Publishing has its own vocabulary, and review-related terms in particular get thrown around loosely. Here's a plain-English reference, part of our Book Reviews 101.
ARC (advance review copy / advance reader copy) A copy of a book given to readers, bloggers, journalists, or librarians before or around publication, so they can read and potentially review it ahead of launch. See What Is an ARC?
Author Central Amazon's free platform for authors to manage their book pages, including adding editorial reviews, an author bio, and photos.
Beta reader A reader who reviews a manuscript before publication and gives feedback on the overall reading experience, to help the author revise. Different from a reviewer, whose feedback is meant for other readers, not the author. See What Is a Beta Reader?
Blurb A short quote, usually from another author or public figure, praising a book, typically used on the cover or in marketing. Different from a review, which is a fuller, independent evaluation. See Getting a Blurb for Your Book.
Book bloggers Independent reviewers who write about books on their own websites or social platforms, often with a following built around a specific genre.
DNF (did not finish) A term reviewers use when they stopped reading a book before the end, sometimes with a review explaining why.
Editorial review A professional review from an outside reviewer, meant to appear in a book's marketing and in a dedicated section of its retail listing, separate from customer reviews. See Professional vs. ARC vs. Editorial Reviews.
FTC endorsement guidelines Rules from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission requiring honest, non-deceptive reviews and clear disclosure of free products or compensation. See Are Paid Book Reviews Legitimate?.
Incentivized review A review given in exchange for payment, a discount, a free product, or other compensation, tied to writing the review. Prohibited on most retail sites outside of the platform's own sanctioned programs.
Kirkus star / starred review A mark of distinction some trade review publications, including Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, give to a small percentage of especially strong reviews.
Listopia A Goodreads feature where community members create and vote on themed book lists.
NetGalley A widely used platform that connects publishers and authors with professional reviewers, media, and librarians for advance reviews. Similar services include Entrada's ARC review service.
Professional review A review written by a paid, outside reviewer, evaluating the book independently. Also called an editorial review when used in marketing or listings.
Review swap An arrangement where two authors agree to review each other's books, generally prohibited by retailers as a conflict of interest.
Sensitivity reader A reader who evaluates a manuscript for authentic, respectful representation of a specific community, culture, or experience, usually during the beta reading stage rather than after publication.
Vine (Amazon Vine) Amazon's own program for providing free products to a curated pool of reviewers, the one sanctioned exception to Amazon's rule against compensated reviews.
Verified purchase A label some retailers add to a review from a customer who bought the item through that retailer, intended to signal that the reviewer actually purchased the product.
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