10 Places to Get a Professional (Editorial) Review for Your Book - Part 1
Here's a list of where you can get an editorial review for your book. These are the types of reviews that you can add to retailer buy pages, the back of your book, and more.
Let’s acknowledge a cold hard truth: marketing is hard. Marketing is especially hard for indie authors. Why? They usually don’t have a very big budget (if any). If you’re publishing through a publisher (or even a small press sometimes), they will source editorial reviews for you. But what about if you’re not? Or for whatever reason you have to do it yourself? I gotcha!
IndieReader - $249 to $399
IndieReader offers professional book review services tailored for indie, hybrid, and self-published authors. Their reviews are conducted by experienced professionals, including journalists, editors, librarians, and published writers, ensuring objective and high-quality assessments.
Each review is a minimum of 350 words, providing an in-depth evaluation of the book’s content, style, and overall quality.
Authors can pre-purchase a review before publication and save $50 if their book is at least five weeks away from release.
Books receiving a 4 to 5-star rating are labeled as “IR Approved,” enhancing credibility and visibility.
Authors of IR Approved books are invited to participate in the “All About the Book” interview feature on the IndieReader site, offering additional exposure.
Completed reviews are posted on the IndieReader website and can be included in the editorial sections of the book’s Amazon and Barnes & Noble sales pages, aiding in marketing efforts.
Standard Review: Priced at $299 with a turnaround time of 7-9 weeks.
Rush Review: Available for $399, delivering results in 4-6 weeks
Independent Book Review - $129 to $500
Independent Book Review (IBR) offers editorial book reviews with pricing that varies based on the book’s length and the desired turnaround time. The standard service provides a 400+ word review within five weeks, with fees adjusted according to word count. For expedited needs, IBR offers faster turnaround options at higher rates. Additionally, authors can enhance their promotional efforts by adding services such as social media graphics and book quote videos for platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
These reviews, often referred to as blurbs, function similarly to testimonials and are commonly featured on book covers, social media, and product pages.
Pricing varies depending on genre, format, word count, and timeframe.
Books receiving editorial reviews are considered for IBR’s Starred Reviews, inclusion in “The Best Books We Read This Year,” genre-specific book lists, and features among notable indie new releases.
Regular Review: Delivered within 5 weeks.
Expedited Review: Completed in 2 weeks.
Express Review: Finalized in 1 week.
BlueInk Review - $445 to $745
BlueInk Review offers professional book review services tailored for both traditionally and independently published authors. Each review is approximately 250–300 words. All reviews also enjoy wider distribution to Ingram, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon (upon request for the latter two). Select titles will also be distributed to Booklist, Shelf Unbound Magazine, Douglas County Libraries, BlueInk’s monthly newsletter, Goodreads, and social media.
Authors can mail two copies of their book to BlueInk’s office.
If opting to submit a PDF, there is an additional $19.95 handling fee to cover printing costs, as many reviewers prefer reading hard copies.
Completed reviews are sent to authors, who have 14 days to decide if they want the review published on BlueInk’s website.
Standard Review: $445, with a completion time of 7–9 weeks.
Fast Track Review: $545, with a completion time of 4–6 weeks.
2-Review Package: $745, which includes both a Fast Track Review from BlueInk and a review from Foreword Clarion.
Bookview Review - $59.99 to $310 (Canada)
BookView Review is a professional editorial service designed to help authors enhance their visibility in a competitive market by providing comprehensive book reviews and author interviews. The standard review process takes approximately 6–7 weeks. For expedited needs, a 3–5 day delivery option is available at an additional cost.
BookView employs a three-tier rating system:
4 Stars: Very Good
5 Stars: Excellent
Gold Badge: Outstanding
If a book receives a rating below 4 stars, the review is shared with the author first to decide on its publication.
BookView offers two-review packages in collaboration with The Prairies Book Review, providing authors with broader exposure.
The Book Revue - $150 to $300 - Free available but not guaranteed
The Book Revue offers authors several avenues to have their books reviewed, aiming to connect authors and readers through insightful evaluations. Authors receive a detailed critique ranging from 250 to 500 words, covering aspects such as plot development, character analysis, and overall reader impressions. While this service doesn’t encompass full proofreading, it serves as a valuable tool to gauge the book’s impact.
Books earning 4 or 5-star ratings are awarded a Book Badge and a Social Media Graphic to enhance branding efforts.
For authors with flexible timelines or limited budgets, The Book Revue accepts general submissions at no cost. Due to high volume, approximately 10% of these submissions are selected for review. All entries are forwarded to their parent company, Atlas Elite Publishing, for consideration.
Reviews are shared privately with authors and published on The Book Revue’s platform. Additionally, they may appear on sites like Goodreads or Amazon.
The Book Review Directory - $85 to $195
The Book Review Directory offers professional editorial reviews for authors seeking objective assessments of their work. Each book is read in its entirety by a qualified reviewer, ensuring a thorough understanding before crafting the review. Authors receive a minimum 500-word editorial review, which includes quotable excerpts suitable for marketing materials, book covers, and online listings.
With the author’s consent, reviews are published on The Book Review Directory’s website, which boasts over 12,000 subscribers and has accumulated more than 350,000 page views since its inception in 2015.
The cost of the editorial review is based on the book’s word count, rounded to the nearest 10,000 words.
The Book Commentary - $49 to $180
The Book Commentary offers authors several review options to enhance their book’s visibility and credibility. Positive reviews (4–5 stars) are permanently listed on The Book Commentary website. Eligible for inclusion in the monthly newsletter sent to over 250,000 subscribers, including book reviewers, booksellers, librarians, and book lovers.
Only 4–5 star reviews are published. If a book doesn’t meet this standard, authors receive constructive feedback to improve their work.
General Review: Approximately 250–300 words, 8–12 weeks turnaround, includes a general summary, highlights the book’s strengths and weaknesses, and provides recommendations for potential readers.
Standard Sponsored Review: Approximately 250–300 words, similar to the General Review, focusing on the book’s summary, strengths, and weaknesses. 3–5 weeks or 1–2 weeks turnaround.
Expedited Sponsored Review: Approximately 450–500 words, provides a comprehensive analysis, including a detailed summary, in-depth evaluation of strengths and weaknesses, and insights into the author’s writing style and thematic elements, 1 - 2 week turnaround.
Book Nerdection - $59.99 to $119.99
Book Nerdection offers professional book review services tailored to authors seeking comprehensive and objective evaluations of their work. Each book is thoroughly read and assessed by experienced reviewers, ensuring a detailed and personalized critique. Most genres are accepted, excluding political or religious-themed books, erotica, or poetry. Primarily e-books; physical copies can be arranged upon request.
Books are rated as follows:
Nerdection Must Read: 5/5
Nerdection Excellent Read: 4/5
Nerdection Good Read: 3/5
Depending on the selected package, reviews are completed within 2 to 8 weeks.
Bestsellers World - $90 to $250
BestSellersWorld.com offers professional book review services designed to enhance authors’ visibility and credibility. Reviewed books are eligible for the annual BestSellersWorld Book Awards, judged by a panel of reviewers and authors. Timeframe for turnaround is 2 to 4 weeks, depending on page count.
The more expensive packages include additional marketing such as newsletter inclusion, award entries, and author interview.
Indies Today - $89 to $129
Indies Today offers affordable editorial reviews tailored for self-published and indie authors, including those associated with small press and independent publishers. To maintain quality, a limited number of editorial reviews are offered each month on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to high demand, these slots often sell out, so authors are encouraged to check availability regularly.
Books that receive a 5-star rating are awarded a digital Indies Today Recommendation Badge, which can be displayed on the book’s cover or the author’s website to enhance credibility.
Each review is crafted to provide an insightful evaluation of the book, which authors can feature on their Amazon page, book cover, social media, and other marketing platforms.
Authors can submit their manuscripts in PDF (.pdf), Ebook (.epub), or MS Word (.docx) formats.
Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts.