If you see a book with a lot of reviews, does it make you want to buy it? If a ‘review’ just says ‘it’s great’ or ‘buy this book’, is that enough to make you want to spend money reading the book?
A good book review will give the reader something to think about before deciding whether or not it is for him. Reviews are important to authors, as certain algorithms show that the more reviews a book has, the more sales it generates. Great books inspire readers so much that they want to talk about them and what better place to spread the word than to write a review and post it prominently. Likewise, if you think the author could have improved the book in some way and have some helpful feedback to contribute, please leave a constructive review. If you’re willing to write a review for a book you’ve just read and you’re not sure how, here’s a simple guide.
Read the book. This seems obvious, but I’ve seen “reviews” where people say “I didn’t finish the book” and then give it a very low rating. I’ve started some novels that are so poorly written that I can’t waste another minute of my time on them, but I move on to the next book in my reading pile. If you don’t read the book, don’t leave a review.
Don’t feel compelled to give a glowing review. You can always count reviews that have been written by friends of the author. They are generally five stars and speak more about the author’s talent than giving the reader an idea of the content of the book. Weren’t you satisfied with the ending, or was the blurb not accurately describing the story? For you to leave a review, the book must have had some impact on you, so state the facts simply and omit the effusive adjectives.
Be constructive with your criticism. Whether you like to read the book or not, there will be some people, places, or events that will stand out. If you feel there is too much dialogue or not enough description, say so in your review, but also point out anything you have learned from reading the book or any characters that you can identify with in some way. Did the book make you laugh or cry? Was it a passionate read that you couldn’t stop reading? Did you like the author’s writing style? Anything you say will have an impact on other readers and the author, so please give your opinion but be polite.
Don’t leave a one-sentence statement like ‘it’s great’ or ‘buy this book.’ It doesn’t help anybody.
As a reader, I have written reviews of many great, good books, and those with potential. As an author, I have received a lot of great feedback in the form of reviews from people who have enjoyed my books. You get people who have trouble with a particular topic because it offends their particular tastes, and that’s fine as long as they say so in their reviews. When looking to buy new books, I look at the five stars and two stars to get a good overview of readers’ thoughts.
Keep writing book reviews, but be nice, and if you can’t be nice, move on to the next book. A well-written book review will always be appreciated by an author.