Book Reviews Summary

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Book Reviews

Book Reviews

What is a book review? There are probably as many opinions about the answer to that question as there are people who review books. So, let’s start with what a book review is not. A book review is not a book report. No one wants to feel like they have read a short version of a book after reading a book review. Instead, people read book reviews to get just enough of the flavor of a book and/or its author to decide whether the book might be something they would like to read. So, a book review should provide just enough information about the book but not too much. That is a challenging combination which can only be met by a skilled book reviewer.

The content of a book review largely depends on the type of book that is being reviewed. Nonfiction works are typically easier to review than fiction because there is less risk a reviewer will give away any surprises during the review. Reviewing fiction works is harder. For example, plot twists and/or outcomes should never be included in the content of a review of a piece of fiction. Including that kind of information will only serve to spoil the book for a potential reader instead of whetting the reader’s appetite.

In addition to the type of book being reviewed, many other factors can impact the style and content of a book review. For example, forum guidelines for length and content can greatly affect the content of a review. Similarly, the experience and background of the reviewer as well as current events in the reviewer’s life can have a significant impact on the kind of review produced. Imagine the differences between a book review of a childbirth book written by a man and a review of the same book written by a woman who has recently given birth. Along the same lines, a review of a horror book written by a horror writer will be very different than a review of the same book written by a comedian.

If you are thinking of trying your hand at writing book reviews, it may be most helpful to begin by re-reading a few of the books currently on your shelves. Next, take a stab at writing a review of each book. Then with the help of a friend, colleague or family member, pick out your best sample and send it in to a book review forum which is suitable for that type of review. In your cover letter to the forum, be sure to explain that this is a sample and that you are interested in writing book reviews for that forum. If you are selected to write for one or more forums, celebrate! Then get to work on writing a review of whatever book the forum may assign. If you are lucky, you may not only get a chance to write reviews of books hot off the presses but also of books that have not yet been released to the public.