I Ranked 5 Paid Book Review Sites for New Authors
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.
