Tag: Netgalley

Scams Against Indie Authors Are On The Rise–Protect Yourself.

BonnieReadsAndWrites15 Comments
An image that says Fraud Alert with a Gavel next to it. This is an alert about Scams Against Indie Authors

Watch out for scams against Indie authors! I have been getting a lot of emails lately from “book review teams” and “book marketers” about what a genius writer I am and how their “review team” can help make my book a best-seller. The catch: I haven’t published a book! So it was easy for me to spot the scam, but it’s not always so easy for published authors. Here is some help below:

Indie authors have long been targets for scams, but the rise of AI tools has made these frauds more personalized, professional-looking, and harder to spot. Scammers use AI to scrape data from Amazon listings, author websites, social media, and Goodreads to create author-specific pitches, generate convincing emails, and show fake reviews, phony staff photos/testimonials, and even fake websites. These scams exploit authors’ dreams, often collecting upfront fees in the thousands while delivering nothing—or worse, damaging reputations.

Top Scams Against Indie Authors

  1. Fake Book Marketing and Promotion Services (Scams Against Indie Authors)
    Scammers send glowing, AI-generated emails praising your book (often quoting your own blurb back at you) and promising massive exposure: BookBub features, Goodreads promotions, social media blasts, newsletter swaps, podcast interviews, or “Amazon optimization.” They charge hundreds or thousands upfront but deliver fake engagement (e.g., bot reviews that violate platform rules) or nothing at all. These have exploded in 2024–2025, with authors reporting daily spam.
  2. Bogus Publishing or Vanity Press Offers
    False companies (e.g., networks like Melbourne Book Publisher, Aussie Book Publisher, or First Page Press) pose as legitimate publishers with polished websites featuring AI-generated staff photos, fake testimonials (sometimes stealing real authors’ images/names), and cloned book catalogs. They charge for “hybrid” publishing, editing, or distribution but provide substandard (or no) services. Recent global operations in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand have used virtual offices and AI-altered imagery to appear credible.
  3. Book Club or Interview Scams
    Emails from “book club members” or “podcast hosts” gush about loving your book and invite you to join a discussion—for a fee (e.g., $500–$2,000 to “cover costs” or reach thousands of readers). The clubs are fake, often with AI-generated profiles and Discord servers full of bots.
  4. Book Review Teams, Private Reader Communities, or Private Review Groups: The scammer contacts you personally, often impersonating a real author, marketer, or curator of a “private community” of avid readers (e.g., “2,000+ book devourers”). They offer to share your book with their “team” or “club” for reviews, sometimes inviting you to a Discord server or group chat where fake members chime in with enthusiasm. There’s a fee—often $20–$50 per review, or hundreds/thousands upfront for a batch (e.g., 40–100 reviews). Payment is requested via wire transfer, Upwork, PayPal, or other hard-to-reverse methods. Once paid, you get nothing (they ghost you), or they post a few low-quality/AI-generated reviews that Amazon quickly detects and removes as fake. In worse cases, they pressure you for more money or threaten negative reviews if you don’t pay. This is a variation of broader marketing scams, often traced to organized groups (including in Nigeria or the Philippines) using AI to personalize pitches and generate fake content. It’s exploded in recent years because indie authors need reviews to boost visibility and sales on Amazon.
  5. Deceptive Freelance Services (Editing, Covers, etc.)
    Some “editors,” “designers,” or “ghostwriters” advertise human work but secretly use AI tools, delivering low-quality results while charging premium rates. Others falsely accuse legitimate authors of using AI to extort or harass.
  6. Related Threats (Indirect Scams on Authors)
    AI enables mass plagiarism: scammers paraphrase your book slightly and republish it under fake names, or flood Amazon with AI-generated “summaries/biographies” to steal sales. This crowds discoverability and can lead to wrongful AI accusations against real authors.
  7. The Famous Author Scam: You’ve probably seen it: Suddenly, a “famous author” like Liane Moriarty, Colleen Hoover, or another bestseller starts following you on social media. Then comes the friend request, a glowing comment, or a DM saying something like, “I loved your book!” or “Tell me about your writing journey…”But here’s the catch: It’s almost always a fake account run by scammers (often the same Nigerian groups behind those personalized marketing emails we talked about before). They use the real author’s photo, copy old posts, and sometimes even AI to make it look legit. The goal? Build trust super fast, then either: Refer you to their “amazing” book marketer or agent (who charges thousands upfront for fake services like bot followers, phony promotions, or worthless “email blasts”) or Offer to promote your book themselves—to their huge audience—for a fee. Or they might pivot to other scams, like fake reviews, book club invites, or even investment schemes. The Writer Beware Blog has a great article on this, and I encourage you to check it out.

Why Indie Authors Are Prime Targets: Self-publishing means handling your own marketing and services, so authors often seek help—and scammers know this. AI lowers the barrier: bad actors can automate personalized spam at scale, making old generic scams (e.g., Nigerian-style emails) look sophisticated.

How to Protect Yourself

  • Unsolicited offers asking for money upfront? Almost always a scam. Legitimate agents, publishers, or promoters don’t cold-email demanding payment.
  • Verify everything: Reverse-image search photos, check Writer Beware, the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) watchdog directory, or Reedsy. Google the exact email text—scams often reuse templates.
  • Too much flattery or guarantees? Red flag. No one can promise bestseller status or specific reviews.
  • Use trusted resources: For marketing/services, stick to vetted providers (e.g., Reedsy, ALLi-approved). Report scams to Amazon, FTC, or your local authority.
  • Stay informed: Follow blogs like Anne R. Allen, or Writer Beware because new scams pop up all the time.

Not All Paid Reviews Are Scams

  1. Reputable paid editorial reviews (disclosed as paid, often used for blurbs or your book’s Amazon “Editorial Reviews” section): Kirkus Indie, Foreword Clarion, Publishers Weekly BookLife, or Midwest Book Review. These cost $200–$500+, provide honest critiques (can be negative), and carry weight with readers/libraries.
  2. Free or mid to low-cost ARC (Advance Reader Copy) services: Platforms like NetGalley, Booksprout, StoryOrigin, Hidden Gems, or BookSirens distribute your book to real readers/bloggers in exchange for honest reviews—no guarantees, no payment to reviewers.
  3. Organic methods: Build a mailing list, offer free promo days on Amazon, join reader groups on Goodreads/Reddit/Facebook, or reach out to book bloggers directly.
  4. Always be wary of unsolicited offers, especially if they sound too good (e.g., “guaranteed” reviews or bulk from a “team”). Check resources like Writer Beware for the latest alerts—they’ve documented these review team scams extensively. If something feels off, delete and move on—your book deserves real readers, not scammers’ empty promises!

I know Netgalley can be more pricey. I would recommend BookSirens as a low-cost option with good results. I am a reviewer for both of them. I haven’t personally checked out BookSprout, Hidden Gems, or StoryOrigin, so if any of you have, please comment below with your experience.

**I got some of the information regarding scams against Indie Authors from Grok AI. (AI is not all bad and can be helpful if used in the right way).

My reviews are free of charge and voluntary. See my Review Request Policy here.

Sunday Post: Snowed In

BonnieReadsAndWrites17 Comments

Thank you to The Caffeinated Book Reviewer for hosting Sunday Post.

We got between 3 and 4 inches of snow this weekend. Since we live on a gravel road, we’re basically snowed in, but Doug’s out there snow blowing because we are headed to Johnson City tomorrow to close on our house there! I’ll be so glad when that is finished.

Last week I reviewed Miranda Fights by Gail Ward Olmsted and participated in WWW Wednesdays.

Next week I will review Find Me in the Stars by Jules Larimore, Saving Madonna by Kate Bristow, and possibly other books.

BOOK HAUL

I have really stopped requesting so many books on Netgalley. A lot of books come to me via The Historical Novel Society, such as the three below: The Four Queens of Crime, The Socialite’s Guide to Sleuthing and Secrets, and A Lady Would Know Better. These are unedited pictures of the books next to me on my desk. I changed lamps recently, so the green lamp is the most recent.

I also got a wish granted on Netgalley, which is rare, so I’ll be reading The Crime Brulee Bake Off by Rebecca Connolly.

My Netgalley shelf is down to 16, which is low for me, and some of them aren’t due until May and June. I plan to keep the shelf to less than 10 going forward.

How was your week?

Two Mystery Reviews: The Curse of Penryth Hall and Coconut Drop Dead

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL

When rare book dealer Ruby Vaughn is sent to Penryth Hall to deliver some books, she knows she is visiting her past and a place to which she never wanted to return. What she didn’t expect was a friend in trouble and a string of mysterious deaths linked to an ancient Cornish curse. She also didn’t expect to be the focus of interest surrounding one of those deaths.

This book has a great premise, and the look at old Cornish beliefs and customs is very interesting. I learned about the “pellar,” a wizard of sorts who is a local healer and breaker of spells. I love the magical realism aspect, and this book is a treasure trove of Cornish folklore. The mystery is intriguing with lots of clever twists. I definitely felt transported to Cornwall at that time.

However, overall it is way too cryptic and confusing at times. Ruby keeps her cards so close to the vest, even with the reader, that I didn’t really feel I knew her well enough at all.

I also listened to the audiobook. The audiobook narrator does a great job of capturing the time period and Cornish beliefs in her portrayal of the characters, and she absolutely lifts this book up with her performance.

With 3 stars for the book and 4 stars for the audiobook, my rating is 3.5 stars, rounded up to four on sites with no half-star option

I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo

COCONUT DROP DEAD

Things are busy at Spice Isle Bakery. It’s the annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival and the bakery is participating as a vendor. Owner Lyndsay Murray is looking forward to the festival, the customers, and the music. But then tragedy strikes when Camille, a well-known singer of a reggae band, dies suspiciously. It is soon confirmed that she’s been murdered. Despite getting ready for the festival, Lyndsay is also looking into the murder because her cousin Manny was dating Camille and could be a suspect.

This is a fun cozy starring the Murray family and their very outspoken customers. It is great fun to watch as every aspect of the case is discussed in detail at the bakery counter, whether Lyndsay wants to talk about it or not. The book is also filled with delicious descriptions of wonderfully spicy baked goods and a tempting recipe at the end. The mystery is interesting, even if it is not too hard to figure out. The special treats in this series are the family, their wonderful community of customers, and the way they interact with each other.

I also listened to the audiobook. The narrator, Janina Edwards, did a great job, and the specific accents are portrayed authentically. Edwards manages to convey the strong sense of community very well.

I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and Dreamscape Media via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo

For New And Indie Authors: Helpful Information I’ve Learned While Reviewing Books So Far

BonnieReadsAndWrites26 Comments

I started doing Netgalley book reviews in October of 2019 and I’ve been reviewing off and on on Goodreads since about 2014. I’ve put up about 220 reviews on Netgalley and almost 400 on Goodreads. I have learned some things that may be helpful, especially to new or Indie authors. These observations are just my opinion based on what I’ve seen after 200 plus reviews, but I hope they can be of help to authors. Please let me know your opinions or additional hints in the comments below

  1. THE COVER MATTERS:
A Great Cover

I have seen great books with obviously homemade covers. One cover I saw looked like it was home-drawn in pencil, and the erasures were visible. This is a shame because the book was great and I gave it five stars. When a reader is scrolling through millions of books on Kindle or Kindle Unlimited, the cover needs to stand out. Above is my opinion of an eye-catching cover. It’s interesting, colorful, and it gives you an idea of what to expect in the book. This would stop my scrolling and make me want to check the book out. A poor cover is not going to draw anyone to your book, and it is more than likely that very few people will see it. In my opinion, a professional graphic artist/designer is needed and should be part of your marketing budget. Nowadays, not only is a great cover very important, but many authors are adding animated covers and book trailers. Here is a great article on how to animate your own book cover: https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/2021/01/18/how-to-animate-your-book-cover/

A noticeable cover is necessary and can pay for itself eventually in added sales.

2. KINDLE UNLIMITED:

There are some advantages to using Kindle Unlimited, especially if you are a new or self-published author. Millions of readers have the opportunity to borrow your book for free. Some of them will hopefully post reviews, and then you can make the decision as to when to take it off KU and start charging for it later. The biggest advantage I’ve noticed for myself as a reviewer is that since I have Kindle Unlimited, I can pick your book up for free on my own without having to receive a free copy from you. For those who aren’t aware, if a reviewer receives a free copy of a book for review, they are required by law to say that they received a free copy, who they received it from, and add the fact that their review is voluntary. Amazon has recently been blocking reviews of books received directly from the author, so I don’t usually accept books directly from the author anymore. I prefer they come from a third party such as Netgalley, Booksirens, or other sites, or an agent or publisher, or I get them myself on Kindle Unlimited if they are available.

3. GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA NOW:

I’ve reviewed books for several new authors who have little to no social media following. If you’re reading this and you have plans to write a book, get on social media now. Start a blog and get on Goodreads, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other sites, and start making connections now. Don’t wait until your book is done to try and get a following. I saw an author post recently that they were turned down by an agent because they did not have a large enough social media following. Start taking care of that now. When I started, I had no idea how to create a blog, but about 30 minutes on Youtube was enough of an education to get started on WordPress, and I’m still learning. #Bookstagram on Instagram is a big deal. As I type this, there are 56 million posts on Instagram with the #Bookstagram hashtag. That’s a lot of visibility. Twitter has a large writing community as well. There are thousands of book review blogs on WordPress, including mine. Join us and review books while you share your life, your other hobbies, and your writing progress, and get some followers before you publish. Get your followers to fall in love with your book even before you publish it. One of my favorite authors, Jodi Taylor, started out as self published (at the age of 60), created a huge Facebook following, and is now a best-selling author with a major publisher. If video is your thing or you have a natural gift for speaking, start a Youtube channel or a podcast. The most important thing is to GET OUT THERE NOW. Don’t wait until your book is finished. *I’ve just read elsewhere that this is a sensitive topic, and I don’t mean to upset anyone, but this is the age of social media and as an indie author, you will need to market your own books, and having a social media following will help.

4. THINK ABOUT BLOGGING TOURS:

There are several tour companies out there who will put your new book content out on many blogs that agree to be “hosts,” so that all of the blog’s subscribers get to see your cover, a description, and anything else you want, including reviews and book trailers. They are a great way to spread the news about your book. I have done several promos for R&R Book Tours and RABT Book Tours, but there are many others.

5. BOOKSIRENS:

A lot of people know about Netgalley, but Booksirens is another service that will provide reviewers for your book, and from what I hear it’s less expensive than some of the others. Please correct me in the comments if I’m wrong about that. They also provide very detailed statistics for each reviewer so the author can know more about the person who is reviewing their book. My statistics are shared if you click on the widget below:

Bonnie's Profile

6. BETA READERS:

Some authors enlist some volunteer beta readers to help them do initial reviews of their drafts. This can be helpful in finding typos and providing initial reactions to the book. If you have created a social media following, getting volunteer beta readers will be easy.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON THESE TOPICS AND ANY OTHER HELPFUL HINTS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION.

The Edge of Belonging

BonnieReadsAndWritesLeave a comment

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox is a multi-timeline novel set mostly in Tennessee. It shifts from 1994 to 1998-1999, and back to Present Day. 

In 1994, Harvey, homeless and living by the highway, finds an abandoned baby girl. He connects with her immediately, trying to care for her in his lean-to by the side of the road. Abandoned as a boy, he hopes to make a family with this lost little girl.

In the Present Day, Ivy, who is in an abusive relationship with a controlling fiance, returns home to Tennessee to settle her grandmother’s estate. Her grandmother has left her a message and pointed her to a journal which will explain more about her adoption. With the help of her friend Reese, she starts to try and find out more about the first three months of her life.

The beauty of this book lies in the simple message of family and what constitutes a family. Ivy’s family has always been her parents, her grandmother, and her Uncle Vee. But who are they really? 

This book also hits some hard issues. It looks at domestic abuse, sex trafficking, drug abuse, the foster care system, and PTSD. It shows how important it is to love each other, and how love can transform a life. And it shows how God answers prayers, but not always in the way you would expect. 

The Edge of Belonging is well written and hard to put down. The characters are so well developed that they will permanently touch your heart. The message of hope amid sorrow and tragedy abounds through the book. I highly recommend this to anyone who has experienced loss, or anyone who just wants to read a well written novel. 

I received a free copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. My review is voluntary. 

Link to the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Belonging-Amanda-Cox-ebook/dp/B087RTNSCY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+edge+of+belonging&qid=1601807858&sr=8-1

Link to the Author’s Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-Cox/e/B084T7XPS5?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

Link to my Goodreads Review (Please like it on Goodreads if you are so inclined):

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3579134790?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

An Ivy Hill Christmas

BonnieReadsAndWritesLeave a comment

My review of An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen

Richard Brockwell is a careless playboy content to live off of his family’s money in London. But it is Christmas season, 1822, and his mother has summoned him. He is to come home for Christmas or his funds will be cut off. Left with no choice, Richard heads for Ivy Hill. Before, during, and after his journey, a dog, a boy, and a beautiful woman threaten to open up his cold heart. Will God do the rest?

I loved this beautiful story of redemption, charity, and second chances. . This wonderful novella will speak to anyone who has struggled with forgiveness and anyone who has longed for a chance to right old wrongs. The characters are well written and memorable, especially Richard, Arabella, and the boy Jamie. And let’s not forget Wally!

It was fun to read about and join in the Christmas celebrations from 1800’s England, and there was even a recipe at the end of the book.

This is actually my first visit to Ivy Hill, but it won’t be the last. I plan to go back and catch up on Julie Klassen’s “Tales From Ivy Hill” series.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

Buy book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ivy-Hill-Christmas-Tales-Novella-ebook/dp/B0821PWW1B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SI2MXB7Y5KEQ&dchild=1&keywords=an+ivy+hill+christmas+julie+klassen&qid=1601571685&sprefix=An+Ivy+Hill+Christmas%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1

Julie Klassen’s Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Klassen/e/B001JS6J70/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

My review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3572850187?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1