How to Get Book Reviews: 10 Compliant Ways in 2026

A note on the rules: Amazon does not allow reviews in exchange for money, gifts or other compensation, and you must never require a reader to post a review on Amazon. Everything below is about finding readers who may choose to leave an honest, voluntary opinion. No method can promise reviews or star ratings.

Every indie author asks the same question: how do I get book reviews? The honest answer is that you cannot guarantee any. What you can do is put your book in front of the right readers and make it easy for them to share an opinion if they want to. Here are ten approaches that follow the rules.

1. Ask at the end of your book

A short, friendly note in the back matter works well. Thank the reader, and say that an honest review helps other readers find books they might enjoy. Link to the review page directly.

2. Build a mailing list

Readers who joined your list are already interested. A launch email telling them the book is out, with a link, reaches people far more likely to read it. See our email templates.

3. Run a real ARC team

Share advance copies with readers who volunteer, with no strings attached. Read how to find ARC readers.

4. Contact book bloggers in your genre

Pick small and mid-size bloggers who actually review your genre. Personalise every message and respect their review policy. Many are closed to submissions, so check first.

5. Use Goodreads

Goodreads is where many readers track and discuss books. Complete your author profile, add your book, and take part in genre groups as a reader first, not as a promoter.

6. Promote your book to real readers

Visibility is the first step to any review. On GetBookReviews you can feature your book so that readers browsing for indie titles can discover it. Featuring is paid advertising for visibility only. It is not payment for reviews, and readers decide freely whether to review.

7. Improve your book page

A strong cover, a clear blurb and a good sample make readers more likely to finish the book, and finished books are the ones that get reviewed.

8. Be active where your readers are

Newsletter swaps, genre forums, free books for your list (with no review requirement) and social posts all bring in readers. Help first, promote second.

9. Publish more books

Each new book points readers to the older ones. Series readers are the most loyal and often the most willing to share their thoughts.

10. Be patient

Reviews build up slowly. A handful of honest reviews across a few months is a healthy pattern, and it is also what Amazon's systems expect to see.

What to avoid

These practices can get reviews removed or accounts closed. Details are in our guide to Amazon's review policy and in the earlier review crackdown guide.

The short version

Write a good book, put it in front of the right readers, ask kindly, and let them decide. More answers in the FAQ.