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 Clean round
Fiction and non-fiction, adult and children's books are acceptable.
No explicit violence, explicit sexual situations, or explicit language.

Infrequent uses of words like "damn" and "hell" and milder words are acceptable, but nothing stronger than that.

Sex can be implied in a romantic scene that draws the curtains, but otherwise nothing more racy than a kiss.

Violence can happen or be implied but no detailed descriptions of its impact e.g. someone can be shot or punched on the jaw, but no gratuitous blood splatters or gore.

--Do not sign up for a Clean review round if your book does not follow the rules above.--
If you have to wonder if an aspect of your book could be considered offensive, this is probably not the group for you!

Please note that being a Clean review round does not guarantee that the books you read will not have situations you find immoral, upsetting, or distasteful. 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/...



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: Loralee Evans

Member Links

1. Loralee Evans
2. William Staub
3. Balroop Singh
4. Laura Koerber
5. T.N. Traynor
6. Jenny Graves
7. David Gordon
8.Amanda Stuntz
9.Terry Birdgenaw
10. G. J. Griffiths

Book Links
1. Puppies and Portals
2. The Grace of God
3. Moments We Love
4. Murder in a Gated Community
5. A White Christmas in Berrycombe
6. Naturally Supporting Cancer Treatment
7. Jigsaw: Beginnings
8. Witch's Choice
9. Antuna's Story
10.Seeking Angels




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...

Please make sure when signing up to let us know which group members have reviewed you or been reviewed by you

Hi Loralee,
I'd like to sign up for this group with:

Seeking Angels

G.J. Griffiths

Thanks, Graham

Welcome, Graham! You've reviewed me before, so I've put you just above me in spot 10.

Jenny Graves has also joined with her book, Naturally Supporting Cancer Treatment. I do not believe that she has reviewed or been reviewed by you before, Graham. Correct me if I am wrong.

I'd like to join with Antuna's Story
Terry Birdgenaw

Jenny has reviewed 2 of my books, and I have reviewed Loralee's Woodlands and Wormholes.

Welcome, Terry! As long as you have other books Jenny has not read yet, it's great. And the book I have here, you have not read.

Hi Loralee. I hope all is well. May I join with Jigsaw Beginnings? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09...
I have no conflicts with any of the current reading selections. Please advise and take care.

Welcome, David! It does look like you have reviewed me before, but another book. As long as you haven't reviewed or been reviewed by anyone else here so far, you'll fit just fine.

I would like to sign up with my book Witch's Choice. I have read this book by Loralee before, and David has read one of my books but not this one.
book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Authors profile for that book: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

This is the profile that I do all my reviews from so I'm adding it too. not sure if you need it. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Loralee wrote: "Welcome, Graham! You've reviewed me before, so I've put you just above me in spot 10.

Jenny Graves has also joined with her book, Naturally Supporting Cancer Treatment. I do not believe that she h..."

Hi Loralee,
Yes I have reviewed you but not the same book. Terry has reviewed me before but not this book. Jenny and Gordon have not reviewed me nor have I read their books . Hope this helps :-)

Thanks

Terry wrote: "Yes, Jenny can read The Rise and Fall of Antocracy"

Wonderful! I love your Ant books!

Hi Loralee
I would like to sign up, please.
I have already read David Gordon's book in a previous round.
The book I would like to add is A White Christmas in Berrycombe.
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
Many thanks :)

Welcome, Amanda and T.N.!

Everyone, please check as people come in and let me know if you have reviewed or been reviewed by them.

People who are slotted above you may have reviewed you before, and that's fine so long as you have other books for them to review. People who are slotted below you (the list wraps, so 1 is below 10) will be reviewed by you, and again that's fine so long as they have at least one other book you have not reviewed.

I have no conflicts with Amanda or T.N.
Also, Graham mentioned I reviewed one of his books, but I don't think I have. Please double check and remind me which one if I am mistaken. Maybe it was Ann?

T.N. has reviewed me before, but not this book.

Hi Loralee
I am very happy to read Amanda's book as I've already read one of hers :)

I have no conflicts with Amanda or T.N.

I have a book to offer that is a Christian/LDS Action/Adventure Thriller, if that fits the bill for your group. I am new and still not sure exactly how this works. It is like a Christian Jason Bourne or Jack Reacher.

That would be perfect, William! Please post a link to the particular book's GoodReads page here. Have you participated in these rounds before? If so, have you reviewed or been reviewed by any other people already on the list? If you have, please state who, and if they have reviewed or been reviewed by you.

I have included the link to The Grace of God below. However, I am having trouble finding where to change my message settings. Is it on my Dashboard?
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

Here is the link, William! I apologize that I failed to include it in the post above.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/edit?t...

Thank you. I have made the changes. May I enter the group, now?

Welcome, William! Have you participated in these reading groups before? If not, then you don't have any conflicts. If you have, then please state who in this group has read or been read by you.

In an effort to keep reviews honest, ethical, and unbiased, this group does not allow reciprocal reviews. If someone has reviewed you before, you cannot later review them back per the rules of this group. The reason for that is because them having reviewed you, could potentially affect your review for them either positively or negatively and your review could be unbiased. To avoid that possibility, we do not allow people to review others who have reviewed them. Also, Amazon tracks reciprocal reviews and deletes them anyway.

Do you still need one? I only have two conflicts with the posted authors

I am one of them. I've reviewed you a few times, but could review you again.
What is your other conflict?
Also, assuming your other conflict does not keep you from fitting in that last spot, what is the book you would like reviewed, Laura?

This group is my first and I am a stranger or a wild card to all of them.

Loralee wrote: "Also, assuming your other conflict does not keep you from fitting in that last spot, what is the book you would like reviewed, Laura?"
Murder in a Gated Community. I'll try to get a link

It looks like you will, fit, Laura!

False alarm, everyone! Dawn decided to withdraw from the group! We still have one more spot to fill. When it is filled, then we'll do this again!

Hi Loralee, I may fit in with a little shuffling. if possible, I can fall out of the novella group and join this one. You've reviewed me. I have reviewed Laura's book, G.J. has reviewed my book. Let's see if you can shuffle and fit me.

Loralee, if you have space for Balroop, I can fit KT Munson into the Novella round with her out.

Welcome Balroop! It appears that you will fit! What's the book you want reviewed? I put in "Emotional Truths of Relationships" since that's the one you wanted reviewed in the Novella round, but will put in a different one if you like.

Let's do this again, EVERYBODY!
Balroop Singh has just joined us, so let's sound off roll call again.
EVEN IF you have already said "Good to go", you will need to again, after you've read the information below and done what is requested.

IMPORTANT: Look at the four people above you, and make sure you have NOT reviewed them.
(The list wraps, so 10 is above 1.)
Then look at the four people below you, and make sure they have NOT reviewed you.


If the people above you have reviewed you, that's okay so long as you have another book for them to read.

If you have reviewed the people below you, that's also okay so long as they have another book for you to read.

Once you have checked that, then come back here and say "Good to go" or something similar.

Once all 10 of us have done so, we'll be ready to start.

I am good to go.

Balroop has reviewed me before.

Would it work if I move down two positions?

Thank you so much for catching that, Amanda!

Excellent suggestion, Terry. Let's try that.

PLEASE READ EVERYONE, THIS IS IMPORTANT.

Those of your who are brand new, this does not apply. However, do pay attention because this will become relevant as you participate more and more.

So because of review conflicts, I have had to move a few people around.

Thanks to Terry's suggestion, I moved Terry down two spots, and David and Amanda up so that Amanda and Balroop are in each other's blind spot.

Because of this change, I will need you to check the four spots ABOVE you and the four spots BELOW you.

PLEASE EVERYONE DO THIS.

Check the four people above you. IF YOU HAVE REVIEWED THEM, LET ME KNOW!

Check the four people below you. IF THEY HAVE REVIEW YOU, LET ME KNOW!

Do not rely on your memory!
To check if the four people below you have ever reviewed you, go to their profile. Under their picture, click on their reviews. A page will come up with the books they have read. Level with Author's Name > Books is a search bar. In that search bar, type your full name or any pen name you have ever used. If a book you have written comes up, the person HAS reviewed you before. Immediately let me know.

To check if you have ever read anyone above you, go to your own profile, click on your reviews under your picture, and one by one, in the search bar level with Your Name Books type the full names of the 4 authors above you. Make sure you get spelling correct, and the full name. (You don't want to mistake Ann Birdgenaw for Terry Birdgenaw, for example.) If any of their books come up, you HAVE reviewed that person before. Immediately let me know.

We'll need to start roll call again, so please sound off.
Do not say Good to Go until you have THOROUGHLY checked both above and below you.

I will do the same.

I have checked both above and below me, and I am good to go.

I am good to go with the new line-up.

I am good to go. Thank you and take care.

okay

Good to go!

Double checked again, Loralee. I'm good to go.

I am sorry I didn't check the way you've suggested Loralee. Thank you for telling this easier method.
I've checked again and out of the 4 people above me, You and G.J have reviewed me.
Out of 4 people below me, I have reviewed Laura.
So I am good to go.

Hi again,
I am good to go. I have reviewed Laura but not this book.

Good to go

ready

Great! Everyone has said that they are ready! Give me a little while, and I will have the assignments posted.

Once review assignments are posted, it is your responsibility to contact your 8 people.

Contact them via messenger. Under their picture there is a button that says "Follow" next to that button is a little v. Click that, and choose "Send Message". If anyone does not have "Send Message" they are not set up to get messages. Leave a message here. It is an easy fix.

In Messenger:

For the people you are to review, give them your email so that you can get their book. They may only be able to send PDF, but if they have MOBI or EPUB and you prefer one of these other two formats, you may ask them.

For the people who are to review you, ask them for their email so you can get their book and and ask them what format they prefer. (PDF, MOBI, or EPUB) If you only have PDF, let them know this.

EVERYONE needs to be able to send and receive at least PDFs. But some people have/prefer MOBIs or EPUBs as well.

DO NOT post emails here, since this is a public thread and doing so increases your chances of spam.

Some people choose to purchase the books they are to read, or get them on KU. While appreciated, it is not necessary.

Great! We are all good to go!

Okay, we’re ready!
START DATE: 16-June-23
END DATE: 8-Sept-23

Round 1 – post your review by 7-July-23
Round 2 – post your review by 28-Jul-23
Round 3 – post your review by 18-Aug-23
Round 4 – post your review by 8-Sept-23

You will be SENDING your book file to the four people above you, and RECEIVING a book file from the people below you. Read below, including the instructions further down.


As AUTHORS you SEND your book file to:

334-01__Loralee Evans
G. J. Griffiths for round 1
Terry Birdgenaw for round 2
Amanda Stuntz for round 3
David Gordon for round 4


334-02__William Staub
Loralee Evans for round 1
G. J. Griffiths for round 2
Terry Birdgenaw for round 3
Amanda Stuntz for round 4


334-03__Balroop Singh
William Staub for round 1
Loralee Evans for round 2
G. J. Griffiths for round 3
Terry Birdgenaw for round 4




334-04__ Laura Koerber
Balroop Singh for round 1
William Staub for round 2
Loralee Evans for round 3
G. J. Griffiths for round 4




334-05__ T.N. Traynor
Laura Koerber for round 1
Balroop Singh for round 2
William Staub for round 3
Loralee Evans for round 4




334-06__Jenny Graves
T.N. Traynor for round 1
Laura Koerber for round 2
Balroop Singh for round 3
William Staub for round 4




334-07__ David Gordon
Jenny Graves for round 1
T.N. Traynor for round 2
Laura Koerber for round 3
Balroop Singh for round 4


334-08__ Amanda Stuntz
David Gordon for round 1
Jenny Graves for round 2
T.N. Traynor for round 3
Laura Koerber for round 4




334-09__ Terry Birdgenaw
Amanda Stuntz for round 1
David Gordon for round 2
Jenny Graves for round 3
T.N. Traynor for round 4




334-10__ G. J. Griffiths
Terry Birdgenaw for round 1
Amanda Stuntz for round 2
David Gordon for round 3
Jenny Graves for round 4




As REVIEWERS you will RECEIVE books from:


334-01__Loralee Evans
William Staub for round 1
Balroop Singh for round 2
Laura Koerber for round 3
T.N. Traynor for round 4

334-02__William Staub
Balroop Singh for round 1
Laura Koerber for round 2
T.N. Traynor for round 3
Jenny Graves for round 4

334-03__Balroop Singh
Laura Koerber for round 1
T.N. Traynor for round 2
Jenny Graves for round 3
David Gordon for round 3

334-04__ Laura Koerber
T.N. Traynor for round 1
Jenny Graves for round 2
David Gordon for round 3
Amanda Stuntz for round 4

334-05__ T.N. Traynor
Jenny Graves for round1
David Gordon for round2
Amanda Stuntz for round3
Terry Birdgenaw for round4

334-06__ Jenny Graves
David Gordon for round1
Amanda Stuntz for round2
Terry Birdgenaw for round3
G. J. Griffiths for round4

334-07__ David Gordon
Amanda Stuntz for round 1
Terry Birdgenaw for round 2
G. J. Griffiths for round 3
Loralee Evans for round 4

334-08__ Amanda Stuntz
Terry Birdgenaw for round 1
G. J. Griffiths for round 2
Loralee Evans for round 3
William Staub for round 4

334-09__ Terry Birdgenaw
G. J. Griffiths for round 1
Loralee Evans for round 2
William Staub for round 3
Balroop Singh for round 4

334-10__G.J. Griffiths
Loralee Evans for round 1
William Staub for round 2
Balroop Singh for round 3
Laura Koerber 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’.

I will buy the books I am reviewing so these folks don't have to send anything: T.N. Traynor for round 1
Jenny Graves for round 2
David Gordon for round 3
Amanda Stuntz for round 4

Hi friends, if I am scheduled to review your book, and if it is in KU, you need not send me the pdf. I'll borrow it from there.
Thanks. Happy reading.