Review Policy
General Information:
I review primarily Young Adult books, but also Adult, Middle Grade or, occasionally, Children's books that I find particularly interesting.
I accept ARCs, galleys, e-books and finished copies. I will accept audiobooks under special circumstances; Indie Press books and Self Published books are considered on an individual basis (primarily if they are within my preferred genres.)
Preferred Genres:
- paranormal
- dystopian/utopian
- apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic
- fantasy
- urban fantasy
- steampunk
- romance
- contemporary fiction
- historical fiction
- alternative history
- mysteries/thrillers/crime/suspense
- autobiographies/biographies/memoirs
- science fiction
- horror
I still enjoy but will review to a lesser extent:
- poetry
- short stories
- histories
- travel books
- picture books
- children's encyclopedias or atlases
I do not review books with blatant proselytizing or heavy religious overtones.
Star Ratings:
I will use the following rubric when assigning star ratings:
- 0- I did not finish this book. (Will only be accompanied by a review if there was a compelling reason I chose not to finish it.)
- 1- I disliked this book. I had difficulty finishing it.
- 1.5- I didn’t like this book.
- 2- It was okay. OR I liked it, but it contained an element(s) I found highly problematic or offensive.
- 2.5- It was all right, but not for me. OR It was pretty good, but contained an element(s) I found discomforting.
- 3- I liked it! I wouldn’t reread it, but I enjoyed it.
- 3.5- It was pretty good! I’d recommend it.
- 4- It was great! I might even re-read it.
- 4.5- It was amazing! A must-read!
- 5- I loved it! It’s one of my favorites! I will push it on everyone I know!
Reviews:
Every review will include the Author, Title, Publisher, Publication Date, a Description provided either directly by the publisher or Goodreads, the Cover Image, and where I received my copy.
I do not attempt to write "literary analysis," but rather whether or not I enjoyed a book and why. I do, however, think critically about what I am reading. I try to always provide what I found good in a book that I did not like, and things that I do not like in books that I really enjoyed. If I have a particularly extreme reaction to a book -- or am completely ambivalent -- I try to link to other reviews from bloggers/reviewers I trust whose opinions counter my opinion.
Books that I do not finish will be reviewed or not reviewed on a case by case basis. If there are very compelling reasons that I have not finished a book, I will sometimes write a review explaining that I have not finished it and why. If I simply could not maintain interest, I will more than likely just not review it.
Review Time-frame and Declined books:
I try very hard to review all books within 30 days of receiving them. I will send the publisher a copy of the review as soon as I have finished it. I publish reviews as close to 30 days prior to the release date as possible (unless otherwise requested by the publisher.) I have reviews scheduled to appear on the blog between one to two months in advance, so I will seldom be able to post a review sooner than 30 days after receiving a copy.
I will occasionally decline to write a review for a book I have completed, or decline to finish a book I started This is mostly due to a complete inability to maintain interest on my part, or copious grammatical or formatting errors within the book. Sometimes, a book will just be the wrong book at the wrong time. I will also decline a book if I feel that it is a good book but I cannot give it a fair review. In the event that I decline to review a book, I will always contact the publisher to explain why.
My reviews are almost always also posted on Goodreads, and occasionally on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
ARCs:
I do not review books to 'get free books'. Unless I have specifically entered and won an ARC from a giveaway as a reader, any physical ARC I receive will either be given as a prize for a giveaway on this blog or given to my local Children's librarian for her book club.
Giveaways:
Giveaways will be for books that I have received as physical ARCs, or that I have personally purchased for that purpose. I would be happy to host a giveaway on this blog, but must be allowed time to familiarize myself with the book, and to provide an honest review of the book. If you would like me to host a giveaway, please email me with the following information:
- Title/Author
- Format of the book (ARC, hardcover, softcover, audiobook)
- Shipping requirements (US, US/CA, or International)
- Run time of the giveaway
- Any additional information you would like included (photo of prize, blurb, signed?, etc)
Interviews and Guest Posts:
I will happily host author interviews and guest posts from authors I have previously read, reviewed, or who are on my To Be Read List. I am also happy to host guest posts from other bloggers with whom I have regular online contact. If you are interested in an interview or guest post, please email me with the following information:
- Your name and the name of your book/blog
- A brief description of your book/blog (or link to Goodreads and/or blog)
- Do you prefer a guest post or an interview? Will you provide a topic/questions or would you like me to?
- The month/date you would like to be featured
- If you would like to include a giveaway
Blog Tours:
I will only participate if I have read and reviewed a book and REALLY enjoyed it. I do not want to add to the hype of a book that I would not otherwise have promoted simply to increase my blog's traffic. If I have contacted you about your book, or have already written a positive review for the book (or another book by the author) I will be more likely to participate.
Disclosure:
I do not receive compensation for my reviews. If I am provided a physical ARC, it is either given away on this blog or given to my Local Library.
This review policy is updated every three months. Last updated 07/27/2015.
