Feral Friday - #booksfortrade is an ARC parade
Hi everyone! It is time for another Feral Friday!
Feral Friday is were I discuss a topic, issue or question that is drives me crazy. So here is the latest issue that is sending me feral.
Desperately seeking ARCs on #booksfortrade
The hashtag #booksfortrade is sweeping the world - particularly amongst fans of YA, and those in the US. However, not many of us haven’t been scoping about #booksfortrade on Twitter looking for a much desired book. And the popularity of this has swept across the oceans to create a #booksfortradeAU and #booksfortradeUK version.
Yes, #booksfortrade is predominantly U.S. based, and is by far the most popular Twitter hastag. This could be for many reasons, but one of which I believe is the number of bloggers and ARCs available in the United States. And I know for a fact that I have been scoping out the original #booksfortrade in hopes of coming across that hard to find book, and hoping that an international person is willing to trade with an Aussie (some will, some won’t - give it a go, but don’t have your heart set on an international trade, and be willing to pay international postage for your trade).
During my scrolling (which can in fact take hours) through #booksfortrade. I have noticed a reoccurring theme - ARCs. Not only do people have lots of ARCs for trade, but the most “ISO” (in search of) is for various ARCs.
Now I am a finished copy kinda girl. With the rare exception, I much prefer a finished copy to an ARC, but I have noticed that everyone (including Aussies) are wanting specific ARCs. Why is this?
Is it that everyone out there is like me and wants an ARC of their favourite book? Are people trying to collect all the ARCs they can? Do people prefer to have uncorrected editions on their shelf because they are unique, or might have changes from the finished product? WHYYYY????
With the high demand for Maggie Stiefvater and Sarah J Maas ARCs, I have wondered if people are collecting these as “different editions”. And if this is true, that also got me thinking, that some of these are incomplete series - what if ARCs don’t come out for future instalments? Are these people going to have incomplete series sitting on their shelves? And yes, for the record this thought did drive me a little insane, as I have major issues with having incomplete or mix-matched series.
I can totally understand getting all grabby hands over an ARC of a book that has not yet to be released, but some of the ARCs that people are searching for are years old - so it isn’t a “oooh, I want read it right now” issue, this is more a collecting issue, I am just not sure what motivates this collecting.
And it is not only people who would like to have an ARC, some are desperate for particular ones. So these are obviously very important to them. But, for what reasons? Why are ARCs suddenly the “must have item” - or was it always the case, and I just wasn’t a cool kid and didn’t know about this trend?
So, are you one of these people who are searching for, or already collect ARCs? Why do you do it? I would really like to understand the various reasons why people want them so desperately. Or, if you are finished copy kind of person like myself, feel free to weigh in as well!!
If you haven’t already checked out #booksfortrade, I recommend you do. And Aussie can also use #booksfortradeAU. You may find yourself some amazing books to swap for those sitting on your shelf unloved!
Do you have a lust for ARCs? Tell me below!
What do you think?
I’m looking for an ARC of Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake. I want that because I have the ARC for Anna Dressed in Blood. I’m also looking for a bound manuscript of Theses Broken Stars and an ARC of This Shattered World both by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner because I am collecting them.
Having a matching set I can certainly understand!
Looking for bound manuscripts would be difficult, I had never really thought of trying to look for them!
Best of luck in your search :)
I’m a quirky reader: I only read softcovers, because hardcovers ruin the experience for me (no idea why, they just do). (I also don’t read digital - only physical copies.) Most books release first in hardcover though, with the paperback (if it even ever releases in paperback) to come a year later. To avoid a year-long wait for books I’m excited to read, I scramble for the softcover ARCs! I’m also the type that catches typos and inconsistencies in books - the “uncorrected proof” ARCs allow me to brush off any I find with a “I’m sure they’ll fix it in the final copy” and not let them bother me. ;)
Skye @ Skye’s Scribblings recently posted…WoW: Court of Fives (Kate Elliott)
Oooh, I love the fact that you only read paperbacks - I know people who prefer hardcovers, or people who don’t mind, but not really anyone that only likes paperbacks. So yes, ARCs would be a good thing for you.
I understand what you mean about waiting a year for the paperback, as I have noticed this when looking at books that are only released in the US. But maybe for those internationally released titles, you are best to buy the UK editions, at least that way you are guaranteed to get paperbacks without having to wait a year?
I like your point about typos in uncorrected proofs - they are much easier to ignore when you know (hope) they will be fixed up later… because finding them in final editions sends me crazy too!
Yeah I haven’t heard of another reader quite like me either. ;) When I can I do sometimes purchase the international paperbacks (UK or CAN) to cut down on wait time, if I can afford it (thank goodness for TBD) and if I like the cover (covers are make or break for me, another of my quirks). Most of the time though my best bet is to scramble for an ARC or just wait it out.
Skye @ Skye’s Scribblings recently posted…Review: The Improbable Theory of Ana & Zak (Brian Katcher)
Oh I agree, TBD is fantastic for the bank balance!
And I don’t think your cover quirk is odd - I am the same myself! I love a pretty cover - and covers much match for books within a series!
I definitely wonder if people have considered the fact that there’s likely not going to be anymore ARCs for the Throne of Glass series, and I could totally be wrong, but I don’t really think there would be any for The Raven King either? Maybe. What do I know? But I am totally one of those people who doesn’t collect. I don’t like having multiple editions of things (unless it’s an ARC I got and the finished copy I got when it came out) so I never really understand any of this haha. I just don’t have the space for multiple editions of stuff or the want for ARCs when I already have a finished copy. BUT ESPECIALLY THE SPACE.
Zoey @ Uncreatively Zoey recently posted…ARC Review: The Witch Hunter
See this is where my compulsion of having matching sets comes into it… what if they don’t finish off the series with ARCs? I would have an incomplete collection! That would kind of drive me insane.
I tend to buy finished copies of any books I receive/read of ARCs, so I tend to pass on the ARC to someone else, because, as you said, they take up space (and besides, when am I ever going to re-read BOTH editions?).
I do however have multiple copies of some books - I have to have multiple copies if I have a signed book… because then I can’t read that book (in fear of damaging it).
Personally I look for ARC’s of books I really like. For example I LOVE Red Queen and am looking for an ARC of it on #booksfortrade simply because I’d like to have it since it’s one of my favorite books. Or I’d look for ARC’S of books that aren’t yet published and I’m super eager to read them. I’ve also looked for ARC’s of book that have yet to be published but the author is coming on a signing tour near me. (: those are my personal reasons as to why I look for ARC’s.
Thank you for sharing your ARC preferences :)
I definitely understand wanting ARCs of upcoming books, and even of books that you love so you can build a massive collection.
I am very interested in your search for ARCs for upcoming author tours. I recently posted a Feral Friday topic of “Authors Signing ARCs”, so this kind of answered two of my questions :)
I’m being participating in #booksfortrade, so I definitely know what you’re talking about! Me, I really don’t care what kind of edition I get my book. ARC, hardcover, paperback, as long as I don’t own it already. Now, I am picky about cover. There are some covers I like more than others and I like my books to match. Sometimes I have two copies of the book because they changed the cover on me, but that’s the only reason. Other than cover, I really am just looking for books I don’t own.
Jessica recently posted…Cover Lust: Starfight by Melissa Landers
Oh yes, the books HAVE TO MATCH!!!! I have been known to replace books if they change the cover, because I just cannot handle not having matching covers :)
Thanks for you thoughts Jessica… I am always keen to hear about others bookish preferences.