love to read? are you an experienced book reviewer, blogger or author? join our team!

Before you complete the application form, please read the following guidelines. If your application is accepted:

  • You will read and review books, galleys, manuscripts, audio CDs, e-books and DVDs in the genre of your choice. On the application form you will have a choice of what type of publication you will review. Reader Views will not endorse pornography or text books.

  • You will advise Reader Views when you are ready for a book, picked from Pending to be sent to you. Please allow one week for mailing. You may read as many books as you want or as time allows. We require that you commit to at least 2 books per month.

  • When you are available to review, please go to the Pending page and choose the books you would like to review. Send an email to admin@readerviews dot com with your list. Reader Views will make arrangements to have the publication sent directly to you. In the event the item you receive doesn't capture your interest, please contact Reader Views immediately.

  • When you receive the publication for review, you will notify Reader Views of receipt. We keep track of all the details pertaining to the review process.

  • The book/galley/manuscript/ebook must be read, the DVD watched, or the audio CD listened to within 4 weeks of receipt. Upon completion you will write a review of 350 - 750 words (3 - 5 paragraphs) and e-mail it to Reader Views. See below for the specific format for sending your review.

  • Upon receipt of review from you, Reader Views staff will format the review for posting on the website. We also send the tear sheet to the author. All reviews are edited for punctuation and grammar before formatting. This process sometimes takes two weeks. Please do not tell the author/publisher that you have submitted the review to us. We will send them a tear sheet when the process is complete.

  • There is no monetary compensation, however, you get to keep the publication. You may keep the publication, pass it on to a friend, or donate it to a charity.

  • The review becomes the property of Reader Views. Reader Views will give the author permission to use the review in full or excerpts providing they credit the reviewer and Reader Views. (e.g. Reviewed by John/Jane Doe, Reader Views.)

  • If you would like to post your review on other sites, arrangements may be made with Reader Views. Please do not post it without permission.

  • Please do not contact the submitter (author, publisher, publicist) for other books to review or send the review directly to them.

  • Reader Views provides an Express Review service. The same guidelines apply except the book must be read and reviewed sent within 21 days of receipt. Express Reviews are commissioned by the author or publisher. Reading a book within 21 days doesn't automatically constitute payment of a stipend. If you choose to be an express reviewer, you will be asked to do an Express Review, otherwise all reviews are considered as regular reviews.

  • There is a stipend for Express Reviews.

  • If you feel comfortable with these guidelines, please fill out the form and submit.

Writing Reviews for Reader Views

A review tells what the publication is about and how successful it is at what it is trying to do. As a reviewer you describe the book, analyze how the book achieved its purpose, and express your own reactions. Reader Views reserves the right to edit all reviews for length and content, and we always make sure there are no grammatical errors or misspellings.

Review submission format

  • Title

  • Author

  • Publisher

  • ISBN, Price, Publication Date

  • Reviewed by (your name) for Reader Views (10/13)

  • Headline for review (this is 3 to 5 words)

  • Number of stars for rating (#/5)

The body of the review is a minimum of 350 words, with a maximum of 750 words, usually 3 - 5 paragraphs. When referencing the title in the review please put in quotations "book title ".

Consider these questions when writing your review

  1. What is the author's main point or plot?

  2. How successful do you think the author was in carrying out the purpose of the publication?

  3. How well does the author write? You can use a brief quotation to illustrate your observations. If CD/DVD, how well does the presenter get the point across?

  4. Who is the book for? (general reader, genre interest, specialized audience, age range, orientation, etc.)

  5. Your personal experiences that relate to the topic. Your personal opinion. Your favorite part or what you learned.

  6. Your recommendation. This could pertain to editing issues, future publications, or story line.

  7. The conclusion ties together the review and provides a comment. This is usually the part that is used for an excerpt of the review.

  8. Be creative! Give your own honest and fair opinion. Be candid. Authors love the personal flair that you give the review.

  9. Never copy and paste a synopsis into any review. Always use your own words.

  10. Send as an e-mail attachment (in Word) or in the body of an e-mail to: admin@readerviews.com.