13 Best Book Review and Book Rating Sites

Nobody likes spending money on a new book, only to face that overwhelming sense of disappointment when it doesn't live up to your expectations.The solution is to check some book review sites before you go to the store to buy the book.The more opinions you can gather, the more confident you will be that you will like the book.

Which book review and book rating sites are worth considering?Here are some of the best ones.

1. Goodreads

Goodreads is arguably the leading online community for book lovers.If you're looking for some inspiration for which novel or biography to read next, this is a book review site worth visiting.

There are endless user-generated reading lists to explore, and Goodreads itself publishes "best of" lists in many categories.You can search books by episode or theme, or join book discussions and reading groups with thousands of members.

You can participate in this community by adding your own rankings for books you've read and leaving comments for others.Occasionally, there are even bonus events like Q&A sessions with authors.

2. LibraryThings

LibraryThing bills itself as the world's largest book club.With over 230 million members, it is one of the best social networking platforms for book lovers.

With a free account, you can add up to 200 books to your library and share them with other users.But in other respects, LibraryThing can be called one of the best book review sites.

Naturally, there are ratings, user reviews, and tags.But be sure to click the "Times" tab at the top of the page.It contains a wealth of information, including top books by rating, by number of reviews, by author and more.

3. Book Riot

Book Riot is a blog.It publishes dozens of list articles on various topics, many of which are reviews of the best books of a certain genre.To give you an idea, some recent articles include Keeping Hope: 11 Thrilling YA Survival Stories and The Best Historical Fiction You've Never Heard Of.

Of course, there's plenty of non-reading list stuff, too.If you have a general affinity for literature, Book Riot is definitely worth adding to your list of sites you browse every day.

4. Bookish

Bookish is a site that all book club members should know.It helps you prepare for your next meeting with discussion guides, book quizzes, and book games.There are even food and drink suggestions, as well as playlist suggestions.

But the site is more than book club meetings.It also offers tons of editorial content.Formats include author interviews, opinion pieces, book reviews and recommendations, reading challenges and giveaways.

Be sure to check the required reading section of the site regularly for the latest book reviews.Also, it goes without saying that the people behind Bookish are also book lovers.To see what they read, check out their staff reading articles.

5. booklist

Booklist is a print magazine that also offers an online portal.All book reviews are written by trusted experts from the American Library Association.

You can see snippets of reviews for different books.However, to read them in full, you need to subscribe.The annual plan for this book review site costs $184.95 per year.

6. Fantasy Book Review

For any fan of fantasy, Fantasy Book Review should be at the top of the list.This book review site publishes reviews of children's books as well as books for adults.

It has a section on the top fantasy books of all time, as well as a continuously updated list of must-reads for each year.You can also search for recommended books by sub-genres like Sword & Sorcery, Parallel Worlds, and Epic Fantasy.

7. Love Reading

LoveReading is one of the most popular book review sites in the UK, but US readers will find it just as useful.

The site is divided into fictional and non-fictional works.In each area, it publishes Weekly Staff Picks, Book of the Month, First Release of the Month, Ebook of the Month, Audiobook of the Month, and National Bestsellers.Every book on every list has a full review that you can read for free.

Make sure you also check out their Highlights tab for book reviews of selected titles of the month.In the collection, you'll also find reading lists on topics such as World War I Literature and Green Reading.

8. kirkus

Kirkus has been involved in producing book reviews since the 1930s.This book review site looks at the week's bestsellers and provides a long-form review for each one.

As you'd expect, you'll also find dozens of "best of" lists and individual book reviews in many categories and genres.

While you're on the site, make sure you click on the Kirkus Awards section.You can view all past winners and finalists, along with accompanying reviews of their books.

9. r/books

While Reddit is a social media site, you can use it to get book reviews of great books, or just about any other book! Reddit has a Subreddit, r/books, dedicated to book reviews and reading lists.

This subreddit has a weekly topic about a particular topic or genre.Anyone can then give their opinion on which books are worth recommending.Several new threads are posted every day, and people discuss their latest discoveries, complete with book ratings or reviews.

You'll also find a recommended topic of the week.Recent topics include favorite books on climate science, Aboriginal literature, and books in the desert.There's also a weekly "what are you reading" discussion and frequent AMAs.

10. YouTube

When you think of the best online book review sites, YouTube isn't the kind of place that immediately comes to mind.

However, there are several engaging YouTube channels that often offer opinions on the books they've read.You will easily find book reviews of famous books here.

Some of the most high-profile book review YouTube channels include Better Than Food: Book Reviews, Little Book Owl, PolandBananasBooks, and Rincey Reads.

11. Amazon

Amazon is probably one of your go-to sites when you want to buy something.It's also one of the best sites to buy used books if you don't mind used books.

Now, to get a book review, just search and click on the title, then scroll down to see ratings and reviews from others who have bought the book.Here's a quick way to get a feel for the book's reviews.If you notice the words Look Inside above the cover of a book, that means you can preview the first few pages of that book too!

Whether you hear praise or criticism from other book review sites, reading samples is the most direct way to help you gauge the potential of your content and see if the author's writing style is to your taste.

12. StoryGraph

StoryGraph is another great book review site worth checking out.Book ratings are determined by the site's large community of readers.Enter the title of the book you are interested in, click it in the search results of StoryGraph, and you can have an overall understanding of its rating.

Each book review provides information about the mood and pace of the story.It also shows whether the story is plot-driven or character-driven, how the reader feels about the level of character development, how likable the characters are in general, and the diversity of the cast.

13. London Review of Books

London Review of Books is a magazine covering a range of topics including culture, literature and philosophy.Part of it is a stunningly detailed book review.If you find most modern book reviews too brief for your liking, London Review of Books should be the best book for you.

You gain insight into the flow and themes of the story, as well as gain a better understanding of the events in the book.

Read book reviews before buying

The book review sites we discuss will appeal to different types of readers.Some people are more interested in an easy-to-explain book rating system; others prefer extensive reviews written by seasoned professionals.

While it's easy to be seduced by flashy book covers, it's always best to take a quick look at the reviews before actually buying.That way, you can save your money and spend it on books that you'll be proud to display on your shelf for a long time.Also check out Recommended Books to help you find something worth reading.