Beta Reader Group discussion

Hello everyone!

It has been a while, but I have some free time and I am ready to hopefully help some of you again!

My preferred genres are those in the topic title, but I am generally open to most things so long as the blurb interests me. I would rather not read books that are solely erotica. I enjoy romance subplots, but they are not 100% necessary or a deal breaker. I would prefer shorter reads (50-70k) where possible.

What I'll do:
-leave inline comments (questions I have, things I particularly liked)
-answer any particular questions you give me before I start reading
-a report on what I think, having finished your novel

I usually work with Google Docs, and I am open to having conversations about your work as I read in comments, so please don't be afraid to reply to any comments I leave! If that kind of real-time feedback does not interest you, you can also give me a Word document.

I'm currently looking at a turnaround of 3 weeks per book, but I generally try to be faster than that.

And that's it! If you have any questions or want me to beta-read your book, please comment with a detailed blurb below!

Would you be interested in reading my YA Sci-Fi. Its about 62K words and I would love to receive any advice you can give. Though I haven't settled on a title yet, here is a blurb:

A good natured boy, who has an obsession with order and efficiency that he cannot seem to control, grows, manipulates and comes into power as an emperor of a group of planets that have known nothing but peace for Millinia.

Paranoid of losing his power, an army of civilians is not enough. As his armies conquer planets they take the babies from the planets to be enrolled in the Imperial Academy. They have no names, only numbers.

But not every part of the galaxy is conquered, and when an over the top character and his two robotic friends fiend a planet worth protecting, they become the catalyst that might just overthrow an empire, but it ways that are completely unexpected.

Thanks for taking the time to consider this. I really appreciate it. Thank you for your time and generosity.

Heath wrote: "Would you be interested in reading my YA Sci-Fi. Its about 62K words and I would love to receive any advice you can give. Though I haven't settled on a title yet, here is a blurb:

A good natured b..."

hi! I'm interested. I can't pm you, can you please send me a message so I can send you my email address and we can discuss further? thank you :)

Hi,

I know you're already interested in beta-reading Heath's draft, but would you be open to reading my cyberpunk noir manuscript next if you're interested?

It's a 80k third draft. It's about an ex-special forces operative who takes the place of an alternate version of herself who never immigrated to the United States for six months. Now in Bangladesh, she has to deal with culture shock, her cover's in-laws, and a murder investigation she gets sucked into. This takes place in a world where timeline travel is normal and the protagonist, Farah, interacts with several different versions of herself at a support group she attends.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Hi there I have four chapters I’m looking for feedback on, I am working on my last draft of an adult high fantasy. It is not romantasy. But it does have diverse and inclusive characters and it is an immersive fantasy world full of dragons, forest creatures and immortals. If this is something that interests you I would be super thankful for the help!

Hi Nicole-Mary!

If you're interested, I have a 95k YA sci-fi called "The Shadow of Tarensa." I understand that it is outside of your comfortable word count range, but I just wanted to post a comment in case!

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Norra has dreamt for years of finding someone like her, but her adoptive parents have never allowed her to leave her hometown. Life is hard enough for a teenage girl, and it’s even harder when you have no idea who you are or where you came from. Lacking anything normal like claws or feathers, her gangly limbs and flat face set her apart in any crowd.

Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Norra has a chance to get out into the real world during her rite of passage journey, with hopes of finally fitting in. However, everything changes when she is kidnapped by a warrior race called the R’caesa, who plan on taking her back to their capital city. While Norra is plotting her escape, she meets another one of their prisoners: a mysterious, shrouded man known only as “the Shadow” whose people, as legends say, came from another world. Norra has always wanted to see a human in real life since she has never really believed the stories about their godlike silver skin and flying ships.

Eventually, Norra is able to make an escape, taking the Shadow along with her. But, even after he’s free, why won’t he lift his veil?

(P.S. If it isn't clear in the summary, Norra is a human too.)

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Please let me know if this is something you might be interested in. Thank you!

Title: Out of the Ashes
Word count: 111,730
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Beta Start: 8/19/2025
Beta End: 9/16/2025
Sign-up: https://michaeljsullivan.survey.fm/ou...
Description:


WHAT DO YOU DO AFTER THE WORLD ENDS?

Following the destruction of the capital city of Percepliquis, this question plagued every Imperial citizen, but the choices made by three simple people will change the future forever. One decided she didn’t deserve to die. Another resolved to be the ruler he was meant to be. And the third went in search of a nefarious, wizard called Esrahaddon.

Visit the world of Elan in the last days of the dying Novronian Empire. Witness the destruction and turmoil of a fading dream but stay because there is one last hope that is trying to crawl . . . out of the ashes.

In this debut novel, a devotee of the New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author Michael J. Sullivan proves why Michael was wise to trust a complete unknown with his cherished multi-series saga. Through this first book in the After the Fall series, you’ll learn the truth about the day Percepliquis fell and witness the birth of a new literary star.

Hello Nicole-Mary,

I'm looking for a beta reader for my completed dystopian thriller, "The Shadow Network: When Shadows Rise," 62297 words approximately. This is to be book one of three.

The story: In a near-future America, the CivPro surveillance system promises safety through total monitoring. When former CivPro engineer Evelyn discovers the system's true scope, she joins an underground resistance called Cipher alongside investigative journalist Ben and idealistic rebel Noah. As they fight to expose the truth, they face mounting government crackdowns and must decide how far they're willing to go for freedom.

What I'm looking for: Feedback on pacing, character development, plot consistency, and overall readability. I'm particularly interested in whether the dystopian world feels believable and if the character motivations come across as authentic.

These are questions I would be interested in finding out. Especially since I have ADHD I work on two books at the same time, in 3 different documents each. I have one I write the chapter in to know the chapter length, then an editing it, and then I put it in the main book document. So I also want to make sure I haven't duplicated anything in the book, like if I mixed up a chapter and added it twice or something.

Plot & Characters:
Did the story keep you engaged throughout, or were there slow sections?
Did Evelyn's transformation from CivPro insider to rebel feel believable?
Which characters did you connect with most/least and why?

World & Consistency:
Did the dystopian setting feel plausible?
Did you notice any inconsistencies (names, timeline, details)?

Overall Impact:
What was your favorite part?
Would you recommend this to others if published?
Any major suggestions for improvement?

Most Important: Please share any gut reactions, emotional responses, or random thoughts you had while reading. Sometimes, the most valuable feedback comes from those spontaneous moments.

Genre: Dystopian thriller with themes of surveillance, resistance, and government overreach

Would this be something you'd be interested in reading? I'm happy to answer any questions about the story if you have more questions.

Thanks for considering it!
John Knutson

Hello! Mine is a tad longer, so totally understood if no, but it is a darker fantasy! Dystopian esque. Comes in at 89K. Titled selfish wishes is about a girl who came from nothing, but found a man who promises everything. How deep is the evil we keep in our hearts?

Just would love some overall notes! Already paid a beta reader so no need to go super in depth would just love to hear your thoughts!

Hello Nicole-Mary,
I'm seeking a beta reader for my 80,000-word novel. It's set in Russia and features a romance between an Englishman and a Russian woman. The story compares life in the Soviet Union with modern-day Russia. It depicts how life was experienced in the Soviet Union and how life is currently lived in Russia. The romance develops over seven days with the Englishman’s guide. They are both pensioners.

Hi!

I'm working on draft seven of my YA science fantasy and would love if you could consider beta reading it.

It's complete at 101,200 words (currently), but you're free to stop at any point.

The blurb is:

In the year 4745, seventeen-year-old Nicolas had one motive: revenge. Three years ago, the Viknorians obliterated his village, leaving him the sole survivor. Now the captain of his own crew of soldiers, Nicolas sets out on a quest to wage war against the creatures who took everything from him.

But avenging his loved ones comes at a cost. To locate the Viknorians, his crew must journey across the fractured Earth from its Continental Drift. Nicolas constantly fears that this task is impossible, but then they meet Fara, a banished Viknorian who might be the key to infiltrating the enemy's palace as their only hope to guide them.

As trust wavers and stakes rise, Nicolas must confront not only the weight of his past but also the fragile bonds tying his crew together.

In this gripping first installment of vengeance and redemption, Nicolas discovers that the line between hero and villain is as thin as the flames that once consumed his home.

Fans of the Avatar: the Last Airbender and YA dystopian novels would love this series!

...

Feel free to DM me or email me at ammeyersauthor@gmail.com if you're interested! :D

Hi Nicole-Mary,

I'd love for you to beta read by ~50K-word thriller with a scifi bent.

Following is the blurb:
LUCID

When reality isn’t enough…
Lucid Nightscapes, Inc. has introduced the most immersive entertainment experience in history: lucid dreaming. Clients pick the time and place—a space station, medieval Europe, or a war tournament—and Lucid create dreamscapes impossible to discern from reality.

But some dreams come at a price…
A secret CIA program to track terrorists in the dreamscape has been somehow disabled, and the deaths of lucid dreamers are starting to pile up. To save the company from ruin, CEO Any Crenshaw reaches out to government contacts for help.

Assigned to the case, NSA special agents Alton and Mallory Blackwell fight to untangle the truth from the twisted realities of Lucid’s imaginary worlds…while being plunged into dreamscapes depicting horrific events from their past.

Can the husband-and-wife investigators uncover the truth before perishing in the dreamscape themselves?

I hope this catches your interest! If so, I can be reached at steve.freeman7@gmail.com.

Hello, I have recently finished my Dark New Adult Fantasy book, Ashes of Revenge (96k words). I know you said you prefer a short read so if you only want to read part of it that is fine!

In the land of Corrail, five species use hate and spite to make the land a violent cesspool. Raven, a badly burned teenager, knows that better than anyone. Betrayed by her Kingdom and left for dead in enemy territory, she wants nothing but revenge against the Mundus King who betrayed her.

Helping her achieve her revenge are two other people from differing species, creating an unlikely trio: Colt, a Shifter – a species with knives hiding under their skin – who has experienced the same betrayal from his own Kingdom; and Richard, a stern Farian with massive black wings. Together, the three reign down terror on anyone who tries to stop them or destroy the Farian Kingdom, the only one of the five that opposes submitting to the bloodthirsty King of the Monstros.

However, they are set off course when a new player enters Raven’s game: Death. Using the only two people she cares about as leverage, he forces her to prematurely return to the Mundus Kingdom. But vengeance courses so fast beneath her skin that nothing can stop her from getting what she wants. Not even Death.

You can message me here or PM me or send me an email at mstegall18@gmail.com!

Thanks :)