How Star Ratings Impact Books
I believe in book reviews, but I don't believe in star ratings.
I stopped giving books star ratings after an English professor said that platforms are less likely to suggest books to readers if they have low ratings. I don't consider that fair, and I don't want to negatively impact a book's visibility on platforms like Goodreads and Amazon because of my opinion. Besides, some people may consider the star ratings and not even read the written review. That’s what I used to do before I realized the importance of words included with reviews and not just the stars.
Nowadays, I only give written reviews that are either positive or negative comments about a book to demonstrate my opinion of the story and share some of the book’s contents. While some readers may provide a key to the meaning of their star ratings, such as a one-star meaning “I didn't finish it” and five stars meaning “I recommend it,” my star ratings meant that I either loved it or hated it, and to what extent based on the number of stars I provided.
As an aspiring author myself, I’ve since learned that the star rating system doesn’t do books justice because reading is subjective. What one person loves, another hates. I don't want to sway people positively or negatively about a book I’ve read based on my opinion.
Additionally, I don't acknowledge star ratings when I’m looking for something new to read, especially if that’s all there is and there is no context from the reviewer as to why they gave the book the number of stars that they did. The written review is more valuable to me than the stars because it provides more insight into the reader’s perception and perspective about the book and its contents. That's why I believe in book reviews but I don’t believe in star ratings.
What do you think about star ratings for book reviews? I'd love to know your thoughts! Please share them in the comments section below.
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