I have a hadcover book that is definately not an ARC or uncorrected proof but it isn't released until September 2nd. It's a full retail book mailed to me by the publisher for a review. Is it postable before the release date?

And you are certain it is not an ARC book? If it is not I would imagine it to be okay....IF the system will allow it to be posted. There is nothing in the help file that deals with this.

If I am wrong hopefully someone will be around soon to correct me.

I removed my response in deference to Melanie's post, though I'm still not entirely certain.  I've never heard of books being made available before the release date without being an ARC, but I don't know much about the publishing business so that doesn't really count for much.  In the Help Center in regards to ARC's it says "Advance Reader Copies are also known as Review Copies, or Uncorrected Proofs." (italics are mine).  Considering that it IS still an "advanced" release as it's before the public release and that it's for review I would think it qualifies.  However, it also says that an ARC will be marked clearly as such across the cover, so like Melanie said, if it's got nothing that says ARC and all the makings of a regular book then it probably isn't an ARC.

If it's been mailed to you before it's due out then that's an Advanced Reader Copy - I don't think this is true. If it is sent to you before the book has gone to PRINT then it would be an ARC, but as long as it is a book printed for regular retail, just sent out to people in advance of the general public release it would be fine to post. You just need to make absolutely sure that no where on the book is it indicated that it is not a final copy. A price on the book would be a good indicator that it is OK to post. I think quite a few publishers send out final copy books prior to the release date.

It's not supposed to be sold prior Sept. 2nd, but this is a different matter.

ARC's are just about always paperbacks and state ARC/Unc Proof on the cover. I believe that once I ran across a hardcover ARC, as well as a paperback ARC of a paperback book (that never would have a hardcover in the first place).

When I worked for a publisher (a couple of years ago) we received cartons of the actual published books a couple of months before the "issue" date --- they were NOT ARCs.  If the book is an ARC it will be marked as such.  We were able to send out copies of the books to publicists, magazines, reviewers, etc., prior to the release date.

Hope this helps.

An ARC usually says something like anticipated retail price on it though.

I would be careful, though. I remember last year, the bookstores by us all had their cartons of Harry Potter books before the official release date and they were embargoed until midnight of the officlal date. The stores could have gotten into major trouble if they opened the cartons even the day before. Now, maybe that was because of all the hype, but if you received the copy with the intention that you would be using it to review the book in advance of its general release, I would question whether you are allowed to distribute/give it to someone else. Depends on the circumstances under which you received it.