Review Policy

Thanks so much for checking out my review policy. I’m very happy to receive review requests from publishers, agents, editors, publicists and authors. Here are some ground rules for my reviews:

  1. I don’t guarantee a review, though I do my absolute best to read and post a review in the agreed-upon time frame. My first review priorities are ARC’s and galleys of books that haven’t come out yet. For those, I will do my darndest to post a review two weeks before the publication date, especially if I have been in contact with the publisher.
  2. I don’t guarantee a glowing review. I write, well, reviews, not gushy fangirl articles (most of the time, books by Laurie Halse Anderson, Neil Gaiman and select others are exceptions to the rule). What I can guarantee is a fair and honest assessment that takes into consideration the many strengths of the book and how they’ll appeal to readers and writers. I’ll never personally attack a book or author. Usually, if I find that something is completely not my style, I’d rather forgo the review than spew snark and bile.
  3. I don’t review self-published books, ebooks or books published outside the mainstream press. Not that there is anything wrong with these types of books. I work mostly with big publishers and want to focus my attentions on books that they are bringing to market and cultivate relationships with them. If you’re wondering about my criteria, I accept books from all the major houses and their imprints, as well as smaller but still formidable publishers like Chronicle Books. Small-list, newly-launched, desktop and POD publishers? Not for me, but thank you.
  4. I don’t horde my books or throw them away. When I’m done with a galley, ARC or promotional copy, I will either keep it or hand it to a friend (if I absolutely love it), give it away as a contest item on the site or donate it to 826 Valencia, an excellent tutoring center that I’ve been involved with in the past and love very much.

Thanks for reading my Review Policy! Now that we’ve got all this mumbo jumbo out of the way… send me books!

mary@kidlit.com