Is one star enough is five too many? To be honest, after several years as a book reviewer, I know not every book I read will earn a 5 star recommendation. Unfortunately, only a slight percentage make it into that range, not because I don’t want each book to be star struck, but the truth is there is a lot of less than stellar work still getting published. Since I review both fiction and non-fiction, I’ve found the percentage of good to bad seems about the same in both.
The common method for ranking a book from bad to best is issuing one to five stars. The following is part of the process I use for choosing what to give.
One star means I think there is no redeeming value for this book. It stinks. Usually if they qualify for only one star, the author and/or publisher should be contacted with the courtesy offer to drop the review to save everyone the embarrassment of saying so in print. And yes, this does happen.
Two stars means it is poorly written and should have been better edited, or maybe has poor plotting, or lack of continuity. I had a couple of cases where the book was so shockingly offensive it should have had a warning on the cover and one of those books happened to be a non-fiction.
Please, people, one way to tick off a reader or reviewer is to try and pass off a book as one thing then hit them with extreme violence or profanity when they’re not expecting it. It is neither innovative nor creative thinking. It’s stupid. And I’m pretty sure you won’t like the review when it comes out.
As a fiction writer, as well as book reviewer, I believe there should be a rating on book covers similar to movie ratings to identify the level of violence, profanity, and sexuality within its pages. If you don’t agree, that’s fine; however, since this is my article, I get to share my opinion. (That’s also a good reminder of what you should remember about book reviews—they are simply the opinion of one person.)
Three stars mean the book has a lot going for it, but there are some issues that need attention. It is a safe middle ground for the adverage rating. It could mean I couldn’t connect with the characters, but the writing was fine. Or the story touched me, but the editing should have been better. Sorry, but this is the category where a large number of books fall for any number of reasons.
Four stars mean this is a good book, well written, good plot and characters-if fiction, easy to read with meaningful information-if non-fiction. But something is missing and it’s not the best it could be.
Five stars mean this book is awesome. The writing is stellar, and I’d highly recommend it for connecting to the reader and for accomplishing what the blurb promises.
The following is a list I’ve compiled with suggestions for writers who think they might want to become a book reviewer.
- Must love to read. You would think that would be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many writers don’t like to read.
- Willingness to reserve judgment until you’ve read the whole book, even if it starts slow. I’ve experienced more than one occasion when the story didn’t hook my interest until the third or fourth chapter. However, that issue will show up in my review.
- Be fair. Even if the book was not the best you’ve ever read, be willing to give constructive criticism and reasons for the number of stars you did or didn’t give.
- Be kind. There is never a good reason to be cruel or condescending. I’ve certainly written my share of blunt reviews with my reasons for not recommending the book, but I always try to buffer it by mentioning something good, even if it’s about the cover art.
- Be willing to refuse to review a book. After receiving a book, if you find it is below basic publishing standards, don’t waste your time. This also relieves the author of having a review out there highlighting its glaring faults.
- Don’t offer to review books for friends. This is not a hard, fast rule, but one I try to adhere to unless I’m certain the book is great. A few years ago I was sent a book in the mail by an acquaintance who asked me to please review her first release. I eagerly agreed in my zeal to help another writer. The book was not very good, yet I felt obligated to give her story 3 stars when I wondered if 2 stars might be closer to the truth. After spending hours editing my words to keep them truthful and still be kind, I sent her a copy, after I emailed my finished review to the web site mistress to post. My reward was a scathing email from the author that demanded I not post that review. All she saw was the 3 stars out of 5, which implied her story was adverage, and she was certain it was far better than that. As it worked out, another reviewer had just posted a review on the site for the same book and since there can’t be two reviews of the same book, I gladly pulled mine. (BTW, the other reviewer gave her three stars, too.) It would have been easy to have given her book 5 stars to gain her appreciation and probably a spot on her author’s web site, but it wouldn’t have been the truth and my credibility would have suffered. That incident remains a lesson worth heeding.
- Pick books you actually want to read. In other words don’t try and review Chic lit or Women’s Fiction, if you can’t stand those genres.
- NEVER give away the book’s secrets or surprise endings. Giving away the ending or telling “whodunit” is a cardinal sin in reviewing. Even if you hated the book there is no reason to spoil it for the reader who might still be interested. It also irritates the author who spent untold hours setting up the conclusion. No matter how unlikely or poorly done you thought the “surprise”, never use a spoiler in your review.
- Do your best and then don’t worry about pleasing everyone. It’s simply not possible. Book reviewing is subjective. For every person who hates a book there are usually just as many who will swear it’s the best they’ve ever read. If you are too afraid of offending someone by giving them a low score then don’t write book reviews. Even famous authors occasionally write a stinker. The average reader will forgive a lot of technical problems with the book if the story carries them along and the characters capture their hearts. As a writer (and a contest judge), I tend to have greater expectations.
In the end all I can do is give my honest opinion, relieved that the review will most likely not have a huge impact on how many copies are sold, either good or bad. However, multiply my review with similar opinions and those reviews could sway certain readers to buy or avoid buying, especially in a tight economy. Therefore, I take this responsibility very serious.
The good news is there are perks for writing book reviews.
- Book reviews are a good way for the newbie writer to get published. Even if you are not reviewing for a web site it is good practice for learning the craft of writing. It will make you stop to analyze the reason why you think the book is awful or why it touches your heart.
- Reviewing will get your name in print. Well-written reviews may show up on the author’s web site or even the dust cover of their next book.
- Reviewing will help you learn to write tighter. Most review sites limit the word count. (I keep my reviews to 350 words or less.) That makes it necessary to broaden your vocabulary to include only the choicest words with which to convey your message.
- There are deadlines for getting the book read and the review posted. Whether you are a paid reviewer, you do it for the free books, or to get your name in print, learn to honor your commitment to the web site, and to the author and publisher waiting for your review, by turning in quality work within the time frame they are due.
In conclusion, to every disappointed writer who ever poured yourself into writing an awesome book that didn’t receive the stunning reviews you expected, take heart; your work most likely falls somewhere between the reviewer’s opinion and your own. Therefore, don’t waste your time berating the reviewer, instead use that frustration and pent up energy to write the next best seller. No matter what the genre, there’s a book reviewer out there who can’t wait to read it.
