How I Write a Book Review

We should all read books and review the books we read. Those are the givens for this post (dispute in the comments if you're so inclined). Review the books we read may be more open-ended than it sounds as there is no one way to do it.

Yes, that's right. There is no one formula for a book review. Sorry, but that means you're going to have to get creative and just go for it. Which means there is no pressure. Don't let leaving a review scare you! A few sentences is fine. Long, in-depth, and spoiler-filled is also fine. Whatever you have the time and energy for.

However, there are a few things that, while they aren't necessary per se, will make your review much more helpful to other people. That's the real reason you leave a review: to help other people decide whether or not to read the book. Be a helpful reviewer. ;)

So, here are the few things I do in my reviews:

Begin with a star rating. If you're leaving a review on a site like Goodreads or Amazon, this a separate step. For something like a blog review, it's still nice to give a star review. On a scale of 5 or 10 is your choice. (But, really, does anyone not do a scale of 10 when given a choice?) This is helpful because it sums up your review with a cold hard fact, as difficult as it may be to do.

Likes and dislikes are next. This can be very basic. Or there can be bullet point lists, long explanations and raving details. Whatever suits you. Often it depends on the book for me. I don't always have strong feelings one way or the other. 

As a reader, dislikes, in particular, are helpful because everyone dislikes different things. There could be a bunch of 2-star reviews, but if it's because there was magic in the book, I'm not turned off by that and might still read it, as opposed to a 5-star review because it was an LGBTQetc book. You know what I'm saying: to each his own. It's kind of like a parents' guide. The good, the bad, and the ugly. :)

As an author, this is my favorite part to read in reviews people leave me. Yes, even the dislikes. I've gotten some pretty low ratings but the reviews that have accompanied them actually succeeded in reassuring me that I was not a terrible writer (even if that wasn't the reviewer's goal). So always leave a review explaining a rating.

I always end with a content warning/age recommendation. Again, this is for the benefit of others. I only added this to my reviews when I realized that it's something I always want to see. (Behold the mindset of a successful person.) Think of it as a movie rating except so much more helpful. 12+ for violence or 18+ for relationship scenes.

Remember to always warn about spoilers. I know I don't have to tell you guys this, but really. We all have that one friends who spoils things for us. You know, the one that it's really a wonder you're still friends with? Most people don't want books spoiled before they read them! In content warnings especially, though, it's sometimes best to disclose some things. Again, as a reader I find the more detail the better for making my own judgment calls. Just give a warning!


And another thing that I'm sure you all know: be nice. Give your dislikes, but don't bash people. Someone put a lot of love into the book you just finished even if it was awful. I find it helpful to remember my opinion is just my opinion.

That about sums it up! For more on why reviews are important to authors, you can read Why Authors Love Reviews More Than Chocolate.

So tell me. How often do you review a book? Do you leave your review on Goodreads, Amazon ...? What do you like to see in book reviews?

If you're on Goodreads, I want to be your friend! You can find me here. It was one of my goals for this year to review every book I read, so there's plenty to follow along with in that department!