As I begin writing my reviews on books that I've completed I'll be sure to add a rating on how I view the books. The categories that will impact my rating are listed below.
How well the author captures my attention and holds it. This is important to me because I'm a person who can be distracted easily, so if a book can grab my attention and keep me reading for long periods of time then it truly excites me. This would start with the introduction, then the plots and twists, climax, and the final ending.
How well the author writes, this category would include their writing style, how easy it is to read, the dialogue between characters, transitions from one scene to the next.
Plot movement - this is a crucial part of the book, if it takes almost the entire book for the plot to get a running start and then only in the last few chapters actually move then it's going to be a tough read for me. I don't want to go through a whole bunch of blah blah blah and hear about the architecture or the characters clothes for 12 pages. Did the plot move me, did it keep me engaged!?
Characters - Were they relatable, did they engage me, did they make me feel something while I read the book. Did they make good character developments in their personality and choices.
The last category is Consistency - does the author keep the same writing style, dialogue, character and plot development through the entire book.
If the book hits all 5 of the categories really well then it will get 5 stars and the less it hits these marks in my opinion the less stars the book will receive.