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 a General round
All fiction/ non-fiction accepted. This means you may be required to read anything from a book about tax returns to horror/erotica and everything in between.

Please note it is always possible that the books you are assigned may contain material you find upsetting or offensive. If you can't commit to this, please do not sign up.

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. Please note the Review Group will back any reviewer's right to express their opinion about a book, but personal comments about a fellow author are against both Review Group and Goodreads policy.

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. J.E. Rowney
2. Isaac Nasri
3. Nicki Snyder
4. Marcel Eschauzier
5. Zara Stone
6. David Alyn Gordon
7. A. Claire Everward
8. J.S. Austin
9. Sanam Asif
10. Angela Panayotopulos

Book Links
1. Starting Out
2. Into the Violet Gardens
3. A Myriad of Emotions
4. Existential Rationalism: Handling Hume's Fork
5. Killer Looks: The Forgotten History of Plastic Surgery in Prisons
6. Beginnings
7. A Tangled Web
8. A Devilish Vacation
9. Crown of Fire
10. The Wake Up

Excellent!

Please sign me up with Starting Out. I’ll withdraw my request from the clean group

I’ve read Thomas before, but not this book.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Welcome J.E. - you know the drill - thanks in advance ;)

Hi EM! Add me too, please, with The Wake Up (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...). I've read a handful of JE's books before, but it appears she has a few more options available, so I could read her again.

Good afternoon,

As I've reviewed Necrotic City, I would like to include my novel, Into the Violet Gardens, in the round.

Goodread link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ANYONE SIGNING UP TO JOIN THIS ROUND

Please note that Goodreads has recently made a privacy reset to their private messaging system. This means that they have shifted the default setting to restrict those who can message you.

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...

Welcome Angela and Isaac - please look at Message 6 and follow what it says - if the mod and others in the round can't PM you, you can't be in the round - and keep checking back for any clashes that occur. Thanks. :)

E.M. wrote: " IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ANYONE SIGNING UP TO JOIN THIS ROUND

Please note that Goodreads has recently made a privacy reset to their private messaging system. This means that they have shifted the def..."

Done. :)

I have a poetry book I'd love to get some reviews on if I could join this group. J.E. Rowney recently read a book of mine for another round - but it was No Hope Beyond This Point.
That is the only conflict I have so far.
This book is called A Myriad of Emotions.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Welcome Nikki - please keep checking back and report any further clashes which might appear.

Hi! Please add me to this group -- book title is Killer Looks: The Forgotten History of Plastic Surgery in Prisons. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

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

[i also checked and changed my message settings] This is my first time in a round, so apologies in advance if I have a lot of questions.

Hi, please add me to this Reading Rounds > Group 296. General - Now Forming. I am new to this, so I might do something wrong. If so please let me know, and please let me know what I should do next. Marcel EschauzierExistential Rationalism: Handling Hume's Fork. Seems like fun ,this! Thank you.

E.M. - I have no clashes w/ Zara or Marcel. 😊
-Nicki

Hi, just to confirm that my private message setting is "anyone" and I also fulfill the other criteria. Thank you.

Hi, Please add my book Essence to the General Review Group Reading Round. Thanks. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Welcome Marcel - please keep checking back for updates and to make sure no one joins the group with whom you have a review clash.

Zara - I would love to add you to the group, but first you need to claim your author page on Goodreads and sign up for the group from that. If you scroll to the bottom of the page you will see where it says 'Work with us' and under that 'Authors'. Follow that link and it will walk you through setting up your author page and claiming your books.

Charles - very happy to add you if you would both tell me of any existing clashes with other in the group - or that you have none and if you would please read and act on Message 6 on this thread so we can PM you at need. Thanks.

Hi

I'd like to join with my second book Crown of Fire. Though it is a second in series. I can send a plot summary of the first part so reader can understand the book.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

E.M. wrote: "Welcome Marcel - please keep checking back for updates and to make sure no one joins the group with whom you have a review clash.

Zara - I would love to add you to the group, but first you need to..."
Hi EM - my author page is here -- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... is this what you mean? That is claimed, but signed in with a diff account?

E.M. wrote: "Welcome Marcel - please keep checking back for updates and to make sure no one joins the group with whom you have a review clash.

Zara - I would love to add you to the group, but first you need to..."
Hi EM - my author page is here -- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... is this what you mean? That is claimed, but signed in with a diff account? Thank you!

Thanks Zara, I have added you, but you need to sign up to and interact with the group with your author page not your personal page please, as that is how people will contact you.

Sanam - please let me know of any review clashes you have with others in this group so I can see if you will fit in and where I need to put you if you do. Thanks.

I have read Women in the woods by J.E Rowny, but not this one.

I have read The wake up by Angela Panayotopulos.

Zara wrote: "Hi EM / this is zara now signed in with authors account"

Thanks so much for that :)

Welcome Sanam - thanks for providing that information.

Hi EM per Kats advice, may I join this group with Jigsaw Beginnings. Please advise and take care.

David wrote: "Hi EM per Kats advice, may I join this group with Jigsaw Beginnings. Please advise and take care."

All books are welcome in a General round so I am sure you can. Please post the GoodReads link to the book you would like to include in the round and let me know if you have previously reviewed - or been reviewed before by - anyone already on the list.

Hi E.M. The Jigsaw Beginnings Good reads link is below. I have reviewed Sanam's first work but not the second one she is putting out for this group. Please advise and take care.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Welcome David - thanks for letting me know that clash, do keep checking back and report on any others that might occur as the group fills. Thanks.

Hi. I’d love to join but can only review on Amazon.co.uk not Amazon.com
I presume that means I am not able to join?

J.S. wrote: "Hi. I’d love to join but can only review on Amazon.co.uk not Amazon.com
I presume that means I am not able to join?"

The requirement is the ability to post to your own Amazon store, not any other. You are welcome to sign up, please give the Goodreads link to your book.

Hi E.M,
If still possible, I'd love to join this group with my book A Tangled Web instead of the group 18+. I have no clashes in the group and no other issues.

Please add me to the group with the below book.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Welcome A. Claire and J.S!

Looks like we have a full group, now we need to make sure it is a viable one!

Everyone - please post to tell me if you have reviewed any of the four people above you on the list (the list wraps around so (10) is 'above' (1) ). Please also check that if you have already reviewed any of the four people 'below' you on the list they have more books available that you have not yet reviewed and post to tell me if they have not.

Remember that you can check if you have reviewed anyone before by going to your reviews through your profile (the link is under your portrait), and searching their name. You can check if someone has reviewed you in the same way through their profile and searching for your name.
Please check all those who are the 4 above and 4 below you.
If you have no review clashes - or if you are scheduled to review someone who you have reviewed before but can see they have another book available just post 'Good to go :)' or words to that effect.

When everyone has posted 'Good to go' we will be :)

If you are new to these rounds do not worry, full instructions will be provided at every stage.

Good to go

Good to go!

Good to go, thanks

Good to go.

Good to go!

I have reviewed a different book by J.E Rowney so
I have already reviewed The Wake Up by Angela Panayotopulos, so I can read her other work.

I havent read the authors above me.

David Alyn Gordon has reviewed my book Just Like Fire.

We've got 6 out of 10 checked in! As soon as we hear from Issac, Nicki, Zara and Angela, we'll be able to kick off the reading phase! I'll send PM's to anyone we haven't heard from yet. Looking forward to a great round!

good to go

Good to go, thanks! :)

We're now down to just two who haven't checked in--Zara and Nicki. I've reached out to both on social media so hopefully we will hear something soon.

Good to go, thank you!

Good to go 😊

Excellent, 10 out of 10 checked in!

I can't message J.S. Austin or Sanam Asif - please can you both check your settings?

Sanam and J.S. - please use this link to set your profiles to allow messages from anyone.

https://www.goodreads.com/user/valida...

As soon as you both have done so we can proceed.

I’ve changed my settings so should be good to go 😃

I have messaged Sanam previously so just sent her a PM about the settings issue.

Kat wrote: "I have messaged Sanam previously so just sent her a PM about the settings issue."

Thanks so much Kat!