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 Amazon rules state that authors/publishers are not allowed to specifically supply published books in return for reviews on Amazon. To comply with this 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 General round
All books welcome - fiction/non-fiction.

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 allows only those people who have spent $50 to leave reviews. If you are unsure about your Amazon reviewer status, try posting a ‘test’ review before signing up. If you are unable to post reviews on Amazon, please do not sign 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, but it is not necessary to give one.

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 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:
L.N. Denison


Member Links
1. S.D. Mayes
2. Rajamayyoor Sharma
3. Samantha Burnell
4. Jacqui Letran
5. Dale Stevens
6. Lolli Powell
7. Bruce M. Perrin
8. J.P. Willson
9. Loralee Evans
10. Cecily Wolfe

Book Links
1. Letters to the Pianist
2. Age of Azmoq: The Valantian Imperium
3. A Queen's Spy
4. Unleash Your Inner Super Powers
5. THE BOOK PUBLISHER'S SON
6. Whiskey Kills
7. Of Half a Mind
8. Through the Mind's Eye: A Journey of Self-Discovery
9. Felicity and the Scary Bear
10. A Harvest of Stars

Please can I be added with my 1940s suspense novel, Letters to the Pianist

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

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

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Pian...

Of course you can be, S.D - and you are :) Do keep checking for any clashes as the group fills, please.

Thanks E.M. I will do

Hi,
Can I be added? Women's fiction/Chick Lit/ Literary Fiction.

https://www.amazon.com/Bwanana-Chaos-...

Thank you

Of course you can, Ili! :)

HI can you add me please
https://www.amazon.com/Queens-Spy-Med...

SD Mayes has reviewed my book already

Thanks

Hi,

I would love to be added to this round. Here's my book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Thank you so much.
Jacqui

I haven't reviewed your book Samantha????

Welcome, Samantha and Jacqui.

I couldn't see any review from SD for that book, Samantha, could you post the link please? if not I shall leave the list as it is.

I'd like to join with a dark mystery/techno-thriller, Of Half a Mind.

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

I don't see any conflicts so far but will check back.

Welcome aboard, Bruce :)

Hello! I can join with Rafferty Lincoln Loves but I’ve read Letters to a Pianist and A Queens Spy. Happy to read other books by the authors. Understand if too hard to squeeze me in!
Emily

P.S Sorry to be a pain, I’ve just spotted a YA round forming now too which might be better for me to join instead as there as no clashes. I’ve messaged on there :-)

Hi Emily :-)

Signed you up for the YA round, Emily :)

I'd like to be in this with Whiskey Kills (A Top Shelf Mystery).

Whiskey Kills

As for conflicts so far, I just read S.D. Mayes Letters to the Pianist and I've read Bruce Perrin's Half A Mind. Since he's done a major rewrite, I'm not sure if that's a conflict.

Welcome, Laurel. Bruce has other books you can review if needed.

Hi,
Please add The Book Publisher's Son by Dale Stevens.
Am now checking to see if there are any conflicts or clashes.

I would be happy to, David, but I need both the Goodreads author page for Dale and the Goodreads link to the book first, please :)

E.M. wrote: "I would be happy to, David, but I need both the Goodreads author page for Dale and the Goodreads link to the book first, please :)"

Links as follows:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

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

Still checking for clashes.

No classes!
I assume you received the links as per Message 21. If not, here they are again:

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

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Is there anything else you need?

E.M. wrote: "Welcome, Laurel. Bruce has other books you can review if needed."

I've read all of his. Yes, I'm a fan! :-) That is, I've read all except this new version Of Half A Mind. I read the original.

Oops, sorry. My message 22 classes s/r clashes.

Hi, I'll like to participate in this round with The Conspiracy of Silence
I have already reviewed Jacqui Letran (the book listed here). I'm not sure if David is on, I have reviewed him too but not the book he is proposing here.

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

Hi E.M.
I still don't see me and my book on the list. Is there anything else you need?

Only your patience, please, David.

Welcome David and Augustine.

Laurel, if it is not OK for you to re-review for Bruce, I am not sure I can fit you in the round. Might be an idea for you to PM him and find out how the land lies on that.

I'm fine with reading the new version of Bruce's book. I just didn't know if that would be acceptable since I read the first version, although I suppose there's also a benefit to comparing the two. If you don't want to shuffle things around, I can do that.

That's fine then Laurel. Is not so much me not wanting to shuffle, I'd be happy to if I could see a way to do so, as it being impossible to move you without having someone clash as far as I can see. :/

Hi E.M.,
I'm so sorry, I've just had a totally unexpected hitch. I think in fairness to everyone it's best for me to drop out now to avoid causing an unnecessary delay for the group. Please forgive me.

No worries Augustine. Hope it's not a bad hitch and that we'll have you back in a group in the near future.

Hi E.M.
I would like to participate for my novel, I am a Failure. Currently, I have no clashes with the proposed authors.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Thanks.

Hi E.M. I would love to join if possible...although I have been reviewed by both Jacquie and Samantha, Only Samantha has reviewed this book. I have not reviewed any of these authors before which I think is a first for me...
Anyhoo...let me know.
Through the Mind's Eye: A Journey of Self-DiscoveryJ.P. Willson
Thanks...

Welcome aboard J.P.

I checked on Round 181 Akhil, and can only see two of your four reviews there. If I missed the others do let me know, but you need to complete your commitment to that group before you can sign up here :)

Cool! Thanks E.M....

Can you add my short novel (just a little too long to qualify as a novella) A Harvest of Stars to the round? Thank you so much! I don't think I have any conflicts with anyone.

E.M. wrote: "Welcome aboard J.P.

I checked on Round 181 Akhil, and can only see two of your four reviews there. If I missed the others do let me know, but you need to complete your commitment to that group bef..." Hi E.M. I already had completed one three days earlier but couldn't post it. By day after tomorrow, I would be completing my fourth one as well and would post both of them together.
So I guess by the time this group commence, I would have already completed all the reviews.

As soon as L.N. signs you off for your fourth review, I can add you in here, Akhil :)

Hi, E.M. Golly, I haven't been here for a year! I was wondering if I could add my Middle Grade novella, Felicity and the Scary Bear. I don't think I've reviewed or been reviewed by anyone here.

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

Doesn't time fly, Loralee! Welcome back and welcome aboard!

If there is still one more spot open I'll take it.

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

Hi, sorry for confusion but I just read the descriptions and I figured that my book is more of a 18+ book. So could you please remove me from this group and I would like to submit my book for the 18+ group. Thank you and sorry again.

Welcome aboard, Tia and no problem Ili :)

I only see one conflict. I have reviewed JP in the past, but that's it.

Just spotted Cecily had signed up and I missed that before, so we are now full.

It really helps to post conflicts when you sign up in future people please!

Please check that you have not reviewed any of the four people above you on the list before (remember the list wraps around so 10 is 'above' 1). I will leave this pending a couple of days to allow everyone time to posted assuring me of no clashes.

Umm, sorry for being a pain E.M. but as I mentioned when I signed up for this round, I have been reviewed by Jacquie previously....

Thanks for that J.P. I missed it.

Sorry, Tia, I can't fit you in here after all.

Anyone signing up please check you can fit the spot left. thanks.

Ok I'll just jump in next time.

Hey, I think i'm eligible. I have no conflicts

Kingdom Come

Hi E.M - In case you have a slot, want to enter my book. I have also applied for the group 185. No conflicts in either group.

Age of Azmoq: The Valantian Imperium