How I Rate

Rating Guide

My ratings are less about assigning perfect scores and more about helping other readers understand the kind of reading experience they are stepping into.

The Overall Score does not necessarily match the rest of the ratings. A book can have a slow start, heavier romance, or complicated worldbuilding and still end up being one of my favorites.

Overall Score

  • 10 — Permanent Collection: I loved it and would keep, reread, or recommend it without hesitation.
  • 9 — Loved It: Excellent reading experience with only minor complaints.
  • 8 — Strong Recommendation: Very good and worth recommending to the right reader.
  • 7 — Entertaining: I had fun and do not regret reading it.
  • 6 — No Regrets: Not a favorite, but still worth the time.
  • 5 — Mixed Feelings: Some things worked, some things really did not.
  • 4 — :/ Mostly not for me.
  • 3 — No Thank You: I would not recommend it based on my experience.
  • 2 — Absolutely Not: Strong dislike.
  • 1 — DNF: Did not finish.

Hook Speed

  • ⚡: Slow start / dragged / I had to push through.
  • ⚡⚡: Solid enough. I was interested, but not instantly obsessed.
  • ⚡⚡⚡: Could not put it down.

Eye Roll Test

This is my romance-impact rating. It is not about whether romance exists. It is about whether the romance distracts from the story.

  • Straight Stare: Romance is absent, extremely light, or does not bother me.
  • Tiny Eye Roll: Some romance, but it does not take over.
  • Full Eye Roll: Romance is heavy or distracting.
  • Eyes Rolled Into Another Dimension: The romance/spice fully launched my eyes into orbit.

Vomit Rating

This is my personal reaction to romance/spice content. Dramatic? Yes. Useful? Also yes.

  • No Bucket Needed: No issue.
  • Pass the Ginger Chew: A little romance discomfort, but manageable.
  • I hope you have a Zofran prescription: Romance/spice was a lot for me.
  • 🤮 🤮: Absolutely not my thing.

Worldbuilding Difficulty

  • Easy: Easy to jump into.
  • Medium Portal: Requires some attention, but still easy to follow.
  • Labyrinth: Dense worldbuilding, lots of names, places, systems, or history.