Opening Statement and "what's the point?"
include title, author, and a quote from the author about the purpose of the book.
What is the tone of the book?
What makes this author uniquely qualified to write this book? Who is his audience?
What is the purpose of the book?
What does the book promise? What is the problem the book promises to solve?
What does the author say?
two or three paragraphs - does the book do what it promised to do? why or why not? If not, why not?
Why does it matter?
Before I wrap up the review, I want to help people understand what sets this book apart and what makes it unique. This is often the most important part of the review.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? -What is your overall impression?
Reviews are, by their very nature, subjective. An author of a review cannot entirely remove himself from it.
And the verdict is:
Challies says:
At 10MillionWords I’ve gotten into the habit of closing each review with “Verdict: Read it if…”
Adapted from GoodReads and Challies