book review post it notes

• Resources & Research
• eAudiobooks

You are here

Search form

• Summer Library Reading Program 2024
• Bromfield Summer Reading 2024
• Programs & Events
• New Teen eBooks
• eLibrary for Teens
• New Teen Arrivals
• Book Groups
• Teen Advisory Board (TAB)
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Volunteer Information

Teen Post-It Note Book Reviews

November 1, 2021

At our last Teen Advisory Board meeting- Harvard teens were challenged to review some of their favorite books, using only the small space of a Post-It Note!

Harvard Public Library

4 Pond Road Harvard, MA, 01451 978-456-4114 [email protected] Library Directory Directions Google Map

Helpful Links

• Museum Passes

Connect with Us

• Facebook Childrens
• Instagram Childrens
• YouTube Childrens 

© 2023 Harvard Public Library Trust

Privacy Settings

Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like:

• basic site functions
• ensuring secure, safe transactions
• secure account login
• remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
• remembering privacy and security settings
• analysing site traffic and usage
• personalized search, content, and recommendations
• helping sellers understand their audience
• showing relevant, targeted ads on and off Etsy

Detailed information can be found in Etsy’s Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy and our Privacy Policy .

Required Cookies & Technologies

Some of the technologies we use are necessary for critical functions like security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and to make the site work correctly for browsing and transactions.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (like interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. Those partners may have their own information they’ve collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won’t stop you from seeing Etsy ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” of information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have a right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in our Privacy Policy. , Help Center , and Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy .

Our House Rules

Get to know Etsy's legal terms and policies

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Third parties

Sanctions Policy

Etsy provides a direct connection between buyers and sellers around the world. When you use Etsy’s services (we’ll refer to Etsy.com, Pattern by Etsy, our mobile apps, and other services as our “Services”), you are responsible for complying with this policy, regardless of your location.

This policy is a part of our Terms of Use . By using any of our Services, you agree to this policy and our Terms of Use.

As a global company based in the US with operations in other countries, Etsy must comply with economic sanctions and trade restrictions, including, but not limited to, those implemented by the Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") of the US Department of the Treasury. This means that Etsy or anyone using our Services cannot take part in transactions that involve designated people, places, or items that originate from certain places, as determined by agencies like OFAC, in addition to trade restrictions imposed by related laws and regulations.

This policy applies to anyone that uses our Services, regardless of their location. It is up to you to familiarize yourself with these restrictions.

For example, these restrictions generally prohibit, but are not limited to, transactions involving:

• Certain geographic areas, such as Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, Belarus, and the Donetsk People’s Republic (“DNR”) and Luhansk People’s Republic (“LNR”) regions of Ukraine, or any individual or entity operating or residing in those places;
• Individuals or entities identified on sanctions lists such as OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN”) List or Foreign Sanctions Evaders (“FSE”) List ;
• Nationals of Cuba, regardless of location, unless citizenship or permanent residency outside of Cuba has been established; and
• Items originating from areas including Cuba, North Korea, Iran, or Crimea, with the exception of informational materials such as publications, films, posters, phonograph records, photographs, tapes, compact disks, and certain artworks.
• Any goods, services, or technology from DNR and LNR with the exception of qualifying informational materials, and agricultural commodities such as food for humans, seeds for food crops, or fertilizers.
• The importation into the U.S. of the following products of Russian origin: fish, seafood, non-industrial diamonds, gold, and any other product as may be determined from time to time by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
• The exportation from the U.S., or by a U.S. person, of luxury goods, and other items as may be determined by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, to any person located in Russia or Belarus. A list and description of ‘luxury goods’ can be found in Supplement No. 5 to Part 746 under the Federal Register.
• Items originating outside of the U.S. that are subject to the U.S. Tariff Act or related Acts concerning prohibiting the use of forced labor.

In order to protect our community and marketplace, Etsy takes steps to ensure compliance with sanctions programs. For example, Etsy prohibits members from using their accounts while in certain geographic locations. If we have reason to believe you are operating your account from a sanctioned location, such as any of the places listed above, or are otherwise in violation of any economic sanction or trade restriction, we may suspend or terminate your use of our Services. Members are generally not permitted to list, buy, or sell items that originate from sanctioned areas. This includes items that pre-date sanctions, since we have no way to verify when they were actually removed from the restricted location. Members are also generally not permitted to ship items to or from sanctioned areas. Etsy reserves the right to request that sellers provide additional information, disclose an item's country of origin in a listing, or take other steps to meet compliance obligations. It is important that members provide complete and accurate information regarding the origin of items on the Etsy marketplace to ensure compliance with sanctions programs. We may disable listings or cancel transactions that present a risk of violating this policy.

In addition to complying with OFAC and applicable local laws, Etsy members should be aware that other countries may have their own trade restrictions and that certain items may not be allowed for export or import under international laws. You should consult the laws of any jurisdiction when a transaction involves international parties.

Finally, Etsy members should be aware that third-party payment processors, such as PayPal, may independently monitor transactions for sanctions compliance and may block transactions as part of their own compliance programs. Etsy has no authority or control over the independent decision-making of these providers.

The economic sanctions and trade restrictions that apply to your use of the Services are subject to change, so members should check sanctions resources regularly. For legal advice, please consult a qualified professional.

Resources: US Department of the Treasury ; Bureau of Industry and Security at the US Department of Commerce ; US Department of State ; European Commission

Last updated on May 15, 2024

• Business & Money
• Management & Leadership

Sorry, there was a problem.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Rapid Problem Solving with Post-It Notes Paperback – July 22, 1997

• The Post-up-Provides methods for getting information into chunks
• The Swap Sort-Shows listing and organization methods
• The Top-down Tree-Works when the nature of the problem is unknown
• The Information Map-Maps messy problems and complex relationships
• The Action Map-Plans actions or maps an existing process
• Are the right size to hold one piece of information from a problem
• Are easily to attached to flat surfaces and stay put
• Can be moved and reattached many times
• Print length 176 pages
• Language English
• Publication date July 22, 1997
• Dimensions 6 x 0.45 x 9 inches
• ISBN-10 1555611427
• ISBN-13 978-1555611422
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Da Capo Lifelong Books; New edition (July 22, 1997)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1555611427
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1555611422
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.45 x 9 inches
• #1,039 in Office Equipment & Supplies
• #1,916 in Business Decision Making
• #2,656 in Decision-Making & Problem Solving

About the author

David straker.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 58% 18% 16% 4% 3% 58%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 58% 18% 16% 4% 3% 18%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 58% 18% 16% 4% 3% 16%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 58% 18% 16% 4% 3% 4%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 58% 18% 16% 4% 3% 3%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the book easy to understand, well-organized, and clear. They also say the themes are creative and a source of inspiration.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book easy to understand, great for beginners, and quick to read. They also say it shows simple systemic methods of thought, and is well organized. Readers also mention that the techniques can be used immediately.

"...This book shows very simple systemic methods of thought , and it is your job to fill in the blanks...." Read more

"...only known by rocket science consultants... this is a book about very basic tools that will help you to solve most problems you will find everyday..." Read more

"...What I like about the book most is that it is very clear on what the tools are, how they are used and when to use them...." Read more

"...The book is short, well-organized, and clear . Reading it cover to cover won't take long and is time well spent...." Read more

Customers find the themes in the book to be a creativity source and appreciate the images for better understanding.

"I like it because it has lots of images for better understanding . I like it also because it goes along explanation with case studies and examples." Read more

"... Makes the process FUN and VISUAL !" Read more

"...I find the ideas in this book fun ,useful and extremely effective...." Read more

"... It is a creativity source ." Read more

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• About Amazon
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell products on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon and COVID-19
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices

• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

25+ Book Review Templates and Ideas to Organize Your Thoughts

Danika Ellis

Danika spends most of her time talking about queer women books at the Lesbrary. Blog: The Lesbrary Twitter: @DanikaEllis

View All posts by Danika Ellis

When I was a kid I loved reading, but I hated book reports. It felt impossible to boil a book down to a few lines or even a page of writing. Besides, by the time I had to write the report, I had already forgotten a lot. It never ceases to be painful to try to pull my thoughts and opinions out of my head and put them on the page, especially in a coherent way.

As an adult, I continue to usually find writing book reviews painful . And yet, I maintain a book blog with reviews of all the (bi and lesbian) books I read. Why? For one thing, I want to raise the visibility of these books — or, in the case of a book I loathed, warn other readers of what to expect. It helps me to build community with other book lovers. It’s also a great way to force myself pay attention to how I’m feeling while I’m reading a book and what my thoughts are afterwards. I have learned to take notes as I go, so I have something to refer to by the time I write a review, and it has me notice what a book is doing well (and what it isn’t). The review at the end helps me to organize my thoughts. I also find that I remember more once I’ve written a review.

Once you’ve decided it’s worthwhile to write a review, though, how do you get started? It can be a daunting task. The good news is, book reviews can adapt to whatever you want them to be. A book review can be a tweet with a thumbs up or thumbs down emoji, maybe with a sentence or two of your thoughts; it can also be an in-depth essay on the themes of the book and its influence on literature. Most are going to fall somewhere between those two! Let go of the idea of trying to create the One True Book Review. Everyone is looking for something different, and there is space for GIF-filled squee fests about a book and thoughtful, meditative explorations of a work.

This post offers a variety of book reviews elements that you can mix and match to create a book review template that works for you. Before you get started, though, there are some questions worth addressing.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Book Review Template

Where will you be posting your book reviews.

An Instagram book review will likely look different from a blog book review. Consider which platform you will be using for your book review. You can adapt it for different platforms, or link to your original review, but it’s a good starting point. Instagram reviews tend to be a lot shorter than blog reviews, for instance.

Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. By signing up you agree to our terms of use

Will you be using the same template every time?

Some book reviewers have a go-to book review template. Others have a different one for each genre, while another group doesn’t use a template at all and just reacts to whatever each book brings up.

Heading or no headings?

When choosing which book review elements to mix and match, you can also decide whether to include a header for each section (like Plot, Characterization, Writing, etc). Headers make reviews easier to browse, but they may not have the professional, essay-style look that you’re going for.

Why are you writing a review?

When selecting which elements to include in your review, consider what the purpose is. Do you want to better remember the plot by writing about it? You probably want to include a plot summary, then. Do you want to help readers decide whether they should read this book? A pros and cons list might be helpful. Are you trying to track something about your reading, like an attempt to read more books in translation or more books by authors of color? Are you trying to buy fewer books and read off your TBR shelf instead? These are all things you can note in a review, usually in a point-form basic information block at the beginning.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jess | Books and Thread Co. (@booksandthreadco)

Book Review Templates and Formats

Essay-style.

This is a multi-paragraph review, usually with no headers. It’s the same format most newspapers and academics use for book reviews. Many essay-style reviews use informal categories in their writing, often discussing setting, writing, characters, and plot in their own paragraphs. They usually also discuss the big themes/messages of a story. Here are some questions to consider when writing an essay-style review:

What is the author trying to do? Don’t evaluate a romance novel based on a mystery novel’s criteria. First try to think about what the book was attempting to do, then try to evaluate if they achieved it. You can still note if you didn’t like it, but it’s good to know what it was aiming for first.

What are some of the themes of the story? What big message should the reader take away? Did you agree with what the book seemed to be saying? Why or why not?

How is this story relevant to the world? What is it saying about the time it was written in? About human nature? About society or current issues? Depending on the book, there may be more or less to dig into here.

What did this book make you think about? It may be that the themes in the book were just a launching off point. How did they inspire your own thinking? How did this book change you?

A Classic Book Review

This is probably the most common kind of book review template. It uses a few criteria, usually including Setting, Writing, Characters, and Plot (for a novel). The review then goes into some detail about each element, describing what the book did well, and where it fell short.

The advantage of this format is that it’s very straightforward and applies to almost any fiction read. It can also be adapted–you will likely have more to say about the plot in a mystery/thriller than a character study of a novel. A drawback, though, is that it can feel limiting. You might have thoughts that don’t neatly fit into these categories, or you could feel like you don’t have enough to say about some of the categories.

Pros and Cons

A common format for a Goodreads review is some variation of pros and cons. This might be “What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like” or “Reasons to Bump This Up Your TBR/Reasons to Bump This Down On Your TBR.” This is a very flexible system that can accommodate anything from a few bullet points each to paragraphs each. It gives a good at-a-glance impression of your thoughts (more cons than pros is a pretty good indication you didn’t like it). It also is broad enough that almost all your thoughts can likely be organized into those headings.

This is also a format that is easily mix and matched with the elements listed below. A brief review might give the title, author, genre, some brief selling points of the novel, and then a pros and cons list. Some reviews also include a “verdict” at the end. An example of this format:

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

🌟 Fantasy All-Ages Comic 💫 Adorable pet dragons ✨ A diverse cast

Pros: This book has beautiful artwork. It is a soothing read, and all the character are supportive of each other. This is a story about friendship and kindness.

Cons: Don’t expect a fast-moving plot or a lot of conflict. This is a very gentle read.

Another approach to the review is not, strictly speaking, a book review template at all. Instead, it’s something like “5 Reasons to Read TITLE by Author” or “The # Most Shocking Plot Twists in X Series.” An advantage of this format is that it can be very to-the-point: if you want to convince people to read a book, it makes sense to just write a list of reasons they should read the book. It may also be more likely to get clicked on–traditional book reviews often get less views than more general posts.

On the other hand, listicles can come off as gimmicky or click-bait. You’ll have to decide for yourself if the book matches this format, and whether you are writing this out of genuine enthusiasm or are just trying to bend a review to be more clickable.

Your Own Original Rating System

Lots of reviewers decide to make their own review format based on what matters to them. This is often accompanied by a ratings system. For instance, the BookTube channel Book Roast uses the CAWPILE system:

CAWPILE is an acronym for the criteria she rates: Characters, Atmosphere, Writing, Plot, Intrigue, Logic, Enjoyment. Each of those are rated 1–10, and the average given is the overall rating. By making your own ratings/review system, you can prioritize what matters to you.

My favorite rating system is Njeri’s from Onyx Pages , because it shows exactly what she’s looking for from books, and it helps her to think about and speak about the things she values:

A “Live Tweet” or Chronological Review

Another format possibility is live tweeting (or updating as you go on Goodreads, or whatever your platform of choice is). This has you document your initial thoughts as you read, and it’s usually informal and often silly. You can add what you’re loving, what you’re hating, and what questions you have as you go.

This is a fun format for when you’re reading a popular book for the first time. That way, other people can cackle at how unprepared you are as you read it. This requires you to remember to always have your phone on you as you read, to get your authentic thoughts as they happen, but it saves on having to write a more in-depth review. Alternately, some people include both a “first impressions” section and a more in-depth analysis section in their final review.

Get Creative

There are plenty of book review templates to choose from and elements to mix-and-match, but you can also respond in a completely original way. You could create a work of art in response to the book! Here are some options:

• Writing a song , a short story, or a poem
• Writing a letter to the author or the main character (you don’t have to send it to the author!)
• Writing an “interview” of a character from the book, talk show style
• Making a visual response, like a collage or painting
• Making a book diorama, like your elementary school days!

Mix-and-Match Elements of a Book Review

Most book reviews are made up of a few different parts, which can be combined in lots of different ways. Here is a selection to choose from! These might also give you ideas for your own elements. Don’t take on too much, though! It can easily become an overwhelming amount of information for readers.

Information

Usually a book review starts with some basic information about the book. What you consider basic information, though, is up for interpretation! Consider what you and your audience will think is important. Here are some ideas:

• The title and author (pretty important)
• The book’s cover
• Format (audiobook, comic, poetry, etc)
• Genre (this can be broad, like SFF, or narrow, like Silkpunk or Dark Academia)
• Content warnings
• Source (where did you get the book? Was is borrowed from the library, bought, or were you sent an ARC?)
• Synopsis/plot summary (your own or the publisher’s)
• What kind of representation there is in the novel (including race, disability, LGBTQ characters, etc)
• Anything you’re tracking in your reading, including: authors of color, authors’ country, if a book is in translation, etc

Review Elements

Once you’ve established your basic information, you’re into the review itself! Some of these are small additions to a review, while others are a little more time-intensive.

Bullet point elements:

• Rating (star rating, thumbs up/down, recommend/wouldn’t recommend, or your own scale)
• Who would like it/Who wouldn’t like it
• Read-alikes (or movies and TV shows like the book)
• Describe the book using an emoji or emojis
• Describe the book using a gif or gifs
• Favorite line(s) from the book
• New vocabulary/the most beautiful words in the novel
• How it made you feel (in a sentence or two)
• One word or one sentence review
• Bullet points listing the selling points of a book
• BooksandLala’s Scary, Unsettling, and Intrigue ratings, for horror
• World-building, for fantasy and science fiction titles
• Art, for comics
• Narration, for audiobooks
• Romance, for…romance
• Heat level, for erotica

Visual elements:

• Design a graphic (usually incorporating the cover, your star rating, and some other basic info)
• Take a selfie of yourself holding the book, with your expression as the review
• Make a mood board
• Design your own book cover
• Make fan art

Elements to incorporate into a review:

• Quick/initial thoughts (often while reading or immediately after reading), then a more in-depth review (common on Goodreads)
• A list of facts about the book or a character from the book
• Book club questions about the book
• Spoiler/non-spoiler sections
• Research: look up interviews with the author and critique of the book, incorporate it (cited!) into your review
• Links to other resources, such as interviews or other reviews — especially #OwnVoices reviews
• A story of your own, whether it’s your experience reading the book, or something it reminded you of

This is not a complete list! There are so many ways to write a book review, and it should reflect your own relationship with books, as well as your audience. If you’re looking for more ways to keep track of your reading, you’ll also like 50+ Beautiful Bujo Spread Ideas to Track Your Reading .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Painted Pages Library (@paintedpageslibrary)

You Might Also Like

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Wednesday, Apr 03

How to write a book review in 3 steps.

If the idea of reading for free — or even getting paid to read — sounds like a dream come true, remember that it isn’t a pipe dream. There are many places aspiring book reviewers can read books for free, such as Reedsy Discovery — a new platform for reviewing indie books. Of course, if you’re giving serious thought to becoming a book reviewer, your first step should be learning how to write a book review. To that end, this post covers all the basics of literary criticism. Let’s get started!

The three main steps of writing a book review are simple:

• Provide a summary: What is story about? Who are the main characters and what is the main conflict? 
• Present your evaluation: What did you think of the book? What elements worked well, and which ones didn’t? 
• Give your recommendation: Would you recommend this book to others? If so, what kinds of readers will enjoy it?

You can also download our free book review templates and use it as a guide! Otherwise, let’s take a closer look at each element.

Pro-tip : But wait! How are you sure if you should become a book reviewer in the first place? If you're on the fence, or curious about your match with a book reviewing career, take our quick quiz:

Should you become a book reviewer?

Find out the answer. Takes 30 seconds!

How to write a review of a book

Step 1. provide a summary.

Have you ever watched a movie only to realize that all the good bits were already in the trailer? Well, you don’t want the review to do that. What you do want the summary to do is reveal the genre, theme, main conflict, and main characters in the story — without giving away spoilers or revealing how the story ends.

A good rule of thumb is not to mention anything that happens beyond the midpoint. Set the stage and give readers a sense of the book without explaining how the central issue is resolved.

Emily W. Thompson's review of The Crossing :

In [Michael] Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.

An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl. Read more...

Here are a few more reviews with well-written summaries for you to check out. The summary tend to be the longest part of the book review, so we won’t turn this post into a novel itself by pasting them all here: Le Cirque Navire reviewed by Anna Brill, The Heart of Stone reviewed by Kevin R. Dickinson, Fitting Out: The Friendship Experiment reviewed by Lianna Albrizio.

Non-fiction summary tip: The primary goal of a non-fiction summary is to provide context: what problems or issues has the book spotted, and how does it go about addressing them? Be sure to mention the authors of the title and what experience or expertise they bring to the title. Check Stefan Kløvning’s review of Creativity Cycling for an example of a summary that establishes the framework of the book within the context of its field.

Step 2. Present your evaluation

While you should absolutely weave your own personal take of a book into the review, your evaluation shouldn’t only be based on your subjective opinion. Along with presenting how you reacted to the story and how it affected you, you should also try to objectively critique the stronger and weaker elements of the story, and provide examples from the text to back up your points.

To help you write your evaluation, you should record your reactions and thoughts as you work your way through a novel you’re planning on reviewing. Here are some aspects of the book to keep in mind as you do.

Your evaluation might focus heartily on the book’s prose:

Donald Barker's review of Mercenary : 

Such are the bones of the story. But, of course, it is the manner in which Mr Gaughran puts the bones back together and fills them with life that makes “Mercenary” such a great read. The author’s style seems plain; it seems straightforward and even simple. But an attempt at imitation or emulation quickly proves that simple it is not. He employs short, punchy sentences that generate excellent dialogue dripping with irony, deadpan humour and wit. This, mixed with good descriptive prose, draws the characters – and what characters they are – along with the tumultuous events in which they participated amidst the stinking, steaming heat of the South American jungle, out from the past to the present; alive, scheming, drinking, womanising and fighting, onto the written page.

You can give readers a sense of the book by drawing comparisons to other well-known titles or authors:

Laura Hartman's review of The Mystery of Ruby's Mistletoe :

Reading Ms. Donovan’s book is reminiscent to one of my favorite authors, Dame Agatha Christie. Setting up the suspects in a snowbound house, asking them to meet in the drawing room and the cleverly satisfying conclusion was extremely gratifying. I can picture Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot nodding at Ms. Donovan saying “Well done!”

Not everyone’s tastes are the same, and you can always acknowledge this by calling out specific story elements in your evaluation: 

Kevin R. Dickinson's review of The Heart of Stone :

Whether you enjoy Galley’s worldbuilding will depend heavily on preference. Galley delivers information piecemeal, letting the characters, not the author, navigate the reader through Hartlund. A notable example is the magic system, an enigmatic force that lacks the ridge structures of, say, a Brandon Sanderson novel. While the world’s magical workings are explained, you only learn what the characters know and many mysteries remain by the end. Similar choices throughout make the world feel expansive and authentic.

Non-fiction evaluation tip: A book’s topic is only as compelling as its supporting arguments. Your evaluation of a nonfiction book should address that: how clearly and effectively are the points communicated? Turn back to Stefan’s critique for an example of a non-fiction critique that covers key takeaways and readability, without giving away any “big reveals.”

Step 3. Give your recommendation 

At the end of the day, your critique needs to answer this question: is this a book you would (or wouldn’t) recommend to other readers? You might wrap up by comparing it to other books in the same genre, or authors with similar styles, such as: “Fans of so-and-so will enjoy this book.” 

Let’s take a look at a few more tips:

You don’t need to write, “I recommend this book” — you can make it clear by highlighting your favorable opinion:

Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.

Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.

Add more punch to your rating by mentioning what kind of audience will or won’t enjoy the book:

Charleigh Aleyna Reid's review of The King of FU :

I would recommend this book to anyone who grew up in the 90’s and would like to reminisce about the time, someone who is interested to see what it was like to be a 90’s kid, or perhaps anyone who is looking for a unique, funny story about someone’s life.

Unless you found the title absolutely abhorrent, a good way to balance out a less favorable book review it to share what you did like about the book — before ultimately stating why you wouldn’t recommend the novel:

Nicola O's review of Secrets of the Sea Lord :

Overall, there are plenty of enjoyable elements in this story and fans of Atlantis and mer mythology should give it a try. Despite this, it does not rise above a three-star rating, and while I had some difficulty pinning down why this is, I concluded that it comes from a surprisingly unsophisticated vocabulary. There are a couple of graphic sex scenes, which is absolutely fine in a paranormal romance, but if they were removed, I could easily imagine this as an appealing story for middle-schoolers.

Non-fiction recommendation tip: As with fiction book reviews, share why you did or didn’t enjoy the title. However, in one of the starkest divergences from fiction book reviews it’s more important than ever that you mention your expectations coming into the non-fiction book. For instance, if you’re a cow farmer who’s reading a book on the benefits of becoming a vegetarian, you’re coming in with a large and inherent bias that the book will struggle to alter. So your recommendation should cover your thoughts about the book, while clearly taking account your perspective before you started reading. Let’s look once more at Stefan’s review for an example of a rating that includes an explanation of the reviewer’s own bias.

Bonus tips for writing a book review

Let’s wrap up with a few final tips for writing a compelling review.

• Remember, this isn’t a book report. If someone wants the summary of a book, they can read the synopsis. People turn to book reviews for a fellow reader’s take on the book. And for that reason...
• Have an opinion. Even if your opinion is totally middle-of-the-line — you didn’t hate the book but you didn’t love it either — state that clearly, and explain why.
• Make your stance clear from the outset. Don’t save your opinion just for the evaluation/recommendation. Weave your thoughts about the book into your summary as well, so that readers have an idea of your opinion from the outset.
• Back up your points. Instead of just saying, “the prose was evocative” — show readers by providing an actual passage that displays this. Same goes for negative points — don’t simply tell readers you found a character unbelievable, reference a certain (non-spoiler) scene that backs this up.
• Provide the details. Don’t forget to weave the book’s information into the review: is this a debut author? Is this one installment of a series? What types of books has the author written before? What is their background? How many pages does the book have? Who published the book? What is the book’s price?
• Follow guidelines. Is the review you’re writing for Goodreads? For The New York Times ? The content and tone of your review will vary a good deal from publication to publication.
• Learn from others. One of the best ways to learn how to write a great review is to read other reviews! To help you out with that, we’ve published a post all about book review examples .

Writing book reviews can be a rewarding experience! As a book-lover yourself, it’s a great opportunity to help guide readers to their next favorite title. If you’re just getting started as a reviewer and could use a couple more tips and nudges in the right direction, check out our comprehensive blog post on how to become a book reviewer . And if you want to find out which review community is the right fit for you, we recommend taking this quick quiz:

Which review community should you join?

Find out which review community is best for your style. Takes 30 seconds!

Finally, if you feel you've nailed the basics of how to write a book review, we recommend you check out Reedsy Discovery , where you can review books for free and are guaranteed people will read them. To register as a book reviewer, simply go here !

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

A Day in the Life of a Book Reviewer

In this guest post, Kirkus's Myra Forsberg shares book reviewing tips from four veteran indie critics.[typeform url="https://form.typeform.com/to/Nxdee45u" heading="Should you become a book reviewer?" subheading="Find out the answer. Takes 30 seco...

40+ Stupendous Sea Monsters (in Stories You’ll Want to Dive Into)

Spine-chilling, stupendous, and sometimes even seductive, sea monsters have haunted literature’s depths since the days of Homer’s wine-dark sea. This post will introduce them — and show you the books you'll want to dive into for their stories. 

10 Fantastic World War II Books by Female Authors

This post was contributed by Reedsy Discover reviewer Lou Hurrell. Come September it will be 80 years...

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

• Submit your book
• Reviewer directory

Want to be a book reviewer?

Review new books and start building your portfolio.

September 12, 2022

Joshua Barrera

You settle into your desk for a writing session, but instead you end up hopping from chapter to chapter, trying to remind yourself what happens and when. You notice that a character’s earlier actions don’t align with his future, and you begin to get overwhelmed. How can you make the constantly moving parts fit together without leaving gaps ? 

Advance planning may feel unnatural or even demotivating if you’re a pantser. But stories that receive extra forethought often turn out to be the most compelling. Spontaneity nurtures creativity , and order harnesses it . You need both to guide your plot. 

One of my favorite methods for sorting ideas (and maintaining my sanity) is a Post-It board. You can rearrange, remove, and replace the notes at will, so the process offers plenty of flexibility while enabling you to see the flow of events at a glance. Variations in sizes and colors can signify everything from pivotal scenes to recurring themes to subplots you’re worried you’ll forget to tie off. And if you prefer your layout to be digital, programs like Miro can accomplish the same task. 

Once you’ve gathered your materials, you need to decide which aspects of your story warrant a row on your storyboard. You should focus on at least three categories (and types of Post-Its), with a fourth or more being optional. 

1. Major Events

How are your chapters divided? More specifically, which incidents upend your characters’ lives? The start of a war would classify. So would a Saturday visit to the laundromat if it presents new information or a challenge. Any moment that provides your characters with an opportunity to change and reveal who they are requires a header. I recommend jumbo Post-Its (the ones with the dimensions of a standard piece of paper) for this purpose, like in the images below. 

You must identify these beats first because the next couple categories will nest underneath, and you won’t have any sense of direction without dots to connect .

2. Character Development

What lies are your characters struggling with , and how do they progress through the lessons they’re learning? Switch Post-It size and color and record your answers as chronologically as possible. When you finish, you can assess whether the character development leans too heavily toward the beginning, middle, or end. Maybe your pacing is even already—or you might realize that readers will have difficulty accepting your protagonist’s sudden reversal of habits. Since awareness constitutes half the work of repairing an issue , exposing an unrealistic transition can save you hours of revisions later.

You shouldn’t track only heroes and heroines, however. Villains deserve attention too , plus their own Post-It color. Even if you never disclose all of their schemes to readers (or the rest of the cast), you must train yourself to think like the omniscient creator of your world. Then, when the villains and heroes collide in the climax, it won’t be a random encounter. You’ll know the motivations that led each side to oppose the other. 

3. Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding might seem irrelevant to your outline—it’s inanimate, after all—but it matters for two reasons. First, you’re liable to have more inspiration than you can cram in, but if you don’t jot down any of it, you can’t differentiate the elements that are worthy of inclusion. Second, whether your genre is imagination-based or fact-based, the culture you portray contributes to your story’s overall plausibility and influences your characters’ beliefs . A magic system with inconsistent rules and a famous figure with an inaccurate political stance can both undermine your plot.

If you’re writing speculative fiction, the Post-It notes might help you figure out how to explain complicated technology and magical powers without resorting to info dumps. If you’re writing historical fiction, you might uncover additional areas you need to research . And if you’re writing suspense or a thriller, you might realize that the murderer is toting weapons he doesn’t actually understand how to operate.

X Marks the Spot

After you assemble the important details in each category, you’ll be staring at a very colorful and cluttered wall (or computer screen) of Post-Its. Now comes the fun yet also confusing step: shuffling the notes to accommodate improvements you need to make and new angles you want to test . 

Have you spent a chunk of time on the project and feel satisfied with the results? Then you can start treating your storyboard as a reference for your first draft. Since you won’t have to second-guess your characters’ destinations, you’ll push forward with more confidence. 

Joshua Barrera was born in a little town in upstate New York. From an early age, he thoroughly enjoyed imaginative play with his brother, utilizing whatever was around him to create new worlds in which they were the heroes. At around ten years old, he developed an interest in writing those fantasies down and crafting them into stories. Thus began his endeavor to become a writer.

Joshua loves to read (oftentimes narrating out loud for his family!), and some of his favorite authors are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Timothy Zahn. He enjoys writing either fantasy or science fiction, occasionally dabbling in other genres to gain more experience and skill as a writer. Other than reading and writing, his hobbies include entertaining card games, playing musical instruments, and spending time with his wife and three crazy kids.

Related Posts:

This sounds worth trying, though I’m worried I would use a gazillion post it notes. How many do you use for a novel?

Hey Daeus! Yeah, you’re right – it ends up being a ton of notes for a novel. I do one of two things:

1) I used to just have an entire wall open for me to stick the notes up there and move them around at will. So I could sit at my desk in my office space and see the whole story in Post-Its at a glance. It works better for some people to be able to touch the Post-Its and physically move them around. But yes, I’ve used over 100 Post-Its to outline the complete story. However, I think it really just depends on how detailed you want your visual storyboard to be.

2) I’ve shifted more to using Miro lately. It helps with space constraints (if you don’t have a whole wall free to stick your notes) as well as with buying a million Post-Its. I really like that it just sits in the digital world and doesn’t take up any physical space in my house. But I also like that the Post-It notes supply in Miro is endless!

Thank you for writing this, it’s so helpful!!!!!!!!!!!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

• 3.1k Followers
• 2.8k Followers
• 1.2k Followers

Article Categories

That’s why we created a worksheet that will help you make sure your story hits all the right plot beats. Sign up below to learn how to ace story structure.

Pin It on Pinterest

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

These Extra-Sticky Post-Its Stay Put Even Outside

I’ve long been on the hunt for a perfect label.

Everyone knows that duct tape leaves a mark, and blue painter’s tape can also be very hard to remove if left for too long. I tried using Post-it notes, but they don’t stick well to a lot of surfaces, and using them in a kitchen or bathroom is hopeless — moisture and Post-it notes are not friends. I heard an ominous tale about a home organizer who used pink stickers to label where items should be unpacked in the kitchen. When they removed the labels, there wasn’t adhesive but worse: The neon pink left a subtle stain on the custom millwork. I had no idea that labels had the potential to damage a cabinet before that, but thankfully I never even considered using stickers!

Recently, I was working with a family to help them set up and organize a new apartment they’d moved into on West End Avenue. When we were talking through the potential layout of the kitchen, the husband told me to try out his pad of Post-it Extreme Notes and to use a permanent marker with them. He explained that they’re extra sticky but don’t leave a residue, and also water-resistant, so perfect to use in a kitchen. When I tried them, I noticed that unlike with normal Post-it notes, the permanent marker didn’t bleed through onto the next sheet. These come with me to every project now.

My favorite way to use them at work is when I’m giving my client time to consider a new layout. Usually one family member meets with me, and we discuss how to make better use of the storage in a room. During the conversation, I’ll put Extreme Post-it notes on each space — like each cabinet in a kitchen, every drawer of a dresser, or each shelf in a closet — so it’s easier to discuss with the rest of the family at a later time. The Extreme Post-its get moved around to reflect what we discuss. I love that they don’t fall off.

After rearranging a space, keeping the Extreme Post-its on the outside of a drawer is helpful for the week or so it takes many of my clients to learn the new system. Occasionally, we’ll put more formal labels (which I make with a Brother P-touch Cube XP label-maker) on the outside of a drawer as a finishing touch.

When I’m organizing a wardrobe, we’ll often end up with items to be returned, repaired, or cleaned. Putting an Extreme Post-it note on a box or shopping bag can be the perfect visual cue for those tasks.

In my own home, I also use Extreme Post-its for labeling leftovers in the fridge since they can handle the moisture. Unlike masking tape, your writing can be big enough to read from a distance, and there’s enough space to include the date. Since the notes are so easy to remove, cute containers stay cute.

I’ve regrettably experimented with using them as a bookmark; they’re a bit too sticky to use on a single sheet of paper. For the same reason they’re not great as a bookmark, they’re excellent for creating a tab section in a notebook.

And they actually stay put outside. Every person without a doorman should have a pack of these for pasting onto the front door to let Amazon know to ring apartment 4 for the package for apartment 6, or the number to call because the buzzer isn’t working.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments , rolling luggage , pillows for side sleepers , natural anxiety remedies , and bath towels . We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

• the strategist
• this things incredible
• home organization
• office supplies

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

Deal of the Day

Micro sales, greatest hits, most viewed stories.

• All the Best Deals From Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale
• Everything We’ve Written About That’s Currently on Sale at Sephora
• My $24 Clear Tablecloth Receives Endless Compliments
• The 10 Very Best Men’s Deodorants and Anti-perspirants
• The 8 Very Best Toners
• The 12 Very Best Drugstore Eye Creams

Today’s Top Clicked

Post-it Notes

By Candice Kelsey

Posted on May 12, 2023

A first-year teacher met her second husband in the supply room on the first day of school. He handed her the Post-it notes from the top shelf. She liked his Southern accent and his forearms. The way he had folded his shirtsleeves caught her attention, cotton like magnolia petals collapsed on the lawn of a sprawling estate. She sensed he would be important to her.

At the end of her first day in the classroom, the woman felt defeated. She cried at her desk, wondering what she had gotten herself into when he appeared in the doorframe a 6’4” Virgin Mary apparition sporting a goatee.

The faculty offices were in a back building; they were tiny dorm-like rooms, honeycombed with built-in desks and modest closets. Long ago, this space had been the living quarters of nuns from St. Victor’s Catholic Church next door, but the numbers at Mass dwindled on Holloway Boulevard in West Hollywood. The private school annexed its space for faculty offices. She channeled the despair of the archdiocese and ghosts of evicted nuns as she lamented the cruel comments of fifteen-year-old boys who considered sophomore world literature with an inexperienced teacher their chance for power.

“Let me help you set up a seating chart,” he offered, hoping to console her. “Most of these boys are my basketball players, so I can help you separate them.” It seemed this new job was more about power than education. He sketched a plan and then rushed off to run practice on the black top, which sat like the Red Sea between the main building of classrooms and the makeshift faculty building. His whistle was his staff as he commanded Amos, Anthony, and Amani to run suicides and do marathon wall sits. He knew she was watching. It was a peculiar Mosaic of chivalry, performance, and mating dance.

“Don’t you ever disrespect a teacher, especially a new teacher—and a female at that!” he shouted with the same intensity he used when shouting plays like Lebron! or Triangle! She raised the window a few inches, wiped the flaking white paint from the sill with one hand, a tear with the other, and enjoyed the show like a princess in a tower. She questioned what strange narrative she’d entered, who’d authored such a tale, and why she succumbed to the comfort of helplessness so easily.

She remembered she was married to another man, one who had forbidden her to take this teaching job. The pay was too low, and education was not prestigious.

Returning to her office, the yellow square of post-it notes attracted her eye, and she suddenly remembered she was the author of her own story. She hated her husband, his stupid new convertible, and his lies. She thought of lighting the yellow squares on fire. Instead, she wrote a pop quiz for her sophomores. When disgust at her earlier default helplessness set in, delayed but undeniable, a renewed sense of agency arose.

Peeling the post-it notes from the stack, she covered the windowpanes two square inches at a time. The room became golden, her skin coastal warm, and the ratty carpet now seven-hundred feet of shoreline. Her Vera Bradley tote overflowed with champagne and independence. This tiny room became the famed Holiday House, and she was socialite Rebekah Harkness reincarnated, donning black chiffon. She sparkled, untouchable.

When his basketball practice ended, her second husband knocked on the office door, hoping to reconnect before heading home down Santa Monica Boulevard. She considered answering the door and inviting him into her world. Something stopped her. Perhaps the ghosts of nuns past, lamenting and wise; perhaps common sense. He left the building. Many years later her daughter would have his blue eyes.

Her first day of teaching had ended; the maintenance crew climbed the cavernous stairway complaining about the weather. She picked up a pen and wrote the word No on every other post-it note, a black X on the others. Caught between men she should have said—and should eventually say— no to, she marked the spot where freedom could be unearthed. Finding a type of purgatory in the corner room of a former convent, she wrestled what was, is, and will be. In the parking lot, her little green Saturn glistened from the rain and reality. LaCienega Boulevard became a conveyor belt delivering her to and from that little school for eight years.

She taught her students to dream while her closet filled with sensible skirts and comfortable shoes. Two years into her second marriage with a diaper bag in tow, she left that school for another. She was a magnolia petal falling where the seasons commanded. As she packed, she found a pile of yellow squares like old confetti or dead skin. Post-it notes eventually lose their grip and float to the floor behind desks, a catacomb of forgotten resolve.  – Candice Kelsey

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

The Book Refinery

Where authors get made

[email protected] Tel 07935 366630

The Power of Post-it notes

Did you know that Post-it notes were invented accidentally?

One of the creators, a chemist at 3M was actually trying to come up with a super-strong adhesive but came up with a super-weak one instead.

Ironically, this has made the Post-it really user-friendly as you can stick them anywhere knowing that they are easily moved without any fuss.

I spoke to fellow Post-it user, Paula Goude yesterday – who runs both Wild Roots Marketing and RockRiver Expeditions . She has an ingenious way of using Post-it notes for her social media planning and blogging.

RockRiver has various topics on which to post about and Paula uses different coloured Post-it’s to segregate each topic (e.g. climbing, canoeing, hiking, blog posts, sales posts, what Michael is doing, what she is doing). These Post-it’s are then placed on a wall calendar and with a quick glance, Paula can see what topic is being written about when. This is particularly useful when her on-the-go partner, Mike, is providing her with interesting ‘live’ updates, sometimes requiring her to quickly chop and change what she is posting about. Being able to move these around (all the while having a bird’s eye view of her overall schedule) is really handy. Plus, it allows her to make sure she isn’t positng about the same topic two days in a row or forgetting anything important.

Having a system that is easy to use and quickly identifiable is key to maintaining interesting and fresh content.

The other way that Paula uses Post-it’s is to cut into strips and wrap around her phone cable – this stops her travelling husband disappearing up the Himalayas with her phone charger!

Here are some other uses for Post-it’s.

• Post-It notes are great for writing little reminders that need to be seen. Isn’t it interesting that you can even have a post-it note app for your computer – it literally posts a virtual post it on your desktop?
• They are small enough to write the short version of what needs to be done. Perfect for snippets or keeping it brief.
• You can get such a wide variety of shapes and sizes, they can be used for virtually anything. I like to use them for highlighting a page or brightening up my journaling.
• In fact, Charles Hutton has created this ingenious guide to life based on post-it note cartoons. If you haven’t seen them, check it @insta-chaz – quite brilliant.

Anything that can help organise and make your business easier to run is a win in my book.

Who says it has to be all spreadsheets and boring forms? Why not liven up your desk with some brightly coloured sticky notes and highlighters?

Got any uses that I haven’t covered here? Please do share in the comments below.

Get Your 5-Step ‘Before You Start Writing Your Book’ Guide

Includes bonus self-publishing checklist

Free 5-Step Guide

How to Write a Book Review: A Comprehensive Tutorial With Examples

You don’t need to be a literary expert to craft captivating book reviews. With one in every three readers selecting books based on insightful reviews, your opinions can guide fellow bibliophiles toward their next literary adventure.

Learning how to write a book review will not only help you excel at your assigned tasks, but you’ll also contribute valuable insights to the book-loving community and turn your passion into a professional pursuit.

In this comprehensive guide,  PaperPerk  will walk you through a few simple steps to master the art of writing book reviews so you can confidently embark on this rewarding journey.

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, offering insights into its content, quality, and impact. It helps readers make informed decisions about whether to read the book.

Writing a book review as an assignment benefits students in multiple ways. Firstly, it teaches them how to write a book review by developing their analytical skills as they evaluate the content, themes, and writing style .

Secondly, it enhances their ability to express opinions and provide constructive criticism. Additionally, book review assignments expose students to various publications and genres, broadening their knowledge.

Furthermore, these tasks foster essential skills for academic success, like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information. By now, we’re sure you want to learn how to write a book review, so let’s look at the book review template first.

Table of Contents

Book Review Template

How to Write a Book Review- A Step-by-Step Guide

Check out these 5 straightforward steps for composing the best book review.

Step 1: Planning Your Book Review – The Art of Getting Started

You’ve decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let’s take a step back and plan your approach. Knowing how to write a book review that’s both informative and engaging is an art in itself.

Choosing Your Literature

First things first, pick the book you want to review. This might seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a book that genuinely interests you will make the review process more enjoyable and your insights more authentic.

Crafting the Master Plan

Next, create an  outline  that covers all the essential points you want to discuss in your review. This will serve as the roadmap for your writing journey.

The Devil is in the Details

As you read, note any information that stands out, whether it overwhelms, underwhelms, or simply intrigues you. Pay attention to:

• The characters and their development
• The plot and its intricacies
• Any themes, symbols, or motifs you find noteworthy

Remember to reserve a body paragraph for each point you want to discuss.

The Key Questions to Ponder

When planning your book review, consider the following questions:

• What’s the plot (if any)? Understanding the driving force behind the book will help you craft a more effective review.
• Is the plot interesting? Did the book hold your attention and keep you turning the pages?
• Are the writing techniques effective? Does the author’s style captivate you, making you want to read (or reread) the text?
• Are the characters or the information believable? Do the characters/plot/information feel real, and can you relate to them?
• Would you recommend the book to anyone? Consider if the book is worthy of being recommended, whether to impress someone or to support a point in a literature class.
• What could be improved? Always keep an eye out for areas that could be improved. Providing constructive criticism can enhance the quality of literature.

Step 2 – Crafting the Perfect Introduction to Write a Book Review

In this second step of “how to write a book review,” we’re focusing on the art of creating a powerful opening that will hook your audience and set the stage for your analysis.

Identify Your Book and Author

Begin by mentioning the book you’ve chosen, including its  title  and the author’s name. This informs your readers and establishes the subject of your review.

Ponder the Title

Next, discuss the mental images or emotions the book’s title evokes in your mind . This helps your readers understand your initial feelings and expectations before diving into the book.

Judge the Book by Its Cover (Just a Little)

Take a moment to talk about the book’s cover. Did it intrigue you? Did it hint at what to expect from the story or the author’s writing style? Sharing your thoughts on the cover can offer a unique perspective on how the book presents itself to potential readers.

Present Your Thesis

Now it’s time to introduce your thesis. This statement should be a concise and insightful summary of your opinion of the book. For example:

“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a captivating portrayal of the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, class, and self-discovery with exceptional depth and authenticity.

Ensure that your thesis is relevant to the points or quotes you plan to discuss throughout your review.

Incorporating these elements into your introduction will create a strong foundation for your book review. Your readers will be eager to learn more about your thoughts and insights on the book, setting the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking analysis.

How to Write a Book Review: Step 3 – Building Brilliant Body Paragraphs

You’ve planned your review and written an attention-grabbing introduction. Now it’s time for the main event: crafting the body paragraphs of your book review. In this step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of constructing engaging and insightful body paragraphs that will keep your readers hooked.

Summarize Without Spoilers

Begin by summarizing a specific section of the book, not revealing any major plot twists or spoilers. Your goal is to give your readers a taste of the story without ruining surprises.

Support Your Viewpoint with Quotes

Next, choose three quotes from the book that support your viewpoint or opinion. These quotes should be relevant to the section you’re summarizing and help illustrate your thoughts on the book.

Analyze the Quotes

Write a summary of each quote in your own words, explaining how it made you feel or what it led you to think about the book or the author’s writing. This analysis should provide insight into your perspective and demonstrate your understanding of the text.

Structure Your Body Paragraphs

Dedicate one body paragraph to each quote, ensuring your writing is well-connected, coherent, and easy to understand.

For example:

• In  Jane Eyre , Charlotte Brontë writes, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.” This powerful statement highlights Jane’s fierce independence and refusal to be trapped by societal expectations.
• In  Normal People , Sally Rooney explores the complexities of love and friendship when she writes, “It was culture as class performance, literature fetishized for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys.” This quote reveals the author’s astute observations on the role of culture and class in shaping personal relationships.
• In  Wuthering Heights , Emily Brontë captures the tumultuous nature of love with the quote, “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” This poignant line emphasizes the deep, unbreakable bond between the story’s central characters.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create body paragraphs that are both captivating and insightful, enhancing your book review and providing your readers with a deeper understanding of the literary work. 

How to Write a Book Review: Step 4 – Crafting a Captivating Conclusion

You’ve navigated through planning, introductions, and body paragraphs with finesse. Now it’s time to wrap up your book review with a  conclusion that leaves a lasting impression . In this final step of “How to write a Book Review,” we’ll explore the art of writing a memorable and persuasive conclusion.

Summarize Your Analysis

Begin by summarizing the key points you’ve presented in the body paragraphs. This helps to remind your readers of the insights and arguments you’ve shared throughout your review.

Offer Your Final Conclusion

Next, provide a conclusion that reflects your overall feelings about the book. This is your chance to leave a lasting impression and persuade your readers to consider your perspective.

Address the Book’s Appeal

Now, answer the question: Is this book worth reading? Be clear about who would enjoy the book and who might not. Discuss the taste preferences and circumstances that make the book more appealing to some readers than others.

For example:  The Alchemist is a book that can enchant a young teen, but those who are already well-versed in classic literature might find it less engaging.

Be Subtle and Balanced

Avoid simply stating whether you “liked” or “disliked” the book. Instead, use nuanced language to convey your message. Highlight the pros and cons of reading the type of literature you’ve reviewed, offering a balanced perspective.

Bringing It All Together

By following these guidelines, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves your readers with a clear understanding of your thoughts and opinions on the book. Your review will be a valuable resource for those considering whether to pick up the book, and your witty and insightful analysis will make your review a pleasure to read. So conquer the world of book reviews, one captivating conclusion at a time!

How to Write a Book Review: Step 5 – Rating the Book (Optional)

You’ve masterfully crafted your book review, from the introduction to the conclusion. But wait, there’s one more step you might consider before calling it a day: rating the book. In this optional step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the benefits and methods of assigning a rating to the book you’ve reviewed.

Why Rate the Book?

Sometimes, when writing a professional book review, it may not be appropriate to state whether you liked or disliked the book. In such cases, assigning a rating can be an effective way to get your message across without explicitly sharing your personal opinion.

How to Rate the Book

There are various rating systems you can use to evaluate the book, such as:

• A star rating (e.g., 1 to 5 stars)
• A numerical score (e.g., 1 to 10)
• A letter grade (e.g., A+ to F)

Choose a rating system that best suits your style and the format of your review. Be consistent in your rating criteria, considering writing quality, character development, plot, and overall enjoyment.

Tips for Rating the Book

Here are some tips for rating the book effectively:

• Be honest: Your rating should reflect your true feelings about the book. Don’t inflate or deflate your rating based on external factors, such as the book’s popularity or the author’s reputation.
• Be fair: Consider the book’s merits and shortcomings when rating. Even if you didn’t enjoy the book, recognize its strengths and acknowledge them in your rating.
• Be clear: Explain the rationale behind your rating so your readers understand the factors that influenced your evaluation.

Wrapping Up

By including a rating in your book review, you provide your readers with additional insight into your thoughts on the book. While this step is optional, it can be a valuable tool for conveying your message subtly yet effectively. So, rate those books confidently, adding a touch of wit and wisdom to your book reviews.

Additional Tips on How to Write a Book Review: A Guide

In this segment, we’ll explore additional tips on how to write a book review. Get ready to captivate your readers and make your review a memorable one!

Hook ’em with an Intriguing Introduction

Keep your introduction precise and to the point. Readers have the attention span of a goldfish these days, so don’t let them swim away in boredom. Start with a bang and keep them hooked!

Embrace the World of Fiction

When learning how to write a book review, remember that reviewing fiction is often more engaging and effective. If your professor hasn’t assigned you a specific book, dive into the realm of fiction and select a novel that piques your interest.

Opinionated with Gusto

Don’t shy away from adding your own opinion to your review. A good book review always features the writer’s viewpoint and constructive criticism. After all, your readers want to know what  you  think!

Express Your Love (or Lack Thereof)

If you adored the book, let your readers know! Use phrases like “I’ll definitely return to this book again” to convey your enthusiasm. Conversely, be honest but respectful even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea.

Templates and Examples and Expert Help: Your Trusty Sidekicks

Feeling lost? You can always get help from formats, book review examples or online  college paper writing service  platforms. These trusty sidekicks will help you navigate the world of book reviews with ease. 

Be a Champion for New Writers and Literature

Remember to uplift new writers and pieces of literature. If you want to suggest improvements, do so kindly and constructively. There’s no need to be mean about anyone’s books – we’re all in this literary adventure together!

Criticize with Clarity, Not Cruelty

When adding criticism to your review, be clear but not mean. Remember, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and cruelty. Tread lightly and keep your reader’s feelings in mind.

Avoid the Comparison Trap

Resist the urge to compare one writer’s book with another. Every book holds its worth, and comparing them will only confuse your reader. Stick to discussing the book at hand, and let it shine in its own light.

Top 7 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing a book review can be a delightful and rewarding experience, especially when you balance analysis, wit, and personal insights. However, some common mistakes can kill the brilliance of your review. 

In this section of “How to write a book review,” we’ll explore the top 7 blunders writers commit and how to steer clear of them, with a dash of  modernist literature  examples and tips for students writing book reviews as assignments.

Succumbing to the Lure of Plot Summaries

Mistake: Diving headfirst into a plot summary instead of dissecting the book’s themes, characters, and writing style.

Example: “The Bell Jar chronicles the life of a young woman who experiences a mental breakdown.”

How to Avoid: Delve into the book’s deeper aspects, such as its portrayal of mental health, societal expectations, and the author’s distinctive narrative voice. Offer thoughtful insights and reflections, making your review a treasure trove of analysis.

Unleashing the Spoiler Kraken

Mistake: Spilling major plot twists or the ending without providing a spoiler warning, effectively ruining the reading experience for potential readers.

Example: “In Metamorphosis, the protagonist’s transformation into a monstrous insect leads to…”

How to Avoid: Tread carefully when discussing significant plot developments, and consider using spoiler warnings. Focus on the impact of these plot points on the overall narrative, character growth, or thematic resonance.

Riding the Personal Bias Express

Mistake: Allowing personal bias to hijack the review without providing sufficient evidence or reasoning to support opinions.

Example: “I detest books about existential crises, so The Sun Also Rises was a snoozefest.”

How to Avoid: While personal opinions are valid, it’s crucial to back them up with specific examples from the book. Discuss aspects like writing style, character development, or pacing to support your evaluation and provide a more balanced perspective.

Wielding the Vague Language Saber

Mistake: Resorting to generic, vague language that fails to capture the nuances of the book and can come across as clichéd.

Example: “This book was mind-blowing. It’s a must-read for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Use precise and descriptive language to express your thoughts. Employ specific examples and quotations to highlight memorable scenes, the author’s unique writing style, or the impact of the book’s themes on readers.

Ignoring the Contextualization Compass

Mistake: Neglecting to provide context about the author, genre, or cultural relevance of the book, leaving readers without a proper frame of reference.

Example: “This book is dull and unoriginal.”

How to Avoid: Offer readers a broader understanding by discussing the author’s background, the genre conventions the book adheres to or subverts, and any societal or historical contexts that inform the narrative. This helps readers appreciate the book’s uniqueness and relevance.

Overindulging in Personal Preferences

Mistake: Letting personal preferences overshadow an objective assessment of the book’s merits.

Example: “I don’t like stream-of-consciousness writing, so this book is automatically bad.”

How to Avoid: Acknowledge personal preferences but strive to evaluate the book objectively. Focus on the book’s strengths and weaknesses, considering how well it achieves its goals within its genre or intended audience.

Forgetting the Target Audience Telescope

Mistake: Failing to mention the book’s target audience or who might enjoy it, leading to confusion for potential readers.

Example: “This book is great for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Contemplate the book’s intended audience, genre, and themes. Mention who might particularly enjoy the book based on these factors, whether it’s fans of a specific genre, readers interested in character-driven stories, or those seeking thought-provoking narratives.

By dodging these common pitfalls, writers can craft insightful, balanced, and engaging book reviews that help readers make informed decisions about their reading choices.

These tips are particularly beneficial for students writing book reviews as assignments, as they ensure a well-rounded and thoughtful analysis.!

Many students requested us to cover how to write a book review. This thorough guide is sure to help you. At Paperperk, professionals are dedicated to helping students find their balance. We understand the importance of good grades, so we offer the finest writing service , ensuring students stay ahead of the curve. So seek expert help because only Paperperk is your perfect solution!

What is the difference between a book review and a report?

Who is the target audience for book reviews and book reports, how do book reviews and reports differ in length and content, can i write professional book reviews, what are the key aspects of writing professional book reviews, how can i enhance my book-reviewing skills to write professional reviews, what should be included in a good book review.

Order Original Papers & Essays

Your First Custom Paper Sample is on Us!

Timely Deliveries

No Plagiarism & AI

100% Refund

Try Our Free Paper Writing Service

Related blogs.

Connections with Writers and support

Privacy and Confidentiality Guarantee

Average Quality Score

the wordy habitat

book recommendations, blogging tips, & asian dramas

11 Ways to Format Book Reviews for Your Blog || A Guide for Book Bloggers

There are several ways to format book reviews and hence it can be hard to pick one. Especially when you're in a blogging slump or don't know how to begin the review.

At such times, seeing other reviews for inspiration or options helps . It can give you an idea of how you want your book review to look and inspire you to start writing it.

This guide will help you write great reviews by listing out ideas, providing examples and inspiration—all in one place. We book bloggers need some help from time to time.

I was actually looking for a guide with book review formats to help with my indecision. When I googled variations of this title, I did not find any posts! So here I am, writing this guide, instead of writing the review that I've been procrastinating on for months 🙂

how to write a book review for your blog

Basic book review layouts, 11. book reviews with annotations, additional elements to level up your reviews, book review checklist.

Yes, this post is about formats but it is good to start with the basics.

The first rule of writing book reviews on your blog is to throw away all the rules that you were taught.

Reviewing books on blogs is very different from what we are taught in school. I definitely don't review the way I was taught. It is because that format is the standard for newspapers. Good formatting is very different for blogs.

Blogs are an entirely different domain with different features and requirements. You can do so much more with reviews on your blog.

Don't worry about going unconventional or trying a new review format. Those are fun . Don't think about sticking to the professional style as well. Shout in your reviews, if you want to! Use all caps, bold, GIFs, images—whatever you like.

It is YOUR blog. The only rules in place are the ones made by you. Instead of seeing how to write reviews that others will read, just write what you want to say. And choose a review format that fits what you want to say.

There are three basic parts in every review— introduction, basic information on the book, and your review.

The introduction is a few lines where you can say how you came across the book, why you picked it up, and a line on whether it surprised you or not. Or, it can be a short catchphrase to hook in readers. For example, "this book blew me away. I was not ready when I picked it up."

Basic information on the book can include title, author name, genre, category, blurb, publisher etc. You can also mention how you acquired it (bought/review copy).

The review part is where you explain your opinions and discuss the book. The 10 review formats that I'll mention soon is for this section.

There are three popular and basic layouts. Most people choose one and stick to it throughout their blog, but you can switch it up if you like.

• The book's information first, introduction, then review body. This is an easy format that a ton of book bloggers go for. Example: Dedra's review of Float Plan .
• Introduction, the book's information, and then review body. This is another fun way because you can give an introduction first without dealing with the blurb etc. Example: my review of The Right Swipe .
• Introduction, review body, and information on the book at the last. Use this when you want your words to be the highlight and stick the basic info at the end, in case people want to see it. Example: Kat's review of Game Changer .

You can skip the basic book info if you want but you'll have to give a brief on the book's plot yourself.

book review format ideas

Now onto the main part of the post. All the suggestions in this post are standard formats that you can take and apply to your reviews easily if your thoughts fit the format.

These ideas are for book reviews as individual blog posts but you can modify them for mini-reviews and social media reviews.

Note : I am NOT mentioning reviews that are free-flowing thoughts because those reviews don't involve a standard format across and are more specific to books and thoughts.

1. divide your review into basic categories

This is the most popular and easy method of formatting reviews. Choose categories and explain your views below the subheadings.

Basic categories are ones that everyone recognizes. For example plot, characters, writing style, and representation. The categories can change based on the genre. Romance books can have "romance" and "chemistry". Fantasy books can have "world-building". Mystery or thriller books can have "suspense".

Example reviews: Erin's review of Fable duology , my review of Drag Me Up

2. CAWPILE rating + review system

This is a rating system devised by Book Roast which makes your decision process easier when rating books. It is a categorized system that is standard across genres so you always have set categories to consider.

It can also extend into a reviewing format as you can mention your individual rating and explain why you gave that rating.

The categories and more are explained by the creator in this video .

Example review: Ursa's review of The Starless Sea , Bianca's review of Dark and Shallow Lies

3. divide into "liked" and "disliked" sections

This format is good if you have clear opinions on what you liked and didn't like. It is not good when you have conflicting thoughts about something.

Additionally, you can also have "liked", "it was okay", and "didn't like" sections .

Another way to phrase this would be "enjoyed" and "didn't enjoy."

Note that this review format is highly subjective so it is good for book reviews where you don't want to talk from a neutral perspective and want to only share your experiences and opinions.

Example: Marie's review of Crier's War

4. divide into pros and cons sections

This is similar to the above review format but it is suitable for more neutral reviews i.e. reviews where you're stating facts like "this exists" which is generally a pro or a con like diversity, plot tropes etc.

To give you an idea, a pro for me is friends-to-lovers romance and con would be a bad/unnecessary third act break up in romance books.

Example reviews: Shealea's review of The Bone Shard Daughter

5. review using book-specific subheadings

Instead of using the basic categories, you can use custom and specific categories for the book. The categories can be "a great character arc", "disappointing ending", "brilliant chemistry" etc.

How to go about writing this review : note down the biggest things you want to talk about like "well-rounded characters", "contradicting plotlines", "plot holes" etc. Make these your subheadings and expand upon each of the points under them.

This does require a little bit of planning before starting the review. But it is a great format if you can't go into a review without a plan.

Examples: Avalinah's review of Skyhunter

6. list reasons why others should read the book

This is a great review format for books that you loved and want people to read. The title is catchy as well, so people are more likely to read your review.

The reasons can act as subheadings and you can expand on the point below the heading.

This also requires planning beforehand about the reasons you want to list. Make some notes with what you liked about the book, see if they can fit into "reasons", make a list of the reasons, and then start writing the review.

Examples: my review of The Henna Wars

7. reviews with discussions

This format is good for book reviews where the book includes a topic that you're very passionate about or you have a lot to say about the topic which is tangentially related to the book . Sometimes the posts may be more discussion than a review of the book, but it's okay! Many times, discussion posts do better than reviews so this would be hitting both categories.

These posts are rarer (from what I've seen, probably because they involve a lot of effort and opinions) but are very interesting to read. They include discussions, rants, and raves along with thoughts on the book. It's a great way to convince people to read a book you love or completely mark off a book you didn't like.

Examples: Anukriti's review of Loveless with a discussion on representation and college life , my review of Fahrenheit 451 discussing books along with annotations

8. "thoughts while reading" reviews

These are almost like vlogs. You take the reader with you on your experience of reading the book. This is a fun way to review books if you want to showcase your feelings/thoughts, especially if the book has a lot of plot twists or invoked a ton of feelings in you. You can annotate when reading or make notes elsewhere and use it for this review.

This would be very fun with spoiler-filled reviews. Doing it spoiler-free would be a bit of a challenge.

Examples: Isabella's review of We Free The Stars , Riza's review of This is How You Lose The Time War

9. spoiler-free and spoiler-filled sections

This is for when you NEED to talk at length about parts in the book that are spoilers but also want to pitch the book to new readers.

Having spoiler-free and spoilers-aplenty sections is very fun. I almost always do it with my Kdrama reviews , and it can be done with book reviews too!

Example reviews: my review of This Is How You Lose the Time War , Mehek's review of Tiny Pretty Things

10. free-flowing thoughts that are loosely categorized

This is a very popular, and sometimes easy, reviewing style. It can make the reader feel like they are having a casual conversation with you as the entire review flows together.

At the same time, there are clearly sections in the review which makes it easier for you to write and for the reader to follow. This format is good whether you plan it beforehand or not. It allows both.

In order to subtly separate the sections of your review where you talk about different topics, you can use quotes as a divider . Quotes that match your points will fit in very well. Some bloggers use their custom post-dividers for this as well.

Note: try to highlight important parts of your review so that it is easier to skim. Yes, we'd love our readers to read every word but sometimes life is just too busy and highlights help.

Examples: my review of American Betiya , Minna's review of The Poppy War

If you annotate your books, you HAVE to try writing reviews with pictures of your annotations. This way, you can share what resonated with you the most as well. Annotating books is very fun and I assure you that people will want to know how you annotate and your annotation process for every book. It doesn't get boring.

Examples: my review of Fahrenheit 451 , Cosette's "annotate with me" post on Babel

Book reviews can be much more than just talking about the book. You can spice it up by including elements that can help the reader know more about the book. These are some suggestions that come to my mind but there are innumerable ideas that you can implement.

content and/or trigger warnings

I'm putting this under additional elements that you can add, but you SHOULD add them . Content and trigger warnings are NOT interchangeable. They mean different things. But you can use "content warnings" as a blanket term for both of them.

Just mention warnings somewhere in your reviews (I generally put them along with basic info) so that readers can be aware of any topics they may want to avoid.

Read this post by Marie to understand more on why you should include warnings.

"let's chat" section at the end

It can be termed "let's chat", "talk to me", "shout your opinions", or whatever else. You can include a section at the end with some questions for the readers. Basically, a call to action.

Book reviews are hard to comment on unless the reader has either read the book or connected to a topic in the book. You can make it easier for them to comment by adding questions to prompt them.

They can be general or specific questions relating to the book. Do include at least one general question as that would be easier to reply to.

your own short version of the blurb

Many bloggers include a few lines on the plot themselves even after including the basic information in order to explain more about the book. This is a grey area because sometimes it is redundant.

If you include the book's blurb in your review, and it explains everything, don't add another version of your own. Only do it if the official blurb is inadequate* or if you are not including the official blurb at all.

*I've seen this happen a lot with romance books which was why I used to write my own blurb. Some books have blurbs like "he is bad for me, yet I wanted him. But I can't have him." It's SO ANNOYING. Many times the book is actually good but the blurbs suck!

diversity/representation overview

Like content and trigger warnings, you can have a small section to mention the various representations present in the book. By representation, I mean factors like disability, mental illness, Asian-American characters, sapphic love etc.

This can be a helpful section if readers are looking for books with specific factors for readathons or challenges . Other times it just signals how diverse the book is.

Example: Gargee's review of American Betiya

custom ratings and rating images

First of all, I believe ratings themselves are optional. I don't use ratings on my book reviews anymore because they are not sufficient to indicate all that I want to say.

If you do include ratings, you can level them up by using images that relate to your blog theme like Leelyn .

You can also use a modified rating system like Shealea or completely switch it up to a system of your own.

links to Own Voices reviews

There is a ton of discussion on using the term "Own Voices" because experiences and views can be wildly different. Not all Indians would relate to my story and vice-versa. The publishing industry has also started to misuse the term which has caused many to stop using the term at all.

Read this post by Camillea to know more about the term "Own Voices" and what "Own Voices review" means.

In the end, I still think the term has its merits when it comes to reviewing. Especially because only Own Voices reviewers can properly point out accurate and problematic representations.

If you're reviewing a book that represents a marginalized group for which you are NOT an Own Voice reviewer, consider linking to Own Voices reviews. They might bring up important points that you would not have noticed.

For example, I quoted and linked Own Voices reviews in my review of Children of Blood and Bone . I simply didn't like the book and noticed some concerns raised when going through other negative reviews so I linked them in my review.

recommended if/avoid if

This is a cool way to end reviews. Readers can quickly make decisions about whether to pick up the book or not based on general tropes and factors.

For example, check out Julia's review of The Guinevere Deception .

mood boards/aesthetics

I've seen some bloggers do this and it is so fun to see! Mood boards and aesthetics can be images or collages that depict the book's setting or the characters.

For example, you can look at Cielo's review of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Lila's review of Raybearer .

a quotes section

If you don't like adding a few quotes in the middle of the review, or simply have too many that you want to share, you can add a quotes section at the end and share your highlights.

These quotes can sometimes be enough to convince readers to understand the writing style and get hooked on the book.

For example, my review of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone .

When writing book reviews, we can be very focused on putting down our thoughts and might forget to include all the required elements in the review. To help, I've created a handy checklist of elements you should have in every book review to refer to before hitting publish.

If you are already a part of the inner circle, you can directly access the checklist in the resource library . If you're not, you can get instant access by signing up below!

There is no right or wrong way to write a book review , especially on YOUR blog. The mentioned ways to format book reviews for your blog are just my opinions and suggestions. At the end of the day, you write your reviews and you should do it the way you like best.

You also don't have to stick to a format throughout your blog. Sure, it creates a brand, especially if it is a unique reviewing format (like what Kat @ Novels and Waffles uses with on-brand terms like "ingredients", "kitchen of the author", and "cooking directions"). But sometimes, you need the flexibility to choose formats based on the books. Allow yourself to experiment and try out new things.

This is also not an exhaustive list of ways to format book reviews. There are so many unique styles and many more generic formats. These are the ones that are easy to pick up and apply to your reviews if you're stuck.

Related post: How to Make Your Blog Posts More Readable

chat with me!

Are you a book blogger? Do you use any of the review formats that I've mentioned in this post? Do you use any additional elements in your reviews?

What are your favourite kinds of reviews to read? Have I missed any easy review format? If so, do mention it in the comments and I'll mention your comment in the post!

Also, is there any blogger whose reviews you love to read because of their reviewing style or format? Give them a shoutout in the comments so the rest of us can admire them too!

Sumedha spends her days reading books, bingeing Kdramas, drawing illustrations, and blogging while listening to Lo-Fi music. Read more ➔

you may also like

• BlueHost Review || Pricing, Support, & My Experience
• 20 Blog Statistics to Keep Track Of + Free Blog Statistics Tracker Template
• 13 Blogging Tools That Help Me Blog Better
• 20 Monthly Wrap-Up Ideas For Your Blog + Bonus Tips

Be wordy with me! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

99 comments

Thank you! This was very helpful!

glad to help!

Great post! This will be handy for me to start structuring my blog posts!

Thank you for this article. I have a book blog and am working on smoothing out my posts. This was very helpful to me.

Glad you found it helpful!

Thanks for the article. It was great. I'm thinking of translating it into Persian and publishing it on my blog ( https://365book.ir/ ). Is it okay with you?

Hi. I'm glad you liked the post. I do not consent to my content being posted elsewhere, translated or not. Apologies.

readers are loving these!

Support the habitat, join the inner circle.

for exclusive curated content & access to the resource library

some more amazing blogs

vcreative honeycomb library Not Just Fiction A Kernel of Nonsense Rissi Reads

• Weird But True
• Sex & Relationships
• Viral Trends
• Human Interest
• Fashion & Beauty
• Food & Drink
• Personal Care
• Health & Wellness
• Amazon Sales
• Why Trust Us
• StackCommerce

trending now in Shopping

An ear-resistible deal: AirPods are down to their lowest price...

Right now you can score the 9th Generation iPad for under $250 on...

Back-to-School essentials at Walmart at over 50% off — Save on...

Over 150 of the best-selling products ever you need from Amazon

Going for gains? Here are the best pre-workout supplements to...

I'm a Juilliard musician and swear by Beats for top-notch...

We tried 23+ shampoos for 4 years, and these are the *ultimate...

Achieve pizza perfection with the Ooni 16-inch outdoor oven: our...

The 19 best books we read in july 2024, ranked and reviewed.

• View Author Archive
• Email the Author
• Get author RSS feed

Contact The Author

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Another month, another new list of great reads.

As an avid reader, July was an excellent month in the literary world full of new releases that made reading by the pool and the beach that much more exciting.

This month, you’ll find 19 books I’ve completed with detailed review notes for each. The Amazon Books Editorial team also comments on a few, recommending even more titles below my July recap.

RELATED :  Best June books, ranked and reviewed

Below, find some of the greatest titles of 2024 so far, ranging from Frieda McFadden to Christina Lauren. After completing this list, you’ll want to pick up nearly every one for your next books stock-up.

Not to mention, you can listen to these titles for free with an audible membership, allowing you to have access to all of the titles on this list, and then some. For a limited time, you’ll receive two months free.

“Husbands and Lovers” by Beatriz Williams

If you’re interested in historical fiction but want the feeling of flipping through a beach read, “Husbands and Lovers” by Beatriz Williams is at the top of my recommendations list. Two women who have been separated by decades and continents discover second chances at love after being reconnected by a family heirloom. Williams’ writing style is right up my alley, and it was a delightful read on warm days.

“Swan Song” by Elin Hilderbrand

Sadly, “Swan Song” is the last of Elin Hilderbrand’s glorious Nantucket-set novels. She’s the Queen of Beach Reads for a reason, with this one being a favorite.

“I absolutely love Elin Hilderbrand’s writing; in fact, I’ve read everything she’s written,” Sarah Gelman, editorial director at Amazon Books, told the New York Post. “ ‘ Swan Song’ is just what the title proclaims —her last Nantucket summer novel before she retires. Those of us who have read her others will get special Easter eggs as Hilderbrand wraps up an era with a pitch-perfect goodbye.”

While I’d recommend reading “ A Summer Affair ,” “ The Castaways ” and “ The Perfect Couple ” before this one to have a better idea of the characters mentioned in this novel, you don’t necessarily have to. If you’re into a bit of mystery with a dreamy setting, this title is the ideal escape.

“One Last Summer” by Kate Spencer

Hailing from one of my favorite authors, “”One Last Summer” is Kate Spencer’s nostalgic new summer fiction read that’ll transport you the light, airy days of summer camp. As Clara Millen’s life is spiraling out of control, she decides to join her friends on their annual summer vacation to their childhood sleepover camp.

This enemies-to-lovers read kicks off when Clara runs into her former camp nemesis, Mack, who work together after hearing the owners are retiring and selling the property. The title gave off young-adult vibes in terms of the plot line, but it was delightful nonetheless.

“The Next Mrs. Parrish” by Liv Constantine

OK, we need to talk about “The Next Mrs. Parrish” by Liv Constantine. Her debut “ The Last Mrs. Parrish ” remains one of the best, jaw-dropping novels of all time (and that’s a tall order!) but this one followed in its footsteps.

Unlike most sequels that have a slow start, this one fired up from the very beginning. Here, Daphne and Amber Parrish are thrust back into each other’s lives upon the reemergence of a years-forgotten threat, leading to a cat-and-mouse game that you simply have to read. Engaging, entertaining and utterly enjoyable.

RELATED : Shop all of Reese’s Book Club picks

“You’re Safe Here” by Leslie Stephens

“You’re Safe Here” by Leslie Stephens has to be the most unique novel I read this month. In short, three women are trapped in wellness pods in the sea during a violent storm. This futuristic, somewhat sci-fi read kept me on my toes as so many of-age wellness fads (like 10-fruit smoothies and skincare routines) were alarmingly accurate in detail. For a thriller set in the year 2060, this action-packed read stands out from the rest.

“Pink Whales” by Sara Shukla

“Pink Whales” by Sara Shukla screams “beach read” based on the cover alone, but there’s more depth to the story. In this character-first novel, a mom tries to keep up reappearances with the cool moms in her preppy New England town. Navigating the challenges of motherhood and modern-day, I felt like I was flipping through an easy-read memoir — in the best way.

“Triple Sec” by T.J. Alexander

“Triple Sec” by T.J. Alexander is the ideal vacation book, filled with drama, romance and a bit of spice. The story centers around a jaded bartender who’s wooed by an outwardly quirky couple at a high-end NYC cocktail bar. Just the description alone enticed me to read it, and it was truly full of humor and heart.

“This insightful polyamorous rom-com challenges what we think love can look like,” Abby Abell, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, said. “The story follows cynical bartender Mel as she unexpectedly falls for charming married couple Bebe and Kade, who have an open relationship. I loved Mel’s journey as she took risks she never expected. This romance is witty, sexy, and refreshing.”

“The Paradise Problem” by Christina Lauren

I must say, “The Paradise Problem” is my favorite one yet by Christina Lauren. It goes beyond the cookie-cutter rom-coms of late, focusing in on starving artist Anna Green who reconnects with her former husband, who she realizes she’s still married to. When wealthy Liam “West” Weston steps back into her life, they “rekindle” their relationship when they both need to play make-believe most. Truly unique, and it’s a page-turner, for sure.

Not to mention, this title is one of Abell’s favorite summer romances. “This is a smart, sexy escape with witty banter, sizzling chemistry and a side of Succession -style drama,” she highlighted. “Let this romance transport you to paradise, and maybe book that tropical vacation you’ve been putting off.”

“Feels Like Summer” by Wendy Francis

In the summertime months, I love reading novels by Wendy Francis. Her latest, “Feels Like Summer” takes place during Memorial Day weekend when three sisters meet at a reunion that’s filled with secrets, intrigue, lovers and betrayals. It’s one of the easiest ones to finish at the beach in one sitting, too, and is extremely well-written and enjoyable.

“When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion” by Julie Satow

Ready for a nonfiction twist? If you’re a fashion lover (or, a lover of the retro lifestyle), “When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion” by Julie Satow should be next novel on your list. I devoured every page as it was a glittering portrait of the golden age of American department stores, following the women who ran them.

“Power women finally get their due in Julie Satow’s breezy, but brilliant, narrative: the perfect nonfiction to bring to the beach,” Lindsay Powers, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, said. “This fascinating history packed with style, panache and drama offers the inside scoop on one of the first spaces where women could exist freely, and be catered to, in a world that was too quick to write us off.”

In other words, it’s about so much more than ladies who lunch or shop. The possibility for boundary-breaking was thrilling too — take Dorothy Shaver, who rose up the ranks at Lord & Taylor, becoming the first woman to earn the equivalent of a $1 million salary. “You’ll be completely riveted by the power, intrigue, glitz and glamour chronicled in this page-turner,” Powers added.

“Made For You” by Jenna Satterthwaite

“Made For You” by Jenna Satterthwaite centers on a synthetic woman who wins a reality dating show ( ahem, perfect for “The Bachelor” lovers! ), though becomes the prime suspect when her husband is killed. Yep, didn’t think you saw that one coming. With one of the most enchanting plot lines, it’s worth the thrilling read.

“The Love of My Afterlife” by Kirsty Greenwood

This month’s GMA Book Club pick was “The Love of My Afterlife” by Kirsty Greenwood, another one-of-a-kind premise that you’ll want to dive right into. Here, a recently deceased woman meets “The One” in the afterlife waiting room and, as the title suggests, receives a second chance at life — but in death. Simply put, it’s a *heaven-sent* book.

“The Villain Edit” by Laurie Devore

Another dating show, Bachelor-esuqe read, “The Villain Edit” by Laurie Devore is one I read in one sitting. This plot follows a cynical romance novelist who goes on a reality show to revive her fledging career. But, she becomes the villain. Without giving too much away, the novel is perfect for fans of Liv Constantine and Frieda McFadden.

“All This & More” by Peng Shepherd

A long one, but a good one. “All This & More” by Peng Shepherd holds a why-didn’t-I-think-of-that storyline: what would you do if you can go back in time and live another life? Here, a woman wins the chance to rewrite her life, including every mistake she’s ever made. She goes to great lengths to make everything right, and it’s like reading the inside scoop that makes you think and reflect about your own life. Extremely well-thought-out and captivating, to say the least.

“The Unforgettable Loretta Darling” by Katherine Blake

Old-fashioned murder meets glam with the “The Unforgettable Loretta Darling” by Katherine Blake, one of my favorite books of the month. This book follows an aspiring makeup artist who gathers a band of women to get revenge on Hollywood’s evil men at the time. It was like watching a Wild Western, but with an alluring twist.

“youthjuice” by E.K. Sathue

This novel has been on my much-anticipated reading list for months now, and I was thrilled to give it a read in July. E.K. Sathue’s “youthjuice” is about a copywriter who realizes that the secret to longevity is beauty, but it’s detailed in an extremist point of view. This is the best It Girl satire that you simply have to read if you’re into content creation, the latest skincare craze and the beauty world.

Oh, and prepare to squirm. “When Sophia lands a dream job at a luxury NYC skincare company, she thinks she’s finally escaped her past,” Abell explained. “But something is off…from the miraculous moisturizer she’s trying out in secret for the CEO to the constantly rotating stable of beautiful interns. If you’re looking for body horror that mocks the relentless beauty standards we can’t seem to escape, ‘ youthjuice ‘ is for you.”

“Ladykiller” by Katherine Wood

“Ladykiller” by Katherine Wood has everything I’m looking for in a book: a glorious setting, an air of mystery and captivating characters. Set in Greece with alternating points of view, it’s the definition of “rich people problems” that I swear makes every book good. And, it’s another book I devoured in one sitting.

“The Housemaid’s Secret” by Frieda McFadden

After reading “ The Housemaid ” which is truly worth the hype, I knew I had to read the next rendition of Frieda McFadden’s enticing, maid-protagonist novels: “The Housemaid’s Secret.” Much to my surprise, there were parts of this book where I thought, “wow, this is better than the first!” as the main characters were beyond intriguing. Her novels go quickly, but you never want them to end.

“The Housemaid Is Watching” by Frieda McFadden

The latest: “The Housemaid Is Watching” by Frieda McFadden. Similar in theory to the author’s other two, this one is where the maid is now in a home of her own but suddenly gets a weird suspicion from her neighbor, Mrs. Lowell. Captivating is an understatement, and I strongly suggest picking up all three books for a marathon of intrigue.

Other July Books to read, per the Amazon Books Editorial team

“the god of the woods” by liz moore.

Like her best-selling Long Bright River , Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods is both a missing person story and a genre-transcending family saga.

“Set in the woods of rural Pennsylvania, the Van Laar estate is a system of opposites: blue collar versus blue blood, the natural order versus the synthetic rules of man, dynastic privilege versus the handicap of class,” Vannessa Cronin, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, told The Post. “When 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar goes missing from the sleep camp on the grounds — her older brother also disappeared from the estate years before — the door to the Van Laar family’s gilded cage is forced open.”

One of the marvels of this novel is Moore’s sure-footed control of her complex plot and her fully realized character portraits. “‘The God of the Woods’ is both a triumph of engineering and a thing of beauty and will surely rank among the best of the year,” Cronin predicted.

“Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder” by Kerryn Mayne

“‘Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder’ is simply one of the strongest debuts we’ve read in a long, long time,” Cronin shared. “Don’t let the ‘cozy’ packaging fool you: this novel deals with some heavy themes, mainly domestic violence, repressed trauma and even workplace bullying. But it does so in service of an utterly endearing main character, and with a sure, sensitive hand when it comes to empathy, humor and hope.”

TLDR: Lenny Marks is a teacher who lives alone, cycles everywhere, and has 36 copies of “The Hobbit” but few close friends. When a letter from the parole board — which Lenny stubbornly ignores — threatens to bring her painful past into her present, the walls she’s built up begin to crack little by little.

“As Mayne cleverly lets Lenny reveal a breadcrumb trail of clues that build to an understanding of just what she’s been through, readers will find themselves loving this quirky introvert and feeling very protective of her choices,” Cronin noted. Plus, it’s ideal for fans of “ The Maid “ or “ The Good Sister .”

“Navola” by Paolo Bacigalupi

“‘Navola’ is the kind of book that draws you in from page one and promises an explosive finale — and it does not disappoint,” Ben Grange, editor at Amazon Books Editorial, shared. “Paolo Bacigalupi sets up a vast political fantasy in the sprawling city-state of Navola (reminiscent of fifteenth-century Florence), which follows Davico, the young heir to a mercantile banking empire who is more interested in medicinal plants than the political machinations of the royal families.”

According to Grange, the author takes his time while leading the reader to the city-state’s true conflict; be prepared to dive into the world-building before uncovering what is truly going on behind the scenes.

“Light on fantasy elements, fans of both historical fiction and epic fantasy can easily find themselves lost in this expansive narrative, which at times can feel simultaneously like reading a familiar classic and living in a brand-new world,” he added. “Told from the first-person perspective of Davico, you will find the narrative reading like it could be the reminisce of either an emperor or a beggar, and you’ll have to read to the end to find out which it is.”

“The Lost Story” by Meg Shaffer

“This book is an ode to those of us who will always believe that magic is real and just within our reach,” Abby Abell, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, said. “Two high school boys, Jeremy and Rafe, disappear into the woods of West Virginia and mysteriously reappear six months later, healthier than when they vanished. Rafe has no memory of where they were, and Jeremy refuses to tell him.”

The story picks up 15 years later when Emilie approaches Jeremy to help her find her sister, who vanished in those same West Virginia woods. But Jeremy can only find her with Rafe’s help. And so begins a hero’s journey, as Rafe, Jeremy, and Emilie venture into a magical realm, revealing secrets long buried, dangers at every turn, but most importantly, hope that what was lost can be found again.

“This enchanting and buoyant novel is a love letter to magic in all its glorious forms, which left me feeling lighter, and excited by all the possibilities this mysterious world has to offer,” Abell added.

“A Gentleman and a Thief: The Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue” by Dean Jobb

If you enjoy narrative nonfiction, true crime, glamour and New York history, you’re going to love “A Gentleman and a Thief.”

Arthur Barry hobnobbed with the crème de la crème of New York society as if he were one of their own, clocking the magnificent jewels adorning women with lauded last names such as Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and Pulitzer. “He was a ‘second story’ man — a cat burglar — but one with finesse, style, impeccable manners, and an uncanny ability to elude police,” Seira Wilson, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, explained. “This is the story not only of his crimes, but also a devoted love story; a story of double crosses and prison breaks, and of a figure so likable that even his victims found him charming.”

“A Gentleman and a Thief” is absolutely captivating, full of marquee names in finance and industry (as well as Harry Houdini and the Prince of Wales), the decadence of the Jazz Age, daring heists and the rise and fall of a “smooth-talking rogue with an eye for diamonds and a heart of gold,” as Wilson noted.

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

For over 200 years, the New York Post has been America’s go-to source for bold news, engaging stories, in-depth reporting, and now, insightful shopping guidance . We’re not just thorough reporters – we sift through mountains of information, test and compare products , and consult experts on any topics we aren’t already schooled specialists in to deliver useful, realistic product recommendations based on our extensive and hands-on analysis. Here at The Post, we’re known for being brutally honest – we clearly label partnership content, and whether we receive anything from affiliate links, so you always know where we stand. We routinely update content to reflect current research and expert advice, provide context (and wit) and ensure our links work. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

Hunting for a headline-worthy haul?  Keep shopping with Post Wanted .

More From Forbes

Crowdstrike reveals new details about what caused windows outage.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

CrowdStrike’s Preliminary Post Incident Review (PIR) is out, revealing some interesting details ... [+] about the Microsoft Windows outage. Here’s what it says.

It’s been a busy week for cybersecurity company CrowdStrike . After a botched update caused a massive Microsoft Windows outage worldwide, CrowdStrike’s CEO has been called to testify before the U.S. Congress to explain what happened.

But ahead of that, the firm released a Preliminary Post Incident Review , revealing more details about the outage and what caused it.

So, what went wrong, according to CrowdStrike’s report—and what is the firm doing to prevent it from happening again?

CrowdStrike Reveals What Happened

As you will certainly know by now, Windows computers around the world suffered mass blue screen of death when an update for CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor product went very wrong.

Falcon is “the CrowdStrike platform purpose-built to stop breaches via a unified set of cloud-delivered technologies that prevent all types of attacks—including malware and much more,” according to the company.

iOS 17.6—Update Now Warning Issued To All iPhone Users

Trump vs. harris 2024 polls: harris leads trump in 3 surveys this week, record-breaking $75 million ransom paid to dark angels gang.

Since then, a lot has happened. IT admins scrambled to remediate the issue, in many cases manually since you can’t simply undo Windows BSOD. Microsoft itself has also released a tool to help people recover from the incident.

CrowdStrike also released a short explainer detailing how a bug in the way it delivers updates resulted in the issue that ultimately caused BSOD.

What Does CrowdStrike’s Preliminary Post Incident Review say?

This has now been analyzed further in CrowdStrike’s PIR. The firm says it will also be releasing a root cause analysis soon.

In its PIR, CrowdStrike explains how it delivers security content configuration updates to its sensors in two ways: Sensor Content shipped with its sensor directly—and Rapid Response Content “designed to respond to the changing threat landscape at operational speed.”

The Rapid Response Content updates appear to be small and frequent, to allow the Falcon platform to tackle new cyber security threats. However, in this case, a bug caused an issue. “The issue on Friday involved a Rapid Response Content update with an undetected error,” CrowdStrike says in its PIR.

Indeed, CrowdStrike says the “problematic Rapid Response Content configuration update resulted in a Windows system crash.”

“When received by the sensor and loaded into the Content Interpreter, problematic content in Channel File 291 resulted in an out-of-bounds memory read triggering an exception,” CrowdStrike writes. “This unexpected exception could not be gracefully handled, resulting in a Windows operating system crash (BSOD).”

Bottom line: An issue with the software that checks CrowdStrike updates are working properly meant that the firm missed a problem with a content file. The update was pushed out to Windows systems, causing them to crash.

CrowdStrike’s Quality Assurance Process

Following the CrowdStrike issues last week, many people are questioning CrowdStrike’s quality assurance process.

CrowdStrike says its updates “go through an extensive QA process, which includes automated testing, manual testing, validation and rollout steps.”

The firm explains that the sensor release process begins with automated testing, both prior to and after merging into its code base. After being made available, its customers can update their fleet in a managed process.

However, the update on Friday was Rapid Response Content, which goes through a different process.

How CrowdStrike Will Prevent It From Happening Again

CrowdStrike has outlined a number of steps it will take to stop anything this devastating from happening again. This includes better testing processes such as “a staggered deployment strategy for Rapid Response Content in which updates are gradually deployed to larger portions of the sensor base, starting with a canary deployment.”

It will also improve monitoring for both sensor and system performance, collecting feedback during Rapid Response Content deployment to guide a phased rollout.

CrowdStrike says it will provide customers with greater control over the delivery of Rapid Response Content updates by “allowing granular selection of when and where these updates are deployed.”

Meanwhile, CrowdStrike will provide content update details via release notes, which customers can subscribe to.

Experts Have Their Say

Security experts say a staged rollout procedure when publishing Rapid Response Content updates would have helped prevent the issue. “The crash would have been detected early in the first rollout stages and the number of impacted computers would have been significantly limited,” says Talal Haj Bakry, a security researcher at Mysk.

However, he adds, staged rollouts are not necessarily usual for an update such as this. He likens the issue to a firm running a large blog that uses a content management system. “When you want to update the CMS software itself, you may roll out the CMS update to some of your visitors at first to make sure nothing broke. But let’s say you simply want to publish a new blogpost,” he explains.

“Normally you’d want all your visitors to see the new post once it’s published, and there’s no need to do a staged rollout. Now imagine you published a new blogpost, and somehow it broke your entire website and made it inaccessible. This is similar to what happened with CrowdStrike publishing a Rapid Response Content Update.”

Even so, “there’s no absolving CrowdStrike from responsibility of this incident,” he says. “It’s clear that for such mission critical software running on millions of computers, every change—no matter how small it may seem—should be subject to a full QA procedure, including staged rollouts.”

While it is understandable that CrowdStrike would want to get new threat detection out quickly, it comes at a risk that something could go wrong and at scale, “as we recently saw,” says Sean Wright, head of application security at Featurespace.

Many organizations attempting this type of approach typically have a smaller rollout first, he says. “This helps them to be absolutely sure nothing obvious is broken before rolling out to a wider audience,” he says.

And while there appears to have been some tool for testing the validity of the update, that in itself had a flaw, says Wright. This highlights why rolling out to production-like instances first for some initial validation is incredibly important, he says. “Long story short, if you don’t test in some production-like environment before rolling an update out to all systems, there is the risk—albeit rather small likelihood—that it could affect all systems.”

It's good that CrowdStrike is communicating with customers and giving timely updates on what went wrong, but the firm has shown in its investigation so far that its processes could have been a lot better.

CrowdStrike is certainly learning this lesson the hard way. More details will be coming soon, but the damage is already done to CrowdStrike’s reputation, so the firm needs to work hard to recover.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

How Trump could replace JD Vance if the Ohioan's terrible polling continues

• There's growing speculation that Donald Trump may have some remorse over picking Sen. JD Vance.
• Trump has been clear that he thinks his running mate is doing a great job.
• It's technically possible for Trump to replace him, but nothing like that has occurred in over 50 years.

Sen. JD Vance of Ohio has had a rough week and a half since he was announced as former President Donald Trump's vice-presidential candidate . While Trump insists he's sticking with Vance, the senator's poor polling combined with Vice President Kamala Harris' momentum has led some to ask: Could Trump replace Vance? And if so, how would it work? For those wondering, the answers lie in recent history and the fine print of Republican Party rules.

It's still technically possible that Trump could choose a new No. 2. But such a decision would have to happen very soon.

The Democratic and Republican National Committees have separate rules governing how they fill vacancies of presidential or vice-presidential nominees. Under Rule 9, the Republican National Committee explains how it fills a vice-presidential vacancy "which may occur as the result of death, declination, or otherwise."

The rule allows the party to reconvene its national convention if it chooses or to move ahead with a vote of the smaller group of Republican National Committee members who would determine Vance's replacement.

It would be a race against the clock

Time arguably poses more complications than the specific rules, says Amy Dacey, a former CEO of the Democratic National Committee who's now the executive director of the Sine Institute of Policy & Politics at American University.

Related stories

"I think sometimes what people forget is that people start voting in September," Dacey told Business Insider. "There's an early vote in some states in September. So this is not just a November election. And the worst-case scenario would be for your nominees not to appear on a ballot in a state."

Crucially, the rule explicitly applies to a scenario in which Vance voluntarily steps aside, says Kenneth Mayer, a recently retired political-science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He told BI there was no precedent for forcibly ripping the nomination away from a vice-presidential candidate after the convention.

Mayer also said impending state deadlines posed a significant issue, and the complications would only snowball once ballots were printed. It would be, he said, "extraordinarily disruptive" both logistically and politically to replace Vance as the vice-presidential nominee.

Vance has had a rocky start to joining the ticket

Among Vance's biggest problems are his numbers — a CNN polling analysis found he was the least-liked vice-presidential candidate on the heels of their convention since 1980.

In a survey that Punchbowl News conducted at the Republican National Convention, almost 80% of staffers and leaders said they disapproved of the Vance pick. Most of those asked said Trump should have gone with Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia instead.

Though Trump has consistently stated his support for Vance, reports say some in his orbit are questioning whether the Ohioan was a wise pick now that Harris will almost certainly be the Democratic presidential nominee.

Trump has faced similar situation before. In 2020, there were rumors he would replace former Vice President Mike Pence on his ticket. Trump denied those reports. "If I did, that would be a great act of disloyalty because he's been great," he said.

A representative for Vance declined to comment on the record, and Trump's team didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Trump reaffirmed his support for Vance on Thursday, telling Fox News that Vance was "doing a great job."

"He is fantastic. No, it wouldn't have mattered," Trump said when asked whether knowing about Harris' candidacy would have changed his strategy.

There's been only one modern example of such an extraordinary move occurring

Left unsaid is that if a president or presidential hopeful were to replace their running mate, it would become an immediate scandal, one that risks overshadowing an entire election. Democrats did as much in 1972 when George McGovern dropped his vice-presidential nominee, Sen. Thomas Eagleton of Missouri, after only 18 days together on the ticket.

Eagleton resigned under pressure after the public found out he'd been treated for depression. The debacle is in part responsible for the extensive vetting process that modern vice-presidential picks endure, as McGovern selected Eagleton at the last minute and with little scrutiny.

Politics and journalism have undergone seismic shifts in the half-century since the Eagleton episode, but a similar level of chaos and speculation would probably arise should Trump make a similar choice.

"Rule Nine and the RNC rules don't cover what the practicality of this would be and how it would affect the Trump campaign," Mayer said. "It would be hugely damaging. It's just hard to recover from something like that."

Watch: How billionaires swayed Trump to choose JD Vance as his vice president pick

• Main content

KB5042421: CrowdStrike issue impacting Windows endpoints causing an 0x50 or 0x7E error message on a blue screen

Microsoft has identified an issue impacting Windows endpoints that are running the CrowdStrike Falcon agent. These endpoints might encounter error messages 0x50 or 0x7E on a blue screen and experience a continual restarting state.

We have received reports of successful recovery from some customers attempting multiple restart operations on affected Windows endpoints.

We are working with CrowdStrike to provide the most up-to-date information available on this issue. Please check back for updates on this ongoing issue. 

Important:  We have released a USB tool to help automate this manual repair process. For more information, see  New recovery tool to help with CrowdStrike issue impacting Windows devices .

To resolve this issue, follow these instructions for your version of Windows.

Hold the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your device and then press the power button again to turn on your device.

On the Windows sign-in screen, press and hold the  Shift key while you select  Power >  Restart .

Restart your device. Note  You may be asked to enter your  BitLocker recovery key . When the device restarts, continue pressing F4 and then it will log you in to safe mode. Please note, for some devices, you need to press F11 to log in through safe mode.

Once in safe mode, right-click Start , click  Run , type  cmd  in the Open box, and then click OK .

If your system drive is different than C:\, type C: and then press Enter . This will switch you to the C:\ drive.

Type the following command and then press Enter:

CD C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike

Note In this example, C is your system drive. This will change to the CrowdStrike directory.

Once in the CrowdStrike directory, locate the file matching “C-00000291*.sys”. To do this, type the following command and then press Enter :

dir C-00000291*.sys

Permanently delete the file(s) found. To do this, type the following command and then press Enter .

del C-00000291*.sys

Manually search for any files that match “C-00000291*.sys” and delete them.

Restart your device.

On the Windows sign-in screen, press and hold the  Shift  key while you select  Power   >  Restart .

Restart your device. Note  You may be asked to enter your  BitLocker recovery key .

When the device restarts, continue pressing F4 and then it will log you in to safe mode.

Once in safe mode, right-click Start , click  Run , type  cmd  in the Open box, and then click  OK .

Type in the following command and then press Enter :

Note  In this example C is your system drive. This will change to the CrowdStrike directory.

Recovery methods

If you receive the Windows Recovery screen, use one of the following methods to recover your device.

Method 1: Use Enable safe mode

Hold the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your device and thenpress the power button again to turn on your device.

On the Windows sign-in screen, press and hold the  Shift  key while you select  Power >   Restart .

After your device restarts to the  Choose an option  screen, select  Troubleshoot  >  Advanced options  >  Startup Settings  >  Enable safe mode . Then, restart your device. Note  You might be asked to enter your  BitLocker recovery key . When the device restarts, continue pressing F4 and then it will log you in to safe mode. Please note, for some devices, you need to press F11 to log in through safe mode.

If the screen asks for a BitLocker recovery key, use your phone and log on to  https://aka.ms/aadrecoverykey . Log on with your Email ID and domain account password to find the BitLocker recovery key associated with your device. To locate your BitLocker recovery key, click Manage Devices > View Bitlocker Keys > Show recovery key .

If your system drive is different than C:\, type C: and then press  Enter . This will switch you to the C:\ drive.

Type the following command and then press Enter :

Tip:  CD C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike

Note  In this example, C is your system drive. This will change to the CrowdStrike directory.

After your device restarts to the  Choose an option  screen, select  Troubleshoot  >  Advanced options  >  Startup Settings  >  Enable safe mode .  Then restart your device again. Note  You might be asked to enter your  BitLocker recovery key . When the device restarts, continue pressing F4 and then it will log you into safe mode. Please note, for some devices, you need to press F11 to log in through safe mode.

If the screen asks for a BitLocker recovery key, then use your phone and log on to  https://aka.ms/aadrecoverykey . Log on with your Email ID and domain account password to find the bit locker recovery key associated with your device. To locate your BitLocker recovery key, click Manage Devices > View Bitlocker Keys > Show recovery key .

Select the name of the device where you see the BitLocker prompt. In the expanded window, select View BitLocker Keys . Go back to your device and input the BitLocker key that you see on your phone or secondary device.

Note  In this example, C is your system drive. This will change to the CrowdStrike directory.

Method 2: Use System Restore

After your device restarts to the  Choose an option  screen, select  Troubleshoot  >  Advanced options  >  System Restore .

If the screen asks for a BitLocker recovery key, use your phone and log on to  https://aka.ms/aadrecoverykey . Login with your email id and domain account password to find the bit locker recovery key associated with your device. To locate your BitLocker recovery key, click Manage Devices > View Bitlocker Keys > Show recovery key .

Click Next  on System Restore.

Select the Restore option in the list, click  Next , and then click  Finish .

Click Yes  to confirm the restore. Note  This will perform just the Windows system restore and personal data should not be impacted. This process might take up to 15 minutes to complete.

If the screen asks for a BitLocker recovery key, use your phone and log on to  https://aka.ms/aadrecoverykey . Log in with your Email ID and domain account password to find the bit locker recovery key associated with your device. To locate your BitLocker recovery key, click Manage Devices > View Bitlocker Keys > Show recovery key .

Select the Restore option in the list, click Next , and then click  Finish .​​​​​​​

Contact CrowdStrike

If after following the above steps, if you still experience issues logging into your device, please reach out to CrowdStrike for additional assistance.

Start your PC in safe mode in Windows

Third-party information disclaimer

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. We make no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

We provide third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

• 100 Scope Notes
• A Fuse #8 Production
• Good Comics for Kids
• Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
• Politics in Practice
• Teen Librarian Toolbox

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

December 27, 2022 by Amanda MacGregor

Post-It Note Reviews: Quick looks at 9 new titles

December 27, 2022 by Amanda MacGregor   Leave a Comment

CLICK IMAGES TO SEE LARGER VERSION (WHEN AVAILABLE)

Filed under:

One last round of quick reviews before we head into 2023!

Post-it Note Reviews are a great way to display books in your library or classroom, a way to let kids recommend their favorite titles without having to get up in front of everyone and do a book talk, and an easy way to offer a more personal recommendation than just the flap copy offers.

All descriptions from the publishers. Transcriptions of the Post-It notes are below each description . Reading those is your best bet—carpal tunnel has made my handwriting mostly a disaster.

Midnight at the Shelter by Nanci Turner Steveson (ISBN-13: 9780062673213 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: 11/01/2022, Ages 8-12)

Written with a distinctively doggy voice, great humor, and plenty of heart, this novel from acclaimed author Nanci Turner Steveson is a perfect pick for readers looking for a touching animal story in the vein of  Because of Winn-Dixie  or  Marley & Me .

ADVERTISEMENT

Rescue dog MahDi is happy helping his human partner, “MomDoc,” with the important work at her vet clinic and the local animal shelter. The two of them make a good team, caring for the town’s pets and matchmaking rescue animals with the families who need them.

When the shelter is suddenly down a staff member, the animals have to deal with a new caretaker: Huck, an unpleasant man who seems to have no problem threatening the animals he’s supposed to care for. As more dogs crowd into the shelter than are going to new homes, MahDi begins to worry that if MomDoc isn’t around, there is no telling what Huck might do.

With three perfectly good legs, the heart of a true leader, and his pack mates by his side, MahDi is willing to risk everything to save his shelter-friends from an uncertain future.

(POST-IT SAYS: The stories of many dogs are told as they seek safety, stability, and forever homes. Lots of mistreatment and hardship before the dogs find help and hope, so sensitive readers may want to skim/skip those parts.)

Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel by James Howe, Andrew Donkin, Stephen Gilpin (Illustrator)  (ISBN-13: 9781534421615 Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers Publication date: 08/30/2022 Series: Bunnicula and Friends Series, Ages 8-12)

Celebrate over forty years of the modern classic  Bunnicula  with this fang-tastic graphic novelization that will send a shiver down your spine and leave you howling with laughter!

Beware the hare!

Harold the dog and Chester the cat must find out the truth about the newest pet in the Monroe household—a suspicious-looking bunny with unusual habits…and fangs! Could this innocent-seeming rabbit actually be a vampire? Experience the chills and thrills of this classic tale in an all-new graphic novel format!

(POST-IT SAYS: Perfectly captures the humor and atmosphere of the original. This format adds so much to the enjoyment of the story. Chester and Harold’s expressions are priceless. So fun!)

Deadly Hearts: History’s Most Dangerous People by Michael Burgan, Karl James Mountford (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593386675 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 12/27/2022, Ages 8-12)

A visually dynamic companion to the biographical collection  Dark Hearts , this collection of biographies details the cruel and often horrifying lives of history’s most notorious – and deadly – people.

Over centuries and around the world, there is a long history of ruthless people who have wreaked havoc to get what they want. Whether empire-building or simply displaying a cruel streak, is there any excuse for the actions of people who have been responsible for the deaths of so many? Find out in these sixteen biographies of men and women throughout history who have left their deadly mark on history. From Attila the Hun and Vlad the Impaler to Adolf Hitler, readers will learn the wicked origins of the world’s most dangerous people.

(POST-IT SAYS: A beautifully designed book full of expressive illustrations and disturbing details of the acts of some of the world’s most notorious people. Will easily appeal to readers interested in the worst, most horrific parts of history.)

Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag, Xanthe Bouma (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780063039247 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: 11/29/2022 Series: Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club #1, Ages 8-12)

From  New York Times  bestselling author Molly Knox Ostertag and critically acclaimed illustrator Xanthe Bouma comes an all-new Dungeons & Dragons graphic novel series!

Middle school is a dungeon… At least, that’s how Jess sees it.

Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius.

But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game—and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure—and their friendship—finally come to an end?

(POST-IT SAYS: Loved it! Fantastic art, well-developed characters, and lots of middle school drama that gets worked out both in real life and in the D&D sessions. Can’t wait to see what’s next for this newly-formed friend gang.)

Light a Candle: A Story of Chinese American Pioneers on Gold Mountain by Jean Kuo Lee, Eric Freeberg (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781631636899 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 01/01/2023 Series: I Am America Set 5, Ages 8-10)

It’s 1864, and many have come to seek their fortune in the gold-laden mountains of California. Emma Fong, the booksmart and streetwise daughter of a respected Chinese merchant, is more than able to hold her own in the one-room schoolhouse of the mining town of La Porte. But when the town hires a stiff-necked teacher with staunch views against the Chinese, Emma’s life crumbles. As the teacher stokes anti-Asian sentiment among Emma’s neighbors, Emma must believe in herself and the strengths of her people to survive the growing hate. Will she be able to stake a permanent claim of her own as an American in the Wild West?

It’s the storytellers that preserve a nation’s history. But what happens when some stories are silenced? The I Am America series features fictional stories based on important historical events about people whose voices have been excluded, lost, or forgotten over time.

Brave Bird at Wounded Knee: A Story of Protest on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation by Rachel Bithell, Eric Freeberg (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781631636851 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 01/01/2023 Series: I Am America Set 5. Ages 8-10)

It’s 1973, and in Denver, Colorado, Patsy Antoine doesn’t usually give much thought to her relatives living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. After all, her classmates don’t even know she’s part Lakota. Then she learns the tiny town of Wounded Knee has been occupied. Now Patsy’s relatives are stuck amid the conflict between American Indian Movement activists and Oglala Lakota tribe members on the one side, and federal marshals and FBI agents on the other. When Patsy visits her relatives on Pine Ridge, she learns more about her heritage and the clashing perspectives on the Wounded Knee occupation. As she connects with her roots, Patsy must grapple with the complexities of the conflict and of being biracial.

(POST-IT SAYS: Many students asked me for these when they saw me reading them at school. Really engaging looks at events and eras in history. These feel carefully researched and sensitive. Short but important and informational reads with wide appeal.)

Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet (ISBN-13: 9780358567356 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: 11/29/2022, Ages 14-17)

Sharp and subversive, this delightfully messy YA rom-com offers a sly wink to the classic Little Women, as teenage Jo Porter rebels against living in the shadow of her literary namesake. Lit’s about to hit the fan. Jo Porter has had enough Little Women to last a lifetime. As if being named after the sappiest family in literature wasn’t sufficiently humiliating, Jo’s mom, ahem Marmee, leveled up her Alcott obsession by turning their rambling old house into a sad-sack tourist attraction.

Now Jo, along with her siblings, Meg and Bethamy (yes, that’s two March sisters in one), spends all summer acting out sentimental moments at Little Women Live!, where she can feel her soul slowly dying.

So when a famed photojournalist arrives to document the show, Jo seizes on the glimpse of another life: artsy, worldly, and fast-paced. It doesn’t hurt that the reporter’s teenage son is also eager to get up close and personal with Jo—to the annoyance of her best friend, aka the boy next door (who is definitely not called Laurie). All Jo wants is for someone to see the person behind the prickliness and pinafores.

But when she gets a little too real about her frustration with the family biz, Jo will have to make peace with kitsch and kin before their livelihood suffers a fate worse than Beth.

(POST-IT SAYS: A particularly fun read if you have the source material mostly memorized and like your Jos really surly and your Amys totally insufferable. Full of banter and bickering, this was an entertaining read.)

Improve: How I Discovered Improv and Conquered Social Anxiety by Alex Graudins (ISBN-13: 9781250208231 Publisher: First Second Publication date: 09/06/2022, Ages 14-18)

A graphic memoir for teens about the author’s efforts to overcome her social anxiety by learning improv comedy. Alex has crippling social anxiety. All day long, she is trapped in a web of negative thoughts and paralyzing fear. To pull herself free of this endless cycle, Alex does something truly terrifying: she signs up for an improv comedy class. By forcing herself to play silly games and act out ridiculous scenes, Alex confronts the unbearable weight of embarrassment, makes new friends, rediscovers parts of herself that she’d hidden away, and ultimately faces her greatest fear by performing onstage for all to see.

(POST-IT SAYS: I love graphic memoirs, especially about mental health stuff. I admire Graudins for pushing through the anxiety and self-doubt to do improv—a terrifying concept to me. Great art and a super deep dive into the world of improv.)

My Red, White, and Blue by Alana Tyson, London Ladd (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593525708 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 01/17/2023, Ages 4-8)

A powerful story about the mixture of pride and pain that one Black family finds in the American flag, and an invitation for each of us to choose how we relate to America, its history, and the flag that means so many things to so many people.

What does the American flag mean to you?

For some, it’s a vision of hope and opportunity. For others, it represents pain and loss. And for many, it’s more complicated than that—a symbol of a nation where the basic ideas of freedom and equality are still up for debate.

From slavery and segregation through Rosa Parks and Barack Obama, the history of Black people in America is a mixture of pride and pain. And while the flag might mean different things to different people, with some choosing to kneel and others to salute, ultimately, it is up to each of us to decide: the American flag is ours to see and relate to as we choose.

In this powerfully validating story that showcases many facets of Black American history through the eyes of a young Black boy in conversation with his grandfather, we are all invited to choose how to relate to America, and to the flag that means so many things to so many people.

(POST-IT SAYS: An effective and necessary look at patriotism, history, protest, pride, and using your voice. The beautiful art adds so much to the text.)

Filed under: Uncategorized

About Amanda MacGregor

Amanda MacGregor works in an elementary library, loves dogs, and can be found on Twitter @CiteSomething.

Related Posts

Slj blog network, notes on july 2024.

by Travis Jonker

When They Throw a Parade for Your Middle Grade Novel

by Betsy Bird

Spider-Man: Cosmic Chaos! | Review

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Our Mid-Year Mock-Newbery Book List: 49 Possible Contenders

by Steven Engelfried

Navigating the High School and Academic Library Policy Landscape Around Dual Enrollment Students

by John Chrastka

SPEED ROUND with the 2024 Newbery Honorees!

Related articles on slj.

Rivalries, Rumbles, and Teen Love: 'West Side Story' Read-Alikes

Three YA Horror Titles for Teens Tuning into "Fear Street" on Netflix

Strategies to Spotlight Books for Deaf Awareness Month

6 Middle Grade & YA Novels on Repeat for Groundhog Day

Four Breezy YA Summer Reads for Fans of 'Along for the Ride' on Netflix | Read-Alikes

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Auto Racing
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

FACT FOCUS: A look at false claims around Kamala Harris and her campaign for the White House

Democrats are quickly rallying around Vice President Kamala Harris as their likely presidential nominee after President Joe Biden’s ground-shaking decision to bow out of the 2024 race.

Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, July 22, 2024, during an event with NCAA college athletes. This is her first public appearance since President Joe Biden endorsed her to be the next presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

• Copy Link copied

The announcement that Vice President Kamala Harris will seek the Democratic nomination for president is inspiring a wave of false claims about her eligibility and her background. Some first emerged years ago, while others only surfaced after President Joe Biden’s decision to end his bid for a second term.

Here’s a look at the facts.

CLAIM: Harris is not an American citizen and therefore cannot serve as commander in chief.

THE FACTS: Completely false . Harris is a natural born U.S. citizen. She was born on Oct. 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, according to a copy of her birth certificate, obtained by The Associated Press.

Her mother, a cancer researcher from India, and her father, an economist from Jamaica, met as graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley.

Under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, anyone born on U.S. soil is considered a natural born U.S. citizen and eligible to serve as either the vice president or president.

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” reads the amendment.

There is no question or legitimate debate about whether a citizen like Harris is eligible to serve as president or vice president, said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School.

“So many legal questions are really nuanced — this isn’t one of those situations,” Levinson told the AP on Monday.

Still, social media posts making the debunked assertion that Harris cannot serve as president went viral soon after Biden announced Sunday that he was dropping out of the race and would back Harris for president.

“Kamala Harris is not eligible to run for President,” read one post on X that was liked more than 34,000 times. “Neither of her parents were natural born American citizens when she was born.”

False assertions about Harris’ eligibility began circulating in 2019 when she launched her bid for the presidency. They got a boost, thanks in part to then-President Donald Trump, when Biden selected her as his running mate.

“I heard today that she doesn’t meet the requirements,” the Republican said of Harris in 2019.

CLAIM: Harris is not Black.

THE FACTS: This is false. Harris is Black and Indian . Her father, Donald Harris, is a Black man who was born in Jamaica. Shyamala Gopalan, her mother, was born in southern India. Harris has spoken publicly for many years, including in her 2019 autobiography , about how she identifies with the heritage of both her parents.

What to know about the 2024 Election

• Democracy: American democracy has overcome big stress tests since 2020. More challenges lie ahead in 2024.
• AP’s Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more.
• Stay informed. Keep your pulse on the news with breaking news email alerts. Sign up here .

Despite ample evidence to the contrary, social media users are making erroneous claims about Harris’ race.

“Just a reminder that Kamala Harris @KamalaHarris isn’t black,” reads one X post that had received approximately 42,000 likes and 20,400 shares as of Monday. “She Indian American. She pretends to be black as part of the delusional, Democrat DEI quota.”

But Harris is both Black and Indian. Indeed, she is the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. This fact is highlighted in her biography on WhiteHouse.gov and she has spoken about her ethnicity on many occasions.

Harris wrote in her autobiography, “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey,” that she identifies with the heritage of both her mother and father.

“My mother, grandparents, aunts, and uncle instilled us with pride in our South Asian roots,” she wrote. “Our classical Indian names harked back to our heritage, and we were raised with a strong awareness and appreciation for Indian culture.”

In the next paragraph, she adds, “My mother understood very well that she was raising two black daughters.” Harris again refers to herself as a “black woman” in the book’s next chapter.

CLAIM: Harris got her start by having an affair with a married man, California politician Willie Brown.

THE FACTS: This is missing some important context. Brown was separated from his wife during the relationship, which was not a secret.

Brown, 90, is a former mayor of San Francisco who was serving as speaker of the California State Assembly in the 1990s when he and Harris were in a relationship. Brown had separated from his wife in 1982.

“Yes, we dated. It was more than 20 years ago,” Brown wrote in 2020 in the San Francisco Chronicle under the article title, “Sure, I dated Kamala Harris. So what?”

He wrote that he supported Harris’ first race to be San Francisco district attorney — just as he has supported a long list of other California politicians, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Harris, 59, was state attorney general from 2011-2017 and served in the Senate from 2017 until 2021, when she became vice president. She has been married to Doug Emhoff since 2014.

Harris’ critics have used the past relationship to question her qualifications, as Fox News personality Tomi Lahren did when she wrote on social media in 2019: “Kamala did you fight for ideals or did you sleep your way to the top with Willie Brown.” Lahren later apologized for the comment.

Trump and some of his supporters have also highlighted the nearly three-decade old relationship in recent attacks on Harris .

CLAIM: An Inside Edition clip of television host Montel Williams holding hands with Harris and another woman is proof that Harris was his “side piece.”

THE FACTS: The clip shows Montel with Harris and his daughter, Ashley Williams. Harris and Williams, a former marine who hosted “The Montel Williams Show” for more than a decade, dated briefly in the early 2000s.

In the clip, taken from a 2019 Inside Edition segment , Williams can be seen posing for photographs and holding hands with both women as they arrive at the 2001 Eighth Annual Race to Erase MS in Los Angeles.

But social media users are misrepresenting the clip, using it as alleged evidence that Harris was Montel’s “side piece” — a term used to describe a person, typically a woman, who has a sexual relationship with a man in a monogamous relationship.

Williams addressed the false claims in an X post on Monday, writing in reference to the Inside Edition clip, “as most of you know, that is my daughter to my right.” Getty Images photos from the Los Angeles gala identify the women as Harris and Ashley Williams.

In 2019, Williams described his relationship with Harris in a post on X, then known as Twitter.

“@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single,” he wrote in an X post at the time. “So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?”

CLAIM: Harris promised to inflict the “vengeance of a nation” on Trump supporters.

THE FACTS: A fabricated quote attributed to Harris is spreading online five years after it first surfaced.

In the quote, Harris supposedly promises that if Trump is defeated in 2020, Trump supporters will be targeted by the federal government: “Once Trump’s gone and we have regained our rightful place in the White House, look out if you supported him and endorsed his actions, because we’ll be coming for you next. You will feel the vengeance of a nation.”

The quote was shared again on social media this week. One post on X containing an image of the quote was shared more than 22,000 times as of Monday afternoon.

The remarks didn’t come from Harris , but from a satirical article published online in August 2019. Shortly after, Trump supporters like musician Ted Nugent reposted the comments without noting they were fake.

CLAIM: A video shows Harris saying in a speech: “Today is today. And yesterday was today yesterday. Tomorrow will be today tomorrow. So live today, so the future today will be as the past today as it is tomorrow.”

THE FACTS: Harris never said this. Footage from a 2023 rally on reproductive rights at Howard University, her alma mater, was altered to make it seem as though she did.

In the days after Harris headlined the Washington rally, Republicans mocked a real clip of her speech, with one critic dubbing her remarks a “word salad,” the AP reported at the time .

Harris says in the clip: “So I think it’s very important — as you have heard from so many incredible leaders — for us, at every moment in time, and certainly this one, to see the moment in time in which we exist and are present, and to be able to contextualize it, to understand where we exist in the history and in the moment as it relates not only to the past, but the future.”

NARAL Pro-Choice America, an abortion rights nonprofit whose president also spoke at the rally, livestreamed the original footage. It shows Harris making the “moment in time” remark, but not the “today is today” comment.

The White House’s transcript of Harris’ remarks also does not include the statement from the altered video. Harris’ appearance at the event came the same day that Biden announced their reelection bid .

Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .

• 100 Scope Notes
• A Fuse #8 Production
• Good Comics for Kids
• Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
• Politics in Practice
• Teen Librarian Toolbox

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

July 31, 2024 by Betsy Bird 2 Comments

When They Throw a Parade for Your Middle Grade Novel

July 31, 2024 by Betsy Bird   2 comments

CLICK IMAGES TO SEE LARGER VERSION (WHEN AVAILABLE)

Filed under:

That title to this piece is admittedly a touch misleading. It should probably read, “When Your Novel Gets Feted Alongside an Annual Heritage Day Festival”, but can you argue that that’s more kicky? Nah. If clickbait is the name of the game then I shall bait with only the finest of clicks.

To preface this, it’s important to understand that my first middle grade novel Long Road to the Circus originally came out at a less than entirely opportune time. By the fall of 2021, the lockdowns of the early COVID days had passed but that didn’t mean we were back to normal or anything. As such, promoting my first MG novel was a bit… shall we say, spotty. I couldn’t go to conferences. Book signings were outdoors (and mighty cold too, I’ll say). All around, it was just bad timing (though I acknowledge that my bad timing pales in comparison to the bad timing of the 2020 releases). But there were some perks. The book is set in both Burr Oak, Michigan and Mendon, Michigan, and I myself am from Michigan. That was enough to get the Michigan Library Association interested enough in giving the book an honor as a Michigan Notable Book of 2022 . Add in the killer New York Times review (Elisabeth Egan is officially now my favorite adult author and if she ever writes a book for kids I want her to send it to me first) and the fact that NYT also put it on their 25 Best Children’s Books of 2021 and I was quite happy. I mean, books don’t last forever. They run their course. Out with the old, in with the new, right?

ADVERTISEMENT

Which takes us to this:

What you are seeing here is a float in a parade. On that float is a makeshift surrey. The makeshift surrey is being pulled by a 7-foot-tall ostrich (we know this because the wood they used to create the ostrich came in seven foot sheets). It has reins. It has the name of the book “Long Road to the Circus” in the front. And it is featuring myself (in a black top hat reminiscent of the great Madame Marantette herself), an ostrich hand puppet, and multi-award winning artist David Small at my side.

So how did we get here?

It turns out that if you write a book about your ancestral home, that ancestral home may take notice. Burr Oak, Michigan, for all its charms, does not show up in a lot of works of fiction for kids. So when I chose it set the book there, it went the extra mile and thought about how to celebrate the story. Now for the last 15 years or so, the town has had an annual Heritage Festival in the summer, and by now it’s a big time deal. Imagine a town of 700 hosting 3,000 people. When they asked David and myself to help take part, I had no idea that I’d be involved in a weekend that would involve mud volleyball, Port-a-Potty pulls, magicians, vendors, and more Amish families than I’ve ever seen in one place at one time.

Bright and early on Saturday morning at 10 a.m., David Small and I converged in this small town on a float. I had relatives nearby, able to house my family while they waited for the parade to begin. David lives in Mendon, Michigan, a town that my grandmother’s uncle is reputed (thanks to family lore) to have walked to on a regular basis from Burr Oak. Though, as David and I both noticed this day, it’s a bit of a trek! David was coming fresh off of the success of his recent adult release Werewolf at Dusk: And Other Stories . We also both admired the handiwork on our painted ostrich. Apparently there had been a brief thought about engaging the services of a real one, but that notion fell by the wayside the minute folks realized what stone cold killers those birds can be (something you can learn quite easily about in my own book). Best to stick with the more two-dimensional variety.

Now long ago an ex-circus performer by the name of Madame Marantette retired to Mendon, Michigan. Nonetheless, she kept busy, and was always game to ride in a surrey pulled by her favorite ostrich Gaucho. At one point she even managed to train Gaucho to pull alongside her horse Bonnie Ann, though her methods for making this happen are long since lost to memory. Our float was an homage to a sight that would have been popular a full century before. My outfit was, in its way, a tip of the hat to low-rent Madame Marantette cosplay.

One thing I learned along the parade route: The sheer number of Amish families that live in this particular part of Southern Michigan. Aside from the odd proliferation of Amish romance novels in the last few years, they don’t make much of a dent on society. I commented to David that it was funny how few children’s books featured the Amish. He politely reminded me of his own picture book, The Journey . Touche.

The parade, for the record, wasn’t a two-bit affair. There were flames. There was what may have been the world’s most beautiful horse on display. There were loads of adorable ponies. And there was so much candy lobbed at small children that it would have made Willy Wonka himself blush. In the end, David and I were taken to a pavilion where we signed some 70-odd copies of the book for the children of Burr Oak, all in front of a magnificent and gigantic reproduction of the cover.

But there was something else that happened that was a little better than that, and I almost hesitate to mention it for fear of sounding cheesy. It happened while David and I were in the parade. You see, while we were on the surrey, I had on my left had an ostrich hand puppet from Folkmanis. I figured it was a way to amuse the kids along the route, and indeed a lot of the smaller ones got a big kick out of it. But as it happens, every 8-12 year-old in town had been read my book during the school year. So as we traveled I had kid after kid yelling, “I loved your book!” at me. And that, folks, was the coolest thing of all. Because it is one thing to be on a float for your novel. It is another thing to be recognized and told that the intended audience really and truly and legitimately liked your book.

So a great big thank you to the folks organizing this festival and who were kind enough to give David and us this day. Thanks to Sue Sturdewold for creating both the ostrich and the replicated cover, Patty Seeba for being such an excellent host (and for getting David’s lost pouch back to him), and the entire team for this incredible day.

Filed under: Uncategorized

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

Related Posts

Slj blog network, notes on july 2024.

by Travis Jonker

Spider-Man: Cosmic Chaos! | Review

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Our Mid-Year Mock-Newbery Book List: 49 Possible Contenders

by Steven Engelfried

Navigating the High School and Academic Library Policy Landscape Around Dual Enrollment Students

by John Chrastka

Democracy Lost and Regained: The World of EYES OPEN Then and Now, a guest post by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

by Amanda MacGregor

SPEED ROUND with the 2024 Newbery Honorees!

Related articles on slj.

SLJ Reviews of the 2021 Youth Media Awards

SLJ’s Reviews of the 2022 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Finalists

Standout Debuts & Titles from Acclaimed Authors | Pondering Printz

SLJ’s Reviews of the 2021 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalists

Fantasy Award Contenders Layer Identity and Imagination | Pondering Printz

Reader Interactions

July 31, 2024 at 7:22 am

I’ve told you before how much I enjoyed LONG ROAD TO THE CIRCUS, how the audio version kept me entertained on a long 4,000 mile drive from Arizona to Maine. I’ve known you “virtually” for so many years and enjoy several aspects of your personality and expertise. I remember thinking several times while listening, “Betsy Bird actually wrote this delightful tale.”

Your article today fills me with joy knowing these experiences must have meant the world to you. In my role as the “queen of details” more than once you identified LONG ROAD TO THE CIRCUS as your “first” novel. If I interrupt this writing now to check Amazon to see if I have somehow missed novel #2 I will need to begin my comment all over again. So, Betsy, explain if you will, is there a second novel already published, in the works, or maybe anticipated for the future? I sure hope so.

I loved reading every word and seeing the pictures. What a fantastic day this must have been and how wonderful to have your work brought to life at this time.

July 31, 2024 at 9:36 am

Thank you for your kind words, and for reading the book! And yes, there’s a novel #2 in the works. I’m banging away at it each morning and it’s definitely getting there, but don’t expect it for another couple of years at least, I’d say.

Speak Your Mind Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment Policy:

• Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
• Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
• Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
• Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
• If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

External Links

• A Fuse #8 Production Reviews

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

4 takeaways from President Biden’s Oval Office address

Domenico Montanaro

President Biden speaks during an address to the nation about his decision to not seek reelection in the Oval Office at the White House on Wednesday. Evan Vucci/Pool/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

For the latest on race for president, head to NPR's Election 2024 page.

It’s not often that a politician takes a step back.

They are often their own biggest champions. But in rare cases, when the writing is on the wall, because of age, health — or politics, they do.

In an address to the nation from the Oval Office Wednesday night, President Biden said he will serve out his term as president, noting there are still things he wants to accomplish. But he explained that he is not seeking reelection, in part, because he wants to “pass the torch to a new generation.”

Here are four takeaways from what Biden had to say:

1. Biden tried to send the message that no one person is bigger than the country — and that what America stands for is at stake.

“Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy,” Biden said. “That includes personal ambition.”

It was a remarkable statement for Biden, 81, who has held public office for more than half a century and ran for president multiple times — unsuccessfully until Donald Trump came along — and was ushered into office at 78 years old, the oldest person ever to be elected president.

Biden's brand was overcoming obstacles. But this one, he couldn't beat

Biden invoked past presidents — Abraham Lincoln, he said, urged Americans to “reject malice;” Franklin Delano Roosevelt implored the country to “reject fear.” He cited George Washington, who, by stepping aside after two terms despite his popularity, “showed us presidents are not kings.”

“I revere this office,” Biden said, “but I love my country more. It's been the honor of my life to serve as your president, but in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it's more important than any title.”

In other words, Vice President Harris gives those who see former President Trump as an existential threat to that democracy the best chance to win because of Biden’s diminished capabilities to prosecute the case against him.

It's a case that Biden sees as necessary for someone to make effectively, considering Trump's unwillingness to accept the results of the 2020 election and his refusal to agree to accept the results of the upcoming election.

6 political takeaways from Biden's decision to step aside

In Washington’s farewell address on Sept. 19, 1796, he also warned that “cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

“The great thing about America is,” Biden said, “here, kings and dictators do not rule; the people do.”

Biden and others see that foundational American principle as lost on someone like Trump, who, when he visited Mount Vernon, Washington’s estate in Virginia, in 2019 with French President Emmanuel Macron, said of the nation’s first president, per Politico :

“If he was smart, he would’ve put his name on it. You’ve got to put your name on stuff or no one remembers you.”

2. Biden desperately wants to be seen as a uniter, but that’s been a struggle for him as president — and maybe one of his biggest personal disappointments.

President Joe Biden pauses before he addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Wednesday about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. Evan Vucci/Pool/via AP hide caption

The president cited the need for unity among Americans multiple times:

“America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division.” “In this moment, we can see those we disagree with not as enemies, but as fellow Americans.” “The sacred cause of this country is larger than any one of us, and those of us who cherish that cause … a cause of American democracy itself, [we] must unite to protect it.” “So I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That's the best way to unite our nation.” “Let's act together, preserve our democracy.”

The idea of uniting the country is something Biden ran on in 2020. But it hasn’t worked out that way. He’s been sharply criticized by the right and views of him — in this hyperpolarized environment where people get their information largely from sources that reinforce their previously held beliefs — are as partisan as any president before him, including Trump.

Just 43% said they had a favorable view of Biden, according to an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll taken before the debate between him and Trump. That included just 38% of independents and only 10% of Republicans.

3. This is the start of a review of Biden’s legacy — and that views of it may take a long time to set in.

Biden defended his legacy and laid out what he believes he’s accomplished and what he still hopes to do.

“I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future, all merited a second term,” he said, “but nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”

Poll: Presidential race hits a reset with Harris vs. Trump

The latest NPR poll , taken this week after Biden said he would not continue to run for reelection, tested what people think of his presidency. It showed most, right now, are unimpressed.

Despite the record of legislative accomplishments Biden cited, only slightly more than a quarter of respondents said he would be remembered as an above average president or one of the best presidents in U.S. history. Half said he would be remembered as below average or one of the worst.

Those views can change with time, especially when a president is no longer in the political arena. President Obama’s favorability, for example, has improved since leaving office and views of his signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act, have hit record highs.

A 2022 survey of historians found Biden rated as the 19th best president of the 46 that have served. Trump was in the bottom five at No. 43. But, at this point, Americans overall, feel differently.

4. After seeing Harris for a few days, the contrast with Biden is clear.

Vice President Harris speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at West Allis Central High School on Tuesday in West Allis, Wis. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images hide caption

Biden could have made the determination years ago, after saying he would be a “transitional” president during the 2020 election, that he would not run for reelection.

But the realities of his personal limitations after his dismal debate performance last month, and how his political support had cratered in swing states led to this moment.

Biden had a problem with young voters. Can Harris overcome it?

Trump tries out attack lines on Kamala Harris as her campaign heats up

For years now, Democrats have been holding their breath with every public appearance he made. They crossed their fingers that he would acquit himself at least decently well, but they knew one bad speech, interview or… debate… could sink his — and their party’s — chances to hold onto the White House.

After watching Harris' first couple of days of campaigning, from her first speech before staffers to her first official campaign rally in Wisconsin, Democrats have been breathing a bit easier.

She has spoken clearly and coherently, and there has been energy from the grassroots. Whether that lasts or if it resonates with swing voters is still to be decided.

Biden didn’t explicitly lay out Wednesday night why he stepped aside, but watching what was an, at times, halting address, the contrast was like night and day.

It was very much a moment in history with a president, who appeared in many ways, to be delivering something of his own farewell. He was recognizing he cannot be as effective a campaigner as he would have liked, so he is taking a step back from the public eye, handing over the reins of the campaign to his vice president for the next 103 critical days in American democracy.

• election 2024