This is a list of literary magazines accepting book reviews. They review fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated works and children’s books. Some of them are keen to review works that are not current, or do not receive attention from the national press. Several of these magazines also accept fiction, nonfiction, translations and poetry submissions. Not all of them are open for submissions now, but most are. Many of these pay writers.
Mid-American Review
They want book reviews of about 400 words, of books published within six months of the magazine’s publication dates (April and November), of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Potential reviewers should query first. They also accept works of fiction, poetry, translations, and nonfiction (including personal essays and essays on writing). Details here.
Polu Texni
They accept book reviews pertaining to SF and fantasy themes and pay $0.03/word for these. They also publish speculative and weird fiction, articles on future art, technology and art, fannish culture, emerging media, art and science, or art and fantasy, among other things, and speculative poetry. For fiction and nonfiction, they pay $0.03-0.05/word, and $20 for poetry. Submissions will open in February 2018. Details here.
Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review
They accept reviews and essays germane to poetry. Reviews should be up to 1,500 words, though reviews of multiple books may be longer. They accept poems – outwardly directed poetry that exhibits social, political, geographical, historical or spiritual awareness, both traditional and experimental. Editors will begin reading for the Fall issue on 30 March 2018. Details here.
Contemporary Poetry Review
They invite submissions and take on people as critic contributors who contribute regularly, and are paid. Contributors can choose their own schedules and deadlines. There are no length restrictions for the poetry reviews. Details here.
The Quarterly Conversation
They publish book reviews, essays and interviews that address literature (broadly conceived) from original and provocative perspectives. They do not accept fiction or poetry submissions. Book reviews (1,000-1,500 words for single-title reviews, longer for more works) should cover works of fiction or nonfiction of literary and/or cultural value. Translated works, especially from traditionally neglected nations or languages, are of special interest. They also publish reviews of out-of-print works that have been brought back to print. Reviews should discuss books that have been published up to one year before the submission date, while essays (3,000-5,000 words) discuss older books, possibly out of print, that have significant literary merit. Details here.
Necessary Fiction
They publish new book reviews – one every week. They also publish short stories (including translations), Research Notes and Translation Notes (reflections on the research for fiction, and on the process of translation), and occasional interviews, essays, and other things. They are especially interested in reviews of fiction from independent publishers, with a moderate emphasis on short story collections, novellas and translations. They also review self-published authors, and spotlight recent issues of literary journals. Details here.
The Georgia Review
They publish book reviews (3-5 pages), book briefs (2 pages), and essay-reviews (2-4 pages per book reviewed), which focus on more than one book and comment on literature and culture beyond the texts at hand. Reviews can be submitted electronically for free. They also publish fiction, essays and poetry – there is no fee for mailed submissions. Payment is $50 per page of prose, including for essay reviews; book briefs are paid $50. Details here.
Prairie Schooner
They publish reviews of current books of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. They also publish short stories, poetry and imaginative essays of general interest. Contributors are paid in copies. Details here.
Valparaiso Poetry Review
Apart from poetry, they welcome book reviews. They have a list of recent and recommended books on their site for possible subjects of reviews. They also publish author interviews and essays about poetry and poetics. Translations are not considered. They sometimes accept previously published work. Details here.
West Branch
Book reviews are by assignment only, and they only review poetry books. They welcome queries from writers; pay is $200 per review. They also publish fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry; payment is $50 per poem, and $0.05/word for prose up to $100. Details here.
The Malahat Review
The magazine publishes reviews of Canadian-authored books of poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction in every issue. Most reviews are 800 to 1,000 words; potential reviewers should query first. They also accept poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction, and translations of these, by writers from Canada and abroad. Pay is CAD60 per page, and subscription. Details here.
Poetry
This prestigious publication publishes reviews of poetry books and other poetry-related prose of up to 10 pages, apart from poetry and poetry translations. They pay $10 per line of poetry ($300 minimum), and $150 per page of prose. Details here.
Strange Horizons
They publish in-depth reviews of speculative art and entertainment, especially books, films, and television, thrice a week. Reviews normally cover new works, although they do accept occasional features on older works. They prefer reviews of 1,500-2,000 words (there is no upper limit), and pay $40 for reviews of at least 1,000 words. They have a fairly detailed description of what a review should provide, in their guidelines. They also publish speculative fiction, nonfiction, poetry, columns and roundtables, for which rates vary. Details here.
Samovar
This is the magazine of translated speculative literature, published by Strange Horizons. They want in-depth, critical review-essays of 2,000-3,000 words of works recently translated in English, works which haven’t been translated but will be of interest to an English-speaking audience, and of critical works focusing on speculative works in translation. Works can be in any medium – books, stories, poetry, film, TV, and other artistic works. They also publish translations of speculative short stories, poetry and interview/conversations. They pay $40 for review-essays; poetry, fiction and fiction reprints have other rates. Details here.
New Letters
Book reviews should be concise, detailed, vivid, and free of theoretical and academic jargon. Length is 300-800 words for single- and double-book reviews, essay-reviews of groups of books could be longer. Potential reviewers should consider querying first. They are particularly interested in excellent books that otherwise do not receive much attention in the national media. They are also interested in books that have something important to say about culture, politics, aesthetics, or any kind of art; that includes scholarly, critical, or biographical books that could find a non-specialized readership. Pay for single-book reviews is $35 (not guaranteed, as resources allow), more for longer. They also accept essays, stories and interviews ($25-100) and poetry (at least $12). Details here.
Quill & Quire
This is the magazine of the Canadian book trade. Content includes author profiles, news about upcoming books and developments in the Canadian industry, and several reviews of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, new adult and children’s titles. Their FAQ section has details of the editors who should be contacted for pitching book review ideas. Details here.
New Haven Review
This magazine was founded to be a venue for writers associated with the Greater New Haven area, and to resuscitate the art of the book review. They like to publish work from writers who have some connection with New Haven, though this is not mandatory. Apart from reviews, they publish essays, fiction and poetry. Pay is $500 for prose and at least $25 for poetry. Details here.
Rain Taxi Review of Books
This is a place for the spirited exchange of ideas about books, particularly those overlooked by mainstream review media. While they focus on current releases, they also devote space to the discussion of older works that continue to resonate. Interviews, essays, and “Widely Unavailable” (reviews of out-of-print books) are also regular features of the magazine. They do not accept fiction or poetry submissions. Details here.
