Free Book Review Template: Rate the Plot, Characters and More

A star rating says how much you liked a book. It doesn't say why. Readers who loved the characters and shrugged at the ending, or who stayed up all night for a plot they'll forget by Friday, end up giving the same four stars. Bookadoro's free book review template turns one book's review into a graphic you can post: the real cover, your stars (half stars too), a few lines on what you thought, and, if you want them, separate scores for the plot, the characters, the writing or anything else you care about. Then you pick the layout, font and colours, and download it for Instagram, TikTok or Reddit.

Make a book review graphic

Why post a review as a graphic?

Text reviews live on Goodreads and StoryGraph, where people go looking for them. On Instagram, TikTok and in group chats, people scroll past text. A review graphic does the job a book post needs: the cover stops the scroll, the stars give the verdict at a glance, and the words underneath are short enough to read before the next swipe.

• It travels — one image works as an Instagram post, a Story, a TikTok slide, a Reddit comment or a message to the friend who lent you the book.
• It shows your taste — a row of review graphics on your profile tells followers what you read and how you judge it far faster than a list of titles.
• It starts conversations — a 2-star plot score on a 5-star book is exactly the kind of detail people reply to.

Rating the parts: plot, characters, writing and more

The part most review templates leave out is the breakdown. Under your overall rating you can add up to eight aspects, each scored out of five. Tap a suggestion or name your own:

• Characters — did they feel real, and did you care what happened to them?
• Plot — did the story hold together and keep you turning pages?
• Writing — prose, voice and style.
• Pacing — too slow, too rushed or just right?
• World-building — for fantasy and sci-fi especially: setting, magic, atmosphere.
• Emotional impact and Ending — did it move you, and did it stick the landing?
• Spice — the score romance and romantasy readers ask about first. Not sure where a book sits? Our spice level quiz can help.

Every aspect is optional. Three or four well-chosen ones say more than all eight; pick the ones that explain your rating. A thriller review might be Plot, Pacing and Ending; a romance review Characters, Chemistry (type your own) and Spice.

How to make a book review graphic

It takes about two minutes and needs no account.

• 1. Search the book — open the book review maker and type the title or author. The same live search every Bookadoro builder uses fills in the real cover and author, so you never upload or crop an image.
• 2. Give it stars — tap a star for a whole rating, or its left half for a half star. Prefer hearts? Switch the icons in the style panel.
• 3. Write your review — anything from one line to a short paragraph (up to 600 characters). The text size adjusts so it always fits.
• 4. Rate the parts — optional: add aspects and score each one out of five.
• 5. Style it — choose a layout, font, accent colour, background and size. The preview next to the controls is exactly what you'll download.
• 6. Share it — download the image (on a phone it opens the share sheet, so it goes straight to Photos or Instagram) or save a link anyone can open. Friends who open your link can review the same book in your style with one tap.

Layouts, fonts and backgrounds

A review graphic should look like you, not like a template. Everything below can be mixed freely:

Three layouts

• Side by side — cover on the left, title, stars and scores next to it, review underneath. The all-rounder.
• Spotlight — a big centred cover with everything else below it. Best when the cover is gorgeous.
• Quote — your words first, in large type under a big quotation mark, with the book underneath. Best for one strong line.

Six fonts

Classic serif, an elegant Garamond, a handwritten journal style, a clean modern sans, a bold poster font and a typewriter. The journal font pairs well with the Paper background for a reading-journal look; Bold and Midnight make a review that reads from across the room.

Colours and sizes

Pick a background preset (terracotta, rose, lavender, ocean, forest, midnight, sunset, paper and more) or any custom colour, and an accent colour for the stars and score bars. Then choose the size: 4:5 for Instagram and Reddit posts, square, or 9:16 for Stories and TikTok. Images export 1080 pixels wide.

Tips for a review people actually read

• Lead with the verdict — your first sentence should work on its own. "The best twist I've read this year" beats a plot summary.
• No spoilers — the graphic will be seen by people who haven't read the book. Save the details for the caption or the comments.
• Let the scores disagree — a 5-star book with a 3 for pacing is more honest, and more interesting, than straight fives.
• Keep a look — reuse the same layout and font for every review and your profile turns into a recognisable series.
• Pair it — post the review next to where the book landed in your book tier list or your year in reading grid.

Rate as you read in the Bookadoro app

The web builder is for one review at a time. The Bookadoro app keeps them all: rate every book you finish and add a detailed review with the same kind of aspect scores. It also times your reading sessions, keeps your streak and shows what your friends are reading.

FAQ

Is the book review template free?

Yes. It is free, needs no account and has no watermark beyond a small Bookadoro QR code in the footer.

Can I give half stars?

Yes. Tap the left half of a star for a half rating, from 0.5 up to 5.

Can I rate plot and characters separately?

Yes. Add up to eight aspects, from suggestions like plot, characters, writing, pacing, world-building, emotional impact, ending and spice, or your own, and score each out of five.

Do I need to upload the cover?

No. Search the title or author and the real cover and author are filled in from a live book database.

What size is the image?

1080 pixels wide, in 4:5 (Instagram and Reddit posts), square, or 9:16 (Stories and TikTok). A long review makes the card a little taller instead of cutting the text off.

Can I share a link instead of an image?

Yes. Save it to get a link anyone can open. Visitors can download the image or review the same book themselves in your style.