rating scale

I rate on a 5-star scale, like many others. I like how universally understood and accepted it is. Occasionally, if I can't make up my mind on a rating - that is, if a book is bordering somewhere in between two star ratings and doesn't quite fit in either one perfectly - I'll venture into the land of .5 ratings. I'll try to stick with this system for the most part, though! 

5 stars - This book was perfect. I had no problems whatsoever with any aspect of the plot, characters, writing, or anything else you could possibly think of. I will read this book over and over and recommend it to everyone I know. If human-book marriages were legal, I'd put a ring on it. 

4 stars - I really, really liked this book. Apart from a couple of issues (or my own hesitance to give a 5-star rating, which is terrifying), this was almost perfect for me. I would recommend this book strongly, and am likely to reread it at some point.

3 stars - I liked this book. It had a plot that I was interested in and good characters, but a few issues stood out to me which got in the way of a higher rating. 3 star ratings are books that I would recommend, but probably won't harass everyone I know until they read it. 

2 stars - This book was just okay to me. It was enough to finish reading, but nothing special. Books that I give 2 stars to are usually unoriginal in plot, have a style of writing that I don't like, or subject matter that really bothers me on a personal level. I don't generally recommend these books. 

1 star - Plain and simple, I did not like this book. I found it difficult to finish, and once I did finish it, I was left unsatisfied. Books like these often make me angry, so reviews will probably contain a huge amount of ranting. If you really hate foul language, I'd recommend you stay away from my 1-star ratings.