It’s no secret that book ratings are highly subjective. My own rating system isn’t anything unusual or groundbreaking—probably not even worth its own post. But I thought it might be helpful to share my approach, giving you a glimpse into how I think and helping you decide if our rating methods align. I’ve rated books everywhere from a DNF (did not finish) to a full 5 stars, and nearly every half-star in between. Here are the general guidelines I use to rate everything, from the worst books I’ve read to the very best.

Enjoy!

★★★★★ No Notes – These books are perfection. A 5-star rating means I loved every aspect of the book and likely felt an emotional connection to it. For me, a 5-star read needs to move me in some way—whether that’s through a deep connection to the characters or a twist so unexpected it caught me completely off guard. It doesn’t get any better than these picks.

★★★★ Pretty Good – I enjoyed these books, but something was missing, or a minor detail bothered me. A book often earns a 4-star rating if, for example, the twist was intriguing but predictable, or if the story felt slightly unrealistic. That said, 4-star reads usually feature beautiful writing, and I can clearly see the author’s intention behind the story.

★★★ Just OK – A 3-star book is very middle of the road—one I probably wouldn’t recommend to friends or readers. While I might have enjoyed parts of it, there was usually a bigger issue, like being too predictable, or I just failed to connect with the concept. The writing often lacks that spark that makes it memorable, and it’s likely a book I won’t recall much about in a few months.

★★ Meh – A 2-star rating is where things start to get rough. These are books I struggle to finish, often due to major issues with the plot or characters. The bottom line is that there are too many frustrating elements to ignore. Usually, I push through out of curiosity to see if the author can turn it around—but if it’s earning 2 stars, that means the redemption didn’t happen.

★ Not Good – There are a few other choice words I’d prefer to use instead of “Not Good,” but we’ll keep it family-friendly. A 1-star rating usually means the story was awful, or one of my pet peeves kept popping up—like repeatedly mentioning a character’s weight when it adds no value to the plot or their development. I rarely give 1-star reviews because I firmly believe in DNF-ing books that feel like a waste of time or just make me frustrated. If I’m giving a 1-star, it’s likely because I forced myself to finish for a challenge and wouldn’t recommend the book to my worst enemy.