J. Kaye's Rating System

This system is my own and is subject to change. No doubt, more will be added as viewers write in or it comes to mind. When a fiction book is rated, I keep the following points in mind.




Believable Story

Fiction might be based on a part of a truth, but is nothing but a falsehood woven into a tale. A good writer will have the reader believing this tale or at the very least, it could happen within the realm of its genre.

There are things that can interfere with this believability, such as unreal sounding dialog. Incorrect facts in the story can also blow it for a reader.


Defined Characters

Another important part of the book is characters. Julie from The Sunday Salon said, “The more three-dimensional -- the more human -- the better.” Isn’t that so true? I’ve read books where the characters all blended in together. They each need to have their own voice. The reader needs to be able to pick them out in a crowd.

Good Ending

Not all books end well, but it must have a good, logical, and yes, maybe even shocking ending. But some books don’t have one or leave you scratching your head wondering what did you miss. Stephen King’s CELL, a book I will rant about even in the afterlife, had NO ending! His isn’t the only one though, some of the NY Times authors have had me screaming, “What the heck kind of ending is that!?!”

Interesting Plot

Some readers might think originality is important. Not me. Scott Smith has written two phenomenal books. One was THE PLAN and the other, THE RUINS. Neither was very original and both had me speed reading until the wee hours of the morning, not able to put it down.

Out of all the points listed thus far, this is likely the most subjective one. Interesting today might not be tomorrow. Usually, I know if it’s a mood issue and I’ll put the book down until I’m in the mood. Since I no longer review books on a schedule, all books I finish will have an interesting plot. In other words, if the book has only one check, this is the most likely one.


No Dry Spots

My biggest complaint next to using dialog to tell the back-story is excessive description. Writers actually can blend this in instead of glopping it on like glue. More and more readers are turning away from this way of writing and thank goodness for the change.

Table Talk from The Sunday Salon mentioned something about writing style. The question she posed was “Is the author reliant on cliché or does the writing have a musical feel to it?” This would be a major dry spot for me.


More Points to Consider

Julie, again from The Sunday Salon, asked two very valid questions. One was would I read another by this author? Even if the story received only one check, I’d say yes. My reason is I am on too many social reading spots and am easily talked into a book. All I need to hear is “It’s good!” and I’m online trying to locate a copy.

She also asked if I would reread this book. Even if I thought it was the best book ever in the world, I wouldn’t reread it. Experience has taught me that just because I loved it once doesn’t mean I’ll feel that way again. This works for both fiction and nonfiction.




Rating Nonfiction

Although I don’t read as much nonfiction as I do fiction, I consider both equally important. Here are some of the highlights I look to when rating.

Well Researched Topic

I wouldn’t think this would be an issue until the self-publish craze began. Now anyone can publish a book and I feel this should be listed. The topic inside the pages must be well researched and facts verifiable. Depending on the type of nonfiction, listing sources are important.


Engaging Writing Style

A book can be well researched, but if delivered without an appeal, I won’t read it. When it comes to fiction, I am more forgiving towards typos and unusual or off-the-wall sentence structure. Not so with nonfiction. I say this even though I am a typo in motion. And don’t get me started with my lack of proper sentence structure.

I enter nonfiction as a student to learn. I don’t want to be confused and unsure about the book’s contents. This brings me to my next point.

Gained Knowledge

After reading the book, did I walk away a smarter person or was the book a waste of money? Could I have found the same information online?

With the internet, a book has to really stand out to impress the reader.

Logical Development

Unlike fiction, the writer can’t jump around. There has to be a logical development as well as well-organized material.




Descriptive Title

This is a big issue for me. When I read the cover, front and back, I have expectations about the book. The title and promotional advertising sent out about the book had better match the inside contents.

Like with the fiction rating system, this will be updated as needed. If you’d like to add your thoughts, please comment below. When I update, I’ll try to use your recommendations.

A super special thanks to all who commented this passed Sunday. You are who spurred me own to accomplish this feat! It is my fondest wish this guideline will help you decide if the books reviewed here are for you.

J. Kaye's Rating System

http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2008/04/j-kayes-rating-system.html