Getting your book reviewed on the Web
Today, there are a large number of writer and reader web sites that review every genre of writing. Below you’ll find a list of sites where you can submit your book. This is by no means an exhaustive list and we’ll be adding to it as we find other sites you could find interesting.
Paid for review services:
The sites below offer book review services that they charge for. You’ll have to decide if the exposure you can receive is worth the investment you have to make.
www.bookwire.com
Part of Bowkers, this is one of the growing sites set up to allow self published writers to get reviewed from a respected source. The drawback is you have to pay for it – around $270 – but the benefit is you gain access to the Bowker network. As the main source of bibliographic data in the US and a rapidly growing force in the UK, it is worth considering.
www.forewordreviews.com
Another paid for service - $290 – this is part of the well respected Foreword magazine. Again you get reviewed by a well thought of source – and they syndicate your review onto other services – like Bowkers. Look at previous reviews to get some idea of what you can expect.
www.kirkusdiscoveries.com
The last of the well known paid for services, it derives its authority from the reputation Kirkus has for book reviews.
www.bookreviewclub.com
Everything from free reviews to relatively cheap paid for reviews. The $50 package seems the best value but remember this is only for coverage on their site and a review you can use yourself so check the amount of traffic they’re getting before you commit.
General interest, free review services:
The sites below review most genres of fiction and non-fiction.
www.author-reviews.com
A good free resource which allows you to get your book reviewed and, even, post your own books.
www.authorsden.com
A US site that accepts a wide range of books for review
http://www.booksblog.blogspot.com
A small blog site that seems to have a very open review policy.
www.bookreporter.com
Another US based review site
www.bookloons.com
US site that also has a section for children’s books
www.geekvenue.net/bookvenue
US site with a fair range of books
www.complete-review.com
More of a large literary resource but has a review section.
www.bookpleasures.com
US site with quite an inclusive approach.
www.readersclub.org
Get in touch with a large community of readers
www.curledup.com
Great site. Anything called ‘Curled up with a good book’ can’t be all bad.
www.salon.com/books/index.htm
Book review section of the major internet magazine.
www.readysteadybook.com
A UK based review site. Follow the ‘information for publishers’ link
www.midwestbookreview.com
US based book site. Gets a very good reputation.
www.bookslut.com
The title appeals! As you’d expect there is a leaning to female literature on this site.
www.foxedquarterly.com
Ok, this is more of a print magazine but it’s lovely and we thoroughly recommend getting it.
www.bookstandard.com
Syndicates its reviews from Kirkus (see above)
www.goodreports.com
A Canadian book review site
www.jacketmagazine.com
Get your book reviewed and your book cover – now that’s novel.
www.bookreviews.com
Small US book review site. Unless you’re very keen on getting your book reviewed everywhere or you live next door, it may not be for you.
www.bookreviewcafe.com
A nice, comprehensive US site
www.bookreviewer.com
Again, another small US site
www.scribesworld.com
Useful resource that also includes reviews
www.crescentblues.com
Interesting site. You can submit your own book for review or they also pay for book review submissions. Check out their submission guidelines.
www.compulsivereader.com
A comprehensive US reader site
cometo/bookreviews
Another useful review resource
www.myshelf.com
A US/UK site that offers book promotion and book review opportunities
Sci-fi/fantasy
Some sci fi sites. A short list that’s likely to grow.
www.infinityplus.co.uk
A UK and US site that covers a wide range of sci fi and fantasy. The editor requests that you approach him by email in the first instance.
www.sfsite.com
A site covering all things sci fi
www.spectromonline.com
So there’s a genre called sci fi romance. Would you believe it? Here’s the site to prove it.
Romance
There is a large number of romance writing sites around. Below are just a few but many of the others are very small and local in nature.
www.romrevtoday.com
Reviewing all things romantic
www.theromancereadersconnection.com
Another way into the romance readers community
www.aromancereview.com
A US based romance site
www.romanceandfriends.com
If you’re a romance writer, you could try to get featured here
www.roadtoromance.dhs.org
A perfectly decent romance site
www.escapetoromance.com
They say they don’t review self published books but they might be persuaded. A US site, their best feature is the fact that they rank each review by how ‘steamy’ it is.
Computing/technical
www.ercb.com
Cookery
www.cookbookswelove.com
A very nicely created site for cookery lovers
Education & children’s books
www.educationoasis.com
Mostly about teaching and the craft of teaching but also includes books that could feature on the curriculum.
Spiritual
www.spiritualbookstore.com
All things spiritual and new age.
Erotic
www.nerve.com
The best of ‘literary smut’ on the web. Who could ask for more?
Travel
www.bootsnall.com
Quite a neat little travel site that includes writing and book reviews.