I reviewed Trade Me by Courtney Milan at Dear Author today and gave it a B-. I’m feeling pretty happy about the comment thread, which is mostly people enthused about trying the book. It makes me feel that people are really reading the review rather than just going by a grade, and that they get that not every book I like will be an A for me.
I often go around in circles over a book like this, wondering if I should grade higher because it has some special points like a non-white heroine. But I always come back to the same thought — that when I review, I’m really giving people a little piece of myself, and whether they share my tastes or not, they can only benefit from my opinion if I give the honest me.
Not at all sorry I gave up grading here, though. 🙂
A Willful Woman... 
I always look at the substance as well as the grade because it gives the grade context. What bothered you may not bother me. What you liked may not work for me, yada yada.
I have Trade Me on the tbr so I haven’t read any reviews of it yet. Glad you are getting a good discussion!
I am avoiding the reviews because I’m writing my own, but yes to everything you say: this is why grades are only meaningful for the person writing the review, or for someone who knows her reading tastes really, really well. Otherwise, it’s a lottery.
I follow particular reviewers *precisely* for their POV. A grade doesn’t give me nuances the way a conversation will do. *Thanks* for sharing your thoughts!