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Best Book Review Blogs in 2024

Showing 223 blogs that match your search.

Author Anthony Avina's Blog

http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

The only genres I don't accept are erotica and religious books. I accept eBook, Paperback and Audiobook copies. I also offer author email interviews, guest blog posts and more promotional opportunities for free.

Blogger : Anthony Avina

Genres : Contemporary Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBT, Mystery/Thriller, New Adult, Non-Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, and YA

🌐 Domain authority: 30

👀 Average monthly visits: 800 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Website contact form

⭐️ Accepts indie books? Yes

http://beinganne.com/

I've been reviewing books for a great deal longer than that though. I'm now a Top 500 (352 when I last checked‰Û_) and Vine reviewer on Amazon UK, always additionally copy my reviews to Goodreads, Amazon.com and sometimes publish on the Waterstones site too.

Blogger : Anne

Genres : Crime, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, and Mystery/Thriller

🌐 Domain authority: 32

👀 Average monthly visits: 5,000 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Mail

Jen Med’s Book Reviews

https://jenmedsbookreviews.com/

I have a real love for Crime Fiction and thrillers as I love a little (fictional) human suffering from time to time, but don’t mind the occasional bit of Chick Lit, Young Adult or romance – I’m not completely heartless and consider myself an equal opportunity reader.

Blogger : Jen Lucas

Genres : Contemporary Fiction, Crime, Mystery/Thriller, New Adult, Romance, and YA

🌐 Domain authority: 27

👀 Average monthly visits: 3,500 p/mo

Read and Rated

https://readandrated.com/

Read and Rated, where all good books come to be reviewed! Find me on twitter too @ReadandRated

Blogger : Lisa Hall

Genres : Children's, Christian, Contemporary Fiction, Crime, Erotica, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBT, Mystery/Thriller, New Adult, Non-Fiction, Paranormal, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Sports, Urban Fantasy, and YA

🌐 Domain authority: 17

👀 Average monthly visits: 6,000 p/mo

Kids Lit Book Cafe

https://kidslitbookcafe.com/

KLBC writes professional captivating reviews for children’s books of all ages and all genres.

Blogger : Kids Lit Book Cafe

Genres : Children's, Graphic Novel, and YA

🌐 Domain authority: 8

👀 Average monthly visits: 100 p/mo

Crime Fiction Lover

http://www.crimefictionlover.com/

Crime Fiction Lover was set up by two journalists who love reading crime stories - everything from atmospheric noir to thriller mysteries and police procedurals. The rise of Kindle, eBooks and iBooks interests us a great deal. We hope to discover and share some of the best reads on these new formats, but by no means will we overlook traditional print. There's nothing like the feel and smell of a freshly printed book.

Blogger : Catherine Turnbull

Genres : Crime

🌐 Domain authority: 42

👀 Average monthly visits: 59,000 p/mo

Fictionophile

https://fictionophile.com/

I have been a reviewer member of NetGalley since October 2013. A retired public library cataloguer, I now blog about all things bookish and share book reviews, author interviews, cover love, etc.

Blogger : Lynne LeGrow

Genres : Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Mystery/Thriller

🌐 Domain authority: 18

👀 Average monthly visits: 3,000 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Email

⭐️ Accepts indie books? No

Novel Novice

https://novelnovice.com/

The Novel Novice book review blog features primarily Young Adult literature, and select Middle Grade and children's picture books. We very rarely review adult titles that would appeal to YA readers, but not often. We do NOT normally feature or review New Adult literature. Any adult titles we review or feature should at least be appropriate for teen readers.

Blogger : Novel Novice Contributors

Genres : YA and Children's

🌐 Domain authority: 53

👀 Average monthly visits: 7,000 p/mo

Luke's Blog

https://www.lukeharkness.com/

Luke runs a book blog with over 120 book reviews covering a range of genres and tips for aspiring bloggers on how to get started and what works best.

Blogger : Luke Harkness

Genres : Contemporary Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery/Thriller, Romance, Science Fiction, and YA

🌐 Domain authority: 4

👀 Average monthly visits: 2,300 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Social media

The Captain's Quarters

https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com

Foremost, I post here on me blog. I also will post on me Goodreads account and on Amazon. If a book is sent to me by a publisher then I will email a copy of me review to their preferred account as well. Please note that while me blog does not list ratings, I do rate novels on Goodreads and Amazon. Happy sailing and reading!

Blogger : A Pirate Captain

Genres : YA, Fantasy, and Science Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 19

Chapter In My Life

https://chapterinmylife.wordpress.com/

Here at Chapterinmylife I am always happy to accept books for review. Any reviews I provide are only my opinion and are always constructive. I will try my best to explain what it was I enjoyed about the book or why it was not to my taste.

Blogger : Sharon Bairden

Genres : Crime and Mystery/Thriller

Book Reporter

http://www.bookreporter.com/

The majority of our reviews on Bookreporter.com are fiction. We review bestsellers, debut authors, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, some fantasy/science fiction and some romance. We also delve into Non-Fiction, newsworthy books, biographies and memoirs.

Blogger : The Book Report

Genres : Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Science Fiction, and Non-Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 63

👀 Average monthly visits: 113,000 p/mo

Bookish Indulgences

https://www.ddsreviews.in/

My name is Debdatta Dasgupta and I am the proprietor of Bookish Indulgences. Although I am a reviewer and publicist by profession, I am a reader and book lover first; reading for the love of printed words.

Blogger : Debdatta Dasgupta

Genres : Contemporary Fiction and Mystery/Thriller

🌐 Domain authority: 33

The Next Best Book Blog

http://www.thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/

I focus mainly on independent/small press and self published literary fiction. My preferred format is printed/bound books, though I have reluctantly moved into the digital age and accept ebooks for review (PDF and .mobi). I am open to working with various authors, publishers, publicists, and literary agencies - reading and reviewing ARC's and backlist titles. I would love to hear about your book as well.

Blogger : Lori

Genres : Contemporary Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 35

Shalini's Books & Reviews

https://bookreviewsbyshalini.com/

My first love has always been BOOKS. My blog features my reviews, author interviews, book spotlights, and other bookish events. I read nearly all genres, according to my mood.

Blogger : Shalini

Genres : Contemporary Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBT, Mystery/Thriller, Non-Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, and Urban Fantasy

🌐 Domain authority: 25

So you want to find a book blog?

If you’re a voracious reader, you might think of a book blog as an oasis in the middle of the desert: a place on the Internet that brims with talk about books, books, and more books.

Well, good news — we built this directory of the 200 of the best book blogs  to satiate your thirst. Take a walk around, use the filters to narrow down your search to blogs in your preferred genre, and feel free to bookmark this page and come back, as we do update it regularly with more of the best book blogs out there. 

If you’re an aspiring author, you might see a book blog more as a book review blog: a place where you can get your yet-to-be published book reviewed. In that case, you’ll be glad to know that most of the book blogs in our directory are open to review requests and accept indie books! We expressly designed this page (and our book marketing platform, Reedsy Discovery ) to be useful to indie book authors who need book reviews. If you’re wondering how to approach a book blog for a review request, please read on. 

You’ve found a book blog. Now what? 

Let’s say that you’re an author, and you’ve found a couple of book blogs that would be perfect fits to review your book. What now? Here are some tips as you go about getting your book reviews:

• Be sure to read the review policy. First, check that the book blog you’re querying is open to review requests. If that’s the fortunate case, carefully read the blog’s review policy and make sure that you follow the directions to a T.  
• Individualize your pitches. Book bloggers will be able to immediately tell apart the bulk pitches, which simply come across as thoughtless and indifferent. If you didn’t take the time to craft a good pitch, why should the blogger take the time to read your book? Personalize each pitch to up your chances of getting a response. 
• Format your book in a professional manner before sending it out. Ensure that your manuscript isn’t presented sloppily. If the book blogger asks for a digital ARC, you might want to check out apps such as Instafreebie or Bookfunnel. 
• Create a spreadsheet to track your progress. Wading through so many book blogs can be troublesome — not to mention trying to remember which ones you’ve already contacted. To save yourself the time and trouble, use a simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of your progress (and results). 

Looking to learn even more about the process? Awesome 👍 For a detailed guide, check out this post that’s all about getting book reviews. 

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A Little Blog of Books

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• Books I Read in July 2024

As demonstrated in ‘Skippy Dies’, Murray is excellent at writing accurate teenage dialogue, although I was a bit less convinced by the absence of punctuation in Imelda’s section, which supposedly reflects her desperation and how her mind works. ‘The Bee Sting’ is less comic than ‘Skippy Dies’ and much more about anxiety regarding both the past and the future. The lengthy flashbacks eventually reveal that it is the events, decisions and near misses in Dickie and Imelda’s past which have really shaped the family’s current circumstances, leading to an unsettling but fitting conclusion. ‘The Bee Sting’ is an ambitious novel with satisfying character development. Continue reading →

Filed under Books

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , David Baddiel , Fiction , Francesca Segal , Literary Fiction , Natasha Lance Rogoff , Non fiction , Novels , Paul Murray , Reading , Reviews

• The Booker Prize 2024 Longlist

The Booker Prize longlist was announced on Tuesday. The 13 titles are:

Wild Houses by Colin Barrett Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel James by Percival Everett Orbital by Samantha Harvey Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner My Friends by Hisham Matar This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud Held by Anne Michaels Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange Enlightenment by Sarah Perry Playground by Richard Powers The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood Continue reading →

Tagged as Book , Book Awards , Booker Prize , Booker Prize 2024 , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Literature , Novels , Reading

• The Booker Prize 2024: Predictions, Preferences and Possibilities

The longlist for this year’s Booker Prize is due to be announced on Tuesday 30th July. I’ve had mixed results over the last decade or so in my attempts to predict some likely contenders alongside my personal preferences and other possibilities, but it’s always fun to guess anyway.

Irish authors often dominate the shortlists as they did last year when ‘Prophet Song’ by Paul Lynch won the Prize. I am keen to read Long Island by Colm Tóibín  which is a sequel to Brooklyn . Ghost Mountain by Rónán Hession is a fable about a mountain that suddenly appears and sounds rather different from his first two novels Leonard and Hungry Paul and Panenka . I don’t know much about Intermezzo by Sally Rooney which will be published in September – books eligible for this year’s Prize must have been published in the UK between 1st October 2023 and 30th September 2024 – but it’s hard to imagine Rooney moving too far away from the themes of her previous novels including Normal People which was longlisted in 2018. Continue reading →

Tagged as Book , Book Awards , Booker Prize , Booker Prize 2024 , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Novels , Predictions , Reading

• Books I Read in June 2024

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Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Fiction , Jamie Collinson , Kaliane Bradley , Naomi Klein , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews

• Books I Read in May 2024

Tagged as Asako Yuzuki , Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Booker Prize , Fiction , Henry Jeffreys , Kirsty Capes , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews , Salman Rushdie

• Books I Read in April 2024

Tagged as Baillie Gifford Prize for Non Fiction , Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , David Nicholls , Fiction , John Vaillant , Non fiction , Novels , Peter Biskind , Reading , Reviews

• Books I Read in March 2024

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Claire Dederer , Eliza Clark , Fiction , Literature , Non fiction , Novels , Orla Owen , Peter Ross , Reading , Reviews

• Books I Read in February 2024

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Joanna Biggs , Matt Rowland Hill , Memoir , Non fiction , Reading , Reviews , Sarah Bakewell

• Books I Read in January 2024

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , David Nicholls , Fiction , Kieran Yates , Literary Fiction , Madeleine Gray , Nathan Hill , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews

• My Most Anticipated Books of 2024

My list of books to read continues to expand and there are lots to look forward to in 2024. All publication dates where known apply to the United Kingdom only.

Wellness by Nathan Hill is published in January. I really enjoyed Hill’s debut novel The Nix and his second book is another 600+page doorstopper about a couple who meet in Chicago in the 1990s. Another second novel out in January is Come and Get It by Kiley Reid set on a university campus in the United States. Continue reading →

Tagged as 2024 , Book , Fiction , Literary Fiction , Literature , New Books , New Year , Non fiction , Novels , Reading

• My Books of the Year 2023

One of the stand-out novels I read in 2023 was Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld which is a fun and refreshingly original take on the genre. I also really enjoyed The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith which is the seventh outing for Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott’s detective agency as they infiltrate a sinister cult in Norfolk. Continue reading →

Tagged as 2023 , Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Books of the Year , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Literature , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews

• Books I Read in December 2023

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Fiction , French Literature , Helen Pearson , Literature , Non fiction , Oliver Franklin-Wallis , Pierre Lemaitre , Reading , Reviews

• Books I Read in October 2023

‘The Running Grave’ is another 900+ page doorstopper like its two predecessors in the series, but thankfully has none of The Ink Black Heart ’s formatting issues and all of the gripping atmosphere of Troubled Blood . There are no signs that the romantic tension between Cormoran and Robin will be properly resolved any time soon, and frankly I wouldn’t be surprised if this was strung out for another seven novels at this rate. Since I’ve been writing this blog, this is the only long-running series I have really got into and stuck with over a number of years. The familiarity of the characters is now very comforting, even if Robin’s time at Chapman’s Farm involves some of the most sinister and disturbing events in the series yet. J. K. Rowling has confirmed that she has been working on the eighth book and I would very happily read several more instalments following Strike and Ellacott’s cases. Continue reading →

Tagged as Angela Kirwin , Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Catherine Chidgey , Chris Broad , Cormoran Strike , Fiction , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews , Robert Galbraith

• Books I Read in November 2023

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Fiction , Kate Atkinson , Literary Fiction , Literature , Non fiction , Novels , Politics , Reading , Reviews , Rose George , Sebastian Payne , Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow

• Books I Read in September 2023

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Fiction , Literary Fiction , Mark O’Connell , Non fiction , Novels , Paul Murray , Reading , Reviews , Sarah Ogilvie , Zadie Smith

• Books I Read in August 2023

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Fiction , Isabel Hardman , Louise Willder , Maggie O'Farrell , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews , Stephen Bates

• Books I Read in July 2023

Tagged as Anna Funder , Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , David Foenkinos , Fiction , Literary Fiction , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Rebecca Makkai , Rose Tremain , Translated Fiction

• The Booker Prize 2023 Longlist

A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney This Other Eden by Paul Harding Pearl by Siân Hughes All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow Prophet Song by Paul Lynch In Ascension by Martin MacInnes Western Lane by Chetna Maroo The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

Tagged as Book , Book Awards , Booker Prize , Booker Prize 2023 , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Literature , Novels , Reading

• The Booker Prize 2023: Predictions, Possibilities and Preferences

As ever, my annual list of predictions consists of what I think could be some strong possibilities alongside my own personal preferences, based on a few novels I have read and others I have heard about. Novels published in the UK between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023 will be eligible. It’s impossible to know for sure which novels have been submitted for consideration, although the latest efforts by previous winners are usually considered automatically. Continue reading →

Tagged as Book , Book Awards , Booker , Booker Prize , Booker Prize 2023 , Fiction , Literary Awards , Literary Fiction , Literature , Novels , Predictions , Reading

• Books I Read in June 2023

Tagged as Book , Book Review , Book Reviews , Claire Kilroy , Fiction , George Monbiot , Julie McDowall , Non fiction , Novels , Reading , Reviews , Tim Burrows

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Book news, reviews and recommendations

Three days in and Around Lyme Regis and Just One Book

Our June holiday in The Hague started well but became a bit of a nightmare when H and I both went down with a nasty bout of covid, overshadowing much of the summer. We decided a short, easy break in Lyme Regis would finish off our recuperation. Things didn’t get off to a brilliant start […]

Three days in and Around Lyme Regis and Just One Book Read More »

Books to Look Out For in October 2024: Part Two

Back from a short break in Lyme Regis (more of which later in the week) with a second batch of October fiction which begins with a novel that didn’t quite fulfil my hopes. Set in the rain-soaked coastal community of Faha in December 1962, Time of the Child is a sequel of sorts to This

Books to Look Out For in October 2024: Part Two Read More »

Six Degrees of Separation – After Story to The Lie of the Land

Six Degrees of Separation is a meme hosted by Kate over at Books Are My Favourite and Best. It works like this: each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six others to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the titles on the list,

Six Degrees of Separation – After Story to The Lie of the Land Read More »

Books to Look Out For in October 2024: Part One

The one thing I’m sure about with my first October title is that it will be all over what used to be called the broadsheet review pages. I was not nearly as fond of Alan Hollinghurst’s Man Booker Prize-winning The Line of Beauty as many hence my doubts about Our Evenings which follows two men,

Books to Look Out For in October 2024: Part One Read More »

Blasts from the Past: The Crow Road by Iain Banks (1992)

This is the latest in a series of occasional posts featuring books I read years ago about which I was wildly enthusiastic at the time, wanting to press a copy in as many hands as I could. Iain Banks was one of those writers talented enough to excel in at least two genres. Not being

Blasts from the Past: The Crow Road by Iain Banks (1992) Read More »

Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson: ‘Fact and fiction were now hopelessly entangled’

Jackson Brodie’s last outing came after a gap of nine long years so I was delighted when Death at the Sign of the Rook popped up on Netgalley a mere three years after Big Sky was published. For those who’ve yet to read Atkinson’s crime series or watch Jason Isacc’s brilliant portrayal of Jackson in

Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson: ‘Fact and fiction were now hopelessly entangled’ Read More »

Five More Doorstopping Novels I’ve Read

Despite a preference for spare, concise fiction, I do enjoy a good chunkster. Done well, they can be the perfect escape when all you want is lose yourself in a good old-fashioned piece of storytelling. Below are five doorstoppers, each with a link to a review on my blog. Set in an Irish seaside town,

Five More Doorstopping Novels I’ve Read Read More »

Liars by Sarah Manguso: ‘I was in charge of everything and in control of nothing.’

I jumped at the chance to read Sarah Manguso’s new novel when it was pitched to me. Very Cold People was one of my books of 2022. Written in spare, crisp prose, it’s a bleak novella about an abusive childhood, extraordinarily powerful. Liars is the equally bleak story of a dysfunctional marriage told from the

Liars by Sarah Manguso: ‘I was in charge of everything and in control of nothing.’ Read More »

The Echoes by Evie Wyld: ‘Distance. The great reliever and creator of pain.’ 

I was delighted when I spotted a new Evie Wyld on NetGalley but less so when I read the blurb which mentioned a ghost watching his girlfriend grieving his death, the kind of device which sets off alarm bells for me. Set across several timelines and two continents, The Echoes unfolds Hannah’s story, revealing what

The Echoes by Evie Wyld: ‘Distance. The great reliever and creator of pain.’  Read More »

Paperbacks to Look Out For in September 2024

Another disappointingly thin paperback month although it kicks off with a gem, recently longlisted for the Booker Prize, one of two wishes fulfilled for me. Fugitive Pieces author Anne Michaels’ Held is her third novel making three in almost three decades, an indication of the care and thought with which she approaches her craft. It

Paperbacks to Look Out For in September 2024 Read More »

Heart, Be at Peace by Donal Ryan: Revisiting the past

I was delighted to see a new Donal Ryan in the publishing schedules, jumping at the chance to read it as soon as it appeared on NetGalley. Heart, Be at Peace returns to the setting of Ryan’s debut, A Spinning Heart, a decade after many in the town were devastated when the son of the

Heart, Be at Peace by Donal Ryan: Revisiting the past Read More »

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100 Best UK Book Blogs and Websites in 2024

UK Book Blogs

Here are 100 Best UK Book Blogs you should follow in 2024

1. For Reading Addicts

2. Lovereading | Helping you choose your next book

3. A Little Blog of Books

4. Lovereading 4 Kids Blog

5. The Hub by London Bookfair

6. Hodderscape | science fiction, fantasy and horror books

7. Travelling Book Junkie

8. Teen Librarian

9. London Review of Books

10. LSE Review of Books

11. Whispering Stories

12. Linda's Book Bag | Loving books and reading

13. Salt | Great books, all the time

14. Close to the Bone

15. Pan Macmillan

16. Rosie Amber

17. Picture Book Party

18. So many books, so little time

19. Federation of Children's Book Groups

20. Books'n'Stuff ~ Between the Lines

21. Annabookbel

22. eBook Addicts UK

23. Edspire | Mother, Educator and Children's Book Blogger

24. Lonesome Reader

25. A life in books | Book news, reviews and recommendations

26. Crime Book Junkie

27. A Little Book Problem Blog

28. An Awfully Big Blog Adventure

29. Austin Macauley Publishers Blog

30. Mills & Boon Blog

• UK Book Bloggers

• For Reading Addicts
• Lovereading | Helping you choose your next book
• A Little Blog of Books
• Lovereading 4 Kids Blog
• The Hub by London Bookfair
• Hodderscape | science fiction, fantasy and horror books
• Travelling Book Junkie
• Teen Librarian
• London Review of Books
• LSE Review of Books
• Whispering Stories
• Linda's Book Bag | Loving books and reading
• Salt | Great books, all the time
• Close to the Bone
• Pan Macmillan
• Rosie Amber
• Picture Book Party
• So many books, so little time
• Federation of Children's Book Groups
• Books'n'Stuff ~ Between the Lines
• Annabookbel
• eBook Addicts UK
• Edspire | Mother, Educator and Children's Book Blogger
• Lonesome Reader
• A life in books | Book news, reviews and recommendations
• Crime Book Junkie
• A Little Book Problem Blog
• An Awfully Big Blog Adventure
• Austin Macauley Publishers Blog
• Mills & Boon Blog
• Scotland Book Blogs

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Independent Book Review

A Celebration of Indie Press and Self-Published Books

30+ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

Here are 30+ top-notch book review sites for booksellers, librarians, readers, & writers. Learn more about 30 bookish companies helping spread the word about the best & latest books.

Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

Book reviews are for all of us.

Readers need to know whether books with the best covers are worth the time they’re about to put into it. They find it helpful (and fun!) to check out reviews after reading the books, too, so they can see what other real-life humans had to say about it.

Authors & publishers need to get book reviews to build buzz and credibility for their product. Librarians & booksellers need to hear from trusted sources that the book they are about to buy for their collection has the capability to get picked up & to satisfy. 

Book review sites have transformed the book-recommending landscape.

We can write reviews on product pages, on social media apps, and some of us, for publications that have been around since before the internet. Book reviewing has changed. But maybe it also hasn’t.

What kind of book review sites are you looking for? Chances are, this list has you covered.

Here are 30+ book review sites to read, write, and bookmark. 

1. Independent Book Review

Does this logo look familiar? (Hint: You’re sitting on it).

IBR, the website you’re on RIGHT NOW, is all about indie books . There are so many books in the world right now, but if you feel like you keep seeing the same ones recommended over and over, start reading indie!

Independent presses & self-published authors are doing some incredible work right now. IBR reviews books, curates lists, does indie bookstore round-ups, and uses starred reviews & best-of-the-year lists to show which books are going to blow your mind.

2. Book Marks

Lit Hub rules. You already knew this.

But do you know about Book Marks? They’re a branch of the Lit Hub network, and they are an excellent way for booksellers and librarians to get shorter recaps from multiple sources and voices.

Their staff peruses book review sites and shares pull-quotes from them in book lists & more. By reading all of these sites, they can give the book a rating based on the average: “Rave, Positive, Mixed, or Pan.”

My favorite book-buying platform, Bookshop , uses Book Marks’ scale for their books’ ratings, and I love getting access to that.

3. Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly has been around since 1872. By now, they’re a review churning machine. They cover so much of the book industry in so many different ways, reviewing nearly 9,000 books per year and providing publication announcements, agency announcements, industry job listings , bestseller lists, industry stats, a self-publishing partner, and more. 

4. Kirkus Reviews

Another one that’s been around since before the internet! 1933 to be exact. Kirkus is a widely recognized publication that book buyers & librarians follow carefully. I dare you to find a bookstore or library that doesn’t have multiple books with Kirkus Reviews plastered on their front and back covers.

5. Booklist

The American Library Association runs Booklist , a platform dedicated to helping libraries, educators, and booksellers choose books. They’ve got a magazine (since 1905!), book reviews, lists, awards, and one of my favorite bookish podcasts out there: Shelf Care .

6. Library Journal & School Library Journal

As you might be able to guess, Library Journal & School Library Journal focus on librarians too! They review a ton of books, and they write often about library-related news, collection management, technology, programs, and more. If you’re an author hoping to land your book in libraries, these are essential targets.

7. BookPage

You may have seen BookPage in your local library or bookstore. Some shops provide it for free so that patrons can look through it to find which books to buy in-store. Their website is clean and intriguing and always full of the most up-to-date releases and bestsellers.

Speaking of libraries! Have you seen our gifts for librarians ?

8. Foreword

Foreword is such an enthusiastic and dedicated champion of indie books, and they’ve been doing it since the 90s! I love how much attention university presses get here too. Their reviews are well-written & thorough, in both print & digital, and I always find something to speed-purchase once the Foreword Indie winners come out.

9. LoveReading

LoveReading is a top book-recommendation website in the UK. They’ve got starred reviews, lists, staff picks, a LitFest , eBooks, and they even donate 25% of the cover price of their books to schools of your choice. It’s reader-friendly and apparent how much they appreciate the wonder of books. 

10. Washington Independent Review of Books

What’s not to love about The Independent?

Back in 2011, a group of writers & editors were frustrated by newspapers dropping book review sections and decided to do something about it. The Washington Independent Review of Books is quite a lovely something! This nonprofit posts every day: from reviews to interviews to essays and podcasts. They host events too!

11. Book Riot

Try being a reader and not finding something you love on Book Riot. Book lists, podcasts, personalized recommendations, newsletters, book deals—this site is a haven.

It doesn’t post solo book reviews like other sites, but they do share mini-reviews in book lists and talk about reading in unique & passionate ways. The Book Riot Podcast is such a winner too! I love listening to Jeff & Rebecca laugh about the latest in books & reading.

12. Electric Lit

From novel excerpts to original short fiction & poetry, they might not only be a book review site,  but they do offer a lot in the world of book recommendations. Their Recommended Reading lit mag features unique staff picks and short, insightful book reviews.

13. The Millions

The writing in The Millions is something to behold. They are an artful source for all things book reviews & recommendations. They write stunning essays about books & reading and long reviews of new and old books. They’ve got some of my favorite Most Anticip ated lists too.

What are the biggest benefits of reading ? 🧐

14. Bookforum

Did you hear? Bookforum is back ! This book review magazine announced in December 2022 that they were closing, and my heart sank a little bit. This company means so much to the publishing industry and has for 20+ years, so when I saw (last week!) that they are returning, I did more than a few jumps for joy.

Welcome back, Bookforum! Can’t wait to see what you’ve got coming for us in book world coverage.

BOMB is in it for the art. Art, literature, film, music, theater, architecture, and dance. There are reviews and interviews, and the literature section is a real delight. The reviews are like poignant essays, and the author interviews are in-depth and feature some fascinating minds.

16. The Asian Review of Books

The only dedicated pan-Asian book review publication! It’s widely cited and features some of the best in Asian books and art, so booksellers and librarians have a source to trust to stock their collections with high-quality pan-Asian lit.

Have you seen our gifts for book lovers yet?

17. Chicago Review of Books

I love so much of what Chicago Review of Books does. They have a clean & sleek design that features some of the buzziest books as well as plenty of hidden gems from our favorite indie presses. I’m a particularly big fan of the spotlight they put on books in translation .

18. Rain Taxi

I love Rain Taxi ’s style! They champion unique books, publish their own fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and put a real emphasis on art for their magazine covers . It’s a beautiful print magazine to subscribe to, but they also share free online editions & digital archives. They even run the Rain Taxi Reading Series & Twin Cities Book Festival if you’re a real-lifer in Minnesota!

19. The Rumpus

Oh, The Rumpus ! This mostly volunteer-run online magazine publishes reviews, interviews, essays, fiction, and poetry. The reviews are in-depth and personal and heart-melting, and in addition to the site, they’ve got cool perks like the Poetry Book Club  and Letters in the Mail . The book club is where you get a pre-release book and meet the poet via Slack with other club members at the end of the month, and Letters in the Mail are actual postcards sent in the mail to you twice a month from your favorite authors.

20. Book Reporter

The selection in Book Reporter is carefully curated & enticing: hot new releases, forthcoming books, major presses, & indies. And there are plenty of unique ways to learn about them, like video interviews and monthly lists & picks. It launched in 1996 and is in The Book Report Network, which includes Reading Group Guides , a super useful resource for book clubs.

21. BookTrib .

BookTrib does such a great job of making their site browsable. The different ways you can enjoy what they offer—from book lists to giveaways to ebook deals —are difficult to keep your purchase finger off of.

23. Lit Reactor

Writers & readers—where bookish people meet! LitReactor’s book reviews are in the magazine portion of their website, and they’ve got plenty of them! Reviews, interviews, lists, introspectives, writing tips, and reading discussions. I’ve found some really unique content on Lit Reactor, like this ranking of literary parents . The website is a haven for writers especially, as there are workshops, writing blog posts, and even a forum to participate in.

24. Crime Fiction Lover

Dark alleys. Stray bullets. Hard-boiled detectives. Runaway thrills. If you’re a mystery-thriller reader, you’ve got to know about Crime Fiction Lover. They’ve got a passionate group of readers and writers talking about the best books in the genre and the ones that are soon to come out too.

25. SF Book Reviews

Speculative fiction fans unite! SF Book Reviews has been reviewing sci-fi and fantasy books since 1999, and while they’re a relatively small staff, they publish regularly, feature books of the month, and work wonders for their fantastical community.

26. Historical Novel Society

For all you historical fiction fans out there, the Historical Novel Society has reviewed more than 20,000 books in its twenty years. This one works like a membership for “writers and readers who love exploring the past.” You get a quarterly print magazine as a member, and if you’re a writer, you can join critique groups and ask for book reviews.

27. The Poetry Question

The Poetry Question writes about poetry published by indie presses and indie authors. They are a small passionate team dedicated to showing the world why indie presses continue to be a leading source for award-winning poetry.

28. Goodreads

Did you know that there are over 125 million members on Goodreads? When users review books, they can have conversations with fellow readers and follow reviewers too. If you’re looking for the biggest community, there’s no doubt Goodreads is the one. I like using sites like this because it helps you catalog books, one of my favorite ways to build a strong reading habit . 

29. The Storygraph

A big community of active users that’s Amazon free! Come review books, use half & quarter stars (!), and complete reading challenges. You got this.

29. Bookwyrm

Bookwyrm is small (around 5,000 members at the time of this writing), but doesn’t that sound kind of nice? There are active members and a genuine collective goal in talking books. Grow with it. I think you’ll be comfy here. There are other communities within the Bookwyrm umbrella too, like Bookrastinating .

30. Reedsy Discovery

I hold a special place in my heart for book review sites dedicated to helping writers! I got into this business as a book marketer, and I experienced first-hand, through hundreds of books, how hard it was to get exposure & validation for small press and self-published authors. 

Reedsy Discovery is a branch of Reedsy (the author resource company) that connects authors & reviewers so that people can read free books, sometimes receive tips for it, and authors can get more reviews in the process. Readers can choose from the latest books as well as the ones that are getting the best reviews.

31. Netgalley

Netgalley is a book review site for pre-released books. Reviewers sign up for a free account, request galleys from publishers and indie authors, and get to read them before they’re published so that they can leave reviews for the book, preferably on Amazon, Goodreads, or their blog. They also run Bookish , the editorial arm of Netgalley, which has book recommendations, interviews, and more.

32. Online Book Club

This review site combines a bunch of cool things! The 4-million member community gives me a lot of Goodreads vibes, especially with the Bookshelves app . But Online Book Club is a place for you to get eBook deals and talk about books in reviews and forums.

What are your favorite book review sites to follow? Let us know in the comments!

Thank you for reading “ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers !” If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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5 comments on “ 30+ top-notch book review sites for readers & writers ”.

Pingback: 24 Dos & Don'ts of Book Publicity | Tips on Research, Pitching & More - Independent Book Review

Check out http://www.literaryvault.com for best book reviews and author interviews. The literary Vault is a blog run and owned by a 13-year-old passionate reader who loves to share her passion and recommendations with others.

Thank you for the information!

Book review sites serve as invaluable resources for both readers and writers, offering insightful critiques, recommendations, and discussions on a wide range of literary works. Whether you’re seeking your next captivating read or looking to promote your own book, these platforms provide a wealth of information and opportunities for engagement. https://ghostwritersplanet.com/

I think BookBrowse.com definitely deserves to be on this list!

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• December 29, 2023
• 33 Comments

Top Book Bloggers to Follow in 2024

Blogging is still a hugely popular medium in 2023, with 77% of internet users reading blog posts on a regular basis. And book blogging is no exception.

Social media communities such as BookTok, Bookstagram, and BookTube have given the publishing industry a much-needed shot in the arm.

And whilst some see this success as a threat to conventional book blogging, I’d argue that it’s actually revitalised the bookish content creation landscape – including blogging.

So, to celebrate all aspects of bookish culture, I’d featured some of the best bookish content creators you should be following in 2023.

Book Bloggers

Pages unbound.

Briana & Krysta are amazing at creating (and promoting) their bookish content – if I’m ever half as successful as them, I’d be thrilled.

Rebbie Reviews

Rebbie Reviews is an absolute star. Again, a really fine book blogger. She takes part in The Write Reads book tour circuit fairly frequently, so you can guarantee you’ll find some interesting independently published books on her blog.

She also brought my attention to a  really interesting used book scheme  that is promoting literacy in the UK, whilst reducing waste.

How to Write Better Book Reviews

Spells & spaceships.

Alex @ Spells & Spaceships has cornered the SFF book blogging game like an absolute pro.

His interviews with authors are always interesting, and his famed #Norsevember month of Norse-based content is really impressive.

Little Bird Book Blog

Little Bird Book Blog has captured a really neat aesthetic; it’s approachable and captures what Rosie, the blogger, is all about.

She has a very conversational writing style, which brings you closer to the writing itself. I really enjoy that aspect of her blogging.

Cozy With Books

Cozy with Books once posted 100 blog posts in 100 days . That’s how seriously she takes blogging. Her dedication is matched equally by her quality of content.

Plus, Esther’s just a really flipping nice person.

We don’t typically read the same books, but that’s partly why I enjoy her blog so much – it exposes me to other types of writing.

Lit Lemon Books

Mackenzie @ Lit Lemon Books is brilliant. She posts regular, diverse book-related content – as well as some fun ‘beyond bookish’ posts including her  favourite scary movies . 

Interestingly, she also challenged herself to ‘read for free’ back in 2022, by supporting local libraries. For many of us, the idea of not buying new books for an entire year is virtually impossible, so do check in and see how she’s doing!

Out of This World SFF

As you can perhaps take away from the name, Out of This World SFF is a blog geared towards fantasy and science fiction novels.

However, this is a blog that focuses on new and upcoming books from less-known presses and independently published fiction. Nick, who runs the blog, also publishes a variety of content outside of reviews, including book tour stops, cover reveals, and author interviews.

Because of this approach to blogging, readers of Out of This World SFF should expect to find fresh, exciting new writing in the sci-fi and fantasy genres.

Book Bloggers Beginner's Guide to SEO

A literary escape.

Celeste is a fine book blogger who runs A Literary Escape –  a book blog that focuses primarily on fantasy fiction. However, she also publishes the occasional science fiction and non-fiction review (including high-profile release, Spare ).

Reviews on A Literary Escape adopt a more conversational tone, which is super approachable, digestible, and actually feels very personal to the reader. Reviews provoke conversation, which is why Celeste has a healthy community of regular commenters.

Definitely worth checking out.

The Redhead Notes

Jennie @ The Redhead Notes positions herself as a blogger who empowers authors by giving them a platform online.

As such, she features a lot of guest posts on a variety of topics. from  spotlighting  indie publishers  to the more quirky articles such as a guide to tea-drinking . 

It’s a unique corner of the internet, and the sheer variety of content on offer makes The Redhead Notes a book blog that comes highly recommended.

Bookaholic Bex

Bex is one of the funniest, most authentic people on Twitter – and a  super passionate blogger . After all, she’s focused on ‘books, more books, and nothing but the books’!

If you’re not  following Bex , you’re missing out big time.

Beth of BooksNest has been blogging at booksnest.co.uk for a few years now, but really found a voice and presence on YouTube.

Recently she’s pivoted towards travel-based vlogs, but high-quality bookish content remains at the heart of  her channel .

A Frolic Through Fiction

Ashleigh at A Frolic Through Fiction is pretty prolific bookish content creator across both Bookstagram and BookTube.

And with a cozy cottagecore vibe and aesthetic, A Frolic Through Fiction videos always come with exceptional production value.

From witchy books recommendations for your TBR, through to bullet journal planning, and even immersive ASMR videos – A Frolic Through Fiction is a BookTube channel with some incredible content.

The Not So Secret Bookaholic

Chelsea, aka The Not So Secret Bookaholic, is a BookTuber who focuses primarily on TBR recommendations, book hauls, and weekly reading vlogs.

Using less stylisation and filters than other BookTubers, she keeps her content lean, clean, and super authentic. 

It’s this authenticity and approachable screen presence that makes The Not So Secret Bookaholic channel such a great channel to tune into on a weekly basis!

Got any bloggers you want to give a shout out to? Post a link to their site below!

Enjoy this blog post? Try these

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33 thoughts on “Top Book Bloggers to Follow in 2024”

Hey, this list is awesome! Love your blog too. I run a site called Self-Pub Man that showcases indie authors and books. If you wanna check it out, it’s at https://selfpubman.com . Keep up the great work!

Thanks Albert! Love the aesthetic of your website! \o/

This is such a great list! I’m working on a book blogger directory for my website, and this will be a fantastic place to start! I already follow quite a few of the people on this list, and I will vouch especially for Esther of Cozy with Books being such a nice person. She’s one of my favorite people!

my blog, for reference: https://thepickybookworm.com

Thank you so much for the comment! Thanks for sharing your blog too — I’ll definitely check it out 🙂

Thanks for the shout out to my blog…I think it’s this page that brings a lot of people to my site, so thank you!

No worries, Celeste! Hope things are well and that you’re having a great new year! 🙏

Love seeing several bloggers with similar interests! Mine is: https://likelystory.blog/

http://www.missbookthief.com

http://www.magnificentmommas.us

https://www.literaryvault.com/

The Literary Vault is a book review blog run by a 13 years old middle school girl who made her debut in the literary world by publishing stories on medium at the age of 10. An avid reader and a bookworm at heart, “C.A.” as she prefers for her name, creates reviews that are as vivid and alive as the scenes in the book. In a short amount of time, she is able to transfer her reading of various genres into engaging and meaningful reviews and thoughts.

Hey Mindy – thanks for sharing!

It’s a great blog. Really compelling and passionate writing style. Will check out future blogs and reviews 🙂

Yes, Worth adding to the 2023 book blogs to follow. It is also featured by Feedspot as top 100 book review blogs.

https://rss.feedspot.com/book_review_rss_feeds/?_src=tagsection

Fun list, I found some new sites I didn’t know about. Mine is https://www.theyashelf.com

Nice article

Nice articles and your information is valuable and good articles thank you for the sharing information.

Great piece! I enjoy the rest of your blog too. I run The Book Smuggler’s Den that specific for inde authors. You can find me at https://www.booksmugglersden.com

Thanks Dani! Will totally check out TBSD! ?

Hey! Novellives.com here.. please give it a look!

What an interesting and good content you made, thank you We will definitely use the contents of these people for the Iranian site https://365book.ir/ where we are active so that people can use the translation and interpretation of these contents

great list, check out our blog too, we usually do book reviews and top lists all the time. https://booknerdection.com/

Will absolutely check your blog out. Just had a cursory glance through a couple of articles and it’s laid out in a really great way ?

Thanks for the comment ☺️

Thank you for your kind words, it made my day ?

Nice list surely going to read them in future !

Cheers for the comment, Mark! You absolutely should – there’s some great content in there.

I loved reading this and finding so many new bloggers to check out! Chapters of May, The Wordy Habitat, The Bashful Bookworm, Read and Review It, and Worlds Unlike Our Own are some of my favorites 🙂

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Stephanie!

I’m heading over to their blogs to check them out immediately!

Have a great day ?

Just rummaging around your blog John, so I’m late to this post. I’m doing this challenge too. I do believe it is a great way to keep up with other book bloggers and to get lots of ideas for new books, new genres and new posts to introduce to your own blog.

Definitely. Do you have a post on the same topic?

If so, feel free to drop a link in the comments here – I’m always up for finding new bloggers to follow!

• Pingback: YA Fiction Snobbery Needs to Stop. Right now. | Tales from Absurdia

Lots of new to me blogs here! I’ll check em out 🙂

Thanks for the comment, Jenna! I think you’ll find some that you really enjoy ?

Thanks so much for participating! And I’m so glad you like our blog!

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What is finance for?

John lanchester.

I t is easy ​ to misunderstand what contemporary finance is and does. Common sense, and the textbook, both say that finance is the business of moving money from A to B. There are times when money in place A, a saver’s bank account, say, would be usefully deployed in place B, a business needing cash to expand, or an individual wanting a mortgage to be able to buy somewhere to live....

in our society the classic three ways of making a fortune still apply: inherit it, marry it, or steal it. But for an ordinary citizen who wants to become rich through working at a salaried job, finance is by an enormous margin the most likely path. And yet, the thing they’re doing in finance is useless.

Mao’s Right Hand

Perry anderson.

E very modern revolution ​ of significance, from 1789 to the present, has produced a diaspora. The exodus from Russia after the end of its ancien régime scattered minds of exceptional brilliance in the arts, humanities and social sciences across the West. In China, where the old order had a history thousands of years longer, and civil war preceded rather than followed the revolution that...

Mao lacked the patience for consistent administration, and the experience of the world outside China (with the manners that came with it) for skilful diplomacy. He needed Zhou Enlai for these, and at no time more than when he launched the Cultural Revolution.

Rachel Kushner’s ‘Creation Lake’

Brandon taylor.

R achel Kushner ​’s fourth novel, Creation Lake , shuttles between the story of Sadie Smith, a spy-for-hire tasked with observing Le Moulin, a radical environmentalist commune in rural southwest France, and the intercepted emails of Bruno Lacombe, a cave-dwelling local eccentric who serves as the Moulinards’ mentor and spiritual icon. You might expect this marriage between cool...

Shallow, rapidly swirling narrative consciousness has come to define the refugees of the Attention Span Wars, those writers whose capacity for concentration has been so compromised by the internet that they leave us not with a fragmented form – which might still have something to offer readers – but with the fragmentation of concentration itself.

Lucian Freud’s Sitters

L ucian Freud ​ resembled certain film directors – Ingmar Bergman, for example – in that the lead characters in his works influenced the way the creation took shape, often guiding it into entirely new territory. There is an unspoken understanding between the film director and the actor that their involvement isn’t permanent: the actor may be offered a more desirable part, or...

Lucian Freud resembled certain film directors – Ingmar Bergman, for example – in that the lead characters in his works influenced the way the creation took shape, often guiding it into entirely new territory.

Doing it with the in-laws

Francis gooding.

M aurice Godelier’ ​s Forbidden Fruit is a small book about a big subject. It can afford to be short because, despite all the ink spilled and pencils chewed, what is known about incest and its prohibition can be summarised quite succinctly. The origin of the incest taboo is still a mystery, and though many theories have been proposed, few universal conclusions can safely be drawn; like...

Everywhere, it seems, human beings have believed that sexual desire must be curbed – it is ‘a source of conflict’, Maurice Godelier says, and ‘cannot be entirely left up to each individual’.

Bloody Jane

I n ​ 1921, Jane Ellen Harrison, the maverick Cambridge classicist and celebrity public intellectual, was introduced to the crown prince of Japan when he came to receive an honorary degree from the university. She revisited this occasion a few years later in her memoir, Reminiscences of a Student’s Life . ‘If you must curtsey to a man young enough to be your grandson,’ she...

The old stereotype of Greek religion collapsed under her onslaught. No scholar since has been able to ignore the religion’s wild, irrational and bloody aspects. It was for academic among other reasons, no doubt, that she was sometimes nicknamed ‘Bloody Jane’.

In the latest issue

12 september 2024.

• John Lanchester: What is finance for?
• Kevin Okoth: Short Cuts
• Ferdinand Mount: Ancient India
• Perry Anderson: Mao’s Right Hand
• Lucy Wooding: Early Modern Espionage
• Mary Beard: Bloody Jane
• Francis Gooding: Doing it with the in-laws
• John-Paul Stonard: At the Punta della Dogana
• Frederick Wilmot-Smith: On the Rule of Law
• Stefan Collini: Fitzjames Stephen's Reviews
• Christian Lorentzen: Among the Democrats
• Maureen N. McLane: ‘Long Slide (Gnomic Stanzas)’
• Brandon Taylor: Rachel Kushner’s ‘Creation Lake’
• Malin Hay: On Barbra Streisand
• Nicholas Penny: Old Furniture
• Edmund Gordon: Camille Bordas’s ‘Material’
• Celia Paul: Diary

Don’t take our word for it

Subscribe to the  LRB  – perfect for anyone with an interest in history, politics, literature and the arts.

Early Modern Espionage

Lucy wooding.

T he life ​ of a Tudor statesman could be a painful one. Even if dignified by a measure of moral integrity or, conversely, sweetened by the fruits of corruption, it still required long hours of unremitting labour. In the 16th century, when the political process rested less on institutions and more on informal networks and shared expectations, a regime was only ever a few steps away from...

In the 16th century, when the political process rested less on institutions and more on informal networks and shared expectations, a regime was only ever a few steps away from disaster. Robert Cecil knew only too well how much work was required to keep the country stable.

Ancient India

Ferdinand mount.

T he sun ​ still sparkles on the sapphire sea at Mamallapuram. The shoppers and sightseers still dawdle along the harbour front, gawping at the astonishing sculptures carved on the rocks behind: the gods and goddesses, bare-breasted and smiling; the lions, water buffalo, cobras and, of course, elephants. Nothing much has changed since the seventh-century poet Dandin, the greatest Sanskrit...

The wealth of India had been a legend in the Mediterranean since the fourth century BC, enhanced by Alexander the Great’s forays. India, not China, was Rome’s greatest trading partner. The sea was, after all, the fastest and most economic mode of travel in the pre-modern world.

Old Furniture

Nicholas penny.

T he triumphalism ​ of the great auction houses tends to conceal the fact that certain categories of chattel have crashed in value over the last quarter of a century, and none more so than ‘brown furniture’. Changes in lifestyle have played a part. An indoor pool or family cinema is now a higher priority than a library among those who can afford such things; dining is less formal...

The triumphalism​ of the great auction houses tends to conceal the fact that certain categories of chattel have crashed in value over the last quarter of a century, and none more so than ‘brown furniture’.

On Barbra Streisand

T here’s ​ an old joke. ‘A man was choking to death in a restaurant and Barbra Streisand was sitting at the next table. She rushed over and did the Heimlich manoeuvre and saved his life. Next day the headline read: Barbra Streisand Takes the Food Right Out of a Person’s Mouth .’ Streisand repeats the joke in her autobiography, My Name Is Barbra , to explain why she felt a...

There’s something exciting about the carelessness with which Barbra Streisand describes ‘this singing thing’: the tears ‘running down the cheeks’ of her astonished friends, the vocal coach she abandoned after one lesson (‘I knew I had to do it my way’), the opportunities that crowded in every time she opened her mouth and let a Broadway standard fall out.

On the Rule of Law

Frederick wilmot-smith.

I n November ​ last year, the UK government’s signature policy on asylum seekers was judged unlawful by the Supreme Court. At various other points over the last twelve months, Israel’s Supreme Court declared the Netanyahu government’s judicial reforms invalid; the US Supreme Court was asked (but declined) to disqualify Donald Trump from standing for president; and the...

Mediation is not a solution that seeks to resolve cases justly according to law; it tries to get parties to negotiate a compromise. As Hazel Genn put it, the outcome of mediation ‘is not about just settlement, it is just about settlement .’

Kenya’s Crises

Kevin okoth.

K enya’s ​ government is in crisis. In May, President William Ruto introduced a controversial new finance bill, which proposed higher duties on basic goods such as bread, vegetable oil and sugar, as well as an ‘eco-levy’ that would drive up the cost of sanitary towels and other items. Ruto said the taxes would raise a much needed additional £2 billion in government...

Young Kenyans are frustrated by a lack of economic opportunities and public services, characterising themselves as ‘Gen Zs’ waging a struggle for intergenerational justice. Eighty per cent of the population is under the age of 35, and the majority of those of working age are unemployed. 

Pierre Huyghe’s Posthumans

John-paul stonard.

A small, ​ pale limulus horseshoe crab, one of those prehistoric-looking creatures with long tails, scuttles across the sandy bed of a large aquarium. From behind a boulder improbably suspended in the water appears a long-legged arrow crab, with its distinctive Eiffel Tower-shaped head and spindly scarlet legs. The arrow crab picks up something white with a pincer and begins to munch on it, as...

Pierre Huyghe is staging an epic collision between the origins of organic life and its most recent (and maybe final) manifestation, in the form of sentient technology. ‘Hotel’, the LED mask intones, as if it were the first and last word ever to be spoken.

Fitzjames Stephen's Reviews

Stefan collini.

E very so often ​, a periodical comes along that sets the pace for a number of years thanks to the decisiveness of its editorial direction and the quality of its contributions. In 1855 the arrival of a new weekly journal represented one such transformative moment. The Saturday Review addressed itself to ‘serious, thoughtful men of all schools, classes and principles’,...

What really distinguished the  Saturday Review  was its tone – self-consciously unillusioned, unsentimental, exacting, a tone that announced the presence of high-quality butchers specialising in the sacred cows of the age. ‘On Sunday the paper became part of the breakfast,’ the critic and novelist Walter Besant recalled; ‘it was read with savage joy.’ 

Camille Bordas’s ‘Material’

Edmund gordon.

F iction ​ about creative writing programmes is always vulnerable to accusations of navel-gazing. Camille Bordas has, however, provided her new novel with an alibi. The Material follows the staff and students on the ‘MFA in stand-up’ at an unnamed Chicago university over the last day of the autumn term. It’s a clever conceit, giving the eternal question about writing...

Putting stand-up at the heart of a campus novel allows Camille Bordas to highlight the awkward fit between the modern university, with its risk-averse corporate structures, and creative work.

From the blog

‘you die here, or you leave’, selma dabbagh.

On 28 August, Israel launched a ground and air attack on the northern West Bank, ‘the biggest of its kind since 2002’. With the military  . . .

After the Riots

Taran n. khan.

Bibi Rabbiyah Khan told me that she worried about her children and grandchildren. Her family had moved to London in the 1960s, when she was eight  . . .

Executive Action

Nicholas reed langen.

It isn’t only on the economy that Labour is aping the Conservative Party. In May this year, the High Court ruled that the protest regulations  . . .

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The Literary Edit

Thirteen of the Best Book Blogs to Follow

Finding the best book blogs to follow is becoming more and more popular and while books will always be my go-to, when it comes to my reading material of choice, I also love spending a lazy Saturday morning in bed with the sun streaming through my window catching up on the latest posts from some of my favourite book bloggers.

And while back in the infancy of book blogging, when most blogs about books for book lovers were unsophisticated at best, and downright dreary at worst, these days the best book bloggers are the proud owners of some seriously sophisticated sites. From the crème de la crème of bookish photography, to book memes, sleek lay outs and more, these bloggers are proving that books are anything but boring.  There are a number of fellow book bloggers I’ve been following for a while, but most of my current favourites have been sites I’ve come across in the weeks that have passed since my book blog won the London Book Fair’s Book Blogger of the Year award , meaning there are ample posts for me to read, requiring endless hours in bed as I pour over the best book review blogs.

From the new kid on the book blogging block, to some long-time and firm favourites, I’ve rounded up thirteen of the most stylish book lover blogs to follow. Perfect for anyone wanting to up their reading repertoire or in need of some beautifully bookish inspiration. And so, whether you’re looking for book recommendation blogs or book reviews blogs, book bloggers to follow, the very best new books to read, the latest mystery books, or some inspiration for your next book club, read on for my very favourite and most popular book blogs.

Looking for Abura

A blog about books I’ve come across most recently, has been Looking for Aruba; a beautiful blog featuring books, life and style from Dubai-based Abeer. A self-confessed caffeinated geek who spends most of her time buried under the pages of a book, her blog features everything from photo diaries to book reviews and personal outtakes, and it’s oh-so-easy to lose yourself in the pages of her blog. With a beautiful Bookstagram to boot, it’s easy to see why she’s a book review blogger with such a legion of loyal followers.

Kath Reads is another blog I’ve come across in recent weeks, and suffice it to say I’ve spent many hours since pouring over her plethora of book reviews. A great source of fiction book reviews, Kath is a Filipina living in Germany with her husband, and covers books by everyone from J K Rowling to John Green – from romance books to mystery books and many more besides. And as a fellow chai latte lover, it’s clear the girl has great taste.

With book reviews in both English and Dutch, Netherlands-based Femke reads all things YA, offers readers an intimate insight into her love of books and is one of my favourite book review blogs. She too has a lovely Bookstagram account, that features flowers, fairy lights and the all important cup of tea alongside her current book of choice. Find out which tomes Femke chose for my  Desert Island Book  series.

The Guy with the Book

While no stranger to having an online book-fuelled platform, Faroukh from The Guy with the Book has turned his Bookstagram talents (he recently won the London Book Fair’s Bookstagrammer of the Year) to the world of book blogging. With everything from Instagram tips to The Travelling Biblio Chronicles – a new series in which guest bloggers will be paying homage to a tale set in the city in which they live. Faroukh’s book blog is a fabulous online resource for anyone wanting to up their reading game. Faroukh too has been a great supporter of my book blog, and was also kind enough to share with me his Desert island Books picks which will give you book recommendations a-plenty.

The Book Satchel

I’ve recently featured Resh on my Desert Island Book series and she was one of the first blogs on books I thought of when I began putting this post together. She writes about everything from her predictions when it comes to book prizes to her thoughts on two books by the same author, and with posts covering her 30 books in 30 days challenge, her bookish blog, and captivating book reviews will inspire any avid bookworm to make more time for reading.

Yeldah Yousfi

When it comes to beautiful book blogs, Yeldah Yousfi’s literary and lifestyle blog is undoubtedly one of my very favourites. Fusing travel with books, you’ll find posts on everything from city breaks to her 2018 reading goals, and her stunning Bookstagram account offers some serious bookish inspiration, with pictures taken from Toronto to Paris and everywhere in between.

Lucy the Reader

Book blogger, author and Brontë Society’s Young Ambassador, Lucy Powrie from Lucy the Reader is one of the top book bloggers for all thing YA and definitely one of the best book blogs around. Creator and host of #UKYAChat, Lucy’s YA book blog offers great book reviews for teens and is fresh, vibrant and rich with great content – offering readers everything from book reviews to tips on getting published.

Savidge Reads

An esteemed name in the book blogging world, Simon from Savidge Reads started his book blog to stop boring everyone he met with talk of books, and has certainly come a long way since then. With a recent appearance on the BBC to discuss the Man Booker Prize winner, as well as having been on the judging panel for the 2017 Costa Book Award, he’s one of the most influential book bloggers out there. Alongside his popular book blog, he also has a fabulous Book Tube channel  and is co-host of The Readers Podcast .

Bookish Bronte

With one of the most popular Bookstagram accounts around, Bookish Bronte’s brilliant book blog gives readers an intimate insight into the life behind the lens of a bookish photographer. Having worked on countless campaigns with brands from Cath Kidston to Penguin Random House, Bronte offers readers advice on how to write engaging Instagram captions, to what life as a book blogger and bookish photographer is really like.

Bag Full of Books

Arpita from Bag Full of Books has got armchair travel down to a fine art and was another recent guest on my Desert Island Books . With beautiful visuals, and book reviews a-plenty, Arpita loves nothing more than being stuck in the middle of a good book, and having lived everywhere from India to the US she occasionally writes travel-themed posts, and also has an impressive list of classics she hopes to read her way through by 2021.

Modern Mrs Darcy

Book blogger, author and podcaster extraordinaire, Anne Bogel from Modern Mrs Darcy is the ultimate bibliophile, featuring everything from romance book reviews to a behind the scenes look at her progress from blogger to book, and is one of the best book blogs I’ve read. Host of the much loved What Should I Read Next  podcast, her blog posts cover topics from Expert Tip for a Pretty, Peaceful, Practical Bookshelf , to Discover Graphic Novels with these 8 Favourite Reads.  Putting a timely spin on timeless women’s issues, this beautiful book blog also features tips on house and home and is so much more than a books review blog.

Ink & Fable

One of the most stylish book bloggers in the blogosphere, since discovering Ink and Fable on Instagram a few months ago, I’ve been a huge fan of Patience Randal’s literary blog. With book store articles and book recommendations a key feature of her book blog, she’s also launched a Little Things  series, in which she documents the little things that have made her week.

A Bookish Baker

With a community book club on Instagram where they share cosy fireside reads, Helen from A Bookish Baker has mastered the art of comfort reading, and I loved reading her Desert Island Books picks. Her blog on books and reading captures the essence of al things brilliantly British. Alongside her bookish content you’ll find tips on online storytelling, book reviews, writing, Instagram photography, baking, chicken-keeping and the seasons. One of the top book blogs for when you want to inject some stillness and calm into a chaotic afternoon.

Do you read some amazing blogs for book lovers that I’ve missed here? Be sure to get in touch and let me know so I can update my list of the best blogs about books!

Read my Where the Crawdads Sing review next!

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41 comments on “Thirteen of the Best Book Blogs to Follow”

None of these accounts surprise me. There is so much inspiration to take from each one of them. Also glad you have discovered your blog

Thanks for stopping by Sushma – and I completely agree that there’s a lot of inspiration to be taken from each of the blogs! xo

Thanks for this great resource. Many of these blogs are new to me, and I can’t wait to give them a read.

Thanks for stopping by Andrea – I hope you love them all as much as I do! xo

This was a great resource for me! Thanks for posting. I’ve been looking for inspiration and this helped a lot!

Thanks for stopping by Taylor – so glad you found it helpful! xo

I am glad that I came across this post and blog. I am going to check out these other blogs as well. I love when I am going to come across other book blogs.

Thanks for stopping by Issy! Hope you enjoy the blogs I’ve suggested, and do let me know if there are any others you’d recommend. xo

This is great! I’ve been searching high and low the past few days for blogs that are similar to what I’m trying to do. I love Modern Mrs. Darcy of course but wanted to see what else was out there. Yay! So much good stuff. And your blog is fabulous – love, love, love it. Thanks again for putting together this post – it was perfect 🙂 – Nicolle

Hi Nicole, thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such a lovely comment. I’m so glad you found the post useful! xo

Great list.

I would add readability.com.au too.

It’s much more than a review blog, exploring the issues raised by authors and their books.

Thanks for stopping by Ben – will check out Readability!

These blogs sound amazing! I have a tiny little book blog too, so these blogs will be great for some inspiration. Thank you! The Voracious Bibliophile @ https://thevoraciousbibliophile.wordpress.com

These blogs sound quite interesting, Lucy! I’ll definitely visit them for some inspiration, and I have no doubt that I’ll love them. I have a tiny little book blog too, and I hope you’ll check it out! Thank you!

Hi there – I’m so glad you like the sound of these blogs. I’ll be sure to check yours out too! Lucy xo

Thanks for this awesome list! Some I have heard of, most I am eagerly waiting to finish this comment so I can go check them out! Great job! And love your own blog! It’s clean, dynamic, and full of great content! Thank you!

Thanks for stopping by Benjamin, and for your lovely words about my blog. Hope you have a great time checking out my favourite book blogs! xo

Hi, Nice blog site and great design. I really liked your pick for the best bloggers. Thanks

Thanks for stopping by Alexander. Glad you liked my pick of the best book bloggers!

Thank you for this blog! I have been a blogger for sometime and have been looking for an inspiration…and these blogs will help me to inspire more

Glad to hear it Samadhee! xo

Hey, this is a fantastic post! Thanks for sharing. As a blogger myself, I do appreciate ideas from a diverse range of places. Kudos!

Thanks Madeleine! xo

bookish bronte is the best book blogger of them all, i personally like him a lot

I’m a big fan of Bookish Bronte too – she’s incredibly talented, particularly when it comes to her photography skills!

Hey, my Saturday routine is the same as yours, copious cups of tea catching up on the latest posts from some of my favorite book bloggers :). By the way thanks for this article. Such an informative content!

Great minds thing alike! Glad you enjoyed the article xo

I checked out these blogs and many haven’t had any new posts for months. In fact, only three have posts within the past three months. Perhaps you could only include blogs who consistently post?

Hi Lynne, thanks for stopping by. I collated the list based on the quality rather than frequency of content from the various bloggers. Appreciate your feedback though and hope you have a great week!

Kath Reads is on of my fav!

Great post! I look forward to visiting all of them!. I’m new to the book blogging world and would love to ‘dip my foot in the water’ by getting some inspiration from these blogs 🙂

Thanks for stopping by Patricia – I hope they provide you with lots of literary inspiration xo

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Thanks Rona!

Omg. these accounts are stunning

I would like to say you thank you for such an amazing blog on best books to follow. Keep it up and thank you.

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Hi Lucy, Love this list of beautiful book blogs! I’ll throw out my romance book blog as one for the list: https://www.shereadsromancebooks.com/ I also love how you highlight beautiful bookstores on your blog. I want to visit every one!

Great list of sites. I use a couple of these.

Thanks so much for this list, I’m coming to it late but I’ve started researching book review blogs since I started my own, building it up slowly but I love reading. https://www.imlovingbooks.com

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Friday, October 19, 2018

Books to be reviewed: cree by una, sunday, october 7, 2018, book review: midnight comes at noon, sunday, august 5, 2018, book review: the sound of falling by scott d. brillon, wednesday, august 1, 2018, books to be reviewed: missing him by l penn, thursday, june 21, 2018, book review: atlantis by david gibbins, tuesday, may 29, 2018, book review: mister roberts by alexei sayle, sunday, may 20, 2018, book review: i spy with my little eye by linnea mills.

Top Book Blogs, Book Reviewers & Book Bloggers

By Zachary Kai

November 6, 2023

Excellent Book Blogs To Follow: The Best Book Blogging On The Internet

Book marketing tools.

Book Marketing Tools is helpful for people who want to write. They have posts on publishing and everything you need to know. This website is perfect for advice on how to become a published author. They have a podcast called The Author Hangout.

Electric Literature

Electric Literature is a nonprofit literary organization. They help people find out about books with digital and traditional reading. Their content has fascinating essays and book reviews.

Novel Kicks

Laura is a writer, blogger, and bookworm. She started Novel Kicks in 2009 for people to connect and share their interest in literature. Laura has a blog with a book club. It’s every month, and she picks the book. Read it and talk about it on the blog.

Bookanista is a UK-based magazine. It’s made by Mark Reynolds, who is a copywriter and an editor. This is a great website with interesting articles about the written word and poetry .

The Literary Edit

Lucy loves to read. She started her site to track the books she was reading and it’s grown into a site about book festivals and style. This book blog is well written and has a clean design.

Yeldah Yousfi

Yeldah Yousfi is a freelance writer and blogger from Toronto, Canada. Her blog covers literature, lifestyle, and travel with a particular interest in historical fiction. It’s a beautiful site. Yeldah does excellent work with her photography. She does insightful and funny reviews.

Book Riot is a website focusing on traditionally published books and literature. They have been around for years and they have many articles, including curated book lists, and various podcasts focusing on different genres.

The New York Review Of Books is a newspaper reviewing books. It’s been going for a while and is well known in publishing. NYR never avoids difficult or serious topics. They always do this with sensitivity and good knowledge.

Helping Writers Become Authors

K.M. Weiland writes about things related to writing and reading. Her blog is popular and a definitive resource on the craft. Packed with advice and interesting articles. Helping Writers Become Authors is an excellent resource.

The Horn Book

Like children’s and young adult books? For years, The Horn Book has been the leading authority on those. They have opinion pieces written by many people. This is an excellent magazine too, in print and digital.

The Millions

C. Max Magee created the Millions with a passion for literature, arts, and culture. Years later, it still has the same quality. The writing is excellent and so are the topics they write about. I like this magazine!

The New Yorker

Page Turner is a book review and magazine of the New Yorker. It has many reviews and opinions on literature. There is new content on their website every few days. The articles are thought-provoking.

Quill and Quire

Quill and Quire is a magazine focusing on Canadian and children’s books. It’s both in print and digital form. Their book reviews are insightful and well written. Quill and Quire have an excellent staff of writers.

Penguin Random House

The Perch Blog informs you of new releases, authors, books and series associated with the publishing house. The blog is full of new books and guest posts. They have enough recommendations to keep you busy!

Under The Covers

When we were supposed to be sleeping, we read under the covers. This is a blog about Romance books. They have good reviews, a beautiful design and a great book club.

Modern Mrs Darcy

Anne is a writer, blogger and avid reader. She liked feminism and reading, so she combined the two on her blog. She’s been featured on many authority sites in the booksphere. Anne has great books on reading with purpose.

Story Box Library

Story Box Library is a blog for Australian schools and classrooms. They have articles and thoughts on the written word. This blog talks about books, authors and resources for kids. They recommend books for various ages.

Ink and Fable

Ink & Fable is a lifestyle and book brand by Patience Randle. It connects people who are creative or like to read books. Patience is a good writer and book blogger. She’s warm, expressive, and witty.

Library Journal

Library Journal is a journal about libraries, but there’s also interesting content about books in this magazine. They have many articles and awards, and they celebrate libraries.

BookPage is a monthly book review magazine. They publish special features, author interviews and more. Independent and unbiased. BookPage has good reviews and posts about authors. Worth the subscription.

The New York Times

The New York Times has a section on books, like any high-quality newspaper! It covers essays to upcoming releases. Intelligent and reviewed by an expert team of writers and editors. Expect excellent content.

NewInBooks finds you the best new books in different genres and formats. NewInBooks has interviews with authors, too. A reliable source for the best new novel releases.

Rough Ghosts

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Writing for Kids

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September 10th, 2024

Wronged: the weaponization of victimhood – review.

1 comment | 4 shares

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

In Wronged: The Weaponization of Victimhood ,  Lilie Chouliaraki explores victimhood as a flexible concept shaped by hierarchies of power in public discourse. Dissecting the weaponisation or erasure of suffering in different contexts, Chouliaraki’s book offers a powerful and nuanced analysis of how victimhood is politicised in contemporary society, writes  Amal Latif .

Wronged: The Weaponization of Victimhood . Lilie Chouliaraki. Columbia University Press. 2024.

[The book’s] primary argument is that victimhood is not a stable identity but a ‘contingent and malleable speech act’

Chapter Two, “Who Used to Be a Victim?” studies the emergence of a hierarchy of victimhood across gender and race lines in emotional capitalism before examining the Eurocentric language of pain. This chapter meticulously reproduces the histories of the victim in the mainstream discourse, specifically of the white male soldier as the modern war victim, “a central and recurring image of trauma in our century” (39). The author explicates the argument by drawing examples of modern wars, such as those in Afghanistan and Iraq, which were justified on humanitarian grounds: namely, to protect civilians (within and outside these countries) from the oppressive regime of the Taliban, the alleged nuclear weapons of Saddam Hussein (66) and, more symbolically, to protect the idea of Western democracy from being undermined. This promoted the interests of Western powers for global influence. At the same time, the Eurocentric narratives justified the wars through the psychological effects of exposure to war violence that is inflicted upon the morally injured soldiers (with their own acts of violence).

The self-oriented moral injury concerning the other’s suffering casts Western soldiers ‘not as perpetrators, but as victims of war devastation’ (68). One can also draw parallels to the present, where nation-states employ collective victimhood to gather solidarity and sentiments on a global level.

The self-oriented moral injury concerning the other’s suffering casts Western soldiers “not as perpetrators, but as victims of war devastation” (68). One can also draw parallels to the present, where nation-states employ collective victimhood to gather solidarity and sentiments on a global level. The ongoing war inflicted on Palestine by Israel is a timely example where Israel has been claiming and performing victimhood to justify both direct and structural violence against Palestinians. In this case, it is used to sustain a feeling of entitlement and global solidarity in destroying the “other”. Today, Israel continues to bomb the civilians and children in Gaza as the International Court of Justice, based at The Hague in the Netherlands, has been examining the issue since the beginning of last year   at the request of the UN General Assembly .

How did populist discourse mobilise the languages of pain in its communication of pandemic suffering?

Subsequently, Chapter Three focuses on the populist weaponisation of victimhood in the recent pandemic in the Anglo-American context. The author asks a crucial question here: How did populist discourse mobilise the languages of pain in its communication of pandemic suffering? By “normalisation,” the anti-lockdown activists downplayed the increasing threat of the virus to maintain a sense of uninterrupted continuity in people’s everyday lives. In the context of authoritarian populism in the UK and the US, the work points out the dislocation of two kinds of suffering: the systemic suffering experienced by the classed, racialised, and gendered groups most likely vulnerable to the virus and tactical suffering , claimed primarily by anti-lockdown activists and far-right libertarians (82). Even though mortality rates among Black men were the highest of all social groups, Black women were the most vulnerable as they are disproportionately represented as “essential” or “frontline” workers and so more at risk of contagion, yet at the same time they “often lack job security,”. Delineating these two kinds of suffering is crucial in comprehending how victimhood is weaponised to serve particular political, social, or economic interests, often at the expense of the actual victims.

The final chapter, ‘How Can Victimhood Be Reclaimed?’, sets on a quest to explore how victimhood can benefit the structurally oppressed.

The final chapter, “How Can Victimhood Be Reclaimed?”, sets on a quest to explore how victimhood can benefit the structurally oppressed. The work sets out recommendations for public discourse to go beyond the politics of pain and its affective responses to suffering, empathy, and anger by combining these emotions with collectivist narratives of justice, mainly focusing on the oppressed. Claims of victimhood are claims to power; hence, the author calls the readers to understand why we should feel or engage with a particular kind of suffering and, where needed. One can do this by asking a few crucial questions: Who is the victim and perpetrator in a specific narrative around victimhood? Which social positions (of class, gender, race, sexuality, ability) do the actors of suffering occupy? Who is silenced in the process of claiming victimhood? (126).

The work’s intensely researched case studies are devoted to understanding the idea of emotional capitalism. The book explores how colonial legacies are defined by colonial histories of power that selectively attach the value of the victim to selves and how they selectively choose to forget the “other’s” victimhood. Consequently, emotional capitalism emerges as masculinist and Eurocentric by tactically leaving the racialised outside the remit of memory and emotion, reproducing neocolonial hierarchies of suffering. The white narrative reconciliation in the American Civil War argued that White men suffered as they fought, suffered as they killed, killed as they protected, and the absolute disregard for collateral damage in both Iraq and Afghanistan as the Western militaries waged war on so-called humanitarian grounds namely, to protect civilians from the Taliban, are examples of wars waged to promote the interests of Western powers for regional influence and global control. Chouliaraki’s work is essential to the literature on public culture and the idea of emotions that play out in the public discourse. When Chouliaraki discusses the “wronging” of the weaponisation of victimhood, which injured specific communities unjustly, she addresses the Eurocentric languages of pain – trauma and rights – establishing its suffering as more legitimate than that of the other.

In the era of far-right populism on a global level, this work contributes significantly to the body of work examining the hyperemotional nature of politics and the performance of victimhood (77) in our times. With the discourse of suffering masculine white soldiers at war comes the racial forgetting of pain: fixating on the pain of the powerful while neglecting the vulnerable “others”. The work draws a parallel to racialised victimhood by further analysing the silencing of Black and Brown soldiers and, later, of non-white civilians from the global South.

With the discourse of suffering masculine white soldiers at war comes the racial forgetting of pain: fixating on the pain of the powerful while neglecting the vulnerable ‘others’.

Similarly, in Chouliaraki’s book The Ironic Spectator: Solidarity in the Age of Post-Humanitarianism , she examines how stories where famine is described through the white’s own experience of dieting. It further attempts to read the contemporary idea of solidarity, which has today become not about vision but lifestyle, not others but ourselves – turning the public into the ironic spectators of other people’s suffering. At the same time, in the work Wronged: The Weaponization of Victimhood , the author does not dismiss the idea of pain in the politics of justice. Instead, the author calls the readers to ask critical questions in analysing victimhood in any political discourse: who has the privilege of voice, who can establish their suffering as dominant and so as “true,” and ultimately, who can benefit from speaking out on their pain over the pain of others – whether in public discourse, or collective memory. Chouliaraki’s text is a powerful and urgent warning to readers about the culture of victimhood in contemporary times.

Note:  This review gives the views of the author and not the position of the LSE Review of Books blog, nor of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Image:  Pack-Shot  on Shutterstock .

About the author

Amal Latif completed her doctoral studies at the Department of Liberal Arts, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad. Her research focuses on narratives of Malayali women domestic workers in the UAE. Her research interests also include majoritarianism and minorities in the contemporary Indian context.  

From your narrative; Ms. Chouliaraki’s book reflect her observation of wrong doing or racial regional discrimination of ‘democratic autocracy’ towards the weak communities around the world! but I felt that she is not enough courageous to criticize the wrong doers and the same time she failed to express solidarity towards these discriminated community.

rather than a review, i wish you could shout that this book is only a weak narration of bitter realities?

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