Everywhere you look—products for sale online, vacation rentals, restaurants, local tradesman, book promotion—reviews are the key to success in today’s marketplace. Foreword Clarion Reviews was the original fee-for-review service, and we’re still proud to offer the highest quality reviews from our team of over one hundred experienced reviewers.

Quotable

At 400–600 words^?, we guarantee each critique contains a marketable money quote, conveniently placed at the top of the review. This testimonial crystallizes the review into one powerful sentence, telling readers instantly what distinguishes the book among its peers. Money quotes use active, dynamic language that can be easily lifted for promotional purposes.

Our reviews also include a well-written introductory paragraph that tells readers, in a compact, conversational, positive way, what the book is about and what our reviewer thought of it. It can stand alone, if necessary, as a one-paragraph mini-review.

Reviewed by Highly Qualified Reviewers

Each review is written by one of our hundred-plus qualified reviewers, handpicked by our managing editor to ensure that they have the needed expertise to write credibly about your book.

Circulated Far and Wide

Only with your permission will we post the completed review to our high traffic website, as well as share it with our partners, such as Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Cengage, and Bowker. Their review databases are instrumental in helping generate trade sales from the tens of thousands of librarians and booksellers who subscribe to their services. We also highlight the best Clarion reviews on our social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Why the Fee?

Back in 2001, our editorial team began to realize that we were unable to review even half the quality books we received due to limited space in our print journal, Foreword Reviews. At the time, the number of books being published was increasing rapidly due to advances in desktop publishing technology. We struggled for a solution.

Clarion Review was conceived as a fee-for-review service for publishers and authors to receive lengthy, credible reviews from a trusted source within 90 days. The finished review, with approval from the publisher/author, would then be posted to Foreword’s busy website, as well as to the subscription services (wholesalers) that librarians and booksellers shop for books: Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Bowker, Cengage, and others.

Purchase Clarion Review

We’ve partnered with BlueInk Review to offer you a special two-review package for the discounted price of just $745 (a savings of $299). BlueInk Review was founded by literary agent Patricia Moosbrugger and award-winning former book review editor of the Rocky Mountain News, Patti Thorn, and offers reviews written by professionals drawn largely from mainstream media outlets or editors who have worked at respected publishing houses. In addition to your Clarion Review, you’ll receive:

Fast-Track BlueInk Review

BlueInk Reviews are written by a professional book reviewer and are between 250-300 words in length and returned to you within 4-6 weeks. With your permission, BlueInk Review posts finished reviews to their website which is specifically designed to be user-friendly for readers, librarians, agents, and editors. Like Clarion Reviews, BlueInk Reviews are also distributed to important licensees some of which include Ingram’s iPage and Oasis databases (used by over 70,000 booksellers and librarians), the iDream Books website, and more. (regularly priced at $545)

Note

Your reviews from Clarion and BlueInk Review must be for the same book, and that book must be self-published, as BlueInk Review reviews self-published titles exclusively. This cannot be combined with any other discounts. If you wish to purchase both reviews, you must do so as a separate transaction from any other purchase you wish to make.

Purchase Two-Review Package

We've streamlined the Clarion fee for review process to make it as simple as possible. Once you register on our website, notifications are sent to your email address to guide you every step of the way (be sure to verify your email address). Here's the review process from start to finish:

1. Purchase a Clarion Review of your book
2. Send your book (physical or digital) to the address on the receipt
3. We'll send you an email letting you know we've received your book
4. Wait 4-6 weeks for a reviewer to be assigned, your book to be read, and the review written, edited, and formatted
5. We'll send you an email with a link to preview your review when it is finished, but you can check to see if the preview is ready at any time
6. Look over the review and:
   • Post the review to our website and have it sent to our licensees
   • Kill the review so it never sees the light of day (and you can decide whether to make editorial changes to your book based on feedback in the review)
   • Respond with corrections (e.g., a misspelled character name) and wait for another notification
   • Don't do anything and your review will be posted automatically after 3 weeks
7. If the review is posted, you can get a link to it from My Posted Reviews. You can also find it on our website without logging in.

Purchase Clarion Review

I am hoping you can get word to [the reviewer] for me to thank her for her 5-star review of my book. I received excellent reviews from Kirkus and BlueInk, but they were not in depth as is [her review]. I honestly felt, after reading her review, that someone up there was understanding what I was up to. I felt, too, that she read the book thoroughly. I can't thank her enough and please share this memo. J.F.

I'm really carrying on my dream because of the 5-Star Clarion Review miracle. You have no idea how much this single recognition has given new life to this project. The magazine alone is getting my book into Barnes & Noble which is something I have not been able to do. Thank you also for putting my book on the front page of the 5-Star advertising section, it really helps the cause! A.B.

I recently worked the Florida Library Association Convention last week and was thrilled to discover that many acquisition librarians have already purchased [my book] simply based on not just phenomenal reviews but also based on the fact that [it] is a finalist for the Foreword award. We could not be more pleased. V.A.

This is a three-star review that is much more valuable to me than however many five-star reviews from superficial readers. I am very satisfied with the quality of the service offered by Foreword/Clarion and, especially, by [the reviewer]. J.G.

I would like to thank you for your smart review of [my book]. Not only did you clearly understand what the book is about, you made a comment, which because it was an advance copy, I'm able to act upon. You mentioned that some scenes were unnecessarily italicized. You're exactly right. Those passages will be returned to the regular font for the published edition. Sharp, constructive reviews aren't all that common, and I'm grateful for yours. R.L.

Please kill the review for my book. I'd like to rework the stories and try to make the product better. Thank you for the service. The review has given me a better idea of my weaknesses and strength and where to improve. J.D.

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Do you accept advance reading copies or final copies?

We accept both ARCs and final copies, but final copies are preferred and ARCs will be reviewed as if they were final copies.

Why do I need to send two copies of my book?

Having two copies of your book allows our editors to fact check the review. Additionally, on the rare occasion that the first copy is lost in the mail or the reviewer has a family emergency, it ensures we're able to still review your book in the allotted amount of time.

Do I need to send both a physical copy and an eBook?

No, and we prefer that you only send two physical copies or an eBook, not both.

What books are eligible to compete?

Any independently published book—including those from self-published authors and university presses—available for purchase in print or e-book formats. Revised and reissued editions are eligible, however, if the ISBN hasn't changed and we reviewed it in the past, the previous review will have to be killed before a new review can be ordered.

When do books need to be sent to your offices?

Ideally, as soon as you place the order. The 4–6 week timeframe starts as soon as we receive your book.

Where should I send my books?

Physical books (two copies) should be mailed to the following address accompanied by a receipt or order number:

Attn Clarion Editor
Foreword Reviews
413 E 8th St
Traverse City MI 49686

Ebooks are only accepted as PDFs and must be downloadable and able to be shared with our reviewers and editors. PDFs under 25 MB should be emailed as an attachment. PDFs 25 MB and larger must be uploaded elsewhere and the link to download it should be emailed to us. Ebooks, along with an order number, should be emailed to (you will be notified by email when we receive your entry):

ebooks+clarion@forewordreviews.com

Foreword Reviews will not be held liable for the loss, damage, or return of any books submitted for review.

How do I claim my complimentary subscription to Foreword Reviews

Once you’ve ordered your review and paid, we’ll send you an email with instructions for claiming your complimentary subscription. Alternatively, you can view your available complimentary subscriptions at any time and claim through there.

For additional assistance, please contact us by email at mschingler@forewordreviews.com.

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