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Porter Square Books Launches Its Own Book Review to Fill Newspaper Gap

publication · 2026-06-23

Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Mass., launched the Porter Square Review of Books in June 2026 to counter the decline of newspaper book reviews. Co-owner Josh Cook initiated the project after The Washington Post eliminated its Book World section in February 2026 and the Associated Press stopped publishing book reviews in fall 2025. The review publishes weekly 500-word pieces by booksellers and writers-in-residence, shared on Bluesky and via a monthly newsletter. Cook edits the review and wrote the first piece on Violet Allen's Plastic, Prism, Void: Part One. The store prioritizes smaller presses and debut authors. Reviews are paid but not for negative takes; Cook sees negative reviews as useful only in broader contexts. Success is measured by sales of reviewed books, with an ambitious goal of 5,000 subscribers.

Key facts

  • Porter Square Books launched the Porter Square Review of Books in June 2026.
  • The review was started by co-owner Josh Cook after The Washington Post axed Book World in February 2026.
  • The Associated Press stopped publishing book reviews in fall 2025.
  • Reviews are about 500 words, published weekly on Thursdays on the store's website.
  • The first review was of Violet Allen's Plastic, Prism, Void: Part One, written by Cook.
  • The review focuses on new releases, smaller presses, and lesser-known authors.
  • Booksellers are paid for reviews but not enough to read books they dislike.
  • Success is defined as 'handfuls of sales' of reviewed books; 5,000 subscribers would be ambitious.

Entities

Artists

  • Josh Cook
  • Violet Allen
  • Becca Rothfeld
  • Isabel Miranda Kidwell
  • Chloe Caldwell
  • Jacob Orlando
  • Marcus Kliewer
  • Michiko Kakutani

Institutions

  • Porter Square Books
  • The Washington Post
  • The New Yorker
  • Associated Press
  • San Francisco Chronicle
  • The New York Times
  • The Boston Phoenix
  • DigBoston
  • The Millions
  • The Rumpus
  • Bookslut
  • Nieman Journalism Lab
  • Harvard University

Locations

  • Cambridge
  • Massachusetts
  • Boston

Sources

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