Speculating on SpecFic is currently accepting review requests. Before submitting a review request please be mindful of the following:
Speculating on SpecFic is a book blog dedicated to works of Speculative Fiction. The genres included under that banner that I am interested in include:
- paranormal
- fantasy (both adult and young adult)
- science fiction
- romance
I am unlikely to accept the following types of books:
- horror
- non-fiction
- chick lit
- historical romance
- action / adventure thrillers
I do not usually accept self published titles, and when I do it is frequently through A Tale of Many Reviews blog tours. You can see a complete list of books I have reviewed to date here.
If I accept a book for review, I cannot guarantee that it will be read or reviewed. Titles I have personally requested will always have precedence over others. All other requests will be assessed on an individual basis.
How long will a review take?
I try to read books in a timely manner and am usually a very fast reader. How fast I read your book depends on my time constraints. Any ARCs which are given for review will be reviewed in the month preceding publication or a few days afterwards. I cannot promise to review a title by a specific date.
Why don’t I have a rating system?
I don’t rank books in my head – I usually think of them in terms of ‘will not read again‘, ‘will probably re-read‘ and ‘will re-read many many times‘. I am uncomfortable with ranking books because, since I usually don’t think of books that way, it tends to stress me out and I worry about every star I give a book. I do, however, give books ratings on Goodreads, according to the schema they have supplied (‘really liked it‘, ‘liked it‘, etc), because that is what Goodreads is set up for. Please remember that I believe my review should take precedence over the number of stars I give a book, as the Goodreads rating system is, for me, a loose guideline.
If there is ever demand that I have some sort of rating system – it will probably be something along the lines of ‘Buy / Borrow / Skip‘, and again I will refrain from actually ranking one book against another.
What should you include in a review request?
I read and review books as a hobby – I have a full-time job I juggle along with this passion. Thus I do not have the time required to chase up any ambiguous review requests. Please include the title and genre of your book in the first few lines, followed by a book cover (if one is available). A short (1 paragraph) blurb is usually all I have the time to read through. Please also include a link to a Goodreads / Amazon / Smashwords page.
Please DO NOT include a copy of your book along with your request – not only will this make me feel like you are forcing your book on me, it’s generally a bad idea. This is how books get pirated.
Small touches, like using my name, knowing what sorts of books I like, following me on Twitter or Facebook, will all let me know that you have actually researched me and genuinely want me to read and review your book because you feel I will enjoy it.
- Disclosure -
The books that I review are either provided by the author/publisher or books that I have purchased myself for my personal enjoyment. I do not accept/receive any monetary compensation for my reviews. I am honest in my reviews, and while I refrain from language and phrases that may hurt an author or reader, if I haven’t liked something about a book I will say it.
All views expressed on this blog are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publishing company. I am mindful that while I may love a book, others may have negative experiences or vice versa. My reviews almost always end on a positive note with me reminding readers that even if I have not enjoyed a title, they may.
Speculating on SpecFic is a part of The Book Depository’s Affiliate Program, which allows sites and blogs to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to thebookdepository.com.
Last updated 27 June 2012