ARCs are advance reader copies, those pre-release versions provided to booksellers, librarians, and reviewers to (hopefully) create early buzz. Sometimes they'll be handed out at genre cons as well. My oldest is Right as Rain, which I got at a Bouchercon not quite 20 years ago.
If you don't have any ARCs, check with your bookseller and librarian friends. My favorite local indie bookstore will give them away to pretty much anybody who asks. Another option is NetGalley, a site that lets you request eARCs with the expectation that you will then review the book online in a timely manner.
If you don't have any ARCs, check with your bookseller and librarian friends. My favorite local indie bookstore will give them away to pretty much anybody who asks. Another option is NetGalley, a site that lets you request eARCs with the expectation that you will then review the book online in a timely manner.