I have some Questions...

Is BookRoar a reliable way to get reviews?

Yes! BookRoar is a reliable and fun way to generate reviews for your books. Our rules are carefully designed to ensure every user follows Amazon’s Community Guidelines, which state that all reviews should be authentic, respectful, and honest, and that no review should be influenced in any way by the product’s owner (or author). BookRoar keeps true to these principles and our methodology ensures the reviews our members post are legitimate and authentic.

Before signing up to BookRoar, you’ll need to make sure you are eligible to leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. All this means is that you have spent $50 on Amazon in the past 12 months and that you have a Goodreads account. That’s it! You are now eligible to join our community and start generating reviews.

Can I use AI software to create my review?

Absolutely not - BookRoar is an AI-free zone, and we will not stand for any AI generated or low effort reviews. We continually dip sample the reviews which are submitted to us and if we find any which breach Amazon’s Community Guidelines or we believe are fake we will reject them immediately.

Which Amazon marketplaces do you accept reviews from?

BookRoar welcomes customers from all over the world, no matter where you are. We do, however, only accept reviews on the following Amazon marketplaces: United States United States (.com), Canada (.ca), Mexico (.com.mx), United Kingdom (.co.uk), Germany (.de), France (.fr), Italy (.it), Spain (.es), Japan (.jp), Australia (.com.au), and Netherlands (.nl). If you live in a country without an Amazon marketplace or your marketplace is not listed, then you will need to set up an Amazon account in another country and meet their minimum criteria to submit reviews.

BookRoar connects authors from around the globe, therefore any reviews will be posted on the reviewer’s local Amazon marketplace (i.e. Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.jp). A review is still a review, no matter where it is posted, and there are still thousands of customers around the world who will read it. Reviews which carry the Verified Review badge often go across all Amazon marketplaces too.

Do you accept self-published and traditionally published books?

BookRoar works with both traditional and self-published books in exactly the same way. Any book that is available on Amazon Kindle is eligible to be added to BookRoar, so whether you are an indie writer or with a small or large press, every author is welcome to add their books to the site.

All books added to BookRoar must be written in English. If your book is written in another language then it must be translated prior to adding it. Any books not written in English will be removed.

What is a ‘review swap’ and why is it a bad idea?

A review swap is when two (or more) authors agree to leave reviews for each other's books. It sounds like a good idea in theory, however due to the lack of scrutiny and honesty in these reviews, Amazon will remove any reviews they believe to have been left from a review swap.

Our developers have created a system to ensure that once you have selected someone else’s book, they are never offered one of yours in return. That way we steer well clear of the ‘review swap’ problem and your reviews will remain secure.

If you see an author you have reviewed/been reviewed by on a different site, please drop us a message with the author's details and we’ll add them to your BookRoar ‘blacklist’. This means that you’ll no longer see their books, and they will no longer see yours.

Is there a limit to how many reviews I can have ongoing at the same time?

Nope. As long as you have Credits assigned to your book, we will keep offering it out in the Review Pool until they are all used up.

How do you know I will not accidentally engage in a ‘review swap’?

Our developers have created a system to ensure that once you have reviewed someone else’s book within BookRoar, they are never offered one of yours in return. That way we steer well clear of the ‘review swap’ problem and the reviews of your book will be secure.

I’ve seen an author on BookRoar who I have reviewed/been reviewed by before. How do I prevent a review swap?

Easy peasy! Simply drop us a message with the author's details and we’ll add them to your BookRoar ‘blacklist’. This means that you’ll no longer see their books, and they will no longer see yours.

Do you have a minimum star rating?

We ask that all reviewers leave a minimum of three stars on the books they read through BookRoar. Our process outlined below allows for truthful and honest feedback to be given to the author without the book being harmed by a low score or the author suffering severe upset.

When scanning the Review Pool, the book you are being shown is temporarily assigned to your account, and the timer on the top right will tell you how long you have to make your decision. Please use this time to check out the book and the author, and consider reading a little bit of the book with Amazon’s ‘Look Inside’ feature. This should give you an idea of whether or not a book is suitable for you.

What happens if I can’t award a book the minimum three star rating?

It’s happened to us all. You read a book with good intentions but something just doesn’t work for you. How can you leave an honest and truthful review of a book you consider a one or two star?

If you have not read much of the book (less than 10%) and the purchase was made from Amazon less than 72 hours ago, then please head back to Amazon and request a refund. These are usually issued quickly and without a fuss. You can then return the book to BookRoar’s Review Pool without penalty. All you have lost is a bit of time.

If you have read significantly more of the book or you cannot get a refund, then please notify us in the first instance via our Contact Page. We will then ask you to submit the review to BookRoar only, along with detailed reasons around why you would have awarded the book a one or two star review. This helps the author receive valuable feedback which they can use to improve their work without damaging their book’s publicly visible ratings. The reviewer will then get their Credit as normal for their efforts and the author will have a Credit returned to them so they can find another reviewer.

When scanning the Review Pool, the timer on the top right will tell you how long you have to make your decision. Please use this time to check out the book and the author, and consider reading a little bit of the book with Amazon’s ‘Look Inside’ feature. This should give you an idea of whether or not a book is suitable for you.

How does BookRoar stop Amazon taking down reviews?

Is there a minimum word count for my reviews?

All reviews should be a minimum of 150 words when submitted to BookRoar. This is to ensure that the reviewer shows engagement with the text and covers a number of different areas (i.e. characters, plot. writing style etc.). The minimum word length helps ensure that a BookRoar review stands out for its quality and authenticity.

Why do I need to purchase the book from Amazon/read it in full on Kindle Unlimited?

We ask our users to purchase books from Amazon or read them in full on Kindle Unlimited for three reasons. Firstly, it helps the author by boosting their book in Amazon’s rankings system and ensuing they get royalties from your purchase; secondly, it ensures that the review left has a ‘Verified Review’ badge (which are displayed more prominently on Amazon product listings and means the review will go across all Amazon marketplaces); and finally, it prevents your books from being pirated and shared illegally. We have members selling their books from as little as 0.99¢, so you don’t have to spend a lot to use BookRoar. Plus, you will always make some of what you spend back in royalties whenever someone buys or reads your book.

(Note: we do allow our users to use Kindle Unlimited to read their chosen books. The author still gets their royalties from the reviewer’s page reads, however, this will not always result in a Verified Review for the author).

Which websites do I need to post my reviews on?

We ask that you post your reviews on Amazon and Goodreads as a minimum, and, if possible, BookBub. You will also need to submit the review to BookRoar as well using the ‘Submit Review’ button. Apart from that, it is your review to do what you like with, so feel free to post it to any other site (i.e. Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Google Books, personal blogs, etc.).Don’t forget to wait until you get the confirmation email to say your review is ‘Live’ on Amazon before submitting the review to BookRoar!

Someone from BookRoar has privately messaged me on Twitter/Goodreads and has asked me to send them a copy of my book. Can I do this?

You can, as long as you are happy with not getting a Verified Review. We would personally discourage this though for the reasons outlined above.

I have a book available for pre-order. Can I add it to BookRoar?

You can add it to BookRoar, however please don't assign Credits to it until your book has been released, otherwise people cannot purchase a copy for review.

Can I hoard Credits in anticipation of my next book?

Yes, of course. If you have a new release coming up or are working on a marketing drive, then you can build a stack of Credits and leave them in your account. Then, when you are ready, add them all to your book so we can offer it out for review. Using BookRoar this way means we can become a crucial part of your marketing strategy.

I haven't received any e-mails from BookRoar.

We send e-mails out to welcome new users and to notify them when their book has been chosen and reviewed. If you do not recieve these e-mails then please check your Spam folder and mark them as 'Not Spam'.

Do you sell Credits?

We sell a limited amount of Credits each month. These are sold at $25 each or at the discounted rate of $18 for Extra members. Please note that there is a waiting list to purchase Credits which anyone can join by sending us an email, however Extra members will have priority access. We can only release a select amount each month and will contact you when you can make a purchase.

Do I choose the eBook or the physical book?

We strongly advise that you choose the eBook version whilst using this site. You can select the physical book if you prefer, however please be aware that you have three weeks to prepare your review, and printing/shipping may cause you a delay.

Why do you not post links directly to Amazon on BookRoar? Why do I have to go via Goodreads or locate the book myself?

Like many large web-based companies, Amazon use metadata to track how people arrive on their site. Any link you post (either to a review or to one of your books) will contain your personal metadata, therefore anybody who clicks on that link will forever be associated to your Amazon account. Because of this metadata, Amazon may decide that the two users are in fact known to one other and may deem the review to be part of a review swap. Goodreads does not use metadata in the same way (despite being owned by Amazon), therefore all our users are protected by going through them. See, BookRoar has your back!

I really don’t like the book I have chosen or I have been misled on its price. Can I put it back?

Of course! You can return a book to the pool at any time. We know sometimes a book just doesn’t meet our expectations and we just can’t face reading through it! You will, however, have to make your own inquiries with Amazon to get a refund if you have already made a purchase.

How long do I have to leave a review?

We ask that all reviews are completed and posted within three weeks. This is to make sure that no one is waiting too long for their review and so you get your book added to the Review Pool sooner. We are pretty generous with extensions though, so if you need more time then please Contact Us to let us know.

What is the earliest I can notify BookRoar that I have left a review?

We allow users to post their completed reviews to BookRoar after 72 hours. This is to give the reviewer time to read the book and to ensure they give thoughtful and constructive feedback to the author, rather than posting something that has been hastily thrown together. We will bring the clock forward for BookRoar Premium members who are fast readers or have selected children’s books or novellas.

What should I include in my review?

Struggling to know what to write in your review? Have a look at some tips here.

I submitted a review to BookRoar - when will I get my Credit?

Once a review is submitted to BookRoar, it goes to the author for moderation. They will check that the reviews are visible on both Amazon and Goodreads and confirm that the review shows at least some engagement with their book. The Credit is then transferred to the reviewer after the author tells us everything is OK with the review, or the process will automatically complete after 7 days should the author not approve it. Either way, the Credit will be in your account soon.

Do I need to declare in my review that I used BookRoar?

No. Amazon’s Review Guidelines state that you only need to declare using a third-party service if you received the book for free (this includes sites such as BookSirens or NetGalley). Because you purchased the book directly from Amazon, you do not need to post any disclaimers in what you write. Your review is as legitimate as anyone else's!

I have written my review. Can I provide the author with some private feedback?

Sure. When you enter your review into BookRoar, you can include as much private feedback to the author as you want in the relevant section. Here you can let them know about anything which you didn’t include in your review (i.e. spelling errors, grammatical errors, formatting issues etc). They can then ‘fix’ these issues in the next version of the eBook and your review will remain accurate.

Amazon are taking forever to publish my review. Can you help?

We wish! Unfortunately, Amazon processing times frustrate us all, and there is nothing we can do to speed them along. We suggest that once you have submitted the review, leave it alone and patiently wait for the confirmation email to arrive (don’t forget to check your Junk folders). This process can on occasion take up to five days.

I'm not an author. Can I use BookRoar?

Yes! We welcome all kinds of readers who are just looking for a good book. An author can also use a ‘proxy reader’ to read books on their behalf. (Please note that if you do use a proxy reader then both the author and the reader will need to share the same BookRoar account).

Do I need a Kindle to use BookRoar?

Ideally, yes. If you don’t have one then you can download the Kindle App for free on your smartphone or tablet. Head to the App Store or Google Play to see if it is compatible on your device.Ideally, yes, as your book selections should be purchased digitally. If you don’t have one then you can download the Kindle App for free on your smartphone or tablet. Head to the App Store or Google Play to see if it is compatible on your device.

How many Amazon reviews do I need to start generating sales?

Amazon are very secretive about their algorithms - no one can give you an exact number. Some say that you need a minimum of fifty reviews, whereas others say you need a hundred. All we know is that the more you have, the better your book will sell.

How do I locate reviews left for me on Amazon and Goodreads?

The easiest way to find the review is to locate your book listing on the Amazon marketplace where the reviewer has posted it. Here you can sort the reviews to show the most recent first, or alternatively, you could use the ‘Find on Page’ function in your browser. You can do this on Goodreads as well! The reviewer will tell you which marketplace to find the review, as well as the name they used and the review title.

‘Don’t panic if you cannot see your review at first. Amazon reviews sometimes take a while to show up. Keep checking your book’s listing every now and then, and once the review is visible and you are satisfied, go back into BookRoar to authorize it. If the review is not visible after five days then contact us for assistance.

How much does BookRoar cost and how do I subscribe/amend my subscription?

No one should have to pay a fortune for book reviews. That’s why BookRoar offers three levels of membership at a reasonable price, so you can choose whichever option is right for you. Full details on our pricing and our subscription options can be found here.

How does the BookRoar subscription work?

You will only need to pay for a subscription during the times when you are building Credits for your own book reviews on BookRoar. Should you cancel or suspend your BookRoar subscription, your Credits will still be available for you to use and you can freely add them to the books you want reviewed. You can still access the BooKRoar website and use its features when your subscription is suspended.

The Review Pool (where you can earn more Credits) is the only part of BookRoar where a subscription is needed. You will need an active subscription in order to access its features.

Is there a limit to how many reviews I can acquire?

Nope. You can use BookRoar as often as you like. Just set yourself a goal and don’t stop until you reach it!

How can I increase my chances of getting my book selected for review?

There are a number of ways to increase your chances of getting chosen for review. Firstly, make sure your book covers are attractive and that your blurbs/descriptions are intriguing, and also ensure your books are easy to find on Amazon by including details like the ASIN. Next, ensure that you add as many genres as are applicable to your book, as reviewers filtering the Review Pool by genre could easily overlook yours if it isn’t added. Finally, a reasonable price tag on both BookRoar and Amazon will also help increase your chances of being selected. Our research shows that books priced at $2.99 or below are most likely to be chosen.

How do you stop ‘revenge reviews’?

Some people take negative feedback very poorly and in response have been known to post ‘revenge reviews’ on the reviewer’s books. First and foremost, anybody who does this is not welcome in the BookRoar community and will be banned from using BookRoar altogether or until the reviews are removed. To safeguard yourself, we suggest creating an alias Goodreads account separate to your books and also using an alias on your Amazon review. This keeps you anonymous and protects you from such activity.

I haven't received any emails from BookRoar. What’s going on?

We send emails out to welcome new users and to notify them when their book has been reviewed. If you do not receive these emails then please check your Junk folder and mark them as 'Not Junk'.

Do you allow Erotica?

Only if it is pure smut! We know what your audience wants!

But yes, we accept all genres of books as long as they meet the criteria for publication on Amazon.

Will I keep all my Credits if I take a break from BookRoar?

Yes, of course - any Credits you earn will remain with you until they are used up. They do not expire and building a stack of Credits and leaving them in your account for an upcoming release has proven to be a successful marketing strategy for many of our members. This way, you can dip in and out of BookRoar at your own leisure.

I have more than one book for sale. Can I list them all for review?

You can put as many books as you like on our website, just as long as you are the author or you have the author's permission. Each Credit you earn will need to be assigned to the individual book you want reviewed.

BookRoar will try its hardest to offer the next one in the series to your readers. That way, a reader can enjoy your books from beginning to end.

I have a series. Could someone read and review all of my books?

If you have Credits assigned to your next book in a series then BookRoar will try its hardest to offer the next one in the series to your readers. That way all your books go through the process and a reader can enjoy your books from beginning to end.

I have more than one pen name. Do I need a separate account?

BookRoar asks you to use only one account for all of your books, regardless of any pen names you publish under. That way we can prevent accidental review swapping and you can see all of your books in one place. You can change the name of your book’s author at any time in the Your Profile section of the site.

Do you accept novellas?

Yes, novellas are welcome on BookRoar as long as they are for sale on Amazon.

I’ve read a very short book or novella. Can I request the review clock to be brought forward?

Yes, of course. Drop us an email and we will change the review clock to be brought forward. This applies only to books under 50 pages.

I have a book that’s currently on sale. Can I change the price on BookRoar?

Of course! Head on over to your BookRoar Dashboard to change the price. Don’t forget to switch it back when your promotion has ended - misleading people on price is a sure way to get your book returned to the pool.

If you find that your book is not being selected on BookRoar you may want to have a look at your pricing. Books priced too high are likely to be overlooked, especially if a cheaper one is available. You can always raise your price again once you have finished getting reviews. Alternatively, you may want to include your book in Kindle Unlimited as a number of our members have subscriptions.

Can I just get reviews from my own country or a specific Amazon marketplace?

BookRoar works by connecting authors from around the globe, therefore any reviews will be posted on the reviewer’s local Amazon marketplace (i.e. Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.jp). A review is still a review, no matter where it is posted, and there are still thousands of customers around the world who will read it. That is up to you, but it is always nice. There isn’t anything worse than seeing an independent author with very few followers. Give each other a shout-out, a follow, a like, or a retweet wherever you can - it’s one more way we can help each other out.

My book is written in another language. Will it be accepted?

Sorry, no. Books we offer for review must be written in English. If your book is written in another language then it must be translated prior to adding it to our site. Any books not written in English will be removed.

Can I see the reviews I have previously posted or received?

You certainly can. Head to the My History section of the site to see all the reviews you have previously posted and received. This can be found by clicking your profile picture in the top right of the BookRoar dashboard and selecting Update Your Account.

Should I follow people on social media?

That is up to you, but it is always nice. There isn’t anything worse than seeing an independent author with very few followers. Give each other a shout-out, a follow, a like, or a retweet wherever you can. Don’t forget to tag us as well.

I have further questions.