Goodreads is an extensive reading site owned by Amazon.  It is a great place for writers both self-published and established bestsellers.  The site offers multiple promotional options in advertising and book giveaways.  I have used book giveaways before with success.  Recently I entered a giveaway that I had been reluctant to try.  The giveaway cost $119.  The giveaway started on July 1st and ended on July 31st.  During that time people would click on the book to enter the contest.  When they did the book would be added to their “to read” on their book list.  One hundred entrants would win an eBook of my book “The Entity”.

A giveaway of one hundred eBooks for that price is not a great deal.  On my most recent giveaway, I paid $75 to FREEBOOKSEY, a promotional site, and got over 1400 downloads.  The reason I went with the Goodreads giveaway was for the reviews.  Goodreads encourages all the winners to give a review of the book.  Since this is a site for readers with multiple book clubs I expected to get quite a bit of reviews.  Not a hundred.  I figured some would still refuse to give a review or even a rating.  I figured I would get at least fifty percent, but I would accept twenty-five percent.  So, what did I get?  After three months I have gotten 3 reviews/ratings.  A big disappointment.
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I would not recommend this giveaway to anyone.  To me, it is a rip-off.  Amazon is charging way too much for this.  I did get some sales from the giveaway.  Unfortunately, I didn’t make enough to justify the cost.