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How to Write a Book Review: A Comprehensive Tutorial With Examples

You don’t need to be a literary expert to craft captivating book reviews. With one in every three readers selecting books based on insightful reviews, your opinions can guide fellow bibliophiles toward their next literary adventure.

Learning how to write a book review will not only help you excel at your assigned tasks, but you’ll also contribute valuable insights to the book-loving community and turn your passion into a professional pursuit.

In this comprehensive guide,  PaperPerk  will walk you through a few simple steps to master the art of writing book reviews so you can confidently embark on this rewarding journey.

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, offering insights into its content, quality, and impact. It helps readers make informed decisions about whether to read the book.

Writing a book review as an assignment benefits students in multiple ways. Firstly, it teaches them how to write a book review by developing their analytical skills as they evaluate the content, themes, and writing style .

Secondly, it enhances their ability to express opinions and provide constructive criticism. Additionally, book review assignments expose students to various publications and genres, broadening their knowledge.

Furthermore, these tasks foster essential skills for academic success, like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information. By now, we’re sure you want to learn how to write a book review, so let’s look at the book review template first.

Table of Contents

Book Review Template

How to write a book review- a step by step guide.

Check out these 5 straightforward steps for composing the best book review.

Step 1: Planning Your Book Review – The Art of Getting Started

You’ve decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let’s take a step back and plan your approach. Since knowing how to write a book review that’s both informative and engaging is an art in itself.

Choosing Your Literature

First things first, pick the book you want to review. This might seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a book that genuinely interests you will make the review process more enjoyable and your insights more authentic.

Crafting the Master Plan

Next, create an  outline  that covers all the essential points you want to discuss in your review. This will serve as the roadmap for your writing journey.

The Devil is in the Details

As you read, note any information that stands out, whether it overwhelms, underwhelms, or simply intrigues you. Pay attention to:

• The characters and their development
• The plot and its intricacies
• Any themes, symbols, or motifs you find noteworthy

Remember to reserve a body paragraph for each point you want to discuss.

The Key Questions to Ponder

When planning your book review, consider the following questions:

• What’s the plot (if any)? Understanding the driving force behind the book will help you craft a more effective review.
• Is the plot interesting? Did the book hold your attention and keep you turning the pages?
• Are the writing techniques effective? Does the author’s style captivate you, making you want to read (or reread) the text?
• Are the characters or the information believable? Do the characters/plot/information feel real, and can you relate to them?
• Would you recommend the book to anyone? Consider if the book is worthy of being recommended, whether to impress someone or to support a point in a literature class.
• What could improve? Always keep an eye out for areas that could be improved. Providing constructive criticism can enhance the quality of literature.

Step 2 – Crafting the Perfect Introduction to Write a Book Review

In this second step of “how to write a book review,” we’re focusing on the art of creating a powerful opening that will hook your audience and set the stage for your analysis.

Identify Your Book and Author

Begin by mentioning the book you’ve chosen, including its  title  and the author’s name. This informs your readers and establishes the subject of your review.

Ponder the Title

Next, discuss the mental images or emotions the book’s title evokes in your mind . This helps your readers understand your initial feelings and expectations before diving into the book.

Judge the Book by Its Cover (Just a Little)

Take a moment to talk about the book’s cover. Did it intrigue you? Did it hint at what to expect from the story or the author’s writing style? Sharing your thoughts on the cover can offer a unique perspective on how the book presents itself to potential readers.

Present Your Thesis

Now it’s time to introduce your thesis. This statement should be a concise and insightful summary of your opinion of the book. For example:

“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a captivating portrayal of the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, class, and self-discovery with exceptional depth and authenticity.

Ensure that your thesis is relevant to the points or quotes you plan to discuss throughout your review.

Incorporating these elements into your introduction will create a strong foundation for your book review. Your readers will be eager to learn more about your thoughts and insights on the book, setting the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking analysis.

How to Write a Book Review: Step 3 – Building Brilliant Body Paragraphs

You’ve planned your review and written an attention-grabbing introduction. Now it’s time for the main event: crafting the body paragraphs of your book review. In this step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of constructing engaging and insightful body paragraphs that will keep your readers hooked.

Summarize Without Spoilers

Begin by summarizing a specific section of the book, not revealing any major plot twists or spoilers. Your goal is to give your readers a taste of the story without ruining surprises.

Support Your Viewpoint with Quotes

Next, choose three quotes from the book that support your viewpoint or opinion. These quotes should be relevant to the section you’re summarizing and help illustrate your thoughts on the book.

Analyze the Quotes

Write a summary of each quote in your own words, explaining how it made you feel or what it led you to think about the book or the author’s writing. This analysis should provide insight into your perspective and demonstrate your understanding of the text.

Structure Your Body Paragraphs

Dedicate one body paragraph to each quote, ensuring your writing is well-connected, coherent, and easy to understand.

For example:

• In  Jane Eyre , Charlotte Brontë writes, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.” This powerful statement highlights Jane’s fierce independence and refusal to be trapped by societal expectations.
• In  Normal People , Sally Rooney explores the complexities of love and friendship when she writes, “It was culture as class performance, literature fetishized for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys.” This quote reveals the author’s astute observations on the role of culture and class in shaping personal relationships.
• In  Wuthering Heights , Emily Brontë captures the tumultuous nature of love with the quote, “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” This poignant line emphasizes the deep, unbreakable bond between the story’s central characters.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create body paragraphs that are both captivating and insightful, enhancing your book review and providing your readers with a deeper understanding of the literary work. 

How to Write a Book Review: Step 4 – Crafting a Captivating Conclusion

You’ve navigated through planning, introductions, and body paragraphs with finesse. Now it’s time to wrap up your book review with a  conclusion that leaves a lasting impression . In this final step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of writing a memorable and persuasive conclusion.

Summarize Your Analysis

Begin by summarizing the key points you’ve presented in the body paragraphs. This helps to remind your readers of the insights and arguments you’ve shared throughout your review.

Offer Your Final Conclusion

Next, provide a conclusion that reflects your overall feelings about the book. This is your chance to leave a lasting impression and persuade your readers to consider your perspective.

Address the Book’s Appeal

Now, answer the question: Is this book worth reading? Be clear about who would enjoy the book and who might not. Discuss the taste preferences and circumstances that make the book more appealing to some readers than others.

For example:  The Alchemist is a book that can enchant a young teen, but those who are already well-versed in classic literature might find it less engaging.

Be Subtle and Balanced

Avoid simply stating whether you “liked” or “disliked” the book. Instead, use nuanced language to convey your message. Highlight the pros and cons of reading the type of literature you’ve reviewed, offering a balanced perspective.

Bringing It All Together

By following these guidelines, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves your readers with a clear understanding of your thoughts and opinions on the book. Your review will be a valuable resource for those considering whether to pick up the book, and your witty and insightful analysis will make your review a pleasure to read. So conquer the world of book reviews, one captivating conclusion at a time!

How to Write a Book Review: Step 5 – Rating the Book (Optional)

You’ve masterfully crafted your book review, from the introduction to the conclusion. But wait, there’s one more step you might consider before calling it a day: rating the book. In this optional step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the benefits and methods of assigning a rating to the book you’ve reviewed.

Why Rate the Book?

Sometimes, when writing a professional book review, it may not be appropriate to state whether you liked or disliked the book. In such cases, assigning a rating can be an effective way to get your message across without explicitly sharing your personal opinion.

How to Rate the Book

There are various rating systems you can use to evaluate the book, such as:

• A star rating (e.g., 1 to 5 stars)
• A numerical score (e.g., 1 to 10)
• A letter grade (e.g., A+ to F)

Choose a rating system that best suits your style and the format of your review. Be consistent in your rating criteria, considering writing quality, character development, plot, and overall enjoyment.

Tips for Rating the Book

Here are some tips for rating the book effectively:

• Be honest: Your rating should reflect your true feelings about the book. Don’t inflate or deflate your rating based on external factors, such as the book’s popularity or the author’s reputation.
• Be fair:Consider the book’s merits and shortcomings when rating. Even if you didn’t enjoy the book, recognize its strengths and acknowledge them in your rating.
• Be clear: Explain the rationale behind your rating so your readers understand the factors that influenced your evaluation.

Wrapping Up

By including a rating in your book review, you provide your readers with an additional insight into your thoughts on the book. While this step is optional, it can be a valuable tool for conveying your message subtly yet effectively. So, rate those books confidently, adding a touch of wit and wisdom to your book reviews.

Additional Tips on How to Write a Book Review: A Guide

In this segment, we’ll explore additional tips on how to write a book review. Get ready to captivate your readers and make your review a memorable one!

Hook ’em with an Intriguing Introduction

Keep your introduction precise and to the point. Readers have the attention span of a goldfish these days, so don’t let them swim away in boredom. Start with a bang and keep them hooked!

Embrace the World of Fiction

When learning how to write a book review, remember that reviewing fiction is often more engaging and effective. If your professor hasn’t assigned you a specific book, dive into the realm of fiction and select a novel that piques your interest.

Opinionated with Gusto

Don’t shy away from adding your own opinion to your review. A good book review always features the writer’s viewpoint and constructive criticism. After all, your readers want to know what  you  think!

Express Your Love (or Lack Thereof)

If you adored the book, let your readers know! Use phrases like “I’ll definitely return to this book again” to convey your enthusiasm. Conversely, be honest but respectful even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea.

Templates and Examples and Expert Help: Your Trusty Sidekicks

Feeling lost? You can always get help from formats, book review examples or online  college paper writing service  platforms. These trusty sidekicks will help you navigate the world of book reviews with ease. 

Be a Champion for New Writers and Literature

Remember to uplift new writers and pieces of literature. If you want to suggest improvements, do so kindly and constructively. There’s no need to be mean about anyone’s books – we’re all in this literary adventure together!

Criticize with Clarity, Not Cruelty

When adding criticism to your review, be clear but not mean. Remember, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and cruelty. Tread lightly and keep your reader’s feelings in mind.

Avoid the Comparison Trap

Resist the urge to compare one writer’s book with another. Every book holds its worth, and comparing them will only confuse your reader. Stick to discussing the book at hand, and let it shine in its own light.

Top 7 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing a book review can be a delightful and rewarding experience, especially when you balance analysis, wit, and personal insights. However, some common mistakes can kill the brilliance of your review. 

In this section of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the top 7 blunders writers commit and how to steer clear of them, with a dash of  modernist literature  examples and tips for students writing book reviews as assignments.

Succumbing to the Lure of Plot Summaries

Mistake: Diving headfirst into a plot summary instead of dissecting the book’s themes, characters, and writing style.

Example: “The Bell Jar chronicles the life of a young woman who experiences a mental breakdown.”

How to Avoid: Delve into the book’s deeper aspects, such as its portrayal of mental health, societal expectations, and the author’s distinctive narrative voice. Offer thoughtful insights and reflections, making your review a treasure trove of analysis.

Unleashing the Spoiler Kraken

Mistake: Spilling major plot twists or the ending without providing a spoiler warning, effectively ruining the reading experience for potential readers.

Example: “In Metamorphosis, the protagonist’s transformation into a monstrous insect leads to…”

How to Avoid: Tread carefully when discussing significant plot developments, and consider using spoiler warnings. Focus on the impact of these plot points on the overall narrative, character growth, or thematic resonance.

Riding the Personal Bias Express

Mistake: Allowing personal bias to hijack the review without providing sufficient evidence or reasoning to support opinions.

Example: “I detest books about existential crises, so The Sun Also Rises was a snoozefest.”

How to Avoid: While personal opinions are valid, it’s crucial to back them up with specific examples from the book. Discuss aspects like writing style, character development, or pacing to support your evaluation and provide a more balanced perspective.

Wielding the Vague Language Saber

Mistake: Resorting to generic, vague language that fails to capture the nuances of the book and can come across as clichéd.

Example: “This book was mind-blowing. It’s a must-read for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Use precise and descriptive language to express your thoughts. Employ specific examples and quotations to highlight memorable scenes, the author’s unique writing style, or the impact of the book’s themes on readers.

Ignoring the Contextualization Compass

Mistake: Neglecting to provide context about the author, genre, or cultural relevance of the book, leaving readers without a proper frame of reference.

Example: “This book is dull and unoriginal.”

How to Avoid: Offer readers a broader understanding by discussing the author’s background, the genre conventions the book adheres to or subverts, and any societal or historical contexts that inform the narrative. This helps readers appreciate the book’s uniqueness and relevance.

Overindulging in Personal Preferences

Mistake: Letting personal preferences overshadow an objective assessment of the book’s merits.

Example: “I don’t like stream-of-consciousness writing, so this book is automatically bad.”

How to Avoid: Acknowledge personal preferences but strive to evaluate the book objectively. Focus on the book’s strengths and weaknesses, considering how well it achieves its goals within its genre or intended audience.

Forgetting the Target Audience Telescope

Mistake: Failing to mention the book’s target audience or who might enjoy it, leading to confusion for potential readers.

Example: “This book is great for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Contemplate the book’s intended audience, genre, and themes. Mention who might particularly enjoy the book based on these factors, whether it’s fans of a specific genre, readers interested in character-driven stories, or those seeking thought-provoking narratives.

By dodging these common pitfalls, writers can craft insightful, balanced, and engaging book reviews that help readers make informed decisions about their reading choices.

These tips are particularly beneficial for students writing book reviews as assignments, as they ensure a well-rounded and thoughtful analysis.!

Many students requested us to cover how to write a book review. This thorough guide is sure to help you. At Paperperk, professionals are dedicated to helping students find their balance. We understand the importance of good grades, so we offer the finest writing service , ensuring students stay ahead of the curve. So seek expert help because only Paperperk is your perfect solution!

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How To Write A Book Review: 6 Steps To Take

Adiba Jaigirdar

Adiba Jaigirdar is an Irish-Bangladeshi writer, poet, and teacher. She resides in Dublin, Ireland and has an MA in postcolonial studies. She is currently working on her own postcolonial novel and hopes that someday it will see the light of day outside of her computer screen. Twitter:  @adiba_j

View All posts by Adiba Jaigirdar

Whether you’re a student, a novice blogger, or just someone looking to become a more active user of Goodreads, writing a book review is an important skill to have! Here are six steps for how to write a book review for school and beyond. 

1. Begin with a brief summary of the book

This is probably the best way to introduce any review because it gives context. But make sure to not go into too much detail. Keep it short and sweet since an official summary can be found through a quick google search!

2. Pick out the most important aspects of the book

I usually break this down with character, world-building, themes, and plot. But this might vary between books, genres, and your tastes!

Dedicate a paragraph to each of these important aspects, discussing how well the author dealt with it, along with what you enjoyed and what you didn’t enjoy.

3. Include brief quotes as examples

Including quotes is always a great idea, because it gives examples for everything that you’re saying! If your review talks about a character being particularly witty, a witty line from the character lets your readers see exactly what kind of witty character you’re dealing with here.

But be careful: lengthy quotes can take up big chunks of space and overpower your review. Short quotes will usually get your points across while letting your work shine through.

4. Write a conclusion that summarises everything

Like your introduction, keep your conclusion short and sweet! It should bring up the main points of your review, along with your overall opinion of the book.

5. Find similar books

A great way to wrap up a review is to find similar books to the one you’re reviewing. So you can say, “if you were a fan of X book, I think you’ll definitely like this one!”

You can also be more specific, looking at the exact things that might make two books similar. So you can suggest something like…“if you liked that the main character in X book was a kick-ass superhero, then you’ll love the main character of this book!”

6. Give it a star rating

A star rating is obviously encouraged in a lot of review sites, but they’re not necessary! If you do want to give a star rating, you can go the conventional “out of five/ten” route. You could also try something slightly less conventional, and break down your star-rating into different categories for character/plot/world-building, etc.

Now go forth and review! And share any tips you have for how to write a book review in the comments.

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Books, study tips, new features, and more—from your favorite literature experts.

• How To Series

How to Write a Book Review in 7 Steps

Book reviews are a great way to connect with fellow bibliophiles. A well-written review can help you discover new books, find bookish communities, and spark cultural conversations. When writing a book review, you want to share what you felt about a particular work—why you liked or disliked it—without spoiling it for future readers. Ultimately, the goal of writing a book review is to help readers decide whether to read the book themselves.

Let’s take a look at seven steps to help you write a reliable book review.

1. Read the Book

How can you write a review of a book you’ve never read? Alternatively, why would someone want to read a review by someone who has never read the book? The first and arguably most important first step to writing a book review is to read the entire book. Be attentive to your reading experience and note what captured or lost your attention.

2. Take Notes

Once you’ve finished reading the book, go back and take brief, purposeful notes. What are the major events of the book and what were their effects on you as a reader?

Here are some guidelines that can help lay the foundation for your review:

• Explain how the book as a whole affected you.
• Explain how the author evokes an emotional response.
• Explain the relationship between form and content.
• Explain the function of each character in the novel.
• Explain the characters’ relationships to one another.

3. Summarize the Book

All book reviews should include some kind of summary. You’ll want to inform readers of what the book is about without giving too much away. To accomplish this, here are some things to include in your summary:

• How is it categorized by the publisher?
• How is the book structured?
• Who is the target audience?

4. Form an Opinion

Your opinion is the crux of your book review. Be specific! Don’t just say if the book was good or bad, but explain why . Support your opinion with specific examples from the text and move from passing judgement to a thorough explanation.

5. Contextualize the Book

You can often obtain this information from looking at the book’s cover and introduction. Otherwise, you may need to do a little research. Spend some time relating this book to similar works by the author or from the same genre to further your explanation and judgement of it.

Some important questions to consider include:

• What genre does the book fall into?
• Is it the first of its kind or an imitation?
• Is this the author’s first book or fifteenth?

6. Avoid Spoilers

Please, for the love of literature, don’t ruin the book for others. A good book review does not give away the book’s plot twists or endings but piques the interest of future readers. If you absolutely have to give something away about the book, at least mark your review with a fair warning.

7. Review Your Review!

Hooray! You’ve finished writing your review. Now’s the time to step back and revisit your work. You may have to edit your review to add or remove details. Here are some questions to ask during your revisions:

• Did you explain every major aspect of the book?
• What was your target audience?
• Did you write this for a class with specific criteria—or for a fan magazine whose audience already knows this type of book well?
• Did you make a clear claim about your opinion of the book? Do you support your claim with evidence?

For a more in-depth review on how to write a book review, visit eNotes’ How To Series .

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How to Write a Book Review in 10 Easy Steps.

• By Moushumi Ghosh
• June 5, 2020

It doesn’t matter who you are—a blogger, a student or a corporate employee—having the skills to review a book is a valuable one. If you read books, learning how to write a review is essential. Today, with the mushrooming of book websites, anyone can write a book review and post it. But not many people know how to write a book review.

Let’s begin at the beginning. You already know what a book review is. Just to recap, book reviews are articles or write-ups that give a brief overview of a book along with the book reviewer’s impressions of the same. Sometimes they are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars where 1 is the lowest and 5 the highest.

They appear on newspapers, magazines, blogs and book reading websites. Usually the book under review is a new one that has hit the market. But there are also book reviews of classics and other older books. The book review could be a few lines to a few thousand words long. It depends on the space available in the newspaper, website, blog and book reading websites.

You might as well ask—who reviews books? Well, since the internet exploded, almost anyone can review a book. Before that and even now, there are paid book reviewers who write for one or many publications. Some book reviewers have become so famous that their word can make or break the sales of a book.

Michiko Kakutani, former chief book critic for the New York Times is one of them. Not all of us can aim that high as a book reviewer. However, you can certainly learn to write a decent book review. And perhaps even earn some money on the way. Let’s find out how to do that.

The Importance of Book Reviews

Book reviews are the best way to promote the book for both publishers and authors. They spread the word about the book. Book reviewers are also readers in a sense so book reviews let other readers know about a book. Many people don’t buy books unless they have read a few honest book reviews .

If you are a writer or have a profession that has something to do with books, you will already know why book reviews are important. If you are a reader, you know that by reading book reviews, you decide if the book under review is a book you’d like to invest your time and money in.

Book reviews are so important that there is an underground practice of paid reviews on a leading e-commerce website. This is certainly extremely unfair and should not be tolerated.

So now that you know a bit about what book reviews are, let’s dive into how to write them.

1. Choose a Book

Unless you have been commissioned to write a book review, you will have to find a book first to review. Usually book reviewers either love a book or hate a book so much that they are moved to review it. If you want to choose a book solely for the purpose of reviewing, then any book will do. You can write a book review of a book on any subject under the sun.

If you have been commissioned to write a book review, you’d still need to know which genre it fits in. A nodding acquaintance with genres will help you at this point. This is because in order to review a book, you’ll need to know which genre it belongs to. The book cover also gives you a clue about the genre. Sometimes, publishers mention the genre near the barcode of the book on the back cover. Look closely for it.

Broadly there are two types of books— fiction and non-fiction . There are several genres in each types.

The following genres come under fiction.

• Action and adventure
• Comic and graphic novel
• Crime and detective
• Fan-fiction
• Historical fiction
• Magical Realism
• Realistic fiction
• Science fiction (Sci-fi)
• Short story
• Suspense/thriller

The following genres come under non-fiction:

• Biography/autobiography
• Creative nonfiction
• Narrative nonfiction
• Periodicals

Note : poetry can come under fiction and non-fiction as well.

2. Read the Book

This might seem like an obvious next step but you’d be surprised to know how many people falter here. Having an opinion is easy: everyone seems to have one. But reading a book whether you like it or not till the end without skipping any pages, isn’t. After you have chosen a book or have been given one as a commission, you need to read it thoroughly. There will be bits that will not be your liking (take note of this) or some that are outright boring (make note again) as well as bits that you will love (make note of this too), but it has to be read completely. That is the commitment that you as a book reviewer makes when you pick up a book to review. To be an honest book reviewer, you need to read the whole book.

Remember that someone somewhere will read your book review and will buy the book and perhaps that might change that reader’s life.

3. Make Notes

While you are reading the book, you’ll need to make notes. These notes will help you when you start writing the book review.

You have several ways to do that. You could keep a notebook alongside and note down the page number, its corresponding lines (if any) and your comment about the same. Some people write on the margins of the books as well. If the book is not your own copy, you should avoid writing on it. Besides, how much can be fit into the margins anyway? Some others use post-it notes. Some even use online notetaking apps. As you begin to review books regularly, you will discover your favourite method of notetaking and will stick to it.

Now, you might ask—what should go into the notes? Lines that resonate with you, any quotations that appeal universally and ideas that you think stand out. In addition, if you have any particular theories in your head, you can note them down for the book review later.

4. Follow the Format

A complete book review does the following:

• Lists the strengths and weaknesses of the book.
• Observes what the author intended to do and if he/she was able to do it.
• Fits into 50 to 1500 words.

After you have finished reading the book and collected all your notes, now you can start writing the book review. Do keep in mind the format of a book review.

• Book details
• Your analysis/opinion
• Your recommendation

These sections don’t have to fall into neat paragraphs. You can take as many paragraphs as you want per point.

Before you start writing, you need to make notes of the book details: title, author, place, publisher, publication date, edition, pages and price.

5. Start with a Brief Summary

You are on your way to writing your book review now. Start with a brief summary. No matter the genre try not to give out too many details. Your review should make people want to read the book not come away with feeling that they don’t need to read it! So try not to give out any plot spoilers. This is especially true for fiction genres. If however you cannot help it, add a ‘Spoiler Alert’ note to the book review.

6. Frame Your Opinion

Now you are more than halfway into writing the book review. If you are sure you won’t be influenced by other reviewers, you can go ahead and read some other reviews of the book that you are reviewing. But if you think that will influence you, please avoid them.

If you are reviewing a book in a fictional genre, you’ll need to comment on the title, story, plot, character, action, tone, pace and genre. Some books break the rules of genre so be alert to that as well. This could be an interesting facet to talk about in the review. For example, Junot Diaz’s short story collection Drown relies on his own life heavily making it almost a semi-autographical collection of short stories where the narrator Yunior is the author’s fictional alter-ego.

If you are reviewing a book from a non-fiction genre, you’ll need to comment on the title, subject, the author’s qualification to tackle that subject, how well the author covers the subject, the tone, the pace and any omissions.

Certainly this is the time to add all those notes that you have meticulously made. Round up the review by mentioning the parts of the book that worked for you. Any criticisms of the book can be pointed out too as diplomatically as possible.

A few points to keep in mind:

• Avoid being intimidated by famous authors or their earlier works.
• Try not to review books of people you love or hate.
• Find a genre you love and become an expert in it.

7. Include Quotes

Do include quotes because they are illustrations of all the points that are you are making. For example, you might say that the book showed a character as being quick-witted. Then if you can add a quote from the book that illustrates this, it makes your review stronger.

Avoid adding chunks of text as an example since they can slow the pace of the review and might overwhelm the reader. KISS—keeping it short and simple—always works!

8. Refer to Other Books

To add weight to your review, you can refer to other books either in the same genre, connected to the same subject, or written by the same author in the body of your book review. There many ways of making connections. So feel free to link ideas across diverse books. This will show that you are knowledgeable and well read.

It’s better to refer to books that fall within your reading orbit rather than reading up summaries on the internet and making superficial connections based on them. Once the review is in print or posted online, you don’t want to be called out for it.

If you are writing your first book review, don’t worry. Everyone starts somewhere. You can always build up a repertoire of read books as you go along. The more authentic you are, the better your book review will be.

As you come to the end of your book review, you’d want to recommend to the reader if the book is worth their time. This recommendation works very well when you connect it to similar books. You might have come across lines like ‘If you liked The Game of Thrones books, you will like this book as well.’ which are nothing but a recommendation connected to a similar book.

9. Rate the Book

Now that you have almost come to the end of the book review, you might have to decide on a rating for the book. This is not a compulsory feature but a nice-to-have one.

If there is a rating system already in place, go ahead and follow it. Usually all established newspapers and websites have a system in place.

If however are blogging or have the freedom to make your own rating system, feel free inject a bit of humour. It gives the reader something to smile about as he/she reads your book review. You might even become something of a trendsetter as a result. Here’s an example:

* * * * * Outstanding

* * * *    Standing

* * *      Leaning

* *         Falling

*            Sleeping  

While rating the book, think of the book’s merits and drawbacks. Do not let personal feelings for the author or the publisher colour your opinion. Even though the book review is a subject piece of writing, try to be as objective as you can. Your reputation as book review will be enhanced by it.

10. Write a Conclusion

Give yourself a pat on the back if you have come to this part of the book review. Your hard work is soon going to pay off.

Summarise all the points you have covered in the conclusion and rephrase them in a short and sweet manner. Restate your overall opinion once before wrapping up the review.

So now you have learnt how to write a book review. All you need to do is find that book and start reading. Good luck and happy reviewing!

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How to Write a Book Review (The Definitive Guide)

You should know how to write a book review, whether you want to help a writer friend with his or her book sales or just want to provide your two cents on a specific book.

A book review is a subtle yet effective way to show your reaction to a book, and it holds a great deal of weight with readers.

Let’s delve into book reviews and how to write them properly.

What is a book review?

A book review is a written assessment of a specific book. The book review is often well-regarded by book aficionados because they look for affirmation from a well-known source.

As a rule, if you are going to write a book review, you should make sure that you write the book review as effectively as possible.

Here is a step-by-step guide to on how to write a book review:

1. Read the book thoroughly

When you receive a copy of the book, the first thing you should do is read it thoroughly. Don't rush into writing a book review. You must be as thorough as possible and be familiar with the most subtle aspects of the book.

Keep in mind that the author is counting on you to write an objective and well-written review of his or her book. If you rush through the book review, you will be doing the author a grave injustice.

2. Choose a rating system

You should make sure to set up a rating system for your book review. By having a rating system, you will be able to convey whether a book is worth reading or not.

The rating system could be practically anything. It could be a five-star system, or any other rating system. What’s important is that your rating system is easy to understand.

3. Know what to include in your book review

While you are reading the book, you should already have a format for your book review. The review should have a set blueprint. As you write the book review, you should include an introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion.

Here is a short description of the book review parts:

Introduction

The introduction should describe the book's title and cover. It should also take note of any subtitles and the name of the author.

This part of the book review should have a quick description of the book’s contents and show the key points of the book. It is best to avoid making any opinions during this part.

Quote at least three parts from the book, and give your own take on them. You should make sure to separate each opinion into a specific paragraph.

The conclusion should include a summary of all the key points from the main body. This should also contain your rating and an overall opinion of the book. You should also explain why you have this specific opinion about the book.

4. Fairness is key

Once you finish reading the book and have written down all the key concepts in it, it is now time to write the book review. As you write your book review, it is important that you have one thing in mind. Fairness is of the utmost importance. Whether you like or don’t like the author, it is very important that you have an unbiased approach to reviewing their book.

5. Take your time with writing the book review

As you are writing the book review, you may be tempted to just write a generic review. What’s so important about honesty or detail, right? This is a very bad way of looking at book reviews.

Remember that readers will use your book review to gauge whether to buy the book. If your book review is half-hearted or rushed, they will not really heed your critique.

If you want readers to follow your book recommendation, you should write a well-written book review. Take the time to double check every aspect of the book review.

Make sure that your grammar, spelling, and word usage are all on point. Remember that readers will base their decision to buy a book on your expertise and experience as a writer.

However, if the book review itself does not make sense or has a lot of spelling and grammatical errors, then the readers may think twice about heeding your recommendations. If you don’t want to get embarrassed, you should make sure to double check every aspect of your book review.

Book reviews are a big part of the book publishing industry. A majority of book lovers often use book reviews to gauge whether they should read a specific book or not. 

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How to Write a Book Review: Awesome Guide

A book review allows students to illustrate the author's intentions of writing the piece, as well as create a criticism of the book — as a whole. In other words, form an opinion of the author's presented ideas. Check out this guide from EssayPro — book review writing service to learn how to write a book review successfully.

What Is a Book Review?

You may prosper, “what is a book review?”. Book reviews are commonly assigned students to allow them to show a clear understanding of the novel. And to check if the students have actually read the book. The essay format is highly important for your consideration, take a look at the book review format below.

Book reviews are assigned to allow students to present their own opinion regarding the author’s ideas included in the book or passage. They are a form of literary criticism that analyzes the author’s ideas, writing techniques, and quality. A book analysis is entirely opinion-based, in relevance to the book. They are good practice for those who wish to become editors, due to the fact, editing requires a lot of criticism.

Book Review Template

The book review format includes an introduction, body, and conclusion.

• Introduction
• Describe the book cover and title.
• Include any subtitles at this stage.
• Include the Author’s Name.
• Write a brief description of the novel.
• Briefly introduce the main points of the body in your book review.
• Avoid mentioning any opinions at this time.
• Use about 3 quotations from the author’s novel.
• Summarize the quotations in your own words.
• Mention your own point-of-view of the quotation.
• Remember to keep every point included in its own paragraph.
• In brief, summarize the quotations.
• In brief, summarize the explanations.
• Finish with a concluding sentence.
• This can include your final opinion of the book.
• Star-Rating (Optional).

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How to Write a Book Review: Step-By-Step

Writing a book review is something that can be done with every novel. Book reviews can apply to all novels, no matter the genre. Some genres may be harder than others. On the other hand, the book review format remains the same. Take a look at these step-by-step instructions from our professional writers to learn how to write a book review in-depth.

Step 1: Planning

Create an essay outline which includes all of the main points you wish to summarise in your book analysis. Include information about the characters, details of the plot, and some other important parts of your chosen novel. Reserve a body paragraph for each point you wish to talk about.

Consider these points before writing:

• What is the plot of the book? Understanding the plot enables you to write an effective review.
• Is the plot gripping? Does the plot make you want to continue reading the novel? Did you enjoy the plot? Does it manage to grab a reader’s attention?
• Are the writing techniques used by the author effective? Does the writer imply factors in-between the lines? What are they?
• Are the characters believable? Are the characters logical? Does the book make the characters are real while reading?
• Would you recommend the book to anyone? The most important thing: would you tell others to read this book? Is it good enough? Is it bad?
• What could be better? Keep in mind the quotes that could have been presented better. Criticize the writer.

Step 2: Introduction

Presumably, you have chosen your book. To begin, mention the book title and author’s name. Talk about the cover of the book. Write a thesis statement regarding the fictitious story or non-fictional novel. Which briefly describes the quoted material in the book review.

Step 3: Body

Choose a specific chapter or scenario to summarise. Include about 3 quotes in the body. Create summaries of each quote in your own words. It is also encouraged to include your own point-of-view and the way you interpret the quote. It is highly important to have one quote per paragraph.

Step 4: Conclusion

Write a summary of the summarised quotations and explanations, included in the body paragraphs. After doing so, finish book analysis with a concluding sentence to show the bigger picture of the book. Think to yourself, “Is it worth reading?”, and answer the question in black and white. However, write in-between the lines. Avoid stating “I like/dislike this book.”

Step 5: Rate the Book (Optional)

After writing a book review, you may want to include a rating. Including a star-rating provides further insight into the quality of the book, to your readers. Book reviews with star-ratings can be more effective, compared to those which don’t. Though, this is entirely optional.

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Dive into literary analysis with EssayPro . Our experts can help you craft insightful book reviews that delve deep into the themes, characters, and narratives of your chosen books. Enhance your understanding and appreciation of literature with us.

Writing Tips

Here is the list of tips for the book review:

• A long introduction can certainly lower one’s grade: keep the beginning short. Readers don’t like to read the long introduction for any essay style.
• It is advisable to write book reviews about fiction: it is not a must. Though, reviewing fiction can be far more effective than writing about a piece of nonfiction
• Avoid Comparing: avoid comparing your chosen novel with other books you have previously read. Doing so can be confusing for the reader.
• Opinion Matters: including your own point-of-view is something that is often encouraged when writing book reviews.
• Refer to Templates: a book review template can help a student get a clearer understanding of the required writing style.
• Don’t be Afraid to Criticize: usually, your own opinion isn’t required for academic papers below Ph.D. level. On the other hand, for book reviews, there’s an exception.
• Use Positivity: include a fair amount of positive comments and criticism.
• Review The Chosen Novel: avoid making things up. Review only what is presented in the chosen book.
• Enjoyed the book? If you loved reading the book, state it. Doing so makes your book analysis more personalized.

Writing a book review is something worth thinking about. Professors commonly assign this form of an assignment to students to enable them to express a grasp of a novel. Following the book review format is highly useful for beginners, as well as reading step-by-step instructions. Writing tips is also useful for people who are new to this essay type. If you need a book review or essay, ask our book report writing services ' write paper for me ' and we'll give you a hand asap!

We also recommend that everyone read the article about essay topics . It will help broaden your horizons in writing a book review as well as other papers.

Book Review Examples

Referring to a book review example is highly useful to those who wish to get a clearer understanding of how to review a book. Take a look at our examples written by our professional writers. Click on the button to open the book review examples and feel free to use them as a reference.

Book review

Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’

Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’ is a novel aimed at youngsters. The plot, itself, is not American humor, but that of Great Britain. In terms of sarcasm, and British-related jokes. The novel illustrates a fair mix of the relationships between the human-like animals, and wildlife. The narrative acts as an important milestone in post-Victorian children’s literature.

Book Review

Dr. John’s ‘Pollution’

Dr. John’s ‘Pollution’ consists of 3 major parts. The first part is all about the polluted ocean. The second being about the pollution of the sky. The third part is an in-depth study of how humans can resolve these issues. The book is a piece of non-fiction that focuses on modern-day pollution ordeals faced by both animals and humans on Planet Earth. It also focuses on climate change, being the result of the global pollution ordeal.

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How To Write a Book Review (In 11 Steps)

While reading is an activity many of us fell in love with years ago, writing book reviews is seen by some as a rather dreadful assignment. Learning how to write a book review is an important part of our education and plays an important role in our development even from a young age.

Writing a book review is a complex activity that actually starts while reading the book we are about to review. But, let’s clarify a couple of things first.

What Is a Book Review?

A book review is defined as a form of literary criticism and represents a critical analysis, a thorough description of a book, and an evaluation of its content, quality, meaning, and significance. 

Its optimal length varies from 500 to 2000 words depending on the complexity of the book that is being analyzed and the reviewer’s personal opinion is an essential part of this type of writing.

How to Write a Good Book Review?

Knowing how to write a book review that is actually good is not something many can achieve. There’s a reason why there are so much fewer literary critics than actual writers. 

The main reason for that is that one of the most important parts of knowing how to do a book review the right way is actually the reviewer’s opinion rather than the writing technique from the review. Of course, we are all entitled to our opinion and in order to  efficiently put our thoughts in writing, we need to follow certain guidelines and respect a certain format for writing a book review.

Once you’ve finished reading the book (taking into account everything we mentioned above), it’s time to start writing. Here’s our roadmap to a successful book review.

1. Summarize the Book in a Couple of Sentences

Clearly one of the more important parts of writing a book review is a short summary of the action. Always start with a quick description of the book, adding what it is about, what period the action is taking place in, and who the main characters are.

Try to condensate the most relevant aspects of the book in a couple of short, easy-to-read sentences. You should avoid giving away too much information, so make sure you don’t give spoilers or reveal any key plot twists. Use this opportunity in all your book reviews to simply summarize the book as you would shortly tell a friend what the book is about.

Since your personal opinion matters, as opposed to the way a book report should be done, you can also mention from the start if you are going to use a rating system and what star rating you would give the book.

2. Include Information About the Author

As a book reviewer, you should never fail to mention a couple of important details about the author, preferably at the beginning of your review. This doesn’t only include information about the writer and his work, but also how the book is related to other titles in the author’s portfolio, what was happening in the writer’s life as he was writing the book, and other interesting details.

Perhaps you could expand on what you think the author’s purpose was. Share your thoughts about the way the writer manages to fit his book into a particular genre and whether it does that particular genre any justice.

3. Mention the Main Theme

One of the main steps to writing a book review consists of simply mentioning the main theme of the book in question. You should always pinpoint the theme, explain how it is represented by the author, and what its role is to the final outcome of the story. This is a great opportunity to also explore the way the theme fits into the genre the book is a part of. 

4. Describe the Characters

Characters are a big part of the story. Some stories are simply built around certain characters who become more important in the reader’s eye than anything else. As a book reviewer, you will need to pay extra attention to them whenever you write about a book.

Write a little about their personalities, how they influence the outcome of the story and other particularities that make them stand out. Your readers will be interested in finding out whether they will love or hate certain characters. 

5. Write About the Plot

Learning how to write book reviews means also learning how to present the plot of a book in a way that is comprehensive and attractive to your readers. You will need to be able to describe the story in just a couple of sentences and to find a way to condensate the essence of the plot in a way that captures its beauty and charm.

Share your opinions about the plot. Does the book keep you on the edge of your seat? Is the story laid back and more focused on details or descriptions than it is on the action? Did you enjoy the plot twists (or lack of twists)? Remember to never give spoilers. 

6. Discuss the Writing Style

Another important job for any book reviewer that is worth his salt is to closely analyze and present the writing style the readers will find in the book in question. Are there any motifs that stand out? Is the author famous for a particular writing style?

On top of some technicalities, you should also mention how the writing style influences the reading experience and how it fits with the overall quality of the book. Is it an easy read? Should other readers have a dictionary nearby? Depending on the rating system you decide to use, you can also mention what star rating you would give the writing style. 

7. Add Quotes 

Throughout the review, don’t hesitate to use quotes from the book whenever you feel like they would support your ideas.

Whether you focus on writing techniques, the light different characters are being put in or other details about how the book was written, quotes play an important role in making your work more credible.

Use the quotes you saved with Basmo and sprinkle them throughout your book review wherever you feel they would bring value to your content.

8. Mention What Made You Love the Book

As I mentioned before, your opinion is extremely important in a book review, as opposed to a book report. Make sure to include any positive aspects you found while reading the book.

All your likes should appear in your review. Don’t hesitate to give praise where praise is due, whether you liked the way a character was built through the book, the action, the twists, or simply the general theme of the novel.

9. Your Dislikes Matter Too

Equally important are your dislikes. The process of learning how to review a book also consists of you becoming more opinionated about what you read. 

Don’t be afraid to point out what you didn’t enjoy and bring arguments for your opinions. Mention what you think could have improved the book or the story, mention things that could have changed your overview, and be as honest and critical as you see fit.

10. Make Comparisons

Whenever you’re writing a book review, it’s a good idea to bring up other titles that have something in common with the one you’re reviewing and make a comparison. 

Whether it’s other books written by the same author or novels from the same genre or the same period in history, if you’ve read them, it’s a good idea to bring that up. Compare the different styles and stories, and mention which one you liked best or what you found interesting about the connections between these titles.

11. Summarize Your Thoughts and Rate the Book

In the end, you need to conclude your review with your final thoughts about the novel. Write about the general feeling you were left with after finishing it, what the main theme was, how it was presented overall, whether you would read it again or not, and whether you would advise others to read it as well. 

You also have the option to give the book a star rating. Whether you choose to go with the 5 stars rating system, grade it from 1 to 10, or not grade it at all, it is up to you.

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How to Read a Book You’re About to Review

As I mentioned before, the work on a review doesn’t start as soon as you put pen to paper to start writing it. This process starts as soon as you open the book you want to review. You need to actively read the book , not just leaf through it. Here are a couple of things you should do while reading a book you want to write a review about.

1. Pay Attention to Everything While Reading

Yes, you read that right. You should pay attention to literally everything while reading if you want your review to be a top-quality product.

The main characters, the story, the writing style and general tone of the book, how the author builds up tension before key moments in the action timeline, the lessons that are to be learned from the book, and the main ideas and themes are all relevant for your review. 

It may sound a bit overwhelming, but don’t worry. You will see below that this is all quite manageable if you take our advice and take the process seriously from the start.

2. Take Notes While Reading

Remembering all the details from a book, as I mentioned above, is probably impossible for most of us, unless we take notes. 

Taking notes while reading a book we’re about to review is essential. Write down everything you consider to be important, from character names, to plot twists and other details, as they reveal themselves in the book.If you don’t want the process of note-taking to be messy and disorganized, using a reading tracking app could be the right move for you. They are tiny little wizards installed on your phone or tablet, and they can take your reading experience to new highs.

Basmo for example allows users to take notes while reading, without even having to close the ongoing reading session.

Moreover, the notes can be formatted in quite a lot of different ways, which means that by using different fonts and styles, colors, and font sizes, you can keep your notes tidy, organized, and easy to read.

3. Write Your Thoughts After Each Reading Session

On top of taking notes while reading, it is also important to write down your thoughts or conclusions after each reading session. While the notes you take while reading have their role in helping you remember important details from what you read , the notes you take at the end of a reading session are equally important, but for different reasons.

The notes you take after certain sections of a book or after each reading session are an opportunity for you to explore the big picture, rather than the small details that make up the story.  Draw your conclusions after each reading session, summarize what you read, how it made you feel, and what you think might happen next. Remember, a book review is different from a book report , which means that your personal opinion matters a lot. Whenever you jot down your thoughts, you should also consider how those thoughts will impact the final star rating you will give the book.

4. Save Quotes

Adding quotes in a review is always a great idea. They give your text more credibility, they are great ways of emphasizing your opinions about a book and they give your review’s readers a taste of the book they are reading about.

Quotes can be anything from a wise idea expressed by the author, a line from one of the main character’s dialogues, a nice description the writer makes, or simply a sentence that is integral to the way the story develops. 

The way you integrate quotes in your book review is up to you and is a matter of personal choice. What’s important to remember is that reading apps can make the process of saving and even collecting quotes a lot easier.

Basmo even goes the extra mile to make this process smoother and more efficient.

Not only can you write your quotes manually while reading, but it gives you the option to also scan pages from a book, convert the images into text, and select the sentences or paragraphs you want to save.

Moreover, you can choose different fonts and colors and even turn your favorite quotes into images that can be easily shared on social media platforms.

Final Thoughts About Learning How to Write a Book Review

While becoming proficient in review writing is clearly a long journey that takes a lot of effort, determination, and practice, the important thing to remember is that if you’re disciplined, organized, and take advantage of the tools you have at your disposal, this goal is definitely achievable. 

Never hesitate to use a reading app to make things easier for yourself. As mentioned above, Basmo comes packed with features designed to help you achieve any goals you might have when it comes to reading, including the right tools to aid you in writing book reviews like a pro.

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Book Review Writing

How to Write a Book Review - A Step By Step Guide

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Book Review Examples to Help You Get Started

A Complete Book Review Format Guide For Students

Ever stare at a blank page, wondering how to spill your thoughts about a book onto it? You're not alone!

Crafting a compelling book review can be as daunting as facing a dragon in a fantasy novel. The struggle is real. How do you structure your thoughts? And most importantly, how do you make it enjoyable, both for you and your readers?

Fear not, because we've got you covered.

In this guide, we'll take you step by step through the process. We'll share some useful tips and show you real examples. From organizing your review to nailing the writing part, we've got everything covered. 

So let's dive in!

• 1. What is a Book Review?
• 2. How to Write a Book Review?
• 3. Book Review Format
• 4. Book Review Template
• 5. Book Review Examples
• 6. Book Review Sample Topics
• 7. Tips to Write a Book Review Effectively

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a literary work that provides a reader's perspective on its strengths and weaknesses. It goes beyond summarizing the plot, diving into aspects like character development, writing style, and thematic elements. 

Through insightful analysis, a book review offers potential readers a nuanced understanding, guiding them in making informed choices. It serves as a valuable tool for both readers and authors, offering constructive feedback for continuous improvement.

How to Write a Book Review?

Let's break down the steps of writing a book review:

Step 1: Read the Book Thoroughly

Read the book attentively, taking note of major plot points, character developments, and any recurring themes. Ensure a clear understanding of the author's narrative choices.

Example: 

Step 2: Understand the Author's Intent

Research the author's background, previous works, and writing style. Consider the book's genre and its place in the author's overall body of work to understand their intent.

Step 3: Identify the Target Audience

Determine the ideal reader for the book. Assess how well the author caters to this audience and whether the content is appropriate for the intended readership.

Step 4: Compose an Engaging Introduction

Start with a captivating hook, such as an interesting fact or a thought-provoking question. Provide essential information about the book, including the title, author, and genre.

Step 5: Summarize the Plot Concisely

Provide a brief overview of the plot without revealing spoilers. Focus on the key events that drive the narrative forward.

Step 6: Evaluate Character Development

Discuss the characters' depth and growth throughout the story. Analyze their relevance to the overall plot and note any notable character traits.

Step 7: Assess Writing Style and Language

Evaluate the author's writing style and language choices. Comment on how these elements contribute to or hinder the overall reading experience.

Step 8: Explore Themes and Symbolism

Identify central themes and discuss their significance in the book. Look for symbolism or motifs that enhance the overall meaning of the narrative.

Step 9: Critique the Ending 

Evaluate how well the conclusion wraps up the story. Discuss whether it is satisfying or if it leaves room for interpretation. Avoid giving away crucial plot details.

Step 10: Share Personal Insights

Express your personal reactions and emotions toward the book. Support your opinions with specific examples or passages from the text that resonated with you.

Step 11: Maintain Objectivity 

Balance criticism with praise. Provide constructive feedback without solely focusing on negative aspects. Base your arguments on evidence from the book.

Step 12: Consider the Book's Impact

Reflect on the lasting impression the book leaves. Discuss its significance in a broader literary context and consider its potential influence on readers.

Step 13: Craft a Conclusion

Summarize the key points discussed in your review. Provide a final assessment of the book and recommend it to specific audiences based on its strengths.

Step 14: Revise and Proofread 

Polish your review for clarity and coherence. Check for grammatical errors, and typos, and ensure a professional presentation. Consider seeking feedback from others for additional perspectives.

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Book Review Format

In this section, we'll explore how to write a book review format, particularly focusing on the formatting guidelines. Let's explore the essential guidelines that make up a compelling book review: 

Title Page:

• Boldly display the book title centered at the top.
• Include the author's name beneath the title.
• Mention the publication date and edition if applicable.

Page Formatting:

• Use standard letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11 inches).
• Set 1-inch margins on all sides for a clean appearance.

Text Formatting:

• Choose a legible font like Times New Roman or Arial.
• Use a 12-point font size for the main text.
• Italicize book titles and maintain consistency in formatting throughout.

Line Spacing:

• Double-space the entire review for readability.
• Single space within paragraphs for a balanced look.

If you want to learn the details of structuring and formatting a book review check out our “ book review format ” blog!

Book Review Template

Let’s take a look at a sample book review writing template: 

Note: The template provided is a general guide, and the structure can vary based on personal preferences or specific requirements. 

Book Review Examples

Examples are a great source to learn something new. That’s why below we have provided some book review examples that you can read to understand what it takes to write a great book review.

Fictional Book Review

Here is how to write a book review for a fiction book: 

Non-Fiction Book Review

Here is how to write a book review sample for a non-fictional book: 

How to Write a Book Review PDF Samples

We have collected a bunch of samples for your how to write a book review example queries. Check out and download to enhance your learning: 

Short Book Review For Students

How To Write A Book Review For School

How To Write A Book Review For College

How To Write A Book Review University

Need more examples for better understanding? Check out our book review examples blog for a range of sample book reviews.

Book Review Sample Topics

If you are looking for more book reviews, we have compiled some potential book review topics often designated for student assignments:

• "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien Discuss the epic fantasy, world-building, and themes of friendship and power.
• "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen Explore the societal norms and romantic elements in Austen's beloved novel.
• "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins Analyze the dystopian world, social commentary, and character development in this modern YA classic.
• "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton Examine the portrayal of social issues and youth identity in this coming-of-age novel.
• "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley Discuss the futuristic society, technology, and ethical dilemmas in Huxley's dystopian masterpiece.
• "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker Analyze the narrative of oppression, resilience, and empowerment in Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
• "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini Explore themes of guilt, redemption, and the impact of personal choices in this powerful novel.
• "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak Reflect on the impact of literature and the resilience of the human spirit during World War II.
• "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde Analyze the moral decadence and the consequences of aestheticism in Wilde's classic novel.
• "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan Examine the intergenerational relationships and cultural dynamics in Tan's exploration of Chinese-American experiences.

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Tips to Write a Book Review Effectively

Here are some essential tips for writing a top-notch book review: 

• Capture Emotions: Express how the book made you feel. Readers connect with genuine emotional responses.
• Highlight Unique Aspects: Bring attention to distinctive elements—be it writing style, character depth, or unusual plot twists.
• Avoid Spoilers: Maintain intrigue by avoiding detailed plot revelations. Let readers discover the story organically.
• Compare Similar Works: Draw comparisons with other books in the same genre to provide context and perspective.
• Proper Content Breakdown: Organize your review into distinct body paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect like plot, characters, and themes.
• Consider the Audience: Tailor your review to the likely readership. Evaluate the book's appeal within its target audience.
• Balance Critique: Offer constructive criticism without solely focusing on flaws. Acknowledge the book's strengths and weaknesses. Also, your thesis statement should guide the overarching tone and focus of your critique.
• Connect with Themes: Discuss underlying themes and how they resonate with broader societal or personal contexts.
• Use Vivid Language: Craft your review with descriptive language. Paint a vivid picture without giving away too much.
• Relate to the Author: Explore the author's background, writing influences, or any personal connections that enhance understanding.
• Encourage Discussion: Pose questions or points for discussion to engage readers and stimulate conversation.

Wrapping it Up!

This step-by-step guide has equipped you with the tools to craft a compelling book review. From understanding the book's essence to expressing your personal reactions, we've covered it all.  Remember, a well-crafted review is an art that combines analysis and emotion. 

If you find yourself struggling with your book review assignment or seeking professional guidance, don't hesitate to reach out. Our expert writers at MyPerfectWords.com are here to provide the best online writing service . 

Your academic success is our priority. Reach out to us today, and let's turn your book review assignment into a masterpiece!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 stages of a book review.

The 4 stages of reviewing a book are:

• Introduction the book
• Drafting an outline of its major chapters
• Highlighting the significant details of the book
• Writing a detailed evaluation

What are the parts of a book review?

The main parts of a book review are as following:

• Summary of the book
• Background details of the book
• Credits: author, publisher, etc.
• Plot and setting

What is the goal of a book review?

The purpose of the book review is to convey information about a particular book in an understandable way. It can be used as a tool by other people who want to know what your review about the book is or how it compares to their own expectations.

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How to Write a Book Review: Steps to Write a Book Review

• Introduction
• Steps to Write a Book Review
• Other Resources on Writing Reviews

Writing Book Reviews

• Step 1: Read the Entire Book Completely
• Step 2: Write the Basics
• Step 3:Fill in the Details
• Documentation

Scholar 1 asks Scholar 2, "Well, have you read so-and-so's book yet?" Scholar 2 replies, "Read it? I haven't even reviewed it yet!" While this is funny, sadly it is not uncommon to read a book review by someone who has merely skimmed a book's contents and writes without understanding what the author is really doing. Then the reviewer critiques the book because he or she thinks something is missing that they would have read if they had actually read the book.

Instead, slowly and carefully read the book, taking notes or putting sticky notes, page flags, or something similar at important spots. This will enable you to go back to what you think is most important. You cannot do this well if you only read the table of contents and the back cover and skimmed the book. You actually have to read it to review it ethically and accurately. If this is for a class, you do not want your professor to ask, "Did you really read this, because that is not what the author says?"

If you think you need help in reading and understanding an entire book, you may find Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book helpful.

1. Give the bibliographic information in the format of a book review. This usually includes the author, title, (publisher location: publisher name, year published, number of pages, ISBN, and in some cases, the retail price.

2. Identify what the book is. For a book on one topic by one person (a monograph), this is not necessary but it is relevant if the book is a revised doctoral dissertation or a collection of papers read at a conference, or other book with an editor and chapters by different people. Sometimes, a review will begin by identifying the author, e.g., "John Smith is a professor of Church history at Some Seminary," but this is not a regular feature of a review.

3. State the purpose of the book. The author generally tells you the purpose in a preface or introduction at the start of the book. Decide when to quote the book. This can be good but it should not be frequent.

4. What is the author's thesis? Unless this is a memoir, autobiography, or similar thing, the author is arguing for something. What is it? This is also usually at or near the beginning of the book or perhaps on the back of the book cover.

5. If the author provides a description of his or her method or approach, what is it? Describe it in the first paragraph of the review.

6. Look at the table of contents to get an idea of the topics to be covered. You might start with a  paragraph for each chapter, even if you make multiple paragraphs into a single paragraph later. If the book contains several essays by different authors, you might not be able to address all of them,. In that case, you might not have a paragraph for each essay but instead focus on what seems to be the most significant chapters. That is a personal judgment.

Now it is time to look at those sticky notes, page flags, or highlighting that you did to remind you of important pieces in each chapter. Assume that you followed the suggestion to have one paragraph per chapter.

1. Go to the paragraph for a chapter and write about the purposes, goal, and conclusion of the chapters. At this point, feel free to add to your review interesting or important elements from each chapter.

2. Do you see issues with the argument of the chapter? It is appropriate to note errors in logic, such as circular reasoning, special pleading, or assuming something needs to be proven. Here is a real example. An author in an article that sought to interpret Ephesians 5:5-6 asserted that these verses could not apply to a Christian because of eternal security: since the author never demonstrated the validity of the doctrine of eternal security, and it is a debated concept, the author assumed something that needed to be proved.

One technique is to ask questions, e.g., "How does the author know this?"

3. Add your overall evaluation.

4.  Add any recommendations such as who would benefit from this book.

A review is not a research paper. If you wish to refer to a specific page, such as identifying where a direct quote came from in the book, do not use a footnote. Instead, at the end of the sentence, list the page inside parentheses, e.g.,

The author says that, "The land of Canaan is subject to frequent droughts" (p.32).

The reason footnotes are not needed is that you have already given the book information at the start of the review and everyone assumes that you are continuing to talk about that book.

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How to Write a Book Review: Writing Guide, Structure & Examples

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A book review is a critical evaluation of a book that provides a brief summary and  discusses its strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of a book review is to help readers decide whether or not to read the book. You should provide insight into the book's content and assess its significance.

Writing a book review is an essential skill that every student must possess. In particular, your teacher may require you to prepare a book review to widen your knowledge of a subject matter or let you practice evaluating ideas critically. Follow this article to discover how to review a book and complete such projects easily. Even if you have never written reviews before, with our step-by-step guidelines, you will understand the basics. Book reviews examples are also offered to bolster your grasp of key points. As a book review writer , you might use our recommendations to express your opinion and make your writing shine. Let’s get started!

What Is a Book Review: Definition

A book review is a detailed assessment of text based on content, plot and writing style. It involves thoroughly describing, analyzing, and evaluating what a text means. Reviews often assess writing quality, topic importance and coverage. Most book reviews are brief and generally include 500-1000 words. However, factors such as your assignment length, manuscript complexity, and overall purpose of an evaluation may lead to longer or shorter papers. Students are mainly asked to write a book review as practice in carefully reading, examining, and forming an informed opinion on a volume’s context and author’s views. Unlike a book critique , reviews are more focused on plot summary and recommendations rather than providing critical analysis . The real value of crafting good book review essays for students is that they enhance critical thinking, writing, and interpretation skills. Commentary is a vital aspect of this task as this enables you to enter into discussion and dialogue with a novelist and other readers.

Features of Book Reviews

Formulating book reviews is an important task, as it requires appraising another person’s work. This may have a significant influence on readers because it guides their verdict on whether to consider the text. Thus, knowing how to write a good book review is essential. These components are what makes a good book review:

• Provide a summary of a manuscript. Offer an overview of its purpose, argument, and perspective. Also, describe your topic and scope. This is an excellent way to introduce your review, as it offers context. Nonetheless, avoid giving too much information by keeping it nice and short.
• Offer critical evaluation. Assess the key elements such as themes, plot, character, and overall development, depending on the genre. Identify strong points, weaknesses, and how effective an author is in building their work.
• Give a rating. Recommend whether or not people should value it for its overall quality and authenticity. You can offer your general score using conventional techniques such as “seven out of ten”.

Book Review Outline

It is a good idea to start your paper by writing an outline of a book review. A decent layout usually begins with a heading or bibliographic data specifying the full title, publication place and date, author, and publisher. The second part of the structure of a book review is an introduction, consisting of a brief overview of the text, its purpose or audience, and your thesis statement or key observation.  The next section of your book review template is the body in which you describe the analysis and assessment of the manuscript. Here, describe its contents, argument, presentation, and evidence before offering your evaluation. A conclusion section follows where you tie together all raised points and offer your comments about the work. Finally, include a citation page for what you reviewed and any other sources used.  Here is a book review outline example:

• Discuss the cover and title
• Mention the author and date of publication
• Present a thesis statement focusing on the central points
• Provide a brief plot summary
• Present your main point
• Include supporting quotations
• Discuss the quotes and symbolism
• Wrap up your key points
• Share your final opinion
• Give recommendations

Things to Consider Before Writing a Book Review

As with all other essay genres that students complete, writing a book review requires considering several components. Therefore, if you are interested in knowing how to write a book review , make sure you attend to these aspects before beginning:

• Author Within your book review essay, you must discuss who the novelist is and their previous works concerning your analysis. For example, you can identify the author’s style, prizes or rewards, and what they are popular for.
• Genre Book reviews also include a genre. Examples are history, romance, fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and science fiction, among others. This helps you recognize the work’s audience and overall purpose.
• Title In most cases, your heading corresponds to a text’s label. However, you can go further by examining how relevant a headline is to the work’s purpose. Maybe it conveys a specific message or reveals important themes.
• Main theme and ideas Your book review must highlight its central points. Evaluate how they are explored. Are they examined deeply or trivially? Besides, assess if it includes any repetitive motifs.
• Argument What is the author’s main argument or assumptions and conclusions? What evidence is used to support these claims? Also, identify if they are valid.
• Writing style Here, explore the major aspects of an author’s style, such as word choice and dialogue setup. Explain or assess how it fits into the broader literary domain.
• Plot Writing an academic book review also requires that you locate the main catalyst of the work’s contents or story. Describe any subplots and explain what happens as the action rises.
• Characters You should also recognize the main characters and their motivations. Additionally, explain if they are empathetic or convincingly drawn.
• Literary devices What techniques of analysis are used? Examples include allusions, sense appeal, quotations, imagery, metaphor, personification, characterization, dialogue, symbolism, etc.
• Quotations You can include short quotes as examples to get your points across when writing book reviews. This allows your reader to see exactly what you are talking about. Practice carefulness and avoid long quotes as they suppress your analysis and take up large spaces. Check our guide on how to cite a quote if you have questions.

Questions to Ask While Reading a Book

An initial step before starting to write your book review is engaging in the active reading of what will be evaluated. Do it once or a couple of times to understand what it is about. Composing an academic book review without going through this phase is unwise because it is like going to an exam without studying a course or unit. Ask yourself these questions as you dig into the manuscript:

• What is its genre?
• Do you know anything about who wrote it?
• Can you identify the main themes? Are they conveyed well?
• What is the main argument?
• What is the exact topic or subject?
• How are the arguments supported and structured?
• Can you identify how the events and characters relate to the subject matter?
• Does it contain a major conflict? How does this develop throughout the work?
• The author was trying to accomplish what?
• How has it helped you understand the topic? How do you feel about the text?

How to Write a Book Review Step-By-Step

Once you have answered the aforementioned questions and made assessments and observations, it is time to start writing analysis. To do this, you must be familiar with how to write a book review. Specifically, you should understand what to do, beginning from assessing the report to composing your review up to writing a conclusion. Below is a step-by-step description of how to do a book review:

1. Read a Book and Take Notes

The first phase of composing a book review involves reading it and taking notes on key points. Start by attending closely to the preface and introduction sections because most authors describe the reasons for writing, their views, and the perspectives of any contributors here. Consider the structure and table of contents to get a quick overview of what is inside. In addition, look at any graphics to gain insights into what strategies are used to enhance meanings and which kinds of readers are targeted. Go through the summaries and abstracts to understand an author’s viewpoint. Note down your observations, including the logic of what is presented, organization, and structure.

Additionally, identify if the information is new or developed based on previous works and existing ideas. Assessment should also include your view about how simple or hard it is to get a novelist’s standpoint and why. These transcripts will enable you to review a book effectively by revealing how distinctive it is and to what extent the author conveyed its motive. Learn more about how to write an academic book review in the sections below.

2. Develop an Outline of a Book Review

Writing an outline for a book review before constructing the actual piece helps ensure your work fulfills its goals. This is the basis of your entire task as it includes the major points you will address and gives you a reference point as you complete your schoolwork. A professional book review structure consists of at least five paragraphs. The main elements are the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Your academic book review template must cover all the primary arguments to be discussed, such as plot details, characters, themes, and other essential parts. Below you can see an example of how a book review can be outlined. Check best practices on how to outline an essay or review to organize your work properly. 

3. Write a Book Review Introduction

Start your book review with an anecdote or hook that conveys your argument succinctly. However, you can begin differently based on your audience and argument. Generally, you must include the author’s name, manuscript title, and primary theme. Besides, identify the work’s context in your book review introduction as this informs your claim. Also, offer relevant information about who the writer is and their stand in their field. Moreover, if you are not conversant with how to write a review of a book, remember that your thesis and that of the text are stated here.

How to Write a Book Review Introduction Example

Below is an introduction of a book review example. Examine it carefully and critically to deepen your understanding of composing this section.

John Boyne’s novel, The Boy in The Striped Pajamas, is based on real events during the Second World War. Published in 2006, it offers excellent information to teenagers who want to expand their historical knowledge. The novel follows a nine-year-old youngster, Bruno, whose father works as a Nazi soldier at the Auschwitz concentration camp. The story’s unfolding reveals what a curious boy lived during this desperate period in Germany.

4. Include a Brief Plot Summary

Next, write a book review summary to provide your audience with some background. Focus on pertinent events that occur throughout it, as this gives context. Be cautious here by not revealing the climax or ending because this does not form a major part of your analysis as you write your book review. Thus, keep this section short and brief, probably not more than two paragraphs, unless you are preparing an extended piece. Remember to prioritize your evaluation part. Your audience can also influence the necessary amount of synopsis. For example, if they have not read the work, you may need to offer a good summary. Nonetheless, if they have already gone through it, you can make a book review by examining more subtle arguments and highlighting your claim.

Example of Book Review Summary

Have a look at this example of a good book review summary:

Bruno, a nine-year-old boy, lives in a large house with his parents, sister, and maid during WW2 in Berlin. One day they all move to rural Poland occupied by Nazis after his father is promoted. Bruno identifies a concentration camp close to where they live but thinks it is a farm. A private tutor is allowed to teach him and his sister antisemitism and Nazi propaganda, but he struggles to understand lessons. He later befriends another young boy who lives on another side of a barbed wire fence.

5. Make an Assessment and Critique a Book

This is the main portion of a book review and includes your judgment and appraisal of what you read. You formulated a thesis at the beginning of the book review paper, which represents your view. Now, explain your reasoning. This is also a time for considering your notes and adding details from the manuscript, such as key themes, characters, and the author’s point of view. Here is how to write a book review essay for this segment:

• Which writing style is used? Emphasize precise usage of words and sentences, text flow, clarity, and cohesion.
• Describe how it affected you and if it changed any of your feelings or opinions.
• Explain whether the author met their purpose, if others should read the work, and why.
• Did the author describe facts or attempt to persuade the audience regarding the validity of a specific issue?
• Was it suitable for the intended readers? How interesting was it?

Book Evaluation Example

This example gives you an idea of how to write a book evaluation:

The novel is an excellent revelation for all as it describes the Holocaust events and terrors objectively. Its narration from two perspectives simultaneously was very entertaining. For example, initially, it involved a story from Bruno’s view in the course of the war, including which hardships were endured. Then, the same character was also used in telling a story from the view of being held in a Nazi camp. Here, the examination focuses on how prisoners were treated and the horrible conditions they lived in.

6. Make a Book Recommendation

After evaluating and critiquing the text, it is now time to reveal your thoughts about it. Writing a good book review requires that you identify or explain in this section how suitable it is to your audience. In other words, who will be interested in reading this work? Also, explain in your book review assignment whether you liked or disliked it and why. Ascertain which type of people would love it because not every text is right for everyone. Even if you disliked it, this does not mean that the manuscript is not appealing to others. Therefore, make your review of a book useful by helping people discover it. Besides, identify any surprises you encountered.

Book Recommendation Example

The following sample demonstrates how to write a book recommendation:

Being majorly fictional, this text contains numerous factual elements and describes a lot of ideas and themes requiring mature individuals to deduce and understand properly. Therefore, I do not recommend it to youngsters under 12 years old. However, if you want to gain better insights into the dark events of the Second World War, then this is a perfect copy for you. Its only downside is that the novel does not offer adequate details about events and themes.

7. Write a Conclusion of a Book Review

Your knowledge of how to write book reviews will be incomplete without understanding this section. In particular, you need a strong ending, just like any other writing task you have done previously. So, you have a basic idea about how to write a conclusion for a book review. Specifically, make your final appraisal without introducing new evidence. Nonetheless, you can include new thoughts that go beyond the manuscript if they extend your argument’s logic. In this part, you need to balance what you wrote and found into a single assessment. Ask yourself, what do all summaries and analyses add up to? Also, identify if additional research is required on the topic now that the text is written. Remember to highlight the work’s contribution to its field. Ensure to leave your audience with a well-justified and articulated final evaluation.

Book Review Conclusion Example

Still stuck or need a sample to jog your memory? Look at this example of a book review conclusion:

While the author’s style is plain and natural, there are some weaknesses and errors in how he develops his work. However, this does not stop the author from answering many questions and offering valuable views into the horrors of WWII for young people. His argument is vitally crucial when understanding and coming to terms with the Holocaust. No teenager in the world should go without being exposed to these disastrous events.

Book Review Format

When professors assign tasks, they often require you to comply with a specified design. You may also be left to select an appropriate layout from major styles such as Chicago, APA, or MLA. If you are not asked to use any one particular citation, keep in mind that the format of book reviews depends on your discipline. Therefore, find out how to format a book review from your school department.  Do not forget to format your citations accordingly. We advise reading more articles on how to cite a book in APA or MLA, should you need any help.

Book Review Examples

Examples of book reviews are provided below. Click on each one and explore sample templates in more detail. Please, take your time to read all samples since they highlight some key components of writing this type of work. Also, understand that a particular academic book review example is intended to help you practice your analysis skills, enhance your writing skills, and develop your knowledge of reviewing books. Example of book review essay 1

Sample book review 2

Book review essay example 3

Tips on How to Write Book Review

Your approach to composing a book review will vary and depend on what type of work and genre you are analyzing. However, when assessing a text, focus on how an author treats dialogue, setting, plot, and characters. In addition to viewing a book review sample for extra ideas, keep these tips in mind:

• Characters Are they believable, different, or similar during dialogue? Can you tell one from another?
• Plot Is it interesting enough? Does it emerge as original or has numerous dull parts? Identify if it has unresolved issues or is confusing. Remember that you do not know how to write a great book review if you cannot understand the plot.
• Comparison Think about other works in the same genre. How does this volume compare to theirs?
• Setting Can you visualize or imagine the described action? How is the setting used to create a mood?
• Writing style What style is used in developing the text? Is there a consistent style throughout?

Book Review Writing Checklist

Here is a checklist about how to write a book review for school or college. Use it to examine your book review or get another student or peer to assist you:

• checkbox Essential biographical details are provided.
• checkbox My introduction is interesting.
• checkbox I have identified the author and text title/type in my introduction.
• checkbox I stated what the work is about and offered adequate background information.
• checkbox I mentioned the book’s thesis and stated my claim.
• checkbox I described key points in the body, such as summary, purpose, arguments, intended audience, layout, organization, and sources.
• checkbox I backed up my description with evidence or quotations.
• checkbox I critically evaluated key areas.
• checkbox I discussed all strengths and weaknesses and summarized them.
• checkbox I included my rating and recommendations.
• checkbox I restated my thesis and offered a memorable ending.

Final Thoughts on How to Write a Book Review

This article described the whole process of reviewing a book. Completing these types of tasks should not be complicated or demanding if you follow the discussed guidelines and tips comprehensively. Cement your understanding by checking out how to write a book review example from a list of samples provided previously. Pay attention to how key ideas from this guide are implemented. Also, don’t forget to explore all the examples of good book reviews for a complete overview. There is no need for you to seek more information outside once you have read all the segments. Just start writing your assignment.

If you feel that it is difficult for you to handle your work, you can ask to ‘do my assignment for me’ at StudyCrumb . Our academic writing service will provide you with high-quality and timely paperwork that will help you get the highest grade.

FAQ About Book Reviews

1. what is the purpose of a book review.

Book reviews usually inform readers about a specific volume’s purpose, argument, and quality. They also explain how it fits into the existing literature. This can be helpful to others who have not read the work so that they can choose whether to go through it or if it’s worth their time and effort.

2. What to include in a book review?

The elements of a book review include a citation, introduction, relevance and intended audience, a brief plot summary or main arguments, critique, evaluation and importance, recommendation, and conclusion. The review offers a critical analysis, assessment, and connection to other relevant works. A reviewer also provides personal views and recommendations.

3. How to start a book review?

Start a book review by reading the work to understand elements such as writing style, plot, characters, literary devices, and the main argument. Then, summarize the major claims made throughout the manuscript by explicitly stating them in your introduction. Also, offer relevant context for your analysis and declare your thesis.

4. How to end a book review?

Finish your book review by giving your overall impression of the work. Conclude and summarize the strengths and weaknesses you found, demonstrate how useful the text is, identify its contribution to the wider field, and offer your recommendations. In addition, mention the type of audience who will benefit from reading it.

5. How long should a book review be?

Traditionally, a book review is usually about 500-1000 words long. However, be sure to have a clear idea regarding your assignment expectations since specific tasks mostly have guidelines. In general, however, most evaluations will not exceed 1000 words.

6. What to avoid when writing a book review?

These are what to avoid when writing your book review:

• Retelling a story without an in-depth analysis.
• Summarizing the text only without critical evaluation.
• Using imprecise language.
• Providing harsh evaluations rather than constructive assessments.
• Not using evidence to back up your views.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

How to Get Book Reviews in 5 Steps (2024 Update)

Imagine the day of your book launch. You’re sitting in front of your computer, blissfully imagining all the five-star book reviews that will soon be yours. Yet the days pass... and the reviews don't come.

Needless to say, you'll want people to buy and read your book ASAP so they can leave you some good reviews. But you may see the Catch-22 here: in order to make your first sales, you’ll need to display positive book reviews. So how do you get the chicken before you’ve got the egg (or vice versa)?

Enter book bloggers , who are your new best friends! For this post, we asked our top Reedsy publicists to share their best tips on how to get book reviews from book bloggers — and we've condensed their advice into these five essential steps, plus a few bonus tips at the end.

You can also check out this Reedsy Live on how to get your first book reviews, with advice from author and book marketer Debbie Drum.

Those who prefer their tips in written form, let's dive right in with the very first step of the review acquisition process!

1. Identify your audience

A quick preliminary note: you want to start the review-gathering as early as possible. If you can, plan your book review campaign 4-6 months in advance of your publication date. Because if you want your reviews to be in place by then, you’ll need to give people time to actually write them!

Now, using the "5 W’s of Storytelling," let's talk about the first thing you should be asking yourself: who? Who will be reading your book, and who is best positioned to promote it to that audience? The following tips will help you answer these questions.

Build a questionnaire

Here are a few more specific queries to help you clarify your "who":

• Who reads in my genre?
• What magazines, websites, forums, or blogs do they frequent?
• Where might they find reviews of my book that will entice them to buy it?

Indeed, publicist Jessica Glenn recommends building a full-length questionnaire to identify your audience and where you might find them on the Web (or in real life!).

“Most, if not all, publicists and publishers send authors a very long questionnaire to fill out when they start their marketing plan ,” she says. “That's so we can dig into any useful piece of bio, community, or regional info to figure out who and why people will be interested in your book.”

Your questionnaire will direct you to your target audience and help you create a  proto-persona.  This is the "ideal reader" of your book, so to speak — a perfect blend of the traits you'd expect them to have. (For example, if you've written a YA paranormal romance novel, your proto-persona might be a 14-year-old girl who's obsessed with Twilight .) And whoever they are, you'll keep them in mind every time you make a marketing decision.

Think about comp titles

Another great way to get a handle on your target audience is to figure out your comparative titles — books that are a) similar to yours and b) share the same general readership. When pitching to book reviewers, these are the titles you'll use to sell your own  book . For instance, "My book is  Normal People meets The Incendiaries ."

According to Jessica, you should have at least 15 potential comp titles for your book, ideally a mix of bestsellers and well-reviewed indie titles. “Many first-time authors balk at this," says Jessica, "as they believe there is no true comp for their book — but dig deep and you'll find them!”

Comp titles are critical because they act as a compass, pointing you towards a ready-made audience that enjoys works in the same mold as yours. This is a huge help in determining your target readers, as well as which reviewers will cater to them. Speaking of which...

2. Find relevant book blogs

Now that you’ve got a strong sense of your audience, you're ready to find blogs that will provide the best exposure to that audience. We recommend starting with our directory of 200+ book review blogs , but feel free to do your own research as well!

As you dig into book review blogs, check on these two things first:

• Is the site active? Has the blogger published a post within the last month or so?
• Are they currently accepting queries? If they're closed at the moment, it could be months before your book gets a review — if at all.

And if you want to confirm your book marketing strategy when it comes to book review blogs, we recommend first taking this quick quiz below!

Which book review site is right for you?

Find out here! Takes one minute.

Once you've confirmed that a book review blog is both active and open to queries, think about whether it's right for your  book. Here are some important factors to consider:

• Genre . Don't waste your time on blogs that don't review books in your genre. "Be very mindful of a publication’s particular audience and target market when pitching for review. If their readership is science-fiction, do not pitch a commercial crime novel!” says publicist Hannah Cooper .
• Traffic . High-traffic book blogs might seem like your highest priorities, but this isn’t necessarily true. “Don't shy away from the smaller blogs,” says publicist Beverly Bambury . “They can sometimes foster a real sense of community and starting off small is just fine."
• Posting frequency.  Another consideration is how often the blogger in question actually publishes reviews. Too often, and your book will get lost in the shuffle; too seldom, and they're likely to lose readers. Try to strike a balance with about 1-2 reviews per week — no decent reviewer can turn them out faster than that, anyway!

Track down your comp titles' reviewers

Remember those comp titles you came up with earlier? You can use them not only to pitch your book, but also to find potential reviewers , as they will correspond perfectly with your genre and target audience.

“Once you have your 15-or-so comps, you can research where each book has been reviewed,” says Jessica. “With luck, you will find at least a couple of book reviews per title, which will give you many more outlets to investigate further.”

Now, as an author, you might be wondering: “How can I begin to find all the places where a given book was reviewed?” Don’t forget the power of Google! Try searching the following terms to find reviews for a given title:

• [Title] + book review
• [Title] + review
• [Title] + Q&A

And here's one last tip to give you a boost — sign up for a "Mention" account and/or set up Google alerts to get a notification every time these titles appear online.

Once you’re armed with a bundle of suitable book review blogs, you've arrived at the third (and perhaps most crucial) step in this process. This is, of course, creating the pitches you'll send to reviewers.

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3. Write pitches for them

Pitching a reviewer is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is a) keep it short, and and b) personalize it as much as possible. However, before we get to our publicists’ actionable tips on pitching, there’s one more thing that you absolutely HAVE to do. And that thing is...

Read the review policy!

Before you pitch any blog, make sure you read the blogger’s review policy. Some blogs will have a form to fill out; others might ask you to email them directly. Still others might not welcome any queries from self-published authors . Whatever they say, make sure that you follow it to a T.

“There are two main benefits to reading and following the review policies closely,” says Beverly. “First, you show the reviewer that you respect and appreciate them when you follow their instructions. This is important when asking someone to do you a favor.

"Second, you may find that even if the site is closed for review queries, it's open to publicity queries — where you might be able to place an excerpt or do a Q&A or occasional blog post. You'll never know if you don't take the time to read the review policy first.”

More tips for pitching reviewers

Now that you’re clear on what the blogger wants, you can start pitching them with confidence. Here are three more key tips for pitching book reviewers:

1. Never send out bulk pitches. "When you pitch each outlet individually, specifically write that you read their positive book review of your comp and what that comp title was,” says Jessica Glenn. Or if you didn't find them through a comp title, mention other  aspects of their blog and why you think they would be great to review your book!

2. Be concise and direct. “Include your title, publisher, date of release, and genre in the first paragraph,” notes Beverly Bambury. “Then you might want to include the cover copy or a brief description of the book. Finally, be direct and ask for what you want. If you want a review, ask for it! If you want an excerpt placed, ask for that.”

3. Appeal to their commercial side. “All reviewers want the opportunity to discover the next 'big thing’ — particularly with fiction — so make them feel as though they have the opportunity to get the word out first," says Hannah Cooper. Indeed, if you can convince a reviewer that you are doing them  a favor, you're practically guaranteed to get a review.

Basically, try to get reviewers to think, “Oh, if I enjoyed [comp title], I’ll enjoy this person's book too,” or “They've done the research to know that I’m a good fit for their book.” If you can do that, you’re already much closer than everyone else to obtaining high-quality book reviews !

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4. Send out your book

This is the step before the moment of truth (the review itself), so it's extremely important to get everything right. To ensure you're complying with each reviewer's guidelines, review their policy again before you send them your book. Some bloggers might prefer digital copies of manuscripts, while others might want a physical ARC — be prepared to accommodate.

Also, as you begin sending your book to various outlets, you should track your progress in a spreadsheet. Record which blogs you’ve submitted to so far, which blogs have responded, and which blogs you plan to submit to, so you don't accidentally double-submit or skip over anyone.

Formatting your book

Other than double-checking the review policy, the most important thing to do here is to format your book in a professional manner . After all, you want the presentation of your content to match the quality! Even though it shouldn't technically matter, reviewers will definitely judge your book by how it looks, inside and out.

The good news for self-formatters that you probably won't need to send physical proofs, and ebooks are much easier to format than hard copies. Digital copies also cost next-to-nothing to produce, so you can easily send multiple copies of your book out to different reviewers. You may want to check out apps like Instafreebie and Bookfunnel , which make it easy to generate individual ARC download links that you can send to the reviewers.

Pro tip : If you’re searching for a good book production tool, the Reedsy Book Editor can format and convert your manuscript into professional EPUB and print-ready files in a matter of seconds!

5. Follow up after a week

A week or more has passed since you queried a book blog, and so far… crickets. What do you do now? Why, follow up,  of course!

When it comes to this stage, keep calm and follow Hannah Hargrave’s advice: “Don't bother reviewers for an answer daily. I will usually chase again after a week has passed.

"If you receive a decline response, or no one responds to your third chase-up, assume this means they are not interested. Any further follow-ups, or aggressive requests as to why your work's not being reviewed, will not be viewed kindly. Above all, be polite and friendly at all times.”

That said, someone rejecting your book for review is a worst-case scenario. Best-case scenario, the blogger responds favorably and you’ve bagged yourself a review!

What comes next, you ask?

The reviewer will post their review of your book on their blog — and on Amazon, Goodreads, and any other platforms that they’ll name in their review policy. This is yet another reason why it's vital to read that policy carefully, so you know exactly where  the review will be seen.

If all goes well, the reviewer will publish a positive review that you can use to further promote your book. Maybe you'll even get a decent pull-quote for your book description ! Not to mention that if you ever write a sequel, you can almost certainly count on them for a follow-up review.

Pro-tip: Want to write a book description that sells? Download this free book description template to get a headstart. 

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But what if you don't get any bites from book bloggers, or — horror of horrors — one of them gives you a negative review? Fortunately, the next two sections should help you deal with each of these possible dilemmas.

Bonus ways to get book reviews

Though book bloggers are the most reliable and professional source of reviews for independent authors, you may want to try other avenues to maximize your chances! Here are three more ways to get book reviews  for your work, so you can bolster your Amazon profile and start making some serious sales.

1. Tell your followers about your book

Though Amazon prohibits reviews from close friends and family , you're free to tell your random social media followers about your book and hope they leave good reviews. It obviously helps if you have a large following on Twitter or Instagram, even more so if some of those followers are fellow authors who appreciate the significance of reviews.

That said, NEVER offer "review swaps" or any kind of promotional enticement for customers to leave reviews, as this would also be against Amazon's terms. Simply let your followers know you've got a book out and that you'd love for them to read it; the rest is in their hands. However, when it comes to reviews, any amount of awareness is better than none.

2. Submit to Reedsy Discovery

Finally, for a professional review option that's a bit less time-and-effort-consuming on your part, you can submit your book right here on Reedsy Discovery! The platform allows authors to share their books with readers who are right up their alley, plus get the chance to be reviewed by one of our Discovery writers. If they leave a good review, you'll be featured in our newsletter, which goes out to thousands of subscribers every week.

Sounds pretty sweet, right? And it only takes a few minutes to submit .

Is your book ready for Discovery?

Take our quiz to find out! Takes only 1 minute.

How to deal with negative reviews

Once your work is out there in the world, you can’t control other people’s reactions to it. “Remember, by submitting your book for review, you're accepting that some people might not enjoy it,” says Hannah Hargrave. “It can be very tough after you’ve spent months or years crafting your novel, only for some reviewer to tear it apart. But you need to be prepared."

In that vein, here are some final tips on how to deal with bad reviews:

1. Have someone else read them first . This might be your agent, your friend, or your mom — anyone you trust to pre-screen your reviews. They can inform you whether each negative review is a worthwhile (if humbling) read, or just too nasty to stomach.

2. Ignore unreasonably hateful reviews . Easier said than done, yes, but really try to tune out these people! For example, if they're clearly not your target audience, but insist on pretending like they are. Or people who pick apart your sentences word-by-word, just for the "fun" of it. There's no sense in agonizing over readers who are determined to hate you, so block them on every platform and refuse to read anything else they write.

3. Address valid criticisms . You're only human, and your book won't be perfect. If someone points this out in a constructive way , acknowledge it and do what you can to fix it. This may be as simple as editing a misleading blurb, or as complex as restructuring your entire series. But if you're the author we know you are, you'll be up to the task.

Every author's book is different, but the process for getting book reviews is reassuringly universal. To recap: identify your audience, find relevant blogs, pitch them, send out your book, and don't forget to follow up! On top of that, feel free to try alternative strategies, and remember not to take the bad reviews too personally.

Yes, marketing a book may be madness, but the process of getting reviews lends method to that madness. So go forth and get your reviews — you deserve them! 🙌

Special thanks to book publicists Jessica Glenn , Hannah Hargrave , Hannah Cooper , and Beverly Bambury for their input and suggestions throughout this article. If you have any more questions about how to get book reviews, let us know in the comments!

2 responses

Elena Smith says:

25/09/2018 – 22:33

Excellent Write up. I have thoroughly gone through the article and according to my personal observations you have done a great job writing this Article.Being associated with writing profession, I must mention that AcademicWritingPro are quite helpful nowadays.Furthermore, quality is also an important aspect.

Team Golfwell says:

11/12/2018 – 05:38

We do free book reviews if your book interests us. We are a group of retired people in New Zealand who play golf, read books, write books, and do free book reviews if we like your book. We write books too, so we like to see what other authors are currently doing and it is amazing to see what writers are creating. We try to post our reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes &amp; Noble and our social media. See our book review page for more info &gt; &gt; https://www.teamgolfwell.com/free-book-reviews.html #bookreviews #kindlebookreviews #amazonbookreviews #indiebookreviews https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4ad92dde2f70456000bf5c44af3489ee638dae511be91f7b8cb1545acb388cdb.jpg

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Want to finish more books? Super readers share their tips.

Spring is here, the birds are singing and we’ve got ever more daylight to read by — so it’s the ideal time to check in on our bookish resolutions . Good news: If you finished even one book in 2023, you’re already in the 46th percentile of American readers, as The Washington Post’s Andrew Van Dam reported earlier this year .

What about the people at the other end — way at the other end — of the scale?

We talked to a few super-readers, who routinely finish hundreds of books a year, about their habits and goals — and asked them about what tips they have for the rest of us. (These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.)

Olivia Ambrogio, science communications trainer in Silver Spring, Md.

Reads about 200 books a year.

How she does it: I do a mixture of paper and e-reader. I don’t really do audiobooks because I get very impatient with them. I just think the whole time, “I could be reading this faster.” I will say that tracking books has made me a little less willing to give up on a book . The worst is when it’s on an e-reader and you say, “I’m at 42 percent! I can get through the rest of it.”

Pro tip: Take advantage of wait time, no matter how small. I’ll read whenever I have time and whenever I’m not around others — so in the morning, when I’m eating breakfast. I mostly telework these days, but if I’m commuting on the Metro, I’ll read then. Maybe I’m the one cooking dinner and I’m waiting for something to boil; if it’s my night to sit with my daughter, and she’s falling asleep, I’ll read. Little intervals of time.

Goal for 2024: 203 books. It’s more or less what I would read in a year. If I were to do 250 to 300, it would probably be a real challenge that I would have to strategize for.

Paul Scott, retired in Los Altos, Calif.

Goal for 2024: 400 books. Last year I did 388. The year before I did 350. So I’ll just see if it’s possible to do 400. I think I’ll make it.

I say, half joking, that it makes up for a bad public school education. I will go down a rabbit hole on an issue that I “learned about.” It was partly the texts we were using — when I read about the Dust Bowl in school, it was like one paragraph. So I started with a fictional book, Kristin Hannah’s book , then I read Timothy Egan’s nonfiction book . That led me to read about soil conservation, and that led me to read about prairies.

How he does it: When I was working, I probably read 100 books a year because I traveled quite a bit, probably 250 days out of the year. This was before we were all plugged in and before you could really do any work on an airplane.

People say to me, “Are you playing a lot more golf since you retired?” But now that I can golf every day, what I’d rather do is read. The pandemic crystallized how I wanted to spend my spare time. There was nothing on TV. All of a sudden I had this time from 4:30 to 8:30 in the morning, and I thought, “Gosh, I should really spend more time reading.”

I’d say about 350 to 400 pages a day is what I can do. Yesterday I read a book that was about 600 pages, partially because I wanted to finish it. I didn’t want to waste any more time with it. I usually get three to four good hours in the morning, and then I get a couple of hours in the afternoon or early evening.

You have to say to yourself, “This time of the day is sacrosanct.” When I was coaching salespeople, one of the things that people never liked to do was cold call. I told them, “If you want to get good at it, you’ve got to put it on your calendar and make sure you follow the calendar.” So I apply that to reading.

Pro tip: Invest time on the front end to gain momentum. If you really want to read a book, you’ve got to get into the first hundred pages, 200 pages. If you can’t, you’ll find reading is really hard. In the old days, I can’t tell you how many books I’d start and read 15 pages one day, and the next day I’d read the same 15 pages, just trying to get into it. If I can get a big chunk of a book started, it’s much easier for me to finish it quickly.

Allison Wack, veterinarian in Frederick, Md.

Reads about 300 books a year.

How she does it: I mostly read audiobooks. I’ll sneak in a paper book once in a while, but I just don’t sit very much — I’m always running around, especially with two young kids; I also do a lot of volunteering for the Girl Scouts. I pretty much have my headset on all the time when I am around my house, doing chores or making dinner. In an hour, I can get through 3 hours of a book (I listen to everything on 3x. Don’t be intimidated by going fast! You can get there.)

Pro-tip: See if your library has agreements with others in your region, allowing you to borrow from their collections, too. For some of the libraries, you have to go in person to get the card. I have a book club, and we did this really fun crawl where we all went together to all the libraries, to get cards. I think I have eight?

Goal for 2024: At least 300 books.

Vivian Taylor, book blogger in Charleston, W.Va.

Reads 365 books a year. I’m in awe of people who have full-time jobs, who have children, or they’re married or in a serious relationship and they’ve got all of the responsibilities related to that. And they find time to read! Those people, to me, are more astonishing.

How she does it: I moved back to West Virginia to take care of my aging parents in 2008. Initially, my annual goal was 200 or 250. It wasn’t really massive numbers, simply because I was so heavily involved in taking my father to medical appointments. I was getting up usually around 6 in the morning, then I’d read for about an hour before getting my dad out of bed. After I dropped him off at dialysis, I had two, three hours when I could read before picking him up and taking him back to my parents’ house and getting him comfortable for the remainder of the day. Once I left, I had the rest of the day that I could devote to reading. I read from 6 to about 11 or 12 o’clock at night.

For me, it’s not only a great escape, it’s my self-care. I don’t go out and get manicures and pedicures and massages or anything like that. My self-care is expanding my home library and reading books.

I have found that e-books work best for me. I deal with chronic migraines, so I do have days when I can’t read. But reading digitally means that I can change the color of the background, I can make the font larger, and as I’m aging that is a big plus. I do collect physical books. There are some books where I have the paperback, the hardcover copy, the e-book copy and an audiobook. Casey Cep’s “ Furious Hours ” is one.

Goal for 2024: 365 books. Every year the only resolution I make is, “This is going to be the year where I don’t reread a lot of favorite books.” And I never make it past the second week of January! I read the entire “In Death” series by J.D. Robb every other year. Although I’m very familiar with the series and the characters and the action and everything, picking up those books is like meeting old friends all over again.

Rachel Dawson, social media manager in Richmond

Reads between 150 and 200 books a year. After college, it took me some time to find my way back to reading for fun. In 2015, I set my first goal, which was to read 50 books. I surpassed that — I read 80 books or so — and every year, I’ve increased my goals. It helps me to have a number to strive for.

How she does it: I track my reading in a couple of different apps, and I do a lot of book bullet journaling. I have a spreadsheet that I put all my numbers in, and it tracks the percentage I am toward my goal. It also changes colors based on how far behind or ahead I am. Every month as I read, I stack up my books; that visual cue is motivating to me, too.

Creating content about books is a hobby that became a revenue stream on the side. I make revenue from brand partnerships, a book club and a Substack. It’s money that I throw toward savings or my credit card. In the circles I run in online, there’s a lot of comparison, and you get caught up in that and feel like you need to keep up or read every popular book as soon as it comes out, or read several hundred books to be impressive.

Goal for 2024: 12 books. I was finding myself reaching for really short books, really light and fluffy books, just to try to finish something quickly, to add another book to that stack. I revisited the American Girl books from my childhood, which are so tiny.

This year feels exciting because I’ve already hit my reading goal. I can let that go. I really want to prioritize books that matter, books that are quality and books by authors of color. I always had time — but I just didn’t feel like I did.

Pro tip: Get a reading app. If I put the app in the same folder on my phone where Instagram is, it’s a helpful trigger: What if I read for a couple of minutes instead of scrolling?

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'Killers of the Flower Moon' Book to Film Comparison

Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for Killers of the Flower Moon.

• Killers of the Flower Moon shifts its focus to center around the character of Mollie, making her central to the story.
• The evil nature of Robert De Niro's character, William Hale, is revealed early on, adding to the tension and horror.
• The film is not about the FBI solving a mystery, but rather highlights the deep-rooted corruption and injustice of the situation.

Of all the historical dramas you’ll ever see, there are few that make such critically significant changes from their source material quite like Martin Scorsese ’s Killers of the Flower Moon . Starring Leonardo DiCaprio , Lily Gladstone , and Robert De Niro , it depicts the true story of how the Osage were murdered for their wealth in 1920s Oklahoma. Though based on the 2017 book of the same name by David Grann , it could not be more different in focus and scope the longer that you get into it. While the story remains the same, the way Scorsese goes about telling it is crucial to its impact. Thus, here are the differences between the book and the film.

Killers of the Flower Moon

When oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land, the Osage people are murdered one by one - until the FBI steps in to unravel the mystery.

Release Date 2023-10-20

Director Martin Scorsese

Cast Cara Jade Myers, Robert De Niro, Tantoo Cardinal, Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Lithgow, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser

Runtime 206 minutes

Genres Drama, Crime, History

Lily Gladstone’s Mollie Is More Central in 'Killers of the Flower Moon'

Not only is the film at its best when Gladstone is on screen , but it is much more centered around her character of Mollie than the book was. Though it still could have very well had more of her, that is just a reason to seek out works like the upcoming Fancy Dance however you can. In regards to this film, it shifts away from being about the formation of the FBI as much as the book was to instead keep her at the forefront. Rather than just relying on the knowledge that Mollie was being poisoned and leaving that in the background while the investigation unfolds as Grann did, this grim core to the film is something that we are never allowed to forget. As Scorsese has himself said in interviews , there was a desire on his part to do right by the Osage in telling this story. While the film remains more than open to criticism in how it does so , this reframing of the story still is one of the primary ways it works to distinguish itself from the book. There is more detail to this that plays out in the very end, but there are a couple of other key elements that must be discussed before this.

Robert De Niro’s William Hale Is Clearly Evil From the Start in 'Killers of the Flower Moon'

Not only is De Niro’s most recent collaboration unlike anything he and Scorsese have ever done together , but it is also one where his character of Hale is revealed as being a wolf in sheep’s clothing almost right from the jump. The book played the eventual reveal of him being the one behind all of the killings as a surprise, which is another fundamental difference in framing that we’ll get to, while the film does almost the complete opposite. We know rather quickly what Hale is doing because he lays it all out to Ernest (DiCaprio) the more the two talk together. The depths of his depravity are no less horrifying because of this. In fact, it makes it that much more unsettling to see De Niro's Hale openly plot to set more and more murders in motion for money. He does it in almost plain sight, making each outburst of violence feel like another slow-moving train about to decimate an entire community. The terror comes from how everyone who could stop it not only chooses not to do so, but hurries it along.

'Killers of the Flower Moon' Review: Lily Gladstone Stuns in Martin Scorsese's Flawed Epic

'killers of the flower moon' is not about the fbi solving a mystery.

Though Jesse Plemons does make a great small appearance towards the end of the film as investigator Tom White, who was essentially the driving force of the entire middle of the book, this is not a story where the cavalry from the government will swoop in to save the day. To Grann’s credit, he also acknowledged at several points how their coming in was not only not enough to repair the harm that was done, but they also missed out on what were certainly countless more murders. Scorsese takes it a step further in how he pushes us to sit with the full scope of just how rotten to the core the entire situation was. Where the book treated it as a mystery to be solved, there are no discoveries to be made here. Once White and his team of investigators show up, there are so many lives that have been lost that will never be brought back. We already know who is behind it and are just waiting for the supposed forces of justice to catch up before even more is lost. The reality of it all is that they will only be able to stem the flow of blood, but not fully heal the wound. In many ways, that is where Scorsese makes what is his final yet most significant change to not just this story, but any film he's ever made.

Scorsese Himself Steps Under the Spotlight in 'Killers of the Flower Moon'

In an unexpected cameo where the director pulls back the curtain on the whole film , we are taken out of the story and into a radio play. Though Grann had made reference to such events and the way they sanded down the full reality of what happened, Scorsese actually goes about bringing it to life. It then ends with him stepping on the stage himself to deliver the final lines of the film about how Mollie’s obituary did not mention the murders. It is the type of breaking of the fourth wall that is a huge gamble, but it brings into focus how the immense harm that was wrought upon the Osage is not something that can be confined to the past. For all the horrors of the past, the present is just as much about recreating that same dehumanization. Scorsese does not let himself off the hook in that and instead shows how there is still much that he is doing which cannot fully do justice to this history. As he brings us all the way into the present, it leaves one more lingering moment of enduring pain to grapple with.

Killers of the Flower Moon is now available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

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How Many Steps Do We Really Need: A Scientific Review

March 26, 2024

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

2,000-4,500 Steps

4,500-8,000 steps, 8,000+ steps.

Digital health companies like Fitbit often tout 10,000 steps as the magic daily number needed to achieve various health benefits from increased energy to lowered risk of heart disease. However, this general guideline originates from an unreliable source.

After the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the local population became increasingly interested in fitness and maintaining their physical health. This inspired a clockmaker to repurpose his skills to create a pedometer. To help his product sell, he gave it a clever and memorable name that, when written out, resembled a walking person. It also happened to translate to “10,000 steps meter.” With that, the 10,000-step maxim was born. 

However, it’s important to contextualize the lifestyle of Japan during this era. Compared to the lifestyle many lead today, the Japanese in the 1960s consumed diets with fewer calories and fat and relied less on cars for transportation. The average daily calorie intake for Japanese people in 1964 was 2,632 calories, while the average for Americans in 2011 was 3,639. That’s a difference of about 1,000 calories, which is equivalent to 20,000 steps for an average-sized person. 

So, what is the ideal number of steps for health?  

Pressed for time? Here’s a quick summary…

• 3,000-4,500 steps: Reduced risk of premature death and diabetes can be achieved with as few as 2,000 to 4,400 steps a day, along with notable mental health improvements.
• 4,500-8,000 steps: Health outcomes improve further within this step range, with stronger associations between daily step count and reduced diabetes risk, depression, and cancer mortality.
• 8,000+ steps: 9,000 to 10,500 steps a day reduces mortality and cardiovascular disease by 39% and 21% respectively, but benefits can be achieved with as low as 2,200 steps, highlighting that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to step counts and health.

What The Science Says

Several studies suggest that when it comes to physical health, benefits can be achieved with far fewer than 10,000 daily steps. A 2019 study conducted by Dr. I-Min Lee, a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, found that among women in their 70s, risk of premature death was reduced with as few as 4,400 steps per day. Other research found that the risk of diabetes can be decreased with as few as 2,000 steps per day. Benefits of step counts on cancer risks begin to emerge in this range as well, though the most prominent effects occur with much higher step counts. 

The conversation surrounding the number of steps individuals should take in a day to be healthy has largely revolved around the effects of additional steps on physical health. This overlooks an important set of benefits, namely the positive impacts of walking on mental health. One study found that as few as 3,500 steps was associated with a 17% decrease in depressive symptoms in adults 65 and older. Other research found that subjects who participated in a 100-day, 10,000-step challenge improved their stress levels by 8.9%, signs of depression by 7.6%, and anxiety by 5.0% from baseline. Moreover, they found that these benefits were acquired regardless of whether participants consistently fell short of their 10,000-step goal. 

Between 4,500 and 8,000 steps, all the above-mentioned health outcomes continue to improve. Researchers  note  that at around 4,500 steps per day, the association between daily step count and diabetes is the strongest. Compared to 3,500 steps per day, 7,000 steps result in a 30% greater decrease in depressive symptoms on average. Cancer mortality rates continue to decrease through this range as well. 

A recent study analyzing data from 72,174 participants reveals that daily step counts falling between 9,000 to 10,500 reduce the risk of mortality by 39% and CVD by 21%. However, surpassing just 2,200 steps daily starts to yield health benefits, and 50% of the optimal benefits can be achieved with 4,000 to 4,500 steps.  

These findings emphasize that significant health benefits can be acquired with step counts far below the widely touted “requirement” of 10,000 steps per day. In fact, other research shows that achieving this threshold provides no additional benefit. In Dr. Lee’s 2019 study, the impact of additional steps on premature death plateaued at about 7,500 daily steps.

Similarly, a  study  led by Dr. Pedro F. Saint-Maurice, which contained a more inclusive sample with men and women from various age groups and races, found that while participants who walked 10,000 steps had a lower mortality rate due to cardiovascular disease than those who walked 8,000 steps, the difference was minimal.

One of the main exceptions to this trend is cancer mortality risk. Dr. Saint-Maurice found that the effect of step counts on cancer mortality rate levels off after 16,000 steps per day. 

Occasionally, what passes for health wisdom has questionable origins. As a result, wellness professionals should always be sure to verify that the advice they hear or provide is backed by science. 

Additionally, it should be kept in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to step counts and health. While many people can achieve significant health benefits by walking less than 10,000 steps per day, every individual’s particular activity needs will differ depending on several factors.

One of the more important factors to consider is the average number of daily steps typically taken by other members of your age group and gender. A study  conducted  by the American College of Sports Medicine found that, on average, adult males take about 5,340 steps per day, whereas adult females take around 4,912 steps per day. Similarly, average daily step counts tend to decrease significantly with age. Since the number of steps an individual needs to take per day to achieve optimal health depends on factors like age and gender, it is well worth creating a baseline from a cohort similar to that person. 

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Chemical Society Reviews

Synthesis of metallic high-entropy alloy nanoparticles.

* Corresponding authors

a College of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Dezhou University, Dezhou, Shandong, P. R. China

b Department of Chemistry, Temple University, 1901 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA E-mail: [email protected]

The theoretically infinite compositional space of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) and their novel properties and applications have attracted significant attention from a broader research community. The successful synthesis of high-quality single-phase HEA nanoparticles represents a crucial step in fully unlocking the potential of this new class of materials to drive innovations. This review analyzes the various methods reported in the literature to identify their commonalities and dissimilarities, which allows categorizing these methods into five general strategies. Physical minimization of HEA metals into HEA nanoparticles through cryo-milling represents the typical top–down strategy. The counter bottom–up strategy requires the simultaneous generation and precipitation of metal atoms of different elements on growing nanoparticles. Depending on the metal atom generation process, there are four synthesis strategies: vaporization of metals, burst reduction of metal precursors, thermal shock-induced reduction of metal precursors, and solvothermal reduction of metal precursors. Comparisons among the methods within each strategy, along with discussions, provide insights and guidance for achieving the robust synthesis of HEA nanoparticles.

• This article is part of the themed collection: Celebrating the scientific accomplishments of RSC Fellows

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Passenger review – this supernatural thriller is scarily fresh

Confident, atmospheric and packed with creepy realism, this drama – starring Wunmi Mosaku as a copper trapped in a small town – is a convincingly detail-oriented paranormal horror

A h, former Met detectives who have moved to quiet northern towns for personal reasons and find themselves longing for the big cases and exciting days of old – be careful what you wish for! Detective Riya Ajunwa (Wunmi Mosaku) is our frustrated gal here, in the actor Andrew Buchan’s screenwriting debut (no, come back, come back – it’s good!), Passenger. She moved to the small Lancastrian town of Chadder Vale five years ago with her husband, who wanted to be nearer his family.

Now that he has left, she is looking after his mentally unstable mother, while her caseload comprises mostly missing bins and, occasionally, cats. There is the odd bit of excitement from the protesters at an intended fracking site, owned by Jim (David Threlfall), but otherwise – bins.

As luck would have it, however, there’s summat nasty in the local bread factory. Or, at least, summat nasty being brought in and out on a semi-regular basis. Something that causes gasps of horror when seen by the driver. These dark oozings – and assorted other ominous disturbances – are puzzled over by people who have clearly never seen a supernatural tale metaphoring all over a nationally representative town before.

A local girl, Katie Wells (Rowan Robinson), is driving with her friend Mehmet (Shervin Alenabi) through the woods one night after a bust up with her boyfriend, John (Jack James Ryan), when something large, dead and bloody lands on the bonnet. Mehmet’s eyes open in an unblinking stare, because Passenger leans into its folkloric and televisual tropes while still delivering something that feels fresh and real. The next thing we see is him safely home and fast asleep in bed. Katie is missing.

Not that anyone notices for 24 hours, because she is young and she has her mum’s car. (“Why would you ever come back?” seems to be the prevailing opinion in Chadder Vale.) Just as her mother realises something may be amiss, Katie returns – apparently none the worse for wear, but with no explanation, either.

Meanwhile, Riya and her team (a pair of comedy sidekicks, one of whom especially – Arian Nik as Nish – seems to belong in a different show, but is so effortlessly funny that you forgive the tonal disruption) have discovered a segmented stag in the woods near Katie’s abandoned car. It is spattered with sticky black liquid. Probably motor oil – you know how mechanics like to segment stags in their spare time – but Riya sends it off to the lab anyway. She should, of course, talk to Katie, who has started coughing up gobs of the stuff and is feeling increasingly poorly. Mehmet hasn’t noticed, because he is too busy playing a strange video game so intently it is almost as if he is … possessed.

To the supernatural threat are added more tangible fears. A man who was given a 10-year sentence for stabbing Jim is being released early. Eddie Wells (Barry Sloane) is Katie’s father. He is welcome nowhere, but his wife takes him in. While she is out, he tries to enter his younger daughter’s bedroom. With an alacrity you presume is born of practice, she locks the door against him.

Every kind of anxiety and trepidation is given its due here, from the daughter’s unspoken dread, to the factory owner’s fear of displeasing the masters who are using his place as part of their oozing cargo-smuggling operation, to Jim’s PTSD, to the darker, timeless terrors the woods and their possible ancient and malevolent inhabitants represent. The two episodes (of six) that were available for review keep the mundane and the mystical in nice balance, each one enhancing the potential horror of the other. Alone in the woods, Riya suffers her own flashbacks, too, to some kind of childhood trauma yet to emerge from the shadows.

There are odd moments that pull you out of the story. Riya, for instance, seems oddly unbothered when, before she knows Katie has reappeared, she finds blood inside Katie’s car and on the handle. In the second episode, Katie finds a website dedicated to “The Curse of Chadder Vale”. It seems strange that she has never heard about it before and that no locals have mentioned it in passing to Riya over the past five years, either.

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Despite that, this is a confident, well-paced and atmospheric series that I hope continues to be as sure‑footed and scary to the end.

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