Tag: Reviews

How to Leave Reviews on Amazon (Especially for New Indie Books)

8 Tips for Reviewing Advanced Copies on Amazon and Goodreads

If you’ve beta-read a book, been part of a street team, or just read a great book by an indie author, the best way to help them is to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Thank you—readers like you are a godsend.

This process can feel intimidating and frustrating. When and how you post can determine whether your good intentions get seen or are buried by the algorithm.

Here are 8 crucial tips for helping your favorite indie author. Authors, share these tips with your ARC readers. If you want to give me a little credit, it’s appreciated.

1. Prioritize & Know the Rules for Each Platform

Amazon and Goodreads are by far the most-read and most influential sites for launching new books. Even though Amazon owns Goodreads, they have very different rules:

PlatformTimingPurchase RequirementKey Rules
GoodreadsPost as soon as the book is listed (pre-pub reviews help build momentum).None.You can occasionally mention the author’s social media links.
AmazonPost on or shortly after the official publication date.Must have spent $50/year on Amazon to post reviews (Prime/KU subscribers are usually fine).DO NOT include any external links; the review will be rejected.

Important for readers: Always honor any specific date or platform request given by the author or publisher. More reviews in the first few days post-launch mean greater promotion by the Amazon algorithm. For example, i plan to send a note to ARC readers and early reviewers a week before the publication date so it is on their radar.

2. Check Amazon’s Review Timing Rules

Amazon is strict about timing.

  • Schedule your review to be posted on or shortly after the book’s official launch date.
  • The book must be published for you to post a review on Amazon.

Pro Tip for KU Subscribers/ARCs: If you read an ARC but have Kindle Unlimited, you can preorder and download the book on the publication date, flip through all the pages, and then post your review. This gives the author certified page reads and may help your review appear as a “Verified Purchase.”

3. Disclose How You Acquired the Book (Crucial for Compliance)

This is vital for FTC and Amazon compliance (transparency). Always state how you acquired the book:

  • For an ARC/E-Galley: “I received an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review.”
  • For a Direct Purchase: “I purchased this copy directly from the author/publisher. My review is voluntary and honest.”

Note: If you received a free ARC, your review will not have the “Verified Purchase” badge. This is normal, and your disclosure covers it.

4. Focus on the Book’s Final Quality

Your role is to be a reader, not a proofreader.

  • ARCs might contain minor typos. Ignore minor errors unless they seriously impact the story.
  • The bulk of your review should focus on the story, characters, plot, and overall reading experience.

5. Write Unique Reviews for Both Sites

Tailor the review slightly for each audience:

  • Goodreads: Can be more conversational and include comparisons to similar titles.
  • Amazon: Be concise and focus on how the book delivers on its genre promise (e.g., “A thrilling fantasy read”).

6. Use Star Ratings Consistently

  • Maintain a consistent star rating between Goodreads and Amazon for the same book to avoid sending mixed signals to readers and algorithms.

7. Avoid Spoilers Unless Clearly Marked

The goal is to help prospective readers decide to buy the book.

  • If you must discuss a major plot point, use a clear [SPOILER ALERT] tag at the very beginning of the spoiler section.

8. Use Links Sparingly (Goodreads Only)

  • Goodreads: You may sparingly mention the author’s social media or website.
  • Amazon: Do NOT include any external links on Amazon. Reviews with external links will be rejected.

Now the shamefully self-promoting part. If you’d like to be part of the ARC reader team for The Deserter, drop me a line. There’s still time before publication day.

Award-Winning People are Talking About Acre’s Orphans

Acre’s Orphans has been less than a week, so it’s too early to tell if anyone is actually going to buy it. But they ARE reading it. I know, because I’ve received some very kind words about it from people who win awards and stuff. Many of these are from terrific writers who have read, and enjoyed, Lucca’s adventures. These are writers who I am proud will even talk to me, let alone enjoy my work. (I would write an entire blog post about Impostor Syndrome, but I’m probably not up to it.) That’s a joke. Kinda.

My writing friend Jeffrey Walker, author of the Sweet Wine of Youth series about the First World War, recently showcased me on his blog. (Read the interview here). His last book, Truly are the Free, just won an Indie Brag award for historical fiction as well as a short-list for the Goethe Award


Acre’s Orphans is another rollicking and gritty medieval romp for Wayne Turmel’s utterly incorrigible—yet grudgingly adorable—orphan-hero, Lucca Le Pou. A delightful read for any historical fiction devotee, Turmel manages to render up the decaying Kingdom of Jerusalem accessible, violent, and naughty enough to hook any YA reader, too. Who knew Hospitaller knights and leprous nuns could be so cool?

Apparently someone else is a fan of leprous nuns, because Bradley Harper, author of the Edgar-award winning A Knife In the Fog told me his favorite part was the battle with the bandits where (avoiding big spoilers) poor Sister Marie-Pilar saves the day. You never know what people are going to take from your work, but I kinda dug that scene as well. Brad’s first novel has been short-listed for a a freakin’ Edgar award as Best First Novel. Here’s his review:

“Acre’s Orphans is an enjoyable excursion back to the battle for the Holy Land, contested by none other than the fierce but honorable Salah-Din. Ten-year-old Lucca the Louse has his hands full avoiding Saracen soldiers, merciless bandits, and a spy loyal to neither side but hoping to profit from both. The tale is faithful to history and the diverse culture of the region which exists up to the current day. The characters are well-drawn and the stakes are high when the boy is entrusted with an important message from the captured city of Acre, intended for the remnants of the Christian nobility along the northern coast, four days travel away.  Accompanied by a giant Knight Hospitaller, a young Druze girl on the cusp of womanhood, and a leprous nun, Lucca must get his ragged party safely to Tyre, where an uncertain reception awaits them all.”

Another award-winner is Barbara Barnett. She’s an insanely smart person whose novel The Apothecary’s Curse was short-listed for the 2017 Stoker award. She was the first to tell me in documented form what she thought…

“A splendid adventure laced with new perils at every turn for the young hero at the heart of Turmel’s latest excellent foray into the heart of the Crusades.”

We don’t write for awards. We sure don’t write for the money, but we do write to be read. To have my words enjoyed by people all over the world, including those whose talent I respect is more than a little fun. Just thought I’d share.

If you haven’t ordered your copy of Acre’s Orphans, or haven’t read the first of Lucca’s adventures, they are available on Kindle or in Paperback wherever you get your fix.

And please, leave a review. It’s like applause for the author.