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 or check back another time.

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 don’t insist members review on Amazon, but we do insist that every participant in the round has the capacity to leave a review on their local Amazon store, so we all start with the same options.

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 and do check back as the group fills to report any clashes. Usually places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

This is an '18+' round
Books that may contain explicit material. Including but by no means limited to horror and erotica. Books in other genres may be submitted. All authors must be comfortable with reading explicit material.


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 12 weeks of 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 and Amazon.
Amazon allows only those people who have spent $50 in the last year to leave reviews in each of their stores. 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.
You are not expected or required to buy the books you are allocated to review, but as this will give a ‘Verified Purchase’ review on Amazon, it is welcomed when you choose to do so. Many authors have books available via KU and others might provide smashwords coupons. Most authors can provide mobi and/or epub files directly by email. Please note: International Copyright laws apply. You cannot sell, or give away material you have received without the author’s express permission.

6. 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.

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

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

Please note:
We all want reviews, it’s 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.

It is not necessary to leave any kind of disclaimer in your review, but ultimately, it is up to individuals. 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.

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

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.

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/...

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:
Kat Kinney

Member Links
1. Carolyn St-Denis
2. J.B. Trepagnier
3. Robinette Waterson
4. Casey Bartsch
5. Robin Peacock
6. Anna Willett
7. Guy E. Estes
8. Matt Gianni
9. William Collins
10. Miriam Yvette

Book Links
1. Unhinged: A true story of child abuse, resiliency and hope.
2. Sentinels of Oz
3. Steam Geared: The Tryst: A Short Story of Victorian Steampunk Erotica
4. Behind The Red Curtain
5. Life, Interrupted by Death
6. The Woman Behind Her
7. The Eighth Hell
8. Lever Templar
9. A Darker Shade of Sorcery
10. The Birth

I would like to submit my novelette, "Steam Geared: The Tryst: A Short Story of Victorian Steampunk Erotica."

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

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

I can and will comply with all rules for this 18+ group. Thank you!

Is it possible to get into this group while still in the last General? This one may be a better fit.

Welcome Robinette.

Gypsy - you are very welcome to sign up here, but I need the Goodreads link to the book you would like to enter with, please.

Casey - I suspect you will have time to complete the other round (as you only have one book left) and sign up here too.

I'd like to join with Sentinels of Oz

I've read Casey before, read the issues in the other group, and have absolutely no issues reading him again as I enjoyed his books when I read them before

I would like to submit my book :
Unhinged: A true story of child abuse, resiliency and hope.

I understand this is for 18+

Welcome J.B. and Carolyn.

E.M. Swift-Hook

Thank you!

Cool. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Thanks. And J.B. , you're wonderful.

I'd like to toss my novel The Eighth Hell into the ring. It's fantasy/sword and sorcery. No sex but quite violent.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

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

I would like to submit my book: The woman Behind Her
The Woman Behind Her

Please add this. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Hi E.M., I'd like to join this group with my debut LEVER TEMPLAR:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

It's a dual timeline historical fiction / contemporary thriller, available as a MOBI, EPUB, or PDF file. There is no sex but could be considered 18+ due to the medieval violence in the past timeline and "political thriller" type violence in the present. I've reviewed Robinette Waterson's STEAM GEARED collection, so I can review STEAM GEARED: THE TRYST. I've reviewed J.P Trepagnier's THE SAPPHIRE SCYTHE, so I can review SENTINELS OF OZ.
Thanks and Happy New Year! - Matt Gianni

I'd love to add my book, A Darker Shade of Sorcery, please.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Thank you.

WIll has read me before, but not this book

Hello, I would like to add my book

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

I have not been reviewed before or had the opportunity to review an author.

Hi E.M., I've reviewed William Collins' THE DAWNVEL DRUIDS, so I can review A DARKER SHADE OF SORCERY. - Thanks, Matt Gianni

Guy has also reviewed me, but not this book

I would like to join this review group with my book The Dust and The Dark Places Part One.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

It is the first volume of a two part Western.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dust-Dark-Pl...

Welcome Casey, Guy, Anna, Robin, Matt, William and Miriam

Andrew - there is still room in the General round, or you can wait for new rounds to open.

Now we need to check for clashes. Please look at the four people 'above' you on the list (10 is 'above' 1) and make sure you have never reviewed them. Also, check the 4 below and if you have reviewed them before please make sure they have a book you have not yet reviewed that could do so.

If you are all good, please post that you are. If you have any issues on either of the points above, please post to say what they are.

Thanks.

I think I'm good to go

I'm good to go

I see only one conflict - Matt Giani has reviewed my first book, so I can't review his.

Hi E.M., No conflicts for me, but I do see the issue Robinette brings up. Could her "1" place and Carolyn's "3" place swap? If I need to drop out again to make this round work (since Robinette requested inclusion before I did), then I will. - Thanks, Matt

I have reviewed A Darker Shade of Sorcery by William Collins. I have reviewed some of J.B. Trepagnier's books but not Sentinels of Oz.

E.M Swift-Hook I'm a newbie. I've read everything but I still don't get it. Do I wait for a moderator to assign the four books within the list or do I pick four?

I'm good to go!

Carolyn - When the checks are done, I will post telling you which books you will be reviewing. They will be the four books you in the list at that point :)

Robinette and Matt - I've made that suggested swap, looks like it should work, but I'll leave it one more day before launching this round so people can check that and yell if it's created a new issue.

Thanks, E.M. - I'm good to go.

I would like to submit my novel. Here is the link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

All works for me, E.M.

Minor tweak made to avoid a clash I'd missed - if this has created any new ones please let me know ASAP.

Elle - This round is full already but your application on the General Round has been accepted.

E.M. wrote: "Minor tweak made to avoid a clash I'd missed - if this has created any new ones please let me know ASAP.

Elle - This round is full already but your application on the General Round has been accepted."

sounds good thank you!!!

Right - I think we have it sorted. Fingers crossed. So here we go!

START DATE: 06-Jan-20

END DATE: 30-March-20

Round 1 – post your review by 27-Jan-20
Round 2 – post your review by 17 -Feb-20
Round 3– post your review by 09-March-20
Round 4 – post your review by 27-March-20

As AUTHORS you SEND your book file to:

238-01__Carolyn St-Denis
Miriam Yvette for round 1
William Collins for round 2
Matt Gianni for round 3
Guy E. Estes for round 4

238-02__J.B. Trepagnier
Carolyn St-Denis for round 1
Miriam Yvette for round 2
William Collins for round 3
Matt Gianni for round 4

238-03__Robinette Waterson
J.B. Trepagnier for round 1
Carolyn St-Denis for round 2
Miriam Yvette for round 3
William Collins for round 4

238-04__ Casey Bartsch
Robinette Waterson for round 1
J.B. Trepagnier for round 2
Carolyn St-Denis for round 3
Miriam Yvette for round 4

238-05__ Robin Peacock
Casey Bartsch for round 1
Robinette Waterson for round 2
J.B. Trepagnier for round 3
Carolyn St-Denis for round 4

238-06__ Anna Willett
Robin Peacock for round 1
Casey Bartsch for round 2
Robinette Waterson for round 3
J.B. Trepagnier for round 4

238-07__ Guy E. Estes
Anna Willett for round 1
Robin Peacock for round 2
Casey Bartsch for round 3
Robinette Waterson for round 4

238-08__ Matt Gianni
Guy E. Estes for round 1
Anna Willett for round 2
Robin Peacock for round 3
Casey Bartsch for round 4

238-09__ William Collins
Matt Gianni for round 1
Guy E. Estes for round 2
Anna Willett for round 3
Robin Peacock for round 4

238-10__ Miriam Yvette
William Collins for round 1
Matt Gianni for round 2
Guy E. Estes for round 3
Anna Willett for round 4

As REVIEWERS you will receive books for review from:

238-01__Carolyn St-Denis
J.B. Trepagnier for round 1
Robinette Waterson for round 2
Casey Bartsch for round 3
Robin Peacock for round 4

238-02__J.B. Trepagnier
Robinette Waterson for round 1
Casey Bartsch for round 2
Robin Peacock for round 3
Anna Willett for round 4

238-03__Robinette Waterson
Casey Bartsch for round 1
Robin Peacock for round 2
Anna Willett for round 3
Guy E. Estes for round 4

238-04__ Casey Bartsch
Robin Peacock for round 1
Anna Willett for round 2
Guy E. Estes for round 3
Matt Gianni for round 4

238-05__ Robin Peacock
Anna Willett for round 1
Guy E. Estes for round 2
Matt Gianni for round 3
William Collins for round 4

238-06__ Anna Willett
Guy E. Estes for round 1
Matt Gianni for round 2
William Collins for round 3
Miriam Yvette for round 4

238-07__ Guy E. Estes
Matt Gianni for round 1
William Collins for round 2
Miriam Yvette for round 3
Carolyn St-Denis for round 4

238-08__ Matt Gianni
William Collins for round 1
Miriam Yvette for round 2
Carolyn St-Denis for round 3
J.B. Trepagnier for round 4

238-09__ William Collins
Miriam Yvette for round 1
Carolyn St-Denis for round 2
J.B. Trepagnier for round 3
Robinette Waterson for round 4

238-10__ Miriam Yvette
Carolyn St-Denis for round 1
J.B. Trepagnier for round 2
Robinette Waterson for round 3
Casey Bartsch for round 4


Please remember the commitment you are making to your fellow group members. If you pull out after the start date for any reason it is the other members who will be faced with the problem of finding a replacement, or missing out on reads/reviews, through no fault of their own. Please don’t ask the moderators to chase after replacements as we just don’t have the time.

It is the responsibility of the author to get their book to their readers in a format the reviewer can manage. Everyone must be able to provide and accept PDF. You may buy or borrow the books you are due to read if you wish, and I’m sure the author will appreciate the verified review, but IT IS NOT COMPULSORY. There are no set dates for the start of each round. You can each work at your own pace, within the limits of the round deadlines.

All reviews must be posted to GR. We also encourage members to post on Amazon. When you have posted your reviews, please post the links to each of your reviews, not the book page in this thread.
The mod of each round will record whether members have posted reviews on Amazon and for the good of all, members who persistently fail to post reviews or DNF reviews to Amazon, will find mods less than willing to add them to subsequent groups.

Postings to other sites are by agreement by both author and reviewer.

If I’ve missed something that results in you being asked to review someone who has already reviewed you, please let me know asap.

To exchange book files, my advice is to use PM to give email addresses to each other (save the chance of spammers getting your addies from this open forum).

Setting up and modding these rounds is a labour of love, with a lot of emphasis on the ‘labour’. If you want to show appreciation for all the hard work we admins put in for the group, you could download one of our books as a ‘thank you’.

Happy reviewing, everyone :)

Please read this especially if you are new to these review rounds.

Quick 'start-up' summary for anyone new who might be scratching their heads. You are reviewing the four books 'below' you on the list.

You can, of course, choose to buy any or all of the books or read the books on KU, if you are a subscriber and the books are available there. If you can buy it adds weight to your review as it gives the 'Verified Purchase' stamp on Amazon.

However, as not everyone can buy, you should PM the four people who will be reviewing you (the four above you on the original list of names) through their Goodreads author pages. Click on the down arrow beside the 'Follow Author' button under their picture and it opens a menu which will allow you to message them.

Ask what kind of file they would like or say you can only offer PDF, though unless a publisher uploaded it for you, you can always download a .mobi of your own book from Amazon.

Don't forget to ask where to send it so they can give you their email.

The four people who you are reviewing should be in touch with you in a similar way.

Please make sure you have exchanged ALL FOUR books - or have been assured by your reviewers they will buy your book or read it through KU - as soon as possible. Some people read fast and it can be very frustrating to have to wait a long time to get hold of a book you are committed to review.
Don't forget to post the links to your reviews here so you can be signed off for them.

Please post your review to Goodreads, your own Amazon store and any other Amazon stores you might have access to as well.

Kat Kinney will be modding this round so PM her with any issues ongoing, please.

Hi everyone! I'll be modding this round. Let me know if I can help with anything and happy reading 😊.

I've reviewed William Collin's A Darker Shade of Sorcery before. I'd be happy to review another one of his books if that's possible.

No worries Guy. I messaged you about reading the sequel instead.

I've either purchased or downloaded all of the books I'm reading on KU. Mine is also available in KU if you are reading me and have it

Guy wrote: "I've reviewed William Collin's A Darker Shade of Sorcery before. I'd be happy to review another one of his books if that's possible."

Not a problem. Looks like you and William have it sorted.

Hello Kat.

Guy told me he's not my reviewer.

Am I reading my list wrong? This is who I have on the send list.

238-10__ Miriam Yvette
William Collins for round 1
Matt Gianni for round 2
Guy E. Estes for round 3
Anna Willett for round 4

Hopefully I can understand this mashup because I am already reading my reviewer list.

Thank you in advance.

Hi Miriam :)

Yes, you send your book to: William, Matt, Guy, and Anna.

Kat wrote: "Hi Miriam :)

Yes, you send your book to: William, Matt, Guy, and Anna."

Thank you Kat, I almost did a backflip on this.

J.B. wrote: "I've either purchased or downloaded all of the books I'm reading on KU. Mine is also available in KU if you are reading me and have it"

Which of your books am I reviewing. I have KU so I'll download it.
Thanks

Anna wrote: "J.B. wrote: "I've either purchased or downloaded all of the books I'm reading on KU. Mine is also available in KU if you are reading me and have it"

Which of your books am I reviewing. I have KU s..."

You aren't reviewing me. I'm reviewing you and I've already picked up your book

J.B. wrote: "I've either purchased or downloaded all of the books I'm reading on KU. Mine is also available in KU if you are reading me and have it"
Hi,
I think you are reviewing my book, The Woman Behind Her. Sorry, this is my first time so I'm still working it all out.
Anna

Anna wrote: "J.B. wrote: "I've either purchased or downloaded all of the books I'm reading on KU. Mine is also available in KU if you are reading me and have it"
Hi,
I think you are reviewing my book, The Woman..."

No worries! It's always a little confusing the first time :)

Anna, you are reviewing Guy, Matt, William, and Miriam, the four people below you on the list. Hope that helps :)

J.B. wrote: "Anna wrote: "J.B. wrote: "I've either purchased or downloaded all of the books I'm reading on KU. Mine is also available in KU if you are reading me and have it"

Which of your books am I reviewing..."
Thanks. Sorry for the mix up.

Hi Kat,
My Round 1 review for William Collins:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.amazon.com/review/R3HBME1...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/REJCO...
- Thanks, Matt