13
Oct
Goodreads & Book Recommendations
0
The more I think about my book someday being published and available for ranking, the more cautious I am about this sort of thing. Still, I want to be honest. Not every book is a 5-star read for me. That doesn’t mean someone else won’t enjoy it.
This is my Goodreads system:
5 stars: I unabashedly LOVED it and pimp it out to all my friends
4 stars: I really liked it and would pass it along if I think it’d be your cup of tea
3 stars: I liked it overall. (Sometimes books I categorize as 3s are fun reads but don’t necessarily stick with me for whatever reason, or I like the characters but feel like the plot could use some work, or vice-versa.)
If I don’t like the book–2 stars or less–I don’t usually put it on Goodreads. There are some notable exceptions, like Emily’s Quest by L.M. Montgomery. But it’s pretty rare that I read a book I really dislike; I tend to pre-screen well. There have been only 2 or 3 this year. I have a physical shelf for books I haven’t finished, but that’s definitely not on Goodreads and that’s a whole other subject.
I don’t usually write Goodreads reviews, although I try to give shout-outs here to books I especially love. My friends and sisters and I talk books a LOT, and they often come to me for YA recs. In fact, it’s really rare that friends leave my house without borrowing a book on the way out. I totally lose track of who has what. But that’s why I put my YA shelves in the living room: I like sharing the books I’m most passionate about. And if my friends like the book, they often buy the next one from that author on their own. It also helps me get a good sense of my friends’ reading habits, which comes in handy for birthdays and Christmas. I do love gifting books.
What about you? What’s your Goodreads & book-sharing protocol?
(Btw, if anyone wants to friend me there, I’m Jessica Spotswood.)
