EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club discussion

Has anyone in this group won a free book through the GoodReads giveaways that are advertised on the site? If so, what was the book and what did you think of it?

Yes, 12, I have a shelf for them:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Yes, I was getting one every other month for a while when I was bored and entering any giveaway that sounded remotely interesting by the day. I don’t think I’ve won any “most popular” giveaway besides Queenie.
My absolute favorites that I’ve won are and

No

Yes, my favorite so far is
The First to Die at the End

twice.
its been a while
only enter if I expect to like the book.
I have

I have won some books. A good way to find new authors (to me).

I have won Lessons in Chemistry and I tore through it.

Yes only once. The Boy With the Star Tattoo! Just got it so its in my TBR pile.

I've won 3 or 4 overall, but not recently; not since mid-2020. I probably don't help myself by only starting new books and not finishing books or reviewing when done so, as much. My account is not very useful for publicity, I guess. I haven't been entering as much recently, but when I do I browse the offers ending soon and generally the first 15-30 entries for interest.

I've won a few but not recently, but I've won some interesting/enjoyable stuff. Reviewing more things makes you more likely to win.

I never have. I gave up entering them.

Elizabeth wrote: "I've won a few but not recently, but I've won some interesting/enjoyable stuff. Reviewing more things makes you more likely to win."

I am relatively new to Goodreads - about 2 years, but I read a lot (more than 100 books a year) and always post at least a short review. Are your odds better if you tend to post 4 and 5 star reviews?

Does anyone know if you have to have an Amazon account linked to your Goodreads page to be qualified for winning a giveaway?

Adrienne wrote: "Has anyone in this group won a free book through the GoodReads giveaways that are advertised on the site? If so, what was the book and what did you think of it?"

I've won three of them, but one of the books never showed up. Not sure what happened, but not sure who to contact about it. Besides, it was free. Seems chary to complain.

As for what I thought of the books, I really liked the first book I won, SA Cosby's Blacktop Wasteland. I haven't read the other one yet, but I hear that it's super good: One Summer in Savannah. I plan to read it by the end of the year.

I was super-looking forward to the lost book, The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts. V. sad that it never got to me.

Jan wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I've won a few but not recently, but I've won some interesting/enjoyable stuff. Reviewing more things makes you more likely to win."

I am relatively new to Goodreads - about 2 ye..."

I think I've reviewed one book, and it was *not* a kind one.

I do rate books at a good clip, but they're all over the place, star-wise, and even then rating is a quite recent thing for me. I won the first book when I wasn't rating anything at all.

So the selection process is totally random.

Really.

Aquaria wrote: "Jan wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I've won a few but not recently, but I've won some interesting/enjoyable stuff. Reviewing more things makes you more likely to win."

I am relatively new to Goodreads ..."

Thanks

Nope. I only enter for ones that look interesting. Sometimes there’s thousands of entries per book though. I figure my chances are slim.

followup
It has been a while (2-3 years), but I used to enter 5 or 10 at a time, now I rarely enter.

My sister won a GR giveaway once, I'll have to ask her what she thought of the book.
I've thought of entering my book for a giveaway, but I haven't yet.

Back in 2013, I entered giveaways for the books I wanted to read and never won anything. In 2014, I decided to enter EVERY ending give away for one week. 227 giveaways. I won 16. I suddenly became inundated with "First Reads" and found myself overwhelmed. I reviewed a couple of them and lost interest. A couple of years later, I revisited my First Reads shelf and picked out some books to read.

One was a book I had started several times, but stopped after the first paragraph: A Stone's Throw Away by Carl Lee.

One was a spicy pirate/captive duo of novels: To Love Sea Rogue by Sandra Sookoo. Not my type of book, which is why I chose it.

Both of these reviews I'm pretty proud of.

I had an author (whose FR giveaway I did not win) contact me and said he liked some of my reviews and offered me a kindle version of his book to review. I didn't and still don't e-read so I declined; but he sent me physical copy.

Sprout of Disruption: The Hangman's Replacement by Taona D. Chivenneko. The only 5-star "First Reads" book I've read.

I haven't won one yet, but I haven't entered many. I only try for ones I'm interested in reading.

As an author, I've listed two in the hopes of getting some reviews. My second giveaway ends on 7/31/24, so hopefully I'll get more reviews from it. So far, I've only received one review from the first giveaway.

I have won 13 ebook/kindle giveaways and one physical book giveaway for Rhapsodic.

Zach wrote: "I have won 13 ebook/kindle giveaways and one physical book giveaway for Rhapsodic."

Wow, are you always so lucky?

Yes, I’ve gotten 2 of them. I didn’t like either of them, unfortunately.

Why are giveaways on GR only available to US and Canada residents? Readers from all over the world could recieve their copies via email at no additional cost...

Zeljka wrote: "Why are giveaways on GR only available to US and Canada residents? Readers from all over the world could recieve their copies via email at no additional cost..."

I don't know for certain. As an author myself, I have looked into doing a Giveaway for my book but decided against it because of the cost. It costs $99 to $399 to list a giveaway, and when I look at the setup guide (https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/Goodre...) it only allows entrants from the US or Canada, unless this is just an example.

The author chooses which countries can apply for the giveaway, I believe. I think this is so that they are likely to have a winner who reads in the language they have written, therefore increasing their chances of getting a review.

Julia wrote: "Zeljka wrote: "Why are giveaways on GR only available to US and Canada residents? Readers from all over the world could recieve their copies via email at no additional cost..."

I don't know for ce..."

Ok. This makes sense, probably this ensures more reviews. Thanks for explanation:-)
Still, not being from US or Canada I am automatically disabled to apply for giveaways:-(

Yes, I have won many times.

I've never won a giveaway, but I have been offered free copies of new books by indie authors on Goodreads!