How to Write a Book Review

Book reviews can be fun, informative, and important. They don’t have to be pages long. Simple and quick is better than nothing at all. If you want to write an essay on why you loved a book, you can do that too but be sure not to give away and spoilers!

Here are three things to know about writing a book review.

1. KISS. Keep it super simple! Yes, you are in control. You can determine what to include. But be sure to include a brief bit about the story itself. No spoilers though! Spoilers are bits of the story that give away a surprise or important plot point that could affect the reader’s experience. Include what you loved about the book. That’s it really. What the book is about. What you loved. You might include who you think would enjoy the book. And if you didn’t care for it, be respectful in the way you share what you didn’t enjoy. You may not have enjoyed it, but perhaps you know other people who love this kind of book?
2. Where to put the interview. There are so many places where you can include your well thought out book review. If you have a blog or website or social media you can share there. Amazon book reviews, Goodreads, even WalMart and Target allow for reviews. If you like to do video book reviews you can upload that to YouTube or Facebook (or TikToc if you’re way more cool than me!)
3. Be fair, be honest, and be kind. Yes, you may have hated the editing or the ending but please be thoughtful in how you share that information. Someone took a lot of time and effort to write the book. Being polite doesn’t cost a thing. And remember that as you share your review, people are reviewing your review! Being shocking and snarky may sound fun, but is it worth hurting someone else?

That’s it! We hope you’ll consider reviewing the books you read. It’s helpful to other readers and of course to the author who wrote the book!