Book lovers can find plenty of great websites with free reviews of fiction and nonfiction books. Checking out reviews offers a more economical use of book-buying funds while improving the odds of finding books well-suited to the reader.
There are plenty of specialty sites in addition to comprehensive sites that cover everything from audio to children's books, sci-fi/fantasy to cookbooks, religion and psychology and everything else in between.
Mystery Lovers Thrill to Historical, Paranormal and Cozy Tales
Mystery readers can enjoy newmysteryreader.com, an online-only site which offers author interviews and current reviews posted each week on cozies, historical, paranormal and other mysteries in addition to thrillers.
The reviewers have bylines so identifying with a reviewer who has the same taste can make future selections even easier. The reviews offer a one to five bolt system, with five bolts being the best. This site works best when the reader is open to new releases since there is no search button for specific titles or authors.
The Strand Offers a Sherlock-style Fix
For those especially interested in detective stories and related mysteries, The Strand offers quarterly book reviews with a knowing, darker twist in addition to original short mysteries in the online and printed editions. The site includes ads, but many of these consist of well-chosen updates on new books that can be as welcome as the book reviews themselves.
Publishing Industry Reviews on Nonfiction, Fiction, and Children’s Books
Publishers Weekly maintains its well-regarded industry status with both a print and online edition that comes out each week. Considered a necessary source for libraries and those involved in publishing, older editions can often be located in the library periodicals section or readers can visit the online site. The reviews are written months in advance of the publishing date and are often quoted in publisher marketing information.
Publishers Weekly covers a variety of book topics including nonfiction, religion, children’s books, cookbooks, audio books and fiction. Articles also provide background information on the publishing industry and also on major names on both the writing and publishing sides.
Local Independent Bookstores and Libraries
Employees of independent bookstores or libraries will often post their personal unpaid reviews of books next to the book or on the business’ websites. Since many of these employees are avid readers with varying backgrounds, the typically brief reviews may offer special insight.
Suite101.com Offers Book Reviews
Suite101.com offers a wide variety of book reviews by professional writers in many genres as well as author interviews and articles on the subject matter included in the books. The site also allows readers to learn more about the background of the reviewers, a feature which can help explain that reviewer's personal tastes in books and provide a fuller idea of whether or not the reader will agree with the reviewer's opinion.
Children’s Books Reviewed by Moms and Kids for Kids
Supermom.com includes book reviews of children’s and teen books from the adult perspective. For a child’s perspective, visit buildingrainbow.com. The books are rated from 1 to 10 with the help of a rainbow graph, and the reviewers share their ages along with their thoughts on the books.
New York Review of Books and Other Purveyors of Intellectual Book Reviews
Of course, if time is not a consideration, booklovers can soak in the in-depth, linguistic pleasures of book reviews spanning several pages and requiring more time to digest. Examples of these humorous, intellectual, and nearly always worthwhile reviews can be found in the New York Review of Books, Atlantic Monthly and other vaunted standards which now publish online reviews in addition to their print publications.
The Benefits of Book ReviewsBook reviews offer wonderful glimpses into the world encapsulated within the covers of each book, allowing time-pressed readers the opportunity to choose great personal options while discovering new authors.
Bonnye Good - Bonnye Busbice Good received an Editor's Choice award for her article on Your Historic Home's Interior Design Secrets and has also written ...
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