How to Write a Book Review
Have you ever wanted to write a book review but weren’t sure where to start, what to put in the middle, and how to finish? You might have been really jazzed about a book and wanted to give it a shout-out, but needed some guidance? I got your back! Now that I am looking for people to write me honest reviews for my book PRESENT: The Art of Living Boldly in the Second Half of Life, I thought a blog about the best way to do a book review seemed like a good idea. So, let’s get started!
You can always write a sentence or two that highlights your reactions.
If you want to write a paragraph, consider these three parts of a book review.
The summary provides a brief introduction to the book and its central theme. The summary of this book is meant to give readers an idea of what they can expect from the rest of it, without ruining any surprises. Note: there should be no spoilers in your review!
The analysis is where you talk about the book in more detail. If it’s fiction, then maybe discuss its plot and characters? Or, if nonfiction, does the book effectively provide a solution to the problem it set out to solve?
The recommendation is where you give an opinion about the book and who you think will enjoy reading it or who will be inspired by it. Whether a book accomplishes its goal can often be a telltale sign that it’s not worth reading. For example, checking whether the work aims to provide you with information about how to do things like make better decisions or find success in life—then analyzing whether this intention was fulfilled by the author (in other words: were they able to deliver)
Writing Your Review
The first step is to sit down with a cup of coffee or tea (my personal favorite), cozy up in your comfiest chair, and start reading. Either as you go along or when you finish, you can ask yourself some questions
What did you like best about the book?
Did the book meet your expectations? Why or why not?
Would you recommend this book to others? Who would you recommend it to?
How has this book affected your thinking? Your life? Your work?
What did you like best about the book?
Did the book meet your expectations? Why or why not?
Would you recommend this book to others? Who would you recommend it to?
These are just a few questions to get you started writing a book review. The most important thing is to be honest and share your thoughts and feelings about the book. If you found something helpful or interesting, let others know. If you didn’t like the book, that’s okay too! Just be respectful in your review.
For a more comprehensive review, start by writing a brief book summary. Next, you could research the author. What other books have they written? What do others say about their work? Mention if any particular sections or sentences of the book resonated with you. Finally, finish up by sharing anything you didn’t like or felt could be improved upon. Once you have written your review, proofread it for any typos or grammatical errors. Once you have done that, hit publish and share your review with the world!
I hope this has helped demystify the book review process for you. Reviewing books can be a fun and easy way to support authors and help others find their next great read. So go out there and get started! Happy reading!
Places to leave book reviews
Goodreads
LibraryThing
Book Riot
Bookish
Booklist
LoveReading
Kirkus
LibraryThing
Reedsy Discovery.
The Millions
SFBook Reviews
Bookpage
Are you ready to buy PRESENT: The Art of Living Boldly in the Second Half of Life? Find out more HERE
