OnlineBookClub.org
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OnlineBookClub.org

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OnlineBookClub.org Reviews Summary

Positive Highlights

  • Pays reviewers fairly for honest book reviews.
  • Customer support responds quickly and resolves issues effectively.
  • Book of the Day promotions can significantly boost author sales.

Negative Highlights

  • Hidden fees for shelf ads may surprise authors.
  • Amazon review verification issues can lead to exclusion.
  • Some users find the review process stringent and time-consuming.
This summary is generated by AI, based on customer reviews from the past year

Most commonly discussed topics

The most helpful reviews behind these summaries

Oct 1, 2025

As a new reviewer but an eternal learner, Online Book Club gave me the opportunity to expand my knowledge in many ways and still get paid for it. I'm loving to be part of the team!

Mar 20, 2026

My experience at OnlineBookClub.org has been excellent. They are professionals who take pride in what they do. I purchased a level 4 package, which included priority messaging for the premium support. All my concerns were addressed within a very short time. This is my second time doing business with them, and I will surely return.

Dec 14, 2025

Thank you for reviewing my book. Following the reviewer's suggestions, I've fixed 19 errors. I would like to make a note about some comments in the review: "I don't think the front cover works very well, as it doesn't look like the person is really swimming". - This was done on purpose. A normal swimmer would put their head down into the water like every other swimming book out there. I want a good-looking book cover; therefore, the swimmer is looking toward the audience to better get the reader's attention. "and it seems incongruous that they are wearing clothes rather than swimming attire." - This was also done on purpose since the book was meant for global distribution. Some eastern cultures, where they are covered from head to foot, might find Western swimming attire inappropriate. Thank you again for your review.

Feb 16, 2026

Online book club will bend over backwards to make sure you're happy as the process unfolds. At least with the Lv 4 package anyways. I am very happy with the people there. The thing that saddens me is that there is a hidden fee of 'shelf ads' and others--that make or break your forum attempt. Even five-star reviews will only manage 'failed Facebook post' level of engagement. If you don't play the in-house advertising game, you don't get much. Simple as. If you have $1000 to play with, however,-- this is the BEST BOOK CLUB in town. The people are great, and there a 6 million members. 4/5 stars. It's a dog eat dog world.

Dec 12, 2025

I've been a member for some time now and have nothing but good things to say. They are good at responding to queries and pay fairly. The review process is pretty straightforward even after changes

Sep 2, 2025

I love reviewing books for Online Book Club. They are very systematic and professional. It's been great so far and I am eager to continue working with them.

Nov 8, 2025

I joined as a skeptic, but thought this would give me a push to read books in a relaxing manner as I used to do (instead of my technical information library). I chose a romance/historical fiction book, and read it whenever I had time to sit for a couple hours. I was confused on the website at first, but emails helped me find my way around and enabled me to complete the review. Reviews go through a stringent process, require a lot of work to accomplish, but give a sense of accomplishment when you are done. Highly recommended if you love reading and want to add the satisfaction of your view being recognized!

Feb 8, 2026

As I have pointed out to many friends and associates, it's a real "breath of fresh air" to be working with Online Book Club.org because very few companies are this responsive to their customers and to the public in general. Not only do they provide their email address, but they respond to emails within an hour. I have already highly recommended this company to a few authors I know. I look forward to having Online Book Club.org Review my "Yale's Hidden Treasures" book and to be associated with them.

Sep 11, 2025

My experience with OnlineBookClub.org has been good overall. The review process was professional, and I appreciated the feedback on my book. They even caught a small typo that I was able to correct, which shows how carefully they read through. I found the platform helpful for reaching readers and improving my work.

Feb 24, 2026

I really enjoy being associated with OnlineBookClub. Not only do I love the selection of books to read, but I also love being paid to read and review them. A side benefit to getting paid is that it is like taking a college course in grammar in an effort to write high-quality and professional reviews. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

Dec 10, 2025

There were a few technical issues with a review. But for the first time in years of dealing with numerous companies, THIS company, OnlineBookClub.org, is the only one that responded in absolute record time! They listened to my concern, and the promise of resolving the issue is at hand. It restores my hope that there are still companies that understand and care. Thank you so much!

Mar 7, 2026

I did the work of writing the genealogical books I felt called to write, and OnlineBookClub.org helped place them in the hands of readers who were genuinely looking for relatable, compelling stories like mine.

May 10, 2026

After several attempts at trying to describe an issue, Limpho came through with information which helped me fix a problem I didn't know I had. Thank you.

Sep 26, 2025

I am technically unable to do much advertising on Social Media. On line book club has been a blessing. We are now, between them and our own sales, approaching 700 books sold and/or downloaded. Our goal was 100. So we feel blessed. Thank you OLBC. Over half of the sales belong to you@

Mar 3, 2026

I have used Online Book Club a few times for my recent children's picture books - Nico, Teddy and Charlie. They have great reviewers who leave great reviews. Nico was Book of the Day in 2024 and received so many reviews I could barely keep up! Almost all my reviews have been 5 star, which is always nice. OBC are a great organisation - very professional, quick to respond to any queries (even on a Sunday!) and always helpful. I recommend them to any aspiring author, especially self-publishers.

Jul 20, 2026

Excellent service with a variety of options for indie Authors. I selected advertising and promo for Book of the Day on July 5th. As a result I became an Amazon best seller in my category. The team were so efficient and easy to work with and really understand how to support authors.

Jul 14, 2026

I was excluded without a valid reason. Over time, Amazon blocked my comments and required me to make €40 in purchases first. As a result, I am no longer able to validate my reviews on Amazon. I can still submit my reviews on OBC, but you refused to understand the situation and excluded me. This is unfair. You are treating everyone like liars because of a technical issue that is beyond our control.

Apr 10, 2026

I am so glad I found OnlineBookClub.org online and to be able to promote my book with them. What a wonderful service this is to authors and readers alike. Well done indeed!

Dec 3, 2025

I am glad to be part of this community. I love reading books, and now getting paid for doing what I love? Awesome! I just wish there were other payment options besides PayPal, but they do pay you for reading books and leaving honest reviews.

Mar 10, 2026

I've been a member for quite some time now and I only have great things to say about OnlineBookClub.org. There are some really great books to read here. I love it!

Jul 3, 2026

It was fun seeing the exposure my book got when it was book of the day. Sales were helpful and i truly believe that readers must see your /my book quite a few times to decide to buy and read. This experience helped a lot and I enjoyed it. If you want your book seen, this is a good plan! Recommend,

Sep 11, 2025

OnlineBookClub.org is simply exceptional. Such a place where you read uncountable books and have so many experiences following the author's narration, can only get better by being paid after talking about a book you were opportuned to come across in the first place. We have to give it up for Scott Hughes, AKA Eckhart Aurelius.

Dec 5, 2025

The review on my book was completed faster than I was explained it would be. The reviewer was very kind but. Also extremely honest. It was truly a pleasure to have my book reviewed by your team. Thank you!

Aug 2, 2026

Thanks to the Online Book Club Book of the Day promotion, my book became number one in its category on Amazon! And the funny thing is that wasn't even the best thing. I loved interacting with readers. Seeing their comment made the work worthwhile.

Jan 2, 2026

I have been with the Online Book Club for a few years. They say and do what they outline in their Guidelines. It took me a while to learn the ropes. It's great to enjoy a book, learn from it, and get paid for it as well!

Dec 21, 2025

I have been a book reviewer on the Online Book Club for over 2.5 years. I chanced upon this site looking for books to read. I ended up getting to read books of my liking, leave honest reviews, and make friends. The payment for the reviews is a bonus.

Jan 23, 2026

Dear Author Support Team, I was having trouble submitting my book, so I reached out to *******@inlinebookclub.org—and I cannot thank you enough for the incredible assistance you provided. You truly went above and beyond by going directly into Amazon to gather more information and help resolve the issue. Because of your dedication and support, my book is now live, being marketed, and officially in the review process. I am so grateful for your time, patience, and willingness to help. Thank you again for all that you do to support authors. With sincere appreciation, Terri Bartchak

Feb 10, 2026

Their eyes direct and right to the point about every feature they have available to you. They are not in the Support that is given in the forms of the other participants or whether they expect from you as a user of their brand.

Nov 5, 2025

We held a 'Book of the Day' event for my book 'Too Numb to Cry', a memoir. I had no experience, no writing courses but I just wrote and self published, but had no sales. I. did a lot of research and found onlinebookclub.org. They guided me, didn't tell me I had to have an editor first, and then we did this promotion. The results were amazing, 237 book orders in one day. At all times they were respectful. Emails were answered in a timely manner. They were fabulous.

Jun 21, 2026

Received a 5-star book review, but thought the review was not more than a good synopsis of the work. And a mention of one character the reviewer liked and one he wasn't crazy about. Nothing on the writing, story construction, or any thoughts on the quality of the writing. Past reviews gave me memorable quotes that I could use for marketing. This is not a review I can see using outside the Online Book Club.

Sep 22, 2025

If you are an author like me and are too embarrased to ask friends or family to leave a review on your book, online book club offers review packages. A gifted reader will critique your book. Be prepared to be open minded! The truth can hurt but guide you in the right direction.

Dec 24, 2025

I had lots of trouble when the day of my book of the day was fast approaching.The club handled my problems with kindness and soothing attention. They stayed with me as i fumbled with promoting my book on Amazon and dealt with a medical problem at the same time. Their instructions were clear and easy to follow and as a consequence i weathered the storm.

Feb 8, 2026

I am new to the OnlineBookClub. I have only submitted two reviews. I like the variety of books on offer to review, including children's books. I have read some of the official reviews and marvelled at how insightful they were and I have been impressed by the quality of writing. I shall continue to be involved.

Apr 15, 2026

I have read some really great books on here and have continued a few that I only read one book that was in the series. Get great help from the contact area.

Feb 6, 2026

I was guided and responded to rapidly and expertly when it came to getting two (2) very positive and comprehensive reviews (5 Stars each) over the past two years - and as a participant in the Book-of-the-Day (BOTD) program on January 20,2026. I am a novice in the publishing environment and needed their expert assistance along the way. I am forever grateful and now share my experience with others seeking and needing advice.

Aug 4, 2026

It was a 5-star experience working with OnlineBoolClub.org. There was excellent pre-day checklist that was easy to follow, and they so expertly put the ad for the book together. It was exciting to see how many people responded with great comments. In the process, you hear from new people, have a chance to respond to their comments, and make new friends to follow. Altogether, a great experience.

Jun 4, 2026

I completed my first book review the other day and got an email soon after that payment was sent. I'm onto my second book that I will review soon. It's easy to navigate the website and choose a book that looks interesting to you. Then they give you the timeline for when they want updates and guidelines for reviewing. The review process is easy and sometimes you need to post a shorter review on Amazon, and that's easy for me too. I'm having fun so far and even if I don't love every book, that's okay. It's all about the honest review.

Nov 29, 2025

An initial reviewer was decidedly the wrong person for my genre, and the work was reassigned, and the outcome was worth the wait. The review was honest and insightful.

Jul 5, 2026

I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but I just got paid for my first book review post for OnlineBookClub.org, and it was exactly what I expected and didn't take long at all, which was awesome. Now, let me be clear, I was only told to read the book (which was free) and give my 100% honest review on said book, and that was it. I wasn't told to specifically write a good or bad review, just to be honest and follow the guidelines set forth by them, which was super simple to follow. I'm very happy to have found this site and am now able to read books and get paid to do so right from the comfort of my own home, no strings attached. For a stay-at-home mother of 2 under 3years old, who loves to read, this makes a great side gig for me.

Aug 2, 2026

How stunned was I to see the notice that my book was number one in its category on Amazon! That was only possible because of the Online Book Review Book Of The Day Promotion! Great competent staff, great fun, and just what was necessary for this controversial book.

Apr 10, 2026

OnlineBookClub has opened up a whole new world of literature! With every new title, author and genre you grow more in love with the written word.

Oct 5, 2025

OnlineBookClub.org is a wonderful platform for both readers and authors. I really appreciate how structured and professional.

Oct 4, 2025

My book "Washing The Inside Of The Cup: My journey of walking in the Spirit" was book of the day on 09/17/2025. I received way more reviews than I was expecting which was very exciting to see/read. I would recommend Online Book Clubs book of the day for anyone wanting to promote their book.

Jun 26, 2026

I found that Online Book Club values good books and devotes considerable energy to promoting them. I have had several experiences with my books--a first and a second edition of LOVE, LUCK, AND NARCISSISM: WHEN POPULAR CULTURE GETS IT WRONG and have had very positive experiences with them. Geraldine K. Piorkowski, Ph. D.

Sep 10, 2025

Although I was out of the country at the time and unable to respond, OnlineBookClub.org kept me updated on the status of their book reviews.

Mar 14, 2026

What I love most about OnlineBookClub.org is the writing reviews and editing reviews. The best about this is that you get paid for doing it!

Jun 19, 2026

My mentor from the OBC, Nisha D'Souza, and the creator of the OnlineBookClub, Scott Hughes, put together an amazing campaign to support my book, INSIDE DREAMLANDS. Their purposeful descriptions of the poetry book and their creative designs using the cover helped a large and varied audience find and appreciate my work. They were also easy to deal with and helpful with any problems I had. They understand what goes into making a product successful and how to make everything better. All authors could benefit from their great expertise.

Mar 5, 2026

Online Book Club championed "CEREBRAL ERUPTION" by Fran Feavel Merkel. OBC increased Fran's voice by connecting her with engaged readers.

Aug 30, 2025

Excellent - I enjoyed engaging with the followers of OnlineBookClub.org who showed great sympathy to my story.

Mar 5, 2026

I was happy to be able to select the book I wanted with a good selection available.

Reviews

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4.8
Reviews 1,723
5 Stars
95%
4 Stars
4%
3 Stars
0%
2 Stars
0%
1 Star
1%

Texas
1 review
4 helpful votes
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I've been a member if the book club for about a year. I've won a gift card in their giveaways and I've watched as several novels have made the Amazon best sellers lists.
I was skeptical about using the club to promote my novels, but I'm going to use their services for my initial marketing in the next year

D L Turk

Date of experience: December 20, 2017
Texas
1 review
0 helpful votes
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Fantastic Book Review Site
December 22, 2017

Online Book Club is a great way to learn about new books and get a chance to review them. Scott Hughes and the administrative team are very helpful.

Date of experience: December 20, 2017
Minnesota
2 reviews
37 helpful votes
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I did not have a problem with OnlineBookClub.org when my book was first reviewed, as it received a good review and was given for "free," although I was a little miffed that I needed to buy a "promotion package" to get the review bumped up for quicker posting on the site.

But since the time my review was posted and I paid the nominal fee for entry, the site owner has escalated the costs of reviews (saying they are competing with Kirkus Reviews, which is, at best, a major stretch) as follows, which I thought might sway authors looking for a review site for their books:

For $ 297 you can get a review of your book in one month.
For $ 199 you can be interviewed for the website!
And you could spend thousands on reviews or other "promotion packages" if you wish! (Eg., a 3 month social media Book of the Month campaign for a mere $ 8600!)

Info from the website

Level 1 review - $97
Includes 1 week featured status
Entry into 2017 Book of the Year Contest!
Average turnaround: 4 mos

Level 2 review - $148
Includes 2 weeks featured status
Entry into 2017 Book of the Year Contest!
Average turnaround: 3 months

Level 3 Review - $197
Includes 1 month featured status
1 week homepage link to review
Entry into 2017 Book of the Year Contest!
Average turnaround: 2 months

Level 4 review - (best value) - $297
Includes 2 months featured status
2 week homepage link to review
Guaranteed to get one of a few top-level reviewers
Entry into 2017 Book of the Year Contest!
Average turnaround: 1 month

https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/authors/request-new-review.php

OnlineBookClub.org attempted to help this customer through the SmartCustomer Resolution Center, but the customer did not respond
Date of experience: August 3, 2017
Scott H. — OnlineBookClub.org Rep
over a year ago

Hi,

We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Please send me a message on Sitejabber with your order number or email address, and I will send you a refund. Alternatively, you can email me at:

[email protected]

Thank you,
Scott

Virginia
7 reviews
12 helpful votes
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Responded to complaint
July 31, 2017

This company is amazing at paying personal attention to their customers and helping them with all problems that arise.

Date of experience: July 31, 2017
Austria
1 review
2 helpful votes
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Great customer service
July 10, 2017

Overall a really amazing review site for indie writers, and the webmaster really goes out of his way to provide great support for users. Huge selection of books, too. Highly recommended!

Date of experience: July 10, 2017
Albania
1 review
1 helpful vote
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It is a fantastic site
May 29, 2017

Great to use and a fantastic place where you can find the latest titles and of course get free gifts!

Date of experience: May 27, 2017
Michigan
1 review
0 helpful votes
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I love Onlinebookclub.org. It's a way for me to connect with other readers and it's a way for me to find out about independent authors that I would never learn about otherwise due to my own schedule and routine. I've been active on the site for a little less than a year. The only negative experiences I have had have been when it takes an author longer than a week to reply to a review that I've submitted.

Interactions with the administrators have always been positive, I receive timely responses to any questions or concerns I have, and I enjoy the opportunity to learn about new books every day.

Date of experience: April 5, 2017
Texas
1 review
3 helpful votes
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Very happy there is a great review site
March 27, 2017

I use the reviews to help me decide what to resd next. So many choices so little time! I use our local library, Goodwill, used book stores... wherever I can buy or borrow books.

Date of experience: March 27, 2017
Minnesota
1 review
2 helpful votes
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Great place for book news!
March 27, 2017

I have been a member of OnlineBookClub.org for quite awhile and active in for about 6 months. There is always new books to look at and purchase for either free or a discounted price. Mr. Hughes is always professional and there if you need to ask him questions, plus he is always nice and prompt in helping in whatever I need.

The website is huge but there are a lot of resources to help maneuver around the site. It is amazing how many resources there are on the site and I love what was done to the website recently. There is so much to do on the website, reading reviews, and participating in forums to discuss a wide range of topics, mostly book related. The daily giveaway and the tweet reward programs are also another nice feature of the club. I look forward to visiting the site on a daily basis! Great job!

Date of experience: March 27, 2017
Kenya
1 review
4 helpful votes
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The book haven
March 27, 2017

As a reviewer i appreciate the OnlineBookClub because i get to discover authors all over the world, read books at discount prices, sometimes free and interact with booklovers like myself.

Date of experience: March 27, 2017
South Africa
1 review
4 helpful votes
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AWESOME
March 27, 2017

On Line Book Club is in a class of its own, not only does it get Authors into the spotlight and help generate sales... it also puts the reader into direct contact with new books and outstanding authors that are out there... grab a recommended book from OBC... you can't go wrong.

Date of experience: March 27, 2017
Texas
1 review
5 helpful votes
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A great resource
March 26, 2017

As an author, I like the site for the promotion it gives to books, especially the reviews. I have had two books reviewed and the reviewer did a good job with both.

As a reader, I appreciate getting daily notifications of bargain books to add to my bookshelves.

I have been a member of the Online Book Club for several years and have no plans of leaving.

Maryann Miller

Date of experience: March 26, 2017
Texas
2 reviews
2 helpful votes
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Best Book Club Ever!
March 26, 2017

I have had nothing but positive experiences with onlinebookclub.org, and Scott Hughes does an amazing job managing the club. As an author, we need a safe place to test our work. The reviewers for onlinebookclub.org are fair and knowledgeable. Scott ensures that every aspect of this club is run with respect and compassion, for both the authors and the readers. Whether you are an author, or an avid reader, if you are not a member now, join immediately! You won't regret it.

Date of experience: March 26, 2017
Canada
1 review
3 helpful votes
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A forum / location for book lovers
March 23, 2017

The site/forum has many different opportunities for both writers and readers alike. Through the "Review Team", book reviewers are given the opportunity to read up and coming books, for free (and sometimes for a monetary reward), in exchange for a comprehensive and honest review. On the flip side of this, authors are given the opportunity to have an honest review made of their book in order to either gain publicity for their work, or know what is required in order to make it better.

I have been a part of the "Review team" technically for about 4 years, but I have only been very active over the last few months. I have come to realise that OBC takes its reviews and its review team very seriously. Paid (especially higher paid) opportunities are not just given out to any available reviewer but rather earned through a system of reliability and carefully vetted prior reviews. Similarly, every effort to ensure that a review chooses a book that interests them is made and subsequently, that a quality review is written. In order to maintain access to these paid opportunities, the OBC tries to ensure that the member is an active participator in the myriad of forums.

As in any community, I'm sure there are members that try and take advantage of the system. Those that will put the minimum of effort in order to simply make a couple of dollars. This, however, will always remain the minority. Most of the community are dedicated readers who have always grown up with that passion. For these people, using the OBC to discover new authors/books, read brand-new fiction/non-fiction, and potentially help a budding author get their first steps, is what this site is all about.

I will continue to participate in this site as long as it exists as a reviewer and have already suggested this site to family members of mine.

Date of experience: March 23, 2017
California
1 review
3 helpful votes
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So glad I joined!
March 23, 2017

This is definitely a 100% legitimate site! It's really allowed me to immerse myself into the community and the reviews are unbiased and constructive, especially since there is no contact between the reviewer and the writer, so the review is based solely on the book. OnlineBookClub.org is a great place to earn a little bit of money, and after using it for so long, it's become a website I visit every single day.

Date of experience: March 23, 2017
North Carolina
1 review
2 helpful votes
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Great experience since joining!
March 23, 2017

I have been a member of OBC since July 2016. I am an educator, avid reader, and a writer. This site is perfect for exploring these interests. I became a member to be part of a community of people who share a common interest. I began filling my "bookshelves" and tracking my progress toward my reading goals. I started reading the book of the month and participating in online discussions regarding the impressions, feelings, themes and other interesting aspects of the books that were being read. Since joining, I have been in contact and discussion with at least four authors of the BOTM. For a reader, having contact with the author is an amazing experience for me. I have also become a part of the review team. I have been able to choose books in the genres that I love including romance, erotic fiction, science fiction and fantasy, and I have been able to write reviews of these books. The lowest I have rated a book is 3 out of 4 stars. My experience as a reviewer has been personally challenging since I want to provide others with a genuine review that is entertaining, enlightening, and not "cookie cutter" as described by another poster on this site. My reviews are a reflection of my own talents as a writer and, therefore, I give it my all. Other reviewers on the site also take this role very seriously. Books and stories and the authors that create them are a gift to the reader. I, as the reviewer, want to share that gift with others. By providing an honest and fair review, I am providing a service to other readers not to mention the service to the author. Overall, I love OBC. I have found a niche that fits who I am as an educator, reader, and writer. I hope that others give the site a try!

Date of experience: March 22, 2017
Philippines
1 review
4 helpful votes
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Honest book reviews
March 23, 2017

Ive been with OBC for over a year and Im happy to be a part of it. Im proud of what we do, that is writing honest book reviews, not necessarily positive ones. Just like in everything else, we have personal preferences that affect our opinions on particular books. We rate books as objectively as we can and we express criticisms as constructively and as politely as we can with all due respect to the authors. We only give honest opinions and offer suggestions based on what we feel about the book.

Date of experience: March 22, 2017
Washington
1 review
2 helpful votes
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Glad I found OBC
March 25, 2017

I've been a lover of literature all my life and an OBC reviewer for almost two years now. I initially waited before participating because I wanted to be clear on all the rules, FAQs, and get more feedback about the site from other users. After doing so, once I started participating in book discussions and adding books I've read to my shelves, I started to enjoy myself.

It's hard work writing quality book reviews, and being an OBC member serves as a good challenge for me as a reviewer. I understand that my OBC reviews are only for posting on the OBC site, which is a little different for someone who regularly cross-posts her non-OBC reviews. However, directing fellow readers over to my OBC reviews via social media (and sometimes my blog) has been a pretty good way for me to share about books I've found on the site.

Although I've not always gotten the most timely response when I've submitted an error report on the site, I do appreciate the site's latest updates. It's even easier now for me to select books in the genres I prefer, and even then, if I find I'm not enjoying a book I selected, I can opt out of reading it and go back to select something else. While, naturally, some books have disappointed me or simply haven't been my favorites, I've also found some superbly-written novels and memoirs with powerful messages on the site, books that I likely wouldn't have known about otherwise.

Date of experience: March 22, 2017
Canada
1 review
2 helpful votes
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Great site
March 23, 2017

I am a member of this site as a reader and reviewer. My experience has been nothing but positive. There are lots of book discussions not only about books that are officially reviewed on the site but other books too. As a reviewer, I'm able to select books based on genre, book synopsis and author bio. This allows me to ignore books that I know I wouldn't enjoy and give an honest review. Honesty in reviews is encouraged. The review system is transparent and easy to understand. I have always been paid promptly and exactly with no issue. I'm not an overly active poster and don't participate in all of the social media bonus point activities but I'm still able to get paid for reviews. It's a small amount but it was very clear up front that reviews pay in the range of $5 to $80 per review. This is accurate in my experience. I do it for the love of reading and exposure to books I wouldn't otherwise get to read. Hopefully I get to help out an author by providing a little bit of exposure. Love the site and everything seems up front to me.

Date of experience: March 22, 2017
Indiana
1 review
10 helpful votes
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As a reviewer...
March 22, 2017

Looking over some of the reviews here it seems that reviewers have a high rating for OBC, while authors have a lesser view. I have never tried to engage with OBC as an author, so I cannot speak to that system or process. I can speak to my personal experience as a reviewer and what that looks like (at least for me).

I am not an indie writer or author of any kind. I am an avid reader and fairly decent essay writer. I joined OBC because it gave me a chance to read new books and provide feedback on them. In the beginning, I couldn't even get paid reviews. Every review I completed was for free. As I established my name as a reliable, quality reviewer, I earned paying opportunities.

Free or paid, the process is the same:
First, I look at a list of opportunities. This list gives basic information about each opportunity including, title, author, genre, and payout. I am able to click on opportunities to learn more about the book, like a plot summary, and any other specifics. Based on my reading preferences, I select a book that I think I would enjoy reading. We are discouraged from selecting books outside of our normal preferences. However, there is no system in place that says that I am "qualified" to review one genre over the other.
Once I have selected and downloaded the book, I am given up to approx. 1 month to read the book and write my review. My written review is submitted to the review team for approval. At least one other editor reads my review and grades it. If it meets their expectations, it is approved and posted. For paid reviews, I am also required to submit a paragraph about my opinion of the ending of the book. I also take this opportunity to leave personal feedback to the author that is more than I can put in the review. Once the author has seen my feedback (not my review), my review is accepted and I receive payment.

In regards to the content of the review, we have a 4 star rating system. We have been directed that a book that lacks editing (i. E. contains grammatical errors, typos, technical errors, etc.) generally should not get 4 stars. Outside of that, the star rating is based on the writing style, plot, character development, etc. As with all rating systems, this is somewhat subjective. We are not allowed to detract points simply because we did not like the story (again why we are encouraged to select books within our genre). I have read and reviewed multiple books within my genre that I did not like, but still gave high reviews to because there was nothing wrong with the book, I just didn't like it.

I do not participate in the Book of the Day promotion, so I can't speak to getting compensation for purchasing and reviewing the selected book each day. I do not get Amazon gift cards for reviews or any other perks. I have always assumed the payout for reviewing a given book was set by the author, but I really have no idea how that process works.

For reviewers: I think OBC is a great place to go to earn a little extra cash and to read some really great (and not so great) books.
For authors: I really don't know what your experience is like, so I can't say if it is the best place to go to have your book reviewed or the worst place to go.

Date of experience: March 22, 2017