Is This The Secret To Better Book Reviews?🤫📚
📚I found the secret formula to FAIR book reviews!
I am sharing this with you so you know whether or not to trust my reviews! As someone who reads a lot of reviews I know what I look for, what I trust, and what I take with a grain of salt. Even the reviews I don't agree with can tell me something. Like what type of reader might or might not align with the author or the plot. When it comes to rating books it is the first step in me writing a review. I have started to write a lot more reviews and I realized how I rated books wasn't going to cut it anymore. I use to rate books based on vibes. 5 stars if it was good, 3-4 if it was meh, and I never went lower then that (until 1 book at the beginning of this year🫣😬) Starting to write reviews made me realize I need to be able to talk about these books way more then I could with my current system. I could give facts like genre, author, plot, characters ect but I would really have to break down my brain to write the way I wanted to. Everything changed when I found the CAWPILE system (originally created by book roasts)! Suddenly I am questioning every review I have ever given. This system is like magic and has helped me write much better reviews and rate books more fairly! This system becomes the super rough draft for my written reviews and makes sure I talk about all the points I myself thought about as a reader.
Let's talk about how this system works
CAWPILE is an acronym. It stands for the 7 different categories we are going to rate the book on. We rate these categories 1-10 then total them up, divide by 7 and use that number to get our star rating.
When I break out my journal to write my thoughts about the categories here are the kind of questions I ask myself
⭐CHARACTERS:
How emotionally attached was I to these characters? Did they have depth? Some arc or growth? What role did they play to the story and did they do it effectively? How memorable are they?
⭐ATMOSPHERE:
Did it feel like I was there? Did it have an atmosphere or just a setting? Can I describe how it felt or just name the place? Did it make me feel anything and was it intended?How was the world building and did it help me dive deeper into the story or take me out of it?
⭐WRITING STYLE:
Did I like the type of humor used if there was any? Was there references to real like events or media and how did that effect how I read the story? Was the story easy to follow? Would I pick up another book from this author based on the writing alone? Was the dialogue smooth and enjoyable?
⭐PLOT:
Were the plot points that held my attention explored enough? Was the ending satisfying or rushed? Was the story predictable and if it was how did I feel about that? Were there plot holes?
⭐ INTRIGUE:
How invested was I in the story? Did I struggle to put the book down or did I need a break and took a hiatus? Was I thinking about what I thought was going to or what I wanted to happen while doing other tasks?
⭐LOGIC:
Did the decisions the characters made make sense or did it seems like it was an out of character decision? Did it seem like things were happening in the story that made no sense just so it could get somewhere specific the author wanted without a smooth transition? Were there plot holes? If there was a magic system did it make sense or was it fuzzy?
⭐ ENJOYMENT:
Overall how much did I enjoy the story? Will I keep thinking about the world, characters, plot for a long time? Would I recommend it to others?
I then rate these categories 1-10.
⭐0-3 Really bad
⭐4-6 mediocre
⭐7-9 Really Good
⭐10 Outstanding
Add them up then divide by 7
That Number gets you your star rating!
<1.1 🚫
1.1-2.2 ⭐
2.3-4.5 ⭐⭐
4.6-6.9 ⭐⭐⭐
7.0-8.9 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
9-10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This system has really changed how I look at books, rate books, and how I talk about them in reviews. It helps me rate books more fairly and have a system so I can write reviews more efficiently
Q: Do you have a system for your book ratings?
What questions do you ask yourself when reading?Would you try out the CAWPILE system?
#lemon8bookclub #lemon8challenge #books #bookwormsoflemon8 #BookReview
After discovering the CAWPILE system, my approach to writing reviews completely transformed. It's not just about crunching numbers; it's about having a structured way to articulate why a book earned its score. For anyone looking to elevate their *book review style*, this method is a game-changer. I found that while the basic calculation is straightforward, truly mastering the 1-10 rating for each category involves a deeper dive and consistent application. When I rate categories from 1-10, I don't just pick a number randomly. For 'Characters,' a 10 means they felt like real people, with complex motivations and believable growth, making me deeply invested. A 5 might mean they were functional but forgettable, lacking genuine depth or development. For 'Atmosphere,' a high score means I was completely immersed, feeling the setting and mood down to my bones, while a lower score indicates it was merely a backdrop, failing to evoke specific emotions or a strong sense of place. This granular approach helps me justify my scores and avoid vague 'vibes' as my sole metric. This system also naturally guides the questions I ask myself while reading and even *before reading*. Before I even open the cover, the CAWPILE categories make me think: what kind of 'Atmosphere' am I expecting from this genre? What 'Writing Style' am I hoping for? And as I read, I'm subconsciously (or consciously, with my notebook ready!) observing these elements. Did the 'Logic' of the magic system hold up? Was the 'Plot' genuinely intriguing, or did I find myself easily distracted? These questions become my internal checklist, ensuring I'm actively engaging with the text on multiple levels. One of the biggest struggles in book rating can be consistency. CAWPILE offers a fantastic framework for this. I find it helpful to create a mental benchmark for what constitutes a '7' or an '8' in each category based on books I've loved and truly resonated with. This way, when I pick up a new book, I have a more objective standard to measure it against, helping me move beyond purely emotional reactions to a more balanced assessment. It minimizes the influence of my mood on any given day and allows for a more defensible *book rating system*. Beyond just the score, the true power of CAWPILE for writing reviews lies in how it provides a ready-made outline. Each category prompt is essentially a paragraph waiting to be written. When I tackle 'Characters,' I already have the prompts that become the 'questions I make sure to answer' about their depth, emotional impact, and role in the story. This means I spend less time staring at a blank page and more time articulating precise feedback. It’s like having a guide for what aspects of the book truly matter in a comprehensive critique. It streamlines my review process, making it more efficient and insightful. If you're grappling with finding your unique book review style or want to ensure your book rating categories are truly comprehensive, I highly recommend giving the CAWPILE system a try. It transformed my journey as a reviewer, making my critiques more insightful and my ratings more defensible. It's truly a secret weapon for any book lover aiming for fairness and depth in their reviews.
My system should be what you recommend because based on your criteria and thoroughness I dont believe I could go wrong