After some research I did about six months ago when I first started receiving ARCs, I learned that some publishers like it when you post ARC reviews around a month of the book’s release, which is what I’ve observed most bloggers do. I used to do that too.
Then after some more digging around the blogosphere, I read some comments on other posts (this happened a long time ago, so I sadly can’t link the post for you guys to see) where some people including librarians, booksellers, and non-bloggers, prefer it when people post ARC reviews the same week the book is released. They feel like some ARC reviews get posted so early that by the time the book’s release week arrives, they forget all about the book.
That is why I try my best to post ARC reviews on the week the book is released. I can’t always do that since sometimes life gets in the way, but that is my policy now after reading the comments on that particular post (I still hate myself for not saving that post so you guys can look at it too).
My question is, when do you post your ARC reviews? What is your opinion of what I said above? I want to know!
Mostly I like to read the ARC as soon as I get it, but since it is expected a month before release, I keep it on hold. For the last few months, the list of unread ARCs has been increasing, so I post them in the week before release. Sometimes, I post it on the Sunday before the book release (since I do most of my reading on the weekends, now-a-days).
Ruthsic recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Fall To-Be-Read list
I do try to post my ARC reviews the same week as publication (usually on a Monday, so the day before release). But sometimes I’ll go back a couple weeks if my schedule is really swamped. I know personally that if I read a review for a book that’s gets me really excited, I’ll want to buy it immediately—but if it’s an ARC review that’s come out months before that book’s release date, I’ll probably get frustrated. So I have a within-the-week policy on my own blog because that’s what I, as a reader, would like to see.
Renae @ Respiring Thoughts recently posted…Book Review: (Don’t You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn
I try to post reviews as close to release as possible. Most of the time one or two weeks before the release tops. Publishers prefer that too. However, if I read it earlier than that and I feel like sharing my excitement for the book if I ended up loving it (4 stars or more), than I feature it in my new blog feature What Tomorrow Brings. I give a few reasons (3-5) to be excited for this and pick it up when its out (or maybe even an ARC if you’re lucky). I’ve received great comments on those posts so even though it’s not my real review, I can still share the love I feel for that particular book! :D
Bieke @ Istyria book blog recently posted…Review: Unwritten by Chelsea M. Cameron
All the publishers I’ve worked with have preferred reviews to be within a month of the book’s release. Personally I prefer posting the review on the actual release date, though of course there are exceptions. Multiple books come out on the same day and if I happen to read a few of them I’ll have their reviews up either the week before, in the days follow the release, etc.
The scheduling option is my best friend. I try (AHAHAHA) to keep on top of my ARCs, so there have been a few I’ve read months in advance. Of course I don’t remember many of the details by the time the release date rolls around. Scheduling these reviews still allows me to read the books ahead of time, but also keeps the publishers happy by not posting the review too soon. & I completely agree about the super early reviews: sure it might sound great, but 7 months later I’ll have forgotten all about it when it finally comes out!
Leah recently posted…wait, what? the odd reasons behind book bannings.
I always try to post mine within a month before or after, usually in the 1-2 week range on both sides of the release date. I think there can be a little leeway (maybe an extra month), but it really bothers me when people post ARC reviews 4 or more months before a book releases. I’ll likely completely forget their review and not think about it, come the release date. A couple bloggers have done sneak preview features where they briefly feature a review book months before its publication date and then they review it later on. I’m totally okay with those posts. I think they build more hype because they mean the blogger liked the book enough to feature it twice.
Emma recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Fall TBR List
OMG. Great post! I’ve always wondered about the proper etiquette for this.
I try to post my ARC review two weeks to a month before the book is released. I feel like it gives people time to find the review and read it before they decide if they want to read it or not. I actually keep track of my ARCs in my paper planner now. I know… I’m kind of old school, but it helps me keep track of all the ARCs that I have, especially if two or more are going to be released on the same day. I usually pencil in that I want them posted two weeks before the book is released, but if I finish reading the ARC before then, I’ll post it. I feel like it’s better posted earlier.
But I recently just posted three ARC reviews in a row, and I even had someone who works with one of the authors email me about it, so I guess that means I’m doing alright with them. Who knows, though. It seems like people just post them whenever they feel like it.
As a reader of reviews, I like to read ARC reviews before the book is released. It bothers me when people post them on release day. I mean, there’s a reason why they are called Advance Reader Copies.
Erin recently posted…ARC Review: My True Love Gave to Me
My first arc review I messed up and posted it right away because I didn’t realize that it wasn’t released yet. (silly me) Now I post them a month before they’re released, because I can’t wait any longer to talk about the good book I found. What you said makes sense though. It seems like I hear about all of these great books so long ahead of time.
Molly Mortensen recently posted…The Young Elites By Marie Lu
I’m not always very consistent with actually reading my ARCs sadly. It’s the downfall of being a mood reader. However, when I do read an ARC prior to its release date, I generally aim to have the review post go up about two weeks before its release, unless it’s an ebook only release for smaller imprints and such.
It’s a tricky thing though. I work at a bookstore. So if there is a book that’s getting a lot of notice before its release, often it’ll be noted as a book we as sellers need to be on the look out for by the managers. Sometimes they’ll urge us to read it. Sometimes they suggest it as a featured item. So early reviews can actually help when it comes to the way a book is marketed in the bookstores.
Amy M. recently posted…Dear Author… – Elle Cosimano
I definitely try to post reviews as close to the release date as I can. I can’t always post a review during that week, though, for various reasons. Sometimes it goes up sometime in the month before, and sometimes it will go up the week after the release date. But I do agree, that the review going up as close to the release day is best. Although, as a blogger, sometimes I get sick of reading review after review of the same book. So I do like them spread out a little bit.
Quinn @ Quinn’s Book Nook recently posted…Top Ten Books on My Fall 2014 TBR Pile
I used to post them as soon as I finished the book, which was sometimes three months ahead of time (bad blogger!). But after I looked at publisher’s preferences a bit more, I’ve started posting anywhere from 3 weeks before publication to the day before it’s released. It just depends on how many other ARCs I have – in October I had several that were all released around the same time, so I had to space it out a bit.
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives recently posted…Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR
Same! I post around the release week because then that gives more recognition to the book when it ‘s coming out and also let’s readers get the book sooner if they want to read it. If I post the review a month before, I feel like people are going to add it to their TBR list on Goodreads and then completely forget about it. As always, life does get in the way and I am way over-ambitious on how many books I think I can read, so getting it reviewed the week of release doesn’t always happen, but I try! Also, I normally review books right after I read them, which means that I read them when I plan on posting. I wish I could get ahead and read books one or two weeks before posting so that I can always ensure I have enough time to finish a book, but we’ll see if that ever happens… Great post :)
-Jessica (Peace Love Books)
Jessica recently posted…Release Day Launch: Stay With Me by Jennifer L Armentrout
I’m definitely someone who wants to buy a book immediately after reading about it, so I try to stick close to the release date. But I think up to a month out is acceptable. If I posted a review a month out I might tweet it again closer to the release date.
The Avid Reader recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on My Fall To-Be-Read List
I post my reviews the week of. I usually read ahead and schedule a review so that I don’t have to worry about it. When I realize my post went live I’d email the publisher/author to let them know that their book is now available for viewing. No complaints yet!
– Krys
Krys recently posted…Review: The Arrival by Shaun Tan
I write my reviews as soon as i’ve read the book but on my blog I always schedule for the day of release if not around that week – not sure why Im still a fairly new book blogger so I guess I’ve not had a chance to do it differently.
Anna @ NotTonightimreading recently posted…Teaser Tuesday #6
For the most part, I strive to post the review on the same week the book comes out, however, on rather rare occasions, I post the review in the same month as it releases. That is when I’m so excited I can’t wait to start reading the book and finish it early.
Cassidie Jhones recently posted…Into the Fire by Ashelyn Drake (Birth of the Phoenix #1)
I think the earliest I would go is a month before release, but I always try to publish the review in the week the book is released :) I also like to read reviews around that time. Early enough to make up my mind if I want to buy it, but not so early I still have to wait a long time before I can get my hands on the copy.
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Top ten Tuesday 38. Fall TBR list.
I usually try to schedule ARC reviews about a week or two before release, and definitely within a month. Obviously sometimes life gets in the way, but I always like to get ARC reviews out before the book is released because otherwise it’s not really advanced. I just think it’s generally better to post a review when the publication is somewhat soon so that readers will actually remember it. Great discussion idea!
Kiersten @ We Live and Breathe Books recently posted…Cover Cosmetics: Unmade – Sarah Rees Brennan
Typically, I post my reviews on the week that they are released as well. I used to post them as soon as I read them, but then there were really long gaps between the book release and when I had read it.
Katherine recently posted…Life of a Blogger: Languages
Unless the publisher/author says otherwise, I try to post within the week of its release. I am fairly inconsistent with this though, as you said, life tends to get in the way.
You know, I totally vary on when I post. I try to never go outside that month mark but I sometimes don’t do it the week of. The only reason is when I do there are so many reviews of the same books I’m afraid it gets repetitive to readers. Ion always curious about this topic too so love seeing opinions. Thanks for sharing!
Kristen@My Friends Are Fiction recently posted…Review of The Fire Artist by Daisy Whitney
I’m the same as you! I generally try to post it around the book’s release date if that’s possible. :) Sometimes my posts are really backed up though and that’s not possible. I’ll definitely try harder to post around the release date though. Great discussion!
I haven’t received any or many.. I do have the ARC for Talon, but i’ve not managed to read it.After reading this I think it’s a good thing I’ve put it off so far. But for books I read, I’ve only had Talon(Julie Kagawa) and Towering(Alex Flinn), but Towering was an old arc a friend gave me.. So. :p Lot of late on that ARC review.
Note: I’m not a blogger, I just try and do Goodreads Reviews.
I try to post my ARCs the same month as the release month but now I’ve been slacking off of my ARCs because of school :(.
Initially I used to post my ARC reviews either on the release day or the week of the release. But these days life is quite hectic and college takes most of my time, so it’s takes me a while to get them done. But I still try to post the reviews within the month of the release.
Aarati recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday #7: Ensnared
As bad as it is, I’ve never really thought about it because of how behind I usually am on reviewing books. So by the time it takes me to finish the book, it’s already been out for a week or even a few months. I’m definitely going to be paying more attention now that I’ve prioritized my ARCs. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve posted a few ARCs that are waaaaay before their release date, but even some that the publisher has told me to wait on until a certain week/date etc, I always will send the publisher my review (if it’s 3 or above), and they seem to appreciate that even though the review isn’t published yet. Great post!! Good to see what others are doing
Gina @ Behind the Pages recently posted…Review: Cooper Bartholomew is Dead by Rebecca James
I try to post my reviews as close to the release date as possible. I never post before the release date, my mainn problem is that sometimes I’m so fussy about what I’m reading that reviews are posted well after the review date!
Escapades of a Bookworm recently posted…Review: Age of Iron by Angus Watson
I’ve heard both of those things, too. I always try to post mine the week before it gets published, sometimes only a day or two early, depending on what my schedule looks like. I don’t usually like to post a review more than 2 weeks before the release date.
Jessi @ Novel Heartbeat recently posted…Life of a Blogger: Clothing
I post it one to two weeks before the book gets released, usually on Mondays. And it works, because there’s usually an interest in the book, and it’s still close enough to the release date without posting it on the actual release week itself. It’s usually clogged with reviews for the book in that week.
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I post mine on the release day. Or as close to it as I can, depending on what else I have scheduled. I used to do 2 weeks before the release day, but it just seems easier to do it the day of.
Sarah recently posted…Review: Unborn
I usually post my reviews on the Monday or Thursday before its release, since those are my review days on the blog. Usually it ends up being the day before the book’s release, which I think works out nicely :)
Katie recently posted…Why I’m Changing the Way I Rate Books
I actually try really hard to post reviews of ARCs and final review copies on the date of publication. But like you said, it’s not always possible to be so timely with our reviews (especially since I have a schedule now and not every day is a book review day). But I really like to post within a week of publication. I don’t feel particularly guilty if time gets in the way and I post it within one month of release, though. As long as I’m getting a thought-out review up within a respectable time, I’m happy ;D
Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity recently posted…Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
This is an interesting opinion! On Netgalley, sometimes the publishers have a specific time for how early to publish the review for that book, but I’m trying to get some other opinions, because when they don’t, I’m not sure when to post it! I’m glad to hear yours. :-)
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