I rate books based on their originality, quality of writing, plot and character development, entertainment value, and lasting impressions. Pacing, transitions, and readability can also boost or drop a rating. More importantly, emotions elicit stars. The way I feel after I finish a book usually plays a big part in how I rate it. In other words, a book can get 5 stars whether it breaks my heart, pisses me off, or makes me smile from ear to ear. And then somewhere along the way, each book fits into one of these categories:

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★★★★★ (5/5)

I loved this book. I could not get the story or characters out of my head after reading it. I would highly recommend this book to others.

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★★★★ (4/5)

I really enjoyed this book. It is lacking a star because something was missing or could have been better.

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★★★ (3/5)

I liked the book. There are good things and bad things about it.

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★★ (2/5)

I tried to like this book. I may have been able to finish reading it, but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

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★ (1/5)

This book probably wasted my time.

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Note: I respect the opinions of others and I hope you can respect mine, too. If you enjoyed a book that I disliked, please do not let my criticisms of it change your mind or make you feel bad about liking it. Books can be interpreted in so many ways and my thoughts provide only one perspective out of millions. Also, please keep in mind that my opinions are solely based on the material I’ve read and not on the author who has written them. With all that being said, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on these books whether you agree or disagree with my ratings. Let’s talk about books!