This Week’s Topic:
Still Gonna Read It
When I first started requesting books, I got lucky, and received many approvals.
I was happy, and felt so lucky to be getting so many amazing books. Then, my luck ran out. I requested books from a publisher, who still, to this day, has yet to approve me for one single book. I felt worthless and dejected, and I swore I would NEVER read that book.
But, once I got over my salty self, I started worrying, that I was cutting off my nose to spite my face. Who's missing out, if I don't read that book? ME, that's who. So, to combat my FOMO, I decided I would read the book, but I wouldn't review it.
Then, some of those "rejected" books really blew me away, and when I thought about it, the publisher rejected me, not the author, so why should I not share my love of this book with the world. It was determined that I would write a Goodreads review, but not feature the books on the blog, but then I encountered a few, that just delighted me so much, I had to feature them on the blog.
So, that's my "evolution" with respect to book rejections. Now, let's take a look at my ratio of rejects to what I actually read.
On NetGalley, I have been rejected for 122 books. Two books on that list have yet to be published, and of the remaining 120 books, I have read 61. Not that bad. AND, of those 61, 24 rated 4.5 - 5 stars. I really would have been missing out had I stayed a bitter old woman, and not read those wonderful books. Honestly, of the 61 I read, I think maybe 2 or 3 rated below 4 stars for me. I will admit, that I was able to scam copies of some of these book by hopping on tours or getting lucky on Edelweiss, but I also read many from library, and even purchased a few.
And now, here are some of my FAVORITE "rejected" books
- Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi - ★★★★ 1/2
- The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord - ★★★★ 1/2
- Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett - ★★★★★
- What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum - ★★★★ 1/2
- Girls Can't Hit by T.S. Easton - ★★★★ 1/2
- When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon - ★★★★★
- Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett - ★★★★★
- Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard - ★★★★ 1/2
- Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle - ★★★★ 1/2
- The First to Know by Abigail Johnson - ★★★★ 1/2
- Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia - ★★★★ 1/2
- Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian - ★★★★ 1/2
- Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashely Herring Blake - ★★★★ 1/2
- Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch - ★★★★ 1/2
- The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker - ★★★★★
- If I'm Being Honest by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka - ★★★★ 1/2
- Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus - ★★★★★
- Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith - ★★★★ 1/2
- 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston - ★★★★★
- The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake - ★★★★★
- Risking It All by S.M. Koz - ★★★★ 1/2
- Our Wayward Fate by Gloria Chao - ★★★★★
- The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik by David Arnold - ★★★★ 1/2
Now it's your turn!
Do you read those "rejected" books?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
I don't use Netgalley or read ARC's so I've never had that problem! I do like your evolution story and I think you're right about it not being the author's fault that the mean publisher rejected you!
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy to let hurt feelings interfere with logic sometimes. I am glad I took the step back for a better look at the situation
DeleteI don't think that anyone likes rejection. It almost feels like the publisher is saying that I'm not good enough when I get denied access to a book that I am wanting to read. I have been rejected for 110 books on NetGalley to date. Most of those rejections happened in my early years and I honestly don't blame them for rejecting me. I would have rejected me too if I was the publisher. I have only been rejected for 17 books that were published in 2017 or later. Of those 17 book, 11 have either been read, purchased, or obtained from another source. So while I am not opposed to reading and reviewing these books, the books that I was approved for are my priority so it is likely that the book I was rejected for is going to have to sit for a while until I have the chance to get to it. If I wanted the book enough to request it, I probably still want the book enough to read it and review it.
ReplyDeleteI have gotten 535 approvals, so, I am lucky to get quite a few books via NG, so I get about 80% of the books I request. I just hate, when pubs, who used to approve me, all of sudden are done with me. It makes me sad. I actually get more rejections now, than I did when I first started.
DeleteI get rejected by NetGalley all the time, but I don't take it personally. Sometimes it just has to do with demographics. Or maybe it has to do with my abysmal ratio of requested to reviewed books. Ha ha. I get approved all the time, too, which means I have a ton of requested books that I haven't read yet.
ReplyDeleteI am quite proud of my ratio (93%). This time last year, I was struggling to keep it at the magic 80%. I have limited myself more, which is why I get even more frustrated. I used to request a lot of books hoping I would get approved for some of them. Then, I would have too many books. Now, I request a lot less, but I have never been patient, and it frustrates me to pass on a book, because I have too many pending requests.
DeleteI used NetGalley back when I wass blogging around 2007-8, but not since then. I don't have a massive amount of followers (but I love the ones I have!!!), so I haven't tried because I'm fairly certain I'd get rejected due to a lower following. Maybe one day if I'm more popular, haha!
ReplyDeleteI'd definitely still read books I was rejected for, though. When I really want to read something, there's very little that will stop me!
I wouldn't say I have a massive number of followers, but I read and review a majority of the books I request. I see a lot of STS posts, and I never see the people reviewing a lot of those books. Sometimes, I am reviewing those reject books, well past the point of them being "new releases", but at least I get to them eventually, usually via the library
DeleteIt is disappointing to be rejected. Especially for a book you're dying to read. I mostly get rejected on Edelweiss, and so I rarely request from them anymore. I'm not a big fan of their site anyways. It's not nearly as easy to use as Netgalley, IMO.
ReplyDeleteIf I want to read a book and I get rejected I usually just request a copy from the library, and think oh well, now I don't have to write a review if I don't feel like it.
It's really sad, when you know what a good fit the book is for you. 10 Blind Dates is a perfect example. That book owned me. I loved it so much, and screamed about it. I was lucky that Hoopla had it immediately after its release, but that's not always the case for a lot of the books I get rejected for. The eLibrary tends to get the BIG books, but not all the books I want to read, and they don't tend to buy the books I recommend. The upside it that the full-on review is optional for me, but I also want enough books to feature on the blog.
DeleteI've been declined 56 times so far on NetGalley, but also only approved 200. And Edelweiss hates me - lol. Some of the rejected books I read, but many I didn't. BUT, my attitude towards ARCs in general has drastically changed. I rarely requested books in 2019, rather got my books from libraries or bought them myself. Lately I have started requesting again, but if I don't get them, the library is my best friend. So, somehow getting ARCs has become a bonus instead of an all important part of me being a book blogger. And yes, I definitely got salty at the beginning too.
ReplyDeleteI have been approved for over 500 books on NG, but like with EW, certain publishers never show me any love. I have a bunch of pre-approvals on EW, but mostly for adult titles. For example, Penguin's adult and small children't books are green for me, but I always get rejected for their YA titles. That would be great, if this wasn't a YA blog. ARCs are definitely a bonus for me too, but it's so hard to get new releases from my library, and newer books tend to get more traffic. I like people to come by and read my reviews sometimes.
DeleteI still get rejected for books on Netgalley and sometimes it does bother me but I try not let it. I have more than enough review books to read and I have found some really amazing books through Kindle Unlimited and Prime reading so I am a happy girl none the less.
ReplyDeleteI have been doing more backlist, but I still would like to read at least 3 new releases a week for blog purposes. I also feature older books on the site, but newer books get more views.
DeleteGreat evolution story! I tend not to take an ARC unless it's one I'm wanting to read either way.
ReplyDeleteI want to read all the books I request, and I have even become more discriminating when it comes to books from my TBR. I am not taking as many chances with review book, but trying to pick surefire hits for me. Certain publishers' books are always purchased by my library, so I know I will get those books at some point, if it's a book I am somewhat ambivalent about, but when I know I will love the book, and I get rejected, the sadness is so profound.
DeleteWhat confuses me most is not being rejected for a book but then being rejected for the next one by the same author. I did go ahead and read the book when I could get my hands on it.
ReplyDeleteThat has happened to me with quite a few authors - Jenn Bennett, Sandhya Menon, Emery Lord, Gloria Chao, Karen McManus -- I had previously been approved for books by them, but I guess they blew up enough, that my opinion was no longer needed.
DeleteI love this so much! I used to feel pretty bitter about getting rejected by Netgalley too but I guess I'm over it. I just request now without expecting that I'll actually get anything. I totally read all the books (okay not all) that I get rejected for!
ReplyDeleteI used to not request, because I would get so sad, when I was rejected, but this attitude is something holding me back in all aspects of my life, and I am working on it.
DeleteThe one thing I'm forever salty about though was the time I requested an ARC that has an Asian character as a lead but the publisher rejected me because apparently it's only exclusive to who live in US/Canada. Maybe they had some other reasons or something but as an Asian myself, that hurt lol. Anyway I got over it. I hardly request for ARCs these days that's why I don't feel so bad about getting rejected anymore. I can handle waiting for YA books to come out so it's okay. The ones I look forward to reading ahead are romance books but some of my anticipated ones usually aren't on Netgalley and some might be but they don't really send you a feedback even after the book already got released. I'm way over this and just read the other books on my piling TBR.
ReplyDeleteI think some of that has to do with publishing rights, because I cannot get approved for UK and Australian titles, unless they are also being published in the US. I remembering not being able to buy eBooks from the UK Amazon site, and those books were not available digitally in the US. That some kind of big business nonsense, and then, they don't like to send physical ARCs overseas due to costs. It's like a no-win situation. I think EW is better for International bloggers, or at least, that's what I have heard.
DeleteStarry eyes looks great- I've been wanting to try Jenn Bennett for a bit now. As for rejections, I've never requested anything on Netgalley so I can't really comment on that, but I see your point. Even if rejected, that's the publisher not the author, right? So I can see still reading it. Even if the rejection itself is quite irritating. :) I have a feeling I'd have the same range of feelings about it!
ReplyDeleteTwo Can Keep A Secret (yay!!) and I still need to read Welch's latest.
It took me a while to get to the objective point, but I eventually realized the publisher, who rejected me, could care less about my two cents, but most authors are so grateful for reviews. Welch has a new book coming out - Love & Olives. I think we are going to Greece this time
DeleteI am really excited to see the Greece story. Yesss!!!
DeleteI don't really request ARCs, so I have no experience with this, but I would think if I was still super interested in a book, I'd read it regardless of whether I was approved for an ARC or not. I figure I can always get it from the library. But, I probably wouldn't like getting rejected, either! There would probably be some books I might not read later if I was rejected for an ARC, that maybe they would appeal to me if I could get an early copy but I might not be so eager to seek it out later.
ReplyDeleteI was so bad. I refused to even comment on reviews for books I was rejected for. Very bitter women. But, I came to grips with it, and got over myself. I am glad I did, because I would have missed out on some great books.
DeleteI have such self esteem issues that I struggle with requesting books sometimes. I usually play it safe and don't request if I'm not nearly 100% sure I will get approved. So, I haven't had a "denied" book since 2017. But, I bet I missed out on some great books because I was just too scared to even try.
ReplyDeleteTRUTH! I really took it personally for so long. When the kid quoted Gretzky, I knew I had to at least hit the request button. I have been told "no" 122 times, but I have been told "yes" on NetGalley 535 times. It's a pretty decent approval rate. It's more frustrating, when publishers, who have approved me in the past, stop approving my requests. I have no idea what I had done wrong, but such is life.
DeleteI've been declined seven times on NG and I've went onto read two of them and would still like to read another two. The remaining three I think I'm content to pass on... It's funny. My number of rejections doesn't seem a lot but I don't typically request a lot (52 total requests so far). I think most of the books I request, I request because I'd read them anyway so a rejection won't stop me. Delay me, yes, but not stop me.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame you for feeling a little bit salty about it though. Sometimes the rejections make no sense at all.
7 out of 52 is not that bad. I have 122 out of 657, which is about the same percentage as you. Hmmmmm. That's suspicious. Rejections for the hyped books doesn't bother me, because I know the library will get them, but those less hyped books are the ones I really mourn, because I most likely won't be able to get access to them. I watch the prices on Amazon, but they never seem to go on sale, and they are too expensive to pay full price.
DeleteI fully admit to getting salty when rejected. And like- I don't not read the book (especially if it was one I was really excited about) but a lot of times it falls to the back of my list just because I have so many OTHER review books, you know? So it isn't even intentional most of the time, I just prioritize review books. I DO feel bad for the authors and try to at least mention somewhere, somehow how much I liked it. If I didn't like it, I'll probably never mention it (unless I hated it SO much that I had to tell someone 😂)
ReplyDeleteI would agree, that I don't tend to prioritize the book, since I actually need to read the books that were granted to me, but I used to go out of my way to avoid them. Like, I wouldn't even comment on reviews or anything. So salty, like the Dead Sea salty. So, I have gotten better with that.
DeleteWhat? you mean it's not only "us" international bloggers that got rejected? That even someone like you who reviews so many books get the "no"? I am shocked!!! Now I deal with rejection all the time on Netgalley because ...international blogger. It stings but as I want to tone down on ARCs I take it with a pinch of salt and think that's the world conspiring to help me hold my promise LOL
ReplyDeleteI get LOTS of NOs. Disney has yet to grant one of my requests. I cannot really get any Hachette books unless I do a tour. S&S is hit or miss, as is Random House and Penguin. I get lots of love from Macmillan, Harper, and Sourcebooks, though.
DeleteI don't really request a lot of books, but when I do, I tend to get rejected more often than not (especially if it's YA, etc.) but that doesn't mean I want to NOT read the book. Like you said, it's the publisher, not the author.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
YA is not easy to get. I have some pubs that are very good to me, so, I am happy about that. Like I said, it took me a while to look at the situation rationally, but I am glad I did
DeleteOh yeah, I definitely still want to read most of the books I've gotten rejections on. I do get my dander up a bit at first, particularly if it's from a publisher that typically approves me, but then I usually get over it pretty quickly. Like you say, I can only imagine how many great reads I would have missed out on if I had stayed bitter because of the rejection.
ReplyDeleteI think I feel more slighted, when the publisher all of a sudden stops approving me. Then the paranoia and feelings of inadequacy set in. Never a good feeling.
DeleteI don't request often because I am trying to work through my own backlist of books and my review debt from when I was a crazy teen requesting books... But I do make small requests now and then, and whenever I don't get approved I just add it to my TBR because I still want to read it. I am glad you still went on to read the books by Sara Barnard, Jenn Bennett and Sandhya Menon because they are great books and I know how much you loved them!
ReplyDeleteI love that term, "review debt". Those were all authors I had been approved for in the past, and I felt a bit saddened, that I was not considered for their subsequent releases. Bennett did reach out to her publicist for me, and I got a widget, and I won a book from Barnard, which was not released in the US. All that made the rejection not as bad.
DeleteI have to say, sometimes I don't read the books I'm ejected for simply because I haven't gotten around to buying them and that probably says it all about the fact I probabl shouldn't have been approved anyway if Iw asn't that eager to read. I don't think I ever got salty enough to decide never to read because of a rejection, though. Maybe that's because I request so many books from US publishers and expect the rejection. Maybe because I know my Netgalley rating is shocking and I need to play catch up anyway. Whatever it is I never feel bad about the rejection, I just figure it's the push to buy it instead (or borrow from the library where I can.+).
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I was thinking the other day about how these essentially free books we get the chance to review actually means I have never gotten around to buying some of my favourite reads and supporting the author. Yes, it is good promotion for them giving readers the opportunity to read and review in advance but I question how much impact my little promotion has on the book as a whole because I worry I'm not supporting authors enough because I can't afford to buy all of the books which I love and that's not fair. That's a whole other discussion though.
I buy very few books, so I don't really use that as a requirement for getting approvals. I always try to get them from the library or I watch the prices on Amazon, but I really don't spend much on books, to be honest. I think the cross promoting is really important, when it comes to review books. I know there is something about the number of Amazon reviews that helps visibility of a book and whatnot. I make sure to go and post those reviews. I don't think any exposure is bad for a book.
DeleteI get rejected on NG all the time. It doesn't phase me at all. Same when I don't get an ARC for a tour. I think it's because I now only request books I would read anyways. I just count it as luck if I get to read an ARC of them. I'm glad your perspective has changed over time.
ReplyDeleteI have started only doing tours for ARCs I already have. Then, if I don't get the tour, no FOMO, and if I do get the tour, it keeps me accountable for reading the book.
DeleteI definitely still read books I was rejected for, it just takes me a LOT longer to get to them because I prioritize books I have egalleys/ARCs for over non-ARC reads... so it might be a good year after release that I finally end up reading it!!
ReplyDeleteI would say I prioritize galleys as well, but my biggest obstacle is availability. If my library gets the book, I am very likely to read it, otherwise, I have to watch the price and wait for a sale on Amazon.
DeleteI don't think I would have any books to read if I didn't read any rejections lol I RARELY get approved for YA - I mostly get romance from smaller pubs.
ReplyDeleteI was super lucky to be able to attend conferences and that's where I got most of mine.
Now, I'm about 90 % library books.
Karen @ For What It's worth
Believe it or not, I have better luck with romance books too. I feature almost all YA on the blog, but I get a lot of YA rejections (certain pubs will never say yes). I like using a mix of ARCs and library books, because those new releases are hard to get from the library.
DeleteThis is so interesting. I'd never really thought about books that I was rejected for. Honestly, I couldn't remember them! But this made me really curious, so I went back and looked at the list. I was shocked to see that I've only read ONE of the 33 books I've been rejected for!! (All of Me, which I just read recently, actually.) Um, maybe I was holding a grudge? But, honestly, I think it's more that I have a short attention span and I forget books I'm not forced to read on a deadline. LOL!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Maybe not a grudge, per se, but I know I am more likely to read a book if I have access to it. I don't buy a lot of books. I either get them via eARCs, win them, or use library resources. If the books are not available via one of those three ways, I don't read the book simply because I do not have it.
Deletenice
ReplyDeleteAnother fun exercise examining my reading
Delete