Group 203 -- Out of This World - Mod. Scott

[Scott]

Deadlines:

Round One: December 1
Round Two: December 22
Round Three: January 12
Round Four: February 2

1. Brin Murray Children of the Furnace

Brin Murray Children of the Furnace

2. Franca Ogbonnaya The Novice Wielder

Franca Ogbonnaya The Novice Wielder: The Wielder Series

3. Peter Summersby The Mind Hack

Peter Summersby The Mind Hack

4. Serena Fleming Chlorolphyll and Gasoline

S.J. Fleming Chlorophyll and Gasoline

5. L.N. Denison Hyde's Lament

L.N. Denison Hyde's Lament

6. Stacie Eirich Bear Kingdom and the Golden Sword

Stacie Eirich Bear Kingdom & The Golden Sword

7. P.M.F.. Johnson Call of the Labyrinth

P.M.F. Johnson Call of the Labyrinth

8. Cathleen Townsend The Golden Key

Cathleen Townsend The Golden Key

9. Francis Mont House Arrest

Francis Mont House Arrest: A Story of Liberation

10. Scott Spotson Alia Tero: The Many Lives of Darren Datita

Scott Spotson Alia Tero: The Many Lives of Darren Datita

The review group is the most successful group for peer reviews on Goodreads. It hosts non-reciprocal reading/review rounds of ten authors. 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.

When sorting out groups, I prioritise those members who have fully participated in previous groups and don't have multiple review connections with the other participants.

This is an 'Out of this World' round
Fiction books classified as sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian, paranormal.

If you are only willing to review your own preferred genre, make sure you join a genre round. 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.
Let's be honest here – we don't all like the same things but we all want reviews.

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 four books within the 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, your home Amazon zone and one other popular book review website, upon agreement between you and the author being reviewed, i.e. Kobo, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, or another Amazon geographical zone. In the latter case, if there is no agreement, the reviewer has the discretion to choose such a site. Amazon has recently changed their criteria for reviewers to allow only those people who have spent $50 on Amazon. If you are unsure about your Amazon reviewer status, try posting a 'test' review before signing up.

5. Many authors can provide .mobi and .epub files, for free. You can provide (and accept) at least .pdf files. You may buy e-books if you feel the price is a bargain, but you are not expected or required to buy the books you are allocated to review. Some authors borrow books via KU and others provide Smashwords coupons. This is their choice. International Copyright laws apply. You cannot sell, or give away material you have received without the author's express permission.

6. It is up to individuals what disclaimers they place in a review concerning receiving a book in exchange for a review.

7. You have completed your reading if you are currently in another review round in this group.

8. You have an author profile set up before you join.

9. Your Goodreads profile allows people to message you, i.e. your profile is not set to private.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. We all want reviews, its 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 do not finish and/or don't post reviews will find it difficult to get into a subsequent group.

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. Usually places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

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.

[P.M.F.]

I would like to join this group. I have a fantasy novel, Call of the Labyrinth. I have completed my reviews for my last group.
Links to my book:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G3K6D7Z/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

[Stacie]

Hi - I'd like to join with my children's middle-grade fantasy Bear Kingdom & The Golden Sword.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/197...

I have just completed my commitment to Group 200, so am ready to go. Thanks!
-Stacie

[Franca]

Hi I just completed my review round with group 200.
I would like to join with the following.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Scott]

I'll add myself... I can sort out the list later to prevent clashes.

Alia Tero: The Many Lives of Darren Datita

[Brin]

I would like to add my book, Children of the Furnace, if possible.
I have clashes with Scott and Stacie - you have both read it already.
Children of the Furnace
Brin Murray

[Franca]

Hi I have reviewed stacie’s current book . That’s the only clash I see right now.

[Scott]

Half full. I'll re-organize the list when we have our next five new members.

[Stacie]

For Franca and any others who’ve reviewed Bear Kingdom & The Golden Sword - I also have another fantasy in the same series you can review or any of my 4 poetry books! :-) All on GR and Amazon.

Thanks! Stacie

[L.N.]

Can I add Hyde's Lament to the mix? It's not a stand alone, it is a direct follow on to Only the Few. You have read me, Brin has read me, and Franca has read me. I have read Stacie, but would be happy to read any of her other books.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Thanks Scott.

[Peter]

Hi guys,

I would like to join and I would like to add my book into the mix.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

My Book 'The Mind Hack' is currently free on Amazon.com
If it is no longer let me know and I can send it to you.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Thank you.

[Franca]

Hi I have read LN ‘s Hyde Lament before as well.

[Cathleen]

Hi, don't know if you can work me in or not, but it would sure be nice if you can. I'd like to enter with my fantasy novelette, The Golden Key.

Stacie and LN can review me. They've both reviewed Golden Key, but I can provide an alternate, Twelve Tales of Christmas. LN may have already read that one, but she could read Dragon Hoard instead. All books are novelette or novella length, and free right now, so there's no choosing between them there.

I can review Brin. I have already reviewed Children of the Furnace, but I would be happy to review its sequel as well.

ETA: I can review Franca and Francis.

Hope that all works okay. :)

[L.N.]

Franca wrote: "Hi I have read LN ‘s Hyde Lament before as well."

If you get me Franca, I have the first book up for grabs to read. I will also be putting my books up for free when the review round goes live, as I want verified purchase reviews.

[Scott]

Just one spot left.

[Franca]

Hi; Cathleen Townsend has reviewed me before, for a different book. No other clashes.

[Peter]

I have a question how do we get review copies?

[Scott]

It's the author's job to supply a free version of his or her book for Kindle, Kobo, or even a .pdf, if you don't have an electronic reading device. This is available for free.

Understand, some reviewers offer to buy the books (sometimes the books are offered free anyway to the public). For $2.99 or $0.99, it's a good way to support fellow authors. But absolutely not expected or mandatory!

(Disclaimer: my own book is up, but it's an old version. Best for me to email the new version to my reviewers).

And yes, we'll all have to exchange email addresses so we can email the e-books as attachments. We do this through private messaging on Goodreads, to avoid displaying the email addresses publicly.

[S.J.]

Hey! I would like to join up in this, if it's still possible. I write LGBT science fiction, and my current novella is this:

https://www.amazon.com/Chlorophyll-Ga...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

[Scott]

Sorry, Pam, the tenth spot was just taken. Even if there was a spot left, I'll have to know more about your book to make sure it's paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, or dystopian as the main genre of the story.

I think there are no more review groups starting up now, but there may be a few newly opening in the near future, so keep an eye open.

Serena, welcome. Your book qualifies.

I'll sort out the order shortly.

[Pam]

Sorry, I failed to notice the requirement to be paranormal, etc. My bad.

Pam

[Scott]

Hold off, fellow ten authors. I'm still sorting the order. Don't message each other yet. Depending on my evening plans, may not be until tomorrow, but I'll see what I can do.

[Cathleen]

I have no review clashes with Serena. :)

[S.J.]

Since I just joined, I'm fairly sure I have no conflicts with anyone in this review group. I don't know any of you, after all. I'm down to review just about anything here.

[P.M.F.]

I see no conflicts between anyone on this list and me from previous reviews.

[Scott]

Okay, posted the new order. Any problems, let me know. You review the four people below you. If you're near the end of the list, i.e. #7 or lower on the list, keep going to the top of the list and work your way downwards again.

[Franca]

Hi I have reviewed stacie’s current book in the last round and I reviewed Hyde’s lament by LN in a previous round and I was revised by Cathleen Townsend in a previous round. I have three clashes .

[Franca]

I meant reviewed by Cathleen before

[L.N.]

Franca wrote: "Hi I have reviewed stacie’s current book in the last round and I reviewed Hyde’s lament by LN in a previous round and I was revised by Cathleen Townsend in a previous round. I have three clashes ."

I have another book you can read, Franca. You can read the first book, Only The Few...or Going Underground.

[Scott]

Hi Franca, it's not a clash to have reviewed a book before, as you can review another book by the same author.

[Franca]

Thanks I’ll review other books of LN and Stacie.
But I have been reviewed BY Cathleen in a previous round . I thought we weren’t supposed to review those who reviewed our books. Please, correct me if I’m wrong.

[Franca]

I meant to say I thought we weren’t supposed to review those who had reviewed us in the past. Please, correct me if I’m wrong.

[Scott]

Changed the order. Okay now?

[Scott]

As mentioned, review of a book can be handled by providing another book. I have other books available.

[Franca]

I’m good, no clashes. Thanks.

[L.N.]

Anyone who is reading me...all my books are going free Saturday and Sunday on Amazon. Just pick up a copy from there. Or KU. I have files, but prefer verified purchase reviews, hence the freebies.

[Cathleen]

I think Francis and I need to switch, please. I already reviewed Francis in a previous round.

[Cathleen]

Cathleen wrote: "I think Francis and I need to switch, please. I already reviewed Francis in a previous round."

ETA: Ugh. But if Francis and I switch, then Franca is reviewing me, and I've already reviewed her. I don't know what to suggest.

ETA2: Okay, if Serena and Franca switch (which I think works okay), then Francis and I could switch spots. Wow. This is really complicated.

[Scott]

How is it now?

[Cathleen]

Works fine for me. :)

[L.N.]

I won't be asking for files. I will be pick up on KU or buying my books...just a heads up for when the round officially starts. But i'm going with the people below me and have picked up the books already. I can always put them back ofthe list changes.

[P.M.F.]

So, as I understand it, my work is to be reviewed by:
Peter Summersby
S.J. Fleming
L.N. Denison
Stacie Eirich

And I am to review:
Cathleen Townshend - The Golden Key
Francis Mont - House Arrest
Scott Spotson - Alia tero
Brin Murray - Children of the Furnace

Upon further review, I discover I actually have reviewed a work by Mr. Spotson in the past. But since I am to review a different book by him this time, I do not believe this will be a problem.

Sorry for my confusion.

[S.J.]

Right, so, this may just be a consequence of my being new, or I'm just dumb and can't read, but I'm trying to figure out who I would review and who, in turn, would review me. I noticed my ranking in the group has changed, and so that leads me to believe I am reviewing the four people below or above me in that ranking, but I am not sure.

Sorry to bother.

[Cathleen]

All my books are free right now, so I'm going to ask reviewers to get them on Amazon, so I can get verified reviews.

Golden Key (for Serena and PMF): https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Key-Cat...

Dragon Hoard (for LN): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Hoard...

Twelve Tales of Christmas (for Stacie): https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Tales-C...

Thanks so much! :)

[Cathleen]

Serena, you should be reviewing # 5, 6, 7, and 8.

You send copies of your books to # 3, 2, 1, and 10. :)

[S.J.]

So those reviewing my book are:

Brin Murray

Franca Ogbonnaya

Peter Summersby

Scott Spotson Alia Tero

And those I am reviewing are:

L.N. Denison Hyde's Lament

Stacie Eirich

P.M.F. Johnson

Cathleen Townsend

Works for me!

[Scott]

Cathleen, will reviews show up as verified purchases if they're matched to books offered for free, though? Just wondering.

[Cathleen]

They always have before. Amazon changes things as it suits them, however, so I'm never completely certain. :)

[Scott]

Well, it seems like this group is a go, as I haven't heard any further objections. So it's a go!

[P.M.F.]

Serena, I am not able to message you to ask for an email address to send my book to. (But don't list it here, please!) I forget how one sets this up. Can someone wiser help us?