I don't see the book as a gift. I requested a copy of the novel on behalf of the website for the purposes of reviewing it. On behalf of the website, I reviewed the novel. This was not me writing a review out of my own interest. This was me getting a copy of a highly anticipated, well discussed novel, and writing a review for a web site that models itself as THE PLACE to go for reviews and discussion.

RAFO doesn't have a blog that would allow the distinction between a personal effort and a web site effort. RAFO doesn't have a reference or review section where things can get featured. We don't have a newsletter or anything like that. Almost all reviews end up featured on the Home page, and can get picked up by news feeds. The only way to feature a review, which is standard across the web, is to have it announced for a short period of time.

Part of my job here is to go out, get access to new novels, and review them for the site. That is all that I did here. Positive or negative, I was always going to announce this, as it is a RAFO item related to our stated core mission.

I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable. I can promise you that my review isn't for sale. I don't finish reading 3/4 of the books that I'm freely sent. I only review those book where I have anything specific to say. Those rare times where I contact a publishers PR department to get a copy of the book in advance of the publishing date, I do my best to carry through with my stated purpose... to write a featured review of the work, giving my honest opinion of the quality of the finished product.