What’s the difference between a 4 & a 5 stars read?

Good morning!

While trying to write the beginning of a review post for “Emergency Contact” the other day, it just dawned on me that it can be quite hard to figure if I wanna give a 4 or a 5 stars sometimes.. Which made me think of writing this!

Star ratings are absolutely rigged; although the system might be similar from one blogger to another, the parameters and what defines each stars will always vary from person to person — this is why some bloggers chooses to drop the stars completely and start using another concept entirely.

Which makes total sense, knowing that a review (from a book or otherwise), is purely a opinion that we have on something. Although there might have some quotes within the book, or « canon » things that the author had said.. nothing is really « pure facts ». As we all know that it’s said that nobody ever reads the same books, as it’s from one’s perspective on the written words.

Now sometimes, I frankly don’t really know what the split between a 4 and a 5 stars is within my own reviews. Although I have set perimeters that I can base myself on, sometimes the end consensus of how many stars that I choose to give is based on gut-feeling.

For no reason in particular, or for reasons that I can’t personally express right now, this book feels like a 5 rather than a 4 to me kinda thing; or vice-versa.

Does that mean that the review is « garbage » or lying?

No- because a review in itself is an opinion. I believe that you can choose to go with logic and detailed processus (like a separate note for the plot, one for characters, one for settings, etc.) aswell as a more « objective » approach if you want.. or you can absolutely do the opposite. Be more subjective and go with how it personally made you feel- thoses are my favorites, but there’s no real way to review.

Do you do the same as me?
What is your difference between a 4 and a 5?