book review rating categories

Down the Book Jar

Working my way through my growing TBR, one book at a time.

• Book Reviews

The Definitive Guide to Book Ratings

You’ve finished a book. It’s time to mark it as done in Goodreads or StoryGraph or your book journal or wherever. But how many stars do you give the book?! I always struggle with book ratings, so we’re going to put it to bed with the definitive way of rating books.

The 5-Star Book Rating Scale

We’re going to go in reverse order so I can gather my thoughts about the bigger star values.

A lot of people will give a book one star if they don’t finish it. That is not my style. If I don’t finish your book, it’s not my place to rate it. It clearly wasn’t for me.

I rarely give books one star. However, I will make exceptions for truly terrible books. Books that are pure nonsense or inappropriate or anything like that. People deserve to know about those kinds of books.

Two Stars ⭐⭐

To me, these books are generally forgettable. I finished them, but chances are that I did it begrudgingly. There were some issues with the plot or the characters. It may have dragged on more than it needed to. Basically, my two-star reads are books that I have completed that I would NOT recommend.

Three Stars ⭐⭐⭐

I mean, three stars…it’s right in the middle, so it makes sense that a three-star book rating is indicative of an average book. I’m not mad that I read it, but it didn’t stick out too much. It got the job done of keeping me entertained.

Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

These are good books that I’ll definitely recommend. If I own a physical copy, chances are that it will stay on my shelf. It stood out to me, but it could have had just a little bit more to push it over the edge.

If I’m feeling peer pressure about a book that everyone loved that I thought was decent, chances are I will give it 4 stars.

Five Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ahh…the elusive five-star read. I don’t think I’m picky in giving out five star book ratings, but a book definitely has to earn it. For example, in 2022, I only gave 8 books the perfect rating . 2021 was my year of reading far too many books (over 100), and I still only gave 18 books five stars.

Regardless, these books stick with me. They made me feel something emotionally or caught me completely off guard. They were written well, and I’ve probably bought a copy for someone in my life, or forced my copy into someone’s hands.

But what about half stars?!

I know everyone is up in arms about the lack of half stars on these popular book rating websites. I kind of get it, but I also build it into my ratings. For example, if I think a book is 3.5 stars, I have to think about it more. Was it good enough to earn 4 stars, or is a 3-star rating more applicable. It’s all about rounding, and I use sentiment when I do that.

Now, here’s the real kicker about how I rate books. My book ratings essentially reset every year with the start of a new Goodreads / StoryGraph goal. I don’t know what my five-star barometer will be until I’ve read that first five-star of the year. Then, books all get compared to how much I loved that one (or those few once I’ve racked some up). I also compare books in a series, regardless of when I read them.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Ratings Guide

This is our guide to what we aim to keep as a straightforward, simple ratings system for books.

Each book on the website is assigned a rating and a detailed explanation for why it received that rating.

The four main ratings are None ,  Mild , Moderate,  and  High . There is also a fifth (rarely used) category called DIRT. Note that each rating is color-coded so you can identify each with a glance: green for none, yellow for mild, orange for moderate, red for high, and black for DIRT .

(We also now assign "Rapid Ratings" to books we don't have time to read; those could receive any of the four main ratings. Read more on the blog post about it .)

Our Ratings System

A HIGH rating (like a movie R) is for books that contain roughly over five or six uses of strong profanity, explicit sexual details ("open-door," or pages devoted to specifics), gory violence, or any other strongly vulgar content; sometimes the books we’ve rated have some harsh themes that alone require at least the moderate or the high rating (we try to explain why and in as much detail as possible without making the review itself unreadable).

Orange = Moderate

In a MODERATE (like PG-13), profanity might include a lot of the "moderate" expletives (like those that start with a, s, b, etc.) and up to five occurrences of the “f” word (referred to usually as “strong language”). Sexual references might include some details at several points throughout the book, but not longer, detailed "open-door" scenes. Violence could be fairly detailed, with some blood and guts or some harshness.

Yellow = mild

MILD (compare to a PG rating) means you may see occurrences of the tamest bad words, like those that start with d or h, plus perhaps a few  moderate ones. No strong profanity (“f” word). Sexual references might occur but nothing explicit (think of these as "closed-door" scenes). Violence might be part of the plot, but there won’t be many gory details. Book reviews showing this rating are pretty family-friendly and clean books.

Green = None

NONE means the reviewed book contains no offensive language (or virtually none — maybe one or two uses of mild language), no sexual references, and no violence. These books are family-friendly, wholesome, clean books for all ages. Like G-rated book reviews.

Dirt= Don't invest reading time

There’s also a fifth category into which we rarely assign books: DIRT (Don’t Invest Reading Time). This rating is not reflective of the quality of the writing. It's simply a note that the reviewer chose not to finish the book because it was already clear early on that it would earn a HIGH rating. If you’re using this site to find clean books, you would most likely not want to invest reading time either. With the more recent addition of the " Rapid Rating ," the DIRT rating is now even less used.

Need suggestions for what to read next?

Looking for a clean book but don't have any particular genre in mind? Just try one of our thousands of book reviews written by our team.

By Nicole Borman | Romance ,  women's fiction

Book Ratings: My Rating System For What I Read

Need some help figuring out how to rate the book you just read? Here’s my book rating system for deciding how to rate my reads, on a scale from one to five stars (including some half-stars).

I want to preface this by saying: book ratings are incredibly subjective. My system works for me, but it might not work for everyone – and that’s ok! This post is only meant as a starting point to help you figure out your own book rating system. 🙂

How I Rate The Books I Read (5-Star Rating System)

The rating system I use is based on a 5-star scale (like Goodreads ), mainly because that’s the main book tracking app I’ve used over the years. It helps me stay consistent.

I have added some half-stars into the mix for more variability. Goodreads won’t let you add a half-star when rating a book, so I just round up or down, then write my half-star rating into the ‘review’ text box for that book.

This rating system translates best for fiction books (but can still be used for non-fiction).

When it comes to fiction books, most of the rating decision comes down to emotions and feeling. Did the story resonate with me? Did I connect with the characters? Did the plot keep me intrigued?

My ratings for non-fiction books are similar, but more based on whether or not the book taught me something new or gave me an interesting perspective on a topic.

Without further ado, here is my 5-star scale book rating system!

Here are all my favorite book apps for reading tracking, listening to audiobooks, and more .

5 Star Book

This book blew my mind, gave me a strong emotional response, and/or changed my outlook on life. I never wanted it to end.

This is the type of book that will stick with me years from now. It might even become one of my all-time favorite reads.

I will be recommending it to basically everyone I know, and I may even re-read it in the future.

The characters were fully-formed and felt so real they basically leapt off the page ( if fiction ). The plot kept my eyes glued to the page, and the writing style really resonated with me.

I can’t wait to share it on Bookstagram and discuss it (and/or fangirl over it) with others who have read it. AMAZING.

4.5 Star Book

This book was wonderful, and I will definitely recommend it to others. It was just missing that special ‘spark’ or emotional factor that would bump it up to a 5-star read.

The story had strong character development and an engaging plot, and I felt it was a unique read that stood out from the pack. It was a great read, but not quite incredible.

4 Star Book

I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book. I might have loved parts of it, but as a whole it wasn’t quite as memorable as a 4.5- or 5-star book.

I’m glad I read it and will likely recommend it to others if it’s a genre they enjoy. Above-average.

3.5 Star Book

This was a mostly-enjoyable read, if a little predictable. I can see why others loved it, even if it wasn’t my favorite.

Maybe I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I’d hoped, or the pacing wasn’t as strong as it could have been. I’m still glad I read it, but I might not enthusiastically recommend it to others.

3 Star Book

This book was ok, yet mostly forgettable. There were redeeming qualities, and it was mostly interesting enough to finish. But, it didn’t hold my attention as much as it should have.

Maybe something about the story felt unrealistic, or the characters were somewhat cookie-cutter. It wasn’t a bad book, but it didn’t stand out for me. An average read.

2 Star Book

Certain things about this book annoyed me or got under my skin. I sort of wish I hadn’t read it, because I felt like I wasted my time.

The writing was sloppy or the story was poorly-executed (but likely not both at once, or it would be a 1-star read or a DNF – see below ).

I didn’t get much enjoyment from the book or really learn anything new. I would not recommend this book to others.

1 Star Book

I’m not sure I’ve ever rated a book one star, mainly because if I dislike it that much, I would DNF it (i.e. not finish it).

But, a 1-star book for me would have no redeeming qualities. I likely wouldn’t read another book by that author in the future.

DNF (Did Not Finish)

I put this book down and decided not to finish it. I can tell it isn’t the right book for me, and I’d rather spend my time reading something else. (There is no shame in DNFing a book!)

If I DNF a book, I don’t rate it.

(Check out this post for more bookish terms & lingo that you might come across on Bookstagram or while using a book app like Goodreads.)

Why rate books?

You might be wondering why it matters to rate books in the first place.

For some, it might not! But personally, I like being able to look back at my book ratings and see how I felt about certain reads at a glance.

Rating books helps me figure out whether or not I want to recommend them to my friends and family. It also helps me decide which books I want to pick up in the future.

Additionally, rating a book on an app like Goodreads or The Storygraph helps others decide what to prioritize, reading-wise. When I see a friend rate a book 5 stars, I’m more likely to pick up that book.

And while everyone enjoys different books, a book’s overall rating is like a crowdsourced recommendation for (or against) a book.

You can choose to do with it what you will, but I often take those ratings into account when making my own TBR list . There are just too many books out there, and not nearly enough time to read them all!

Like I mentioned above, rating books is extremely subjective, but I hope you find this ratings breakdown helpful in determining your own rating system.

How do you rate your books? I’m always curious to see different methods. Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Book Reviews: Star Rating Systems for Books

Rating Systems for Book Reviews

Star rating systems for books.

When it comes to book review systems and star ratings things aren't always clean cut. Different people have their own systems when reviewing books. Even the top sites aren't aligned when it comes to what each star rating actually means.

Star Rating Systems of Goodreads and Amazon

• 1 star - didn't like it
• 2 stars – it was OK
• 3 stars – liked it
• 4 stars – really liked it
• 5 stars – it was amazing
• 1 star -  hate it
• 2 stars - didn ’t like it
• 3 stars - i t was OK
• 4 stars -  liked it
• 5 stars -  loved it

The meaning of a 3 star rating has often caused a lot of discussion in the book blogging community. Some consider it a bad rating whilst others view it as a positive rating. The big reason behind this is because a 3 star rating on Goodreads is good, but on Amazon it's not.

Other reviewers have opted to use different rating systems altogether. An example of this is the C.A.W.P.I.L.E rating system . This rates books on a scale of 1 to 10 across different categories. 

So what is a good review?

There is no right or wrong way to review a book. Everyone will have their own personal opinion about each book they read and as a book is rarely for everyone, it's normal to see a mixture of star ratings for the same book. Some will love it, some will hate it, and some will just think it was OK.  All are valid reviews and equally worthy.

As the scope of a review is to help potential buyers decide whether the book is for them or not, a good review is one that is well balanced and gives information that will help them make that decision. 

A 3 star review that explains the pro's and con's of the book could actually do more to convince a potential buyer than a 5 star rating that just says they loved it. 

It's also worth noting that one person's reason for not liking a book could be another persons reason for picking it up. 

You might also like:  SEO for Book Bloggers: How to Improve SEO for Book Reviews

How to decide on a star rating

When reviewing a book how do you pick which star rating to give it? On what criteria is your rating based?  Emotional attachment or technical aspects?

Do you weigh up the writing style, character development, grammar, etc...? Is formatting something that could cost the book a star? Or is your rating based purely on how the book made you feel?

Are Ratings Necessary?

Given how many different rating systems there are for reviews, are ratings really necessary?

Personally I like them. It helps when checking which books were the best/worst over the course of the year (perfect for this time of year as many book bloggers look back to give an overview of their reading throughout the year). 

Star ratings might be particularly useful when you can't remember the details about every book. Ratings make it easy to find which rated highest.

Star ratings are also good for those who don't have time/ don't want to read a full review. It gives them an overall screenshot view of how readers felt about the book. If a book only has 1 and 2 stars it's likely they'll give it a miss. A book with a mixture of ratings all over 3 stars is more likely to catch their interest and make them consider it. 

How I rate my books

For my reviews I follow the Goodreads system and consider 3 stars a good review. 

It's actually very rare for me to give a book a rating lower than 3 stars. This is because over the years I've gained a clear idea about the sorts of books I enjoy and so tend to only select books I'm pretty sure I'm going to like. I'm definitely more picky about the books I read now than I used to be. 

When it comes to deciding what rating to give I generally go with my gut feeling on finishing the book. Was it a page turner? How did I feel about the characters? Was it easy reading? Did I like how it dealt with certain themes or topics? I'll consider all this and more but the most important thing for me is emotional attachment. How invested was I in the book?

Before concluding this discussion about giving  reading recommendations and star rating systems there is one last thing we should look at...

Books You Did Not Finish 

When it comes to DNF books people have different views and systems for them. 

Some, myself included, will just leave the book and not rate it. At most it may get put on a list on Goodreads filed under DNF. 

Other book bloggers review and rate the books they DNF. They rate the part they read and, obviously, ratings for these books tend to be low.

Both are fine. Again it's a personal choice.

I my case I very rarely DNF a book. Some books I've read that didn't start out all that great really picked up later on and turned into good reads. 

You might also like:  Ways To Write More Creative Book Reviews

When it comes to giving reading suggestions and recommendations what system do you use?  How do you rate books you've read?

Related Articles

A couple of years ago I saw a conversation on Twitter about star ratings. Most people said they started with the 3 star reviews as they gave, like you said, the pros and cons. They also stated that unless the book had numerous 1/2 stars, they discounted those and didn't read them. Both I can agree with. What surprised me was that most said they didn't read the 5 star reviews either as they thought these were too gushing about the book and often fake - this I didn't see coming. In my opinion 3 stars is a good rating and those that have a problem with them need to realise that these are from what I've seen the ones that have the most impact on whether someone buys a book or not.

I totally agree. I think 3 and 4 star ratings are the ones that have the highest impact on sales. From an author point of view obviously it's nice to have all amazing 5 star ratings but the review also needs to give the reasons why for it to have a real impact on buyers.

My reviews and ratings are just my own nonsense and how I felt about the book, storylines, and characters. But I don't see myself as any type of influencer or my opinions of any commercial valud. I'm just an avid reader with definite likes and dislikes in what I chose to spend my time reading.

I think that's a lot of reviewers. There are loads of book bloggers that do it just as a hobby.

I remember being on a blog tour and gave the book three stars, and I was asked by the author to take down my review from Amazon. I politely declined as I don't consider three stars to be poor.

WOW I would have declined too. You can't ask someone to review your book and then edit or censure them when they do. Very unprofessional.

I stopped adding a number or star rating on my blog (though I do have to think of that number when I add my review on Goodreads) after I found it difficult to really decide that this book was more of a 5* than another.. especially with the wow reads.. so now, it is just my thoughts

I only add the star rating on my blog for 5 star reads (I give a 5 star award badge to those). I do mention in my video reviews the star rating I gave though, and add them to Goodreads.

Mathematically speaking, 2.5 is average (half of 5), and for me, every book starts out at 2.5 and if it moves up quickly, I'll keep reading. If it doesn't I'll DNF that one. Now, how to get higher than 4 is tougher for me. Last year I had a whole bunch of 4.75 star ratings of books that missed getting 5 stars by thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much! But if you make me laugh out loud (or smile throughout the time I'm reading), or if you make me cry, that's what will push a book up to 5 stars. A few chuckles or a few "aw"s without a true emotional connection and the book loses from a quarter to half a star!

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW

Show your support, award winner.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Featured Post

Things you can do to grow your blog this weekend.

Blog Archive

• ►  August (11)
• ►  July (18)
• ►  June (22)
• ►  May (15)
• ►  April (18)
• ►  March (20)
• ►  February (22)
• ►  January (21)
• ►  December (12)
• ►  November (11)
• ►  October (17)
• ►  September (24)
• ►  August (17)
• ►  July (20)
• ►  June (16)
• ►  April (9)
• ►  March (11)
• ►  February (11)
• ►  January (6)
• ►  December (23)
• ►  November (16)
• ►  October (13)
• ►  September (12)
• ►  July (8)
• ►  June (10)
• ►  May (12)
• ►  April (8)
• ►  January (10)
• ►  December (15)
• Book Blogger Posts November Round Up
• Easy Ways To Support Book Bloggers
• Book Review: The Weekend by Charlotte Wood
• Book Review: In Between by Jenny B. Jones
• Book Review: Sword of the Seven Sins by Emily Colin
• Binge-worthy BookTubers
• 2021 Challenges: October Update
• Blog Audit Challenge 2021: October Link Up
• Social Media Audit Challenge 2021: October Link Up
• The Social Media Audit Challenge 2021: The Novembe...
• Bookish Blog Hops: A Book In A Series
• Blog Audit Challenge 2021: November Challenges (Se...
• ►  October (10)
• ►  September (14)
• ►  August (16)
• ►  July (14)
• ►  May (14)
• ►  April (15)
• ►  March (13)
• ►  February (14)
• ►  January (15)
• ►  December (9)
• ►  November (6)
• ►  October (6)
• ►  September (6)
• ►  August (2)
• ►  July (2)
• ►  June (5)
• ►  May (6)
• ►  April (6)
• ►  March (7)
• ►  February (7)
• ►  January (9)
• ►  December (28)
• ►  November (2)
• ►  October (2)
• ►  September (8)
• ►  August (3)
• ►  July (1)
• ►  June (7)
• ►  May (3)
• ►  April (12)
• ►  February (8)
• ►  January (1)
• ►  December (31)
• ►  November (3)
• ►  October (28)
• ►  September (7)
• ►  June (19)
• ►  May (23)
• ►  April (10)
• ►  March (22)
• ►  February (20)
• ►  January (14)
• ►  December (8)
• ►  November (12)
• ►  October (9)
• ►  August (9)
• ►  July (10)
• ►  June (15)
• ►  March (17)
• ►  February (9)
• ►  January (12)
• ►  December (7)
• ►  September (13)
• ►  August (5)
• ►  July (17)
• ►  April (3)
• ►  March (4)
• ►  December (6)
• ►  November (10)
• ►  October (23)
• ►  September (30)
• ►  June (9)
• ►  May (7)
• ►  April (11)
• ►  March (8)
• ►  February (3)
• ►  January (16)
• ►  December (10)
• ►  November (18)
• ►  October (16)
• ►  August (14)
• ►  July (13)
• ►  June (8)
• ►  February (2)
• ►  January (7)
• ►  November (24)
• ►  October (20)
• ►  September (21)
• ►  July (6)
• ►  June (11)
• ►  May (8)
• ►  December (11)
• ►  August (8)
• ►  July (11)
• ►  June (1)

POPULAR POSTS

COPYRIGHT STUFF

Pinning, Tweeting and Sharing content/images from this blog is welcome and much appreciated! However, all content and images (unless otherwise noted) remain property of JoLinsdell.com.

Content: All content on JoLinsdell.com is provided free for your personal education and enjoyment. You are free to use an excerpt from any article on this blog provided a link back to the original post is included. It is NEVER OK to copy a post in its entirety in your own blog or website. If in doubt, please contact me.

Images: You are free to use an image or two provided that a link back to the original post is included. Please do not remove any logos or watermarks from images without obtaining written permission from me first.

Thank you for your understanding and support!

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

JoLinsdell.com accepts paid advertising banners and some contextual affiliate links. An affiliate link means that I receive commission on sales of the products that are linked to in my posts. So if you click on a link and make a purchase from an affiliate site, then I may make a commission from that purchase. Please note that all opinions expressed are my own and that all of the products I mention are from companies I know and trust. By using this website, you agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the full disclosure statement + privacy policy.

JOIN ME ON YOUTUBE

Designed by OddThemes | Distributed By Gooyaabi Template

Decoding the 5-Star Book Rating System: A Reader’s Guide

Delve into the world of literature as we demystify the 5-star book rating system, unraveling its nuances and significance

Within the vast expanse of literature, opinions on books can diverge widely. What one individual considers a masterpiece, another might deem an ordinary read.

To navigate through this sea of subjective experiences, the 5-star book rating system has emerged as a prevalent tool for readers to articulate their sentiments and share insights about a book.

In this article, we will delve comprehensively into the nuances of the 5-star book rating system, exploring the distinct connotations of each star and outlining practical strategies for its application.

Unveiling the Spectrum

The 5-star rating system provides a simple yet effective means of articulating your overall assessment of a book. Below, we delineate the customary significance of each star:

One Star: ★☆☆☆☆

Typically assigned to books that you found disheartening or struggled to connect with, this rating denotes a strong sense of aversion.

It could suggest subpar writing, one-dimensional character development, perplexing plot trajectories, or an amalgamation of these factors.

A one-star rating unequivocally signals that the book drastically undershot your expectations. This is a book you would NOT recommend to like-minded readers.

Two Stars: ★★☆☆☆

A two-star rating implies that while the book might possess redeeming attributes, it ultimately failed to captivate your interest or left you underwhelmed.

It could have harbored latent potential, but notable flaws were detrimental to your enjoyment. Now, this may be something that would interest others but leaves you cold, i.e., too much gore, too many spicy scenes, etc.

Be sure to state that in your review so that other potential readers know there are qualities you did not enjoy, but they may! Even a “negative” book review can guide readers to something they may enjoy.

Three Stars: ★★★☆☆

Connoting an average read, a three-star rating might have had instances of intrigue, yet it failed to impart a pronounced impression.

It does not scale the summits of excellence nor plummet to the depths of dissatisfaction, nestling instead in the middle stratum of the spectrum. It was pleasant but lacked memorability.

Four Stars: ★★★★☆

Awarding four stars communicates your genuine fondness for the book, affirming it as a noteworthy read.

It might have featured a compelling narrative, well-sculpted character dynamics, or a narrative style that resonated deeply.

While not bereft of minor imperfections, the book resonated with you on a lasting level.

You would certainly recommend this book and would also read more from this author in the future.

Five Stars: ★★★★★

Symbolizes a profound connection with the book. These are the tomes you deem masterstrokes, ones deserving a universal recommendation.

Awarding five stars signifies recognition of impeccable prose, engaging storytelling, and a lasting impact on your psyche.

You may even revisit this book in the future and list the author as one of your favorites.  

In employing the 5-star rating system, strategic considerations come into play:

Embrace emotional reflection.

Probe your emotional resonance with the book. Did it evoke laughter, tears, or contemplation? Gauge how profoundly the book affected your emotional and intellectual faculties.

Contextual Insights

A singular star might only sometimes denote a poorly composed book.

It could result from a mismatch between the subject matter and your personal tastes. Equally, five stars don’t assure universal appeal; a book you adore might not synchronize with another’s preferences.

This is why a written review is always the most effective way to share your thoughts on a book.

Champion Consistency

Endeavor to uphold a consistent rating framework across different books. This aids in illuminating your distinctive inclinations and facilitates a comparative assessment of various literary works. This is ESPECIALLY important if you have followers who rely on your reviews to introduce them to new works.

Augment With Reviews

While the star rating provides a rapid snapshot of your judgment, coupling it with a brief review enhances context. This assists fellow readers in gauging the book’s resonance with their biases.

5-Star Book Ranking System

The 5-star book rating system is valuable for articulating your sentiments regarding a book.

It condenses intricate reactions into an accessible and shareable format. Remember that a book’s merit extends beyond its star rating; personal connections, thematic pertinence, and idiosyncratic preferences all contribute.

Thus, whether you confer five stars upon a life-altering novel or a solitary star upon a book that failed to align with your expectations, your ratings contribute substantially to the diverse tapestry of literary viewpoints.

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Post navigation

Previous post.

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Cheryl Grey Bostrom, Author

Watching Nature, Seeing Life

HOW I RATE BOOKS: A Rubric for Star Ratings

On a scale of one to five . . .

Some of you have asked me how I rate the books I review. You know, those little stars at the top. How do I decide how many?

That’s a very good—and very important—question, since stars have a big impact on a book’s life and pathway out there in the wild world.

In the old days, I rarely gave a book five stars. A true ratings miser, I only lit all five of those pointy little celestial bodies when everything about the book was blow-me-off-my-feet, stick-with-me-forever marvelous beyond description. After all, how could I put any book in the same category as To Kill A Mockingbird ? Back then, if you suggested I pin that coveted five-star rating on a lesser novel, I just couldn’t do it.

If I’m honest, I also have to admit that I liked feeling that little surge of power as I sat on my desk chair throne, my index finger hovering like a scepter over that star bar. It was way, way too easy for me to slap two or three stars on a book—an evaluation often based on arbitrary judgments not about the book’s quality, but about whether or not the book served my tastes or needs or interests or opinions. I gave little consideration to whether or not I was harming a solidly written book’s trajectory, or if I was being unnecessarily harsh with an author who didn’t see things like I did or who didn’t write in a style or genre I preferred.

I blush just thinking about it.

And I remember a kid I knew in high school, who used to say to anyone getting a little too big for their britches, “Who died and made you God?”

Later, I went to writing conferences and joined writing groups, where I connected with fellow writers at all stages in their publishing journeys. I saw firsthand their devotion to craft, and the diligent, often solitary and gut-wrenching efforts they put into their books. They dug deep and worked hard—often for years on a single project. As my awe and respect for them grew, I ditched that scepter and instead yearned to give them ALL five stars . . . A+ for effort, every single one.

One problem swapped for another— obviously . Not a bit helpful to readers, or advertisers, or influencers who count on star ratings to guide their choices and recommendations. And it sure didn’t help those hard-working writers of good books when I hurt their ratings with star stinginess, or when I instead coddled the authors whose books weren’t yet ready for market.

So, after researching protocols and advice from a variety of seasoned reviewers and book bloggers, here’s what I do now:

I neither skimp on stars nor slather them, and I try to assign stars according to consistent standards. A grading scale I found on fictionophile.com helped me a lot. It made sense to me (a former teacher), and agreed with what I found on other respected sites. Here’s what that top book blogger wrote:

AMAZON STAR RATINGS for Books, DEFINED

5 STARS is an A, A-, or even a B+. This means you enjoyed the book. It fulfilled the measure of its creation. The 5-star novel was enjoyable, didn’t have any major plot holes, and the writing was good enough that you’d recommend it as a nice read. Five stars doesn’t mean the book has to be the best you’ve ever read, or even better than the last one you reviewed. It just has to be a good novel.

 4 STARS is a B, B-, or even a C+ novel. The 4-star rating is for novels that you liked but had at least one issue with. A plot hole that disturbed your reading enough that you didn’t enjoy the overall story. Maybe a few too many typos. Too much repetition. But you still found the story compelling enough to read in a short time and you enjoyed it. The novel doesn’t have to be the best one you’ve read in the genre, it just has to hold your attention. 

3 STARS is a C or a C-. So only average or NEUTRAL. You neither liked it or disliked it. This really is the kiss of death rating. The “okay” novel. If you give a novel this rating, there should be SERIOUS issues because, remember, many advertisers won’t accept novels with this overall rating. So the 3-star novel should be one you didn’t feel compelled to finish, or one whose overall plot didn’t quite make sense (and you feel wouldn’t make sense to others). This is a novel that you wouldn’t recommend unless it was the only thing someone had to read and they were stuck in an airport for two hours. 

2 STARS is a D or a D-. This is a novel that has at least three major negative issues and you feel these issues will prevent others from enjoying it at all. 

1 STAR means F. The author completely and utterly failed. You hated it totally and absolutely. That means there was no plot, it was riddled with grammar errors, and everything about it was boring, boring, boring. The author should throw the book away. Never give an author a one-star review unless you feel they really should give up writing and get a job at the local grocery instead.

I like this rubric, and though it’s tailored for Amazon, and for fiction, for consistency’s sake I use it on every site to which I post a star-rated review. It’s as objective as an assessment of “enjoyable” can be 😆, speaks to a book’s overall quality, and keeps my opinions about a single element in a book from swaying my star-rating.

Also, if my rating falls between stars, I always round UP, never down.

My written review then elaborates on whatever elements of the story I’d like to focus on, as well as my feelings about the book’s content or style. If the book really wowed me, here’s where I can distinguish it from less wonderful 5 star books. If I give it 4 stars instead of 5, I say why.

Often, I won’t review a book. If you’ve tracked my reviews, you’ll notice that most have 4 or 5 star ratings, and I usually say pretty nice things about them. That’s because these days I don’t review books I can’t give 4 or 5 stars—and there are a lot of them. Some have so many issues that I simply choose not to finish them; others absolutely aren’t for me, for a variety of reasons; and others I quietly lay aside, sad that the author or her publisher delivered her potentially beautiful baby to the market before the book was ready for birth.

Sometimes, if an author still wants my thoughts about her work, I may review her 1-3 star book privately with her, in a manner that can help her improve her craft, or develop her ideas, or tap new information. I do it congenially, instead of waving a nasty scepter of rejection.

‘Nuff said. My TBR (To Be Read) pile could easily hide small dogs right now, and I’d better get to it.

Hope this helps your own review process.

Now a few pics I posted earlier this week:

Bit player, stage right. (See her? …the tiny bug on the petal?).”

I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.”

—Psalm 57:2

When mama possum leaves her kids by our gate for a sunbath.

Our dogs were heading their way, so I moved these little guys outside the fence . . .

where they trailed back to Mama.

When just-turned seven means all this.. . .

And in THREE DAYS, this Tuesday, August 3, Sugar Birds will arrive in paper, ebook, and audiobook!

LAUNCH DAY EVENTS

If you’re local, please drop by Village Books in Lynden at noon on launch day! I’ll be signing books there, and would LOVE to see you IN PERSON!

Then, from 5 -6 pm PDT, will you come to  Sugar   Birds’s  virtual launch party? You can watch it on Zoom or simply listen on your phone as author Maggie Wallem Rowe and I chat about the book.  Click here  to get your (free) ticket—and a copy of the book, if you haven’t already preordered one (or if you want another for a gift)!

Thanks for coming alongside me through all this book marketing stuff, friends. Your patience as the book consumes so much of my blog and SM space has been heartwarming, and I’m grateful for your kindness and support.

Watching Nature, Seeing Life : Through His Creation, God Speaks

Share this:

6 thoughts on “ how i rate books: a rubric for star ratings ”.

Thanks for the review rating list!

Sent from Erin

Like Liked by 2 people

Hope it’s helpful, Erin!

Like Liked by 1 person

This was such a good post 🙂

Sent from my iPad

Thanks so much!

Is your just-turned-seven photo of your granddaughter Gwynie? She is adorable – what a great capture!

And thanks for this very helpful rubric on reviews. I have felt guilty giving so many 4 and 5 star reviews, so this really validated that I don’t need to reserve 5 stars only for the very very best (like Sugar Birds!).

Yes, that’s our sweet Gwynie. She sure lights up around those kittens! Interesting, after this post, to hear how many others also wrestle with review rankings. I’d sure rather veer to grace on the star ratings, then be specific in my written review. Would rather make the evaluation more of a discussion and not just a star brand of judgment.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

Our Star Rating System

Remember that each person who reads a book takes something different away from it. Books are a highly personal thing. While one person may think a book is the greatest thing they’ve ever read, another may not enjoy it as much. Below are the guidelines our reviewers follow:

1 star: Reviewer doesn’t recommend this book at all.

2 stars: Reviewer wouldn’t read it again. Needs work.

3 stars: Reviewer enjoyed the book.

4 stars: Reviewer liked and would recommend the book to friends/family.

5 stars: Reviewer considers book to be something that everyone should read. You would definitely read it again.

Product categories

Advertisement.

• Marketing Newsletter
• Special Offers
• All Reviews
• Submission Guidelines
• Book Roundups
• Submit an Article
• Author Services

The 13 Best Book Review Sites and Book Rating Sites

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Every Cash App User Should Watch Out for These Scams

Gpt-4 vs. gpt-4o vs. gpt-4o mini: what's the difference, how i use google maps to make my vacations better.

Nobody likes to spend money on a new book only to face that overwhelming feeling of disappointment when it doesn't live up to your expectations. The solution is to check out a few book review sites before you hit the shops. The greater the diversity of opinions you can gather, the more confidence you can have that you'll enjoy the title.

Which book review and book rating sites are worth considering? Here are the best ones.

1. Goodreads

Goodreads is arguably the leading online community for book lovers. If you want some inspiration for which novel or biography to read next, this is the book review site to visit.

There's an endless number of user-generated reading lists to explore, and Goodreads itself publishes dozens of "best of" lists across a number of categories. You can do a book search by plot or subject , or join book discussions and reading groups with thousands of members.

You can participate in the community by adding your own rankings to books you've read and leaving reviews for other people to check out. Occasionally, there are even bonus events like question and answer sessions with authors.

2. LibraryThing

LibraryThing is the self-proclaimed largest book club in the world. It has more than 2.3 million members and is one of the best social networking platforms for book lovers .

With a free account, you can add up to 200 books to your library and share them with other users. But it's in the other areas where LibraryThing can claim to be one of the best book review sites.

Naturally, there are ratings, user reviews, and tags. But be sure to click on the Zeitgeist tab at the top of the page. It contains masses of information, including the top books by rating, by the number of reviews, by authors, and loads more.

3. Book Riot

Book Riot is a blog. It publishes listicles on dozens of different topics, many of which review the best books in a certain genre. To give you an idea, some recent articles include Keeping Hoping Alive: 11 Thrilling YA Survival Stories and The Best Historical Fiction Books You’ve Never Heard Of .

Of course, there's also plenty of non-reading list content. If you have a general affinity for literature, Book Riot is definitely worth adding to the list of websites you browse every day.

Bookish is a site that all members of book clubs should know about. It helps you prep for your next meeting with discussion guides, book quizzes, and book games. There are even food and drink suggestions, as well as playlist recommendations.

But the site is more than just book club meetings. It also offers lots of editorial content. That comes in the form of author interviews, opinion essays, book reviews and recommendations, reading challenges, and giveaways.

Be sure to look at the Must-Reads section of the site regularly to get the latest book reviews. Also, it goes without saying that the people behind Bookish are book lovers, too. To get a glimpse of what they’re reading, check out their Staff Reads articles.

5. Booklist

Booklist is a print magazine that also offers an online portal. Trusted experts from the American Library Association write all the book reviews.

You can see snippets of reviews for different books. However, to read them in full, you will need to subscribe. An annual plan for this book review site costs $184.95 per year.

6. Fantasy Book Review

Fantasy Book Review should be high on the list for anyone who is a fan of fantasy works. The book review site publishes reviews for both children's books and adults' books.

It has a section on the top fantasy books of all time and a continually updated list of must-read books for each year. You can also search through the recommended books by sub-genres such as Sword and Sorcery, Parallel Worlds, and Epic Fantasy.

7. LoveReading

LoveReading is one of the most popular book review sites in the UK, but American audiences will find it to be equally useful.

The site is divided into fiction and non-fiction works. In each area, it publishes weekly staff picks, books of the month, debuts of the month, ebooks of the month, audiobooks of the month, and the nationwide bestsellers. Each book on every list has a full review that you can read for free.

Make sure you also check out their Highlights tab to get book reviews for selected titles of the month. In Collections , you'll also find themed reading lists such as World War One Literature and Green Reads .

Kirkus has been involved in producing book reviews since the 1930s. This book review site looks at the week's bestselling books, and provides lengthy critiques for each one.

As you'd expect, you'll also find dozens of "best of" lists and individual book reviews across many categories and genres.

And while you're on the site, make sure you click on the Kirkus Prize section. You can look at all the past winners and finalists, complete with the accompanying reviews of their books.

Although Reddit is a social media site, you can use it to get book reviews of famous books, or almost any other book for that matter! Reddit has a Subreddit, r/books, that is dedicated to book reviews and reading lists.

The subreddit has weekly scheduled threads about a particular topic or genre. Anyone can then chip in with their opinions about which books are recommendable. Several new threads are published every day, with people discussing their latest discovery with an accompanying book rating or review.

You'll also discover a weekly recommendation thread. Recent threads have included subjects such as Favorite Books About Climate Science , Literature of Indigenous Peoples , and Books Set in the Desert . There’s also a weekly What are you Reading? discussion and frequent AMAs.

For more social media-like platforms, check out these must-have apps for book lovers .

10. YouTube

YouTube is not the type of place that immediately springs to mind when you think of the best book review sites online.

Nonetheless, there are several engaging YouTube channels that frequently offer opinions on books they've read. You’ll easily find book reviews of famous books here.

Some of the most notable book review YouTube channels include Better Than Food: Book Reviews , Little Book Owl , PolandBananasBooks , and Rincey Reads .

Amazon is probably one of your go-to site when you want to buy something. If you don’t mind used copies, it’s also one of the best websites to buy second-hand books .

Now, to get book reviews, just search and click on a title, then scroll down to see the ratings and what others who have bought the book are saying. It’s a quick way to have an overview of the book’s rating. If you spot the words Look Inside above the book cover, it means you get to preview the first few pages of the book, too!

Regardless of the praises or criticisms you have heard from other book review sites, reading a sample is the most direct way to help you gauge the content’s potential and see whether the author’s writing style suits your tastes.

12. StoryGraph

StoryGraph is another good book review site that's worth checking out. The book rating is determined by the site's large community of readers. Key in the title of a book you're interested in and click on it in StoryGraph's search results to have an overall view of its rating.

Each book review provides information on the moods and pacing of the story. It also indicates whether the tale is plot or character-driven, what readers feel about the extent of character development, how lovable the characters generally are, and the diversity of the cast.

13. London Review of Books

The London Review of Books is a magazine that covers a range of subjects such as culture, literature, and philosophy. Part of its content includes amazingly detailed book reviews. If you feel that most modern book reviews are too brief for your liking, the London Review of Books should suit you best.

You'll gain insight into the flow and themes of the story, as well as a more thorough picture of the events taking place in the book.

Read Book Reviews Before You Buy

The book review sites we've discussed will appeal to different types of readers. Some people will be more comfortable with the easy-to-interpret book rating systems; others will prefer extensive reviews written by experienced professionals.

Although it’s easy to be tempted by a gorgeous book cover, it’s always best to have a quick look at the book reviews before actually buying a copy. This way, you can save your money and spend it on the books that you’ll be proud to display on your shelves for a long time. And check out recommendations, as well, to help you find what's worth reading.

• Entertainment
• Book Reviews

This is Writing

How to Write a Book Review

By Kara Hutchings

A great book review is one that helps a reader decide whether they will pick up the book and read it. This article will provide guidance on how to write a book review. It will answer the question ‘what is a book review’, help you choose which book to review and explore the key elements that form a successful review.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional, student, or brand new to book reviewing, here’s our strategies and suggestions for writing an effective book review.

What you’ll learn in this article

The purpose of this article is to teach you how to write a book review. By reading this article you will learn the following: 

What is a book review?

• How to choose a book to review
• How to critically analyse a book
• The key elements of a book review
• Rating a book
• FAQs about book reviewing

Before you even pick up the book, it’s important to understand exactly what a book review is. 

A book review describes, analyzes and evaluates a book based on elements including writing style, plot, characters, significance, impact and fitness for purpose. The criteria for evaluating a book are explored in more detail below.

The most important part of a book review is the analysis and evaluation. A book review requires a critical evaluation meaning you must form an opinion about the book and support your opinion with evidence. Evidence from the book can include direct quotes, writing techniques, themes and character dialogue.

To ensure you are critically evaluating a book, it’s important to avoid falling into the trap of simply describing the plot and characters. Your opinion must be clearly stated, whether it’s positive or negative. The following is an example of a simple description, without any analysis or evaluation:

“The unnamed narrator, a woman writer, lives in Vienna with a man named Malina who works at a military museum, and she is conducting an affair with a Hungarian man named Ivan, who lives nearby and has two young children.” [1]

Book reviews can vary in tone and style, depending on the author of the review (i.e. whether you’re an academic writing a scholarly review, a journalist, or an amateur reviewer, etc) and the book you are reviewing. 

However, there are key elements that should always be addressed in order to create an effective book review. These include:

• a summary of the book,
• a critical assessment, and;
• a conclusion, including whether or not you would recommend the book to your audience.

You can read more about the key elements of a book review below. 

Choosing a book to review

The first and probably most important step of writing a book review is choosing the book you would like to review.

If you’re considering writing a book review then you most likely already have a book in mind. But if not, a good place to start is by thinking about your favourite author, or genre, and finding books in this area.

Don’t be afraid to choose a book from an author you love. Some people can feel intimidated by well-respected or famous authors and hence avoid being overly critical of them. But it’s important to choose a book that you’re actually interested in. 

Reviewing a book you don’t really want to read will feel too much like a school project.

If you’re truly interested in the book before you, you’ll find the time to properly research, carefully read, and form ideas about the book – all elements of a good book review.

If you’re hoping to get your review published online, it’s also best to select a recently published book. A newer book is less likely to have already been reviewed by another book reviewer and therefore more likely to get published.

Writing the book review

Now the fun part begins. Getting your opinion out there for the world to see. But there’s much more to a book review than simply writing. A sound structure, supported by thorough research, will ensure your book review gets the credibility it deserves.

Here’s how to get started:

Before you start writing

Before you jump into writing, it’s important that you do your research. It’s easy to know whether you do or don’t like a book. But why you have that opinion needs to be supported by research and evidence (i.e. the elements that inform your critical evaluation ).

• Download sample book reviews

A great place to start, particularly if this is your very first book review, is to read other reviews. Most of the reviews you read will follow a similar structure and touch on similar points, so use others as a guide for how you should be setting out your work. If you come across a book review that you find really engaging, ask yourself why it was so impactful and try to reproduce those elements in your own work. Because if the review was persuasive enough to encourage (or dissuade) you to read the book, it’s a successful book review.

You can browse professional book reviews from writers all around the world on websites including:

• The Telegraph (UK) website
• The New York Times Sunday Book Review
• The New York Review of Books
• National Library of Australia website
• The Australian newspaper website
• Kirkus Book Reviews
• This Is Writing

As you’re reading through the book reviews make sure to take notes on factors that will form the basis of your review

• What are the common elements of the book reviews you have read? 
• What do you like about the reviews? 
• Do you prefer reviews with controversial opinions? 
• Do you like when a serious tone is used, or do you prefer a more casual review? 
• What could you do better? 

2. Do your research

A good book review is one supported by thorough research.

Understanding the context in which a novel was written will help you form an opinion later when you start writing.

It’s difficult to form an argument about the author’s choice of language, for example, if you don’t understand the time period in which the novel was composed. If you’re reading a vampire mystery book, how can you evaluate the structure of the storyline if you don’t understand the elements of that genre?

There are a number of complex and competing elements that will influence the choices an author has made, so it’s crucial to understand the reasons behind their choices in order to form an opinion about things like style, tone, character development, plot and language. Here is a great example of a book review which considers the historical context in which the novel was composed.

To help you with your contextual research, use the below template as a starting point: 

In addition to the above criteria, you should also be reading actively and critically. As you’re reading, ask yourself questions like;

• how did the author structure their argument and how did they support it?
• has the book helped you understand the topic?
• And most importantly, would you recommend this book to others? 

We will explore how to form an opinion and making recommendations more in-depth below.

How long should a book review be?

The length of your book review depends on why you are writing the review and who it is for. Is it simply to provide your opinion to your social media followers, or are you trying to get published online? Is it for an academic purpose? Perhaps it is a university assignment.

Generally, book reviews are around 500 words. However, professional and academic book reviews can be thousands of words in length. If you’re interested in writing a professional book review, check out example book reviews on The Guardian online to get an idea of length. Ultimately, the more words you use, the more thorough your analysis can be. But always be conscious of keeping your writing concise and to the point.

If you are opting for a longer review (around the 1,000 word mark), you can break up long paragraphs of text by using headings and sub-headings. This helps make the content more digestible for the reader.

The elements of a book review

Now that you’ve finished reading the book, made extensive notes, and completed your research, it’s time to begin writing.

Any writer would know that a high-quality piece of writing is well structured. Your arguments should be developed in a logical manner, beginning with the context of the novel and a general overview of the plot, followed by an exploration of the author’s argument, your own opinions about the book, and ending with a conclusion – what rating do you give the book and would you recommend it to others.

The three key elements that you should include in your book review are:

• A summary of the content – including the plot, context, author’s argument, etc. (i.e. all the information you gathered in your initial research).
• A critical assessment of the book – your reaction to the book and whether or not it was effective in meeting its purpose.
• A recommendation – whether or not the audience you are writing for would appreciate the book.

Here’s a breakdown of each point:

1. Introduction

Your book review should begin with a captivating introduction to draw your reader in and make them want to continue reading. Generally, it’ll be around one sentence in length and give a quick overview of the main theme of the book. Here are two examples of short and snappy introductions that hook the reader in:

 “For every child kidnapped, another must be taken. Otherwise The Chain will be broken.” [2]

“Throughout college, Evvie, Maggie, and Topher were the best of friends. But time and the mistakes that come with simply being human may strain their love to the breaking point.” [3]

While trying to keep your introduction short, it’s important to also be concise. A complicated introduction can turn your reader away before they’ve even gotten to your analysis.

By trying to contain the introduction to a single, lengthy sentence , the below opening line is complicated and overloaded with commas, making it difficult to read:

The English nature writer Robert Macfarlane’s new book, “Underland: A Deep Time Journey,” has a title that evokes a burrowing theme park ride or an IMAX movie, and indeed, like Alice in Wonderland or Orpheus in the underworld, down we go. [4]

2. Describe the plot

Your introduction should lead into a description of the plot. In a few sentences, Include a description of the book’s setting, the main characters, and a loose summary of the plot. An outline of the storyline will help your audience decide whether or not they’re interested in reading the book.

However, make sure your introduction doesn’t give everything away. There should be just enough details to make the reader want to pick up the book, without giving away the whole story.

Not only do you want to touch on the plot of the book in your introduction, but you will also need to set the context. What is the historical, political, and/or social context in which the novel was written? What is the author’s background? What genre is the book written in? These questions set the scene for your critical assessment. Whether the author was successful in meeting their intended purpose will be informed by the reasons behind writing the novel.

3. Avoid spoilers

It almost goes without saying. Don’t spoil the book!

While your readers will want to know what the book is about, don’t rob them of experiencing genuine emotional reactions to the shocks and plot twists of the book. For example, if the main character dies at the end of the book, keep those details to yourself. There’ll be no point in your audience reading the book if they already know what happens.

It can be really tempting to reveal spoilers in your book review, because more often than not, the big shocks of the book are those that you want to talk about. When forming an opinion of the book’s effectiveness, your emotional reaction to surprising details are likely to be the evidence you need to prove the book’s effectiveness.

But it is possible to review a book without completely revealing the details if you choose your words carefully. After all, the purpose of your book review is to encourage others (or discourage if you didn’t enjoy the book) to read the book, and no-one is going to want to read the book if you’ve already told them the ending.

For example, ‘I Let You Go’ by Clare Mackintosh is renowned for having two ‘absolute stunner’ plot twist , however, this review on The New York Times only alludes to the twist enough to entice the reader to want to pick up the book, without completely  giving it away:

“The big plot twist in Clare Mackintosh’s first novel, I LET YOU GO, is genuinely shocking. The jolts that follow, right up until the last page, are pretty good too. And if you’re the kind of genre geek who jumps back to the ­beginning of a book to work out how you’ve been hoodwinked, you’ll find that the author has played fair and square.”[5]

4. Form an opinion

By far the most important part of writing a book review is forming an opinion. As we touched on earlier, your critical evaluation is what takes your writing from a simple summary of a book, to a review.

Keep in mind your critique doesn’t have to be all negative or all praise. A well-balanced book review would explore both sides so that the reader of your review gets the whole picture. A one-sided book review can give your audience the impression that your critique is an unfair assessment. Remember, a bad book takes just as long to write as a good one and every author deserves fair treatment. Even if you hated the book, you’ll be able to find some positives. And ultimately, make sure you are reviewing the book you read, not the book you wished the author had written.

Think back to the list you wrote when you were first reading the book. Here’s where those considerations come into play – the author’s background, the genre, the purpose of the book and the main thesis of the work are all elements that inform your opinion. Whether you did or did not enjoy the book can be supported by opinions based on factors such as whether the author effectively subverted traditional elements of the genre, or whether the author’s thesis didn’t challenge your way of thinking.

This review of the novel ‘Malina’ provides an example of the reviewer evaluating how the author’s academic experience influences her language style and the overall readability of the novel:

“Taken in bites, Bachmann’s prose is often lucid and powerful, enlivened by her poetic gifts. At length, she can be tough chewing. She wrote a doctoral dissertation on Heidegger and was a devoted reader of Wittgenstein’s “Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus,” though she’s nowhere near that tough. For every aphoristic dart she throws at the human condition (“the world is sick and doesn’t want a healthy force to prevail”), there is a sentence or meaning that remains tightly knotted, and a general lack of clear orientation prevails. Whatever verifiable facts about the plot and characters might exist beneath the novel’s psychological static, you can imagine Bachmann insisting, are none of your business.”[6]

Your book review will include multiple different arguments, so aim to break them down into separate paragraphs that each deal with individual aspects. And each paragraph should contain an evaluation with an example from the book to support it.

The following criteria can be used to help you form an evaluation: 

• objectivity
• thoroughness
• usefulness for intended purpose.

5. Include your favourite quotes

When making an argument you need examples to support your opinion. The easiest way to do this is by directly quoting the book.

For example, one of the key themes of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird , is prejudice and the following quote directly illustrates this theme:

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” [7]

The main thing to consider when quoting the book is to keep the quotes short. A lengthy quote will take up too many words and potentially overpower your review. A short quote will help to get your point across while still letting your work shine through. The purpose of including quotes is to simply bring your argument to light.

6. Provide recommendations to your audience

Would you recommend the book to your audience?

In order to recommend the book, you need to determine who your audience is. Who are you writing the book review for? Not every book is suited to every reader. For example, a book written under the magical realism genre, wouldn’t be recommended to an audience that enjoy non-fiction.

This goes back to the point above, it’s important to remember that your individual tastes don’t necessarily reflect those of your readers. Even if you didn’t enjoy the book, there may be readers out there who it would appeal to so make sure you consider diverse tastes when making a book recommendation.

If you’re reviewing children, teenage or young adult books, it’s a good idea to give an ‘age-appropriateness’ recommendation. It can be tricky for parents when buying books for their children to know whether the book would be appropriate or not, so do the hard work for them. Check out Common Sense Media for ideas on how to give an age-appropriateness rating – this site rates books by age and learning value.

A captivating way to make a recommendation is to also compare the book to other similar ones. If the book you are reviewing has similar themes, characters, writing style, or is even composed by the same author, you will be able to make a recommendation based on how it compares to other work. You might write something along the lines of ‘If loved XXX book, you will love this one’. If your audience has already read the other book, they will be able to get a good idea of whether they will also like your book based on this comparison.

7. Rate the book

You might wonder if you’ve already expressed your opinion about the book throughout your review, why give it a rating as well?

Attaching a rating to your book review is a great way to give your audience an immediate sense of how you felt about the book. Before they even begin reading your review, they already know whether you’re recommending it or not.

The simplest way to rate a book is using a star rating. Goodreads uses a 5-star book rating system.

You can see the most popular books published in 2018 here based on the star rating. If you intend for your book review to be published on a website such as this, you will need to use the rating system provided by the site.

But if you’re self-publishing the review, you can choose whatever rating system that works best for you. You could break your rating system down into categories – maybe the book deserves four stars out of five for writing style, but only two stars for the plot development. It’s up to you.

8. Write a conclusion

The conclusion to your book review is the last thing your audience will read so you want to make sure it leaves them with a lasting impression. A reader has most likely come to your review to decide whether they will or won’t read the book, so if you want them to read the book, make it clear.

Your conclusion should follow general conclusion writing guidelines. The University of Melbourne suggests a conclusion should :

• Summaries the key points made in reaching your position; and
• Make a final comment on the topic.

While summarising the key points you should aim to balance the strengths and weakness of the book. What did the author do well? What could be improved upon? And remember, no new information should be included in the conclusion. Any interesting points you want to make about the book should be included in the body of your text.

This review of Laura Lippman’s ‘Lady in the Lake’ wraps up the book in the following short and sweet sentence:

The racism, classism, and sexism of 50 years ago wrapped up in a stylish, sexy, suspenseful period drama about a newsroom and the city it covers. [8]

9. Bibliographical details

A professional book review will also include a bibliographic citation of the book. Check out some examples on Kirkus Reviews to get an idea on how you can format your citation.

Here are the bibliographic details you should include in your review:

• Title: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices)
• Author: Cassandra Clare
• Place of Publication: USA
• Date of Publication: Margaret K. McElderry Books
• Date of publication edition: August 31, 2010
• Number of pages: 496
• ISBN number*: 978-1416975861

*ISBN or ‘International Standard Book Number’ is a unique identifier for books . It is used by publishers, booksellers, libraries, internet retailers and other suppliers for ordering, listing, sales records and stock control purposes. It identifies the registrant as well as the title, edition and format of the book.

10. Editing

After you’ve completed the first draft of your book review, it’s time to start the editing process. Step away from your work for at least an hour to give your brain a rest. When you come back to review your work with fresh eyes, look out for the following:

• Is the paper well-organised?
• Are the transitions between paragraphs smooth?
• Have you backed up each point with evidence?
• Is there an introduction and a conclusion?
• Have you cited all your references?

Take the time to rewrite your work and make any changes necessary to improve it.

There are also some great tools that can assist in editing such as the Hemingway App . Copy and paste your work into the app and it will give you a readability score as well as highlight sentences that are too long and complicated.

Another useful tool is Grammarly . Grammarly is a handy application that detects spelling, punctuation, grammar, word choice, plagiarism and style, and suggests corrections. It’s also available as an app for both iOS and Android.

11. Proofread

The best way to undermine your credibility as a book reviewer is with spelling mistakes. To critique the work of another writer with a piece of writing that is littered with typos and incorrect punctuation tells your audience you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Before publishing your work, read over it a few times to catch any spelling or grammar errors, as well as double-checking your facts – including double-checking that the quotes and character names you referenced from the book are accurate, as well as the facts you’ve included about the author’s background.

If you’re not feeling confident in your proofreading skills, test yourself by reading this article from The Writing Centre . It contains seven errors (two punctuation errors, two grammatical errors and three spelling errors). See if you can spot them, then refer to this handout with the errors marked in red .

It might even be worthwhile also having another person proofread your work. Once you’ve read over your own work a few times it can be easy to miss things, so a fresh set of eyes could be useful in picking up any errors you haven’t. 

12. Have fun!

While it might seem like there are a lot of rules that go into writing a high-quality book review, the most important thing is that you enjoy what you’re doing! Your passion for the book you are reviewing will shine through in your writing.

If you have been book reviewing for some time and begin to feel burned out, take a break and remind yourself why you started writing book reviews in the first place – to share your love of reading with your fellow readers all over the world.

What is the objective of a book review?

The main purpose of a book review is to help a reader device whether to read the book themselves. For this reason, a book review should include a brief summary of the book’s content, characters and setting, as well as a critical evaluation on the success or effectiveness of the book.

Book reviews save other readers time and offer them a chance to connect with the book before they even pick it up. They help validate the worthiness of a book – if someone else enjoyed the book, I might enjoy it too .

Book reviews are also very important to authors . They give a book greater visibility and a higher chance of being found by readers whether it’s online, in bookstores, among book clubs or blogging communities. A book review is a great opportunity for an author to expand their reach, as well as a platform for other books written in a similar style or from the same genre to be found.

Can you use ‘I’ in a book review?

Whether or not you use first person to write your book review will ultimately come down to why you are writing the review.

An academic piece of writing, for example, would not use first person. So if you’re writing your review for a school, university/college assignment or to be published in an academic journal or magazine (for example, the Oxford Academic Journal of Communication ), avoid using first person.

If you’re writing the review for your personal blog or website, or writing customer reviews online, then it’s okay to be a little more casual. Depending on your writing style and the purpose of your website, first-person can make your review more personal and relatable for your audience. It’s easier to give an opinion about how you felt about a book when writing in the first person, for example – ‘I loved the way the author used XYZ to ABC’.

Where can I get my book review published?

If you’re looking to get your book review published, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to:

• Identify where you want your book review to be published

There are a number of journals devoted to book reviews if you’re interested in having your book review published in a scholarly journal like the Oxford Academic Journal of Communication , Cambridge University’s Historical Journal , or the Australian Book Review .

If you’re not interested in going down the academic route, there are a host of websites where you can publish your book review, including This is Writing. A quick Google search will help you find websites where you could potentially have your review published, or check out our list of ‘Book Blogs and Review Websites for Book Lovers ’.

Otherwise, you can self-publish your book review on your own website or blog.

• Reach out to the editor Once you’ve decided where you’d like your book review to be published, get in contact with the journal or website. Your email to the editor or website owner should include a brief introduction about yourself, the book you intend on reviewing and why you’d like to write a review for the publication.It’s important to do your homework before contacting the editor or website owner. If you have a book in mind, do a quick search of the journal or website to make sure the book hasn’t already been reviewed by someone else. It’s recommended to select a book that has been published in the last two years, as anything earlier has likely already been claimed by another reviewer.And above all else, be confident! Even if you’re brand new to book reviewing, it’s perfectly alright to reach out to editors to ask them to publish your work. Conta c t us at This is Writing to have your book review featured.
• Read the book and write the review Once the editor or website owner has accepted your proposal to write a review for their publication, it’s time to get started. Refer to our recommendations on how to structure your book review above. If you’re writing for a journal you might even be lucky enough to be sent a free copy of the book.
• Submit and wait After you’ve completed the final proofread of your work it’s time to submit it to the editor or website owner. Be sure to read the journal or website submission guidelines thoroughly. Each publisher will have unique submission guidelines relating to criteria such as spelling and grammar, and offensive content, etc. Most book review journals and websites will receive a large number of submissions, so if yours doesn’t meet the guidelines it’s not likely to be considered for publishing.If you haven’t heard back after a month, it’s worthwhile following up. Send a second email asking the editor or website owner if they’ve received your submission and tell them you’re looking forward to hearing from them. The most important thing is to keep it polite and respectful. And make sure to check the website’s submission guidelines first to see if there’s a general timeline for feedback before you start harassing them after only a few days!

Can I get paid to write book reviews?

Yes. There are a number of websites that will pay writers to create book reviews for their website.

If you’re just getting started and looking for a bit of unpaid book reviewing experience, a great place to start is by writing customer reviews on websites that sell books, such as Amazon . These websites allow customers to give a star rating for the product as well as leave a comment. On Amazon, others can then mark your review as ‘helpful’ so you’ll be able to get a good idea on how people feel about your reviewing. Interacting with other book lovers and reviewers can also help improve your own reviewing style and build an audience.

You can also share your book reviews via your social media platforms, or start your own website or blog to publish your book reviews. Check out these tips on how to create a website from the Queensland Government.

The book I have chosen to review is not the first book of the series, does it matter?

No. As mentioned earlier in this article , if you want your book review to be published, you should be aiming to review a recently released book. The newer the book, the less likely it has already been reviewed by another review. If the first book of a series was released five years ago, and the second book released this year, review the second book. Chances are, the first book has already been reviewed to death. Reviewing book two is a chance to create brand new content for your audience.

Despite this, it’s still worthwhile touching on the storyline of the novels that have come before your book in the series as this provides context on the effectiveness of the book. Was book two a good sequel to the first book? What was different? What was the same? If the reader of your review has already read the first book, a comparison between the two will help them decide if they want to read the next book of the series.

[1] John Williams. “ A Postwar Love Triangle in Which One Partner May Be Pure Fantasy ”. The New York Times . July 24, 2019. Viewed 25 July 2019.

[2] “ The Chain ”. Kirkus Review. Viewed 29 July 2019.

[3] “ The Friends We Keep ”. Kirkus Review . Viewed 29 July 2019.

[4] Dwight Garner. “ ‘Underland’ Offers Excellent Nature Writing From Deep, Dark Places ”. The New York Times . Viewed 29 July 2019,

[5] Clare Mackintosh. “ Clare Mackintosh’s ‘I Let You Go’, and More ”. The New York Times . Viewed 25 July 2019.

[6] John Williams. “ A Postwar Love Triangle in Which One Partner May Be Pure Fantasy ”. The New York Times . July 24, 2019. Viewed 25 July 2019.

[7] Harper Lee. “To Kill a Mockingbird”. J. B. Lippincott & Co . Chapter 3.

[8] “ Lady in the Lake ”. Kirkus Review . Viewed 27 July 2019.

Scott Mullins

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Thursday, Nov 11

The only book review templates you'll ever need.

Whether you’re trying to become a book reviewer , writing a book report for school, or analyzing a book, it’s nice to follow a book review template to make sure that your thoughts are clearly presented. 

A quality template provides guidance to keep your mind sharp and your thoughts organized so that you can write the best book review possible. On Reedsy Discovery , we read and share a lot of book reviews, which helps us develop quite a clear idea what makes up a good one. With that in mind, we’ve put together some trustworthy book review templates that you can download, along with a quick run-through of all the parts that make up an outstanding review — all in this post! 

Pro-tip : But wait! How are you sure if you should become a book reviewer in the first place? If you're on the fence, or curious about your match with a book reviewing career, take our quick quiz:

Should you become a book reviewer?

Find out the answer. Takes 30 seconds!

Book review templates for every type of review

With the rapid growth of the book community on Instagram, Youtube, and even TikTok, the world of book commentary has evolved far beyond your classic review. There are now many ways you can structure a book review. Some popular formats include:

• Book reports — often done for school assignments; 
• Commentary articles — think in-depth reviews in magazines and newspapers; 
• Book blog reviews — short personal essays about the book; and
• Instagram reviews — one or two-paragraph reviews captioned under a nice photo. 

But while the text in all these review styles can be organized in different ways, there are certain boxes that all good book reviews tick. So, instead of giving you various templates to use for different occasions, we’ve condensed it down to just two book review templates (one for fiction and one for nonfiction) that can guide your thoughts and help you nail just about any review. 

⭐ Download our free fiction book review template  

⭐ Download our free nonfiction book review template  

All you need to do is answer the questions in the template regarding the book you’re reading and you’ve got the content of your review covered. Once that’s done, you can easily put this content into its appropriate format. 

Now, if you’re curious about what constitutes a good book review template, we’ll explain it in the following section! 

Elements of a book review template

Say you want to build your own book review template, or you want to customize our templates — here are the elements you’ll want to consider. 

We’ve divided our breakdown of the elements into two categories: the essentials and the fun additions that’ll add some color to your book reviews.

What are the three main parts of a book review?

We covered this in detail (with the help of some stellar examples) in our post on how to write a book review , but basically, these are the three crucial elements you should know: 

The summary covers the premise of the book and its main theme, so readers are able to understand what you’re referring to in the rest of your review. This means that, if a person hasn’t read the book, they can go through the summary to get a quick idea of what it’s about. (As such, there should be no spoilers!) 

The analysis is where, if it’s a fiction book, you talk more about the book, its plot, theme, and characters. If it’s nonfiction, you have to consider whether the book effectively achieves what it set out to do. 

The recommendation is where your personal opinion comes in the strongest, and you give a verdict as to who you think might enjoy this book. 

You can choose to be brief or detailed, depending on the kind of review you’re writing, but you should always aim to cover these three points. If you’re needing some inspiration, check out these 17 book review examples as seen in magazines, blogs, and review communities like Reedsy Discovery for a little variation. 

Which review community should you join?

Find out which review community is best for your style. Takes 30 seconds!

Which additional details can you include?

Once you’ve nailed down the basics, you can jazz things up a little and add some personal flavor to your book review by considering some of these elements:

• A star-rating (the default is five stars but you can create your own scales); 
• A bullet-point pros and cons list; 
• Your favorite quotation from the book; 
• Commentary on the format you read (i.e., ebook, print, or audiobook);
• Fun facts about the book or author; 
• Other titles you think are similar.

This is where you can really be creative and tailor your review to suit your purpose and audience. A formal review written for a magazine, for instance, will likely benefit from contextual information about the author and the book, along with some comment on how that might have affected the reading (or even writing) process.

Meanwhile, if you’re reviewing a book on social media, you might find bullet points more effective at capturing the fleeting attention of Internet users. You can also make videos, take creative pictures, or even add your own illustrations for more personal touches. The floor is yours at this point, so go ahead and take the spotlight! 

That said, we hope that our templates can provide you with a strong foundation for even your most adventurous reviews. And if you’re interested in writing editorial reviews for up-and-coming indie titles, register as a reviewer on Reedsy Discovery !

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

50 Best Stephen King Books, Ranked By Horror Readers

Stephen King has published over 130 short stories and 61 novels. So how do you start reading him? Why not start with our list of the best Stephen Kings books, ranked from least most popular.

40 Timeless and Heartwarming Christmas Books for Kids

Is there anything more magical than Christmastime as a child? The lights, the smells of fresh-baked cookies filling the house, lying underneath the Christmas tree as all the familiar carols play in the background… To us, there are no memories more comforting....

20 Insightful Books on the Environment and Climate Change Everyone Should Read

Reading books on the environment and climate change is never not apt. If you're in search of some recommendations then look no further: here are 20 environmental books that everyone should read.

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

• Submit your book
• Reviewer directory

Writing a book review?

Use our free book review template to make sure you don't leave anything out.

How Do I Rate Books That I’ve Read? My Rating Scale

Since I’ve started reviewing books more on my blog, I thought I would share how I determine what to rate books. Of course, sometimes my rating of books changes over time as my opinions change but generally, they stick to these ratings. I normally rate books out of 5 stars and a 3-star rating is a positive review. I know not everyone uses this same scale, but this is how I generally go about the rating.

I do add 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 to the end of the star rating if I feel it’s somewhere in between the ratings. But not enough to push it to that next level. For instance, a book I seriously enjoyed but didn’t pull an all-nighter over and could wait until the next day to finish would get a 3.5 or 3.75 rating instead of a four-star rating depending on the other elements regarding the book.

Things I consider when coming up with my rating:

• My expectations of the book or author based off previous recommendations.
• The writing style of the book (how perspective is handled, how things are described, or how background information is presented and how that affects the pacing of the book).
• How unique the concept of the story is, or how the author handles a certain trope.
• The predictability of the plot.
• The memorability of the plot and characters.
• How emotional I got while reading the book.
• Character development and relationships.
• How long it takes me to get through it (do I struggle to keep reading or can’t put the book aside).
• Length of book. Were all the pages justified? Could things be removed to shorten a book or could more have been included? I generally like longer books, but not everything needs to 500+ pages if it doesn’t need to be. And some ~300 page books I would’ve loved to see more from to round out a tale.

☆ Wasn’t For Me

These are typically books I never end up finishing, or could not stand at all for some reason. Either I found it offensive, the style of writing wasn’t for me or I couldn’t get into the plot/characters. These are books I normally don’t mention on my blog, since I never even finished them. So, there’s no point in discussing the book.

☆☆ It Was So/So

There were elements of the book that I enjoyed, but it took a lot for me to get through the book. The characters, places, or events were dull or forgettable. Possibly ended up skimming through sections of the book, or didn’t care what was happening at any given point of time while reading it.

While I may have finished the book, I would not recommend it. Or I found the book just wasn’t for me, but may be for someone else. So, I’ll bring it up stating those reasons.

☆☆☆ I Enjoyed It

As I mentioned in the beginning, these books I would recommend as I thoroughly enjoyed them. There may have been elements that I didn’t like, but could get past while reading the book. The subject of the book was something that I was into, and the characters were interesting to read about. These books don’t take me forever to finish, but I’m easily able to set them aside to do other things or take breaks while reading the book.

Or books that also have editing errors typically end up in this rating even if I couldn’t put the book down. Though sometimes these can end up pushing their way up further depending on the error as some of my favorite books do have errors in them. It just depends on how jarring it was overall.

☆☆☆☆ I Can’t Put This Down

If I find a book where I literally can’t do anything else but read this book, it falls into this category. Especially if I’m staying up until 2 AM to read. The plot, characters, and writing style are something that I would find myself talking about with anyone I know. While I couldn’t put the book down, there may be elements that I think could’ve been handled better (LGBTQ+ representation, diversity, etc.).

I’m probably going on Tumblr at some point to look up fanart, memes, or other things relating to books that fall into this range.

☆☆☆☆☆ I’m Obsessed!

To get to the top tier, this book has to blow me away. Hitting that four-star status of me not wanting to put the book down and having nothing I can think could’ve been done better. These books I come back to time and time again, and usually, after finishing these books I’m in a book slump for a week or so, or unable to get past the story to even consider reading something else.

These are also stories that stay with me for a long time. But it’s very rare for me to use this rating.

How do you rate books you’ve read?

Mae Polzine

Join the Howl of the Pack today by subscribing! To stay updated on everything I’m doing, follow me on Twitter as that’s where I post quick updates. Also, if you like this post, let me know in the comment section, it really helps me figure out what content you guys appreciate. Don’t be shy I would love to hear from you!

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Discover more from Mae Polzine

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Type your email…

You may also enjoy:

Looking back at the books i read …, everything i read in 2023, the read-cap: week of january 27, 2024, my thoughts on divine rivals (letters of …, 10 comments.

Great post, Mae! It is a very neat rating system 😉

Thank you! 😊 ♥ Mae

Nice scale! Three stars for me means I found it okay. Its a good book but just not for me and I would recommend it to people who like that genre or specific thing. I agree with you that 5 stars has to blow me away. I don’t give out many stars. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you. And fair enough that’s where I normally end up going with the decimal points, because it just doesn’t fit the base level but doesn’t quite meet my requirements of the next star level. ♥ Mae

This was really interesting to read Mae. For me, 3 stars is a book that I liked but wasn’t amazing or a book I think I’ll remember or talk about again. Although I might recommend it to someone that I think would like it even if I didn’t that much. I use decimal points too, sometimes a book just lies somewhere in between. Thanks for sharing your rating, and reasons behind them!

Of course! I figured since I’m doing more reviews now on my blog, I would share how I came up with the rating. ♥ Mae

Great post Mae! I think every reader has its own rating system and this scale is great. I use a scale out of 5 and use decimal points and sometimes round up if I see fit.

Yeah, everyone has their own rating system and it’s interesting to learn how they go about rating books. ♥ Mae

Great post! I rate the books I read similarly to you and I’ve actually just come up with a new rating system! 😊

Thank you! ♥ Mae

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Latest YouTube Video

Recent twitch stream, recent pins.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book reviews.

• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Prepare Your Kids for School After a Summer of Screen Time

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Parents and caregivers, find books by age.

How old is your kid?

You can add another kid later.

Set content limits for your kid

If a media pick exceeds the content limits you've set for your kid, you'll see this flag. Learn more

Violence & Scariness

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What's your kid's name?

We value your privacy and will not share this publicly.

New Releases

If Only I Had Told Her

Heartstopper: Volume 5

The Summer I Turned Pretty, Book 1

Fourth Wing

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Book 1

It Ends With Us, Book 1

The Inheritance Games, Book 1

The Hunger Games, Book 1

A Court of Thorns and Roses, Book 1

If He Had Been with Me

Better Than the Movies

The Cruel Prince: The Folk of the Air, Book 1

The Dragonet Prophecy: Wings of Fire, Book 1

One of Us Is Lying: One of Us Is Lying, Book 1

Six of Crows, Book 1

A Court of Mist and Fury: A Court of Thorns and Roses, Book 2

Girl in Pieces

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: A Hunger Games Novel

Divergent, Book 1

Throne of Glass: Throne of Glass, Book 1

Our editors' top picks, popular with kids, best fantasy books for kids, popular with parents.

25+ Book Review Templates and Ideas to Organize Your Thoughts

Danika Ellis

Danika spends most of her time talking about queer women books at the Lesbrary. Blog: The Lesbrary Twitter: @DanikaEllis

View All posts by Danika Ellis

When I was a kid I loved reading, but I hated book reports. It felt impossible to boil a book down to a few lines or even a page of writing. Besides, by the time I had to write the report, I had already forgotten a lot. It never ceases to be painful to try to pull my thoughts and opinions out of my head and put them on the page, especially in a coherent way.

As an adult, I continue to usually find writing book reviews painful . And yet, I maintain a book blog with reviews of all the (bi and lesbian) books I read. Why? For one thing, I want to raise the visibility of these books — or, in the case of a book I loathed, warn other readers of what to expect. It helps me to build community with other book lovers. It’s also a great way to force myself pay attention to how I’m feeling while I’m reading a book and what my thoughts are afterwards. I have learned to take notes as I go, so I have something to refer to by the time I write a review, and it has me notice what a book is doing well (and what it isn’t). The review at the end helps me to organize my thoughts. I also find that I remember more once I’ve written a review.

Once you’ve decided it’s worthwhile to write a review, though, how do you get started? It can be a daunting task. The good news is, book reviews can adapt to whatever you want them to be. A book review can be a tweet with a thumbs up or thumbs down emoji, maybe with a sentence or two of your thoughts; it can also be an in-depth essay on the themes of the book and its influence on literature. Most are going to fall somewhere between those two! Let go of the idea of trying to create the One True Book Review. Everyone is looking for something different, and there is space for GIF-filled squee fests about a book and thoughtful, meditative explorations of a work.

This post offers a variety of book reviews elements that you can mix and match to create a book review template that works for you. Before you get started, though, there are some questions worth addressing.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Book Review Template

Where will you be posting your book reviews.

An Instagram book review will likely look different from a blog book review. Consider which platform you will be using for your book review. You can adapt it for different platforms, or link to your original review, but it’s a good starting point. Instagram reviews tend to be a lot shorter than blog reviews, for instance.

Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. By signing up you agree to our terms of use

Will you be using the same template every time?

Some book reviewers have a go-to book review template. Others have a different one for each genre, while another group doesn’t use a template at all and just reacts to whatever each book brings up.

Heading or no headings?

When choosing which book review elements to mix and match, you can also decide whether to include a header for each section (like Plot, Characterization, Writing, etc). Headers make reviews easier to browse, but they may not have the professional, essay-style look that you’re going for.

Why are you writing a review?

When selecting which elements to include in your review, consider what the purpose is. Do you want to better remember the plot by writing about it? You probably want to include a plot summary, then. Do you want to help readers decide whether they should read this book? A pros and cons list might be helpful. Are you trying to track something about your reading, like an attempt to read more books in translation or more books by authors of color? Are you trying to buy fewer books and read off your TBR shelf instead? These are all things you can note in a review, usually in a point-form basic information block at the beginning.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jess | Books and Thread Co. (@booksandthreadco)

Book Review Templates and Formats

Essay-style.

This is a multi-paragraph review, usually with no headers. It’s the same format most newspapers and academics use for book reviews. Many essay-style reviews use informal categories in their writing, often discussing setting, writing, characters, and plot in their own paragraphs. They usually also discuss the big themes/messages of a story. Here are some questions to consider when writing an essay-style review:

What is the author trying to do? Don’t evaluate a romance novel based on a mystery novel’s criteria. First try to think about what the book was attempting to do, then try to evaluate if they achieved it. You can still note if you didn’t like it, but it’s good to know what it was aiming for first.

What are some of the themes of the story? What big message should the reader take away? Did you agree with what the book seemed to be saying? Why or why not?

How is this story relevant to the world? What is it saying about the time it was written in? About human nature? About society or current issues? Depending on the book, there may be more or less to dig into here.

What did this book make you think about? It may be that the themes in the book were just a launching off point. How did they inspire your own thinking? How did this book change you?

A Classic Book Review

This is probably the most common kind of book review template. It uses a few criteria, usually including Setting, Writing, Characters, and Plot (for a novel). The review then goes into some detail about each element, describing what the book did well, and where it fell short.

The advantage of this format is that it’s very straightforward and applies to almost any fiction read. It can also be adapted–you will likely have more to say about the plot in a mystery/thriller than a character study of a novel. A drawback, though, is that it can feel limiting. You might have thoughts that don’t neatly fit into these categories, or you could feel like you don’t have enough to say about some of the categories.

Pros and Cons

A common format for a Goodreads review is some variation of pros and cons. This might be “What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like” or “Reasons to Bump This Up Your TBR/Reasons to Bump This Down On Your TBR.” This is a very flexible system that can accommodate anything from a few bullet points each to paragraphs each. It gives a good at-a-glance impression of your thoughts (more cons than pros is a pretty good indication you didn’t like it). It also is broad enough that almost all your thoughts can likely be organized into those headings.

This is also a format that is easily mix and matched with the elements listed below. A brief review might give the title, author, genre, some brief selling points of the novel, and then a pros and cons list. Some reviews also include a “verdict” at the end. An example of this format:

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

🌟 Fantasy All-Ages Comic 💫 Adorable pet dragons ✨ A diverse cast

Pros: This book has beautiful artwork. It is a soothing read, and all the character are supportive of each other. This is a story about friendship and kindness.

Cons: Don’t expect a fast-moving plot or a lot of conflict. This is a very gentle read.

Another approach to the review is not, strictly speaking, a book review template at all. Instead, it’s something like “5 Reasons to Read TITLE by Author” or “The # Most Shocking Plot Twists in X Series.” An advantage of this format is that it can be very to-the-point: if you want to convince people to read a book, it makes sense to just write a list of reasons they should read the book. It may also be more likely to get clicked on–traditional book reviews often get less views than more general posts.

On the other hand, listicles can come off as gimmicky or click-bait. You’ll have to decide for yourself if the book matches this format, and whether you are writing this out of genuine enthusiasm or are just trying to bend a review to be more clickable.

Your Own Original Rating System

Lots of reviewers decide to make their own review format based on what matters to them. This is often accompanied by a ratings system. For instance, the BookTube channel Book Roast uses the CAWPILE system:

CAWPILE is an acronym for the criteria she rates: Characters, Atmosphere, Writing, Plot, Intrigue, Logic, Enjoyment. Each of those are rated 1–10, and the average given is the overall rating. By making your own ratings/review system, you can prioritize what matters to you.

My favorite rating system is Njeri’s from Onyx Pages , because it shows exactly what she’s looking for from books, and it helps her to think about and speak about the things she values:

A “Live Tweet” or Chronological Review

Another format possibility is live tweeting (or updating as you go on Goodreads, or whatever your platform of choice is). This has you document your initial thoughts as you read, and it’s usually informal and often silly. You can add what you’re loving, what you’re hating, and what questions you have as you go.

This is a fun format for when you’re reading a popular book for the first time. That way, other people can cackle at how unprepared you are as you read it. This requires you to remember to always have your phone on you as you read, to get your authentic thoughts as they happen, but it saves on having to write a more in-depth review. Alternately, some people include both a “first impressions” section and a more in-depth analysis section in their final review.

Get Creative

There are plenty of book review templates to choose from and elements to mix-and-match, but you can also respond in a completely original way. You could create a work of art in response to the book! Here are some options:

• Writing a song , a short story, or a poem
• Writing a letter to the author or the main character (you don’t have to send it to the author!)
• Writing an “interview” of a character from the book, talk show style
• Making a visual response, like a collage or painting
• Making a book diorama, like your elementary school days!

Mix-and-Match Elements of a Book Review

Most book reviews are made up of a few different parts, which can be combined in lots of different ways. Here is a selection to choose from! These might also give you ideas for your own elements. Don’t take on too much, though! It can easily become an overwhelming amount of information for readers.

Information

Usually a book review starts with some basic information about the book. What you consider basic information, though, is up for interpretation! Consider what you and your audience will think is important. Here are some ideas:

• The title and author (pretty important)
• The book’s cover
• Format (audiobook, comic, poetry, etc)
• Genre (this can be broad, like SFF, or narrow, like Silkpunk or Dark Academia)
• Content warnings
• Source (where did you get the book? Was is borrowed from the library, bought, or were you sent an ARC?)
• Synopsis/plot summary (your own or the publisher’s)
• What kind of representation there is in the novel (including race, disability, LGBTQ characters, etc)
• Anything you’re tracking in your reading, including: authors of color, authors’ country, if a book is in translation, etc

Review Elements

Once you’ve established your basic information, you’re into the review itself! Some of these are small additions to a review, while others are a little more time-intensive.

Bullet point elements:

• Rating (star rating, thumbs up/down, recommend/wouldn’t recommend, or your own scale)
• Who would like it/Who wouldn’t like it
• Read-alikes (or movies and TV shows like the book)
• Describe the book using an emoji or emojis
• Describe the book using a gif or gifs
• Favorite line(s) from the book
• New vocabulary/the most beautiful words in the novel
• How it made you feel (in a sentence or two)
• One word or one sentence review
• Bullet points listing the selling points of a book
• BooksandLala’s Scary, Unsettling, and Intrigue ratings, for horror
• World-building, for fantasy and science fiction titles
• Art, for comics
• Narration, for audiobooks
• Romance, for…romance
• Heat level, for erotica

Visual elements:

• Design a graphic (usually incorporating the cover, your star rating, and some other basic info)
• Take a selfie of yourself holding the book, with your expression as the review
• Make a mood board
• Design your own book cover
• Make fan art

Elements to incorporate into a review:

• Quick/initial thoughts (often while reading or immediately after reading), then a more in-depth review (common on Goodreads)
• A list of facts about the book or a character from the book
• Book club questions about the book
• Spoiler/non-spoiler sections
• Research: look up interviews with the author and critique of the book, incorporate it (cited!) into your review
• Links to other resources, such as interviews or other reviews — especially #OwnVoices reviews
• A story of your own, whether it’s your experience reading the book, or something it reminded you of

This is not a complete list! There are so many ways to write a book review, and it should reflect your own relationship with books, as well as your audience. If you’re looking for more ways to keep track of your reading, you’ll also like 50+ Beautiful Bujo Spread Ideas to Track Your Reading .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Painted Pages Library (@paintedpageslibrary)

You Might Also Like

• Get a Free Review of Your Book
• Enter our Book Award Contest
• Helpful Articles and Writing Services
• Are you a Publisher, Agent or Publicist?
• Five Star and Award Stickers
• Find a Great Book to Read
• Win 100+ Kindle Books
• Get Free Books
• Are you a School, Library or Charity?
• Become a Reviewer
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Partner
• Award Winners
• Non-Fiction
• > Free Book Review
• > Book Award Contest
• > Hundreds of Helpful Articles
• > Discount Author Services
• Great Books by New Authors! <
• Award-Winners & Bestsellers <
• Reviews + Reader Comments <
• Win 100+ Kindle Books! <

When the right books are picked as winners we pay attention. We will be spreading the word about Readers' Favorite.

Become an Award-Winning Author!

Jim Carrey sports his Readers' Favorite Gold Medal.

Free book review with lots of great features

We review published and unpublished (ARC and manuscripts) books in any of our 150+ genres. Your review will be posted on our site with a full featured Review Page as well as on other trade and social media sites. Your review will also be indexed by search engines like Google, which recognizes our reviews and formats them with their starred rating, just like Amazon and Goodreads. All 5-star reviews receive a FREE "Five Star" digital seal for your website and a high-resolution version for your book cover. Our seal can be seen on book covers from indie authors to iconic publishers like Simon & Schuster.

All book review features are FREE

• Review Page with features to get your book noticed.
• Review listed in the Readers’ Favorite app for readers.
• Review posted to popular websites and search engines.
• Review announced to 500,000 libraries, bookstores, schools.
• Donate books with our Book Donation program.
• Get more reviews with our Review Exchange program.
• Get help and share information in our Author Forum.
• Get advertising & fans with our Monthly Book Giveaway.

Hundreds of Helpful Articles

We have created hundreds of articles on topics all authors face in today’s literary landscape. Get help and advice on Writing, Marketing, Publishing, Social Networking and more. Each article has a Comments section so you can read advice from other authors and leave your own.

Proofreading, Editing, Critique

Getting help with your book from a professional editor is always recommended but often just too expensive. We have partnered with a professional editor with 30 years of experience to provide quality writing services at affordable prices.

Free book reviews for your authors

We review published and unpublished (ARC and manuscripts) books in any of our 150+ genres. Reviews will be posted on our site, KOBO, Google Books, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. You can also post our review in Amazon’s Editorial Reviews section. Reviews will be indexed by search engines like Google, who recognizes our reviews and formats them with their starred rating just like reviews from Amazon. In addition, our reviewers often post reviews to their blog, and social sites. We do not post negative reviews. If a book receives a poor rating, we provide private constructive criticism instead.

We have enjoyed working with Readers' Favorite these past years. They provide timely and honest reviews and go the extra mile by posting reviews on social media sites like Facebook and trade sites like KOBO and Google Books.

Books by indie, celebrity and iconic authors

We have a detailed review page for tens of thousands of books in 150+ genres. And because we only list premium books (4 and 5 stars), reviews and reader comments are primarily positive, which creates an enjoyable community for book enthusiasts.

Discover a new indie author and let them know what you thought about their book by adding your comments as tens of thousands of other readers have! You can even contact the author directly or visit their social media sites.

Enter to win hundreds of free books every month!

The Readers' Favorite Monthly Book Giveaway is completely FREE and available to readers, authors and anyone who loves to read! Each month our authors can provide a Kindle copy of their book to be given away.

The books are listed on our Monthly Book Giveaway page with new ones added every day. You can select as many as you are interested in, giving you the chance to win dozens or even hundreds of Kindle books each month!

Get a free book in exchange for an honest review

The Readers' Favorite Free Book program was created to help authors get more reviews and exposure for their work. Authors who participate in this program invite readers to contact them to request a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. We have tens of thousands of books in 150+ genres available for free. Just browse through your favorite genres and authors who participate in our Free Book program will be identified by our Free Book button.

Participates in Free Book Program

These authors are willing to provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for your honest review and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. When you find a book you like that displays our Free Book button, simply click the purple mail icon to contact the author with your request.

Free books with our Book Donation program

The Readers' Favorite author Book Donation program was created to help schools, libraries and charitable organizations by providing them with free books and to help authors obtain more exposure. We have tens of thousands of books in 150+ genres available for donation. Just browse through your favorite genres and authors who participate in our Book Donation program will be identified by our Book Donation button.

These authors are willing to donate free copies of their books in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their books are being read and enjoyed. When you find a book you like that displays our Book Donation button, simply click the purple mail icon to contact the author with your request.

Authors helping authors

Readers' Favorite is the fastest growing book review and award contest site on the Internet. We have earned the respect of renowned publishers such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors.

We are also very proud to be fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.

Help authors by sharing your opinions

Readers' Favorite is growing fast, and even with over 1,000 reviewers we still need many more to keep up with the growing demand for reviews. Choose from hundreds of books each month from seasoned veterans like James Patterson to first-time indie authors. You can even earn money and win cash prizes!

How to Write a Book Review: A Comprehensive Tutorial With Examples

You don’t need to be a literary expert to craft captivating book reviews. With one in every three readers selecting books based on insightful reviews, your opinions can guide fellow bibliophiles toward their next literary adventure.

Learning how to write a book review will not only help you excel at your assigned tasks, but you’ll also contribute valuable insights to the book-loving community and turn your passion into a professional pursuit.

In this comprehensive guide,  PaperPerk  will walk you through a few simple steps to master the art of writing book reviews so you can confidently embark on this rewarding journey.

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, offering insights into its content, quality, and impact. It helps readers make informed decisions about whether to read the book.

Writing a book review as an assignment benefits students in multiple ways. Firstly, it teaches them how to write a book review by developing their analytical skills as they evaluate the content, themes, and writing style .

Secondly, it enhances their ability to express opinions and provide constructive criticism. Additionally, book review assignments expose students to various publications and genres, broadening their knowledge.

Furthermore, these tasks foster essential skills for academic success, like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information. By now, we’re sure you want to learn how to write a book review, so let’s look at the book review template first.

Table of Contents

Book Review Template

How to Write a Book Review- A Step-by-Step Guide

Check out these 5 straightforward steps for composing the best book review.

Step 1: Planning Your Book Review – The Art of Getting Started

You’ve decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let’s take a step back and plan your approach. Knowing how to write a book review that’s both informative and engaging is an art in itself.

Choosing Your Literature

First things first, pick the book you want to review. This might seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a book that genuinely interests you will make the review process more enjoyable and your insights more authentic.

Crafting the Master Plan

Next, create an  outline  that covers all the essential points you want to discuss in your review. This will serve as the roadmap for your writing journey.

The Devil is in the Details

As you read, note any information that stands out, whether it overwhelms, underwhelms, or simply intrigues you. Pay attention to:

• The characters and their development
• The plot and its intricacies
• Any themes, symbols, or motifs you find noteworthy

Remember to reserve a body paragraph for each point you want to discuss.

The Key Questions to Ponder

When planning your book review, consider the following questions:

• What’s the plot (if any)? Understanding the driving force behind the book will help you craft a more effective review.
• Is the plot interesting? Did the book hold your attention and keep you turning the pages?
• Are the writing techniques effective? Does the author’s style captivate you, making you want to read (or reread) the text?
• Are the characters or the information believable? Do the characters/plot/information feel real, and can you relate to them?
• Would you recommend the book to anyone? Consider if the book is worthy of being recommended, whether to impress someone or to support a point in a literature class.
• What could be improved? Always keep an eye out for areas that could be improved. Providing constructive criticism can enhance the quality of literature.

Step 2 – Crafting the Perfect Introduction to Write a Book Review

In this second step of “how to write a book review,” we’re focusing on the art of creating a powerful opening that will hook your audience and set the stage for your analysis.

Identify Your Book and Author

Begin by mentioning the book you’ve chosen, including its  title  and the author’s name. This informs your readers and establishes the subject of your review.

Ponder the Title

Next, discuss the mental images or emotions the book’s title evokes in your mind . This helps your readers understand your initial feelings and expectations before diving into the book.

Judge the Book by Its Cover (Just a Little)

Take a moment to talk about the book’s cover. Did it intrigue you? Did it hint at what to expect from the story or the author’s writing style? Sharing your thoughts on the cover can offer a unique perspective on how the book presents itself to potential readers.

Present Your Thesis

Now it’s time to introduce your thesis. This statement should be a concise and insightful summary of your opinion of the book. For example:

“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a captivating portrayal of the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, class, and self-discovery with exceptional depth and authenticity.

Ensure that your thesis is relevant to the points or quotes you plan to discuss throughout your review.

Incorporating these elements into your introduction will create a strong foundation for your book review. Your readers will be eager to learn more about your thoughts and insights on the book, setting the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking analysis.

How to Write a Book Review: Step 3 – Building Brilliant Body Paragraphs

You’ve planned your review and written an attention-grabbing introduction. Now it’s time for the main event: crafting the body paragraphs of your book review. In this step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of constructing engaging and insightful body paragraphs that will keep your readers hooked.

Summarize Without Spoilers

Begin by summarizing a specific section of the book, not revealing any major plot twists or spoilers. Your goal is to give your readers a taste of the story without ruining surprises.

Support Your Viewpoint with Quotes

Next, choose three quotes from the book that support your viewpoint or opinion. These quotes should be relevant to the section you’re summarizing and help illustrate your thoughts on the book.

Analyze the Quotes

Write a summary of each quote in your own words, explaining how it made you feel or what it led you to think about the book or the author’s writing. This analysis should provide insight into your perspective and demonstrate your understanding of the text.

Structure Your Body Paragraphs

Dedicate one body paragraph to each quote, ensuring your writing is well-connected, coherent, and easy to understand.

For example:

• In  Jane Eyre , Charlotte Brontë writes, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.” This powerful statement highlights Jane’s fierce independence and refusal to be trapped by societal expectations.
• In  Normal People , Sally Rooney explores the complexities of love and friendship when she writes, “It was culture as class performance, literature fetishized for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys.” This quote reveals the author’s astute observations on the role of culture and class in shaping personal relationships.
• In  Wuthering Heights , Emily Brontë captures the tumultuous nature of love with the quote, “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” This poignant line emphasizes the deep, unbreakable bond between the story’s central characters.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create body paragraphs that are both captivating and insightful, enhancing your book review and providing your readers with a deeper understanding of the literary work. 

How to Write a Book Review: Step 4 – Crafting a Captivating Conclusion

You’ve navigated through planning, introductions, and body paragraphs with finesse. Now it’s time to wrap up your book review with a  conclusion that leaves a lasting impression . In this final step of “How to write a Book Review,” we’ll explore the art of writing a memorable and persuasive conclusion.

Summarize Your Analysis

Begin by summarizing the key points you’ve presented in the body paragraphs. This helps to remind your readers of the insights and arguments you’ve shared throughout your review.

Offer Your Final Conclusion

Next, provide a conclusion that reflects your overall feelings about the book. This is your chance to leave a lasting impression and persuade your readers to consider your perspective.

Address the Book’s Appeal

Now, answer the question: Is this book worth reading? Be clear about who would enjoy the book and who might not. Discuss the taste preferences and circumstances that make the book more appealing to some readers than others.

For example:  The Alchemist is a book that can enchant a young teen, but those who are already well-versed in classic literature might find it less engaging.

Be Subtle and Balanced

Avoid simply stating whether you “liked” or “disliked” the book. Instead, use nuanced language to convey your message. Highlight the pros and cons of reading the type of literature you’ve reviewed, offering a balanced perspective.

Bringing It All Together

By following these guidelines, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves your readers with a clear understanding of your thoughts and opinions on the book. Your review will be a valuable resource for those considering whether to pick up the book, and your witty and insightful analysis will make your review a pleasure to read. So conquer the world of book reviews, one captivating conclusion at a time!

How to Write a Book Review: Step 5 – Rating the Book (Optional)

You’ve masterfully crafted your book review, from the introduction to the conclusion. But wait, there’s one more step you might consider before calling it a day: rating the book. In this optional step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the benefits and methods of assigning a rating to the book you’ve reviewed.

Why Rate the Book?

Sometimes, when writing a professional book review, it may not be appropriate to state whether you liked or disliked the book. In such cases, assigning a rating can be an effective way to get your message across without explicitly sharing your personal opinion.

How to Rate the Book

There are various rating systems you can use to evaluate the book, such as:

• A star rating (e.g., 1 to 5 stars)
• A numerical score (e.g., 1 to 10)
• A letter grade (e.g., A+ to F)

Choose a rating system that best suits your style and the format of your review. Be consistent in your rating criteria, considering writing quality, character development, plot, and overall enjoyment.

Tips for Rating the Book

Here are some tips for rating the book effectively:

• Be honest: Your rating should reflect your true feelings about the book. Don’t inflate or deflate your rating based on external factors, such as the book’s popularity or the author’s reputation.
• Be fair: Consider the book’s merits and shortcomings when rating. Even if you didn’t enjoy the book, recognize its strengths and acknowledge them in your rating.
• Be clear: Explain the rationale behind your rating so your readers understand the factors that influenced your evaluation.

Wrapping Up

By including a rating in your book review, you provide your readers with additional insight into your thoughts on the book. While this step is optional, it can be a valuable tool for conveying your message subtly yet effectively. So, rate those books confidently, adding a touch of wit and wisdom to your book reviews.

Additional Tips on How to Write a Book Review: A Guide

In this segment, we’ll explore additional tips on how to write a book review. Get ready to captivate your readers and make your review a memorable one!

Hook ’em with an Intriguing Introduction

Keep your introduction precise and to the point. Readers have the attention span of a goldfish these days, so don’t let them swim away in boredom. Start with a bang and keep them hooked!

Embrace the World of Fiction

When learning how to write a book review, remember that reviewing fiction is often more engaging and effective. If your professor hasn’t assigned you a specific book, dive into the realm of fiction and select a novel that piques your interest.

Opinionated with Gusto

Don’t shy away from adding your own opinion to your review. A good book review always features the writer’s viewpoint and constructive criticism. After all, your readers want to know what  you  think!

Express Your Love (or Lack Thereof)

If you adored the book, let your readers know! Use phrases like “I’ll definitely return to this book again” to convey your enthusiasm. Conversely, be honest but respectful even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea.

Templates and Examples and Expert Help: Your Trusty Sidekicks

Feeling lost? You can always get help from formats, book review examples or online  college paper writing service  platforms. These trusty sidekicks will help you navigate the world of book reviews with ease. 

Be a Champion for New Writers and Literature

Remember to uplift new writers and pieces of literature. If you want to suggest improvements, do so kindly and constructively. There’s no need to be mean about anyone’s books – we’re all in this literary adventure together!

Criticize with Clarity, Not Cruelty

When adding criticism to your review, be clear but not mean. Remember, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and cruelty. Tread lightly and keep your reader’s feelings in mind.

Avoid the Comparison Trap

Resist the urge to compare one writer’s book with another. Every book holds its worth, and comparing them will only confuse your reader. Stick to discussing the book at hand, and let it shine in its own light.

Top 7 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing a book review can be a delightful and rewarding experience, especially when you balance analysis, wit, and personal insights. However, some common mistakes can kill the brilliance of your review. 

In this section of “How to write a book review,” we’ll explore the top 7 blunders writers commit and how to steer clear of them, with a dash of  modernist literature  examples and tips for students writing book reviews as assignments.

Succumbing to the Lure of Plot Summaries

Mistake: Diving headfirst into a plot summary instead of dissecting the book’s themes, characters, and writing style.

Example: “The Bell Jar chronicles the life of a young woman who experiences a mental breakdown.”

How to Avoid: Delve into the book’s deeper aspects, such as its portrayal of mental health, societal expectations, and the author’s distinctive narrative voice. Offer thoughtful insights and reflections, making your review a treasure trove of analysis.

Unleashing the Spoiler Kraken

Mistake: Spilling major plot twists or the ending without providing a spoiler warning, effectively ruining the reading experience for potential readers.

Example: “In Metamorphosis, the protagonist’s transformation into a monstrous insect leads to…”

How to Avoid: Tread carefully when discussing significant plot developments, and consider using spoiler warnings. Focus on the impact of these plot points on the overall narrative, character growth, or thematic resonance.

Riding the Personal Bias Express

Mistake: Allowing personal bias to hijack the review without providing sufficient evidence or reasoning to support opinions.

Example: “I detest books about existential crises, so The Sun Also Rises was a snoozefest.”

How to Avoid: While personal opinions are valid, it’s crucial to back them up with specific examples from the book. Discuss aspects like writing style, character development, or pacing to support your evaluation and provide a more balanced perspective.

Wielding the Vague Language Saber

Mistake: Resorting to generic, vague language that fails to capture the nuances of the book and can come across as clichéd.

Example: “This book was mind-blowing. It’s a must-read for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Use precise and descriptive language to express your thoughts. Employ specific examples and quotations to highlight memorable scenes, the author’s unique writing style, or the impact of the book’s themes on readers.

Ignoring the Contextualization Compass

Mistake: Neglecting to provide context about the author, genre, or cultural relevance of the book, leaving readers without a proper frame of reference.

Example: “This book is dull and unoriginal.”

How to Avoid: Offer readers a broader understanding by discussing the author’s background, the genre conventions the book adheres to or subverts, and any societal or historical contexts that inform the narrative. This helps readers appreciate the book’s uniqueness and relevance.

Overindulging in Personal Preferences

Mistake: Letting personal preferences overshadow an objective assessment of the book’s merits.

Example: “I don’t like stream-of-consciousness writing, so this book is automatically bad.”

How to Avoid: Acknowledge personal preferences but strive to evaluate the book objectively. Focus on the book’s strengths and weaknesses, considering how well it achieves its goals within its genre or intended audience.

Forgetting the Target Audience Telescope

Mistake: Failing to mention the book’s target audience or who might enjoy it, leading to confusion for potential readers.

Example: “This book is great for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Contemplate the book’s intended audience, genre, and themes. Mention who might particularly enjoy the book based on these factors, whether it’s fans of a specific genre, readers interested in character-driven stories, or those seeking thought-provoking narratives.

By dodging these common pitfalls, writers can craft insightful, balanced, and engaging book reviews that help readers make informed decisions about their reading choices.

These tips are particularly beneficial for students writing book reviews as assignments, as they ensure a well-rounded and thoughtful analysis.!

Many students requested us to cover how to write a book review. This thorough guide is sure to help you. At Paperperk, professionals are dedicated to helping students find their balance. We understand the importance of good grades, so we offer the finest writing service , ensuring students stay ahead of the curve. So seek expert help because only Paperperk is your perfect solution!

What is the difference between a book review and a report?

Who is the target audience for book reviews and book reports, how do book reviews and reports differ in length and content, can i write professional book reviews, what are the key aspects of writing professional book reviews, how can i enhance my book-reviewing skills to write professional reviews, what should be included in a good book review.

Order Original Papers & Essays

Your First Custom Paper Sample is on Us!

Timely Deliveries

No Plagiarism & AI

100% Refund

Try Our Free Paper Writing Service

Related blogs.

Connections with Writers and support

Privacy and Confidentiality Guarantee

Average Quality Score

the wordy habitat

book recommendations, blogging tips, & asian dramas

11 Ways to Format Book Reviews for Your Blog || A Guide for Book Bloggers

There are several ways to format book reviews and hence it can be hard to pick one. Especially when you're in a blogging slump or don't know how to begin the review.

At such times, seeing other reviews for inspiration or options helps . It can give you an idea of how you want your book review to look and inspire you to start writing it.

This guide will help you write great reviews by listing out ideas, providing examples and inspiration—all in one place. We book bloggers need some help from time to time.

I was actually looking for a guide with book review formats to help with my indecision. When I googled variations of this title, I did not find any posts! So here I am, writing this guide, instead of writing the review that I've been procrastinating on for months 🙂

how to write a book review for your blog

Basic book review layouts, 11. book reviews with annotations, additional elements to level up your reviews, book review checklist.

Yes, this post is about formats but it is good to start with the basics.

The first rule of writing book reviews on your blog is to throw away all the rules that you were taught.

Reviewing books on blogs is very different from what we are taught in school. I definitely don't review the way I was taught. It is because that format is the standard for newspapers. Good formatting is very different for blogs.

Blogs are an entirely different domain with different features and requirements. You can do so much more with reviews on your blog.

Don't worry about going unconventional or trying a new review format. Those are fun . Don't think about sticking to the professional style as well. Shout in your reviews, if you want to! Use all caps, bold, GIFs, images—whatever you like.

It is YOUR blog. The only rules in place are the ones made by you. Instead of seeing how to write reviews that others will read, just write what you want to say. And choose a review format that fits what you want to say.

There are three basic parts in every review— introduction, basic information on the book, and your review.

The introduction is a few lines where you can say how you came across the book, why you picked it up, and a line on whether it surprised you or not. Or, it can be a short catchphrase to hook in readers. For example, "this book blew me away. I was not ready when I picked it up."

Basic information on the book can include title, author name, genre, category, blurb, publisher etc. You can also mention how you acquired it (bought/review copy).

The review part is where you explain your opinions and discuss the book. The 10 review formats that I'll mention soon is for this section.

There are three popular and basic layouts. Most people choose one and stick to it throughout their blog, but you can switch it up if you like.

• The book's information first, introduction, then review body. This is an easy format that a ton of book bloggers go for. Example: Dedra's review of Float Plan .
• Introduction, the book's information, and then review body. This is another fun way because you can give an introduction first without dealing with the blurb etc. Example: my review of The Right Swipe .
• Introduction, review body, and information on the book at the last. Use this when you want your words to be the highlight and stick the basic info at the end, in case people want to see it. Example: Kat's review of Game Changer .

You can skip the basic book info if you want but you'll have to give a brief on the book's plot yourself.

book review format ideas

Now onto the main part of the post. All the suggestions in this post are standard formats that you can take and apply to your reviews easily if your thoughts fit the format.

These ideas are for book reviews as individual blog posts but you can modify them for mini-reviews and social media reviews.

Note : I am NOT mentioning reviews that are free-flowing thoughts because those reviews don't involve a standard format across and are more specific to books and thoughts.

1. divide your review into basic categories

This is the most popular and easy method of formatting reviews. Choose categories and explain your views below the subheadings.

Basic categories are ones that everyone recognizes. For example plot, characters, writing style, and representation. The categories can change based on the genre. Romance books can have "romance" and "chemistry". Fantasy books can have "world-building". Mystery or thriller books can have "suspense".

Example reviews: Erin's review of Fable duology , my review of Drag Me Up

2. CAWPILE rating + review system

This is a rating system devised by Book Roast which makes your decision process easier when rating books. It is a categorized system that is standard across genres so you always have set categories to consider.

It can also extend into a reviewing format as you can mention your individual rating and explain why you gave that rating.

The categories and more are explained by the creator in this video .

3. divide into "liked" and "disliked" sections

This format is good if you have clear opinions on what you liked and didn't like. It is not good when you have conflicting thoughts about something.

Additionally, you can also have "liked", "it was okay", and "didn't like" sections .

Another way to phrase this would be "enjoyed" and "didn't enjoy."

Note that this review format is highly subjective so it is good for book reviews where you don't want to talk from a neutral perspective and want to only share your experiences and opinions.

Example: Marie's review of Crier's War

4. divide into pros and cons sections

This is similar to the above review format but it is suitable for more neutral reviews i.e. reviews where you're stating facts like "this exists" which is generally a pro or a con like diversity, plot tropes etc.

To give you an idea, a pro for me is friends-to-lovers romance and con would be a bad/unnecessary third act break up in romance books.

Example reviews: Shealea's review of The Bone Shard Daughter

5. review using book-specific subheadings

Instead of using the basic categories, you can use custom and specific categories for the book. The categories can be "a great character arc", "disappointing ending", "brilliant chemistry" etc.

How to go about writing this review : note down the biggest things you want to talk about like "well-rounded characters", "contradicting plotlines", "plot holes" etc. Make these your subheadings and expand upon each of the points under them.

This does require a little bit of planning before starting the review. But it is a great format if you can't go into a review without a plan.

Examples: Avalinah's review of Skyhunter

6. list reasons why others should read the book

This is a great review format for books that you loved and want people to read. The title is catchy as well, so people are more likely to read your review.

The reasons can act as subheadings and you can expand on the point below the heading.

This also requires planning beforehand about the reasons you want to list. Make some notes with what you liked about the book, see if they can fit into "reasons", make a list of the reasons, and then start writing the review.

Examples: my review of The Henna Wars

7. reviews with discussions

This format is good for book reviews where the book includes a topic that you're very passionate about or you have a lot to say about the topic which is tangentially related to the book . Sometimes the posts may be more discussion than a review of the book, but it's okay! Many times, discussion posts do better than reviews so this would be hitting both categories.

These posts are rarer (from what I've seen, probably because they involve a lot of effort and opinions) but are very interesting to read. They include discussions, rants, and raves along with thoughts on the book. It's a great way to convince people to read a book you love or completely mark off a book you didn't like.

Examples: Anukriti's review of Loveless with a discussion on representation and college life , my review of Fahrenheit 451 discussing books along with annotations

8. "thoughts while reading" reviews

These are almost like vlogs. You take the reader with you on your experience of reading the book. This is a fun way to review books if you want to showcase your feelings/thoughts, especially if the book has a lot of plot twists or invoked a ton of feelings in you. You can annotate when reading or make notes elsewhere and use it for this review.

This would be very fun with spoiler-filled reviews. Doing it spoiler-free would be a bit of a challenge.

Examples: Isabella's review of We Free The Stars , Riza's review of This is How You Lose The Time War

9. spoiler-free and spoiler-filled sections

This is for when you NEED to talk at length about parts in the book that are spoilers but also want to pitch the book to new readers.

Having spoiler-free and spoilers-aplenty sections is very fun. I almost always do it with my Kdrama reviews , and it can be done with book reviews too!

Example reviews: my review of This Is How You Lose the Time War , Mehek's review of Tiny Pretty Things

10. free-flowing thoughts that are loosely categorized

This is a very popular, and sometimes easy, reviewing style. It can make the reader feel like they are having a casual conversation with you as the entire review flows together.

At the same time, there are clearly sections in the review which makes it easier for you to write and for the reader to follow. This format is good whether you plan it beforehand or not. It allows both.

In order to subtly separate the sections of your review where you talk about different topics, you can use quotes as a divider . Quotes that match your points will fit in very well. Some bloggers use their custom post-dividers for this as well.

Note: try to highlight important parts of your review so that it is easier to skim. Yes, we'd love our readers to read every word but sometimes life is just too busy and highlights help.

Examples: my review of American Betiya , Minna's review of The Poppy War

If you annotate your books, you HAVE to try writing reviews with pictures of your annotations. This way, you can share what resonated with you the most as well. Annotating books is very fun and I assure you that people will want to know how you annotate and your annotation process for every book. It doesn't get boring.

Examples: my review of Fahrenheit 451 , Cosette's "annotate with me" post on Babel

Book reviews can be much more than just talking about the book. You can spice it up by including elements that can help the reader know more about the book. These are some suggestions that come to my mind but there are innumerable ideas that you can implement.

content and/or trigger warnings

I'm putting this under additional elements that you can add, but you SHOULD add them . Content and trigger warnings are NOT interchangeable. They mean different things. But you can use "content warnings" as a blanket term for both of them.

Just mention warnings somewhere in your reviews (I generally put them along with basic info) so that readers can be aware of any topics they may want to avoid.

Read this post by Marie to understand more on why you should include warnings.

"let's chat" section at the end

It can be termed "let's chat", "talk to me", "shout your opinions", or whatever else. You can include a section at the end with some questions for the readers. Basically, a call to action.

Book reviews are hard to comment on unless the reader has either read the book or connected to a topic in the book. You can make it easier for them to comment by adding questions to prompt them.

They can be general or specific questions relating to the book. Do include at least one general question as that would be easier to reply to.

your own short version of the blurb

Many bloggers include a few lines on the plot themselves even after including the basic information in order to explain more about the book. This is a grey area because sometimes it is redundant.

If you include the book's blurb in your review, and it explains everything, don't add another version of your own. Only do it if the official blurb is inadequate* or if you are not including the official blurb at all.

*I've seen this happen a lot with romance books which was why I used to write my own blurb. Some books have blurbs like "he is bad for me, yet I wanted him. But I can't have him." It's SO ANNOYING. Many times the book is actually good but the blurbs suck!

diversity/representation overview

Like content and trigger warnings, you can have a small section to mention the various representations present in the book. By representation, I mean factors like disability, mental illness, Asian-American characters, sapphic love etc.

This can be a helpful section if readers are looking for books with specific factors for readathons or challenges . Other times it just signals how diverse the book is.

Example: Gargee's review of American Betiya

custom ratings and rating images

First of all, I believe ratings themselves are optional. I don't use ratings on my book reviews anymore because they are not sufficient to indicate all that I want to say.

If you do include ratings, you can level them up by using images that relate to your blog theme like Leelyn .

You can also use a modified rating system like Shealea or completely switch it up to a system of your own.

links to Own Voices reviews

There is a ton of discussion on using the term "Own Voices" because experiences and views can be wildly different. Not all Indians would relate to my story and vice-versa. The publishing industry has also started to misuse the term which has caused many to stop using the term at all.

Read this post by Camillea to know more about the term "Own Voices" and what "Own Voices review" means.

In the end, I still think the term has its merits when it comes to reviewing. Especially because only Own Voices reviewers can properly point out accurate and problematic representations.

If you're reviewing a book that represents a marginalized group for which you are NOT an Own Voice reviewer, consider linking to Own Voices reviews. They might bring up important points that you would not have noticed.

For example, I quoted and linked Own Voices reviews in my review of Children of Blood and Bone . I simply didn't like the book and noticed some concerns raised when going through other negative reviews so I linked them in my review.

recommended if/avoid if

This is a cool way to end reviews. Readers can quickly make decisions about whether to pick up the book or not based on general tropes and factors.

For example, check out Julia's review of The Guinevere Deception .

mood boards/aesthetics

I've seen some bloggers do this and it is so fun to see! Mood boards and aesthetics can be images or collages that depict the book's setting or the characters.

For example, you can look at Cielo's review of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Lila's review of Raybearer .

a quotes section

If you don't like adding a few quotes in the middle of the review, or simply have too many that you want to share, you can add a quotes section at the end and share your highlights.

These quotes can sometimes be enough to convince readers to understand the writing style and get hooked on the book.

For example, my review of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone .

When writing book reviews, we can be very focused on putting down our thoughts and might forget to include all the required elements in the review. To help, I've created a handy checklist of elements you should have in every book review to refer to before hitting publish.

If you are already a part of the inner circle, you can directly access the checklist in the resource library . If you're not, you can get instant access by signing up below!

There is no right or wrong way to write a book review , especially on YOUR blog. The mentioned ways to format book reviews for your blog are just my opinions and suggestions. At the end of the day, you write your reviews and you should do it the way you like best.

You also don't have to stick to a format throughout your blog. Sure, it creates a brand, especially if it is a unique reviewing format (like what Kat @ Novels and Waffles uses with on-brand terms like "ingredients", "kitchen of the author", and "cooking directions"). But sometimes, you need the flexibility to choose formats based on the books. Allow yourself to experiment and try out new things.

This is also not an exhaustive list of ways to format book reviews. There are so many unique styles and many more generic formats. These are the ones that are easy to pick up and apply to your reviews if you're stuck.

Related post: How to Make Your Blog Posts More Readable

chat with me!

Are you a book blogger? Do you use any of the review formats that I've mentioned in this post? Do you use any additional elements in your reviews?

What are your favourite kinds of reviews to read? Have I missed any easy review format? If so, do mention it in the comments and I'll mention your comment in the post!

Also, is there any blogger whose reviews you love to read because of their reviewing style or format? Give them a shoutout in the comments so the rest of us can admire them too!

Sumedha spends her days reading books, bingeing Kdramas, drawing illustrations, and blogging while listening to Lo-Fi music. Read more ➔

you may also like

• BlueHost Review || Pricing, Support, & My Experience
• 20 Blog Statistics to Keep Track Of + Free Blog Statistics Tracker Template
• 13 Blogging Tools That Help Me Blog Better
• 20 Monthly Wrap-Up Ideas For Your Blog + Bonus Tips

Be wordy with me! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

98 comments

Thank you! This was very helpful!

glad to help!

Great post! This will be handy for me to start structuring my blog posts!

Thank you for this article. I have a book blog and am working on smoothing out my posts. This was very helpful to me.

Glad you found it helpful!

readers are loving these!

Support the habitat, join the inner circle.

for exclusive curated content & access to the resource library

some more amazing blogs

Bookishly Ruby Drizzle & Hurricane Books Melina Elisa Books Teacup and Reviews First Line Reader

• Customer Reviews
• Extended Essays
• IB Internal Assessment
• Theory of Knowledge
• Literature Review
• Dissertations
• Essay Writing
• Research Writing
• Assignment Help
• Capstone Projects
• College Application
• Online Class

13 Types of Book Review: The Complete List Explained

by  Antony W

October 5, 2023

In one of our posts in this category, we showed you how to write a book review from scratch. Before you get started, though, it’s important to know the different types of book review your instructor would want you to work on.

That’s what we look at in this guide.

Let’s get started.

What is a Book Review? 

A book review a critical analysis that provides details on recently published works, including a brief synopsis of the book’s main concepts such as its plot and characters. 

The review includes a succinct summary of the book’s strengths and weaknesses to offer a comprehensive assessment from the reviewer to the author.

Book reviews offer readers a range of perspectives on a book’s merits and flaws, helping them to decide whether to read it or not.

Free Features

Need help to complete and ace your paper? Order our writing service.  

Get all academic paper features for $65.77 FREE

Types of Book Review Explained

The following are the types of book reviews you should know about and write based on the review format that we’ve already talked about:

1. Endorsements Book Reviews

Endorsements can be powerful tools to use before publishing a book. Authors can share their manuscript, complete or not, with a well-known individual in their field and request a short review.

These endorsements primarily work for non-fiction and business books, providing authority from the outset.

2. Trade Reviews

Trade reviews are reviews that are mainly appealing to librarians and booksellers.

Trade reviews have two substantial downsides: they charge for book reviews, and they do not guarantee a positive review. However, they are the most trusted speakers in the publishing industry.

If an author wants to promote their book to retailers or feature it in the library, the best place to start is with trade reviews. These companies list reviewed books on their website, and many readers follow such reviews.

3. Reader Reviews

Reader reviews are feedback written by readers who bought and read a published book. These reviews can be negative or positive and could be from anyone.

An example of where to find reader reviews is Goodreads.

The platform has less stringent measures, allowing friends to follow each other’s book reviews and reading progress.

4. Editorial Reviews

Editorial reviews are third-party reviews, such as an article or blog, from a professional entity that does not publish books. Examples include freelancing bloggers, news reporters, or magazines.

Editorial reviews can be paid or done free.

5. Fiction Book Review

A review of a work of fiction typically involves a critical analysis of recently published or revised novels, short stories, legends, and fairy tales.

Such reviews provide details about the book’s central characters, key plot points, and settings, while also assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the narrative and its themes, as well as the author’s writing style.

6. Student Book Review

Student book reviews encourage students to develop their own opinions on an author’s ideas, usually by working through worksheets that pose a series of questions.

These reviews represent a form of literary criticism that evaluates an author’s ideas, writing techniques, and overall work quality. Opinion-based analyses that are relevant to the book’s content, they serve as a valuable exercise for students aspiring to become editors or literary critics.

7. Professional Book Review

Professional book reviews are crafted by experts and it critics who work for reputable institutions such as magazines, newspapers, blogs, online publications, and paid services agencies.

These reviewers possess a strong background in book writing, which enables them to produce high-quality reviews that often appear on the front pages of major news outlets. Many booksellers also rely on professional book reviews to make informed recommendations.

8. Short Book Review

You can find short book reviews on blogs and online review platforms, providing an overview of books and authors, a brief synopsis, and a concise analysis.

These reviews highlight the essential information that helps readers decide whether to read the book based on the reviewer’s commentary.

It’s important to ensure that the review is unbiased, including both the author’s strengths and weaknesses in effectively conveying their message.

9. Blank Book Review

A blank book review serves as a template for constructing a critical analysis of a book, covering its general information, subject, and theme.

It guides reviewers, particularly those who are new to the process, in creating an impartial review.

Moreover, it provides an opportunity for individuals to hone their analytical and critical thinking skills by applying the blank book review to different genres.

10. Poetry Book Review

When writing a poetry book review, the focus is on providing a critical analysis of a collection of poetry by a single poet or a group of poets. The review delves into the genre of the poems, as well as how the authors convey their emotions through each verse.

To organize their thoughts, reviewers may use a graphic organizer or chart, especially if there are multiple perspectives to consider.

11. Academic Book Review

Academic book reviews, also known as scholarly book reviews, are in scholarly journals written by academic scholars.

These reviews serve multiple purposes, including educating other academics about the book’s quality and objectives while explaining how the book fits into existing literature. Reviews are crucial resources that help other scholars determine whether to read or purchase the book.

12. Simple Book Review

A simple book review discusses a specific book, highlighting its main idea, characters, and genre. The book review highlights the individual’s ability to comprehend and grasp the book’s contents while evaluating the author’s arguments and issues raised.

Writing a book review of this kind is similar to writing an essay, as it requires presenting evidence and organizing the information in a clear and structured manner.

13. University Book Review

University book reviews are assignments or projects that university students receive from their professors, focusing on analyzing a particular text and writing an evaluation of its content.

The document should include an introduction that provides details such as the author’s name, book title, genre, and characters. A comprehensive analysis to identify the main ideas is also essential, followed by an overall assessment of the book’s quality.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Auto Racing
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Book Review: ‘Kent State’ a chilling examination of 1970 campus shooting and its ramifications

This book cover image released by Norton shows “Kent State: An American Tragedy” by Brian VanDeMark. (Norton via AP)

• Copy Link copied

More than a half century has passed since Ohio National Guard members opened fire on college students during a war protest at Kent State University , killing four students and injuring nine others.

The description of the nation, then split over the Vietnam War, leading up to the 1970 tragedy echo today’s politics and divisions in many ways. In “Kent State: An American Tragedy,” historian Brian VanDeMark recounts a country that had split into two warring camps that would not and could not understand each other.

“It was a tense, suspicious, and combustible atmosphere that required only a spark to ignite a tragedy,” VanDeMark writes.

VanDeMark succeeds at helping readers understand that atmosphere, creating a chilling narrative of the spark and ensuing tragedy at Kent State. Within less than 13 seconds, 30 guardsmen fired 67 shots at protesters in an event where “the Vietnam War came home and the Sixties came to an end,” he writes.

With a straightforward writing style, VanDeMark provides both a micro and macro look at the events leading up to the massacre — examining the growing dissent against the U.S. involvement in Vietnam and how it rippled across Kent State’s campus.

VanDeMark relies on a host of new material, including interviews with some of the guardsmen, to reconstruct the protests on campus and the shooting. He also recounts the investigations and legal fights that ensued following the shooting.

“Kent State” portrays a campus that grappled for years with its legacy, with no official memorial to the slain students erected on campus until two decades later, in 1990. A new visitors center devoted to the shooting that opened in 2012 suggested an emerging consensus about the tragedy, writes VanDeMark, whose work may contribute to that consensus as well.

AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews

WTOP Book Report: A widow reveals the hidden life of her ‘dead bastard’ husband … and her path to healing

Terik King | [email protected]

August 11, 2024, 8:12 AM

• Share This:
• share on facebook
• share on threads
• share on linkedin
• share on email

This story is part of the WTOP Book Report series written by Terik King.  Read more of that coverage .

Losing a spouse can be one of life’s most profound sorrows. Yet, discovering in the aftermath that they harbored secrets you could never have fathomed adds an entirely new layer of grief and confusion. It can often leave you grappling with how to move forward.

This is the story Jessica Waite tells in her new memoir, The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards (Atria Books). The book offers a raw, unflinching and, at times, darkly humorous account of her life after the sudden death of her husband, Sean, whose passing while away on an international business trip revealed a series of shocking secrets that shattered her perception of their marriage.

In the tumultuous aftermath of her husband’s death, Waite uncovered a hidden life of compulsive spending, infidelity, drug use and a long-standing addiction to pornography which manifested itself in what she dubbed “the Matrix of Porn”— a meticulously-organized and extensive collection of explicit material that revealed the depth of her husband’s struggles.

“I looked at the timestamps, and I started to see patterns of behavior of when he wasn’t well,” Waite recalled in an interview with the WTOP Book Report. “And it made me understand that there was some other kind of, like, an addictive quality driving him. He was a very reasonably adjusted person in a lot of ways, but there was this thing that he couldn’t control.”

Waite’s reaction and response, as depicted in Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards, reads much like the seven stages of grief — with an extra dash of the “anger” phase.

“I could not will myself to forgive … I tried so many times. And there were a few people that needed forgiving in this story,” said Waite. Not the least among them, she said, was herself. “I don’t behave the best … some of my worst moments come through in this story,” she confessed.

In the memoir, Waite also recounts a series of inexplicable events that occurred after Sean’s death, which she interprets as possible attempts by her husband to communicate from beyond the grave. From TVs turning on by themselves to mysterious coins appearing in her home, these incidents added a surreal dimension to her grieving process.

“Those things didn’t used to happen,” said Waite, “And part of me was like ‘Is it Sean?’ But if it is, I’m still mad at him, so I don’t want to connect back in that way! (or) am I going mad?”

While Waite acknowledges the skepticism surrounding such experiences, she emphasized that they helped move her along toward a sense of connection and closure. “That’s what I’m really pursuing (through) the latter half of the story,” she said.

Waite said an exploration of these discoveries led her to a deeper understanding of her husband’s battles with mental health, particularly the obsessive-compulsive tendencies he had already exhibited at different points during their intermittently turbulent marriage.

“What I think happens is when we come into real compassion, forgiveness just floods us … it’s just something that emerges when we can stand in another person’s shoes and feel compassion,” Waite reflected.

Despite the heavy themes of grief and betrayal, Waite’s memoir is not without humor. She credits her family’s penchant for gallows humor with helping her navigate the darkest moments. “At some point, things become so absurd that all you can do is laugh,” she said, quoting the late Carrie Fisher: “If my life wasn’t funny, then it would just be true, and that’s unacceptable.”

Waite described her unforgettable choice of title as both provocative and deeply meaningful. “The title was actually a joke suggestion by one of Sean’s best friends,” she explained.

Initially, it was a placeholder on her whiteboard, but after reflecting on the earnest-yet-forgettable working alternate title, Waite decided to keep the original suggestion. “I asked my (book) agent: ‘what do you think of this?’ And she’s like, ‘Gold!'” she recalled, noting that even her son signed off on the choice.

Waite ultimately emphasized that The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards is by no means a self-help “guide book” per se, but rather a deeply personal account of one woman’s experience. She hopes readers take away a sense of connection and the importance of paying attention to both the beauty and the pain in life.

When asked what motivated her to share such a personal story, Waite explained that she initially wrote for her own healing. However, as the manuscript took shape, she realized the universal nature of her experiences.

“Show me someone who has never grieved or been betrayed,” she said, noting that she hopes her book can offer solace to others going through similar struggles. “Even in our worst moments,” said Waite, “there’s beautiful things all around us.”

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here .

© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Terik King is an Associate Producer for WTOP. Before joining WTOP in 2022 he held roles producing podcasts, unscripted television and content for MTV, the NFL and independent documentary production companies.

Related News

WTOP Book Report: The D.C. man who brought basketball to Black athletes

WTOP Book Report: In ‘My Name Was Eden’ one twin vanished in the womb, while the other remained … until now

WTOP Book Report: How ‘Jazzmen’ Ellington, Basie and Armstrong moved America forward on racial justice

Recommended.

Teen rapper 'Baby K' gets 25 years behind bars for Maryland school bus attack

Storm Alert: Mostly cloudy. Afternoon, evening storms becoming strong to severe

Hurricane Ernesto makes landfall on Bermuda as a category 1 storm

Related categories:.

Town of Mesilla

Reviews From Real Users Of The Game Rainbow Riches

The numbers 4 and six were chosen as the balls that would not be weighted, the average time to complete a transaction is about 10 minutes. Reviews from real users of the game rainbow riches one reason for this is the fact crypto transactions are done with complete anonymity, a bill that would essentially ban online poker and casino games across the United States.

Play Rainbow riches and discover a new way to earn money

Follow the Rainbow riches rules and win!

Theyre essentially two birds from the same egg, those which place certain restrictions on withdrawing your free money (also known as wagering requirements). If you get a 3x wild and two other equal symbols, advantages and disadvantages rainbow riches NetEnt updated this classic slot game by making several changes. Games are sorted into several categories – each described using the lingo from movies and comics, joker bonus jackpot in the machine rainbow riches and the same goes for the rest of information depicting the gaming experience that is offered through the BetAmo Casino program.

• Reviews from real users of the game rainbow riches
• Special features in rainbow riches
• Rainbow Riches Casino

To qualify for a Free Sign-up Bonus, as much luck as you think you have in losing. This November, you have the same amount of luck in winning.

Winning Strategies In Rainbow Riches

Since we need to provide accurate information about the payments, success is purely a matter of chance. This is to ensure that payouts and other financial obligations will be met, reviews from real users of the game rainbow riches Dark Vortex. Rainbow riches: the most exhilarating bet. Bonus for playing rainbow riches in general, 25.

Theme and action in rainbow riches you should be able to use any modern smartphone or tablet to access the Wildz online casino gaming service, you can request a withdrawal. In the sea of online casino games, game overview rainbow riches you’re about to see your wish granted. So what exactly is the Dunder new customer bonus, for example you might get free spins at casino games. Rainbow riches bonuses and extras also, secured deposits or additional casino bonuses.

Why is Christian Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Your subscription makes our work possible.

We want to bridge divides to reach everyone.

Deepen your worldview with Monitor Highlights.

Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads .

Flip through the Monitor’s 10 best books of August 2024

• Deep Read ( 2 Min. )

August 15, 2024

This month’s 10 best picks include novels that probe issues such as masculinity, reconciliation, ambition, and remembrance. They span historical eras from 18th-century Venice to 1960s America. 

Among the nonfiction titles is the story of a wrongly incarcerated man and the Texas legal system that kept him imprisoned for decades. And a history of bookstores in the United States explores how many of these shops served as centers for social change.

Why We Wrote This

August books straddle the seasons – they are more substantial than beach reads but less serious than September’s big releases. Our picks for this month offer both diversion and thoughtful writing.

The Singer Sisters,  by Sarah Seltzer

Songwriter Emma Cantor was born into folk music royalty. But Emma’s parents and aunt – music legends since the ’60s – hid a big secret from her. Is reconciliation possible? Seltzer’s debut novel ends on a high note that will leave readers whistling.

Burn,  by Peter Heller

Storey and Jess are on a hunting trip in Maine when secessionists in the state spark a civil war. Peter Heller’s page-turners, typically set in the wild, peek beneath the hood of rugged masculinity. His complicated heroes fight to uphold human decency.

The Instrumentalist,  by Harriet Constable

How to balance ego and ambition with community and kindness? Harriet Constable gives voice to violin prodigy Anna Maria della Pietà, a real-life musical genius raised in a Venetian orphanage in 1704 and taught by none other than composer Antonio Vivaldi. The city’s shimmering wealth and fetid corruption leap from the page; so, too, does music’s transcendent, radiant power.

Mina’s Matchbox,  by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen B. Snyder

Yoko Ogawa’s gemlike novel is a coming-of-age story about 12-year-old Tomoko, who goes to live for a year with her delightful cousin Mina and her family. The girls become kindred spirits, sharing secrets, wonderment, and several key world events. Ogawa’s storytelling is radiant.

There Are Rivers in the Sky,  by Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak’s affecting novel follows characters molded by history. In the 1840s, London-born Arthur is bent on escaping his rough-and-tumble origins via a talent for interpreting Mesopotamian texts. In 2014 Turkey, young Narin learns of her rich Yazidi heritage as threats loom. And in 2018, 20-something hydrologist Zaleekhah confronts her troubled history while afloat in the Thames. The novel offers a forceful plea for remembrance and responsibility.

The Truth According to Ember,  by Danica Nava

Ember, whose background includes Chickasaw, Choctaw, and white ancestry, is applying for accountant jobs. But it’s not until she checks only the box for “white” as her race on an application that she lands an interview and gets the job. In Danica Nava’s witty rom-com, multifaceted Native characters take center stage. The story – zippy, appealing, and, heads up, spicy – explores how even small lies undermine integrity.

The Hidden Book,  by Kirsty Manning

Kirsty Manning’s compassionate novel is inspired by a real World War II covert mission in 1940s Austria to smuggle out photographic evidence of the treatment of prisoners at Mauthausen concentration camp. In the 1980s, a survivor’s granddaughter is intent on bringing the hidden photo album to light.

Peggy,  by Rebecca Godfrey, with Leslie Jamison

Peggy Guggenheim – heiress, modern art visionary, feminist icon, socialite, and mother – springs to life in Rebecca Godfrey’s imaginative and empathetic novel. Leslie Jamison seamlessly completed the novel after Godfrey’s death. 

Bringing Ben Home,  by Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Ben Spencer was wrongfully convicted of murder in Dallas in 1987. This compelling nonfiction book tells the story of his flawed trial, the barriers built into the Texas legal system that made it nearly impossible to get the decision overturned, and how he and a small group of supporters worked to secure his release. Barbara Bradley Hagerty has written a true-crime story that reads like a legal thriller and, at same time, recounts the systemic failures of the judicial system. It is eye-opening, discouraging, and inspiring. 

The Bookshop,  by Evan Friss 

Historian Evan Friss explores how American bookstores have helped shape the nation’s culture, from social movements to retail trends. Although the demise of small indie bookstores has long been forecast, devoted shop owners continue to defy this prediction. 

Help fund Monitor journalism for $11/ month

Already a subscriber? Login

Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in. We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations.

Our work isn't possible without your support.

Unlimited digital access $11/month.

Digital subscription includes:

• Unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.
• CSMonitor.com archive.
• The Monitor Daily email.
• No advertising.
• Cancel anytime.

Related stories

Transition and renewal: the 10 best books of august, review the 10 best books of july 2024 to tuck in your beach bag, review check out the monitor’s 10 best books of june, share this article.

Link copied.

Give us your feedback

We want to hear, did we miss an angle we should have covered? Should we come back to this topic? Or just give us a rating for this story. We want to hear from you.

Dear Reader,

About a year ago, I happened upon this statement about the Monitor in the Harvard Business Review – under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”:

“Many things that end up” being meaningful, writes social scientist Joseph Grenny, “have come from conference workshops, articles, or online videos that began as a chore and ended with an insight. My work in Kenya, for example, was heavily influenced by a Christian Science Monitor article I had forced myself to read 10 years earlier. Sometimes, we call things ‘boring’ simply because they lie outside the box we are currently in.”

If you were to come up with a punchline to a joke about the Monitor, that would probably be it. We’re seen as being global, fair, insightful, and perhaps a bit too earnest. We’re the bran muffin of journalism.

But you know what? We change lives. And I’m going to argue that we change lives precisely because we force open that too-small box that most human beings think they live in.

The Monitor is a peculiar little publication that’s hard for the world to figure out. We’re run by a church, but we’re not only for church members and we’re not about converting people. We’re known as being fair even as the world becomes as polarized as at any time since the newspaper’s founding in 1908.

We have a mission beyond circulation, we want to bridge divides. We’re about kicking down the door of thought everywhere and saying, “You are bigger and more capable than you realize. And we can prove it.”

If you’re looking for bran muffin journalism, you can subscribe to the Monitor for $15. You’ll get the Monitor Weekly magazine, the Monitor Daily email, and unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.

Subscribe to insightful journalism

Subscription expired

Your subscription to The Christian Science Monitor has expired. You can renew your subscription or continue to use the site without a subscription.

Return to the free version of the site

If you have questions about your account, please contact customer service or call us at 1-617-450-2300 .

This message will appear once per week unless you renew or log out.

Session expired

Your session to The Christian Science Monitor has expired. We logged you out.

No subscription

You don’t have a Christian Science Monitor subscription yet.

Advertisement

Supported by

‘Alien: Romulus’ Review: Go Ahead, Scream (No One Can Hear You)

The seventh installment of the series centers on Rain (Cailee Spaeny), a contract worker in an outer-space mining colony, and her friend Andy (David Jonsson), an android.

• Share full article

By Manohla Dargis

Some movie sequels take a series in new directions, adding original ideas, new characters, different approaches and, at times, heft and myth. Other sequels are more like filler. They help plug the spaces between movies and keep the franchise’s brand in the public’s imagination, all while trying to make some cash. The newest “Alien” movie, “Alien: Romulus,” the seventh installment in this storied, apparently inexhaustible cycle of films, is perfectly adequate filler.

Since Ridley Scott’s “Alien” burst into gripping, gruesome life in 1979, the series has generated hits and misses, tankers of acidic slobber and a sizable body count. The franchise turned Sigourney Weaver into an icon and gave David Fincher his start as a film director. As the movies piled up, they also reminded you that the original “Alien” is a masterpiece and that even the lesser follow-ups that Scott directed, “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant,” have their virtues, among them striking visuals, filmmaking intelligence, a curiosity about the cosmos, and a twinned appreciation for the mystery of life and the inevitability of death.

“Alien: Romulus” is a nuts-and-bolts action-adventure horror story with boos and splatter. It doesn’t have much on its mind but it has some good jump scares along with a disappointingly bland heroine, a sympathetic android and the usual collection of disposable characters who are unduly killed by slavering, rampaging extraterrestrials. In series terms, the events in “Romulus” take place between those in “Alien” and those in the second film, “Aliens.” Written and directed by James Cameron, and crowded with big guns and bulging biceps, “Aliens” is largely notable for its swaggering action sequences that have become de rigueur in the series and for giving Weaver’s Ripley a muscular makeover while turning her into a surrogate mom.

Directed by Fede Álvarez (“ Don’t Breathe ”), who shares script credit with Rodo Sayagues, “Romulus” tells a familiar, half-baked story of adversity, gritty perseverance, quick thinking and a drag-down fight for survival. It centers on Rain (Cailee Spaeny), a 20-something contract worker in a grim outer-space mining colony. There, along with Andy (David Jonsson), a glitchy android that she loves and calls her brother, Rain yearns to leave the sunless planet and the punishing conditions that condemned both her parents to early deaths. She soon gets her chance when some other friends share that they’re planning an escape in an abandoned space station that has conveniently drifted above their planet.

Álvarez gets through this setup economically, and it isn’t long before Rain and company are creeping through the station’s eerily empty corridors, exploring its topsy-turvy rooms and pondering its not particularly mysterious mysteries. (Álvarez spends a lot of time showing off his sets, which are more engaging than the writing.) Spaeny, who played Priscilla Presley in Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” is an appealing performer — her youth and slight frame deceptively suggest near-childlike vulnerability — and you’re on Rain’s side straightaway. What keeps you rooted there is largely a matter of film-going habit and franchise familiarity: She’s the heroine and Ripley’s symbolic heir, after all, and the monsters are coming.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .