The ratings that I give books are solely based on my preferences as a reader. I am not picky, but I want my time away from reality to mean something.

The minimum rating if ever I come across such a book would be 0 stars and the maximum of course 5 stars.

Before I delve into an explanation on my rating system, I am going to list out a couple of things I look for in a romance or any other story when I read them.

1. The hero and heroine: If either of them fails to impress me or makes me dislike them, I would probably end up giving a lower rating to the book. Because hey, let’s face it, the hero and heroine either make or break a romance.
2. The connection between the hero and heroine: For me, this is a very important aspect of any romance. Whether it be sexual, emotional or physical, there should be a bond between the hero and heroine that the author may test anyway he or she deems fit. But, the connection if non-existent or if I do not feel the vibe between the hero and heroine, I would most probably end up giving a book a lower rating.
3. The development of characters: Whether the romance encompasses a large number of side characters or it does not, the one thing that a story must have are characters worth writing about. The main characters as well as the side characters should have a story worth telling and lend enough fodder to the developing story. Otherwise, in my opinion they might just as well not exist!
4. The setting: Like any romance reader, I have a penchant towards exotic settings. But whether it be exotic, a small town or just your average suburban setting, it is always nice to know a little bit about them, though overly flowery descriptions just makes me skip over them to delve into the actual story that is taking place.

So that brings me to my rating descriptions.

5 Stars: Outstanding Read!

This book impressed me on all counts. The hero and heroine were fantastic, the connection between them a strong one that the author always put forth throughout the story. Basically, if I love a novel as much that it rates 5 stars, I would probably end up revisiting the story somewhere down the line. And hey, it might warrant a re-read review or a Dear Author review. You never know! And these books definitely make their way to my “Pick of the Month” read and giveaway round. And yes, if you are an avid romance fan, you should definitely get this book!

4 – 4.75 Stars: Great Read!

Loved the overall story and the characters. Though the book doesn’t warrant 5-stars, I would still recommend the hell out of a 4-star read because such a rating would mean that I immensely enjoyed the journey that the hero and heroine made towards their happily ever after! Books that call into this category are sub-divided as follows:

4.75 Stars: Fantastic Read!
4.5 Stars: Amazing Read!
4.25 Stars: Awesome Read!
4 Stars: Great Read!

3 – 3.75 Stars: Good Read!

I find myself mightily disappointed when I have to rate a book as a good read. A book rated in the 3-star range means that the book had so much potential to be better and it was disappointing in the extreme to wade through a book that could have been so much better. But, nevertheless I rarely give up on reading books that deserve the 3-star rating because there are  bits and pieces in the book that somehow makes up for the disappointment of the overall book. Books that call into this category are sub-divided as follows:

3.75 Stars: Good Read!
3.5 Stars: Favorable Read!
3.25 Stars: Peachy Read!
3 Stars: Satisfactory Read!

2 – 2.75 Stars: Average Read!

If a book has been rated as an average read, I wouldn’t bother recommending the book to anyone I know. Some factor in the book may have annoyed me too much for it to receive a 2-star rating. Books that call into this category are sub-divided as follows:

2.75 Stars: Average Read!
2.5 Stars: Fair Read!
2.25 Stars: Uninspired Read!
2 Stars: Mediocre Read!

1 – 1.75 Stars: Meh! Read!

Oh boy! I hope I never ever read books that warrant 1 star. The book basically sucked, there was no plot, hero and heroine continually annoyed me and there is no hope for the book in my opinion. Books that call into this category are sub-divided as follows:

1.75 Stars: Poor Read!
1.5 Stars: Bad Read!
1.25 Stars: Insufferable Read!
1 Star – Unacceptable Read!

0 – 0.75 Stars: DNF Read!

These are the books that I put away without reading! Most of the time I refrain from reviewing books I haven’t read to completion.