Last Updated on September 4, 2020 by ThoughtsStained
Hello, lovelies!
I’m back this Friday participating in another Let’s Talk Bookish post, as always hosted by the amazing Rukky @ Eternity Books and awesome Dani @ The Literary Lion! I had a lot of fun joining in last month and am really excited to dive in this month, too, on a few of the topics! For this week, the topic is:
Is 3 Stars A Good Rating?
This one is an interesting one for me! As you can see on on Book Rating System page, I list 3 stars as a positive rating and believe it to be so. If I rate a book three stars (or gems, as I like to call it with my fantasy theme), it means:
3 Gems: Spotted a Dragon, But Still Sleeping on Tree Roots
This is one that I enjoyed. I didn’t regret reading the book. I had fun reading it, it was well written, without typos and formatting issues and the characters and the story were enticing. Did I fall completely in love with it? No. Will I probably read more by this author or continue the series? Absolutely!
So, it’s that rating that is meant to mean that I enjoyed the book. I liked it and had a positive experience with it. I will continue reading the series, if it’s part of the series, and read more books by that author. However, it also means that, for me, it had enough negative elements that it kept me from loving the book entirely, which is why it didn’t move up to four or even five gems.
However, this is where it gets complicated: despite believing that and rating my books as such, whenever I see someone else give a book three stars, I’ll usually find myself being a little bit more wary of the book, as if I know there is something I might not like, than if a book was given four or five stars; despite believing that three stars is a positive rating!
Confusing, right? This also comes from someone who, very admittedly, using four and five stars quite often. I think this is in part because I am quite certain of what books that I enjoy and I’m able to tailor my reading experience in such a way that they are those kinds of reads, for me. But, I also admit that I’m quite easy to please, and it’s easy for me to fall in love with a book that’s written well and falls into the realm of fantasy, sci-fi and romance I traditionally love.
That said, if I don’t love a book, I usually am quite put out by it and fall more towards the one or two star rating, disliking it much more than liking it. So, I actually don’t give out that many three star ratings, if I’m being honest, because I’m more extreme, in that I usually either love a book or hate it. *shrugs*
Is that very helpful in answering this question? Probably not, which might explain why this rating can be debated a bit and seen as both a possible rating and a negative rating. And I’m sure, once my own books are published, three stars will become something so precious, I can’t imagine why I ever approached those books rated as such with caution.
I’m curious to hear what you think! Let me know in the comments below about your own rating system, if you use one (or, I’m always curious to hear why people don’t, which is also totally valid, obviously). Do you agree with my assessment above or do you have different opinions of the three star rating? Tell me below and thanks for reading!
Cheers.
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Yeah three stars is a positive rating for me too. Three stars for me is a I liked it but didn’t love it rating. There was a probably a few issues with it but I still liked it. 🙂
Yes, exactly, that’s how I feel, too!
Hah, for me,three stars usually means, “It was fine.” Like someone might love it, but that someone isn’t me. If there are issues, they aren’t offensive (and I mean that in the “features some kind of -phobia” way, not was an affront to my writerly instincts way. A 3-star also usually yeets me into a reading funk because there wasn’t anything to get excited about but nothing to engage my editorial senses, if that makes sense.
Nope, that makes total sense. I kinda see three stars in the same way, when I get the rare one that pops up.
Can I just say I adore your blog theme/header and that your rating system works into it? I love the idea of using dragon gems to rate reads! I do agree that I tend to view 3 stars as neutral when I do it…but then I hesitate to pick up books that many other people rate 3 stars. It comes across as “this book must be mediocre” even if the story sounds like something I would really enjoy.
I think more people should theme their star ratings like you’ve done. I really adore it.
Ahhh, thank you!! The theme was my idea, but the header and the images for the rating gems were created by Kat @ Novels and Waffles!! Yeah, I think it’s so interesting how this 3 star rating carries this awkward positive, yet negative connotation! I’m excited to blog hop (I haven’t had a chance yet) and see what everyone else wrote!
Aww, thanks! I thought it was pretty fun and cheesy, which is on brand for me. 😛
I think my thoughts on three star ratings comes from watching movies as a kid. I watched a lot of movies with three star ratings (according to TV Times) when I was younger, and I usually had a great time! Sometimes I watched those over a four or five star movie. When I see three star reviews, I think about those movies. Were they brilliant works of art? No. Did I have fun? Yes! I think as long as the reviewer explains their rating, it can help a writer make the next book better. I personally don’t use a star system, but I like yours. 🙂
I really like the way you view it, Elka! I have the same experience with a lot of movies. I’ll watch those that are “only” rated three stars and absolutely love them! And I think you bring up a great point that it is so important for the reviewer to state WHY it was three stars, especially since three stars has such a wide range of opinions!
It seems that everyone forgets that 3’s, C’s and 79’s are good things. Like they are average and average isn’t bad!!! So I agree when you, even tho I don’t ever read reviews! 🤣
For me 3 stars is quite neutral. It was an okay book for me, but someone else might love it. Or the book had good elements, but overall too many mistakes or a weird plot-thing or something. I definitely see 3 stars as a positive, and it just means there’s room for improvement 🙂
Yep, I quite like/agree with that kind of review style!
As I’ve said to others… for me, 3 stars is above average and therefore it is a good book. Not great; not mind blowing, just good!
Yep, I agree! And just good shouldn’t always be considered a bad thing!
Plus, if it is good enough to get three (usually for the writing style), then others will find they like it better!
I have a rating system, but it’s more for my own personal reference. For me, a three star book might be one I didn’t personally love but that another reader possibly could. I think that factors into why we (book bloggers) are wary of other blogger’s three star ratings – such books are often very ‘hit or miss’. But then all ratings (not just three stars) are so subjective, haha, I understand why some bloggers don’t use ratkngs. I’ve also seen some bloggers move to basically a two star rating: they recommend a title or they don’t. Star ratings are something where I think the phrase ‘to each, their own’ really applies! 😛
Honestly, though, you’re so right! It’s hard to not be subjective when it comes to ratings (and I do think that “two star rating” system you mentioned is really interesting, because honestly, I found myself using my four or five stars and then a one star more often than I ever do the two or three. *shrugs*