How to Review a Book Online (without taking 4 hours or being a literary genius)

Reviews are important social proof, and they really do help get books in front of readers. You don’t need to have an English degree or be a literary genius, just a person sharing your experience.

A few guidelines for reviewing a book online (Amazon, Goodreads, your library’s online review space, etc):

• The review can be as short as 3-5 sentences, especially if writing a big long thing feels overwhelming and means you’ll never get around to it.

• No need to summarize the book or say much at all about what it’s about—it’s already right there on the page.

• Start with how the book made you feel or what you experienced while reading it: I was enthralled, I was bored, I couldn’t put it down, I read it in one day, I savoured it, I didn’t want it to end, I threw it across the room because the characters were so maddening, etc.

• Name a few specific things you loved about it, and why they stood out for you: the characters, the storyline, the themes, the setting, the writing, the batshit plot…

• Share anything else that felt notable for you. Was the story different from what you expected? Was that a good thing? Would you read another book by this author? Are you stalking them online listening to every interview they’ve ever done and madly refreshing their social media waiting for the announcement of their next book?

• Be genuine. You’re not trying to impress anyone, you’re just trying to let other book lovers know whether this is the book for them and what they can expect from the reading experience. Maybe you also want to rave, rant, or emote a bit too—get it all off your chest, but preferably without spoilers!

• Give it a succinct, vibey title.

• Rate it however many number of stars you think is appropriate. 5 stars helps a book out the most, but 4 is also good, and obviously you should be honest, so if it was a 3 or a 2…or a 1…

• You’re done!

Hot tip: if the site allows photos, you can post your own picture of the book (in a picturesque location? on the seat of your canoe?) and that can bump your review to the top.