The Review Crew
Want to be a reviewer? Here's how it works:
The Basics:
The Review Crew exists to match up authors looking for online reviews with reviewers who are willing to read free copies of the book and provide their honest opinions. We'll notify you when a book is available and provide the link to the sign-up form for that title.
​
Reviewers will be chosen by our algorithm from those who have correctly entered their information. Selected reviewers will receive an email letting them know that they are on the Crew for that particular book, and will receive the book by mail shortly thereafter. For eBooks, copies will be provided immediately after reviewers are selected.
​
Read the book as soon as possible, and submit your reviews to at least two of the following three sites: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and/or GoodReads. While our authors appreciate all reviews, these are the "Big 3", so we require that reviews be posted to at least two of them. Then, submit the direct links to your reviews via our online form; the link will be provided when you are selected as a reviewer.
​
For Amazon and B&N, please do NOT submit your links until you have verified that the review is actually live on the site(s).
No Second Chances?
We are fairly strict about our "no second chance" policy, as our authors will not want to contine sending out review copies if we can't promise that all reviews will be written. However, we understand that sometimes, things happen. If you find yourself in this position, please contact us to explain your situation. We'll still ask you to review the book and submit your links, even if you've already missed the deadline. While submitting late links will lower your algorithm ranking, you can still be considered as a reviewer as long as you have written all required reviews.
How To Find Your Links:
For Goodreads:
First, find your profile page. Scroll down to find your review. At the bottom of the review, click the "SEE REVIEW" link. Copy the URL from the top of your browser, and paste it into our online form.
​
For Amazon:
Pull up all of your reviews, then find the one for this book. Click the "get permalink" tag from your review, then copy and paste it into our online form.
​
Or:
​
You can also get the link from the email Amazon sends when they approve your review.
DON'T submit your link until AFTER the review is live on Amazon.
​
For Barnes & Noble:
You have two options: you can submit the direct link to your review once B&N provides it to you. If you prefer, you can submit the link to the main book page, along with your reviewer ID. Be sure NOT to submit your link until you've verified that your review is actually live on the site.
​
Important:
To insure that you get credit for writing your reviews, you MUST submit direct links via our online form. Be sure to use the full and accurate book title on the form, and include your real name (the name you used on the sign-up form) in the indicated field.
​
What happens if we don't receive your links? Simply put, you will never have the opportunity to review for us again. Our authors trust us to generate reviews for each book sent out, and it's very important to us to maintain this trust. So....no reviews, NO second chances. We're very sorry, but the time and expense involved in sending out review copies should be respected by all chosen reviewers. (If you encounter a delay, we WILL accept late submissions. While you'll still be eligible for future review copies, your odds of being selected will temporarily decrease. Check our "Currently Available" books list for chances to raise your rating!)
Occasionally Asked Questions:
We've tried to answer any potential questions reviewers might have on this page. Of course, there is always something we didn't think of; if you have a question not covered on the site, feel free to contact us. Following are some questions we've gotten, along with our answers:
​
1. What happens if I lose the book before I am able to read it? Once it is in your hands, the book is your responsibility. If you lose it, or your dog eats it, or your son drops it in the fish tank, it is still your responsibility. Please obtain another copy (buy one, check it out from the library, borrow it from a friend), and be sure to submit your reviews on time.
​
2. What if I really just didn't like the book? We still ask for your honest review. However, please don't be nasty. Avoid saying things like "This is the worst book I've ever read" or "You'd have to be crazy to read this". Instead, focus on sharing, in a polite way, what you didn't like about it. ("I had trouble investing in the story, as the paranormal elements were too overdone." "The main character was so constantly clueless that I couldn't empathize with her at all." "There were so many typos that I didn't enjoy what might otherwise have been a good story.") If the book had any redeeming qualities for you at all, it would be nice to mention them as well. ("I quickly grew bored of all the talk about cooking and recipes, but if you're a foodie, you might really enjoy this."
​
If you prefer not to leave a negative review at all, we have an option for you. Simply write up your thoughts in review format, and email them to us. We'll contact the author with your (anonymous) text; if the author chooses to excuse you from publishing the negative review, you won't be penalized for not doing so.
How To Write a Good Review:
When we ask you to write a "good" review, we don't mean claiming to love a book that you didn't enjoy. Above all, we are looking for your honest opinions. By "good" review, we mean one that expresses your thoughts about what you've read.
​
PLEASE don't submit a review that is nothing more than a plot summary. The major book websites include a summary as part of each book's listing. While you are welcome to include a brief description of what the book is about, omit the detailed play-by-play of the storyline. We don't want review readers to think they've learned so much about the plot that there's no point in reading the book.
​
Instead, focus on any aspects of the story that appealed to you. Did you love the author's detailed descriptions of the setting? Did they make you feel like you were really there? Did the author capture the true behavior of cats in a very realistic manner? Did you enjoy learning more about something (antiques fraud, dog training, yoga, etc.) from reading the book? Did you try any of the included recipes? Were the characters well-written, intriguing, and believable? Did the plot make sense and keep you guessing until the end?
​
Share your personal thoughts...your goal is to provide the potential reader with something they can't learn from reading the Amazon blurb.
How Do I Sign Up to Review?
How to Receive More Books:
If you enjoy reviewing, and would like to receive even more review copies, we'd love to work with you! Here's how:
​
1. The first step is to be selected to review your initial book for us; unfortunately, there's no short-cut for this one. Submit your information for as many titles as possible. If you are filling out the form correctly (see below), you'll increase your odds of being chosen. Also consider reviewing one of our backlist titles from the "Currently Available" list.
​
2. Once you've been selected as a reviewer, follow through on your commitment! Read the book as quickly as possible, and post your reviews online on or before the due date (for new releases, you won't be able to post on Amazon or B&N prior to the release date).
​
3. Submit the direct links to your reviews as requested.
​
4. Don't just write a review, write a GOOD review. Don't just summarize the plot; instead, explain what you did or didn't enjoy about the book. More information can be found under "How to Write a Good Review" on this page.
​
How To Fill Out the Form:
As you are probably aware, we select reviewers for offered books based on our algorithm. The higher your algorithm ranking, the more likely you are to be selected. Please take a few minutes to review this information:
​
1. Please DO NOT enter more than once. Honestly, we promise, this will NOT increase your odds of being selected. Before each batch of reviewers is selected, our system automatically removes all duplicate entries. While there is sometimes a valid reason for entering twice (you accidentally hit "enter" before you finished the form, or realized too late that there was a typo in your mailing address, or just honestly forgot that you already entered), it is irritating when we see the same person entering five times for one book. All duplicate entries WILL be removed before reviewers are selected, and we'll be annoyed.....so, no benefit to entering multiple times.
2. Please use appropriate capital letters and spacing. It's much easier for our authors to address a book package to Jane Doe at 123 Main Street than janedoe at 123mainst. On the same note, please do not type your name/address information in ALL CAPS; this is the online equivalent of shouting.
​
3. Be sure to enter your complete mailing address. If a reviewer is chosen to receive a review copy of a book, but has not entered a full and valid mailing address, we will simply select another reviewer instead of taking the time and effort to contact you to ask for your information. Here is an example of what your address field should look like: 12345 Main Street, Anytown, VA 67890
​
4. Be sure to enter your real name in the "name" field, as this is the name that will be used to address your book shipment if you are selected. Names like BookFan or Kitty Love will not be eligible to review. If you have an unusual name, or a name that we might not realize is real (like Kitty Love), please make a note to clarify, ie: Kitty Love (my real name).
​
5. Please do NOT include your name again in the address field.
​
6. If a field says: "If you have a non-US mailing address, please enter your country name here", and you DO have a US mailing address, please leave the field blank. If you live in a country other than the US, please enter your country name in the field. It may seem trivial, but this really DOES make our record-keeping easier!
We'll create a new sign-up sheet for each available title. You can find out when a new title is available for review by:
​
1. Signing up for our mailing list.
2. Joining our Cozy Mystery Facebook Group and/or our All-Genre Facebook Group.
3. Follow us on Twitter @CoverCafe
4. Join us on the NEW social media site, MeWe.