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Independent Book Review

A Celebration of Indie Press and Self-Published Books

30+ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

Here are 30+ top-notch book review sites for booksellers, librarians, readers, & writers. Learn more about 30 bookish companies helping spread the word about the best & latest books.

Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers

Book reviews are for all of us.

Readers need to know whether books with the best covers are worth the time they’re about to put into it. They find it helpful (and fun!) to check out reviews after reading the books, too, so they can see what other real-life humans had to say about it.

Authors & publishers need to get book reviews to build buzz and credibility for their product. Librarians & booksellers need to hear from trusted sources that the book they are about to buy for their collection has the capability to get picked up & to satisfy. 

Book review sites have transformed the book-recommending landscape.

We can write reviews on product pages, on social media apps, and some of us, for publications that have been around since before the internet. Book reviewing has changed. But maybe it also hasn’t.

What kind of book review sites are you looking for? Chances are, this list has you covered.

Here are 30+ book review sites to read, write, and bookmark. 

1. Independent Book Review

Does this logo look familiar? (Hint: You’re sitting on it).

IBR, the website you’re on RIGHT NOW, is all about indie books . There are so many books in the world right now, but if you feel like you keep seeing the same ones recommended over and over, start reading indie!

Independent presses & self-published authors are doing some incredible work right now. IBR reviews books, curates lists, does indie bookstore round-ups, and uses starred reviews & best-of-the-year lists to show which books are going to blow your mind.

2. Book Marks

Lit Hub rules. You already knew this.

But do you know about Book Marks? They’re a branch of the Lit Hub network, and they are an excellent way for booksellers and librarians to get shorter recaps from multiple sources and voices.

Their staff peruses book review sites and shares pull-quotes from them in book lists & more. By reading all of these sites, they can give the book a rating based on the average: “Rave, Positive, Mixed, or Pan.”

My favorite book-buying platform, Bookshop , uses Book Marks’ scale for their books’ ratings, and I love getting access to that.

3. Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly has been around since 1872. By now, they’re a review churning machine. They cover so much of the book industry in so many different ways, reviewing nearly 9,000 books per year and providing publication announcements, agency announcements, industry job listings , bestseller lists, industry stats, a self-publishing partner, and more. 

4. Kirkus Reviews

Another one that’s been around since before the internet! 1933 to be exact. Kirkus is a widely recognized publication that book buyers & librarians follow carefully. I dare you to find a bookstore or library that doesn’t have multiple books with Kirkus Reviews plastered on their front and back covers.

5. Booklist

The American Library Association runs Booklist , a platform dedicated to helping libraries, educators, and booksellers choose books. They’ve got a magazine (since 1905!), book reviews, lists, awards, and one of my favorite bookish podcasts out there: Shelf Care .

6. Library Journal & School Library Journal

As you might be able to guess, Library Journal & School Library Journal focus on librarians too! They review a ton of books, and they write often about library-related news, collection management, technology, programs, and more. If you’re an author hoping to land your book in libraries, these are essential targets.

7. BookPage

You may have seen BookPage in your local library or bookstore. Some shops provide it for free so that patrons can look through it to find which books to buy in-store. Their website is clean and intriguing and always full of the most up-to-date releases and bestsellers.

Speaking of libraries! Have you seen our gifts for librarians ?

8. Foreword

Foreword is such an enthusiastic and dedicated champion of indie books, and they’ve been doing it since the 90s! I love how much attention university presses get here too. Their reviews are well-written & thorough, in both print & digital, and I always find something to speed-purchase once the Foreword Indie winners come out.

9. LoveReading

LoveReading is a top book-recommendation website in the UK. They’ve got starred reviews, lists, staff picks, a LitFest , eBooks, and they even donate 25% of the cover price of their books to schools of your choice. It’s reader-friendly and apparent how much they appreciate the wonder of books. 

10. Washington Independent Review of Books

What’s not to love about The Independent?

Back in 2011, a group of writers & editors were frustrated by newspapers dropping book review sections and decided to do something about it. The Washington Independent Review of Books is quite a lovely something! This nonprofit posts every day: from reviews to interviews to essays and podcasts. They host events too!

11. Book Riot

Try being a reader and not finding something you love on Book Riot. Book lists, podcasts, personalized recommendations, newsletters, book deals—this site is a haven.

It doesn’t post solo book reviews like other sites, but they do share mini-reviews in book lists and talk about reading in unique & passionate ways. The Book Riot Podcast is such a winner too! I love listening to Jeff & Rebecca laugh about the latest in books & reading.

12. Electric Lit

From novel excerpts to original short fiction & poetry, they might not only be a book review site,  but they do offer a lot in the world of book recommendations. Their Recommended Reading lit mag features unique staff picks and short, insightful book reviews.

13. The Millions

The writing in The Millions is something to behold. They are an artful source for all things book reviews & recommendations. They write stunning essays about books & reading and long reviews of new and old books. They’ve got some of my favorite Most Anticip ated lists too.

What are the biggest benefits of reading ? 🧐

14. Bookforum

Did you hear? Bookforum is back ! This book review magazine announced in December 2022 that they were closing, and my heart sank a little bit. This company means so much to the publishing industry and has for 20+ years, so when I saw (last week!) that they are returning, I did more than a few jumps for joy.

Welcome back, Bookforum! Can’t wait to see what you’ve got coming for us in book world coverage.

BOMB is in it for the art. Art, literature, film, music, theater, architecture, and dance. There are reviews and interviews, and the literature section is a real delight. The reviews are like poignant essays, and the author interviews are in-depth and feature some fascinating minds.

16. The Asian Review of Books

The only dedicated pan-Asian book review publication! It’s widely cited and features some of the best in Asian books and art, so booksellers and librarians have a source to trust to stock their collections with high-quality pan-Asian lit.

Have you seen our gifts for book lovers yet?

17. Chicago Review of Books

I love so much of what Chicago Review of Books does. They have a clean & sleek design that features some of the buzziest books as well as plenty of hidden gems from our favorite indie presses. I’m a particularly big fan of the spotlight they put on books in translation .

18. Rain Taxi

I love Rain Taxi ’s style! They champion unique books, publish their own fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and put a real emphasis on art for their magazine covers . It’s a beautiful print magazine to subscribe to, but they also share free online editions & digital archives. They even run the Rain Taxi Reading Series & Twin Cities Book Festival if you’re a real-lifer in Minnesota!

19. The Rumpus

Oh, The Rumpus ! This mostly volunteer-run online magazine publishes reviews, interviews, essays, fiction, and poetry. The reviews are in-depth and personal and heart-melting, and in addition to the site, they’ve got cool perks like the Poetry Book Club  and Letters in the Mail . The book club is where you get a pre-release book and meet the poet via Slack with other club members at the end of the month, and Letters in the Mail are actual postcards sent in the mail to you twice a month from your favorite authors.

20. Book Reporter

The selection in Book Reporter is carefully curated & enticing: hot new releases, forthcoming books, major presses, & indies. And there are plenty of unique ways to learn about them, like video interviews and monthly lists & picks. It launched in 1996 and is in The Book Report Network, which includes Reading Group Guides , a super useful resource for book clubs.

21. BookTrib .

BookTrib does such a great job of making their site browsable. The different ways you can enjoy what they offer—from book lists to giveaways to ebook deals —are difficult to keep your purchase finger off of.

23. Lit Reactor

Writers & readers—where bookish people meet! LitReactor’s book reviews are in the magazine portion of their website, and they’ve got plenty of them! Reviews, interviews, lists, introspectives, writing tips, and reading discussions. I’ve found some really unique content on Lit Reactor, like this ranking of literary parents . The website is a haven for writers especially, as there are workshops, writing blog posts, and even a forum to participate in.

24. Crime Fiction Lover

Dark alleys. Stray bullets. Hard-boiled detectives. Runaway thrills. If you’re a mystery-thriller reader, you’ve got to know about Crime Fiction Lover. They’ve got a passionate group of readers and writers talking about the best books in the genre and the ones that are soon to come out too.

25. SF Book Reviews

Speculative fiction fans unite! SF Book Reviews has been reviewing sci-fi and fantasy books since 1999, and while they’re a relatively small staff, they publish regularly, feature books of the month, and work wonders for their fantastical community.

26. Historical Novel Society

For all you historical fiction fans out there, the Historical Novel Society has reviewed more than 20,000 books in its twenty years. This one works like a membership for “writers and readers who love exploring the past.” You get a quarterly print magazine as a member, and if you’re a writer, you can join critique groups and ask for book reviews.

27. The Poetry Question

The Poetry Question writes about poetry published by indie presses and indie authors. They are a small passionate team dedicated to showing the world why indie presses continue to be a leading source for award-winning poetry.

28. Goodreads

Did you know that there are over 125 million members on Goodreads? When users review books, they can have conversations with fellow readers and follow reviewers too. If you’re looking for the biggest community, there’s no doubt Goodreads is the one. I like using sites like this because it helps you catalog books, one of my favorite ways to build a strong reading habit . 

29. The Storygraph

A big community of active users that’s Amazon free! Come review books, use half & quarter stars (!), and complete reading challenges. You got this.

29. Bookwyrm

Bookwyrm is small (around 5,000 members at the time of this writing), but doesn’t that sound kind of nice? There are active members and a genuine collective goal in talking books. Grow with it. I think you’ll be comfy here. There are other communities within the Bookwyrm umbrella too, like Bookrastinating .

30. Reedsy Discovery

I hold a special place in my heart for book review sites dedicated to helping writers! I got into this business as a book marketer, and I experienced first-hand, through hundreds of books, how hard it was to get exposure & validation for small press and self-published authors. 

Reedsy Discovery is a branch of Reedsy (the author resource company) that connects authors & reviewers so that people can read free books, sometimes receive tips for it, and authors can get more reviews in the process. Readers can choose from the latest books as well as the ones that are getting the best reviews.

31. Netgalley

Netgalley is a book review site for pre-released books. Reviewers sign up for a free account, request galleys from publishers and indie authors, and get to read them before they’re published so that they can leave reviews for the book, preferably on Amazon, Goodreads, or their blog. They also run Bookish , the editorial arm of Netgalley, which has book recommendations, interviews, and more.

32. Online Book Club

This review site combines a bunch of cool things! The 4-million member community gives me a lot of Goodreads vibes, especially with the Bookshelves app . But Online Book Club is a place for you to get eBook deals and talk about books in reviews and forums.

What are your favorite book review sites to follow? Let us know in the comments!

Thank you for reading “ Top-Notch Book Review Sites for Readers & Writers !” If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Pingback: 24 Dos & Don'ts of Book Publicity | Tips on Research, Pitching & More - Independent Book Review

Check out http://www.literaryvault.com for best book reviews and author interviews. The literary Vault is a blog run and owned by a 13-year-old passionate reader who loves to share her passion and recommendations with others.

Thank you for the information!

Book review sites serve as invaluable resources for both readers and writers, offering insightful critiques, recommendations, and discussions on a wide range of literary works. Whether you’re seeking your next captivating read or looking to promote your own book, these platforms provide a wealth of information and opportunities for engagement. https://ghostwritersplanet.com/

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The 13 Best Book Review Sites and Book Rating Sites

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Nobody likes to spend money on a new book only to face that overwhelming feeling of disappointment when it doesn't live up to your expectations. The solution is to check out a few book review sites before you hit the shops. The greater the diversity of opinions you can gather, the more confidence you can have that you'll enjoy the title.

Which book review and book rating sites are worth considering? Here are the best ones.

1. Goodreads

Goodreads is arguably the leading online community for book lovers. If you want some inspiration for which novel or biography to read next, this is the book review site to visit.

There's an endless number of user-generated reading lists to explore, and Goodreads itself publishes dozens of "best of" lists across a number of categories. You can do a book search by plot or subject , or join book discussions and reading groups with thousands of members.

You can participate in the community by adding your own rankings to books you've read and leaving reviews for other people to check out. Occasionally, there are even bonus events like question and answer sessions with authors.

2. LibraryThing

LibraryThing is the self-proclaimed largest book club in the world. It has more than 2.3 million members and is one of the best social networking platforms for book lovers .

With a free account, you can add up to 200 books to your library and share them with other users. But it's in the other areas where LibraryThing can claim to be one of the best book review sites.

Naturally, there are ratings, user reviews, and tags. But be sure to click on the Zeitgeist tab at the top of the page. It contains masses of information, including the top books by rating, by the number of reviews, by authors, and loads more.

3. Book Riot

Book Riot is a blog. It publishes listicles on dozens of different topics, many of which review the best books in a certain genre. To give you an idea, some recent articles include Keeping Hoping Alive: 11 Thrilling YA Survival Stories and The Best Historical Fiction Books You’ve Never Heard Of .

Of course, there's also plenty of non-reading list content. If you have a general affinity for literature, Book Riot is definitely worth adding to the list of websites you browse every day.

Bookish is a site that all members of book clubs should know about. It helps you prep for your next meeting with discussion guides, book quizzes, and book games. There are even food and drink suggestions, as well as playlist recommendations.

But the site is more than just book club meetings. It also offers lots of editorial content. That comes in the form of author interviews, opinion essays, book reviews and recommendations, reading challenges, and giveaways.

Be sure to look at the Must-Reads section of the site regularly to get the latest book reviews. Also, it goes without saying that the people behind Bookish are book lovers, too. To get a glimpse of what they’re reading, check out their Staff Reads articles.

5. Booklist

Booklist is a print magazine that also offers an online portal. Trusted experts from the American Library Association write all the book reviews.

You can see snippets of reviews for different books. However, to read them in full, you will need to subscribe. An annual plan for this book review site costs $184.95 per year.

6. Fantasy Book Review

Fantasy Book Review should be high on the list for anyone who is a fan of fantasy works. The book review site publishes reviews for both children's books and adults' books.

It has a section on the top fantasy books of all time and a continually updated list of must-read books for each year. You can also search through the recommended books by sub-genres such as Sword and Sorcery, Parallel Worlds, and Epic Fantasy.

7. LoveReading

LoveReading is one of the most popular book review sites in the UK, but American audiences will find it to be equally useful.

The site is divided into fiction and non-fiction works. In each area, it publishes weekly staff picks, books of the month, debuts of the month, ebooks of the month, audiobooks of the month, and the nationwide bestsellers. Each book on every list has a full review that you can read for free.

Make sure you also check out their Highlights tab to get book reviews for selected titles of the month. In Collections , you'll also find themed reading lists such as World War One Literature and Green Reads .

Kirkus has been involved in producing book reviews since the 1930s. This book review site looks at the week's bestselling books, and provides lengthy critiques for each one.

As you'd expect, you'll also find dozens of "best of" lists and individual book reviews across many categories and genres.

And while you're on the site, make sure you click on the Kirkus Prize section. You can look at all the past winners and finalists, complete with the accompanying reviews of their books.

Although Reddit is a social media site, you can use it to get book reviews of famous books, or almost any other book for that matter! Reddit has a Subreddit, r/books, that is dedicated to book reviews and reading lists.

The subreddit has weekly scheduled threads about a particular topic or genre. Anyone can then chip in with their opinions about which books are recommendable. Several new threads are published every day, with people discussing their latest discovery with an accompanying book rating or review.

You'll also discover a weekly recommendation thread. Recent threads have included subjects such as Favorite Books About Climate Science , Literature of Indigenous Peoples , and Books Set in the Desert . There’s also a weekly What are you Reading? discussion and frequent AMAs.

For more social media-like platforms, check out these must-have apps for book lovers .

10. YouTube

YouTube is not the type of place that immediately springs to mind when you think of the best book review sites online.

Nonetheless, there are several engaging YouTube channels that frequently offer opinions on books they've read. You’ll easily find book reviews of famous books here.

Some of the most notable book review YouTube channels include Better Than Food: Book Reviews , Little Book Owl , PolandBananasBooks , and Rincey Reads .

Amazon is probably one of your go-to site when you want to buy something. If you don’t mind used copies, it’s also one of the best websites to buy second-hand books .

Now, to get book reviews, just search and click on a title, then scroll down to see the ratings and what others who have bought the book are saying. It’s a quick way to have an overview of the book’s rating. If you spot the words Look Inside above the book cover, it means you get to preview the first few pages of the book, too!

Regardless of the praises or criticisms you have heard from other book review sites, reading a sample is the most direct way to help you gauge the content’s potential and see whether the author’s writing style suits your tastes.

12. StoryGraph

StoryGraph is another good book review site that's worth checking out. The book rating is determined by the site's large community of readers. Key in the title of a book you're interested in and click on it in StoryGraph's search results to have an overall view of its rating.

Each book review provides information on the moods and pacing of the story. It also indicates whether the tale is plot or character-driven, what readers feel about the extent of character development, how lovable the characters generally are, and the diversity of the cast.

13. London Review of Books

The London Review of Books is a magazine that covers a range of subjects such as culture, literature, and philosophy. Part of its content includes amazingly detailed book reviews. If you feel that most modern book reviews are too brief for your liking, the London Review of Books should suit you best.

You'll gain insight into the flow and themes of the story, as well as a more thorough picture of the events taking place in the book.

Read Book Reviews Before You Buy

The book review sites we've discussed will appeal to different types of readers. Some people will be more comfortable with the easy-to-interpret book rating systems; others will prefer extensive reviews written by experienced professionals.

Although it’s easy to be tempted by a gorgeous book cover, it’s always best to have a quick look at the book reviews before actually buying a copy. This way, you can save your money and spend it on the books that you’ll be proud to display on your shelves for a long time. And check out recommendations, as well, to help you find what's worth reading.

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Is Online Book Club Legit Or A Scam? (My Complete Review!)

Do you love reading and wish you could get paid to read books? If so, you’re not alone!

There are actually a surprising number of ways to get paid to read books . So, if you're a self-proclaimed bookworm and want a new side hustle , this is excellent news.

One of the most popular companies in this space, OnlineBookClub.org , says you can earn $60 or more for reading and writing book reviews.

But is Online Book Club legit? And does this site actually pay?

My Online Book Club review is sharing how this website works and what you need to know about writing book reviews with this company so you can decide if it's worth using.

Looking for more ways to make money? Checkout :

• Branded Surveys : Share your opinion to get PayPal cash and free gift cards!
• Freecash : Another fun way to earn gift cards and cash in your spare time.

What Is Online Book Club?

Online Book Club is a free book review website and forum that has been in business for over 10 years. It's also one of the most popular companies that advertises paid book reviewing jobs to avid readers .

The entire idea behind Online Book Club is pretty simple. You can sign up, get books for free, read them, and then write reviews for money .

If you're looking for a fun way to make money online , this could be the perfect side hustle. And the fact that Online Book Club says it gives you books for free is another awesome perk.

But as I'm going to explain, getting paid for book reviews with Online Book Club might be a bit more difficult than you might think.

Is Online Book Club Legit?

Yes, Online Book Club is legit and pays you for writing book reviews and even gives you books for free. However, earning consistent money with this site is very difficult. And some book reviewers never get paid if Online Book Club doesn't like their reviews. Overall, the site makes it seem like making money is easy, but in reality, this isn't a very good side hustle .

If you love writing book reviews and have no problem following the guidelines, Online Book Club could be a fun side hustle you do in your spare time.

But if you’re looking to pay your rent, buy a car, or want to earn larger amounts of money, I don't think Online Book Club is worth using.

It simply takes too long to ever get paid with OnlineBookClub.org. And the amount of free work you do upfront is a downside for this online side hustle .

How Does Online Book Club Work?

Signing up for Online Book Club is free and simple. And the entire process of getting paid for your book reviews takes a few steps :

• Write a free test book review
• Write paid book reviews

Let's examine how each step works in a bit more detail.

1. Sign Up As A Book Reviewer

Signing up to review books at OnlineBookClub.org is quick and easy. You simply create an account with your email address and enter a password.

Once you create your account, you choose your preference on how to get free books to review.

All the books that Online Book Club sends you are sent in a digital format, rather than hard copy. So you're essentially getting emailed ebooks you can read for free .

If you prefer paper copies to ebooks like a lot of readers do, this is bad news. However, Online Book Club sends free books, so it has to rely on electronic formats to keep costs down.

2. Complete A Free Book Review

As a book reviewer on Online Book Club, you have to complete a free test review before you can unlock paid opportunities.

This step helps Online Book Club determine if your book reviews are high quality and belong on the site. Again, this test book review  isn't  paid, so keep this in mind.

You still get to pick the book you want to review, so you get a free book out of it and can read something you enjoy.

Just note that it's important to follow the Online Book Club guidelines when writing your book review. These guidelines include :

• Making note of any grammatical or spelling mistakes
• Noting if the author is vulgar or swears
• Noting if the book contains adult content

Generally, book reviews have to be around 500 words. And you have to follow a specific review format as well that Online Book Club outlines.

The reason book reviews aren't really opinion pieces is largely because Online Book Club helps new and aspiring authors get feedback on their work. So, you're often reviewing manuscripts and earlier drafts from new authors, not an upcoming New York Times Best Seller.

You still give your feedback and thoughts about books, but it's also important to mention grammatical and stylistic issues if you spot them.

Also note that if you don't follow the guidelines for your first review, you might not be eligible for paid reviews in the future.

3. Complete Paid Reviews

If OnlineBookClub.org accepts your test book review, you then qualify to write book reviews for money with the site.

According to Online Book Club, you earn $5 to $60 per review for most reviews. You also get books for free, and you can be completely honest as well, so you don't have to leave a positive review if you don't enjoy a book .

However, how much you make with Online Book Club reviews also depends on your book reviewer score.

When you start out, you have a book reviewer score of 0. Writing quality reviews raises your score, with a maximum score of 100 being the cap. If you have a higher score, you earn more per book review.

Some people claim that unless your score is over 35, you don't get paid. This means you might not get paid for the next couple of book reviews if Online Book Club doesn't think your reviews are high quality.

As a freelance writer , the idea of doing so much free work definitely isn't appealing. Especially when you consider most legit online jobs pay you weekly and guarantee payment for your work.

4. Get Paid

Once you submit a paid book review, Online Book Club needs time to process and review your work before it pays you. Online Book Club states that it can typically take about three weeks to be paid after the review is published .

If you need quick money , this isn't great news. And remember: you might not get paid at all if your overall book review score is too low.

Online Book Club only has one payment method available, which is PayPal. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can create one for free. From PayPal, you can then transfer the funds to your bank or use them to make purchases.

I like the fact that OnlineBookClub.org lets you get free PayPal money for writing. But it's not the best side hustle if you want to make money the same day.

Does Online Book Club Pay Real Money?

Yes, Online Book Club pays readers for reading select reviews and writing qualified reviews. Pay averages between $5 and $60 per review, and payment is made via PayPal.

Because this hustle is an independent contractor position, you're responsible for reporting any income you make and paying any appropriate taxes.

Also note that this  isn't  a full-time online job ; it's just a way to make a bit of extra cash in your spare time while enjoying some free books.

Is Online Book Club A Scam?

No, OnlineBookClub.org isn't a scam, and you can make money by writing reviews for the website. However, Online Book Club is somewhat misleading with its advertisements and makes it seem like you can make a lot of money by writing reviews. In reality, you have to follow strict guidelines and do a lot of free work before you ever get paid .

I’m usually a little bit leery of some of these offers to make money online that seem a little bit too good to be true. And I think Online Book Club falls under this category.

If you  love  reading and don't mind some free work, you can give it a try. But don't expect to make $500 a day or anything even close to that with this website.

Pros & Cons

• Get access to free digital copies of books
• Get paid to write reviews (if the reviews meet strict guidelines)
• Get access to a fun forum where you can talk about new books with other bookworms
• Reviewers don't get paid for their first review
• Book review guidelines and requirements can be tricky to understand and meet
• Books you review are generally from new and unknown authors
• Errors in reviews or failure to follow guidelines can result in pay reduction or no pay
• Hourly rate can be extremely low when you consider book reading time
• Limited number of titles available which may not fit your interests and affect your earning potential
• Long approval process for submitted reviews which can delay payment
• Multiple reviewers report difficulty getting paid

Other OnlineBookClub.org Reviews

After signing up and reading about how to make money with Online Book Club, I don't think the site is worth using.

But one excellent way to tell if a money-making idea is worth it or not is to read reviews from other people. And thankfully, there are lots of Online Book Club reviews on forums like Reddit :

• briannorelfhunter says : “First of all, yes they are legit, they 100% pay out. However – it’s not so easy to get good money. They have a ranking system of how good your reviews are based mostly on how well you stick to their review guidelines, and you only unlock higher paid reviews by getting a better reviewer score. Your first review will not be paid – it is voluntary, to get you on the scale. Then you’ll have access to more voluntary/unpaid books and some $5 ones. Personally, I didn’t do that many reviews, so never got a really high reviewer score to see the better paid ones.”
• Necessary-Classic-79 says : “I reviewed a book for them in October and my review was approved and posted and they still haven’t paid me the $25 I was supposed to get. They keep changing the status update for no reason so their excuse is that I can only get paid three weeks from the last status update.”
• Micro21 says : “It's legit. There's a very strict guideline you have to follow but it does pay. Although don't expect to make this to be anything but a side hustle. Each review requires you to finish a whole book after all.”

When you consider how many ways you can make money online as a beginner these days, I'm pretty unimpressed with how hard it is to make money with OnlineBookClub.org.

Extra Reading – How To Write Product Reviews For Money .

The Best OnlineBookClub.org Alternatives

I don't think Online Book Club is a good way to make money online. But this doesn't mean you can't make money by writing book reviews in your spare time.

In fact, there are plenty of OnlineBookClub.com alternatives you can consider like :

• Starting a blog about books you enjoy and reading
• Making money on YouTube by talking about book reviews
• Writing books and short stories yourself
• Becoming a freelance writer in the book niche
• Making money as a creative writer

This video from PaidFromSurveys also shares some sites and methods you can use to get paid to read books.

The bottom line is there's a lot of money in publishing and writing. So don't be afraid to sell your skills online in this space to get in on the action!

Extra Reading – The Best Jobs You Can Do With A Phone .

Frequently Asked Questions

Is online book club worth it.

OnlineBookClub.org is worth using if you want to get free books and don't mind writing reviews in your spare time. And if you stick with it, this website can turn into a small side hustle that pays up to $60 per review. But if you need fast cash or want to make a lot more money, Online Book Club isn't worth it .

Your pay depends on the quality of the review, and it’s necessary to take detailed notes and write a comprehensive review. There are extremely detailed guidelines that need to be followed for the review including formatting, punctuation and grammar.

Failure to follow these rules exactly can result in your pay getting reduced or not getting paid at all.

Should Authors Use Online Book Club?

Authors can use Online Book Club to get reviews by paying a fee for the service. While Online Book Club does have guidelines to help keep the reviews higher quality, there are a few challenges that authors can run into with these reviews.

One challenge is that they may not be able to use the reviews anywhere that can generate sales. Reviews from Online Book Club typically cannot be used on Goodreads or Amazon, and as a result may not offer return on your investment.

Other complaints by authors are that not all reviewers can provide quality reviews or that they may not speak English as a primary language. As a result, reviewers from Online Book Club might incorrectly label your book as having errors that the book does not contain.

Extra Reading – How To Make $5,000 A Month .

Final Thoughts

Overall, yes, you can get paid to write book reviews for Online Book Club. This is a legitimate side job that pays you to read books.

However, the strict guidelines and lack of starting pay are massive downsides. And you don't get to read very popular books either, so don't expect that each book is going to be an amazing read.

The fact you get free ebooks out of this gig is a selling point. But unless you love reading and want to write book reviews for fun, I'd stay away from OnlineBookClub.org.

Thanks for reading my OnlineBookClub.org review!

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Online Book Club Review

Name: OnlineBookClub.org

Description: OnlineBookClub.org is a free website that pays you to read and write book reviews for upcoming authors. It pays $5 to $60 per review and also gives you ebooks for free.

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Application Category: Online Jobs

Author: Tom Blake

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7 Paid Book Review Services to Elevate Your Self-Published Book

Are paid book review services worth the price? Below, we’ll discuss paid book review services, their pros and cons, and what to look for when selecting one. 

What is a paid review service? 

A paid review service is a company that offers book reviews for a fee. When using paid book review services, the hope is that they will create a well-written, impartial review that can push people to buy and boost sales—if it’s a good review. It can be used on social media, your website, or your product page (e.g., Amazon’s A+ Content).

What are the benefits of using paid book review services? 

For authors, the crowded book market makes getting a well-written review within your preferred time frame a challenge. Reputable paid book review services can take some of the stress out of waiting for that “perfect” review to show up from early readers. When you pay for the service, you have better control over aligning the timing of your marketing campaign. You’ll also have a higher likelihood of getting a well-written review you can use.

What are the cons of using a paid review service?

If potential buyers know the review is from a paid service, it can feel inauthentic from the reader’s perspective. It’s similar to popular magazines that run featured articles written by their journalists, but in contrast, also run featured articles that PR companies pay for. One has journalistic integrity, while the paid article can come with questions attached like “Can I trust this?” Harsh, yes, but something to consider, so make sure that any paid service you use has a reputation for being impartial.

Where can you get paid book reviews?

• Kirkus Reviews has been around since 1933 and earned a reputation within the publishing industry as one of the go-to resources for the best books on the market. According to their website , “As an unpublished or self-published author, it can be a relentless struggle to attract a significant amount of attention to your book or manuscript. By purchasing a Kirkus indie review, authors can have the opportunity to build some name recognition and get noticed by agents, publishers and other industry influencers. Authors can expect to pay between $399-$599 for a review with a 7-9 week turnaround .
• Reedsy – For $50/title , you can get a book review through Reedsy’s Discovery service. If you are on a tight budget, then Reedsy’s service could work for you, but a review is not guaranteed. Books that are selected for review could be upvoted on their website, featured in one of their newsletters, and seen by a large pool of readers in your genre.
• NetGalley – Starts at $450 per title for a 6-month subscription . NetGalley is a professional review service that has been around since 2008. They offer a large community of readers and valuable feedback that can be beneficial for streamlining the book before it is published. Learn more about their service.
• Clarion Reviews is a part of Foreword Reviews Magazine. The magazine has a limited number of reviews per issue, so they offer a 450-word review for independent authors and self-publishers for $549 . Turnaround time is 4-6 weeks .
• Self-Publishing Review – $99-$329 – (7-30 day turnaround) . This publishing service offers a variety of options, from a 70-word review to a 500-word review. Each review is broken down by type, where it will be shared on social media, and additional perks associated with the service type.
• Indie Reader – For $299-$399 (4-9 week turnaround based on the service selected) , authors receive a book review with a minimum of 350 words. Books that receive a 4+ star review are included in their monthly newsletter roundup, and the author will receive an invitation to be interviewed for their reader site. Reviews are distributed or made available for distribution on Amazon, Banes and Noble, IndieReader, and Ingram.
• Blue Ink Review – $445-$745 (4-9 week turnaround depending on the service selected) Founded by a literary agent and award-winning editor, the company offers the following details about their services: “While fee-based, all BlueInk reviews are honest appraisals,  written by professionals  drawn largely from mainstream media outlets or editors who have worked at well-respected publishing houses.”

How do you select a paid review service? What should you look for? 

If you pay for a review, get one from a reputable provider—one that has a reputation for being impartial and uses vetted reviewers who know how to properly analyze a book and give a professional review. 

If the review site publishes their reviews (e.g., Reedsy Discovery), read their reviews and ask:

• Is the review professionally written?
• Is it thorough without giving away spoilers?
• Does the review persuade (or dissuade)? Does it choose a side and lead the buyer in that direction?

Public reviews won’t always align with the paid review but they should sound like they’re talking about the same book. If not, there will be a disconnect that readers won’t hesitate to mention.

How do you know if paying for a review is the best choice for you?

If you’re having trouble finding people to review your book, or you’re working with a short time frame and don’t have time to wait, then a paid review could be a smart move. Another reason to choose a paid service is if your initial reviews weren’t the quality that you were looking for. If this is your experience, a professional reviewer could give you the result you’re seeking. 

Steer clear of pop-up sites that look more like a money trap than a legitimate review site. When it comes to reviews, a company’s reputation adds value, so look for companies that have a strong reputation, not just with readers but within the publishing industry as well.  

Words matter. If you use a paid review site, make sure that they can give your book the foundation it deserves. 

Key Takeaways

Book marketing is all about strategy and making your money work for you. Don’t waste your marketing budget on a service that’s not going to help you level up as an author.  If paid book reviews are part of your marketing strategy, they should push people to buy your books. 

Look for paid review services that will get your book in front of your ideal reader. 

This might take some research, but it’s a good investment of time. 

If the reviews you find are basic, don’t persuade or dissuade the reader, and feel generic, trust your instinct. 

You want a review that’s going to move the needle in your favor. A positive review is great, but if it doesn’t work for you, it’s a waste of money. 

Strong reviews are great for social proof. If you can get a good one from a reputable site, it could help push your book sales.

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Hyperalgesia in Patients With a History of Opioid Use Disorder : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

• 1 Kongsberg Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Kongsberg, Norway
• 2 Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
• 3 Department of Physics and Computational Radiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

Question   Is hyperalgesia in patients with opioid use disorder associated with opioid use?

Findings   This systematic review and meta-analysis of 39 studies and more than 1300 individuals with and 700 individuals without a history of opioid use disorder found hypersensitivity to cold pain in patients undergoing opioid agonist treatment for opioid use disorder. Evidence for a relationship between this hyperalgesia and indices of opioid tolerance, withdrawal, and abstinence was inconclusive.

Meaning   It remains unclear based on the current literature whether the observed hyperalgesia in patients with opioid use disorder is associated with opioid use or with other, non–opioid-related factors.

Importance   Short-term and long-term opioid treatment have been associated with increased pain sensitivity (ie, opioid-induced hyperalgesia). Treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) mainly involves maintenance with methadone and buprenorphine, and observations of heightened cold pain sensitivity among patients are often considered evidence of opioid-induced hyperalgesia.

Objective   To critically examine the evidence that hyperalgesia in patients with OUD is related to opioid use.

Data Sources   Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase between March 1, 2023, and April 12, 2024, were searched.

Study Selection   Studies assessing cold pressor test (CPT) pain responses during treatment seeking, pharmacological treatment, or abstinence in patients with OUD history were included.

Data Extraction and Synthesis   Multilevel random-effects models with robust variance estimation were used for all analyses. Study quality was rated with the JBI checklist. Funnel plots and Egger regression tests were used to assess reporting bias.

Main Outcomes and Measures   Main outcomes were pain threshold, tolerance, and intensity in patients and healthy controls, and unstandardized, standardized (Hedges g ), and percentage differences (%Δ) in these measures between patients and controls. The association between pain sensitivity and opioid tolerance, withdrawal, and abstinence indices was tested with meta-regression.

Results   Thirty-nine studies (1385 patients, 741 controls) met the inclusion criteria. Most studies reported CPT data on patients undergoing opioid agonist treatment. These patients had a mean 2- to 3-seconds lower pain threshold (95% CI, −4 to −1; t test P  = .01; %Δ, −22%; g  = −0.5) and 29-seconds lower pain tolerance (95% CI, −39 to −18; t test P  < .001; %Δ, −52%; g  = −0.9) than controls. Egger tests suggested that these differences may be overestimated. There were some concerns of bias due to inadequate sample matching and participant dropout. Meta-regressions yielded no clear support for hyperalgesia being opioid related.

Conclusion and Relevance   Patients receiving opioid agonist treatment for OUD are hypersensitive to cold pain. It remains unclear whether hyperalgesia develops prior to, independent of, or as a result of long-term opioid treatment. Regardless, future studies should investigate the impact of hyperalgesia on patients’ well-being and treatment outcomes.

Read More About

Trøstheim M , Eikemo M. Hyperalgesia in Patients With a History of Opioid Use Disorder : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis . JAMA Psychiatry. Published online August 14, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.2176

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Our recommended books this week include four new novels that, taken together, offer a pretty good snapshot of the cultural zeitgeist: a polyamorous breakup story, a surreal post-pandemic fever dream, a book about the deep, cloistered pleasures of academic study and a novel that applies the “Romeo and Juliet” template to the federal siege of a doomsday cult like the one that rocked Waco, Texas, three decades ago. (That book is Bret Anthony Johnston’s “We Burn Daylight,” and it contains this kindling-dry line from the cult leader, after the local sheriff asks how he would respond to a visit from the taxman: “I’d assure him any money changing hands here is a donation to our church. Then I’d ask him if he’d prefer to shoot or pray.”)

In nonfiction, we recommend Jean-Martin Bauer’s firsthand account of efforts to eradicate global food shortages and Yuan Yang’s group portrait of four young women navigating social change in contemporary China. Happy reading. — Gregory Cowles

THE NEW BREADLINE: Hunger and Hope in the Twenty-First Century Jean-Martin Bauer

An illuminating account of the author’s 20 years working with the World Food Program, this book provides a close-up look at efforts to vanquish global hunger.

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WE BURN DAYLIGHT Bret Anthony Johnston

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“The music of it all is just so damn seductive. … A darkly dazzling pilgrimage of violent delights, and violent ends.”

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STATE OF PARADISE Laura Van den Berg

Van den Berg’s latest is a fever dream of a novel ostensibly about a narrator’s search for her missing sister, but more broadly about the borders of reality and the surreal nature of our post-pandemic life.

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PRACTICE Rosalind Brown

Starring an undergraduate student at Oxford, Brown’s debut novel is exquisitely attuned to the thrill and boredom of academic life; it is hard to think of another novel that describes so precisely what happens when an ardent young person sits down to read and learn and write.

“Conveys the hesitancy, extravagance and naiveté of a young mind discovering what writing can do.”

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PRIVATE REVOLUTIONS: Four Women Face China’s New Social Order Yuan Yang

For six years, the journalist Yuan Yang followed four very different young women as they navigated what she calls China’s “new social order” — a country changing dramatically to an industrial superpower. The result is a moving work of reportage, whose scale toggles between global to personal.

“A powerful snapshot of four young Chinese women attempting to assert control over the direction of their lives, escape the narrow confines of their patriarchal rural roots and make it in the big city.”

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MISRECOGNITION Madison Newbound

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Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

How to Get Book Reviews in 5 Steps (2024 Update)

About ricardo fayet.

Reedsy co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Ricardo Fayet is one of the world's leading authorities in marketing indie books. He is a regular presenter at several prestigious writers' conferences, where his unique personal style has made him an instantly recognizable figure.

Imagine the day of your book launch. You’re sitting in front of your computer, blissfully imagining all the five-star book reviews that will soon be yours. Yet the days pass... and the reviews don't come.

Needless to say, you'll want people to buy and read your book ASAP so they can leave you some good reviews. But you may see the Catch-22 here: in order to make your first sales, you’ll need to display positive book reviews. So how do you get the chicken before you’ve got the egg (or vice versa)?

Enter book bloggers , who are your new best friends! For this post, we asked our top Reedsy publicists to share their best tips on how to get book reviews from book bloggers — and we've condensed their advice into these five essential steps, plus a few bonus tips at the end.

You can also check out this Reedsy Live on how to get your first book reviews, with advice from author and book marketer Debbie Drum.

Those who prefer their tips in written form, let's dive right in with the very first step of the review acquisition process!

1. Identify your audience

A quick preliminary note: you want to start the review-gathering as early as possible. If you can, plan your book review campaign 4-6 months in advance of your publication date. Because if you want your reviews to be in place by then, you’ll need to give people time to actually write them!

Now, using the "5 W’s of Storytelling," let's talk about the first thing you should be asking yourself: who? Who will be reading your book, and who is best positioned to promote it to that audience? The following tips will help you answer these questions.

Build a questionnaire

Here are a few more specific queries to help you clarify your "who":

• Who reads in my genre?
• What magazines, websites, forums, or blogs do they frequent?
• Where might they find reviews of my book that will entice them to buy it?

Indeed, publicist Jessica Glenn recommends building a full-length questionnaire to identify your audience and where you might find them on the Web (or in real life!).

“Most, if not all, publicists and publishers send authors a very long questionnaire to fill out when they start their marketing plan ,” she says. “That's so we can dig into any useful piece of bio, community, or regional info to figure out who and why people will be interested in your book.”

Your questionnaire will direct you to your target audience and help you create a  proto-persona.  This is the "ideal reader" of your book, so to speak — a perfect blend of the traits you'd expect them to have. (For example, if you've written a YA paranormal romance novel, your proto-persona might be a 14-year-old girl who's obsessed with Twilight .) And whoever they are, you'll keep them in mind every time you make a marketing decision.

Think about comp titles

Another great way to get a handle on your target audience is to figure out your comparative titles — books that are a) similar to yours and b) share the same general readership. When pitching to book reviewers, these are the titles you'll use to sell your own  book . For instance, "My book is  Normal People meets The Incendiaries ."

According to Jessica, you should have at least 15 potential comp titles for your book, ideally a mix of bestsellers and well-reviewed indie titles. “Many first-time authors balk at this," says Jessica, "as they believe there is no true comp for their book — but dig deep and you'll find them!”

Comp titles are critical because they act as a compass, pointing you towards a ready-made audience that enjoys works in the same mold as yours. This is a huge help in determining your target readers, as well as which reviewers will cater to them. Speaking of which...

2. Find relevant book blogs

Now that you’ve got a strong sense of your audience, you're ready to find blogs that will provide the best exposure to that audience. We recommend starting with our directory of 200+ book review blogs , but feel free to do your own research as well!

As you dig into book review blogs, check on these two things first:

• Is the site active? Has the blogger published a post within the last month or so?
• Are they currently accepting queries? If they're closed at the moment, it could be months before your book gets a review — if at all.

And if you want to confirm your book marketing strategy when it comes to book review blogs, we recommend first taking this quick quiz below!

Which book review site is right for you?

Find out here! Takes one minute.

Once you've confirmed that a book review blog is both active and open to queries, think about whether it's right for your  book. Here are some important factors to consider:

• Genre . Don't waste your time on blogs that don't review books in your genre. "Be very mindful of a publication’s particular audience and target market when pitching for review. If their readership is science-fiction, do not pitch a commercial crime novel!” says publicist Hannah Cooper .
• Traffic . High-traffic book blogs might seem like your highest priorities, but this isn’t necessarily true. “Don't shy away from the smaller blogs,” says publicist Beverly Bambury . “They can sometimes foster a real sense of community and starting off small is just fine."
• Posting frequency.  Another consideration is how often the blogger in question actually publishes reviews. Too often, and your book will get lost in the shuffle; too seldom, and they're likely to lose readers. Try to strike a balance with about 1-2 reviews per week — no decent reviewer can turn them out faster than that, anyway!

Track down your comp titles' reviewers

Remember those comp titles you came up with earlier? You can use them not only to pitch your book, but also to find potential reviewers , as they will correspond perfectly with your genre and target audience.

“Once you have your 15-or-so comps, you can research where each book has been reviewed,” says Jessica. “With luck, you will find at least a couple of book reviews per title, which will give you many more outlets to investigate further.”

Now, as an author, you might be wondering: “How can I begin to find all the places where a given book was reviewed?” Don’t forget the power of Google! Try searching the following terms to find reviews for a given title:

• [Title] + book review
• [Title] + review
• [Title] + Q&A

And here's one last tip to give you a boost — sign up for a "Mention" account and/or set up Google alerts to get a notification every time these titles appear online.

Once you’re armed with a bundle of suitable book review blogs, you've arrived at the third (and perhaps most crucial) step in this process. This is, of course, creating the pitches you'll send to reviewers.

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3. Write pitches for them

Pitching a reviewer is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is a) keep it short, and and b) personalize it as much as possible. However, before we get to our publicists’ actionable tips on pitching, there’s one more thing that you absolutely HAVE to do. And that thing is...

Read the review policy!

Before you pitch any blog, make sure you read the blogger’s review policy. Some blogs will have a form to fill out; others might ask you to email them directly. Still others might not welcome any queries from self-published authors . Whatever they say, make sure that you follow it to a T.

“There are two main benefits to reading and following the review policies closely,” says Beverly. “First, you show the reviewer that you respect and appreciate them when you follow their instructions. This is important when asking someone to do you a favor.

"Second, you may find that even if the site is closed for review queries, it's open to publicity queries — where you might be able to place an excerpt or do a Q&A or occasional blog post. You'll never know if you don't take the time to read the review policy first.”

More tips for pitching reviewers

Now that you’re clear on what the blogger wants, you can start pitching them with confidence. Here are three more key tips for pitching book reviewers:

1. Never send out bulk pitches. "When you pitch each outlet individually, specifically write that you read their positive book review of your comp and what that comp title was,” says Jessica Glenn. Or if you didn't find them through a comp title, mention other  aspects of their blog and why you think they would be great to review your book!

2. Be concise and direct. “Include your title, publisher, date of release, and genre in the first paragraph,” notes Beverly Bambury. “Then you might want to include the cover copy or a brief description of the book. Finally, be direct and ask for what you want. If you want a review, ask for it! If you want an excerpt placed, ask for that.”

3. Appeal to their commercial side. “All reviewers want the opportunity to discover the next 'big thing’ — particularly with fiction — so make them feel as though they have the opportunity to get the word out first," says Hannah Cooper. Indeed, if you can convince a reviewer that you are doing them  a favor, you're practically guaranteed to get a review.

Basically, try to get reviewers to think, “Oh, if I enjoyed [comp title], I’ll enjoy this person's book too,” or “They've done the research to know that I’m a good fit for their book.” If you can do that, you’re already much closer than everyone else to obtaining high-quality book reviews !

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4. Send out your book

This is the step before the moment of truth (the review itself), so it's extremely important to get everything right. To ensure you're complying with each reviewer's guidelines, review their policy again before you send them your book. Some bloggers might prefer digital copies of manuscripts, while others might want a physical ARC — be prepared to accommodate.

Also, as you begin sending your book to various outlets, you should track your progress in a spreadsheet. Record which blogs you’ve submitted to so far, which blogs have responded, and which blogs you plan to submit to, so you don't accidentally double-submit or skip over anyone.

Formatting your book

Other than double-checking the review policy, the most important thing to do here is to format your book in a professional manner . After all, you want the presentation of your content to match the quality! Even though it shouldn't technically matter, reviewers will definitely judge your book by how it looks, inside and out.

The good news for self-formatters that you probably won't need to send physical proofs, and ebooks are much easier to format than hard copies. Digital copies also cost next-to-nothing to produce, so you can easily send multiple copies of your book out to different reviewers. You may want to check out apps like Instafreebie and Bookfunnel , which make it easy to generate individual ARC download links that you can send to the reviewers.

Pro tip : If you’re searching for a good book production tool,  Reedsy Studio can format and convert your manuscript into professional EPUB and print-ready files in a matter of seconds!

5. Follow up after a week

A week or more has passed since you queried a book blog, and so far… crickets. What do you do now? Why, follow up,  of course!

When it comes to this stage, keep calm and follow Hannah Hargrave’s advice: “Don't bother reviewers for an answer daily. I will usually chase again after a week has passed.

"If you receive a decline response, or no one responds to your third chase-up, assume this means they are not interested. Any further follow-ups, or aggressive requests as to why your work's not being reviewed, will not be viewed kindly. Above all, be polite and friendly at all times.”

That said, someone rejecting your book for review is a worst-case scenario. Best-case scenario, the blogger responds favorably and you’ve bagged yourself a review!

What comes next, you ask?

The reviewer will post their review of your book on their blog — and on Amazon, Goodreads, and any other platforms that they’ll name in their review policy. This is yet another reason why it's vital to read that policy carefully, so you know exactly where  the review will be seen.

If all goes well, the reviewer will publish a positive review that you can use to further promote your book. Maybe you'll even get a decent pull-quote for your book description ! Not to mention that if you ever write a sequel, you can almost certainly count on them for a follow-up review.

Pro-tip: Want to write a book description that sells? Download this free book description template to get a headstart. 

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But what if you don't get any bites from book bloggers, or — horror of horrors — one of them gives you a negative review? Fortunately, the next two sections should help you deal with each of these possible dilemmas.

Bonus ways to get book reviews

Though book bloggers are the most reliable and professional source of reviews for independent authors, you may want to try other avenues to maximize your chances! Here are three more ways to get book reviews  for your work, so you can bolster your Amazon profile and start making some serious sales.

1. Tell your followers about your book

Though Amazon prohibits reviews from close friends and family , you're free to tell your random social media followers about your book and hope they leave good reviews. It obviously helps if you have a large following on Twitter or Instagram, even more so if some of those followers are fellow authors who appreciate the significance of reviews.

That said, NEVER offer "review swaps" or any kind of promotional enticement for customers to leave reviews, as this would also be against Amazon's terms. Simply let your followers know you've got a book out and that you'd love for them to read it; the rest is in their hands. However, when it comes to reviews, any amount of awareness is better than none.

2. Submit to Reedsy Discovery

Finally, for a professional review option that's a bit less time-and-effort-consuming on your part, you can submit your book right here on Reedsy Discovery! The platform allows authors to share their books with readers who are right up their alley, plus get the chance to be reviewed by one of our Discovery writers. If they leave a good review, you'll be featured in our newsletter, which goes out to thousands of subscribers every week.

Sounds pretty sweet, right? And it only takes a few minutes to submit .

Is your book ready for Discovery?

Take our quiz to find out! Takes only 1 minute.

How to deal with negative reviews

Once your work is out there in the world, you can’t control other people’s reactions to it. “Remember, by submitting your book for review, you're accepting that some people might not enjoy it,” says Hannah Hargrave. “It can be very tough after you’ve spent months or years crafting your novel, only for some reviewer to tear it apart. But you need to be prepared."

In that vein, here are some final tips on how to deal with bad reviews:

1. Have someone else read them first . This might be your agent, your friend, or your mom — anyone you trust to pre-screen your reviews. They can inform you whether each negative review is a worthwhile (if humbling) read, or just too nasty to stomach.

2. Ignore unreasonably hateful reviews . Easier said than done, yes, but really try to tune out these people! For example, if they're clearly not your target audience, but insist on pretending like they are. Or people who pick apart your sentences word-by-word, just for the "fun" of it. There's no sense in agonizing over readers who are determined to hate you, so block them on every platform and refuse to read anything else they write.

3. Address valid criticisms . You're only human, and your book won't be perfect. If someone points this out in a constructive way , acknowledge it and do what you can to fix it. This may be as simple as editing a misleading blurb, or as complex as restructuring your entire series. But if you're the author we know you are, you'll be up to the task.

Every author's book is different, but the process for getting book reviews is reassuringly universal. To recap: identify your audience, find relevant blogs, pitch them, send out your book, and don't forget to follow up! On top of that, feel free to try alternative strategies, and remember not to take the bad reviews too personally.

Yes, marketing a book may be madness, but the process of getting reviews lends method to that madness. So go forth and get your reviews — you deserve them! 🙌

Special thanks to book publicists Jessica Glenn , Hannah Hargrave , Hannah Cooper , and Beverly Bambury for their input and suggestions throughout this article. If you have any more questions about how to get book reviews, let us know in the comments!

2 responses

Elena Smith says:

25/09/2018 – 22:33

Excellent Write up. I have thoroughly gone through the article and according to my personal observations you have done a great job writing this Article.Being associated with writing profession, I must mention that AcademicWritingPro are quite helpful nowadays.Furthermore, quality is also an important aspect.

Team Golfwell says:

11/12/2018 – 05:38

We do free book reviews if your book interests us. We are a group of retired people in New Zealand who play golf, read books, write books, and do free book reviews if we like your book. We write books too, so we like to see what other authors are currently doing and it is amazing to see what writers are creating. We try to post our reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes &amp; Noble and our social media. See our book review page for more info &gt; &gt; https://www.teamgolfwell.com/free-book-reviews.html #bookreviews #kindlebookreviews #amazonbookreviews #indiebookreviews https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4ad92dde2f70456000bf5c44af3489ee638dae511be91f7b8cb1545acb388cdb.jpg

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In ‘The Mercy of Gods,’ the Authors of ‘The Expanse’ Get Less Expansive

The sci-fi follow-up from James S.A. Corey is a riveting read in a more compact package

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Like all good science fiction fans, Daniel Abraham enjoyed watching Andor . And Abraham knows what he’s talking about when it comes to high-quality sci-fi storytelling: Under the pseudonym James S.A. Corey, Abraham and Ty Franck cowrote the celebrated book series The Expanse and coproduced the television adaptation, which offered genre fans a captivating blend of space opera and political intrigue.

Nearly three years after The Expanse ended, both on-screen and on the page, the James S.A. Corey duo is out with the start of a new series: The Mercy of Gods , the first novel in a planned trilogy called The Captive’s War . This book, which hit shelves last week, is both a satisfying stand-alone read and an excellent setup for the series to come, even if it forecasts a rather different sort of story from The Expanse .

Asked about a key distinction between the two series, Abraham turns to the gritty Star Wars prequel to a prequel to make a point.

Andor excelled because “it felt authentic,” Abraham says. “It was the first time I can remember since the ’70s when I felt like the Empire was really something oppressive, not just guys in cool, dark suits emoting a lot. It was this sense of the danger of that kind of vast machine.”

There is perhaps no machine more oppressive, more dangerous, and more vast than the Carryx empire in The Mercy of Gods : a race of warlike aliens who are set on conquering the galaxy and can slaughter millions without strain, due to their military might and incomprehensibly advanced technology. Andor is an apt comparison, as this new series details the flickers of a burgeoning rebellion against overwhelming imperial odds. “It’s survivors versus authoritarians,” Franck says. “It is what happens to you when you are conquered by a militaristic authoritarian regime and you have to learn to live inside that regime.”

The Mercy of Gods starts on a human planet—not Earth—thousands of years in the future. Dafyd Alkhor is a research assistant in a biology lab, consumed by the petty desires and complications of any average human life: routine data collection, a workplace rivalry, a secret crush.

Then everything changes when the Carryx attack. They kill some humans and take others (including Dafyd) prisoner, transporting them back to their homeworld for a seemingly simple test: If the surviving humans can make themselves useful, they’ll live; if not, they’ll die, too.

The Captive’s War employs a narrower narrative lens than The Expanse , at least in the first book. Almost all of the focus in Mercy is on Dafyd and his lab partners—each of whom develops as a unique and relatable character, just as James Holden’s crew on the Rocinante flourish as both a collective unit and individual beings. But some of The Expanse ’s other highlights, such as planet hopping and intricate politicking, are largely absent from the new novel.

This tightened focus extends to the series’ structure. While The Expanse spanned nine books, The Captive’s War will be three. “It’s not doing the same kind of genre skipping that The Expanse did, because The Expanse did its Western, it did its noir, it did its political thriller,” Abraham says. “ The Captive’s War is really, in a way, a more cohesive story than The Expanse had the ability to be.”

(That’s the high-minded way to look at the difference, at least. Franck offers a simpler explanation, with a laugh: “We didn’t want to write nine books again.”)

The new novel suffers from the lack of political maneuvering; there’s no Chrisjen Avasarala or Winston Duarte analogue in Mercy . Its world can sometimes feel too small (though a development at the end of the book suggests an expansion—no pun intended—to come in the sequel).

Yet at other points, Mercy ’s world-building makes its universe feel unknowably gigantic. In The Expanse (spoiler alert), the alien threats never actually appear; the authors thought they’d add more menace as looming, Lovecraftian specters. But in Mercy , aliens abound, as the human prisoners interact with and observe creatures of all shapes, sizes, and lifestyles.

Here, the authors utilize the delightful genre trick of implying a much larger world than is actually relevant to the plot. The human captives are housed in a massive pyramid where they encounter those multifarious species, but that’s merely the prison for “the other oxygen breathers,” Franck says. The humans also see other immense pyramids in the distance, which hold yet more aliens who live in sulfuric atmospheres, in water, and so on.

“The idea of this is to give that sense of vast scale,” Abraham says. “The idea is I want this to feel huge. I want this to feel complex.”

As is typical of a Corey novel, Mercy is also punctuated by moments of violence and humiliation and despair. The authors have always been able to turn darkness into page-turning thrills, and Mercy ’s bleakest sections approach—if don’t ever quite reach—the worst protomolecule-induced horror that The Expanse ever presented.

But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. On the book’s very first page, a flash-forward reveals that the Carryx empire falls and that Dafyd is somehow responsible. This choice was made partly for tonal balance, to compensate for all that darkness. “If you didn’t have some ray of hope, this would be a brutal read,” Abraham says.

Even more, it creates a compelling mystery that will carry through the rest of the series. The Carryx empire seems omnipotent and completely unbothered by humanity. It doesn’t murder and enslave humans because of any hatred or rivalry; the humans are simply resources to be exploited. As one of the Carryx analogizes in the book, when a human cuts down a tree branch, “the tree had no power to stop you, and so it became a tool in your hand.”

But somehow, the human tool named Dafyd will take down an empire. What could be an early spoiler is, instead, the engine for the rest of the plot. Franck explains, “When a guy says, ‘Let me tell you about the first time I killed a crocodile,’ and then the scene opens with a guy being dropped naked into the middle of a crocodile pit, the question isn’t, Did he survive and kill a crocodile? The question is, How the fuck did a naked guy in a crocodile pit actually beat one of them? ”

That setup is reminiscent, incidentally, of Andor : Everyone watching Cassian, Luthen Rael, and Mon Mothma struggle against the might of the Empire knows that, eventually, the underdog rebels will succeed in creating the sunrise that Luthen knows he’ll never see . But the tension and entertainment value come from learning how they reach that sunrise and how they endure all the dark nights they face along the way.

The same looks to be true of The Mercy of Gods . With all of its alien surroundings, and without Earth and our familiar solar system as a backdrop, this new series doesn’t appear remotely as adaptable as The Expanse . It would be a surprise if Dafyd defeats the Carryx on television screens anytime soon.

But this story lives just as wonderfully on the page. “The first book is telling you all the reasons why [the Carryx empire] can’t fail: It’s too big, it’s too powerful,” Franck says. “So the tension is: What could this guy possibly have done to bring this about? ”

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All 28 jack reacher books, ranked worst to best.

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Reacher Season 3: Cast, Story & Everything We Know

10 jack reacher book traits that alan ritchson's reacher has nailed, 10 jack reacher book moments we want to see in reacher season 3.

• The hit Amazon Prime Video series takes its inspiration from Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels.
• All 28 novels chronicle the action-packed adventures of the military investigator turned drifter.
• Newcomers to Jack Reacher can take what the full canon offers.

Reacher expertly takes its inspiration from Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels. For decades, all 28 novels chronicle the action-packed adventures of the military investigator turned drifter. Although not every book in the series is a masterpiece, it has consistently delivered incredible page-turners. Lee Child’s enduring character has transcended the page through movie and television adaptations, including a Tom Cruise film franchise and most recently the hit Amazon Prime Video Reacher starring Alan Ritchson . Movies lifted plot lines directly from printed chapters, further cementing the literary stories’ cinematic promise through the adaptation process itself.

Now with over 20 books chronicling his exploits, Reacher’s world provides extensive terrain for mining the taciturn veteran’s mysterious background and death-defying escapades going back to his military police days. For newcomers inspired by fiery explosions onscreen or devotees debating each book’s place among the intricate mythos, taking measure of the full canon offers guidance through exhilarating moments testing one man’s wits and will from small towns to the global stage. Whether these books are an introduction or an old favorite, gauging the most essential embodiment of Reacher’s blunt force justice provides a blueprint into the wandering character’s iconic appeal.

Prime Video's Reacher is coming back for a third season, and there are already a ton of exciting updates about the upcoming episodes.

28 Blue Moon (2019)

A convoluted and gratuitous installment.

The 24th novel in the Jack Reacher series, Blue Moon, was released in 2019 and is widely considered to be the worst of the bunch. Unfortunately, the plot of Blue Moon involving Albanian and Ukrainian mobsters in a small town was more convoluted than previous installments. The action aligns with Reacher's character, but the frequent violence and loss of life comes across as gratuitous.

Many critics felt that Blue Moon relied too much on recurring elements of Child's series.

Reacher works through moral dilemmas as usual, but his white knight persona feels unrealistic. While still delivering on series staples, aspects of this entry didn't fully captivate. The frequent deaths and do-goodery are hallmarks of the series , but in Blue Moon , they fail to compel. Many critics felt that Blue Moon relied too much on recurring elements of Child's series, which — by the 24th entry — had more-or-less become tropes. Blue Moon was a Jack Reacher novel that tried to play it safe, but unfortunatley this just led to it feeling formulaic.

27 The Sentinel (2020)

An uninteresting story.

Released during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, The Sentinel was the 25th Jack Reacher novel. While it was an improvement on 2019's Blue Moon, it still failed to live up to earlier entries in the franchise as far as many readers and critics were concerned. The main flaw found in The Sentinel is the awkward writing, since Lee Child co-wrote this book with his brother Andrew (the pair are named James and Andrew Grant, though they write under the pseudonyms of Lee and Andrew Child).

The plot about criminals tampering with elections is too similar to real-life news, taking readers out of the fantasy elements.

The story doesn't create interest like other Reacher books , making it less enjoyable. Also, the plot about criminals tampering with elections is too similar to real-life news, taking readers out of the fantasy elements. Those who know Reacher's Rules well can see inconsistencies in the story. Due to the odd writing, unrealistic plot, and errors, this book ranks low in the series.

26 Nothing To Lose (2008)

Simplistic writing.

Released in 2008, Nothing To Lose is the 12th novel in the Jack Reacher series, and by far the worst one released in the 2000s — and many critics found that it was far too similar to the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, upon which the first Rambo movie was based. Situated in the fictional twin towns of Hope and Despair, Colorado, the setting in this installment fails to fully pull the reader into the narrative . The recycling plant disguising the criminals' questionable operation is written as too simplistic to be believable as a thoroughly guarded base of operations.

While the scale of the antagonists' enterprise is acknowledged as vast, their thin disguise detracts from the story's ability to immerse the reader in a world of high intrigue and high stakes. Where past books in the series have expertly combined setting, characters, and other elements, this addition misses the mark.

25 Make Me (2015)

The partnership between jack reacher and michelle chang fails to resonate.

2015 saw the 20th novel in the Jack Reacher series — Make Me — and, sadly, the story failed to live up to how much an important milestone for the franchise reaching 20 books was. In Make Me , the relationship between Reacher and Change follows expected lines, with Reacher, typically morally upright, teaming up routinely with Chang, an ex-FBI agent. There is also a lackluster romantic subplot between the two characters. As a result, this part of the book is largely forgettable.

It would likely be difficult to recall specific details about this story.

While Child is far from a one-trick-pony as far as authors go, Make Me definitely left the impression that he's stronger when writing tense action than he is at writing romance. Despite the extensive book, it would likely be difficult to recall specific details about this story. This underscores the narrative's overall lack of impact, especially when contrasted with more compelling installments like Night School . The unremarkable nature of Reacher's time with Chang contributes heavily to Make Me 's weak attempt at engagement.

24 The Midnight Line (2017)

Interesting characters, but it ultimately falls short.

The 22nd Jack Reacher novel was 2017's The Midnight Line, and in this story Reacher finds himself caught in an investigation into an illegal opioid trade in the American Midwest. In The Midnight Line , the story falls short, as Lee Child's attempt to experiment with a different approach ultimately doesn't pay off. It attempted to incorporate aspects of real-life critiques of pharameceutical companies, which many readers and critics felt didn't quite work.

While sharing a similar feeling to Nothing to Lose , this book distinguishes itself with the introduction of the character Rose, who is acknowledged as a positive aspect. However, the deviation from the traditional Reacher narrative seems to be the book's downfall , as the experimentation with a new style fails to resonate. The effort to innovate doesn't yield the anticipated results, impacting the overall quality and reception of the book in comparison to others in the series.

23 Past Tense (2018)

Unorthodox storytelling misses the mark.

2018's Past Tense was the 23rd Jack Reacher novel. While it was a slight improvement on 2017's The Midnight Line, it was also quite experimental as far as Child's Jack Reacher books go — a decision that both helped and hindered it, but on the whole didn't quite pay off as well as it could have. Despite having a somewhat dry tone and some notably creepy segments that are riveting to read, Past Tense faces criticism mainly due to its unorthodox creative direction.

The inclusion of a bonus backstory, a compelling woodland setting, and the presence of a group of human game-hunting antagonists elevates the book above some later works.

However, the installment manages to salvage its shortcomings through notable strengths . The inclusion of a bonus backstory, a compelling woodland setting, and the presence of a group of human game-hunting antagonists elevates the book above some later works. Additionally, the narrative benefits from Reacher's adept close combat skills, showcased in suspenseful nighttime encounters, and the incorporation of well-executed Reacher point-of-view kills.

22 No Plan B (2022)

Not as good as earlier novels.

No Plan B, the 27th novel in the Jack Reacher series, was released in 2022 . Much like 2019's Blue Moon, No Plan B fell short of reader and critic expectations because it played things too safe, relying too much on what had made earlier novels successful without trying anything new (when it came to both the plot and the writing style).

No Plan B delivers what is expected: an action-packed and plot-driven Jack Reacher thriller. However, this installment falls short of recapturing the magic of earlier releases when the character first debuted. While still an objectively strong and fast-paced story, it lacks the spark that made readers fall for Child's almost self-parodying style. For a subjective ranking system tapping into that nostalgia, No Plan B ranks lower than hoped, even though it objectively hits the Reacher marks.

21 A Wanted Man (2012)

A necessary story, but unable to stand on its own.

2012's A Wanted Man is the 17th Jack Reacher novel, and while it's not one of the worst, it's definitely not one of the best either. A Wanted Man delivers an energetic plot continuing the Nebraska storyline — picking up after the events of Worth Dying For following a slight muddying of the timeline in 2011's The Affair — but is ultimately a low point in the series when the franchise is appraised as a whole.

Despite the high stakes involving a burnt corpse and threats reaching the highest levels, the story itself feels missable.

A Wanted Man starts strong, with Reacher decoding blinks from a kidnapping victim to uncover a conspiracy. Despite the high stakes involving a burnt corpse and threats reaching the highest levels, the story itself feels missable. While needed to transition Reacher out of Nebraska after previous installments, this sequel lacks the impact to truly grab readers. As a result, A Wanted Man comes across more as a bridge in the broader series rather than a story able to stand on its own.

It's almost universally agreed upon that Alan Ritchson is the perfect Jack Reacher, especially since he nails some key Reacher traits from the books.

20 Personal (2014)

Fails to fully captivate despite delivering all the expected jack reacher thrills.

The 19th novel in the Jack Reacher series, 2014's Personal, is another example of an entry in the franchise that felt far too by-the-numbers to stand out, with Child falling back on the formula of his proven successes without breaching any new narrative ground. The plot of Personal hits the usual beats, with Reacher uncovering an assassination attempt in Paris tied to his past in the military.

However, the pieces feel too familiar, lacking the creativity to craft a truly standout story. The stakes feel more routine than past books, and the exploration of Reacher’s history covers well-worn ground. As a result, Personal comes across as too formulaic , with the series elements failing to combine into a narrative that hooks readers. It moves briskly without slowing down, but lacks the innovation and intrigue to rank among the most gripping installments.

19 The Secret (2023)

Enjoyable, but not as thrilling as it could be.

The most recent Jack Reacher novel was 2023's The Secret, which was the 28th in the series (the next, due later on in 2024, is set to be titled In Too Deep). The Secret offers intriguing insights into Reacher's past while delivering on action, but characterization shortcomings weigh it down. The early 1990s setting proves fascinating, and the prose moves briskly between investigative phases. Descriptions of hand-to-hand combat also showcase Reacher's physical prowess as expected.

While the spy craft details entertain, The Secret misses opportunities to resonate emotionally or use its prequel status to fully enrich Reacher's enigmatic persona.

However, the narrative lacks cohesion, with an initial mystery abandoned abruptly. More disappointingly, the young Reacher on display fails to reveal revelatory dimensions about what molded him into a wandering hero . While the spy craft details entertain, The Secret misses opportunities to resonate emotionally or use its prequel status to fully enrich Reacher's enigmatic persona. It was an improvement on 2022's No Plan B, at least, hopefully signalling that the franchise is back on an upwards trajectory.

18 Night School (2016)

A disappointing conclusion.

2016 saw the arrival of the 21st Jack Reacher novel, and Night School was a marked improvement on 2015's Make Me - though it still failed to live up to the best Jack Reacher books from earlier in the franchise. Night School delivers an intriguing premise, pairing Reacher with former colleague Frances Neagley against neo-Nazis transporting nuclear material.

The setup of Night School promises a classic thriller tracing back to Reacher’s military days. However, the conclusion ultimately disappoints . Just as events build toward an expected dramatic, high-stakes finale worthy of the nuclear threat, the story ends abruptly. The resolution feels rushed rather than truly earned after the groundwork has been laid. Still, it’s easy to appreciate the chance to see more of his past with Neagley, even if the ending fails to fully capitalize on a compelling narrative.

17 Running Blind (2000)

The execution leaves some of the intrigue unfulfilled.

The 4th Jack Reacher novel arrived at the turn of the millenium in 2000, and after the success of the initial trilogy, Running Blind felt like Lee Child's first miss when it came to Jack Reach stories. Running Blind offers an intriguing premise, with Reacher hunting a brilliant serial killer targeting his former cases. The elaborate military-connected setup creates an insider feel that creatively expands Reacher’s past.

Having Reacher working to uncover a serial killer makes for an interesting genre-blend

Having Reacher working to uncover a serial killer makes for an interesting genre-blend — mixing the core elements of the previous three Jack Reacher books with more traditional crime novels — which Running Blind pulls of reasonably well. However, outside the core mystery, there are moments where the book drags. The lack of action through lengthy stretches makes it less engaging as a thriller. Still, the serial killer’s inventive methods using camouflage paint and lack of any marks on victims prove memorably unsettling.

16 The Enemy (2004)

Lacks excitement, but serves a key narrative purpose.

The 8th Jack Reacher novel, 2004's The Enemy , is one of the most interesting in the franchise, as it was the first that played around in the timeline. While The Enemy lacks excitement as a thriller, with minimal action or suspense, it serves a key narrative purpose as the first Jack Reacher novel chronologically . It was set in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which made for some interesting changes in itself, and having a younger Reacher as the protagonist meant Child could experiment with the character a great deal more than usual.

The prequel explores the factors leading to Reacher leaving the military, disillusioned by bureaucracy and eroding values. Important events take place that shape Reacher's worldview and rootless future. While the plot itself underwhelms, The Enemy resonates in its character study of Reacher. It's especially fascinating to see Reacher work while still serving in the military, as being pinned down by the codes and values he then had to follow during this period of his life influenced his decisions in ways that aren't present later in the character's timeline.

15 Echo Burning (2001)

A classic vigilante premise.

Echo Burning was the 5th novel in the Jack Reacher franchise, and was widely considered a return to form after 2000's Running Blind . Echo Burning delivers a classic vigilante premise with Reacher playing ranch hand to investigate a woman’s claims of abuse. His fish-out-of-water Texan journey evokes film noir tones. However, familiar tropes like a damsel in distress and precocious child feel dated rather than fresh.

Reacher's doubts around Carmen, the woman who reaches out to him for help, definitely make for some intriguing twists in the narrative.

The Western flair shows Reacher’s adaptability, but the story’s trajectory stays safely predictable . While the bar fight and confrontations with the woman’s menacing husband capture Child’s gritty style, the plot lacks the innovation to truly grab attention. While Echo Burning doesn't rank as one of the worst Jack Reacher novels by a long stretch, it's also nowhere near as memorable as the best of them — though Reacher's doubts around Carmen, the woman who reaches out to him for help, definitely make for some intriguing twists in the narrative.

14 Without Fail (2002)

A high-stakes, briskly-paced reacher novel.

Following on from Echo Burning, the 6th Jack Reacher novel, 2002's Without Fail , is still considered by many as one of the best in the franchise, especially when it comes to pacing and overall writing quality. Without Fail is a strong Reacher novel due to its intense cat-and-mouse thriller narrative. Reacher leverages his logical intellect, tactical skills, and thirst for vengeance to outmaneuver a threat to the Vice President.

The stakes are high throughout this briskly-paced plot involving political assassination and betrayal. Lee Child further expands Reacher’s backstory through the haunting presence of his late brother. The vivid writing makes classic scenes like the stakeout unfold cinematically in readers' minds. Altogether, the emotional ties, high intrigue, and expertly crafted tension cement Without Fail as a prime example of Reacher’s compelling possibilities as a complex hero.

13 Never Go Back (2013)

Adrenaline-fueled and introspective.

2013's Never Go Back is the 18th Jack Reacher novel, and directly follows on from the narrative arc established in an earlier story, 2010's 61 Hours. As one of the more gripping books in Lee Child’s series, Never Go Back thrives on reuniting Jack Reacher with the 110th MP unit he once called home. By colliding Reacher’s past and present, Child strikes an emotional chord while crafting a breakneck thriller.

This combination of character exploration and intense action made Never Go Back one of the most intense Jack Reacher novels to read.

The nonstop momentum of Never Go Back proves amplified with threats tied to Reacher’s own team. For those invested in the wandering protagonist, the deepened personal stakes interwoven with high conspiracy offer immense satisfaction . Child continues building out the Reacher legend, making the action heavier through ties to his roots now under attack. This combination of character exploration and intense action made Never Go Back one of the most intense Jack Reacher novels to read.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2015), the second movie in the Tom Cruise Jack Reacher franchise, is adapted from this book.

Based on Lee Child's Persuader novel, Amazon Prime Video's Reacher season 3 needs to include some key Jack Reacher book moments in order to succeed.

12 Better Off Dead (2021)

A collaboration that works well.

2021's Better Off Dead is the 26th novel in the franchise. It takes place in San Francisco, and is also one of the few Jack Reacher books to be written in the 1st person (the first since 2014's Personal). Better Off Dead captures Reacher doing what he does best: hunting bad guys with wit and grit. However, unlike some other entries where this feels formulaic or uninspired, Better Off Dead manages to capture the core of what made the franchise so successful when it debuted.

Co-written by Andrew Child, Lee Child’s brother, Better Off Dead nails the adventurous spirit that makes the wandering protagonist so magnetic. Creative scenarios like Reacher posing as his own corpse allow Child to flex his writing chops. While a tonal shift from Lee Child’s solo efforts, Better Off Dead ultimately retains the crucial ingredients of Reacher’s fierce charm and an electrifying setting, creating a satisfying thriller.

11 Die Trying (1998)

Reveals interesting and hidden depths.

1998's Die Trying is the second Jack Reacher novel written by Lee Child, and it's the book that proved to readers that its hero more more than a single-story protagonist, and had the depth and appeal to carry on many more stories beyond his debut. With an insight into what makes Reacher tick, Die Trying cements key components of the wandering protagonist's appeal. This was especially noteworthy since the book was written in the 3rd person rather than from Reacher's perspective, a style that would then continue throughout most of the Jack Reacher novels.

Child expertly amps up tension once Reacher becomes ensnared with separatist militants.

Though the opening stretches in confined spaces, Child expertly amps up tension once Reacher becomes ensnared with separatist militants. The antihero's composure breaks under pressure, despite his gift for calculation and inventive ruthlessness. Frances Neagley also makes an interesting character with her haphephobia condition . While tighter pacing throughout would improve its ranking, Die Trying immerses readers in formative experiences that reveal Reacher's hidden depths.

10 The Hard Way (2006)

A compelling read.

The 10th Jack Reacher novel was The Hard Way, which was released in 2006, and the first in the franchise that saw Reacher travel outside the US. The Hard Way draws power from Reacher wandering the vivid chaos of New York before confronting threats abroad, travelling to rural England for an intense gun battle in — of all places — a farm in Norfolk. Child uses the setting not just for kinetic action, but to underscore the character’s contradictions.

His compassion and ruthless, calculating nature coexist with subtle melancholy. An atypical detective story structure packs an emotional punch as Reacher investigates an elusive foe. False leads and intense legwork make the eventual face-off with Lane's private mercenary army cutthroat, as well as emotionally resonant. Keeping Reacher adaptable and injecting introspection between brutal showdowns deepens the protagonist, compelling readers to follow him wherever the road takes.

9 The Affair (2011)

Adds intrigue to the jack reacher mythos.

The Affair arrived in 2010 and is the 16th Jack Reacher novel, and is yet another that was written in the 1st person. It's also another entry that plays with the timeline, as it takes place six month before Killing Floor and is chronologically the fourth story in the franchise. The Affair sees the typically detached protagonist navigate graphic desire during his trip to Mississippi.

For those seeking more dimension from the stoic vigilante, The Affair delivers on learning what makes Reacher tick.

Raw intimacy fills gaps in formative experiences and relationships that humanize his persona beyond just brute force. While R-rated scenes in the book can feel controversial, the emotional insights resonate. This risky creative choice to elucidate Reacher’s backstory at a heated railroad crossing ultimately deepens the complexity around a character often defined more by cerebral calculation than fiery feeling. For those seeking more dimension from the stoic vigilante, The Affair delivers on learning what makes Reacher tick.

• Reading Life

The 6 Best Websites for Romance Readers

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by Katherine Major

Are you a romance reader looking for the perfect website?

Whether you’ve been an avid reader for decades, an on-and-off bookworm, or you’re juuuust getting into the wonderful world of the written word – one thing’s for sure: building that TBR list and finding good book recommendations can get a little overwhelming!

And it’s not just finding resources to build a juicy TBR list – finding a community to chat about your latest reads is such an amazing feeling, and can often lead to lifelong friendships.

Luckily, we now live in a day and age where websites and apps exist just for the purpose of book reviews, recommendations, and building strong communities for readers, titles, and authors!

But – where to find these websites? No worries – we’ve compiled a list of the best websites for romance readers to bookmark, so you can spend less time browsing and more time diving into that next book rec!

6 Websites for Romance Readers

How could we not start off with iconic Goodreads?! Goodreads is a fabulous resource for romance books.

The reviews are always real and raw, and readers looking for their next romantic read can browse through new releases by title and genre, most read books of the week, and pick through user-generated listicles based on their mood or preferred trope!

Harlequin Goodreads romance books is a bookmark any lover of love stories needs to have!

Storygraph is the perfect website for a visual illustration of what people are currently reading and what they’ve got on their TBR list!

Storygraph also gives a brief overview of the type of books any given profile enjoys reading! For example, on our Harlequin Storygraph publisher profile, our bio says the following:

“Mainly reads fiction books that are lighthearted, emotional, and funny. Typically chooses medium-paced books that are <300 pages long.”

Storygraph also helps connect you with other readers and is a perfect virtual online book club for romance readers!

They say knowledge is power, and with Leio, you’ll have more insight into your reading habits than ever before!

While our other top romance book websites focus on community and book recommendations, Leio hones in on your habits.

Available on Apple’s App Store, the Leio App features a simple and user-friendly interface that helps you time your reading sessions, reading progress, reading pace, and can even predict how long it may take you to finish a book!

Leio is a must for any data-driven bookworm!

Ever wanted a romance book tailored exactly to your preferences? Or maybe you loved one book and need others exactly like it? Romance.io is your goldmine.

Fun computer science fact: an .io in a domain means input/output, which is exactly what you get with this intelligent website!

Find your next read by mixing and matching over 150 tropes, spice levels, genres, and themes! The options get very specific – it’s a foolproof way to your next book hangover, and we mean that in the best possible way. Tap this link to try it for yourself right now! Prepare for your mind to be blown.

Input/output gloriousness aside, interested readers can dive into trending reading lists or browse titles by plot, theme, genre, topics, and more!

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Snark and sass abound on the SB-TB website – and we are eating it up!

Featured in USA Today , The New Yorker , The New York Times , The Washington Post , Metro: New York , Salon , and with a cool mention on TV Land’s Younger – Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has been making waves as the spot for “online wankage” (or, savvy readers looking to have real talk about the books they love and the books they hate for almost 20 years.

They’ve also got a pretty cool (and very active) podcast, which features interviews with authors and industry experts, throwbacks to old book reviews from the 90s, and a ton more “online wankage” to enjoy!

All About Romance

Community is everything to the folks at AAR!

Founded in 1996, All About Romance is the perfect spot to discuss your latest read in their Reddit-style Agora forum and browse unbiased reviews for all those books on your TBR list!

AAR also features a robust and thriving blog to pore over! Read interviews with experts and authors and dive into what people are currently watching and reading, discussion on book pricing, intellectual discussion on trope analysis, and so much more!

What’s Your Favorite Website For Romance Readers?

Which of these websites are you most excited to dive into? Let us know below!

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