Offer Author (Disappointed by AI Review) an Authentic Alternative
The person who wrote the Reddit post 1kxyu0g (titled "BookLife gave me an AI review") is pretty upset about getting a seemingly AI-generated, unhelpful review from BookLife. They paid for a pre-publication review, hoping for some quotable material, but ended up with generic content.
This situation opens up a few possibilities if you offer:
- A genuine, human-powered book review service.
- An AI detection tool for texts, specifically for authors.
- A platform or community that supports authentic author services and ethical practices.
Potential Collaborator: The author of the Reddit post 1kxyu0g.
Cooperation Suggestions:
- Offer them a complimentary or heavily discounted genuine human review of their book. This way, they can compare it to the BookLife review.
- If you have an AI detection tool, give them free access to test it on the review they received from BookLife.
- Invite them to be featured in a case study or blog post (with their permission) on your platform, discussing their experience with AI reviews and the importance of authentic feedback. This could highlight your service as a solution.
- Ask them to beta test your new service/tool if it's relevant to their issue.
Expected Benefits:
- Directly addresses the user's specific and acute pain point: This makes them highly receptive to a solution.
- High potential for a strong testimonial or comparative review: If your service delivers, they are likely to share their positive experience, especially given their prior negative one. This can be very persuasive for other authors.
- Authentic user-generated content: A case study or review from this author would be credible and relatable.
- Goodwill and brand building: Solving a genuine problem for an author can build significant goodwill and position your brand as trustworthy and author-centric.
- Feedback for your service/tool: Their experience can provide valuable insights for improving your offering.
Origin Reddit Post
r/selfpublish
BookLife gave me an AI review
Posted by u/they_have_no_bullets•05/29/2025
I paid for a pre publication review from BookLife, expecting to get a "quotable review" for my cover.
The review I got is clearly AI generated...it doesn't say anything negative nor anything
Top Comments
u/ectopistesrenatus
I mean, sure, it's possible. But the reviews are pretty flavorless all the time, so what sounds like AI might just be the formulaic nature of them, I meant. And most reviewers are doing like
u/Forestpilgrim
I got some excellent Editorial Reviews from the Midwest Book Review and the Wishing Shelf. (re: people posting that all paid reviews are scams -- many are, but not all.)
And I agree, you sho
u/A1Protocol
Netgalley is a cesspool that caters to trad pub while letting the trolls loose on Indies (yes, you can limit their access to your title but that defeats the purpose).
Booksirens and personal
u/Insecure_Egomaniac
Though I use BookFunnel, I wouldn’t include NetGalley, as they are known to support ARCs.
u/BurbagePress
>I paid for a pre publication review
That was a mistake. You can provide review copies, but pay-to-play is a sucker's game. You got scammed out of money, but also what does that say to yo
u/CupApprehensive6695
Booksirens. You can use it for ARCs but they also have a list of reviewers that you can search for your genre and it lists reviewers and if they charge for reviews.
I contacted about 30 b
u/Forestpilgrim
I got some excellent Editorial Reviews from the Midwest Book Review and the Wishing Shelf. (re: people posting that all paid reviews are scams -- many are, but not all.)
And I agree, you sho
u/Inevitable_Income167
What would be sites you would recommend checking out instead?
u/juliette_carter
So true! And those messages! (influencers , reviewers -> just 30$ /review now 🙈)
u/Meizas
NEVER pay for reviews. They're scams.
u/Zozorrr
Yea - also Kirkus (which existed long before ebooks and self-publishing) and lovereading(UK) give real paid reviews by qualified people in the genre. Both of these sites will give honest revi
u/SillyCowO
Don’t pay for reviews, period. You can seek out arc readers for reviews, but paying for reviews will never give you a result that helps
u/Kaurifish
And I suspect it’s genre-specific. I’ve gotten good, obviously organic Booksprouts reviews for my Regency romances, but my Regency horror got suspiciously generic, possibly AI-gen reviews.
u/feliciates
I'd demand my money back. Give it a try
u/ectopistesrenatus
Having reviewed for Booklife (but not recently), I world be very surprised if it's AI generated. They do, however, follow a pretty strict formula--have you read many others there? You quickly
u/Flashy_Bill7246
Avoid BookLife like plague. An AI review is unconscionable, particularly if the author has paid a fee!
u/BurbagePress
>I paid for a pre publication review
That was a mistake. You can provide review copies, but pay-to-play is a sucker's game. You got scammed out of money, but also what does that say to yo
u/karmacorn
I got a Booklife review in 2021 that read exactly like a summary. Seriously pissed me off because it had 10/10 on damn near everything and it made it to the semi-finals for the Booklife prize
u/SillyCowO
Don’t pay for reviews, period. You can seek out arc readers for reviews, but paying for reviews will never give you a result that helps
u/IceVivid3506
Is it possible that a reviewer for Booklife used AI? Like on a personal level to ease their workload?
u/A1Protocol
Netgalley is a cesspool that caters to trad pub while letting the trolls loose on Indies (yes, you can limit their access to your title but that defeats the purpose).
u/A1Protocol
Wise choice ahah!
u/A1Protocol
Stop paying for reviews, especially as an indie author.
All these companies solely exist to capitalize on your most burning desires (like… Lucifer).
Booklife, Kirkus, Netgalley etc. all pre
u/Meizas
NEVER pay for reviews. They're scams.
u/Tim_OHearn
Literary Titan. Fast turnaround, cheap price, and thorough review. I've paid for many editorial reviews to try to see for myself, and anyone can search my book and see the standout quality of
u/Necessary_Drawer8717
I would too.
BookLife is a scam, but they're scared of people finding out it is a scam.
Simply indicate that you believe this was an AI generated review and that you want your money back
u/Insecure_Egomaniac
Oh no. That sounds terrible. Glad I picked BookFunnel, then, LOL.
u/Quouar
Sure, but Netgalley isn't paying for reviews. It's paying for access to ARC readers, which is essential.
u/Insecure_Egomaniac
Though I use BookFunnel, I wouldn’t include NetGalley, as they are known to support ARCs.
u/CupApprehensive6695
Booksirens. You can use it for ARCs but they also have a list of reviewers that you can search for your genre and it lists reviewers and if they charge for reviews.
I contacted about 30 b
u/A1Protocol
That too! They’re all out for blood.
Especially ours :)
u/Kaurifish
And I suspect it’s genre-specific. I’ve gotten good, obviously organic Booksprouts reviews for my Regency romances, but my Regency horror got suspiciously generic, possibly AI-gen reviews.
u/A1Protocol
That too! They’re all out for blood.
Especially ours :)
u/Zozorrr
Yea - also Kirkus (which existed long before ebooks and self-publishing) and lovereading(UK) give real paid reviews by qualified people in the genre. Both of these sites will give honest revi
u/IceVivid3506
Is it possible that a reviewer for Booklife used AI? Like on a personal level to ease their workload?
u/ectopistesrenatus
Having reviewed for Booklife (but not recently), I world be very surprised if it's AI generated. They do, however, follow a pretty strict formula--have you read many others there? You quickly
u/A1Protocol
Netgalley is a cesspool that caters to trad pub while letting the trolls loose on Indies (yes, you can limit their access to your title but that defeats the purpose).
Booksirens and personal
u/acleverlass
Tell them it’s simply a summary of your plot and that you want a true review. They will give it to you. I write reviews for a competing paid review site and right now I’m working on one becau
u/Tim_OHearn
Literary Titan. Fast turnaround, cheap price, and thorough review. I've paid for many editorial reviews to try to see for myself, and anyone can search my book and see the standout quality of
u/A1Protocol
Netgalley is a cesspool that caters to trad pub while letting the trolls loose on Indies (yes, you can limit their access to your title but that defeats the purpose).
u/juliette_carter
So true! And those messages! (influencers , reviewers -> just 30$ /review now 🙈)
u/karmacorn
I got a Booklife review in 2021 that read exactly like a summary. Seriously pissed me off because it had 10/10 on damn near everything and it made it to the semi-finals for the Booklife prize
u/acleverlass
Tell them it’s simply a summary of your plot and that you want a true review. They will give it to you. I write reviews for a competing paid review site and right now I’m working on one becau
u/feliciates
I'd demand my money back. Give it a try
u/Quouar
Sure, but Netgalley isn't paying for reviews. It's paying for access to ARC readers, which is essential.
u/ectopistesrenatus
I mean, sure, it's possible. But the reviews are pretty flavorless all the time, so what sounds like AI might just be the formulaic nature of them, I meant. And most reviewers are doing like
u/Insecure_Egomaniac
Oh no. That sounds terrible. Glad I picked BookFunnel, then, LOL.
u/Necessary_Drawer8717
I would too.
BookLife is a scam, but they're scared of people finding out it is a scam.
Simply indicate that you believe this was an AI generated review and that you want your money back
u/A1Protocol
Stop paying for reviews, especially as an indie author.
All these companies solely exist to capitalize on your most burning desires (like… Lucifer).
Booklife, Kirkus, Netgalley etc. all pre
u/Inevitable_Income167
What would be sites you would recommend checking out instead?