Goodreads, FTW!

For about a year I've seen references to the Goodreads website on a message board I peruse regularly.  I've contemplated setting up an account, but I never really understood what they were all about.  A few days ago, in a moment of boredom, I bit the bullet, signed up and immediately loved the whole experience.  I set a goal for myself to read 100 books in 2011.  In addition to helping maintain that goal, the site keeps track of books I have read, am currently reading, and would like to read - someday.  No more going to the bookstore, picking up a book, and musing to myself, "Hmmm, have I read this already?"  I still can't figure out if I ever read The Devil Wears Prada.

Anyway, I found out yesterday about this feature where you can enter to win free books, several of which are Advanced Reader Copies.  The point is if you win a book you read it right away and write a review of it.  You're not obligated to write a review, but it helps get the word out about the book and helps people who are considering reading it whether or not to do so.  There were several pages of books listed, so I spent some time going through and entering for the ones I thought I would like to read.  Most of them only have one to five copies available and over one thousand people wishing for it, so I really didn't think I had a chance to win any of them.

But then, there it was in my e-mail this morning!  I'd won a book!  The book is not set to be released until tomorrow and by the time I get it (in four to six weeks according to the site) it will no longer be an advanced copy, but I'm still so excited!  I would love to do this on a regular basis - receive books before their release date and review them.  Wouldn't that be the best job ever?  Well, for a reader like me it would be.  If I could get paid for this I could do what I love best and my husband would stop hounding me to get a job.

The novel I won is called A Billion Reasons Why, written by Kristin Billerbeck.  I found a few reviews already online of the book, some have loved it and one really, really hated it.  But I'm just going to have to wait four to six weeks to read and decide for myself.  I will definitely let you know what I think!