Book Policies
I’m Jaime and I run Bound by the Book. I’m very enthused that you’re considering me to review your book and possibly collaborate in other ways (see bottom of page). I kindly ask that you review the information below to be assured that I’m the “right fit” for your consideration as that is the single most important criterion, in my opinion.
Please note the following as contacting me assumes you have read and agree to the terms set below regarding my policy on reviewing books and collaborations of any kind.
Book Formats
Formats I’m accepting:
- physical copies (galley/ARC, hardcover, paperback)
- digital/e-books (e-pub, pdf, etc.).
I prefer physical copies in all cases. If a physical copy is not available, I will consider an e-version. I will NOT purchase a book for the sole purpose of reviewing (unless I love the book, in which case I will absolutely support the author and publisher.)
Book Genres
I’m interested in reviewing the following genres (in no particular order):
- Fiction
- Mystery
- Suspense
- Thriller
- Crime
- Horror
- Medical
- Speculative
- YA/Middle Grade
- Sci-Fi
- Historical
- Dystopia
- Coming-of-Age
- Literary
- Non-Fiction
- True-Crime
- Medical
- Memoir
- History
I favor both fiction and non-fiction. Neither more than the other. I typically am drawn more to mystery, suspense, thrillers, speculative, along with crime fiction and true crime.
I’m NOT interested in reviewing:
- Western
- Fairytale
- Fan Fiction
- Theology/Religion
- Self-Help
- Biography
- Motivational/Inspirational
- Short Stories
- Anthologies
- Erotica
What to Expect if I Review Your Book
Please understand that by accepting or receiving a book for review that I cannot guarantee that it will be read immediately or posted on the site or social media immediately. I’ve got books in queue constantly and am a special education teacher first. I assure you that I will do my absolute best to read and review with as little turnaround time as possible.
If the book is a galley/ARC, I typically post reviews near the time of the publishing date (will post prior to US release date if preferred). If I really enjoyed the book, I often post teasers, promos, etc. to create buzz.
I also reserve the right to NOT post a review of your book should I not feel comfortable doing so. This is rare but I do reserve this right for those outlying circumstances.
If a physical galley/ARC is sent and you and/or publisher would like it returned, the sender is responsible for acknowledging this request and will pay for postage/shipping costs.
All reviews will be created and posted directly to my website. For information regarding review details on social media posts, please read below. Author/Publishers can also make requests for review locations. Please note that all accepted books will receive a full-length review.
Full length reviews
Full length reviews can include:
- the original synopsis of the book
- information regarding book length
- author, publisher, and publishing date
- my review of the book
- quote(s) I think really stand out and potentially pique interest in new readers
- writing style
- structure
- intellectual depth
- how difficult it was to put down
- what I personally enjoyed (plot)
- applicable hashtags/social media tags to draw attention to the book and review
- rating system (★★★★★)
Shortened reviews
ALL Shortened reviews will link to the FULL review on my website.
The reason they are considered “shortened” is due to the character counts on Instagram and Twitter. They will include quote(s) from the book to draw reader’s attention, a brief synopsis, and a few sentences from the review with a link to continue reading the full article on this site.
Reviews will be posted on:
- Amazon
- Goodreads
- Edelweiss (if applicable)
- BookSirens (if applicable)
What if I Don’t Enjoy the Book?
It’s inevitable. If I did NOT like the book overall, I will still review and make my review based on what I thought was done well, for example:
- writing style
- structure
- intellectual depth
- how difficult it was to put down
- what I personally enjoyed (plot)
- some *wishes* I had for the book (where some aspects from the above fell short for me).
Every review I post is my true, honest, unbiased opinion. I do not sway my reviews based on receiving physical copies, attention given to my social media accounts by you/publisher. Doing so is completely unethical and I will not stand for such. It is possible that my review may not be “glowing”. If you are not comfortable with the fact that a negative review could be written, I may not be the best fit to receive a review request for your book. By sending a request, you acknowledge that this review may be considered negative and I would appreciate that your response to my review not be acknowledged as a personal attack because it is absolutely not. It will be tastefully written with no disrespectful innuendos, comments, or remarks while remaining honest to myself and my ethics.
Other than reviews, what other collaborations are you/publisher interested in?
- book/blog tours: I must have interest in the book or have read and enjoyed it. I want to tour with interesting, exclusive content. My readers will want to see unique, brand new content that isn’t mass created and posted all over the internet.
- guest blogging: guest blogging on my site and guest bloggers on mine. Content must be of interest to me and what I believe my readers will enjoy.
- author interviews: with a preferred focus on women authors
- giveaways: for books I’m highly anticipating or have already read and enjoyed
- exclusive cover reveals: I say “exclusive” because no one wants to be the 300th person to post the same cover photo.
I am NOT open to:
- posting about a book I have not yet read
- cover reveals that aren’t exclusive
- mass posting (daily posts about a single book, countdowns to release date, spamming of any kind)
Contact Information
How to contact me
If you are interested in working together on a review and/or other collaborations, or need further information, please email me at jaime@boundbythebook.com or by using the contact form at the bottom of the page.
I do not promise that I will respond to direct messages on social media platforms for review requests. You may use my ‘email’ button on my Instagram (http://instagram.com/bound.by.the.book) as well.
Information needed:
- book summary
- book format
- what you’re interested in collaborating on/ideas
- any relevant information that may demonstrate why this may be a good fit (from my bookstagram or on my site)
- timeframe for review (if applicable, as this will be a major determining factor in whether or not I’m able to commit to the timeline)
- preferred social media hashtags
