NetGalley Month in Review

[Trisha]

YAY!! Congrats on almost 100%!! I don't think I'll ever get there lol

[Trisha]

This month, I:

Got to over 200 reviews turned in for the year
I got to under 300 books on my shelf
I went up 1 percent in my review percentage
AND I finally got to over 1000 total reviews submitted!

WOOHOO!! These next few months, I'm going to completely clean out my oldest books so I just have 2023, 2024, & 2025 to catch up on!

[Kristie]

Holy moly, Trisha! That's amazing!

I have 338 reviews completed in total. lol It'll take me years to get to my 500 badge. I typically only read two NGs per month.

[Elyse]

SEPTEMBER
41. Those Beyond the Wall Pub date 3/12/24. Finished 9/16/24 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
42. If I Stopped Haunting You Pub date 10/15/24. Finished 9/26/24 (SMP-no rating/review)
43. This Delicious Death Pub date 4/15/23. Finished 9/30/24 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review

[Elyse]

OCTOBER
44. Run Pub date 10/22/24. Finished 10/20/24 ⭐⭐ Review

Just one in October and it turns out I had already owned the e-book and luckily that was also free. lol

[Vicki]

Trisha wrote: "This month, I:

Got to over 200 reviews turned in for the year
I got to under 300 books on my shelf
I went up 1 percent in my review percentage
AND I finally got to over 1000 total reviews submitte..."

That's nothing short of incredible!!! Congrats!!!

[Kristie]

This was a month for adding books for me.

Beginning of Month:

Books on Shelf: 3
Netgalley Ratio: 99%


End of Month:

Read & Reviewed: 1
- my Sunflower House review

Added: 4


Books on Shelf: 6
Ratio: 98%

[Kevin]

I really like Alex Finlay so keen to hear what you think of Parents weekend when you get round to it

[Vicki]

After flubbing up majorly way back in 2023 when I had NO idea what I was doing or even how to do such things as download books, I know I can never reach 100%. I am SO impressed by how well some of you do with your feedback ratio. I am going to really press myself this year to get to many more NetGalley books and do my reviews/feedback. Wish me luck because I'm going to need it!

[Kristie]

Kevin - I've only read a couple of his books, but I really enjoyed them too. I'm looking forward to that one.

Vicki - It's so hard to get back on track with NG once you fall behind. I've done it a couple of times. I made it to 99% feedback this year with only three books left on my shelf, but then I wanted to add more, so I did. I still have one that is way past due. I hope to get to it in 2025. It drives me crazy just sitting there. I'm sure you'll reach your NG goals. You can do it!

[Kristie]

I won't be finishing any more tonight, so here is my December wrap up:

Beginning of Month:
Books on Shelf: 6
Netgalley Ratio: 98%


End of Month:

Read & reviewed: 4
- Memory Library review
- Queens of Crime review
- Beautiful Ugly review
- Nemesis review

Added: 9
🎧 🎧

Books on Shelf: 12
Ratio: 97%

[Vicki Willis]

Kevin, he is newish author to me, but am really looking forward.

Vicki, I think we have all been in that boat. I think the key is to keep current on the new ones and sprinkle in some older ones as you go.

Kristie, I am so glad you added more books! I was feeling concerned about your lean shelf.

[Kristie]

lol, Vicki! I had been feeling overwhelmed with book obligations between NetGalley, challenges, and book club reads. I felt like I couldn't keep up, so I wanted to take a little break. Plenty on there now!

[Kevin]

I finished the year having read and reviewed 147 books on Netgalley which included, in the past few days, my 500th review on the site. I'm currently sitting with 515 books approved and I've reviewed 502 so feedback ratio is 97%.

None of the 13 books still to review are overdue, in fact, I think the next one to publish isn't until March so still have plenty of time

[Elyse]

Kevin wrote: "I finished the year having read and reviewed 147 books on Netgalley which included, in the past few days, my 500th review on the site. I'm currently sitting with 515 books approved and I've reviewe..."

Wow that's impressive, Kevin!

[Elyse]

Forgot to do November aka just wrote my 2 reviews for November and 2 for December lol. But hey, I'm caught up now. And I'm reading my first backlog NetGalley title already!

NOVEMBER
45. Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret Pub date 10/22/24. Finished 11/13/24 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
46. A Game of Lies Pub date 4/23/24. Finished 11/26/24 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
DECEMBER
47. Cross My Heart Pub date 1/14/25. Finished 12/12/24⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
48. A Jingle Bell Mingle Pub date 9/24/24. Finished 12/27/24 ⭐⭐⭐ Review

Booooo 2 away from 50, that stinks lol.

[Kristie]

Way to go, Elyse!

[Vicki Willis]

Elyse wrote: "Forgot to do November aka just wrote my 2 reviews for November and 2 for December lol. But hey, I'm caught up now. And I'm reading my first backlog NetGalley title already!

NOVEMBER
45. [book:Ever..."

That is an amazing number considering you have a baby. I don't think I read a book for 2 years when I was in your position.

[Elyse]

Thanks ladies! Well, Vicki, I bet you would've gotten a little more reading done if audiobooks (not on CD or cassette lol) and e-books were a thing then! The only way I got through 90% of the physical books I read last year was borrowing (or already owning) the e-book and/or audiobook as well! So I could dabble in all 3 formats as the need arose.

[Brandie]

Kindle

Murder by Cheesecake Pub date April 15, 2025
If I Lost you Pub Date March 2, 2025

Audible

Her Hiding Place Pub date Jan 31, 2025

[Jessie (Saffity)]

January 2025:

Books on Shelf: 14
NetGalley Ratio: 68%

Kids Ebooks:

1. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
9. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Grown Up Ebooks:

10. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
11. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
12. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
13. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Audiobooks:

14. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
15. ⭐⭐⭐


My numbers are pretty high because I read a bunch of kids books which take almost no time. My shelf is very full because of a bunch of really good Read Now's, I'm hoping to get a bunch read and reviewed in February so I can get my 80% badge.

[Kristie]

I ended up having a good NG month even though I didn't finish my first book until the 10th this month. The next four books were all for review.

Beginning of Month:
Books on Shelf: 10
Netgalley Ratio: 97%


End of Month:
Read & reviewed: 5
- my Killing Cold review
- my Lost House review
- my Penitence review
🎧 - my Head Cases review

Added: 1


Books on Shelf: 6
Ratio: 98%

[Elyse]

JANUARY
1. Fated Pub date 7/16/24. Finished 1/3/25 ⭐⭐ Review
2. Booked on Murder Pub date 8/6/24. Finished 1/7/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
3. She Followed the Moon Back to Herself Pub date 10/29/24. Read 1/9/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
4. Babylonia (audio & e-book) Pub date 1/14/25. Finished 1/22/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
5. Wished Pub date 10/1/24. Finished 1/23/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
6. Ex Marks the Spot Pub date 12/31/24. Finished 1/26/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
7. Don't Tell Me How to Die Pub date 3/4/25. Finished 1/31/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review

Pretty good start to the year and my reviews are all done too! Woohoo! 5 backlog and 2 current (counting Babylonia as current because I started it prior to publication day). I only read Don't Tell Me How to Die because Blackstone Audio was doing a giveaway! Read and review the book by today and be entered to win 12 audiobooks! How could I not?! And I ended up liking the book! By an author I had never heard of!

[Kristie]

That's great, Elyse! You enjoyed the story, found a new author, and have a chance to win audiobooks. That's a win all around. Fingers crossed you win the 12 books!

[Elyse]

Kristie wrote: "That's great, Elyse! You enjoyed the story, found a new author, and have a chance to win audiobooks. That's a win all around. Fingers crossed you win the 12 books!"

Thanks Kristie!

[Melanie]

I managed to review a couple of my backlog books (including one I read mid-last year) and one of my January ARCs. With the two books I added, that lowers my ARC TBR by one so progress I guess. I'm hoping to actually sit down at some point this month and review the dozen or so ARCs I read last year that I never wrote the reviews for which will help.

Start of month:
Books on shelf: 92
Feedback Ratio: 81%

Added:


Finished/Reviewed:


1. You Can Run | https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. No Place Left to Hide | https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. Love Letters by the Sea | https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

End of Month:
Books on shelf: 91
Feedback Ratio: 82%

[Kristie]

So glad you enjoyed You Can Run, Melanie. I own that book, but haven't read it yet.

[Melanie]

Kristie wrote: "So glad you enjoyed You Can Run, Melanie. I own that book, but haven't read it yet."

I've read the first 3 books in the series and liked all of them so I definitely recommend the series.

[Trisha]

I know it is really silly and is probably only temporary until I get more books read but. . . *sigh* I worked so hard these last few months to try to get through my Netgalley backlog and. . .

I finally have it:

[Elyse]

Trisha wrote: "I know it is really silly and is probably only temporary until I get more books read but. . . *sigh* I worked so hard these last few months to try to get through my Netgalley backlog and. . ...."

Woohoo congrats Trisha!

[Vicki Willis]

Trisha wrote: "I know it is really silly and is probably only temporary until I get more books read but. . . *sigh* I worked so hard these last few months to try to get through my Netgalley backlog and. . .

I fi..."

Ha! I saw it! You are official!

[Kristie]

Yay! Congrats, Trisha! 🎉

[Kristie]

I only read 2 (3 off shelf because I had the ebook and audio of one) this month. I really don't have many books to read on my shelf at the moment. I seem to have a lot of requests that are just pending indefinitely lately. I did add one though.

Beginning of Month:
Books on Shelf: 8
Netgalley Ratio: 98%

End of Month:
Read & Reviewed: 3
- My Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice review
- My Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave review

Added: 1


Books on Shelf: 6
Ratio: 99%

[Trisha]

I managed to keep my 80% this month! yay!

I did fall a little behind, though. . .so hopefully I'll catch back up this month.

Still a good reading month though. There were so many pretty covers and great stories!

[Elyse]

FEBRUARY
8. The Queens of Crime Pub date 2/11/25. Finished 2/8/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
9. Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 Pub date 2/25/25. Finished 2/17/25 ⭐⭐ Review
10. You Are Fatally Invited Pub date 2/11/25. Finished 2/18/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
11. The Christie Affair Pub date 2/1/22. Finished 2/22/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
12. I Would Die for You Pub date 3/25/25. Finished 2/28/25 ⭐⭐ Review

4 current (counting You Are Fatally Invited as current because I started it prior to publication day) and 1 backlog.

[Jessie (Saffity)]

I got my ratio up a little, but I also grabbed a bunch of books. Luckily most of them have release dates in the fall, so I have plenty of time to read them.

I will get my 80% badge! I just have to stop grabbing new books!

Books on Shelf: 18
Ratio: 71%

Kids EBooks:

16. Dinosaur Day ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
17. Humpty's Great Fall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
18. Stemosaurus ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
19. Sincerely, Antonia: A Big Note from a Tiny Guest ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
20. The Last Petal: A Tale of Dilly Daisy: A Lesson for Kids about Lying, Honesty and Telling the Truth – in a Magical Picture Book Story! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
21. The Last Petal: A Tale of Dilly Daisy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
22. They Work: Honey Bees, Nature's Pollinators ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
23. The Big Snowdown ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
24. My Love Is Everywhere ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
25. You Can Say Hi with Only a Smile ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Grown Up EBooks

26. Sketchbook Joy: How to Embrace Your Creativity and Fill Your Sketchbooks with Colour ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Audio Books

27. The Rhino Keeper ⭐⭐⭐
28. Upon a Starlit Tide ⭐⭐⭐⭐
29. The Fourth Consort ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goals for March are to get my books on the shelf down under 10 and maybe get my ratio closer to 80. I got has high as 76, and then Read Now had a few I wanted to read...

[Sian]

This month I managed to knock 5 of the books off my backlog shelf (from the early Netgalley days of requesting everything, then lockdown and kids entering my life!)

- 5 stars, my review

- 4 stars, my review

- 3 stars, my review

- 3.75 stars, my review

- 3.75 stars, my review

And 3 current reviews (published in March and April)

- 5 stars, my review

- 4 stars, my review

- 5 stars, my review

I've got my ratio up to 76% and have 14 to go to reach 80%. I'd like to reach that by the end of June, then I'll work on clearing the other 60 or so from my outstanding list!

[Emerald]

I read mostly NG books this month and got back over 80%. A very solid 4* month, none of them wowed me but all very readable

3.5* read (got this in audiobook and it was less memoir and more fiction)

4* this is a new series for the author with the second book due out this summer

4* (3rd book in the Molly the Maid series)

4* not as good as some of the previous books but the author mentioned in their blurb that they were diagnosed with late stage cancer so to be expected

4.5* - I really enjoyed this cozy mystery and added the previous books in the series to my TBR

4* overall, this is a collection of short stories, some great, some missed the mark for me

4* again, the main plot was great, the secondary one a bit slow until they merged

4* - very Reacher-esque but not as good as the previous book in the series

[Jessie (Saffity)]

H'okay so I failed spectacularly at my March goals. However, I gained my 50 Reviews badge, as well as my Top Reviewer badge so that's fun.

Books on shelf: 26
Backlog: 4 (technically 2 as I grabbed 2 read nows that are past publication date)
Ratio: 69%

Kids Books:

30. Ghost Says Meow!: A Halloween Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
31. Narwhal's Sweet Tooth ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
32. Sunny Bunnies: My Book of Feelings ⭐⭐⭐⭐
33. If God Were a Great Big Bear ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
34. Danger Eagle ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
35. Charley Mouse Cleans House ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Grown Up Books

36. Family Dinners: The Ultimate Cookbook ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
37. How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea: Broil, Bake, Poach & Grill Your Way to Exceptional Fish & Shellfish ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
38. Dover Pocketbook Collection: Cross-Stitch Flowers: Classic Patterns, Checklists, Space for Notes ⭐⭐⭐⭐
39. Unmaking Mary: Shattering the Myth of Perfect Motherhood ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
40. The Little Sock Knitting Book: Learn the Basics with Colorful, Stylish Projects (Landauer) Everything You Need to Know to Knit the Perfect Sock - Easy Patterns and Step-by-Step Photos for Beginners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
41. Embroidering Animals with Color and Texture: 25 Cute Critters with Pop-Up Details and Stumpwork (Landauer) Full-Size Embroidery Patterns, Beginner to Advanced Projects, Diagrams, and Step-by-Step ⭐⭐⭐⭐
42. Bowls: 100+ Recipes for Healthy, Vibrant Bowls ⭐⭐⭐⭐
43. Twisted: Wire Jewellery Techniques and Projects ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have two audiobooks I need to blast through, one that was due the 25, and one due tomorrow. I'm listing them on my backlog right now. My big thing is I need my kids to want to read our collection of books, but since it's getting nice outside they're not interested in crashing on the couch, which quite frankly is fine by me.

I'm going to try and be good this month and work on dropping my shelf amount, as well as getting my ratio up. I did a lot of cookbooks and craftbooks last month, it will be nice to read some novels.

[Elyse]

MARCH
13. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Pub date 2/2/21. Finished 3/9/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
14. A Long Time Gone Pub date 2/4/25. Read 3/15/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
15. Your Pasta Sucks: A "Cookbook" Pub date 4/1/25. Finished 3/16/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review

A low NG month for me.

[Melanie]

Went a smidge backwards this month but read some great books.

Start of month:
Books on shelf: 90
Feedback Ratio: 82%

Added:


Finished/Reviewed:


1. Track Her Down | https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. The Next Grave | https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. We Were Warned | https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4. Good Duke Gone Wild | https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

End of Month:
Books on shelf: 91
Feedback Ratio: 82%

[Kristie]

I only read one this month and added two, so nothing exciting happening here.

Beginning of Month:
Books on Shelf: 6
Netgalley Ratio: 99%


End of Month:

Read & Reviewed: 1
- my Nobody's Fool review

Added: 2


Books on Shelf: 7
Ratio: 98%

[Carl]

Start of March
Books on Shelf: 58, I think
Ratio: 86%

End of March
Books on Shelf: 64
Ratio: 80%

Added: 6
Above the Waterline
A/S/L
Parallel Lines
Mythica: A New History of Homer’s World, Through the Women Written Out of It
Dominion
The Unveiling

Read & Reviewed: 7
Cleopatra https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Open, Heaven https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Small Boat https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Mere https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Vanishing World https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Room on the Sea https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Blood on Her Tongue https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Elyse]

APRIL
16. Suffer the Children Pub date 5/20/14. Finished 4/7/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
17. Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice Pub date 3/4/24. Read 4/10/25 ⭐⭐ Review
18. Nora Goes Off Script Pub date 6/7/22. Read 4/13/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
19. Some Like It Scot (audio) Pub date 4/8/25. Read 4/16/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
20. First Wife's Shadow (audio) Pub date 3/18/25. Finished 4/18/25 ⭐⭐ Review
21. The Last Session Pub date 4/1/25. Finished 4/18/25 ⭐⭐ Review
22. At Dark, I Become Loathsome (audio) Pub date 1/28/25. Read 4/19/25 ⭐⭐ Review
23. Trial by Ambush: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham (audio) Pub date 12/2/24. Finished 4/21/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
24. Last Chance to Save the World (audio) Pub date 4/8/25. Read 4/25/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
25. Nightcrawling Pub date 6/7/22. Finished 4/29/25 ⭐⭐ Review

Good NG month after a slow one! Gave myself some room between Libby/Hoopla borrows to listen to some backlog audio ARCs. Still got a few more to get through.

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Well, April was a no Netgalley month for me apparently.

I had a lot of books on my TBR and buddy reads for already released books. Add to that a couple of Daycare Plagues brought home and my reading time was squashed.

However I did get my very first Widget, so that's something!

Books on Shelf: 29 (even with not reading and reviewing a single book all month, I had 2 approvals and the widget come through)
Backlog: 7
Ratio: 67%

0 books read or reviewed.

I have 2 non-netgalley books to go through and then I'm going to chip away at my backlog and try to get my list of to reads down and my ratio up.

I also have a number of kids books to get through with the kiddos, we just happened to win a rather large gift card to a local book store and they've been more interested in their holdable books than the ones on the tablet.

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Well, 2 is better than nothing!

Books on shelf: 25
Backlog: 9
Ratio: 70%

44. Oh No! Dinosaurs in My School ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
45. 1, 2, 3, Nosh With Me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've been reading off of my TBR of already released books recently. I've also been completing the GR challenges as they come up. Once I finish my current book and the last book for the challenge, I'm focusing on my NG shelf, so June and July should be better.

The good news is I didn't add any books to my list, and I'm purposely not signing onto NG so I don't get tempted until I read through some more.

My main goal for the summer is to get through my backlog, and remain current with releases. (This may be bumped back a bit depending on what the summer GR challenge happens to be).

[Kristie]

Jessie (Saffity) wrote: "Well, 2 is better than nothing!

Books on shelf: 25
Backlog: 9
Ratio: 70%

44. Oh No! Dinosaurs in My School ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
45. 1, 2, 3, Nosh With Me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
..."

Especially when they are both 5 stars! :)

[Kristie]

Beginning of Month:
Books on Shelf: 7
Netgalley Ratio: 98%


End of Month:
Read & reviewed:
- my Love Haters review (read last month)
- my Man Made of Smoke review
- my It's a Love Story review

Added: 2


Books on Shelf: 5
Ratio: 99%

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Kristie wrote: "Especially when they are both 5 stars! :)."

I mean, they're kids' board books so it's pretty hard to mess those up.

[Elyse]

MAY
26. The Glittering Edge Pub date 5/6/25. Finished 5/7/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
27. The Mistletoe Mystery Pub date 10/1/24. Read 5/8/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
28. It's a Love Story Pub date 5/27/25. Finished 5/9/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
29. The Maid's Secret Pub date 4/8/25. Finished 5/14/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
30. The Missing Half Pub date 5/6/25. Finished 5/15/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
31. Aftertaste Pub date 5/20/25. Finished 5/24/25 ⭐⭐⭐ Review
32. We Could Be Magic Pub dat 6/3/25. Read 5/25/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
33. Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery Pub date 9/14/21. Finished 5/26/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
34. The Unraveling of Julia Pub date 7/15/25. Finished 5/31/25 ⭐⭐ Review

Pretty good May in terms of reading NetGalley books! Some winners, some losers.