While it's not rocket science, a good rating system seems a significant part of summing up any review. Ideally, each book or website review will include a rating between one and five. My rating's system will look like this:
One (No Comment) generally means I haven't finished, nor will I finish, the book. It's so rare that I'll find a book I genuinely dislike, so you'll rarely see this rating because I truly believe that every book has some redeeming quality. In all my years as a reader, and as an English student, I've encountered exactly one book that would qualify for this rating and even then, I read the whole book.
Two (Ultimately Alright) means that I finished the book, but that I could not recommend it. Each book is unique, so there's no broad generalization to be made here. I try to refrain from giving a book a low rating based upon such factors as point of view. Structure is structure, and books should have good editing, but when I read a book I do so for the story.
Three (Totally Pleasing) is where I begin to recommend a book. A three might mean that I had trouble following the book in places, I couldn't sustain suspension of disbelief or become completely immersed, or that the story was somehow under-developed. What it does not mean is that I didn't like the book, because often times, that's not the case at all.
Four (Really Delightful) means that I, without reservation, recommend the book. Simple as that. It might also mean that I enjoyed it and would consider re-reading it at some point in the future. A book earning a four is well plotted, original, and consuming. If the book is the first in a series, I'm going to hunt down book number two, and possibly three.
Five (Simply Wonderful) means that not only do I recommend it, but that I
loved it. Unlike a one, you will definitely see this rating because there are books that I just genuinely love. A five will be well plotted, original, consuming, and reach me emotionally. If I can fall in love with the characters and/or the settings, the book stands a better chance of seeing a five!
The Hunter Games books were all fives.
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The most common ratings will always be three or four, as with any rating system. You'll also that there're no half numbers. I figure that nice round numbers will work, though I'm sure the time will come that I'll wish I had half numbers and may then add them, we'll see.
The only exception to this system is academic books. Should I review an academic book, which will be rare should it happen at all, I will not be giving it a rating. Ratings simply don't work for scholarly material.
