Your reading notebook is full, but the blog post is still blank. Here is how to write a book review for a blog: turn your notes into a short plot setup, a clear opinion and an honest verdict.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Tips in NetGalley’s review guide | 12 tips |
| Spoilers | Avoid them, or add a “spoiler alert” warning |
| Plot | A bit more background than the jacket gives |
| Opinion | Share it as you describe the plot |
| Rating system on a personal blog | Choose one and explain how it works |
These points come from NetGalley’s Bookish tips for writing a book review. Advice like this can change, so check the source before you rely on it.
This guide sits in our wider set of book reviews advice, and it focuses on the step between messy notes and a finished post.
Start from your notes, not a blank page
Most reviews go flat because the writer starts typing from memory. Your reading notes already hold the raw material: reactions, favourite lines, the page where you lost interest.
Before you draft, sort your notes into a few piles:
- What happens: the setup only, in your own words.
- What worked: writing style, characters, pacing, ideas.
- What did not: be specific about the moment it slipped.
- Who it suits: the reader who would enjoy it.
If a note is only “loved it” or “boring”, go back and write why. That reason is usually the best sentence in the review.
It also helps to keep a running list of quotes with page references. A short quotation can show your reader the voice of a book far better than a description, and it saves you from hunting through the text later.
Write your notes within a day or two of finishing, while the details are fresh. Even a few lines on how the ending felt will anchor the whole review.
A simple structure for a blog review
Sources agree that a blog review does not need a rigid template. A loose shape still helps readers who skim on a phone.
- A short hook: a reaction, a quote or a question.
- A brief overview of the book.
- Your main opinions, grouped under a few labels.
- A closing recommendation and your rating.
If you want a deeper walk-through of the same craft, our guide on how to write a book review covers the basics, while this page stays focused on blogging.
How much plot should you include?
Your readers want to know what the book is about. NetGalley’s guide says describing the plot needs a fine balance in a review, and it suggests you “give a bit more background on the plot outlined on the book’s jacket”.
That source adds that you should focus on elements you feel strongly about or think readers will want to know. In practice, that means a paragraph, not a chapter-by-chapter retelling.
A quick test: if a sentence would fit on the back cover, it belongs in your overview. If it explains why you cared, it belongs in your opinion.
Make your opinion clear
NetGalley warns that a reviewer “may get caught up in describing the plot and forget to offer their own insight”. The fix it gives is to share your opinion on what worked or did not, in the writing, characters and events, as you describe the plot.
Useful habits for a clear opinion:
- Name the specific scene or line behind your reaction.
- Compare the book to others only when it helps the reader decide.
- Say what kind of reader will enjoy it, even if you did not.
- Criticise the book, not the author as a person.
An honest mixed review is more useful than gushing praise. Readers learn to trust blogs that say when a book missed.
Spoilers, ratings and honesty
NetGalley calls spoilers “enemy number one of readers everywhere”. It advises: “Unless your reviewing platform offers a way to hide spoilers, avoid them completely or at least add a ‘spoiler alert’ warning to your review.”
Ratings are the other choice every blogger makes. The same guide says ratings “help to give readers an immediate sense of how you felt about a book”, and that on a personal blog you should decide on a system and “make sure you clearly explain how it works to your readers”.
Trust is the real asset here. If you received a free copy or any other perk, say so plainly in the post. Readers also compare notes on suspicious praise, as our piece on how to spot fake book reviews explains.
Writing for readers who skim
Most blog visitors scan before they read. Short paragraphs, clear subheadings and a verdict near the top let them decide quickly whether your review answers their question.
Grouping opinions under plain labels such as writing, characters and pacing keeps your thoughts consistent from one review to the next. Over time, readers learn what your labels mean and can compare your views across books.
Think too about the book’s own setting in your reading life. A line on why you picked it up, whether from a friend, a shelf at an independent bookshop or a long-held curiosity, gives the review a human starting point that no summary can supply.
Keep your tone conversational and specific. Words like “amazing” or “dull” tell the reader little, while “the second half dragged because every chapter ended the same way” tells them exactly what to expect.
Reviewing a book you did not enjoy
A negative review can be the most useful post on your blog. The trick is to be fair: describe what the book set out to do, then explain where it fell short for you.
Ask yourself whether the problem was the book or the timing. A slow literary novel may be a poor fit during a busy month, and saying so tells readers that your reaction is personal, not a universal verdict.
Keep the criticism tied to the text. Point to the pacing, the dialogue or the structure, and leave the author’s character out of it. Readers can disagree with you and still respect the review.
If you stopped reading part-way, say that clearly rather than implying you finished. Many blogs label these posts as did-not-finish notes, which keeps the rating honest and the expectations plain.
Edit, format and publish
Read your draft aloud once. Cut any paragraph that repeats the one before it, and check that your verdict appears near the top as well as the end.
Finish with a short checklist:
- Title, author and format of the book you read.
- A spoiler warning if you need one.
- Your rating, with your scale explained.
- Any disclosure of free copies or links.
Then publish, and keep the habit. Your tenth review will read better than your first, because you will know what your readers want from you.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a blog book review be?
Show answer
There is no fixed length. Our sources describe the structure as loose, so match the length to your purpose and your readers’ patience.
Should I avoid spoilers entirely?
Show answer
NetGalley’s advice is to avoid them completely or add a “spoiler alert” warning, unless your platform can hide them.
Do I need a star rating?
Show answer
No, but ratings give readers a quick sense of your view. If you use them, explain how your scale works.
What if I did not like the book?
Show answer
Say so, with specific reasons. Focus on the writing, characters and events rather than the author personally.
