Review Group discussion

EDIT 27/04/2014
THIS GROUP IS NOW COMPLETE

If you want to join a group please watch for G36 forming

This thread is now open for you to join GROUP 35 by adding your GR (not Amazon) book link. We have 10 places – I’ll add your name as you sign in. We’ll aim to get started in just a few weeks so once you’ve signed in watch for a message that we’re ready to start.

When you add your book link it not only indicates you want to join the group – it indicates you AGREE that you are WILLING TO REVIEW ANY ALLOCATED BOOK within the set 12 week limit.

There is no genre filtering.

If you are only willing to review your own preferred genres then sorry, but you’re better off finding a group that specialises in your preference. Here you might be asked to review fiction/non-fiction, adults’/children’s books, a religious text, BDSM, or anything in between. Allocation is entirely random and there will NOT be any rearranging of the listing to accommodate genre 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/...

1)K.W. Benton #https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...#
2) Belinda White #https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...#
3) James Daughety #https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...#
4) Anamitra Roy #https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...#
5) Jake Soister #https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...#
6) D.M. Wolfenden #http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...#
7) Scott Spotson #https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...#
8) AL Goulden #https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...#
9) Brad Cotton #https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...#
10) Jake Donald Stephens #https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...#

Am I first?
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Jay, I would really love to be a part of this group too. I am also in Group 34, but I have one of my reviews done (waiting to post it since it is for Book 2) and have my round 1 book about half finished. I should be done and ready to tackle this group in a couple of weeks.

So, if it isn't breaking any rules, I would love to sign up! Same book: Finders Weepers

Thank you again for this great opportunity. And if it is too soon for me to go again, I totally understand!

My goodness, you three are quick off the mark!
KW - yes, you're first!
Belinda - no problem with more than one group if you're sure you can keep up with the review schedule.
James - welcome back - G26 wasn't it last time?

Jay wrote: "My goodness, you three are quick off the mark!
KW - yes, you're first!
Belinda - no problem with more than one group if you're sure you can keep up with the review schedule.
James - welcome back - ..."

Not a problem at all! I'm loving having books assigned to me...it's like Christmas morning each time! And as I have always been an eclectic reader, I'm really loving the variety.

Hi, Kindly count me in with this book
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Welcome, Anamitra - hope you enjoy reviewing in this group.

Please count me in! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Hi Jake, you make #5 so we're half way there already :)

Count me in Jay
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

I shall indeed, Dianne - 4th group now isn't it? You'll be more experienced in this game than me at this rate lol!
You did forget your book link, though:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Jay wrote: "Welcome, Anamitra - hope you enjoy reviewing in this group."

I'm sure I will.
Thanks for adding :)

Best

Hi! I'm in Group 33 (doesn't seem like that many groups ago, but the groups seem to be forming anew more slowly than before). I have only one book left to review in that group, and it's not until end of May or something.

I have reviewed James Daugherty before, and Belinda White has reviewed me (but I have other books she has not reviewed yet, and Life II is one of them). I don't know the others.

I am submitting my book, "Life II" for reviews.

Life II

Um, Scott? I'm kind of confused. I have never posted a review before. Group 34 is my very first time, and you aren't one of my authors to review. Unless there is another Belinda White here?

Sorry, got you mixed up with Brenda Cheers in Group 33. Not an easy mistake to make, but I did it! Must need more coffee, ha ha,

So, James is the only one with whom I've done a review!

Hi Scott - I'll make sure I keep you and James separated in the final ordering. Thanks for the heads-up.

I would love to join this group!
August Fog
A.L. Goulden

I'm in:

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

Hi AL, Brad and Jake (oh boy is this going to get confusing with 2 Jakes lol!)

That's it - group complete so it's time for me to sort out the listing. I'll get it up in the next day or 2 and stay with you while you exchange books ready for the start.

Good night all!

Jay wrote: "I shall indeed, Dianne - 4th group now isn't it? You'll be more experienced in this game than me at this rate lol!
You did forget your book link, though:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1......"

Thanks Jay. Yep 4th group. I love the variety that I get in these groups :)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

GROUP 35 - moderator
Anne Carlisle
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

START DATE: 03 May 2014

END DATE: 26 July 2014
Round 1 – post your review by 24 May
Round 2 – post your review by 14 June
Round 3 – post your review by 05 July
Round 4 – post your review by 26 July

Please remember the commitment you are making to your fellow group members. If you don’t think you can manage to do 4 book reviews between these dates please let me know now. I will find someone else for this group and you will be able to choose a later group that will be more suitable for you. 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 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 reviewer in a format the reviewer can manage. When the file is received, please post a GR link to the book in this thread so that the author has confirmation that reviewing of the correct book has started.

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 by 26 July 2014.

When you have posted your review on GR please post a link to your review in this thread.

All reviews of 3, 4 or 5 stars must be posted to GR, Amazon .com and Amazon.co.uk.

If the rating is 1 or 2 stars, the review must be posted to GR but the author should be asked if they want the review to go to Amazon or not.

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

In the next post are the listings for the 4 review rounds, the who reviews who stuff. You don’t have to put forward the same book for every round, but you can only ask for one review per round.

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

Member Links
AL Goulden https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Anamitra Roy https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Belinda White https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Brad Cotton https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
D.M. Wolfenden http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Jake Donald Stephens https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Jake Soister https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...
James Daughety https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
K.W. Benton https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...
Scott Spotson https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Book Link

AL Goulden -- August Fog -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Anamitra Roy -- Word-Conjuring -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Belinda White -- Finders Weepers (The Benandanti) -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Brad Cotton -- By All Men's Judgments -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
D.M. Wolfenden -- Behind Blue Eyes -- http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...
Jake Donald Stephens -- Cliff and Liz -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Jake Soister -- The Life He Knew -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
James Daughety -- Amish Apocolypse -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
K.W. Benton -- Over Cast -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Scott Spotson -- Life II -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

As AUTHORS you send your book file to:

G34-01__ Scott Spotson
Jake Donald Stephens for round 1
Brad Cotton for round 2
AL Goulden for round 3
D.M. Wolfenden for round 4

G34-02__ K.W. Benton
Scott Spotson for round 1
Jake Donald Stephens for round 2
Brad Cotton for round 3
AL Goulden for round 4

G34-03__ Belinda White
K.W. Benton for round 1
Scott Spotson for round 2
Jake Donald Stephens for round 3
Brad Cotton for round 4

G34-04__ Anamitra Roy
Belinda White for round 1
K.W. Benton for round 2
Scott Spotson for round 3
Jake Donald Stephens for round 4

G34-05__ Jake Soister
Anamitra Roy for round 1
Belinda White for round 2
K.W. Benton for round 3
Scott Spotson for round 4

G34-06__ James Daughety
Jake Soister for round 1
Anamitra Roy for round 2
Belinda White for round 3
K.W. Benton for round 4

G34-07__ D.M. Wolfenden
James Daughety for round 1
Jake Soister for round 2
Anamitra Roy for round 3
Belinda White for round 4

G34-08__ AL Goulden
D.M. Wolfenden for round 1
James Daughety for round 2
Jake Soister for round 3
Anamitra Roy for round 4

G34-09__ Brad Cotton
AL Goulden for round 1
D.M. Wolfenden for round 2
James Daughety for round 3
Jake Soister for round 4

G34-10__ Jake Donald Stephens
Brad Cotton for round 1
AL Goulden for round 2
D.M. Wolfenden for round 3
James Daughety for round 4


As REVIEWERS you will receive books for review from:

G34-01__ Scott Spotson
K.W. Benton for round 1
Belinda White for round 2
Anamitra Roy for round 3
Jake Soister for round 4

G34-02__ K.W. Benton
Belinda White for round 1
Anamitra Roy for round 2
Jake Soister for round 3
James Daughety for round 4

G34-03__ Belinda White
Anamitra Roy for round 1
Jake Soister for round 2
James Daughety for round 3
D.M. Wolfenden for round 4

G34-04__ Anamitra Roy
Jake Soister for round 1
James Daughety for round 2
D.M. Wolfenden for round 3
AL Goulden for round 4

G34-05__ Jake Soister
James Daughety for round 1
D.M. Wolfenden for round 2
AL Goulden for round 3
Brad Cotton for round 4

G34-06__ James Daughety
D.M. Wolfenden for round 1
AL Goulden for round 2
Brad Cotton for round 3
Jake Donald Stephens for round 4

G34-07__ D.M. Wolfenden
AL Goulden for round 1
Brad Cotton for round 2
Jake Donald Stephens for round 3
Scott Spotson for round 4

G34-08__ AL Goulden
Brad Cotton for round 1
Jake Donald Stephens for round 2
Scott Spotson for round 3
K.W. Benton for round 4

G34-09__ Brad Cotton
Jake Donald Stephens for round 1
Scott Spotson for round 2
K.W. Benton for round 3
Belinda White for round 4

G34-10__ Jake Donald Stephens
Scott Spotson for round 1
K.W. Benton for round 2
Belinda White for round 3
Anamitra Roy for round 4

You have until next Saturday to exchange your book files, or at least the round 1 book. It is the responsibility of the author to get their file to their reviewers. Use PM to give email addresses (save the chance of spammers getting your addies from this open forum). I'll stay with you for the next week to answer your questions then Anne will take over as your group moderator. Happy reviewing, everyone :)

Jake Soister I could not send you a message with my email. So I sent a friend request. Hopefully that will fix the hiccup. I prefer Mobi files. Thanks.

Jake Soister, I don't see any option to send you a message or a friend request. I'm supposed to review your work for round 1. Please get in touch at your convenience.

Best

Jake Soister... I'm in the same boat with the others in not being able to send you a message. This happened to me when I first started using GoodReads. I had no idea my account was set to not allow direct messages. It's an easy thing to change in your settings.

Thanks!

I'm the same, sent messages to James, Anamitra and Belinda but I can't see away of getting a message to Jake Soister.

DM

Jake - could you change your profile settings to allow PMs please (if that is the problem) and/or contact the members you're matched with. Thanks.

I have found away of getting a message to Jake throught this page :)

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...

D.M. wrote: "I have found away of getting a message to Jake throught this page :)

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2..."

Thanks D.M. I sent a note.

I know I'm jumping the gun, but this was a very short read, even though I read it three times! Here is my Round #1 review of Word-Conjuring:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Belinda, I'm sure Anne wouldn't complain if all 40 reviews were done by Saturday lol!

Belinda wrote: "I know I'm jumping the gun, but this was a very short read, even though I read it three times! Here is my Round #1 review of Word-Conjuring:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Thanks for the honest review. It would be great if you could kindly post it to the amazon sites.

Best

Anamitra wrote: "Belinda wrote: "I know I'm jumping the gun, but this was a very short read, even though I read it three times! Here is my Round #1 review of Word-Conjuring:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9..."

It sounds like it's a real shame we can't read the original rather than the translation.

Round #1 review also posted to both Amazons as requested.

Jay wrote: "Anamitra wrote: "Belinda wrote: "I know I'm jumping the gun, but this was a very short read, even though I read it three times! Here is my Round #1 review of Word-Conjuring:
https://www.goodreads...."

It's only me, and the original is in Bengali, which only a limited people know. I read Baudelaire in English and not in French as I don't know the later. What to do... :/

Belinda wrote: "Round #1 review also posted to both Amazons as requested."

Thanks a lot :)

Jake wrote: "I, too, have already reviewed "Word Conjuring." I'll see if I can figure out how to post the link.
Also, a question: about posting reviews to Amazon. I thought one had to buy a book before they wo..."

Great! I just read it. Thanks a lot for your honest and detailed feedback :)
Anyone with a verified customer account can post reviews to Amazon. It means if you've ever purchased anything from amazon, you should well be able to review anything there.

Kindly post your review to their co.uk and .com portal if that's possible for you.
Here are the links:
http://www.amazon.com/Word-Conjuring-...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Word-Conjurin...

Best Regards

Jake wrote: "I, too, have already reviewed "Word Conjuring." I'll see if I can figure out how to post the link.
Also, a question: about posting reviews to Amazon. I thought one had to buy a book before they wo..."

You just need to have your review on screen then copy and paste the address as you would anywhere else on the internet.

I've just gone to look at the review - and can't see it yet. Sometimes it seems to take a little while before a review is visible to everyone.

And you can review books you haven't bought on Amazon - I frequently do so - but I have heard that at least one prior purchase is necessary.

This is the link to Jake's review. I can see it...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Seems like I'll get all the 4 reviews before anyone else gets their first! :D

That could well be true, Anamitra!

Well, it's all been quiet for a while so I guess you've all sussed out what you're doing. The group officially starts tomorrow, so I'll bow out now. Your group moderator is Anne Carlisle. If you have problems try and help each other sort them out in the first instance. If you're still stuck I'm sure Anne will be more than happy to help.

I hope you all enjoy the experience of reviewing with this group, and see the pay-off in increased interest in your books. For me, when I've been a group member, the lasting benefit has been discovering some quite amazing books I wouldn't otherwise have read.

I have received all the 4 books I'm supposed to review and also sent my book to all the 4 persons who are supposed to review my work here.
Already got 2 reviews, so I'm already enjoying :)

Best

Jake Soister is still MIA for me but I have the rest of the books. I am heading to NoLa for a week and will get a good bit of reading done then. I should come back refreshed with reviews. But I won't get Jake's until I get back now.

If Jake doesn't get his book to his reviewers in time for the start of the round it's due to be reviewed in, the reviewer has the choice of taking a bye or allowing him leeway and doing it late.

For those who are due to be reviewed by him, keep us informed if he doesn't come through... We'll do what we can to help but can't make any promises I'm afraid.

I'll try and contact him too.

Sorry I thought reviewers were supposed to contact the authors first since the authors need the email address? Jake what is your email address or just send me a private message. I have given my email address to all my first three authors whom I'm reviewing and I got all three books. Will do fourth when I'm ready...

Hey guys,

Sorry for any confusion on my part... I'd seemed to be receiving individual messages on here from the majority of you so I wasn't aware there was a problem. For future reference, anyone can feel free to email me at [email protected]. I apologize again for any delays/frustrations.

Is the confusion perhaps having two Jakes in the same group?

If anyone is missing books for review, please check carefully whose book it is you're due to be reviewing. Similarly if you are having trouble getting your book to your reviewer, again check carefully that you're trying to contact the right person.

If there are still problems please post here. Thanks.

Great, Anamitra!

Anamitra wrote: "I have received all the 4 books I'm supposed to review and also sent my book to all the 4 persons who are supposed to review my work here.
Already got 2 reviews, so I'm already enjoying :)

Best"