what nobody tells you about choosing an arc book review website
- Lorraine Wheat
- Aug 6, 2025
- 4 min read
arc book reviews aren’t optional, and here's why
some days, being a debut author feels less like a career milestone and more like being the lead in my own reality show. when i finally finished the journey of writing my ya romance, loves clashing, i felt a wild blend of anxiety and pure adrenaline. i was done, and now i could plan. and a book launch required a lot of planning.
if i wanted my book to matter, i needed something bigger than hope. i needed book reviews. this is the truth. arc book review websites aren’t just about stars or nice blurbs for the back cover. they are a part of a long process of marketing and getting the book out into the world.
an arc is an advanced reader copy that is sent to reviewers before launch. reviewers receive the book for free in exchange for leaving a review.
for my ya romance, i wanted reviews before my official release date, so i set my arc drop for august on book sirens. book sirens promised a 90-day campaign. this 90-day campaign included a dedicated page for my book where thousands of book sirens' reviewers could visit and request to read my book.
you can request to read my book here: https://booksirens.com/book/XDCVPFI/GW1BSJL.
what do you need for an arc book review website?
a book cover
because i get a dedicated page for my book, there are three things that make an arc book review campaign successful. one is the book cover.
zoe zheng designed this beautiful cover featuring the main lovers. it captures the essence of my story. we both went to usc's film school, and therefore knew how to use a mood board to capture a scene.
the second thing you need is a cover blurb.
having a background in writing and marketing, i created this blurb. my goal with the blurb was to provoke questions and not give away the conflict:
At CLASH, an elite arts and science academy, everyone must play the social game. Prizes are love, respect, and status. Sidenote: the game is rigged. Cheat at your own discretion.
Zoey Raines has big dreams. She’s a fashion student on scholarship to the best arts academy in Los Angeles, CLASH. Even though she aces her fashion projects, she’s failing at the social game. No matter how many cool TikToks she and her bestie Ian post of their nights out salsa dancing, no one at CLASH wants to be her friend. She blames Vega for trashing her all over social media. Image is everything at CLASH, so her messy reputation leaves her a social outcast. Forget about ever winning a date with her crush, Sebastian.
Sebastian Bautista is America’s top dance influencer. His success landed him and his twin sister, Vega, a docuseries–yet, Vega sucks so bad she kills his love for the craft. Which is why he drops his sister and holds auditions for her replacement. What a shock to his system when Zoey comes out of nowhere and auditions. Sure, he’s seen her and Ian’s TikToks. They’re amazing, but can he risk choosing Zoey when she’s not a classically trained ballerina?
But what about Zoey? Can she really sacrifice her love of fashion for Sebastian? Romance flickers and so does conflict as they fight to unite their dreams, beat Vega, and win CLASH’s social game.
alongside my book siren campaign, i will let people know that i released my book. i get personal. i emailed people in my writing fellowship at anaphora arts publishing.
the last thing i needed was a bio.
people need to know how many places i have been published:
Lorraine Annette Wheat aims to explore the complexities of love through flawed characters that win. She loves writing YA romance, dancing salsa, eating milk chocolate, wearing multi-colored braids, and drinking coffee. Earning an MFA in Film and TV from the University of Southern California led to writing and directing. She earned the Panavision New Filmmaker Program Grant before becoming a 2024 Pushcart Prize and Best American Short Stories nominee. Published in "The Hollywood Reporter," "Variety," “The Coachella Review,” and “Palaver Arts Magazine,” her literary career is shaped by her training in the Anaphora Arts Publishing Program, Unlock Her Potential, and the Periplus Collective.
with these three things i was ready to launch my campaign.
how i built my arc book review campaign
that’s when i started researching the best arc book review website for my goals. here are the ones i considered (and you should, too):
i ended up choosing book sirens because i simply thought it related to my market and the type of readers that i wanted to reach.
my advice for getting book reviews
plan ahead. arcs need time.
build your review crew: both your loyal friends and total strangers.
make it easy: send direct links, set reminders, and say thank you (always).
share every review, even the ones that hurt. authenticity builds trust. make a tiktok series.
celebrate every review. each one is a tiny revolution against silence.
i keep reminding myself: book reviews aren’t about ego. they’re my refusal to be invisible. especially as a woman and a writer of color, reviews are how i claim my place in a space that doesn’t always make room for me. my story deserves community, and so do i.
if you need help with building your strategy and creating community, you can reach out to me. i love talking strategy, sharing what i’ve learned, and building community.
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