Top 20 sites to Get Paid in Cash to Write Book Reviews

1. Any Subject Books

Any Subject Books will pay you cash for each book you review for them. Here’s how it works: You apply to be a book reviewer on the site. After you’re accepted, Any Subject Books will send you offers to review books on a case-by-case basis.

You choose whether to accept the review job, and after you do, you read the book and write a thorough review on the form they give you to use.

This company is looking for serious reviewers with an analytical mind. They don’t say up front how much they pay per review since each book review will pay differently based on word count, etc.

Also, depending on their workload they may or may not be accepting new reviewers at any given moment. If you can get accepted, this is a great way to get paid reading books.

2. Kirkus Media

Kirkus Media is a company that specializes primarily in book reviews. That means they are often hiring reviewers to read books and write reviews of roughly 350 words.

To be considered as a book reviewer for Kirkus, you need to submit your resume’, writing samples and a list of reviewing specialties, talents or experience to the email address on their web site.

The company also occasionally hires for copy editors and editors as well, meaning you have three opportunities with Kirkus to get paid for reading books.

3. Online Book Club

Online Book Club is a company that pays between $5 and $60 for book reviews, depending on the length of the book, etc.

The company is looking for honest reviews of the books they send to members, and it is free to become a member. The books they send you are also sent out at no charge.

Know that the first review you do with Online Book Club has to be done for free – this is their way of being able to determine that you’re right for a job as a book reviewer with their company.

All subsequent reviews done for them will be paid jobs.

4. Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly is a weekly news magazine that focuses on the book publishing business. Their website does have a career page that often features job opening information for editors, copyeditors and book reviewers.

However, they also occasionally look for book reviewers. All reviewers hired by Publishers Weekly are paid an honorarium, although the site doesn’t specify what that amount is.

The company looks to publish reviews for all types of fiction (including graphic novels) and non-fiction books.

They’re also looking to review books that are both traditionally published and self-published. To be considered as a potential reviewer you need to send the company a resume’ as well as a 200-word sample review of a recently published book.

5. The U.S. Review of Books

The U.S. Review of Books is a company that publishes book reviews of thousands of books in a variety of different genres. The company regularly seeks reviewers to write 250-300 word reviews of books for publication on its company site.

As they post available books for review on their site, the hired reviewers request to be accepted as a book’s reviewer. After the review is returned, you will be paid on a monthly basis for all reviews you completed during the previous month.

6. Women’s Review of Books

The Women’s Review of Books is a publication that, well, reviews books written by and about women. The site is based out of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College, in collaboration with Old City Publishing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

To be considered for reviewing assignments, you must send in your resume’, samples of published reviews and a cover letter.

That’s not to say that they won’t accept someone who hasn’t reviewed for pay, but it’s important that your review samples are “lively, thought-provoking and accessible to a broad audience of interested readers”.

Timeliness and professionalism are important as well to the powers-that-be; they want reviewers who can meet a deadline. Most reviewers get fourteen cents per paid word, and the company welcomes suggestions for books to review as well.

7. Upwork

Upwork, a freelancing network that connects freelancers with those in need of help, may offer some positions for writing reviews on books for websites or blogs.

Upwork offers thousands of jobs in a variety of genres, often including jobs for books reviewers that are paid as independent contractors.

Get Paid with Free Books

Some sites that look for book reviews won’t pay you in actual cash, but they will give you a free hard copy of the book you review for keeps.

Here is a list of some of the sites that will send free books for you to review and keep.

8. Bethany House

Bethany House is a publisher that focuses on publishing books that represent historic Christianity. The company requires that those who review for them own their own blog and be willing to post Bethany House reviews on that blog site.

As a reviewer for Bethany House, you must write reviews at least 75 words in length (not including the plot synopsis) and publish the review both on your personal blog and on a retailer website such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

The company chooses reviewers on a first come, first served basis. Each month they send out both a fiction and a non-fiction list of books available for review, and approved reviewers who respond first get a book copy for reviewing purposes.

Note that they do have a limited number of each copy of the books they need reviews for, so it’s important to act fast if you want to be accepted as a reviewer of a book after the lists are published.

9. Book Browse

Book Browse is an “online magazine for book lovers” that publishes reviews and other information. They are looking for reviewers who want free books in exchange for a review.

Members get books on a varying schedule depending on how many publishers are sending books to Book Browse. Review opportunities range from every three months to more often, and occasionally less often, based on opportunities.

10. Book Look Bloggers

Book Look Bloggers pays people (in the form of a free copy of a book) who are willing to read books and write a review of the books on their blog.

If you don’t own your own blog, you could start a blog now or contact existing blogs to see if they are interested in paying you to write a review of a book that is similar to the content they publish.

You’ve got to become a member of Book Look Bloggers to see a complete list of their available books, but their sample list indicates that they offer books in a variety of genres, from self-help to spirituality to fiction and more.

11. Chicago Book Review

The Chicago Book Review is a popular literary site with the goal of highlighting “Chicago’s publishing world and the great books it produces”. The site shares reviews of many of the books birthing from Chicago’s 125+ book publishing companies.

The company is looking for reviewers who are “dedicated to providing quality, considered, well-written reviews that go beyond ‘I love this book!’ and ‘What a great book!’”.

If you love writing thoughtful and detailed book reviews and getting free books to do so, consider sending The Chicago Book Review your resume’ and writing samples.

12. Civitas Press

Civitas Press is a publisher that pays bloggers to share book reviews on their blog (or a blog they write for) and on a retail site such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

The company publishes fiction and non-fiction writings that are encouraging and uplifting, and is actively accepting reviewer applications at the time of this publication.

13. Blogging for Books

Blogging for Books is a site that will pay you with a free book (actual books and ebooks are available) if you agree to write a review of the book on your personal blog.

The site reviews a number of different literary genres including fiction, non-fiction, entertainment, business, faith and more.

14. Moody Press

Moody Press Publishers also pay reviewers in the form of free books – books that their company publishes.

As with Bethany Publishers, Moody wants reviewers who own a blog and are willing to share their book reviews on that blog as well as on a retailer site such as Amazon.

After you submit your online application and are accepted as a reviewer, you can browse the books that are available for review and select one title at a time to be sent for review.

Moody sends the books to you within 7 to 10 days via U.S. Postal Service Media mail after you’ve made your selection, and they require that book reviews are completed within 60 of receipt of the book.

15. Net Galley

Net Galley is looking for librarians, booksellers, educators, reviewers and bloggers to read the books promoted on the Net Galley site and write reviews for those books.

Know that Net Galley only gives away digital copies of books in exchange for a review.

16. New Pages

New Pages is a site for “Engaged Readers and Creative Writers”. If you like to read books, you can sign up to send them suggestions of books you’d like to read or write a review on and they’ll send you a copy of the book.

The company is looking to hire reviewers that can write a lively, engaging review in easy-to-read yet intelligent language. Honest reviews are important, but they prefer reviews that are about books you love and not about books that weren’t so great.

17. Tyndale Blog Network

Tyndale Blog Network will send you free books to review if you own a blog that you are willing to write a book review on.

After you do your first review, the company will continue to send you more books for review if they like your review style and writing style.

Get Paid to Edit or Copyedit Books

Another way you can get paid to read books is by finding work as a copyeditor or editor. There are several sites that publish openings for editors and copyeditors.

Some of these sites are advertising for part-time or full-time jobs at a brick and mortar location. Many sites also advertise a need for an editor or copyeditor who can work from home as they edit books.

Here are some of the sites that feature a higher number of copyediting and editing jobs.

18. Upwork

Upwork primarily looks to connect freelance workers with companies or individuals who are not looking to hire a permanent employee, but instead looking for freelancers who can work on call – generally from home.

There are many different types of editing and copyediting jobs available on Upwork. Simply apply for the ones that appeal to you. You’ll need to submit a resume’ and potentially examples of your work as well.

19. Contena

Contena is a jobs board that focus specifically on needing and hiring writers and editors. To get started finding editing jobs you simply need to create a free account.

After your account is active you can start searching for editing and copyediting jobs through their site.

20. Research Square

Research Square is the parent company of a company called American Journal Experts. This company often hires editors to work from home on reading and editing books.

However, know that a lot of the books they want edited are technical non-fiction books or jobs that look for translators who will translate a book from English to another language or vice versa.

There are so many sites that will pay you to read books for the purpose of writing a review or simply to edit or find and correct errors.