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It Finally Happened + Summer Romances

Whelp, it finally happened. I guess the hubris of going around believing that maybe I was simply immune to Covid caught up with me since I finally got Covid. It wasn’t terrible, but still the overall experience was that it sucked, especially now that the weather is nicer but I’ve been stuck inside. It also ...

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Middle of the Night

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager came out earlier this month. I’ve enjoyed most his mysteries quite a bit in the past, so been looking forward to this one. In Middle of the Night, Ethan has moved into his parents old house on Hemlock Circle, the cul-de-sac where he grew up as a kid. ...

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Independent Book Review

A Celebration of Indie Press and Self-Published Books

30+ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

Here are 30+ top-notch book review sites for booksellers, librarians, readers, & writers. Learn more about 30 bookish companies helping spread the word about the best & latest books.

Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

Book reviews are for all of us.

Readers need to know whether books with the best covers are worth the time they’re about to put into it. They find it helpful (and fun!) to check out reviews after reading the books, too, so they can see what other real-life humans had to say about it.

Authors & publishers need to get book reviews to build buzz and credibility for their product. Librarians & booksellers need to hear from trusted sources that the book they are about to buy for their collection has the capability to get picked up & to satisfy. 

Book review sites have transformed the book-recommending landscape.

We can write reviews on product pages, on social media apps, and some of us, for publications that have been around since before the internet. Book reviewing has changed. But maybe it also hasn’t.

What kind of book review sites are you looking for? Chances are, this list has you covered.

Here are 30+ book review sites to read, write, and bookmark. 

1. Independent Book Review

Does this logo look familiar? (Hint: You’re sitting on it).

IBR, the website you’re on RIGHT NOW, is all about indie books . There are so many books in the world right now, but if you feel like you keep seeing the same ones recommended over and over, start reading indie!

Independent presses & self-published authors are doing some incredible work right now. IBR reviews books, curates lists, does indie bookstore round-ups, and uses starred reviews & best-of-the-year lists to show which books are going to blow your mind.

2. Book Marks

Lit Hub rules. You already knew this.

But do you know about Book Marks? They’re a branch of the Lit Hub network, and they are an excellent way for booksellers and librarians to get shorter recaps from multiple sources and voices.

Their staff peruses book review sites and shares pull-quotes from them in book lists & more. By reading all of these sites, they can give the book a rating based on the average: “Rave, Positive, Mixed, or Pan.”

My favorite book-buying platform, Bookshop , uses Book Marks’ scale for their books’ ratings, and I love getting access to that.

3. Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly has been around since 1872. By now, they’re a review churning machine. They cover so much of the book industry in so many different ways, reviewing nearly 9,000 books per year and providing publication announcements, agency announcements, industry job listings , bestseller lists, industry stats, a self-publishing partner, and more. 

4. Kirkus Reviews

Another one that’s been around since before the internet! 1933 to be exact. Kirkus is a widely recognized publication that book buyers & librarians follow carefully. I dare you to find a bookstore or library that doesn’t have multiple books with Kirkus Reviews plastered on their front and back covers.

5. Booklist

The American Library Association runs Booklist , a platform dedicated to helping libraries, educators, and booksellers choose books. They’ve got a magazine (since 1905!), book reviews, lists, awards, and one of my favorite bookish podcasts out there: Shelf Care .

6. Library Journal & School Library Journal

As you might be able to guess, Library Journal & School Library Journal focus on librarians too! They review a ton of books, and they write often about library-related news, collection management, technology, programs, and more. If you’re an author hoping to land your book in libraries, these are essential targets.

7. BookPage

You may have seen BookPage in your local library or bookstore. Some shops provide it for free so that patrons can look through it to find which books to buy in-store. Their website is clean and intriguing and always full of the most up-to-date releases and bestsellers.

Speaking of libraries! Have you seen our gifts for librarians ?

8. Foreword

Foreword is such an enthusiastic and dedicated champion of indie books, and they’ve been doing it since the 90s! I love how much attention university presses get here too. Their reviews are well-written & thorough, in both print & digital, and I always find something to speed-purchase once the Foreword Indie winners come out.

9. LoveReading

LoveReading is a top book-recommendation website in the UK. They’ve got starred reviews, lists, staff picks, a LitFest , eBooks, and they even donate 25% of the cover price of their books to schools of your choice. It’s reader-friendly and apparent how much they appreciate the wonder of books. 

10. Washington Independent Review of Books

What’s not to love about The Independent?

Back in 2011, a group of writers & editors were frustrated by newspapers dropping book review sections and decided to do something about it. The Washington Independent Review of Books is quite a lovely something! This nonprofit posts every day: from reviews to interviews to essays and podcasts. They host events too!

11. Book Riot

Try being a reader and not finding something you love on Book Riot. Book lists, podcasts, personalized recommendations, newsletters, book deals—this site is a haven.

It doesn’t post solo book reviews like other sites, but they do share mini-reviews in book lists and talk about reading in unique & passionate ways. The Book Riot Podcast is such a winner too! I love listening to Jeff & Rebecca laugh about the latest in books & reading.

12. Electric Lit

From novel excerpts to original short fiction & poetry, they might not only be a book review site,  but they do offer a lot in the world of book recommendations. Their Recommended Reading lit mag features unique staff picks and short, insightful book reviews.

13. The Millions

The writing in The Millions is something to behold. They are an artful source for all things book reviews & recommendations. They write stunning essays about books & reading and long reviews of new and old books. They’ve got some of my favorite Most Anticip ated lists too.

What are the biggest benefits of reading ? 🧐

14. Bookforum

Did you hear? Bookforum is back ! This book review magazine announced in December 2022 that they were closing, and my heart sank a little bit. This company means so much to the publishing industry and has for 20+ years, so when I saw (last week!) that they are returning, I did more than a few jumps for joy.

Welcome back, Bookforum! Can’t wait to see what you’ve got coming for us in book world coverage.

BOMB is in it for the art. Art, literature, film, music, theater, architecture, and dance. There are reviews and interviews, and the literature section is a real delight. The reviews are like poignant essays, and the author interviews are in-depth and feature some fascinating minds.

16. The Asian Review of Books

The only dedicated pan-Asian book review publication! It’s widely cited and features some of the best in Asian books and art, so booksellers and librarians have a source to trust to stock their collections with high-quality pan-Asian lit.

Have you seen our gifts for book lovers yet?

17. Chicago Review of Books

I love so much of what Chicago Review of Books does. They have a clean & sleek design that features some of the buzziest books as well as plenty of hidden gems from our favorite indie presses. I’m a particularly big fan of the spotlight they put on books in translation .

18. Rain Taxi

I love Rain Taxi ’s style! They champion unique books, publish their own fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and put a real emphasis on art for their magazine covers . It’s a beautiful print magazine to subscribe to, but they also share free online editions & digital archives. They even run the Rain Taxi Reading Series & Twin Cities Book Festival if you’re a real-lifer in Minnesota!

19. The Rumpus

Oh, The Rumpus ! This mostly volunteer-run online magazine publishes reviews, interviews, essays, fiction, and poetry. The reviews are in-depth and personal and heart-melting, and in addition to the site, they’ve got cool perks like the Poetry Book Club  and Letters in the Mail . The book club is where you get a pre-release book and meet the poet via Slack with other club members at the end of the month, and Letters in the Mail are actual postcards sent in the mail to you twice a month from your favorite authors.

20. Book Reporter

The selection in Book Reporter is carefully curated & enticing: hot new releases, forthcoming books, major presses, & indies. And there are plenty of unique ways to learn about them, like video interviews and monthly lists & picks. It launched in 1996 and is in The Book Report Network, which includes Reading Group Guides , a super useful resource for book clubs.

21. BookTrib .

BookTrib does such a great job of making their site browsable. The different ways you can enjoy what they offer—from book lists to giveaways to ebook deals —are difficult to keep your purchase finger off of.

23. Lit Reactor

Writers & readers—where bookish people meet! LitReactor’s book reviews are in the magazine portion of their website, and they’ve got plenty of them! Reviews, interviews, lists, introspectives, writing tips, and reading discussions. I’ve found some really unique content on Lit Reactor, like this ranking of literary parents . The website is a haven for writers especially, as there are workshops, writing blog posts, and even a forum to participate in.

24. Crime Fiction Lover

Dark alleys. Stray bullets. Hard-boiled detectives. Runaway thrills. If you’re a mystery-thriller reader, you’ve got to know about Crime Fiction Lover. They’ve got a passionate group of readers and writers talking about the best books in the genre and the ones that are soon to come out too.

25. SF Book Reviews

Speculative fiction fans unite! SF Book Reviews has been reviewing sci-fi and fantasy books since 1999, and while they’re a relatively small staff, they publish regularly, feature books of the month, and work wonders for their fantastical community.

26. Historical Novel Society

For all you historical fiction fans out there, the Historical Novel Society has reviewed more than 20,000 books in its twenty years. This one works like a membership for “writers and readers who love exploring the past.” You get a quarterly print magazine as a member, and if you’re a writer, you can join critique groups and ask for book reviews.

27. The Poetry Question

The Poetry Question writes about poetry published by indie presses and indie authors. They are a small passionate team dedicated to showing the world why indie presses continue to be a leading source for award-winning poetry.

28. Goodreads

Did you know that there are over 125 million members on Goodreads? When users review books, they can have conversations with fellow readers and follow reviewers too. If you’re looking for the biggest community, there’s no doubt Goodreads is the one. I like using sites like this because it helps you catalog books, one of my favorite ways to build a strong reading habit . 

29. The Storygraph

A big community of active users that’s Amazon free! Come review books, use half & quarter stars (!), and complete reading challenges. You got this.

29. Bookwyrm

Bookwyrm is small (around 5,000 members at the time of this writing), but doesn’t that sound kind of nice? There are active members and a genuine collective goal in talking books. Grow with it. I think you’ll be comfy here. There are other communities within the Bookwyrm umbrella too, like Bookrastinating .

30. Reedsy Discovery

I hold a special place in my heart for book review sites dedicated to helping writers! I got into this business as a book marketer, and I experienced first-hand, through hundreds of books, how hard it was to get exposure & validation for small press and self-published authors. 

Reedsy Discovery is a branch of Reedsy (the author resource company) that connects authors & reviewers so that people can read free books, sometimes receive tips for it, and authors can get more reviews in the process. Readers can choose from the latest books as well as the ones that are getting the best reviews.

31. Netgalley

Netgalley is a book review site for pre-released books. Reviewers sign up for a free account, request galleys from publishers and indie authors, and get to read them before they’re published so that they can leave reviews for the book, preferably on Amazon, Goodreads, or their blog. They also run Bookish , the editorial arm of Netgalley, which has book recommendations, interviews, and more.

32. Online Book Club

This review site combines a bunch of cool things! The 4-million member community gives me a lot of Goodreads vibes, especially with the Bookshelves app . But Online Book Club is a place for you to get eBook deals and talk about books in reviews and forums.

What are your favorite book review sites to follow? Let us know in the comments!

Thank you for reading “ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers !” If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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5 comments on “ 30+ top-notch book review sites for readers & writers ”.

Pingback: 24 Dos & Don'ts of Book Publicity | Tips on Research, Pitching & More - Independent Book Review

Check out http://www.literaryvault.com for best book reviews and author interviews. The literary Vault is a blog run and owned by a 13-year-old passionate reader who loves to share her passion and recommendations with others.

Thank you for the information!

Book review sites serve as invaluable resources for both readers and writers, offering insightful critiques, recommendations, and discussions on a wide range of literary works. Whether you’re seeking your next captivating read or looking to promote your own book, these platforms provide a wealth of information and opportunities for engagement. https://ghostwritersplanet.com/

I think BookBrowse.com definitely deserves to be on this list!

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Stay tuned as we reveal the top book review sites for 2024!  Whether you’re in the mood for a classic drama, a modern thriller, or an enlightening non-fiction, there’s a review site that can point you in the right direction.

We’ve also included the advantages of every book review site for readers and authors. So without wasting time, let’s get started! 

Ensure your book gets the glowing reviews it deserves! Learn more

1. Goodreads

Goodreads stands out as a titan in the field of book review sites, especially in 2024. As the biggest community of readers, authors, and reviewers on the internet, you can find reviews for almost every book on Goodreads. 

You can also join reading groups, catalog books, engage in discussions with fellow readers, and follow your favorite authors. Moreover, by integrating Goodreads with your Kindle account, you can track your reading progress, get personalized book recommendations, and write reviews that get posted on both Goodreads and Amazon automatically. 

Subscription Fee: None

2. Kirkus Reviews

Present since 1933, Kirkus Reviews is one of the oldest book review websites that has earned a reputation for its authoritative and unbiased reviews. You can access quality book reviews for a variety of genres either on the website, by subscribing to the free weekly email newsletter, or by subscribing to the paid semi-monthly magazine.

The main advantages of Kirkus Reviews include access to “best of” lists across many categories and reviews about each book mentioned in the list. The only downside to Kirkus Reviews is the paid nature of the magazine, which can limit access to reviews of new bestsellers to only a few people.

Subscription Fee: Ranging from $49 to $179, based on the chosen duration of the subscription.

3. LibraryThing

LibraryThing, a book lover’s haven for cataloging books, is one of the best book review websites. It offers a robust platform for readers to explore reviews, rate books, and meticulously organize their collections by genre.

The charm of LibraryThing lies in its social features—you can connect with fellow readers, share your bookshelves, and exchange thoughts on your latest reads. It’s a cozy corner on the internet for those who take pleasure in tracking their reading journey and finding kindred spirits within the pages of their favorite genres.

Apart from these features, LibraryThing provides a feature for authors to create their own Author’s page. Besides this, LibraryThing provides readers the opportunity to meet with fellow readers and authors by releasing updates about local book events. 

4. Book Riot

Book Riot is one of the most versatile book review sites where you can access fictional and non-fictional book reviews, articles, and essays about top books across different genres. In addition to this, you can access information about discount deals for e-books and printed books and purchase from a huge variety of book merchandise.  

The one thing that sets Book Riot apart from other sites is access to podcasts, which you can listen to if you don’t feel like reading book reviews. The only downside to Book Riot is that the site’s format doesn’t provide the feel of a traditional book review experience. 

Subscription Fee: $4.99/month for authors who subscribe to Book Riot Insiders for information about new releases.

5. LoveReading

LoveReading emerges as a cherished resource among book review sites, particularly for its UK-based but globally accessible content. As one of the top professional book review sites, it allows you to access ebook and audiobook reviews across multiple genres. 

The advantages of LoveReading include access to books and debuts of the month, weekly staff picks, and yearly list features. The only downside to LoveReading is the limited availability of reviews about books published outside the UK. 

Amazon is one of the top free book review sites in 2024. It allows readers to rate books using a 1–5 star scale and receive a verified purchase tag after they have purchased books, increasing the authenticity of their reviews. Additionally, readers can engage with each other by adding comments to other reviews and stand a chance to receive a higher ranking if their reviews are well-received by a larger audience. 

7. Booklist

Booklist, a veteran publication by the American Library Association since 1905, has evolved into a premier online destination for book reviews. You can look at the reviews of many print and audiobooks from various genres on Booklist. 

The benefits of using Booklist include access to webinars and a variety of newsletters like Read Alert, Booklandia, and more. The only downside to Booklist is that it doesn’t provide a space for reader interaction or discussion, which restricts the community aspect of the reading experience.

Subscription Fee: $184.95/year

8. Publishers Weekly

Dominating the publishing world since 1872, Publishers Weekly is one of the oldest children’s mystery and romance book review sites. Apart from book reviews, it provides access to news about upcoming books. 

The advantages of Publishers Weekly are access to the latest industry news, stats, bestseller lists, and exciting podcasts about authors and contemporary books. The only downside to Publishers Weekly is that you need to pay a subscription fee to have complete access to the content present on this site.

Subscription Fee: $15/month

9. NetGalley

NetGalley is one of the top book review sites for authors and readers alike. Readers can view reviews, request advanced reader copies (ARCs), and write reviews about pre-released books by various authors. Also, readers can check out book reviews, recommendations, and the must-read section at Bookish, an editorially independent division of NetGalley. 

The only downside to NetGalley is that it can be difficult to secure ARCs of highly anticipated books due to fierce competition among reviewers. 

10. Fantasy Book Review 

This site includes various categories for book reviews such as urban fantasy, high/epic fantasy, dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction, magic users, and heroic/ sword and sorcery, etc. Depending on the category, book reviews for the best fantasy books are added to the website. With this, the site also provides readers with a list of the top 100 fantasy books of all time, recommendations of fantasy series, and interviews with fantasy authors.  

Check out the top ten book review sites mentioned above to find your next best read, and let these curated sites lead you to memorable stories and transformative literary adventures. If you need help to create perfect book reviews or refine your book, consider our professional editing and proofreading services for assistance.

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Nobody likes to spend money on a new book only to face that overwhelming feeling of disappointment when it doesn't live up to your expectations. The solution is to check out a few book review sites before you hit the shops. The greater the diversity of opinions you can gather, the more confidence you can have that you'll enjoy the title.

Which book review and book rating sites are worth considering? Here are the best ones.

1. Goodreads

Goodreads is arguably the leading online community for book lovers. If you want some inspiration for which novel or biography to read next, this is the book review site to visit.

There's an endless number of user-generated reading lists to explore, and Goodreads itself publishes dozens of "best of" lists across a number of categories. You can do a book search by plot or subject , or join book discussions and reading groups with thousands of members.

You can participate in the community by adding your own rankings to books you've read and leaving reviews for other people to check out. Occasionally, there are even bonus events like question and answer sessions with authors.

2. LibraryThing

LibraryThing is the self-proclaimed largest book club in the world. It has more than 2.3 million members and is one of the best social networking platforms for book lovers .

With a free account, you can add up to 200 books to your library and share them with other users. But it's in the other areas where LibraryThing can claim to be one of the best book review sites.

Naturally, there are ratings, user reviews, and tags. But be sure to click on the Zeitgeist tab at the top of the page. It contains masses of information, including the top books by rating, by the number of reviews, by authors, and loads more.

3. Book Riot

Book Riot is a blog. It publishes listicles on dozens of different topics, many of which review the best books in a certain genre. To give you an idea, some recent articles include Keeping Hoping Alive: 11 Thrilling YA Survival Stories and The Best Historical Fiction Books You’ve Never Heard Of .

Of course, there's also plenty of non-reading list content. If you have a general affinity for literature, Book Riot is definitely worth adding to the list of websites you browse every day.

Bookish is a site that all members of book clubs should know about. It helps you prep for your next meeting with discussion guides, book quizzes, and book games. There are even food and drink suggestions, as well as playlist recommendations.

But the site is more than just book club meetings. It also offers lots of editorial content. That comes in the form of author interviews, opinion essays, book reviews and recommendations, reading challenges, and giveaways.

Be sure to look at the Must-Reads section of the site regularly to get the latest book reviews. Also, it goes without saying that the people behind Bookish are book lovers, too. To get a glimpse of what they’re reading, check out their Staff Reads articles.

5. Booklist

Booklist is a print magazine that also offers an online portal. Trusted experts from the American Library Association write all the book reviews.

You can see snippets of reviews for different books. However, to read them in full, you will need to subscribe. An annual plan for this book review site costs $184.95 per year.

6. Fantasy Book Review

Fantasy Book Review should be high on the list for anyone who is a fan of fantasy works. The book review site publishes reviews for both children's books and adults' books.

It has a section on the top fantasy books of all time and a continually updated list of must-read books for each year. You can also search through the recommended books by sub-genres such as Sword and Sorcery, Parallel Worlds, and Epic Fantasy.

7. LoveReading

LoveReading is one of the most popular book review sites in the UK, but American audiences will find it to be equally useful.

The site is divided into fiction and non-fiction works. In each area, it publishes weekly staff picks, books of the month, debuts of the month, ebooks of the month, audiobooks of the month, and the nationwide bestsellers. Each book on every list has a full review that you can read for free.

Make sure you also check out their Highlights tab to get book reviews for selected titles of the month. In Collections , you'll also find themed reading lists such as World War One Literature and Green Reads .

Kirkus has been involved in producing book reviews since the 1930s. This book review site looks at the week's bestselling books, and provides lengthy critiques for each one.

As you'd expect, you'll also find dozens of "best of" lists and individual book reviews across many categories and genres.

And while you're on the site, make sure you click on the Kirkus Prize section. You can look at all the past winners and finalists, complete with the accompanying reviews of their books.

Although Reddit is a social media site, you can use it to get book reviews of famous books, or almost any other book for that matter! Reddit has a Subreddit, r/books, that is dedicated to book reviews and reading lists.

The subreddit has weekly scheduled threads about a particular topic or genre. Anyone can then chip in with their opinions about which books are recommendable. Several new threads are published every day, with people discussing their latest discovery with an accompanying book rating or review.

You'll also discover a weekly recommendation thread. Recent threads have included subjects such as Favorite Books About Climate Science , Literature of Indigenous Peoples , and Books Set in the Desert . There’s also a weekly What are you Reading? discussion and frequent AMAs.

For more social media-like platforms, check out these must-have apps for book lovers .

10. YouTube

YouTube is not the type of place that immediately springs to mind when you think of the best book review sites online.

Nonetheless, there are several engaging YouTube channels that frequently offer opinions on books they've read. You’ll easily find book reviews of famous books here.

Some of the most notable book review YouTube channels include Better Than Food: Book Reviews , Little Book Owl , PolandBananasBooks , and Rincey Reads .

Amazon is probably one of your go-to site when you want to buy something. If you don’t mind used copies, it’s also one of the best websites to buy second-hand books .

Now, to get book reviews, just search and click on a title, then scroll down to see the ratings and what others who have bought the book are saying. It’s a quick way to have an overview of the book’s rating. If you spot the words Look Inside above the book cover, it means you get to preview the first few pages of the book, too!

Regardless of the praises or criticisms you have heard from other book review sites, reading a sample is the most direct way to help you gauge the content’s potential and see whether the author’s writing style suits your tastes.

12. StoryGraph

StoryGraph is another good book review site that's worth checking out. The book rating is determined by the site's large community of readers. Key in the title of a book you're interested in and click on it in StoryGraph's search results to have an overall view of its rating.

Each book review provides information on the moods and pacing of the story. It also indicates whether the tale is plot or character-driven, what readers feel about the extent of character development, how lovable the characters generally are, and the diversity of the cast.

13. London Review of Books

The London Review of Books is a magazine that covers a range of subjects such as culture, literature, and philosophy. Part of its content includes amazingly detailed book reviews. If you feel that most modern book reviews are too brief for your liking, the London Review of Books should suit you best.

You'll gain insight into the flow and themes of the story, as well as a more thorough picture of the events taking place in the book.

Read Book Reviews Before You Buy

The book review sites we've discussed will appeal to different types of readers. Some people will be more comfortable with the easy-to-interpret book rating systems; others will prefer extensive reviews written by experienced professionals.

Although it’s easy to be tempted by a gorgeous book cover, it’s always best to have a quick look at the book reviews before actually buying a copy. This way, you can save your money and spend it on the books that you’ll be proud to display on your shelves for a long time. And check out recommendations, as well, to help you find what's worth reading.

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Home / Book Marketing / Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs

Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs

Book reviews are one piece of the book marketing puzzle . An important piece that some authors find impossible. This article is designed to help you get those initial reviews to bring in and sales and, you guessed it, more reviews.

In this article, you will learn:

• Why book reviews matter
• How to get your book reviewed by blogs the right way
• What to look for in a good review blog
• The best book review blogs for your genre

Table of contents

• Verified purchase reviews
• Does Amazon put a lot of weight on verified reviews?
• The mentality of the Buyer
• Different Types of Book Review Blogs
• Professional Book Reviewers
• Easily Understand Amazon's Book Review Do's and Don'ts
• List of the Best Book Review Blogs by Genre
• 1. Guilty Pleasures Book Review
• 2. Jeri’s Book Attic
• 3. Kindle Book Review
• 4. Reads all the Books
• 5. Literary Titan
• 1. Jeri’s Book Attic
• 2. Guilty Pleasures Book Review
• 3. Fang-Freakin-taskic- Reviews
• 4. Early Bookish Birds
• 5. Kindle Book Review
• 6. Christian Book Reviews
• 7. Reads all the Books
• 2. Raven and Beez
• 3. FanGirl Confessions
• 4. Kindle Book Review
• 5. Christian Book Reviews
• 6. Reads all the Books
• 7. Jessica Map Reviews
• 8. Dream by Day
• 2. Kindle Book Review
• 3. Romancers Rehab
• 4. Totally Booked
• 2. Early Bookish Birds
• 4. Chapter in My Life
• 2. Fang-Freakin-taskic- Reviews
• 3. Raven and Beez
• 8. Jessica Map Reviews
• 9. Aces High Joker’s Wild
• 10. Cat Pollock Writes
• 5. Jessica Map Reviews
• 3. Reads all the Books
• 4. Jessica Map Reviews
• 1. Raven and Beez
• 2. Christian Book Reviews
• 4. Fictional Fates
• 7. Fictional Fates
• 1. FanGirl Confessions
• 4. Mundie Kids
• 2. FanGirl Confessions
• 3. Reading for Sanity
• 1. Christian Indie Book Reviews
• 2. Redeemed Reader
• 3. Mom of Wild Things
• 4. Dream by Day
• 1. Kindle Book Review
• 1. Rachel’s Reading
• Here are a few Instagram handles for you to check out:
• Book Review Blog Table
• The Right Way to Ask
• Digital Book:
• Paperbacks:
• How to Respond if They Say No or Don’t Respond:

Reviews and Amazon Ranking

You’ve probably noticed Amazon has two kinds of reviews. Some have a little “Verified” tag and some don’t. Amazon implemented the verified status to show the book was purchased from Amazon so people can’t just give their book to all their friends and get dishonest or biased reviews. Of course, readers who get the book as a prize or from signing up for your newsletter can still review it, but Amazon doesn’t give as much weight to those reviews in its algorithms. Which leads us to our next tidbit…

Yes, they do. Even if two books are selling at the same rate, a book with more positive verified reviews will rank higher than one with fewer reviews . You can still hit number one if you’re selling enough copies compared to the other books in your category , say during a promotion .

Which brings us the next piece of this crazy puzzle:

There’s no doubt the publishing world changed dramatically in the last ten years. With it changed the way readers find books and make purchasing decisions. According to this post from Written Word Media readers are most likely to buy a book if it has 30 or more reviews with an average rating greater than 3.5 stars on Amazon .

For this post, I created a survey for readers. I set out to see how much weight bibliophiles put on book reviews. I got several responses from people 60-years-old and older who don’t look at reviews at all. So if you’re targeting older readers, reviews may not be as important for the readers…but, they’re still important for the algorithms.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”If your readers are less than 60-years-old, reviews are a must to sell books! But how in the world do you get them? #amwriting” quote=”If your readers are less than 60-years-old, reviews are a must to sell books! But how in the world do you get them?”]

So beyond getting reviews from your email list , are there other ways authors can get more reviews?

Enter book review blogs…

There are two main types of book review blogs:

• Professional (aka Paid)
• Blogs (aka Free)

Professional reviews are ones that are paid for and cannot count toward Amazon’s ranking. You can put them in the editorial review section which can help if you don’t have any other reviews.

Kirkus – The Kirkus Review used to be the be-all end-all of editorial reviews. It carried a lot of weight in publishing. But more recently it seems they have lost their edge. Readers aren’t looking to editorial reviews as much as they once did.

IndieReader – Similar to Kirkus is  IndieReader , who focuses on indie authors. Both are expensive and don’t give you as much in return as they once did.

Are Professional Reviews Worth It?

That really depends. If you just get the professional book review, and then sit on it, or don't even promote it, then you can't expect it to have a positive return on investment. However, if you add it to your Editorial Review section of your book's sales page on Amazon correctly, or use it in your book marketing tactics , then you can absolutely have a positive effect.

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Blogs that Write about Books in Their Genre

Authors and readers have filled the web with book review blogs. These bloggers are dedicated to reading and spreading the word about the books they read. They will usually review your book in exchange for a copy while others buy the books they read.

As I mentioned earlier, verified reviews hold more weight on Amazon. However, non-verified reviews hold just as much weight to most readers, so don’t discount a blog that requires you to send them a copy. These people are not getting compensation for their reviews (that would be unethical and against Amazon’s terms of service) so giving them a copy allows them to read more books.

This is also why a lot of the blogs listed below have additional things on their site.

Watch Dave's video below that explains when and how you can give your book away in exchange for a review using direct language from Amazon's policy.

Now that you are clear on the Amazon book review rules, let's jump into those blogs that review books for authors.

Later on, I'll explain the right way to ask a blog owner to review your book.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Can't find a blog to review your book? You haven't seen this list…#amwriting” quote=”Can't find a blog to review your book? You haven't seen this list…”]

Some on review blogs this list are a little tricky to navigate, but I wanted to include a variety. Sadly, a lot of the really well laid out review blogs are overrun with requests and no longer accepting new ones.

When looking through this list of book review blogs, make sure to look for reviews with:

• books in your genre
• reviewers who give detailed feedback
• are accepting new review requests
• constructive feedback if they did not like a book

Note: The genre lists of book review blogs below are sorted by genre for your convenience. They are numbered in no particular order.

Use the Links Below to Jump to Review Blogs for Your Genre:

Paranormal / Urban Fantasy

Contemporary

Erotica / BDSM

Mystery / Thriller / Suspense

Sci-fi / Fantasy

Young Adult

Middle-Grade

Children's Books

Graphic Novels

Non-fiction

Bookstagrammers

Romance book review blogs:.

In no particular order, here are worthwhile blogs that review romance novels:

GPBR also has a lot going on for authors and reviews contemporary mainstream, erotic and dark romances, paranormal romances and romantic suspense. As well as reviews, GPBR also has opportunities for guest posting, author interviews, and an active Goodreads following.

While primarily a romance review blog on the surface, this website has a lot to offer. They review books in multiple genres and it has a lot of opportunities for authors. Including guest posting and author interviews. Check out the contact page for more information.

This site has so much for authors. They have reviews of course, but they also have book awards and readers choice specials. Because this is an entire team you’ll have to check out their “Get Reviewed” tab to see which reviewers are a fit for you and your book. Some genres only have one reviewer so those might have a slower turnaround. Keep that in mind as you make your request.

This blog is broken down into middle grade, young adult, and adult based on who the reviewer would recommend the book too.

Literary Titan is an organization of professional editors, writers, and professors that have a passion for the written word. Literary Titan reviews romance, and all of its sub-genres, as well as fantasy, mystery, horror, science fiction, memoirs and poetry. Literary Titan also conducts author interviews, and recognizes talented authors with their Literary Book Award where recipients are announced monthly.

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Book Review Blogs:

These blogs will review your paranormal or urban fantasy books:

This site is all about horror and the paranormal but if you have a strong romance plot sub or otherwise, I’d avoid these ladies. They are very clear about their preferences in their review policy. The genre’s they read include paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, speculative fiction, science fiction (limitedly), and epic fantasy.

Nada reads YA, NA romance, fantasy, thrillers. So if your book falls into one those categories this is the blog for you. With a search bar and a beautiful layout, this site is also an excellent place for your book.

This one is all about Christian books. That’s all they do. While Rachel might be a good fit if you have Christian themes or book on Christian living, CBR is the place for books where Christianity has a more prominent role.

Contemporary Book Review Blogs:

These blogs will do book reviews for contemporary books:

This two-woman show reviews books in the following genres fantasy, science-fiction (including steampunk and zombies), young adult, middle-grade, contemporary, dystopian, horror, and a HELL YES to graphic novels (of the mentioned genres).

This fangirl reads YA, NA & adult, fiction, contemporary, psychological thrillers, murder/mystery, graphic novels, and children's books. She’s also open to other genres so have a look at her blog and see if she might be a good fit.

Jessica accepts the following genres thrillers, mysteries, true crime, historical fiction, horror, general fiction, YA, and fantasy.

Samantha’s blog Dream by Day is a one-woman show. What sets her apart from others on this list is her love literary fiction. She also read mysteries and things but finding a reviewer who enjoys literary books was tough. She also has an Instagram where she shares book reviews giving you two opportunities. Her Insta following is small (for now) but as bookstagram grows in popularity so will this feed. She’s got the gorgeous photo thing down to a science.

Erotica / BDSM Book Review Blogs:

If your genre is erotica or BDSM, these book review blogs are worth checking out:

Romancer’s Rehab is a great little blog with a clear-cut rating system you can count on. Be sure to check this one out if you write erotica or other romance-related plots.

Totally booked only reads mobi files so that’s something to consider as you move forward. However, they share your review everywhere they are on the internet for maximum exposure. Definitely check them out.

Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Book Review Blogs:

For suspense, thriller and mystery book review blogs, these are your best bet:

Sharon is all about mysteries and crime. She’ll read crime fiction, true crime, thrillers/psychological thrillers, and mysteries (darker/noir). This dark themed blog goes right along with the books she reads. In her bio, Sharon mentions she’s in a few book clubs . Offering copies to the group might get more bang for your… time.

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Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Review Blogs:

For all the sci-fi and fantasy authors, these are the book review blogs for you:

This site is all about horror and the paranormal but if you have a strong romance plot sub or otherwise, I’d avoid these ladies. The genre’s they read include paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, speculative fiction, science fiction (limitedly), and epic fantasy.

This is an incredibly fun themed site that I just had to include! If you write science/tech-heavy fiction, or spy/secret government related books, this one is for you. The reviews titled “Travel Documents” and posted like a secret file make this one a blast for readers and authors alike. If you’re interested in having your book reviewed by Aces, you’ll have to head over to their facebook page.

This is another author turning to book reviews to help her fellow authors. I love seeing authors reaching out to readers and offering up books they enjoyed. We can’t possibly write enough books for most readers so share the love and write reviews. This is also a science fiction based blog.

Horror Book Review Blogs:

Here are blogs that will review horror books:

Historical Book Review Blogs:

Here are your historical book review blogs:

Young Adult Book Review Blogs:

These websites will review YA books:

Joel of the Fictional Fates website is strictly a young adult and middle-grade reader. He enjoys books in the following genres: fantasy (high, urban & fairy tale retellings), historical fiction, science fiction (sci-fi), contemporary, action/adventure, dystopian, paranormal, and mystery/crime. Note: Joel doesn’t have an eReader yet! So he prefers physical copies.

Middle-Grade Book Review Blogs:

For middle-grade, these blogs will do reviews:

Children’s Book Review Blogs:

If you write children's books , here are websites that will do book reviews:

Mundie kids a great place for MG and Children’s book authors to get some exposure for their books. They are not accepting unsolicited reviews at this time but put it in your calendar to check back in a month or so.

5. Realm of Books

Realm of Books is a great review site for middle-grade and children's book authors. It contains a relatively large volume of detailed, engaging reviews across a variety of genres, and they do accept requests for reviews.

Graphic Novel Review Blogs:

For graphic novels, here are your book review blogs:

Reading for sanity has multiple reviewers and accepts a variety of genres including graphic novels.

Christian Book Review Blogs:

These book review blogs will review Christian books:

This one is all about Christian books. That’s all they do. While Rachel might be a good fit if you have Christian themes or book on Christian living, CIBR is the place for books where Christianity has a more prominent role.

Another great blog that accepts Christian books. They suggest your book be accessible by local libraries so if you’re on Amazon only this may not be the blog for you. If you are on Kobo or Overdrive the library can order your ebook on request.

This blog has expanded from its original book focus to one that encompeses more family and parenting. However, Bethany’s love of reading still shines through and could be a happy home for both children’s books and adult fiction.

Dream by day is a great blog browse the reviews to see if your title would be a good fit. She enjoys a wide variety of books including christian titles and also offers author interviews.

Non-fiction Book Review Blogs:

These non-fiction book review blogs are worth checking out:

Memoir Review Blogs:

Finally, if you wrote a memoir and need reviews, here are book review blogs for you:

Rachel accepts young adult (All Genre), biography, true crime, memoirs, Christian living, non-Fiction (especially if it’s about cults), middle grade, adult fiction, thriller/mystery, comics, graphic novels, history, travel, and feminist literature.

I couldn’t write this post without making a note about bookstagramers. Instagram is a unique social media platform , but one not to be dismissed by authors. The hashtag on Instagram (#bookstagram) is an amazing place to find book reviews and reviewers that are engaged with readers. Most of these blogs had no comments. And I couldn’t find ones that did. I settled for active with more than 1k followers (if they listed their followers) and blogs that were accepting review requests.

With bookstagram you would be sending a physical copy of the book (most of the time) so they can photograph it for their feed and if all goes well you can offer to do a giveaway. They host it on their page and select a winner and you send out a book. (again keep in mind media mail and international shipping costs). The buzz around the give away will help your sales and the Instagrammer can grow their following. It’s that win/win I was talking about.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Want to prove you're still young and hip? Bust out #Bookstagram in your next conversation ” quote=”Want to prove you're still young and hip? Bust out #Bookstagram in your next conversation “]

@ Jennyblogsbooks

@ cakefacerreader

@ inquisitivebookworm

@ 9racereads

For even more book review blogs, please check out the table below. And if you know of any blogs that are missing, please reach out!

How to Get Your Book Reviewed by a Blog

Once you’ve found a book review blog that’s a good fit, you need to dig a little deeper. The first thing you need to check is whether or not they are accepting review requests.

If you want to stand out among the other review requests these bloggers get, look for a way to help them. If someone says “Please review my book” and someone else says “Please review my book, and I’d like to write a guest post for your site” which one do you think will get a yes? The second. If you write a post, that frees up a week of this bloggers time, you’ll be ahead of the game. They might not accept guest posts, so just be looking for a win-win opportunity as you do your research. If you’re website savvy you might offer to help them fix a glitch. Or you could feature their site in your newsletter. Put yourself in their shoes and try to be helpful.

How to Respond if They Say Yes:

If they say yes, you’ll most likely need to send them a copy of your book .

Most reviewers accept ebooks, but some don’t. Make sure you find out before you ask for the review.

Please use some kind of third-party to deliver ebooks. As a reviewer, I’ve received PDF copies of books and they are a pain to get on a Kindle or iPhone. You can also choose to enact DRM on your books, which will help with ARC’s especially.

• BookFunnel – Bookfunnel is an amazing tool to help distribute your books. For $20 dollars a year you can have one pen name , 500 downloads a month, and store 5 books. This is great for beginners. If you want to step it up a notch and use Bookfunnel for collecting email subscribers as well, you can do so for $100 a year.
• Instafreebie – Instafreebie (now Prolific Works) is another option for delivering your book to bloggers. Their free version might be a good option for those just starting out.
• StoryOrigin – When you use StoryOrigin, not only do you join a community of other authors, you basically have all the not-so-fun back end of things taken care of by using them. They help you build your email list, find reviewers, deliver lead magnets and more. Be sure to check them out!

Some reviewers require paperbacks. Bookstagrammers (book bloggers on Instagram covered later) need the physical copy for their pictures and others just prefer the physical book. Whatever the reason, be prepared for this. If you don’t want to send out paperbacks, look for how the book should be delivered in the “Review Policy” section of the blog. Most reviewers who want paperbacks will tell you right there.

NOTE: When mailing paperbacks to reviewers, select media mail at the post office. It’ll save you some money. Also, mailing things internationally is expensive. Keep that in mind when researching reviewers.

• NetGalley – If you are traditionally publishing and have not signed a contract yet, ask them to add at least 100 galley copies to the contract. These will be digital copies of the book you can send to reviewers through NetGalley. If you’re not traditionally published you can still use NetGalley, but you won’t have to worry about a limit on how many you’re allowed to give away.

Move on. Do not respond negatively. If they respond with no, thank them for their time and move on. If they don’t respond you can send one follow-up (unless noted otherwise on their site) then move on. Don’t waste time being upset.

The bottom line here is you need reviews. Amazon rankings and reader buying decisions are affected by them. But don’t freak out about negative reviews. Remember your book isn’t for everyone and when people leave a review saying why they didn’t like it, it will help your ideal readers find you and keep others who would leave negative reviews way.

So do your research, plan your ask, find a win/win, and get your book into the hands of the right readers to get more book reviews .

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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20 thoughts on “ Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs ”

Great info! Thank you. I just published my first book and did not see Self-Help/Relationships as a genre. Who could I contact?

For book review blogs…hmm..I’m not sure.

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• Books I Read in July 2024

As demonstrated in ‘Skippy Dies’, Murray is excellent at writing accurate teenage dialogue, although I was a bit less convinced by the absence of punctuation in Imelda’s section, which supposedly reflects her desperation and how her mind works. ‘The Bee Sting’ is less comic than ‘Skippy Dies’ and much more about anxiety regarding both the past and the future. The lengthy flashbacks eventually reveal that it is the events, decisions and near misses in Dickie and Imelda’s past which have really shaped the family’s current circumstances, leading to an unsettling but fitting conclusion. ‘The Bee Sting’ is an ambitious novel with satisfying character development. Continue reading →

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• The Booker Prize 2024 Longlist

The Booker Prize longlist was announced on Tuesday. The 13 titles are:

Wild Houses by Colin Barrett Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel James by Percival Everett Orbital by Samantha Harvey Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner My Friends by Hisham Matar This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud Held by Anne Michaels Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange Enlightenment by Sarah Perry Playground by Richard Powers The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood Continue reading →

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• The Booker Prize 2024: Predictions, Preferences and Possibilities

The longlist for this year’s Booker Prize is due to be announced on Tuesday 30th July. I’ve had mixed results over the last decade or so in my attempts to predict some likely contenders alongside my personal preferences and other possibilities, but it’s always fun to guess anyway.

Irish authors often dominate the shortlists as they did last year when ‘Prophet Song’ by Paul Lynch won the Prize. I am keen to read Long Island by Colm Tóibín  which is a sequel to Brooklyn . Ghost Mountain by Rónán Hession is a fable about a mountain that suddenly appears and sounds rather different from his first two novels Leonard and Hungry Paul and Panenka . I don’t know much about Intermezzo by Sally Rooney which will be published in September – books eligible for this year’s Prize must have been published in the UK between 1st October 2023 and 30th September 2024 – but it’s hard to imagine Rooney moving too far away from the themes of her previous novels including Normal People which was longlisted in 2018. Continue reading →

Tagged as Book , Book Awards , Booker Prize , Booker Prize 2024 , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Novels , Predictions , Reading

• Books I Read in June 2024

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• Books I Read in May 2024

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• Books I Read in April 2024

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• Books I Read in March 2024

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• Books I Read in February 2024

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• Books I Read in January 2024

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• My Most Anticipated Books of 2024

My list of books to read continues to expand and there are lots to look forward to in 2024. All publication dates where known apply to the United Kingdom only.

Wellness by Nathan Hill is published in January. I really enjoyed Hill’s debut novel The Nix and his second book is another 600+page doorstopper about a couple who meet in Chicago in the 1990s. Another second novel out in January is Come and Get It by Kiley Reid set on a university campus in the United States. Continue reading →

Tagged as 2024 , Book , Fiction , Literary Fiction , Literature , New Books , New Year , Non fiction , Novels , Reading

• My Books of the Year 2023

One of the stand-out novels I read in 2023 was Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld which is a fun and refreshingly original take on the genre. I also really enjoyed The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith which is the seventh outing for Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott’s detective agency as they infiltrate a sinister cult in Norfolk. Continue reading →

Tagged as 2023 , Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Books of the Year , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Literature , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews

• Books I Read in December 2023

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• Books I Read in October 2023

‘The Running Grave’ is another 900+ page doorstopper like its two predecessors in the series, but thankfully has none of The Ink Black Heart ’s formatting issues and all of the gripping atmosphere of Troubled Blood . There are no signs that the romantic tension between Cormoran and Robin will be properly resolved any time soon, and frankly I wouldn’t be surprised if this was strung out for another seven novels at this rate. Since I’ve been writing this blog, this is the only long-running series I have really got into and stuck with over a number of years. The familiarity of the characters is now very comforting, even if Robin’s time at Chapman’s Farm involves some of the most sinister and disturbing events in the series yet. J. K. Rowling has confirmed that she has been working on the eighth book and I would very happily read several more instalments following Strike and Ellacott’s cases. Continue reading →

Tagged as Angela Kirwin , Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Catherine Chidgey , Chris Broad , Cormoran Strike , Fiction , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews , Robert Galbraith

• Books I Read in November 2023

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• Books I Read in September 2023

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• Books I Read in August 2023

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• Books I Read in July 2023

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• The Booker Prize 2023 Longlist

A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney This Other Eden by Paul Harding Pearl by Siân Hughes All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow Prophet Song by Paul Lynch In Ascension by Martin MacInnes Western Lane by Chetna Maroo The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

Tagged as Book , Book Awards , Booker Prize , Booker Prize 2023 , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Literature , Novels , Reading

• The Booker Prize 2023: Predictions, Possibilities and Preferences

As ever, my annual list of predictions consists of what I think could be some strong possibilities alongside my own personal preferences, based on a few novels I have read and others I have heard about. Novels published in the UK between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023 will be eligible. It’s impossible to know for sure which novels have been submitted for consideration, although the latest efforts by previous winners are usually considered automatically. Continue reading →

Tagged as Book , Book Awards , Booker , Booker Prize , Booker Prize 2023 , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Literature , Novels , Predictions , Reading

• Books I Read in June 2023

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Blogs / Writing Tips / How to Write a Book Review: Tips and Tricks

Write a Novel Readers Love

How to write a book review: tips and tricks.

Finding splendid books is like mining. You have to pull out the ones that you like from the mountain of possibilities and sift through the streams of information to discover the gold.

One of the biggest systems that helps readers do this are reviews.

Why Write a Book Review

First, I want to thank you for supporting authors. It is difficult to get reviews, but as they add up, it creates a snowball effect.

As more and more readers leave reviews, more readers see the book and choose to read it. Reviews give potential readers the opportunity to see other people’s opinions and determine if the book is their favorite type of jewel.

ARC readers, or advanced reader copy readers, have the responsibility and privilege of reading a book before it has been released. So that on release day, they can immediately add their reviews and help bolster the sales of the new book.

It is important to know the genre of the book you are reviewing and read it attentively. Then leave a review that is both objective and opinionated. Can you tell the carat of the jewel? And how closely must you look to see any flaws?

How do you do that? I’m glad you asked. Writing an excellent book review is easier said than done. So, here are a few tips.

How to Write a Good Book Review

How to Start a Book Review

It may be obvious, but you should start a good book review with the title and name of the author. This makes it clear which book you reviewed. In some cases, like Amazon and Goodreads, this is done for you by the review being associated with only that item.

Why both? Some titles are repeated and it could become confusing to the reader whether you are reviewing the nonfiction or the fantasy fiction novel of the same name. The author’s name helps pick through rocks, fool’s gold, and genuine gold.

Knowledge about the author can come in handy here. What awards have they won? What accreditations do they have? Is this a debut? Is it a long book or short, as in how many pages is it?

Next, include a basic summary of the plot and themes if you are writing a review for fiction, or a basic premise of what the book is about if you are writing for nonfiction. Try to sum up the theme of a book in one sentence, then add details. Keep it clear and avoid spoilers. This is where you differentiate between quartz and diamonds.

Give a sense of the book and writing. Share quotes that stood out to you. As a Fictionary StoryCoach Editor, I like to add my take on the structure of the book, structure of the scenes, and whether they used all thirty-eight Fictionary elements, like the five senses, to give depth to their story.

How to End a Book Review

Here is where you give your opinion of the book. Be honest but balanced in your review. I usually do this in two sections. Put what you loved first or that the author does well before addressing your constructive feedback. I think it helps to think of it as constructive feedback because then I see it as a way to help instead of criticizing the author’s choices or abilities.

You can go into depth on characters, setting, plot, structure, and prose. Try to keep it objective because what one person dislikes might be what someone else loves. Back up your criticism with examples and how it affects the reader’s experience. Was the ending satisfactory or not? Can you say why without spoiling it? Is the book unique or does it hit the familiar tropes readers love?

Compare and contrast to similar books on the market. Are they sapphires or emeralds? This can help the reader determine if they would like the book or not based on their personal preference instead of yours.

The author does the same thing when marketing the book because it is a good way to tell what the themes and style of a story are. Genre and even subgenre are pretty general, but comparing it to a specific book can give a potential reader a much better handle on if the book is their typical reading go-to.

Tips For Writing a Book Review

This is where you polish your skills and make a book shine.

Remember kindness. The author needs your respectful constructive feedback to improve. And as I said before, what one person dislikes about a book might be the very thing that other people like about a book. Hurting someone’s feelings helps no one.

There are many places today where you can publish your reviews. Including but not limited to social media, Amazon, Good Reads, blogs, BookTube, and more. The content and tone of reviews vary based on where it will be published. So, think about your audience and what the purpose of your review is.

 Keep it succinct. People searching for their next read are unlikely to read a dissertation. However, you should also put time and effort into making it convey the most important aspects of the story and writing.

Break it up into brief paragraphs. Writing on the internet today has become about creating as much white space as possible to keep the attention of the reader. So, break it up with your pickax instead of keeping it all in one block of text.

Add a star rating. Star ratings are used on many of the review sites or you can make your own system for your social media. But using stars can help the author build trust with their readership. High star ratings improve click counts, but don’t necessarily create sales. And remember, one-star reviews can really hurt the business of a new author starting out and should be saved for very special cases.

Avoid spoilers or at least include a warning about spoilers. If spoilers are included in the review, it can ruin sales. Especially for a mystery or thriller where the primary goal of reading to the end is discovering who done it.

Consider which format you read. There are differences in the experience of reading an ebook versus paperback versus hardcover versus audiobook. If you have read a special edition, include in your review any pictures, maps, quality of paper, printing, or the cover. Sometimes authors like to change their covers to give their book a fresh look. So, include your likes or dislikes of the cover as well in your balanced, respectful feedback.

This might just be the author/editor in me talking, but…write a draft of your review, then edit and revise it. And please, make a grammar check before you post it. This will make it ever so much easier for the author and review readers to understand what you are trying to get across, instead of throwing out your opinions based on assumptions or simple illegibility.

Point out your own personal biases. Personally, when reading romance, I prefer closed door and less spice. So, I will be honest about what I read, skipped, or whether I will read that author again based on that preference. This helps other readers like me who want their romance closed-door to avoid the book or choose the same books. But it also helps the readers who like spice to perk up and say, “Ooh, I should try this one.”

Some people like the author to wax lyrical with their purple prose and some readers like gritty and hard writing. Preference can affect your opinion of the book when that is something very subjective. 

So, mentioning it in the review can help readers get an overall picture of how the author has written the book, and whether it will appeal to them—even if it wasn’t your favorite jewel. This is a kindness to both the author and the potential readers, reading your review.

How to Review a Book Conclusion

A good book review is a balance between objective and subjective. Writing one takes time and effort. If you always consider pulling out the positive things you liked about a book before you go off on a rant, you’ll help yourself, the author, and potential other readers better.

Think of the book like a geode. It may just look like a rock on the outside, but if you take the time to crack it open and inspect what is inside, you might find some sparkly crystals.

Reading is often a matter of taste, but classics are loved by many throughout time for a reason, which has to do with deep structure and an understanding of the language they are written in.

Learning and using the Fictionary method of editing with the 38 elements can help you not only see your own stories more objectively but also other people’s. It will enhance your ability to give great reviews that are honest and helpful to the reading and writing community.

So, good luck, and I hope you find some real gems out there! If you do, please give them a review, so I can find them too.

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In Liane Moriarty’s Bustling New Novel, Fate Takes Flight

There are stakes on the plane in “Here One Moment,” the latest from the Australian fiction powerhouse.

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By Leah Greenblatt

Leah Greenblatt is a Times editor.

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HERE ONE MOMENT , by Liane Moriarty

Nine novels in, Liane Moriarty’s output falls somewhere between empire and institution: a reliable bastion of breezy yet propulsive storytelling, smartly informed by relevant issues of the day (infertility, wellness culture, domestic abuse). Her books claim prime real estate at chain stores and airports kiosks and regularly go on to become glossy television fodder, more often than not fronted by her fellow Australian Nicole Kidman (see “Big Little Lies,” “Nine Perfect Strangers” and the upcoming “The Last Anniversary,” which she’ll produce).

At the same time, Moriarty is still consigned to the metaphorical broom closet of “women’s fiction” — dismissed as something less than literature or damned with faint pink praise. Never mind that her latest, the busy but unhurried “Here One Moment,” is as demographically diverse as a phone book. Granted, it helps when your character pool is pulled from a flight manifest: a short domestic plane ride between the sunny Tasmanian capital of Hobart and Sydney.

Or it should have been short, except for a two-hour delay that leaves passengers tetchy and frazzled, each one caught up in the private drama of mislaid plans. Among them: the 40-ish engineer missing his daughter’s grammar-school “Lion King”; the contract lawyer turned bleary stay-at-home mom left to wrangle a screaming infant and a vomitous toddler; and the beautiful flight attendant spending perhaps her worst birthday on the tarmac, distributing “light snacks” and strained apologies in between desperate rummages for a tampon.

Into this maelstrom of ordinary inconvenience arrives someone who may or may not be extraordinary: a quiet woman, neatly dressed and with hair “the soft silver of an expensive kitten,” who stands up in her seat 45 minutes after takeoff. “I expect catastrophic stroke,” she proclaims with no particular flair, pointing to a preoccupied 50-something man on a laptop. “Age 72.” And so it goes down the rows, the solemn finger of fate: Heart disease, age 84; cardiac arrest, age 91; diabetes, age 79.

Her impromptu performance might be dismissed as a kooky parlor game by the passengers whose presumptive ends still lie decades away, but it is less amusing to the ones given more immediate and violent fates: workplace accident, age 43; assault, age 30; intimate partner homicide, age 25. Even the baby on board, blameless except for the screaming, receives his sentence; drowning, age 7.

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Best Science Fiction Book Review Blogs in 2024

Showing 98 blogs that match your search.

Luke's Blog

https://www.lukeharkness.com/

Luke runs a book blog with over 120 book reviews covering a range of genres and tips for aspiring bloggers on how to get started and what works best.

Blogger : Luke Harkness

Genres : Science Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 4

👀 Average monthly visits: 2,300 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Social media

⭐️ Accepts indie books? Yes

Reader Voracious

https://readervoracious.com

Connecting voracious readers with their next great read since 2018. Other than book reviews, you will find bookish discussions, lists of upcoming releases, and guides & resources for readers/bloggers. As an advocate for reading diversely, all of my reviews will list representation in the book, as well as content/trigger warnings.

Blogger : Kal Rochelle

🌐 Domain authority: 25

👀 Average monthly visits: 7,000 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Email

The Future Fire

http://reviews.futurefire.net/

We will consider all subgenres of speculative fiction (and related nonfiction), regardless of author or medium, including self-published work, but we are especially interested in seeing more books by and about women, people of color, LGBTQIA, disabled people, people with nonwestern languages and religions, and other under-represented groups.

Blogger : TFF Team

🌐 Domain authority: 45

👀 Average monthly visits: 6,000 p/mo

http://www.bookriot.com/

We're always interested in hearing about new books, but even with a stable of writers across book blogs we can't get to everything. So if you'd like to tell us about something, shoot us an email. Before sending something for consideration, take a look around the site to get a feel for who we are, who our readers are, and how we go about things. Bonus points will go to submissions that have looked at our contributors and can suggest which contributor might be a good fit for the book.

Blogger : Book Riot Contributors

🌐 Domain authority: 80

👀 Average monthly visits: 995,200 p/mo

Quill and Quire

https://quillandquire.com/

Quill & Quire is the magazine of the Canadian book trade. The magazine reviews around 400 new titles each year, offering the most comprehensive look at Canadian-authored books in the country.

Blogger : The Q&Q Team

🌐 Domain authority: 57

👀 Average monthly visits: 81,500 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Mail

⭐️ Accepts indie books? No

Elgee Writes

https://elgeewrites.com/

Gayathri loves reading, recommending books and talking about bookish things in real life. Her blog is just an extension of that habit. When she is not reading books or creating online content, she freelances as a beta reader. She lives currently in Dubai.

Blogger : Gayathri

🌐 Domain authority: 29

👀 Average monthly visits: 1,500 p/mo

BookWritten

https://bookwritten.com

BookWritten is a platform where you can learn more about books, literature, poetry, and much more. We believe in connecting people through the art of reading.

Blogger : Pradeep Kumar

🌐 Domain authority: 20

👀 Average monthly visits: 75,000 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: email

Review Tales by Jeyran Main

http://www.jeyranmain.com/

Jeyran Main is a professional book editor, marketing advisor, and book reviewer. She has had the pleasure of making friends with many publishers & authors throughout her life and career. Her passion is to spread positive energy to anyone who needs it, and in return, she would love it if they forwarded it to someone else. Please email her for book review requests, with the title and summary of your book.

Blogger : Jeyran Main

🌐 Domain authority: 23

👀 Average monthly visits: 3,000 p/mo

Read. Eat. Repeat.

https://readeatrepeat.net/

Hi! I’m Jordan, wife to one husband and mom to two little girls. Blogging and writing are my side gig, and I love creating delicious recipes and reading lots of books to share with you guys! My favorite genre to review is historical fiction but I do read a bit of everything.

Blogger : Jordan

🌐 Domain authority: 26

👀 Average monthly visits: 2,500 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Website contact form

Book Lover Worm

https://bookloverwormblog.wordpress.com/

I am a book lover and reviewer. I’ve always loved reading and remember the joys of reading the Famous Five, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I prefer crime fiction and psychological thrillers but also have a soft spot for chick-lit and women’s fiction and anything else that catches my interest.

Blogger : Sandra

🌐 Domain authority: 27

Bookbugworld

https://bookbugworld.com/

Bookbugworld stays true to its promise. A fun and niche virtual space where you can discuss the books you love or find new ones to add to your TBR.

Blogger : Rejitha

🌐 Domain authority: 12

👀 Average monthly visits: 250 p/mo

Worlds In Ink

http://worldsinink.blogspot.com/

I prefer to review print copies of books whenever possible. I am also able to review EPUB formatted ebooks by special arrangement. Print copies will be given precedence due to the cost involved in getting them to me.

Blogger : KJ Mulder

The LitBuzz Hive

https://www.thelitbuzz.com/

A book review site featuring a diverse Hive of voices reading and sharing, we have a vast palette. We welcome both indie and traditionally-published authors - at no charge for reviews, ever.

Blogger : The LitBuzz Hive

🌐 Domain authority: 7

👀 Average monthly visits: 300 p/mo

Dear Author

http://dearauthor.com

We review contemporary romance books, paranormal romance books, historical romance books, urban fantasy, science fiction, and fantasy. From time to time, we will review mystery books but rarely. The site is primarily devoted to the romance genre.

Blogger : The DA Team

👀 Average monthly visits: 10,000 p/mo

Books And Pals

http://www.booksandpals.blogspot.com/

Please read the instructions carefully. Failure to follow them will result in your submission being ignored with no acknowledgement. All reviews are final. Prior to submission, we would advise reading this post and the Guide to Reviews, as well as getting a general feel for the book review blog.

Blogger : Al & Pals

🌐 Domain authority: 43

👀 Average monthly visits: 18,600 p/mo

So you want to find a book blog?

If you’re a voracious reader, you might think of a book blog as an oasis in the middle of the desert: a place on the Internet that brims with talk about books, books, and more books.

Well, good news — we built this directory of the 200 of the best book blogs  to satiate your thirst. Take a walk around, use the filters to narrow down your search to blogs in your preferred genre, and feel free to bookmark this page and come back, as we do update it regularly with more of the best book blogs out there. 

If you’re an aspiring author, you might see a book blog more as a book review blog: a place where you can get your yet-to-be published book reviewed. In that case, you’ll be glad to know that most of the book blogs in our directory are open to review requests and accept indie books! We expressly designed this page (and our book marketing platform, Reedsy Discovery ) to be useful to indie book authors who need book reviews. If you’re wondering how to approach a book blog for a review request, please read on. 

You’ve found a book blog. Now what? 

Let’s say that you’re an author, and you’ve found a couple of book blogs that would be perfect fits to review your book. What now? Here are some tips as you go about getting your book reviews:

• Be sure to read the review policy. First, check that the book blog you’re querying is open to review requests. If that’s the fortunate case, carefully read the blog’s review policy and make sure that you follow the directions to a T.  
• Individualize your pitches. Book bloggers will be able to immediately tell apart the bulk pitches, which simply come across as thoughtless and indifferent. If you didn’t take the time to craft a good pitch, why should the blogger take the time to read your book? Personalize each pitch to up your chances of getting a response. 
• Format your book in a professional manner before sending it out. Ensure that your manuscript isn’t presented sloppily. If the book blogger asks for a digital ARC, you might want to check out apps such as Instafreebie or Bookfunnel. 
• Create a spreadsheet to track your progress. Wading through so many book blogs can be troublesome — not to mention trying to remember which ones you’ve already contacted. To save yourself the time and trouble, use a simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of your progress (and results). 

Looking to learn even more about the process? Awesome 👍 For a detailed guide, check out this post that’s all about getting book reviews. 

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Halloween Horror Nights 2024 Review

Halloween Horror Nights is BACK! The award-winning Halloween event returns for its 33rd year with more houses and scare zones to scare the spit out of you. This year’s theme is the duality of fear – the Sinister who focuses on graphic horror and Surreal who loves psychological terror. After five nights of walking through houses and dodging the rain with friends and new victims, we are ready to review Halloween Horror Nights 33.

Haunted Houses

Halloween Horror Nights 33 features ten haunted houses based on popular movies and original concepts. This year the houses all seem to be received very well, and besides one notable exception, everyone’s favorite lists are vastly different. There are no bad houses this year – nine that are fantastic to really great, and just one misguided one.

Insidious Into the Further is a super headliner of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights and a house we consider not to be missed. This year’s house is not focused on one single movie or monster but instead a mash-up of all the terrors that await us in the further (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2 ). Slaughter Sinema 2 is a celebration of horror B-movies and it returns this year with a whole new slate of cheesy movies to walk through. The fake movie aesthetic and Mystery Science Theater 3000 vibes are a winner in our book (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️). Ghostbusters Frozen Empire is a surprise hit this year with a house significantly better than the movie that inspired it. Guests will come face to face with fan favorites like Slimer and Vigo plus new monsters (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️).

A Quiet Place brings the two movies to HHN with a haunted house heavy on the scares and startles. We found ourselves slightly confused going through the house but the large puppets were very impressive. (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2). Universal Monsters Eternal Bloodlines stars the daughter of Van Helsing as she slays monsters to save humanity. This house had a lot of scares including some special mummy scares like when a scare actor comes at you on a suspended harness. While not as strong as in prior years we enjoyed the sets and storyline (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2).

Monstrous Monsters of Latin America is an import from Universal Studios Hollywood and focuses on the mythical demons found in Central and South America. The house is disturbing and gross, with baby snatching and lots of butchered animals, but if you can get past that you’ll find a beautifully designed house with an impressive mechanical figure in it (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️). Triplets of Terror has the roughest story out of any of this year’s houses: we’re going back in time through a True Crime Podcast angle to witness the murders committed by this family. Once your expectations are calibrated you’ll find a terrifying house full of amazing details, like a Happy Birthday sign made with intestines (⭐️⭐️⭐️). Major Sweets Candy Factory harkens back to the old days of HHN where guests would walk through industrial settings designed to kill and maim – like Giggles & Gore from 2014. This house expands the backstory of Major Sweets from HHN 31 where we discover how the kids became obsessed murderers and the plot to destroy the city. This house has lots of gross-out moments, like puking and forced feeding, so those with a weak stomach should advert their eyes (⭐️⭐️⭐️). Goblin’s Feast earned the nickname “Evil Shrek” from our party, Goblin’s is a fun Dungeons and Dragons-inspired house where those aligned on Chaotic Evil eat those pesky humans. This house is fun, scary, a little gory, and will put a smile on your face (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️).

The Museum Deadly Exhibits gets our “at least you tried” award for 2024 with a house with a fun concept but meh execution. While the Rotting Stone does bring terrifying things to life in the museum we think the whole concept of rot, along with some meta-commentary on museums, was missing (⭐️⭐️).

Scare Zones & Shows

Taking over Halloween Horror Nights’ scare zones are Sinister and Surreal, the two factors that combine to form the fear at Halloween Horror Nights. These demons have taken residence at the front of the park in the Duality of Fear where guests can interact with the two manifestations along with a gaggle of chainsaw wielders. While the chainsaws provide a nice rush for guests entering and exiting the park, the lack of a central theme or decorations really sets it back (⭐️ ½ stars). Guests venturing to New York will find Sinister’s two scare zones focusing on violence and evil. Torture Faire , the yearly RenFaire interested in all sorts of torture devices like the iron maidens to murderous turkey legs (no we’re not making that up), with dozens of scare actors roaming the streets as victims or torturers (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ). Enter the Blumhouse is a cramped, small scare zone located in the San Francisco section of the park featuring characters from Blumhouse’s films like The Purge, M3GAN, and The Black Phone. Be careful of crowds after Nightmare Fuel and when M3GAN begins her dance (⭐️ ⭐️ ½ stars)

Surreal’s scare zones focus on the supernatural, the things that leave the hair standing on the back of your neck. First is Demon Queens in Hollywood, a scare zone dedicated to Surreal’s minions of horror. We enjoyed many of the demon queen costumes and the actors worked their butts off when we went through, but some costume design decisions leave us wanting (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ). The final scare zone is Swamp of the Undead in Central Park which features zombies in a swamp. The concept might be simple but we enjoyed the execution and fun scare actors (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ). While not officially a scare zone, the Death Eaters return to Diagon Alley to stalk the streets and recruit for He Who Shall Not Be Named .

Of course, it wouldn’t be HHN without some sexy dancing, and the fan-favorite Nightmare Fuel returns with the biggest changes to the show for its fourth year. This year the nightmare returns to a circus stuck in a murderous loop where our hero attempts to save the love of his life from an illusion gone wrong. The fire dancers, provocative dancing, daring stunts, and illusions return with an all-new opening and ending. We still consider Nightmare Fuel one of the best shows in Orlando and must not be missed. (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ )

Food & More

Food this year was a large swing and a miss – the headliner food items for Ghostbusters like the smore were passable but the fried cheesecake and Korean corn dogs didn’t hit with our food reviewers. Several people who tried the A Quiet Place wooden board éclair did not like the final product and the mixed drinks were yet again overly sweet. Besides the stable classics of pizza fries, twisted taters, and pumpkin guts we would recommend the Universal Monsters fish & chips which was a hit. We suggest sticking to Universal’s existing counter service locations or CityWalk for a meal. On the flip side we are happy to see Universal has added hard liquor options back to the drink booths, this simplifies the bar setup at Finnegan’s and reduces waits overall. Now what about those blood bags….

Other Notes

Universal has implemented a major change in guest flow and operations at HHN 33. A new backstage hub located behind Men in Black is set up with the entrances and exits for Universal Monsters and Goblin’s Feats, restrooms, and drink carts. Now guests have the option of doing two houses, with breaks, without having to constantly walk behind Men in Black. This is a much-needed improvement and we hope HHN continues to improve the operations of the event.

TouringPlans Touring Tips

• Save Time and develop a plan before you arrive. Most guests enter the park and swamp the houses in New York, swerve, and go to the back of the park first.
• Guests in line at the park closing time will be allowed to experience the haunted house but Universal will inflate wait times to discourage entry into the lines. Ignore the inflated wait times, this is a great time to see the large IP houses.
• Wait times for rides during HHN are often longer than during the day, save the rides for the daytime.
• Nightmare Fuel is an extremely popular show, unless you are seeing the very first or last showing each night expect to queue at least 30 minutes before show time to grab a seat.
• Save Money and purchase tickets online before your visit. Prices are anywhere from $20 to twice as expensive at the gate.
• An Express Pass that is valid after 11:00 pm is sold for half the cost at kiosks in the park. Look for Express Pass kiosks and ask for the half-price Express Pass availability.
• Monstrous is the only house with a fully covered, indoor queue.
• Prepare for the sun and heat during Stay & Scream – stay in the shade and hydrate as queues are outside.

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Joseph Matt

Joe covers theme parks through the lens of his quality engineering day job. He has over five years of writing experience at Touring Plans and has gone on dozens of trips to Orlando over his life. When not at amusement parks you can find Joe at breweries, enjoying live theater, playing video games, and cooking.

One thought on “ Halloween Horror Nights 2024 Review ”

Can’t wait!!! I want halloween now =)))

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Sam di Bella

September 13th, 2024, making information matter: understanding surveillance and making a difference – review.

0 comments | 3 shares

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

In   Making Information Matter ,  Mareile Kaufmann   proposes a methodology for studying information practices as a living process, developing her argument through four case studies. Employing a theoretical framework that includes digital criminology, media studies and feminist philosophy, Kaufmann’s complicated picture of how information operates in the real world will be of interest to social scientists and media theorists, writes   Sam DiBella .

This blogpost originally appeared on  LSE Review of Books . If you would like to contribute to the series, please contact the managing editor at  [email protected] . 

Making Information Matter: Understanding Surveillance and Making a Difference . Mareile Kaufmann. Bristol University Press. 2024.

At this point, I think we can all agree that we have plenty information. But what does it do? Through four case studies in her monograph  Making Information Matter , digital criminologist Mareile Kaufmann proposes a methodology for studying information practices. Kaufmann uses theories of surveillance and media to complicate notions of information as a static object that we exchange or store. Rather, information is a living process.

Digital criminologist Mareile Kaufmann [ … ] uses theories of surveillance and media to complicate notions of information as a static object

To study that process, Kaufmann suggests that empirical studies need to trace information through its entire life cycle, from its making in a particular form, the social maturation of its uses, and then its discontinuation or death. These biological metaphors for information recur throughout, as Kaufmann draws on feminist philosophy and anthropological theory of becoming: ‘[T]his is a methodology of life cycles, plural. Life cycles are never isolated. They always intersect. Together they join into a “spiral dance”. Though Donna Haraway uses this expression to describe the relationship between goddesses and cyborgs, I would like to use this term here to capture the ongoing dance that takes place in materialization’ (42). This understanding of information, though heady, encourages readers to see how, even though information is given form by matter, it still lives within an ecology.

Kaufmann demonstrates this methodology with four chapters on integral information practices: association, which locates “connections, relationships, and patterns”; conversion, which repurposes information by changing its form; secrecy, the selective concealment of information; and speculation, which challenges “dominant modes of information analysis” (45) by proposing alternatives. Together, these structure the kinds of options that individuals and institutions have for informational agency.

Making Information Matters  contains chapters on predictive policing methods, hacking culture, artistic practice and secrecy to help the reader think through information mattering.

Making Information Matters  contains chapters on predictive policing methods, hacking culture, artistic practice and secrecy to help the reader think through information mattering. Out of the four, I found the latter most novel. Extending her research from  a prior study , Kaufmann uses the secrecy practices of school children to demonstrate how the action of concealment holds many layers of meaning. Concealment has much more social import than whether a secret is successfully held or not, a binary that technical fields like cryptography and information theory often confine themselves to.

Secret languages, keys, and signals are all means for negotiating unequal power dynamics as well as to create “in” and “out” social groups defined by the possession of relevant secrets. In this case, that relation is most present between students and teachers, but it also shapes relationships among students themselves and in their families:

‘Sharing secret information matters in creating friendships and other relationships, while not being able to share secret information does so, too. Zeynep is, for example, sad that her mother is not interested in her secrets: “For her, my secrets are just air; they are only decorated paper. She knows that these are my secrets, but she does not find them interesting”’ (90).

Our understanding of privacy as individual  [ … ]  is insufficient for describing the social work of hiding and revealing information.

Examples like these demonstrate how our understanding of privacy as individual  –  even popular theoretical frameworks like  Helen Nissenbaum’s “contextual privacy ”  –  is insufficient for describing the social work of hiding and revealing information. As Kaufmann describes, one group of children created their own secret language to contest a rival group that had developed a secret language to insult them. Through shared secrecy, the boundaries and membership of those two groups became more defined.

Although  Making Information Matter  draws on a variety of social-science literature, I see it most as part of turn towards interest in methods, and methodology, in critical data studies. With the triumphant announcement of the arrival of the age of “big data” in the 2010s, scholars scrambled to account for the social practices of data and produced influential accounts like those found in Lisa Gitelman’s edited volume  Raw Data Is an Oxymoron . Researchers have continued to refine these accounts by providing domain-specific details, like  the health data and self-tracking studies of Deborah Lupton  (who Kaufmann cites often). In traditional information studies, “information” is posed as an intermediary step between data points and embodied knowledge.

“Information” however, preceded “big data” as a concept for widespread social scrutiny.  Making Information Matter  feels like a return to high-level theories of information developed in late 20th century books like  Manuel Castells’  The Information Age  trilogy , a return buoyed by a collective decade of research into the material production of data and computing. (As a PhD candidate in an information studies college, however, I do have to say that librarians and interface designers will likely be disappointed by  Making Information Matter , with its lack of detail on information institutions or from the information-behaviour literature. Kaufmann is speaking much more to social scientists and media theorists than to practitioners in information institutions.)

Building on literature in criminology, critical data studies, media theory, and feminist epistemology, Kaufmann weaves a chaotic methodology where information is a ‘state of becoming, where the ways in which information matters are not entirely predictable’.

Building on literature in criminology, critical data studies, media theory, and feminist epistemology, Kaufmann weaves a chaotic methodology where information is a “state of becoming, where the ways in which information matters are not entirely predictable. When it is performed and reformed as matter, information has agency. As it enmeshes with lives and livelihoods, it becomes lively and productive” (24). I found the relations that she describes between theory and study to be generative, but also confusing. The four case studies demonstrate this ecological methodology in action, but I felt unsure how to model a future study after their practices  –  they are so different.  Making Information Matter  feels to me at its best a tool for rethinking and recombining what we know about information practices (in the book’s own terms, “conversion”). As the sheer novelty of information technology has worn off, titles like  Making Information Matter  can help remind us of our hopes for information and re-envision how it actually appears in our society.

The content generated on this blog is for information purposes only. This Article gives the views and opinions of the authors and does not reflect the views and opinions of the Impact of Social Science blog (the blog), nor of the London School of Economics and Political Science.  Please review our  comments policy  if you have any concerns on posting a comment below.

Image Credit:  Nirat.pix  on  Shutterstock .

About the author

Sam DiBella is a PhD student in information studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. He received an MSc with distinction in media studies from LSE. His research focuses on the the changing social value of privacy and anonymity online and the history of information technology. His writing has appeared in Public Books, the International Journal of Communication, Surveillance and Society, ROMChip and Heterotopias, among others. He tweets @prolixpost.

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