Little Thoughts About... #10
How do you rate books?
Someone over on Bluesky asked how people who use half stars in ratings use them. It’s taken me a while to come up with a basic rating system that works for me. I assume every book I read is going to at least be 3 stars (I liked it in the Goodreads view of things1).
I rate things in 3 areas: the story, the characters, and the pace. Each one is worth half a star. If I liked the book and none of the 3 was a standout, then the book stays 3 stars. If I really liked any of the 3, the book gains a half-star. So, I really like all three give a book 4.5 stars. If I know I’m going to be reading the book again, then it becomes a 5.
Now, if I really dislike one of the three areas, then the book loses half a star. So if I really disliked all three, the book would end up with a 1.5-star rating. And if I hate finished the book 1 star.
What I Finished Reading
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
Loved, loved, loved! 5 stars!
What I’m Currently Reading
Emma by Jane Austen
I haven’t discovered anything new yet, but I am really enjoying this reread!
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
I don’t know why it has taken me this long to read this book. It’s January’s pick for one of my book clubs, and I wasn’t sure about starting the year with a book with such a heavy topic, but Morrison’s beautiful style of writing has a way of coating the heaviness of the text.Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator by Keith Houston
I haven’t picked this back up yet, my copy just arrived so I have to find where I left off.
1 star = did not like it, 2 stars = it was ok, 3 stars = liked it, 4 stars = really liked it, 5 stars = it was amazing
On this Newsletter, We Believe:
Black Lives Matter
Women’s Rights are Human Rights
No Human is Illegal
Science is Real
Love is Love
Kindness is Everything