I’m no connessieur of book reviews. I’m simply a creature looking for escape in the pages of these novels, which means that my reviews and ratings will not make any sense to other folks. So here we are with a breakdown of what my ratings usually signify.
I want to start with the fact that my ratings depend on the genre. For instance, a four-star rating for a historical fiction novel is not equal to a four-star rating for a young adult fantasy novel. This is because different genres hold different purposes.
Romance and fantasy are genres I indulge in for escapism during periods of depression and melancholy, so I don’t hold them to high standards. The rating depends on whether or not the book managed to satisfactorily distract me without ruffling any unnecessary feathers. In short, the rating relies on how happy, cosy and content the book made me feel. The presence of a heartwarming found-family trope and a convincing enemies-to-lovers relationship warrants bonus points. Hence, most of them are easy 4-star reads.
Mystery, psychological thriller and detective series are genres I read purely for entertainment. It’s almost like binge-watching a TV series. Hence, I don’t expect them to be literary masterpieces. The main factor the rating hinges on is whether or not I managed to predict who the culprit is or which direction the plot is heading towards. The more intense and suspenseful the story, the better it is. The book gains bonus points if it is part of a series or if the main protagonist is an enjoyable character.
Historical fiction and Asian/Japanese literature are genres that I expect to be well-written and hold them to high standards. These are my all-time favourite genres. I want these books to elicit all sorts of emotions within me and extra points for the ones that make me bawl my eyes out. This is why I rarely give out five stars for them, as my expectations are very high whenever I pick up a book of this genre. The best ones leave a permanent impression on my heart.
I rarely traverse into the land of science fiction, but when I do, the rating depends on the world-building and how easily I grasp the concept. Memoirs and autobiographies are books I feel uncomfortable rating since it is the author’s personal experience, and it feels wrong to judge that, so I either rate them five stars or don’t rate them. Lastly, poetry is something I read to feel seen and heard. The rating is proportional to how well the words resonated.
How do you rate your books? Share your thoughts in the comments. Thank you for reading.
THE MONOTONOUS DIARY OF A HIJABI 
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