Five Stars, Thumbs, or what?

Ratings. I was pondering on how I would define my own rating system, or, if I should even use one at all. There is the five star sytem. There is the thumbs up or down. When you go to the hospital you are faced with the row of seven faces - "Describe your pain. Is it a smily face or a grimacing frown?" Then you can get into degrees - an A rating or a B- or, if you are reading a D+, D, or D- it is still a stinker. How about "Loved it!/Hated it!"? Too extreme. How about a "heart"? Too cutesy? Just a check? Too boring. How about a cooking thermometer? Oh, please. Twitter food book reviewer "Seal of Approval", now that IS impressive. What is a book review without a rating system?

I am in a book group with pre-school moms. We rarely have the time to sit and read for pleasure. We read in spurts, ie. naptime and when we finally settle into our own bed. So, book recommendations to us have to be trusted, quick, and to the point. We tend to be simple about our book nods - for instance:

* You have got to read this!
* I really enjoyed it.
* It's OK.
* Don't bother.

Pretty simple. You know which book to grab at the bookstore and start right away, which to add to your night stand for future reading, which to (if you have the time) borrow and return, and which to pass by because there are better reads out there.

So that's it! My rating system.