book-review

name	book-review
description	Guide user through creating detailed reviews of books from their reading list
compatibility	opencode
metadata	{"workflow":"interactive","output":"markdown"}

What I do

I help you create comprehensive book reviews through an interactive process:

1. Select a book from your "Currently Reading" or current year "Reads" sections in Books.md
2. Extract the exact title as it appears in Books.md
3. Guide you through review questions one at a time
4. Build the review using the book-review-template.md
5. Save to a file named after the book title in the project root

When to use me

Use this skill when you want to write a structured review of a book you've read or are currently reading. I'll ask thoughtful questions to help you articulate your impressions, analysis, and reflections.

Workflow

Step 1: Book Selection

Parse Books.md to find books under:

• # Currently Reading
• # {CURRENT_YEAR} Reads (use the current year)

Present a numbered list with title and author. Ask user to select by number.

Step 2: File Preparation

Extract the exact title: field from the selected book block.

Generate filename:

• Use the EXACT title value from the book block
• Append .md extension
• Example: If title is "Red Rising", filename is "Red Rising.md"
• Example: If title is "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Five Parts", filename is "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Five Parts.md"

Check if file exists in project root:

• If exists: read current content to preserve existing sections
• If not: load template from book-review-template.md in this skill directory

Step 3: Guided Review Questions

Ask these questions ONE AT A TIME, allowing user to respond before proceeding:

1. First Impression: What were your initial thoughts when you started this book?
2. Writing Style: How would you describe the author's writing style?
3. Core Ideas: What are the main themes or ideas the book explores?
4. What You Enjoyed: What aspects did you find most engaging or valuable?
5. Disappointments: Were there any elements that fell short? (Optional, skip if none)
6. Overall Rating: On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate this book?
7. Rating Justification: Why did you give it this rating?
8. Target Audience: Who would benefit most from reading this book?
9. Personal Reflection: How has this book influenced your thinking or perspective?
10. Key Takeaways: What are the most important lessons or insights you gained?
11. Memorable Quotes: Any passages that stood out? (Optional)
12. Additional Thoughts: Any other observations or comparisons? (Optional)

Step 4: Build Review

Replace placeholders in template:

• {BOOK_BLOCK} → the complete book block from Books.md (including ```book markers, title, author, and image)
• {CURRENT_DATE} → today's date in YYYY-MM-DD format
• {RATING} → numerical rating
• Fill each section with user's responses

Preserve any existing content not covered by the questions.

Step 5: Save

Write the complete review to the generated filename in the project root. Confirm to user that review has been saved.

Additional Sections to Consider

You may suggest these optional sections based on the book type:

For Fiction:

• Pacing & Structure
• Character Development
• Emotional Impact

For Non-Fiction:

• Practical Application
• Evidence & Research Quality
• Accessibility

Universal:

• Rereadability
• Comparative Analysis (similar works)

Important Notes

• Always use the EXACT title from Books.md (including special characters, series info)
• Use today's date in YYYY-MM-DD format
• Ask questions one at a time, wait for response
• Keep user's voice and phrasing intact—only fix obvious typos
• If updating existing review, preserve all existing content
• Template location: book-review-template.md in this skill's directory