How BookMonty Keeps Things Safe and Compliant
In the publishing world, reviews matter. But how you get them matters even more. Many review services operate in a gray zone—some even outright violate Amazon’s rules, putting your book and account at risk.
At BookMonty, we take compliance very seriously. Here are some of the main points we apply to help protect your account.
NO Review Swapping (Even Unintentional Ones)
Some clubs allow authors to review each other’s books, creating a risk of “review swaps,” which Amazon strictly forbids—even if they’re unintentional.
BookMonty’s safeguard: We use a “Chinese wall” system to ensure you’ll never be matched with an author who might end up reviewing your book in return. Books are assigned anonymously, and member dashboards are separated to prevent visibility into one another’s listings.
NO Review Guarantees
If a club promises that you’ll definitely get a set number of reviews, that’s a red flag. If they encourage readers to leave only three-star and above ratings, that's a red flag. Amazon discourages systems where reviews are expected or enforced, like transactions.
BookMonty’s safeguard: We offer no guarantees—just a fair system. You earn Hoots by reviewing, and you use them to request reviews from others. That’s it: no review quotas, no rating pressure, no manipulation.
NO Review Incentivization (Bonus Points, Extra Tokens, etc.)
Offering "bonus points" or "extra tokens" to encourage users to pick a book for review is a form of incentivization and violates Amazon’s review policies.
BookMonty’s safeguard: We do not have a way for authors to add “bonus points,” "extra tokens," or “extra Hoots” to boost a book’s visibility or review count. All book visibility in the Reading Library is organic and based on fairness, not bribery.
NO Tracking or Monitoring Review Behavior
Some platforms allow authors to monitor who has reviewed their book. This creates a sense of obligation (on the part of the reviewer) and undermines the authentic nature of Amazon reviews.
BookMonty’s safeguard: Reviewers are asked to submit a link to their review for verification purposes only. This link is visible to the BookMonty team, not to the author. Authors never see who reviewed their book. Anonymity is strictly maintained.
NO Pre-screening or Vetting Reviewers
Any system that allows you to pre-screen or filter who reviews your book crosses an ethical line—and likely violates Amazon’s review policies. Why? Because it gives authors the ability to indirectly influence reviews by controlling who gets to leave them.
Even if your intention is to find "serious" readers or fans of your genre, Amazon prioritizes fairness and neutrality in its review process. Selectively choosing readers undermines that and could put your book—and account—at risk.
BookMonty’s safeguard: Authors cannot vet or cherry-pick reviewers. We believe in honest, balanced feedback. It's what builds trust.
✋BookMonty’s Promise
We’re not just a review platform—we’re a compliance-first community. Our systems are designed to protect your account, your book, and your credibility. No shady swaps. No boosted placements. No manipulation.
When reviews are earned fairly, they mean something. And that's what your book deserves.