Do Book Ratings Influence Your Reading Choices? 

Ratings have always played a significant role in reading culture. We’re naturally drawn to the books everyone’s talking about, often because so many people claim they’re worth the hype. That’s how critics operate, and it’s why we have bestsellers in the first place — we want to read stories that others have enjoyed. Now, with platforms like BookTok, Goodreads, and StoryGraph, we have instant access to book ratings and reviews that collectively reflect how readers feel about a book. But how much do those numbers influence our own choices? And how much trust should we really place in them?

Why Book Ratings Matter

Social proof — Ratings offer reassurance. When we see that thousands of readers have loved a book, it feels like a safer choice. An average rating – taking into account the very best and worst responses – usually gives a reasonable snapshot of how a book is received overall. The more people who have read and rated it, the less likely those scores are to be distorted by outliers.

Discoverability — Algorithms tend to push popular or highly rated books to the forefront. The more a book is read, reviewed, and discussed, the more visible it becomes, which in turn means more readers will discover and pick it up.

Community feel — One of the greatest joys of reading is the sense of community that comes with sharing a beloved book. When I finished Sunrise on the Reaping, my TikTok feed was full of theories, edits, and easter eggs, all fuelled by a large community reading and loving the same story at the same time. That shared excitement, those conversations with friends, and the collective buzz are only possible when a book reaches a wide and enthusiastic audience.

The Downsides of Ratings Culture 

There’s definitely a herd mentality when it comes to bestselling favourites. We read the books everyone else is reading simply because we’ve been told they’re unmissable. Often, these are the titles backed by huge marketing budgets and major publishers — the books dominating conversations online. As a result, smaller, niche stories — especially those by minority authors — can easily be drowned out.

Another key downside of ratings culture is when the hype doesn’t match the quality. We all know what stan culture looks like, and although it’s usually linked to celebrities or musicians, it’s very much alive in the book world, too. Bias and bandwagoning can inflate a book’s ratings simply because of who wrote it or the popularity of the series it belongs to (Onyx Storm, I’m looking at you).

When ratings shoot up early on, anyone who expresses a more critical opinion can appear contrarian rather than honest. Some readers may even feel pressured to praise a book to fit in with the crowd. And on a personal level, it’s genuinely disappointing when you dislike a book that everyone else seems obsessed with. Tastes differ, of course, but there are times when a book falls short on a basic craft level. Yet because of the author’s reputation, genuine critique gets overshadowed by unwavering loyalty.

Some of the Psychology Behind It

Humans naturally value collective judgment over individual instinct. That isn’t always a bad thing, statistically speaking. If the vast majority of people feel strongly one way about a book, there’s a reasonable chance it has something worthwhile to offer.

However, it’s important to remember that numbers don’t exist in a vacuum. The way we score and review a book is influenced by marketing, community dynamics, social factors and even our own desire to fit in.

When a book is everywhere — endlessly recommended, constantly trending — our excitement becomes driven by impulse. We want to be part of the moment, and that feeling of FOMO can be powerful. Sometimes we end up reading and enjoying something simply because everyone else insists we should.

There’s also a tendency to stick to what the majority celebrates, which in the current publishing landscape often means bestsellers popular among dominant groups (typically white women). This can unintentionally sideline diverse voices and discourage readers from exploring outside the familiar. The more we rely on collective ratings, the narrower our reading choices can become.

When Ratings Don’t Tell the Whole Story 

A star rating is a simple number trying to summarise a very complex experience. Some books are “acquired tastes”, and our reactions to them are often shaped by our own lives — our experiences, preferences, and world views — rather than the book’s actual literary quality. That’s why certain titles inevitably divide readers.

Low ratings can also reflect things like pacing, dense writing, or unlikeable characters — none of which automatically make a book bad. I know plenty of readers who struggle to enjoy a story if they can’t warm to the protagonist, even when the writing is excellent. That’s a personal preference, not an objective measure of quality.

Similarly, some books are simply too stylistically complex or thematically challenging for a broad audience. That can alienate many readers, resulting in lower ratings, even though, from a craft perspective, the book may be doing something exceptional.

Personal Thoughts

On a personal level, I do pay attention to ratings. I’m a bit of a Goodreads addict, and I’ll admit that if a book sits around the 3.7 mark or lower, I’m unlikely to pick it up. For me, that’s usually a fair indication of overall quality, though this varies depending on genre and style, which I always take into account.

That said, this mainly applies to books I’m adding to my TBR rather than those I’m already in the mood to read, if I stumble upon a book and I like the premise. When I am deciding, I’ll usually glance at the average rating plus one or two reviews from opposite ends of the spectrum to get a sense of what people loved and what they didn’t. That helps me judge whether the issues others had would bother me personally.

But there are also times when I’ll read something precisely because the ratings are bad. I like to know whether it’s truly as dreadful as people claim. I consider myself an informed hater. If I’m going to speak negatively about a book, I want that opinion to come from experience, not hearsay. And as someone who reviews regularly, staying informed matters to me.

It is slightly ironic, I suppose, that I’m here questioning how much influence ratings should have when I myself contribute to them. But really, I’m just a curious reader who loves the conversation around books. In fact, I tend to read more reviews after finishing a story — partly to see if others felt the same, and partly because sometimes another reader can articulate something I was struggling to put into words.

So yes, I’ll always be pro-ratings and pro-reviews because I value the community and connection they create. Just remember to take everything with a pinch of salt — and a healthy dose of your own judgment.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I see book ratings as a helpful guide, but not something that should dictate every reading choice. There’s a balance to be found between trusting your instincts and considering public opinion. It’s always worth asking why a book is praised (or criticised), rather than accepting the numbers at face value. Discernment is key with anything we choose to consume, and if you rely on ratings and reviews, you owe it to yourself to do a little digging. Far too many brilliant books are overlooked simply because they don’t reflect the majority’s experience.

So tell me, do book ratings influence what you read — or do you prefer to trust your own judgement and dive in anyway? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Do follow me on GoodReads hehe😝. As always, thanks for reading!!