The Bookish Island: Does my Rating System make sense?

5/05/2019

Does my Rating System make sense?

So I watched Lala from Books and Lala video on her dilemma with rating books, and how her rating system works for her, and her experiment with all of that. And I couldn't help but think about my own rating system.

Watch her video it's long but it's really good. I watched all of it.

I was thinking that I don't really know how to rate books. And how that doesn't stop me from continuing to do so. I have given a certain amount of stars to books and later changed my mind. And I've also forgotten to rate a book and sometime later go back to see what I gave it and see nothing. So I think about giving it a star rating but can't seem to come up with anything.

And I think it has a lot to do with me not understanding certain things about the book community and books in general. Along with some of the lingo and being still so new to all of this despite having been doing this for more than 4 years.

Still, I made it simple all those years ago. I made a super easy system for myself.

Rating System:

★★★★★ ..... I loved it. This means I will most likely talk/photogaph the book nonstop. And I will most likely re-read it.

★★★★☆ ..... I liked it. This means that the book was good but because of one or two things, I didn't love it. Would probably re-read.

★★★☆☆ ..... I enjoyed it. It was a good book but it wouldn't be on any of my favorites lists.

★★☆☆☆ ..... I dislike it. Not a fun time was had when I was reading this book. Or too many aspects of the book weren't to my liking.

★☆☆☆☆ ..... I hate it. I rarely give this out. But when I do I have a strong opinion on it and its a thing that has gotten me pissed off and/or ruined the time I spent reading the book.

Its super simple. And I rarely give out half stars but now I'm beginning to think that I don't follow this system at all.

I give out a lot of 5 stars to books that I don't think are "perfect" or will actually re-read. Mostly because I have a weird thing with experiencing shows, movies, books more than once. But I shouldn't be saying that I would give those books 5 stars when I mean 4.

Or when I give 3 stars to certain books when I'm not even sure I enjoyed reading them.

I know that saying this is going to mess my whole system up but I like to think that now I just have to re-evaluate things more. Not just write a review or give a star rating without thinking first. Take a few days to take everything in. Write more notes of what I thought or felt on the books I've read.

Stop thinking about hurting someone's feelings and consider my own more. I'm not saying I'm going to be mean, I'm not like that, but I'm not gonna sugar coat my thoughts anymore.

I don't really know why I'm doing this except to remind myself that it's okay to change things up. To rethink a certain way of doing things and to be more honest with me instead of doing it for the sake of doing it.

I started this reading journey as a way to de-stress and not get in over my head with college and adulthood but now that I've graduated I'm doing this for me so why not take my time and do a better job.

Anyway, I just wrote this because I was left thinking after watching Lala's video and wanted to get it off my chest. I hope it makes some sort of sense.

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