Which Book To Read Next? 8 Reasons Why Book Reviews Can Help!

Posted on 17 Oct 2022 | Posted in StevensBooks Blogs

As an avid reader, you know the feeling of finally finishing a book and being able to close its cover with a satisfied sigh. You also know the feeling of disappointment when a book you were looking forward to reading ends up being a bore. Lesson learned: you should’ve read a book review first.

Think about it this way: when you’re looking for a new book to read, you probably do some research beforehand. You might read the synopsis on the back of the book or look up reviews online. It’s because you want to make sure that you’re going to like the book and not waste time on something you won’t even enjoy.

 

What is a book review?

A book review is a written evaluation of a book. It includes a brief summary of the plot, the characters, and the author's writing style, as well as an analysis of the book's themes and how they are presented.

 

Why are book reviews important?

Book reviews help readers make informed decisions about which books to read.

With so many titles being published every year, it’s impossible to read them all. The choices are too many and it can be tough to know which books are worth your time. Thankfully, book reviews are there to weed out good works of literature from bad ones. They contain the gist of the story and whether or not it’s been written well, which provides potential readers enough perspective to decide whether or not to read a particular book. They allow us to get a taste of what a book is like before we commit to reading it. These are especially helpful when it comes to deciding which books are worth our limited time and money. Good book reviews can also point readers in the direction of books they might not have otherwise picked up. 

Book reviews provide an opportunity for the reader to critically engage with the content.

By reading and writing book reviews, readers can think more deeply about what they have read and identify their own thoughts and stances on the concepts presented in the story. They will analyze the themes, structure, style and literary devices used by the author and will then consider whether the book is successful in its aims and execution. Because book reviews provide valuable insights into the author’s intent and how well they integrated their vision in their work, readers can discuss a book’s relevance to the society and current times based on the values it promotes. Additionally, book reviews can help readers to identify their own personal biases and prejudices. This is especially important for books that have been controversial or had mixed reviews. It can spark conversations and debates. Even if people don't agree with the review, it can still help them form their own opinion of the book. 

Book reviews give readers a chance to share their thoughts and feelings about a book.

Readers have the chance to share their own interpretations and ideas about a text when they write book reviews. It’s simply a fun way to express themselves and connect with others who share their love of literature. Book reviews are the outlet where readers can gush about their favorite characters, root for their couple “ships”, cry and lament over sad scenes, and even feel angry against horrible situations and antagonists. They can be honest and objective while sharing their reading experiences and other readers will be able to share their sentiments.

Book reviews enlighten people on relevant issues and advocacies.

Almost every book has themes that are intended to influence its audience. These themes are usually important principles that the author believes in and wants the readers to realize. They may be vaguely hinted at or spelled out clearly, but either way, they are woven into the story to give it purpose and a direction. Most themes are very relevant to present issues and problems, so it’s good that these can be spread through literature for awareness and change. Aside from reading the book itself, a book review is also another way that people can learn about the author's point of view and the message that the story is trying to communicate. This is because book reviews are shorter than entire books and more palatable for people who lack the time and commitment to read long-form written works. By reading a variety of book reviews, people can gain a better understanding of the world around them and support advocacies that matter.

Book reviews build a sense of community around reading.

When you read a review and then go discuss it with friends and family, you’re helping create a bond between people who love reading as much as you do. Reviewing books can create a community of readers who can discuss and recommend books to one another. As readers share their thoughts and opinions on books, it creates a common ground where everyone can belong and feel understood. This can lead to more people becoming interested in reading, as they see that it is something that others are passionate about. It can also inspire a love for reading in people who may have never thought to pick up a book for fun before. Through book reviews, you're not only encouraging the people close to you to read more, but you're also helping to create a community of readers who can support and inspire each other.

Book reviews promote literacy among viewers.

The love of reading is contagious, and when people see others enjoying a good book in a book review, they're more likely to want to pick one up themselves. Positive reviews help people find new books that they may be interested in picking up. Even bad reviews can urge people to read out of curiosity. Because reviews encourage reading, they also inadvertently promote literacy. When you read a book, you are exposed to new words and ideas. This can help improve your vocabulary and understanding of concepts. Furthermore, reading books can help improve your writing skills. After all, the more you read, the better you will become at writing. If you also decide to write a review of a book, you can help others learn about new and interesting pieces of literature. Not to mention, you can spread the word about the importance of reading. Your review might just convince someone to pick up a book and give it a try!

Book reviews play an important role in guiding an author to improve their writing.

Constructive criticism is essential for any writer who wants to get better at their craft, and book reviews provide this for authors. When an author gets feedback from readers, it helps them understand what people like and don’t like about their writing. This can be invaluable information that they can use to improve their future books. Positive reviews tell the author what readers love about the story and what was done right in the book. The author can use this knowledge to replicate the same effect for other works. However, not all reviews will be positive, but even negative reviews can be helpful if they're well-written and thought out. These indicate the other perspective and point out which aspects the author needs to change and work on.

Book reviews can help boost a book's popularity and sales.

If you want to support your favorite authors, writing reviews is one way to do it. Book reviews, especially when done by well-known reviewers, can generate word-of-mouth buzz. If a lot of readers write positive reviews for a book, they can convince other people to read it too. If a book also gets trending because of how bad it is, it can either lose prospective buyers or become so controversial that people will read it just to see what all the fuss is about. As they say, bad publicity is still publicity. The more people who leave reviews, the more popular a book becomes. This can lead to more exposure for the author and higher sales.

With so many books being published every year, it can be difficult to know which ones are worth reading. That’s where book reviews come in. By taking the time to read and write them, you can help others sort the wheat from the chaff and make more informed decisions about what they read.

However, if you don’t have time to pore through reviews, you can let someone trustworthy make the reading choice for you. You can browse through our editor’s picks where you’ll find curated books that you’ll likely enjoy and love.