Rules for reviewers #14:

There is a difference between winning a book as a prize in a contest and “receiving a book in exchange for an honest review."

Make sure and tell the honest truth when trashing the prize the author spent time and $ on (at least $20 just for the paperback+shipping twice).  Please make sure and note that you chose the book from a variety of options, on her website, in the contest you sought out and entered.  

When you say you received it in exchange for an honest review, it makes the author look like she visited your overtly Christian fiction website and chose to query you for a review, when in fact no author of secular dark contemporary fantasy would do such a thing.  Ever.  That author would have to be on drugs or something.

And if you could, when trashing the prize you chose, just refrain a bit from insinuating the author is on drugs, and wrote the book that took her seven years to perfect on a “bad drug trip"?  That would be sweet.  

Yours & still drug free & probably not going to be in a hurry to give away more books even though the book in question still has a four star average and can’t possibly be that bad,

The Author

(Look, I am all for taking it on the chin when I don’t hit the target for my demographic, but when I send a gift I don’t expect to have it thrown in my face.  It’s insulting.  What’s next?  We’re going to start 1-starring our cruddy Christmas gifts on the afternoon of the holiday, and leave shitastic commentary about our loved ones in the comments?  "I received these dull as fucking hell argyle socks from my STUPID MOTHER in exchange for a fair review.  Not a new Game Boy.  Ruined holiday.  1 star.  Mom must need to up her Prozac.")