Net Galley – A Fangirl's Opinion

Books on My Net Galley Wishlist

January 30, 2021

Logging on to Net Galley is like stepping into a secret bookstore filled with some of 2021 most anticipated releases but the catch is you can’t read them just yet, you can only wish for them! For those who don’t know Net Galley is a service that enables publishers and authors to upload books to its website prior to publication and allows “professional readers,” such as reviewers, to request copies. It’s a great platform which helps readers like you and me discover new authors, genres and adventures.

Usually with Net Galley, readers submit requests to publishers and wait to see if they’re lucky enough to be sent a ebook for review. There’s also the opportunity to ‘wish’ for selected releases, wishes that can be granted by publishers at any time. In the past I have been fortunate enough to receive a couple of ARC’s off my wish-list, and I hope sharing my list might help manifest some good karma!

I will admit all restraint went out the window when it came to wishing for some of these new releases, I couldn’t resit. I did go a little mad but who can blame me?

Namesake by Adrienne Young

I’ve just finished reading Fable and I’m desperate for the next book especially after THAT ending! I was really craving a pirate fantasy adventure and Fable gave me just that! The characters were lovable yet cutthroat and I’m curious to see what secrets Young has in store for book two.

Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent

You had me ‘for fans of Stephanie Garber’, yes please! I haven’t read a Little Red Riding Hood adaptation for years and this one sounds mysteriously epic. Adele is one of a long line of guardians, women who are able to change into wolves and who are tasked with the job of protecting their village while never letting any of the villagers know of their existence. But when following her calling means abandoning the person she loves, the future she imagined for herself, and her values she must decide how far she is willing to go to keep her neighbors safe.

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker, #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Every time I re-read this synopsis the more excited I get, as it combines two of my favourite things, pirates and assassins! No pressure Victoria, but this series better be epic!

Corayne lives at the end of the world. Year after year, she watches her pirate mother sail away to adventures she’ll never share with Corayne. So when a mysterious immortal and deadly assassin appear on Corayne’s doorstep telling her she is the last member of a dying bloodline, and the only one who can save the world, Corayne seizes the chance to have her own adventure.

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman

The synopsis for this book is EVERYTHING! The concept is incredibly clever and follows a teen girl navigating an afterlife in which she must defeat an AI entity intent on destroying humanity.

Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

Another book mentioned in my 2021 anticipated reads post, that sounds super cute and adorable. This swoon-worthy romance, follows Noah Ramirez and his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. But when a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world turns upside down and in-lists the help of Drew who is willing to fake-date Noah to save the diary and help prove that romance isn’t dead.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

The Gilded Ones (Deathless, #1) by Namina Forna

I’ve yet to read a bad review about this book and I’m honestly so excited to get my hands on it. This female-led fantasy fight against an oppressive system looks beautiful inside and out and is a book I’d sell my soul to read early!

Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey

This is giving me MAJOR You’ve Got Mail vibes and I’m in love! Nothing will stop Madeline Moore from taking over her family’s independent bookstore after college. Nothing, that is—until a chain bookstore called Prologue opens across the street and threatens to shut them down. You can already tell that this is going to feature an enemies to lovers romance and lots of much-needed descriptions of bookstores!

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer

A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers, #3) by Brigid Kemmerer

I know that this series was on my ‘disappointments’ list last year, but I can’t help but be curious to see how Kemmerer continues with this series! From just reading it’s synopsis I’m fairly positive that I’m going to fall back in love with this storyline and its characters!

Better Together by Christine Riccio

Christine is one of my favourite booktubers and it’s been great following along on her writing journey, and I’m eager to read more of her work. Like every author she is so passionate about her work and the publishing process and it’s clear that such love is reciprocated in her writing. Her latest book is being marketed as ‘Freaky Friday meets The Parent Trap’ and I’m already sold.

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

This fierce gothic fantasy is completely different to what I usually read but I fancy a change and this book sounds super intriguing. Eleanor Zarrin has been estranged from her wild family for years but when she flees boarding school after a horrifying incident, she goes to the only place she thinks is safe: the home she left behind. But when she gets there, she struggles to fit in with her monstrous relatives, and finds herself desperate trying to hold her family together.

An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi

An Emotion Of Great Delight - Egmont Books

I’ve never read anything by Tahereh Mafi but I’ve heard that her writing is beautifully thoughtful and powerful. An Emotion of Great Delight is a searing look into the world of a single Muslim family in the wake of 9/11. It’s about a child of immigrants forging a blurry identity, falling in love, and finding hope—in the midst of a modern war.

My Recent NetGalley Requests – March 2020

March 12, 2020

You may be thinking, why on earth is she requesting and wishing for books when her TBR is never-ending and her current reading performance isn’t proving successful? Well, the answer is simply that I couldn’t resist and plus there’s no harm in wishing for books, you never know I might get lucky!

For those who don’t know Net Galley is a service that enables publishers and authors to upload books to its website prior to publication and allows “professional readers,” such as reviewers, to request copies. It’s a great platform which helps readers like you and me discover new authors, genres and adventures. It’s not guaranteed that your request will be approved but if you maintain a good and prompt feedback score then odds will be more in your favour!

The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi – I found the first book in this series on my kindle a while back after reading all the reviews on Goodreads, it looks like i’m seriously missing out on an action-packed adventure. Someone I follow on Goodreads described it as a mix of Six of Crows and National Treasure (2004) so I’m hyped!

Before You Go by Tommy Butler – I don’t know what drew me to this book, but something did and I’m so glad as this sounds like such a beautifully deep and insightful read that explores the ache and wonder of being human and the quest for a meaningful life.

Forged in Fire and Stars by Andrea Robertson – The synopsis described this as a combination of Game of Thrones and Ember in the Ashes and I’m already sold! I’m a sucker for the classic ‘regaining the throne’ trope, so I might give this one a read.

Again Again by E. Lockhart – I’m still not over E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars, so it’s fair to say that I’ve got high expectations for this book. After a near-fatal family catastrophe and an unexpected romantic upheaval, Adelaide Buchwald finds herself catapulted into a summer of wild possibility, during which she will fall in and out of love a thousand times—while finally confronting the secrets she keeps, her ideas about love, and the weird grandiosity of the human mind.

The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning – This cover is stunning (Charlie Bowater you are a legend) and that title is everything! Inspired by The Princess Bride, this book follows Princess Amarande who is given an ultimatum: Marry the leader of one of the four neighboring kingdoms, or lose her crown. But Amarande was raised to be a warrior and nothing will stop her from saving her beloved and her kingdom.

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke – Both the cover and the synopsis look great! It’s got everything I love in it, a rebellion, outlawed magic and of course a bit of healthy competition.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas – This book has been all over my socials so when I saw that it was available to ‘wish for’ on NetGalley, I couldn’t click that button fast enough. Let’s all pray to the book gods, because this sounds like such a unique and refreshing fantasy read!

My Recent NetGalley ARC Approvals – January 2019

January 21, 2019

One of my aims this year was to read more books but sadly on a student budget I can’t afford to always be filling my shelves with new reads. That is why I love NetGalley as it means I can request and read books on my TBR as well as being able to discover new and exciting reads. I’ve been very lucky recently as I’ve been approved on Net Galley for some seriously exciting reads all of which I freaked out about when I got the confirmation email! For those who don’t know Net Galley is a service that enables publishers and authors to upload books to its website prior to publication and allows “professional readers,” such as reviewers, to request copies.

I only requested four books this month as I didn’t want to overwhelm myself and I wanted to make sure I read and posted all my reviews on time. Anyway, these are the books that I was recently approved and expect honest reviews for all of them soon!

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott – I’m so glad that I’ve got my hands on this book as I was only wishing I had it last week when I was writing my post on the upcoming YA film adaptations (which you can read here!). I’m already fully invested in these characters and their storyline which tells the story of two people who meet whilst receiving treatment for Cystic Fibrosis where physical contact could transmit fatal disease.

Enchantée by Gita Trelease – It was the cover which instantly drew my attention to this book and the fact that it got a lovely review off Stephanie Garber, author of the Caraval series. My excitement for this book doesn’t stop there as its also set in Paris during 1789 and is about seventeen year old Camillie who is a magician and must rely on her petty magic skills to provide for her brother and sister. But when her brother disappears Camille decides to pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa – I’ve been meaning to read this book for ages and I had mini freak out when I saw that this book was available to ‘read now’ so if you’re a NetGalley member then go and download this book asap! Another one of my reading goals this year was to read more world literature and I’m really excited to learn more about Japanese mythology. When destiny calls, legends rise. Every millennium the missing pieces of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers are hunted, for they hold the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for any one wish. As a temple burns to the ground Yumeko escapes with its greatest treasure — the first piece of the scroll. And when fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai she knows he seeks what she has!

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (Exclusive Early Extract on Read Now) – My excitement for this book is unreal and that fact that I get to read an early extract of it has me bouncing off the walls! If this isn’t on your TBR then it certainly will be after you’ve read the synopsis! From the internationally bestselling author of The Bone Season, a trailblazing, epic high fantasy about a world on the brink of war with dragons – and the women who must lead the fight to save it.

5 Tips for New Net Galley Users

September 25, 2017

If you haven’t heard or signed up for Net Galley then you’re seriously missing out as it’s such a great service that is perfect for us bloggers! For those who don’t know Net Galley is a service that enables publishers and authors to upload books to its website prior to publication and allows “professional readers,” such as reviewers, to request copies. I’ve been a member since 2015 but I’ve never used it as much as I should, however now that I’m a student it’s perfect as it allows me to request and read books in exchange for an honest review.

I wish I’d read a post like this before I signed up as it’s such a new and exciting process and in order to get the most out of it, it’s best if you know the in’s and out’s before making some key mistakes like I did. So here’s a list of my top 5 tips for getting the most out of Net Galley! Enjoy!

1. Don’t go crazy with requesting books – Everyone does it, and that’s okay however you’ve got to be careful about meeting deadlines for reviews. I remember getting so excited about receiving ARC’s that I went mad with my requests and later ended up being very overwhelmed! The key is to only request a couple of books a month and to also downloads then asap as they are archived after a certain date.

2. Try to keep your reviewer rating above 80% – You are more likely to be approved if your reviewer rating is above 80%, so it’s really important that you keep on top of your reviews. However, this isn’t always the case as my current rating is 67% and I’ve recently been approved for some exciting new releases.

3. Take advantage of the ‘Read Now’ books – This is a perfect way for new members to build up their approval ratio which in turn makes it easier to get approved for other books. Find a title that sparks your interest then review them and post your feedback! It’s as easy as that!

4. Be honest with your reviews – Honesty is always the best policy, however, you have to remember that authors are people just like you and me and no one ever wants to read a horrible review. If there were elements that you didn’t enjoy, then try the classic sandwich format in which you give positive feedback, then negative, followed by another positive. It doesn’t feel too critical then, it just shows you’re honest. Also, it’s always good to just put a disclaimer at the start of your review, just disclaiming that you received that book from Net Galley. I just put something like ‘I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review’.

5. Don’t take rejection personally – I remembered being really offended when I was first rejected but there are so many different reasons for being rejected and most of them can be avoided easily. Don’t request a book if you’re not in the publisher’s region, that there is an automatic rejection however not to worry as there are usually other publishers in your region promoting the same book! Sometimes the publishers have a limited amount of ARC’s available so once they hit their limit that’s it. This only happened to me a couple of weeks ago, but it’s important that you don’t get discouraged!

My Recent Net Galley ARC Approvals – September 2017

September 15, 2017

I’ve been very lucky recently as I’ve been approved on Net Galley for some seriously exciting reads all of which I freaked out about when I got the confirmation email! For those who don’t know Net Galley is a service that enables publishers and authors to upload books to its website prior to publication and allows “professional readers,” such as reviewers, to request copies.

I’ve been a member since 2015 but I’ve never used it as much as I should, however now that I’m a student it’s perfect as it allows me to request and read books in exchange for an honest review. I’ll be posting my ‘Tips for New Net Galley Users’ post soon so come back and check that out to see how you can make the most out of Net Galley. I only requested four books this month as I didn’t want to overwhelm myself and I wanted to make sure I read and posted all my reviews on time. Anyway, these are the books that I was recently approved and expect honest reviews for all of them soon!

Invictus by Ryan Graudin – For those who read my ‘Most Anticipated Autumn Releases’ post you’ll know how excited I am for this book and how much I love Ryan Graudins series ‘Wolf by Wolf’. I’m so grateful that I don’t now have to wait to the end of September to read this book, however, my TBR and review pile is massive so knowing my luck it’ll be October by the time I get round to reading it!

‘Farway Gaius McCarthy is the son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD but after failing his final time-traveling exam Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past. During a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with the knowledge that will bring Far’s very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.’

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody – I’ve heard really good things about this book and after reading ‘Caraval’ by Stephanie Garber at the start of the year, I’ve been obsessed with books about festivals, circuses, and carnivals. I’ve also just ordered ‘The Night Circus’ because I need more!

Sixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Sorina’s rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. Her creations are her family, and together they make up the cast of the Festival’s Freak Show. But no matter how lifelike they may seem, her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered.

The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee – I read the first book in this series at the end of last year and fell in love with all the drama and mystery. I enjoyed all the different perspectives and can’t wait to see where the story continues as we were left on some serious cliff hangers at the end of the first book!

Leda is haunted by nightmares of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’s afraid the truth will get out – which is why she hires Watt, her very own hacker, to keep an eye on all of the witnesses for her. When Rylin receives a scholarship to an elite upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being here also means seeing the boy she loves: the one whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return. Avery is grappling with the reality of her forbidden romance and then there’s Calliope, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who’s arrived in New York with a devious goal in mind – and too many secrets to count.

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon – I’ve been seeing this book around but I had absolutely no idea of the plot when I requested it but I’m so glad that I did because it sounds really intriguing and creative! If you’ve read this book then I’d love to hear your opinions on it so feel free to leave a comment below!

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dream walker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing. However Paige gets kidnapped and transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.