WLPW2K: Rating Books
August 21, 2010 in WLP Wants To Know
I’m kinda weird when it comes to rating books. Within the first two chapters I make a rough assessment, 1-5 of what I think I’ll end up rating the book at. By the middle of the book, I pretty much have the rating I am going to stick with. Unless something drastic happens near the end of the book, I usually stick to that rating.
I almost never take notes, weirdly enough the only time I take notes is when I really dislike a book and I feel the need to explain why I didn’t like said book. Other then that, I may mark off a quote but I usually go from what I remember. If I remember something well enough, it’s usually a good book.
So I want to know, am I weird? (duh)
How do the rest of you bloggers and readers rate books?
You’re not the only one! I don’t take notes because honestly I don’t know what to write. And I usually have a rating by the middle of the book, that can change according to what happens later….
Glad I’m not alone
I definitely think about my rating the entire time I read…
I don’t take notes, but I do use post it notes to mark things as I read (or highlight in Kindle).
The only time I find I’m not thinking about a rating is if the story draws me in from the start.
Obviously, I don’t rate shit publicly, that would be social suicide (ahem..though I know other authors who do and they are SCORNED). But when I talk books with friends I’m big on the writing end, oddly enough. Nothing takes me out of a book like lackluster writing. Tons of adverbs? I’m out. Lots of different dialogue attributions. She huffed instead of plain said? I’m done. I can forgive a weaker story if the author takes some risks in style and structure. But that’s just me.
That kills me too, certain things in scenes will kill it too..like shower sex, I can’t deal with a book well if it mentions shower sex. Anything sex wise that is no way possible, just bugs the hell out of me
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I’m not a blogger but nothing gets me bored quicker than a heroine with
a magic body part..( read vag) I know by halfway through if the book is going to make it past a 2.. Most don’t!
WHAT!?! A magic vag? Hook a sister up with that book title! lmfao
Notes? We’re suppose to take notes? Hmmm. Like you I know by the first 2 chapters if I’ll like book or not. I don’t think about ratings till the end because I have read books that surprised me halfway through and pulled their ratings up. What will shut me down fast is too much backstory and or sex and not enough plot.
I know I’m weird, but I just can’t rate books– I’m pathetic on good reads. For instance– I didn’t like Linger, the YA novel, but it wasn’t the writing– her writing is emotional and lovely– but I just thought all the adult characters sucked which ruined the story for me– but does that mean it should get a 2 for the characters or a 4/5 for the writing? I’ve also seen where reviewers will give a book a horrible rating because they didn’t like something personal about the main characters “She’s a bitch, here’s one star”. But that’s not fair either.
I don’t take notes, BUT if I don’t write up at least a rough review RIGHT after I read it, like within an hour or so, I have trouble…. memory of a gnat, that’s me.
I don’t mind sex as long as it’s not as if the sex was written
ooops….hit enter too fast. Meant to say if the sex feels plugged into the book– not really connected to the plot.
I do the post its to remember the quotes, but no notes.
I rate according to re-readability, which makes it a little harder than I would have thought. I can be reading a great book but if I don’t see myself feeling sad about never reading it again, it’s an automatic 3stars. So 3stars doesn’t mean it was not a good book in any way, it just means it’s going to be put in a box somewhere when I’m done. 5+ stars means I would totally reach ‘the end’ and start it over right away. That is, if my to-read pile weren’t growing like a weed!
Julie– that actually helps me a lot on how you rate the 3 vs. the 5+. Thanks:)
WP- I did take notes on Jeaniene Frosts new one because I wanted to mark my favorite places to make comments on them. Usually I don’t though. Also, I have to agree with Tori–sometimes a book, especially the first in a new series will take me a little bit to get started and then I can’t put it down.
I don’t take notes and most times I don’t rate a book until I have read it all. Then I try to take in the good and the bad together to rate it as a whole.
Oh, and of course you are weird. Wouldn’t have you any other way!
Usually, I read the entire book just because I enjoy reading it. I don’t take notes but then I’ve never taken notes on anything in my life except driving directions. If I decide to review a book after I’ve had time to digest it, it’s because I have something to say about it beyond whether it sucked or not.
I usually know if I’m going to finish it by ten pages in though. It’s easy to tell by whether I’ve pitched it across the room or not.