First Reads books

[Alicia]

Tina wrote: "A friend told me that these giveaways aren't really random, that how many reviews and how "active" you are helps your chances? Do you think that is true?"

I definitely think it has to do with how active you are on the site. I don't know so much about how many reviews you have but who knows.

[Jessica]

I just won The Endlands, a collection of short stories that I'm greatly looking forward to receiving.

[Her Royal Orangeness]

I won my first book - Standing at the Crossroads by Charles Davis. I had heard nothing about this book or author before finding it on First Reads, but based on the book summary I think I'm really going to enjoy it.

[Leah]

Her Royal Orangeness wrote: "I won my first book - Standing at the Crossroads by Charles Davis. I had heard nothing about this book or author before finding it on First Reads, but based on the book summary I thi..."

I just won this one was well, really looking forward to it. Let me know what you think of it!

[Cait]

It has been a good week for me on GR; I actually won 2 books! And I wanted both so badly.

The first is Morning, Noon, and Night: Growing Up and Growing Old with Literature by Arnold Weinstein. His book Recovering Your Story: Proust, Joyce, Woolf, Faulkner, Morrison was my lifesaver when I read Ulysses last year. I'm especially excited about this new book because he covers such a broad range of literature, including contemporary authors.

The second book is The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. I read my first book by Bender just this past month, the short story collection Willful Creatures. It completely knocked my socks off and made me vow to read everything else she's written, so this win had me jumping up and down with excitement.

[Heather L]

Cait, I also won "Lemon Cake" today. Since I never received the book I won in November, today's win was especially exciting. Now to wait for it to arrive! *g*

[Steph]

Hey I won The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake too! They must have had a decent amount of copies.

[Cait]

Stephanie wrote: "Hey I won The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake too! They must have had a decent amount of copies."

They had 175 copies, which is huge, but I do think there were close to 1700 entries too.

[Steph]

Cait wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Hey I won The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake too! They must have had a decent amount of copies."

They had 175 copies, which is huge, but I do think there were cl..."

Oh Jacob, you always have all the answers.

[Cait]

Lol! :oD

[Lianne]

I found out a few days ago that I won a copy of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. Am quite excited, it's the first book I've won that's fiction =)

[Carol]

Li wrote: "I found out a few days ago that I won a copy of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. Am quite excited, it's the first book I've won that's fiction =)"

Li I read it and I thought it was very good. I learned things about Hemingway that I didn't know.

[Lianne]

Kitty wrote: Li I read it and I thought it was very good. I learned things about Hemingway that I didn't know."

Glad to hear that you enjoyed it! I don't know much about Hemingway at all so it should be interesting =)

[Carol]

I finally received Mr. Toppit after three months. It looks like it has been run over many times. I guess someone was trying to kill it.

[Heather L]

Kitty: Glad you finally received the book you were waiting for. I hope it is still readable. And hey--maybe there's hope for receiving the one I never got back in November! *g*

[Carol]

Heather L wrote: "Kitty: Glad you finally received the book you were waiting for. I hope it is still readable. And hey--maybe there's hope for receiving the one I never got back in November! *g*"

It will be a few weeks before I get to it. It really did interest me. I hope you get your book also. without the tire marks. hahahahahaha

[Kate]

I won Possessions by Nancy Holder. Got it really quickly, received it, read it and reviewed in on the same day! It's so exciting knowing there's a book coming in the post for you!

[ILoveBooks]

I signed up for a lot of them, but I don't usually win :(

[Lahni]

I won twice right off the bat but haven't won since.

[Steph]

I definitely think it's random. I won one in January and one in February but nothing since. I really didn't like one of the books (which is rare!) and had to give it a bad review and the other review I was neutral on. Hopefully that won't hurt my chances. Had to be honest though.

[Heather L]

Lahni: Did you write a review on the books you won? You don't have to write more than a sentence or two saying whether you liked the book or not, but doing just that much seems to improve your odds. I usually win again within weeks of doing that.

I won two more books last week, A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man and You Belong to Me, for a total of nine in 17 months.

[Lahni]

Heather, I try to review all the books I read. The problem is I haven't read one of the books yet. I did review the other one though. I'm going to for sure get to the other book this month. I'm hoping it helps!

[Karen M]

I was on a winning streak from the middle of April until May 1. Now I have to read and review the books as they arrive...no wins since May 1st which makes sense. I had one book that I didn't read right away and I didnt win any more books but as soon as I read it and posted my review I won six times!

[Sara]

I won a couple of months ago. I had to finish another book I was reading before I started it but it is a great book! If you like James Patterson, you'll love this book. I keep signing up to win more books but haven't hit the jackpot again...yet anyway!!

[Colleen]

I think the First Reads thing here is great!

I won When Sparrows Fall which is certainly not a genre I normally read. It was good to push me out of my comfort zone without feeling like I paid to do so.

I just got another email and should have The Spirit Level showing up sometime. It looks different.

I don't sign up for more than a handful at a time. I also wait until I've read/reviewed the one I've won before signing up again. I kind of feel like I have enough to read these days, but the thought of OMG FREE BOOKS! keeps pulling me back in.

[Karen M]

Lauren wrote: "I won one, it was not good. Honestly, I couldn't even finish it. There were typos on every other page, it didn't seem like it had been edited at all. Are a lot of the first read books similar to this?"

If you were reading an ARC then it is possible it was an uncorrected copy. I received You're Next and right on the cover it states "Advanced Uncorrected Proof". Of course, I've been hearing alot of comments by authors that they do receive emails pointing out typos and grammatical errors in their books from their readers!

I don't know how much proofreading publishers/editors actually do.

[ILoveBooks]

Stephanie wrote: "I definitely think it's random. I won one in January and one in February but nothing since. I really didn't like one of the books (which is rare!) and had to give it a bad review and the other revi..."

^That happened to me too with the last book I reviewed, it was...meh, but I hate to give out bad reviews :(

[Rhonda]

The first book I won was The Long Goodbye in March. I really liked it (especially touching as I have lost 2 family members over the last few years) and that got me hooked on signing up for more books! I just recently received my 2nd ARC, Wrecker: A Novel and am really enjoying it as well. I have shelves of TBR books, but there's just something about winning a book that makes me stop reading what I'm reading and start the NEW book! So fun!!!

[Heather L]

Congrats, Rhonda - that one looked really good. It was one I signed up for but did not win. I hope you enjoy it!

[Rhonda]

Thank you Heather!

[Lauren]

I have won numerous books from Goodreads giveaways! It is wonderful! I have just recently read a few of the books I won and all of them so far have been amazing! One was Horns by Joe Hill, Land of the Lost Souls by Cadillac Man, and right now I am about halfway through The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo... I can not put this book down! :)

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

I've won a couple in a month and a half. :)

I recently finished one of them, The Art of Saying Goodbye: A Novel, which I reviewed here.

I'm reading another one, "Dominance: A Novel" by Will Lavender.

[Kristi]

Keep entering, still not winning. I've done EVERY suggestion out there. Doesn't work. I'm beginning to wonder if the theory I heard (about one less than stellar review knocking you out of the running) is true. Or if having too many TBR, etc does it. It's not supposed to, but...

[Steph]

Kristi wrote: "Keep entering, still not winning. I've done EVERY suggestion out there. Doesn't work. I'm beginning to wonder if the theory I heard (about one less than stellar review knocking you out of the runni..."

Kristi, I was wondering the same thing. I've won three. Two I liked and one I had to give a negative review to. I just got an email this morning that I won The Way so keep trying!

[Kristi]

Oh, I do. I will never give up on free books. ;)

[Karen M]

So far in June I've won The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb: A Novel, Game of Secrets: A Novel and The Second Messiah.

I enter everyday for at least one or two books for the next day's giveaway. Be persistent. I've had 2 or 3 weeks between winning and then suddenly a landslide!

[Kristi]

2 or 3 weeks?! I wish! Nope it's been many, many moons since I won.

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

I won 3 books on the 15th and another one yesterday.

[Kristi]

Okay, Cate, don't make me slap you! Ha ha! Kidding! Envious tho!

[Karen M]

June 18th won Freedom's Sword
June 20th won Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend
June 26th won Only Time Will Tell
and July 1st won Jersey Law: A Novel

We are a winning group!

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

I won Mortals & Deities - Book Two of the Genesis of Oblivion Saga and Department Thirteen on July 1.

Four on June 30th. XD

[Susanna]

Cate, I also won Mortals & Deities - Book Two of the Genesis of Oblivion Saga ! My first First Reads win, I'm really excited! :)

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

^^ Yay! :) Congratulations!

It's an awesome feeling, no? Your first win. I remember my first win, Dominance: A Novel by Will Lavender and just today, I saw it on the shelves of Barnes & Noble.

[Steph]

Anyone else here win ? I usually receive the books I win right away but it's been over a month and I still haven't gotten this one.

[Lorraine]

I just won Awakenings. My email said if I don't get it within 30 days to contact the Goodreads staff. Maybe you need to do that Stephanie.

[Steph]

Hmm, yeah, I clicked the link that said "I have not received my copy" on Saturday but they didn't say if anything was to be done from there. I don't know if when you click this they contact the publisher or what. It's a shame, I was really looking forward to reading it. Perhaps it will show up.

[Karen M]

Stephanie wrote: "Hmm, yeah, I clicked the link that said "I have not received my copy" on Saturday but they didn't say if anything was to be done from there. I don't know if when you click this they contact the pub..."

Go back to the Giveaways and click on "giveaway details". There should be an email to click below the name of the person/publisher who listed the book and email them that you haven't received the book yet. I did that once and strangely enough two days later the book turned up.

[Karen M]

July 15th I won Shadow Song
July 18th I won Dark Passages

[Steph]

Karen M wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Hmm, yeah, I clicked the link that said "I have not received my copy" on Saturday but they didn't say if anything was to be done from there. I don't know if when you click this th..."

Ohh, I'm gonna try this. Thanks for the tip!

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

The majority of the stuff on my book blog are reviews of stuff I got for free here and LT.