How I Score Book Reviews

⭐ Personal Taste

Personal Taste reflects my experience as a reader—how much the book resonated with me. Each item below is worth 1 star. Together, they form a 5-star score reflecting the book's overall impact.

• ⬜ The book totally held my attention without me skimming or zoning out.
• ⬜ The stories, characters, or ideas felt profound, not just interesting.
• ⬜ It piqued a strong emotional, philosophical, or imaginative reaction.
• ⬜ It offered insights that reshaped how I think or see the world.
• ⬜ I’d confidently reread it or recommend it as essential—not just good.

📐 Composition Critique

The Composition Critique evaluates how well the book is crafted—writing, structure, clarity, originality, and execution of intent. Each item below is worth ½ star. Together, they form a 5-star score reflecting the book's overall composition.

• ⬜ The writing was natural, clear, and effective.
• ⬜ The writing had personality, not generic or mechanical.
• ⬜ The structure enhanced understanding or impact—not just orderly.
• ⬜ The book stayed focused without fluff, sputtering, or pointless tangents.
• ⬜ The content reflected original thinking or a strong personal vision.
• ⬜ Complexity was handled elegantly, articulated without loss to depth.
• ⬜ The storytelling or analysis built momentum and depth across chapters.
• ⬜ The work was completely polished—not weak, clunky, or incomplete.
• ⬜ The author contributed something new, provocative, or essential.
• ⬜ The author succeeded in what they set to accomplish—inform, provoke, entertain, etc.

💥 Average Reader Difficulty

The Average Reader Difficulty measures how challenging a book is for the typical reader on a 1–10 scale. This scale doesn’t judge a book’s quality, just how much mental effort it requires.

• 🟢 1/10 – Effortless
  Simple sentences, basic vocab (The Giver)
• 🟢 2/10 – Easygoing
  Smooth reading, no mental strain (Hard Contact)
• 🔵 3/10 – Casual Challenge
  Some complex words, longer sentences (Meditations)
• 🔵 4/10 – Mild Resistance
  Denser language, richer themes (1984)
• 🟡 5/10 – A Proper Read
  Requires focus, deeper meaning (The Storm Before the Storm)
• 🟡 6/10 – Heavier-Lift
  Heavy prose, layered ideas (The Prince)
• 🔴 7/10 – Scholarly Terrain
  Academic tone, dense arguments (The Selfish Gene)
• 🔴 8/10 – Thought Labyrinth
  Obscure references, archaic language (Dante’s Inferno)
• ⚫ 9/10 – Linguistic Torture
  Near-impenetrable writing, abstract concepts (Atlas Shrugged)
• ⚫ 10/10 – Hellish
  Simply put: a nightmare to read (House of Leaves)