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The 10 best books of 2021, according to Amazon's book editors

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• Amazon's book editors have released their 10 favorite books of the year .
• Titles range from debut authors to works by two-time Pulitzer Prize winners. 
• For more book recommendations, check out the best new books of 2021 so far, according to Goodreads .

Amazon's book editors have just issued their list of the best 10 books of 2021 , which can make finding gifts for book lovers (or a new read for yourself) that much easier.

You can find all 10 titles below. Some you may never have heard of; others, like Kristin Hannah's " The Four Winds " or Kazuo Ishiguro's " Klara and the Sun ," have won awards or shown up on many "best books of 2021" lists . The books selected range from a debut memoir by Michelle Zauner (of indie rock band Japanese Breakfast fame) to a historical fiction novel from the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner Colson Whitehead.

"We all had our personal favorites this year," Sarah Gelman, Editorial Director of Amazon Books, said in the official press release, "but the one book the team unanimously agreed on was Amor Towles' ' The Lincoln Highway ' — we just couldn't stop talking about it."

If you're still looking for your next read, Goodreads , Audible , and Book of the Month have also released their favorite books of the year. Or, check out all the books longlisted for the National Book Award and the Booker Prize in 2021 for more book ideas. 

The 20 best books of 2021, according to Amazon's book editors:

Descriptions are provided by editors and edited lightly for clarity.

"The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles

" The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $18.99

Towles (" A Gentleman in Moscow ") might just have written one of the best novels of this decade, delivering one of the greatest gifts of fiction: Hope. Filled with 1950s nostalgia and the gentle naïveté and hijinks of those who are young, optimistic, and on a mission, "The Lincoln Highway" follows four kids whose paths collide as they search for their mother and a stashed wad of cash. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor

"Crying in H Mart: A Memoir" by Michelle Zauner

" Crying in H Mart: A Memoir" by Michelle Zauner, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $16.16

You will laugh, you will cry, your stomach will rumble with hunger, and you'll tap your toe to the beat of this powerful mother-daughter and Korean American story that shows just how important it is to accept someone fully for who they are — and love them just the same. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor

"The Plot" by Jean Hanff Korelitz

" The Plot" by Jean Hanff Korelitz, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $13.37

A story within a story that is a Rubik's Cube of twists, "The Plot" follows an uninspired author fading into obscurity until his new book rockets him to fame. Only the plot isn't his, and someone knows it. Korelitz keeps us guessing — even when all seems clear — right up to the knockout ending. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor

"How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America" by Clint Smith

" How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America" by Clint Smith, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $17.49

Smith's tour of places and landmarks linked to slavery is the type of book that can change your perspective, even if you have known of the places (or thought you did) your entire life. –Chris Schluep, Amazon Books Editor

"The Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah

" The Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $14

Set during the Great Depression and featuring an unlikely heroine who will lodge herself in your heart, "The Four Winds" is a reminder, when we so urgently need it, of the resiliency not only of the human spirit, but of this country as well. Hannah's latest story reads like a classic. —Erin Kodicek, Amazon Editor

"Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty" by Patrick Radden Keefe

" Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty" by Patrick Radden Keefe, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $19.50

From the author of " Say Nothing " comes an addictive account of the Sackler family — the founders and masterminds behind OxyContin. From their rise by marketing pharmaceuticals, to the backdoor dealings of FDA approvals, to the front door dealings of museum philanthropy, this is an impossible-to-put-down true story of ambition, power, deception, and greed. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor

"Harlem Shuffle" by Colson Whitehead

" Harlem Shuffle" by Colson Whitehead, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $17.75

The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner of " The Nickel Boys " and " The Underground Railroad " tells a blisteringly entertaining tale of schemers and dreamers, mobsters and crooks, elaborate heists and furniture fronts, and the thrilling mischief of those who are up to no good and others who are just trying to make a living. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor

"Great Circle" by Maggie Shipstead

" Great Circle" by Maggie Shipstead, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $18

Shipstead has accomplished the impossible — an epic novel that is ambitious, literary, and utterly accessible. "Great Circle" follows two women who yearn for adventure and freedom — aviator Marian Graves and starlet Hadley Baxter — and like flying, it's the thrill of the century. —Sarah Gelman, Amazon Editor

"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir

" Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $14.49

As in " The Martian ," Weir makes science and problem solving not only cool but absolutely essential to survival. In "Project Hail Mary," Weir delivers an electrifying space adventure sure to wrench your gut and pull at your heartstrings. —Adrian Liang, Amazon Editor

"Klara and the Sun" by Kazuo Ishiguro

" Klara and the Sun" by Kazuo Ishiguro, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $16.09

Ishiguro's quiet, emotional, and moving novel about a robot girl with artificial intelligence, who is designed as a playmate for real children, is a story that will captivate and haunt readers. –Chris Schluep, Amazon Books Editor

The other best books of 2021 from Amazon's editors:

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Amazon Books Editors Announce 2021’s Best Books of the Year

Amor Towles’  The Lincoln Highway  named best book of 2021

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 2021-- Today, the Amazon Books Editors announced their selections for the Best Books of 2021, naming Amor Towles’  The Lincoln Highway  as the Best Book of the Year; Towles’  New York Times  bestseller  A Gentleman in Moscow  was also included in the Best Books selection in 2016. The annual list is hand-picked by a team of editors who read thousands of books each year. They share their recommendations with customers to help make holiday shopping easier. Featuring the top 100 books published this year, the editors’ selections also break out the top 20 books in numerous categories, including mysteries, memoirs, children’s books, and cookbooks. To explore the full list of the Best Books of 2021, visit  amazon.com/bestbooks2021 .

“This year, fiction reigned, with emerging and established authors telling stories of struggle, daring, and redemption,” said Sarah Gelman, Editorial Director of Amazon Books. “We all had our personal favorites this year, but the one book the team unanimously agreed on was Amor Towles’  The Lincoln Highway —we just couldn’t stop talking about it. The four main characters’ sense of innocence felt like the hope we needed as we end this year.”

The Lincoln Highway  resonates with readers, too. The quote most often highlighted by Kindle readers   is, “For what is kindness but the performance of an act that is both beneficial to another and unrequired?"

“It’s a real honor to have  The Lincoln Highway  singled out by the team at Amazon,” said Towles. “I can only hope that their confidence in the book is matched by the enjoyment of readers who join Emmett, Billy, Duchess, and Woolly on their fateful journey.”

The Amazon Books Editors Top 10 picks of 2021, as described by the editors, are:

• The Lincoln Highway  by Amor Towles: Towles ( A Gentleman in Moscow ) might just have written one of the best novels of this decade, delivering one of the greatest gifts of fiction: hope. Filled with 1950s nostalgia and the gentle naïveté and hijinks of those who are young, optimistic, and on a mission,  The Lincoln Highway  follows four kids whose paths collide as they search for their mother and a stashed wad of cash.  –Al Woodworth
• Crying in H Mart: A Memoir  by Michelle Zauner: You will laugh, you will cry, your stomach will rumble with hunger, and you’ll tap your toe to the beat of this powerful mother-daughter and Korean American story that shows just how important it is to accept someone fully for who they are—and love them just the same.  –Al Woodworth
• The Plot  by Jean Hanff Korelitz: A story within a story that is a Rubik’s Cube of twists,  The Plot  follows an uninspired author fading into obscurity until his new book rockets him to fame. Only the plot isn’t his, and someone knows it. Korelitz keeps us guessing—even when all seems clear—right up to the knockout ending. – Seira Wilson
• How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America  by Clint Smith: Smith’s tour of places and landmarks linked to slavery is the type of book that can change your perspective, even if you have known of the places (or thought you did) your entire life. – Chris Schluep
• The Four Winds  by Kristin Hannah: Set during the Great Depression and featuring an unlikely heroine who will lodge herself in your heart,  The Four Winds  is a reminder, when we so urgently need it, of the resiliency not only of the human spirit, but of this country as well. Hannah's latest story reads like a classic. – Erin Kodicek
• Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty  by Patrick Radden Keefe: From the author of  Say Nothing  comes an addictive account of the Sackler family—the founders and masterminds behind OxyContin. From their rise by marketing pharmaceuticals, to the backdoor dealings of FDA approvals, to the front door dealings of museum philanthropy, this is an impossible-to-put-down true story of ambition, power, deception, and greed.  –Vannessa Cronin
• Harlem Shuffle  by Colson Whitehead: The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner of  The Nickel Boys  and  The Underground Railroad  tells a blisteringly entertaining tale of schemers and dreamers, mobsters and crooks, elaborate heists and furniture fronts, and the thrilling mischief of those who are up to no good and others who are just trying to make a living.  –Al Woodworth
• Great Circle  by Maggie Shipstead: Shipstead has accomplished the impossible—an epic novel that is ambitious, literary, and utterly accessible.  Great Circle  follows two women who yearn for adventure and freedom—aviator Marian Graves and starlet Hadley Baxter—and like flying, it’s the thrill of the century. – Sarah Gelman
• Project Hail Mary  by Andy Weir: As in  The Martian , Weir makes science and problem solving not only cool but absolutely essential to survival. In  Project Hail Mary , Weir delivers an electrifying space adventure sure to wrench your gut and pull at your heart strings. – Adrian Liang
• Klara and the Sun  by Kazuo Ishiguro: Ishiguro’s quiet, emotional, and moving novel about a robot girl with artificial intelligence, who is designed as a playmate for real children, is a story that will captivate and haunt readers. – Chris Schluep

The Amazon Books Editors Top Children’s pick of 2021 is:

• The Beatryce Prophecy   by Kate DiCamillo: An extraordinary tale of courage and found family, this book has all the hallmarks of an instant classic—a beautifully layered story with unforgettable characters who take root in your heart. – Seira Wilson

Authors of the top three books—Amor Towles, Michelle Zauner, and Jean Hanff Korelitz—will participate in an Amazon Live Author Series conversation in celebration of the Best Books of the Year selection on November 16, 2021, at 9 a.m. PST. To tune in, visit  Amazon Live .

For more information about the books featured on the Best Books of the Year list, as well as insightful reviews of new books, author interviews, and hand-curated roundups in popular categories, visit the Amazon Book Review at  www.amazon.com/amazonbookreview . You can also follow the Amazon Books Editors recommendations and conversations @amazonbooks on  Facebook ,  Twitter , and  Instagram .

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit  amazon.com/about  and follow @AmazonNews.

View source version on  businesswire.com :  https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211116005920/en/

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Source: Amazon

Best Books of 2023

Browse the Amazon Editors’ favorite biographies and memoirs , history , mystery , romance , science fiction and fantasy , children’s books , and more.

Featured in Best Books of 2023

• Top 100: Print Books
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Best Books of 2022

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The Amazon Books’ Editorial team reads more than a thousand books annually to inform our Best Books of the Month and Year lists. Each month we pick incredible reads that delight, inform, and intrigue, across popular categories like fiction , nonfiction , mystery , history , sci-fi , romance , children’s , and more. We champion books we love, and that we think will resonate with every type of reader. At the end of the year, we look back at our monthly picks, and also consider other titles, before casting our ballots—ultimately agreeing on our Best Books of the Year. You may recognize some of your favorite authors and best-selling books, and we’ll also help you discover some hidden gems and debuts. No matter what you like to read, you’ll find something to add to your TBR list—and plenty to give as holiday gifts .

The books included in the Best Books program are hand-selected by the Amazon Books’ Editorial team, and are not influenced by sales, paid placements, or publishers. Our team reads broadly and deeply, and we’re passionate about uniting readers of all ages and tastes with their next favorite reads, helping our customers find terrific gifts for book lovers, and shining a spotlight on the best books by exceptional authors of all stripes.

Yes! We publish daily on the Amazon Book Review , including author interviews , celebrity recommendations , ideas on what to read next, and our Best Books of the Month and Year lists . If you’re interested in receiving weekly updates from the Amazon editors, subscribe to our newsletter HERE to stay in the know of everything happening in the world of books.

Explore your favorite topics below:

Best Business and Leadership Books of 2023

Best childrens' books of 2023, best cookbooks of 2023, best history books of 2023, best literary fiction books of 2023, best mystery thriller books of 2023, best nonfiction books of 2023, best romance books of 2023, best science books of 2023, best scifi and fantasy books of 2023, best debut authors' books of 2023, best books for babies to 2 year olds, best books for 3 year to 5 year olds, best books for 6 year to 8 year olds, best books for 9 year to 12 year olds, best young adult books of 2023, best holiday gift books.

Last updated: Nov 15, 2023

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How to Write Book Reviews on Amazon That People Will Read

With so many titles available on Amazon, it can help to leave book reviews. Here's how to write ones that people will actually read.

Amazon has almost a quarter of a billion titles in popular demand. A good review can help spread the word about great titles and best-selling books.

Writing book reviews on Amazon can help readers find the perfect matches for their book lists. It's also one of the best ways to show readers that you're an experienced and knowledgeable person who can provide valuable insights into a book.

Here, we share some tactics you can use to write book reviews on Amazon that people will want to read.

1. Carry Out Thorough Research

If you're going to write a book review, it's important to know what you're talking about. Consider doing some research on the book itself, and the author's overall body of work.

There are plenty of books out there, so you'll need to convince readers what they're missing out on by not reading them. The more familiar you are with the content of the book and its author’s other work, the more credible your opinions will be.

Read up on the author's background and reputation to get a sense of their writing style. Doing so will help you understand the author's perspective, and you'll be able to make an informed decision on whether to recommend the book.

2. Use Correct Keywords and Active Voice for Your Target Audience

The next step is to identify who your audience is and what they want from your review. Do they want advice on how to improve their business? Do they want information on how to use technology in their daily lives? Or do they just want an entertaining read that makes them laugh?

Once you know who your audience is, it's time to start thinking about how exactly you'll address their expectations from a book. We recommend writing in an engaging tone and using real-life examples from the story so that everyone can relate easily with what you're saying.

3. Stay Up-to-Date With Amazon's Community Guidelines

You should make it a point to adhere to Amazon's Community guidelines while posting book reviews on the site. To be eligible for reviewing a book or product, you would have to spend at least $50 on Amazon.

Make sure your views are informative and constructive. These must be genuine and reflect your honest opinion of the book you've read. That said, they should not contain spoilers or excessive promotion for other products or services that are unrelated to the original content.

4. Use Appropriate Headlines

A key aspect of a book review on Amazon, or any other platform for that matter, is to craft an appealing headline. This should be short, sweet, and catchy.

You'll also need to make sure that you have a strong introduction before diving into the main body of your review. It's tempting to just touch upon the points in the blurb from the back cover, but that's not going to work.

A compelling introduction should grab the reader's attention with a powerful hook or an interesting fact about the book. Take a moment to think about what makes this book unique. What makes it worth reading?

For instance, you can try and highlight in a sentence how their life will change if they read this book, or by explaining why they need to read it in order to accomplish something important in their life today or tomorrow (like improving their career).

5. Apply Proper Formatting and Include Images or Videos

Book reviews go a long way in helping potential readers decide whether they want to buy a book or not.

Make sure your review is informative, not promotional. Readers should have all the information they need to decide whether that book is for them. You can include at least one quote or fact from the book, if you need to, but don't overdo it.

Use bullet points and bolded letters or italics to highlight key points in the text. You can also try doing a video review if that is something you're comfortable with. Use appropriate images or videos that may be helpful.

Given the huge sea of content on the Internet, you should exercise caution when it comes to reading others' reviews or doing your own research. We recommend checking tips to spot fake reviews online .

6. Give an Insightful and Unbiased Opinion

Follow up your introduction with your unbiased opinion or analysis. Talk about the best parts of the book and explain why you feel so.

You can also mention any issues that may come up while reading the book. You can talk about them in terms of how they affect your understanding of the story, or how they impact your ability to connect with characters (in fiction) in some way or another.

Your reviews might vary with genres, such as fiction or non-fiction. When reviewing nonfiction titles, your review should consider the author's writing style, accuracy and clarity, structure, and logic.

In the case of fiction books, it all comes down to a compelling plot, characters who are memorable, and an ending that leaves readers wanting more. Your review should look at the characters, setting, and plot. It should also consider whether there were any significant flaws in these areas.

For example, if you're reviewing a fantasy novel, you might discuss how well its characters were developed and how convincingly they interacted with each other. You might also comment on whether there were any plot holes or inconsistencies in the narrative.

You should include what you liked or disliked about the book. You may mention whether you agree with the author's point of view. Reedsy recommends using an appropriate tone and style for note-worthy bestseller reviews.

7. Assign Star Ratings Wisely

Reviews are a great way for you to share your opinions on what you read, but star ratings are the first touchpoint where readers often decide whether to go for a purchase, so you should assign your star rating wisely.

The ratings you give your reviews carry distinct persuasive weight and can either make or break a book. Reviewers who write three-star and four-star reviews with honest, constructive criticisms are more likely to be read than reviewers who write very brief one-star reviews, which are often unconstructive rants.

8. Use a Book Review Template

You can always start off with a book review template to help you get started. You can find them for free on sites like Sample Templates, which will give you a basic outline of everything that needs to go into each book review.

Use them to submit a well-structured and readable review. It will help you focus on the most important aspects of the book.

Download: Sample Templates (Free)

9. Feel Free to Provide a Recommendation

You can leave a recommendation if you found a book extremely engaging and helpful. Consider if the book is something that would interest your target audience. While this is by no means necessary, reviews which include recommendations are more likely to be read by others.

If you're a new or experienced author, here's a list of tips on how to get positive reviews for your book .

Make Your Reviews Stand Out

Writing book reviews can be rewarding and fun, but it's also very hard to write them well. In order to get people to read your reviews, you have to ensure they're good.

And that means maintaining both a consistent level of authority and clarity in your reviews—no easy feat! With some practice, however, you should be able to take your reviews from average to outstanding by playing off the elements mentioned above. And there are other platforms for you to take your love of reading to as well.

Kindlepreneur

Book Marketing for Self-Publishing Authors

Home / Book Publishing / Amazon Verified Reviews for Books: Everything You Need to Know

Amazon Verified Reviews for Books: Everything You Need to Know

Verified purchase reviews are the lifeblood of a high conversion rate. With a lot of reviews, people are more likely to buy your book. No reviews, and the opposite is likely to happen.

Amazon verified purchase reviews are especially important, because they prove that your book was purchased and reviewed by real people, not just potentially biased reviewers on your ARC team.

But how do you get a lot of verified book reviews? That is the question we are asking in this article.

• What verified reviews are
• Why they are important
• How to increase your verified reviews by yourself
• A service that can potentially help

Table of contents

• What Are Verified Reviews?
• Why Are Verified Reviews Important?
• 1. Encouraging Reviewers Yourself
• 2. Pay a Company to Encourage Verified Reviews
• Verified Review Service: Bookvertiser
• Final Thoughts

Disclaimer: some of the links in this article are affiliate links, but the cost you nothing extra, and every little bit goes to the Kindlepreneur coffee fund.

The short answer: an Amazon verified review is any review left by someone who actually purchased your book on Amazon.

It is a little bit more complicated than that, though.

Firstly, the review must come from someone who has spent at least $50 on Amazon products within a year. This is to weed out spambots and people who clearly aren't regularly active on Amazon.

Secondly, Amazon specifies that the reviewer can't have bought the book at a “big discount”. However, Amazon does not specify what this means. To be safe, we recommend keeping your book priced at $2.99 or higher. While I have seen verified reviews with $0.99 books, is not a guarantee. And free books are unlikely to lead to verified reviews.

Amazon then lists verified views with a “Verified Purchase” badge within the review.

As online shoppers got more tech savvy, they began to be wary of fake Amazon reviews. Amazon has done a lot to crack down on fake reviews, but it isn't always enough.

For example, Amazon allows authors to give out free copies of their books in exchange for a review. Naturally, this group is going to be slightly biased, because they got a free book.

Don't get me wrong, we absolutely encourage you to have ARC reviewers to get those first initial reviews. But understand that those reviews will not be verified.

By including the Verified Purchase badge, it becomes much more likely that that review is genuine. This leads to increased trust from the customer. The more verified reviews, the greater the likelihood that the reviews are accurate.

And the more a reader trusts that a high volume of reviews are genuine, the more likely they are to convert (aka buy your book).

How to Get Verified Amazon Reviews for Your Books

Since verified reviews require that the Amazon reviewer purchase your book, you cannot simply send your book out for free to an ARC team.

Instead, these reviews have to come from people who have genuinely bought your book.

There is a fine line to walk here, because you cannot pay someone to buy your book and leave a review. 

In other words, you can't encourage a friend to buy your book, then refund them.

So what can you do?

Well, you have two options.

• Encourage reviewers yourself
• Pay a company to do it for you

The first option is to encourage people to review your book. This is something you should do even if you pay a company to help you.

Warning: remember you cannot pay or refund someone to leave a verified purchase review. Doing so is against Amazon's terms of services and could get you banned.

Ultimately, the best way to get more reviews is to make more sales, because the higher the volume of sales, the more people you have that could leave a verified review.

However, there are ways that you can increase the percentage of buyers who leave a review, including:

• Include a review request in your book: make sure that every book has a request for a review at the back of your book, with a link (if it's an ebook) that goes directly to your review page. This should be one of the first things that a reader sees after finishing your book.
• Reach out to your email list: every once in a while, you should reach out to your email list and request that they leave a review. Do this frequently, so your list is used to hearing about it, especially when launching a book.
• Schedule book promotions: book promotions are still one of the best ways to get readers to buy your book. The more readers buy your book, the more likely you are to have reviews.
• Create a quality product: it goes without saying, but the better your book is, the more likely it is to be purchased and reviewed.

Additionally, you should use a tool like ReaderScout to track when reviews are left. This is especially important when requesting reviews from your email list, because you can then track the number of reviews that are left.

ReaderScout is a free Chrome plugin that will notify you every time you have a new review, and it tracks a few other things as well. Plus, it's free!

If you have already done all this, and you still want to get a few extra verified reviews, read on.

Your second option is to pay a company to get you verified reviews.

Important: these companies cannot pay or refund readers to leave verified reviews either. That is why you are not paying them to guarantee reviews. You are paying them to encourage readers to buy your book and leave a review.

It is difficult to find a good company that will stay within the boundaries Amazon has set and still get you quality verified reviews.

When looking for a company like this, we recommend you focus on two criteria:

• Companies that have lasted a while
• Companies with a public face (i.e. real people and not a faceless corporation)

One of the companies that we recommend is Bookvertiser.

Bookvertiser has an audience of highly engaged readers/reviewers in a variety of different genres.

What Bookvertiser does is reach out to this list to encourage them to buy your book and leave a verified review. They will continue to do this until you have reached the threshold of reviews that you select when you purchase.

Note that the costs are not always cheap. It takes a lot of work to guarantee a certain number of reviews, especially when you cannot pay a reviewer or refund them for leaving the review. 

They also can't guarantee that every review will be a positive review. While my experience tells me these reviewers are often kind, you might still get a negative review.

But using a service like Bookvertiser is one of the best ways to rapidly gain verified reviews without putting in a lot of the hard work yourself.

If you use this link and input the code KP5 , you’ll get 5% off your purchase order.

Reviews can be an uphill battle, but they are absolutely worth it.

If you can convince as many people in your audience to buy your book, then review it, you are well on your way to being easily discovered on Amazon.

Get enough sales, and a high enough conversion rate, and Amazon will begin marketing your book for you.

Jason Hamilton

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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All About Book Reviews and Amazon – A Quick Guide and Rules

What reviews are allowed on amazon.

There’s been some panic in the self-publishing streets about reviews being removed from Amazon and who is going to get sued for their reviews – and a lot of outrage blogging about Evil Amazon. Here’s a quick guide to why you should stop worrying too much and start understanding the different types of book reviews a little better.

There are three kinds of reviews on Amazon:

1. customer reviews.

These are the reviews that Amazon is exercising their right, as a private company remember, to investigate more closely. What Amazon is trying to achieve is a clear picture of product experience. This picture has been muddied somewhat by several factors:

1. “Fiverr” style purchasing of 4 and 5-star reviews by authors – Not allowed

When you see an individual advertising to write and post a favorable review of your book on Fiverr, Craigslist, or other online marketplaces, this is the sort of review Amazon is now suing for. Never buy a customer review from a blogger or individual in this manner nor from a company offering to get their team to directly write reviews for you and post them to Amazon. Aside from that, they will be badly written and possibly copied and pasted over and over from other books. These reviews are most Unverified, i.e. the reviewer does not buy the book, which flags it even further to Amazon. Look for copy that says “We will write reviews and post them to Amazon,” that charge a low amount of money per review and typically without buying the book.

Outcome: Your review will be deleted, and possibly the user will be too. Your book may be demoted in Amazon’s shop lists if you have many of these. If the reviewer is part of a company, it’s likely Amazon already hit them.

Amazon says:

Paid Reviews – We do not permit reviews or votes on the helpfulness of reviews that are posted in exchange for compensation of any kind, including payment (whether in the form of money or gift certificates), bonus content, entry to a contest or sweepstakes, discounts on future purchases, extra product, or other gifts.

2. Authors getting family and friends to write reviews – Not allowed

Amazon is crystal clear on the fact they frown on family and friends writing reviews. Why? Because these reviews are bound to be biased. If you have personal contact and interaction with that person in real life, on a forum, or on email, it’s likely Amazon will delete that review. This is because you could have told the person what to write, or because they will be overly polite about your book because they like you!

Outcome: Most likely the review will be deleted.

Amazon Says:

Promotional Reviews – In order to preserve the integrity of Customer Reviews, we do not permit artists, authors, developers, manufacturers, publishers, sellers or vendors to write Customer Reviews for their own products or services, to post negative reviews on competing products or services, or to vote on the helpfulness of reviews. For the same reason, family members or close friends of the person, group, or company selling on Amazon may not write Customer Reviews for those particular items.

3. Authors swapping with other authors to gain reviews – Not allowed

Again, Amazon is crystal clear. If you have swapped a book with another author, and you think that book is a one-star book, and they have given you a five-star review, be honest: would you then leave a one-star review? No, of course not. So Amazon does not want you to do this, and it is not a good way to gain reviews. I feel like I am talking to the wall with this one. However much you want this to be true, it is just not true I am afraid. Because it is clearly stated in Amazon’s TOS that compensation of ANY kind is not allowed, these reviews will be deleted if a connection can be seen between authors with reviews because it could be argued that compensation was gained in the form of a reciprocal review.

Outcome: The review will be deleted. You also run the risk of losing book visibility if you have multiple offenses of this method.

Paid Reviews – We do not permit reviews or votes on the helpfulness of reviews that are posted in exchange for compensation of any kind

4. Bloggers being paid directly to add a customer review to Amazon

If you pay money to a blog to leave a customer review, or you run a sweepstake in exchange for a review, and that person leaves a Customer Review themselves – let’s say “Honey Raven Book Blogs” (disclaimer: I don’t know if there is a user called this!) puts your review that you paid for, gave a gift card for, or gave any other kind of compensation for onto Amazon under her username “Honey Raven” it is exactly the same as if you bought a review on Fiverr. It is unequivocally not allowed.

Outcome: The review and the user account may be removed.

Paid Reviews – We do not permit reviews or votes on the helpfulness of reviews that are posted in exchange for compensation of any kind , including payment (whether in the form of money or gift certificates), bonus content, entry to a contest or sweepstakes, discounts on future purchases, extra product, or other gifts .

2. Editorial Reviews

These are reviews written by companies that write reviews for publicity, such as Self-Publishing Review , Kirkus Reviews, Clarion, Publisher’s Weekly, and The Independent Review of Books . These reviews are allowed by Amazon, and are posted by the author themselves in the section Amazon provides for these reviews (and sometimes self-populates in the case of Kirkus Reviews) called Editorial Reviews, found in the Book Details page. You can read about how Amazon supports these reviews here.

Outcome: Totally fine, and will help promote your book on Amazon. These are marketing for your book. These reviews will be staying on the site and are an integral part of the Amazon Book Page – built by Amazon themselves .

You can also add these to Goodreads and the back of your book.

3. Verified Customer Reviews Gained by Mailing Lists

SPR has several Amazon Promotions that include getting Verified Customer Reviews. The reason our reviews are allowed is simple: you are not paying us to write the Customer Reviews, and we don’t know the reviewers. We are using our mailing lists to get your book seen, bought, and reviewed by members of the public. We have hundreds of readers on our list who signed up to receive news about books, and when they see a book they like, they told us via a survey a long while ago that they will most likely buy it and review it on Amazon. We have no control over their reviews, and our communication is not interactive.

Therefore, these kinds of reviews are fine to acquire – because you are buying our marketing skills to get your book out there and a happy side effect of the advertising is that you get your Verified Reviews (guaranteed numbers because we have enough people to know the minimum amount of reviews you will get when we market your book). Other companies that have a method like this, such as BookBub. With this method, you may get unbiased Verified Customer Reviews.

Mailing lists are the most effective way to get genuine, verified customer reviews, and is the method favored by traditional publishers and bestselling authors everywhere.

Outcome: Totally fine , and will help promote your book on Amazon if a sale is made before the review is posted as a Verified Review.

The Ten Commandments of Reviews:

• Don’t ask anyone to review your book for free if you know them socially in any way including online forums and groups
• Don’t pay or promise gifts to an individual to review your book even if they promise an honest review
• Don’t swap your book with other authors for reviews even if you intend to give an honest review

Promotional Reviews – In order to preserve the integrity of Customer Reviews, we do not permit artists, authors , developers, manufacturers, publishers, sellers or vendors to write Customer Reviews for their own products or services

• Go to your Amazon book page without being logged in
• Click “Add A Customer Review”
• Copy the link given for this sign-in page
• Add this to your book page and your readers will go directly to the review page!
• Don’t confuse the types of review available to you – you can still buy Editorial Reviews within Amazon Guidelines to use on your book page, and you can even buy mailing list marketing services to garner Customer Reviews within Guidelines too
• Don’t get outraged – Amazon is a bookshop, with no public responsibility to you or anyone else lucky enough they started this revolution so we could all publish our books freely. Try to follow their very reasonable guidelines without too much kvetching and gain understanding of their very fair policy to sort the fakes from the real – it will be to your benefit as an author in the long run, and will mean Amazon is a healthier environment to sell books in
• Unverified Reviews (no sale made to the reviewer before the review is written) are far more likely to be flagged as fake than Verified Reviews. Verified Reviews (written after a sale to the reviewer) are the only reviews that help with sales and visibility in the Amazon algorithm. Encourage readers to buy your book under their Amazon username, not just review it
• Don’t get hung up on reviews. Many bestsellers have few reviews when they hit hot. Sales are always going to be more important than reviews to Amazon. Around ten to fifteen reasonable (3.5 – 4 star) reviews and a few strong editorial reviews will do nicely. You don’t need 300 reviews.
• Build your own mailing list to advertise your book to avid readers by adding a sign-up link to the back of your book and on your websites and pages. If you cannot do this yourself, use a respected service that has mailing lists to garner customer reviews within Amazon TOS such as Self-Publishing Review or BookBub .

 You may not like these Terms of Service, but them’s the rules.

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14 comments.

This rule stands out: “Don’t pay or promise gifts to an individual to review your book even if they promise an honest review”

That’s precisely what Amazon does with its Vine reviews, which include books and a host of other items, some costing $100 or more.

Yes, but Amazon owns the company. So they are allowed to do whatever they choose. They are under no obligations, as a private company, and this point is often forgotten by many authors using Amazon’s very convenient and free service to sell their books.

Amazon’s prerogative as a private business!

IMO, it’s about time Amazon did something about the purchased 5-star reviews (Item 1.1 above). Maybe integrity can be restored to their review system.

outstanding article

Most of this makes sense, but asking people not to have friends and family write reviews seems unnecessarily draconian. For a novice, self-published author, these may be the only reviews they’ll start out with. If there are only a few reviews up, I’d expect the first ones to be positively biased.

See Amazon Terms of Service. It’s not allowed. This is because these reviews are bound to be biased. Friends and family will say your book is great, which, although that’s nice for the author’s ego, that does not give a consumer any real idea about the product. Amazon aims to only give unbiased opinions on its customer review section, and rightly so.

Unfortunately Amazon is a private business and only wants unbiased customers to review products, including books. Therefore there’s a chance these friends and family reviews would be deleted or worse, their account could be removed.

I think the rules should be changed. Beginning and first time authors may have ONLY reviews from friends or family to start. Therefore, I think the rules should be appended to allow for them to get the psychological boost they need.

Consider having a time limit and a number limit for reviews by friends & family Alternatively, allow those friends and family to write whatever they want. Add a category tag to reviews: [ ] Friends & family [ ] Solicited review in exchange for free or discounted copy [ ] Unsolicited review.

This would allow customers to evaluate the reviews and still let a beginning author get support. Someone might LIKE a book that only a mother would love. 🙂

Yeah, but this is not the purpose of Amazon reviews. It’s not a hobby site. How would you even vet that? Who is your friend? Your colleague author on a forum? Your best friend of 30 years? It’s an impossible idea, and all of those reviews would be worthless to Amazon and any customer looking to buy the book. So it wouldn’t work. I think in that way the system is fair – it should be members of the public reviewing to keep it unbiased.

Agreed. It’s not a hobby. But a new author must start somewhere. Chances are that they will have very few people who are aware of their book to start. Perhaps imposing a number limit and require a Relationship to Author field would help. I would find some of these reviews at least marginally informative compared to some of the trashy and poorly written reviews I find on Amazon. I’ve found a large fan base for books that are written in amateurish style with atrocious grammar.and poorly constructed sentences. Reviews of these books written by “the public” can be grossly misleading and not representative, and they skew the ratings.

I expect that some reviews written by family and associates associates may be as good as or better indicators of content quality than these.

Does the public include only total strangers? Then how do they learn of the book in the first place? Again, a new author must start someplace, and databases are infinitely modifiable to include and expose the relationships of the reviewers such that they do not have to be excluded.

If that was true they would never have created their “Top Reviewer” program and pushed people like the late Harriet Klausner who reviewed ten books a day with worthless drivel and was gifted, for that, with a #1 reviewer rank that gained her tons of free books… They are trying to fix a problem they caused by being unwilling to police their reviews early on and then coming in with a hatchet later on to try and fix it.

While you are correct that they are merely using their rights to investigate customer reviews and regulate them, how is it a fair policy to do so – and cancel accounts, etc. without a warning that in any way shows that they DID said research. I run a company with 170 plus authors and 1500 titles. I am not familiar with every review… if a rule gets broken, all of us could be shut down, so the very least they could do if they actually cared about the authors they work with – who they have a contract with that only seems to matter if the user violates it – is a warning system that actually points out what they believe is wrong so it can be fixed, avoided, or deleted.

Yup, totally unfair, I know! For instance, what if a friend of yours through no volition of your own buys and reviews your book – then you know that person and it’s likely they may only have reviewed your book – does this mean their review will be deleted? There are a lot of problems with it. I would advise a spread of different streams of advertising and marketing to ensure a good cross-section of customer review sources.

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Amazon Book Reviews: How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon for Free

POSTED ON Apr 8, 2024

Written by P.J McNulty

When it comes to Amazon book reviews, they are necessary to proactively market your book.

There’s almost nothing as important as Amazon book reviews when it comes to generating consistent book sales month after month and creating an effective book marketing strategy.

It’s not enough to publish your book and hope reviewers will find you. They almost certainly won’t. You need to work hard to find them and convince them to review your book.

But even that isn’t enough!

If you go about getting Amazon book reviews the wrong way, you risk incurring the wrath of Amazon. Your book will sink before it ever stood a chance of succeeding.

Related: Amazon Self-Publishing

So how can you get the Amazon book reviews you need in an ethical and effective way?

We’ve gathered together everything you need to know.

This guide to Amazon book reviews covers:

Why are amazon book reviews important, how many book reviews do i need on amazon.

• How to get your book reviewed on Amazon

Can I review my own book on Amazon?

Book review services , can i contact the top reviewers on amazon.

• Does Amazon support editorial reviews

Guidelines for Amazon reviews

Why does amazon remove book reviews.

If you’re new to the world of self-publishing , it might be unclear why there is so much importance placed on getting Amazon book reviews.

After all, if you create a good book, produce an attractive cover, and write a catchy description, shouldn’t that be enough?

As much as we might see our book as special, Amazon won’t.

At least, not at first. And neither will the vast majority of book browsers.

While the benefits of self-publishing are well-known, there are also some challenges you need to overcome in order to experience success.

One such challenge is the abundance of books released on Amazon.

The vast majority of books are lost amidst the noise. New titles are added to Amazon every few minutes, and there are endless titles already available. 

What does this mean for you?

If you want to see your book reach the right readers, you need to do everything in your power to get it in front of them. 

One of the most powerful ways to do that is by ensuring your book has reviews.

A lack of Amazon book reviews harms your book’s prospects in two ways. 

First, a book without reviews is unlikely to even get noticed by the vast majority of book browsers.

Second, even if people do somehow stumble across your book, they are unlikely to borrow or buy it without a credible number of Amazon book reviews.

Here are the benefits to make your reviews worth it:

• Trust. Book reviews are especially important when you’re just starting out as an author on Amazon . Put yourself in the shoes of a customer. Why should they trust your book? They almost certainly haven’t heard of you. Reviews overcome this problem. When people see that others have been helped or entertained by a book, it gives them the confidence they will experience the same result.
• Algorithm. Amazon is famous for having one of the most powerful and effective algorithms out there. The company explores and experiments with every possible way to get customers to spend more. Reviews are a huge signal to Amazon that your book is worth promoting. Without a respectable number of Amazon book reviews close to the time of launch, your book will miss out on the immense power of Amazon’s promotional machinery.
• External promotion. There are plenty of promotional services out there willing to help introduce your book to readers who are likely to benefit from it. However, most of them require you to have a certain number of positive reviews before they will even consider your book. You can also promote this on your author platform .
• Feedback. Reviews are also a valuable source of feedback on your work. Yes, even the negative ones! You can get a sense of what readers did and did not like about your book and take this feedback on board for your future releases. 

When it comes to success on Amazon, it’s almost impossible to overstate just how important reviews are.

Now that you know the benefits of reviews for your book, let’s take a closer look at exactly how to get them.

Getting people to take the time to review your book isn’t always easy, especially when you’re new to the self-publishing scene.

Given the difficulty of getting reviews, it’s natural to wonder just how many you need. 

No matter what people might say, there is no magic number that you need. It varies from book to book.

However, there are some proven principles and guidelines you can use to inform the number of reviews you aim to get.

• Check competing books. Take the time to check out other books that your ideal reader might be interested in. For example, which books rank for your keywords? Which books are selling well in your intended categories ? Try and look for books of similar stature to your own. How many reviews do they have? How many would you need to seem respectable in the eyes of a buyer choosing between your book and a competing title?
• Aim for 10 minimum. 10 reviews seems to be the number that starts to move the needle for a lot of authors. When you’re putting together your initial strategy, make 10 book reviews the minimum number you aim for. 
• 20 is ideal. If you’re capable of proactively getting 10 people to leave an Amazon review of your book, you’re more than capable of getting 20! Just double down on what you’re doing. We’ll explore exactly how shortly. 
• Don’t go overboard. After a certain number of Amazon book reviews, you’re unlikely to experience much extra benefit. The effort needed to seek out reviews is not commensurate to the benefits you will experience. Also, after getting a large number of reviews, buyers are likely to review your book of their own accord. You won’t need to seek them out. 30-50 reviews is a good guideline here, but a lower number may suffice depending on the books you are competing against. 
• Your promo strategy. Many authors make book promotion sites or services an integral part of their Amazon book marketing strategy. If you have a particular promotional site you want to be featured on, you’re probably going to need a certain number of Amazon book reviews to be eligible.

Even though there isn’t a particular number of Amazon book reviews that’s right for every book, there’s definitely a number that’s right for yours.

Use the above ideas to find it and make this a target you strive to hit.

Sadly, no. Some authors might think it's a good idea to review their own book to get some initial momentum going for their Amazon book reviews, but that's against the rules specified in Amazon's Guidelines .

How to get Amazon book reviews

So how should you go about getting the reviews you need for your book to succeed?

Seeking out Amazon book reviews in the right way isn’t just a matter of doing what’s likely to get results.

It’s also a matter of respecting Amazon’s rules and regulations. If you fail to do so, you run the risk of having your reviews removed.

If you’re unsure of how to get the reviews your book needs, here are some effective techniques.

• Set up a review plan prior to launch. A lot of authors learn the hard way that you can’t leave Amazon book reviews to chance. You need to have a clear plan in place way ahead of your book launch . This should involve a clear approach to hit your review target number as close to the time of your book going live as possible.
• Reach out to existing readers. Do you have an email list of readers? Have you written anything in the past? Even if you don’t have books out, do you have a blog with readers? Could you leverage your author network to promote your book to another writer’s fans? Existing readers, either your own or another author’s, are a great potential source of Amazon book reviews.
• Use social media. While social media is a valuable source of potential reviewers of your work, you should approach it with caution. If Amazon’s algorithm deems you to have a close connection with people on social media, their reviews of your book may be removed. In spite of that, it’s still worth utilizing options such as Facebook reading groups, relevant hashtags on Twitter or Instagram, visual platforms like Pinterest , and even Tik Tok if you have a younger audience, to seek out people who might be interested in your book. 
• Consider offline readers. Most authors will focus their review approach on the online world. By seeking out book clubs, library groups, and other interested communities offline, you open the door to a rich source of potential reviewers that many other authors aren't aware of.  
• Create a launch team . One of the easiest ways to get reviews at launch is to have a big launch group on your side before your book ever drops on Amazon KDP. I recommend having a team of around 100 people who will reach an advanced reader copy in exchange for their authentic review. That way, when your book launches, you can have tons of Amazon book reviews straight away. If you aren't sure how to build a launch group, there are companies that will help you put one together. At selfpublishing.com, our Elite Package guarantees your first 100 authentic Amazon book reviews.
• CTA in your book. There’s no harm of asking for Amazon book reviews within your book itself. You can also include a link in the ebook version to make it as straightforward as possible.

Be aware that by asking for Amazon book reviews in any of the ways mentioned, you are seeking something of value from them. To make them want to take the time to help you, you need to frame your request in the right way.

Related: Amazon Book Description HTML: Making Words Look Better

Instead of coming across as self-serving or even desperate, why not base your review request around:

• Feedback. If people respect your work they are likely to want to help you out as an author. If you make them feel like their feedback is valued, you are more likely to get a review.
• Helping other readers. Another angle to take is appealing to a sense of community among readers. Rather than making your request for Amazon book reviews about yourself, make it about informing fellow readers about a book that might benefit or entertain them.
• A promotional price point. It’s human nature to love a good deal. By emphasizing your book being offered at a low price point for a limited time, you tap into the psychological appeal of both value and scarcity, making it more likely that people will see it as worthwhile to review your book.

Combining the right sources of potential Amazon book reviews with the right type of request is the best way to get your book the review score it needs.

As well as seeking out relevant readers by yourself, a range of professional book review services exist.

While this can form a valuable part of your overall approach to Amazon book reviews, you need to be careful.

Amazon is known for being incredibly strict about people selling reviews. Many people on Fiverr have experienced this firsthand!

The Amazon review guidelines are elaborated on a little later in this guide, but as a general principle, always avoid paying for a review directly. That includes offering a gift of some type.

Instead of paying for a review on Fiverr, consider using one of these services:

• Goodreads book giveaways
• Rainbow Book Reviews

If you’re considering paying for a review service, make sure to check both of these two things before investing your money:

• Compliance. Ensure any review service you’re considering is compliant with Amazon’s rules and regulations. Otherwise, you risk losing your money, having the review removed, and possibly even worse consequences if Amazon feels you’re being particularly underhanded.
• Results. Check out what kind of results a review service promises, and what kind of success they’ve had in the past. Have they produced good results for books similar to yours? What kind of ROI can you expect?

Book review services can be a valuable way to help your book get the momentum it needs. Just make sure you’re dealing with a reputable and effective service provider.

No, the top Amazon reviewers are no longer available.

In the past, a popular way of seeking Amazon book reviews involved trying to find and contact the top reviewers on Amazon.

This may have worked well back in the day, but it’s not really something to pursue in the here and now. 

The top Amazon reviewers no longer have emails available to reach out to. Even when they did, the odds of having a top reviewer take the time to check out your work was pretty slim. 

Does Amazon support editorial reviews?

What exactly is an editorial review, and why does it matter for your book?

So far, we’ve talked about customer Amazon book reviews, which are exactly what they sound like. A customer reads your book and leaves their opinion. If they purchased it from Amazon, this would count as a verified review. 

The other type of review to utilize is the editorial review. This involves a trusted source such as a magazine or publication giving their take on your book.

While editorial reviews aren't included in your book's review score and don't show up with the customer reviews, this is actually a good thing. 

Some of the main benefits of editorial reviews are:

• They won’t get lost in the middle of the (hopefully) large number of customer reviews your book has
• You can add them to your Amazon Author Central page
• You are allowed to leverage your connections as Amazon can’t remove these in the way that they can remove customer reviews
• A reputable publication or individual may carry more weight in the mind of a potential book buyer than an unknown customer reviewer

There’s no denying the value of editorial reviews, but think of them as icing on the cake. 

Make customer reviews your priority, at least initially, as they will move the needle in terms of the Amazon algorithm.

Spend some time around the indie author community and you’ll come across some fairly angry writers.

A common source of frustration is the seemingly ever-changing Amazon review rules.

In reality, the Amazon review guidelines aren’t as bad as you might have heard.

You can check out the full picture here , but some basic principles include:

• You can’t pay for Amazon book reviews. It’s absolutely prohibited to exchange money for a review of your book.]
• You can’t ask for conditional reviews. Although it’s completely fine to ask for someone to review your book, you cannot request they review it in a certain way. Asking for an honest review is the best approach.
• You can’t review a rival book. If Amazon feels someone is negatively reviewing a rival product of any type, they will remove that review.
• You can’t rely on friends and family. Amazon states that reviews from close personal connections are not allowed. This can involve being friends with people and interacting on social media.
• You can’t offer gifts. It’s not permissible to over an Amazon gift card or anything else whatsoever in exchange for a review. You can offer an ARC of your book but that’s all.

While it’s definitely worth respecting the Amazon review guidelines, try not to worry too much. As long as you’re operating from a place of good faith, the worst that will happen in the majority of cases is Amazon will remove some of your reviews.

Amazon can remove reviews for violations of any of the guidelines mentioned above. 

However, some of the most common reasons for a review to be removed are:

• You have reviewed your own book
• Someone with the same address as you has reviewed your book
• A reviewer has attempted to leave multiple reviews of your work
• The review is obscene, defamatory, or otherwise unacceptable
• The reviewer is a customer who has spent less than $50 on Amazon
• The reviewer appears to be a spammer who leaves too many reviews in a short space of time
• You have reported the review to [email protected] and Amazon agrees it is unacceptable

Having some Amazon book reviews removed is a fact of life for most authors. Although it might seem frustrating, try and see the system as being in place to preserve the integrity of the entire process. 

We hope you’ve found this guide to the dos and don'ts of Amazon book reviews useful. 

If you have any tips on getting Amazon book reviews ethically, or warnings about Amazon’s rules and regulations, feel free to leave a comment and help your fellow authors out. 

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How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon the Quickest and Easiest Way

Book reviews and sushi restaurants have a lot more in common than you might think. Discover the secrets to getting book reviews on Amazon!

Would you risk getting sushi from a restaurant with a 1-star average and a dozen bad reviews talking about getting food poisoning? Didn't think so. 

The thing is, Amazon reviews function the same way. They warn readers about books that might not be worth their hard-earned money or precious time. So, how do you convince someone you've never met that your book is worth taking the chance?

In this blog post, we'll walk you through a ton of budget-friendly and compliant ways for how to get book reviews on Amazon, and skyrocket your sales (and royalties).

Are you tapping into all of Amazon's potential? Check out our free webinar that shows you exactly how one publishing method has already generated a collective $50 million in revenue for thousands of students of all ages all over the world with no publishing or tech experience required.

Why Do Amazon Book Reviews Matter?

A dozen 5-star reviews can usually offset a single bad review, but a single 5-star review won't always offset a dozen negative reviews. It's just the nature of the game and human psychology. We tend to gravitate toward what's safe and comfortable.

Here are some more reasons that a book's review matters:

Credibility and Social Proof

Let's knock the obvious one out of the way. When potential readers are browsing Amazon for a new book to read, they are more likely to choose a book that already has previous other readers. Positive reviews act as social proof and give credibility to your book. They show that others have enjoyed your book and that it’s worth reading.

Sales and Ranking

Amazon book reviews can also impact your book's sales and ranking. Books with a higher number of positive reviews tend to sell more copies. Additionally, Amazon's search algorithm takes into account the number and quality of reviews when ranking books in search results.

Momentum and Feedback

Positive reviews just feel good. They're a good boost to your confidence and can motivate you to keep publishing. Even a negative review can help you improve your work by providing constructive feedback to implement in your future work. 

A Breakdown of Amazon's Review Policy and Algorithm

Amazon's review policy is designed to ensure that reviews are genuine and unbiased.

That means they prohibit the following:

• Reviews that are fake
• Reviews that are incentivized or come from a bribe
• Reviews that are written by the author or publisher of a book or their family and friends
• Reviews that include profanity, hate speech, and personal information

Note: Violating these policies can result in the removal of reviews and even account suspension.

Amazon's algorithm uses various factors to determine the authenticity and relevance of book reviews. The algorithm considers the number of reviews, the rating, and the recency of reviews as well as the location that the reviews came from. They can typically tell when friends and family are leaving reviews by checking whether you've ever sent each other gifts through Amazon or shared an address.

Most people can get away with one or two close friends leaving a positive or leaving a review too, but is it worth it? For one, it’s unethical. And secondly, it throws off the algorithm. If you wrote a book about bulldogs and none of your friends even have dogs, then they wouldn't be your target audience anyway. Their data would then affect the types of readers Amazon suggests your book to, and this can skew your marketing plans. Just something to keep in mind!

How Many Reviews Is Enough?

When it comes to the number of reviews you need on Amazon, there's no magic number that will instantly turn your book into a bestseller. Good reviews can essentially sell the book for you, so the more positive reviews you have, the better.

A good goal to aim for (and what we teach our Publishing.com students ) is at least 50 reviews for every new book that you publish. This may seem like a lot, but we've found this to be the sweet spot for gaining traction, and this blog post is full of ideas to help you get started.

Another pro tip? The timing of your reviews can have an impact on your book's success. Ideally, you want to have as many reviews as possible around the time of your book's initial launch to help it get more visibility.

Identifying Your Ideal Readers

There's no use reaching out to people who won't get any value out of reading your book. Sure, they may leave you an honest review, but it might not be a good one. Here's what to consider when trying to connect with the readers who are most likely to leave you a positive review:

What genre does your book fall into? You can use Amazon's categories and subcategories to help you identify your genre. Maybe you want to target fans of romance or hobby books, or you want to tap into the children’s book market. These categories will help you when you're looking for various social media groups to connect with reviewers (more on that later).

Keywords are the words or phrases that readers use to search for books on Amazon. By including relevant keywords in your book's title, subtitle, and description, you can make it easier for potential readers to find your book. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Amazon's keyword tool to find relevant keywords.

Demographics

Think about who your book is intended for. Is it for young adults or older readers? Is it for men or women? Is it for people who enjoy a certain type of hobby or interest? If you're publishing children's books, you'll need to remember that the parents are the ones who will be purchasing your book and deciding whether to leave reviews. 

How to Ask a Reader to Leave an Honest Review on Amazon

There are plenty of ways to get free book reviews, which we'll talk about here. The best strategy to find reviewers usually comes from a combination of these tactics. So, don't be afraid to experiment and see what method works best for you!

Let's dive right in:

Leverage Your Mailing List

One of the quickest and easiest ways to get reviews is by leveraging your mailing list. That is...if you already have one. Many authors and publishers take the time to create their own websites and collect readers' emails to keep them up to date with their latest book launches.

If you don't have a mailing list yet, you can start building one by offering a free sample chapter or some kind of bonus content in exchange for someone's email address. You can then follow up with emails that have the link to purchase and review your book. 

Pro Tip: The more steps something takes, the less likely people are to follow through, so you want to make it as easy as possible for them. Always include direct links so they don’t have to go searching for them!

Email Template to Ask for a Book Review

Need some book marketing inspo? We've got you covered.

Here's a handy email template you can tweak to your style and voice for launch day!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email Subject Line: 🌟 It’s Finally Here! Want to Help Other Readers? 📖

Hey [Reader's Name],

Big news: “[Book Title]” is out today! 🎉 I’m super excited (and a bit nervous) to share this story with you. It’s been quite the adventure bringing it to life.

If you enjoy the read, I’d be over the moon if you could take some time to drop a quick review on Amazon. Your honest thoughts really help—both me and other book lovers.

Here’s how:

• Pop over to [Insert Link].
• Scroll to "Customer Reviews" and hit "Write a Customer Review."
• Share what you think about the book—there's no right or wrong answer!

That’s it! Short and sweet does the trick. 🌟

Thanks a million for your support. It means the world to me, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of “[Book Title].”

Happy reading and happy reviewing!

Cheers, [Your Name]

Connect with Book Bloggers and Top Reviewers

Book bloggers and full-time reviewers can help you get the word out about your book by engaging their audiences. 

Here are some tips on how to connect with them:

1. Do Your Research

Not all bloggers and reviewers are the same. You want to target those who are interested in your genre and have a following. Look for bloggers and reviewers who have already reviewed books similar to yours.

2. Personalize Your Pitch

When reaching out to bloggers and reviewers, make sure to personalize your pitch. Address them by name and mention why you think they would be interested in your book.

3. Follow Up

After you've sent your pitch, follow up with the blogger or reviewer. Politely ask if they've had a chance to read your book yet and if they have any feedback. Following up shows that you're interested in their opinion and can help build a relationship for future reviews. 

Just be careful not to cross into begging territory. If someone doesn't want to read your book, there are millions of other potential readers out there who might!

4. Be Genuine

When engaging with bloggers and reviewers, be genuine. Focus on their experience rather than the review itself. Be open to their feedback, even if it's not what you were expecting. It can help you grow and connect with future readers.

Pro Tip: The only real failure in the publishing world is giving up!

Create a Call-to-Action Inside Your Book

A Call-to-Action (CTA) is simply a marketing term that means giving your intended audience a very specific action to take. You've probably seen a ton without realizing it, like "click here," "sign up now," or "order now!"

Another simple way to increase reviews for your book on Amazon is to create a call-to-action (CTA) inside your book. This is a message that encourages readers to leave a review immediately on Amazon. By doing this, you're taking advantage of the fact that readers are more likely to leave a review while the experience is still fresh in their minds.

Here are some common locations for CTAs:

• Your author bio
• In the middle of your book, at a natural stopping point between two chapters
• The end of your book

Many authors and publishers include a QR code that takes the readers to a website. This website can be a simple landing page that thanks the reader for their support and encourages them to leave a review on Amazon. Make sure to emphasize the importance of honest reviews and how they help other readers make informed decisions about whether or not to buy your book.

Other CTA tips:

• Be clear and concise
• Focus on only ONE action you want the readers to take
• Use strong action verbs
• Offer up your gratitude even if they choose not to take the next step but still took the time to read your work

Create an ARC Team

An ARC Team stands for an Advance Reader Copies Team or Advance Review Copies Team. The idea is simple: You build a dedicated team of people who are ready to give all your new books an honest customer review.

To build an effective Advance Reader Team, start by reaching out to your email list, social media followers, and other fans of your work. Let them know you are looking for readers who are willing to read and review your book before your book is live. Be clear about what you expect from them, including the timeline for reading and reviewing the book.

Once you have built your Advance Reader Team, provide them with a full copy of the book of your book in a format that is easy for them to read, such as a PDF or Kindle file. Follow up with them to make sure they have received the book and are on track to finish reading it by the agreed-upon deadline.

Note: Participating in ARC review methods isn't against Amazon KDP's terms; however, posting your full manuscript online would be if you were planning on making your book available through Kindle Unlimited.

Take Advantage of Social Media

One effective way to use social media is to create a Facebook page for your book. This page can be used to share updates about your book, interact with readers, run ads, and, most importantly, request book reviews. You can also join Facebook groups that are specifically designed for authors and reviewers.

Goodreads is another social media platform that can be used to request book reviews. Goodreads has a large community of readers and reviewers, making it an ideal platform to promote your book and request reviews.

Pro Tip: No one likes spam, so stick to the golden rule. Treat readers how you would want to be treated.

Leverage Free or Low-Cost Book Review Sites

Some popular free or low-cost book review sites include Goodreads, Pubby, and Online Book Club. These sites have large communities of readers who are eager to discover new books and provide feedback.

When submitting your book for review on these sites, be sure to follow the submission guidelines carefully. Some sites may have specific requirements for the format of your book or the information you need to include in your submission.

Remember : Amazon doesn't allow incentivized reviews. 

Here's how these platforms tackle compliance:

Pubby operates on a book review exchange model. Authors who join Pubby agree to review other authors' books in exchange for reviews of their own books. This peer-to-peer system is designed to increase the number of reviews without direct financial incentives or specific demands for positive reviews.

This differs from review swaps, where both parties leave a "5-star" review regardless of their true opinions about the work.

Goodreads is a community platform for book lovers. It allows users to leave reviews, rate books, and engage in discussions about books. Reviews on Goodreads are user-generated and are not part of a paid or incentivized system.

Although Goodreads is owned by Amazon, the review system on Goodreads operates independently of Amazon’s review system. Reviews on Goodreads are generally not subject to the same strict guidelines as Amazon's product reviews, but there are still ways to go about asking for reviews ethically and unethically. 

Consider Ethical Paid Services to Get Reviews

While it's always best to get book reviews on Amazon organically, sometimes it's necessary to use paid services to get your book reviewed with the attention it deserves and to scale your publishing business more quickly. Ethical services offer legitimate ways to connect with reviewers and get more reviews on Amazon without violating any rules.

A quick word of caution: Some UNethical services may violate Amazon's terms of service by offering to buy reviews directly, so always be sure to do your own research!

• Authentic reviews for their services
• A proven track record with the genre you're publishing in
• Transparent pricing and policies
• Access to support (whether through email, chat, or phone) in case you ever need it

Some legitimate services offer a variety of a la carte options, such as running a review campaign or connecting authors with reviewers who are interested in reading their books. Some services may also offer to promote your book to their audience, which can help increase visibility and generate more sales.

Overall, using ethical paid services to get reviews can be a great way to boost your book's visibility on Amazon and get more readers interested in your work. Just be sure to choose a reputable service and always follow Amazon's publishing guidelines to ensure that your book stays in good standing on the platform.

What Are Editorial Reviews on Amazon?

Editorial reviews are essentially "bonus" quotes and reviews housed on your Amazon book page through your Author Central Account . They may be written by professional reviewers, such as book critics and editors, or they may simply be quotes you want to highlight about your books from others.

To get editorial reviews for your book, you can submit your book to publications and websites that review books, or you can hire a professional reviewer to write a review for you. Once you have an editorial review, you can then submit it to Amazon to be published on your book review page.

Editorial reviews can be a great way to get exposure for your book and build credibility with potential readers, but customer reviews are just as important for building out your review page.

Avoiding Fake Reviews and Ensuring Genuine Feedback

Your reviews set the stage for your reputation as a self-publisher.

Here are some tips to avoid fake reviews and ensure genuine feedback:

Seek Verified Purchase Reviews

Amazon marks reviews from customers who have purchased your book on their platform with a “Verified Purchase” label. These reviews carry more weight as they are more likely to be authentic. You can encourage your readers to leave such reviews by reminding them to buy the book directly from Amazon.

Aim for Balanced Reviews

Genuine reviews often provide a well-rounded perspective of your own book. They don’t just heap praises or pile on criticism; instead, they offer a nuanced view, discussing various aspects like plot, characters, writing style, formatting, and pacing. Be on the lookout for reviews that offer specific, balanced insights into your work.

Stay Alert to Fake Reviews

Be cautious of reviews that may not be legitimate. These can be overly effusive or excessively negative, exhibit repetitive language or phrasing, or appear in an unnaturally large number within a short span. Amazon allows you to report suspicious reviews by using the “Report Abuse” option.

Sabotage is rare, but it does happen. If you suspect that a competitor has given you a false review, flag it and keep moving forward. You can rest easy knowing that you’ve put in the work and you’re running your publishing business from a place of integrity. 

Foster Authentic Engagement

Encourage genuine feedback by interacting with your readers. Express gratitude for their reviews and engage with their comments. Addressing their thoughts and concerns not only shows your appreciation but also demonstrates your commitment to putting out quality content.

Although you cannot respond directly to Amazon comments, you can interact with your mailing list and social media following. 

Optimize Your Book Launch for Reviews

Getting book reviews on Amazon is crucial for book sales, traction, and visibility.

Here are some tips to help you get the most reviews from your book launch.

1. Set a Launch Date

Setting a specific launch date helps you plan your book launch, coordinate your promotion plan with your publishing team (if you have one), and start your PR campaign two to three months before the launch date. It also enables you to coordinate book signing events with local bookstores three to four months before the launch or publication date.

Pro Tip: Some niches are more profitable during particular times of the year. See what your competitors are doing to get a better idea of what works and what doesn't.

2. Create a Pre-Launch Checklist

Creating a pre-launch checklist helps you explore your book launch to-do's at a glance. It might even include a marketing and PR plan tailored to each social media platform.

3. Stay Up to Date with Amazon's Review Guidelines

It doesn't hurt to check Amazon's guidelines every quarter or so to make sure there aren't any updates that might impact your plans. The truth is this industry is constantly changing—especially as AI becomes more and more common!

4. Don't Be Shy Asking for Reviews

Asking for reviews can be uncomfortable at first, but this is just another one of those skills that take time and practice, like strength training and weightlifting.

5. Think Outside of the Box

You're in charge when it comes to marketing your Amazon book , and within reason, the sky is the limit. Virtual events like Q&As can help your audience get to know you, but there are thousands of other ideas out there to help your book stand out in a crowded market.

Here are just a few:

• Collaborative Storytelling Event : Host an online event where readers contribute to a live, interactive storytelling session based on your book's universe.
• Interactive Web Series : Produce a short web series or interactive videos that explore your book's characters or setting, inviting audience participation.
• Flash Fiction Contest : Organize a writing contest where participants create short stories inspired by your book, with the best entries featured on your website.
• Podcast Series : Launch a podcast discussing themes, background stories, or characters from your book, possibly including guest speakers or experts.
• Themed Cook-along or Craft Workshop : If your book involves unique cuisines or crafts, host a live cook-along or crafting session teaching these skills.
• Charity Event Partnership : Tie your launch to a charity event, where aspects of your book's theme help raise awareness or funds for a relevant cause.
• Book Playlist Release Party : Curate a playlist of songs that captures the mood of your book, hosting a listening party with discussions about how each song relates to the story.

Publishing.com's Student Reviews

Which of the following types of people have found success with publishing?

A) Grandmas and grandpas who weren't necessarily tech-savvy but wanted to find a way to supplement their retirement

B) Stay-at-home moms and dads who wanted to find a way to make money without missing out on any of their children's milestones

C) College students who wanted to find a way to stop drowning in student loan debt

D) All of the above

The Publishing.com team has earned a verified review average of 4.8 out of 5 stars on TrustPilot , and the answer is D! All of the above!

Here's what some students had to say:

If you're looking for a sign to take that first step, it's this! 

Just head over to our free beginner-friendly webinar to see the exact formula that can completely transform your schedule and income and bring you the freedom you crave!

Happy publishing!

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8 New Books We Recommend This Week

Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times.

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Violence and its impact on writers anchor three of our recommended books this week: Michael Korda offers a group biography of the soldier-poets of World War I, while Kristine Ervin writes about her mother’s murder and Salman Rushdie relives the knife attack that almost took his life two years ago.

We also recommend a history of immigration detention in America and, in fiction, new novels by Leigh Bardugo, Terese Svoboda, Caoilinn Hughes and Julia Alvarez. Happy reading. — Gregory Cowles

KNIFE: Meditations After an Attempted Murder Salman Rushdie

In his candid, plain-spoken and gripping new memoir, Rushdie recalls the attempted assassination he survived in 2022 during a presentation about keeping the world’s writers safe from harm. His attacker had piranhic energy. He also had a knife. Rushdie lost an eye, but he has slowly recovered thanks to the attentive care of doctors and the wife he celebrates here.

“A clarifying book. It reminds us of the threats the free world faces. It reminds us of the things worth fighting for.”

From Dwight Garner’s review

Random House | $28

THE FAMILIAR Leigh Bardugo

A lowly servant girl in 16th-century Spain has a secret: There’s magic in her fingertips, perhaps the kind that anxious kings and other assorted schemers would kill for. The best-selling fantasist Bardugo (“Shadow and Bone”) infuses her new standalone novel with both rich historical detail and a heady sense of place and romance.

“Her prose mirrors the Baroque setting, her sentences lush and embroidered with pearls. ... Reading Bardugo is an immersive, sensual experience”

From Danielle Trussoni’s review

Flatiron | $29.99

ROXY AND COCO Terese Svoboda

The titular sisters in Svoboda’s new novel are modern-day harpies, of mythological renown: half-woman, half-bird, fearsome creatures. They’re also social workers, and their very long life’s work is the consideration of children who have been abandoned, neglected or worse.

“Svoboda’s novel comes close to suggesting that people really are for the birds. And yet, some of the most moving moments in ‘Roxy and Coco’ happen between creatures who are desperate for care.”

From Hilary Leichter's review

West Virginia University Press | Paperback, $21.99

IN THE SHADOW OF LIBERTY: The Invisible History of Immigrant Detention in the United States Ana Raquel Minian

The American government has a long record of detaining migrants in places that are, legally speaking, black sites. Minian traces immigration detention from the late 1800s through the present via the stories of four figures, showing how absurd and arbitrary the system can be.

“Storytelling allows Minian to convey the physical and emotional toll of detention with potent specificity. The result is a book-length plea against dehumanization, at least for those who are willing to listen.”

From Jennifer Szalai’s review

Viking | $32

THE ALTERNATIVES Caoilinn Hughes

This novel features four 30-something Irish sisters, all with Ph.D.s and all lonely or a little bit lost in some way. When the oldest of them goes (voluntarily) missing and her younger sisters team up to investigate, Hughes has the catalyst for a witty, bittersweet and often stylistically bold exploration of blood ties and chosen family.

“‘The Alternatives’ is a bold, beautiful, complex novel, and I can’t wait to read what Hughes writes next. She, too, is an unstoppable force.”

From S. Kirk Walsh’s review

Riverhead | $28

THE CEMETERY OF UNTOLD STORIES Julia Alvarez

Returning to her Dominican homeland after decades in America, a weary novelist decides to build a literal graveyard for all her failed and unrealized tales in the lively latest from Alvarez (“In the Time of the Butterflies”), who continues to fuse magical realism with warm humanism.

“Lively, joyous, full of modern details and old tall tales. Any reader with roots and ancestors in other lands lives in a multiple-narrative story, one that we try to share with everyone, though we have to translate it.”

From Luis Alberto Urrea’s review

Algonquin | $28

RABBIT HEART: A Mother’s Murder, a Daughter’s Story Kristine S. Ervin

When Ervin was 8 years old, her mother was abducted from a mall parking lot; her body was found several days later. This gruesome reality is just the beginning of Ervin’s riveting tale, which resists society’s insistence on conflating both her own and her mothers’ identity with victimhood, even as it marks every facet of her life. A lacerating, bracing read that reminds us not just of the actual people behind the true crime genre, but of our own complicity in its consumption.

“Ervin writes with painful clarity about the instability of a childhood defined by public tragedy. The unanswered questions surrounding her mother’s death meant that even the most familiar of places became potential crime scenes, familiar objects indexes of loss.”

From Alissa Bennett’s review

Counterpoint | $27

MUSE OF FIRE: World War I as Seen Through the Lives of the Soldier Poets Michael Korda

In this erudite and often funny group biography of the Allied soldiers who turned their battlefield experiences into verse during the Great War, Korda tracks the whole arc of public opinion as the conflict progressed, from romantic enthusiasm to incandescent rage.

“Korda’s group portrait of soldier poets skillfully depicts how different classes of men experienced the Western Front and offers an entry point into a rich seam of under-read war poetry.”

From Alice Winn’s review

Liveright | $29.99

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

The complicated, generous life  of Paul Auster, who died on April 30 , yielded a body of work of staggering scope and variety .

“Real Americans,” a new novel by Rachel Khong , follows three generations of Chinese Americans as they all fight for self-determination in their own way .

“The Chocolate War,” published 50 years ago, became one of the most challenged books in the United States. Its author, Robert Cormier, spent years fighting attempts to ban it .

Joan Didion’s distinctive prose and sharp eye were tuned to an outsider’s frequency, telling us about ourselves in essays that are almost reflexively skeptical. Here are her essential works .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

Amazon restricts reviews on Kristi Noem’s controversial book citing ‘unusual activity’

Amazon is preventing its users from writing reviews for South Dakota governor Kristi Noem’ s new book due to “unusual reviewing activity” as the Republican faces massive backlash for writing about killing her dog .

When a user tries to write a review for Ms Noem’s book No Going Back , a notice pops up: “Amazon has noticed unusual reviewing activity on this product. Due to this activity, we have limited this product to verified purchase reviews.”

The book, released on Tuesday, also only has one star on Amazon, as of Wednesday morning.

“We want Amazon customers to shop with confidence knowing that the reviews they see are authentic and trustworthy,” an Amazon spokesperson told The Independent in a statement.

“If we notice unusual reviewing activity, we will occasionally limit reviews to verified purchases only.”

The Independent has contacted Ms Noem for comment.

The “unusual reviewing activity” warning came after Ms Noem received considerable flack after excerpts from her book were released about when she killed her 14-month-old wire-haired pointer Cricket two decades ago.

“I hated that dog,” she wrote in her memoir, detailing that Cricket was “untrainable”, “dangerous to anyone she came in contact with” and “less than worthless … as a hunting dog”.

“At that moment,” Ms Noem continued, “I realized I had to put her down.” She admitted that “it was not a pleasant job... it had to be done”.

Seemingly everyone , from X users to comedians to Fox News to Hillary Clinton , has slammed her decision to slay her dog.

Regardless of the barrage of scrutiny , the South Dakota governor has repeatedly defended her decision.

In the immediate backlash, she posted on X, defensively: “We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm. Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years.”

In another post, she wrote: “I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book.”

When a Fox News anchor pressed the Republican governor about shooting her dog, Ms Noem in turn accused the host of “not hearing from real Americans that live on farms and ranches” before once again defending the slaying.

“I made a decision as a mom, and I’m a grandma, that the safety of my children and safety of people was what I needed to decide, protecting them from a very dangerous animal,” she said.

Ms Noem’s controversial book has arrived as former president Donald Trump eyes potential running mates. Although Ms Noem has been considered to be on his veep shortlist , she seems to have killed her chances – long before the dog-killing story surfaced.

Six sources told Politico that she had been “cast aside” as Mr Trump’s potential running mate long before the dog scandal came out.

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May 8, 2024

Written by Amazon Staff

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