Thank you to all those who commented last week.
Looks like the largest group (eight) picked their current, cozy and comfy bedrooms, as their favorite. Three picked childhood bedrooms. The others varied, including two who liked the bedroom when they first moved from home, mother's bedroom (miki), when first married and Ricki chose her parent's guest room which sounds like a nice mini-apartment.
I enjoyed learning what books you had given for fun and as gifts and the varied recipients: family and friends.There were self-help books, non-fiction, fiction and children's books. Happy giving!
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The Winner from SBB #37 comments is: #12 bn100. There are still 8 'love' books to pick from and 2 Christmas choices. bn100 please let me know if you want a GC (if you are international) or choose a book from the remaining Love Books List for Giveaway or remaining Christmas Giveaway Books, the one summer book below OR pick from the ARC box and let me know your choice, your address and a choice of bookmarks by completing the WINNER FORM.
Q1.
This week Marjorie asks: Do you think some blogs are going overboard when they request so many enteries now into giveaways??
A: I have seen blogs that have tons of ways to enter and it seems like too much. I don't know how people feel about my usual requiring the entrants to visit the author's site but I do that since it is my goal to promote the author and book. I especially think it is important to limit entries when on a giveaway hop! Also it is somewhat annoying during a giveaway hop to have to fill out captcha (which I have to do twice 2 out of 3 times) but I can understand wanting to protect your site. That is why I use the moderation option.
Q2. My book related question this week: Do you like ratings (1-5 or other) and do you rely on them??
A: I do like rating systems and I love the creative designs some us. (Someday I maybe get one created for me.) Although I am sometimes impressed by a 1-10 system or a 100 point variety, I think the 1-5 is simplest. I do refer to the ratings but I do not rely on them because it is more important to check the reviews to know why someone liked, or did not like, the book. Since we like different genres and styles it is important to recognize that we will often not rate the same book at the same level.
Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I will draw from the suggestions I used the month before and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions but some of you others might want to get in a question or two as we have a few people submitting most of the questions so far. Either way - it works for me. :-) The question list is being replenished! Thanks for sending in questions!
Your turn to share:
1. Marjorie asks: Do you think some blogs are going overboard when they request so many enteries now into giveaways??
1. Marjorie asks: Do you think some blogs are going overboard when they request so many enteries now into giveaways??
2. My book related question this week: Do you like ratings (1-5 or other) and do you rely on them??
SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the remaining Valentine and "Love" books or the remaining Christmas Giveaway Books - there are still about 10 books available to choose from. Also I have added the Review and ARC Box now.
SBB Rules: a) Must be a follower;
b) Share a comment on any (or all) of the two/three questions above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made by Friday, March 9, 2012 at 10 PM central.
I prefer simple entries for giveaways. If there are too many entries available, I tend to not enter. I follow one blog where the giveaways have over 50 possible entries, and that is just craziness.
ReplyDeleteI like ratings. It is an easy way to get an overall impression of what someone thought of the book. Then you can delve into the review for more details about their thoughts. I rate all books I review from 1-5, or DNF.
1. Yes! I have seen some contests that have over a hundred possible points (or whatever) - granted on those, each entry is worth like 5, but still. And some contest just ask way too much just for one entry. What I really hate, though, are the ones who use Rafflecopter and then have one of the entries be "leave your name and email address in the comments" - why use a private form and then ask your entrants to make their emails public??? Sorry for my mini-rant.
ReplyDelete2. I do like ratings because it is a quick indicator of whether the book is worthwhile or not, but if it is something that I am really interested in, I'll pick it up no matter what.
1. Definitely!!! Not to say I won't enter such giveaways when the prize is tempting, but seriously, having a gazillion different options is ridiculous. Especially when you need to do certain things in order to unlock more possibly methods of entry (I'm sure you've encountered this on Rafflecopter). Personally I've very soon decided to only have one entry per person on my blog giveaways - keeps things simple and fair. And even in the rare event when following is mandatory in one of my giveaways I let people choose which way they want to follow. In that regard I'm happy about people being blog readers and why should I make them follow in a way I want them to instead of what works best for them personally? But I digress ...
ReplyDelete2. I like ratings as a first impression, but ultimately it's what's in the review that counts. In the long run though if something sounds interesting I will read it whether the rating is good or bad - after all tastes differ!
1. Depends, it randomize the winners more if there are more options entries. Plus it provide more options for people to enter.
ReplyDelete2.I love rating systems but I find that sometimes it is hard to place books in the rating system.
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ReplyDeleteI like simple entry forms.
ReplyDeleteI keep feeling like I am bribed into liking and following a ton of companies/people that I don't remotely care for. I get annoyed when I am asked to "fan" an author on Goodreads (I am fine with friending though as I love new friends). How am I supposed to be a fan of an author whose writing I have never read yet?
I like ratings, BUT I am also guilty of using ratings to ultimately decide if I will read the book. Sometimes I am like "why in the world am I looking at ratings, I should decide for myself!" and ten seconds later "if this person doesn't like it, then I wouldn't either!" which is just flawed logic, I know.
1) I certainly like simple entries but it is your blog after all!!!
ReplyDelete2) I am not very happy with ratings because taste varies such a lot.I prefer a review giving one the opportunity of making up your mind.
yes some blogs wants too many entries. and i hate when there is one mandatory like networked blog or facebook because not everybody has it so i prefer when they ask to follow and put several way as the mandatory entry.
ReplyDeletei like the ratings systeme even if i can take a book that hasn't a good ranting depending on what it said in the review. that give me at least an idea
1. Simply entries are the best. It seems to me that if everyone chases up all the entries then it's the same as if you each have just the one. I don't know if I explained that clearly.
ReplyDelete2. I do appreciate ratings, but like with all reviews it's subjective. I look at other factors as well - author, genre etc.
I can't telly you how ridiculous some of these entry requests are anymore. I no longer will enter these giveaways because a $5.00 GC is not worth asking me to fulfill 50 requests or the time it requires..Simple is better.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the 1-5 ranking. I'll read the reviews but in the end it's always going to be my choice because like you said, we don't all like the same things .
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
1. Do you think some blogs are going overboard when they request so many entries now into giveaways?
ReplyDeleteI see many bloggers nowadays using Rafflecopter to collect entries, and the number of entries available usually doesn't exceed 30, which is fine with me. If it is one of those mega giveaways which gives enticing prizes like $250 cash, they usually have about 200+ entries available, and I think that's a little overboard. I think I won't spend my time entering those contests, because the probability of winning is about 1% of the total entries (which sometimes add up to ten thousand or more).
2. Do you like ratings (1-5 or other) and do you rely on them?
Actually, I do. I think ratings are a simple summary on how good a book is. When I write book reviews, I usually put in stars, on a scale of 1-5. I think it's no big deal, though. It's like a teacher giving marks for her students essays. It's a subjective thing. So, if I think I want to read a certain book even though it received a one-star rating from a fellow blogger, I'll still pick it up.
aikychien at yahoo dot com
i don't usually pick me books by ratings, cause i know that each person has different likes and dislikes. Having said that, some of those have cute indicators, which i might do myself sometime.
ReplyDeleteIf there are too many entries, i just don't enter. i thought at first the rafflecopter was great...when the first contests just had a few entries. Now, i would rather just have comments to win, because it seems that those rafflecopters have just grown so large. Thank you for a great blog, i love it, and learn from you.
I do get overwhelmed when a blog has so many ways to enter a giveaway. I tend to veer away from those unless I really want the book. I prefer simple in everything.
ReplyDeleteI like the 1-5 rating system.
lag110 at mchsi dot com
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ReplyDelete1. Marjorie asks: Do you think some blogs are going overboard when they request so many enteries now into giveaways??
ReplyDeleteYes and no. I understand that some giveaways are big ones where lots of bloggers get together and pay to have their link put into an entry. I am fine with that my rant is more about having to go into individual sites to get those entries qualified. I prefer them when there is a page where all the "Likes" and "follows" are located. Then they say do all for 25 entries bla bla.... SO much easier. Do you know how long it takes to open ONE site on a slow poke internet connection!?
2. My book related question this week: Do you like ratings (1-5 or other) and do you rely on them??
Nope. I don't do those and don't rely on them. I think they're cute to look at but I rather know what the blogger actually felt rather than stars (or equivalent) since different people rate things differently.
Sorry for being harsh this week. BAD week.
1) Some blogs, when they require more than 10 entries,...heck, even 10 entries seems a little carried away. I can see why the blogger would want to only pay to ship an item to a "follower" though.
ReplyDelete2) I do like and pay attention to the rating scales.
edysicecreamlover18@gmailDOTcom
1. I also hate the captcha and would prefer the bloggers use the moderation option. I like giveaways that do not have too many entries. One I dislike is giving points for putting something on your blog because not everyone has one. I've seen the ones that have 50 to a hundred possible points and I don't bother with them. I don't want to do all the things that they want you to do!
ReplyDelete2. I do look at the ratings. They help me to decide if I will like the book. Of course, reading the review is more important.
I don't like to do a lot of entries usually. On some blogs I will do them, though. I don't mind your request to go to the author's website. That seems reasonable. As far as entry forms go, my favorite of all times is the one used by Lori's reading corner and crazy-for-books. It is by contest machine. It is a simple email address and name entry. One entry per person. You mat not win as often but I think it is very fair. But, that is only my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAs far as ratings are concerned, the 1-5 is the only one I look at but it is the opinion of the blogger only, and you have to figure their genre likes and also read the review and make your own mind up.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
1. I think some blogs go overboard with the number of entries.
ReplyDelete2. I like the 1-5 rating system. I look at the ratings, but decide to read the book based on the plot.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
1. YES!
ReplyDelete2. I do because it gives me an idea of where the book stands at a quick glance.
There are many that want you to like/follow their FB and Twitter accounts for extra entries and I do miss out on those giveaways because I'm not on FB. I do like the ratings because it gives me an indication of what the reviewer thought of the book before reading the full review.
ReplyDeleteI like that some blogs offer alot of extra ways to enter more chances to win and thats a plus to me .I do not like the captchs though I have a hard time reading them and get frustrated.I do like the rating systems and value the input of others but do not rely on them for me its all about the cover and back flap thats what makes my decisions no matter what anyone else thinks of a book
ReplyDeleteflanagan@mebtel.net
I do hate blogs that have so many entries that it seems like I will be entering forever! I thought that the switch that a lot of them made to Rafflecopter would make it easier but it is so discouraging to do the first one and see that you have 30 more to go!!! But my biggest fit comes when I have filled out all the entries and it says to blog it. Since I am not a blogger, I instantly know that I have no chance. I have been unsubscribing to all the blogs that are ike that.
ReplyDeleteI want to say a big thank you to all those bloggers who have less entries two win and especially those who say "blog or tweet". Hugs to all!
I love the 5 and 10 star ratinge. There are few times when the blogger's review is even on postive and negative criticism so I can't tell how much the blogger liked the book. The stars tell me!
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
1. Yeah, the ones with a whole ton load. But only for a whole ton load of required entries with a max of maybe 3 to 5 extra ones. So people can choose how much time they want to spend, and how they like to follow and such. So there's a bit of variety, you know?
ReplyDelete2. Since I rate almost all the books I read 5/5, I don't really use ratings. But for other peoples blogs who have more varied ratings, I like them :)
I like to see equal entries for everyone. I have noticed the same people winning on several sites frequently, and that was why I asked the question.
ReplyDeleteI do like to see ratings and it does help me choose which book I will buy. I frequently check amazon to see the reviews and decide from that site as well.
hi Martha!
ReplyDeletei've missed you and the blogworld! headed straight over to see what's new :)
multiple entries within reason give avid followers extra opps which is up to each entrant to decide. some are so extreme it's craziness. i personally just haven't the time...
ratings can be helpful, but are a personal taste so really not necessary for this reader :)