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Reviews

Reviews are in-depth assessments of books where you share your complete reading experience with a star rating and detailed commentary.

What Are Reviews?​

Reviews are longer-form content that lets you:

  • Rate books from 1-5 stars
  • Share detailed thoughts and opinions
  • Help other readers decide what to read
  • Contribute to the community's book knowledge
  • Build your reading reputation

Reviews appear in:

  • Your Share feed (when filtered to "Reviews")
  • Book detail pages
  • Your user profile
  • The main Share feed (mixed with Lines)

Writing a Review​

Creating Your Review​

  1. Open the book you want to review
  2. Tap "Write Review" or use the Share tab pencil button
  3. Select "Review" from the "Share As" menu
  4. Select your star rating (1-5 stars, required)
  5. Write your review content (no character limit)
  6. Tap "Post"

Rating Scale​

The 5-star system:

  • ⭐ (1 star): Did not enjoy
  • ⭐⭐ (2 stars): Below average
  • ⭐⭐⭐ (3 stars): It was okay
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars): Really enjoyed it
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars): Loved it, highly recommend

Your rating is required - reviews must include a star rating.

Review Content​

What to Include​

Plot and Story: What did you think of the narrative?

Characters: Were they well-developed and believable?

Writing Style: How was the author's prose and pacing?

Themes: What messages or ideas did the book explore?

Overall Impact: How did the book affect you?

Who It's For: What type of reader would enjoy this?

Content Guidelines​

Be honest: Share your genuine opinion, whether positive or negative.

Be respectful: Critique the book, not the author personally.

Be helpful: Give context to help others understand your perspective.

Be specific: Use examples to support your points when possible.

Consider spoilers: Many readers prefer spoiler-free reviews for books they haven't read yet.

Spoiler Etiquette​

While BookWish doesn't have automatic spoiler tags, consider:

  • Adding "SPOILER WARNING" at the top if discussing plot twists
  • Being vague about major reveals in the first paragraph
  • Saving detailed plot discussion for later in your review

Interacting with Reviews​

Liking Reviews​

Tap the heart icon to like a review. This shows appreciation for thoughtful reviews and helps surface quality content.

Reporting Reviews​

To report inappropriate or spam reviews:

  1. Tap the three-dot menu
  2. Select "Report"
  3. Choose a reason and submit

Note: Reviews do not support replies - use Lines for ongoing discussions.

Editing and Managing​

Updating Your Review​

  1. Navigate to the book's page
  2. Find your existing review
  3. Tap "Edit Review"
  4. Update your rating and/or content
  5. Save changes

You can only have one review per book. Editing updates your existing review rather than creating a new one.

Deleting Reviews​

Reviews can be deleted from the three-dot menu on your own review.

Rate Limits​

Free accounts: Up to 30 reviews per month (combined with Lines in the posting limit)

Premium accounts: Unlimited reviews

Review Visibility​

  • All reviews are public
  • Reviews appear on book pages to help all readers
  • Your reviews are listed on your profile
  • Reviews contribute to a book's overall rating
  • Reviews appear in the Share feed when filtering by "Reviews"

Best Practices​

Read the whole book: Review after finishing to give a complete perspective.

Take notes: Jot down thoughts while reading to remember key points.

Be balanced: Mention both strengths and weaknesses when appropriate.

Update if needed: Your opinion might evolve - feel free to update your review.

Respect diverse tastes: Remember that different readers enjoy different things.

Add value: Focus on what makes your perspective unique and helpful.

Writing Tips​

Start strong: Open with your overall impression or main takeaway.

Be concise: Even without a character limit, respect readers' time.

Use paragraphs: Break up longer reviews for easier reading.

Consider structure: Beginning → Middle → End or Pros → Cons → Verdict work well.

Show, don't just tell: Instead of "it was boring," explain why the pacing dragged.

Quick Thoughts vs. Deep Dives

For brief reactions, use Lines (280 characters). Save Reviews for books you want to discuss in depth. You can post both a Line and a Review for the same book!