Review Group discussion

The review group is the most successful group for peer reviews on goodreads. It hosts non-reciprocal reading/review rounds of ten authors with a variety of themes and genres, as well as ‘general’ rounds where any book is permitted, from non-fiction, to horror. When a round has ‘now forming’ in the title, there are places available, you can sign up. If it doesn’t, it’s full – look for another round.
The new amazon rules state that authors/publishers are no longer allowed to specifically supply published books in return for reviews on amazon. To comply with this new rule, we no longer insist members review on amazon. However, we are all in the same situation, we want reviews.
When sorting out groups, I prioritise those members who have fully participated in previous groups and don’t have multiple review connections with the other participants.

This is a clean round
Fiction and non-fiction, adult and children's books are acceptable.
No explicit violence or explicit sexual situations. If you have to wonder if an aspect of your book could be considered offensive, this is probably not the group for you!

If you are only willing to review your own preferred genre, make sure you join a genre round. Allocation is entirely random and there will NOT be any rearranging of the listing to accommodate personal preference. The ONLY circumstance in which you may duck out of giving a review is if YOU provide a stand-in reviewer.
Let’s be honest here – we don’t all like the same things but we all want reviews. The only way this group can function is if we trust each other to behave honourably. And it IS perfectly possible to give a fair-minded review of a text that does not coincide with our normal choice of reading matter. If you need a few hints/tips, please see this thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Now for the boring stuff, but please read it, it saves a lot of time if everyone is on the same wavelength.
Before signing up below with your goodreads author and goodreads book link in the thread below, please ensure that:
1. You have enough time to read and review 4 books within the time allowed.

2. Your book is currently available for sale on amazon (not pre-order) and it complies with the individual round theme, if there is one.

3. Your book is fit to be reviewed. If it is not, due to editing or other issues, you risk poor reviews. This is your problem, not that of the reviewers or the groups. For a small fee, the group admin will look at the first few pages of your book to advise. The number one error new authors make is not having their book beta read and edited, by non-family members.

4. You can submit reviews to goodreads, amazon.com and amazon.uk. Amazon has recently changed their criteria for reviewers to allow only those people who have spent $50 on amazon. If you are unsure about your amazon reviewer status, try posting a ‘test’ review before signing up.

5. You can provide (and accept) at least PDF files. Many authors can also provide mobi and epub files. You are not expected or required to buy the books you are allocated to review. Some authors borrow books via KU and others provide smashwords coupons. This is their choice. International Copyright laws apply. You cannot sell, or give away material you have received without the author’s express permission.

6. It is up to individuals what disclaimers they place in a review concerning receiving a book in exchange for a review. Note: reviews that state you received a copy ‘IN RETURN’ for a review will probably be removed/not allowed by amazon.com. ‘I received a free copy from the author without an obligation to review’ would be more acceptable if you feel the need to add a disclaimer.

7. You have completed your reading if you are currently in another review round in this group. You can be involved in the ‘one for one’ list whilst you are in a round.

8. You have an author profile set up before you join.

9. Your goodreads profile allows people to message you, i.e. your profile is not set to private.

10. You declare any relationship you have with another member in the round. Amazon will not allow reviews from the same household on the same book or if you are an editor, relative or close friend of another member.

11. You agree that your reviews will be unbiased and honest, whatever the star rating, and you will try to avoid ‘spoilers’. i.e. giving away the finale of a book.

12. You will not ask a fellow author to change a review of your book because you don’t agree with it. If you think you have a legitimate concern, talk to the mod of your round, NOT the other author. Personal attacks, or pressurising other members WILL NOT BE TOLERATED and will result in you being blacklisted.

13. The new amazon.com review guidelines do not allow for free books to be supplied in return for reviews. Therefore, you are not obliged to review on amazon, just on goodreads. We all want reviews, its why we joined the group. It is bad taste to expect other people to review your book and then not do the same for other people in the group. People that DNF and/or don’t post reviews will find it difficult to get into a subsequent group.

14. Your goodreads details and the rounds you participate in will be recorded by the admin mod on a database. We do not retain details of email addresses etc.

The founding principle of the group is honest, non-reciprocal reviews, so please help maintain the integrity of the group by letting me know as you sign up if you have been reviewed by, or have reviewed another author in the group. Usually places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
I will do my best to fit everyone into the group they request, but occasionally, particularly in the case of our more prolific good standing members, I may have to decline a member request to fit the maximum number of people into a particular round. I will always endeavour to start another round as soon as possible with that member in mind.
It is permissible to review an author more than once if a different book is available.
If you need anything clarified please ask, either by goodreads personal message to me or on the thread below, before signing up. It’s a pain to have to keep rearranging the list because people haven’t read the above.

Your group moderator will be
G.J. Griffiths

Member Links
1.Mary T. Kincaid
2.Alison Ripley Cubitt
3.Augustine Sam
4.Theodore Ashford
5.James F. Foster
6.Stjepan Varesevac Cobets
7.Jonathan Lewis
8.Glen Weissenberger
9.Gloria Piper
10.Diana J. Febry

Book Links
1.Little Worlds of Magic
2.Buying a House in New Zealand: Find Your Perfect Home
3.Flashes of Emotion
4.When the Ink Runs Dry
5.The Search
6.When the moon takes over the dream: Love Poetry
7.Nice Guys Can Get the Girls: How to be Successful With Women Without Becoming a Creep
8.Made to Measure Man: A Weissenberger Romantic Suspense Novel, Book One
9.Grounded: A Dragon's Tale
10.Who Killed Vivien Morse

1.Once you have read the above, please post that you have read and agreed with the above rules.
2.Check if you have reviewed or been reviewed by anyone else who had signed up. State these 'clashes in your post. It helps me sort out non-reciprocal reads/reviews/
3.Post your GOODREADS author and book links.

If I haven't added you to the list in a couple of days, give me a nudge.

Oh, boy! I'd like to join with Felicity~ A Sparrow's Tale.
Oh, and YES I have read and agreed to the above rules!

Author Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Hi Loralee, lovely to 'see' you again. Fingers crossed we get some new members so we can slot you in. Oh the perils of being a long standing prolific group member.
I'll do my very best for you.

Hello! And thanks. You are awesome, Emma. If they're familiar members who have already read this one, they can read one of my other two "clean" ones. I've got a brand new book in this particular series that Graham, Margaret Standafer, and Stjepan have read but no others.

I have not read Loralee's work.

Here is my book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Here is my author's link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

I hope that I can join this group. I have read the suggested rules. Thank you.

But I have read Mary's.

I've read Little Worlds of Magic, and Mortimer Mole, but It looks like she has more works. I could read something else of hers.

I would like to get into the group with a collection of poetry "When the moon takes over the dream: Love Poetry" I have read and agreed to the above rules!
I read all Loralee work, and Mary read my book. I have another collection of poetry if Mary wants to read, but does not fit in completely clean because it has a poem with serious topics. I would love to read her book.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Stjepan, Loralee can't review you, and you can't review Mary, both those situation would be reciprocal.

Can you check to see if Loralee has a book you haven't reviewed?

As this is a 'clean' round, I don't think its appropriate to ask Mary to read a book that doesn't fit the clean criteria.

I can keep two members in a group apart but a three way one is impossible. As it is, I'm hoping that Mary has another appropriate book that Loralee can read. if she hasn't, I can fit them both in, but only in one position. As they signed up first, they would have priority.
This is, unfortunately, the price some of us pay for being prolific members, The non-reciprocal rule gets increasingly difficult to negotiate.

Mary seems to have a book that I haven't reviewed yet about zombie cats. It looks like it would fit the clean criteria, so I could read that, but I don't have anything more for Stjepan to review.

It is ok for me. I read Mary book, and Loralee read mine. Is that possible?

I can't read your work, since you've already reviewed mine. That would be reciprocal, and go against the ethics of this group. You an I can be separated by four people. That's the only possibility. Hopefully that can work.

All right, then I will withdraw my application if it is not possible to fit in combination. I'll try in the another group.

Stjepan, you still might be able to fit in. Wait and see what Emma can do.

Ok.

I'm afraid you will have to withdraw Stjepan. A three way clash is impossible.

Let Stjepan stay in, and I'll pull out. I probably should take a break from all the reading for a while. Really, it's okay.

Very generous of you Loralee, thanks.

I'm grateful Loralee for your generous offer.

I have reviewed Stjepan's When the Moon Takes Over a Dream.

That's fine Mary, I've kept you and Stjepan apart.

Hello, I am Alison and I love this group on Goodreads. It's the only source of genuinely non-reciprocal reviews. I jump genres (always have) and this time I'm here with a non-fiction book, Buying a House in New Zealand: Find Your Perfect Home.
Here is the book link:Buying a House in New Zealand: Find Your Perfect Home

Hi Alison, nice to see you back. Can you confirm you agree with the rules and that you haven't reviewed or been reviewed by the other members.
And oh my, that book looks tempting, its brass monkeys in the UK right now!

Alison wrote: "Hello, I am Alison and I love this group on Goodreads. It's the only source of genuinely non-reciprocal reviews. I jump genres (always have) and this time I'm here with a non-fiction book, Buying a..."

Emma wrote: "Hi Alison, nice to see you back. Can you confirm you agree with the rules and that you haven't reviewed or been reviewed by the other members.

Yes absolutely agree with the rules. And no, so far from the peeps that have signed up they and their books are all new to me! Re the timing of the release... I have had to admit I pulled it forward by a few days because of recent events across the pond...
Cheers, Alison

Hi, I'll like to join this group with my poetry collection, Flashes of Emotion

Author Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I have read and agreed with the above rules.
I haven't reviewed or been reviewed by any of the authors listed above (will report as the list grows...)

Welcome aboard Augustine.

Hey, I'd like to join in! Just to be clear... very mild swearing is still considered clean, right? I know there's a couple instances of "crap" in my book, but I think that's the only swears in there.

I've read and agree with the above rules. I haven't reviewed or been reviewed by any of the authors in the group so far.

Author Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Rather than being my decision, its up to your fellow round members. All my books contain explicit scenes, so I'm probably not the best judge of what's offensive and what isn't.

What do you think folks? can the 'clean' round cope with a little profanity, or is it a complete 'no go'?

I wouldn't consider "crap" offensive. I don't think some mild swearing can taint the 'clean' round, the emphasis here being on MILD.

Okay, did a word search to be doubly sure. The exact word stats are that I use the word "crap," "h--l" and "d--n" once each, and no other swears. So it's... mild by my standards, but I know some people really don't like that in books they read. That's why I figured I would ask and double check exactly how many swears I used to be sure. I don't mind not participating if that would bother someone. (Side note, if that bothers you, I'm sorry for the comments talking about the language!)

If there are not too many of these words in the book, I do not mind.

Ok Theodore, it looks like your book passes the censors. I'll add you in.

Hi, I'd like to join this group with "The Search". I have read and agree with the above rules. I havent reviewed or been reviewed by any in the group.

author link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Thanks.

Welcome James.

I have not reviewed or been reviewed by anyone in the group so far (now up to six authors not including myself).

Is my book clean? It's close enough. The first one quarter consists of a young man's downward spiral into drugs and alcohol, but not in excruciating detail. The rest of the book is more uplifting. There are sexual situations, but all are of the fade-in/fade-out type. There is no violence, however, mostly hallucinations and bizarre sightings. There is swearing, but only in some chapters.

If for some reason my book doesn't meet the "clean" test, I could be in the newly forming "Out of This World" group, since there's a lot of paranormal in my book. However, I do have a clash in that group with E.M. Swift-Hook, who has no new books left for me to review, and I have been reviewed by Chrys Cymri (I do have plenty more books for her) in that other group as well, so I think it's easier to fit me into this group.


The Strange Life of Brandon Chambers

Yes it would be easier to fit into this group than the 'out of this world one. In fact, I couldn't fit you in with the other clashes already in the group.

I'll add you to this one if you wish, but as I said to Theodore in message 29, it isn't really my call to make. I'm the last one qualified to determine what others might find offensive or not, but occasional 'mild' swearing has been confirmed as ok, i.e. crap, damn etc.

However, I don't suppose people signing up to a 'clean' round will be particularly happy about reading about drug and alcohol addiction with swearing and drug? induced hallucinations. You might find people refusing to review and you still having to review your 4 allocated books to remain a 'member in good standing'.

I have two mods available at the moment so I suggest holding your horses and waiting for a general or another 'out of this world' to start.

Okay, Emma. I see an 18+plus round forming, but not sure if nearly all the ten books really push the boundaries, like page after page of tense / adult situations. I don't mind reading one of those, but not all four perhaps. You just let me know what you think is best. I'm not in a hurry and can wait weeks, no problem.

Thanks for being understanding Scott. Incidentally, what sort of group would you be interested in joining?

General or out of this world, but I tend to bump against old colleagues in the out of this world groups.

We haven't had a general for a while....

You also had a special group for sci-fi only but that was also one-time. In a way I'm prepared to be left standing at the altar alone if some clean review group reviewers turn aside my book, ha ha. I think it's okay, honesty... the focus is on the mystery. We can wait to see if the group still struggles to be filled.

Hello guys,

I am Alex Stargazer, author of the Necromancer—a fantasy book I would like reviewed. The book should fit your ‘clean’ criteria; I have read, and agree to, the above rules. I have not reviewed any of the authors on this thread.

Book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Author profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Hi Alex, I can add you here, but the 'out of this world' group only has one slot to fill, you could get going straight away...

Emma wrote: "Hi Alex, I can add you here, but the 'out of this world' group only has one slot to fill, you could get going straight away..."

Thanks for the pointer, Emma; I’ve submitted to the out of this world group instead of this one.

Hi again Emma. In this group I've reviewed Augustine but not the book in the group & Scott has reviewed one of my books but not the one I'd like to add here. Am I still too complicated? No worries if I am - just let me know & I will shuffle off & try the general.

I am so sorry if I'm misunderstanding how this works. I find the interface for this site to be rather confusing.

I have a nonfiction book called "Nice Guys Can Get the Girls: How to be Successful With Women Without Becoming a Creep." Would this be the best group to join for this book?

It's a clean book. The reason I ask is because the whole point of my book is to combat the manipulative and misogynistic approach found in many books of this genre. I was thinking people into "clean" books might appreciate my approach.

If this is a good place to sign up, can someone tell me how to sign up for the round?

Thank you so much

Hi Jonathan, yes I think this round would be appropriate for your book. The general round would also be suitable. It would depend what kind of book you prefer to read, all 'clean' books here, or 'potluck' in 124.
Message 2 tells you how to sign up. Please read the rules and regs in message 1 before signing up.

Hi Emma, re message 46 - will I be able to join in here?

Sorry Diana, I'll add you as soon as you let me know what book you'd like to submit.
Scott isn't an issue as he said he'd wait for a general and there's one available ATM.