February 2017: What did you win?

February winner notifications are rolling out now—what's headed your way?

Note: This month we had some multiple wins possible—if you win more than you want, just let me know and I can help.

If you have any questions, feel free to post them here, or email me directly (loranne@librarything.com).

Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger
Really looking forward to this one! Thanks LT!

I won Anne Perry's Murder on the Serpentine.... YAY!

Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology by Kelly Link. Thanks, LT!

I won 2 books this batch and 1 book last batch! I am pretty new to this site, and I haven't learned all it's features so forgive me if this is the wrong forum. I'm excited about this site and the books I'm getting early exposure to!

Question: What is the right thing to do if a book you receive would not earn a favorable review? I don't want to lie, but I also hate to have negative impact on an author who was kind/brave enough to share their work. Is it better to skip reviewing or write an honest review? Being dishonest is not an option : )

Happy to win The Lauras by Sara Taylor because I really likes The Shore. Also because I only requested one book this time.

Thrilled to be receiving an Early Reviewers copy of The Only Language They Understand: Forcing Compromise in Israel and Palestine, by Nathan Thrall

I'm getting Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger.

I won You, Fascinating You by Germaine Shames. Thank you LT!

I won Capricious by Gabrielle S. Prendergast this is my first time winning a book here. Thank LT. ^_^

Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology for me, too. Thanks LT! 8)

>5 Kaytron: As @Lorannen says in her notification to winners, "although writing a review will help your chances of getting more books, the actual content of your review will not."

Some Early Review books have gotten very bad reviews from everyone. Others have gotten everything from one star to five star reviews—individual opinions can vary. Don't skip a review just because you didn't like the book—say what you didn't like. Think of it this way: if the author has put out a poor product, reviewers are doing everyone a service by letting them know.

Hope you find at least some ER books to like.

>4 tardis: >11 artturnerjr: I'm also getting Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology. Looks great!

I'm very excited to have won The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan.

I'm getting The Young Widower's Handbook. Last month I won The Forbidden Garden A Novel by Ellen Herrick, which I enjoyed reading.

I agree with Taphophile13. Review the book and be specific about what you didn't like. I like reading both good and bad reviews before choosing a book. It helps me make a better decision. While some bad reviews mention things that are deal breakers for me, other times I read a negative review, think, "That wouldn't bother me," and pick up the book anyway.

If there was anything you did like, you can mention that too. I gave the last Early Reviewer I received an overall bad review, but I did mention what I felt was the book's one strong point.

You don't sound like someone who would write a mean spirited review, and maybe the author will use your feedback and improve on their next work.

Looking forward to another Jeffrey Kluger story of a NASA Apollo mission in which Jim Lovell plays a starring role, Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon.

I got Human Acts
Pretty excited since I've been putting in for this one for the past... what is it now? 4 months? How ever long it's been an option.

I snagged a copy of Human Acts by Han Kang. Thanks Hogarth and LTER!

I will be reviewing Sons and Soldiers by Bruce Henderson from the February 2016 batch. I can't wait to get reading it!

I asked for quite a few books this time since I just couldn't narrow it down and am the lucky winner of Here and Gone by Haylen Beck. Thank you!

Well, it took requesting it for four months in a row, but I'm getting The Inkblots by Damion Searls!

The Alice Network. I'm intrigued!

Scored the Prince biography!!!!! Super pumped.

I won! From the February, 2017, Batch, I won an early Reviewer book Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U. S. Army to Fight Hitler by Bruce Henderson. Thank you LT!

I'm receiving The Power of Meaning by Emily Esfahani Smith. I hope it's as promising as it sounds!

I'll be receiving Innocent Heroes: Stories of animals in the First World War by Sigmund Brouwer. The book sounds very interesting and it's by a Canadian author, meeting one of my goals for this year. Thanks, LTER!

ETA: I received my book yesterday (3/10) and am looking forward to starting it this weekend!

I won: Early Reviewers copy of Phantom by Kevin King

I won: Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology by Kelly Link (February 2017 batch)

I won: Ill Will by Dan Chaon

Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology by Kelly Link

@Kaytron Review it. Whether it is negative or not. Not everyone is going to love a book but not everyone is going to hate it either. Everyone gets negative reviews and a lot of times it helps the author figure out how to better their work. If the book just wasn't your thing, there is no shame in that. But.... ALWAYS leave a review imo.

As for my winnings, I won Wednesday by Steven Evans. I just got it in the mail today and about to start it now. ^_^

>14 lindapanzo: I won that book last month, and enjoyed it very much.

This month I won The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller. It looks like a fun one.

Hi Group

I won Stressed Out!: Solutions to Help Your Child Manage and Overcome Stress by Mary Anne Richey. I'm looking forward to reading it and reviewing it as soon as it comes in; still waiting on a previous book from last month about Dorothy Day which I am also looking forward to reviewing when it arrives.

Peace,
Joel

I was chosen to receive Human Acts by Han Kang for February. In January, I was notified that I would get A Surgeon in the Village by Tony Bartelme but it hasn't arrived yet. Is that normal? These are my first two books and I'm looking forward to them! I always do reviews soon after receiving review books and will post here, on Goodreads, and often on Amazon. There are still books in my library to add to the site here that aren't on other sites where I can import. Are there shortcuts?

I won The Baker's Secret by Stephen Kiernan and I am very excited to receive it, yay!!

Re. #36:

Sometimes books take a very long time to show up, sometimes they don't show up at all. The longest wait I've had between "winning" a book and its arrival was 14 months!

I'll be reading Human Acts by Han Kang. Looking forward to it!

I will receive In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan. Thank you to LibraryThing and Small Beer Press!

I got Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology by Kelly Link. and The Enclave by Anne Charnock.

Re: bad reviews. Last month I received a book I did not like, and I made a honest review, saying what I did not like and what it could be done in my opinion to make it better. I think it could be useful for the author and the publisher too, even if my English is far from perfect.

kayton,

Give an honest review! Authors improve their skills by reading honest reviews. It helps authors avoid making the same mistakes on future books. The reaction of early readers tells the author why his/her book is not selling. We do the author a service when we detail the negative issues that detracted from his story. Such feedback, if acted upon, makes him/her a better writer.

A detailed review means that you must state the reasons for a low score. Was it poor grammar, no character development, or is it that you don't like the genre. I dealt with the disliked genre issue recently. Receiving a murder mystery for review, i wasn't sure how I could give it a good review. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it! Had that not been the case, I would have given a negative review with the reason attributed to my not liking the genre. I believe that such a review would have been honest, a personal prejudice, and not counted negatively on the author's sales.

The more detail you put into a review, the better for authors and potential buyers who read it. But, writing such reviews takes time and skill.

Like you, I'm fairly new on LibraryThing and I certainly don't have developed book review skills. If I keep at it, I'm confident that my skills will improve. Do the same, work at it.

I'm looking forward to reading your reviews,
Ron

I won two books this month, Alan 2 by Bruce Forciea and Committing Novel by Phyllis Irene Radford. Haven't received either yet.

>5 Kaytron: This thread also addresses the negative review question:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/227648

I won Are You Seeing Me? by Darren Groth. I actually had forgotten that I'd requested any books this time around, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Of Elven Blood by Leslie Sharp - I think it's an ebook.

Be honest. Most of the reviews I've read on here are too. I personally will try to mix a couple positives in with a generally bad review. I've yet to read any books that lacked ANYTHING positive so it's been easy enough.

I won Blood on the Beach by stevensonsarahnharve! Can wait to read it!

I won a copy of Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez!

I won a copy of Benny the Biplane. Received it yesterday (the fastest an Early Reviewer book has appeared in the mail) and discovered it was autographed by the author.

Actually its Leslie Fish. LOL!

>36 Rascalstar: Sorry for the late reply, but I'd also like to note that January books aren't technically considered "late" yet. Publisher have eight weeks (from when you're notified of your win) for their books to be sent and received. So, books from the January batch have until March 27th to show up, before I start worrying/sending reminders.

I have still mot received my February book. Murder on the Serpentine by Perry

53aramisTdawg: me either. But I don 't think anyone has.

Have you received this book, Sons and Soldiers, yet?? I won an early reviewer like you but still have not received my copy! Thanks in advance for your respsone!

>55 tsspyder: Tsspyder, I'm still waiting for Sons and Soldiers, too. :/

>1 lorannen: I'm wondering what happens if a book never arrives? I'm still waiting for Sons and Soldiers by Bruce Henderson, won from the February 2017 batch. Thanks for all you do!