Do you love reading and want to share your reviews with the world?

Are you afraid no one will read your reviews? This guide will help you write good book reviews that actually get views and help authors!

Include a cover image in your review

This should go without saying, but folks do judge a book by its cover. Include that beautiful cover the author and/or their team put so much effort into. Cover images capture the eye and attention. Many folks also have covers memorized and may be attracted to your review solely for the image.

Include the blurb

This is the blurb usually found on the back cover or inside the dust jacket. No blurb present? Check GoodReads first before coming up with your own. Make sure to include quotes, so that readers know it's direct from the author/publisher.

Share what you liked

This is the easiest part. What did you like most about the book? The plot? The twist? The characters? The character development? Setting? Talk about it! You can go into detail if you wish, if you plan to share spoilers, give a warning ahead of time!

Share what you didn't like

This can be a difficult part to write. No one wants to be overly negative and impact an author's sales. Try to be constructive but honest. HONESTY is important. If something didn't vibe with you, it's okay to say it.

Explain why and to whom you'd recommend this book

Talk about why you think the reader should read this particular book. If you know fans of another book would also enjoy the book you're reviewing, mention that!

Share a quote from the book

You can use blockquotes or you can create a graphic to share a pin-worthy quote. On sites like GoodReads, you save quotes so others can like and share them.

Talk about the author

You can copy and paste the authors bio blurb and link to their author page. Links help with SEO, so be sure to utilize meaningful linking opportunities like this!

Create graphics for social media

Canva is a great tool for creating graphics quickly on the fly. It works on mobile and desktop. The free version will get you going, but I adore the premium version as you can quickly copy and resize graphics for different uses. Make sure your graphic is clear for viewing on big and small screens.

Run Spell Check!!!

I can't tell you how many times I've seen reviews riddled with simple grammatical errors. A typo here and there is permissible, but if there are too many, you may quickly lose the reader's interest. Grammarly is a free Chrome plug in that I enjoy.

Post your review... everywhere!

Post on GoodReads, Amazon, your blog, Twitter, TikTok, wherever you utilize social media or where ever books are sold with a review system.

Pin on Pinterest

Once your review is live, pin it on your own Pinterest board. I keep a board solely for completed reviews. You can also apply to be a member of group Pinterest boards. Once your pin is live on your own board, you can then repin to the group board for even more exposure. The actual link on the pin should take the viewer directly to your review.

Include a disclosure

If your post has any affiliate links or you received the book for free in exchange for a review, you MUST disclose that in the post. This can be as simple as "I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review."

Pinpoint your style

Do you gravitate towards a certain genre? Is spice important? Family friendly? Morals system? If you want to be focused on a genre or want to differentiate your voice from other reviewers, that's okay! It's your review and YOUR voice! Maybe include graphics that match. Some reviewers include GIFs or certain emojis.

Define your rating system

This doesn't have to be included in the review itself, it can be explained on your profile or about me page. Here's mine for example. Use this space to explain how you review and what your ratings mean. Some reviewers don't use a star system at all and instead use a meter or emojis. Get creative if you like!