Last week, I jumped out there with my bold No More Negative Reviews post. I was pleasantly surprised at how many others felt the same way. At the time of the post, I knew I needed a new rating system. Like I stated earlier, I had planned to borrow the one from Barnes & Noble. After a week of trying it out, I can see it's not going to work for me.
If you missed the previous post, I need a rating system because I post my reviews on Amazon. Yes, I know those stars are subjective, but I can't just post five all the time. I need a guideline. I saw The Book Butterfly's rating system and liked how she listed 3 - 5. I adopted her more positive spin on the three stars/butterflies/hearts as good verses the Barnes & Noble's "Okay, but not great."
Three might be negative to some, but it isn't to me. I still think a book can have three stars and still be good. Hopefully this will be a rating I can stick with. Let me add that Steve will be using the same rating system too.
35 comments:
I like the positive spin thing and I love your cute hearts! They match your blog.
Thanks, Sharon!
I like it!!! And I totally agree with you. Not every book can be the best ever, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth reading.
Debi ~ That's how I am experiencing it. I've read a couple of three/five rated books and I'd gladly recommend them to others.
Cute ! Its very creative and probably easier.
I like it! Rating is difficult, that's why I went to a 1-10 rating system but I know that Amazon, Goodreads and other places only let you use up to 4 or 5 stars.
What a nice idea - and I agree with you. What I love - may not be of any interest to someone else. But if someone has managed to actually write a book and get it published then they should get recognitions for their efforts.
Great idea! I think I might eventually do a rating system, too. I agree that a 3 star book can still be a good one.
I'm with you on this, J. Kaye. I like the 3-5 heart system. Really, if a book rates less than 3 hearts I'm willing to give up on it and give it a DNF. That wasn't always the case with me. I finished a book - good, bad or mediocre. Now I'm of the mindset that there are just too many good books out there to waste my time on "less than 3 hearts" books.
This looks great. I love the hearts!
I like it! I hate giving bad reviews to a book. I recently had one that I didn't like at all and still gave it 3 roses. I mean.. just because it doesn't appeal/move me doesn't mean it won't be awesome reads for others.
I like the hearts! And I can understand the 3-5 rating system. I have had one or two books I could not get into... but not since I have been doing reviews. I have had a couple that would have been "2s" for me but I look for the positives to note and also try to be specific about what I didn't like because the book might work for other readers! I have been keeping a list with ratings since January and then started reviewing in May. I think just over these six months my rating view has shifted a bit! It is harder I think when you can't give a partial rating (which I do on my personal list) like 3.5 or 4.5 - then you have to pick 3 or 4; or 4 or 5! I think that has made my ratings a bit tighter!
I think this seems like a good system.
Since your rating post, I have been thinking about my rating system. I think I need to put a post out there about how I rate.
I need to give this some more thought. Hoping by the end of the week I will have formulated a system that will work for me.
I do read alot of 3 star books but that does not mean they are not worth reading. That has also spurred me on to think that I need to be clear in my system that a 3 star does not equate boring or bad.
Thanks for giving me some food for thought.
As a new reviewer, I haven't used a rating system,I just say what I think or feel. I do have a question for all of you though. What do you do about books that author's send you to review and you just don't like them? I feel guilty if I don't read them and then say something nice.
winterset AT peoplepc.com
Sweet and lovely way to do it, J. Kaye!
I'm definitely digging the hearts <3
And I agree, three stars is still good in my book!
Totally agree that a 3 star book can still be a good book and one you'd recommend. Something I've given 5 stars to may not be another person's 5 star read ~ different strokes for different folks!
Hope it works for you J.Kaye
Hi J. Kaye, I think three is still good, I'd read a three simply because it might just not have been a story that captured you but may be perfect for me. I've also read lots of books that people gave five's to and I thought they were only three. So great new rating system. Love the hearts, I was telling Teddyree last week that I was thinking about going to hearts, just hadn't found any I liked yet LOL.
I like it! I went with a 1-10 rating, but with commentary:
http://justaddbooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/ratings.html
Wow! The hearts look fabulous!
The new rating system makes me question my strictness of my 1-10 star scale! Most stuff I read rates a 7 or maybe 8 and I only save 9s and 10s for stuff I really, really love.
In any case, Loving your new system!
This sounds very reasonable. And it really seems to fit your philosophy of reviewing. I really need to write up an explanation of my rating system.
I have a similar system myself with stars and hearts.. but my hearts are a "steam" indicator.
Natalie W ~ My brain rebels if it's not simple...lol!
Icedream ~ It really is.
Neas Nuttiness ~ I am really with you there!
Yvonne ~ I've discovered authors don't usually feel three is still good. In their shoes, I might agree. As a reader, three is still good.
Mary ~ Also, my mood play a HUGE role in if I read or don't read a book.
bermudaonion ~ Thanks!
Kristen ~ Definitely!
MarthaE ~ I've changed my philosophy a zillion times over the last two years....I hope that I am finally settling down. ;)
ibeeeg ~ Most of the short books I read are three stars and I enjoy those!
Kat Bryan ~ Check this post out: http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2008/11/good-reviewerbad-review.html. Read the comments to and see if it helps.
Mishel & kimmirich ~ Thanks!
Teddyree ~ And for that reason, I don't like giving negative reviews.
Alaine - Queen of Happy Endings ~ I wasn't sure what I wanted. My primary concern was to find a color that matched the blog. :)
Maree ~ Love it!
Beth ~ I think I'd love to extend it to 10, but then that would make things too complicated because Amazon does 5.
Beth F ~ I hear ya! Took me long enough to get mine posted. :)
Cursing Mama ~ Love the hearts and stars!
I think your new rating system is great, I really like it :)
Miss Cindy ~ Thanks!
Love it! Heart it! :)
The hearts are really cute, and I agree. I've read a few books that I'd rate as 3/5 but still quite enjoyed parts of them :)
We definitely need more reviewers with positive spins.
I don't remember giving any book 2 or 1 star this uear! 3 is sure readable. i have noticed it depends on the reader...
Mostly 3-1 rating books have 5stars given to then by others... so these books are point of discussion and it would really depend on the reader!
Anyhooo... Love the hearts :)
I give mostly 3 stars on Amazon and Goodreads. And to me, a three means I liked it and it was good. I give very few 5 stars. 4 means I have to really, really like it or it has to move me. Two stars is when it's "meh". Not bad, not good, could have lived without it. After some negative author responses on negative reviews, I do try to put a positive spin on books I don't care for, but I will still do negative reviews if I don't like the book. I appreciate knowing why other reviewers don't like a particular book too.
I see some reviewers who give everything 5 stars and I begin to wonder.
I don't use a rating system on the blog, but I've thought about adding one. Who did your rating graphics?
Bella ~ I like positives over negatives more so now than I did two years ago.
Veens ~ Yeah, I just stop reading.
Holly ~ I found the heart online. I think on Flickr.
I love how you're always SO positive J.Kaye! Therefore, I must say, that I LOVE the new system! And you're correct, I should adopt a similar one. I never post negative reviews because I too lose interest in books that are lower than three stars! I just thought that they should be there! xoxo Amy *(Park-Avenue Princes)
Park Avenue Princess ~ Yes, I just can't make myself keep reading. Makes me feel like I am in school with those dreaded school assignments. (lol)
I like the new rating system & the hearts are super cute!
Witch Baby ~ Thanks! I think it sort of goes with the direction I am heading. I still need a few more weeks to test it out.
I agree that 3 stars doesn't have to be negative. I find a lot of books I read tend to be 3 or 3.5 stars. Doesn't mean they're bad books.
I feel like I need to work on my rating system, just not sure what to do with it yet.
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