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Amazon recruits reader reviewers

Amazon.co.uk is offering its top reader reviewers free copies of books before they are published, so they can rate the work from the off.

The Amazon Vine scheme sends out a monthly newsletter to the site's "most valued" reviewers, known as Vine Voices, offering them a range of products to review, including books. Reviewers can then order pre-release copies of the books free of charge, before posting their views on the product page on Amazon.co.uk—in many cases months before the book is released.

The scheme was recently rolled out across Amazon's worldwide businesses; a spokesman said the retailer is currently in discussions with a range of UK publishers about joining the scheme. Some have already signed up.

The Vine Voices are invited to opt into the scheme according to how "accurate and insightful" their existing reviews on the site are. Amazon insisted it would not change or influence any material posted.

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