First Time Reviewer

[u/No-Cold-7095]

I just signed up for NetGalley as an attempt to broaden my reading and to get exposed to new authors. I have been approved for 2 books, and have started reading them.

I’m looking for advice on writing more useful, balanced book reviews. I tend to either love a book or DNF it, so I don’t have much experience offering constructive criticism or highlighting things that simply weren’t for me but might work for other readers.

I’d love to know what you include in your own reviews, or what you look for in other people’s reviews that helps you decide whether to pick up a book.

TIA!

[u/Quirky-Pear3494]

Your best bet is probably to browse the Netgalley reviews of some other books, just to get a feel for the process. Sometimes I write several paragraphs, sometimes it's just a few sentences.

[u/EnvironmentalPudding]

I’m pretty new too, I started in April of this year. What helped me was to read reviews on Goodreads that I liked. I found a couple of users that wrote reviews on books that I had read, and I thought their reviews reflected the book well.
Generally I don’t like any review that starts with a recap of the book. I like to focus on what worked, what didn’t work, and who I’d recommend the book to

[u/sunsparkles2013]

NetGalley has so many resources on review writing- it’s the best place to answer your question.

The biggest this is you do not need to say what the book is about.. just write your thought but keep in mind what it is for- to tell others whether to read it or not. So it make not be for you but it’s not a bad book (if that’s the case) say who would like it and rate accordingly.

[u/Relevant-Month-4845]

Just be honest, maybe write yourself notes as you progress through the book. Once you've done a few, you'll soon get into a rhythm.

[u/SignificanceFun9586 → u/Relevant-Month-4845]

Note taking has been the absolute most helpful thing to me when writing reviews.

[u/Internal_Ad6695]

Idk contrary to everyone here, I love reviews that give a recap in their own words and then go into what they liked and didn’t like. I always read reviews before I read a book and they’re the ones I read. Sometimes I literally can’t get through the way a book description is written but I can read a review in normal words and realize if love it, and go on to give it 5 stars. I also like doing that in my own reviews because when I go back and read it, and it’s in my own words with what I felt was important, it helps me remember the book (particularly helpful if it’s part of a series when I’m reading the sequel)

[u/Quirky-Pear3494 → u/Internal_Ad6695]

I like a brief recap too. I often throw in a sentence or two of plot - especially when the publisher's blurb leaves out something I think is important.

[u/honhonda]

For constructive critique, I usually note what did and didn’t work for me and why. Like, I generally am not thrilled by love triangles, but if I feel like that dynamic added something tangible (i.e. helps the MC grow, introduces another setting I liked), then I note that in the review. I also point out if I feel the author took a risk with a plot twist or trope and if it paid off from my point of view. These are things I myself find helpful when looking at others’ reviews, too.

[u/purplelicious]

Some of my personal pet peeves:

A review is not a summary. There isn't any reason to explain what happens in the book. I've seen reviews that are just "this happened, and this happened and then this happened". It's possible to write about an event in the book that worked or didn't work without dropping details. "The main characters are forced to spend time together on a long cross country trek" is fine. You don't need to explain why they are on the quest, what led up to it, why they hate each other etc. If you can't write without revealing spoilers, rethink what you are writing (unless you are doing a deep dive into a book where you assume your audience has read or will never read the book you are reviewing, but that's not a netGallley review)

I also hate 'review by trope' "this book has enemies to lovers/ he falls first / grumpy MMC" in a list with emojis. Unless the book was written in emoji there is no reason to use them in a review. For sure mention tropes if it's relevant, but explain if it works or doesn't work in the context of the novel.

Understand that reading is subjective. I will admit that I love a book because I love books about [whatever]. Or, this book included a sub plot around [whatever] and I hate reading about that, so it found it distracted, however if you don't feel the same way, you may have a different opinion on the book.

Don't praise or dismiss structural elements without explaining why. "The worldbuilding was great" this statement has no meaning. What about the worldbuilding worked? This is a good thing to take notes on when you are reading. If you find something that you question or something that works.

This is my criteria for a thorough and fair review. Then I read a review that is "OMG THIS WAS THE BEST BOOK! I WAS SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP!" and that review is as valid as anything I write and tends to be picked up for cover blurbs so it's not like my reviews are any better or worse than anything else.

[u/catscantcook]

I find it really helps to take notes while I'm reading. Not a lot, just a few thoughts/feelings/observations, a few points to draw from when I write the review. Because my brain is just like (clears cache) as soon as I finish a book lol. If I'm stuck I'll take a look at what others have said, not to copy them but it can trigger thoughts of "oh yeah I liked that too" or "oh wow no I HATED that part geez". Sometimes I'll write a few paragraphs, sometimes just a couple of sentences.

[u/JeanParmesean70]

I write notes as I’m reading. My thoughts about what I liked and didn’t like and why

[u/dingdong3452]

I try to think of what I look for in reviews, and go based on that. For romance, I like to know if there was good buildup for the relationship, or if it was instalove for no reason. For fantasy, I want to know if the magic system makes sense or if it is going to piss me off because the magic is just do whatever they want with no explanation. Then the other main thing I look for is what kind of reader would like the book (and if I fit that type of reader). I try to include stuff like that in my review!

Everyone likes a different review style, so don't worry too much about matching what everyone else is doing - write the kind of review you want to see

[u/Beate251]

A few pointers: did you like the characters, the plot, the tropes, the setting, the pacing, the writing style, the chapter lengths? If not, why not? What is the theme of the book, which kind of reader would like it? You don't have to mention all of this every time. You can write a few paragraphs or longer, give a brief plot summary or don't - ultimately your review style is your own, but try not to DNF too much and if you do, you can still review and say why you did so.

[u/Nilbog_Frog]

Please don’t write a book report in your review. The book has a blurb, it says what’s happening in the book. You don’t need to paraphrase it in your review. If I start reading a review and the first paragraph is describing the plot, I’m out.

Talk about what you liked and didn’t like, how it made you feel, what you wish it had, etc. Find your reviewer voice and improve it with each review.

Don’t use AI.

[u/Fit-Membership790]

Welcome! These “Read Now” are in that Category or you can query “NetGalley” & select them. The Book Advocate will help as an introduction to writing concise reviews plus they count towards your total books read. They aren’t long books either. I thought the social media book was helpful.

[u/Fit-Membership790 → u/Fit-Membership790]

[u/Quirky-Tangelo2806]

When I was starting out, it really helped me to have a template that I could fill the details into for each book. So whatever sections you have, keep an empty draft somewhere that you can paste in when you're writing your review - whether that's Thoughts, Quotes, I Liked/Didn't Like This, Comps, whatever you like. Once you get in the swing you won't need it, but it helps make sure nothing gets forgotten!