book review score sheet

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!

Order Original Papers & Essays

Your First Custom Paper Sample is on Us!

Timely Deliveries

No Plagiarism & AI

100% Refund

Try Our Free Paper Writing Service

Related blogs.

Connections with Writers and support

Privacy and Confidentiality Guarantee

Average Quality Score

25+ Book Review Templates and Ideas to Organize Your Thoughts

Danika Ellis

Danika spends most of her time talking about queer women books at the Lesbrary. Blog: The Lesbrary Twitter: @DanikaEllis

View All posts by Danika Ellis

When I was a kid I loved reading, but I hated book reports. It felt impossible to boil a book down to a few lines or even a page of writing. Besides, by the time I had to write the report, I had already forgotten a lot. It never ceases to be painful to try to pull my thoughts and opinions out of my head and put them on the page, especially in a coherent way.

As an adult, I continue to usually find writing book reviews painful . And yet, I maintain a book blog with reviews of all the (bi and lesbian) books I read. Why? For one thing, I want to raise the visibility of these books — or, in the case of a book I loathed, warn other readers of what to expect. It helps me to build community with other book lovers. It’s also a great way to force myself pay attention to how I’m feeling while I’m reading a book and what my thoughts are afterwards. I have learned to take notes as I go, so I have something to refer to by the time I write a review, and it has me notice what a book is doing well (and what it isn’t). The review at the end helps me to organize my thoughts. I also find that I remember more once I’ve written a review.

Once you’ve decided it’s worthwhile to write a review, though, how do you get started? It can be a daunting task. The good news is, book reviews can adapt to whatever you want them to be. A book review can be a tweet with a thumbs up or thumbs down emoji, maybe with a sentence or two of your thoughts; it can also be an in-depth essay on the themes of the book and its influence on literature. Most are going to fall somewhere between those two! Let go of the idea of trying to create the One True Book Review. Everyone is looking for something different, and there is space for GIF-filled squee fests about a book and thoughtful, meditative explorations of a work.

This post offers a variety of book reviews elements that you can mix and match to create a book review template that works for you. Before you get started, though, there are some questions worth addressing.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Book Review Template

Where will you be posting your book reviews.

An Instagram book review will likely look different from a blog book review. Consider which platform you will be using for your book review. You can adapt it for different platforms, or link to your original review, but it’s a good starting point. Instagram reviews tend to be a lot shorter than blog reviews, for instance.

Will you be using the same template every time?

Some book reviewers have a go-to book review template. Others have a different one for each genre, while another group doesn’t use a template at all and just reacts to whatever each book brings up.

Heading or no headings?

When choosing which book review elements to mix and match, you can also decide whether to include a header for each section (like Plot, Characterization, Writing, etc). Headers make reviews easier to browse, but they may not have the professional, essay-style look that you’re going for.

Why are you writing a review?

When selecting which elements to include in your review, consider what the purpose is. Do you want to better remember the plot by writing about it? You probably want to include a plot summary, then. Do you want to help readers decide whether they should read this book? A pros and cons list might be helpful. Are you trying to track something about your reading, like an attempt to read more books in translation or more books by authors of color? Are you trying to buy fewer books and read off your TBR shelf instead? These are all things you can note in a review, usually in a point-form basic information block at the beginning.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jess | Books and Thread Co. (@booksandthreadco)

Book Review Templates and Formats

Essay-style.

This is a multi-paragraph review, usually with no headers. It’s the same format most newspapers and academics use for book reviews. Many essay-style reviews use informal categories in their writing, often discussing setting, writing, characters, and plot in their own paragraphs. They usually also discuss the big themes/messages of a story. Here are some questions to consider when writing an essay-style review:

What is the author trying to do? Don’t evaluate a romance novel based on a mystery novel’s criteria. First try to think about what the book was attempting to do, then try to evaluate if they achieved it. You can still note if you didn’t like it, but it’s good to know what it was aiming for first.

What are some of the themes of the story? What big message should the reader take away? Did you agree with what the book seemed to be saying? Why or why not?

How is this story relevant to the world? What is it saying about the time it was written in? About human nature? About society or current issues? Depending on the book, there may be more or less to dig into here.

What did this book make you think about? It may be that the themes in the book were just a launching off point. How did they inspire your own thinking? How did this book change you?

A Classic Book Review

This is probably the most common kind of book review template. It uses a few criteria, usually including Setting, Writing, Characters, and Plot (for a novel). The review then goes into some detail about each element, describing what the book did well, and where it fell short.

The advantage of this format is that it’s very straightforward and applies to almost any fiction read. It can also be adapted–you will likely have more to say about the plot in a mystery/thriller than a character study of a novel. A drawback, though, is that it can feel limiting. You might have thoughts that don’t neatly fit into these categories, or you could feel like you don’t have enough to say about some of the categories.

Pros and Cons

A common format for a Goodreads review is some variation of pros and cons. This might be “What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like” or “Reasons to Bump This Up Your TBR/Reasons to Bump This Down On Your TBR.” This is a very flexible system that can accommodate anything from a few bullet points each to paragraphs each. It gives a good at-a-glance impression of your thoughts (more cons than pros is a pretty good indication you didn’t like it). It also is broad enough that almost all your thoughts can likely be organized into those headings.

This is also a format that is easily mix and matched with the elements listed below. A brief review might give the title, author, genre, some brief selling points of the novel, and then a pros and cons list. Some reviews also include a “verdict” at the end. An example of this format:

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

🌟 Fantasy All-Ages Comic 💫 Adorable pet dragons ✨ A diverse cast

Pros: This book has beautiful artwork. It is a soothing read, and all the character are supportive of each other. This is a story about friendship and kindness.

Cons: Don’t expect a fast-moving plot or a lot of conflict. This is a very gentle read.

Another approach to the review is not, strictly speaking, a book review template at all. Instead, it’s something like “5 Reasons to Read TITLE by Author” or “The # Most Shocking Plot Twists in X Series.” An advantage of this format is that it can be very to-the-point: if you want to convince people to read a book, it makes sense to just write a list of reasons they should read the book. It may also be more likely to get clicked on–traditional book reviews often get less views than more general posts.

On the other hand, listicles can come off as gimmicky or click-bait. You’ll have to decide for yourself if the book matches this format, and whether you are writing this out of genuine enthusiasm or are just trying to bend a review to be more clickable.

Your Own Original Rating System

Lots of reviewers decide to make their own review format based on what matters to them. This is often accompanied by a ratings system. For instance, the BookTube channel Book Roast uses the CAWPILE system:

CAWPILE is an acronym for the criteria she rates: Characters, Atmosphere, Writing, Plot, Intrigue, Logic, Enjoyment. Each of those are rated 1–10, and the average given is the overall rating. By making your own ratings/review system, you can prioritize what matters to you.

My favorite rating system is Njeri’s from Onyx Pages , because it shows exactly what she’s looking for from books, and it helps her to think about and speak about the things she values:

A “Live Tweet” or Chronological Review

Another format possibility is live tweeting (or updating as you go on Goodreads, or whatever your platform of choice is). This has you document your initial thoughts as you read, and it’s usually informal and often silly. You can add what you’re loving, what you’re hating, and what questions you have as you go.

This is a fun format for when you’re reading a popular book for the first time. That way, other people can cackle at how unprepared you are as you read it. This requires you to remember to always have your phone on you as you read, to get your authentic thoughts as they happen, but it saves on having to write a more in-depth review. Alternately, some people include both a “first impressions” section and a more in-depth analysis section in their final review.

Get Creative

There are plenty of book review templates to choose from and elements to mix-and-match, but you can also respond in a completely original way. You could create a work of art in response to the book! Here are some options:

• Writing a song , a short story, or a poem
• Writing a letter to the author or the main character (you don’t have to send it to the author!)
• Writing an “interview” of a character from the book, talk show style
• Making a visual response, like a collage or painting
• Making a book diorama, like your elementary school days!

Mix-and-Match Elements of a Book Review

Most book reviews are made up of a few different parts, which can be combined in lots of different ways. Here is a selection to choose from! These might also give you ideas for your own elements. Don’t take on too much, though! It can easily become an overwhelming amount of information for readers.

Information

Usually a book review starts with some basic information about the book. What you consider basic information, though, is up for interpretation! Consider what you and your audience will think is important. Here are some ideas:

• The title and author (pretty important)
• The book’s cover
• Format (audiobook, comic, poetry, etc)
• Genre (this can be broad, like SFF, or narrow, like Silkpunk or Dark Academia)
• Content warnings
• Source (where did you get the book? Was is borrowed from the library, bought, or were you sent an ARC?)
• Synopsis/plot summary (your own or the publisher’s)
• What kind of representation there is in the novel (including race, disability, LGBTQ characters, etc)
• Anything you’re tracking in your reading, including: authors of color, authors’ country, if a book is in translation, etc

Review Elements

Once you’ve established your basic information, you’re into the review itself! Some of these are small additions to a review, while others are a little more time-intensive.

Bullet point elements:

• Rating (star rating, thumbs up/down, recommend/wouldn’t recommend, or your own scale)
• Who would like it/Who wouldn’t like it
• Read-alikes (or movies and TV shows like the book)
• Describe the book using an emoji or emojis
• Describe the book using a gif or gifs
• Favorite line(s) from the book
• New vocabulary/the most beautiful words in the novel
• How it made you feel (in a sentence or two)
• One word or one sentence review
• Bullet points listing the selling points of a book
• BooksandLala’s Scary, Unsettling, and Intrigue ratings, for horror
• World-building, for fantasy and science fiction titles
• Art, for comics
• Narration, for audiobooks
• Romance, for…romance
• Heat level, for erotica

Visual elements:

• Design a graphic (usually incorporating the cover, your star rating, and some other basic info)
• Take a selfie of yourself holding the book, with your expression as the review
• Make a mood board
• Design your own book cover
• Make fan art

Elements to incorporate into a review:

• Quick/initial thoughts (often while reading or immediately after reading), then a more in-depth review (common on Goodreads)
• A list of facts about the book or a character from the book
• Book club questions about the book
• Spoiler/non-spoiler sections
• Research: look up interviews with the author and critique of the book, incorporate it (cited!) into your review
• Links to other resources, such as interviews or other reviews — especially #OwnVoices reviews
• A story of your own, whether it’s your experience reading the book, or something it reminded you of

This is not a complete list! There are so many ways to write a book review, and it should reflect your own relationship with books, as well as your audience. If you’re looking for more ways to keep track of your reading, you’ll also like 50+ Beautiful Bujo Spread Ideas to Track Your Reading .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Painted Pages Library (@paintedpageslibrary)

You Might Also Like

Book Review Template - FREE

Description

Questions & answers, live love and teach.

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

How to Write a Great Book Review: 6 Templates and Ideas

This post may contains affiliate links. If you click and buy we may make a commission, at no additional charge to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

Whether you’ve loved or hated your recent reads, writing book reviews can be a fun and satisfying process. It’s a great way to unpack messages and information from a story, and it also helps you remember key elements of a book for much longer than you usually would. Plus, book reviews open up some interesting and exciting debates between readers with different opinions, and they also help others decide which books to read next .

Table of Contents

Where Can You Post Book Reviews?

Back in the old days, book reviews were reserved for leading publications and journals, but now, anyone can create their own book reviews, and they’re popping up almost everywhere.

Social Media

Bookworms have taken over social media, with hashtags like # bookstagram drawing in millions of readers from around the internet to share thoughts, ideas, inspiration, and of course, reviews.

Book blogs are also blowing up right now, and plenty of avid readers are making a solid income by writing and sharing their book reviews this way. You can either create your own from scratch or write guest posts and reviews for already established blogs.

Goodreads is the undisputed online home of books. It’s a great place to find inspiration for your next reads, browse other people’s book reviews, and of course, add your own reviews, too.

If you post a review of a popular book on Goodreads, it’s bound to be seen by a huge audience. Plus, it’s a great way to advertise your blog if you have one, as the Goodreads guidelines allow you to insert a link within the body of your review.

The world’s largest bookstore gets an incredible amount of traffic, so it’s one of the best places to get your reviews seen by the masses. But bear in mind that there are more rules and regulations for Amazon book reviews than on some of the other platforms listed here. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the guidelines first, or your submission could be rejected.

Booktube is a Youtube community dedicated to reviewing, discussing, and recommending books. If you’re comfortable in front of a camera, vlogging your book reviews on Booktube is an excellent alternative to the more traditional written book reviews above. It’s also a great way to get noticed by viewers around the world.

Some Booktube reviewers make their entire income from their channel, so if you’re passionate about reviewing and want to turn it into a living, this is a great avenue to explore.

Get Paid for Your Book Reviews

Some of the platforms I’ve listed above, like Booktube, Instagram, and blogging , allow you to get paid for your book reviews if you generate enough traffic, but getting to that level takes a lot of dedication, time, and patience.

Thankfully, there are plenty of websites that pay reviewers on a freelance basis. Here are three of the most popular:

Remember, each site has strict submission guidelines and requirements that you’ll need to check carefully before writing and submitting a review.

Kirkus Reviews

The Kirkus Reviews magazine, founded in 1933, is one of America’s oldest, most respected book reviewing companies.

They accept reviews around 350 words in length, and once you’re assigned the gig, you have a two-week submission deadline.

Kirkus is always on the lookout for new book reviewers, but you’ll need to prove you have experience and talent before they’ll accept your submissions. The best way to do this is to create a professional-looking portfolio that showcases your previous reviews, both paid and unpaid.

Booklist is a subgroup of the American Library Association. They feature all kinds of book reviews, both fiction and non-fiction, and publish them online and in print.

They pay their reviewers on a freelance, book-by-book basis. Their rates aren’t going to make you rich (around $12- $15 per review), but it’s a great way to gain some professional experience and build your book review portfolio without having to work for free.

Booklist has various publication outlets, such as their quarterly in-print magazine, a reader’s blog, and top book lists. Plus, they also accept pitches for book-related news and author interviews.

Online Book Club

This free-to-access community of bibliophiles has been going for over ten years, with a million active members and counting.

To join their professional freelance team, you’ll first have to submit an unpaid review to help them to determine if you’re worth hiring. If your review makes the cut, then your next submission is paid at a rate varying between $5 and $60, depending on the book’s length, the quality of the review, etc.

One of the major stipulations of Online Book Club is that your reviews are in-depth and honest. If you don’t like the book, never put a positive spin on it for the sake of it. ( The same goes for any book review platform you post on. )

It’s also worth noting that with Online Book Club, you’ll never pay for the books you review. So even if they reject your submission, you’ll still get a free book out of it.

How to Write a Book Review?

Book reviews can range from a simple tweet to a full-length essay or long-form blog post and anything in between.

As I mentioned above, some book review sites and platforms have strict guidelines and parameters to follow. But if you’re writing a book review for social media, your own blog, or any other purpose that lets you take the reins, then the following ideas will give you some help and inspiration to get started.

But before we dive in, let’s take a look at four key elements that a comprehensive book review should contain.

1. Information about the author and the name of the book

You might want to include any accolades that the author has received in the past and mention some of their previous notable works.

Also, consider the publication date; is the book a brand-new release, a few years old, or a classic from another century?

2. A summary of the plot

Writing about the plot takes skill and consideration; if your description is too thorough, you risk ruining the book for your audience with spoilers. But on the other hand, if you’re too vague on the details, your review can lack depth.

Consider your audience carefully, and if you feel like your book review contains even the slightest hint of spoilers, always add a warning at the beginning so people can decide for themselves whether to read on.

3. Your evaluation

This is the part where you get to describe what you feel about the book as a whole and give your opinion on the different elements within it. But, again, don’t be tempted to fall into the trap of positively evaluating books you didn’t actually like; no one wants to read a false review, so if you didn’t like it, explain why.

4. Your reader recommendation

Who might the book appeal to? Is it suitable for all audiences? In your opinion, is it a universal must-read, or should people avoid it?

Keep in mind that the purpose of most book reviews is to help the reader decide whether or not they would like to read it themselves. What works for you might not work for others, so consider this when writing your recommendations.

6 Book Review Templates and Ideas

1. the traditional approach.

Most traditional fiction reviews, like the ones found in newspapers and other popular publications, are based on the following format…

Introduction

The introduction is a paragraph or two which includes:

• Key information that the reader needs to know. For example, the book’s title, the author’s name, the publication date, and any relevant background information about the author and their work.
• A brief one-sentence summary of the plot. This sets the general scene of what the book is about.
• Your overall opinion of the book. Again, keep it brief. (you can delve deeper into what you liked and disliked later in the review).

This is the main body of your book review, where you break down and analyze the work. Some of the key elements you might want to examine are listed below. Approach each element one at a time to help your analysis flow.

• The characters
• The setting
• The structure of the story
• The quality of the writing

What did you notice about each one, what did you enjoy, and what did you dislike? Why?

The conclusion is usually the shortest part of a traditional book review, which usually contains:

• A summary of your thoughts about the book as a whole
• Your reader recommendation

Remember that unless you’re writing a book review for a pre-existing publication, there are no rules that you need to follow. This traditional format can be adapted to suit your own style, the book you are reviewing, and your audience.

Also Read : BEST FICTION BOOK REVIEWS

2. Social Media Book Reviews

Book reviews posted on social media tend to have a more relaxed tone than a traditional book review. Again, there are no set rules, but here are a few guidelines and suggestions for posting reviews on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

• Include an eye-catching image

This is essential on Instagram, but whatever social media platform you’re posting on, including a great photo will draw people in to read your review.

In the Instagram world, photos of books taken directly from above are called ‘flat lays.’ You can keep it simple and just snap the front cover, or you can get creative and shoot your book flat lay against an interesting backdrop or include items related to the story.

• Break up your review into short, bite-sized paragraphs

This rule applies to most web content, but it’s even more important on social media, where everyone competes for your reader’s attention.

Big blocks of text are much harder to follow and a sure-fire way to lose your reader’s attention before they even get started. Instead, stick to short paragraphs of one, two, or three sentences, and include spaces between each one.

• Know your character limit

At just 280 characters, Twitter is by far the stingiest of the major social media platforms when it comes to the length of posts. That’s why most people choose platforms like Instagram or Facebook for book reviews. That being said, you can still use Twitter as a way of linking to them once they go live.

Instagram is considerably more generous with its 2,200-character limit, but if you have a lot to say about the book you’re reviewing, it can still be limiting.

If you want to post a more comprehensive review on social media, Facebook is your best bet; they have an upper limit of 63,206 characters.

Whichever platform you post on, remember to factor any hashtags into your character limit too.

• Keep it succinct

Book reviews on social media perform better when sentences are concise. This helps to combat the character limit issue I mentioned above and gets your point across quickly, without the fluff.

Readers on platforms like Instagram and Facebook flit from post to post, so if you don’t say what you mean in as few words as possible, you’ll risk losing your audience altogether.

• Don’t be afraid of emojis.

Love them or hate them, emojis convey mood and emotion where words can sometimes fail us. They also add an extra visual element to a post, help to break up blocks of text and keep the tone informal.

Of course, there’s no rule that you have to include emojis in your social media book reviews, but if you’re already comfortable using them elsewhere, consider incorporating them here too.

• Add a star rating

Star ratings instantly tell your audience whether you loved the book or not before they read a single word of your post. It’s also another visual element to help draw your audience in to find out more.

• Avoid spoilers

I’ve already touched on spoilers above, but it’s essential to avoid them on social media book reviews. That’s because unsuspecting users are scrolling from post to post on these platforms with no way of knowing what’s coming next. As a result, it’s very easy to read something you can’t unread.

• Consider tagging the author and publisher.

But ONLY do this if you enjoyed the book and your review is favorable. It’s not good online etiquette to tag in the creators if you’re posting a scathing critique; it’s mean-spirited, and it could lead to a social media squabble, which the internet has enough of already.

3. Goodreads and Amazon Book Reviews

Both Goodreads and Amazon allow anyone to upload a review of any book, so they’re great places to get started if you’re new to the reviewing world. Plus, you can post more in-depth and lengthy reviews than you can on social media platforms.

There are endless ways to write reviews for sites like these, but if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration, here’s a good template that will help you to flesh out your ideas.

• Star Rating

Sites like Goodreads and Amazon usually ask for a 1-5 star rating before writing your review. 3 is your baseline which translates to “pretty good.” It can be tempting to rush straight in for a 5 star if you loved a book, but where possible, try to reserve this rating for books that really blow you away.

• A Brief Synopsis

Reviews on these sites appear directly under the book listing, so generally, there’s no need to mention the author, title, or publishing details. Instead, you can dive straight into a quick overview of the plot, using the official publisher’s summary to help you if needed.

Avoid revealing any significant details or spoilers, but include enough to outline the story and give context to the rest of your review.

Talking about how the book made you feel is a good place to start. Did you learn something you didn’t know before? Was it a page-turner or a hard slog? Were there any twists you did or didn’t see coming? Mentioning the existence of a plot twist is usually deemed ok, as long as you don’t reveal what it is.

Next, examine the book’s various elements, including the characters, setting, and plot, using examples. You might even want to include some direct quotes from the book, as long as they don’t give too much away.

Just like the traditional book review format, conclude it with a summary. Are you glad you read it? Who might enjoy this book, and who should avoid it?

4. Listicle Book Reviews

Listicles are articles and blog posts structured like a numbered list. An example from the book review world is “10 reasons why you need to read X by X”.

These types of reviews are particularly well suited to blog posts, as they’re an excellent way to encourage people to click on your link compared with a less attention-grabbing traditional format.

That being said, listicle book reviews tend only to work if your feedback is positive. Using this format to review a book you hated risks alienating your audience and coming across as harsh and judgemental. Less favorable reviews are better presented in a more traditional format that explores a book’s different aspects one by one.

5. An Essay Style Analysis

An essay-style review isn’t technically a review, as it delves much deeper into the work and examines it from multiple angles.

If you’re not limited to a word count and want to dissect an author’s work, then an in-depth essay-style analysis can be a great addition to your blog. Plus, they’re generally written for people who have already read the book, so there’s no need to worry about spoilers.

But when you’re writing more than 500 words about a book, it can be easy to ramble or go off on a tangent. Here’s an example format to keep you on track:

• Include the author’s name, the title of the book, and the date of publication.
• Is the book a standalone novel or part of a series?
• What made you choose this book in the first place? Have you read any of the author’s previous work?
• Describe the cover. Does it draw you in? Is it an appropriate representation of the book as a whole?

Set the Scene

• Include an overview of the plot.
• Did you have any expectations or preconceived ideas about the book before you read it?

Your Review

Discuss the following elements one at a time. Use quotes or direct examples when talking about each one.

• Describe the geographical location, the period in time, and the environment.
• Is the setting based on reality or imagination?
• How does the setting help to add mood and tone to the story?
• Give an overview of the main characters and their backgrounds.
• Discuss the significant plot points in the story in chronological order.
• What are the conflicts, the climaxes, and the resolutions?
• How does the author use literary devices to bring meaning and life to book?
• For example, discuss any elements of foreshadowing, metaphors, symbolism, irony, or imagery.
• What are the overall themes and big ideas in the story? For example, love, death, friendship , war, and coming of age.
• What, if any, are the morals within the story?
• Are there any underlying or less prominent themes that the author is trying to portray?

Your Opinion

• Which elements were successful, and which weren’t?
• Were the characters believable? Did you want them to succeed?
• In the case of plot twists, did you see them coming?
• Are there any memorable scenes or quotes that particularly stood out to you? If so, why?
• How did the book make you feel? Did it evoke any strong emotions?
• Did the book meet your preconceived expectations?
• Were you satisfied by the ending, or did you find it frustrating?
• Summarise the plot and theme in a couple of sentences.
• Give your overall opinion. Was the book a success, a failure, or something in between?
• Include a reader recommendation, for example, “this book is a must-read for anyone with a love of dystopian science fiction.”
• Include a star rating if you wish.

6. Create Your Own Book Review Template

If you plan on becoming a regular book reviewer, it’s a good idea to create your own unique template that you can use for every book you review, whether you’re posting on a blog, website, or social media account.

You can mix and match the various elements of the review styles above to suit your preferences and the types of books you’ll be reviewing.

Creating a template unique to you helps build your authority as an independent reviewer and makes writing future reviews a lot easier.

Writing book reviews is a great way to get even more out of your reading journey. Whether you loved or hated a title, reviewing it will help you remember and process the story, and you’ll also be helping others to decide whether or not it’s worth their time, too.

And who knows, you might fall in love with writing book reviews and decide to pursue it as an additional source of income or even a new career!

Whatever your book reviewing plans and goals are, I hope the templates, tips, and ideas above will help you get started.

Do you have any advice for writing a great book review? Let me know in the comments below!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

24 Book Review Questions to Ask Before Writing a Review

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 23rd February 2021  - Last updated: 29th February 2024

Categories Book Blogging , Books

Trying to write a book review but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, these book review questions for a book report will help you on your way!

Writing a book review or book report can feel overwhelming for one of two reasons. Either you have too much to say or nothing to say at all.

In either case, having some structure to your review and a roadmap of questions to answer can be helpful in focussing your thoughts so you can write a useful book review.

These book review questions are designed to get your brain thinking about some of the key issues and interesting points about your book in question.

You certainly don’t have to answer all of them and you don’t need to follow the order I have listed the book report questions below.

RELATED: How to Write a Good Review of a Bad Book

Book Review Questions: General Information

Before you delve into sharing your own opinions, you should share some general information about the book.

This can be to do with its plot, its genre, the setting and whether there is anything readers should be aware of before delving in.

These are good questions to ask about a book as a basic starting point and where you should always begin.

What is the book about?

What genre does this book fit into?

In what time and place is the book set?

Who is the intended audience of the book?

Is the book appropriate for that audience?

Should this book come with any content warnings?

Book Review Questions: Stylistic Points

An author could craft the most fascinating story in the world but if they can’t convey that story with an interesting or logical style then a book may well just fall flat.

Consider whether the author of the book you are reviewing has a particularly interesting style and what is it about their style that shaped the book and your opinion of it.

What style is the book written in?

What point of view is the book written from?

Does the author use any interesting techniques?

Book Review Questions: The Characters

Really compelling characters, whether you love them or hate them, can make a book really stand out. If they don’t feel real then a book can crumble pretty quickly.

Make sure to include some information about the main character (or characters) but there’s no need to mention every single person, there simply isn’t space!

Who are the key characters in the book?

Did the characters feel real?

Are the characters likeable?

Which character did you find most compelling?

Could you relate to the key characters?

Book Review Questions: Your Opinions

Of course, any good book review should contain what you, the reviewer, actually thought about it! These book review questions to ask yourself are some of the most important.

Did you discover a new favourite book or is this one you wish you had never picked up in the first place?

Try to share a balanced view so reader’s of your review can come to their own conclusions about whether this book is worth reading for them. Some points that you might not have liked might be another reader’s favourite trope!

What did you like about the book?

What did you dislike about the book?

What could have been improved?

How did the book make you feel?

How does the book compare to other similar books?

Book Review Questions: Conclusion

Make sure to wrap up your book review with some final reflections about who should read this book, what you learnt from it and what other books it is similar to.

If a reader sees that a book is similar to one they have already read and loved then that’s a great indication that they’ll love this one too.

Would you recommend this book?

What did you learn from reading this?

What sort of reader would like this book?

What other books did this one remind you of?

What star rating would you give this book?

That concludes my list of book questions to ask yourself kick your brain in gear and get you thinking about all the most interesting points of the book you’ve just read.

Do you have any more relevant book review questions to add to the list?

Let me know in the comments below!

Follow me on Instagram and Goodreads for regular book updates!

If you liked this post, check out these: How to Write a Negative Book Review How to Start a Book Blog 36 Easy Book Blog Post Ideas

Editor of What’s Hot?

Saturday 10th of December 2022

Book report question: What made this book unique from other books you have read?

Thursday 25th of February 2021

This is so so useful.

Tuesday 23rd of February 2021

Very key points here. That first part, where I talk about the synopsis, the intended audience, the genre, that is my biggest struggle.

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Friday, Mar 29

17 book review examples to help you write the perfect review.

It’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet — forever helping others discover their next great read. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how can you do justice to a great book in just a thousand words?

As you know, the best way to learn how to do something is by immersing yourself in it. Luckily, the Internet (i.e. Goodreads and other review sites , in particular) has made book reviews more accessible than ever — which means that there are a lot of book reviews examples out there for you to view!

In this post, we compiled 17 prototypical book review examples in multiple genres to help you figure out how to write the perfect review . If you want to jump straight to the examples, you can skip the next section. Otherwise, let’s first check out what makes up a good review.

Are you interested in becoming a book reviewer? We recommend you check out Reedsy Discovery , where you can earn money for writing reviews — and are guaranteed people will read your reviews! To register as a book reviewer, sign up here.

Pro-tip : But wait! How are you sure if you should become a book reviewer in the first place? If you're on the fence, or curious about your match with a book reviewing career, take our quick quiz:

Should you become a book reviewer?

Find out the answer. Takes 30 seconds!

What must a book review contain?

Like all works of art, no two book reviews will be identical. But fear not: there are a few guidelines for any aspiring book reviewer to follow. Most book reviews, for instance, are less than 1,500 words long, with the sweet spot hitting somewhere around the 1,000-word mark. (However, this may vary depending on the platform on which you’re writing, as we’ll see later.)

In addition, all reviews share some universal elements, as shown in our book review templates . These include:

• A review will offer a concise plot summary of the book. 
• A book review will offer an evaluation of the work. 
• A book review will offer a recommendation for the audience. 

If these are the basic ingredients that make up a book review, it’s the tone and style with which the book reviewer writes that brings the extra panache. This will differ from platform to platform, of course. A book review on Goodreads, for instance, will be much more informal and personal than a book review on Kirkus Reviews, as it is catering to a different audience. However, at the end of the day, the goal of all book reviews is to give the audience the tools to determine whether or not they’d like to read the book themselves.

Keeping that in mind, let’s proceed to some book review examples to put all of this in action.

How much of a book nerd are you, really?

Find out here, once and for all. Takes 30 seconds!

Book review examples for fiction books

Since story is king in the world of fiction, it probably won’t come as any surprise to learn that a book review for a novel will concentrate on how well the story was told .

That said, book reviews in all genres follow the same basic formula that we discussed earlier. In these examples, you’ll be able to see how book reviewers on different platforms expertly intertwine the plot summary and their personal opinions of the book to produce a clear, informative, and concise review.

Note: Some of the book review examples run very long. If a book review is truncated in this post, we’ve indicated by including a […] at the end, but you can always read the entire review if you click on the link provided.

Examples of literary fiction book reviews

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man :

An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.

His early training prepared him for a life of humility before white men, but through injustices- large and small, he came to realize that he was an "invisible man". People saw in him only a reflection of their preconceived ideas of what he was, denied his individuality, and ultimately did not see him at all. This theme, which has implications far beyond the obvious racial parallel, is skillfully handled. The incidents of the story are wholly absorbing. The boy's dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his nightmare experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and in the hospital, his lightning success as the Harlem leader of a communistic organization known as the Brotherhood, his involvement in black versus white and black versus black clashes and his disillusion and understanding of his invisibility- all climax naturally in scenes of violence and riot, followed by a retreat which is both literal and figurative. Parts of this experience may have been told before, but never with such freshness, intensity and power.

This is Ellison's first novel, but he has complete control of his story and his style. Watch it.

Lyndsey reviews George Orwell’s 1984 on Goodreads:

YOU. ARE. THE. DEAD. Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Or in Newspeak "Double Plus Good." Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate at times in this review, I can't help it. My mind is completely fried.

This book is like the dystopian Lord of the Rings, with its richly developed culture and economics, not to mention a fully developed language called Newspeak, or rather more of the anti-language, whose purpose is to limit speech and understanding instead of to enhance and expand it. The world-building is so fully fleshed out and spine-tinglingly terrifying that it's almost as if George travelled to such a place, escaped from it, and then just wrote it all down.

I read Fahrenheit 451 over ten years ago in my early teens. At the time, I remember really wanting to read 1984, although I never managed to get my hands on it. I'm almost glad I didn't. Though I would not have admitted it at the time, it would have gone over my head. Or at the very least, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate it fully. […]

The New York Times reviews Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry :

Three-quarters of the way through Lisa Halliday’s debut novel, “Asymmetry,” a British foreign correspondent named Alistair is spending Christmas on a compound outside of Baghdad. His fellow revelers include cameramen, defense contractors, United Nations employees and aid workers. Someone’s mother has FedExed a HoneyBaked ham from Maine; people are smoking by the swimming pool. It is 2003, just days after Saddam Hussein’s capture, and though the mood is optimistic, Alistair is worrying aloud about the ethics of his chosen profession, wondering if reporting on violence doesn’t indirectly abet violence and questioning why he’d rather be in a combat zone than reading a picture book to his son. But every time he returns to London, he begins to “spin out.” He can’t go home. “You observe what people do with their freedom — what they don’t do — and it’s impossible not to judge them for it,” he says.

The line, embedded unceremoniously in the middle of a page-long paragraph, doubles, like so many others in “Asymmetry,” as literary criticism. Halliday’s novel is so strange and startlingly smart that its mere existence seems like commentary on the state of fiction. One finishes “Asymmetry” for the first or second (or like this reader, third) time and is left wondering what other writers are not doing with their freedom — and, like Alistair, judging them for it.

Despite its title, “Asymmetry” comprises two seemingly unrelated sections of equal length, appended by a slim and quietly shocking coda. Halliday’s prose is clean and lean, almost reportorial in the style of W. G. Sebald, and like the murmurings of a shy person at a cocktail party, often comic only in single clauses. It’s a first novel that reads like the work of an author who has published many books over many years. […]

Emily W. Thompson reviews Michael Doane's The Crossing on Reedsy Discovery :

In Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.

An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl.

Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.

The Narrator initially sticks to the highways, trying to make it to the West Coast as quickly as possible. But a hitchhiker named Duke convinces him to get off the beaten path and enjoy the ride. “There’s not a place that’s like any other,” [39] Dukes contends, and The Narrator realizes he’s right. Suddenly, the trip is about the journey, not just the destination. The Narrator ditches his truck and traverses the deserts and mountains on his bike. He destroys his phone, cutting off ties with his past and living only in the moment.

As he crosses the country, The Narrator connects with several unique personalities whose experiences and views deeply impact his own. Duke, the complicated cowboy and drifter, who opens The Narrator’s eyes to a larger world. Zooey, the waitress in Colorado who opens his heart and reminds him that love can be found in this big world. And Rosie, The Narrator’s sweet landlady in Portland, who helps piece him back together both physically and emotionally.

This supporting cast of characters is excellent. Duke, in particular, is wonderfully nuanced and complicated. He’s a throwback to another time, a man without a cell phone who reads Sartre and sleeps under the stars. Yet he’s also a grifter with a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude that harms those around him. It’s fascinating to watch The Narrator wrestle with Duke’s behavior, trying to determine which to model and which to discard.

Doane creates a relatable protagonist in The Narrator, whose personal growth doesn’t erase his faults. His willingness to hit the road with few resources is admirable, and he’s prescient enough to recognize the jealousy of those who cannot or will not take the leap. His encounters with new foods, places, and people broaden his horizons. Yet his immaturity and selfishness persist. He tells Rosie she’s been a good mother to him but chooses to ignore the continuing concern from his own parents as he effectively disappears from his old life.

Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.

The Book Smugglers review Anissa Gray’s The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls :

I am still dipping my toes into the literally fiction pool, finding what works for me and what doesn’t. Books like The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray are definitely my cup of tea.

Althea and Proctor Cochran had been pillars of their economically disadvantaged community for years – with their local restaurant/small market and their charity drives. Until they are found guilty of fraud for stealing and keeping most of the money they raised and sent to jail. Now disgraced, their entire family is suffering the consequences, specially their twin teenage daughters Baby Vi and Kim.  To complicate matters even more: Kim was actually the one to call the police on her parents after yet another fight with her mother. […]

Examples of children’s and YA fiction book reviews

The Book Hookup reviews Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give :

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 5 stars! I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to tackle the voice of a movement like Black Lives Matter, but I do know that Thomas did it with a finesse only a talented author like herself possibly could. With an unapologetically realistic delivery packed with emotion, The Hate U Give is a crucially important portrayal of the difficulties minorities face in our country every single day. I have no doubt that this book will be met with resistance by some (possibly many) and slapped with a “controversial” label, but if you’ve ever wondered what it was like to walk in a POC’s shoes, then I feel like this is an unflinchingly honest place to start.

In Angie Thomas’s debut novel, Starr Carter bursts on to the YA scene with both heart-wrecking and heartwarming sincerity. This author is definitely one to watch.

♥ Review: The hype around this book has been unquestionable and, admittedly, that made me both eager to get my hands on it and terrified to read it. I mean, what if I was to be the one person that didn’t love it as much as others? (That seems silly now because of how truly mesmerizing THUG was in the most heartbreakingly realistic way.) However, with the relevancy of its summary in regards to the unjust predicaments POC currently face in the US, I knew this one was a must-read, so I was ready to set my fears aside and dive in. That said, I had an altogether more personal, ulterior motive for wanting to read this book. […]

The New York Times reviews Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood :

Alice Crewe (a last name she’s chosen for herself) is a fairy tale legacy: the granddaughter of Althea Proserpine, author of a collection of dark-as-night fairy tales called “Tales From the Hinterland.” The book has a cult following, and though Alice has never met her grandmother, she’s learned a little about her through internet research. She hasn’t read the stories, because her mother, Ella Proserpine, forbids it.

Alice and Ella have moved from place to place in an attempt to avoid the “bad luck” that seems to follow them. Weird things have happened. As a child, Alice was kidnapped by a man who took her on a road trip to find her grandmother; he was stopped by the police before they did so. When at 17 she sees that man again, unchanged despite the years, Alice panics. Then Ella goes missing, and Alice turns to Ellery Finch, a schoolmate who’s an Althea Proserpine superfan, for help in tracking down her mother. Not only has Finch read every fairy tale in the collection, but handily, he remembers them, sharing them with Alice as they journey to the mysterious Hazel Wood, the estate of her now-dead grandmother, where they hope to find Ella.

“The Hazel Wood” starts out strange and gets stranger, in the best way possible. (The fairy stories Finch relays, which Albert includes as their own chapters, are as creepy and evocative as you’d hope.) Albert seamlessly combines contemporary realism with fantasy, blurring the edges in a way that highlights that place where stories and real life convene, where magic contains truth and the world as it appears is false, where just about anything can happen, particularly in the pages of a very good book. It’s a captivating debut. […]

James reviews Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight, Moon on Goodreads:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that followers of my blog voted as a must-read for our Children's Book August 2018 Readathon. Come check it out and join the next few weeks!

This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it when I was a child, but it might have been read to me... either way, it was like a whole new experience! It's always so difficult to convince a child to fall asleep at night. I don't have kids, but I do have a 5-month-old puppy who whines for 5 minutes every night when he goes in his cage/crate (hopefully he'll be fully housebroken soon so he can roam around when he wants). I can only imagine! I babysat a lot as a teenager and I have tons of younger cousins, nieces, and nephews, so I've been through it before, too. This was a believable experience, and it really helps show kids how to relax and just let go when it's time to sleep.

The bunny's are adorable. The rhymes are exquisite. I found it pretty fun, but possibly a little dated given many of those things aren't normal routines anymore. But the lessons to take from it are still powerful. Loved it! I want to sample some more books by this fine author and her illustrators.

Publishers Weekly reviews Elizabeth Lilly’s Geraldine :

This funny, thoroughly accomplished debut opens with two words: “I’m moving.” They’re spoken by the title character while she swoons across her family’s ottoman, and because Geraldine is a giraffe, her full-on melancholy mode is quite a spectacle. But while Geraldine may be a drama queen (even her mother says so), it won’t take readers long to warm up to her. The move takes Geraldine from Giraffe City, where everyone is like her, to a new school, where everyone else is human. Suddenly, the former extrovert becomes “That Giraffe Girl,” and all she wants to do is hide, which is pretty much impossible. “Even my voice tries to hide,” she says, in the book’s most poignant moment. “It’s gotten quiet and whispery.” Then she meets Cassie, who, though human, is also an outlier (“I’m that girl who wears glasses and likes MATH and always organizes her food”), and things begin to look up.

Lilly’s watercolor-and-ink drawings are as vividly comic and emotionally astute as her writing; just when readers think there are no more ways for Geraldine to contort her long neck, this highly promising talent comes up with something new.

Examples of genre fiction book reviews

Karlyn P reviews Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch , a paranormal romance novel , on Goodreads:

4 stars. Great world-building, weak romance, but still worth the read.

I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because the book spent little time actually exploring the romance between Iona and Boyle. Sure, there IS a romance in this novel. Sprinkled throughout the book are a few scenes where Iona and Boyle meet, chat, wink at each, flirt some more, sleep together, have a misunderstanding, make up, and then profess their undying love. Very formulaic stuff, and all woven around the more important parts of this book.

The meat of this book is far more focused on the story of the Dark witch and her magically-gifted descendants living in Ireland. Despite being weak on the romance, I really enjoyed it. I think the book is probably better for it, because the romance itself was pretty lackluster stuff.

I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world building, loved the Ireland setting, and was intrigued by all of the secondary characters. However, If you read Nora Roberts strictly for the romance scenes, this one might disappoint. But if you enjoy a solid background story with some dark magic and prophesies, you might enjoy it as much as I did.

I listened to this one on audio, and felt the narration was excellent.

Emily May reviews R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars , an epic fantasy novel , on Goodreads:

“But I warn you, little warrior. The price of power is pain.”

Holy hell, what did I just read??

➽ A fantasy military school

➽ A rich world based on modern Chinese history

➽ Shamans and gods

➽ Detailed characterization leading to unforgettable characters

➽ Adorable, opium-smoking mentors

That's a basic list, but this book is all of that and SO MUCH MORE. I know 100% that The Poppy War will be one of my best reads of 2018.

Isn't it just so great when you find one of those books that completely drags you in, makes you fall in love with the characters, and demands that you sit on the edge of your seat for every horrific, nail-biting moment of it? This is one of those books for me. And I must issue a serious content warning: this book explores some very dark themes. Proceed with caution (or not at all) if you are particularly sensitive to scenes of war, drug use and addiction, genocide, racism, sexism, ableism, self-harm, torture, and rape (off-page but extremely horrific).

Because, despite the fairly innocuous first 200 pages, the title speaks the truth: this is a book about war. All of its horrors and atrocities. It is not sugar-coated, and it is often graphic. The "poppy" aspect refers to opium, which is a big part of this book. It is a fantasy, but the book draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking.

Crime Fiction Lover reviews Jessica Barry’s Freefall , a crime novel:

In some crime novels, the wrongdoing hits you between the eyes from page one. With others it’s a more subtle process, and that’s OK too. So where does Freefall fit into the sliding scale?

In truth, it’s not clear. This is a novel with a thrilling concept at its core. A woman survives plane crash, then runs for her life. However, it is the subtleties at play that will draw you in like a spider beckoning to an unwitting fly.

Like the heroine in Sharon Bolton’s Dead Woman Walking, Allison is lucky to be alive. She was the only passenger in a private plane, belonging to her fiancé, Ben, who was piloting the expensive aircraft, when it came down in woodlands in the Colorado Rockies. Ally is also the only survivor, but rather than sitting back and waiting for rescue, she is soon pulling together items that may help her survive a little longer – first aid kit, energy bars, warm clothes, trainers – before fleeing the scene. If you’re hearing the faint sound of alarm bells ringing, get used to it. There’s much, much more to learn about Ally before this tale is over.

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One , a science-fiction novel :

Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world; screenwriter Cline’s first novel is old wine in new bottles.

The real world, in 2045, is the usual dystopian horror story. So who can blame Wade, our narrator, if he spends most of his time in a virtual world? The 18-year-old, orphaned at 11, has no friends in his vertical trailer park in Oklahoma City, while the OASIS has captivating bells and whistles, and it’s free. Its creator, the legendary billionaire James Halliday, left a curious will. He had devised an elaborate online game, a hunt for a hidden Easter egg. The finder would inherit his estate. Old-fashioned riddles lead to three keys and three gates. Wade, or rather his avatar Parzival, is the first gunter (egg-hunter) to win the Copper Key, first of three.

Halliday was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s, primarily the arcade games, so the novel is as much retro as futurist. Parzival’s great strength is that he has absorbed all Halliday’s obsessions; he knows by heart three essential movies, crossing the line from geek to freak. His most formidable competitors are the Sixers, contract gunters working for the evil conglomerate IOI, whose goal is to acquire the OASIS. Cline’s narrative is straightforward but loaded with exposition. It takes a while to reach a scene that crackles with excitement: the meeting between Parzival (now world famous as the lead contender) and Sorrento, the head of IOI. The latter tries to recruit Parzival; when he fails, he issues and executes a death threat. Wade’s trailer is demolished, his relatives killed; luckily Wade was not at home. Too bad this is the dramatic high point. Parzival threads his way between more ’80s games and movies to gain the other keys; it’s clever but not exciting. Even a romance with another avatar and the ultimate “epic throwdown” fail to stir the blood.

Too much puzzle-solving, not enough suspense.

Book review examples for non-fiction books

Nonfiction books are generally written to inform readers about a certain topic. As such, the focus of a nonfiction book review will be on the clarity and effectiveness of this communication . In carrying this out, a book review may analyze the author’s source materials and assess the thesis in order to determine whether or not the book meets expectations.

Again, we’ve included abbreviated versions of long reviews here, so feel free to click on the link to read the entire piece!

The Washington Post reviews David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon :

The arc of David Grann’s career reminds one of a software whiz-kid or a latest-thing talk-show host — certainly not an investigative reporter, even if he is one of the best in the business. The newly released movie of his first book, “The Lost City of Z,” is generating all kinds of Oscar talk, and now comes the release of his second book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” the film rights to which have already been sold for $5 million in what one industry journal called the “biggest and wildest book rights auction in memory.”

Grann deserves the attention. He’s canny about the stories he chases, he’s willing to go anywhere to chase them, and he’s a maestro in his ability to parcel out information at just the right clip: a hint here, a shading of meaning there, a smartly paced buildup of multiple possibilities followed by an inevitable reversal of readerly expectations or, in some cases, by a thrilling and dislocating pull of the entire narrative rug.

All of these strengths are on display in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Around the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered underneath Osage lands in the Oklahoma Territory, lands that were soon to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Through foresight and legal maneuvering, the Osage found a way to permanently attach that oil to themselves and shield it from the prying hands of white interlopers; this mechanism was known as “headrights,” which forbade the outright sale of oil rights and granted each full member of the tribe — and, supposedly, no one else — a share in the proceeds from any lease arrangement. For a while, the fail-safes did their job, and the Osage got rich — diamond-ring and chauffeured-car and imported-French-fashion rich — following which quite a large group of white men started to work like devils to separate the Osage from their money. And soon enough, and predictably enough, this work involved murder. Here in Jazz Age America’s most isolated of locales, dozens or even hundreds of Osage in possession of great fortunes — and of the potential for even greater fortunes in the future — were dispatched by poison, by gunshot and by dynamite. […]

Stacked Books reviews Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers :

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Malcolm Gladwell’s writing. Friends and co-workers tell me that his subjects are interesting and his writing style is easy to follow without talking down to the reader. I wasn’t disappointed with Outliers. In it, Gladwell tackles the subject of success – how people obtain it and what contributes to extraordinary success as opposed to everyday success.

The thesis – that our success depends much more on circumstances out of our control than any effort we put forth – isn’t exactly revolutionary. Most of us know it to be true. However, I don’t think I’m lying when I say that most of us also believe that we if we just try that much harder and develop our talent that much further, it will be enough to become wildly successful, despite bad or just mediocre beginnings. Not so, says Gladwell.

Most of the evidence Gladwell gives us is anecdotal, which is my favorite kind to read. I can’t really speak to how scientifically valid it is, but it sure makes for engrossing listening. For example, did you know that successful hockey players are almost all born in January, February, or March? Kids born during these months are older than the others kids when they start playing in the youth leagues, which means they’re already better at the game (because they’re bigger). Thus, they get more play time, which means their skill increases at a faster rate, and it compounds as time goes by. Within a few years, they’re much, much better than the kids born just a few months later in the year. Basically, these kids’ birthdates are a huge factor in their success as adults – and it’s nothing they can do anything about. If anyone could make hockey interesting to a Texan who only grudgingly admits the sport even exists, it’s Gladwell. […]

Quill and Quire reviews Rick Prashaw’s Soar, Adam, Soar :

Ten years ago, I read a book called Almost Perfect. The young-adult novel by Brian Katcher won some awards and was held up as a powerful, nuanced portrayal of a young trans person. But the reality did not live up to the book’s billing. Instead, it turned out to be a one-dimensional and highly fetishized portrait of a trans person’s life, one that was nevertheless repeatedly dubbed “realistic” and “affecting” by non-transgender readers possessing only a vague, mass-market understanding of trans experiences.

In the intervening decade, trans narratives have emerged further into the literary spotlight, but those authored by trans people ourselves – and by trans men in particular – have seemed to fall under the shadow of cisgender sensationalized imaginings. Two current Canadian releases – Soar, Adam, Soar and This One Looks Like a Boy – provide a pointed object lesson into why trans-authored work about transgender experiences remains critical.

To be fair, Soar, Adam, Soar isn’t just a story about a trans man. It’s also a story about epilepsy, the medical establishment, and coming of age as seen through a grieving father’s eyes. Adam, Prashaw’s trans son, died unexpectedly at age 22. Woven through the elder Prashaw’s narrative are excerpts from Adam’s social media posts, giving us glimpses into the young man’s interior life as he traverses his late teens and early 20s. […]

Book Geeks reviews Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love :

WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5

SUBJECT: 4/5

CANDIDNESS: 4.5/5

RELEVANCE: 3.5/5

ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5

“Eat Pray Love” is so popular that it is almost impossible to not read it. Having felt ashamed many times on my not having read this book, I quietly ordered the book (before I saw the movie) from amazon.in and sat down to read it. I don’t remember what I expected it to be – maybe more like a chick lit thing but it turned out quite different. The book is a real story and is a short journal from the time when its writer went travelling to three different countries in pursuit of three different things – Italy (Pleasure), India (Spirituality), Bali (Balance) and this is what corresponds to the book’s name – EAT (in Italy), PRAY (in India) and LOVE (in Bali, Indonesia). These are also the three Is – ITALY, INDIA, INDONESIA.

Though she had everything a middle-aged American woman can aspire for – MONEY, CAREER, FRIENDS, HUSBAND; Elizabeth was not happy in her life, she wasn’t happy in her marriage. Having suffered a terrible divorce and terrible breakup soon after, Elizabeth was shattered. She didn’t know where to go and what to do – all she knew was that she wanted to run away. So she set out on a weird adventure – she will go to three countries in a year and see if she can find out what she was looking for in life. This book is about that life changing journey that she takes for one whole year. […]

Emily May reviews Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:

Look, I'm not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and missing someone; I might cry at books where things don't work out; I might cry at movies where someone dies. I've just never really understood why people get all choked up over happy, inspirational things. But Michelle Obama's kindness and empathy changed that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons.

This is not really a book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it. It's a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in political opinion, when it is really about a woman's life. About growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown into an amazing and terrifying position.

I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone and cheesy, but I just have to say it-- Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in this world.

And yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I truly do think it's genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about people - especially kids - and wants to give them better lives and opportunities.

She's obviously intelligent, but she also doesn't gussy up her words. She talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She's been one of the most powerful women in the world, she's been a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, she's had her own successful career, and yet she has remained throughout that same girl - Michelle Robinson - from a working class family in Chicago.

I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book.

Hopefully, this post has given you a better idea of how to write a book review. You might be wondering how to put all of this knowledge into action now! Many book reviewers start out by setting up a book blog. If you don’t have time to research the intricacies of HTML, check out Reedsy Discovery — where you can read indie books for free and review them without going through the hassle of creating a blog. To register as a book reviewer , go here .

And if you’d like to see even more book review examples, simply go to this directory of book review blogs and click on any one of them to see a wealth of good book reviews. Beyond that, it's up to you to pick up a book and pen — and start reviewing!

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

The Ultimate Guide to the 15 Best Emily Dickinson Poems

One of the most daring voices ever to craft a couplet, Emily Dickinson feels as relevant now as when her first volume of poetry came out under her own name — in 1...

The Best Horror Novels of 2018

If there’s one exciting thing about the changing seasons — besides the dwindling population of mosquitoes — it’s the approach of Halloween. And there’s no better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by reading the...

How to Find Kindle Unlimited Audiobooks (And 20 of Our Favorites)

We all love reading, but with more people working from home than ever before and screen time at all time high, giving your eyes a break is extra important — and that’s where audiobooks come in.

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

• Submit your book
• Reviewer directory

Want to be a book reviewer?

Review new books and start building your portfolio.

• Developing your idea
• Seeking inspiration
• Pace and plot
• Creating characters
• Writing dialogue
• Writing for children
• Writing non-fiction
• Dedicated Genre Advice
• Interviews with Authors
• Dealing with rejection
• How publishers work
• Literary agents
• Crowdfunding
• Beyond the book
• Ghostwriting
• Illustration
• Translation
• Self-Publishing Providers
• Writing and Editing
• Design, Formatting, and Production
• Distribution and Sales
• Publicity and Marketing
• Understanding Self-Publishing
• More From Writers & Artists
• Related editing services & events
• Related community content
• Interviews about Self-Publishing
• Exhibiting and Working on Commission
• Preparing your portfolio
• Finding inspiration
• Self-promotion
• Identifying your audience
• Interviews with Artists
• Agony Agent
• Bespoke Mentoring
• How Strong Is Your Book Idea?
• Opening Chapters
• Full Manuscript Review
• Final Polish
• Beat the Rejection Consultation
• Events & Courses Back How to Get Published How to Hook an Agent Masterclasses Writing Courses Children's & YA Fiction Festival Writing Calendar The Bloomsbury Institute
• Resources Back Literary agencies Publishers Glossary Just browsing How to use Listings Subscriptions Videos & Podcasts
• Find a group
• Search/Add Connections
• Competitions

Tips for Scoring Book Reviews

Looking for reviews to help boost book sales? Karol Owens from Reedsy offers some advice...

You might already know that book reviews can make or break your book. While they won’t directly sell copies, they offer critical social proof that makes readers willing to take a chance on your book. Good reviews will tip prospective readers over the edge and make them click ‘buy’ — and poor (or non-existent) reviews will be all they need to check out another title.

Now, as a self-published writer, getting book reviews is easier said than done. It can be very difficult to get newspapers, magazines, and blogs to give your book a chance. But the good news is that it’s not impossible. Here are a few tips to help you score those reviews .

1. Make sure your book is ready

First impressions matter. While it’s easy to think – and hope! – that your book will only be judged on the quality of the story, that is rarely true. Amy Edelman, founder of review site IndieReader, says that “aside from the story itself — which is the big one — there are three core elements by which your book will be judged:” editing, formatting, and the book cover. Without impeccable editing, proofreading, typesetting (which you can secure for free), and a professional-looking cover, most reviewers will regard your book as the work of an amateur.

2. Know your audience

Sure, all press is good press — but the right kind of reviews are invaluable. So, before you send your book, you need to identify if it’s the right outlet for reviews based on your genre. You don’t want to waste your time pitching to publications that are wrong. If a blog’s target audience doesn’t coincide with your book, they’re unlikely to review it.

Think about your target audience and ask yourself whether they are likely to read or frequent the magazine, blog, or website you are considering for reviews. If the answer is no, then it’s better to do your research and look for another, more appropriate outlet.

3. Consider your options

Once your book is ready and you know your target audience, it’s time to actually try to obtain reviews. As a self-published author, there are two main places to get reviews, both of which have unique requirements, restrictions, and, most importantly, consumer reach. (Trade publications are another option, but these are geared towards those working in the publishing industry — such as booksellers and librarians — so they are not the best outlet for indie authors.) 

That being said, here are two options that fit the bill. 

Consumer publications

These are publications geared toward the general public, such as magazines and local newspapers. While it’s next to impossible to get your indie book reviewed in The New Yorker, there may be local papers interested in local authors and their stories. Contacting these local outlets is a good way to get publicity for your book and for you, since in most cases you can also offer to be interviewed. However, don’t worry about staying TOO local — feel free to look at publications outside your own town for potential reviews! You never know who might be interested. 

Book bloggers

Book bloggers are particularly popular right now. Generally, they only focus on a specific genre, so it’s worth it to dig into their blogs to find the perfect book blogger for your book. That said, some book bloggers only review traditionally published books. Others only review self-published ones — and still others will accept both.

Look at their submission guidelines to see what they want! The biggest advantage that book bloggers offer to indie authors is that they’re easily accessible and many boast a big following. Some of them are also BookTubers , who film reviews and recommendations on their own YouTube channel, which is a great way to get additional exposure for your book.

These book bloggers often review books for no more than a free copy and a love of sharing stories. They’ll post their reviews on their own website on YouTube, Amazon, or Goodreads. Be warned: depending on how big their following is, they might have a lot of demand. Just because they are not associated with a “traditional” outlet doesn’t mean that getting a review through them will be any easier.

4. Know how to approach potential reviewers

Depending on the type of outlet you have decided to contact, there are different ways and requirements for approaching them. Be proactive with your research so you know exactly what what you need before contacting anybody.

If you are approaching someone from a consumer publication or a blogger, the best way is to reach out through email. First, you need to identify who to contact. For a local magazine or newspaper, Amy Edelman advises you to “see if they either do interviews with local residents and/or book reviews. Note the name of the person who wrote the piece and check their job title on the masthead.” This information will show you the right person to contact. Then you can try getting their email address either through Google or through the publication itself.

Unlike publications, there are a variety of ways to contact bloggers. Amy explains that “some have forms on their websites, some can be reached via email and some are okay via Facebook.” If you are unsure, check their website or write a short email confirming their preference before sending your book. 

Once you have their preferred contact information, know the best way to approach them. Make sure they review books in your genre (don’t request a review of your Historical Fiction book to someone who only reads YA books). Another important point is to check which format they prefer — whether that be ebook or paperback — and make sure to send it in that format.

When you send an email, be succinct about what you need and include all information requested. This will vary, so be sure to check beforehand as it may include anything from publishing information to a book cover image. Make sure all the information is clear and ask to be notified if they decide to write a review, the turnaround time, and request the review in advance of posting. Above all, be polite and not too insistent: follow up a few days after the first email if you don’t get a reply, but don’t overdo it.

As a self-published author, getting reviews takes time and work, but the benefits of getting them are worth it. Don’t lose hope if your book is not getting the exposure it deserves: be patient, do your part, and the reviews will likely come.

Karol Owens is a writer for Reedsy, the world's largest marketplace of professional editors, book designers and ghostwriters. 

• Facebook share

PurlandTraining.com

Learn english for free.

Writing a Book Review – FREE Template (PDF)

How to Write a Book Review [Video]

Watch it on YouTube [Click here]

Why not use our free template below to write a book review for homework or as a class project. Whether it’s a review of your favourite book or a book you’ve just finished reading, writing a book review certainly makes for a nice writing practice activity!

Direct download: https://purlandtraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/writing-a-book-review-template.pdf

This material is completely free to use , so please feel free to share it widely!

If you have any feedback about these free resources, we’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment or review below or on Facebook or Twitter .

Share this:

• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Free Syllabus
• Elementary English Course
• Free Worksheets
• Wordsearches
• Lesson Plans
• Free Video Classes
• Teaching Blog
• Discussion Questions
• Infographics
• Learn Connected Speech
• Purland Power Pack

• 2024 Calendar
• 2025 Calendar
• Monthly Calendar
• Blank Calendar
• Julian Calendar 2024
• Medication Schedule
• Bank Statement
• 100 Envelope Challenge
• Landscaping Invoice
• Credit Application Form
• Plane Ticket
• Personal Letter
• Personal Reference Letter
• Collection Letter
• Landlord Reference Letter
• Letter of Introduction
• Notarized Letter
• Lease Renewal Letter
• Child Support Agreement
• Payment Agreement
• Cohabitation Agreement
• Residential Lease Agreement
• Land Lease Agreement
• Real Estate Partnership Agreement
• Master Service Agreement
• Profit Sharing Agreement
• Subcontractor Agreement
• Military Time
• Blood Sugar Chart
• Reward Chart
• Foot Reflexology
• Hand Reflexology
• Price Comparison Chart
• Baseball Score Sheet
• Potluck Signup Sheet
• Commission Sheet
• Silent Auction Bid Sheet
• Time Tracking Spreadsheet

Free Book Review Template: Examples (PDF)

Book reviews are usually a student’s first step toward becoming a professional writer. It provides students with invaluable experience that helps them express their ideas through written text. The book review template is generally given to the students to help them review books.

Also, some of the students find it challenging to write this paper with an appropriate style and format. As a result, they may not be able to understand what exactly is expected from them. Teachers assign the book review template to their students to overcome this problem. Using this template, they can easily learn what has to be included in their paper to submit an excellent paper at the end of the class.

Table of Contents

Book Review Templates

Book review templates are pre-designed documents that provide a structured format for evaluating and critiquing a book. These templates serve as a useful tool for readers, bloggers, critics, or students to systematically analyze and share their opinions about a particular book.

Book review templates typically include sections that capture essential details about the book, such as the title, author, genre, publication information, and a brief summary of the plot. They also provide prompts or sections for evaluating various aspects of the book , including the writing style, characterization, plot development, themes, and overall impression.

Using a book review template helps readers organize their thoughts and provide a comprehensive analysis of a book’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall quality. It encourages critical thinking, thoughtful reflection, and effective communication of one’s opinions and insights.

What is the ideal length for a book review template?

A book review template is a simple but effective way to sum up, your thinking about a piece of writing. A good book review contains enough information to tell the reader if they would enjoy it. Adding appropriate examples, rounding out your ideas, and maybe even referencing other books on the subject can help persuade others that you are right!

A good book review template should not be too short or too long. It should be just enough to inform new readers and catch their attention.

What are the parts of a book review template?

A book review isn’t just about summarizing the book you’ve read. Reviewing a book can be characterized as a critical analysis of the content of a book, including the reader’s comments. From this point of view, this analysis is actually a part of the learning process.

Before you start reading a book , whether you’re reading it for homework, personal reading, or for a publication, you need to know how to review it. Because in this way, you can catch the basic ideas about the book and create a good publication while transferring it to others.

A brief summary

The best way to start with your book report is to get a brief background on the book you’re reviewing. Start off by describing what the book is about. You can also mention why and when the author wrote the book and any interesting anecdotes surrounding it. But now, you have to discuss what is in the book. Your goal should be to describe its content without giving away any spoilers.

Background information about the topic

When it comes to creating a background for a story , there are several things you need to consider. For starters, you need to consider if you write the book with a particular setting in mind or if you let it evolve as your characters develop. If you already know where your story is going, you need to create a backstory that supports the book’s direction. You also want to make sure your characters are well developed, which is why it’s good that you take some time to explore the backgrounds of each of them.

Your evaluation

Reviews should conclude with the reviewer’s opinion and an evaluation of the work. The idea gives the reader a familiar feel, something they can agree or disagree with. The evaluation gives them a litmus test to gauge if it is worth reading or not. You might even go so far as to give it a star rating.

What to include in your book review?

While reviewing the book, you need to mention every detail the book. You should include many details such as the number of book pages, the author, the number of chapters, the date of publication, and where it was published in your book analysis. Your book analysis will have a richer structure if you include these details in detail.

While analyzing the book, there are some other issues that you should add to your analysis apart from these issues and the book’s plot. The first of these is what is the purpose of your analysis of this book. So, why should people read your book analysis, or, more accurately, why should people read this book? You need to answer such questions in detail. In particular, you need to give a lot of space to why people should read the book. When you include this information, quoting from the book will also attract the readers’ attention.

The book’s plot and what it tells are the most critical issues for the readers. The book’s main idea may be the first thing to mention when giving information about the book’s content in the book analysis. In this way, readers continue to read your article with a little knowledge of the book. After the book’s main idea is briefly conveyed to the reader, information such as the plot, the places in the book, and the year the event of the book should also be included.

Then you can add an article about how the author relates the relationship between this place and the years to your analysis. This can include the characters of the book. The characters in the book are perhaps the most essential detail of the book. It is extremely important for the book how the characters are handled and in what style they are told.

In addition, what kind of place these characters have in the plot, which characters are the main characters, and their personal characteristics can be given a lot of space in the book analysis . Because the characters are one of the most essential details of the book, how the relationship between the characters in the book and the time and place where the book takes place is handled by the author is another issue.

There must be a consistent relationship between the characters in the book and space and time. Has the author incorporated this relationship into the plot very carefully, and your analysis needs to analyze it. For this reason, it will be an extremely important issue for your article to analyze how the characters are handled in your book analysis and the relationship between everything in the book.

How To Write A Book Review

After you finish reading the book and take the necessary notes, you need to make assessments at the final stage. It would help if you shaped it by combining the notes you take and the thoughts that become clear in your mind while reading. Creating a pleasant, energizing flow for an article is an important art, and each individual book review has its natural patterns.

First of all, pure praise is logically absurd. Every work has its strengths and weaknesses, which must be taken into account, especially when personal tastes are considered.

Many writers are sometimes mistaken for their linguistic fantasy essays that sound and syllable magnificent but actually mean nothing. You need to be clear and stay away from assertive sentences at this stage. For example, it may sound good to start a review with an exaggerated adjective, but in fact, such actions raise doubts in the reader about the reliability of your article before the first sentence or paragraph is finished.

In addition, you should avoid repetitive sentences and making the evaluation text unnecessarily long. It would be best if you did not allow your explanations about the plot to be drowned in details. For this reason, instead of giving too much detail about the plot, it will be sufficient to convey the main lines.

You should not hesitate to make positive or negative reviews when evaluating the book. At this stage, you should present your ideas honestly. However, you should not include exaggerated and unrealistic claims while doing this. Your criticism will be useful in terms of scientific analysis if you mention the sources, arguments , and results that the book refers to.

The book review is an occupation that provides a better understanding of the books read. When we re-read the review articles for the previously read books, it is as if we have read the book in question again. For this reason, a book review is a permanent summary of books. Book reviews are generally done under two main headings; about the book and about the book event. While making a book review, some information about the book is shared in articles. These items are related to the book;

• Name of the book
• Author and Translator of the Book
• The Book’s Published Place, Date, and Number of Editions
• Number of Pages of the Book

Information about the book in question is given in this section. In the part of the book event, The most important points about the book review are mentioned. The book review has eight steps at this point. These steps are listed as follows;

Summary of the Event:  In this section, the topics in the book are given in order from beginning to end. Without giving details, important events are mentioned through turning points.

Personality Traits:  The main character and supporting characters in the fiction of the book are examined under two headings as physical and emotional.

Venue Features:  Important places and places where the events took place are included.

Time:  The period in which the events took place is told.

Narrator: It is given a place to tell from whose mouth the book is told.

The Narrative Feature of the Book:  The clarity of the language used, whether it is a literary language or a plain language, is examined.

Type of Book:  Specifies what type of work the book is.

Main Idea:  The main idea that the book aims to give is conveyed.

Whether online or brick-and-mortar, all businesses go through this analysis to make sure their product is reaching its full potential. One of the most useful ways to evaluate any marketing…

A good education is every student's dream. Some students are lucky to receive it as they get help from their parents and guardians. Some couldn't and had to live their…

Art is subjective. What one person finds to be an excellent work of art, another may find a piece with no value. Therefore, when you create and share your art…

Hey there! I recently learned about Venn diagrams and thought they were pretty neat. Just wanted to share a bit in case you weren't familiar. Venn diagrams are those images…

Betina Jessen

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

4 FREE Printable Book Review Worksheets

Book reviews are a great way to engage with what your reading. whether you’re reading for pleasure or if you have kids that are homeschooling these printables are a great resource.

Writing a book review can be a good way to think critically about a text and make connections between other texts and ideas. 

Print out your FREE book review worksheets below and get started!

Simply click on the images below to download.

Book with Flowers

Woman Reading Book

Woman with glasses reading book, stacked books with flowers, similar posts.

13 FREE Printable Password Trackers

These free printable password trackers are a great way to help you keep track of your passwords.  It’s super helpful to have a place to write them all down so you don’t forget them. Write down the website and the username and password and keep it handy for when you can’t remember your details. Click…

FREE Printable My Feelings Journal {Cute Cats}

It’s important to keep track with how you’re feeling each day, making sure you have a plan if things go wrong and have people to talk to when you need support. This printable feelings journal is a great way of not only tracking how you’re feeling each day but processing the feelings, and thinking about…

FREE Printable Garden Propagation Log

Are you a passionate gardener looking to keep track of your plant propagation efforts? Look no further! We have created a FREE printable Garden Propagation Log specially designed to help you document and organize your gardening adventures. With dedicated spaces for the plant’s name, start date, finish date, method used, and the final result, this…

FREE Printable Garden Cleaning Checklist

Is your garden in need of some tender loving care? Are you overwhelmed by the prospect of where to start? Look no further! We have created a FREE Printable Garden Cleaning Checklist to help guide you through the process. Whether it’s clearing away debris, pruning overgrown plants, or preparing for the upcoming season, this checklist…

FREE Printable Plant Care Guide

Are you a plant enthusiast looking to expand your green thumb skills? Look no further! Introducing our FREE Printable Plant Care Guide, with a blank space for notes, so you can personalize your guide and keep track of any specific care instructions for each plant. Plus, there’s an easy-to-use tick box feature that you can…

FREE Printable Compost Bin Tracker

Are you tired of guessing when your compost is ready? Do you want to keep track of what materials you add to your bin and when? Look no further! Introducing the FREE Printable Compost Bin Tracker—a handy tool designed to revolutionize your composting journey. Whether you’re a seasoned composter or just getting started, this simple…

• View sidebar

A Maldivian's Passion for Romance

Book reviews, from the sunny side of life, score sheet review.

Below is an explanation of the Score Sheet Review which I have started for some of the books that I will be reviewing from November 10, 2011 onward.

There will be 10 categories which will be rated according to the score variations given above.

The categories:

• The Heroine
• Emotional Intensity
• The Story’s ability to suck me in
• Heat & Sensuality in the story
• Conflicts within the story
• Writing Style
• Quotable Factor
• Satisfaction with the ending

The scores will be tallied up and determined its weight against the 5-star rating that is the maximum rating given to books on my blog.

Want to share?

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

Hello. Just ran across your review for Wild At Heart by Susan Fox on Amazon. Did you ever find that book you were searching for?

Hey Adrian, I never did. :(

Leave a comment Cancel reply

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

South Carolina vs. NC State highlights: How Gamecocks dominated Wolfpack in Final Four

CLEVELAND – Behind 22 points from Kamilla Cardoso , South Carolina topped NC State 78-59 Friday night in the first semifinal of the 2024 Women’s Final Four , sending the Gamecocks to the national championship game Sunday afternoon. They will face Caitlin Clark and Iowa , who fought off UConn in the second semifinal.

The win over the Wolfpack on Friday continues South Carolina’s revenge tour. After being heavily favored to win the title last season before being stunned by Iowa in the national semifinals — their first loss of the 2022-23 season — the Gamecocks are again undefeated and on the prowl for a title. It is South Carolina’s third national championship game under coach Dawn Staley; the Gamecocks have won the previous two, defeating Mississippi State in 2017 and Connecticut in 2022.  

USA TODAY Sports has all the highlights, scores, analysis and more from the Final Four in Cleveland.

Kamilla Cardoso formidable and immovable force for South Carolina, even when injured

The most impressive part of Kamilla Cardoso ’s game isn’t the fact that she played through pain Friday night , injuring her knee late in the second half before returning to play the third quarter. It’s that she’s improved throughout the season. Even if she’s not at full strength, she’s a load on the block .

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

Most people take noticeable jumps in skill, strength or athleticism in the offseason, when they can devote hours to their craft. It’s hard to work on your individual game during the season, when you’re juggling class, scouting reports and daily practice that’s usually focused on the team. But just a couple months ago, Cardoso had a bad habit of getting buried on the block. She was often rushed when she caught the ball and took terrible angles on shots, frequently shooting underneath the rim. 

Against NC State, she looked like a first-team All-American. She was patient and polished, taking her time to feel the defense before going the other way and scoring — often through a few sets of outstretched arms. For her size, she has impressive body control. And given her mobility, she could be making a case to move up to No. 2 in  this month's WNBA Draft . Read Lindsay Schnell's full story from the Final Four .

South Carolina vs NC State highlights

Watch all the best moments from the Gamecocks' win over the Wolfpack in the Final Four.

Kamilla Cardoso on her knee injury, what Final Four win means

• South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso on when the knee injury happened and her status: "I just fell and then it started hurting a little bit. But I'm OK now, I seen the doctor, he said it was fine. He's gotta do some treatment, ice it and stuff like that, and I'll be ready for Sunday."
• Cardoso on how dominant South Carolina was: "I think when all of us zone in, nobody can stop us because we can get the post-ups, we can shoot the 3, we can drive, so when all of us are playing in the same rhythm, nobody can stop us."
• Cardoso on what the shot at a title means to the team: "Everything. I think we've been working really hard and this was the goal. Even though we didn't set a goal for this season, this was the goal to make it to the championship and I'm just so proud of this team and so proud of everything that we accomplished was working so well up."

Kamilla Cardoso is a 'warrior,' teammates say

South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao and Ashlyn Watkins were each asked about Kamilla Cardoso's injury in their postgame news conference. They both called her a warrior, and Paopao said she thinks Cardoso will push through to play in the championship game Sunday.

• Watkins: "I knew she was gonna be OK. She's a warrior. She's not gonna let a little injury like that affect her. She's gonna push and she's gonna be ready for Sunday."
• Paopao: "She's a beautiful Brazilian warrior. She's just awsome, man. She's gonna play through some pain but that's just who she is. She loves playing the game, she's gonna push through that. Knowing that we got one more game, she's definitely going to be OK."

What Dawn Staley, Te-Hina Paopao, Ashlyn Watkins said after South Carolina's win

Here's what South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said to open her news conference after the Gamecocks' win over NC State: "It was not an easy win, although the score may say differently.

"I'm just proud of our team. To be able to play on this big stage and not play our best basketball in the first half and come back out and make some small adjustments and meet the emoment to get us to Sunday."

• Te-Hina Paopao on the win: "I'm so happy we made it. We have one game left, and we're really excited for that."
• Ashlyn Watkins on her 20-rebound performance: "I think it was just doing whatever I could to help the team ... I just went out there and played my best basketball."
• Watkins on their third quarter turnaround: "We wanted it. Our locker room talk, I knew we wanted it more."
• Paopao on their third quarter turnaround: "We just told each other that we're good. ... We locked in on both sides of the court."

South Carolina headed to third national championship game

South Carolina moved a step closer to a second national championship in three years after beating NC State 78-59 Friday in a semifinal game at the Final Four. The No. 1 seeded Gamecocks will play for the winner of the Iowa-UConn game for the national championship Sunday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse .

The undefeated Gamecocks (37-0) broke open a close game in the third quarter, outscoring the Wolfpack 29-6. The vaunted South Carolina defense was impressive, holding NC State to 1-of-11 shooting in the quarter.

Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina’s 6-7 center, led the Gamecocks with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting and added 11 rebounds. Late in the first half, she suffered what appeared to be a knee injury . But Cardoso looked effective during the third quarter and, with her team comfortably ahead, sat out the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks led by as many as 24 points in the second half. South Carolina held a 46-32 edge in rebounding. Ashlyn Watkins had 20 rebounds for the Gamecocks.

No. 3 seed NC State led early in the first quarter and trailed at halftime by just 32-21. But after dominating the third quarter, there was no looking back for the Gamecocks. Aziah James led NC State with 20 points. NC State standout Saniya Rivers, playing against her former team , was 2-for-11 shooting from the floor and had only five points. — Josh Peter

Ashlyn Watkins on South Carolina's win vs NC State

In an on-court postgame interview with ESPN's Holly Rowe, South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins talked about the Gamecocks' post play against NC State. "We dominate, that's what we do ..." the sophomore said. "They didn't really have a post that could guard us or stop us."

As Dawn Staley and South Carolina aim for their third national championship, Watkins was clear-eyed about their desire for it. "We want this. We want it."

Ashlyn Watkins pounding the boards

South Carolina foward Ashlyn Watkins pulled down 20 rebounds against NC State, setting a new single-game career high. The 6-foot-3 sophomore has chipped in 8 points, too. South Carolina leads 74-57 with less than 2 minutes left.

Kamilla Cardoso on bench with brace on knee

South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso started the fourth quarter on the bench, a brace now on top of the sleeve she's been wearing since she injured her knee in the second quarter.

Kamilla Cardoso stats

South Carolina center Kamila Cardoso scored 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting against NC State. She also pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked two shots. Cardoso has played in 31 games this season, averaging 14.1 points on 58.9% shooting, 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2.1 assists per game.

South Carolina dominates in third quarter vs NC State

South Carolina buried NC State in the third quarter, outscoring the Wolfpack 29-6 to build a 61-37 lead. The Gamecocks looked at their best defensively, holding NC State scoreless for more than six minutes while going on an 11-0. South Carolina’s shooters also heated up from 3-point range. Kamilla Cardoso, who wasn't on the floor to start the fourth quarter and was riding a bike on the sideline at the end of the third quarter, has a double-double with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting and 11 rebounds.

Even as South Carolina dominates, coach Dawn Staley is still frustrated by the Gamecocks' defensive errors.

Kamila Cardoso riding bike on sideline

Near the end of the third quarter, South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso was riding a bike on the sideline as she manages a knee injury suffered in the second quarter.

Kamila Cardoso, South Carolina open big lead

South Carolina 's Kamilla Cardoso scored back-to-back buckets to give the Gamecocks a big lead to open the third quarter against NC State . She had 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting through three quarters. South Carolina came out firing, opening the third quarter with a 9-1 run before mounting a 55-36 lead with less than 3 minutes left.

Cardoso looks healthy enough too, having scored a couple of baskets this quarter despite having hobbled off the court late in the first half. It looks like she is moving better as she gets a little warmer.

Kamilla Cardoso back on the floor to start second half

South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso is back on floor to start the second half against NC State after going down near the end of the first half. She is wearing a big wrap on her right leg, and it looks like compression stocking.

We'll see how she can move, but early in the second half it looks like she's grimacing when she runs. — Nancy Armour and Lindsay Schnell

Where is Kamilla Cardoso from?

South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso is from Montes Claros, Brazil, moving to the U.S. when she was 15. She went to Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn.

South Carolina opens 10-point lead to start second half

South Carolina opened a 10-point lead to start the second half against NC State. The Gamecocks built a 44-34 lead with 7:09 in the third quarter.

Kamila Cardoso injured in second quarter

Kamilla Cardoso was hurt in the second quarter. And it looked painful. South Carolina ’s 6-foot-7 center landed awkwardly under the basket after a missed shot with just under 2 minutes left in the second quarter and came up limping. It’s hard to tell if it’s a right knee or ankle, but Cardoso was in obvious pain. It’s hard to tell if it’s a right knee or ankle, but Cardoso was in obvious pain.

She hobbled for two trips down the court, but committed a foul with 1:39 to play — probably so she could get out of the game. She limped off the floor and headed back to the locker room immediately. Cardoso scored 16 points in 15 minutes of play and helped South Carolina to a 32-21 halftime lead. What we know about Cardoso's injury .

South Carolina vs. NC State halftime analysis

If you want to beat South Carolina , you’ve got to do one thing really well: Rebound.

And right now, NC State is losing that battle. South Carolina leads the battle on the glass at halftime, 22-17. The Gamecocks are particularly good on the offensive end of the floor, and have grabbed six offensive boards already. They’ve only turned those into four second-chance points so far, but there’s no question Dawn Staley is harping on them in the locker room to hit the glass harder. If South Carolina gets rolling with offensive rebounds — even if Kamilla Cardoso is out for awhile , the Gamecock guards rebound extremely well — it’s hard to slow them down.

Meanwhile, NC State has grabbed five offensive rebounds and turned those into four second chance points, too. — Lindsay Schnell

How South Carolina nabbed halftime lead vs NC State

South Carolina held a 32-31 lead over NC State at the half — and South Carolina’s fans are holding their breath. Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina’s 6-7 center, hobbled off the court with an injury late in the second quarter.

Before the injury, Cardoso had scored a game-high 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds. South Carolina clearly needed the contributions to keep pace with NC State during fast-paced first half. Aziah James has spurred the Wolfpack with 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

The pace has tested both teams, with South Carolina committing 10 turnovers and NC State committing seven. Although South Carolina led by as many as six points, it was mostly nip and tuck, with four lead changes and four ties. — Josh Peter

Kamila Cardoso scores 12 straight points for South Carolina

Kamilla Cardoso , South Carolina’s 6-foot-7 center, scored 12 straight points in the second quarter. She is 7-for-8 from the floor and leads all scorers with 16 points. Coach Dawn Staley subbed her out with 5:14 left in the period, but she reentered the game with about 4:20 left. The Gamecocks lead 30-25 with 2:22 minutes left to play.

NC State coach Wes Moore on Wolfpack's performance so far

NC State coach Wes Moore was first up for TV interviews after the opening quarter. With the Wolfpack and Gamecocks tied at 16, Moore was hopeful his team would stay relaxed and keep a hot hand. Before heading back to the bench, he told ESPN's Holly Rowe: "Thanks, Holly. You look good in red!" That's the hue that is spackled all over the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, worn by die-hard Wolfpack fans. — Heather Tucker

South Carolina, NC State tied after first quarter

The Gamecocks and Wolfpack were tied 16-16 after the first period in their Final Four game. NC State guard Aziaha James led all scorers with 8 points. South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso leads has 4 points for South Carolina, which got 7 points off the bench in period.

A fast-paced start turned almost frenetic at times with the teams finishing the quarter deadlocked. South Carolina jumped on top 5-0, but NC State responded with a 10-2 run thanks to a pair of 3-pointers from James. But you didn’t expect the Gamecocks to fold early did you? Of course not. Back the came behind pressure defense. Are the referees’ whistles working ? So far, only one personal foul has been called.

Kamila Cordoso contact issue in first quarter vs. NC State

It looks as if South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso is having issues with her left contact, trying to rub it back down into place with the trainer putting drops in her eye. She left court briefly in the first quarter but came back and was no longer rubbing her left eye. — Nancy Armour

Aziaha James hot early for NC State

NC State guard Aziaha James opened the first quarter 3-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3. She finished the opening period with 8 points for the Wolfpack.

Sania Feagin comes up with big block in first quarter vs NC State

Watch South Carolina forward Sania Feagin block NC State guard Saniya Rivers in the first quarter.

Dawn Staley outfit

The Dawn Staley fashion update: Whole lotta Louis Vuitton. Black LV T-shirt, black bomber jacket and sneakers with logo pattern. Leather pants, but have to assume those are Louis, too. — Nancy Armour

Aziaha James stats  

Junior guard  Aziaha James  leads the team with 16.7 points and adds 4.6 rebounds per game. She has come alive in the tournament, scoring 29 points to oust Stanford and then notching 27 points and tallying six rebounds to advance past Texas. — Victoria Hernandez  

River Baldwin stats

NC State center River Baldwin has played in 34 games this season, averaging 10.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Baldwin is in her fifth year of college hoops, spending the first three at Florida State and the last two years with the Wolfpack.

South Carolina women's basketball roster

Here is the South Carolina women's basketball roster .

NC State women's basketball roster

Here is the NC State women's basketball roster .

South Carolina starting lineup

Here's who is starting for the Gamecocks in the Final Four against NC State: C Kamilla Cardoso, F Chloe Kitts, G Raven Johnson, G Bree Hall, G Te-Hina Paopao.

NC State starting lineup

Here's who is starting for the Wolfpack in the Final Four against South Carolina: C River Baldwin , F Mimi Collins , G Madison Hayes , G Aziaha James , G Saniya Rivers .

Former teammates Saniya Rivers, Kamilla Cardoso share a pregame hug

Former teammates at South Carolina, Saniya Rivers and Kamilla Cardoso shared a long hug before they tipped it off in their Final Four matchup. Read Lindsay Schnell's full feature on Rivets here .

NC State vs. South Carolina prediction

USA TODAY Sports' Lindsay Schnell is picking NC State to knock off undefeated South Carolina while Nancy Armour has South Carolina winning and getting back to the national championship game.

March Madness bracket 2024 women

Here is the full women's March Madness bracket .

Why South Carolina will beat NC State women in Final Four

South Carolina  has coasted into yet another  Final Four , largely unnoticed because of all the attention on  Iowa’s game against LSU in the Elite Eight , a rematch of last year’s national championship game. But do not take the lack of a spotlight as a sign of deficiencies on the part of the Gamecocks. South Carolina is as relentless as it is  ruthless , as  NC State  will soon discover. — Nancy Armour

Why NC State women will beat South Carolina in Final Four

NC State coach Wes Moore knows he’s got a David-and-Goliath matchup on his hands when his  third-seeded NC State Wolfpack  take on overall No. 1 seed and  undefeated South Carolina on Friday in the Final Four. But he also knows this: In that story, it’s David who comes out ahead. 

And that type of confidence in his team is partially why the Wolfpack will stun the Gamecocks. That, and excellent guard play. Throughout NC State’s tournament run, and particularly the last two games, starting guards Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers , herself a former Gamecock, have been stellar. James in particular is on a tear, averaging 24.3 points during the NCAA Tournament, up from 15.8 before that. — Lindsay Schnell

2024 WNBA mock draft: Where are the top prospects in Final Four predicted to go?

The  2024 WNBA Draft  is less than two weeks away, providing a quick turnaround from the end of the women's college basketball season. March Madness is almost over, and the  Final Four  is this weekend. Here are the latest WNBA draft landing spot projections for players participating in this year's Final Four.

Te-Hina Paopao on Polynesian culture and women's basketball

If it seems like Polynesian stars are suddenly everywhere in women's basketball (and elsewhere), well, that’s how they planned it. “The culture is booming,” South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao said. “And we’re going to keep it growing. I’m going to do everything I possibly can to keep inspiring the next generation so people know we don’t only play football and softball.” Read Lindsay Schnell's full feature .

Tessa Johnson stats

South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson averages 6.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 17.3 minutes per game. The 6-foot freshman has appeared in 33 games this season, shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from 3.

MiLaysia Fulwiley stats

South Carolina freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley averages 11.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 2.1 assists per game this season.

Saniya Rivers stats

NC State guard Saniya Rivers , who is a 6-foot-1 junior, averages 12.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and a team-high 3.8 assists per game for the Wolfpack. Read Lindsay Schnell's full feature here .

Women's Final Four location: Where are the games?

The 2024 women's Final Four is at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse , home of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, in Cleveland, Ohio, the same location as Sunday's national championship game.

Watch NC State women's basketball arrive at Final Four

How many national championships has south carolina won  .

South Carolina has won the national championship twice. The Gamecocks  won their first title  in 2017, beating the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 67-55. They then captured their second national championship in 2022  by topping the Connecticut Huskies, 64-49. — Victoria Hernandez  

How many national championships has NC State been to?  

The Wolfpack has never been to the women's college basketball national championship. If they topple No. 1 South Carolina on Friday, it will be their first appearance in the title matchup. — Victoria Hernandez  

Women's college basketball coaches want to know: Where's accountability, transparency in officiating?

As  women’s basketball explodes in popularity  and administrators realize its power as a  revenue-generator , pressure to win has ratcheted up. And that makes every call, especially in a close game, matter. For all the discourse around the varying issues in college sports, coaches, administrators and even officials agree on one thing: The officiating in women’s basketball needs major work .

The NCAA declined to make Penny Davis, the head of women’s officiating, available to USA TODAY Sports. But others spoke about one of the game’s most problematic issues. 

“I think to the overall point as the game has gotten more spotlight and just more people purchasing tickets, watching on television, the fundamental question as administrators is, have we done enough to look at the officiating?” Utah athletic director Mark Harlan told USA TODAY Sports. “And I think the answer is no.”  Read Lindsay Schnell's full story .

What to know about NC State women's basketball, briefly  

In a loaded ACC, the quietly excellent Wolfpack is often overlooked. We should probably stop doing that, given that NC State has five players who score in double figures, with any of them capable of taking over a game. — Lindsay Schnell  

What to know about South Carolina women's basketball, briefly  

The Gamecocks haven’t forgotten they were upset last year and in fact, they still seem upset about it. They’re taking it out on anyone in their way and seem eager to prove there won’t be a repeat of last spring.  — Lindsay Schnell  

NC State's Saniya Rivers: What to know

When they saw each other Wednesday for the first time in nearly two years,  South Carolina coach Dawn Staley  and NC State guard  Saniya Rivers embraced. But for the following 48 hours, they probably won’t be too friendly with each other. 

It’s a weird matchup for Rivers and Staley, the 16-year head coach for the undefeated Gamecocks. Rivers started her career in Columbia, going in as the No. 3 player in the 2021 class, according to ESPN HoopGurlz. 

But then she hit the transfer portal . Rivers wouldn’t say Thursday why she decided to leave South Carolina – she said previously she didn’t think she was a good fit with the program, calling herself "not the piece of the puzzle they were looking for," and on Thursday wanted to focus only on the upcoming game – but assured everyone she is still on good terms with Staley. 

"She’s a great person," Rivers said of Staley. "We still talk to this day, she congratulates me on accomplishments. I do the same thing. If it’s her birthday, I wish her a happy birthday. We saw each other (Wednesday), hugged it out." Read Lindsay Schnell's full feature here .

What NC State coach Wes Moore said to Wolfpack after shootaround

Watch what NC State coach Wes Moore said to his players after their shootaround this afternoon at Cleveland's Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

How many times has South Carolina been to the Final Four?  

This is South Carolina's sixth trip to the Final Four, all under Dawn Staley's leadership. They made their first appearance in program history in 2015 when they lost to Notre Dame by one point with a 66-65 score in the national semifinal. The Gamecocks made it to the Final Four in 2017 for  their first title , beating Mississippi State, 67-55. 

They returned to the Final Four in 2021 when they fell to Stanford in another close game, 66-65. That was the first of four straight national semifinal appearances. They also made it in 2022 − when they  won their second championship  by beating Connecticut, 64-49 − 2023, and this year, 2024. — Victoria Hernandez  

How many times has NC State been to the Final Four?  

This year is NC State's second trip to the Final Four. The Wolfpack previously made the national semifinal in 1998 under Hall of Fame coach Kay Yow. They lost to Louisiana Tech, 84-65. — Victoria Hernandez  

South Carolina vs. NC State odds  

The Gamecocks are favorites to defeat the Wolfpack in Friday's Final Four matchup, according to  BetMGM college basketball odds . 

• Spread: South Carolina (-11.5) 
• Moneylines: South Carolina (-800); NC State (+550) 
• Over/under: 139.5 

Why women's March Madness feels more entertaining than men's NCAA Tournament

In  LeBron James ’ new podcast with J.J. Redick for basketball nerds,  Mind the Game , James bemoaned men’s college basketball in two of the three episodes.

“It does not translate for me,” James said. “It frustrates me. My high blood pressure picks up … so I try to stay away from it.”

James says that having one son (Bronny) who  just finished his freshman season at Southern California  and another son (Bryce) who likely will play college basketball. While the men’s college game remains popular, particularly during  March Madness , a question has popped up, especially among NBA executives who have taken their eyes off scouting men’s players to watch the women's tournament: is women’s college basketball more entertaining than the men’s game?

“They always play the game the right way – passing and cutting, sharing the ball. They're definitely going to get on the floor for loose balls,”  James said of NCAA women’s basketball . “But there's men's teams that's doing that as well too at the end of the day. But the star power that we have in the women's game outweighs some of the men, too.” Read Jeff Zillgitt's full column .

Women's college basketball is faster than it's ever been. The result? More records falling

Shortly after Alyssa Ustby recorded the first triple-double in North Carolina women’s basketball history in early January, coach Courtney Banghart was asked: Why are so many  records being broken lately in women’s college basketball? What’s different about now compared to, say, 10 years ago?  

Banghart, who played at Dartmouth from 1996-2000 and coached at Princeton before moving to Chapel Hill in 2019, didn’t hesitate. 

“The game is so fast,” she said, shaking her head in awe. “There’s so many possessions — the stats guys might know that better than me — but the talent level and speed of play is remarkable. I’ve been in this game a long time and (players today) can all do so much with the ball. There’s just more versatility as well as athleticism, and that leads to more possessions and more impact on the game.” Read Lindsay Schnell's full feature .

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.  

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.  

• CBSSports.com
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• CBS Sports Home
• Masters Live
• Champions League
• Motor Sports
• High School
• Horse Racing 

Men's Brackets

Women's Brackets

Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy football, football pick'em, college pick'em, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey, franchise games, 24/7 sports news network.

• CBS Sports Golazo Network
• PGA Tour on CBS
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• Italian Serie A
• Watch CBS Sports Network
• TV Shows & Listings

The Early Edge

A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast

With the First Pick

NFL Draft is coming up!

• Podcasts Home
• Eye On College Basketball
• The First Cut Golf
• NFL Pick Six
• Cover 3 College Football
• Fantasy Football Today
• My Teams Organize / See All Teams Help Account Settings Log Out

Masters 2024 predictions, odds, top picks, props: Golf insider targeting Sam Burns at Augusta National

Golf insider patrick mcdonald has revealed his 2024 masters picks, pga best bets and props for augusta national.

The 2024 Masters will begin on Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club and the first group out will be Erik van Rooyen and Jake Knapp. The next 29 Masters pairings will all be threesomes and one of the marquee groups for the first two days will be Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele. All three players are top-five in the Official World Golf Ranking and they'll go off at 10:42 a.m. ET on Thursday and 1:48 p.m. ET on Friday, which could put them in a position where they have to play through some of Thursday morning's expected rain.

Scheffler is the No. 1 player in the world and the 13-4 favorite in the 2024 Masters odds. He's followed by McIlroy (10-1), Brooks Koepka (11-1), Jon Rahm (12-1), Wyndham Clark (15-1) and Schauffele (18-1) in the 2024 Masters odds for the first major of the season. Before locking in any 2024 Masters picks or golf predictions, you need to see what proven golf betting expert Patrick McDonald has to say , considering his recent track record.

McDonald joined CBS Sports as a golf writer in 2022 after stops at NBC Sports and RyderCup.com. Covering the sport from a broader perspective, McDonald still likes to dip his toes into the betting pools on a weekly basis between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and more. Featured weekly on the Early Wedge, he has given out numerous winners already in 2024, including Jake Knapp (50-1) at the Mexico Open. 

Now, McDonald has focused his attention on the 2024 Masters field and has locked in his best bets, top sleepers and favorites to avoid. You can see only see them at SportsLine .

Top 2024 Masters expert picks

One stunning prediction from McDonald: He is high on Sam Burns, even though he is a 50-1 longshot. The 27-year-old will make his third Masters appearance and this year he'll play the first two days with Adam Scott and Cameron Young. That group will go off at 1:12 p.m. ET, which could be an advantage with forecasted rain expected to stop just before they make their way to the first tee.

Burns is No. 22 in the Official World Golf Ranking and 24th in the FedEx Cup standings after earning four top-10 finishes over his first five starts on the PGA Tour this season. He's cooled since that brilliant stretch out West, but he's had a few weeks off since his last event and should be fresh for Augusta. After missing the cut in his first Masters appearance, Burns showed growth with a 29th-place finish last year. Growing comfortability combined with one of the best putting strokes in golf could help make him a factor at Augusta.  See who else to back here .

How to make 2024 Masters picks, bets

McDonald is also jumping on an underdog who's had plenty of success at Augusta National but is still listed at more than 100-1 to win it all.  You can only see his 2024 Masters picks at SportsLine .

So, which players should you target or avoid for the 2024 Masters, and which proven golfer in the Masters 2024 field could bring a monster payday of almost 100-1? Check out the odds below then visit SportsLine to see Patrick McDonald's top picks for the Masters 2024, all from the expert who has been red-hot on his PGA Tour picks this season  and find out.

2024 Masters odds, field 

See full 2024 Masters picks at SportsLine

Scottie Scheffler +325 Rory McIlroy +1000 Brooks Koepka +1100 Jon Rahm +1200 Wyndham Clark +1500 Xander Schauffele +1800 Will Zalatoris +2000 Hideki Matsuyama +2000 Jordan Spieth +2000 Viktor Hovland +2200 Ludvig Aberg +2500 Joaquin Niemann +2500 Cameron Smith +2800 Justin Thomas +2800 Patrick Cantlay +2800 Collin Morikawa +3000 Dustin Johnson +3300 Tony Finau +3500 Bryson DeChambeau +3500 Brian Harman +3500 Shane Lowry +4000 Max Homa +4000 Cameron Young +4000 Jason Day +4000 Matt Fitzpatrick +4000 Min Woo Lee +5000 Sam Burns +5000 Sahith Theegala +5000 Tommy Fleetwood +5500 Sergio Garcio +6000 Tyrrell Hatton +6000 Byeong-hun An +6500 Chris Kirk +7000 Tom Kim +7000 Russell Henley +7000 Patrick Reed +7000 Rickie Fowler +7500 Akshay Bhatia +7500 Corey Conners +7500 Sungjae Im +7500 Si Woo Kim +8000 Denny McCarthy +9000 Adam Scott +9000 Justin Rose +9000 Phil Mickelson +10000 Tiger Woods +10000 Stephen Jaeger +12500 Sepp Straka +12500 Nick Taylor +12500 Erik Van Rooyen +15000 Eric Cole +15000 Adrian Meronk +15000 Jake Knapp +15000 Keegan Bradley +15000 Matthieu Pavon +15000 Nicolai Hojgaard +15000 J.T. Poston +15000 Emiliano Grillo +15000 Harris English +15000 Thorbjörn Olesen +17500 Lucas Glover +17500 Luke List +17500 Adam Hadwin +17500 Taylor Moore +20000 Ryan Fox +20000 Kurt Kitayama +20000 Bubba Watson +20000 Nick Dunlap +20000 Peter Malnati +20000 Cam Davis +20000 Austin Eckroat +22500 Ryo Hisatsune +25000 Lee Hodges +27500 Adan Schenk +30000 Danny Willett +35000 Charl Schwartzel +35000 Gary Woodland +50000 Grayson Murray +50000 Camilo Villegas +50000 Zach Johnson +75000 Christo Lamprecht +75000 Fred Couples +100000 Mike Weir +100000 Neal Shipley +150000 Vijay Singh +150000 Stewart Hagestad +150000 Jasper Stubbs +200000 Jose Maria Olazabal +200000 Santiago de la Fuente +250000

Our Latest Golf Stories

2024 Masters expert picks, predictions, odds

Kyle porter • 11 min read.

2024 Masters One and Done picks, DFS, fantasy lineups

Cbs sports staff • 5 min read.

2024 Masters odds, computer picks, bets, field

2024 masters prop picks, bets, parlay, odds, cbs sports staff • 2 min read.

2024 Masters expert picks, odds, best bets, field

Cbs sports staff • 4 min read.

2024 Masters predictions: Ranking the field, 1-89

Kyle porter • 29 min read, share video.

2024 Masters best bets, props, expert picks

2024 Masters picks: One of these nine will win

Expert predictions for 88th Masters

Ranking the field at Augusta, 1-89

Can a first-timer win this year's Masters?

2024 Masters TV schedule, complete viewer's guide

Tee times, pairings set for Round 1 at the Masters

Why repeating will be so tough for Jon Rahm

Tiger Woods: 'I hurt every day' ahead of 2024 Masters

Masters odds: Scottie Scheffler still clear favorite