Net Galley

[Abbie]

Is it me or does it seem like Net Galley is exploding with books right now?? I know I have only been at this for 2 months but there are just tons of books and lot of new Publishers coming on board it seems. Not complaining but I have got to have at least a few 100 dollars of free books and all I do is a review on my small blog. Almost seemed wrong!

[Rachel]

Abbie wrote: "Is it me or does it seem like Net Galley is exploding with books right now?? I know I have only been at this for 2 months but there are just tons of books and lot of new Publishers coming on board ..."

It DOES seem to be exploding. Thomas Nelson just joined and I read that Penguin were as well!

However, you need to remember that we're essentially unpaid volunteer reviewers - it's probably a lot cheaper for publishers to send out tons of free ebooks in exchange for free reviews from avid fans, than for them to pay people to review for them. Plus, with ebooks there's less chance of people lending the books out and therefore people are going to read a book, recommend it to all their friends but be unable to lend it so all their friends will go and buy the book!

If any of that makes sense? But yeah, I see free books as an adequate payment for my reviews :)

[Diane U]

I agree! I think more publishers are getting on board with Net Galley. I think it is a great way to get their books out with minimal costs (no early printing). I am so happy that there are tons of Amish books because all the recent ones have been on my wish list and I don't have to buy them! Yeah, I can spend my money on other things like yarn for knitting! LOL!

[Abbie]

O I get it. I was thinking alone the lines as you but for me I am just in heaven! I love reading, love writing about the books and its free so its a win win for both sides I know!

[Rachel]

It is like being in book heaven! I just don't know when I'm going to find the time to read all of these books now :P

[Janet]

Sorry if this question has been asked before but with these books from netgalley - they can be downloaded to a kindle or a nook? Vs having to read them on line?

[Abbie]

Yes they can be downloaded to a Kindle or Nook. :)

[Janet]

Abbie~
Thanks I see a kindle / nook in my near future!

[Janet]

Ok I need more help - I bought a nook today. Finally figured out how to get my book on there but when I try to open it - it say user not actived. Where do I need to activate? Any ideas?

[Barbara]

I am so glad the kindle option is back!

[Diane U]

Has anyone been approved yet for the two new Shelley Shepard Gray books form HarperCollins? I requested my copies on 2/17 and I have not heard anything yet. Hmmm!

[Lorie]

I have not heard anything either.

[Abbie]

I have not heard either. They may only check in a few times a month or something.

[Diane U]

Good, it's not just me!

[Rachel]

I haven't heard back either, maybe they've got a ton of requests to wade through?

I'm also confused about whether these books are really published by Avon Inspire as they're in the Zondervan catalogue - maybe a partnership of some kind?

[Rachel]

Anyone heard back from Avon yet??

[Lorie]

Do you mean HarperCollins/Avon? I just looked and have not heard anything either and I really want to read those books!

[Rachel]

Yep! I sent a second request but still haven't heard anything. Odd :/ And yes, I really want to read them too!

[Kristy]

I wish I was better at doing reviews. I Just don't what to say. How do you write such a long review?

[Abbie]

Kristy just start low if you look at my blog my first few where short and not very good but I just kept plugging alone and now I really enjoy writing the reviews and they are getting longer. The more I like a book the longer it tends to be. All I do is put the goodreads summery and then I do a brief summery myself with a few more details. I then talk from 1-3 paragraphs about what I liked or did not like.

I have also seen that more people are now telling me my reviews are helpful so I know I am getting better. Practice makes perfect. :)

[Abbie]

And I have not heard back from Avon yet either. Maybe they don't know how it works or only plan to check in every few months its kind of weird I agree and the books look really good!

[Kristy]

Does the summary need to go in quotes since it's not my words? Or do I just copy and paste the goodreads summary? I want to do it right.

[Abbie]

I just do it like this

Goodreads Summery: insert summery I put the summery in italics but that is it. No one has yelled at me yet. lol ;)

[Kristy]

Okay.

[Abbie]

Woot!! Both the books by Avon FINALLY got approved!!

[Camille]

Me too!! JUST got the emails!

[Diane U]

Me three!! But the e-galley is only available until 3/8/11 so download it soon!!!!

[Lorie]

Me Three!!! I JUST got the e-mail. They finally got on the ball and got some people approved!

[Lorie]

Diane do you think that means its only available to download o do you think that means it will disappear altogether. I do not know if I can get both reviews written and books read by the 8th? I know with Gracethey had a deadline and then it stayed there longer and became a read now book. That company does some weird stuff lol

[Janet]

Got mine just a minute ago and I am going home to download to my Nook and start reading. I am very excited!

[Diane U]

Lorie wrote: "Diane do you think that means its only available to download o do you think that means it will disappear altogether. I do not know if I can get both reviews written and books read by the 8th? I k..."

I'm not sure. I would think that it would be available to be downloaded until the 8th, not reviewed by the 8th.

[Lorie]

I thought they were going to get the Kindle button back for March? I think coverting is such a pain lol.

[Lorie]

Diane U wrote: "Lorie wrote: "Diane do you think that means its only available to download o do you think that means it will disappear altogether. I do not know if I can get both reviews written and books read by..."

I hope!!!!!

[Abbie]

Ugh I sometimes feel we are being punished by wanting to read some of these books on our Kindle... And Avon is sneaky going with epub DRM. Took me some brain sweat to make those books work geez.

[Rachel]

I got them too!

Yeah, it's annoying that they don't have the Kindle button when some other books do. Guess I'm going to have to hack them with Calibre.

[Lorie]

Rachel wrote: "I got them too!

Yeah, it's annoying that they don't have the Kindle button when some other books do. Guess I'm going to have to hack them with Calibre."

Do you basically follow those same rules you gave us before using Calibre to get them covverted for your Kindle?

[Rachel]

Yep! They're Adobe Digital Edition files so it should be the same procedure. I haven't converted mine yet but I assume it should be the same for all NetGalley files. Let me know if you have any trouble and I'll ask the girl who gave me the details.

[Lorie]

I made my husband convert A Time to Heal, he said your directions were great. I need to learn to do it for myself lol.

[Rachel]

Once you've installed the software all you really need to do is add the book to your Calibre library then click on the Convent button. But yeah, I got my fiancé to help me install it :)

[Abbie]

The caregiver and the protector is epub protected and takes a different program to convert.

[Rachel]

Really? Calibre converted my epubs fine :/ Are you having trouble with it?

[Lorie]

My husband got mine to work in Calibre.

[Lorie]

I emailed HarperCollins to see what that deadline really means. Do we have to read them and write a review by the 8th. I really hope not.

[Abbie]

I am guessing it means you will not be able to download the book after that date.

Yeah I had some issues with the Epub but I found a way to get it to work.

[Lorie]

Hope that's it Abbie.

[Rachel]

Glad you got it to work, Abbie :)

Last time I read a book from HarperCollins I reviewed it by the date they specified but they still seemed to accept reviews after that date, so I'm assuming you just can't download it after then?

[Camille]

If I recall, at least in missing other deadlines you are not able to download it nor are you able to submit a review. Hopefully that is not the case, but it may be.

[Rachel]

But the first one has a deadline of 8th of March and we only got approved on the 6th - how do they expect us to read it and review it by then?

[Camille]

I am hoping I am wrong, but I guess we'll just find out. It's very surprising if that is the case, and silly of them as a publisher. I am trying to work my way through the book quickly as possible though, just in case.

[Rachel]

I wish I could do that but I have deadlines tomorrow :/ good luck! Even if I don't get the first book reviewed on time I'll manage the second.