I don’t think there is s right way or wrong way to write a book review. I do believe that book review questions prepared before you start writing it helps guide you to write the best review you can.
Up until recently, I would spend hours trying the write the perfect review. Sometimes I would delete a review that I spent hours writing only to start over. Now I have a list of book review questions to help guide me through the process of writing that perfect book review.
The book review questions or guide formula is super easy to follow, and it only takes me about twenty to thirty minutes to write out! So, let’s get straight to it.
Make sure you have your favorite book lover cup ready for your favorite drink. Mine is usually vodka, tea, or water. It depends on my mood.
Book Review Question #1
It’s easy to forget which books we’ve read afterward, that’s why I recommend keeping a log of your books right after you finish reading. You can see at first glance what you’ve read. You’re able to notice if you are missing any books in a series and the order of said series.
List the books you’ve read by title, author, genre and rating.
Often you can compare an author’s work to their latest book. Your ratings are all there to view at once. This gives you the ability to let readers know if the authors’ work has improved over time. You can compare star rating within a series, which will add even more depth to your review. Readers love to know whether they should invest in a long book series before they pick up a book. They want your thoughts.
When you are looking at your star ratings, you can decide if you want readers to learn about your 1 star or 5-star reads. It’s all up to you. I like to use this to give variety to my reviews.
Let’s say the last two books I read were both 3-star reviews but I want to give readers a 5-star book review. I’m able to look back to my list and find a 5-star review on my blog.
Or, if I feel like sharing my favorite author’s book, I can take a glance at my list and write a whole review letting readers know that said author is all about.
Book Review Question #2
Start planning your review as you’re reading a book. This is so important when you are reading a physical copy of a book and not on an e-reader. On an e-reader, you’re able to highlight paragraphs and leave notes so you can go back and use later.
Start filling out your book review sheet as soon as you pick up a book.
Keeping track of your start and stop date is essential to a good book review. We all know that we read books we love a lot quicker than others. If you have a book you started one day and finished the very next day, I’ll be money it must have been a good one.
Tell the reader in your review. Let them know that this book was so good that you couldn’t put it down.
Make note of your thoughts as you are reading. When something stands out to you, good or bad, write it down. Write down a couple of sentences and I guarantee you will be able to turn those sentences into paragraphs.
Write down your favorite quotes or the page number to use in your review. Readers love a good quote. It gives substance to your review. It’s human nature to feel inspired or connected to quotes. Those alone will help the reader connect to the same emotions you felt while reading the book.
The beauty of quotes in a review is also that you can produce at least one paragraph that leads up to or follows this portion of the book.
You should jolt down at least three questions that you thought of when reading. Once you start writing your review, you can answer a said question or express how much you would love to ask the questions to the author. You’ll have another paragraph or two from your questions alone.
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Book Review Questions #3
Pretend like you are a book club for one. I know it sounds silly but I’ll explain how beneficial it will be. You won’t be considered crazy for answering your own questions either.
Ask yourself questions that you would want to discuss with other people.
When you are writing a review you are having a conversation with the reader. Think of them as your best friend in your book club. Ask yourself what would my friend want to, then answer it.
The most frequently asked question in a book club is, “What do you like most about the book?” Your reader wants to know that. There is so much you can say without giving anything away. It could be the writing style, the funny conversations, the setting, the style of clothes, etc.
Pick 3 to 5 questions from the list provided in the free book reviews guide and turn them into paragraphs.
One of my favorite questions is, “What were some of the important themes?” That question alone could fill an entire review. Readers want to know what the author was trying to convey without giving the story away.
Answer the question according to the book you’re reviewing. If you are reviewing a romance novel, go beyond the love story. Focus on the personal accomplishments of the main characters.
Once you have gathered all the information you need from your book review guide, put everything in order. Start at the beginning of the book and work your way to the end as best as possible without spoiling it for the reader.
I sometimes write reviews with spoilers but I always warn readers first. Those are normally the times where I’m so fired up about a book that I just have to rant, good or bad. I’m known for being pretty messy but the majority of my reviews are positive.
I hope the book review questions or guide help you push out your reviews. Let me know in the comments any tips or tricks you use to write reviews. I love find new ways to do things.
Once you’ve downloaded you book review questions or guide, tell me what you think. I want to see if it works for you too.
Don’t be afraid to add in a few personal details that connected you to the book. It humanizes the reviewer. I like to think of reviewing a book like talking to a friend and friends share personal stories to connect and bond with one another. Connecting with other book lovers is the best thing I get out of reviewing and blogging.
I don’t do book reviews but this was a great read nonetheless. I keep track of my read list by marking them on Goodreads once I’m done, but I sure could use a journal of some sort to remind me why I liked or hated a particular book (because let’s face it, a lot of it disappears from memory, and only the main gist remains). Thanks for this, Danielle!
I’m so happy you liked the article. I have a digital planner coming very soon and you’ll love this one. It’s a bit more masculine as well 🙂