Bloggers and ARCs

[_ocelott_]

I'm seeing a lot of commentary in the blogosphere about book blogs and ARCs, the pros and cons, and the etiquette. It's become prominent enough that I figure I should probably weigh in about now. I don't often talk about the behind-the-scenes parts of OCD, vampires, and rants, so you can all consider this long and rambling post a rare peek at how

Comments

[janicu]

I pretty much agree with what you've said.

Where I get my ARCs: I've had my blog for 2.5 years and it's only this year that I even emailed an author for an ARC. I was kinda like: omg, I can ASK and it's OK?! OMG they actually emailed me back! :O *internal fangirl sqeeing*. But these are books I really want and know I will read and review and I try to be polite. I like the series/author. If I don't get it, oh well, I'd be a bit sad, but I will most likely buy the book when it comes out. Before this year, I signed up when publishers posted wanting reviewers for some ARCs (and I think I got maybe 3 last year?) or I won them.

In recent months I've had a spat of ARCs or books from the publisher and they have been first priority over other books because I feel like I should read them before the release date/when I agreed to. I can see if you have too many, you can miss this date, so I've been careful estimating how much time I have. Like right now I don't think I could take another arc till mid-may b/c not sure I'd have the time.

But you know, I'm a small fish and my ARC experience is limited. I know other blogs get much more and sometimes they don't review because they didn't like the book and they just don't want to post a negative review or post about not being able to finish the book. I think that's ok to do too and they aren't just trying to get a bunch of ARCs and then not reviewing them. I think in this people should do what they think is best: not post a dnf/negative or post them all. I had a long twitter convo over the whole thing where someone posted negative reviews with lots of slang which authors/publishers deemed "unprofessional" and that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish, but same thing - you should do what you think is best and stick with that and let the chips fall where they may.

I haven't really noticed people gloating over # of ARCs and then not reviewing, but you'd have to remember what they said they got and then see that "hey you never reviewed ALL of those!" and I just can't pay attention in that level of detail. I HOPE that the number of people who try to exploit the systme is small and it's the exception rather than the rule.