Reader Views

Reader Views has supported independent authors and small presses since 2005, offering professional editorial reviews, a recognized literary awards program, and optional author promotional services. A team of 50+ reviewers — including educators, librarians, MFA holders, and published authors — cover all genres with a minimum 350-word review for paid submissions.

The service runs two tracks: a free unguaranteed standard submission and a tiered Guaranteed Review Service. The awards program stands out from competitors because every entry receives a full editorial review and a 20-point evaluation, regardless of whether the title wins.

What You Get#

• Standard Review (free, unguaranteed): Submit one book for review consideration at no cost. Review is not guaranteed — availability is limited, especially May through January (awards season). If published, the review posts on the Reader Views website with no suppression option
• Economical Exposure ($139): Guaranteed review (350+ words), Reader Views blog post, social media sharing, Goodreads listing, BookBub listing where applicable, newsletter inclusion, and author spotlight. Turnaround: 21 days for books under 400 pages; 28–45 days for longer works
• Premium Exposure ($279): All Economical benefits plus your choice of a written Q&A feature or a podcast interview on Inside Scoop Live!
• Explosive Exposure ($529): All Premium benefits plus both interview formats and a press release written and distributed on your behalf
• Literary Awards ($89–$109 per entry): All entries receive a full editorial review and a 20-point evaluation. Grand Prizes (per program): Gold $1,000, Silver $350, Bronze $150 (minimums; may increase with entry volume/sponsorship). 40+ fiction categories plus a separate non-fiction program — Fiction window March 1–Sept 30, 2026; Non-Fiction window Sept 1, 2026–Mar 31, 2027

Who It's For#

• Authors wanting affordable guaranteed Goodreads presence: At $139, the Economical tier is one of the lower-cost paths to a guaranteed review with Goodreads cross-posting
• Authors pursuing literary awards: The awards program guarantees a review for every entrant — most book awards programs do not
• Authors seeking promotional bundles: The $279–$529 tiers combine editorial review with podcast interview distribution across Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Pricing: Free standard tier (unguaranteed) or $139–$529 for guaranteed service. Literary Awards entry $89–$109. Podcast interviews are $129 separately. No subscription.

Strengths#

• 21-year track record: One of the longest-running indie review services, with organizational continuity through founder Irene Watson's 2012 passing and current leadership under Susan Violante (CEO) and Sheri Hoyte
• Awards guarantee a review: Unlike most literary awards, every Reader Views Literary Awards entry receives a complete editorial assessment
• Goodreads and BookBub posting: Guaranteed tiers include cross-posting to Goodreads and BookBub (where applicable) — confirmed current distribution channels as of March 2026

Limitations#

• Amazon/B&N posting not currently offered: Older sources described Reader Views as posting to Amazon and B&N, but the current official service pages do not list these as distribution channels. Do not submit expecting Amazon review placement
• No suppression option stated: Neither the standard nor guaranteed tiers mention a suppression option — assume reviews publish regardless of sentiment on the free tier; guaranteed tier policy not explicitly stated
• Limited independent rating data: No Trustpilot profile; not specifically recommended in major self-publishing resources (Jane Friedman, Kindlepreneur, ALLi). Reputation rests primarily on longevity and direct testimonials

Alternatives#

IndieReader ($275–$399) offers editorial reviews with confirmed Amazon placement potential at a comparable price point. For free coverage, Midwest Book Review distributes to Gale Cengage library databases at no cost for print books.