How to Review

Who are you reviewing for?

Reviews are for readers.

Reviews give readers a chance to share their opinion about a book. It is a chance to express how you feel, what you like, what you didn’t like.

They also help other readers make the decision about whether or not the book might be right for them.

Of course, some authors read their reviews and use the feedback to improve their current and future books. But whether they do or don’t, the review is really between you and readers considering getting the book.

What to put in a review?

Short answer: Anything you want

A review can be as simple as “I liked/hated this book!”

Of course specific examples of why are welcome and encouraged. But the review is first and foremost your opinion. You can express it however you want.

**Although, some sites have a minimum word count so you might have to elaborate a bit more. Or add lots of exclamation points 🙂

However, if you’d like to add a little more there are several ways to do it. Below are some suggestions to jump-start your thoughts.

• Talk about the plot. (*See note about spoilers below.) What happened in the book? Did the story make sense? Did it keep your attention? Was there a particular scene or action that stuck out? Was the book fast-paced or did it drag?
• Talk about the characters. Who did you love? Who did you hate? Why? Did you relate to them?
• Talk about the setting. Where does the story take place? When? What was it about the setting that you liked or didn’t like?
• Talk about the writing. Did you enjoy the style? Did it hold your attention? Did it keep you turning pages?
• Talk about how the book made you feel. Did it make you laugh? Cry? Frustrated? Thoughtful?

You can talk about any of the above. Or none of it. As I said in the beginning, reviews are for readers. As the reader leaving the review, you can leave the type of information that you would find most helpful in a review. Chances are, someone else wants to know exactly the kind of thing about a book that you want to talk about.

Additional things to consider when writing reviews:

• Spoilers— Including details that might spoil the ending or a twist is a touchy subject. Some people absolutely HATE spoilers of any kind. Others really want to know what they are getting into. And some don’t care one way or the other. My best suggestion is that if you choose to include something someone might consider a spoiler, make that clear at the beginning of the review. Also put enough space between the warning and the spoiler as a buffer for those who don’t want to accidentally see it.
• Negative Reviews— If you don’t like something, you have every right to share that. There may be others who would be put off by the same thing you didn’t like and will appreciate the heads up. On the flip side, what you didn’t like may be EXACTLY what someone else is looking for. I have, more than once, read a low-star review that said something like “too sappy and fluffy” and then immediately bought the book because that was the kind of read I was in the mood to read:)

A few notes about ARC reviews:

What is an ARC?

ARC stands for Advanced Review (sometimes Reader) Copy. These are free copies of a book given away with the hope/expectation that the person receiving the free copy will write a review on the retailer book page and/or on a site like Goodreads or Bookbub.

Most often they are given away before the book is released. This is to ensure there will be reviews on the book when it is launched. It can also help generate buzz for the book before it releases.

Sometimes, books that have already been released are given away like this in order to garner additional reviews.

Where can you get ARCs?

There are websites like Booksprouts and Hidden Gems where authors make their ARCs available. Sometimes authors have their own ARC teams that you can sign up for. You can sign up for my team HERE. Sometimes authors will advertise on their website, newsletter, or social media when they have ARCs available for review.

What is required in exchange for an ARC?

That depends. Make sure you read all of the expectations before signing up to receive an ARC. Some authors or sites may require a review on certain retailers or websites. Some may even require multiple reviews.

Also keep in mind that often the number of ARCs available are limited. Only sign up to review books you really think you’ll be interested enough to finish and review.

One important thing to keep in mind, by FTC regulations, you are required to disclose if you are reviewing something that you received for free. It can be something as simple as adding “I received a free review copy of this book.”

How to find out about my ARCs?

Sign up for my ARC Review Team at www.subscribepage.com/AmberlynsARC or click on the link in the sidebar >>>>