Of the books you've shelved on Goodreads, which has the highest & lowest average rating?

Submitted by ChaDefinitelyFeel t3_zy4u5t in books

Of my 231 shelved books the one with the highest average rating is "The Beatles: All These Years - Tune In" by Mark Lewisohn with a score of 4.71. It's an 800 page history of the Beatles, the author began researching and writing it in 2003 and it took 10 years to complete, but the thing is it's only the first volume, there's a second and third volume in the works, with volume 2 allegedly coming out in 2023. Usually when I get to the end of a 800 page book I'm so ready for it to be over, but in this instance I just wanted more. I didn't even like the Beatles before starting it but it's a truly phenomenal read. Can't wait to read volume 2.

My lowest average rating is Dark Laughter by Sherwood Anderson with a score of 3.11. This is the book that Ernest Hemingway parodied in his first non-short story published work titled "The Torrents of Spring" which ironically is the second lowest rated book I have shelved. Both of which were quite bad.

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StepfordMisfit t1_j24y85e wrote

Excluding a self-published book by an acquaintance with 6 5-star ratings, most probably out of guilt...

Highest is The Nature of Remains by Ginger Eager with a 4.74 average. It only has 38 ratings and 14 reviews, but won a legit award. Fantastic book.

Next is I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy with 4.59 average.

Lowest is A Conspiracy of Tall Men by Noah Hawley at 3.07 avg. I didn't rate it and don't remember it but now I'm feeling a little bad for all the 3s I've given to books that were just ok.

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ChaDefinitelyFeel OP t1_j24z6mq wrote

Theres a weird psychological thing where people don't want to give a book a 1 or 2 star rating, even for things that are really bad. Instead of 1-5 it might as well be a scale of 3-5. Even Mein Kampf has a 3.18, to put things in perspective.

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claudiaqute t1_j253t3d wrote

I don't remember my lowest average one either despite giving it 3 stars. I always say 3 stars is my 'this is fine' rating, meaning I didn't necessarily like it but I didn't actively dislike it. While scrolling through all this I was a little shocked by how many 3 star books I just don't really remember because I guess they are just the most forgettable for not being particularly liked or disliked.

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Zikoris t1_j24ecop wrote

Highest overall: 100 Boots by Eleanor Antin, clocking in at 4.69.

Highest actual book: Jade Legacy, 4.67.

Lowest: The Betrothed by Kiera Cass, 3.02. Kinda surprised as it wasn't THAT bad, definitely not the worst thing I've ever read.

This is out of 1,457 shelved books.

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skauing t1_j251imk wrote

Highest of all my books is Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson at 4.65 (others are higher but it's just people rating unreleased books 5 out of hype). I haven't read this yet but it's very high priority for me, can't wait!

Highest I've read is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, at 4.62. It's nowhere near the best book I've read and IMO it's not even the best Harry Potter book but I don't really care about HP anymore so it's whatever.

Lowest overall and that I've read is Stjernetrekker by Harald Rosenlow Eeg at 3.00 (based on just 8 ratings). It's a norwegian book and a spiritual sequel to one of my absolute favourites as a teen, so I think very highly of it but I haven't read it in over ten years so I can't say if the low rating is deserved or not...

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glencoco t1_j253d5d wrote

Highest: How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith (4.74) Well deserved, easily the best nonfiction book I've ever read.

Lowest: The Fever by Megan Abbott (3.10) I have no memory of this book but I gave it 4 stars in 2016.

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claudiaqute t1_j255gkm wrote

Of a 1000 books:

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss and E.G. Keller at 4.64. This is the only kids book I have on here and I read it before sending to my niece lol

Actual book is A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas at 4.62 which is pretty shocking even if I enjoyed it.

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold at 2.7 (!) which feels harsh but I don't remember a thing about it to defend it so...

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wisdommaster1 t1_j24en04 wrote

Highest: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson at 4.75. I gave it a 4 but this series is definitely one of my favorites thus far.

Lowest: Dream Psychology: Psychoanalysis for beginners at 3.37. I gave it a 3, don't recall too much as this was over 10 years ago but I was into dreams and lucid dreaming and all that fun stuff

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eleanorfigby t1_j24jnot wrote

Tune In is also my highest rated for the year!

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ambrym t1_j24r84r wrote

My highest average rated book is Birds of Melanesia by Guy Dutson which is a field guide I used when traveling in Vanuatu. It has an average rating of 4.83

Lowest is Bred by the Monster in the Forest by JM Keep which is bad monster erotica I read as a joke. It’s got 2.92 stars lol

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MorriganJade t1_j24tc9h wrote

The highest is Szymborska's poems translated to Italian

The lowest is one I also rated one star Waterfall by Lauren Kate. It was nonsensical, I read it because it was a gift

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salty_army t1_j24xa25 wrote

of books i've read, not WTR.

MAD as the Devil, Sergio Aragones. 4.59.

Spy Killer, L. Ron Hubbard. 3.00.

there are several WTR with 0.00. No reviews.

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JeanVigilante t1_j27n573 wrote

Highest: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson at 4.65.

Lowest: The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold at 2.70.

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MarieReading t1_j24rea4 wrote

Highest: Know My Name by Chanel Miller (4.72)

Lowest: The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole (3.18)

  • The first "supernatural english novel'.

Lowest I've Read: The Haunting of Alma Fielding by Kate Summerscale (3.23)

  • One of my favorite books of the year. I think people were expecting a scary story when this is more of an examination of the effects of mental health in terms of supernatural activity. If you like Rebecca or The Haunting of Hill House I would recommend this!
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ChaDefinitelyFeel OP t1_j24t5d9 wrote

Was Otrano really that bad? Isn't it considered to be a classic?

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MarieReading t1_j24tiof wrote

I have not read it yet. The person I got the recommendation from seemed to really enjoy it. (I think people tend to judge horror harshly for both books and movies.)

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TheBadGuyFromDieHard t1_j257ik5 wrote

Highest: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at 4.58

Lowest: Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk at 2.97

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clockworkdance t1_j257jrh wrote

Lowest: Double Vision by Diana Hendry at 1.8 (based off of 5 ratings...); next is Not Just A Summer Crush by C.S. Adler at 2.2, with 15 ratings. I helped ding the former, but I quite liked the latter!

Highest: I've got ten with 5.0 ratings, mostly because I am the only person who rated them (or sometimes 1 other person agreed with me)

Otherwise it's Camp Hope by Sara L. Foust with a 4.79 after 33 ratings -- 4 stars to me.

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Dear_Distance_7360 t1_j25992p wrote

Highest : Heartstopper: Volume Four with a score of 4,65 - this was a five stars read at the time

Lowest : Meet Cute Club by Jack Harbon with a score of 3,27 - I gave it 3 so it sounds about right

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Juanicee_Maikooku t1_j25aiyc wrote

4.72 - Know My Name ; The Only Plane in the Sky

2.71 - Perfume of Lilacs

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Luna_Organa t1_j25d96w wrote

For books I’ve read:
Highest -> I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (4.59)

Lowest -> Dream Girl by Laura Lippman (3.30)

For my Want to Read list:
Highest -> What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo (4.55)

Lowest -> Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (4.09)

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leela_martell t1_j25dnyc wrote

I can’t believe it, as it’s my least favourite of the entire series and definitely not among my favourite books, but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is highest rated at 4,62.

Lowest is Häräntappoase by Anna-Leena Härkönen at 3,14 which is also surprising because it’s a pretty popular book here in Finland. I’ve certainly read and shelved worse ones… Also the worst English-language one is my favourite Nick Hornby book, How To Be Good. It’s been like 15+ years since I read it though.

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elizabeth-cooper t1_j25oua5 wrote

Highest of everything I've rated: Monster Vol. 9 by Naoki Urasawa - 4.70

Highest rated prose book (also Highest rated in 2022): On Being Raped by Raymond M. Douglas - 4.63

Highest rated novel: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - 4.62

Highest rated adult novel: A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan - 4.55

Lowest rated book: Murdered by Nature by Roderic Jeffries - 2.48

Lowest rated in 2022: The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox - 3.28

Edit: Out of 3,292 rated books.

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elizabeth-cooper t1_j25sclf wrote

This is fun!

Highest rated book that I loved: A Game of Thrones - 4.44

Lowest rated book that I loved: Body Surfing by Dale Peck - 3.32

Highest rated book that I hated: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (lol)

Highest rated adult book that I hated: The Eye of the World (lol)

Lowest rated book that I hated: The Klone and I by Danielle Steel - 3.01

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teachertraveler1 t1_j25pv4w wrote

Highest: How to Be a Bad Muslim by Mohamed Hassan (4.72), a Kiwi poet and writer. First encountered his work through a spoken-word video he did on growing up an immigrant and learning how to mispronounce his own name. It's gorgeous.

Lowest: Hungry Women in Paris by Josefina Lopez (2.73). This came out at the end of the "depressed woman goes on a journey, has a lot of sex and eats food and learns about herself" trend and the author herself admits that an editor basically took a bunch of mishmash and made it somewhat into a book. It's a mess.

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chandlermk t1_j25w497 wrote

My highest average rated book I’ve read — Ruby for Grief by Michael Burkard at 4.71. (Forgot this book existed so I’m glad you asked this question.)

Lowest average I’ve read — Voltaire and Catherine the Great: Selected Correspondence at 3 stars.

Out of the ones I want to read:

Highest average — Edwin Hubble’s Observational Approach to Cosmology (5 stars but only 2 ratings)

Lowest average — The Better Sort by Henry James at 3.2

(This is out of 470 read / 402 want to read)

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cas-fortuit t1_j27a2wr wrote

Of the 1,624 I tagged as Read:

Lowest: Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie - 2.88 stars based on 11,556 ratings. It’s definitely among her worst novels, but I’m surprised it’s so much lower than some others. I think Man in the Brown Suit is much worse and it has a 3.95.

Highest: The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and Its Solutions by Jason Hickel - 4.63 stars based on 2,248 ratings.

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moremango t1_j27e8ub wrote

Highest is Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson with 4.75!! Lowest is We Are Now Beginning Our Descent by James Meek at 3.06.

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dramaticsneeze t1_j27fop0 wrote

Highest rating @ 4.54 for The Winners (Beartown #3)

Lowest rating @ 3.41 for The Nest

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Reasonable-Citron663 t1_j27h5js wrote

Highest is How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith at 4.74

Lowest is The One & Only by Emily Giffin at 3.19 (I gave it one whole star)

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timtamsforbreakfast t1_j27ks18 wrote

Highest rated are Project Hail Mary and Lord of the Rings tied at 4.52 stars. No suprise as I know they are popular and beloved.

Lowest rated is Pamela by Samuel Richardson at 2.78 stars. Classics are often low-rated because people find them slow and wordy. This one has the additional issue that the "happy ending" involves the girl marrying the guy who has repeatedly attempted to rape her.

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badwolf691 t1_j27mr0y wrote

Highest (4.72) is Know my Name by Chanel Miller. Second highest fiction (4.62) being Deathly Hallows.

My lowest (2.87) is Star by Pamela Anderson

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ne0_bahamut t1_j28fyq1 wrote

Highest: a court of mist and fury (4.62) Lowest: a violet wind at 2.80, yikes

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Jack-Campin t1_j2e9san wrote

I thought I'd have loads of books on my shelves that Goodreads had never heard of but it doesn't happen all that often. And the little-known books don't generally get low ratings: if you're interested in something off the beaten track you'll have a reason for seeking it out and you'll know what might be good about it.

But by sheer fluke I just looked up a book that's been on my TBR pile for about 40 years and found a big fat zero - no ratings, no reviews.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59084300-modern-common-wind

You have to wonder how it ever got into their database. With a photo, even.

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