Conversations With Kav – Net Galley query, Hello August + Giveaway

First: the Net Galley Question:

I’m pretty new to Net Galley but I know that we’re supposed to read and review fairly quickly. At least 80% feedback being the goal. I’m always about 98% or more because, a) I’m a keener and b) I only review audio books in the Christian Fiction and Cozy Mystery genres. So, up until this summer it was easy to keep on top of things. Easy for me to listen and review efficiently. Usually the only lag time was because I had to wait for an opening for a blog post so it might be two weeks from the time I downloaded the book and then posted my reviews.

BUT everything changed the last week in July when I got approved for 10 books in quick succession. Ack, the organized bookish nerd in me had a mild panic attack. I don’t know which is more anxiety inducing – looking at my ‘start reading’ list or my ‘give feedback’ list. And some of the books don’t even release until October! So, I have questions, and you NG experts will hopefully have answers.

  1. How soon are you supposed to review books with release dates several months away? Review immediately where you can and add online retailer reviews on the release date? Or do you wait until closer to the release date? You can tell from last week and this coming week that I opted to review right away because…that ominous ‘start reading’ list had me hyperventilating! 🙂
  2. How promptly do you read and review Net Galley books? I tend to read them within a week but with ten books approved in two days that just wasn’t possible so I’m kinda panicking.

Which brings me to the reason we’re celebrating ‘Hello August’ on a Sunday. Literally every book I review this week (except for our Carol Awards day) is a Net Galley book. And I’ll still have two books left to carry over into the following week! Ack! So I decided to squeeze in our ‘Hello August’ here…I mean, it’s kinda conversational since we’ll be talking about what new releases we’re most excited about, right? For me it’s ‘Final Approach’ by Lynette Eason. I have that one preordered on Audible. Eeeppp! So excited! Anyway…

It’s Time for Hello August!

Why?

Because I recently discovered that a book’s success or failure is often determined by first month sales! (Though I bet preorders play into that as well.) Publishing houses look at those stats to determine whether they’ll add on to a series or accept the author’s next manuscript! All that literary goodness hanging in the balance but for a month’s worth of sales! (This was a cozy mystery author, but I imagine all traditional publishers use the same ‘system’.) So, I thought I should do my wee little bit to promote Christian Fiction.

How?

By hosting a special “Hello — insert month” giveaway. It’s easy to play along. You just have to choose one of the August 2025 new releases on your TBR wishlist (must be Christian Fiction) and mention the title in a comment below (or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca.) If your name is drawn, that July release is the book you will win and we’re one book count closer to keeping our fave authors in business.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO:

ebook for anyone anywhere who has an Amazon.com kindle account

US – paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice

Canada -paperback or ebook (in form of an Amazon gift card) or audible.ca audio book (if available) – winner’s choice

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 9 2025.

101 thoughts on “Conversations With Kav – Net Galley query, Hello August + Giveaway”

  1. I like the combo topic this week! I use NetGalley some although probably not as much as others who will be responding. Originally I wanted to keep my percent at 100% as soon/as much as possible. While I still seek to read efficiently, I was disappointed when a book I decided not to read messed up my ratio. I wanted a fairer option for DNFing due to personal reasons. My ratio is still high but I put less pressure on myself now that I can’t have that perfect score 😉
    Generally, I post to GoodReads and Barnes and Noble right away, and I schedule my blog post to within a few weeks of the book’s release. The caveat with this is that it means skipping or else coming back for the spot with review links.

    Hello, August! I’m most excited for Gelato at the Villa, by Robin Jones Gunn!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m excited about this one as well, Stephanie! I loved Tea with Elephants so much! I going to pre-order it soon on Baker since it’s way less expensive & has free shipping, too.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      2. Stephanie, totally agree about the preorder goodies & sometimes they ship the book early! I haven’t read JD Politano’s recent book yet. Enjoy!!

        Liked by 2 people

    2. Ohhhh, interesting. I have never Dnfed a NG book. I would have thought that would be the feedback so would count. Hmmm…And it never crossed my mind that I could post a review on GR before my blog! Ack, you’ve shaken up my orderly world, Stephanie. 🙂 Gelato at the Villa sounds like the perfect summer read. Good luck!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. you can DNF on Netgalley and it will not affect your percentage.
        my rate is currently 89%. I hit 90% recently, but I keep requesting books.

        Liked by 2 people

      3. I’ve heard of people doing it that way, but one person made that sound like a loophole in my past research lol.

        Okay actually DNF wasn’t a fair descriptor on my part. I opted not to read a book because of something I’d learned about the author, but yeah I didn’t do any feedback

        Liked by 1 person

    3. Goodreads is also one of the first sites I post my book review to. It helps other readers especially with newer books to know if it’s worth picking up…..I oftentimes read other peoples reviews when I’m trying to decide if the story is for me.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Hi book buddy! I also review first on Goodreads and then send it to Debra at Inkwell Inspirations. It is easy to copy and paste to other sites like Library Thing and Bookbub. Then I move from my ipad to my laptop for BAM, CBD, edelweiss and Barnes and Noble.

        Like

  4. Good morning, Kav! I’m chuckling here & you may be the only one who knows why. 😂 Ahem!

    Hello August! Thing We Keep Hidden by Jill Lynn

    I like that colorful cover & I think she’s a new to me author. Tho I’ve seen her name I don’t recall reading any of her books.

    As far as NetGalley goes, I used to belong on a book blog & would choose no more than 5 books at the time. I’d get panicky & overwhelmed if I tried to do more bc there was the blog work also, not just posting on NG.

    I want to set your mind at ease some. You have until release date to read & review. Even were you to choose PROWL by Colleen Coble which releases in Nov, you have until Nov to provide feedback. NG & publishers have actually asked that reviewers not post their reviews until at least a month before the book releases, but I’ve noticed on Goodreads ppl still do.

    If it’s a book I’m salivating over I’ll read right away (or within a week) & others I’ve waited a month or longer depending on release date. There are bookseller sites which allow you to post early reviews which I take advantage of, so on release day I’ll only need to post my review on Amazon and KOBO.

    But I don’t post those early reviews too early. I write it & save it somewhere until at LEAST a month before release date. Lately, however, since I’m reading slower I choose books closer to publishing date. Did I answer all your questions? Did I make sense or confuse you?

    dianalflowers at aol dot com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Snicker. 🙂 Things We Kept Hidden is one of the books on my NG to read shelf. Jill Lynn writes for Love Inspired so maybe you’ve read some of those books?

      Interesting info on Net Galley. So, I don’t need to panic about being that punctual with Net Galley? Only I do panic because of the book staying on my list for so long. Sigh, I can’t win. And strange that they offer the book up so early but then don’t want you to review it until closer to the release date? I guess to give people time to read it, but I can see how that would lower your feedback ratio. Wonder if they take that into consideration? And then there’s the whole hoopla around early reviews and getting people talking about the book which seems to be an important marketing tool. So confusing (not you, just the whole review etiquette ) Good luck, Diane!

      Like

      Reply

      1. Like Tracey said they’re not teachers waiting for you to finish your assignment. lol I love that! You won’t be punished. I get emails reminding me that my books are waiting for feedback (even months ahead of release date), but that’s just their job & I ignore them. I’m aware of how much time I have left for each book bc I keep track.

        Tracey also brought back to my remembrance that you can provide feedback until the archive date bc sometimes Amazon takes a week to post your review. But I only did that once bc the publisher didn’t make the galley available til late. But having to post info right before the archive date is too close for comfort for me.

        To avoid panicking maybe request a few books at the time, read/review, then request a few more. They’ll still be available to request on NG when you go back. I got to the point where I said I wouldn’t request any more than 3 and that helped me not feel so pressured. Now I request them 1 at a time.

        You brought up an interesting topic. IDK why they have titles on there so far ahead now. They never used to do that. They’re already showing titles into next year. What’s that all about? I guess to let ppl aware of the book, but I’m not requesting titles that far ahead of time!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. P.S. Your feedback ratio will never be lowered unless you don’t provide any feedback at all by the archive date. So no worries…

        Like

      3. I can’t believe your recommendation is to request fewer books! Like…do you even know me???? Bwahaha! Actually, with audio books there really aren’t a lot. Usually 2 or 3 Love Inspired and maybe the same amount of Christian Fiction along with a cozy thrown in. That’s on a good month. July was an anomaly. I was also under the impression that they only have so many ‘slots’ for reviewers per book so if I waited wouldn’t I risk not getting the book? Horrors!

        Like

      4. I know. What a ridiculous statement that was. 🙄 I had my therapist hat on & was trying to reduce your biblio stress. There. Is. No. Cure. Whatever was I thinking? 🤔

        They have really cut down on their number of ebooks, you’re so right! And publishers as well. I’ve been a member of NG for 15 yrs. They used to have Harvest House, Waterbrook Multnomah, & I was looking for a publisher recently & poof! . . . it was gone, too. I can’t recall the name ATM. They definitely need to add more fiction books!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Thanks for the info Diana. I have a question about NetGalley Reader? Has anyone used this feature? If so what are the advantages? Disadvantages? Inquiring minds want to know.

      nora finding hope at yahoo

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I read on the NetGalley SHELF app. I tried reading on the NetGalley Reader but the font was too small and I couldn’t make it bigger. So in otherwords I have NetGalley where I choose books and accept them and the Shelf app where I read them. They sync.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Dual topics feels like dual timeline books, fun!

    First off, Netgalley…I started reviewing in 2015 so I’ve been at it 10 years and have reviewed 263 books with two more to be written soon. I was always so excited to get a book I would read it right away. Then I’d get backed up with a couple at a time and end up having to choose which one got read first. But this is from the reader’s perspective. The flip side of this is the publisher’s perspective.

    They do want to create early buzz by have some reviews out there. A couple of books this year have been available six months before release day, that’s very early! Most like reviews to be a month or so ahead. I do post those super early reviews to Goodreads as soon as I write them. It’s a great place to store your review and then I just move it from there to amazon on release day. The other day I mentioned I had to get to Pepper’s new regency, this is one of those six month books. I’ve had it put haven’t read it yet. I don’t feel pressured by Negalley as it doesn’t even come out until Oct. You have until release day, and actually beyond that because amazon won’t post but so many on the actual day. Sometimes I have an easier time getting a review to post there by doing it a day or two after release. I’m kind of winding down my reviewing on Netgalley and not requesting as many as I used to. Reviewing feels like writing a book report for school at times and I want to just enjoy my books. Also, amazon has removed the text-to-speech option on their newer kindles. I have such a love/hate relationship with them, lol. Anyway, there is not a Netgalley teacher sitting at the head of the class waiting for you to turn in your assignment, haha.

    Secondly…Yay for Hello August! I have 2 I’m looking forward to besides my Cossette win coming out Tuesday, so excited for it! Things We Keep Hidden by Jill Lynn and Gelato at the Villa by Robin Jones Gunn. I’m going with Jill Lynn’s for the drawing today and will wait for Robin Gunn’s book to get reduced later on.

    These new higher prices jumped too high too quick. I have 4 books for Fall at 18.99. Only Irene Hannon’s Out of Time has reduced to 12.99 before its Oct release date. I preordered it the minute it dropped hoping to send a signal to the publishers that readers will buy when the price is right. I won’t be buying any books at 18.99 on principle. Sorry, just my Sunday soapbox 2 cents.

    Thanks for the fun Sunday topics Kav and the giveaway opportunity! tracey14567 atgmaildotcom

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Wow, six months is super early! I thought three months was way too long. Mind you, the audio books are usually really close to the release date or after the release date because the author/publisher is just making an audio edition available so this is the first time I had two books so early.

      Argh to Amazon not allowing text-to-speech — that should be an accessibility issue. What about people who are blind or have vision problems, or simply can’t read? Bet they had a drop in their audio book sales because of the text-to-speech option. I have Things We Keep Hidden on my Net Galley to read shelf! Getting to it this week for sure. Woohoo. Good luck, Tracey!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I should clarify what I meant, you can always use text to speech on kindle for Amazon purchases. But when I use my kindle address to send a review copy from Netgalley that’s when Amazon doesn’t make it easy for a reader and stopped making that option available for documents.I don’t know how many sight impaired reviewers there are but I would imagine they would have some type of device to read to them. They probably enjoy using audio books too.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. An Amish Marriage Agreement by Patrice Lewis. Cooler temps here for now. Waiting for the next heatwave. Oh and you can have your smokey skies back anytime now.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. lol We have smokey skies now too. From the same fires, I think. It just depends on the air currents, I guess. We had a three week reprieve from the heat but it’s coming back tomorrow. Ugh. Good luck, Kim!

      Like

      Reply

      1. Now for my longer answer about NetGalley.
        I used to be auto approved for Bethany House and Revell, however that changed when they scrapped their review teams and I had to reapply. Thankfully I am on a site that reinstated me to that approved status. And I also snagged it on Barbour. So my problem is trying not to request too many books. Because I also am on loads of street teams.
        I try to get the link for NetGalley from my street teams before I just click on the book. And even if I request and get the book, I wait until about a month or a few weeks before I download a book. Making sure I get the ones that are on my street team first. I may postpone some that aren’t on deadline, but I pay attention to the archive date. Occasionally, I will renew one that I haven’t gotten around to reading but am not always able to renew it.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I didn’t even know you could review a Net Galley book! Being auto approved with a publisher sounds good. I’m guessing the turnaround time from when you submit a request and get the book is pretty quick that way? I didn’t realize street teams also accessed Net Galley copies so that’s an interesting piece of info too. I’m learning so much today. Thanks, Paula!

      Like

      Reply

  7. Unfortunately I know nothing of NetGalley. I got it once years ago and tried it out but as a person who doesn’t read ebooks due to trying to limit screen time and it also caused headaches, I quit using it. August releases I’m excited for?! There is a huge list 😍😍

    The 2 I’m most excited for is Echoes from a Missing Generation by Christiana Suzann Nelson(she just went indie this year and this is her first indie release)

    And this one i couldn’t find a category for this one but I’d consider it CF? What do you think? The House’s Daughter by April Boulware. She is also indie.

    I would like to go with The House’s Daughter if you consider it CF. But if not, I would like Echoes From A Missing Generation

    Thanks Kav! You always keep me looking and growing my TBR beyond repair. Oh and I’m almost to my reading goal for the year! This is the most I’ve read in 3 years. It feels so good to be getting back into it more

    sarahdar0801ATgmailDOTcom

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m the same way — can’t read for great lengths of time from a screen but now that Net Galley offers audio books I can get them. Yay!

      As to your first pick — doesn’t look to me like it’s Christian Fiction. I checked around and it looks like the author is reissuing her first books and branding them differently? And one of the subtitles from the previous edition of one of the books said ‘steamy’ so, I’m thinking not CF. So, We’ll go with your Christina Suzann Nelson pick. Good luck, Sarah! And I’m diabolically overjoyed at growing your TBR — misery loves company and all that. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  8. I don’t review a lot of books via netgalley, but when I do, I can’t say I’m particularly timely. I would say I try to review it within a month after the book’s release date, but I have been known to do it later than that. So… it sounds like you are doing great compared with how long it takes me!

    As for my August pick, I would say… Meant for Me by Betsy St. Amant. Happy reading!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. I’m going to rescind my August pick. Apparently, I preordered Meant for Me! I knew it sounded good. LOL.

        Instead, I’d like to go with The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron, if switching is allowed.

        Jolene – iwant2save34 at gmail dot com

        Like

  9. Hello August! I don’t think anyone has mentioned The Christmas Tree Farm by Melody Carlson.

    Netgalley – I did Netgalley for about 5 years beginning in 2018, I believe it was. I kept an upper 90’s to 100 percent ratio. I typically would only submit (hopeful) requests for about 3 books at a time, with my categories falling under Christian fiction, history, memoirs, and some very carefully selected general historical fiction. I tried to read in a very timely manner and post to Goodreads and others who would accept postings as I finished, and then to Amazon on release date. I posted to Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, and Amazon. Eventually, I began receiving emails from a couple of publishers who evidently determined I understood WWII history, and they would send me a direct note asking if I would be interested in reading and reviewing a certain upcoming fiction or nonfiction book. Those books I prioritized for reading and reviews.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Oohhhh, that’s impressive, with publishers seeking you out. Cool beans. You’re pretty much like me…except for the part about limiting to 3 books…Uh, no, if they’re offering it and I’m interested I request. lol Thinking, of course, that not all the requests will come through only – poof – surprise! they did!

      The Christmas tree Farm by Melody Carlson released last September. She does have another Christmas novel coming out this year but it doesn’t release until September. Feel free to add another title.

      Like

      Reply

      1. I was looking on the upcoming releases on the Baker website, and that book was shown for an August 2025 release. But as I click and delve further to the detail page, it is the paperback releasing then and down in the detail it indicates the ebook released last year. I never really thought to look at multiple pages to verify. Thanks for the cautionary note!

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Yay for Hello Monday! I would love to win Her Surprise Neighbor (out 8/1) by Lee Tobin McClain! Thanks for the opportunity, Kav!!! jacsmi75 at gmail dot com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. Well, I wasn’t able to add anything else to my previous post!
    I have only been on Netgalley since December 2023 so it took me about a year to get up to 80%.
    Right now I have 5 books waiting for me to submit feedback. And 12 in the wings waiting to be downloaded.
    As for the book I would like to win for August: Noble by Mesu Andrews. I have the first book, so would like to continue the series.
    paulamarys49ATgmailDOTcom.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yikes, 12 waiting in the wings would be too angsty for me. I’m kinda glad there aren’t as many opportunities for audio reviewers. It’s usually more evenly spread out so I don’t have to worry. lol Good luck, Paula!

      Like

      Reply

  12. I was on NetGalley for about 7 years before I needed to cut back on things to reduce stress (reading should never become a source stress!). I did like you–read the book within the week. But also sometimes everything would be approved at once, so I ended up prioritizing by publication date. Eventually I learned that the publishers and NetGalley were pretty gracious about the timing of posting reviews, and I had been putting way too much pressure on myself. I have an aunt who reviews too, and when my cousin was in the hospital for three heart surgeries over the course of 4 months, she got WAY behind. But eventually she caught back up, and as far as we know, she had no negative consequences from it (nor ever had to explain herself). So like I said, they’re pretty gracious.

    Code and Couture by Kristi Ann Hunter is slated to come out August 19–it’s not on retail sites yet for preorder, but she just confirmed the date in a newsletter this last week!

    rdalquist AT gmail DOT com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes, it’s like when you put a bunch of holds on books at the library thinking they’ll come in staggered but they all show up at the same time! And you’re so right, reading should never be stressful that’s why I’m always careful about selecting my books from Net Galley. Don’t want to end of DNFing a book, but I also don’t want to have to force myself to read one either. Good luck, Rachael!

      Like

      Reply

  13. Hello August! I’m so not ready for the hottest month in Texas.

    Dawn of the Elding – Demi Griffin sounds amazing.

    psalm103and138atgmaildotcom

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. We are so much alike! I had to stop reviewing on Net Galley for a while because I would stress myself out and over commit myself for all the great books. I think as long as you review on or soon after the release date you are more than fine. I know people who have had titles on their Net Galley shelves for years (7) and don’t seem to be penalized in any way, they continue to get books. Or, people who have a super low rating yet continue to get books. I had to quit a Christian nonfiction memoir last week because the other kept dropping the f-bomb and other words, and it was seriously bringing me down. I marked it as I would not be giving a rating, but haven’t checked if it affected my rating yet. However, I was still approved for 2 other books this week (I am now focusing on audio books!!), so I don’t think it hurt anything. If picked for the August giveaway I would like Katie Powner’s book, When the Road Comes Around. There are so many great books coming out again this month. Thanks Kav, enjoy the rest of your weekend. cilydav at hotmail dot com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yikes! f bombs in a Christian non fiction memoir?! I’m thinking it shouldn’t affect your feedback rating because it’s not like you didn’t read the book, you tried and had a valid reason for not continuing. I’m thinking it would only become an issue if you made a habit out of dnfing a lot of reviews. That kind of pattern would be noticed, I would think. I’m surprised at how many books some reviewers manage to get even with their low feedback ratio. Wonder if it depends on how popular a book tuber or blogger they are? And yes, another really great month for new releases. Decisions, decisions! Good luck, Cindy!

      Like

      Reply

  15. Hello August! I’m most excited about The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox and preordered it awhile ago.

    Also excited to read When the Road Comes Around by Katie Powner.

    I don’t do Net Galley or the like but the discussion is interesting!

    Sandyavery at comcast dot net

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. Netgalley is an amazing resource! I’m still working to get my percentage above 80% due to over-requesting when I first signed up (12 years ago!) and not understanding that I would always have more books to read than I have time to read them. I became increasingly judicious over the years but I still struggle with FOMO 😉 If you don’t get the review posted quickly nobody comes after you. Most publishers and authors prefer one month before to one month after release date, and it’s courteous to review in that time frame, but you can submit your review at any time.

    Side note about DNFing a Netgalley book- if you mark it “Will Not Give Feedback” it will still count against your ratio since you were approved for the book and are not providing a review. On Netgalley’s help page about Feedback Ratio, it explains, “If you have a legitimate reason why you’re unable to submit feedback for a certain book, that information is helpful to both the publisher and NetGalley team, but does not count as feedback towards your Ratio as a book reviewed.” Basically when you select “Will Not Give Feedback” it gives you space to explain to the publisher why you are not leaving a review, but that doesn’t count as “Feedback” because it’s not a review that you are sharing other places. So it would keep your ratio lower. There is a page that gives ideas to help avoid this by still providing a legit review for a DNF book and what that could look like:

    https://netgalley.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/16420507864855-What-if-I-don-t-finish-reading-or-listening-to-a-book-DNF

    I hope that helps! Happy reading!!! The August book I’m most excited about is If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair.

    colorvibrant at gmail dot com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Bwahahaha! I can just imagine you all wide-eyed and gobsmacked at the Net Galley selection when you first joined! I’d have picked everything insight as well. lol Sounds like pacing and careful selection is the key to a successful Net Galley experience. And self-restraint! 🙂 Thanks so much for that link, Heidi. So a person could still give a review maybe, but not include a star rating of a DNFed book, at least on NG and Good Reads and that would save their feedback ratio. All Else Sails is an excellent choice! Good luck, Heidi!

      Like

      Reply

  17. NetGalley used to really stress me out too. I usually only review a few books a year from them now since I read and review for so many smaller and debut indie authors that aren’t on NG, I don’t request as many there. I also really try to review them around the release date, to me that’s sort of my ‘deadline’ for reviews, but if I really want to read it, and end up reading it months in advance, I often review them on NG, but wait to post about it until later (or schedule a blog post closer to the release day, so I don’t forget to go back and do that. 😅)

    There are a few August releases that I’m really looking forward to but I think Shadows of the Valley by Britt Howard might just be at the top of my list! I’ve waited for a sequel to her debut, Song of the Valley for a while, so to finally be so close is extra special!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m loving all the Net Galley insights I’m getting from everyone. Looks like I’ll need to get super organized if I’m going to be getting really early books to review in the future to make sure I remember to post on Amazon etc. on release day if I’ve already posted reviews on Net Galley and my blog. You’ve introduced me to a new author , Stephanie, and Shadows of the Valley sounds really, really good. Adding it to my wishlist. Good luck!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  19. I’m no NetGalley expert per say, but I have left reviews on there mostly due to either being part of a review crew (Barbour, Revell or Bethany House), an authors review/launch team or the two blogs that I am part of with other reviewers (Inkwell Inspirations ran by Debra Marvin) & Interviews and Reviews. When I first signed up with NG in 2015, I went a bit crazy with requesting books & then being approved for those titles. Or even some of the books were “Read Now” without having to be approved….well, I ended up not reading a vast majority of those & DNF’ed them (there were simply TOO many!!). Looking back, I wished I wouldn’t have done that because it did affect my rating so much! You know that old saying, I wished I knew then what I know now? *Sigh* I’ve just now built up to a 70% rating. I’ve also found it takes SO many books to up that percentage….and since I don’t hardly review as much as I used to years ago, it’s going to take me a while to get to the suggested 80%

    I like to post my reviews ASAP and not let them hang….so if I do choose to read and review a book, I pick ones that don’t have far off release dates. Say not more than a month or so, then I’m not so pressured to remember to post those on time. ‘Cause I tend to forget to do on release day! Most times, I just post my review as soon as I write it, put the web link to what retail sites I can (GR, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookbub, Pinterest), then when the review posts on the blog, I’ll add that later. I also write myself a sticky note and post it on my computer monitor with the book title, release day, and where I posted and what sites I need to post on release day….that way it’s right in front of me so I (hopefully) don’t forget. It helps me to have something tangible to look at….notes are definitely my friends, lol! Also, when I do choose a book, I start it right away or within a few days of downloading it & not wait. I’ve just learned that works better for me, so again, there’s not that pressure to even just start reading a book.

    So while NG is a good thing because it really helps authors & publishers….it can also be a bit intimidating at the same token (at least to me). Because you want to be a good studious & dedicated reader in reading/ reviewing right away or as soon as possible! Hopefully all this makes sense 🙂

    Hello August (my birthday month)! Our weather is finally reflecting that it’s Summer with much nicer weather & more sunny days. I’m enjoying it for sure! For my book pick, I saw this on Shadow Mountain publishers on NG. It used to be Covenant Communications publishers (I thought), not sure what happened?? Anyway, this looks intriguing:

    Whispers of Shadowbrook House by Rebecca Anderson (Aug. 5th)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Happy Birthday month, Trixi! May it be full of bookish wonders! 🙂 I’m struggling to find a good tracking system for posting reviews on release date. I have three to post on Tuesday. I just put it in my blog tracking journal but I think I need a better system where I can lay out when I posted the review on the blog and insta and GR and the online stores. Might have to get a special journal just for that. Ohhhh, good excuse to head to the stationary store! 🙂 I think Covenant Communications and Shadow Mountain are like Bethany House and Revell — part of the same main publishing house but with different genres maybe? Good luck, Trixi!

      Like

      Reply

  21. I don’t do Netgalley. I don’t need that kind of pressure.

    The August book highest on my wish list is A Scheming in Parliament by Erica Vetsch.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  22. I honestly don’t know too much about Net Galley but I got my very first Kindle recently and I am learning day by day.  I like sending the Net Galley books to Kindle because it’s easier to see/read.  A couple of DNF’s tanked my rating years ago but now I’m up again. I’m at 96% and getting approved WAY more than I ever did.  Last week I was at 98% and I have no idea why my rating dropped a little.  Their rating system really does befuddle me.  I also hate that they grade you!  I try and review within a month of the publication date, if possible.  However, I have a book for March of 2026 that I’m not anxious to read so far out, so we’ll see how that goes.    Currently, I only have a September and the March one that I haven’t touched. I was shocked to get Karen Kingsbury’s October release of her Christmas book, but it’s done except for posting on Amazon on the release date.  So I’m guessing the sooner the better to post reviews?  I have no clue! I’m glad you are able to get so many audios, but I understand that too many can get stressful.  Audiobooks take me forever.  As for Hello August, I’m looking forward to The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox.

    perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (DOT) com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    2. Wow, March is waaaaayyyy in the future! Funny that they put those books out for review so early, especially if they want you to post a review within a month before or after the release date. So strange. How exciting that you got Karen Kingsbury’s Christmas book! Good luck, Perrianne!

      Like

      Reply

      3. I was quite surprised that I even got it! It releases on my birthday. I’m betting it’s good (never read one that I didn’t like!).

        Liked by 1 person

  23. Never done Net Galley so can’t answer that way. I do try my best to stay on top of the books I have on hand to read. Once I read a book I do my reviews before moving on to the next book. I have at a time had to move a book back a notch on my TBR list is another comes with a release date before it and I’ve obligated myself to read it even with the idea of an honest review solely on my part.

    If I were fortunate enough to be selected, I would LOVE the opportunity to read THE FRENCH KITCHEN by Kristy Cambron. It has a release date of August 5, 2025.

    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  24. Hi Kav, I typically do everything at once on the NetGalley site. I add my review plus all the links (blogs, Goodreads, retailers that accept early reviews, my podcast) prior to the release date. Sometimes it’s a few days before or a few weeks early, depending on when I’ve read and reviewed the book. My podcast schedule determines my reading order for ARC’s and I work through the list at my pace. I try not to request more than two books with the same release date because it can become too chaotic to get everything done in time. For the new releases that I preorder, I read and review at my leisure—which means it may take many months for those books to hit the top of my TBR list. 

    When I was cohosting StoryChats, I was always stressed about getting ARC’s read in time to record the episodes. We’d record 4 or 5 episodes in one session, which required preparation and planning to avoid last minute panic reading binges. I’m enjoying reading ARC’s a lot more now I’m in charge of my reading schedule and recording episodes at my convenience. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Wow, I can’t imagine recording 4 or 5 StoryChat episodes on the same day and being able to keep all the stories straight! I can see how that could have been very stressful. Not leeway for when life happens and eats into your reading time. I try to treat my Net Galley reviews the same way as you but I’m always waiting on Amazon since we can’t post there until release day and then we have to wait for approval. Have to admit I don’t even look at release date when I request a book…I generally squeal in excitement and click on request and figure things out later. bwahahaha!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  26. Net Galley: Here are my findings since I returned a couple years ago.
    1. I send to Kindle and don’t open the e-books. Then they don’t expire. However, it is easy to “renew” for another 55 days if you did download. The audio books just seem to stay there. So I rarely read the ones that are months away because I just don’t download them.
    2. I’ve found that books can be reviewed for up to a month after release. Again, you just have to watch the renewal or never download the e-book.
    3. Sometimes the email of acceptance is very specific about when you review but it’s not easy to remember that!

    AUGUST RELEASE:
    The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox. Releases August 19th.
    Thank-you!
    appletamoATyahooDOTca

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your information about the audiobooks. I haven’t ventured out to order them at NetGalley but now given the information you provided, I think I’ll try one.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  27. Kav, I’ve never reviewed with NetGalley so can’t help on that part of the conversation, but I’ve sure enjoyed looking at everyone’s choices for the Hello August giveaway. I’ve alread preordered Katie Powner’s When the Road Comes Around and Amanda Cox’s The Bitter End Birding Society so I’m covered on those 🙂 Several other good ones to choose from, but I’ll go with Last Light over Galveston by Jennifer L Wright. Sounds amazing!

    ckbarker at gmail dot com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  28. Thank you for having this discussion. First of all, I read and review books according to their pub date. I have been a part of the NetGalley site for many years. Some publishers have me on the auto-approved list. Last year an auto-approved publisher changed my status. Now I had to be approved by them, so I waited. The publication date came and went. I ordered other books. But just like you, July came, and I was approved for three books by said publisher and one from a different publisher.

    Normally I wouldn’t panic, but two of the books had already been published, and the third was soon to be published. I panicked because these books get archived, and they go away. You can still review them, but it messes with your score. The other thing is it disappears, and if I have trouble reading it on my Kindle, I can’t download or resend it to my Kindle.

    I’m glad to hear I wasn’t the only one this happened to in July. I’m still catching up. I look forward to reading When the Road Comes Around by Katie Powner and Gelato at the Villa by Robin Jones Gunn.

    I appreciate all you do!

    Nora finding hope at yahoo

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I wonder if it was a combination of new summer releases and publishers wanting to get a jump on the autumn release that created a bit of a log jam in the approval process this month? Have no idea how it works. I just dutifully check Net Galley every morning and request whatever I’m interested in and then wait. Some I get almost immediately and others it can take a week or two or more and I’m sure I wasn’t approved and then, poof, it appears in my start reading list. lol Good luck, Nora!

      Like

      Reply

  30. I’ve been reviewing on NetGalley for almost 10 years. I agree with some of the other comments that I have to be careful not to request too many. It’s easy to push that request button, especially when I’m auto-approved for several publishers, but it’s not as easy to actually get the books read and review them. I can relate to the “fear of missing out!” I usually don’t grab books from NG as soon as they’re listed, unless they’re by my favorite authors. I sometimes can get the books from other sources, so that limits how many I have on my NG shelf to review. It’s a good resource as long as you can keep your review ratio up. I sometimes will look on NetGalley as well as Goodreads to see how many stars the book has and what the reviews say before I decide to request them. I’ve had good luck getting approved from the publishers that I’m not auto-approved for. As for how long you can wait to review them–I’ve actually had some of the books on my shelf for several months before I review them. I try to get them reviewed before they release or within a few weeks of release date, but sometimes I have books that take precedence. I’ve reviewed some a year late and they still work, as long as I’ve loaded them on my Kindle.

    For the Hello August giveaway, I’ll choose Last Light over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright.

    whthomas13 at yahoo dot com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Just curious – how do you know if you are auto-approved by a publisher? I’ve been quite successful with getting books I request, think I’ve only missed out on two so far. There’s usually a lot less choice for audio books so that helps with the compulsively clicking on request like a crazed bookaholic! 🙂 But for some reason a slew came in all in the same week in July and I got approved pretty quickly.

      The other question I have now is that a number of you have mentioned that you don’t request a book right away but I was under the impression that there were only so many review slots per book and if you waited, you might miss out. Maybe that’s just audio books or I’m totally off basel

      I check on Gas for early reviews as well – especially for books in the cozy general market or in out of my comfort zone genres or tropes. That helps me determine whether the book would be a good fit for me, that way I don’t have to worry about DNFing. Thanks for sharing your NG wisdom, Winnie. Good luck!

      Like

      Reply

      1. There is a line on your dashboard under your favorite publisher’s lists that says: You are auto approved for Barbour or Bethany House or Revell, etc.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Bwahahaha! Gas I autocorrect for GR apparently. And thanks for the info about auto-approved – I checked and I am not. 😦 But I still get books anyway. 🙂

        Like

      4. Kav, I was acquainted with the lady (through bookish things) who used to be the publicist for Bethany House. I requested several Bethany books through NG and was prompt about reviewing them. One day I just got a notice that I was auto-approved. That was a few years ago. After a while, they dropped their auto-approvals. I have no idea why. But I was on another review site that offered auto-approval for Bethany and Revell, so I grabbed that opportunity. I’m also auto-approved for Shadow Mountain and a couple of other lesser known publishers. I usually have no problem getting approved for Thomas Nelson and Tyndale. I was auto-approved for Covenant Communications, but I think they have combined with Shadow Mountain now. I think I usually got an email saying I was auto-approved when they decided to do it.

        I think as long as you keep your review ratio up, you can get approved for a lot of books. Some publishers want you to have blogs and lots of followers, which I don’t have, so once in a while I don’t get approved. So far, I haven’t run out of books to read, though! LOL

        I usually download the NetGalley books onto my Kindle as soon as I get them. If you wait too long, they might get archived, then you can’t access them. You can still review them on NG after they’re archived. If you use the send to Kindle or send to Kobo option, the file won’t expire, so you can still read them. I always do that.

        I don’t have any idea if there are a limited number of review copies of a certain book on NG. The reason I sometimes wait a while to request a book there is that I often have other sources where I might be able to get a copy (especially a print copy as they’re easier for me to read), such as launch teams, review groups, etc. Where you enjoy audiobooks, you might as well just request which ones you’d like. They’re not as accessible other places. I was surprised to request a book from Tyndale a few weeks ago, and I got an approval a couple of hours later! It usually takes a few days to get approval. Good luck on your requests!

        Liked by 1 person

  32. Since I have no knowledge about Net Galley (sorry!) I’ll just skip to the Hello August part! I’m excited for a few books releasing this month, but would probably pick A Scheming in Parliament by Erica Vetsch

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment