BookRoar

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 Review 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 users 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.

I am not from the US. Does that matter?

Nope, not at all. 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.

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.).

Do you accept self-published and traditionally published books?

BookRoar works with both traditional and self-published books in exactly the same way. Whether you are an indie writer or with a small or large press, every author is welcome to add their books to BookRoar.

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 of 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 have clamped down on this and will remove any reviews they believe to have been left from a review swap.

Our web developers have created a comprehensive algorithm 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 be secure.

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 out in the Review Pool until they are all used up. You can have as many reviews ongoing as you like.

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

Our web developers have created a comprehensive algorithm to ensure that once you have reviewed 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 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 BookRoar books they read. This allows for truthful and honest feedback to be given without the book being tanked by a low score or the author suffering severe upset and being turned away from the service we provide.

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.

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

We get it, this happens. 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.

How does BookRoar stop Amazon taking down reviews?

Amazon are very strict about reviews and are known to take them down without giving much of an explanation to either the reviewer or product owner. To safeguard reviews left through BookRoar, we take the following precautions:

Remove all links to Amazon to stop the exchange of metadata;
Restrict reviews to a maximum of three a week so the reviewer is not considered a ‘Spammer’ (hence having to wait 72 hours);
Ask all reviews to be detailed and truthful and to have an adequate word length.

To protect yourself you may want to consider:

Not posting or clicking on any Amazon links when communicating with others about BookRoar;
Not engaging in a request to return a review;
Ensuring that you continue to sell/giveaway books normally;
Not posting short reviews or giving out only 5-star rating (this may be considered ‘Spam’ by Amazon);
Not accepting paid incentives in cash or gift cards for reviews;
Not oversubmitting reviews. (Again, this could be considered as Spam by Amazon).

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 comments on a number of different areas (i.e. characters, plot. writing style etc.). No one trusts a review which just says ‘Good book’, so this minimum word count makes BookRoar reviews standout.

Why do I need to purchase the book from Amazon?

We ask our users to purchase books from Amazon for three reasons. Firstly, it helps the author by boosting their book in Amazon’s rankings system. Secondly, it ensures that the review left is a ‘Verified Review’ (meaning that the book is more likely to come back in Amazon’s search engine). 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 your book. (Note: we do allow our users to use Kindle Unlimited if they have subscribed to it. That way the author still gets paid, however, they will not get a Verified Review).

Which websites do I need to post my reviews on?

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'.

Can I buy Credits?

We do not currently sell any Credits to use on BookRoar.

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.

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 to ensure that you get your book added to the Review Pool. This also means that you will get your review posted in a timely manner. (Note: Amazon can take up to five days to process a review. Please leave ample time to make sure your review goes through).

We are pretty generous with extensions though, so if you need more time then please use the Contact Us form to let us know.

I have selected a book to review. What is the earliest I can notify BookRoar that I have left a review?

We allow users to post their completed reviews on to BookRoar after 72 hours. This is to give the user 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 fast readers or those who 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 but haven’t received a Credit yet. What’s going on?

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 they are happy the content 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 48 hours. 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. 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, so if you need an extension then just drop us a message.

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.

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.

I have been notified that I need to self-moderate the reviews other people have left. How do I locate these reviews 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.

How much does BookRoar cost?

BookRoar is currently still in its beta stage, therefore using the service will not cost a thing (other than what you spend on books). We will be looking at pricing options in the future and will give you plenty of notice prior to making any changes. What we can say is that we aim to make using our service as cheap as possible - no one should have to pay a fortune for book reviews.

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 if reviewers are filtering the Review Pool by genre then yours can easily be overlooked. 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 chosen and 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 stop using or take a break from BookRoar?

Yes - any Credits you earn will remain live until they are used up. They do not expire. We hope that this way you can dip in and out of our service at your own leisure. (Note: if you delete your account with us then your Credits will be lost).

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 can either be assigned to an individual book (i.e. the start of a series or your latest release) or it can be shared out so the review goes to whichever of your books is chosen first. Check out Your Profile to see how this works.

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 encourages you to use only one account for all of your books, regardless of the name it is published 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 Your Profile.

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?

I have further questions.

If you would like to get in touch, please email us at support@bookroar.com