Review Group discussion

Hi everyone, in my quest to obtain book reviews I have come upon a list of various websites that claim to offer book reviews for free. The ones in particular I saw are:

Booksprout
Litsy
BookLikes
Library Thing Member Giveaways
Prolific Works
The Kindle Book Review
The Indie View
Book Sirens Database
Reedsy Database
Kindle Book Review
StoryOrigin

I'm interested if any authors have worked with these sites and what their experiences are, especially when it comes to piracy. Thanks everyone for your time! Jessica Kuzmier, author of Protocell 3: Dormancy

I’ve used booksprout. You pay monthly or yearly, they list your book and any of their readers can pick it up for a review. They try to control piracy, how much depends on your level of membership. If you google it, you’ll find all the information you need on their website. The service is used by indie authors and traditionally published authors.

I've used Booksprout and Hidden Gems in the past to distribute my ARCs. I think you'll probably run into some of these issues no matter which ARC site you use, but I wouldn't let that discourage you. The sort of person who downloads something illegally is not the sort who was ever going to go to Amazon and buy a copy. So you really haven't lost a sale.

Jessica wrote: "Hi everyone, in my quest to obtain book reviews I have come upon a list of various websites that claim to offer book reviews for free. The ones in particular I saw are:

Booksprout
Litsy
BookLikes..."
I've done reviews for people on StoryOrigin, but not used them to get reviews..
Reedsy is a reputable site. I keep getting emails from BookLikes, but know nothing about them.

I will research these groups that you have listed. I have a book I need reviews for. Looking for a chance to join a review group.
I write middle grade fiction.

Mary Kincaid

Mary wrote: "I will research these groups that you have listed. I have a book I need reviews for. Looking for a chance to join a review group.
I write middle grade fiction.

Mary Kincaid"

Mary, we will have more review rounds starting here soon. Check back in this folder over the next few days and look for threads that say "now forming" in the title.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...


You can also use the one for one list at any time, no need to wait. Simply choose a book off the list, contact the author for a review copy (or many are available through KU), and once you've reviewed, post your GR/Amz links in a new message in the thread along with the link to your book, so it can be added to the list for someone else to choose.

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

https://saptturangshelf.godaddysites.... This is one is free just help for help

Mary if your book is <45,000 words there is one more space in Review group 320.

Hi, I'd like to join a sci-fi reviewing group, as I have a book coming out. My experience with Booksprout and Book Sirens has been underwhelming. Could you point me in the right direction please?

Hi K.,

This group has spaces open in some of the chains and rounds:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

If you watch the "Reading Rounds" in this group and wait for one to show 'now forming' you can join that too.

Good luck with your book.

Voracious Readers Only is quite good too - you can do a free 20 book giveaway before signing up.

K. wrote: "Hi, I'd like to join a sci-fi reviewing group, as I have a book coming out. My experience with Booksprout and Book Sirens has been underwhelming. Could you point me in the right direction please?"

Hi K! Right now the only round we have open is a mystery/thriller round, but check back, because we will have more groups forming soon. We do usually have "out of this world" rounds which include sci fi, fantasy, paranormal and all kinds of spec fic. Check back every few days or set your notifications to get alerts from the group as that round is one of the most popular and fills quickly. You could also enter a general round. Look for a round that says "now forming" in the thread title.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

There's also the one for one list. No waiting is necessary. Choose any book off the list that interests you. Read and review. Once you have posted your links on GR/Amz, your book will be added to the list for someone else to choose. See the first post of the thread for more instructions.

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

Please adjust your Goodreads settings so that you can receive private messages. This is a requirement for participating in rounds.

In order to participate in this round, your setting for 'Who Can Send Me Private Messages' needs to be 'anyone'.
Please follow this link to check - and if necessary change - your privacy setting

https://www.goodreads.com/user/edit?t...

I've used Book Sirens and Hidden Gems before. They are free to the reader/reviewer, but not to the author. You pay a fee to place the book with them and then $2 - $3 per book that gets downloaded on their sites.