Are you baffled when you want to write a book review? Do you settle for giving only a rating at Amazon because words just won’t flow?
Any author will tell you that while some readers claim they do not look at reviews, the majority do. The majority like to review books that have many reviews. People generally want to be part of a popular club!
Yet, the average reader is very resistant to writing reviews, even when he or she loves the book. Why? I believe it’s because most readers are intimidated by the task of writing.
Readers sometimes have personal agendas, sometimes malicious, for writing reviews. Years ago, I remember reading a review for the book Fifty Shades of Grey, a top best seller at the time. The reader wrote that she would not let her daughter read that smutty, filthy book. It was ungodly and should be banned. She herself had not read it, but her friends had told her all about it, and she bought it just so she could review it.
This was a malicious review aiming to influence the book’s sales and malign the author. The agenda was religious propaganda. The review said nothing about the quality of the writing, the complexity of the characters, the exciting plot, etc. Today, I hope such a review would be flagged by Amazon and not allowed.
Following the process I recommend, should result in a review that does justice to both the reviewer and the book.
First, introduce the review with a statement of your overall take on the book. The following are examples of what I mean. Of course, I have simplified for the sake of brevity. You would re-word these to suit you.
- I really loved this book.
- I liked this book very much.
- I like this book, but it could have been better.
- I did not enjoy this book and will not recommend it.
- I hated this book.
Next, You should state three things you either loved, liked, or disliked about the book. Examples you might use are as follows. You are only limited by your own feelings about the book.
- I really enjoyed the characters, especially the plucky heroine, Melissa, and her funny and mischievous siblings.
- I loved the main male character, Lord Sinclair, with his dark, brooding looks and simmering sexuality.
- I loved the setting of the story and the breath-taking descriptions of Cornwall.
- I hated the wimpy, weak female protagonist who could not make a decision to save her life.
- I honestly dislike the main male character, Lord Sinclair.
- I disliked the slow pace of the novel.
- I found the pace of the novel plodding.
- I was turned off by the many grammatical errors and faulty editing.
Take each of the three things you liked or dislike, in turn, explain it, and maybe give an example.
There are things you must not do.
- Never review a book you did not read or finish. This makes your review a lie.
- Never retell or summarize the story. Especially, do not give away key points or the ending!
- Do not allow your politics or prejudices to guide you. Readers want to know about the quality of the writing, the flow of the story, the levels of action or suspense. Is it exciting or boring? Is it clean and wholesome? Does it have a happy ending? Does it end in a cliffhanger?
- Keep it simple. Readers do not want a literary, three-page review.
Following are two examples I wrote to guide you.
Positive:
I have just finished reading A Love to Remember by Jenny Doe, and I loved it! The heroine, Dove Grey, is beautiful but also strong and driven. She meets all her trials and tribulations without ever resorting to feeling sorry for herself. Another thing I like about the story is the male character, who is so different from the usual regency romance male. I love the way he interacts with Jenny’s siblings and their crazy dog. For those readers who like a story to be clean and wholesome, I have to recommend this one. Finally, I must say that the book is well-written. I found no glaring errors or typos to take me out of the story. I recommend this book and will read other works by this author.
Negative:
I have just finished reading A Love to Remember by Jenny Doe, and I was not impressed with it. First, I found the heroine, Jenny Doe, to be an unlikable character. She is too driven by her need to succeed, to the point that she ignores the unhappiness of her siblings. She is forever complaining about things most of us face routinely. Next, the male protagonist seemed weak and easily manipulated. He spent more time interacting with the dog than with Jenny. The story went on forever, with very little happening. Finally, I was surprised to see so many typos and grammatical errors. The book absolutely needs editing! This book is not for me.
I hope I have given you some understanding of how to write a review. Remember, stick to facts, don’t summarize the story, and find at least three things to discuss. At least, show you’ve read the book by being factual and not malicious.