A few days ago, my KDP account was suspended for alleged review manipulation. Since I spent a lot of time searching for similar experiences while going through it, I thought I'd share what happened and how the situation was eventually resolved. On June 13, I received an email from Amazon stating that my KDP account had been suspended because they had detected attempts to manipulate customer reviews. The email asked for detailed information about any methods used to obtain reviews, third parties involved, customer accounts, documentation, and corrective actions. At that point, Amazon did not mention any specific book. The suspension was account-wide. Naturally, I panicked. Like many people would, I started looking for answers everywhere. I analyzed sales patterns, review history, previous account alerts, and every possible explanation I could think of. The more I searched, the more confused I became. During this process, @Adriano Ferrigno helped me in every step of the way. He reviewed the case, analyzed Amazon's responses, and drafted each appeal that was submitted. I provided the underlying information and documentation, while he helped organize everything into clear responses and guided me through the process as the case evolved. I submitted my first appeal along with supporting screenshots and explanations of the promotional methods I had used. A couple of days later, Amazon replied. They still did not provide much detail, but they finally identified a specific ASIN that was under review. I then sent additional information related to that title, including documentation and a more detailed explanation of the promotional activities connected to it. Amazon responded again with what was essentially the same request for information. At that point, I provided an even more structured response, answered every question as clearly as possible, attached supporting documents again, and explained the steps I would take going forward. On June 21, Amazon reinstated my KDP account.

One thing that surprises many new authors is that getting book reviews on Amazon is NOT just about asking people to leave reviews. Amazon heavily monitors reviews, and if something looks suspicious, the review can get rejected or removed. Here are some book review best practices: ⭐ Don’t leave a review the same day you buy the book: If someone purchases your book and immediately leaves a review within minutes or hours, it can look suspicious to Amazon. It’s better to wait at least 5+ days after purchasing before leaving a review. ⭐ Reviews can take time to appear: Some reviews show up quickly, while others can take several days to process. If a review disappears or never posts, Amazon may have flagged it. Sometimes the reviewer can edit and resubmit the review to get it approved. ⭐ Don’t use AI-generated reviews: Amazon has become much stricter about detecting fake or low-quality reviews. AI-written reviews are more likely to get filtered out or rejected. Encourage readers to write honest reviews in their own natural voice. ⭐ Avoid asking people in your household to review your book: People sharing the same address, Wi-Fi network, payment methods, or Amazon Household connections can trigger review issues. Even legitimate reviews may get removed. ⭐ Don’t do review swaps with other authors: “You review mine and I’ll review yours” violates Amazon’s review policies and can put both accounts at risk. Amazon monitors suspicious reviewing patterns between accounts. ⭐ Verified purchase reviews usually carry more weight: A review from someone who actually purchased the book through Amazon tends to look more trustworthy than a non-verified review. ⭐ Short reviews are completely okay: A review does NOT need to be long to be helpful. Even 1–3 honest sentences can make a difference. ⭐ Avoid overly promotional wording: Reviews that sound like advertisements can sometimes get flagged. Genuine reader experiences tend to perform best. ⭐ Focus on getting REAL readers: The best reviews come from people who genuinely wanted the book in the first place. This is why building an audience and targeting the right readers matters so much.

One of the biggest challenges most authors face isn’t writing the book… it’s getting reviews on it. And if you’ve ever tried, you already know....it’s not easy. It usually looks like: Reaching out to people one by one… Following up (multiple times)… Hoping they actually read your book… And then still ending up with little to show for it I’ve been there more times than I can count. It tests your patience REAL quick. But I will say… it does work if you stay consistent. ➡️ That said, there is an easier way. If you want to speed things up, I recommend checking out BookVillage. It’s a platform built specifically to help authors get legitimate book reviews by connecting you with real readers who are actually interested in your type of book. Instead of chasing people down, you’re putting your book in front of readers who are already there to review books. Here’s why I like it: - You get access to a network of active readers - It removes a lot of the manual outreach - It helps you build early traction faster (which Amazon loves) 🎉 TRY BOOKVILLAGE TODAY! 🚀 And right now, you can test it out with a free trial + discount, which makes it a no-brainer to at least try. If getting reviews has been slowing you down, this could save you a LOT of time and frustration. Pro Tip: Don’t rely on just one method. Use platforms like this, plus your own outreach (email list, social, community, etc.), to stack reviews faster. If you’ve struggled with reviews before, drop a comment...I want to hear what’s been the hardest part for you 👇

Have you guys ever hear of GoodNightReads? https://goodnightreads.co/reader-info-referred-by?recordId=recoqEeNlxIgMbV94 That is my referral link. It simply gives you readers who review your book in exchange for you reading other books. It’s kind of like a barter system and no money is exchanged! By clicking on my referral, I’ll receive credits for more books to be read! Here is an example of a review I recently received! And reviewers will often share it to Goodreads as well!

I want to make this community as valuable as possible for you—not just the classroom, but everything happening inside this group too. So I’d love to hear from you… What are you currently stuck on, struggling with, or wishing you had more support around that you’re NOT already getting from the classroom? It could be anything like: - Getting your book idea nailed down - Actually finishing your manuscript - Covers, formatting, or publishing steps - Keywords, categories, or getting your book seen - Marketing, ads, or generating sales - Turning your book into more income streams Or something totally different. Drop it in the comments 👇I’m reading everything...and I’ll use your feedback to shape future trainings, workshops, and support inside this community.