# Foreword Clarion Review

> Professional editorial reviews distributed to 70,000+ librarians and booksellers via Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Bowker, and Cengage — with a 4-6 week guaranteed turnaround.

Source: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/book-reviews/foreword-clarion-review
Website: https://publishers.forewordreviews.com/reviews/clarion/
Category: Book Reviews (https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/book-reviews)
Pricing: paid — $376–$579/per-review
AI-powered: no
Tags: editorial-reviews, library-sales, ingram, pre-publication, baker-taylor, booksellers, starred-reviews
Last verified: 2026-05-13
Best For: Authors targeting independent bookstores and libraries through Foreword Magazine's review ecosystem
Genre Focus: all-genres
Review Type: Editorial, Professional
Reviews Posted To: Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Gale Cengage
Turnaround Days: 42

Clarion Reviews is the paid-review arm of Foreword Reviews magazine — the oldest fee-for-review service in indie publishing, operating since 1998. Each review runs 400–600 words and is assigned to one of over 100 specialists with genre-relevant expertise. The end result is a professionally written editorial with a 1–5 star rating and a highlighted "money quote" designed for marketing use.

## What You Get

- **Guaranteed review:** Delivered in 4–6 weeks regardless of star rating
- **Professional assignment:** Each title goes to a reviewer with relevant subject expertise from Foreword's team of 100+
- **Wide-angle distribution:** Reviews appear on forewordreviews.com (1.5M annual visitors) and are licensed to Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Bowker, and Cengage — reaching approximately 70,000 librarians and booksellers
- **Star rating:** A 1–5 star rating is included; standout reviews receive a coveted Foreword INDIES nomination
- **Kill option:** Before publication, authors can approve the review, request edits, or kill it entirely if unsatisfied

## Who It's For

- **Library-market authors:** The Ingram + Baker & Taylor distribution is the most direct path to getting your review in front of collection development librarians
- **Authors building editorial credentials:** A Clarion review from a 25-year-old publication carries more bookseller credibility than newer fee-for-review services
- **IBPA members:** Members receive 35% off, bringing the price from $579 to $376

**Pricing:** $579 standard; $376 for IBPA members (35% off). A two-review bundle pairing Clarion with BlueInk costs $799 (regular value: $1,124).

## Strengths

- **Library reach:** No other indie review service has comparable Ingram + Baker & Taylor + Cengage + Bowker integration — this is the fastest path to libraries for self-published authors
- **Kill option:** Unlike BlueInk Review, which publishes all reviews regardless of sentiment, Clarion lets authors review their assessment before it goes public — an important distinction for authors in sensitive genres
- **Editorial credibility:** Foreword Reviews is recognized by the American Library Association as a legitimate trade review source; Clarion's imprint carries this brand halo

## Limitations

- **No free option:** Kirkus and Foreword editorial both offer free submission, but Clarion is fully paid; authors with limited budgets should weigh $579 carefully
- **Competitive free editorial:** Foreword's own editorial section is free to submit to but extremely selective — fewer than 100 titles are accepted from 1,000+ monthly submissions, making it impractical to rely on
- **No social media add-ons:** Unlike Independent Book Review or IndieReader, Clarion does not offer bundled promotional amplification; distribution is wholesale-channel only

## Alternatives

BlueInk Review ($395–$545) is the closest comparable service and co-offers a discounted bundle with Clarion ($799 for both). BlueInk distributes to Ingram but does not allow authors to kill reviews before publication — a meaningful tradeoff for authors who want final review control.