Rank and file.

So, as has been long established, I am a cranky person. And I have been ACCUSED of being especially cranky when it comes to my book reviews. This is a totally harsh and unfair accusation, y'all. My rating system is totally based on merit and most books just don't merit that much.

So let's break it down, are you an author angry about your rating? Are you a crazy fan of an author angry about your rating? Here's how you got there.

If you got a one:
You have offended me. Your book was bad, and you should feel bad.

If you got a two:
Your book was not very good. Did it need an editor? Did it have a hard to follow plot? Maybe it was just painfully mediocre. Maybe it was almost good but went horribly astray. Either way, unlike with the people who get ones, I am not poking voodoo dolls and hoping your career fails.

If you got a three:
Now here's where I feel like there is a flaw in the goodreads.com ranking system. Most of my books are rated threes, and I wish goodreads would fine tune their system to allow for half stars. Because my threes cover a pretty wide range, and this is also wher eI end up comparing authors to themselves. Jim Butcher has become one of my favorite authors, but not all of his books are equally good. An okay Jim Butcher book might rank the same as a really good Jayne Ann Krentz book. To me it's the difference between going out to a fantastic restaurant and getting a good meal and a meal from McDonalds. The so so meal from the Melting Pot is still amazing, but Mcdonalds satisfies in a different way. A so so book from a great author is still great, but a great book from a consistent author may never break into my top books, but I still enjoy them and go back to them time and again. This is where goodreads faisl me a little bit. If I could give half stars, I would. If the number range was broader it would have more flexibility. This is why so many books end up as a three.

If you got a four:

I really really liked it and will certianly recommend it and wouldn't rule out rereading it in the future.

If you got a five:

I have probably already read this book six times or sixteen). It is a childhood favorite I return to constantly. It is a book that changed my life, changed my reading habits, introduced me to something I had never thought of. I recommend this book to everyoen and then follow them around asking them what they're waiting for. I have contemplated proposing to the author.Have you looked at my goodreads? You should. Sort them by rating. Read the 5s. Let me know what you think. Hurry up.

And that's it...that's why I rank books the way I do. I am a terribly cranky person and I hold books to a high standard. I only have so much time and I want the books I read to feel like they are worth it. When they aren't? Yes.Absolutely I will get cranky. Some of the books I love are great. Some of them are terrible, but for whatever reason, they clicked for me, and that's what I'm always looking for.

(and check out my goodreads profile here: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/124964-carrie)