Book Review Policy

last updated: October 5, 2026

At a glance

• Genres: Horror, paranormal, fantasy, and thriller. I also consider a limited amount of nonfiction, depending on topic.
• Formats: Print ARCs and finished copies only. No ebooks.
• Not a fit: Romance, erotica, and children’s books.
• Every book gets a feature: Every book we receive gets a Book of the Day post.
• A review isn’t guaranteed. Sending a book does not guarantee a review.

The Specifics:

All reviews offered on this website are unbiased and done without monetary compensation (that means FREE!).

How it works

We’re relaunching and focusing on the books I most want to read. All reviews on this site are honest and written without payment. I write them because I love to read, and this is my hobby, not a job. My reviews aren’t standardized or star-rated. They’re simply my thoughts on the book. If a book isn’t a good fit, or I can’t finish it, I may mark it DNF and move on instead of posting a negative review. See our FTC Disclaimer for more on disclosures.

I don’t give review timelines. My to-be-read pile is large and I can’t predict when a book will get reviewed. That’s why every book we receive gets a Book of the Day post. It gives your book exposure on our site right away, whether or not a review follows. Posts and reviews may also be shared on Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads.

What we accept

• Books: ARCs and finished copies of horror, paranormal, fantasy, and thriller titles, plus select nonfiction.
• Authors: Established and debut authors are welcome. We generally don’t accept self-published or vanity press titles, with occasional exceptions for authors we’ve worked with before.
• Series: If your book is part of an ongoing series, please send the earlier books too.
• Giveaways: Giveaway copies are accepted and appreciated.

What we don’t accept

No ebooks of any kind, no romance or erotica.

How to submit

Email publicity@wearewordnerds.com with “Book Review Request” in the subject line. Please include:

• Author name
• Book title
• Publisher
• Genre
• ISBN (if applicable)
• A brief synopsis
• Author website

If I’m interested, you’ll usually hear back within 5 business days. You’re also welcome to speed up the process. You can send a copy without contacting me first:

Bunny Cates
We Are Word Nerds
1490 Gamble Lane
Nortonville, KY 42442

Books and manuscripts sent for review cannot be returned. Questions? Email me anytime, and thank you to the authors and publishers who make this possible.

We’re proud to have worked with the following publishers:

If you have any questions about anything feel free to email me. Thank you so much to all my readers, and thank you to all the authors and publishers who allow me to “do what I do”.