The largest publishing houses in the world and many self-published authors have at least one thing in common. They both recognize the value of editorial reviews! Whether it’s flowery words on the cover of a physical book or statements of praise posted on a book’s Amazon page, you’ve no doubt seen dozens (if not hundreds or thousands) of quotations of editorial reviews. The reason that editorial reviews are so important to authors of all levels of notoriety is that readers rely heavily on editorial reviews to determine whether to purchase a book. Positive words from a professional book reviewer go a long way in convincing readers that a book is of high enough quality to invest their time and money. However, not all editorial reviewers are equal, thus leaving you wondering, “Which editorial reviewers are the best for me as an independent author?”
That can be a tough question to answer, and to be honest, only you can answer it for yourself. That’s because there isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to editorial reviews. If you have a high budget for your book, then you might select a few of the more prestigious (and more expensive) editorial book reviewers. If, however, you have a limited amount of money that you can afford to invest in your book, then you may decide to select one or two of the more affordable options. That said, we have taken the time to sort through dozens of editorial book reviewers to identify some of the top editorial book review options for independent authors, which are listed below. To see a more comprehensive list of editorial reviewers along with their prices, search for “editorial” on our complete list of indie book reviewers.
TOP EDITORIAL BOOK REVIEWERS
- KirkusReviews.com Kirkus is perhaps the most reputable and well-known book reviewer, and you can find quotations of their reviews on books written by some of the biggest names in the industry. However, their pricing reflects their status, as a Kirkus book review will set you back $425 to $575. Typically, their reviews are just a paragraph summary of the book along with one quotable phrase, and if the book is particularly good it will get marked as a starred review.
- IndiesToday.com Indies Today offers a great value for independent and self-published authors by maintaining highly competitive pricing for their services. Editorial reviews are $99, or for just $129 you not only get an editorial review but your book is also entered in an annual book award contest! Besides a 1 to 5 star rating Indies Today’s editorial reviews feature a one-paragraph summary of the book followed by a second paragraph that provides an analysis and a couple of quotable phrases.
- ReadersFavorite.com Readers’ Favorite, while not exclusive to self-published authors and having a few notable names as customers, in actuality posts reviews mostly of indie books. This is likely because, like Indies Today, they are one of the more affordable options at just $59 for a guaranteed review. To also include your book in their annual award contest, add an additional $99. Readers’ Favorite reviews follow a similar pattern to Indies Today, giving each book a star rating, a concise summary of the book and a brief paragraph of opinion.
- IndieReader.com As their name suggests, Indie Reader provides editorial reviews specifically for independent authors at a rate of $275 per review. If you want the added prestige of possibly winning an award, they also offer a book award contest entry for an additional $175. Indie Reader provides a 1 to 5 rating for their reviews, and they include a lengthy synopsis of the book with honest criticism and genuine praise.
- ForewordReviews.com Foreword Reviews provides reviews that are referred to as Clarion Reviews, which are priced similarly to Kirkus at $499 per review. Each review provides a few paragraphs of summary and is simply rated as either starred or unstarred to identify the book’s quality. Foreword also offers an awards contest at the added cost of $99.
