Scope
This Privacy Policy explains how Book Review Guide collects, uses, stores, and shares information when you visit bookreviewguide.com, use the rating feature, click an affiliate link, or contact us.
Information we collect
- Usage and device data: Google Analytics may receive information such as pages visited, approximate location derived from IP address, browser and device information, referring pages, and interaction data.
- Aggregate review openings: when a book review opens, our first-party counter adds one view to the total for that book and calendar date. The counter stores only the book slug, date, and daily total. It does not store an IP address, cookie, user-agent, account identifier, or an individual event record.
- Book ratings: when you rate a book, we store the book identifier and rating in our database. A value in your browser's local storage records that the browser has already rated that book.
- Communications: if you email us, we receive your email address and the information you choose to provide.
- Technical logs: our hosting and security providers may process IP addresses, request data, timestamps, and diagnostic information to operate and protect the site.
Trending review counter
We total aggregate review openings from the most recent seven days to order the “Trending this week” section on the homepage. Each page opening increases the daily total, including repeat openings. These aggregate counts are independent of Google Analytics and are not used to identify or profile readers.
Cookies and local storage
Google Analytics may use cookies such as _ga to distinguish visitors and produce aggregate usage statistics. We use local storage to reduce repeat ratings from the same browser and to keep an anonymous Amazon button-copy test consistent for that browser. The test stores only a variant name such as check, formats, or price. You can block or delete cookies and local storage through your browser settings. Blocking these technologies may affect analytics, experiments, or rating functionality.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand aggregate site traffic and improve our content. For Amazon affiliate clicks, we send only the retailer, page type, book slug, button placement, and destination market when it is known. We do not add user IDs or personal data to this event. Google may separately provide approximate country and device dimensions through its own processing. Google explains how it uses information from sites that use its services at How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services. Google may place or read cookies and process identifiers and IP addresses when Analytics is enabled. You can also use the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
Third parties and affiliate links
We use service providers including Google for analytics, Vercel for hosting and database infrastructure, and Amazon for affiliate links. When you follow an external link, the third party receives information according to its own privacy policy and may use cookies, pixels, IP addresses, or other identifiers. Amazon may record that you arrived through one of our affiliate links and may attribute qualifying purchases to us. We do not receive your Amazon account, payment, or order details.
How we use information
We use information to operate and secure the site, display aggregate ratings, identify reviews that are currently popular, understand site performance, respond to messages, prevent abuse, maintain records, and comply with legal obligations.
Legal grounds and choices
Where applicable, we rely on legitimate interests to operate, understand, and secure the site, performance of requested services, and legal obligations. You can control cookies through your browser and use the Google Analytics opt-out tool linked above.
Retention and security
We retain information only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described above, legal compliance, dispute resolution, and security. No transmission or storage method is completely secure, but we use reasonable safeguards appropriate to the information involved.
Your privacy rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to processing of personal information, withdraw consent, or request data portability. You may also have the right to complain to your local data protection authority. To submit a request, email contact@bookreviewguide.com. We may need to verify your request.
Children's privacy
The site is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
Changes and contact
We may update this policy as our practices or legal obligations change. The date above identifies the latest revision. Questions and privacy requests may be sent to contact@bookreviewguide.com.