Tips On Writing A Book Review

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What is a book review? A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit (wikipedia).  

Why write a book review? You might be wondering! Book review’s are important to readers and authors. They are a way to get the word out. Just like talking to your friends or family about a book you read, you are sharing YOUR opinions and thoughts to other readers just like you. 

For authors, a book review is a way for them to get the word out and it’s also advertisement and publicity for their work.

For the reader, a book review is a way to help us decide what to read next. I personally like to read review’s to see if the book will be a good fit for me. The cover and blurb might look and sound great, but something in the book may not click with me. The only way I might know this is if another reader who previously read it pointed out what they liked and didn’t in a review. So, a book review will tell me if I should or shouldn’t pick it up or add it to my every growing TBR pile. 

Do you need to be a blogger to review? No, you don’t have to be a blogger to review a book or share your thoughts. Just be a lover of books and share with your friends, family, book clubs, and acquaintances.

How long should a review be? As for the review, it doesn’t have to be long. It can be a sentence or two or as long as a paragraph or essay. It’s all up to YOU on how much you want to say.

Below I’m sharing a few tips on writing a good book review.

Tips on writing a book review:

Read the book. If you haven’t read it. How can you review it. You need to be reliable and to do that you need to read the book.

Take notes. Some bloggers have a review journal or a notebook. Me I use the Evernote app. I can sync it between my devices and have all my notes wherever I need them when it comes time to write my review.

Think. Digest. Mull it over. You can write the review as soon as you finish the book, but taking that extra time to to think can help bring you a new perspective.

Focus on what you like, made you happy and didn’t like, made you un-happy. Things that touched you, shocked you, or made you stop and wonder/ponder. The review is your subject point of view. DO NOT post the synopsis/blurb. No one needs that. We can read it on the book page.

Relate. Connect. Refer. If the book reminds you of an author, a type of writing style, or brings up a memory, share it. This will add to your review.

Trust yourself. Everyone is going to have different perspectives and opinions. Don’t worry. We are all different and like different things. Remember the review is all about YOU, be honest, be bold. You are the reader, so the review is yours and doesn’t need to follow a tread.

Leave it for awhile. Come back and check to see if it’s OK. I write a review and then leave it for a few hours, too a day. Then I come back and look it over again. Sometimes I change it. Other times it’s what I wanted it to be.

Share. Post. Post to retail sites, Goodreads, BookLikes, your website, or anyplace you can leave a review.

 

 

 What do you think?
Do you have any suggestions or tips?
I’d love to hear from you!

 

 

I'm an outdoor sun loving reader living near San Fransisco. I’m a mother, wife, animal & book lover. I'm the owner, reviewer & mind behind Angel’s Guilty Pleasures. My favorite animals are horses & dogs. As for reading I love all things paranormal & urban fantasy & my favorite shifters are dragons.

22 comments on “Tips On Writing A Book Review

  1. Great tips. I try to write my reviews as soon as I am finished reading. I find that if I wait too long it makes it harder for me and sometimes I may end up not writing one.
    I try to take notes, but ssometimes it is not always convenient depending where I am at the time I am reading.
    #getsocial17
    Nadene recently posted…CURRENT BOOK DEALS: Freebies and Bargains.My Profile

    • Thank you Nadine. Notes: That’s why I love Evernote app. I can have it on my phone so if I have a book or am using my iPad to read I have the other devices to just type in some notes on.

  2. Good post with some great tips! I personally like to write my review as soon as possible as else it can be hard to put any kind of emotions in my review and I can’t convey that enthusiasm for a book as much. I also don’t take notes as that gets me out of the book. but I do think notes can be handy, I guess it just depends on your review style.
    I have developed some points I usually talk about in my reviews, but a lot is also just talking about my experience when reading the book. I always do include the blurb in my review posts in my blog, but not in my review, although I might add a sentence or two to describe the book when I feel that helps.
    Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #234My Profile

    • Thank’s Lola. It comes down to what works for you and how you see the book. I try not to wait to long in writing my review, but then their are times I just don’t feel like writing and only want to read. Really my moods change on how I do my reading and reviewing.

      I don’t like to read reviews that rehash the blurb. I want to get down to what they liked or didn’t. I do share all the book information at the top before my review, but don’t ever put the blurb in my review. Notes are always hit or miss, sometimes I’m to into the book to stop and jot something down. I just keep going and going.

      Glad you stopped in. ^_^ Have a great week.

  3. I have written a lot of book reviews for my own blog but there are some tips here that I found really helpful. I am glad I found this article during the #GetSocial2017 event. Hope you’re having a great weekend!
    Mama Vicky recently posted…Get Social 2017My Profile

    • I’m glad I could help give you some added tips on writing a book review. I’m glad you stopping in for the #GetSocial17 event. ^_^

  4. Great post on reviews Angela!
    kimbacaffeinate recently posted…The Darkest Corner by Liliana HartMy Profile

    • Thank you Kimba. ^_^

  5. I confess that I never take notes, it would be too much and not a pleasure but I need to write my revie as soon as I can.
    Melliane recently posted…Dead Ice by Laurell K. HamiltonMy Profile

    • Lately I’ve been skipping notes, but I’ve also been putting my review off to long, so I’m forgetting things. I need to get back into my good habit of making notes and not waiting so long to write my review. Thank’s Melliane for stopping by. ^_^

  6. Great review tips! #Getsocial17
    Michelle recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday~ Science FictionMy Profile

    • Thank’s Michelle. So glad you stopped in and checked out today’s post. ^_^

  7. Some really great tips,thank you!!!

    • You are welcome. Thank you for stopping in Kathy!

  8. Some good tips. I usually try and write the review within a day or so after finishing a book so it is fresh in my head, if I put it off too long, it gets muddled with everything I have read since. I try and read reviews before deciding what books to request, I hate getting burned.
    Heidi recently posted…Tell Me Something Tuesday #190: Summer Picks for 2017My Profile

    • Thank you Heidi. I try not to go to long on writing my review wither. I’m big on reading reviews before I decided on picking up a book. Their are very few books that I will not read a review on. When I’m out at the library or book store and I see a book that looks interesting. I pull up my goodreads app and take a look at what people are saying, if it’s favorable or has things I won’t like, well then I won’t get it. Got to love having an easy way of checking up on a book. ^_^

  9. I write reviews and then read them again later. I find a lot of mistakes and other thoughts this way. I do sometimes wait too long before writing a review. Then I have go back and figure out what I thought. Mulling it over is great, a day or two, waiting more than a week (which I’ve done entirely too often) is not something I would recommend. LOL
    Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted…Hound’s Bite Audiobook by E.J. Stevens (REVIEW)My Profile

    • Lately I’ve been waiting a week or more before writing a review on a book. This isn’t normal, but I’ve been feeling not in the mood to write them. I have to have this motivation and be in the write place to write. I usually jot down a few things that day or day after and then write a full review within two days, but my RL has been changing, so I’ve been going longer before writing. Notes help me a lot, but lately I’ve been just reading and not making notes on the book I’m reading. I’m going through a phase. I wouldn’t recommend waiting a week either to write a review. I do suggest jotting down notes while you read. They do help!!
      Thank’s Melanie for stopping in.

  10. Great post! I have a bad habit of mulling things over too long and not getting a review written fast enough. Then I forget things. I have to shorten that mulling period down some.
    Tanya @ Rantings of a Reading Addict recently posted…Review ~ The Darkest Torment by Gena Showalter @genashowalterMy Profile

    • Thank’s Tanya for stopping in. I try not to go too long between reading and reviewing the book, but their have been times when I’ve gone to long and forgotten things by then. So for me taking notes helps a lot to remind me what I liked or didn’t about the book. ^_^

  11. I think the way we all choose our personal, particular way of reviewing is what makes reading reviews so interesting! And I know I often put an emphasis on the characters and their development throughout a book, as well as the emotions I had when I was reading. An author who can make me feel something to what their characters are feeling is very good in my opinion 🙂
    Great post, Angela!
    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews recently posted…Review: Lord of Pleasure – Erica RidleyMy Profile

    • I agree with you. I like how we are all different and we all focus on different aspects of the books. I do love it when an author has me emotional invested in the character and feeling what the character is feeling. Thank’s Lexxie for sharing with us and stopping in.