Lit Hub Launches Book Marks, a “Rotten Tomatoes for Books”

Lit Hub has announced the launch of Book Marks, its “Rotten Tomatoes for books.” Like the popular movie website, Book Marks aggregates reviews from over 70 newspapers, websites, and magazines, and assigns each review a letter grade. Once a book has three or more reviews, Book Marks averages them into a single grade ranging from A to F. The site is divided into sections for fiction and non-fiction, most reviewed, best reviewed, and new books. Lit Hub staff are responsible for ascribing each review a letter grade, though critics are allowed to assign letter grades to their own reviews.

Lit Hub explained that “The grade is not meant to be an end, but an entry point” and a way to increase the readership of literary criticism and professional book reviews. All the original reviews are available and that Book Mark readers are encouraged to read them.

Right now Book Marks includes the prizewinning and notable books of 2016 and 2015; Lit Hub plans to add older books over time. Check out the whole site here.