Star Ratings

In the interest of transparency, the Karabou Review's star-rating system has been—at least somewhat—illuminated on this page.

Below are each of the five categories that make up the rating system here on the blog. Each category counts for a total of one star out of the five stars it is possible to earn. It is possible for a book to receive partial points in any category.

Beneath each category heading are the sorts of questions asked when reviewing a piece. Not all of these questions apply to every piece read, of course, so it isn't possible to offer a full breakdown of how stars are awarded. This should, however, give you at least some idea of what is being evaluated, so you may better understand why a book received the rating it received.

Plot

Is the plot sturdy and explainable for the world that it's taking place in?
Does the plot progress only because it hinges on absurdities?

Deus ex Machina
Characters making decisions that are out of character and unexplained
Character developing sudden strengths or weaknesses that are unexplained
Characters being nothing more than plot devices

Are there plot holes?
Is the plot appropriately threaded through the story?

Characters

Did the author craft solid psychologies for their characters?
Do the characters' personalities / behaviors make sense for their situations and ages?
Do the characters feel real (or at least slightly nuanced) or are they just tropes / cardboard / the sort that could be replaced by a lamp without anything changing?
How do the characters play off of each other?
Do they sound like different people?

Writing

Did the writing flow well or was it awkward / stilted / choppy?
Did the book need more or less content?
How was the pacing?
Was the piece compelling / entertaining?
Did the dialogue feel organic or contrived?
Were there fewer than three typographical errors in the text?
How was the consistency (plot, tone, characters, story details, etc.)?
How was the suspension of disbelief?

World

How is the worldbuilding (applies to real-world fiction, too)?
Does the author use the setting well?
Are the details at least mostly accurate to the time period / physics / science / etc.?

Themes & Audience

What audience was the piece aimed at and was it appropriately structured for that audience?
Did the piece handle the conversations it started / questions it asked in a meaningful way?
Did it leave the conversation in an appropriate place (An open-ended discussion is fine, but forgetting to finish a conversation is not.)?
Were there issues that went unaddressed?

Obviously, we would all prefer to enjoy the books that we're reading, but just because I don't like the book doesn't mean it should be rated poorly. Similarly, just because I love a piece doesn't mean that it is without flaws.

Hopefully this system is easier to understand and, hopefully, it promotes better organization here on the blog.

Book Review: Night Sky with Exit Wounds

A few days ago, I picked up a copy of Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong. This time, rather than ordering a physical copy, I got an e-book copy because I was disinclined to wait for shipping and I thought I might get around to it faster. Given I started it the minute I put it on my e-reader and finished it within two days, I'd say that decision paid off. It was my third read of 2022 and arguably my favorite, thus far. (This review revision was completed April 15, 2023.) Rating: 4 /5 Buy Night Sky With Exit Wounds Here . Cover Blurb: " In his haunting and fearless debut, Ocean Vuong walks a tightrope of historic and personal violences, creating an interrogation of the American body as a borderless space of both failure and triumph. At once vulnerable and redemptive, dreamlike and visceral, compassionate and unforgiving, these poems seek a myriad existence without forgetting the prerequisite of self-preservation in a world bent on extinguishing its othered voices. V

Book Review: Seventh Born

Several years ago, I spent a not-insignificant amount of time on a site called Wattpad . And that site, as you may have surmised, is where I found Seventh Born by Monica Sanz. I had read only the first few chapters before this book was pulled down for publishing through Entangled Teen . Rather intrigued by what I'd already read, I bought a copy as soon as it became available. And then it sat on my shelf for the next few years, undisturbed and gathering dust as all TBR books are destined to do ... Rating: 2.5/5 Buy Seventh Born here . Blurb from Amazon: "Abomination. Curse. Murderer. All names hurled at eighteen-year-old Seraphina Dovetail. As the seventh-born daughter to a witch, she's the cause of her mother losing her powers and, in turn, her life. Abandoned as a child, Sera dreams of becoming an inspector and finding her family. To do that, she must be referred into the Advanced Studies Program at the Aetherium's Witchling Academy. Her birth order, quick temper,

Book Review: Shiver

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater was my attempted fourth read of the year. I've read The Raven Boys and wanted to read something else from Stiefvater, so Shiver it was. This did not wind up being the right book for me. This review was updated May 15th, 2023. Rating: DNF Buy Shiver. Blurb from Amazon: " For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. " Review: I had really hoped to enjoy this book, but my feelings about it ar

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