How to Become a Book Reviewer: 23 Places to Find Paying Review Gigs

Do you love books and want to learn how to make some extra money with your reading hobby?

You’ve come to the right place, because I’m going to introduce you to several websites where you can turn to review books and either get paid for your reviews or receive free books in exchange for them.

Either way, you get something out of your love of reading!

Jobs from Online Companies That Pay You to Read and Review Books

The following companies are legit places to find paid review gigs.

You likely won’t make huge chunks of change with each review, but most reviews are anywhere from 100 to 300 words long and can pay $5 and up, which isn’t a bad price for your time.

Plus, you’ll get paid for something you’re doing anyway – reading!

Kirkus

If you’re interested in reviewing English and/or Spanish books, you can do so with Kirkus.

You’ll need to complete a 350-word review within two weeks after getting assigned a review.

Send along some writing samples with your application when you email Kirkus.

The pay for Kirkus reviews is not specified on the site.

Book Browse

Book Browse is a popular place for reviewers to go judging by its statement that the company receives many applications for its reviewing process.

It suggests that you read some reviews on the site to ensure that you can write with the same quality standard and review length before submitting your application.

If so, you just need to fill out the form.

Reviewers will get a payment that’s not specified on the site plus a byline attached to their review when published.

Booklist

Write reviews for Booklist and receive $15 for each review that gets published!

The site does mention that freelance opportunities for reviewers are limited as most articles go to in-house writers, but you may still be chosen for a review or blog post about a book.

The US Review of Books

The US Review of Books looks for both book reviewers and blog posts and articles about books or genres.

Although the pay isn’t specifically noted on the site, the company does say that it pays for all reviews published the previous month by the 5^th of the following month and that it sends your payment by check.

Reedsy

Reedsy Discovery is a community designed for book lovers where you can sign up for free as a member and start reviewing the books you love.

When you write reviews on Reedsy, you don’t get paid by Reedsy.

Instead, readers of your reviews can leave you a tip for your help, usually as $1, $3, or $5.

As a reviewer, you can also access the open pool of self-published submissions to read them before they get released to the public.

Instaread

Instaread is a site where you can find book summaries from writers and book lovers all over the world.

You can also apply to become an Instaread summary writer when submissions are open (they close occasionally when they fill all their needs).

As a contributor, you’ll get free access to the Instaread app and compensation for your time.

IndieReader

This is a helpful site for authors to network with other authors and get reviews of their books before they release them to the public.

IndieReader occasionally looks for experienced book reviewers (and I mean experienced – you’ll need to send over a CV and some previously written samples when you apply) to join the team of review writers.

Along with your published review on the site, you’ll get a byline and up to $45 per review.

This position isn’t advertised on the website, but you may spot it on job search sites like ProBlogger and Indeed.

You can always email IndieReader to inquire about new reviewer openings.

Writerful

Get paid up to $50 per review when you write for Writerful, depending on the depth of your reviews.

You can apply using the online form, and you should send along at least one recent book review you’ve written.

OnlineBookClub.org

This site pays between $5 and $60 per book review.

Reviews don’t have to be long or positive.

Instead, this company values 100% honest and concise reviews.

Where to Find Book Review Gigs

The following places won’t pay you directly for reviewing books, unlike the sites I’ve listed above.

Instead, they’re sites you can use to help you find book review gigs that pay.

Upwork

Upwork is a marketplace for freelancers of all types to find gigs that fit their skills.

It’s an excellent place to find just about any kind of writing work, from blog writing to resume writing.

And, yes, you can also use it to find book review gigs!

The jobs listed on Upwork are all paying jobs from clients, so you’ll make some money from book review gigs you find.

The catch is that you have to apply to the gigs you’re interested in and get accepted to complete them by the client.

You’ll need to make your proposals stand out, then, to catch the eye of each client you’re trying to get a gig from.

Upwork recently switched its system into one that requires you to pay for Connects, or the “points” you use to apply for gigs, but they’re only 15 cents each.

Just keep this in mind, though, when you’re applying so that you don’t go overboard having to pay for a bunch of Connects without landing a gig.

You can search specifically for book review gigs using the search bar and typing in “Book reviews”.

Problogger

Problogger is a job board for freelance writers to find blogging gigs that pay.

There aren’t always listings for paid book reviews, but you can sometimes find them here.

I suggest bookmarking this site in a folder with similar job search sites and checking it daily, as new listings get added just about every day.

You can also create a job alert to send any jobs that match a specific keyword to your inbox, so you can always set one for “book reviews” to ensure that you don’t miss any.

Facebook Groups

Join Facebook Groups for book lovers, book reviewers, or freelance writers to network with other like-minded people and find gigs that occasionally pop up.

Many groups for writers include writers or editors who post their own gigs when the need arises, so Facebook Groups can be helpful for getting gigs you wouldn’t find on job boards.

Groups for book enthusiasts and reviewers can also spark conversations about where to find book reviewing jobs.

Freelance Writing Jobs

This is another job listing site for freelance writers that can come in handy for those looking for book review jobs.

Most of the gigs here are targeted more toward other kinds of writing, but you may find the occasional book review job.

All Freelance Writing

Check this site a few times per week to see what new writing jobs are available.

They’re few and far between, but book review gigs do pop up occasionally.

The owner of this site tweets out some of the best gigs on her Twitter page, so make sure you follow her there, too, to keep up with the latest additions.

Fiverr

Fiverr lets you place jobs you’re willing to do on the site for buyers to find and purchase.

You can list a quick 100-word review for $5, for example, and then offer add-ons, like a longer 300-word review, for an extra $10.

Book Jobs

This site is all about helping you find jobs related to books, so most of them are in the publishing industry.

You can sometimes find book reviewer gigs here!

Just use the search bar to look for “reviews” or “reviewer.”

Your Favorite Book Review Blogs

Do you have a list of book blogs in your browser bookmarks?

If so, visit them – you might be able to find jobs for book reviewers through them!

First, see if there’s a contributor page.

Some blogs will have one that allows people to contribute blog posts to the site for a byline and payment.

If your favorite sites allow contributions, you can read through the guidelines to learn how to submit reviews for books you read to the site.

Next, search through the review posts on the site.

Sometimes, bloggers will post a note about where they received the book from in exchange for their review.

This can help you find publishers or review companies that are willing to give free books in exchange for blog reviews or pay reviewers for their book reviews.

Where to Get Free Books in Exchange for Reviews

Finally, I want to include some places that’ll give you free books in exchange for your reviews.

You may not be getting paid in cash, but you’ll get paid with a free book you didn’t have to spend money on, which is almost as good!

In some cases, you’ll need a blog to publish your review on, but other sites will let you publish your reviews directly on their websites for other readers to see.

Moody Publishers

Get free books from Moody Publishers in exchange for honest reviews of them on your blog and on a consumer site, such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

NetGalley

NetGalley helps authors get eyes on their books and will let you read those books for free when you agree to review them.

NewPages

This site doesn’t appear to give away books, but it will give you a byline attached to your approved reviews.

This can be helpful if you’re trying to establish a presence online as an experienced book reviewer.

You’re free to review books, magazines, and other pieces you’ve already read.

My Reader Rewards Club

Book lovers like you will love My Reader Rewards Club.

Simply read books, write about them, share them with friends, and complete other tasks to earn points.

You can then use your points to get free Bibles and books!

Bethany House

Readers who enjoy Christian fiction and non-fiction titles can join the Bethany House reviewer program to receive titles for free in exchange for honest reviews.

Fill out the online form for consideration but note that it could take several months to get approved.

Tomoson

Tomoson isn’t just for books, but it’s not uncommon to find them here.

This is a review network where you can find all types of products you can have for free in exchange for reviews on a blog or social media.

Some reviews even pay you for your time in addition to giving you free product.

Conclusion: How to Become a Book Reviewer

Whether you’re getting free books or receiving cash for your reviews, as a book lover, you’re still getting something you love either way.

It’s always nice to make money with something you enjoy doing, and book reviewing could be the perfect way to do it if you’re an avid reader.

Enjoy, and feel free to let us know in the comments about other review programs.