seller lists, we need book reviews! (And book sites, and librarians.)
These ratings apply across genres for me. A mystery has different conventions than historical fiction or poetry, but I still expect something deeper and more compelling out of a 5, for example. Elizabeth George (for one) consistently delivers, whereas if you’ve read one Agatha Christie (a 3), you’ve read them all. (Guilty as charged!)
Elizabeth G: I don’t have any sort of rating system. I do keep a list of books to look for at the library with their release date. I mark when I request them and when I read them. This helps me know what to look for next. I have some authors that I will automatically request upcoming books.
Deana: With regards to rating a book, I have no strict rules. If I finish a book, that has a great ending but I didn’t want it to end. That’s a great wow from me. If I am wanting to know what happens but want it to happen quickly, then that’s a disappointment. If I can’t even finish the book then that’s a boo from me.
Corinne: My book rating is simple:
-I hated it so much/it was so boring that I could not finish it. (This has gotten more common the older I get, because who has time to read boring books?!)
-I read the whole thing and liked it but not enough that I ever think I will want to read it again. I’ve been bitten this way on Audible a few times in the past, when I read reviews and thought a book sounded right up my alley, but then after I listened to it, it was OK and all but I don’t think I will ever want to listen to it again.
-I LOVED it and I immediately go buy it so that I have it available to read again and again. Some of my most favorite books ever I make sure to buy in physical print so that I will always have them even if the world goes down and there is no more internet, or power to charge my kindle. Or, you know, I decide to go be a hermit in the woods in Alaska or something. 🙂
I do often go by recommendations both from this newsletter and friends, and other sources like book ads on Instagram, but I always try to get it from a library or somewhere else first to see how I will like it before I spend any money on it. I don’t actually ‘rate’ books in my head, I just go by how I feel about them.
Barbara: I usually stick to reading books by the same authors. I enjoy psychological thrillers, legal & medical stories. Some are standalone and some are series. I very rarely give a book a 10. Since reading for me is for enjoyment I’m not strict with my rating. What will bump up a rating to 9 or the illusive 10 is the “wow factor” in the ending. So most of what I read falls in the 8 category. When a book keeps me up all night that gets a 10. Sometimes I wish there was a half star I could use too.
Cathy: As far as rating books, my #1 hurdle is the first 50 pages. If a book hasn’t drawn me in by then, I set it in my donation bag and move on.
The ultimate test for rating a book is whether I read it while cooking dinner. If I can’t set it aside during that period of time, then I’ve got a great book in my hands.
Chrustine: I rate a book by how quickly I want to finish reading it. If it’s good I’ll not put it down. If it’s ok I take my time reading it
Chrisse: How can I tell?
Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker
Started it and hated it from the jump. The main character was such a total mess from the start and the way she was moving through the story at such a fevered pitch…I just couldn’t develop any sympathy for her…
Oh, well. Others will read it and uphold it’s rep as a great suspense mystery…
Connie: I’m not strict at all. The rules change with each book, in that it is all about how I feel when finishing that final paragraph.
I do tend to not rate at all if I did not like the book (if, indeed, I actually finished it). My theory is everybody has different tastes, and I hate to give a zero and someone not read it and miss out of something they might enjoy, even though I did not.
The majority of my ratings tend to be center or just above.
How do I rate books? Generally I don’t rate books, I tend to read books by certain authors or by genre which is for the most part historical fiction. I can say that there are very few books that I have not finnished as I will always “give a book a chance”