bookgazing | Policy Post

A couple of authors have asked me to take a look at their books in the past week (and I’ve accepted, thank you authors). I thought I’d better make some sort of policy post for anyone looking at this blog and thinking of sending me a book to review. I'm a little afraid of putting this up because it's the kind of post that has the potential to unintentionally offend people.

I will not take books from publishers. The whole publisher, blogger relationship is getting so complicated and to be honest what kept me from starting up my own book blog before now was all the tangled politics that seemed to surround it. I don’t want to sound confrontational and I know there are tons of book bloggers out there receiving books from publishers, who write fair objective reviews, so search them out publishers and tell them about your books. This rule applies even to books I’m thinking about reading already.

I don’t actively search out the opportunity to get a copy of a book for review. I already have a massive pile of books at home and frankly it doesn’t need me to find another avenue for increasing it.

I will happily take a book if I’ve mentioned really wanting to read it, either on this blog or in the comments of someone else’s blog, if the author offers it to me. I like getting things I think I will enjoy for free. As long as the author offers it to me I will probably take it and review it, but it may not be the next book I pick up. I also can’t guarantee you a positive review (obviously).

If you’re an author and you think I’ll like your book (because you’ve seen me posting about books like it) please get in touch. As I said I’ve a massive pile of books in my house and I want to read all of them. I might not want to increase my giant pile right when you email me, but it really can’t hurt to ask. I like new discoveries.

I will always say if the book I’m reviewing was sent to me from the author, just so anyone reading is aware of that.

I don't think I have some kind of right to get free books just because I have a book blog. I don't think other bloggers make this assumption either. I don't think book blogs that get free books, or actively seek out free books for review are doing anything wrong. Hopefully you get that I love book bloggers (I've been reading some people's sites for five - six years).

I’m really grateful to authors who offer to send me free books they think I might like, that’s about the nicest gift I could get from a stranger. Ta.