When was the last time you purchased something without reading any of the reviews first? If you're like me, you rely on the feedback of others before making a purchase.
Before the Internet, people relied heavily on word of mouth advertising before purchasing a product or service. Now, with so many options available to us, we search for reviews from people we have never met in order to make an informed decision.
Book reviews are no different. No matter the platform, whether professional or amateur, book reviews help readers of all kinds determine if a book is right for them.
Good book reviews give a short overview of the story and then proceed to detail the structure and flow of the book. If it's a picture book, discussions of the illustrations are important to include as well as the age range for which it is intended. If it is a YA book, it's important to note if there are sexual references or intense language.
Librarians use reviews to build Storytime and other library collections as well as guide library users to titles they might not otherwise have seen.
I have been writing book reviews since 2015. The project began as a way for me to keep track of the picture books I might want to include in Storytime on Goodreads. From there, I branched out to professional reviews for School Library Journal and CLCD. Now, I also review for Reedsy, an independent author platform. And if you want to request a review outside of these sources, you can find me on IndieView or find my submission guidelines here.
If you want to read more about my approach to writing book reviews, please see my IndieView Interview here.
I LOVE writing book reviews. Why? Because it gives me the chance to see what books are out there while providing useful information for purchasers and readers around the world. With the thousands of books published each year, it is impossible for one person to read them all. However, with reviews like mine, people can get a sense for a book in a fraction of the time.
Check out my book reviews at the links above!
Do you have a book you'd like me to review? Please review my submission guidelines and send it along!
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