Official Rating System for Calico Reaction
After two and a half years, I've finally broken down and created a rating system. But not just any rating system. Oh no. You won't find any stars, grades, or number scales in this blog. Such ratings are far to concrete in my mind, and they're too easy to write off in that you see the review and don't stop to wonder why the reviewer rated the book the way they did.
My method is based on my buying habits. I don't have a decent public library within decent driving distance, and it's rare that I get free books or borrow them (though it does happen). So usually, I'm spending good old cash for my books, and I decided to create a review system loosely based on how happy I am with my purchase. In other words, if I'd known how I'd like the book beforehand, would I have spent the money on it that I did?
Maybe my way isn't any better, but it sure helps in narrowing the focus of my review since I know what I'll be giving it at the end. I figure if it helps me, it'll help you too if you're curious about reading a book or not.
As always, reviews are subjective, and by no means meant to be taken as the word of God (but if you'd like too, I won't complain much--ha!) Below is a brief sketch of each rating and what it means and why, but rest assured, each rating will be accompanied by a non-spoiler snippet of why the book got the rating it did. If you want spoilers or anything that remotely resembles them, you'll have to click behind the cut of the review.
Clear as mud? Good.
And as an added bonus, just click the category to be taken to each of the books with that rating. Bear with me, since I've got to go back through every stinking one of my old reviews and add a rating, but in the end, I think it'll be worth it. *
Keeper Shelf: These books I love to pieces and it's highly likely I can't speak coherently or even critically about them, even though I try. Books on my Keeper Shelf may not be perfect (no book is), but my love for these books knows no bounds.
Must Haves: I might love these books, or I might just be in awe of them. These are books that don't make me a puddle of mush, but they're very, very good, and I feel they bring something to their genres that's necessary for readers to check out. But reader beware! What I think readers of a genre should check out may not be the standard by which the genre is commonly measured. This disparity will be most obvious, I think, in SF.
Worth the Cash: I enjoyed the hell out of it and/or liked it well enough to keep it around. This book may be part of a series or inspire me to read the rest of the series (if there is one), but whatever the case, the book's worth paying full price for. Fun reads may often wind up in this category, but don't hold me to that.
Buy the Paperback: Unless you're one of THOSE people that must have first edition printings of EVERYTHING you read, and/or are completely anal about owning hardbacks over paperbacks (like my dear, wonderful husband), then you're better off waiting to get this title as a paperback copy. Trade or mass-market, but probably mass-market. It's worth the cash, but after reading the hardcover, I could've definitely waited for the cheaper copy.
Find a Cheaper Copy: this is for those titles that are pretty expensive but may not ever see the paperback light of day. These books you should find on sale or used or in electronic format, because if you buy it new, you may not feel you've gotten the full bang for your buck.
Give It Away: It's an okay book. It didn't grab me enough to want to keep it around or continue with the series (if there is one), and it's a book I definitely plan on passing on to a more interested reader.***
Glad It Was Free: this means I either got it as an ARC or someone gave it to me or let me borrow it, and it's not fair to say I'd give it away, because I never really owned it to begin with, if that makes sense. Chances are, if this book has this rating, I probably WOULD give it away, because if the rating is closer to "Wish I'd Borrowed It," I'll just change the rating to "Glad I Borrowed It". The point is, I probably liked it well enough, but I'm glad I didn't spend any money on it. ***
Wish I'd Borrowed It: Reserved for books that I read out of mild curiosity and found that I would've rather borrowed the book than buy it myself. I don't mind reading these books and find them okay (or they might even annoy me), but there's no reason for me to let this book clutter myself. Borrowing is better.***
Waste of Time & Money: Pretty obvious, isn't it? Didn't like it, and/or it pissed me off and/or bored the snot out of me. Any one of these, or combinations thereof will do. It's a waste of my time and money, and I'll make sure I don't make the same mistake again.***
Couldn't Finish It: I really, really, REALLY hate NOT finishing a book I've started. I'm always hoping there will be SOME kind of payoff by the end, even if the payoff is the lesson of how NOT to write a book and therefore inspires a good rant. However, I've reached a point where I'm not going to waste my time. This rating will be used rarely, but it will be used.***
* = For all book reviews prior to 5/15/08, I've simply put a tag with the rating rather than the usual paragraph explaining said rating. I might go back and change that, but it isn't entirely fair to those books since I've had some time to let the books simmer in my head and my thoughts on many may have changed since I initially wrote the review. But if you're curious why a book's got a certain rating, just comment to that entry and ask. ;)
*** = You may have figured out that the categories marked with an asterisks are books I plan on getting rid of in some form or fashion. I used to take them up to the SHU Writing Popular Fiction program and dump them in the break room for someone else to find, but since I graduated, I have explore other options. There is a used bookstore in the area, but if you live in the US and you really, really want to read one of these books, I might be open to negotiations. ;) Just comment at the review saying so, and we'll talk. ;)
My method is based on my buying habits. I don't have a decent public library within decent driving distance, and it's rare that I get free books or borrow them (though it does happen). So usually, I'm spending good old cash for my books, and I decided to create a review system loosely based on how happy I am with my purchase. In other words, if I'd known how I'd like the book beforehand, would I have spent the money on it that I did?
Maybe my way isn't any better, but it sure helps in narrowing the focus of my review since I know what I'll be giving it at the end. I figure if it helps me, it'll help you too if you're curious about reading a book or not.
As always, reviews are subjective, and by no means meant to be taken as the word of God (but if you'd like too, I won't complain much--ha!) Below is a brief sketch of each rating and what it means and why, but rest assured, each rating will be accompanied by a non-spoiler snippet of why the book got the rating it did. If you want spoilers or anything that remotely resembles them, you'll have to click behind the cut of the review.
Clear as mud? Good.
And as an added bonus, just click the category to be taken to each of the books with that rating. Bear with me, since I've got to go back through every stinking one of my old reviews and add a rating, but in the end, I think it'll be worth it. *
Keeper Shelf: These books I love to pieces and it's highly likely I can't speak coherently or even critically about them, even though I try. Books on my Keeper Shelf may not be perfect (no book is), but my love for these books knows no bounds.
Must Haves: I might love these books, or I might just be in awe of them. These are books that don't make me a puddle of mush, but they're very, very good, and I feel they bring something to their genres that's necessary for readers to check out. But reader beware! What I think readers of a genre should check out may not be the standard by which the genre is commonly measured. This disparity will be most obvious, I think, in SF.
Worth the Cash: I enjoyed the hell out of it and/or liked it well enough to keep it around. This book may be part of a series or inspire me to read the rest of the series (if there is one), but whatever the case, the book's worth paying full price for. Fun reads may often wind up in this category, but don't hold me to that.
Buy the Paperback: Unless you're one of THOSE people that must have first edition printings of EVERYTHING you read, and/or are completely anal about owning hardbacks over paperbacks (like my dear, wonderful husband), then you're better off waiting to get this title as a paperback copy. Trade or mass-market, but probably mass-market. It's worth the cash, but after reading the hardcover, I could've definitely waited for the cheaper copy.
Find a Cheaper Copy: this is for those titles that are pretty expensive but may not ever see the paperback light of day. These books you should find on sale or used or in electronic format, because if you buy it new, you may not feel you've gotten the full bang for your buck.
Give It Away: It's an okay book. It didn't grab me enough to want to keep it around or continue with the series (if there is one), and it's a book I definitely plan on passing on to a more interested reader.***
Glad It Was Free: this means I either got it as an ARC or someone gave it to me or let me borrow it, and it's not fair to say I'd give it away, because I never really owned it to begin with, if that makes sense. Chances are, if this book has this rating, I probably WOULD give it away, because if the rating is closer to "Wish I'd Borrowed It," I'll just change the rating to "Glad I Borrowed It". The point is, I probably liked it well enough, but I'm glad I didn't spend any money on it. ***
Wish I'd Borrowed It: Reserved for books that I read out of mild curiosity and found that I would've rather borrowed the book than buy it myself. I don't mind reading these books and find them okay (or they might even annoy me), but there's no reason for me to let this book clutter myself. Borrowing is better.***
Waste of Time & Money: Pretty obvious, isn't it? Didn't like it, and/or it pissed me off and/or bored the snot out of me. Any one of these, or combinations thereof will do. It's a waste of my time and money, and I'll make sure I don't make the same mistake again.***
Couldn't Finish It: I really, really, REALLY hate NOT finishing a book I've started. I'm always hoping there will be SOME kind of payoff by the end, even if the payoff is the lesson of how NOT to write a book and therefore inspires a good rant. However, I've reached a point where I'm not going to waste my time. This rating will be used rarely, but it will be used.***
* = For all book reviews prior to 5/15/08, I've simply put a tag with the rating rather than the usual paragraph explaining said rating. I might go back and change that, but it isn't entirely fair to those books since I've had some time to let the books simmer in my head and my thoughts on many may have changed since I initially wrote the review. But if you're curious why a book's got a certain rating, just comment to that entry and ask. ;)
*** = You may have figured out that the categories marked with an asterisks are books I plan on getting rid of in some form or fashion. I used to take them up to the SHU Writing Popular Fiction program and dump them in the break room for someone else to find, but since I graduated, I have explore other options. There is a used bookstore in the area, but if you live in the US and you really, really want to read one of these books, I might be open to negotiations. ;) Just comment at the review saying so, and we'll talk. ;)