The fastest path to your first 10 reviews is a small ARC campaign combined with direct, honest requests to people who've already read your book. Ten reviews isn't a lot, but going from zero to ten is often the hardest stretch, because a book with no reviews looks untested to a new reader and even to Amazon's own algorithm.
This is the practical, rule-compliant version: no swaps, no payments, no shortcuts that could get a review pulled later. It builds on the Book Reviews 101.
Before you look for strangers, look at who has already read it.
A short, honest message works better than a mass blast. Something like: "The book is out. If you have time to read it, I'd be grateful for an honest review, good or bad. No pressure at all."
You don't need a huge list to reach 10 reviews. Because a portion of ARC readers never finish or never post, plan to send more copies than reviews you want. If roughly a third to half of readers post something, sending 20 to 25 advance copies gives you a reasonable shot at 10.
Give readers a clear publication date, since most retailers, including Amazon, only accept reviews on or after the book goes live. Ask readers to disclose that they received a free copy. See What Is an ARC? for the full process.
If your own list is small, a service can put your book in front of reviewers who don't already know you. Entrada's ARC review service works similarly to NetGalley: for a one-time fee of $155, your book goes out to bloggers, journalists, librarians, and other influencers whose interests match your genre, and we personally respond to everyone interested. No set number of reviews is guaranteed, but requests typically reach hundreds of qualified people, sometimes thousands depending on genre.
A professional review isn't a customer review, but it gives you something quotable while you're waiting on reader reviews to accumulate, and you can add it to your listing as an editorial review. Order one early, since standard turnaround runs 5 to 8 weeks (3 to 4 weeks for rush).
A short line at the end of your book, thanking readers and asking for an honest review, catches people at the moment they're most engaged. Keep it brief and genuine, and never ask for a positive review specifically.
Reviews on Goodreads count too, and some readers who can't post an Amazon review (because they haven't met Amazon's purchase requirements) will still post there. See How to Get Reviews on Goodreads.
Skip anything that promises quick results but risks the reviews you do get: paying for reviews, review swaps with other authors, asking friends and family to post (many retailers remove these), or offering anything in exchange for a positive review. A handful of honest reviews that stay up is worth more than a burst of reviews that gets flagged and removed. See Amazon's Review Rules for Authors.
Ten reviews rarely arrives all at once. A few will show up in the first week, and the rest will trickle in over the following weeks as ARC readers finish.
Get Reviews Working for Your Launch
Combine a professional review with ARC outreach to reach readers, bloggers, journalists, and librarians who match your genre.
It varies widely by genre and how many ARC readers you reach, but many authors see their first reviews within the first two weeks after launch, with the rest arriving over the following month.
You can, but many retailers, including Amazon, remove reviews from people with a close personal connection to the author, so it's a risk rather than a reliable source.
No, but ordering one early means it's ready to use in your marketing while customer reviews are still building up.
Keep the request visible in your book and newsletter, and keep sending ARCs as you find new readers. Review counts build steadily rather than all at once, especially for a first book.