As a readers and fellow bloggers, what are your opinions on...

[Shelver]

As readers and fellow bloggers, what are your opinions/personal policies on promoting a book that you haven't read? Let's say you're approached by an author or sign up for a blog tour or whatever, and you're asked to promote a book in some way (interview, giveaway, etc.), but you haven't actually read the book in question.

Obviously, a review of said book is out of the question, because you haven't read it. But does giving a book space on your blog via an author interview or giveaway imply giving it your approval? As a blogger, what do you do?

As a reader, would you feel deceived in some way if a blogger promoted a book he or she hadn't read? 

I'm asking because I'm a new blogger, I want to give lesser-known authors (small press, indie, self-pub) a chance to shine, but I don't want to do anything that could be considered unethical/sleazy/deceitful.

[Alison M.]

I think as long as you're upfront and say you haven't read it, it would be okay. I've talked about books on my blog that I haven't read.

[Sarah E.]

I agree with the previous reply to this comment, I think that as long as you let people know that its not a book you've read they won'y feel decieved in any way. I also think its wonderful that you're giving an indie author a chance to shine, I'm a new blogger as well and have been trying to do reviews for indie authors myself.

-Sarah

[Jennifer Kitchens]

I'd be upfront about the fact that you haven't read it.  I've done it before without any problems, though not often.  Usually it's a giveaway that is a sequel or other book to one I have read and just haven't gotten to yet.

I would say if you wanted to come up with a weekly or monthly feature of some kind, that would be cool.  Personally I promote book trailers once a week and I rely on the authors to decide if the book fits my blog - I have read many but not all of the ones I feature.  

Clean Romance Reviews

[Flora Bateman]

Generally if I haven't read a book and an author wants it to be featured on my blog I prefer them to do a guest blog post. I would introduce them and list their books and be up front that as of yet I haven't read the book and formed any opinions.

[Lola's Book Café]

Personally, I would only do the interview/giveaway, etc. if I had read the book, but I think it's fine if you decide otherwise :)

[Christine Amsden]

Hate it. Did it once and it left a bad taste in my mouth. Hate it as an author, too, although plenty of virtual book tour places arrange those sorts of things -- guest posts, interviews, giveaways, and/or posted excerpts without any expectation or requirement that the site read the book. I'll do it as an author -- anything to get the word out -- but I'm a hypocrite on this issue, because as a reviewer, I now refuse any promotion that does not include a review.

[Selina Xu]

I think the best thing to do is to allow the author to do a guest post. For her to speak to your readers about why she wrote the novel and why she thinks they should read it. 

 

You can mention at the end of the post your reactions to her lovely sharing. That would be awesome because you are providing her with the platform to spread out the message of what she believes in. 

 

It's a great thing to do, wanting to give indie authors a chance to shine! All the best! 

 

Luv, Sel :) Bookcase to Heaven™

[Laura Hartley]

I, personally, don't like to post promos/interviews without having first read the book; however, that said, I did exactly that just this morning. Although, this was a last minute thing as I was approached by someone organising a book tour a few hours before the post was due to be posted. I don't really think its dishonest to be honest as if you were simply posting a promo of an upcoming book by a large publisher/author out of your own free will noone would judge you, it would just be you telling the world that theres a new book coming out that they might like to check out, I don't see why things should be different for blog tours. Also author interviews should be fine as long as they are not entirely centred around the book in question (the one you haven't read). 

[Alone]

I normally let my readers know it is a promotion and I have not read the book myself. But I think I will limit it to giveaways

[Dominika (disincentive) Gołąb]

I sometimes do promotional posts or interviews with authors if I haven't read their book. Why? Because I write my blog for my  followers! And I choose to promote books that I think they would like. :) I never lie anyway. I let them other people decide over a blurb, excerpt, trailer, guest post, interview. :)

[Megan @The Book Babe]

I talk about books on my blog that I haven't read. I promote it in blog tours if I think I'll like it. Think of all the Waiting on Wednesday posts. They haven't read those books, but they're still promoting them. :)

[Shandy Sanford]

I don't see a problem with this. The whole reason I started my blog was to help authors get their books out to people who might want to read them. I don't have time to read every book that comes my way but a lot of them look good to me. Even those that I might not like some one else may. By posting a guest blog, spotlight or giveaway I might be helping someone else find just the book their looking for... at least I hope so. :) Good luck!