best book review sites for authors

Independent Book Review

A Celebration of Indie Press and Self-Published Books

30+ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

Here are 30+ top-notch book review sites for booksellers, librarians, readers, & writers. Learn more about 30 bookish companies helping spread the word about the best & latest books.

Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

Book reviews are for all of us.

Readers need to know whether books with the best covers are worth the time they’re about to put into it. They find it helpful (and fun!) to check out reviews after reading the books, too, so they can see what other real-life humans had to say about it.

Authors & publishers need to get book reviews to build buzz and credibility for their product. Librarians & booksellers need to hear from trusted sources that the book they are about to buy for their collection has the capability to get picked up & to satisfy.

Book review sites have transformed the book-recommending landscape.

We can write reviews on product pages, on social media apps, and some of us, for publications that have been around since before the internet. Book reviewing has changed. But maybe it also hasn’t.

What kind of book review sites are you looking for? Chances are, this list has you covered.

Here are 30+ book review sites to read, write, and bookmark.

1. Independent Book Review

Does this logo look familiar? (Hint: You’re sitting on it).

IBR, the website you’re on RIGHT NOW, is all about indie books . There are so many books in the world right now, but if you feel like you keep seeing the same ones recommended over and over, start reading indie!

Independent presses & self-published authors are doing some incredible work right now. IBR reviews books, curates lists, does indie bookstore round-ups, and uses starred reviews & best-of-the-year lists to show which books are going to blow your mind.

2. Book Marks

Lit Hub rules. You already knew this.

But do you know about Book Marks? They’re a branch of the Lit Hub network, and they are an excellent way for booksellers and librarians to get shorter recaps from multiple sources and voices.

Their staff peruses book review sites and shares pull-quotes from them in book lists & more. By reading all of these sites, they can give the book a rating based on the average: “Rave, Positive, Mixed, or Pan.”

My favorite book-buying platform, Bookshop , uses Book Marks’ scale for their books’ ratings, and I love getting access to that.

3. Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly has been around since 1872. By now, they’re a review churning machine. They cover so much of the book industry in so many different ways, reviewing nearly 9,000 books per year and providing publication announcements, agency announcements, industry job listings , bestseller lists, industry stats, a self-publishing partner, and more.

4. Kirkus Reviews

Another one that’s been around since before the internet! 1933 to be exact. Kirkus is a widely recognized publication that book buyers & librarians follow carefully. I dare you to find a bookstore or library that doesn’t have multiple books with Kirkus Reviews plastered on their front and back covers.

5. Booklist

The American Library Association runs Booklist , a platform dedicated to helping libraries, educators, and booksellers choose books. They’ve got a magazine (since 1905!), book reviews, lists, awards, and one of my favorite bookish podcasts out there: Shelf Care .

6. Library Journal & School Library Journal

As you might be able to guess, Library Journal & School Library Journal focus on librarians too! They review a ton of books, and they write often about library-related news, collection management, technology, programs, and more. If you’re an author hoping to land your book in libraries, these are essential targets.

7. BookPage

You may have seen BookPage in your local library or bookstore. Some shops provide it for free so that patrons can look through it to find which books to buy in-store. Their website is clean and intriguing and always full of the most up-to-date releases and bestsellers.

Speaking of libraries! Have you seen our gifts for librarians ?

8. Foreword

Foreword is such an enthusiastic and dedicated champion of indie books, and they’ve been doing it since the 90s! I love how much attention university presses get here too. Their reviews are well-written & thorough, in both print & digital, and I always find something to speed-purchase once the Foreword Indie winners come out.

9. LoveReading

LoveReading is a top book-recommendation website in the UK. They’ve got starred reviews, lists, staff picks, a LitFest , eBooks, and they even donate 25% of the cover price of their books to schools of your choice. It’s reader-friendly and apparent how much they appreciate the wonder of books.

10. Washington Independent Review of Books

What’s not to love about The Independent?

Back in 2011, a group of writers & editors were frustrated by newspapers dropping book review sections and decided to do something about it. The Washington Independent Review of Books is quite a lovely something! This nonprofit posts every day: from reviews to interviews to essays and podcasts. They host events too!

11. Book Riot

Try being a reader and not finding something you love on Book Riot. Book lists, podcasts, personalized recommendations, newsletters, book deals—this site is a haven.

It doesn’t post solo book reviews like other sites, but they do share mini-reviews in book lists and talk about reading in unique & passionate ways. The Book Riot Podcast is such a winner too! I love listening to Jeff & Rebecca laugh about the latest in books & reading.

12. Electric Lit

From novel excerpts to original short fiction & poetry, they might not only be a book review site, but they do offer a lot in the world of book recommendations. Their Recommended Reading lit mag features unique staff picks and short, insightful book reviews.

13. The Millions

The writing in The Millions is something to behold. They are an artful source for all things book reviews & recommendations. They write stunning essays about books & reading and long reviews of new and old books. They’ve got some of my favorite Most Anticip ated lists too.

What are the biggest benefits of reading ? 🧐

14. Bookforum

Did you hear? Bookforum is back ! This book review magazine announced in December 2022 that they were closing, and my heart sank a little bit. This company means so much to the publishing industry and has for 20+ years, so when I saw (last week!) that they are returning, I did more than a few jumps for joy.

Welcome back, Bookforum! Can’t wait to see what you’ve got coming for us in book world coverage.

BOMB is in it for the art. Art, literature, film, music, theater, architecture, and dance. There are reviews and interviews, and the literature section is a real delight. The reviews are like poignant essays, and the author interviews are in-depth and feature some fascinating minds.

16. The Asian Review of Books

The only dedicated pan-Asian book review publication! It’s widely cited and features some of the best in Asian books and art, so booksellers and librarians have a source to trust to stock their collections with high-quality pan-Asian lit.

Have you seen our gifts for book lovers yet?

17. Chicago Review of Books

I love so much of what Chicago Review of Books does. They have a clean & sleek design that features some of the buzziest books as well as plenty of hidden gems from our favorite indie presses. I’m a particularly big fan of the spotlight they put on books in translation .

18. Rain Taxi

I love Rain Taxi ’s style! They champion unique books, publish their own fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and put a real emphasis on art for their magazine covers . It’s a beautiful print magazine to subscribe to, but they also share free online editions & digital archives. They even run the Rain Taxi Reading Series & Twin Cities Book Festival if you’re a real-lifer in Minnesota!

19. The Rumpus

Oh, The Rumpus ! This mostly volunteer-run online magazine publishes reviews, interviews, essays, fiction, and poetry. The reviews are in-depth and personal and heart-melting, and in addition to the site, they’ve got cool perks like the Poetry Book Club and Letters in the Mail . The book club is where you get a pre-release book and meet the poet via Slack with other club members at the end of the month, and Letters in the Mail are actual postcards sent in the mail to you twice a month from your favorite authors.

20. Book Reporter

Book reporter is a book review site where readers and writers click.

The selection in Book Reporter is carefully curated & enticing: hot new releases, forthcoming books, major presses, & indies. And there are plenty of unique ways to learn about them, like video interviews and monthly lists & picks. It launched in 1996 and is in The Book Report Network, which includes Reading Group Guides , a super useful resource for book clubs.

21. BookTrib .

BookTrib does such a great job of making their site browsable. The different ways you can enjoy what they offer—from book lists to giveaways to ebook deals —are difficult to keep your purchase finger off of.

23. Lit Reactor

Writers & readers—where bookish people meet! LitReactor’s book reviews are in the magazine portion of their website, and they’ve got plenty of them! Reviews, interviews, lists, introspectives, writing tips, and reading discussions. I’ve found some really unique content on Lit Reactor, like this ranking of literary parents . The website is a haven for writers especially, as there are workshops, writing blog posts, and even a forum to participate in.

24. Crime Fiction Lover

Dark alleys. Stray bullets. Hard-boiled detectives. Runaway thrills. If you’re a mystery-thriller reader, you’ve got to know about Crime Fiction Lover. They’ve got a passionate group of readers and writers talking about the best books in the genre and the ones that are soon to come out too.

25. SF Book Reviews

Speculative fiction fans unite! SF Book Reviews has been reviewing sci-fi and fantasy books since 1999, and while they’re a relatively small staff, they publish regularly, feature books of the month, and work wonders for their fantastical community.

26. Historical Novel Society

For all you historical fiction fans out there, the Historical Novel Society has reviewed more than 20,000 books in its twenty years. This one works like a membership for “writers and readers who love exploring the past.” You get a quarterly print magazine as a member, and if you’re a writer, you can join critique groups and ask for book reviews.

27. The Poetry Question

The Poetry Question writes about poetry published by indie presses and indie authors. They are a small passionate team dedicated to showing the world why indie presses continue to be a leading source for award-winning poetry.

28. Goodreads

Did you know that there are over 125 million members on Goodreads? When users review books, they can have conversations with fellow readers and follow reviewers too. If you’re looking for the biggest community, there’s no doubt Goodreads is the one. I like using sites like this because it helps you catalog books, one of my favorite ways to build a strong reading habit .

29. The Storygraph

A big community of active users that’s Amazon free! Come review books, use half & quarter stars (!), and complete reading challenges. You got this.

29. Bookwyrm

Bookwyrm is small (around 5,000 members at the time of this writing), but doesn’t that sound kind of nice? There are active members and a genuine collective goal in talking books. Grow with it. I think you’ll be comfy here. There are other communities within the Bookwyrm umbrella too, like Bookrastinating .

30. Reedsy Discovery

I hold a special place in my heart for book review sites dedicated to helping writers! I got into this business as a book marketer, and I experienced first-hand, through hundreds of books, how hard it was to get exposure & validation for small press and self-published authors.

Reedsy Discovery is a branch of Reedsy (the author resource company) that connects authors & reviewers so that people can read free books, sometimes receive tips for it, and authors can get more reviews in the process. Readers can choose from the latest books as well as the ones that are getting the best reviews.

31. Netgalley

Netgalley is a book review site for pre-released books. Reviewers sign up for a free account, request galleys from publishers and indie authors, and get to read them before they’re published so that they can leave reviews for the book, preferably on Amazon, Goodreads, or their blog. They also run Bookish , the editorial arm of Netgalley, which has book recommendations, interviews, and more.

32. Online Book Club

This review site combines a bunch of cool things! The 4-million member community gives me a lot of Goodreads vibes, especially with the Bookshelves app . But Online Book Club is a place for you to get eBook deals and talk about books in reviews and forums.

What are your favorite book review sites to follow? Let us know in the comments!

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Stay tuned as we reveal the top book review sites for 2024! Whether you’re in the mood for a classic drama, a modern thriller, or an enlightening non-fiction, there’s a review site that can point you in the right direction.

We’ve also included the advantages of every book review site for readers and authors. So without wasting time, let’s get started!

Ensure your book gets the glowing reviews it deserves! Learn more

1. Goodreads

Goodreads stands out as a titan in the field of book review sites, especially in 2024. As the biggest community of readers, authors, and reviewers on the internet, you can find reviews for almost every book on Goodreads.

You can also join reading groups, catalog books, engage in discussions with fellow readers, and follow your favorite authors. Moreover, by integrating Goodreads with your Kindle account, you can track your reading progress, get personalized book recommendations, and write reviews that get posted on both Goodreads and Amazon automatically.

Subscription Fee: None

2. Kirkus Reviews

Present since 1933, Kirkus Reviews is one of the oldest book review websites that has earned a reputation for its authoritative and unbiased reviews. You can access quality book reviews for a variety of genres either on the website, by subscribing to the free weekly email newsletter, or by subscribing to the paid semi-monthly magazine.

The main advantages of Kirkus Reviews include access to “best of” lists across many categories and reviews about each book mentioned in the list. The only downside to Kirkus Reviews is the paid nature of the magazine, which can limit access to reviews of new bestsellers to only a few people.

Subscription Fee: Ranging from $49 to $179, based on the chosen duration of the subscription.

3. LibraryThing

LibraryThing, a book lover’s haven for cataloging books, is one of the best book review websites. It offers a robust platform for readers to explore reviews, rate books, and meticulously organize their collections by genre.

The charm of LibraryThing lies in its social features—you can connect with fellow readers, share your bookshelves, and exchange thoughts on your latest reads. It’s a cozy corner on the internet for those who take pleasure in tracking their reading journey and finding kindred spirits within the pages of their favorite genres.

Apart from these features, LibraryThing provides a feature for authors to create their own Author’s page. Besides this, LibraryThing provides readers the opportunity to meet with fellow readers and authors by releasing updates about local book events.

4. Book Riot

Book Riot is one of the most versatile book review sites where you can access fictional and non-fictional book reviews, articles, and essays about top books across different genres. In addition to this, you can access information about discount deals for e-books and printed books and purchase from a huge variety of book merchandise.

The one thing that sets Book Riot apart from other sites is access to podcasts, which you can listen to if you don’t feel like reading book reviews. The only downside to Book Riot is that the site’s format doesn’t provide the feel of a traditional book review experience.

Subscription Fee: $4.99/month for authors who subscribe to Book Riot Insiders for information about new releases.

5. LoveReading

LoveReading emerges as a cherished resource among book review sites, particularly for its UK-based but globally accessible content. As one of the top professional book review sites, it allows you to access ebook and audiobook reviews across multiple genres.

The advantages of LoveReading include access to books and debuts of the month, weekly staff picks, and yearly list features. The only downside to LoveReading is the limited availability of reviews about books published outside the UK.

Amazon is one of the top free book review sites in 2024. It allows readers to rate books using a 1–5 star scale and receive a verified purchase tag after they have purchased books, increasing the authenticity of their reviews. Additionally, readers can engage with each other by adding comments to other reviews and stand a chance to receive a higher ranking if their reviews are well-received by a larger audience.

7. Booklist

Booklist, a veteran publication by the American Library Association since 1905, has evolved into a premier online destination for book reviews. You can look at the reviews of many print and audiobooks from various genres on Booklist.

The benefits of using Booklist include access to webinars and a variety of newsletters like Read Alert, Booklandia, and more. The only downside to Booklist is that it doesn’t provide a space for reader interaction or discussion, which restricts the community aspect of the reading experience.

Subscription Fee: $184.95/year

8. Publishers Weekly

Dominating the publishing world since 1872, Publishers Weekly is one of the oldest children’s mystery and romance book review sites. Apart from book reviews, it provides access to news about upcoming books.

The advantages of Publishers Weekly are access to the latest industry news, stats, bestseller lists, and exciting podcasts about authors and contemporary books. The only downside to Publishers Weekly is that you need to pay a subscription fee to have complete access to the content present on this site.

Subscription Fee: $15/month

9. NetGalley

NetGalley is one of the top book review sites for authors and readers alike. Readers can view reviews, request advanced reader copies (ARCs), and write reviews about pre-released books by various authors. Also, readers can check out book reviews, recommendations, and the must-read section at Bookish, an editorially independent division of NetGalley.

The only downside to NetGalley is that it can be difficult to secure ARCs of highly anticipated books due to fierce competition among reviewers.

10. Fantasy Book Review

This site includes various categories for book reviews such as urban fantasy, high/epic fantasy, dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction, magic users, and heroic/ sword and sorcery, etc. Depending on the category, book reviews for the best fantasy books are added to the website. With this, the site also provides readers with a list of the top 100 fantasy books of all time, recommendations of fantasy series, and interviews with fantasy authors.

Check out the top ten book review sites mentioned above to find your next best read, and let these curated sites lead you to memorable stories and transformative literary adventures. If you need help to create perfect book reviews or refine your book, consider our professional editing and proofreading services for assistance.

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The Best Book Review Sites For Enthusiastic Readers

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Friday, May 01

The best book review sites for enthusiastic readers.

Book lovers, stop us if you’ve heard this one before: you’ve just finished a mind-blowing book and you need to hear some discussion about it. What do you do? Dive straight into the limitless realm of the Internet and search for book review sites, of course.

Or here’s another scenario: you’ve finished reading a novel and now you’re searching for something to fill the void. Maybe you want more of the same, or maybe something completely different to switch things up. You’ll probably also scour the Internet for ratings and trustworthy recommendations.

Fortunately, there are endless review blogs and book review sites that you can peruse. Un fortunately, not every one of them features a wide enough variety to help you. But don’t worry: we’ve got you covered with ten of the best book review sites to satisfy the bookworm in you. If you want to cut to the chase and get a personalized pick for a book review site in 30 seconds, we first recommend taking this quick quiz:

Which review community should you join?

Find out which review community is best for your style. Takes 30 seconds!

Then read on for the full explanation of all of the best book review sites out there!

1. Goodreads

It’s impossible not to mention Goodreads when discussing book communities: it’s the Facebook of book reviews — the ultimate social media platform for bibliophiles. If you’ve somehow managed to go this long without stumbling upon this omnipresent site, here’s the run-down: you can use Goodreads to organize, display, and discuss your virtual bookshelf with other users.

Goodreads recommendations are based on your listed interests. You can follow authors and book influencers ranging from Celeste Ng to Bill Gates . This allows you to see all their reviews, which vary from compact one-liners to critical analysis, and watch the new reviews roll in. For a quick verdict, just take a look at the star rating that they give the book.

Also if you like to browse lists, Goodreads compiles the best and most popular books for every genre. There’s also the annual Goodreads’ Choice Awards to celebrate each year’s new releases, where you can cast your vote or peruse the list of contenders to find a new book to read. It’s a site for every kind of reader, with abundant ways to comment and interact.

2. LibraryThing

This is the OG of all online book catalogues and discussion boards — take a look and you’ll see that it’s an oldie but a goodie. Of course, the basic functions of LibraryThing are rather similar to Goodreads: there are millions of books that readers can add to their lists, as well as review with star ratings.

While the interface harks back to the earlier days of the world wide web, LibraryThing has a secret weapon that’ll appeal to all readers, especially modern ones: their Zeitgeist . This page displays the latest crème de la crème of the whole site, from the most popular books to the hottest reviews , which you can also write with the help of a good book review template . Just a glance shows that the readers here know how to read between the lines and wield their words!

So if you’re hoping to read or share some in-depth literary thoughts with fellow sharp-minded users , LibraryThing is the site to browse. (You can even access it without creating an account!)

3. Reedsy Discovery

Now, if you’re searching for some hidden gems to peruse, Reedsy Discovery ’s got your back. While our blog features everything from classics to contemporary hits, Discovery’s specialty is indie publications, many of which are accompanied with succinct comments from experienced reviewers . There’s no better way to broaden your horizon!

Moreover, if casual and creative reviews are more your cup of tea, then rejoice: the burgeoning community of readers on Discovery can leave comments, one-line reviews, and video reviews (calling all Booktubers!) on just about any book. It’s a fun and interactive way to geek out over your favorite reads and discover all the coolest new titles you won’t find anywhere else.

Looking for something new to read?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an email address

4. LoveReading

Though it’s UK-based, this prolific site caters to audiences around the world. LoveReading is strictly a reviewing site, with a base of staff writers and carefully selected contributors, so you know the reviews are top-notch. The staff often give quite personal reading experiences in their reviews, which make their recommendations very endearing, like they’re from a close friend. They even offer you presents — well, if you think of giveaways as presents!

LoveReading covers books from every genre you can think of. They also have weekly, monthly, and yearly list features to keep you up to date with the latest stellar releases, so you’ll never be in want of something to pore over.

5. The Millions

In search of reviews that really dive into the themes, metaphors, and overall executions of interesting and highbrow books? The Millions has got you covered.

Written by a collection of seasoned critics, these reviews are speckled with memorable quotes, elegant analysis, and plentiful comparisons to other works — which means extra reading recommendations for you! If contemporary and literary fictions are your go-tos, then The Millions is the site for all your lit nerd needs.

6. SFBook Reviews

Those who think quantity and quality don’t go hand in hand, you clearly haven’t encountered SFBook Review . The five reviewers on the team here share two common and important goals: firstly, to follow the outpour of new titles in the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genres every year, and secondly, to give thoughtful reviews to as many of them as possible.

This team knows their SFF niches inside out, so their verdicts are very credible. Still, their reviews are quite friendly and personal — they discuss other related books and share their reading experiences to help you make your own reading choices.

7. Bookpage

Bookpage features all kinds of genres: from children’s books to nonfiction, from the works of household names to debut authors, and so much more. Their format is neat and straightforward — they bring you the volumes they think are most worthwhile, recommending them to you by summarizing and concisely commenting on the prose, the theme, and the plot of each chosen book.

In addition to this, Bookpage also features author interviews and articles that unearth the deeper themes and purposes of certain books. If you’re a true book lover seeking like-minded literary aficionados, this may be the perfect place for you.

8. Book Riot

Avid readers, you’ve probably stumbled upon Book Riot more times than you can remember. While it’s not a site that individually assesses titles, it has lists for everything — from timeless literary giants to the top books in each genre. What’s more, Book Riot has lots of thinkpieces that dive deep into the way certain titles make readers feel — be it exhilarated, motivated, or enraged — and that’s really all you need to know when deciding to embark on a new reading adventure.

Additionally, if you’d rather listen to discussions and reviews rather than read them, you'll be happy to know that Book Riot has a range of podcasts for you to choose from.

9. NetGalley

NetGalley is another platform bringing you new and unconventional recommendations. They specialize in connecting authors who are publishing to readers who’d like to preview and put in their two cents. While the database of books available here are not the most expansive, those that are featured are certainly worth your time.

Readers can benefit most from NetGalley via their book recommendation site, Bookish , where the staff reviewers update you with their recent reads and in-depth thoughts on those reads. Along with that, Bookish also has book club kits, equipped with comprehension questions and discussion points, to help readers explore stories mindfully.

10. BookBub

While it’s very similar to Goodreads, BookBub focuses more on connecting readers to books that might suit them specifically — which is partly why you’ll see plenty of bargains and deals promoted on the site.

Because of this promotional value, BookBub has quite a strong author community. Diana Gabaldon and Gillian Flynn , for instance, are constantly recommending books on their accounts. So if you’d like to tag along with your favorite author, this is an excellent website to visit. The only drawback of BookBub is that they only have community reviews from users based in the US, and you have to sign up in order to read them.

With these ten sites, you’ll be sure to find your little community of fellow book lovers regardless of what your interests are. Here’s to exciting TBR lists and nourished minds!

If you want to try your hand at reviewing, we’ve got a little guide to help you out ! On the other hand, if you want to plough away at your books, why not consider the Kindle Cloud Reader ?

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Ten Honest Review Sites for New Authors

Books flood into review sites, and the sheer numbers overwhelm book review editors. They must make choices: the big New York publishers or the little guys?

Publicists are Tweeting the editors and importuning them with e-mails. “Well, are you going to review my guy or gal or not?”

Probably not. There’s just not time. And the number of newspapers with book review sections keeps shrinking.

If this is publishing’s new reality, how are unknown authors supposed to get pithy, cover quotes? Hire a publicist? Sure, but not everyone can afford that.

If you want to throw a “Hail Mary,” you can join the National Book Critics Circle and gain access to the members of that organization. Alternately, you can monitor the group’s Twitter feed and collect Twitter addresses. Be forewarned, however.

Without a publicist, small presses, independent publishers, and self-published authors have very little chance of making it into the book review sections of national newspapers.

But, don’t give up yet. There are paid and unpaid review sites that will give you what you want–a “money quote.”

The Money Quote

Long before a book goes to press, the author or publisher needs to solicit reviews. Why? Because it’s good to have a “money quote.” That’s a single sentence you can put on the cover to promote it.

Here’s the money quote for my novel, Montpelier Tomorrow . “An affecting, deeply honest novel; at the same time, a lacerating indictment of our modern health care system.”– Kirkus Review

And, here’s a money quote for Bonds of Love & Blood . “MacDonald applies insight, power, and delicacy to create characters between whom the psychic space virtually sizzles.”– Foreword Reviews

You need quotes like these in your marketing campaign. That campaign can involve Tweets, blog tours, press releases, podcasts, and speaking engagements. But, all that effort begins with you deciding which review sites you’re going to target.

In this post I’m going to cover free review site and sites that charge money. Sometimes the same review organization will do both. ( Foreword Reviews, Kirkus Review , and Publishers Weekly/BookLife are examples of two-tiered review sites.)

The Skinny on Review Sites

I’ve seen disparaging comments on the web about sites that charge authors money in exchange for reviews. Honestly, it’s a very competitive world out there, and most sites that want you to pay for a review do not guarantee a positive outcome.

The reviewer can pan your book or give it a lukewarm endorsement. In that case (since you’ve forked over money), you can ask the site not to publish; but that’s the only break you’re going to get. Money doesn’t buy happiness, and it doesn’t buy a five-star review.

I’ve solicited both paid and unpaid reviews. Some of the paid reviews have been the best, not because I bought the reviewers’ good opinion, but because the readers took time to read thoroughly and respond in a “feelingful” way.

Apart from reviews, what authors want most is that vital connection with readers. Our chances improve if the review sites allow reviewers to self-select from among the many books available for review. One site, for instance, says they receive 1,000 books per month. There’s no way the editor who manages that rising tide can possibly know which readers who will be receptive. As I said, review sites are literally being inundated.

Review Sites | Free or Cheap

The Midwest Book Review — This is a site that favors small presses. If the book has not yet been published, the author or publisher can pay a $50 “reader fee” (which is an administrative fee) and MBR will assign a reviewer. At that point the author or publisher will send the reviewer a pre-publication manuscript, galley, uncorrected proof, ARC, or pdf file . Turnaround isn’t instantaneous, so it’s important to allow enough time, especially if you want a money quote for your book cover.

If your book is too far along to qualify for a pre-publication review, you can still try to get one from MBR, one of the oldest and most respected review sites in the country. The editor, James Fox, asks that you send two copies of the book, a press release, and a physical address to which they can mail the review.

If the book isn’t picked up by one of their volunteer reviewers during the 12 to 14-week time window, you can submit a review from any other reviewer (with their permission), and they’ll run the review in their newsletter.

While you’re on their site make sure you take note of their info about Book Review Magazines Used by Librarians and Other Book Reviewers . The latter is a helpful list because it includes review sites for academic books.

Foreword Reviews is one of my favorite sites for small and independent presses and for indie authors .

“To be considered for a review in the pages of Foreword Reviews magazine, a review copy (printed or digital) of the title in question must be received in the Foreword offices at least two months prior to the book’s firm publication date. Once we have our hands on your book, our managing editor will carefully critique whether it meets our editorial standards. We receive hundreds of worthy titles every month. Due to space limitations, we’re only able to review 150 books per issue of the quarterly magazine. If your book did not make the cut, we also offer objective, 450-word reviews (including a star rating) by Clarion Reviews , Foreword ‘s fee-for-review service.”

These folks produce a beautiful magazine, and their reviewers are great. Unlike Kirkus Review (more on that in a minute) Foreword Reviews does not charge for its reviews. I’m very proud that my short story collection, BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD , is a finalist for their IndieFab awards and that they featured the book in their January issue. The magazine spotlights many books published by university and small presses.

New Pages is a great site for small and independent presses, but not so great for self-published authors and presses that use a POD printer. New Pages doesn’t charge for their reviews, and they are also inundated with new books.

“If you want your book to be considered for a review, please send two copies. We need to keep one in the office to check against any review that might be submitted. Advanced Reading Copies are acceptable.”

Their address is New Pages, PO Box 1580, Bay City, MI 48706. If your book is self-published or published by a POD publisher (such as CreateSpace), they will not review your book , but they will list it on their “Books Received” page. If, in their initial screening, they think your book looks promising, they will offer it to their reviewers, but it is up to the reviewers to choose.

Even if you can’t get a review from these folks, the site is still worth visiting. Don’t overlook their New Pages Guide to Review Sources .

BookLife is a new venture for Publishers Weekly , the big gorilla in the publishing zoo. (If your book’s publisher produces works by multiple authors, then the publisher must submit the book through the Publishers Weekly’s GalleyTracker portal.)

Prior to launching BookLife, an author could only get a book review on PW if the author’s publisher submitted the book and if PW accepted the book for review. With BookLife you’ll have a chance at getting your book reviewed, but only if the book meets their standards .

Amazingly, the review is free. You’ll also find that they’re offering a host of other services, including helpful info about ISBN numbers, social media, and publicity. That is undoubtedly where they intend to make money.

Kirkus Indie Reviews is one of the sites acquisition librarians consult, and Kirkus reviews carry weight with readers. Kirkus Indie needs a lot of lead time–7 to 9 weeks ($425) for a standard submission and 4 to 6 weeks ($575) for a rush job.

If you’re publishing with a small or independent press, and they did not submit your book prior to publication, you can still get it reviewed under Kirkus’s Indie program.

“In the interest of introducing consumers and industry influencers to self-published books they might otherwise never discover, Kirkus Indie does not put any restrictions on publication dates for submissions. You may order a review for a book that’s been on the market for 10 years or for a book that doesn’t even have a publication date yet.”

Kirkus Indie reviews are eligible for Kirkus stars.

I’ve had two books reviewed by Kirkus Reviews . Click the link at left, and see if you can tell the difference between the one I paid for and the one I didn’t. (Hint: The publisher of BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD submitted an ARC to Kirkus prior to publication.)

Kirkus Review clearly states that they do not review POD (print-on-demand) books except in their Indie program, but both my books were produced using POD technology, and they reviewed them.

Review Sites That Want You To Show Them The Money

Some of my favorite reviews have come from review sites that require a modest payment. Often these sites employ volunteer reviewers, but sometimes, they pay their reviewers for taking the time to write a coherent review.

The US Review of Books is a site that has given both my books great reviews. They state that they “ do not sell editing or manuscript review services on the side . This practice creates a clear conflict of interest with the integrity of a fair and honest review.” ( Kirkus Review does sell editing services.) A basic review with US Review of Books costs $75, but if you’re close to your pub date, you can get an express review for $129. If you’re on Twitter and you include the hashtag #USReview in your Tweet, they will retweet to their list.

An added feature of the US Review of Books site is that it supports the Eric Hoffer Award . This is an award for new books, and it also honors books that have been around for awhile. I’m thrilled that the cover of BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD is a finalist for the da Vinci Eye award.

The Readers’ Favorite Book Review and Award Contest is one of the review sites that every indie author needs to know about. I know there are a lot of sites out there that have a gajillion categories and steep entry fees. They bilk new authors with the promise of recognition. However, Readers’ Favorite Book Review is different. The people who run the site have high integrity.

The site will do one free review of your book, and the reviews are done by real readers. You can rank your reader, just as your reader ranks you. But, there’s more! For $129 you get three reviews, and for $199 you can order five. In addition to putting the reviews on their site, they will post the reviews to Goodreads and Barnes & Noble (but not to Amazon because Amazon doesn’t accept paid reviews. Oddly, Amazon doesn’t accept reviews from Midwest Book Review , even though that site has been around a long time and has a solid reputation for objectivity.)

If you enter the Readers’ Favorite Award Contest and are one of their finalists, you become eligible to join their Forum. Contest winners share strategies they’ve used to market their books, and I can’t think of another site that’s as genial and helpful as this one.

Last year I won a Gold Medal for Drama for MONTPELIER TOMORROW , and I was invited to attend their award ceremony in Miami, held in conjunction with the Miami Book Fair. It was a first-class event. These folks truly are dedicated to indie authors, and the writers you meet, either in person or online, soon become your friends.

Pacific Book Review is a site that provides reviews and extra features, such as author interviews. The PBR Basic Review Package costs $300, and they post the review to Oasis (a library site), Barnes & Noble, Google Books, the Apple iStore, Authorsden.com, Bookblog.com, and Writers Digest Book Blog. They use professional reviewers who know how to think about–and write about–books.

If you’re in need of another review, they have a second review site called Hollywood Book Reviews . For another $200 you can order a professionally written review/press release and see it posted on all major sites.

Reader Views is another good site for indie authors, as well as small and university presses. Their basic package for one review costs $119, but they have a disclaimer saying that the cost isn’t actually paying for a review, merely for their processing. If you need reader reviews for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads, on top of a book review, ask about their book giveaways . What’s good is that you get the reviewers’ email addresses so that you can send them a “thank you” note.

That’s a start! What sites have you found? I’d love to hear about your successes.

Marylee MacDonald is the author of MONTPELIER TOMORROW, BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD, BODY LANGUAGE, and THE BIG BOOK OF SMALL PRESSES AND INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS. Her books and stories have won the Barry Hannah Prize, the Jeanne M. Leiby Memorial Chapbook Award, a Readers' Favorites Gold Medal for Drama, the American Literary Review Fiction Prize, a Wishing Shelf Book Award, and many others. She holds an M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State, and when not reading or writing books, she loves to walk on the beach and explore National Parks.

Please share this!

2 responses to “ten honest review sites for new authors”.

I review for the following three virtual book tour companies: 1. Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours . Lori offers free review tours for cozy mysteries. She charges for other genres as a way to support the free cozies.

2. Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours . They set up and run tours for authors of historical fiction. They have done and do scores of tours. I do not know their pricing structure.

3. TLC Book Tours . Again, scads of tours under their belts and in the pipeline (I have some reviews scheduled out through August.) I do not know their pricing structure here, either.

There are a few other sites for which I review, but they are smaller and/or I haven’t worked with them as much.

Thanks so much for these great links. I knew about TLC, but not the other two.

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Top 5 Book Review Sites Every Author Should Submit To

Written By Write With Light Publications, LLC

0 comment(s), october 13, 2021, don’t rush your book.

We can’t say it enough and yet we see it happen all the time.

When on the verge of publishing a book, we see one big mistake happen, especially if the author is rushing the publication process of their book.

Many times, we see them write, edit and then publish, giving no time or space to properly market or get the word out about their book.

So how is a reader supposed to find your book if it’s not even out there yet? How will they see it without proper awareness?

Authors who self-publish for the first time (usually) are missing a crucial piece to the publishing process: Submitting their book to book review sites.

Why Do I Need to Submit My Books for Review?

Submitting your book to review to a good review source can help you leverage your book before it’s even launched.

Having people review your book from these five book review sites we are talking about later, even if the reviews are positive or negative, can be powerful.

There are a few reasons all authors should be submitting their book for review.

You can gain quality reviews
Create awareness for your book
Book reviewers could possibly share your work with others (word of mouth marketing)
Can influence readers to pre-order your book
It’s free marketing!

Although sharing your work with others to get their opinion on your book is daunting, it’s still a necessary step to take before you even publish. Don’t forget this crucial step in the publishing and promotion process if you don’t want to sabotage your book .

How Long Does the Review Process Take?

The review copy process can take some time, which is probably why a lot of people skip the process. But if you want a good quality review from a quality source, you need to take the time to fit a book review process into your book publishing timeline.

The review copy process can take anywhere from 3-4 months. So why is that?

A majority of book reviewers and credible book review sites require at least 3-4 months after submission and before launch to review your book.

Reviewers get a lot of inquiries and a lot of books, some of which they give to two different readers for review. If they choose your book for review you need to give them 3-4 months to review it.

The downside is, you just have to be patient.

When Should I Submit My Books For Review?

If you’re finished writing your book, we highly recommend getting it edited by a professional before handing it off to reviewers.

Before you even submit your books for review, edit your book. Period.

Even if you have an amazing cover with a captivating synopsis, it will mean nothing if you send a book in with a wealth of mistakes roaming freely.

Reviewers will not read through your book if there are mistakes. Only send your book out for review when it is 100% ready.

Who Should I Be Submitting Books to For Review?

If you do decide to work this book review timeframe into your schedule, there are five sites you can get started with, some of which are free and some of which are paid.

So the top 5 book review sites you absolutely should at least consider,

Publisher’s Weekly
Write With Light Publications

We’ll explain all of them and their benefits below!

It’s also important to keep in mind that there are multiple other avenues for getting book reviews including having bookstagrammers on Instagram review your work, or sending it out to other smaller publications that would fit your niche.

For now, we’ll just cover some of the essential sites that will give you actual reviews without you having to ask freelance book reviewers.

Kirkus (Paid)

Kirkus has been around since 1933 and was founded by Virginia Kirkus. Back then, she realized there was a need for book reviews not backed by the publisher themselves. Seeing this need, she started a business that would give writers the book reviews they need while also allowing American booksellers to buy products backed by unbiased opinions.

As far as book review sites go, Kirkus is one of the most prestigious and trusted book reviewers in the business and offers an unbiased assessment of your book—which could be negative or positive. But their outstanding reviews come at a price. That being said, the review is worth it to many.

Here are some of the prices for Kirkus Reviews:

Traditional Reviews: Costs $425 for a 250-word review.
Expanded Reviews: Costs $525 for a 500-word review.
Picture Book Reviews: Cost $350 for a 200-word review.

All of the reviews are turned around in 7-9 weeks but can be expedited for an additional fee. After receiving your review, you can add some of the best quotes to your product listings on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other sites to help promote the book.

You also have the option to publish your review on Kirkus if you like what they have to say. If you do choose to publish it, Kirkus may consider your review for publication in their magazine which reaches 50,000 users.

If you’re ready to get your book reviewed, visit Kirkus to get started .

Booklife (Paid)

To receive another guaranteed book review for a price, you can also choose Booklife .

Booklife is an extension of the popular site, Publisher’s Weekly, and provides publishing advice and assistance to find authors.

Booklife is usually great for indie authors who need a great review from a reputable source. It is also slightly less in cost than Kirkus.

A Booklife review costs $399 for 300 words.

Authors will get their review back in an estimated 4-6 weeks. The one downside of submitting for review with Booklife is there is a word count limit. Only books 100,000 words are less can be considered for a review.

The upside is the review with be featured on Booklife’s website and Publisher Weekly’s website. To learn more about the submission guidelines and get reviewed, visit Booklife’s Review FAQs page .

Reedsy (Paid)

Probably one of our favorite places to get books reviewed is Reedsy .

We love this site because it is so affordable and you get an honest book review from a professional book reviewer. See a Reedsy book review for one of our authors!

Like Booklife and Kirkus, you will get a quality book review but at a much lower price and it is guaranteed. Reedsy can also be synced with Goodreads, which allows your reviewer to publish their review before the book even launches.

Authors who choose to get their books reviewed with Reedsy will spend only $50 per book for a lengthy review from a frequent book reviewer.

The great thing is, your book is available to be reviewed by anyone who is interested. Additionally, you can contact the reviewers to ask them to review your book

On Reedsy, your book can only be reviewed once, although, we really wish they would allow more, especially if other reviewers want to take a peek.

Publisher’s Weekly (Free)

Like we mentioned earlier, Publisher’s Weekly is associated with Booklife, which is a paid review service.

Publisher’s Weekly, however, is a free review service , which will bring a smile to most indie authors who are on a tight budget with marketing.

The one downside of submitting a book review to Publisher’s Weekly is your review is not guaranteed. Publisher’s Weekly reviewers take a very slim amount of submissions for review, which means they take the elite when it comes to books.

If your book is chosen for review by Publisher’s Weekly, you’ve probably got yourself a great book. Although there is no guarantee for a book review, it’s worth submitting anyways.

To get your book reviewed with Publisher’s Weekly, check out their submission guidelines .

Write With Light Publications (Free)

We know we have a long ways to go to be as great and revered as websites like Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus. But hey! We all have to start somewhere!

At Write With Light Publications, we have a deep desire to help indie authors get their books out there in the world. One of the best ways to do that is to read your book and give you a quality review.

Our reviews are completely free to you as long as you follow our strict guidelines.

To learn more about our book reviews, check out our submission guidelines !

New More Publishing Help?

Write With Light Publications offers a variety of publishing services that are intended to support indie authors with their self-publishing endeavors.

If you’re feeling lost with marketing, publishing, or even creating your book, consider getting some assistance from us!

You can see more about our services here .

Publishing Services at Write With Light Publications, LLC

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The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors in 2024

Discover top book review sites for insightful recommendations and literary insights. Find your next great read with these trusted platforms.

Last updated on Jun 21st, 2024

When you click on affiliate links on QuillMuse.com and make a purchase, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission—this helps us keep up with publishing valuable content on QuillMuse. Read More .

Book review sites are very important for writers as well as readers. Readers will not be interested in buying or reading the book if they do not get good reviews about their favorite book. So writers should update their writing system through book reviews so that readers are encouraged to read their books.

If you read the post carefully, you will get knowledge about some best book review sites that you can visit to get your favorite book reviews.

Introduction

Book reviews are the backbone of your book’s victory. Getting them is imperative all through your creator journey, beginning from some time recently until long after you dispatch your piece of composing. Paid administrations are, of course, well mindful of this truth. There are so numerous to select from, so if you’re wondering what the most excellent paid book survey destinations are, keep perusing!

There are so many companies that are upbeat to require your cash in trade for the guarantee of landing you a few great audits. With the numerous book review sites out there, you can be pondering which one ought to you select.

The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors and Readers

There are many types of best book review websites available on Google to find book reviews, I am now sharing the 8 best book review websites with you.

1. Goodreads

Goodreads is awesome for book reviews! It’s like a massive book club online. With millions of users from all walks of life, you get a wide range of book reviews, so you’re almost certain to find thoughts on the books you’re interested in. The best part? These reviews are often super detailed and insightful, giving you a deep understanding of what’s great and not-so-great about a book.

What’s more, Goodreads suggests books you might love based on what you’ve read before. It’s like having a bookish friend who always knows your taste. Plus, you can connect with your buddies, hop into book clubs, and even take on reading challenges – it’s a social experience for bookworms.

And here’s the cherry on top – many authors hang out on Goodreads too, so you can chat with your favorite writers. So, if you’re all about books, Goodreads is like your literary playground!

Related: How to Writing a Book Review

Whereas it’s exceptionally comparable to Goodreads, BookBub centers more on interfacing perusers with books that might suit them particularly, which is mostly why you’ll see the output of deals and bargains advanced on the site.

Because of this special esteem, BookBub has a very solid creator in the best book review sites. Some readers and writers are always suggesting books on BookBub accounts. So on the off chance that you would like to tag alongside your favorite creator, this is often an amazing site to visit.

The drawback of BookBub is that they as it were have community audits from clients based within the US, and you have to sign up to peruse them. You will be beyond doubt to discover your small community of individual book partners in any case of what your interface is.

3. Book Riot

Book Riot is another best book review site. It distributes listicles on handfuls of different themes, numerous of which survey the finest books in a certain class.

Of course, there’s too much non-reading list substance. If you have a common liking for writing, Book Riot is certainly worth including in the list of websites you browse each day.

Related: How to Write a Book

4. LibraryThing

LibraryThing is the self-proclaimed best book review site in the world. It has more than 2.3 million individuals and is one of the most excellent social networking stages for book lovers.

With a free account, you will add up to 200 books to your library and share them with other clients. But it’s within the other zones where LibraryThing can claim to be one of the finest book survey destinations.

There are evaluations, client surveys, and labels. But be beyond any doubt to tap on the Zeitgeist tab at the best of the page. It contains masses of data, counting the best books by rating, by the number of audits, by creators, and loads more.

There are so many types of book review sites. Bookish site is one of them. It makes a difference if you prepare for your following assembly with discourse guides, book tests, and book diversions. There are indeed nourishment and drink recommendations, as well as playlist suggestions. But the location is more than the best book review site gatherings.

It moreover offers lots of publication substance. That comes within the frame of creator interviews, supposition expositions, book audits and suggestions, perusing challenges, and giveaways.

Be sure to see the Must-Reads area of the location routinely to urge the most recent best book reviews. Too, the individuals behind Bookish are book partners, as well. To see what they’re imitating, if you want you can check out the articles that they have posted so far.

Related: Best Writing Websites for Writers

6. BookPage

It is a very famous book review site among the sites. BookPage is the best book review website that has all sorts of books. Such as children’s books to nonfiction, from the works of family names to big appearance creators, and so much more. Their website is flawless and clear; they bring you the volumes they think are most beneficial, suggesting them to you by summarizing and concisely commenting on the exposition, the topic, and the plot of each chosen book.

In addition to this, BookPage also highlights creator interviews and articles that uncover the more profound subjects and purposes of certain books. On the off chance that you are a genuine book significant other looking for a like-minded scholarly devotee, this may be the culmination for you.

Related: How to Write a Book Title

7. Barnes and Noble

Barnes & Noble is the best book review website where fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, novels, stories, short stories, and different types of book reviews can be collected. To enter this website, you can create an account by providing your information.

FAQs on the Best Book Review Websites

What are the top 5 most popular book review websites in the world.

Goodreads, BookBub, Bookish, Book Riot, and BookPage are the top five most popular book review websites in the world.

Which book review sites are the most trustworthy?

I recommend using the Goodreads website when you need a book review. Goodreads is a trustworthy website that is very popular compared to other book review websites. Through this website, you can get lots of huge book reviews of your choice.

What are the top book review sites for finding new book recommendations?

Goodreads is the top book review site for finding new book recommendations. Goodreads is the best book review website.

How do I write my book reviews for these sites?

If you want to write your book reviews for these sites then the first thing to do is to complete the registration. Whereas these are not your sites, these sites are created by someone else, so it is not possible to provide book reviews unless you register to write your book review on these websites.

Conclusion

When you write a book review, it is vital to keep in mind that the objective is to supply an objective evaluation of the work. This implies that individual suppositions ought to be maintained at a strategic distance from as much as conceivable. Instep, center on the book’s merits and demerits. Was it well-written? Did it tell an appropriate story? Was it instructive? These are the sorts of things that ought to be tended to in a book review.

It is additionally important to keep in mind that when composing a book review, it is vital to offer more than a fair outline of the book’s substance. Instep, center on advertising a keen and smart appraisal of it.

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We keep our articles up-to-date regularly to ensure accuracy and relevance as new information becomes available.

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I Ranked 5 Paid Book Review Sites for New Authors

Catrina Prager

Few things are as important for new writers as getting book reviews. Getting your book reviewed is a subtle way of signalling to the world that your work is worth the effort, and that genuine people are reading it. You know, not just your Mum and your best friend.

Getting those reviews in, however, is not easy. The Internet is awash with individuals/platforms offering to review your book, either in return for an ARC, or for an actual fee. Below, I rank seven of the most popular ways of getting reviewed, so you don’t have to bother.

It’s not just a review.

I know, it’s tempting to think that forking out some hard-earned cash should be enough on your part. But it’s not. Depending on their reach and their reputation, some book review options are better than others.

While some professional reviewing platforms, like Kirkus, may offer more credibility to your book, they also carry a sort of stigma. People who see that review will know you paid for it.

And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but among authors, indie authors especially, there’s a bit of kickback against paid reviews. You’ll see social media accounts of authors with the words “I DON’T PAY FOR REVIEWS” in all-caps. So it’s worth being aware of that stigma, as you figure out your marketing.

1. NetGalley

Pro: As far as paid reviews go, my personal favorite is NetGalley. Working as a book reviewer on multiple platforms, I can tell you NetGalley tends to have the highest quality of literary offerings, at least in my opinion. I know a lot of reviewers who work with NetGalley, as opposed to other platforms, which means your book has more chances of getting reviewed.

Also, #bookstagram and #booktok NetGalley reviewers also tend to have bigger followings, which means promoting your book to a larger audience.

Con: One major downside of NetGalley is the pretty steep fee. Currently, $499 will get you a 6-month slot as a NetGalley listing. During this time, you’re highlighted in their database, and your book has a chance of ‘connecting’ with honest reviewers.

It’s worth noting that NetGalley reviewers can be very harsh. I see a lot of excellent 3.5 or 4.5-star reviews on social media from the platform, but very very few 5-starts. So just a word to the wise.

2. BookSirens

Pro: BookSirens is a somewhat smaller version of NetGalley. With around 10k reader/reviewers, it’s a compact platform of great seriousness. They review every individual reader before giving them the “reviewer” badge, to make sure they’re serious.

BookSirens is also incredibly serious about their authors, which as an author, I appreciated. It took me a few days of back-and-forth to get Hearthender accepted onto their listings, but that suggests a slightly higher quality in the books they review.

A major draw for BookSirens is their vastly smaller fee. BookSirens charges a flat $10 upon listing your book, with an added $2 for each reviewer you get. As the author, you have the option to cap the number of potential reviewers, to fit your budget, and also to invite your own reviewers (for no fee).

Con: One obvious downside of BookSirens is that it’s much less known than NetGalley. It’s still a good option for books in commercial genres like fantasy or romance, though.

Note: Alternatively, you could try BookSprout. It’s very similar to BookSirens, with a stronger focus on getting reviews by a certain date. So this can be quite useful if you’re wanting to boost your reviews pre-launch.

3. Goodreads

Wait, isn’t Goodreads free?

For readers, yes. For writers, also yes. You can list your book here for free, and recommend it to people. However, a solid way of getting Goodreads reviews is to host a Goodreads giveaway…and that’s not free.

Pro: Goodreads has a great reputation for authenticity. It probably is the best option for generating organic interest in your book. It’s also very widely-used. People are much more likely to check a review on Goodreads than on BookSirens, for instance.

Con: Not necessarily a con, but obviously, all good things come at a price. For Goodreads giveaways, you can choose between the Standard ($119) or the Premium ($599) package.

Personally, I think the Standard is quite a good option, though the Premium does mean getting your book features on their Giveaway page, and reaching a wider audience.

4. Kirkus Reviews

Is Kirkus Reviews worth it?

This is one of the most popular questions among the indie authors that I know.

Pro: Kirkus enjoys a fabulous, well-respected reputation in the literary world. It’s well-respected by authors, readers, and even publishing houses, largely thanks to its integrity as a literary platform.

In other words, getting a positive Kirkus review is definitely something to gloat about, with many indie authors even including the review on their front cover.

Con: Obviously, a huge drawback to Kirkus is the fee system. For a 250–300 word review, authors need to fork a hefty $450 (or $599 for a 500-word review).

Another problem with Kirkus is that, due to their rigorous process, reviews can take a long time in appearing (7–9 weeks).

One huge merit of Kirkus is the aforementioned rigour. Once your manuscript has been accepted, it is reviewed by a professional editor who assesses style, genre, and other aspects, and then matches you with a reviewer who’s knowledgeable in that particular area. In a way, Kirkus is figuring out your target audience for you.

5. Reedsy Discovery

Finally, Reedsy Discovery was my first experience as a book reviewer, so it has a little bit of a soft spot.

Pro: Reedsy Discovery charges a smaller fee of $50, which makes it more accessible to independent authors. It also has genuine people interacting on it, and personally, I quite enjoy both that, and its review process. Reviewers must meat a certain word count, structure, etc.

Con: In my personal experience, some of the books on offer on Reedsy aren’t of the highest quality, which risks making your book appear dubious by association.

Another downside is that the books aren’t necessarily assigned, as on Kirkus for instance, so you just have to do all your marketing yourself. You need a strong cover to draw the eye, a strong description, and so on.

Reedsy regularly sends out e-mails to its reviewers with books they could choose from. I think it’s a little sad when I see the same book in the “still not reviewed” pile for weeks in a row. So just bear in mind that can happen.

Bottom Line ~ What’s good here?

Keep in mind that while helpful, none of these platforms will magically skyrocket your book to the New York Times Bestseller List. However, reviews from respectable platforms can give an indie/self-published book more credibility.

My suggestion to you would be to first, draw up a budget . What can you realistically afford to spend on reviews, with an easy heart?

My personal picks here are NetGalley and Kirkus. I feel they’re both very well-respected. With Kirkus, I like the rigorous process, while with NetGalley, I think you can get your book featured on a lot of good social media accounts and so on.

Since they’re both quite pricey, though, I’d recommend mix-and-matching. Maybe you pick NetGalley (for rep and reach), and also do a Standard Goodreads Giveaway.

Maybe you request a Kirkus review, but also sign up on BookSirens.

If NetGalley and Kirkus fees are too much for your current budget, do not despair. Try to get your book on as many of the smaller platforms as you can afford.

Also, reach out to indie book bloggers. You can find them in directories, or interact with them through Instagram. Often, smaller book bloggers will be more than happy to give an honest review and feature you on their blog/social media, in return for an ARC.

This is more time-consuming, but also a great way to get genuine, organic reviews for your book. And that’s no small accomplishment.

Thank you for reading. Guess what. I am actually publishing my first novel this fall. Wild, I know. Meanwhile, I’m gonna be documenting my process/journey/slow descent into madness on here, while also dropping the occasional opinion piece.

So if you’re someone who enjoys that kinda writing, well, why not subscribe? It’s free. And I’m desperate. So there, honesty.

Written by Catrina Prager

Author of 'Hearthender'. Freelancer of the Internet. Traveler of the World. I ramble.

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28 book review sites for the self-published author.

Below is a list of 28 websites, ezines, and blogs, whose contributors post more in-depth reviews of featured books and ebooks. Again, the sites are ranked by Alexa number : the lower the number, the more popular the site. You can submit your work to all of them, although it goes without saying that a submission will not necessarily result in a review, favorable or otherwise!

http://blogcritics.org/books/ 12,356 : Features book reviews and ebook reviews, separately.
http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/category/ebooks/ 110,388 : A site that reviews romance books, with a smattering of other genres.
http://www.bookslut.com/ 207,831: A monthly web magazine and daily blog dedicated to reading: news, reviews, and commentary, and unofficially affiliated with NPR. To submit a book: http://www.bookslut.com/contact.php
http://blog.booksontheknob.org/ 246,176: A site featuring and alerting readers to bargain reads, free ebooks, and providing ebook reviews. For review: http://blog.booksontheknob.org/p/about-this-blog-and-contact-info.html
http://kindle-author.blogspot.com 284,485: A blog for self-published kindle authors, run by a self-published kindle author. He provides author features, interviews, posts "sponsored posts" by guest writers, and opportunities to advertise on his site.
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Welcome.html 368,716: A site that reviews romance novels. http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/reviewsguidelines.html
http://theunreadreader.com 696,089: A blog that reviews bound and e-books, focusing on chick lit, contemporary, dystopian, paranormal, romance, urban fantasy, and young adult; does not accept nonfiction or self-pub. Submission directions here: http://www.theunreadreader.com/p/review-policy.html
https://bestsellersworld.com/ 946,785: A network of reviewers that provides book reviews and giveaways. BestSellerWorld---get reviewed
http://www.kindleobsessed.com/ 1,082,187: A blog that reviews self-published and indie authors and posts lists of free ebooks. Submit for review here: http://www.kindleobsessed.com/review-request/
http://www.mrsgiggles.com/index.html 1,151,918: A site that reviews ebooks, mostly of the romantic fiction genre, and sometimes movies and music.
http://bookdout.wordpress.com/ 1,429,032: A blog that reviews print books and ebooks (that can be accessed on ipod touch), with a preference for general fiction, women's fiction, cosy mystery, psychological thriller, murder mystery, crime, humor, paranormal/urban fantasy, and romance.
http://candysraves.com/ 1,649,793: A blog that reviews books and ebooks, with an emphasis on memoirs, women's fiction, light paranormal, crime novels, time travel novels, horror/suspense/thriller, and selected YA. Reviews are posted on the site, as well as on Goodreads, Smashwords, and Amazon.
http://thebookbuff.blogspot.com/ 1,705,165: A blog that reviews all books and ebooks of any genre but erotica. Submissions: http://thebookbuff.blogspot.com/p/review-guidelines.html
http://acozyreaderscorner.blogspot.com/ 1,773,601: A blog that reviews books in hard copy (preferred) but also ebooks on a limited basis, with a focus on women's fiction/chick lit, romance, literary and historical fiction, Christian fiction, YA, children's literature, memoirs, and cookbooks.
http://bitsybling.blogspot.com/ 2,130,000: A blog that reviews books and ebooks of any genre. Submissions: http://bitsybling.blogspot.com/p/review-policy.html
http://booklog.eternalised.net/ 2,586,781: A book review blog featuring adult and YA fantasy novels, paranormal, supernatural, and historical genres. http://booklog.eternalised.net/review-policy/
www.dailyebookreviews.com/ 2,951,890: A blog that reviews fiction ebooks, with an emphasis on science fiction, horror, fantasy, and thrillers, and spotlights an author weekly.
http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com 3,118,843: Fantasy/sci fi co-writers team up to review books, conduct author interviews, and post guest blogs. Submit for feature and/or pay for a slot on a "spotlight page" here: http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html
http://busybeesbookreviews.blogspot.com/ 3,418,571: A blog that reviews books of most genres and offers author interviews. Submission information: http://busybeesbookreviews.blogspot.com/p/review-policy.html
http://thebooxreview.com/about 3,705,955: A site that posts of reviews of new ebooks by an in-house reviewer, and posts readers' submitted book reviews.
http://www.thesundaybookreview.com/ 3,947,099: A site that reviews thriller, crime, true crime, and mystery, as well as provides indie pub news, guest posts, and interviews.
http://spaldings-racket.blogspot.com/ 3,990,280: A blog run by author named Nick Spalding who reviews books of all genres. Submit your books here: http://spaldings-racket.blogspot.com/p/submitting-your-book-to-spaldings.html
http://smashwordsreviewed.blogspot.com 5,009,611: A blog that features indie authors, reviews new books, interviews authors, and hosts guest reviewers of all genres.
http://www.ebookaddictreviews.com/ 5,406,299: A team of reviewers that reviews romance ebooks.
http://thecajunbooklady.com 6,227,261: A blog featuring book reviews, author interviews, and giveaways. Submit books here: http://www.thecajunbooklady.com/p/reviewing-policy-ftc.html
http://elizabethswigar.wordpress.com/ 8,056,568: A blog dedicated to reviewing Kindle formatted ebooks, open to all genres, but particularly interested in historical fiction. http://elizabethswigar.wordpress.com/submit/
http://novelcritic.com : Reviews published and self-published novels of any genre.

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The 13 Best Book Review Sites and Book Rating Sites

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Nobody likes to spend money on a new book only to face that overwhelming feeling of disappointment when it doesn't live up to your expectations. The solution is to check out a few book review sites before you hit the shops. The greater the diversity of opinions you can gather, the more confidence you can have that you'll enjoy the title.

Which book review and book rating sites are worth considering? Here are the best ones.

1. Goodreads

Goodreads is arguably the leading online community for book lovers. If you want some inspiration for which novel or biography to read next, this is the book review site to visit.

There's an endless number of user-generated reading lists to explore, and Goodreads itself publishes dozens of "best of" lists across a number of categories. You can do a book search by plot or subject , or join book discussions and reading groups with thousands of members.

You can participate in the community by adding your own rankings to books you've read and leaving reviews for other people to check out. Occasionally, there are even bonus events like question and answer sessions with authors.

2. LibraryThing

LibraryThing is the self-proclaimed largest book club in the world. It has more than 2.3 million members and is one of the best social networking platforms for book lovers .

With a free account, you can add up to 200 books to your library and share them with other users. But it's in the other areas where LibraryThing can claim to be one of the best book review sites.

Naturally, there are ratings, user reviews, and tags. But be sure to click on the Zeitgeist tab at the top of the page. It contains masses of information, including the top books by rating, by the number of reviews, by authors, and loads more.

3. Book Riot

Book Riot is a blog. It publishes listicles on dozens of different topics, many of which review the best books in a certain genre. To give you an idea, some recent articles include Keeping Hoping Alive: 11 Thrilling YA Survival Stories and The Best Historical Fiction Books You’ve Never Heard Of .

Of course, there's also plenty of non-reading list content. If you have a general affinity for literature, Book Riot is definitely worth adding to the list of websites you browse every day.

Bookish is a site that all members of book clubs should know about. It helps you prep for your next meeting with discussion guides, book quizzes, and book games. There are even food and drink suggestions, as well as playlist recommendations.

But the site is more than just book club meetings. It also offers lots of editorial content. That comes in the form of author interviews, opinion essays, book reviews and recommendations, reading challenges, and giveaways.

Be sure to look at the Must-Reads section of the site regularly to get the latest book reviews. Also, it goes without saying that the people behind Bookish are book lovers, too. To get a glimpse of what they’re reading, check out their Staff Reads articles.

5. Booklist

Booklist is a print magazine that also offers an online portal. Trusted experts from the American Library Association write all the book reviews.

You can see snippets of reviews for different books. However, to read them in full, you will need to subscribe. An annual plan for this book review site costs $184.95 per year.

6. Fantasy Book Review

Fantasy Book Review should be high on the list for anyone who is a fan of fantasy works. The book review site publishes reviews for both children's books and adults' books.

It has a section on the top fantasy books of all time and a continually updated list of must-read books for each year. You can also search through the recommended books by sub-genres such as Sword and Sorcery, Parallel Worlds, and Epic Fantasy.

7. LoveReading

LoveReading is one of the most popular book review sites in the UK, but American audiences will find it to be equally useful.

The site is divided into fiction and non-fiction works. In each area, it publishes weekly staff picks, books of the month, debuts of the month, ebooks of the month, audiobooks of the month, and the nationwide bestsellers. Each book on every list has a full review that you can read for free.

Make sure you also check out their Highlights tab to get book reviews for selected titles of the month. In Collections , you'll also find themed reading lists such as World War One Literature and Green Reads .

Kirkus has been involved in producing book reviews since the 1930s. This book review site looks at the week's bestselling books, and provides lengthy critiques for each one.

As you'd expect, you'll also find dozens of "best of" lists and individual book reviews across many categories and genres.

And while you're on the site, make sure you click on the Kirkus Prize section. You can look at all the past winners and finalists, complete with the accompanying reviews of their books.

Although Reddit is a social media site, you can use it to get book reviews of famous books, or almost any other book for that matter! Reddit has a Subreddit, r/books, that is dedicated to book reviews and reading lists.

The subreddit has weekly scheduled threads about a particular topic or genre. Anyone can then chip in with their opinions about which books are recommendable. Several new threads are published every day, with people discussing their latest discovery with an accompanying book rating or review.

You'll also discover a weekly recommendation thread. Recent threads have included subjects such as Favorite Books About Climate Science , Literature of Indigenous Peoples , and Books Set in the Desert . There’s also a weekly What are you Reading? discussion and frequent AMAs.

For more social media-like platforms, check out these must-have apps for book lovers .

10. YouTube

YouTube is not the type of place that immediately springs to mind when you think of the best book review sites online.

Nonetheless, there are several engaging YouTube channels that frequently offer opinions on books they've read. You’ll easily find book reviews of famous books here.

Some of the most notable book review YouTube channels include Better Than Food: Book Reviews , Little Book Owl , PolandBananasBooks , and Rincey Reads .

Amazon is probably one of your go-to site when you want to buy something. If you don’t mind used copies, it’s also one of the best websites to buy second-hand books .

Now, to get book reviews, just search and click on a title, then scroll down to see the ratings and what others who have bought the book are saying. It’s a quick way to have an overview of the book’s rating. If you spot the words Look Inside above the book cover, it means you get to preview the first few pages of the book, too!

Regardless of the praises or criticisms you have heard from other book review sites, reading a sample is the most direct way to help you gauge the content’s potential and see whether the author’s writing style suits your tastes.

12. StoryGraph

StoryGraph is another good book review site that's worth checking out. The book rating is determined by the site's large community of readers. Key in the title of a book you're interested in and click on it in StoryGraph's search results to have an overall view of its rating.

Each book review provides information on the moods and pacing of the story. It also indicates whether the tale is plot or character-driven, what readers feel about the extent of character development, how lovable the characters generally are, and the diversity of the cast.

13. London Review of Books

The London Review of Books is a magazine that covers a range of subjects such as culture, literature, and philosophy. Part of its content includes amazingly detailed book reviews. If you feel that most modern book reviews are too brief for your liking, the London Review of Books should suit you best.

You'll gain insight into the flow and themes of the story, as well as a more thorough picture of the events taking place in the book.

Read Book Reviews Before You Buy

The book review sites we've discussed will appeal to different types of readers. Some people will be more comfortable with the easy-to-interpret book rating systems; others will prefer extensive reviews written by experienced professionals.

Although it’s easy to be tempted by a gorgeous book cover, it’s always best to have a quick look at the book reviews before actually buying a copy. This way, you can save your money and spend it on the books that you’ll be proud to display on your shelves for a long time. And check out recommendations, as well, to help you find what's worth reading.

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5 best online book review sites for indie authors.

One of the best ways to gain exposure for your new book is through a book review site. But there are so many different online resources available that it can be overwhelming to select which site is the best option for your masterpiece. I know. I think I’ve combed through them all.

But don’t despair! Today, I’ll show you the top five book review sites for authors. We’ll explore how much each of these sites will cost you to use and what sets them apart from the competition. Hopefully, you’ll come away with a better understanding of where you can start.

Reader’s Favorite

Reader’s Favorite is the ideal option for new and experienced authors. They have over ten years of experience serving traditional authors, indie authors, including romance novel writers and bestsellers. They offer a wide variety of packages for authors, including a free option. However, this free review does take up to three months, so you are far better off opting for their $59 express package or the $129 package for three express reviews.

Readers’ Favorite will post reviews to both Goodreads and Barnes & Noble , but unfortunately not Amazon . Your reviews will also be placed on their site, and all of their reviews are created by real-life readers. As an author, you’ll also get the opportunity to rate your reader, just as they have rated your novel. The site prides itself on only posting four and five-star reviews. If you do happen to receive a poor review from the reader, they’ll provide you with private and constructive criticism instead, as their priority is to help authors. While the company’s primary goal is to review new and self-published authors, they’ve also worked on reviews for well-known authors in the past.

Reader Views

Established in 2005, Reader Views is a great option for independent authors. They offer a variety of services to help capture the attention of potential readers. One of their best services for independent authors includes a review consultation service for free, where you can submit your book or e-book for review consideration. The basic package starts at $119 for one review, and there are also many add-ons available to suit different budgets and marketing needs . By choosing one of their publicity campaigns, you’ll be able to spread the word about your book on blogs and social media.

The company also offers in-house editing, book translations, eBook conversion, and manuscript critiques, so they are a good one-stop-shop for authors. For reviews for Amazon, Goodreads, or Barnes & Noble, ask about their book giveaway service on top of your book review. A unique feature of this service is the fact that you are given your reviewer’s email address to contact them after to thank them for their review .

The US Review of Books

By using The US Review of Books , you’ll be able to connect with a professional book reviewer and have your review placed in front of the company’s over 18,000 newsletter subscribers. They cater to both fiction and nonfiction books, so it’s ideal for your romance novel, biography, or fantasy book. The site ranks in the top 25 for book reviews on Google, so you are in safe hands getting your novel out into the world with this site. They use a consistent team of staff to ensure the reviews are focused and adhere to a particular style.

Thanks to their subscription base and social media following, your book will receive good online exposure with this site. At the same time, the site also doesn’t use advertising, so there will be no distractions from your book coverage. The site is fully focused on reviews, with their basic review package starting at $75, although you can upgrade to express delivery for $129. They don’t sell editing or manuscript review services on the site, as they believe this would be a conflict of interest with the review services they offer.

From Publishers Weekly comes BookLife , which is one of the few sites to offer free reviews for indie authors. If you work with a larger publisher, you will need to submit your book through their main portal, but this is ideal for anyone writing a new romance novel or their first piece of work. However, to receive a free review on the site, your book will have to meet their standards and criteria. Your basic review will be about 300 words long and can be used on your book’s cover or on your Amazon or Goodreads page. While the review service is free, the site offers plenty of other paid services to run their site. If you do need social media posts or publicity on top of a review, you’ll also be able to find this on here. For no additional charge, you can also opt to have your review published in the BookLife section of Publishers Weekly each month, which will give you even greater exposure to attract publishers and readers.

Pacific Book Review

While this is the most expensive option on our list today, with their basic package starting at $300, you’ll find that Pacific Book Review can offer you wide reach online. Your review will be posted to Barnes & Noble, Google Books , and a couple of other online sites. Their professional reviewers offer top quality reviews, and know what they are looking for in an action-adventure book, biography, or romance novel.

Your review will be distributed to news sites, search engines and posted on all the major book retail websites. The company is a member of the National Book Critics Circle, so you know you are in good hands with your purchase here. Once your review is complete, you’ll receive a PDF with the review and link to the site, which you can then use however you wish for marketing purposes.

Romance novel and online book review sites.

By choosing any of these five online book review sites, you’ll help get your book out into the world and attract further potential readers. All of these sites offer professional reviews that are of a high quality, and by opting for some of the add-on services they offer, you can also benefit from social media and online marketing to further spread the word about your writing.

What online book review sites have you used? Drop me a line below…I’d love to check them out.

5 responses to “5 Best Online Book Review Sites for Indie Authors”

Thanks for the information, Karlene. But you didn’t mention Kirkus Reviews. This is more expensive (if you do the paid one for Indie writers) but it’s a widely recognized review and I’ve had two Kirkus Reviews, using their quotes on my book covers. I would love to see an updated blog on this topic.

That’s a great idea, Maggie! Thanks for the suggestion. I haven’t used Kirkus…yet! But it’s on my radar.

One of my 3 Kirkus reviews contained reference to something that was not in my book (The Kovalenko Secret). I felt compelled to write to them to explain the problem. Although they adjusted the review appropriately, I was left with a feeling of not having gotten a competent reviewer. For what they charge, that should not have happened.

Reedsy (Discovery). I received a review from them for my first memoir, The Gosling Bride and I was quite happy with it and their review dashboard in general. It was only $50 and the reviewer posted their review to Amazon. Like an reviewer authors need to be aware that you can get anything from a 2 star to a 5 star rating, so make sure your book is ready!

That’s fabulous, Eileen. I haven’t heard of them — I’ll definitely check them out. Thanks for sharing!

Where Writers Win

Marketing, websites, training and tools for emerging authors, the ultimate list of book review websites.

Nearly all book review sites experience lots of web traffic. They’re great places to find a read, no matter your genre preference, and better places to place yourself as an author. Many offer links to your website, author interviews (print, podcast, even video), guest author blogs and more.

So let’s create the ULTIMATE list! Here are TWENTY — a mere starter dough of potential review sites to get you rolling. And, to be politically correct (since traffic comes and traffic goes), we’ve listed them in alphabetical order.

NOTE: Each entry links to that review site’s URL. Please do add more sites — or your comments about the sites we’ve listed — in our comments section below. Or, comment at any of the various LinkedIn or Facebook groups where we’ve posted this challenge. Within a couple of weeks we’ll cobble together what WILL be the ultimate list and put it all in a Google doc for anyone to access and add to…

Allreaders.com (it’s not sexy, but it’s functional, and you can submit a review and be a “scholar”)
Alltop.com (specifically books.alltop.com – a list of blogs related to books and an easy place to begin your search).
Bookfetish.org (specializing in genre fiction reviews from horror to true crime to romance).
Bookpage.com (with hundreds of reviews a month, it’s a great place to discover new talent).
Bookslut.com (gotta’ love the name – Bookslut is a monthly web magazine and daily blog dedicated to those who love to read)
ForewordReviews.com (ForeWord has exclusively reviews books from small presses)
Goodreads.com (The “Razzles” of book review sites – it’s reader candy and social networking gum to chew on all in one neat package)
Galleycat.com (with great traffic, great lists, great reviews and great e-blast updates, this one is a great favorite of the WWW team!)
IndieAuthorNews.com (book reviews, interviews, ebooks, even self-publishing advice)
LibraryJournal.com (news and reviews from Library Journal staffers)
LibraryThing.com (like GR, a hybrid community of readers, writers and reviewers, boasting 1,500,000 readers)
MidwestBookReview.com (lots of resources and easy links to get a book reviewed or become a reviewer)
WriteMyFirstEssay.com (like other essay services, but with good customer support to help with reviews and books in coursework)
NPR.org (with an ongoing commitment to serious books and authors, lots of lists, author interviews and reviews)
NewYorker.com (Page Turner is the name of the blog here, with “criticism, contention, and conversation about books that matter.”)
NYBooks.com (The New York Review of Books – great traffic, lots to read)
NewYorkTimes.com (okay, not everyone can crack the NYT best-seller lists, but the lists will surely lend insights… 50 Shades of What?!)
PublishersWeekly.com (a world unto itself)
Riffle.com (brand new – click on the link to get invited to its anticipated launch)
Shelfari.com (owned by Amazon, you can click thru to buy in an instant – and like Goodreads has the benefit of “groups” where you can find your reading tribe)
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12 thoughts on “ The Ultimate List of Book Review Websites! ”

The Ultimate List of Book Review Websites! | Where Writers Win, was a fantastic name to give this valuable blog post. Exactly where can I actually browse more related to this?

Here are 7 more for you. Make sure that you *always* check their review policy page as sites open and close for reviews depending on their reading backlog. Enjoy!

http://shewolfreads.com http://wefancybooks.blogspot.com http://www.sithereandread.com http://www.roofbeamreader.net http://manoflabook.com http://fadeintofantasy.com http://novelreaction.com

GREAT! Will add to list and publish soon!

Thanks for the mention Adonna!

Also look at these: http://greenmanreview.com/ http://www.rambles.net/

And, with all modesty: http://johnadcox.wordpress.com

Great — will add ’em to list — thanks so much (think these will get us over 50 so far…)

Excellent info in this post. I’ve updated my book review database to include some of your suggestions.

Jane Lassar Publicist Blog: “Dear Author; A publicist’s guide to the ever-changing world of book PR” http://www.janelassar.wordpress.com @clevelandbookpr

Bookgasm: http://www.bookgasm.com/ Also, http://popcultureguy-don.blogspot.com/ reviews books if they are pop culture related, but that might be too specific for your list.

No, these are both great – thanks! (We’ve got one for just paranormal, so there ya go!)

I will run a reference to it in the August 1 issue of Publishing Poynters. BTW, you might like to divide the list in the those that review free and those that charge.

Bitten by Books http://www.bittenbybooks.com

Great – thank you!

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Best Book Reviewers | Book Review Websites

So, you wrote an amazing book, and you’ve published it on a selected platform. Now, you’re hoping for as many new readers as possible so positive reviews can start pouring in. Yet, weeks later, your readers are nowhere to be seen.

What Happened With All Of Your Readers?

Where are dozens and hundreds of sales and reviews that you KNOW your book deserves ? The truth is, without an organized book launch that includes pre-launch, launch, and post-launch promotion, it is highly unlikely that readers will even hear about your book.

Best Book Review Sites: Rank Well With the Person Who Reviews Books

You see, platforms like Amazon are highly competitive. There are tens of thousands of new uploads each day, so it’s hard to stand out. Unless you already have your own sales funnels, driving sales from an ebook platform alone could take months, or even longer.

Contacting a Book Review Blog Is a Must!

To avoid that, seasoned publishers have massive advertising campaigns for their books. That way, they ensure that their book gains publicity months before it’s launched. As well as even gaining pre-launch purchases, and with that, good book reviews are almost guaranteed.

Book reviewing is a great way to get high-quality, legitimate exposure for your book at a reasonable cost.

Book advertising, like Facebook or Google ads, could cost tens of thousands of dollars, but book reviewers have a different approach to presenting book lovers with fresh writing.

How Do You Benefit From a Book Review Site? Find Out How Book Review Websites Advertise Your Book

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Book Reviews as an Advertising Tool: Your Own Book Reviews Become Ads

Book reviews have websites, YouTube channels, blogs, and social media pages dedicated solely to reviewing literature. Some reviewers focus on specific genres, and others may have a category for multiple genres.

A book review website post can be written by a single person, or the faces behind the reviewer’s titular name can be made of dozens, if not more, avid readers , writers, and experts in literature.

Book Reviews From Book Review Sites

Popular book review sites are devoted to writing an unbiased reviews on non-fiction books , romance novels, sci-fi books, women's fiction, children's books, comic books, literary fiction, indie publications , debut author reviews , and pretty much any literary publication that you can imagine.

Now, let’s rewind. What can author book reviews do for you? To answer this question, we’ll have to break down, albeit briefly, what an average book advertising campaign looks like. An average book advertising campaign is divided into four stages:

Get Book Review Sites Free in Marketing Campaign Planning

Every successful book launch has an entire marketing machine behind it. A successful marketing campaign can drive your ebook sales and boost your readership. However, this process starts with a plan. And a good one, for that matter!

Book Marketing Planning Starts With a Goal

Set clear goals for how many copies you wish to sell and by what date, how many book readers you want to reach, and of course, set clear attainable sales goals.

These goals will make for a comprehensive time frame to shape the rest of your book campaign. From there, set a couple of months for each advertising stage, and plan how each of them will go:

Who are Book Reviewers?

Book review writers are either individuals or groups of people who review books professionally. These reviewers read titles and then write about them on their blogs, and websites, post YouTube videos, write social media captions, and do other things to spread the word about books that get reviewed.

There are several types of book reviews , and multiple ways in which they review literature:

Book Reviews Websites: Trade/Professional Publishing/Literature Experts

Having a stamp of approval by an authority figure in your genre can do a massive service to your book’s publicity and profitability. Why not give it a shot?

Trade reviewers come from a broad range of experts in the publishing trade.

They can work in publishing houses, newspapers, and any other organization that publishes or creates literature. Writers, editors, English literature experts, and other persons who’ve built their names within the industry often have blogs and websites where they post about different books.

A lot of the time, they have websites that specialize in book reviewing. In fact, they are among the most popular book review sites in general.

To get a trade review , send a copy of your manuscript to the reviewer’s email address dedicated to that purpose.

If required, write a strong pitch. Similar to editorial teams in magazines, trade reviewers get a ton of pitches, significantly more than they can actually read. For that reason, your book must stand out!

A significant upside to trade book reviews is that good reviews almost guarantee your book’s success and popularity. You may not sell tens of thousands of copies within a week, but your book will be considered a quality read.

However, two major downsides often scare authors away from pitching to trade reviewers . First, they often require high fees for their time and effort, and that’s if you even get their attention. The second major downside is that there’s no guarantee that the reviewer will like your book, or that they’ll post nice things about it.

Worst-case scenario: You could pay good money for reviews only for your book to get a negative review , which is something no one wants.

You may increase your chances of success by sending your work to those reviewers who have an affinity for your genre and category, and whose taste matches yours. That way, there’s a chance that the two of you will be more like-minded, and that they will like your book.

In-Depth Reviews From Editorial Media Weekly Magazine

Not all reviews have to come from the world of literature. Other media, like TV and radio stations, TV shows and podcast hosts, and others, particularly from your hometown, might be interested in writing, talking, and posting about your new publication.

Since the persons in question aren’t literature experts, it’s more likely that they won’t be as detailed and harsh when judging your writing as trade reviewers .

In fact, local TV and radio stations most often aim to support local talent, so they might want to give you a boost of confidence by saying the words of praise about your title!

There aren’t many downsides to working with local media except for their limited viewership.

The smaller your hometown is, the less passionate readers are, and the sum gets even smaller when narrowed down to a specific genre and topic.

However, promoting your book locally is a great way to start! You should gain at least a few dozen of interested readers from your local campaign and with the additional flare of having your hometown support you.

Reader Reviews: Your Reader Become Your Book Reviewer

There are many people who are simply in love with literature, so they read multiple books within a short span of time, sometimes even a week. They publish their reviews on different online forums and websites, like Reedsy, Goodreads, Reddit, and others.

There are both advantages and disadvantages of relying on reader reviews .

Each reader has their own opinion, so there’s no guarantee that the reviews your title receives will be good ones, as it is with other types of reviews .

Aside from that, publishing on ebook platforms, like Amazon, have strict rules for which reviews they accept and which they don’t. No matter how many positive reviews you have from your readers , those that come from user profiles who’ve been sanctioned before will likely be disregarded by Amazon's algorithm, and they won’t do much to help your book gain exposure.

Of course, no author ever was harmed by the positive hype surrounding their book. You’ll get more positive reviews if you target your marketing toward those individuals who are most likely to enjoy your work.

Each genre has passionate fans who order several books a month just to get more of what they already read, because they like self-improvement, romance, or mystery that much.

Target those readers , and you’ll find numerous kind words posted about your book.

However, a significant advantage to reader reviews is that they’re free, plus they come from a reader’s perspective. Ultimately, your book is aimed at readers , not publishing professionals. It is the reader that you wish to impress.

For this reason, a book that’s well-received by readers will be successful even if editorial and publishing experts don’t like it that much.

Endorsements: Support for New Titles and Non-Fiction Books

Do you want an industry authority figure to post about your book and validate its quality? If so, pursue endorsement book reviews . Endorsement book reviews are a type of review made by genre or industry names.

For example, if you’re publishing a romance novel, another notable romance author from your area, or someone who accepts online reviews pitches, might write reviews for your book and then write an article about it.

Many endorsement reviews are made between authors with similar writing styles, topics, literary motifs, and other elements.

If you’re publishing non-fiction , you send a copy of your manuscript to someone with a reputable background in the industry.

Book Writing Reviewers FAQs

Ever wanted to become a book reviewer yourself? Perhaps, you’re wondering what skills a good book reviewer must have? The following sections will explore in more depth what best book review sites do.

You might have published a great book, but what if that isn’t enough? The tale says that passionate writers are passionate readers , so you’ve likely become a bit of a niche expert while writing your own book.

Being a book reviewer is a great way to turn your passion for literature into a hobby, and if you learn how to turn it into a business, it could just as well become profitable.

What do Literature Reviewers do?

They read plenty of books.

Most often in one or several niches or genres, and then write and publish reviews of the books they’ve read. Their reviews contain the following elements:

They Give Balanced outlooks on the Book’s Structure, Story, or Plot.

To give a balanced, detailed review means to analyze both the book's strengths and weaknesses. A review shouldn’t be biased, but instead strategic.

If you're writing book reviews as blog posts, they shouldn't be a book summary, but instead a commentary about the reviewer’s thoughts while and after reading it. The reviewer can, and should, analyze certain aspects of the book, and its style and structure, but without giving away the content of the book.

What are Good Reviewer Skills?

Being a good reviewer entails the following:

Frequent Reading

The best book review sites read a dozen books each month. They do this for a living, so there’s nothing strange to them about reading five or six hours a day.

Long hours spent reading can also sharpen your cognitive muscle and boost your reading speed. Because of that, many book review sites can read 40-50 pages per hour, and with full comprehension. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself finishing a book in a single morning. For a book blog reviewer, this isn’t unusual.

A Background in English Literature for Author Interviews

If you wish to review books in English-speaking territories, you need some form of education in English language and literature, either bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree.

Favorite Genre and Topic for Best Book Review Sites

Many successful book review sites also have a background in publishing, where they’ve spent at least a couple of years as a writer or an editor.

Book Marketing Skills

A skilled reviews writer knows that reviews have a massive marketing influence. They write with that in mind as well.

Analyzing Literature in Fiction and Non-Fiction

A background in English language education gives you the props to properly analyze and evaluate literature.

Your book review isn’t only about whether or not you liked the book and what you thought about the story and characters.

You need to be able to evaluate the quality of writing, how well the book is thought-out, and whether there are inconsistencies, plot holes, and other flaws in the writing.

Good time management is a must!

Aside from reading books relatively quickly, you also need the ability to write many book reviews in a timely manner. A quality book review is a lot more than just your impression of the book.

Good book reviews require hours of research, then detailed writing, and of course, editing and proofreading.

For this, you need to manage your time well and be able to organize and structure your workday.

How Much Does a Book Reviewer Cost?

Depending on a book reviewer’s price rate, book blog reviews could be free, or they could cost hundreds of dollars, it all depends on the said reviewer’s business model.

Do Book Blogs Charge for Their Reviews?

Those reviewers who post book blog reviews for free may be harder to come by since they receive the greatest number of book pitches, and likely don’t have the time to read all of the books. Your book will have to truly stand out, in this case, for a reviewer to notice it.

Will a Critical Analysis With Book Recommendations Cost a Lot?

There are many popular reviewers and reviewer websites, but they charge high rates that might be too expensive for an average self-publisher. As professionals who take their time to read books, give feedback, then write and publish featured reviews on their blogs and websites, higher-profile reviewers will come at a considerable cost.

How to Get a Good Book Review?

A good book review , first and foremost, results from a good book. Make sure that your book is of impeccable quality, original, compelling, well-edited, and well-designed. A good piece of writing is bound to get a good book review as well.

However, great books often don’t get the attention they should. The main reason for that is that they don’t access a lot of book lovers through self-promotion. The second step to getting a good book is to promote your amazing book as much as you can.

But, if you pitch it to romance-lovers, of a certain age group, gender, and overall demographic that matches your ideal reader persona, you’re more likely to get a good book review.

Is it Illegal to Hire Book Reviews?

Both yes and no. You shouldn’t pay people to give your book positive reviews because that’s considered dishonest at best. Worst-case scenario, if you’re caught using a book reviews service, your book could get banned from the top eBook platforms.

In that sense, it's illegal to plagiarize your own reviews by paying people to give five-star reviews on Amazon, for example.

Hiring book review sites to leave positive reviews for your book could ruin all of your hard work in creating an amazing manuscript.

The only legal and ethically “clean” option is to pitch your book to professional reviewers. Professional reviews, remember, are individuals or groups of people who own websites, blogs, social media pages, and other media dedicated to reviewing books.

Professional book review sites have different ways of working with authors.

The most notable book review site posts unbiased reviews, and whether or not they require payment varies from reviewer to reviewer.

Some may have high pay rates, and others will take a look at your book for free, but only if you manage to craft a compelling pitch that will attract their attention.

What are the Top Book Reviews Sites for Science Fiction and Literary Fiction?

If you intend to write books in the fiction and science fiction niche, visit some of the suggested best book review sites and go on their blog tours to see how they work, how reviews are written and published, and what blog reviews typically appreciate and dislike about books.

Aside from the mentioned, you'll find quality reviews on Book Riot, The York Review, and Kirkus Reviews, which are all great examples of quality book review sites. Kirkus Reviews accept author submissions, and even does author interviews!

New York Review is yet another place where authors write book reviews and publish them for their New York book lovers. There are also many authors who publish blog posts with detailed book reviews of up-and-coming titles, from world literature to paranormal romance.

List of Book Reviews That Publish Author Interviews and Give Honest Reviews on Traditionally Published Books Worth Reading

Self-published authors benefit from the understanding of which best book review sites to contact and send a free copy of their book. You might be writing books for middle-grade, young adults, or a more mature audience. Perhaps, you publish true crime, or even self-help manuals for spiritual growth amid a chaotic American life.

Either way, you benefit from engaging with communities where you can get constructive feedback that helps all independent authors grow.

Best Book Review Sites

If you’re publishing a book and you’re looking for favorable reviews, the good news is that you’re on the same page (literally) with readers who are looking for the right books to read., with so many books available, readers can have a hard time finding titles that they know won’t let them down. there are so many talked-up books that disappoint in the first chapter that readers just won’t take that risk, the great news for you is that there are many places where you can submit your book for review, like goodreads, amazon, and others., before you submit your book to be reviewed, here’s a short list of what you should and shouldn’t do., learn all about the reviewer’s policy, the kind of content they accept, and the sort of writing that their community doesn’t like., be mindful of the reviewer., reviewers take their work seriously, so be respectful and considerate when pointing out what you think your book’s benefits to be., send a copy of your book for free., unless a reviewer openly stated that they post only the titles that they purchase on their own, don’t expect them to order your book reviewed., acquaint yourself with the reviewer’s style, taste, and preference., check how the reviewer liked books similar to yours when it comes to topic and writing style., be rude, entitled, or unprofessional. treat the reviewer the same way you’d treat a coworker- in a friendly fashion, but with a respectful degree of professional distance., ask for the reviewer to buy your book. some reviewers do this to show support for authors and so that readers wouldn’t accuse them of bias, but unless they specifically said that they’re willing to purchase the book, send them a free copy..

Now, let’s start… reviewing reviewers!

If you're hoping to get one or several reviews for your book, these book review websites that can help gain exposure include the following:

Goodreads Review of Books

Goodreads posts community reviews. It is one of the best book review websites that draws from numerous Facebook groups where book bloggers and other users share and publish book recommendations and reviews on romance books, tech tips, and other literature.

Goodreads is a good place for the review of books by influencers and other celebrities whose tastes and book recommendations appeal to young adult audiences. Check out their staff reviews and current articles to get a grasp of how books are judged.

Your book might easily end up on one of Goodreads discussion boards or guest posts, so you want it in its best possible shape!

The New York Book Blogs Reviews for Every Young Adult Book Lover

The NY review of books | The Urban Writers

Submitting to The New York Review isn’t difficult, but it’s hard to get exposure due to the popularity of the website.

Book Riot for Different Genres

Book Riot | Book Review | The Urban Writers

Book Riot is another book review site where you can pitch your book and hope for an opportunity to see it come out. Book Riot publishes in a variety of genres, from children’s books to science fiction.

Book Riot also reviews audiobooks, so keep that in mind!

Library Thing

Library Thing is another great place to get blog reviews, and it’s popular with young adults. Debut authors use this space for writing reviews. Even better, the review policy entails that your use templates for adding new reviews.

That way, other users can all discuss each other’s books, but in an orderly fashion that allows everyone to find the book review they’re looking for!

Affaire de Coeur

Find book reviews with this magazine that has a long tradition of over 34 years. It’s being published every two months. It is based in San Francisco and publishes reviews on a multitude of genres. The magazine reviews both fiction and non-fiction, including paranormal, contemporary, historical, young readers, and erotica novels.

A broad range of literature acceptance

Accepted titles featured in the next print issue

Limited availability

Barnes and Noble Review

You can submit a wide range of different works to Barnes and Noble . They not only review fiction and non-fiction books but also essays and interviews.

American Book Review

This magazine too is issued every two months and has been running for over 30 years. This magazine is the one to reveal hidden gems that often get overlooked by those reviewers who put more emphasis on popular, more commercial titles. The American Book reviews do the opposite. They pay attention to those valuable, high-quality written works that get overlooked.

The American Book review gives attention to overlooked creative non-fiction, fiction, and poetry words from small publications.

This magazine has a significant limitation though since it doesn’t review how-to and self-help niches.

Booklife Website and Blog

While there are many great review websites, not all of them work with self-publishers. The Booklife By Publishers Weekly does, and they evaluate both traditional and self-published submissions.

However, the books that they review have to follow certain standards.

Compulsive Reader

Now over 20 years online, The Compulsive Readers emphasizes literary fiction and poetry. However, they also work with music and other genres, so don’t dismiss them just yet if you’re from another genre.

This website gives an in-depth review of a multitude of genres, of course, if you follow their guidelines.

Rain Taxi Review of Book

This magazine comes out quarterly, and it only publishes reviews of high-quality books. However, they focus more on non-fiction, poetry, and fiction works that don’t get mentioned in the mainstream media.

Like many other magazines, Rain Taxi too omits the self-help niche from their reviews. However, they publish literary analyses of a broad range of genres, from art to audiobooks, and graphic novels.

Discovers “hidden gems” of literature

High standards for acceptance

Don’t publish reviews in self-help and children’s books niche.

Readers’ Favorite

Readers’ Favorite Book Review and Award Contest publishes reviews on published and unpublished work, and for over 100 genres. They have a hefty database of diverse reviewers who choose their reading and then post about it.

You may speed up your acceptance and review process if you pay a fee.

One of the major benefits of this website is that they don’t give poor reviews to authors. If your review does come out, it will mean that the reviewer had a high opinion of your title. If not, you’ll receive constructive feedback.

The Los Angeles Review of Books

This non-profit organization has a mission to create fresh, digitally-oriented book reviews. They work with a variety of genres in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

The Rumpus celebrates authenticity and art, posting reviews in a diverse spectrum of genres from comics, to film, music, essays, and interviews. They also love talented, high-quality authors who get overlooked by mainstream media.

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Professional Book Reviews: List of Paid Book Review Sites

In our latest annual publishing industry research, in which where we polled hundreds of publishers, publicists and writers, 91.2% reporting that professional book reviews are important or very important. This is no surprise, as countless studies of consumers all industries consistently show that in terms of influencing sales, reviews are as statistically powerful as recommendations from friends and families.

In an age where any reader can post amateur ratings and reviews books on sites like Amazon, GoodReads and Barnes and Noble, discerning readers still look for independent sources to make their books stand out from the rest. In an increasingly crowded marketplace, books with critical acclaim have a leg up on the competition.

How Professional Book Reviews Compare with Movie and TV Reviews

The need for independent professional reviews is not limited to the book world. It pertains to movie marketing as well.

Professional Book Reviews - list of paid review services

In contrast, the audience scores are reflections of the opinions of the common viewer. These scores, garnered from individuals who have invested their time in viewing the film, offer a glimpse into how the movie has resonated with the public. Through the combination of both scores, Rotten Tomatoes paints a complete picture of the film’s overall reception. The result is a powerful tool for those seeking to make informed decisions about what they watch, as well as to uncover those films and TV shows that are held in high regard by critics and audiences alike.

How The Profile of Book Reviewers Has Changed

Once upon a time, every small, mid and major market newspaper, most magazines, and virtually every weekly publication had salaried book reviewers on staff. These reviewers were often journalists with journalism degrees.

That all changed with one-two punch of the digitization of media and the Great Recession. With the exception of a chosen few publications such as the New York Times and Entertainment Weekly , many professional book reviewers have been downsized or eliminated.

This dire situation has left independent authors vying for the attention of a precious few book reviewers – the same few that are already working with major publishers. And to be completely realistic, if you’re a genre writer – romance, mystery, horror, thrillers and the like – your odds of getting reviewed by mainstream publications aren’t much better than winning the lottery. For the most part, reviewers at mainstream publications prefer to take on either non-fiction or “literature” that doesn’t fit neatly into any genre.

That’s why today professional book reviewers are far less likely to work at major newspapers. While there are still journalists who work in the field, there are also many librarians and professionals with publishing industry experience or a strong passion for literature. Compared with decades past, these individuals are now more likely to write for companies that specialize in professional book reviews than newspapers or magazines.

List of Professional Book Review Outlets

To help, here’s a list of several paid book review services that work with independent authors and small publishers [full disclosure: BestThrillers.com reviews mystery and thriller books ].

1) BestThrillers.com

Reviews are posted on BestThrillers.com, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Goodreads and distributed to our list of email subscribers.

2) Midwest Book Reviews

Here is the MBR’s policy on format as of this writing: “We review audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs, but we can only accept physical review copies in CD, MP3-CD, or DVD format. We cannot accept download links, digital media, or digital media that has been “burned” to a CD.” Check with MBR on process and pricing.

3) Clarion Reviews

The service is clear and straightforward. As of the time of this writing, reviews cost $499 per book with an express delivery option of 4-6 weeks. Check with Clarion for the latest information on process and pricing.

4) Kirkus Reviews

Advice for authors seeking professional book reviews.

So what’s a writer who’s either independent or with a smaller publisher to do?

Rule #1 – Don’t send your books to mainstream reviewers and delay publication for weeks or months, hoping to get lucky. This tactic rarely favors writers without connections.
Rule #2 – Realize that even many well-known writers, at some point in their career, have paid for professional book reviews in one way or another. You’d be surprised at how many brand-name authors have been reviewed by BestThrillers.com or Kirkus .
Rule #3 – Factor a review service into your book marketing budget.
Rule #4 – Realize that even paid book reviews may not always be positive, so it’s wise to use more than one service.
Rule #5 – Make sure the professional book review service also includes distribution. If nobody sees your paid book review, its impact on sales may not be significant.

Frequently Asked Questions about Professional Book Reviews

1. What is a professional book review? A professional book review is a critical assessment of a book written by a knowledgeable reviewer who evaluates various aspects such as plot, writing style, character development, themes, and overall impact. These reviews are often written by individuals with expertise in literature, journalism, or the specific genre of the book. 2. Why are professional book reviews important? Professional book reviews offer potential readers insights into a book’s quality, themes, and overall worthiness. They can help readers make informed decisions about which books to read and also provide authors with feedback that can aid in improving their writing and storytelling skills. 3. How can authors get their books professionally reviewed? Authors can submit their books to various sources for professional reviews, such as literary magazines, newspapers, online review platforms, and reputable book bloggers. Some publishing houses also have in-house reviewers who assess books before publication. 4. Do authors have to pay for professional book reviews? Some review sources offer paid review services. Others provide non-paid reviews, but the largest typically only work with top agents and publishers, leaving out small publishers and indie authors from the equation. 5. What elements are typically covered in a professional book review? A professional book review typically covers elements like the plot summary, characterization, writing style, themes, pacing, originality, and the reviewer’s overall impression. It might also include comparisons to other works or authors within the same genre.

BestThrillers Staff

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23 Book Reviewers to Reach Out To

You finally self-published your book. Congrats! Here’s your next move: landing as many book reviews as you can. But where to get reviews aside from friends and family? To help you get started, here’s a solid list of 24 book reviewers to reach out to today. I include favorites across a range of book genres.

Real quick, why book reviewers?

Collecting book reviews is the most effective action you can take as an indie author. People rarely make a purchase when there are zero reviews (that’s e-commerce 101). Especially in the book world, reviews drive sales. Just a handful of positive reviews can help convert visitors into sales.

Definitely ask your network to leave a review for your book. But after you’ve exhausted your personal contacts, go above and beyond. Boost your credibility and discoverability by attaining reviews from sources like influential book review blogs or professional book review sites listed below.

1. Amazon’s Top Reviewers

You most likely got your book listed on Amazon. If not, you should. Amazon captures more than half of the digital book market, being the mecca of self-published content. What better place to look for reviewers than on Amazon? Check out Amazon’s list of top reviewers in your genre.

The Creative Penn shares how the process can take some time: “You need to find books similar to your own and then drill down into the review, and then further into the reviewer's profile to see if their contact information or website address is available.”

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2. Amazon Book Review Section

Amazon also has a book editors’ section that features hand-picked, non-sponsored content. Not all of Amazon’s book reviewers have their contact info available but click through their names to find the ones who do share their email or review site.

3. Other Amazon Book Reviewers

This is important to mention, so I’m making it its own entity. Take the time to browse Amazon’s book pages similar to yours. See who’s reviewed them and click on those reviewers’ profiles to see if they’re open for requests.

4. Goodreads

We know Goodreads, one of the most popular book review sites. If you haven’t yet, set up an author page on Goodreads. Then use the groups search box to find reviewers. Check the guidelines of each group before you post your request.

5. LibraryThing

LibraryThing is similar to Goodreads, where readers hang out to review and discuss various books. It’s like a social networking site, which you can use to find reviewers. Try offering your book with Member Giveaway , where members enter a drawing to win a book for free. Then kindly ask the winners who receive your work for a review.

6. Book Riot

Looking for professional book review sites? Consider Book Riot. It’s one of the largest independent editorial book sites. The team runs a variety of media, from podcasts to newsletters across numerous genres. All you have to do is shoot them an email. Here’s their review policy .

7. Kirkus Review

Kirkus Review is another professional site for some of the best reviews to land. Kirkus reviewers are credible, trusted voices in the publishing world. This one is paid. If you have the budget for it, purchasing a Kirkus review is a great way to increase clout.

8. IndieReader

IndieReader is a paid option as well, a tad cheaper than Kirkus Review. If your budget permits, it’s not a bad idea to pay for a guaranteed review by a more established name. You can paste the review on your editorial reviews section on Amazon, your author website, and even the back of your book. See IndieReader’s pricing .

9. BookPage

BookPage covers most genres, from literary fiction, to mystery, and biography. Its book recommendations are informative, periodically featuring author interviews. All you gotta do is send an email pitch with a digital review copy no later than four months before your book launch. See their guidelines .

10. The New York Review of Books

Imagine having your book shared with over 2.3M followers on Twitter. This is quite an ambitious one, but why not give it a go? Esquire described The New York Review of Books as “the premier literary-intellectual magazine in the English language.” Check the FAQ page (under “Editorial”) for the address to send your request.

11. The Kindle Book Review

The Kindle Book Review provides awards, shoutouts, and various resources for authors. And of course, the site specializes in giving reviews. Peruse its team of reviewers to ensure a proper fit for your book. Read how to make your request .

12. Maryse’s Book Blog

Book blogs are fantastic because they’re usually free. Plus, passionate readers run these blogs about books. In the gigantic romance genre, you don’t want to miss Maryse’s Book Blog . She covers romance stories of all subgenres, including contemporary, paranormal, urban fantasy, and more.

13. True Story Book Blog

Under romance, don’t miss out on True Story Book Blog either. Lisa reviews subgenres like contemporary, new adult, and paranormal. She’s also one of the best bloggers for adult erotica books. I mean, she’s got over 15K followers on Twitter. Lisa shares: “If it wasn’t for 50 Shades, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” Is 50 Shades of Grey not one of the best erotica works to date?

14. Book Woman Joan

Got a spiritual book? For Christian book reviews, go to blog reviewer Book Woman Joan . She covers a variety of genres but has a large following, particularly for Christian works.

15. The YA Bookworm Blogger

How about YA books? The YA Bookworm Blogger reviews books classified as Young Adult Fiction and New Adult Fiction. Her favorite genres are romance, paranormal, contemporary, and dystopian. See her review policy .

16. Mom With a Reading Problem

For children’s books, reach out to Mom with a Reading Problem . She goes on a first come, first serve policy and aims for a turnaround of 30 days.

17. ChapterInMyLife

When it comes to blogger reviews for all things dark, contact ChapterInMyLife . Sharon is a fanatic of crime fiction, true crime, thrillers, mysteries, and more. She’s got a dedicated fanbase of 7K followers on Twitter.

18. Cat Pollock Writes

Cat Pollock Writes is the place to go for science fiction. Cat is an author herself. By the way, doing review swaps with other authors is a pretty cool way to not only gain reviews but get connected in your industry.

19. YouTuber With Cindy

Let’s talk about book reviewers on YouTube. To do that, I have to mention YouTuber With Cindy . She has over 484K subscribers, and she’s freaking awesome. If you’ve got the budget and want to go big, working with influential YouTubers like Cindy will get you massive exposure. Cindy is straightforward about pricing: “If you have a conservative budget, please be realistic before contacting and consider working with someone else.” Here’s her FAQ .

20. Smaller YouTube Channels

If you can’t afford the big names like Cindy, there are a ton of smaller YouTubers you can work with instead. For example, SparklesBooks got almost 6K subscribers reviewing mostly horror and paranormal content. I couldn’t find her email or review policy, but here’s her Instagram .

21. Bookstagrammers

Speaking of Instagram… Heard of bookstagrammers? Bookstagrammers are book reviewers on the social media platform Instagram. Check the hashtag #bookstagram on Instagram to discover your next reviewer.

22. Social Media

And speaking of Instagram, I have to mention social media as a whole. Just like on Instagram, you can search for reviewers who cover your genre on social channels like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Draft a polite request and send out those DMs.

23. ARC Team

I end this list with a note on building an ARC Team. ARC stands for advance review copy or advanced readers copy. In self-publishing, you take care of everything on your own. An ARC team’s sole purpose is to help you gain more reviews. If you have to outsource one area of your publishing gig, why not this? Learn more about building an ARC team .

You got the book blogs and book reviewers. What next?

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20 Great Book Websites for Finding What to Read Next

I’m writing this list of the best websites about books for me five years ago. Back then I was deep in the beginning of learning about book world and would have welcomed a list of the great book websites to help me learn what to read next. Getting to know the publishing industry is a lifelong process of book discovery, and the Internet makes the literary community more accessible and inclusive than ever. These 20 book websites (plus a few extra way down at the end) are the places I go to find out about new books being published, to deepen my understanding of literature and reading, to get book recommendations, to grapple with critical book reviews, and more. I hope you’ll find your next favorite book through this list of great book websites to grow as a reader.

20 Best Book Websites for Book Recommendations, Lists, and More

(1) amazon book review.

Love it or hate it, but Amazon is a quality place to go to find out about new books. The Omnivoracious Amazon Book Review is a flagship for good book content, with recommendations from celebrities and other notable readers being a unique feature. I love the author interviews they have on their site, with writers like George R. R. Martin , Holly Black , and Charlie Jane Anders recently stopping by for a chat, often on the podcast. Amazon’s Best Books of the Month list is one I check religiously for new books to add to my TBR. They often surprise me with little-known reads I wouldn’t otherwise have on my radar (even if I think they make YA an afterthought), which is why I rate them highly for “new book discovery,” meaning a place where you can learn about books to read.

Strengths: Author interviews, previews of new releases, lists of recent award winners, podcast, new book discovery

(2) Book Bub

When Book Bub first came on the scene about five years ago, I signed up for their signature daily newsletter with hot deals on eBooks. I scored a lot of great books to load up my Kindle, but I didn’t really follow the site for a few years as I wasn’t reading too much on my eReader. Now they’re everywhere, moving beyond the email list to create original bookish content. It’s now totally expected to have one of their many comprehensive book lists pop up in a search for new books. The only downside that I see is that now you have to have an account to view their book lists or other blog content . I do like how they track book recommendations from authors like Stephen King, Jill Shalvis, and Nora Roberts.

Strengths: Book list articles, book recommendations, eBook deals, new book discovery

(3) Book Marks

One of the sites associated with Literary Hub or “Lit Hub,” which I write up as #12 below, Book Marks is the place to go if you want to find book reviews of the latest big books. Book Marks’ specialty is aggregating adult literary fiction and nonfiction book reviews and then assigning them a score card so you can see how many reviewers gave the book a Rave, Positive, Mixed, or Pan. Without a doubt, if you want to find out the critical consensus on a book before buying it or checking it out of the library, Book Marks should be your first stop. I also like how the site regularly interviews book critics to ask them more about their bookish lives. The site also reprints classic book reviews.

Strengths: Book reviews, coverage of new books, literary criticism, book news, essays

(4) Book Riot

Sure, I might be a little biased to include Book Riot in my list of the best book websites since I write for them , but the fact is, Book Riot is one of the leading destinations on the web for book lovers and certainly one of the top best sites for new books. Book Riot’s got all areas of the reading life covered and does an especially good job at highlighting diverse authors, featuring all genres, and amplifying thoughtful and at times controversial opinions about books, publishing, and reading. The annual Read Harder Challenge pushes readers beyond their comfort zone with categories like “A book by an AOC (Author of Color) set in or about space” and “A novel by a trans or nonbinary author,” and a thriving community of challenge takers trade book recommendations and ideas. Book Riot’s many book podcasts are also must-listens for readers wanting to learn about new books and what to read next.

Strengths: Diversity, essays, book list articles, all-genre coverage, podcasts, book news, reading challenge, new book discovery

(5) Brain Pickings

Looking for engrossing essays about books that will push you emotionally and intellectually? You’ll definitely want to stop by Brain Pickings, the literary love child of Maria Popova, a blogger who decided to create an “inventory of the meaningful life” more than a decade ago and share it with other readers. Popova’s one-woman show is an intensely personal exploration of art and ideas, with coverage of children’s literature alongside philosophy, literary fiction, and creativity. Sign up for her newsletters to get a hit of thought-provoking writing a few times a week, guaranteed to break up your mundane day. Popova is author of two books: Figuring (2019), which highlights the hidden legacy of influential female thinkers, scientists, and creators, and A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader (2018), a book for younger readers that collects essays about reading from leading creative thinkers like Neil Gaiman, Shonda Rhimes, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Elizabeth Gilbert.

Strengths: Literary criticism, essays, backlist coverage, newsletter

(6) Bustle Books

The website Bustle is designed for the modern woman, and the ample literary coverage on their standout Bustle Books channel reflects that. Here readers will find profiles and interviews with female authors, lists that focus on feminism, and personal essays that explore the experience of being a female reader in today’s world. Bustle Books is known for provocative articles challenging the publishing world to be more diverse and more female inclusive. You’ll also find fun articles, too, about books, TV and film adaptations, and books in pop culture.

Strengths: Feminism, diversity, essays, book list articles, all-genre coverage, new book discovery

(7) CrimeReads

Like Book Marks, CrimeReads is a branch of Literary Hub (discussed in #12 below). This book website has a niche focus on “crime” in literature: through true crime, mysteries, thrillers, fiction about crimes in general. On CrimeReads, you’ll find essays about writing and reading crime fiction, appreciation of and interviews with crime fiction authors both well known and underrated, reading lists for crime fiction and nonfiction, and coverage of crime in TV, movies, and other media. CrimeReads also has essays and original reporting on true crime. If you’re a mystery and thriller lover, appreciate a good courtroom novel, or just love reading about true crimes stories, you’ll definitely want to head over to CrimeReads and marathon read their quality content.

Strengths: Mystery/thriller/suspense, true crime, nonfiction, the writing life, book list articles, essays, literary criticism, new book discovery

(8) Electric Literature

With its signature tagline of “Reading Into Everything,” Electric Literature hosts an eclectic mix of bookish coverage, ranging from highbrow literary criticism to horoscopes for writers and everything in between. A hallmark of Electric Literature is a focus on reading more diversely, and a regular feature called Read More Women asks writers to recommend books by women (a response to male authors who only recommend books by fellow male authors). One thing I love about Electric Literature is how often they touch on writing and the life of being a storyteller. (I’m a bit biased because I’ve written for Electric Literature and consider it one of my proudest accomplishments to have my writing on there.) Electric Literature also publishes original fiction in its literary magazine , so keep your eyes peeled for some of today’s best authors and new and emerging voices alike converging there.

Strengths: Literary criticism, diversity, essays, author interviews, the writing life, all-genre coverage, book news, book list articles, new book discovery

(9) Epic Reads

Oh, Epic Reads: what started as an arm of HarperCollins publishing house has turned into the go-to destination for YA book fans. Readers of young adult literature love Epic Reads for the humorous tone, creative article ideas (bookish horoscopes, fan reactions to plot twists, book title or song lyric? challenges, etc.), addictive quizzes, and, of course, the many TBR-exploding lists. You’ll also find book trailers, cover reveals, and details on the latest books and tour dates for YA authors. Even though Epic Reads is part of HarperCollins, they don’t only put the spotlight on books through their publishing house. Epic Reads is simply and purely about celebrating YA literature, no matter whose imprint is stamped on the book jacket. So often YA can be a heavy genre, with books tackling serious themes, but Epic Reads always reminds me that reading ( and YA) can and should be fun, too.

Strengths: Young Adult (YA) books, quizzes, book list articles, new book discovery

(10) Five Books

Five Books has a niche formula and does it well: a list of five great book recommendations. This powerhouse book website solicits a fascinating mix of today’s most interesting, creative, and thoughtful “Experts” —like Mary Beard , Madhur Jaffrey , Mia Farrow , and Jo Nesbø —to offer five book recommendations on a specific topic, such as “The Best Prose Poetry,” “Congress,” and “Zombies.” An additional nice feature of Five Books is the ability to make your own lists and share your expertise. The site lives up to its tagline of “The Best Books on Everything” as you’ll find as wide a variety of book lists and book coverage as anywhere on the web.

Strengths: Book list articles, book recommendations, new book discovery

(11) Goodreads

In the 9 years that I’ve been a member of Goodreads, I’ve seen the site change a lot—for the better. Goodreads is perhaps the most essential website for readers as it allows you to track the books you’ve read, want to read, and are reading and add custom shelves to sort books. Connect with other readers in groups and follow authors for updates and exclusive information. The Goodreads lists are a rabbit hole to tumble down and find out more about books. I’ve found that the user-generated reviews have also improved over the last few years, going from one-line snarky hot takes to more thoughtful reviews. Plus they are home of the popular Goodreads Reading Challenge, an annual self-challenge to set a goal of how many books you want to read that year. (I’ve been known to argue against the challenge on this blog and offer alternatives to the Goodreads challenge , yet what can I say… I do it almost every year.) Even the Goodreads blog is getting better at publishing creative articles about the bookish life.

Strengths: Community, reading data tool, book list articles, user-generated reviews, reading challenge

(12) Largehearted Boy

Largehearted Boy is a book and music blog established in 2002 by David Gutowski and an essential corner of the literary internet. Obsessed with best-books-of-the-year lists? Make sure you bookmark Largehearted Boy, which compiles an index of the best-of lists you can peruse till your heart’s desire. Check out last year’s “Online ‘Best Books of 2018’ Book Lists” for a TBR-buckling example. (Full disclosure: I’ve submitted my best-of lists from this blog before and been included.) Also great for book discovery is the weekly “Books of the Week” that Montreal bookstore Drawn & Quarterly hosts on Largehearted Boy. What I love about Largehearted Boy is the thoughtful and honest book reviews, the blending of music and literature with the “Book Notes,” where an author matches a mix tape to their new book. Like Brainpickings, Largehearted Boy traces a very personal experience of inquiry into being a reader, writer, listener, and human being to provoke our own consideration. It’s an honor to share in it.

Strengths: Book list articles, author interviews, essays, book reviews, new book discovery

(13) Literary Hub (a.k.a. “LitHub”)

The parent site of the aforementioned Book Marks and CrimeReads, Literary Hub pumps out new book content for readers on the daily. I also suggest signing up for the LitHub newsletters as they come out each day with a summary of new posts not just on LitHub but elsewhere on the Internet. The weekly edition is a must-read, too, and it’s where I get many of the interesting bookish links I post on the Facebook page for this blog . On LitHub, you’ll find an endless stream of great writing about books, including essays on writing and reading, author interviews, highbrow intellectual literary criticism, book lists, and new fiction. Browsing LitHub is like reading a digital version of a literary magazine (like The New York Review of Books ) that you actually want to read. Unquestionably LitHub’s specialty is literary fiction, though they do also cover various genres, too. However, you likely won’t find much YA and children’s literature coverage on LitHub, excluding when they come up in personal essays about reading or writing kidlit.

Strengths: Literary criticism, literary fiction, nonfiction, essays, book list articles, author interviews, new book discovery, book news

(14) The Millions

Established in 2003, The Millions is one of the oldest book websites around, and over the past 15 plus years it has built up a reputation for being a gathering point for intellectually curious readers. Head over to The Millions if you want to check out the latest buzzy literary releases, hear more from authors about how they conceptualized and wrote their new book, discover the most anticipated books published in the month ahead, and find out what books were nominated for awards. The strength of The Millions is definitely literary fiction and nonfiction. Two of the best recurring features on The Millions are the annual Year in Reading , in which notable creatives and thinkers share a little about their year in reading, and The Millions’ Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half Year 20XX Preview, a TBR-toppling list of the most anticipated books of the year. This list comes out in two parts: January for the First-Half and July for the Second-Half. (Example: here’s the First-Half of 2018 Preview and Second-Half .) You’ll want to comb through these articles with your TBR ready, and you can find all The Millions lists on Goodreads for easy record keeping. I look forward to them every year as traditions, almost holidays, on the bookish calendar.

Strengths: Literary criticism, literary fiction, nonfiction, essays, author interviews, book list articles, previews of new releases, book news

(15) The New Yorker ‘s Books Section

Arguably the best literary magazine in America, The New Yorker is also a flourishing website with tons of great book content, most of it found on The Page-Turner blog . On The New Yorker ‘s Books channel, book reviews, publishing news, essays and articles from the magazine about writing and literature, and New Yorker staff book recommendations. Note that you’ll need a subscription to view more than a few articles a month. I admit I’m a proud subscriber of the magazine; I never recycle the issues, and they take over every corner of the house like an invasive species, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Strengths: Literary criticism, essays, literary fiction, nonfiction, author interviews, book reviews, book recommendations, book news

(16) The New York Times Book Review Online

It would hardly be a list of the best book websites without including The New York Times ‘ Book section. After all, The New York Times Book Review is one of the most prestigious and influential periodicals in publishing, and landing a coveted spot on its bestseller lists is just about every writer’s dream. Fortunately, the Review ‘s virtual presence is a worthy digital companion to the supplement you’ll find in Saturday’s paper. Online, you’ll get the same great book reviews, essays, and humor sketches, plus some podcasts going inside the Book Review and publishing that week that are seriously worth checking out. Every week I look for the New & Noteworthy feature, which highlights new releases you should put on your radar, and the Editors’ Choice: New Books We Recommend This Week, a weekly list that includes extracts from the critics’ reviews that’ll make you want to read these fresh books. One of my favorite recurring series in the Book Review is the By the Book interviews with writers, thinkers, and creatives, which discuss the bookish life and always includes interesting books to add to your TBR. You can find all of these digitized and uploaded weekly .

Strengths: Book reviews, book recommendations, author interviews, literary criticism, book news, podcasts, previews of new releases, new book discovery

(17) NPR Books

National Public Radio (NPR) has always been ear candy for readers, but now you can get all their great book programming online in one spot. The NPR Books site collects all the author interviews, book reviews, and stories about the reading life that you’ll get on the radio. If you’ve ever had the experience I have where you’ve gotta turn off the car in the middle of a story and you don’t have a pen or paper ready to record a book title or author name, they’ve got you covered. Beyond audio programming, NPR Books has a solid stream of book reviews and feature articles about writing and reading with a focus on diverse authors. Breadth and depth of coverage is a signature of NPR, which is why you’ll find articles about children’s books alongside graphic novels and comics and highbrow literary fiction. NPR Books is known for one more thing: the annual end-of-the-year book concierge . This behemoth of a book recommendation machine is a slick book discovery tool to find more than 300 of the best books of the year. Yes, I said 300. I’ve found so many great books this way, ones that were otherwise overlooked in best-of-the-year lists, and the methods to sort by what you’re in the mood for make this giant list manageable, with some seriously high-quality UX. Oh, yeah: you’ll be working through that list for the rest of the upcoming year.

Strengths: Book reviews, diversity, book list articles, author interviews, book news, all-genre coverage, new book discovery

(18) Publishers Weekly

If it’s publishing industry news you want, Publishers Weekly should be your first stop. Publishers Weekly (PW) is packed with insider-y gossip-y content about what’s hitting the shelves now and soon. Writers will want to check out PW’s articles to get an idea of what agents are buying and what trends are moving through books. I also sometimes mine the announcements that publishers make of new and upcoming books to get ready for upcoming releases and add them to my calendar.

Strengths: Book news, publishing industry information, book list articles, previews of new releases, new book discovery

(19) Read Brightly

Kid lit fans, this one is for you. Read Brightly is an online children’s literature website that’s part of Penguin Random House. Read Brightly is an excellent resource for readers of children’s literature and the adults who help children learn to love reading. One great feature of this website is the way each article is broken down by reading levels, a key distinction that takes the guessing game out of trying to connect children to the most age and reading level appropriate books. A flurry of articles celebrate kid lit, with creative and diverse book lists around categories like “Move Over, Rover: 10 Picture Books That Feature Unusual Pets.” Each month, Read Brightly hosts a reading challenge for kids designed to help them stretch themselves and discover new books. Like Epic Reads, this book website is hosted by a publishing house but features books from all parts of the children’s literature publishing world. Read Brightly truly lives up to its motto “Raise Kids Who Love to Read” as that passion for literacy and raising bookworms comes through in every story they write.

Strengths: Children’s literature, Young Adult (YA) literature, book list articles, previews of new releases, reading challenges, all-genre coverage, book discovery

Last but definitely not least, Tor is the go-to destination for science fiction and fantasy readers on the literary web. Tor has long published books, but their online presence takes their mission to highlight great voices in speculative fiction and pushes it further, creating a space for a community of SFF fans to grow and thrive. On Tor, you’ll read honest book reviews that are fair and critical of the books and authors in question, original fiction, lists of books, personal essays, eBook deals, SFF industry news, and coverage of SFF-related media, like Game of Thrones . What I like about this site is the freedom that Tor gives its bloggers and staff writers to really speak their minds about books. You might find articles about super-super niche sub-sub-sub genres you didn’t even know were a thing, but you definitely won’t find BS here. This makes Tor a leading place to go for readers who want to dig into the issues behind books.

Strengths: Science fiction, fantasy, SFF related TV shows and movies, book news, book reviews, essays, book list articles, book discovery

More great book websites

Here are a few other book websites you’ll definitely want to check out but didn’t make the full list (because I ran out of time!): Atlas Obscura’s Books Section , Catapult , The New York Review of Books , and Vox.com’s Books Section .

What are some of your favorite book websites? What did I miss? Leave a comment!

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Sarah S. Davis is the founder of Broke by Books, a blog about her journey as a schizoaffective disorder bipolar type writer and reader. Sarah's writing about books has appeared on Book Riot, Electric Literature, Kirkus Reviews, BookRags, PsychCentral, and more. She has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Library and Information Science from Clarion University, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

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Amazon reveals the best books of 2024 (so far): The No. 1 pick 'transcends its own genre'

When it comes to reading taste, sometimes we have to agree to disagree. Your favorite book may be a measly one-star review to someone else.

But now and then, a story becomes so universally beloved it breaks the mold.

Amazon's “Best Books of the Year So Far” list is here, and the No. 1 choice, "James" by Percival Everett , is a unanimous winner. What lands a book on the coveted list is one that “transcends its own genre,” says Al Woodworth, senior editor at Amazon Books.

“At its heart, to me, the best book is a book that you can't stop talking about and you want to share with everybody that you know,” Woodworth says.

Rather than relying on sales data alone, the Amazon Books editorial team spends a week championing its favorites of the year. The team of nine is filled with expert voices who once stood at pivotal intersections of the book world, including former publishing sales reps, booksellers, writers, journalists and agents. Their picks are featured in an overall list as well as top picks by genre.

The top choices have a little something for everyone: mystery, historical fiction, coming-of-age stories, compelling nonfiction and more. It takes a group effort to curate a list that speaks to a diverse customer base, says Sarah Gelman, editorial director at Amazon Books.

Here’s a glimpse at why editors love the top 10 books on Amazon’s “Best Books of the Year So Far” and the full list of 20:

1. ‘James’ by Percival Everett

What it’s about: “James” is a retelling of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” told from the perspective of the slave Jim’s point of view. The story picks up after Jim overhears he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter. At the same time, Huck Finn has recently returned to town after faking his death to escape his violent father. The two embark on a dangerous and transcendent journey down the Mississippi River toward what they hope is liberation.

What Amazon Books editors are saying: Woodworth missed her subway stop – twice – while reading this book. It’s a testament to how “completely absorbing” this story is, which gives more agency, intelligence and care to the character of Jim. You feel as if you’re on the adventure with them, she says.

“What Percival Everett does in retelling, reenvisioning a classic is completely knockout,” she says. “This is a rip-roaring story that is both based on a classic but has become, I think, maybe even more important and better than the classic.”

Purchases you make through our links may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

2. ‘The Women’ by Kristin Hannah

What it’s about: “The Women” is the story of the women serving in the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. It follows 20-year-old sheltered nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath, who, while in Vietnam, makes friends and learns that every day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal. And when she comes home to a changed America, she has to face a country that wants to forget Vietnam and ignore the women who served in it.

What Amazon Books editors are saying: “The Women” is as much of a “beautiful, emotional story” as it is a lesson on forgotten history and the pivotal role women play in it, Gelman says. “She also manages to take historical events that you think you know and turn them on their head and give you a perspective that’s totally fresh.”

3. ‘All the Worst Humans’ by Phil Elwood (out June 25)

What it’s about: “All the Worst Humans: How I Made News for Dictators, Tycoons, and Politicians” is a memoir of Phil Elwood’s nearly two decades as a top public relations operative in Washington – the strings he pulled, the truths he created and the scandals he covered up. Elwood dishes on his industry-secret tactics, his wake-up call from the FBI and the risk it takes to influence money, politics and power.

What Amazon Books editors are saying: Gelman and Woodworth liken “All the Worst Humans” to “House of Cards,” calling the “juicy” and “salacious” book a “Kitchen Confidential” of the PR world. This book will satisfy any reader, even those who don’t typically pick up nonfiction, they say.

“It’s perfect summer nonfiction reading in my book because it’s so crazy, it’s so shocking,” Woodworth says. “This memoir and Phil Elwood’s life just feels destined to be on the big screen."

4. ‘The Ministry of Time’ by Kaliane Bradley

What it’s about: “The Ministry of Time” is a genre-defying, time-traveling spy thriller with a government conspiracy and love story baked in. Set in the near future, a civil servant is offered a job as a “bridge” – living with, assisting and monitoring an expat who has time traveled from the mid-1800s. Her job is part of a government program to establish whether time travel is feasible. But when she falls in love with her assignment, Commander Graham Gore, the bridge will face consequences she never could have imagined.

What Amazon Books editors are saying: This read is so universally loved precisely because it’s so hard to describe. “We’ve got this beautiful poetic writing, this crazy, unique adventure,” Gelman says. “It just has many elements.” Woodworth loves the “quirk” in the fantasy plot and calls “The Ministry of Time” “pure entertainment.”

5. ‘Martyr!’ by Kaveh Akbar

What it’s about: In “Martyr!” we meet Cyrus Shams, a young man grappling with his mother’s violent death in Tehran and his father’s life in America. He’s a drunk, an addict and a poet with an obsession with martyrs searching for answers. After his rediscovery of the past, “Martyr!” is a portrait of a young Iranian American man trying to discover what it means to live a life of value.

What Amazon Books e ditors are saying: “Martyr!” is Kaveh Akbar’s debut novel, and Woodworth calls him a fierce new talent whom she’s already excited to read for the rest of her life. Gelman describes his voice as a male Sally Rooney.

“This is an unforgettable narrator whose voice I always say sort of feels shot from a cannon, not unlike, in my mind, ‘Demon Copperhead’ (by Barbara Kingsolver),” Woodworth says. “It is so funny and it’s also deadly serious.”

6. ‘Nuclear War’ by Annie Jacobsen

What it’s about: Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen dives into what would happen in the event of a nuclear missile heading for the United States in "Nuclear War: A Scenario." Her hypothetical relies on dozens of exclusive interviews with military and civilian experts who have built nuclear weapons, know response plans or are responsible for decision-making.

What Amazon Books editors are saying: Gelman describes this clock-ticking narrative nonfiction as a “real-life horror story.”

“Your palms will get sweaty when you read this book,” she says. “It is a wild, wild story, but I also think what it’s doing is showcasing how important our politicians are and who controls the decisions that are made with very little information and have to be made quickly to figure out how are we going to defend ourselves.”

7. ‘All the Colors of the Dark’ by Chris Whitaker (out June 25)

What it’s about: Set in 1975 in small-town Missouri, “All the Colors of the Dark” opens with a kidnapping. Girls are disappearing, and the latest target is the daughter of a wealthy family. She’s saved by Patch, a local boy with one eye, but the heartbreaking mystery doesn't end there. Their hunt to unravel the town serial killer will follow them throughout their lives.

What Amazon Books editor are saying: Finishing this story felt like mourning, Gelman says. Like his bestselling novel “We Begin at the End,” this story gets into the minds of young people powerfully.

“There’s nobody that does the innocence of childhood that he captures so beautifully,” Woodworth says. “I’m so delighted that he continues to write about kids and their relationships and their ideas about the future and how their childhood impacts their adulthood.”

8. ‘Lies and Weddings’ by Kevin Kwan

What it’s about: “Lies and Weddings” centers on a forbidden affair that erupts at a decadent Hawaiian wedding. Our main character is Rufus Leung Gresham, the future Earl of Greshambury and the son of a Hong Kong supermodel, who is trying to secure his family fortune with his scheming mother by seducing a wealthy woman. But what if he instead follows his heart and confesses his love to the girl next door? Kevin Kwan’s latest is a dramatic, thrilling story of love, money, murder, sex and lies.

What Amazon Books editors are saying: Anyone who loved the “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy will love this story by the same author. The book is fun-filled and well-traveled, taking readers on a glitzy journey around the globe.

Kwan "reminds me of a modern-day Jane Austen,” Gelman says. “He just manages to write about society in a way that’s so sharp and well-observed but also just a pleasure to read.”

9. ‘Lost Man’s Lane’ by Scott Carson

What it’s about: “Lost Man’s Lane” is about a 16-year-old who lands his dream summer internship under a private investigator in his hometown of Bloomington, Indiana. Marshall Miller is helping investigate a shocking crime – a local woman who vanished after being seen in a police car driven by a man impersonating an officer. Public praise for Marshall’s role in the case quickly turns to accusations of lying. When his mentor withdraws, he must face a darkness in his hometown that goes beyond one case.

What Amazon Books editors are saying: Fans of Stephen King will love “Lost Man’s Lane,” Woodworth says. Scott Carson tells the teenage perspective expertly, and you’ll feel as if you’re a teenager, too, along for the ride in this missing-person thriller.

10. ‘This Could Be Us’ by Kennedy Ryan

What it’s about: Soledad Barnes has a wrench thrown in the life she has meticulously planned when her husband leaves her in a cloud of betrayal and disillusions. Now a single mother, she has to put her grief aside to keep a roof over her daughters’ heads. When an unlikely, irresistible man enters the picture, she’ll have to grapple with trust issues and past mistakes to rediscover herself.

What Amazon Books editors are saying: Gelman calls “This Could Be Us” a “romance-plus” – it has everything steamy and sexy you’d want from a traditional romance with so much more. The story is grounded in real-life elements. Both the leads are single parents trying to juggle kids and careers while falling in love. The male lead’s twin boys are both on the autism spectrum.

“It is a very lifelike and very touching viewpoint of parenting a child that is neurodiverse,” Gelman says. “It’s very unexpected to see something like that in a romance.”

Full list: Amazon’s "Best Books of 2024 So Far"

“James” by Percival Everett.
“The Women” by Kristin Hannah.
“All the Worst Humans: How I Made News for Dictators, Tycoons, and Politicians” by Phil Elwood.
“The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley.
“Martyr!” by Kaveh Akbar.
“Nuclear War: A Scenario” by Annie Jacobsen.
“All the Colors of the Dark” by Chris Whitaker.
“Lies and Weddings” by Kevin Kwan.
“Lost Man’s Lane” by Scott Carson.
“This Could Be Us” by Kennedy Ryan.
“I Cheerfully Refuse” by Leif Enger.
“Narcotopia: In Search of the Asian Drug Cartel That Survived the CIA” by Patrick Winn.
“Margo’s Got Money Troubles” by Rufi Thorpe.
“skin & bones” by Renée Watson.
“The Familiar” by Leigh Bardugo.
“Table for Two” by Amor Towles.
“Fire Exit” by Morgan Talty.
“The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War” by Erik Larson.
“First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston.
“Malas” by Marcela Fuentes.

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4 crime and suspense novels make for hot summer reading

June 25, 2024 • There’s something about the shadowy moral recesses of crime and suspense fiction that makes those genres especially appealing as temperatures soar. Here are four novels that turn the heat up.

Random House hide caption

'Cue the Sun!' is a riveting history of reality TV

June 25, 2024 • Pulitzer Prize-winning New Yorke r critic Emily Nussbaum's book is a near-definitive history of the genre that forever changed American entertainment.

Ferris Jabr's book Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life examines the ways life and Earth have shaped each other. Lucas Heinrich/Random House hide caption

Earth is more than a planet with life on it. It's a "living planet"

June 24, 2024 • About ten years ago, science writer Ferris Jabr started contemplating Earth as a living planet rather than a planet with life on it . It began when he learned that the Amazon rainforest doesn't simply receive the rain that defines it; rather, it helps generate that rain. The Amazon does that by launching bits of biological confetti into the atmosphere that, in turn, seed clouds. After learning this, he began looking for other ways life changes its environment. That led to his new book Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life . He talks to host Regina G. Barber about examples of life transforming the planet — from changing the color of the sky to altering the weather.

Earth is more than a planet with life on it. It's a "living planet"

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In 'Parade,' Rachel Cusk once again flouts traditional narrative

June 20, 2024 • In her latest work, Cusk probes questions about the connections between freedom, gender, domesticity, art, and suffering.

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion, by Julie Satow

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue Doubleday hide caption

2 books offer just the right summer mix of humor and nostalgia

June 20, 2024 • Catherine Newman's novel Sandwich centers on a woman vacationing with her young adult children and her elderly parents. Julie Satow’s When Women Ran Fifth Avenue profiles three NYC department stores.

The main exhibit at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. Friday June 14, 2024. Jared Soares for NPR hide caption

All Things Considered

Much ado about first folios — the world's largest shakespeare collection reopens.

June 19, 2024 • The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is emerging from a four-year metamorphosis. Eighty-two copies of Shakespeare’s “First Folio” will be together on public display for the first time.

Author Jules Gill-Peterson poses next to her book, A Short History of Trans Misogyny Headshot by Kadji Amin and book cover design by Angela Lorenzo for Verso hide caption

The history of trans misogyny is the history of segregation

June 19, 2024 • As anti-trans legislation has ramped up, historian Jules Gill-Peterson turns the lens to the past in her book, A Short History of Trans Misogyny . This week, we talk about how panics around trans femininity are shaped by wider forces of colonialism, segregation and class interests.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 03: Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic at the Rayburn House Office Building on June 03, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Subcommittee is holding a hearing on the findings from a fifteen month Republican-led probe of former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci and the COVID-19 pandemic's origins. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Dr. Anthony Fauci testifies before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee Select Subcommittee on June 3. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

Health Care

Why anthony fauci approaches every trip to the white house as if it's his last.

June 18, 2024 • Over the course of his decades-long career in public health, Fauci vowed he would never shy away from speaking the truth with the U.S. president— even when it was inconvenient. Fauci's memoir is On Call.

Carvell Wallace searches for 'Another Word for Love'

Carvell Wallace, author of 'Another Word for Love' Carvell Wallace hide caption

It's Been a Minute

Carvell wallace searches for 'another word for love'.

June 18, 2024 • In his new memoir, Another Word for Love, Carvell Wallace lays out his journey to find self-acceptance after a childhood colored by instability. Host Brittany Luse sits down with Carvell to talk about how he built new language around love and his new perspectives on recovery and healing.

'Satchel' recalls the iconic pitcher who helped integrate Major League Baseball

June 14, 2024 • Hall of Famer Satchel Paige started his career pitching in the Negro leagues and later became a major league star. Author Larry Tye tells his story in Satchel. Originally broadcast in 2010.

William Morrow hide caption

'Horror Movie' questions the motivation behind evil acts

June 12, 2024 • Paul Tremblay's latest tale is dark, surprisingly violent, and incredibly multilayered — a superb addition to his already impressive oeuvre showing he can deliver for fans and also push the envelope.

In the episode "From Virgin to Vixen,” Queenie is in peak fun mode, until her demons begin to catch up with her. Latoya Okuneye/Lionsgate hide caption

Queenie's second life on screen gives her more room to grow

June 11, 2024 • An irresistible new Hulu series follows the quarter-life growing pains of a lonely South Londoner. It's based on a 2019 novel by showrunner Candice Carty-Williams.

Pantheon hide caption

In 'Consent,' an author asks: 'Me too? Did I have the agency to consent?'

June 10, 2024 • Jill Ciment wrote about a relationship she had with a teacher when she was very young – that turned into a marriage – in Half a Life . Now, eight years after his death at 93, she reconsiders their relationship in light of the #MToo movement.

Librarian Sabrina Jesram arranges a display of books during Banned Books Week at a public library branch in New York City on Sept. 23, 2022. Ted Shaffrey/AP hide caption

Book News & Features

What’s a book ban anyway depends on who you ask.

June 10, 2024 • The term "book ban" is used a lot in media and elsewhere when addressing the rise in challenges to certain books being allowed in schools and public libraries. But is it more political hyperbole or a censorship alarm bell?

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'Forgotten on Sunday' evokes the heartwarming whimsy of the movie 'Amélie'

June 8, 2024 • Like her other books, French writer Valérie Perrin's third novel to be translated into English, centers on the life-changing magic of friendships across generations.

IMAGES

The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors in 2024
The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors in 2024
The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors in 2024
The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors in 2024
Discover the Best Book Review Sites of 2024: Top 10 Picks
10 Best Book Review Sites for Finding What to Read Next

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30+ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers
15. BOMB. BOMB is in it for the art. Art, literature, film, music, theater, architecture, and dance. There are reviews and interviews, and the literature section is a real delight. The reviews are like poignant essays, and the author interviews are in-depth and feature some fascinating minds. BOMB.
Discover the Best Book Review Sites of 2024: Top 10 Picks
Also read: Top 10 Book Review Clubs of 2024 to Share Literary Insights. 6. Amazon. Amazon is one of the top free book review sites in 2024. It allows readers to rate books using a 1-5 star scale and receive a verified purchase tag after they have purchased books, increasing the authenticity of their reviews.
The Best Book Review Sites
4. LoveReading Review styles: staff and guest contributor reviews Though it's UK-based, this prolific site caters to audiences around the world. LoveReading is strictly a reviewing site, with a base of staff writers and carefully selected contributors, so you know the reviews are top-notch. The staff often give quite personal reading experiences in their reviews, which make their ...
Ten Honest Review Sites for New Authors
Marylee MacDonald is the author of MONTPELIER TOMORROW, BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD, BODY LANGUAGE, and THE BIG BOOK OF SMALL PRESSES AND INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS. Her books and stories have won the Barry Hannah Prize, the Jeanne M. Leiby Memorial Chapbook Award, a Readers' Favorites Gold Medal for Drama, the American Literary Review Fiction Prize, a Wishing Shelf Book Award, and many others.
Top 5 Book Review Sites Every Author Should Submit To
Here are some of the prices for Kirkus Reviews: Traditional Reviews: Costs $425 for a 250-word review. Expanded Reviews: Costs $525 for a 500-word review. Picture Book Reviews: Cost $350 for a 200-word review. All of the reviews are turned around in 7-9 weeks but can be expedited for an additional fee. After receiving your review, you can add ...
The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors in 2024
4. LibraryThing. LibraryThing is the self-proclaimed best book review site in the world. It has more than 2.3 million individuals and is one of the most excellent social networking stages for book lovers. With a free account, you will add up to 200 books to your library and share them with other clients.
Best Paid Book Review Sites for Authors
Here are the four best paid book review sites you can rely on for non-fiction authors, each with its distinctive features. #1 Goodreads. Goodreads is the most popular review site in the publishing industry today. It remains the top on-line community for book lovers and authors alike.
I Ranked 5 Paid Book Review Sites for New Authors
1. Few things are as important for new writers as getting book reviews. Getting your book reviewed is a subtle way of signalling to the world that your work is worth the effort, and that genuine people are reading it. You know, not just your Mum and your best friend. Getting those reviews in, however, is not easy.
Readers' Favorite: Book Reviews and Award Contest
Readers' Favorite is the fastest growing book review and award contest site on the Internet. We have earned the respect of renowned publishers such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the "Best Websites for Authors" and "Honoring Excellence" awards from the Association of Independent Authors.
28 Book Review Sites for the Self-Published Author
Below is a list of 28 websites, ezines, and blogs, whose contributors post more in-depth reviews of featured books and ebooks. Again, the sites are ranked by Alexa number: the lower the number, the more popular the site. You can submit your work to all of them, although it goes without saying that a submission will not necessarily result in a review, favorable or otherwise!
The 13 Best Book Review Sites and Book Rating Sites
But it's in the other areas where LibraryThing can claim to be one of the best book review sites. Naturally, there are ratings, user reviews, and tags. But be sure to click on the Zeitgeist tab at the top of the page. It contains masses of information, including the top books by rating, by the number of reviews, by authors, and loads more.
Kirkus Reviews
The Magazine: Kirkus Reviews. Featuring 289 industry-first reviews of fiction, nonfiction, children's, and YA books; also in this issue: interviews with Vashti Harrison, Amandeep Kochar of Baker & Taylor, Elin Hilderbrand, Ann Powers, Tomi Adeyemi; and more. subscribe. The Kirkus Star. One of the most coveted designations in the book industry ...
Get Honest Book Reviews on Amazon
150+ Reviews on Amazon. BookSirens has been a wonderful resource during my first year as a published author. The easy-to-use service allows me to match my books with quality reviewers who provide honest, unbiased feedback on Amazon and Goodreads. I definitely plan to add my future books to BookSirens in the year to come, and would highly ...
Book reviews: Find the best new books
Online book review magazine: Guides you to the best new and current books, includes reviews, excerpts, reading lists, find a book tool, info for book clubs & more. Join; Gift; ... From the author of Pack Up the Moon comes a funny, romantic, and moving novel about life's unexpected rewards. Discuss. About. New In Paperback.
5 Best Online Book Review Sites for Indie Authors
Booklife. From Publishers Weekly comes BookLife, which is one of the few sites to offer free reviews for indie authors. If you work with a larger publisher, you will need to submit your book through their main portal, but this is ideal for anyone writing a new romance novel or their first piece of work. However, to receive a free review on the ...
7 Book Review Sites That Put Your Book in Front of Readers
Readers Favorite. Readers Favorite offers free and paid book review opportunities. According to their site, 50% of the books listed for free receive a review within 3 months. For guaranteed, expedited reviews, there are three options for one, three, and five reviews.
The Ultimate List of Book Review Websites!
ForewordReviews.com (ForeWord has exclusively reviews books from small presses) Goodreads.com (The "Razzles" of book review sites - it's reader candy and social networking gum to chew on all in one neat package) Galleycat.com (with great traffic, great lists, great reviews and great e-blast updates, this one is a great favorite of the ...
Goodreads
Quotes. "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.". "I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.". "So many books, so little time.". "Two things are infinite: the ...
Best Book Reviewers
Book Reviews From Book Review Sites Popular book review sites are devoted to writing an unbiased reviews on non-fiction books, romance novels, sci-fi books, women's fiction, children's books, comic books, literary fiction, indie publications, debut author reviews, and pretty much any literary publication that you can imagine. Now, let's rewind.
Professional Book Reviews: List of Paid Book Review Sites
Clarion Reviews is the paid book review arm of Foreward Reviews. Clarion offers constructive feedback to improve books and is used as a valuable marketing tool to help sell books. The service is clear and straightforward. As of the time of this writing, reviews cost $499 per book with an express delivery option of 4-6 weeks.
Book reviews: Find the best new books
Online book review magazine: Guides you to the best new and current books, includes reviews, excerpts, reading lists, find a book tool, info for book clubs & more. ... and self discovery by the bestselling author of The Flight Girls. Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray. She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we ...
23 Book Reviewers to Reach Out To
8. IndieReader. IndieReader is a paid option as well, a tad cheaper than Kirkus Review. If your budget permits, it's not a bad idea to pay for a guaranteed review by a more established name. You can paste the review on your editorial reviews section on Amazon, your author website, and even the back of your book.
20 Great Book Websites for Finding What to Read Next
Strengths: Literary criticism, essays, literary fiction, nonfiction, author interviews, book reviews, book recommendations, book news (16) The New York Times Book Review Online. It would hardly be a list of the best book websites without including The New York Times' Book section.
The Best Books of 2022
The Book of Goose. by Yiyun Li (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) Fiction. This novel dissects the intense friendship between two thirteen-year-olds, Agnès and Fabienne, in postwar rural France. Believing ...
Amazon best books of the year so far: Why editors love these top 10
Rather than relying on sales data alone, the Amazon Books editorial team spends a week championing its favorites of the year. The team of nine is filled with expert voices who once stood at ...
Books: Book Reviews, Book News, and Author Interviews : NPR
The truth and lies behind one of the most banned books in America. June 26, 2024 • Author Mike Curato wrote Flamer as a way to help young queer kids, like he once was, better understand and ...
9 Alternative Sites Better Than Goodreads for Book Lovers
Goodreads alternatives like The StoryGraph offer better book reviews and tailored recommendations. Bookly tracks reading progress, hosts readathons, and offers a premium plan for unlimited books.

30+ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

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1. Goodreads

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3. LibraryThing

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5. LoveReading

7. Booklist

8. Publishers Weekly

9. NetGalley

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Top 5 Book Review Sites Every Author Should Submit To

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Why Do I Need to Submit My Books for Review?

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Who Should I Be Submitting Books to For Review?

So the top 5 book review sites you absolutely should at least consider,

Kirkus (Paid)

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Reedsy (Paid)

Publisher’s Weekly (Free)

Write With Light Publications (Free)

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The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors in 2024

Table of Contents

Introduction

The 7 Best Book Review Sites for Authors and Readers

1. Goodreads

3. Book Riot

4. LibraryThing

6. BookPage

7. Barnes and Noble

FAQs on the Best Book Review Websites

Which book review sites are the most trustworthy?