Got Links? Or Where to Share

Where do you turn when you are tracking down reviews for a particular book, are trying to figure out what to read next, are looking for suggestions in a particular genre, or are interested in a specific imprint?

On the flip side, where do you link up your reviews so that you can share your thoughts with a wide audience?

I am a big fan of sites that let me link my reviews so interested readers can click on through to see what I have to say. I also use review databases to help me decide about buying and reading particular titles and to guide me when it comes to gift giving.

NOTE: I have added this post's button to my sidebar so you can easily find this resource in the future.

Here are some of the databases, features, open challenges, and other places where you can share reviews. If you know of other sites, please tell me in a comment or email, and I'll add them to this post.

General Sites and Book Blogger Search Engine

Semicolon--Saturday Review of Books: Every Saturday book bloggers around the globe share the links to their reviews on Sherry's site. Each week you can find close to 100 links.

Firefly--Book Blogs Search Engine: This is the place to track down reviews, author interviews, and other book blogging content. If your blog is not in in the database, click on over and get added. You can even embed the book blog search engine on your site.

Best Posts of the Week: Although this site is not specifically for reviews, it is a place to link your best post from the week and to discover new blogs and content.

Reader Advisory Link Farm: This site collects links to professional reviews, reader guides from publishers, bookstores, book clubs, and websites that focus on a large variety of genres. This is a place to find book reviews and resources, not a site for linking your own reviews.

Audiobook Jukebox: This site is owned by @AudiobookDJ (Susan). Anyone who has reviewed any audiobook may link up his or her reviews.

The Sunday Blues: Each Sunday, Kristen from Bookworming in the 21st Century has a Mr. Linky you can use to link up a post you wish had gotten a bit more attention. The post "should have 3 or less comments . . . [and] should be content posts - not giveaway posts." She asks that you commit to reading at least three of the participating bloggers for the week.

Children and Young Adult

Childrens Book Reviews Database: This is a Wiki where you can share your reviews of children's, middle reader, and YA books. The database is sorted by audience, title, author, and genre.

Booking Mama--Kid Konnection: Each Saturday Julie discusses or reviews children's books and provides a Mr. Linky so others can share their posts and reviews concerning these books. The definition of "kids" is up to the blogger, so feel free to share everything from picture books to YA. Note that you do not have to post on Saturday; you can link up content from the previous week.

There's a Book blog: A weekly feature that spotlights new releases in children's, middle grade, and young adult titles. A Mr. Linky is provided for reviews of that week's featured titles. Click on the category "Just Floating In" or "New Releases" on that blog for more information.

Genre and Imprints

Although some of the databases in this section are associated with reading challenges, almost all encourage nonparticipants to share and link up their reviews. Check the link page or email the database owner if you're not sure about linking your reviews. All link pages I own are open to everyone, whether you are in a challenge or not.

Graphic Novels Challenge Blog: This blog, started in late 2008, was set up as a way to share and link reviews for people participating in the Graphic Novels Challenge. The reviews and links offer an amazing resource for GN titles.

Beth Fish Reads--Amy Einhorn Books: Although the database was set up as part of the AE perpetual challenge, it is open to everyone who has reviewed any Amy Einhorn Book. Don't be shy, link up your review. See also the alphabetized review index.

Reagan Arthur Books Blog: This blog started in 2010 as a home to the Reagan Arthur Book challenge. The owners (Bermudaonion and Booking Mama) are collecting RAB reviews from participants. A great resource.

Beth Fish Reads--Harper Perennial Books: This database is for reviews of Harper Perennial books published in any year and in any genre. Anyone can link reviews (older reviews welcome!) or provide short reviews in the comments. See also the alphabetized review index.

S. Krishna's Books--South Asian Review Database: Originally set up as part of the South Asian Author Challenge, the database owner encourages everyone to link up his or her reviews. Please be sure to read the guidelines before linking.

Beth Fish Reads--Weekend Cooking: Every Saturday, this feature offers a place to link up your foodie book reviews. Links cover foodie novels, biographies, culinary cozies, films, restaurants, and cookbooks. Or share a recipe. This is a resource for all things foodie. Post whenever you want; link up over the weekend.

Women Unbound Challenge Blog: This review database was set up for a reading challenge focusing on "nonfiction and fiction books related to the rather broad idea of ‘women’s studies.' " As of this writing, there are 550 reviews. Check with the blog's owners before linking a review if you aren't participating in the challenge.

War Through the Generations: This blog is collecting reviews from reading challenge participants and others on books focusing a particular war. Currently, the databases encompass fiction and nonfiction relating to World War II and the Vietnam War. Other war literature will be added in the coming years.

Diversify Your Reading: This blog collects "reviews of books by authors underrepresented in English-language publishing today." You'll find authors from diverse cultures, GBLT, and even authors with disabilities. Please read the submission guidlines for how to add your reviews.

Beth Fish Reads--Pamela Dorman Books: Be on the look-out this fall for a Pamela Dorman database. I am working on adding this resource, but it won't be ready until after BBAW.

Classics Blogger Directory hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf: If you read classics, review classics, or want to know more about classics, visit the page and start exploring. This isn't a review database but a place to find bloggers who read the classics.

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What databases or linking sites have I missed? Let me know in the comments or via email, and I will add the resource to this post. I know that bloggers post their reviews on bookstore sites and on social book sites (like Library Thing), but I'll save those resources for another post.