Open Shelf Reviews
Open Shelf Reviews was built on two straightforward premises: There is a genuine need for more reviews because there are so many books. And professional book reviews should be available to more authors.
For decades, reviews have been a primary way librarians, educators, booksellers, and readers discover new titles. The books that get reviewed get found. Open Shelf Reviews makes that process accessible to independent authors and small presses seeking a professional evaluation and a credible way to introduce their books to the people who help readers discover them.
Independent by design
Reviews are written independently. They may be positive, mixed, or critical. Payment guarantees a completed review, not a favorable one. That editorial independence is what gives each review its value.
Our standards explain how we protect that independence and identify paid reviews transparently.
Read our Editorial StandardsFrom review to discovery
Professional reviews help librarians, educators, booksellers, and readers assess unfamiliar titles. When an author or publisher chooses to publish an Open Shelf review, it joins our public review collection and becomes available to the people looking for books to recommend, stock, teach, and read.
Our mission
Every book deserves an opportunity for an honest evaluation. Our mission is to support book discovery with credible, independent reviews that serve authors, publishers, librarians, educators, booksellers, and readers.