I don’t pay attention to whether they’re Top 100, Real Name, Vine Voice, or anything like that. That’s all secondary to me.

I *do* like Jem’s reviews, and also Rhianna Walker’s. They’re both major reviewers, but they’re also very honest and obviously human beings. Not just paid robots that work for Amazon and its pet publishers.

Sweetheart was everywhere at BEA. I mean, e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. Chelsea Cain did two signings that I’m aware of and there was a small mountain of ARCs at the St. Martin’s booth. Seriously. They had tons. That’s where I picked up my copy – and I’ve since gotten in two more ARCs at work (my library, she is big, so we get some ARCs).

So I don’t think we can solely “blame” all of the advanced reviews on the Vine program. Even with the reported “lower number” of attendees at this year’s BEA, there were still a TON of people there. And if my library got two ARCs, I’m wondering how many ARCs various bookstores, review journals and other libraries got? Seriously.

I have read this book already (loved it!), but purposely did a completely useless gushing, vague post over on my blog because it felt “wrong” to do a full review so far out of the pub. date (I read the book in June!). That’s my particular foible. That being said, I don’t have a problem with advanced reviews in general because I’d be shooting myself in the foot. My job would be nigh on to impossible to do without advanced reviews in journals like PW, Library Journal, Kirkus and Booklist.

But I understand Keishon’s frustration because I never, ever, ever read reviews for books that I’m highly anticipating or planning on reading in the near future. I also like to have a blank slate…..

Plus she was at some thing Wendy went to in LA…. uh crap what is it called… omg it is like HUGE UGH! See the seizure so keel braincells

they do it ever year… BEA? hell Wendy!!! where did you get your signed copy of Sweetheart from? And can you tell us about how many where there? That even is huge (I think)

So I bet if you add in the LT, Vine, whatever I am blanking on and just the STM ARC List the prolly did around 100 ARCs of this book. Just the number could account for it…

Of course I am a huge spoilerwhore and reviews mean nothing to me other than summary info unless it is a person I ‘connect’ with on a reader level. So that is prolly why it doesn’t bother me on that level but I can see how it would bother you or anyone hating spoilers.

Like I said to someone else privately and publicly: I just don’t like seeing the reviews there. Simple. As. That. When I go to purchase a book, I don’t care to see the ratings, what the other customer have said, thought, thunk, whatever, on pre-ordered items. I barely read the editorials with the exception of Publisher’s Weekly. Some of us just like to have a blank slate to start with and not have other people’s opinion’s color our view or perception because not everybody is careful with the spoilers.

I know my arguement makes little to no sense. I know that publisher’s must get the word out on their books. How is this program valid? With the bad publicity on the reviewing side of things? Why did Sweetheart have to have so many advance readers? Did they read the book? Does that mean the book sucketh or what if the publisher had that many books to give away. Sheesh.

Good thing that Amazon’s Influential Voices are limited in their choice of products. I’d hate to see them show up on everything I order, which wouldn’t amount to much. Their review system has zero value to me in light of the fact that there are so many bad apples who corrupt and spoil the program for it’s intended purposes. That’s why I said, in my little rant, that my ire was not aimed at the readers who give their honest reviews on books. Anyway, I’m done.