How I Rate Books:
A Personal Look at my 3, 4, and 5 Star Ratings
How I Rate Books: A Personal Approach
One of the things I love most about the book community is seeing how differently everyone rates their reads. Since my approach is a little unique, I thought it would be fun to break down exactly how I rate books — from three stars to five — and why my ratings are as personal as the stories themselves.
First Things First
I don’t finish books that would get less than three stars.
I know that’s a little controversial, but hear me out. Someday, I would love to be a published author, and I know how important reviews and ratings are on sites like Goodreads and Amazon. I don’t ever want to crush another writer’s dreams with a one- or two-star rating.
So if I’m not enjoying a book enough to give it at least three stars, I simply don’t finish it. I DNF quietly and move on.
Three-Star Books
That means my three-star books can cover a lot of ground.
Sometimes three stars means it was a great book — I liked it, I enjoyed it, I would absolutely recommend it — but it didn’t do anything particularly new. Maybe it’s a fantasy that felt a little familiar or a thriller that followed the usual beats. It was fun to read, but it didn’t stand out in a big way.
Other times, three stars are books I finished just because I don’t like leaving books unfinished. They were fine, not much more to say about them, but I saw them through to the end.
If a three-star book really sticks with me, though, I’ll usually talk about it separately and explain why it deserves a special spot on your TBR.
Four-Star Books
I hand out a lot of four-star ratings.
To me, four stars means I loved the book. I couldn’t put it down. I connected with the story and the characters, and it gave me that I need to stay up way too late reading this feeling.
When I give a book four stars, it’s definitely a recommendation — not just “add it to your TBR,” but move it toward the top.
Five Star Books
My five-star ratings are very personal.
I’m not reading to be a literature critic. I’m not worried about genre rules or technical perfection. Five-star books are the ones that speak to me — the ones where I connect so deeply with the characters, the story, the emotions, that I don’t want the experience to end.
They’re the books I think about long after I finish them. Sometimes for years.
Good writing absolutely helps, but for me, a five-star book isn’t about being “objectively perfect.” It’s about that connection.
One More Thing
My ratings aren’t set in stone.
I’m a big re-reader.
There are books I DNFed once that I came back to later and loved. There are books I gave three stars to at first and then, after rereading, realized they were five-star favorites all along.
That’s part of why I don’t give out one- and two-star reviews. Sometimes when a book doesn’t connect, it’s not because the book is bad — it’s just not the right time for me as a reader.
In short, I read a lot. I give a lot of three- and four-star ratings. I do give five stars, but those are rare and personal, and that’s exactly how I like it.
Your Turn: Tell Me About Your Ratings!
And that’s me — that’s how I rate the books I read! I’d love to hear how you do it too. If you have your own system, share it in the comments below — I’m always curious how other readers think about their stars. ⭐📚
