How to Say Thank You for the Book on a Book Blog

[Joana]

This is something that has been bugging me for a while. When I first started doing book reviews, any time I received a book for review (whether it was from an author, publisher -whatever) I enclosed a thank you to them in the review. Something along the lines of "Special thanks to Author-Person for providing a free copy for review" at the end of the review after the rating. If they had a website I'd also give 'em a plug. I was told that looked tacky so I stopped.

I might get a handful of books from authors and publishers every other month or so, so I never really gave it much thought. But over the past month I've been receiving a lot of free books to review from a number of authors, publishers, and book groups. Now I feel kind of ungrateful by not mentioning them.

My question is this: Do you feel a "thank you" is necessary (or at least a mention) that you received the book in question for free and if so how? Does it make the review look tacky, devalue it, or make you look like a braggart? Those were actually some of the comments I once received, hence why I stopped.

[Maw Books]

There are a lot of articles written about this issue by book bloggers. This link discusses it a bit and will take you to several other links: http://www.motherreader.com/2009/08/getting-stuff-and-making-money....

I tag my reviews with "review copy" if it was a review copy. I like how it's not in post but info still available. Works for me and I don't plan on changing anytime soon.

[Amy Jacobs]

I don't think it is tacky! Thank yous are never tacky! I always thank an author/publisher/etc when I get one through the mail. I think if they see that you are grateful for it, then it builds a good reputation with them. As for the people who are negative, they are probably jealous and you could just delete their comments! I heard that alot of people are having problems with negative comments.

http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/
Come follow me and make new friends!

[Joseph Arellano]

I'm wondering who told you it "looked tacky" and what their agenda was? Anyway, the very first review I posted on my site was of a book (Losing Mum and Pup) that I received from Twelve/Hatchette Book Group... I posted a thank you as a note to the review, since I had seen other book bloggers do so. Interestingly, I haven't seen attention paid to the other/flip side of this issue, which is... Should you disclose when you've purchased the book? Every now and then I forget to do so, but usually I do. For me, the value of disclosing both is to show that you're no more likely to favor/disfavor books you've received as ARCs/galleys/early review copies than those that you've purchased with your own hard-earned dollars. The bottom line is, I think, of establishing a long-term record of credibility; that you're honest in your views/reviews - as much as a human being can be- and simply let the chips fall where they lie. Jos. from http://josephsreviews.wordpress.com/

[Kaye]

Talk about mind boggling~ how could anyone possibly think it is tacky to say thank you to an author or publicist. At the end of my review, guest post, giveaway, whatever, I always say thank you for a review copy and also send an e mail when it is posted giving the author, publicist a link to the review and another thank you. Not one person has ever said that is tacky or expressed some type of disdain. It would never, ever occur to me to think someone was bragging that they got a free book. I use the term "free" loosely as it takes time to write the review and post it. If you have a reader who told you those things, I would just ignore them as they are ignorant !

[Lexie]

Ordinarily I will send an e-mail and not mention it on my review. I'll mention it in my 'In My Mailbox' post when I receive it, but that's the only time I publicly thank an author since I've gotten e-mails from other bloggers chiding me for 'bragging' that I have this or that author as a friend who sends me books. I don't consider saying 'And love to so-and-so Author for sending me a review copy!' as 'bragging' but there you have it I guess.

[Joana]

In a way I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who received those comments but at the same time it saddens me too. I've refrained from doing much more than saying "Received for Review" and "Won in a Giveaway" on my IMM posts for fear of steering up more hurt feelings on my blog.

[chrisbookarama]

It's ridiculous that bloggers are always having to defend how they do things on their own blog. It's been debated often whether a thank you on a review post is a good or bad idea. It's really a personal choice. Some may see it as bragging while others believe it's just a way to be open and honest about where a review copy has come from. Personally, I always say thank blah blah for the review copy. This is how I've chosen to do it and will continue to do so.

Pick the way you would do it and don't let the Green Eyed Monsters get you down.

Christina

[Dixie]

Good Grief, I always say thank you. I received a free book for pete's sake.
If you don't see a thank you on my posted review, it's because I went out and bought the book myself.:-)

[Jaime Huff]

I don't think saying thank you or mentioning you received it for free via whatever resource is tacky at all! You do whatever you feel is best for you and YOUR blog. You own this blog and that is YOUR choice whether you choose to thank them on your blog or you choose to email them directly and thank them.

I definitely TRY to email the author when my review is up and thank them directly through email or I thank them when I post it on "In My Mailbox"

[Lilly]

I would not worry about what other people say, especially if these people think that saying thank you on your blog is tacky. I have never heard of a more ridiculous thing. Every time I review an ARC I received for free I say "Special Thanks' to this and this person and include their website. It has two functions for me:
One, it's only right to be nice and courteous
Two, it indicates to my readers that this particular book was a review copy. I like to disclose that fact so whoever visits my blog regularly will notice that I review plenty of my own books I spent my money on. There seems to be this assumption that book bloggers receive all the books they read for free and I just want to make sure that this not the case. If I thank whoever sent me a book for review then you know it was free. If I don't then you know that it's my own copy.

[Bobbie Crawford-McCoy (NURTURE)]

I always send an email to the person who sent me the book with the review’s URL and a copy of the review enclosed; I always thank them in the email.

I also post, at the bottom of each review: "A special thank you to (publicist or author’s name) at (the company they work for or author’s website) for sending me a copy to review". I hyperlink the (the company they work for or author’s website) back to their site.

[Joseph Arellano]

The flip side of this issue... I think it is odd when I read the book (free or paid for) and send the author a link to the (my) review and get nothing back, not one single word of acknowledgment. Oh, well, more authors do respond back than not.
Jos. from http://josephsreviews.wordpress.com/