Beta Readers and Critiques for Authors discussion
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I am looking for beta readers for:Title: Ghost Army
Genre: Fantasy-adventure
Completed: no
Final word count: 90,000-100,000 words
Ready to read: 5 chapters (around 50,000 words)
Warning: Limited blood and violence
It is the first volume of a trilogy.
Blurb:
A war-weary country. A scattered family. A past, filled with pain.
When a quarrel results in the accidental death of one of his captives, colonel Ralf Milburn didn’t think much of it. One dwarf less or not meant nothing. Until he appeared.
The mysterious fighter of the exiled crown prince, always standing in the way of the Queen’s will and supporting the rebels against her, the man who calls himself Hunter. He stands on his own against the whole army as a wanted criminal, yet he had never been captured. But what’s his goal? What’s his relationship to the royal family? And could he change the fate of the kingdom?
Standing at the front line as one of the best in the army, colonel Milburn is determined to protect his Queen, no matter what or who’s life it takes. Including his own.
If you're interested, please contact me here or at liond95@gmail.com.
Thank you!
Hi, my name is Jenelle and I have a completed YA novel currently at 103,037 words. I am looking for Beta readers or critique partners I can swap chapters with from start to finish. Also, an idea if my novel fits into the YA or New YA category. Here is the blurb I have been working on:Shayleen Cooper doesn't think she’s different or unique. Just another normal seventeen-year-old who doesn't fit in. Until the eerie night, she meets the monsters that show her just how different she really is.
She has no idea what is real anymore, including her own sanity. “Family history,” she’s sure the Docs will say, as they throw her in a padded room.
As she's launched deeper in this unknown world, Shay has no choice but to fight.
No big deal right? All that stands in her way is her imprisonment, hordes of beasts, shifters, and an unknown civilization living amongst them. All hell-bent on killing her.
She discovers her unconventional family along the way, and the boy she just can’t have. But don’t they know to stay away from her? Everyone she cares about ends up dead or forever altered…
*Some violence and gore as well as light profanity.
If interested message me, thanks.
Hi, my name is charlie. I'm a writer of soft sci-fi with an unused MFA and many years experience as an aerospace tech writer. I find it difficult to classify my work, but it leans toward Jason Pargin/Chuck Palahniuk with liberal doses of metaphor. If we're somewhat in the same literary neighborhood, swapping critiques is a possibility. Title: Going to Hell
Genre: Sci-Fi/Alt Reality
Completed: Yes (Revision 2)
Word Count: 92,626
Amount Ready for Critique: All
Warnings: Violence, Adult themes, Course language, LGBTQIA+ representations
When his neighbors vote Gordon Tripp out of his apartment in the Democratic Republic of America, they rip away his life and livelihood. He turns to childhood friend, Mercy Li --the baddest mob boss in the Free Port of Long Beach (aka Hell)--for help.
Gordon gets stranded in Hell on his way to the meetup without a phone, without a gun, and wearing a polka-dot bedsheet. He fights his way through a landscape of gangs and government agents with the help of his ex-wife, ex-girlfriend, a government snoop, a 300-pound cannibal and a child named Jesus--only to discover Mercy’s help might kill them all as they form a Fellowship to overthrow an entire country.
But maybe learning how to love is worth the price.
Going to Hell is satire dressed up as alternate history and the first standalone book of a trilogy.
HelloI'm David. I've been writing for a long time but have only self-published one book - a mystery.
A vampire's story is my latest creation and is a new twist on vampires.
Title: A Vampire's Story - We Walk Among You - Book 1 of 2
Genre: Fantasy/Vampires/Historical Fiction
Complete: Yes
Word Count: 58K Words
Ready for Critique: All of Book 1
Warnings: Graphic violence/some language
PROLOGUE
HUMANS ARE TICKING TIME BOMBS OF DEATH.
This is my live story from AD 775 to present day
From an early age, as elderly relatives pass away, you realize the harsh reality, you will not exist for more than a century, an insignificant nanosecond in the life of the universe.
Vampires are unique because we never age and measure time in centuries, not years or decades. Humans refer to us as “inhuman,” “undead,” or the “living dead,”—but vampires are not dead. We experience love and hate, have families and dreams, fears and desires, and grapple with problems like humans.
Have you ever wondered why your neighbor or good friend never seems to age? They constantly sniff the air and occasionally seem to be sniffing your neck. Then the family relocates for a new job, and you never hear from them again, even though the wives and children were close. That’s right, they could be vampires.
Hundreds of thousands of years ago, vampires were animals, nocturnal predators hunting humans for blood. Vampire women domesticated us, and we settled in villages, where we raised children, farmed, worked, and consumed more animal blood than human blood, and attempted to live peaceful lives in anonymity.
Many misconceptions persist about us because of the sadistic, primal, animalistic nature of a minority of vampires who commit horrendous acts of violence. Exaggeration and embellishment for the thrill factor in books and movies fuel these myths.
I’ve written my life story partly to rebuke the myths, including that all vampires are vulnerable to sunlight, and explain how it started. I’ll also describe the physical changes accompanying the transformation into a vampire.
One unique characteristic defines us—our need to drink blood to survive.
Throughout my long life, I’ve experienced unbridled love and the horrific, tragic deaths of loved ones, profound sorrow, and happiness as I attempt to blend into society, work, interact with my neighbors, and raise our human children.
That’s right, vampires have human children.
Intertwined with my life is the specter from my darkest nightmares—a psychotic, violent, narcissistic, vampire who doesn’t want to kill me but has promised to torture me by killing everyone I love—forever. More than once, he has fulfilled his promise, killing my wives and children.
Despite evading him for centuries since marrying my current wife, the psychopath has found us, and the fate of my family rests in my hands—
Each time my wives and children are killed, revenge consumes my life and I spend centuries hunting.
D. wrote: "HelloI'm David. I've been writing for a long time but have only self-published one book - a mystery.
A vampire's story is my latest creation and is a new twist on vampires.
Title: A Vampire's ..."
Hello David, I love the premise of your book! Are you perhaps open to a paid beta reader? You can look over my website if you are (https://bibliobeastreads.wordpress.com/). I would love to read your book!
Hello! I am a teen writer and aspiring author hoping to self-publish my first novel by December 2, 2024. I’m looking for beta reader critiques/editors who can provide sample edits of books you have put in effort in the past. Title: No Way Out
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Completed: No, it requires professional editing
Word Count: 37,000-38,000
Amount Ready for Critique: 1.8K words/22 chapters (Entire novel)
Warnings: Some violence/descriptions of injuries, weapons, and blood
Here is my novel’s blurb/synopsis...
Aurora is certain that her grandmother is hiding secrets from her. Could the secrets be related to the true events of her past? Or who her parents were? Or why she was truly isolated from the world?
At only two years old, Aurora spotted a wild rabbit in her backyard, and the rabbit suddenly died once Aurora touched it. For all time prior to the incident, Aurora was exiled from her family and friends, sent away to her unknown grandmother in the French countryside, who tells her that she has the dangerous ability of fatal touch. If Aurora touches any living creature, it will die–including humans. Therefore, she must stay far away from everybody. One day, however, her grandmother begins to act in an unusual, suspicious manner, and Aurora wonders if this connects to why she was exiled to her grandmother.
Will Aurora solve the mystery of why she was sent away with her grandmother? Will she ever learn to control her actions? And will she ever discover the reason behind why she has such a terrifying ability?
If you’re interested, please contact me here on Goodreads or at aria.wells@icloud.com
Hi All,I am seeking beta readers for my debut adult fantasy novel, complete at approx 115k words.
About the novel:
Cinders of the Fallen as been likened to the high personal stakes amidst war of 'From blood and ash' and the rich world building and complex protagonists from 'Priory of the orange tree.'
Short Blurb:
"Samara, the stubborn strategist of Ronei, uncovers a treacherous betrayal against her kingdom. Fuelled with the desire to stop the war and uncovering the mysterious disappearance of her previous king, she journeys with her brother Garren to unearth the rival militant kingdom’s schemes and their world’s ancient mysteries. Surviving in a landscape scarred by war and fraught with dangers, Samara’s threads of control begin to fray, unravelling a tale where her survival hinges on who she must become.
Perfect for fans of epic fantasy, plot twists and political intrigue."
Tropes/Themes:
- Revenge Plot
- Enemies to Lovers
- Slow Burn
- Found Family
- 'How far do you go for those you love, even if it drives them to hate you?'
- The impact of religion on a magic system
Content:
- No smut
- Violence
- War
Sign up Form - https://forms.gle/oDThErcDtCoBuoqR8
I have created a google docs form for sign ups, allowing me to gain valuable information such as what books you currently read and favourite genre. My novel will then be available online via google docs. All feedback will be gathered via google forms and running commentary you can put in the google doc.
The novel will be sent to the email specified in the sign up form on the 15th February!
Thanks so much, I'm really eager to gain feedback and make this novel the best it can be.
Seeking Beta Readers for My Dark Fantasy Novel!Hey everyone! I’m looking for beta readers for my dark fantasy novel, Ravenholt Academy: Blood & Vows! It’s the first book in my assassin academy series, packed with morally gray characters, deadly rivalries, and a world where only the elite wield magic.
About the Book:
At Ravenholt Academy, only the strongest survive. Assassins are trained in secrecy, bound by deadly oaths, and ranked by their kills. Kaelen was raised to be one of them, but she carries a secret even more dangerous than her blades—one that could change the academy’s power forever.
After betrayal forces her into exile, Kaelen must choose: become the assassin she was trained to be or risk everything to bring the academy to its knees. But Ravenholt is not so easily defied, and some secrets are worth killing for.
✔ Genre: Dark Fantasy / Assassin Academy
✔ Vibes: The Shadows Between Us x The Poppy War x Red Queen
✔ Themes: Found family, power struggles, forbidden magic, enemies-to-lovers
What I Need From You:
I’m looking for honest, constructive feedback on:
✔ Plot pacing & tension (Does it keep you hooked?)
✔ Character development (Do Kaelen & her crew feel real?)
✔ World-building (Is the assassin academy immersive?)
✔ Emotional impact (Did certain moments hit hard?)
This is a beta read, not a line edit, so no need to worry about typos—just your thoughts on the story, characters, and flow!
Details & Timeline:
• Length: 116,133
• Format: I can provide a PDF
• Timeline: Looking for feedback within [4-6 weeks]
Interested?
Drop a comment or email me at [chelsea.ingraham15@yahoo.com], and I’ll send over the manuscript + a short feedback form!
I’m super grateful for anyone willing to help, and I’d love to return the favor by beta reading for you in the future!
Thanks so much! Let’s make this book the best it can.
I'm new to this group. I am hoping to find a critique partner for an in-progress work. I have just completed the first draft of a 22K word short story. Working title is: Saving Goodtown
Genre" Mystery (Cozy)
Completed: NO
Word Count: 22K
This is a cozy mystery about a priest (Father Ward) who is assigned to reopen a church in a slum neighborhood. His challenges include gangs, prostitution, and apathy. His job is to convince residents the church is the way forward. A mysterious death occurs that the police cannot solve so he aids in solving the crime.
Specifically, I'm looking for plot holes, incorrect timelines, and scenes that simply bore you to death. Comments good and bad are welcome.
I can send a pdf or doc file.
Looking for a challenge? Help me out with another set of eyes.
Thanks - J. Sal
Chelsea wrote: "Seeking Beta Readers for My Dark Fantasy Novel!Hey everyone! I’m looking for beta readers for my dark fantasy novel, Ravenholt Academy: Blood & Vows! It’s the first book in my assassin academy se..."
Hi Chelsea,
I sent you an email
Hey, I never got your email. Can you resend it?
To be clear, chelsea.ingraham15@yahoo.com is your email right?Because I just resent the email
I'm seeking some beta readers for the first bit of my book, Down by the Garden. I'm only looking for the first fifteen (55k words) because what I need right now is advice on the buildup of the story- worldbuilding, character building, suspense, etc.DbtG (Down by the Garden) is a dark, high political fantasy that follows five main characters: an assassin, a prince, a mystic guardian, a pirate, and a dreamer. It explores themes of of war, grief, the human condition, colonialism, and morality. The magic in DbtG is a secret, and is earned rather than born with.
TW: Down by the Garden contains descriptions of suicide [off page], abuse, violence, mental illnesses, war and war crimes, narcissistic behavior and manipulation, loss and grief, addiction, and many forms of childhood trauma [off page].
If any of you are willing to help, it would mean the absolute world to me!! <3
Hello everyone,I am looking for a beta read swap for my second novel in a series titled Gods Adrift. This book will be named "The Godstone Decree," and it is an adult high fantasy adventure of 113k words.
If interested, reply to me here or on goodreads or email me at mitchleco@hotmail.com
Without further ado here is my blurb!
“The Godstone Decree,” book two in the Gods Adrift series is a high fantasy adventure packed with realistic action sequences, immersive world-building, vivid descriptions, and tangible—emotional character arcs; all told from the perspective of three strong-willed sisters.
What greater beauty is there than the truth?
-Quote associated with Minollo, god of the Artstone
Three interminable years have passed without her sisters. And Sophia is left with nothing but memories and letters from across the sea.
Letters that hide the truth. Mundane lines about boring lives. That is until recently. Everyone knows the Vollimosa sisters don’t live boring lives…
So, she reads the parchment over and over, but the words remain: mercenaries of The Crimson King, troves of Artstone plundered, plots linked to murders at the capitol. As a Keeper, she is meant to think, to ponder the fickle gods’ designs. But with godstone being used to further the schemes of Augustia’s worst, she wonders if boring might be better.
Mitchell wrote: "Hello everyone,I am looking for a beta read swap for my second novel in a series titled Gods Adrift. This book will be named "The Godstone Decree," and it is an adult high fantasy adventure of 11..."
Hi Mitchell,
I sent you an email
Hey everyone! My name is Crissa Jewel and I’m a developing sci-fi fantasy writer. I’ve just finished my first in the genre. It’s the first of five in a new book series titled Daughters of Hawa. My manuscript is finished and is roughly 96,000 words (322 pages).
I’d love a few core beta readers to give feedback on story/magic system continuity, believability and investment in characters and overall thoughts of the narrative. If we do great work together, I’d love to continue working with you through the series giving you first looks as I publish. Here’s a brief synopsis of the book. Let me know if you have questions or are interested :)
Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Aidana is a Daughter of Hawa, a descendant of the first witch whose legacy is tied to the night, moon, and stars. Aidana should be celebrating the awakening of her mind magic, but anxiety, perfectionism, and a manipulative best friend make it hard to tell what’s real and what’s just in her head. Her deepest desire is to master her powers—not for glory, but to finally give her family their own. When she joins the secretive Hawa’s Awakening school, things go wrong fast. Trickster elves (called aboatia), steal her family’s sacred heirloom, her friend spreads rumors that Aidana has turned dangerous, and her father's transformation into a vampire by the Kossians—a cursed bloodline descended from the first man, Kossi—tears her world apart.
Now banished from school, Aidana must retrieve five sacred stones to set things right. The first one requires the sacrifice of something she loves. As whispers of villainy grow around her, Aidana begins to walk the path of destruction—but not out of cruelty. As Asiri’s chosen (the first Daughter of Hawa) she learns that what others see as darkness may simply be the fire needed to survive. Burn the forest down, the voice says. Only then can light and shadow exist in harmony.
Daughters of Hawa: When Shadows Burn is the first in a planned five book series and draws inspiration from Black American hoodoo and spiritual traditions, with nods to the West African Gbe creation myth of Mawu and Lisa. The story explores mental health, ancestral inheritance, Black girlhood, and what it means to be good in a world that demands sacrifice.
Crissa Jewel wrote: "Hey everyone! My name is Crissa Jewel and I’m a developing sci-fi fantasy writer. I’ve just finished my first in the genre. It’s the first of five in a new book series titled Daughters of Hawa. M..."
Hello Crissa,
I've just read the blurb for your manuscript. The concept you've created sounds fascinating, and I'd love to help you refine and enhance your work.
As a beta reader and line editor with a couple years of experience across multiple genres, I can provide a detailed analysis of your manuscript.
I offer:
- Feedback on characters, pacing, plot, tension, and suspense.
- Honest in-line comments and reactions in your manuscript.
- A detailed report summarizing your story’s strengths and areas to improve.
- Typos corrected (if you’re okay with it!).
- Actionable suggestions to enhance your work.
- Ongoing support—I’m always here to answer your questions.
My rate is $1.00 per 1,000 words with a 7-day turnaround. You can view testimonials and detailed service information on my website: https://thebookconn.wordpress.com/
If you're interested, please contact me at ikthebeardman@gmail.com
I'm excited about the possibility of working with you to bring your vision to life.
Best regards,
Ik
Crissa Jewel wrote: "Hey everyone! My name is Crissa Jewel and I’m a developing sci-fi fantasy writer. I’ve just finished my first in the genre. It’s the first of five in a new book series titled Daughters of Hawa. M..."
Hi Crissa,
Congratulations on finishing your manuscript. I am Bassey and I offer experienced beta reading services. I am really intrigued by your blurb and would love to beta read for you. I am running a free first chapter read and $0.0008 per word for the remaining chapters. I have a fast turnaround time of 2 weeks.
My deliverables includes;
- Chapterly review
- feedback on your characters, pace, plot, tension, and suspense
- Honest in-line comments and reactions in the manuscript
- Full and detailed report of the full story
- I'll always answer any questions you have.
- I'll make corrections on any typos if you won't be offended by it
- I'll give opinions on how to improve your work if needed.
- We can also hop on a call if it's needed
You can check the link below for my testimonials
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
You can reach me at basseyblessing118@gmail.com or reply under this thread, let's work together
Bassey wrote: "Crissa Jewel wrote: "Hey everyone! My name is Crissa Jewel and I’m a developing sci-fi fantasy writer. I’ve just finished my first in the genre. It’s the first of five in a new book series titled..."
Hey! I'm open to it! I'll send you an email.
Best of luck with your beta readers. Don't forget to edit your book details if there are any changes.
Also, if you become famous, please don't forget to acknowledge and reward the beta readers who helped you to get there.