Hello there! I’m honored that you are considering me to review your novel!
I am currently OPEN to review requests. However, at the moment, I’m being pretty picky because I’m up to my eyeballs in books. All requests that make it clear that you have NOT read my review policy/list of acceptable review requests will be deleted. My time is important to me, as I’m sure yours is to you, so I’m appreciative when you take the 5 seconds to read my policy. I just don’t have the time to respond when you do not.
Things I Am NOT Accepting:
– self published novels (also, very small presses I’ve never heard of): If your novel falls under that category, please do not send me a review request as I’m not accepting them for review. I’m all about indie presses and the freedom in self publishing but, at the current moment, I can’t be the person who reads through the slew of requests I get from self published authors to find the gems!
– non-fiction requests: I do read non-fiction but I’m pretty selective about what I read and have not found a review request in almost 4 years that has been what I’d read so I’m closing those off.
Genres I Read
I recommend getting a feel for what I read by taking a look at my review archive. I do read quite a variety of things but these are the genres I typically read.
YA
– contemporary/realistic YA
– dystopian YA
– YA science fiction (very picky about this)
– YA mystery
– YA fantasy
– YA historical fiction
Adult:
– literary fiction
– “chick-lit” or women’s fiction
– romance (very picky!)
– mystery/thriller
-historical fiction
What Forms I Will Accept
– physical copy (ARC or hardcover)
– digital copies (I have a Kindle)
– audiobooks (VERY picky about this)
What Should You Include In Your Review Request To Make It Easier For Both Of Us
– the release date
– any relevant information (especially anything that shows why this would be a good fit for me based on what you see on my blog)
– If you have a time frame for when you expect the review to be posted, please let me know that as that will greatly influence my decision and I will have to see if we can commit to that timeline.
What Happens If I Accept Your Book For Review?
Before sending me a review request please understand that by accepting or receiving a book, I do not guarantee that it will be read immediately or posted on the blog immediately. I’ve got an ever growing stack of books that I want to read and a pretty busy life as well as the fact that I’m very much a mood reader. I will try my very best to read and review in a timely manner but it’s not always doable.
If the book is an ARC, I will try and publish the review on or around the release date and not before. I MAY do a Save the Date for it, in addition, if I really enjoyed it.
I also reserve the right to NOT post a review of your book should I not feel comfortable doing so. This could be because I’ve run out of time, didn’t really have anything to say about it, etc.
I do try to post my reviews also on Amazon and Goodreads but sometimes I DO get behind on doing that.
What happens if I didn’t enjoy your book?
All of my reviews will be my honest opinion and it is quite possibly that I won’t enjoy your book and my review will be clear of that. Please understand that I will not write a glowing review just because you sent me the book. Not my style, sorry. If you are not okay with the fact that a negative review could be written, I might not be a good fit to send a review request to. I spend time reading a book and I feel like I reserve the right to talk about that experience — even if it is negative. By sending a review request to me, you are acknowledging that a review may be negative, albeit respectful, and I would appreciate that your response to my review be gracious and not attacking (I hate that I have to say this but it’s happened before where an author takes issue with a review).
In addition to reviews, what else are you open to?
– author interviews: typically I only interview authors that I’m familiar with.
– giveaways: I will only post a giveaway of a book I have read or am anticipating to read!
– blog tours: Like with giveaways, I have to have interest in the book being promoted or have enjoyed it. I only do blog tours with interesting, exclusive content. I want the content to be valuable to my reader and not something copy and pasted from blog to blog.
– exclusive cover reveals: With this, it has to be for an author I’ve read or a book I’m excited about. I say exclusive because I do not want to be one of 100 bloggers revealing on the same day
– guest blogging: I am interested in guesting blogging on OTHER blogs and I will accept guest bloggers with topics I am interested to and that are relevant to my site.
I am NOT open to:
– promo blitzes
– cover reveals that aren’t exclusive
– anything spammy
– posting about your book when I have not read it
– paid reviews on my site
– guest blogging that is not relevant to my site.
Where should I contact you with my review request?
jamie (at) perpetualpageturner (dot) com
If you have followed my guidelines and your book falls under my things I’m requesting and you have NOT heard from me, I apologize but sometimes I’m not apply to respond to every request. I really do try though as I’m very honored you want me to read YOUR book!
I am not paid to blog or review. I wish I was but sadly I’m not. I’m just a girl that loves to read and talk to other book loving folks. So, please keep that in mind when wanting to work with me. I don’t run a tight schedule with my reading because it makes it not fun for me and I’ll only accept deadlines that I agree to first.
Rachele Alpine says
Hi Jamie!
Your blog has been one of my favorite review blogs to read! I have a few ARCs left of my debut YA novel CANARY, and I wondered if you’d like to do an author interview and ARC giveaway on your blog. Let me know if that’s something you’re interested in.
Thanks! : )
Rachele
Tara Doherty says
Well I must say that by not accepting self published books you perpetuate the misconception that only represented books have value. Your loss. Consider expanding to indie authors who have extensive degrees and have graduated from writing programs. Try undiscovered indie authors who have been in self exile as they got married, moved to the suburbs and had a kid. Try giving a chance to the people who spend all day in an english classroom and then try to get their stuff together while shuffling between club volleyball and CCD. That’s all I’m saying.
Jamie says
Oh Tara…you do realize this blog is a thing I do in my spare time in addition to MY JOB? Would you enjoy me telling you I think YOU should do with your life?
I have nothing against self-pub/indie books. I READ them. I’ve reviewed them. HOWEVER, I am CHOOOOOOSING not to accept them for review. THAT. DOES. NOT. EQUAL. THAT. I. DON’T. READ. THEM. Got it? Understand? I have been blogging for almost 7 years in the book space and LET ME TELL YOU how many requests I used to get from indie/self pub authors. Hundreds a week. And I STILL get a few every week after changing my policy. After running a blog for a while I realized that I personally do not want to accept anymore for review….there was too many to wade through at a hundred per week and many did not even pay attention to what I liked to read anyways. I realized I did not want to be the person to find the gem in the huge pile. I always pay attention and will pick up good indie/self-pub books that my friends are reading and read them but I do not want to be the person who wades them. It took too much time away from reading books that I ALREADY OWNED AND WANTED TO READ. This blog is a reflection of what I’m reading. There are plenty of review requests from major publishers I ignore. I blog about what I’m reading, no matter who publishes it, but I’m just not opening to ACCEPTING them for review.
So get out of here with your judgey proclamations…you have no idea what I read or think. I have accepted WAY less books for review in general (no matter the source) in the past couple years because I can’t keep up with them and don’t want to. I just want to read what I want to read. I do not have to accept ANYTHING for review and I do not speak ill or perpetuate anything negative. Do you know how many smaller/mid-list authors I read who ARE writing after their full time jobs and taking their kids here and there? SO MANY you have no idea. How I know? BECAUSE I KNOW THEM. I follow them. And that’s all besides the point of what I have to “give a chance to”.
Funny though…part of the reason I stopped accepting self pub/indie for review is because largely those were some of the authors who would harass me the most….kinda like this. You don’t like my review policy? Guess what…move along. Find someone else who would be a better match. Better strategy.
Tara Doherty says
Ok.
Chris Stevenson or (Christy Breedlove) says
I think your review requests are quite reasonable and should be accommodated. This is your time that you are spending and there is just so many hours in the day for a loved hobby, let alone a full time career or lifestyle. Today we have seen a glut of books on the Internet that rivals anything we have ever seen before. Just to wade through is a job in itself.