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Kirkus Reviews Review

Depends

Should I use Kirkus Reviews?

Book reviews, recommendations, and paid review services for authors, publishers, and libraries. - kirkusreviews.com

· 2 weeks ago

Only worth it if you have a real marketing budget, need library/bookseller credibility, and can accept a possibly harsh verdict. Budget self-publishers and anyone expecting a sales lift should skip it.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~30 public sources, mostly author forums and review sites; pricing figures are dated (2013-2020) and current rates are not published.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNo usability evidence found
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security postureNo public security evidence found

Pricing

$425+ (2013 report)

Kirkus Indie paid review

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierNo
Display advertisingThousands (one author: $8,000)

Best for

  • Authors with real marketing budgets
  • Self-pubs chasing library credibility
  • Libraries and publishers curating titles

Not for

  • First-time authors on tight budgets
  • Anyone expecting reviews to drive sales
  • Authors who cannot risk a harsh verdict
  • Small presses wanting guaranteed coverage

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Paying does not guarantee a positive review; many indies got harsh verdicts

high

Display advertising costs snowball; one author reported wasting $8,000

medium

Published pricing is opaque; the $425 figure comes from a 2013 forum thread

medium

Multiple KDP forum users described the paid Indie review experience as horrible

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Prestige: quotes appear on book covers and in publisher marketing
  • Used by libraries and sellers for acquisition decisions
  • Some authors report thoughtful, credible critical assessments
  • Listed as a standard review resource in university library guides

Cons

  • Forum consensus: jaw-droppingly expensive for indie authors
  • Self-publishers report poor ROI; called a 'really bad deal'
  • Negative verdicts happen; some authors found the experience destructive
  • Customer service complaints across Trustpilot profiles and BBB

Sources & method

- 12 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x3review x9

Key stats

  • Value for money: 2/5

    Rating

  • $425+ (2013 report)

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 2/5. Widely called overpriced; poor ROI reported for indies
  • Ease of use. No usability evidence found
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Reviews, display ads, library programs in one brand
  • Support quality: 2/5. Trustpilot and BBB complaints about service
  • Security posture. No public security evidence found
  • $425+ Indie review price 2013 forum report; current pricing unpublished
  • 1933 Founded Long-running US book review magazine
  • 91,457 Facebook followers Instagram: 55.5K

Pricing

Kirkus Indie paid review

$425+ (2013 report)

  • Paid critical review of your book
  • No positive-outcome guarantee

Display advertising

Thousands (one author: $8,000)

  • Kirkus magazine and site placements

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Opinions split sharply: some authors prize the credibility and rave about their reviews, but many self-published authors call the paid service overpriced with poor return.

“They are super expensive”
Facebook, writers group
“I Wasted $8000 On Kirkus Review Display Advertising.”
Self-Publishing Advice (ALLi)
“Kirkus Indie paid book review, a horrible experience”
KDP Community forum

Companies that use it

  • Gwinnett County Public Library
Full analysis

Based on ~30 public sources, mostly author forums and review sites; pricing figures are dated (2013-2020) and current rates are not published.

Prestigious but pricey book reviews, no guarantee of a good one. $425+ only makes sense for credibility seekers.

Methodology

Based on ~30 public sources, mostly author forums and review sites; pricing figures are dated (2013-2020) and current rates are not published.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. Kirkus Reviews - jaw droppingly expensive.... are they worth it?reddit.com
    review
  2. Kirkus reviews are a really bad dealreddit.com
    review
  3. Kirkus Reviews Trustpilot reviewstrustpilot.com
    review
  4. Kirkus Reviews: Are they worth the $425?kboards.com
    review
  5. I Wasted $8000 On Kirkus Review Display Advertisingselfpublishingadvice.org
    review
  6. Kirkus Media LLC BBB complaintsbbb.org
    review
  7. Kirkus Indie paid book review, a horrible experiencekdpcommunity.com
    review
  8. Kirkus Reviews official sitekirkusreviews.com
    official
  9. Kirkus Reviews FAQkirkusreviews.com
    official
  10. Kirkus Library Center case studieskirkusreviews.com
    official
  11. Is Kirkus Review Worth It for Self-Published Authors?brandmybook.ca
    review
  12. Kirkus Reviews delivered a WONDERFUL reviewfacebook.com
    review

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