WLPW2K: Rating Books

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?

Posted by Wicked Lil Pixie   @   21 August 2010

16 Comments

Comments
  • Gaby August 21, 2010 at 12:44 am

    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….

  • Mandi August 21, 2010 at 8:26 am

    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).

    • Wicked Lil Pixie August 21, 2010 at 10:48 am

      The only time I find I’m not thinking about a rating is if the story draws me in from the start.

  • Mark Henry August 21, 2010 at 10:36 am

    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.

    • Wicked Lil Pixie August 21, 2010 at 10:48 am

      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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  • Synde August 21, 2010 at 10:41 am

    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!

  • tori aka ggs_closet August 21, 2010 at 11:01 am

    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.

  • Moonsanity (Brenda) August 21, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    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

  • Moonsanity (Brenda) August 21, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    ooops….hit enter too fast. Meant to say if the sex feels plugged into the book– not really connected to the plot.

  • Julie (Rumour) August 21, 2010 at 3:52 pm

    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!

    • Moonsanity (Brenda) August 21, 2010 at 6:32 pm

      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.

  • Melissa (Books and Things) August 21, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    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! ;)

  • The Mighty Buzzard August 22, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    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.

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