I've gotten some e-mails questioning some of my ratings. "Hey you're new around here you don't have the right to give a top reviewer such a low rating!!!"

Very Helpful
I rate a review VH when the reviewer goes the distance. If I feel a waver between "Helpful" and "Very Helpful," I'm afraid I go with "Helpful." I find that it's not just to do otherwise, there are so many great informed well written reviews out there, that it seems as if people get a bit too trigger happy with the "VH's" if you get my drift. Very helpful reviews are well written too, I am sorry one of my peeves is someone who writes and displays ill organization skills. They include important details like quotes, passages, or instances in the book that support your initial opinion.

Helpful
Helpful reviews usually give a summary of the book, and offer little or no personal reflection on the novel itself. This isn't fifth grade Language Arts Class, some of us who visit Epinions would like an opinion on the book you are reading. Also, if you are supremely generic and say something that has obviously been said in other reviews, (ones on other web pages, on the book itself or at Epinions), and ESPECIALLY if you do not support it, you will get a Helpful rating from me.

Somewhat Helpful
These reviews are vague, usually short, and obviously ill thought out. Actually, most somewhat helpful reviews seem to go to the occasional new member who doesn't research the topic he/she is writing about, and just slaps a review online in order to promote a product. Occasionally a "somewhat helpful" review will border with a "not helpful" review...which brings me to the last rating possible...

Not Helpful
I'm sorry, but if your review is short and has little information, and is obviously a plug (as some people do by creating several accounts in order to give a product a good rating), then you will be getting a "Not Helpful" from me. Some people may be more lenient, but this is something I don't tolerate. Also if your review is plagiarized, offensive, or barely informative, I will rate you as “not helpful.”

Upcoming reviews: Angels by Marian Keyes, and American Gods by Neil Gaimen.