Group 253. Out of this World - Mod E.M.

[E.M.]

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

Please note it is always possible that the books you are assigned may contain material you find upsetting or offensive. 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.

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/...

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. It’s a pain to have to keep rearranging the list because people haven’t read the above.

Your group moderator will be:
E.M. Swift-Hook



Member Links
1. Ono Northey
2. Deborah A. Kaminski
3. Mary R. Woldering
4. Laura Koerber
5. Ron Starke
6. E.M. Swift-Hook
7. Adam Martin
8. Grady P. Brown
9. Darrell B. Nelson
10. D. Wallace Peach

Book Links
1. Awakening: The Shard Chronicles Book 1
2. An Island Too Lovely
3. Voices in Crystal
4. Coyote Summer
5. Slab Steele and the Venusian Exchange
6. Trust a Few
7. Xenoman
8. Numen the Slayer
9. iROMANCE
10. Catling's Bane

[D.]

Hi EM,
I'd like to sign up with my book Catling's Bane.
I have plenty of others if someone has read this one.

Book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Author link:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

[E.M.]

Welcome D. :)

[Deborah]

Hi,

I would like to join with my new novel, An Island Too Lovely.

Book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Author link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

[E.M.]

I'm throwing a book in here too Trust a Few

Deborah has read me and I have read D.

[E.M.]

Welcome Deborah!

Please keep checking back to let me know of any clashes.

[Deborah]

I will, thanks. I look forward to reading another of your books.

[Mary]

If the new branding of Visionary Fiction works here I'll put in my usual Voices In Crystal Series starter. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...

For those who have read it Book 2 Going Forth By Day is offered. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

Both books are 18+ for a few graphic scenes and situations.

[E.M.]

Welcome Mary - I know you have read/reviewed me before, please check if you have any other clashes in the group existing or ongoing.

[Darrell]

Sure sign me up.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

I've reviewed D. but I believe she has other books.
You've reviewed most of mine, but I still have three more. Two of them aren't your normal reading, (One isn't anyone's normal reading). But we can work something out.

[E.M.]

Welcome Darrell.

[Laura]

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

I'd like to join. I am finished with my previous review group except for posting the Amazon links because they haven't come up yet. But I have posted all my reviews.

I've read Trust a Few, In fact I liked it so much that I read it twice and bought several other books from the series.

[E.M.]

Welcome Laura - and thanks for your kind words, you have me blushing :)

[Mary]

E.M. wrote: "Welcome Mary - I know you have read/reviewed me before, please check if you have any other clashes in the group existing or ongoing."

Looks like no one else. Thanks. I do need to know the reading dates I seem to be unable to find these.

[E.M.]

Mary wrote: "Looks like no one else. Thanks. I do need to know the reading dates I seem to be unable to find these.

You have 3 weeks per book from when we start - 12 weeks in all. We won't be starting until the group is full and we have checked there are no clashes :)

[Ron]

I would love to join in on this group. Novel can be found here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

[E.M.]

Welcome Ron.

[Grady]

I am willing to join with my first fantasy novel, Numen the Slayer.

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

Author link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

[E.M.]

Welcome Grady.

I know I have read you before, have you any other clashes in the group?

[Grady]

E.M. wrote: "Welcome Grady.

I know I have read you before, have you any other clashes in the group?"

I don't think so.

[Serena]

Hello everyone!
I'm Serena, I'm author and illustrator of my children's book.
I'd like to join with my first children's book for toddlers.
this is a lovely bedtime and adventure story, that helps children to improve their language and vocabulary development.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oh-lost-Tedd...


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

thanks!

[E.M.]

Serena wrote: "Hello everyone!
I'm Serena, I'm author and illustrator of my children's book.
I'd like to join with my first children's book for toddlers.
this is a lovely bedtime and adventure story, that helps c..."

Heyas Serena. Really great you have found us, but this round is only for speculative fiction - sci-fi, fantasy and so forth. I am not sure your book really fits that genre.

I might suggest you try the Novella round.

[Ono]

Gritty Urban Fantasy

Awakening: The Shard Chronicles Book 1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LDPVV3N
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

If someone has already read it, then I submit to you book 2!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082FQJ8RR
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

[Grady]

E.M. wrote: "Welcome Grady.

I know I have read you before, have you any other clashes in the group?"

Dear Eleanor,
Since you have already reviewed Numen the Slayer, is is all right if I switch my chosen book to my second fantasy book, The War of the Gilded Beasts?

[E.M.]

Grady wrote: "Dear Eleanor,
Since you have already reviewed Numen the Slayer, is is all right if I switch my chosen book to my second fantasy book, The War of the Gilded Beasts?"

You can leave it as it is, Grady, I will read the second book in the series and everyone else can then read the first book. This is often what happens when people in a round have read the author before.

[E.M.]

Ono - happy to add you, but I need to check that you have sorted out the issues you had with posting reviews first. There was a lot of problems last time. Also, you need to tell me what clashes you have with others in the group.

[Adam]

Do you still need someone for this group?
Novel: Xenoman, fantasy-sci-fi...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[E.M.]

Welcome Adam - In future please mention all your clashes in the group when signing up. It makes a lot of extra work for me if you don't.

[Ono]

As near as I can tell, accounts are all active, reviews are all there. (oy!)

[Adam]

E.M. wrote: "Welcome Adam - In future please mention all your clashes in the group when signing up. It makes a lot of extra work for me if you don't."

I've reviewed Darrell B. Nelson before.

[Darrell]

Not this one, so you can review me again.

[Phillip]

If there's still room, I'd like the last slot. I'd like my zombie comedy
used.

Zombie Walkabout

Phillip Murrell

I have no conflicts with any above author.

Thanks.

[William]

I'd like to join with my book, Dawnvel Druids.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

I have one clash with Laura Koeber, but only with one of her books.

Thank you.

[Matthew]

Hi

Very keen to join this group, in very tight lock down in South Africa thus I have an abundance of reading time

My book, Sands of the Fire God, is Epic Fantasy

https://www.amazon.com/Sands-Fire-God...

[William]

??

[Laura]

EM is it too late for me to substitute Coyote SUmmer LImbo? I don't think it will make any difference to anyone including William Collins.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

[E.M.]

Welcome Ono.

Laura - book change sorted.

Philip, William, Matthew - new rounds will be opening very soon so please check back :)

I need everyone in the round to check they have not reviewed the four people above them on the list ( the list wraps around so 10 is 'above 1). Please also check that if you have already reviewed any of the four people 'below' you on the list they have more books available that you have not yet reviewed.

You can check if you have reviewed anyone before by going to your reviews, clicking the 'Author' heading to get them in alphabetical author order, and then checking through to see. You can check if someone has reviewed you in the same way through their profile.

Any issues with these, please post to say so. If both these things check out please post to say you are good to go.

When enough have said they are good, we can start the reading phase.

[Ron]

I'm good to go.

[Deborah]

I have no conflicts

[Ono]

As it was my editor who reviewed Deborah, I have no conflicts.

[Laura]

I have reviewed Trust a Few and EM is below me. Grady Brown's name seems familiar but I don't know why.

[Laura]

I can't tell if my comments are showing up or not I have reviewed EM's book and she is below me Grady Brown's name seems familiar but I have not reviewed any of his books

[D.]

I'm all clear in both directions.

EM and Darrell, you've both already reviewed Catling's Bane. I'm happy to have a review of the second book in the series or any other book if you want to pick something different.

[E.M.]

Thanks to those who have reported in - please note the reading/review phase has NOT started yet some people seem to think it has.

Until I have heard from a couple more people that they have no clashes we can't move to that phase of the round.

[Darrell]

All good here.

[Ono]

E.M. wrote: "Thanks to those who have reported in -
please note the reading/review phase has NOT started yet
some people seem to think it has.

Until I have heard from a couple more people that they have no..."

Wups! Sorry!

[E.M.]

I'm going to assume those who haven't posted are good to go as this is taking longer than I'd like. Let's roll!

START DATE: 04-May-20

END DATE: 27-July-20

Round 1 – post your review by 25-May-20
Round 2 – post your review by 15 -June-20
Round 3– post your review by 06-July-20
Round 4 – post your review by 27-July-20

As AUTHORS you SEND your book file to:

253-01__Ono Northey
D. Wallace Peach for round 1
Darrell B. Nelson for round 2
Grady P. Brown for round 3
Adam Martin for round 4

253-02__Deborah A. Kaminski
Ono Northey for round 1
D. Wallace Peach for round 2
Darrell B. Nelson for round 3
Grady P. Brown for round 4

253-03__Mary R. Woldering
Deborah A. Kaminski for round 1
Ono Northey for round 2
D. Wallace Peach for round 3
Darrell B. Nelson for round 4

253-04__ Laura Koerber
Mary R. Woldering for round 1
Deborah A. Kaminski for round 2
Ono Northey for round 3
D. Wallace Peach for round 4

253-05__ Ron Starke
Laura Koerber for round 1
Mary R. Woldering for round 2
Deborah A. Kaminski for round 3
Ono Northey for round 4

253-06__ E.M. Swift-Hook
Ron Starke for round 1
Laura Koerber for round 2
Mary R. Woldering for round 3
Deborah A. Kaminski for round 4

253-07__ Adam Martin
E.M. Swift-Hook for round 1
Ron Starke for round 2
Laura Koerber for round 3
Mary R. Woldering for round 4

253-08__ Grady P. Brown
Adam Martin for round 1
E.M. Swift-Hook for round 2
Ron Starke for round 3
Laura Koerber for round 4

253-09__ Darrell B. Nelson
Grady P. Brown for round 1
Adam Martin for round 2
E.M. Swift-Hook for round 3
Ron Starke for round 4

253-10__ D. Wallace Peach
Darrell B. Nelson for round 1
Grady P. Brown for round 2
Adam Martin for round 3
E.M. Swift-Hook for round 4

As REVIEWERS you will receive books for review from:

253-01__Ono Northey
Deborah A. Kaminski for round 1
Mary R. Woldering for round 2
Laura Koerber for round 3
Ron Starke for round 4

253-02__Deborah A. Kaminski
Mary R. Woldering for round 1
Laura Koerber for round 2
Ron Starke for round 3
E.M. Swift-Hook for round 4

253-03__Mary R. Woldering
Laura Koerber for round 1
Ron Starke for round 2
E.M. Swift-Hook for round 3
Adam Martin for round 4

253-04__ Laura Koerber
Ron Starke for round 1
E.M. Swift-Hook for round 2
Adam Martin for round 3
Grady P. Brown for round 4

253-05__ Ron Starke
E.M. Swift-Hook for round 1
Adam Martin for round 2
Grady P. Brown for round 3
Darrell B. Nelson for round 4

253-06__ E.M. Swift-Hook
Adam Martin for round 1
Grady P. Brown for round 2
Darrell B. Nelson for round 3
D. Wallace Peach for round 4

253-07__ Adam Martin
Grady P. Brown for round 1
Darrell B. Nelson for round 2
D. Wallace Peach for round 3
Ono Northey for round 4

253-08__ Grady P. Brown
Darrell B. Nelson for round 1
D. Wallace Peach for round 2
Ono Northey for round 3
Deborah A. Kaminski for round 4

253-09__ Darrell B. Nelson
D. Wallace Peach for round 1
Ono Northey for round 2
Deborah A. Kaminski for round 3
Mary R. Woldering for round 4

253-10__ D. Wallace Peach
Ono Northey for round 1
Deborah A. Kaminski for round 2
Mary R. Woldering 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’.

Happy reviewing, everyone :)

[E.M.]

Please read this especially if you are new to these review rounds.

Quick 'start-up' summary for anyone new who might be scratching their heads. You are reviewing the four books 'below' you on the list.

You can, of course, choose to buy any or all of the books or read the books on KU, if you are a subscriber and the books are available there. If you can buy it adds weight to your review as it gives the 'Verified Purchase' stamp on Amazon.

However, as not everyone can buy, you should PM the four people who will be reviewing you (the four above you on the original list of names) through their Goodreads author pages. Click on the down arrow beside the 'Follow Author' button under their picture and it opens a menu which will allow you to message them.

Ask what kind of file they would like or say you can only offer PDF, though unless a publisher uploaded it for you, you can always download a .mobi of your own book from Amazon.

Don't forget to ask where to send it so they can give you their email.

The four people who you are reviewing should be in touch with you in a similar way.

Please make sure you have exchanged ALL FOUR books - or have been assured by your reviewers they will buy your book or read it through KU - as soon as possible. Some people read fast and it can be very frustrating to have to wait a long time to get hold of a book you are committed to review.
Don't forget to post the links to your reviews here so you can be signed off for them.

Please post your review to Goodreads, your own Amazon store and any other Amazon stores you might have access to as well.

I shall be modding this round so PM me with any issues please.

[E.M.]

Just to let everyone know I shall be buying all my books to read - or snagging them on KU - just as soon as I know what they all are ;)

[D.]

I also will be purchasing (or KU) all the books I'm scheduled to read.

For anyone reading Catling's Bane, it will be free Tuesday through Thursday if you have a chance to pick it up.

Happy Reading.