Book Review Policies

For those interested in requesting a review, the first question usually asked is about policies. What are yours? What will you review? What won’t you review? So, let’s answer the important questions on this topic.

Genres

First, I will review nearly any genre—just not on the blog. I only review fantasy and the occasional sci-fi novel on the blog. However, I usually post reviews and ratings for books I read on Goodreads and Amazon, even if they’re not speculative fiction. So, if you want to request a review, please know not to be deterred by the fact that it might not be posted on the blog. I’ll still review, just on other book sites, not this blog.

Second, I don’t accept review requests for erotica. I will read romance, but I won’t accept review requests for erotica or books containing a lot of sex scenes. This is because, while I’ll read those books on my own, I don’t want to promise to review a book if there’s a chance I might end up skipping large chunks of content because I feel less than comfortable with it. It’s one thing to choose to read that on my own when I can skip what I want and read what I’m okay with. It’s another thing to review it because then I feel obligated to read it unless the scene is short. That said, I do love a good romance, even if there’s some mature content. And the darker themes are more entertaining.

Third, I love fantasy. Chances are high that if it’s fantasy, I’ll be willing to give a chance. However, just as I said there were guidelines for romance books, there are guidelines for this. The content needs to be something appropriate for younger audiences (YA appropriate or clean—no over the top gore, no sex, little to no swearing) if you want me to review it on the blog. I have younger readers on the blog, and I don’t like to promote books that contain content they shouldn’t be exposed to. On occasion, I may decide to showcase a book that is questionable with a strong recommendation that younger readers not read it, but this is up to my discretion. If you’re submitting a book like this, I’ll let you know when I’m finished if I’ll put it up on the blog.

Where I will Review

I will at the very least review request reads on Amazon and Goodreads. I frequently post a review on Bookbub as well and will, if requested, post a review on Kobo or Barnes & Noble as well. If it is fantasy, I’ll review it on the blog as well, assuming it’s appropriate for a YA audience, as noted above. If you want your book reviewed on a platform besides the ones listed here or want it reviewed on one I said I do if requested, please note that in your email! Otherwise, I’m not going to end up reviewing there.

What a Review Entails

Transparency and honesty. You should know up front that, while I’m not stingy on stars, I’m also not going to lie. My agreement to review does not in any way mean you’ll get a good rating or review. If I review on the blog for fantasy works, I always include two reviews: one for the reader and one for writers. The one for the reader will be roughly the same as what I post on every platform (with minor changes if there’s a limitation on characters). The one for writers will pick apart one or more aspects of the craft that writers can learn from. This means that there will be spoilers. Readers who follow my reviews know that the writers’ section contains spoilers and not to read beyond the readers’ review if they want to read the book without having things given away.

I do try to avoid giving away your ending or too much about the plot, but I also go into detail on plot points and story aspects related to the topic I chose to discuss using the book. Please go look over the book reviews (you can find the more recent ones here) I’ve done for other offers before you request. This will help you to understand what kinds of things I hit on.

But here’s the thing… I do these reviews to help readers find reads they’ll love (knowing what to expect from the book) and to help writers learn from other writers. This means that if your book does something spectacularly well, I’m probably going to discuss that element. But if you did something very badly, I’ll probably also discuss that to help other writers avoid the same mistakes. As a freelance editor and beta-reader, I have years of experience under my belt with what elements of fiction make a good story. I know when something’s being done well and when it’s not, and I believe every one of us can learn from our mistakes and, more importantly, those made by others who have gone before us.

So my reviews will be clear on those issues as well as those strong points your book may contain. You can use it as an opportunity to improve and to know what you’re doing well, if you wish, or you can take it as just another review from a reader that either helps or hinders your book’s sales. Up to you what to do with it.

What I Need from You

If you want to sign up for a review and/or an author’s spotlight/interview, I have forms for that. Please use them to sign up. You can find the forms on the same page as you will find links to the reviews I’ve done on the blog. They’re right before the Book Review Schedule section of the page. I reserve the right to email you back refusing a review for any reason. If I agree to review, I will need you to provide me with a free pdf (or MOBI) copy of the book if it isn’t available on Kindle Unlimited. I’ll add you to my schedule with a rough estimate of when I think I’ll be able to post reviews. Ones for the blog will take a little longer since the review is longer, so please be aware of that before signing up. If for some reason I can’t complete the review on time or feel that I can’t give it three stars or more, I will get in touch to let you know.

You’ll have the choice to decline having my review posted on Amazon or other similar sites if it’s below three stars. However, as I went through the effort of reading the book (if I finished), I do reserve the right to still post the review on the blog if I so choose in order to help other writers. My goal isn’t to hurt your sales, but I believe there’s value to everyone involved (both you and other writers) to learn from errors made, so if I feel it could help you and others to improve, I’ll post it on the Fantasy Nook blog.

Timeline and Turnaround

How fast I review depends on the length of the book, what else is on my review roster, and how easy the read ends up being. I expect a sample of the book before I make my final decision, so based on the sample, I’ll give you an estimated time I think it will take me, taking into account the other reviews I may have lined up prior to yours. If that timeline needs to be adjusted, I will be in touch. This is why I require an email for sign up. It allows me to keep in touch with you, and you also have mine so you can get in touch.

Please have patience, though, and avoid reaching out to ask where I’m at until the date that I tentatively gave as a review date. This ensures my inbox isn’t flooded with emails to respond to, which allows me to focus on reading and reviewing. Thank you!