I don’t know about you, but I get most of my book recommendations from two sources – Amazon recommendations and my friends. Amazon has that powerful algorithm, studying all my buying behaviors and spitting out a long list of books it predicts I will like. And, it is remarkably accurate.
Who do you trust for reviews?
My family and friends are almost as reliable. When I was younger, my mother was the best source. A librarian by training and an avid reader herself, I could always count on her to recommend something I would love. She would give me a pithy review like “You’ll love the story” or “It reads like poetry,” and I would rush out to buy the book. She was always right. I still remember “Snow Falling on Cedars” for its language, or “The World According to Garp” being exactly the gripping story she promised.
My friends are my friends because we see life in a similar way, and we enjoy the same interests, including books. We begin talking about something – anything – and a discussion of books follows. We might be discussing the agenda for the weekend and a book gets mentioned. “I am trying to read ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ but I fell asleep,” Nancy might tell me. “I should have turned out the light, but I stayed up reading “Only Time Will Tell,” Linda will say. “My book club just finished ‘Invisible Bridge’,” Margie will share.
“Oh, is it any good?” I ask and the conversation and informal review ensues. “I can’t put it down,” Margie might say, or “it’s well written but hard to read.” You get a one-line overview, positive or negative, based on which you pursue the conversation.
What is a good review?
Some among us love to read reviews, brilliantly written in and of themselves, reviews that lead us to want to read more by the critic as well as the book they critique. The New York Times Book Review section on Sunday has that effect
on me. There is so much more than a summary of the book – historical context perhaps or references to other books that are similar or better. The reviews are one or two page gems written by people who are experts on their subjects. Less lofty but equally wonderful are the reviews on many thoughtful book blogs, sites like Omnivoracious or IndieView.
Have you ever studied a book review? Do you understand the difference, for example, between a critical review and a descriptive/ popular review? Have you noticed how many authors put a request at the end of their book asking for a review? I ask for those too, by the way, because reviews can make or break a book.
Even as I write those words I have visions of Judy Garland in a 1950’s movie about Broadway, waiting for the reviews that will make or break the big show. Critical book reviews can do the same for an author’s latest work, but less so than ten years ago. What’s changed? You have. Your ability to leave a review – or 100 reviews – helps to level the playing field. Just like an individual’s comments can influence Google reviews, or Yelp, or Trip Advisor.
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Book reviews still make or break the author and the new novel, but now you are the critic that holds the power. If you are that powerful, maybe you should know a few things about reviewing books.
Why reviews even matter?
The obvious reason is that people look at reviews and are influenced by them. A book with 200 5-star reviews sells better than a comparable book with 200 3-star reviews because readers assume that the first book is better.
Maybe it is better. Or maybe the author and publisher were just more adept at gathering reviews. Gaining reviews is an art. I actually belong to a review group. I also send out free beta copies of my books to my ViP readers and I beg for reader comments. Why? There is the obvious advantage of good reviews, but I risk bad reviews too.
Yet, I still want them. Some promotions sites require reviews. I cannot make it onto Amazon’s recommendation lists without reviews, I cannot reach new readers without reviews and I cannot know what my readers are thinking without reviews. That last is important, so you might take pity on an author next time you read a book and leave your review.
How to write a review?
If you are going to do the writing, it might be helpful to know a bit about what is useful in a review. You can study reviews by the experts: The New Yorker, The London Times, or Goodreads, to name just a few. I even have a link to sample reviews provided by a Canadian university
But perhaps you want your reviews to be a little less professional. If you want something shorter, perhaps a story synopsis with a thumbs up or down, like the Rotten Tomatoes reviews. In that case you might undertake a quick perusal of blog sites like Dear Author (try their “need a rec!” link) to get some ideas. Heroes and Heartbreakers reviews by genre making it easer to hone in on the book you want. Wonk-o-Mance is especially good for romance reviews and their blog is raw and honest and worth a read. And Book Riot will email you personalized recommendations. There are also authors, like me, sharing the works of other authors, sometimes with our review, sometimes without.
Where to get reviews?
Is one of these better than another? Of course not. Just as there are millions of books to choose from, there are millions of readers – all seeking information about that next book to read. No one wants to buy a book they won’t like. I want a review to point me to a book I will be excited to read, with characters I will miss when I reach the end. I want books I want to talk about, debate and share.
As an author, I want honest reviews, respectful of my efforts if not my results. As a reader, I want reviews that point me to the books people love, that tell me why I will love them, why they are worth my time and effort. Is today the day you share that information with a fellow reader?
You might also check out:
- Top blog sites by genre https://www.creditdonkey.com/book-review-blogs.html
- Samples of reviews https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/reviews/book/
- Melissa Ragsdale’s post: 9 Websites For Readers Who Think About Books All Day, Every Day