As a self-published author, you may wonder how to find reviewers for your book. There are hundreds of book bloggers that will review your book for free, often sharing a review on their blog, Amazon and/or Goodreads. There are also several websites that will provide an editorial review of your book for a small fee. However, the internet is a vast and complicated area to navigate and it would take days to scour all the Google results until you find most of the book reviewers. Fortunately, there is an easier way.
Just like the Yellow Pages used to be a go-to directory for businesses in the days before the internet, websites that provide directories have popped up to help you navigate the web. An example is RetailMeNot.com, which provides a directory of coupon codes valid at tens of thousands of online businesses. By consolidating and organizing this information on their website, finding the information becomes much easier for those looking for it. For book reviewers, there are a few options available to you.
List of Book Blogger Directories
Ranked from worst to best, in our opinion, here is a list of the most popular free book reviewer directories:
5. MidwestBookReview.com has a list of around one hundred book reviewers. They list their reviewers alphabetically, and they provide no additional information about the reviewers, such as which genres they review.
4. BookReviewDirectory.com provides a list of over a hundred book reviewers. They do not sort or organize their list in any notable manner and it may not be up to date.
3. TheIndieView.com is the oldest book blogger directory available. Their list has over 250 book reviewers listed, with new ones being added monthly. Their list is searchable by genre and by the locations where reviewers post their reviews, which makes it easier for you to find reviewers. The only downside to The Indie View’s list is that it features many sites that are no longer being maintained and even a few ‘dead links’ (sites that are no longer in existence), which can cost authors a great deal of time to sort through.
2. BookSirens.com’s directory includes the genres that each blogger will consider, and they also let you sort by where reviewers post to and whether the reviewers are currently accepting requests. However, they only publically provide a partial list of around 10 reviewers per genre, and to see their full directory, you need to sign up.
1. IndiesToday.com has a directory of over 300 reviewers that will consider independent authors, and the listings are updated monthly. The list of reviewers is searchable by genre or by where reviewers post their reviews (Amazon, Goodreads, etc.). Reviewers that charge fees or have other restrictions are clearly indicated. One of the best features of Indies Today’s list is that the reviewers are ranked by their blogging activity, so you can focus on the most active reviewers and don’t have to waste time on bloggers that haven’t reviewed a book in over a year. Click here to view the list.
Many of these directories (all of them, in fact) overlap, meaning that they feature many of the same reviewers. Therefore, when seeking book reviews, it is beneficial to find one directory that you prefer and stick with it so that you don’t mistakenly reach out to the same reviewer more than once in quick succession. Bloggers may view over-submitting your book as spam and be less inclined to review your book.
Now that you have access to the best book reviewers that the internet has to offer, it’s time to find a directory and start requesting reviews. Then, you can just sit back and wait while you watch the book reviews come rolling in!
