So many books! So little time!
Welcome to the library. Reviews are a fantastic way of discovering new books and deciding which books should get bumped sooner or later on your TBR list. (For the new book addict – be proud! – “TBR” stands for “To Be Read.”)
Not all reviews are created equal, so, here is what to expect from mine:
I follow the Goodreads system of star ratings, which looks like this →
☆ didn’t like it
☆☆ it was okay
☆☆☆ liked it
☆☆☆☆ really liked it
☆☆☆☆☆ it was amazing
I won’t post full reviews of anything below three stars, but I will use this rating system in how I break down story elements. (And I’ll use ★ for a half star.) This way you can see the mathematics, if you will, of why the book earned its rating. You’ll notice I round up with my ratings.
In the “mathematics” I’ll break the book down like so:
♥ Characters – Was I invested in the protagonist throughout? Was I invested in the side characters?
♥ Conflict – Is there an appropriate balance between internal and external conflict? Is the antagonist worth fearing or fighting?
♥ World-building – Is the story world well and appropriately developed?
♥ Voice – Is the author’s voice fresh and engaging? Did the pacing and tension keep me gripped? Does the dialogue develop the world and move the plot forward?
♥ Professionalism – Is the book well-made (grammar, typos, binding, cover, etc.)?
♥ Worldview – Does this book make me think deeply? Is it poignant without being preachy?
For trilogies and series, I will rate and review the books as one entity with a smaller break down of each book. . . . unless I haven’t read the whole series yet, in which case, obviously I can only take it book by book. 😉
I will also have the reviews posted in brief on my Instagram account, which you can follow here.
Every now and again, I will post a five star review of a book that makes other five stars look ordinary. I will call these “gold star” books, and you shall read them immediately. *throws books at you and runs away gleefully*
If you are an author and have a book you would like me to review, feel free to contact me. This is not a promise that I will review your book. If I choose to review it, know I will review it honestly. Also, if you are looking for reviews from a younger audience, I have high school students who review for me, too. Specify when you contact me what your preference is.
If you are not an author, but you have a book you want to see more people reviewing, feel free to suggest it to me. I love talking books with book-lovers! ♡
Stephanie H. Warner 