Stars Explained

I saw an author on Twitter the other day very upset that she had received a three star review.  My initial reaction was that three stars isn't all that bad of a rating.  In fact, in my system, three is a pretty good rating

 

5 Stars ***** - Outstanding!  I want to own a hardback copy of this book.  I will read everything else the author has written and I will re read this book throughout the years.  It will have a pride of place on my book shelves and I will tell everyone I meet about it.  It touched my heart and stays with me long after I have finished it.

 

4 Stars **** - Great!  I really enjoyed this story, the chracters, the place and/or the time.  I will probably keep a copy of the book on my shelves.  I will recommend it to friends if I know it is something they would enjoy.  I will read a few other things an author has written because I might

 

3 Stars *** - Good!  This is an enjoyable read, perhaps funny, perhaps intriguing.  Maybe I didn't like a character, or the story dragged, or the prose was sloppy, or the plot had some holes in it.  But I liked it enough to give it away to someone else.  I might read other titles by this author.

 

2 Stars - **  Didn't Enjoy. -  Probably finished but found it a struggle.   Few things came to together and this book didn't touch me in any way.  Probably won't read other titles by this author. 

 

1 Star * - Hated!  Probably didn't finish.  Probably threw this across the room.  Probably ranted about how this book got published.  Probably threw this book into the recycle bin.

 

I am reading my 60th book of 2012 and having done a wee bit of uber scientific data analysis, I can honestly say it is way more difficult to gt a 1 or 2 out of me than a 5 or 4.  Maybe I just know how to pick my books.  Or maybe there are just more good books than bad books out there.  Or maybe I'm an old softie.  Whatever, my analysis shows a nearly perfect statistically accurate bell curve.

 

Please do not be offended if you get three stars.  And if you get 1 star you might want to consider that just because I didn't like it someone else probably will.

 

NB:  I use Goodreads to keep track of everything I read.  If you're not already my friend on Goodread, please be my friend!