Too Many ARCs

It got to a point that I had too many ARCs to read because I was requesting ARCs that I thought might be good. Sometimes an ARC turned out to be a stinker. But I had to read it because I agreed to review it.

Now I've decided to be more careful about choosing ARCs; I have to be sure I'll love it before I request it. That gives me more time to read my other books, too.

I know there are lots of people who request ARCs just because they enjoy winning books. I wish they would be more careful so I have a better chance of winning ARCs that I really, really want.

I agree with you and have also become more judicious in requesting ARCs. Most of them are great and I can't wait to read them, time is my enemy though. I request only the ones I really want to read now as well. This is only fair to the publisher.

thebooklover.wordpress.com

I agree with you it is totally annoying when you have alot of people requesting books and they never write a review. I have a goodreads account and the same thing happens all the time. I've entered giveaways over the past year and a half for about 60 books and I have never won a book. I have a strict policy if you read Review!!!;)

I agree with writing a review on books received. This week I got 5 books to read and review so I will not ask for more. I am almost finished with the first one but still behind.
A good site to get ARCs is bookblogs.ning.com. Lots of giveaways.

I only enter giveaways that I really want, otherwise I don't think I could get through the book. I've won a couple of books here at LibraryThing. I think I have only one left to review that I won from here in the last Early Readers batch.

I used to do pretty good on the giveaways from Goodreads, but I haven't won anything from there in almost a year!

Oy, don't get me started on the 'giveaways' at that other place that isn't here.... I don't enter a ton over on that site, but their algorithm must be missing a few bolts, 'cause, the algorithm here on LT, whatever in the world it is, seems to even know when I 1000% want to win a book (and I wind up winning it), whereas when I only 99-100% want a book (usually I don't win it). While, on Goodreads, I'm pretty sure that I could enter literally every contest on the site and I wouldn't win anything. Ah well.... cest la vie... guess I'll just have to get my free books from the library instead... :D

*sigh* I love LT!

DanielXJ, couldn't agree with you more. You may want to read this: http://thebooklover.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/goodreads-giveaways-and-krissies-bo....

>7 thebooklover1: The post you link to, unfortunately, gets just about everything wrong. Much like the early reviewers program here, there are a number of factors that the algorithm for first reads on GR considers, including randomness. Also, the first reads program is not limited to publishers, so you get a far greater variation in the number of copies that are offered. The chances of winning 1 copy out of 1000 entrants is obviously much less, no matter how well your library matches up. The algorithms for the 2 sites are obviously different, but it's not random.

>8 tottman: Random or algorithm, the way to keep people entering the first reads competitions is to have some of those people actually win some books instead of the same people over and over.

It also probably doesn't help that unlike LT, over on GR the authors and all sorts of people post alll over the web that they're having a GR giveaway, and then people join the site... just... to win that book. So, for those of us who actually contribute to the site (book order lists, combining, the same sorts of things I tend to do over here) it's a bitter pill to swallow when someone who just goes on GR for the contests wins all the books when I really, really, really, really wanted Batwoman, Vol. 1 Hydrology.

But, again, luckily I have the best place to get free books, the library, so, I'm not complaining so much as slightly grousing. :)

In the past I have gotten some books that were a struggle to read. They were boring but I committed myself to reading it since I requested it. Reading should not be a chore. It should be an enjoyable activity so now I only request book I am pretty sure I will enjoy. Why deprive someone else of a book that they will enjoy? That is what you do when you request a book you don't enjoy. Some people don't even read the book which is unfair to the publisher who sent it out or to other people who may have wanted to read that particular book.

I have to admit I was one of those people that just requested every single book that looked mildly interesting. Some of the drivel I ended up reading though, gosh! I wouldn't have wiped my nose (or other body parts) on it. I think at the beginning its more the thrill of actually winning a free book than entering because you want to read the book. Thankfully I manage to refrain myself these days, now understanding how annoying it is to lose out on a book to someone who will never review it or probably even appreciate it.

That's right. When you request and win a book you weren't pretty sure you'd like, then didn't like, you deprive someone else who really wanted that book and you cheat the publisher.

I disagree. If you request an author you don't know, but a genre you like (or vice versa), you may be pleasantly surprised and find that you want to expand the kinds of things you usually read. Of course, you take the risk of getting a book that isn't great, and you have to be prepared to read it and review it.
That said, it's silly to request a book you are pretty sure you WON'T like.

I have not posted or requested an ARC in about two years. I'm hoping for a book this time off Library thing, but I only requested what I wanted to read.