Happy Friday from official F. Llama!! Yes, that’s right F. Llama has an official avatar and she is so cute. Just look at her. Look at her nose hair. How charming is that?
So we made through our first week back at Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten after the two week winter break. The kids were thrilled to be back to school but it was hectic getting everyone back on their routines. I for one am glad the weekend is here. I need a nap. And a snack. And another nap. And another vacation. A luxury vacation this time where I get to pack up my fancy luggage with my fancy clothes and run away. <— I can’t even type that with a straight face. I don’t have fancy clothes, or fancy luggage. Anyone know of any good luggage stores? 
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I got a new laptop!! And my hubby got a new lap top too!!! We rarely buy each other Christmas gifts, instead we focus on the kiddos and then maybe do something for each other after the holidays. Well we haven’t gotten around to getting each other an after-the-holidays gift in several years so this year we went big. We got each other new laptops! Woohoo. Here’s mine:
I love the 17″ monitor and the 10 key pad. I really missed my 10 key on my old machine. It has fingerprint recognition that makes my nerdy heart flutter. This baby is smoking fast and I lurve her! Thanks hubby!
Now, my hubs got something really cool. His laptop is a 12″ HP Touch Smart. The monitor swivels around 180 degrees and then you close it and it becomes a touch screen device. Check it out:
So he can use it as a laptop with keyboard or he can flatten it and use it like an iPad I guess. He hasn’t let me play with it yet. 
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Steampunk recs: I posted yesterday that I read my first Steampunk and asked for recs. If you missed the post, check it out HERE and lay it on me man.
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One open giveaway here at Fiction Vixen at the moment: Win signed print copies of two Lisa Hendrix back list titles, winners’ choice. Open to anyone, anywhere that mail is delivered. Ends Jan. 18
As always, you can check the menu bar up top for current giveaways.
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Fact: Doing a Random Friday post is really hard when hubby takes the day off. I’ll be done in sec hubs. I promise.
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Book review ratings: So many bloggers are switching their rating systems to a letter grade system and I really like it. It gives a wider range for rating. I recently reviewed a book that I had a hard time rating. I didn’t feel the book deserved a 2.5, which in letter grade would be a D+, but I thought a 3 (C) was a little too generous. If I was using a letter grade rating system I could have rated it a C- which would have more accurately reflected how I felt about the book. I guess I could have given it a 2.75 but my rating system isn’t set up that way.
Anyway I’ve considered switching several times but one thing holds me back. It seems people interpret the letter grade ratings so differently. I’ve seen bloggers do their monthly round up and under a heading like “Duds” or “Books That Fell Flat” they list a few “C” rated books. To me, a “C” rated book is not a dud. It’s a book I enjoyed but had a few issues with.
So, my questions to you are:
- Do you like the letter grade rating system?
- What do you think when you see a book that has been rated a C? Worth your time? Or Dud?
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Fever discussion reminder: We’ll be discussing Dreamfever over at Smexybooks on the 13th. Stop by and share your theories!
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So I guess that’s it for Random Friday. I know there is much randomness in this world to speak of but darn it, it’s been a hectic week and I’m still recovering from winter break. Have a great weekend everyone!
Love–FV
About FV Sophia
When I see a C it makes me think of a book that may be ok for a more specific/targeted audience.
As a FV reviewer I would love a letter grade system as it would make me feel like Ibhave more options. But I would still love to see a general description for the main letter grades A B C D F possibly on your blog for people to refer to? I can’t tell you how many times I review your rating descriptions before making a final decision on my rating so I feel like I stay true to it for the readers of FV.
Remember, FL, I came first and I’ve marked my territory.
@Samantha: Oh good I’m glad to hear you say you would like to use the letter grading system because we may just go there. I really like a wider range for rating.
Truthfully I am lost with the letter system since I have never used it, but I have watched enough US shows to know F is bad
@King Mho Fho: Wow Mho, you’re not gonna pee on my blog are you?
@blodeuedd: Basically the letter grade represent a 1-5 rating system A being a 5 and F being a 1. But with letter grades you can give a plus or minus for a wider range of rating.
F.Llama’s nosehair is charming!
And congrats on the new laptop!! Have you named her yet? 
Letter grades….as a reader, I see a 3 and think ‘good book but not amazing’. A C though…techincally it’s the same as a 3, but for some reason I think of it as less. So I’m more likely to read a 3 book vs a C. Probably has something to do with gradeschool when I equated a C with an F. I was a bit of an over achieving geek…just ‘a bit’, though. LOL.
@Ava March: No name yet. We’ll see how she acts and decide on a name later lol.
I know a lot of people look at a C rating as bad. *sigh* What to do, what to do?
Even though a C is like a 3/5 rating, I see the C as being a slightly slower rating. A C to me means it was ok but a 3 would mean its good. Odd I know. I blame my mother because I would get a disapproval head shake whenever she saw a C on my report card.
Stephanie G
Paranormal Haven
It always takes my brain half a sec to realize that a C = 3 stars. Looking at a C isn’t really nice when you are in school so my brain just goes there. It says “C means you can do better”. But in the book world, C doesn’t mean that. It just takes some re-brain-tweaking. I know I personally would have trouble giving the books I read a letter grade because of the way my brain works, but I understand how it would a reviewer a little more flexibility.
Happy Weekend!
LMAO..the charming Nose hair…wow.
You know I like letters – and I agree that C is a “good book with some problems”
BUT – I agree that when I write D+ it seems harsher than writing 2.5..LOL. But also, to me any 2 or 2.5 or D means disappointing in my book, so I go with it.
Personally I don’t like the A-D rating system I don’t see the difference between a C+ or a B- to a 3.5 they can just over lap and get confusing at times unless the system being used it clearly displayed and explained. But at the end of the day it’s personal preference.
Yey! It’s so sweet that you bought each other new laptops! Totally cute llama picture by the way.
Yay! Congrats on the new lappies! The one the hubs got is too cool with its swivel savvyness.
Rating system: When I check out reviews, I’m cool with either, but I don’t think I have ever added a book to my TBR or bought it if it had a grade lower than a B. Agreeing with some of the comments above, it does take a while to register that you are talking about a 3 star review when you give a “C”.
Happy llama thoughts until next time. Happy Weekend.
@FV Is this your way of getting me to show you my mabob? You naughty woman!
Gorgeous I love your hubs laptop may have to buy one for Mr. KC.
Love this Fridays random posting! I always get a few giggles out of it. I’m not completely sure how I feel about the letter grading. When others use it I think it works for them but honestly I think you should use what works for you. Since I’m in school a C to me is a little better than passing but nothing that you brag about, so when I see C ratings I have to really pay attention to what the reviewer is telling me so I can tell if they really enjoyed it or not, if I just looked at the C rating a lone I wouldn’t take the time to read it.
F. Llama’s avatar is adorable! I also really like your computer and your husbands. I still think the fingerprint sign on is AWESOME!
First off, I’m so jealous of those beautiful laptops. They’re so cool! Would you be willing to email me with more detailed info of the one your hubby got…like brand, where bought, price–so I know how many years I have to save? Thanks bunches!
And on my blog I use letter grades. I think people can understand the grading system themselves much easier so that’s why I’ve used it from the start.
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
Hmm…I’m not sure how I feel about the letter system. If you rated a book a C or C+ I wouldn’t read it. With there being so many books out there, I would only read something that fell in the A/B range anyway. Same with the number system…I would only read something rated 4 or 5.
I have a pathological aversion to letter grades. I have to deal almost daily with the complications they cause. (I’m a teacher and have to re-calculate and convert transcripts from dozens of universities around the world, each with its own system.)
And don’t get me started on the subject of grade inflation…
The five star, cherry, flower, etc. system seems fine to me. It’s not the evaluation that counts, but the content of the review. An articulate, informative and honest review doesn’t really need to be backed up with a rating system.
Many’s the time I’ve been tricked into buying a book on the basis of a five-star rating and a gushing over-the-top review, only to find it unreadable for reasons not mentioned in the review.
I really only pay attention to ratings when it gets an A or better, anything else I think of as just being ok. I like the system you have now.
The laptops look like they are so much fun!
@Jud: Tricked into buying a book? I hope that if you are reading reviews here at FVBR you realize that the reviews are simply the opinion of the reviewer and we choose what we want to discuss based on our overall impression of the book and how we felt about it. We take no responsibility in what you should or shouldn’t read, that is a decision for you to make based on your own preferences etc. What might be a five star book for one person may be a complete flop for another. Reading is subjective.
@Sophia (FV):
Point taken, Sophia, but I wasn’t talking about FVBR reviews. Sorry if the word ‘tricked’ pushed the wrong button. That wasn’t my intention.
I appreciate that reviews are subjective, mileage varies and chacun a son gout, but when I see a review giving a book a ‘must read’ rating and describing it as tremendous, awesome, unforgettable, etc., I find myself tempted to check it out. And then, when I discover the book is badly written and formulaic (not entirely subjective assessments) I feel, well, annoyed.
@Jud: I suppose you have just have to pick and choose review sites/reviewers you trust then or make your purchase decisions based on your experiences with the author’s past works etc. Yes, there are review sites that ‘adore’ every book they review. I know this and therefore their reviews have little or no influence on what I choose to read. On the other hand there are reviewers that don’t seem to like anything they read and again, no influence. I’ve been disappointed a time or two in a book that got rave reviews but I’ve never been annoyed at a particular reviewer for giving the book a high rating. It never occurred to me actually. LOL.
Ooh, nice laptops!
Hmmm, I can’t say that I have a preference between letter and numerical grades. F through A is the same as 1 – 5 for me. *shrug*
Would I read a book that was given a C? Yes I would, as long as there was something in the review that sparked my interest. But that’s the same for me with any A or B grade review too. I’m not going to pick it up just because someone gave it a certain grade.
I read reviews to hear specific details so I can predict if it’s something that will work for me. I’ve even picked up books based on F reviews just because I knew the issue the reviewer had wouldn’t be a problem for me and the book sounded interesting.
This is why I don’t do ratings. First, it’s not worth the mindf*ckery to me, because it would take too much mental energy for me to decide between a B+ or an A-.
Second, I would probably end up giving out mostly A’s and B’s (or 4s and 5s, whatever) because I am biased toward reviewing books I like. Which then makes the ratings not terribly meaningful
Lastly, the rating system implies a… quantitative assessment of something that is really qualitative to me. I might rave about a book but if I’d read it on a different week with different stuff going on it might’ve been less affecting. It implies a precision in data that isn’t true and just feels wrong to me. Like, I would have to feel SURE that if I rated a book as a four it would HAVE to be better than every book I ever gave a three to.
You see what I mean about the mindf*ckery? LOL.
I’m going to be weird here and say I think a C looks better than 3/5 stars.
It’s kinda about math, and maybe I’m not far enough out from finishing my degree, and maybe I need to stop parsing the ratings. But 3/5 = 60%. Yikes! Even the more generous grading scales of yore didn’t start off with a 60% being good. 70% was more likely where a C started, so in my brain, a C is better than a 3.
(Except in computer science classes, where a C might be a 52% because everyone was failing that hard but I digress…)
But as a reader, I honestly don’t pay as much attention to the grade as the content of the review. What someone liked/disliked is far more important to me than how much they liked/disliked it.
@Moira Rogers – Bree:
I agree with this completely.
Happy New Year!!
I use both a letter and number system. BUT unlike the norm… a 3 for me is a B. My 5′s are A+ and my 4′s are A- and so on. Because I do mine a bit different, I am sure to include both a number and a letter grade. That’s why I fight so hard to have people realize a 3 is still a worthwhile and good book to read! And it shows the importance of knowing the reviewer’s rating scale – they aren’t all the same!!
Love your new laptops! Enjoy!