Beta Reader Group discussion

Hello! I am a new beta reader open to reading books up to 100k words! I am a fast reader and will return feedback within 2-4 weeks depending on the length of the novel. I normally read 100-200 books per year and am looking to expand my reading hobby into the beta reader space and eventually might make it a side hustle but for now I just want to help other writers and figure out if I enjoy the feedback/editing part of the process. I promise to give critically kind feedback as I know how hard it is to launch your thoughts onto paper and into the world :)

I just finished my debut novel and am in the editing stages if any writers want to swap! I work in the social work/non profit and immigration/humanitarian aid space so if you want a sensitivity reader for those topics I am happy to provide additional support.

Genres I am open to reading:
- Romance (anything up to 🌶️🌶️🌶️)
- Historical fiction
- Fantasy/romantasy
- Non-fiction (depending on the topic)
- memoirs

I will give chapter by chapter feedback and overall general feedback focused on the following:
- tone/themes
- Style
- Character development
- Pacing
- Plot holes
- emotions (how did the book make me feel, what made me intrigued, favorite quotes, etc)

Drop me a DM or comment below and we can connect!

Hi, would be interested in a swap too. How many words is your manuscript?

Hi! It is 86k words!

Hi, I’m actually looking for beta readers for my book that I’m currently working through my last edit on, and I’m wanting to send out four chapters. It’s an adult high fantasy if that’s something you’d be willing to look into?

Hi! Send me more info via DM and we can chat!

Hey Aby,

I'm looking for a beta reader for my slow burn (but spicy) shifter romance.

it's 48.0k

I need to have an outsider's look (all my friend-writers already helped me through the first stages)

Do you still have some time left?

Hi there!

Your beta reading offer sounds fantastic, and I'd love to connect with you for a potential chapter swap.

I'm working on a romantasy novel and would be very interested in having you read the first 5 chapters (approximately 11,000 words). Since you're open to both romance and fantasy/romantasy, this seems like a perfect match!

In return, I'd be happy to beta read the first 5 chapters of your debut novel. I'm an avid reader myself and would provide thoughtful feedback on the areas you mentioned - tone, character development, pacing, plot flow, and overall reader experience.
A few quick questions to make sure we're a good fit:

What genre is your debut novel?

What's your preferred timeline for the exchange?
Do you have any specific areas you'd particularly like feedback on for your chapters?

I really appreciate your "critically kind" approach - that's exactly the type of constructive feedback that helps writers grow while respecting the vulnerability of sharing our work.

Would you like to move this conversation to DM to discuss details and do the chapter exchange?

Looking forward to potentially working together!

Lizbeth

Aby wrote: "Hello! I am a new beta reader open to reading books up to 100k words! I am a fast reader and will return feedback within 2-4 weeks depending on the length of the novel. I normally read 100-200 book..."

Hi, I have a completed memoir manuscript. It’s a bit long and over your 100k cap, but I’d appreciate it if you can read 1/3 or half of it to give me some feedback on whether it grabs the audience or not and if you feel compelled to keep reading, or where things get a bit slow and can be cut out. I need to make it shorter, so feedback on parts that don’t help move the story along would really help me.

It’s the story of a year I spent living in China, the people I met and things I experienced there as a young adult. The narrative voice is very strong and it’s quite raw and honest but with some dry humour.

Let me know if you’d be interested in reading, or perhaps just trying a few pages of it. Thanks.

Hello Aby,

If you're interested in a critique swap, please contact me at jamespvictor96@gmail.com. Here's the query I've sent out right now in the trenches. It's 119k words, I hope it's still up your alley.

Chieftain Lapulapu’s two wives both desire the other’s death. Possibly his as well.

He marries his second wife, Alunsina, the princess of aghoys, earning him bountiful harvests through their power over nature. He accomplished what nobody else in their archipelago could to earn their favor. He vanquished his island of aswangs, humans they cursed into beasts for crimes against nature, now mutated beyond control. But rumors spread that Lapulapu harbors those few tamed aswangs who could shapeshift back into humans. Of course, the chieftain denies them.

That’s why he could almost cut his own tongue after discovering his first wife Mayari has been hiding, right on his bed, as an aswang. Her allies secretly lured most of those beasts who couldn’t shapeshift back to humans off the island, hence Alunsina’s favor. Lapulapu’s whole victory is a lie. But his marriage to Mayari is out of love, not politics. Otherwise, he’d have executed her already.

With the aghoys now entangled around him, Lapulapu is forced by Mayari to convince Alunsina to sacrifice their powers and gift aswangs their full humanity back. But Alunsina’s kind will never yield. They will bury not only Mayari, but also Lapulapu, for conspiring with her. Thrust between two warring factions, he bribes her, sustains her disguise, anything to conserve Alunsina’s blessings. But Mayari’s allies tease their presence by burning what Alunsina holds dear the most—nature itself—driving Lapulapu to seek an aghoy sympathetic to Mayari, if one even exists.

At the height of their conflict, a conquistador named Magellan drops anchor in a mission to colonize the islands. With his fateful arrival, Lapulapu must decide—whether he’s for humans, aghoys, aswangs, or the whole archipelago.

Here's the first three chapters as well:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C...

I’m looking for a few kind beta readers for my completed memoir, Never Again (about 140 pages). It’s a deeply personal story about love, betrayal, loss, resilience, and ultimately healing. The book deals with themes such as mental harassment, stillbirth, grief, survival, and rediscovering strength.

I would love honest, compassionate feedback from the perspective of a reader. Specifically:
• Were there parts that deeply engaged you or moved you?
• Were there any areas where the pacing felt slow or confusing?
• Did the emotions come across as real and powerful?
• Any parts that felt repetitive or unclear?

I’m not looking for grammar corrections — just your reactions as a reader.

Length: ~142 pages / 56,000 words
Format: PDF or Word (whichever you prefer)
Timeline: Flexible, but within 3–4 weeks would be amazing.

If you’re interested, please reply here or send me a DM. I’d be very grateful, and I’d be happy to swap reads if you’re also working on something!

Thank you so much

Aby wrote: "Hello! I am a new beta reader open to reading books up to 100k words! I am a fast reader and will return feedback within 2-4 weeks depending on the length of the novel. I normally read 100-200 book..."

Hi Aby! I'm looking for a beta reader for the future few chapters of my book (option to continue if you are interested!) It's a romance/fantasy novel following a strong female protagonist. Would you be interested?
Thank you so much!

[Complete] [89k] [Memoir] Healing, Love & Life – a story of trauma, healing, and rediscovering love.

This is a book that started as notes.

––

Healing, Love & Life is a deeply personal, first-person narrative that follows Stacy’s journey through trauma, survival, and the slow rediscovery of love and self-worth.

After years of abuse that left her small, quiet, and afraid, Stacy finally escapes—for her children, if not for herself. Together, they start over, facing the daily struggle of building a new life from the ground up. Just when she begins to find her footing, Gary enters her world. He isn’t a savior, but his patience and kindness challenge everything Stacy thought she knew about love and trust.

The story explores the messy, non-linear path of healing—how past trauma can resurface, how doubt and fear linger, and how loving again can both heal and hurt. When Stacy pushes Gary away, the loss feels shattering—but it also becomes a turning point, forcing her to find strength not just in others, but in herself.

This is not a fairytale romance. It’s a raw, emotional story about survival, resilience, motherhood, and the courage it takes to keep believing in love—even when it doesn’t come with a perfect ending.

If you are interested i would be happy to swap.
Thank you

Hi,
I'm looking for a beta reader for the opening passage of my literary novel titled Afterglow King. It's 1200 words long. Here is the summary:

In a quiet coffee shop in Albany, Oregon, elderly Pete Shehann crosses paths with Alex, a younger stranger whose curiosity is piqued by something Pete says. A shared table, a spilled coffee, and a familiar book set the stage for a growing connection between them. Despite Pete’s reluctance, Alex’s quiet persistence and genuine interest draw him in. As they talk, something about Alex—and the moment—makes Pete reconsider his long-held silence. What begins as a casual exchange gradually becomes the opening to a much deeper story.

Hi Aby I have a first draft of (what I would call a novella at the minute-some 46,000 words). It's a Philosophical Fantasy. "After his sudden death, ruthless corporate executive Richard Ainsworth is enrolled in a bizarre afterlife trial: 17 weeks each in Heaven, Hell, and a third realm. Guided by a celestial bureaucracy, he must confront his past, manipulate new systems, and decide his eternal fate. But as the lines between realms blur, Richard realises the trial isn't about where he's going—it's about who he's willing to become."

Would you be interested in giving me your feedback on the plot and characters, as well as any other aspects of writing that you review? Cheers...Chris

Hi Abby! I need a beta reader for my dark romance novel

Title (working): The Senator’s Secret
Genre: Dark Romance (Book 1 of a planned trilogy)
Length: ~450 pages
Heat: Very slow burn, eventual spice
Status: First full draft, looking for reader impressions before professional editing

📖 Blurb
Jade has always been the opposite of her sister—reckless where her sister is perfect, defiant where she’s compliant. Broke and running from her past, she ends up in Brooke’s guesthouse, trapped in a world she doesn’t belong to. But Brooke’s fiancé, Senator Killian West, lives by control—and Jade’s presence threatens it.
But Senator Killian West isn’t what he seems. Beneath the surface is a man who bends everything to his will—and Jade finds herself caught between his secrets and the pull of her own self-destruction.
What begins as survival twists into a dangerous game of power, lies, and forbidden desire.

🔥 Tropes You’ll Find
Enemies to lovers


Power imbalance / age gap


Very slow burn romance


BDSM themes (control, punishment)


Kidnapping / forced proximity


Forbidden desire


Family drama



⚠️ Content Warnings
Manipulation & psychological control


Consensual BDSM elements (punishment, dominance/submission dynamics)


Mentions of rape / past assault (not graphic, not romanticized)


Alcohol use, toxic family dynamics, grief


👉 Important Note: This is not a cheating book. There are family and engagement dynamics, but no actual cheating takes place.

💌 What I’m Looking For in Betas
General pacing/flow feedback (does the story keep you hooked?)


Character voice consistency (especially Jade’s defiance vs. vulnerability)


Clarity: any confusing scenes, places where you wanted more/less detail


Emotional impact: did the tension/romance land?