NetGalley Month in Review

[Trisha]

Yes, all in May! I'm almost to 50 already for the year. Just hoping to get caught up as much as possible!

The Big Dark Sky - I was not a fan. gave it 2 stars. But it had been a while since I'd read a Dean Koontz so it could be that he just doesn't work for me. I didn't like his writing style or his characters.

[Kristie]

Oh, that's disappointing! Glad I skipped it now. I can always give it a try later if it pops up at my library.

That's amazing. I've only read 35 books so far this year and only 13 of those were NetGalleys. I seem to be in a slow spot lately and it likely won't really pick up again until at least September. I am in the middle of four books right now though (two of which are NetGalleys, two are for book clubs) so I am still plugging along.

[Tasha]

Trisha, that is impressive! I hope that made a big dent in your NG tbr!

[Tasha]

My May NG reads:

, 4 stars (ebook)
, 4 stars (audio)
, 3 stars (audio)

I think I only picked up 1 new book from NG in May:

[Elyse]

I only wrote 2 reviews in May so today I caught up and wrote 12 more! So here is my May and June wrap-up because I won't be reading another NG book this month.

MAY
40. Some Things I Still Can't Tell You: Poems (audio) Pub date 4/12/22. Read 5/1/22 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
41. Amazona Pub date 5/3/22. Read 5/1/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
42. Burt's Way Home Pub date 7/5/22. Read 5/1/22 ⭐⭐ Review
43. Linty: A Pocketful of Adventure Pub date 5/3/22. Read 5/1/22 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
44. Never Been Kissed (audio) Pub date 5/3/22. Finished 5/3/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
45. Burn Down, Rise Up (audio) Pub date 5/3/22. Finished 5/5/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
46. Hidden Pictures (audio) Pub date 5/10/22. Finished 5/8/22 ⭐⭐ Review
47. Boss Witch (audio) Pub date 4/5/22. Finished 5/20/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
48. Wildseed Witch (audio) Pub date 5/10/22. Finished 5/23/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
49. The Final Hunt (audio) Pub date 6/7/22. Finished 5/25/22 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
50. Dear Mum (audio) Pub date 5/10/22. Finished 5/31/22 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
JUNE
51. Manhattan Cult Story: Abuse, Crime, Sex, and My Life inside a Secret Organization Pub date 7/5/22. Finished 6/16/22 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
52. Stay Awake Pub date 8/9/22. Finished 6/18/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
53. The Resort Pub date 6/24/22. Finished 6/23/22 ⭐⭐⭐ Review

[Kristie]

Nice, Elyse! You had quite a few 4 star reads. Do you have a favorite out of them?

[Tasha]

That's a lot of reviews and NG reading, enjoy your month off! ;)

[Elyse]

Kristie wrote: "Nice, Elyse! You had quite a few 4 star reads. Do you have a favorite out of them?"

I was most surprised by Burn Down, Rise Up and how enjoyable it was!

[Kristie]

Sounds interesting! Nice review. I completely understand when things start to get complicated and you don't pay close enough attention. I have mastered that skill with audio and physical books. Sometimes I get to the end of the page and have no idea what I've read and have to go back and re-read it. lol

[Kristie]

I won't be able to finish my current NetGalley today, so here is my month in review for June.

Beginning of Month:
Books on Shelf: 9
Netgalley Ratio: 97%

End of Month:
Read & Reviewed:
my My Wife Is Missing review
my Stay Awake review
my Holy Chow review
my Gatekeeper review

Added: 7
🎧

Books on Shelf: 11
Ratio: 96%

[Trisha]

I was hoping to get to my "500" badge on Netgalley this month but I'm 3 away. . .so definitely next month. I'm finishing one more today. I'm still reading books from last year and early this year from when I went on a book reading break *sigh* I feel like I'm never going to catch back up, but I'm definitely working on it!

- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
- my review
<~~ finishing this one up today

this brought me to 61 completed so far this year (really since April. . .)

[Elyse]

Trisha wrote: "I was hoping to get to my "500" badge on Netgalley this month but I'm 3 away. . .so definitely next month. I'm finishing one more today. I'm still reading books from last year and early this year f..."

Great job, Trisha!

[Kristie]

Wow! You got through so many, Trisha! Great job! You'll get caught up pretty quickly at that rate.

I am nowhere near 500 reviews. I wish they had something between 200 and 500. That's a long way to go for some of us.

[Tasha]

Wow, that is a lot of NG reading! Congrats on getting so many done and off your list, Trisha. There are a lot of interesting books on that list!

[Tasha]

I only read 2 and am still in a 3rd for this month:

Read:
3 stars

4 stars

Still Reading:


Added in June:


Books on Shelf: 6 (one I will probably never read)
Ratio: 88%

[Kristie]

My month in review:

Beginning of Month:

Books on Shelf: 11
Netgalley Ratio: 96%


End of Month:

Read & Reviewed: 4
- my Bodyguard review
- my Fatal Witness review
- my Things We Do in the Dark review
- my Upgrade review

Added: 1


Books on Shelf: 7
Ratio: 97%

I have two pending and a couple widgets I'm considering, but I'm in a good place. There seem to be quite a few January releases that I'm interested in, so hopefully I don't go over-planning another month.

[Trisha]

It was another really good netgalley month, even though I'm still playing catch up and trying to get through my backlog.
this month I really dug in to my Netgalley shelf and found a book or 2 I'd previously read and forgot to send feedback in (not listed below). Yay!

[Kristie]

Way to go, Trisha!

[Tasha]

Wow, that's crazy good, Trisha! Impressive. :)

[Thereadingbell]

I too had a good month in NG reads. I am also working on books I have had in my Netgalley for way to long. So I completed 27 but I believe 3 I had the book and the audio for.
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

the three I had audio with as well as arc was
, , and

I have 33 on shelf to read and finally hit 72% Ratio I plan to get to 80% this month.

[Trisha]

ooh all your pretty covers! I hope they were as good as they look!

[Tasha]

So many books!! congrats. :)

[Star]

I had a good NetGalley July. I read 18 & 1 I would not give feedback on, DNF Wake of War (Excessive profanity). I use archive date as due date.

Today ---

On Bookshelf: 32
Ebooks: 14
Audio: 18

Late: 2
My Brother's Spare (Ebook)
The War Girls (Audio)

Additionally in Aug:
Books: 0
Audio: 11

*Black Mouth
*Dirt Creek
*After We Were Stolen
*The Visitors
*The Puppeteer's Daughter
*Unforgivable
*The Stepson
*Midnight on the Marne
*Stay Awake
*Girls without Tears
*Out of Egypt

In my spare time I'm reading along with the audio from Hoopla The Count of Monte Cristo (36 pages or so a day).

NetGalley Ratio: 80%

[Star]

Thereadingbell Best Wishes. You did some reading. My goal is to zero out my NG shelf by Oct 1st. I want to focus in Oct/Nov physical books to move out of my home respectfully, and donate for others to enjoy in Dec or picked up for gifts.

[Kristie]

Wow! You both had great reading months too! I almost grabbed Dirt Creek a couple of times. It looks really interesting to me.


Star wrote: "...I use archive date as due date. ..."

Star - Just curious, how do you handle books that don't have an archive date?

[Tasha]

In July, I:

Finished: (started in June)


Read:


Added:


Books on shelf: 5
Ratio: 89%

[Elyse]

JULY
54. The Mother-in-Law Pub date 1/29/19. Finished 7/3/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
55. Bet on It Pub date 7/12/22. Read 7/7/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
56. Into the Mist (audio) Pub date 7/12/22. Finished 7/13/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
57. The Enemy (audio) Pub date 5/10/22. Finished 7/16/22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
58. The Blame Game Pub date 8/16/22. Read 7/23/22 ⭐⭐⭐ Review

Slow NG month for me but good books!

[Star]

Kristie ... I try to fit them in. I realized the Archive due date wasn't working for me. Just recently I've two that don't have archive dates, firsts for me. That's why I was asking does NetGalley ever say anything about late books? I'm trying to zero out my shelf. I love reading ARCs, but don't want to get a bad rep.

[Kristie]

They never say anything about late books, Star. You can review them whenever you want as long as you download them before they archive or if you can get a copy elsewhere. I always download right away so I don't miss them, but I've also gotten several audios from the library or Audible before to help me get caught up on my late reviews. I have a few books that I even reviewed years after I got them. I wouldn't make a habit of that, but they still accept the reviews and I've never gotten a complaint about it.

[Tasha]

That's good to know, Kristie. A lot less pressure although I do try to read them before pub date.

[Star]

Thank you Kristie. I agree Tasha.

I don't buy new releases. I buy used and mostly clearance. NetGalley ARCs have been fun for me. I feel better. I was worried. I donate physical books, and set Oct and Nov for a Dec donation. This year they need more. It is better to give than receive, and sometimes you can give and take. Happy Reading Ladies.

[Kristie]

I do to, Tasha. I figure they give us the ARCs basically to help promote the book and get people seeing it. So, I try to get it reviewed by the pub date and usually close to it. Every so often one will get away from me though and then it takes forever for me to squeeze it into my other reads. I try not to do it often, but I do have one sitting on my shelf that just turned two years old. I may still get to it yet.

[Tasha]

I have an old one too, I'm just not interested but I hate to say I won't review it bc I think it reflects on your ratio. Do you know if it does?

[Tasha]

Star wrote: "Thank you Kristie. I agree Tasha.

I don't buy new releases. I buy used and mostly clearance. NetGalley ARCs have been fun for me. I feel better. I was worried. I donate physical books, and set Oc..."

I prefer buying used as well but every once in a while I will treat myself to a new book. I've discovered Pango as well so have been selling a few books there but donate many as well.

[[deleted user]]

Tasha wrote: "I have an old one too, I'm just not interested but I hate to say I won't review it bc I think it reflects on your ratio. Do you know if it does?"

I understood that requesting the book takes the ratio down vs reviewing the book brings the ratio back up. Just sitting on the shelf does nothing more, it's just sitting there.

But, reading/reviewing it and getting it off your shelf is obviously the better choice. 🤓🤓🤓

[Tasha]

Yes, true. Thanks, Karen. :)

[Thereadingbell]

I have books on my shelf that are several years old. I took a break from reading for almost 2 years so now I am trying to get them removed off of my self and stay current. It doesn't hurt that they are there but some publishers may deny you more because of it. If they spend the time and look. I am trying to stay current with the new ones but even then sometimes books don't complete like you want them too. i got covid and well that made my current books behind so I believe I am 3 behind that I normally would have been done if I didn't get covid and was down for several weeks. I did listen to books but did not do my normal reading books during that time. So my books that are needing to be read are behind. Life happens and I think they realize that. My goal now is to try to clear off all this old stuff by years end so I can start fresh at the start of the new year. If I like the book I am reading not listening too I can usually finish them in a day but max two days. If it is a book I am semi interested in then they can drag on longer. I usually have several books going at once so if one doesn't grab me and I need something more light hearted I have that available to me. oh yeah just got me a few new book apps to get my reading organized and so far they are helping me one lets me put them on the day I want to read them and sends me a reminder so that is something nice.

[Star]

Thereadingbell...I hope you are well and building up your resistance. Best wishes on your reading goals. The reminder app sounds interesting, I write mine out every Monday and Thursday. Goodreads is about as technical as I get.

KarenK2...I noticed the request vs review up and down. I have sent several back several as will not review, and that didn't glaringly change anything.

[Tasha]

Threadingbell, which apps are you using for organizing your reads? Sounds interesting.

[Kristie]

Tasha wrote: "I have an old one too, I'm just not interested but I hate to say I won't review it bc I think it reflects on your ratio. Do you know if it does?"

If you use the 'will not review' option it doesn't change your ratio, but if you were to read every book on your shelf you still couldn't get to 100% because you didn't review one. It basically affects your ratio the same way as leaving it on your shelf forever.

[Thereadingbell]

Tasha wrote: "Threadingbell, which apps are you using for organizing your reads? Sounds interesting."

The best one that I am using right now is Basmo app also Reading List is also interesting you can put your books into lists. Basmo is nice for the calendar part and you can speak quotes and it sends reminders ect.

[Tasha]

Ok, thanks, Kristie. I think I will go remove it now since I really don't think I'll ever end up reading it.

[Tasha]

Basmo sounds interesting, Threadingbell, thanks! I'll check them both out.

[Tasha]

uh oh, I think there may be a rabbit hole of bookish apps...lol.

[Star]

Thanks Kristie. I feel like the worst that can happen is they lose me as a reviewer. Before I send a NG back, I reread the synopsis making sure I didn't miss a automatic no or DNF from me, and it did happen once.

[Star]

Lol Tasha. Good luck.

[[deleted user]]

Tasha wrote: "uh oh, I think there may be a rabbit hole of bookish apps...lol."

Yep, lol. But I do like goodreads and I've used it several years. Plus, I reaally like talking with this community of bookish friends.

[Tasha]

Same here, Karen. :)

[Elyse]

Tasha wrote: "I have an old one too, I'm just not interested but I hate to say I won't review it bc I think it reflects on your ratio. Do you know if it does?"

Technically, choosing "I will not leave feedback" does not impact your ratio except in the fact that you had a book you got approved for, so it went down based on your approved/reviewed ratio and not reviewing it will not make it go up. But just by choosing that option will not change your ratio, it's already changed. I've done this a handful of times when I didn't download before they got archived and I was no longer interested in them so I didn't seek them elsewhere like Kristie does.

[Tasha]

Ok, thanks so much, Elyse.