How to Write a Book Review

by Anna del C. Dye @AnnaDelC
Indie Author Hub Member

A review is a personal view of the story you have just read. Authors love reviews; they sell books. So consider writing a review every time you read a book.

Always start with something good about the story. Things like: “It is an interesting story” or “Quite fascinating reading,” even, “I couldn’t put it down,” will work well.

Always respect the creativity and the time the author took to write the book. Never say that you would have done the book this or that way. If that is how you feel, then write your own book.

You are welcome to compare books, but only in a positive way, as in: “If you read such and such a book you will love this one.” Or “It felt a bit like the book [Title] by so and so.” Never compared them as in “so and so writes better than this author.”

Remember that every author should be their own person and not a clone of another.

If two books are too similar, it could be a case of either a fan fiction book or plagiarism. Fan fiction is all right as long as the author is OK with it AND you or another person are NOT making money with the book. On the other hand, plagiarism is ILLEGAL and punishable by law. If you find that a book has been plagiarized, please get in contact with the author immediately.

Now back to reviews:

Do tell us if the story is fantasy, non-fiction, memoir or whatever genre it is. Tell us a little about the plot, though NEVER give a synopsis or tell the ending. Also tell us what age the book appeals to: if it is a children’s book or if it is young adult.

Do write what the story is about. Start with what the characters are trying to accomplish. Why? Who helps them? And who hinders them?

Do tell us about the pace of the story. Is it fast reading? Is it slow, and seems to never get where it is going? Did you get lost? Does it start slow but gets much better as it goes on? Does it have dialogue or is it written solely in a narrator’s voice? Will you pick up another book by this author?

Finish with something like, “I recommend this book to… [fantasy, crime, romance, etc. readers]” or “It will be loved by… [fantasy, crime, romance, etc. readers]” or “lovers of… [fantasy, crime, romance, etc.] will love this book”

If you didn’t like the book at all, please consider not writing a review. Readers have varied book preferences, and a book that you didn’t like may be loved by others. Hurtful or personal insults have no place in a review. If you promised a review and didn’t like the book, consider saying that the book was not your cup of tea and leave it there.

See, it is not that hard to write a book review. Overall, make sure that you are courteous to others when you give your opinion, and remember the review is just your opinion, not the world’s. Authors spend a lot of hours developing a book; if you don’t believe me, try writing one yourself.

And to all of you who are professional and courteous, we thank you for spending your time to write an informative review about our work. We love you.
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Shared with us from Anna's blog.

Anna was born in the extreme South. She loves reading, but had few opportunities to do so while growing up. As a young woman, she moved North to marry Rodney Dye and has resided in Utah since then. They are the parents of three princes and a princess. With her husband and his family she has had the opportunity of traveling to many of the United States, (most of them camping!) and to four other countries. She would like to visit castles in European countries. She is fluent in both English and Spanish and understands Portuguese.

After she married, Anna was introduced to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books that she admits to having collected. A number of years ago she was introduced to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and to J. K.Rowling's writings, which she loves. She also loves romantic music (she listens to it every day), theatrical plays that she attends at least six times a year, and cats (when they are not shedding).

Anna wears her dresses down to her ankles and likes them to be very feminine, with lace being one of her favorite trimmings. "I am afraid that I do not follow fashions," she has said. "I wear what I like."

You can find Anna on her website, her profile on FaceBook, and on Twitter at @AnnaDelC.