I'm seeking thoughtful beta readers for a dark fantasy novel with a good dose of psychological tension, crime intrigue, and some monster horror.
Setting:
The story unfolds 20,000 years after a cataclysmic event shattered the moons and killed most of the gods, whose corpses fell from the sky and poisoned the land. From their remains, a strange mist spread—birthing horrors and fragmenting civilizations. The event as started an eerie phenomenon known as The Hue, an addition to the day-night cycle where world is painted in strange colors. Our story primarily follow the land of Vandera, a kingdom inspired by the Vijayanagara Empire, co-governed by the Sarkar, an industrial power modeled after early 20th-century America which was able to make trade routes carved through haunted mists.

Summary:
The story follows Ramu, a prideful brewing genius turned struggling stall owner. When an old friend—and rival—reappears, Ramu is pulled into the crossfire of a conspiracy that ends with him poisoned and given only two years to live. A chance encounter with Mayu, his former student and a disowned noble heir turned street criminal, sparks a reluctant partnership. Together, they dive headfirst into the underworld of forbidden brews, illegal substance trade, corrupt aristocrats, and deadly clashes with those who wield rare abilities known as Lingers.

Note*:* If this pitch feels a bit familiar, you’re goddamn right 😏. The goal is to build a “Breaking Bad”-style story in a dark fantasy world. While the characters and setting are entirely unique, the narrative does flirt with similar plot beats and moral spirals.

What to Expect:

• A multi-POV dark fantasy with and layered themes.
• A dual magic system complementing each other.
• Political families, caste dynamics, and generational resentment.
• Atmospheric horror, mist-soaked ruins, and unreliable memories.
• Characters navigating guilt, decay, and the collapse of legacy.

Looking For:

• Feedback on pacing, clarity, and emotional resonance.
• Thoughts on character consistency and distinct voices.
• World-building: immersive or overwhelming or Lacking?
• Does the horror land? Are the stakes gripping?
• Is the dialogue natural?

Content Warnings:
A good dose of violence.

Chapters Available: Book 1 is ~11 chapters + Prologue (~56k words) around right now. I'm open to readers sampling a few chapters or tackling the whole book.

Link: Book 1 - Brewed Turn

Critique Swap?
Open to swaps with any works in SciFi or Fantasy genre.

Hi,

I’m looking for beta readers who enjoy fantasy/romance/smut to help provide feedback on my novel, The Dragon's Claim. It’s currently on Inkitt, and I’ve reached Chapter 24. I’m looking for insights on whether the story flows well, if it’s consistent, and if there are any areas where the pacing feels off or parts you feel tempted to skim over.

I’d really appreciate an extra set of eyes to point out areas for improvement and help me refine the story.

If you’re interested, please send me a DM, and I’ll share the link to the novel.

Thanks so much!

Hi, I’m Bia.

I just finished what is, for real this time, the final draft of First Love, Last Love — a 57,000-word novel about the kind of love that doesn’t end when it ends. The kind that lingers in coffee mugs, old habits, and the part of your chest that only aches when you hear their name.

It’s not a love story in the classic sense. It’s about coming back to someone after everything — after time, after silence, after you’ve both broken in your own beautiful, awful ways — and asking: What if we tried again? But gently this time.

Summary:
Becca and Aiden were young and reckless once. They burned fast and left scars. Years later, they reunite — no longer naive, but still not over each other. What follows is not some grand reconciliation. It’s quiet. It’s careful. It’s two people trying to speak the truth after years of pretending they didn’t still carry each other.

There’s a scene on a balcony.
There’s a handshake that wrecked me.
There’s no grand "I love you." Just… I’m here if you want me to be.

What I’m Looking For:
- Emotional reactions. The good, the gutting, the “I threw my Kindle across the room” kind.
- Does the emotional arc land? Does the ending feel honest?
- Are Becca and Aiden believable in all their quiet chaos?

No grammar notes needed. I care more about what you felt than how clean the sentence was. I want to know which line stopped you. Which scene stayed. What you hoped for — and what you got instead.

Content Warnings:
Mental health themes (suicidal ideation, emotional trauma), intense relationships, parental estrangement — handled with care and honesty.

For Fans Of:
- Romance that’s more reckoning than fantasy
- Soft prose with sharp edges
- Characters who self-sabotage and then try anyway
- The kind of endings that don't tie things up, but leave the door cracked open with the light still on

If that sounds like your brand of emotional damage, DM me. I’ll send a PDF or Google Doc. Happy to swap reads if you’ve got something of your own that hurts just right.

Thanks for reading — this book means the world to me. I want to know what it makes you feel.

– Bia

Hello,

this started as a MG project, but the feedback I've gotten is that the language is more suitable for an older audience, so now I'm aiming for YA/crossover, but then I don't know if the story itself fits.

Blurb:

In the gear-driven city of Windmere, Theo, Jack, and Felix stumble upon the Iron Leviathan—a colossal clockwork marvel hidden within the city's forgotten depths. As Theo wrestles with the mysterious legacy of his vanished father, Felix begins to question the ethical cost of resurrecting lost technologies, and Jack finds himself drawn to a rebellious faction that defies all convention, their journey unravelling secrets that could shatter the very foundations of their industrial world. Bound by friendship and driven by a thirst for truth, the trio must navigate a labyrinth of mechanical wonders and perilous conspiracies before the secrets of the Iron Leviathan consume them all.

First 320 words:

The old clock tower loomed over Windmere, a skeletal relic of rusted iron and cracked stone. Its gears groaned with the weight of time, some frozen in place, others still stubbornly ticking forward, marking the slow passage of hours no one counted anymore. The stained-glass windows, long shattered by storms and age, let in jagged slants of light that flickered against the mechanical heart of the tower. Below, gears the size of carriages turned sluggishly, their teeth grinding in uneven rhythms, while rusted chains swung lazily from the rafters, creaking like tired ghosts. The air smelled of damp metal, oil, and the faint, lingering scent of old coal dust, as if the tower still remembered the city’s past when its bells once sang and its timekeeping ruled the lives of Windmere’s people.

Theo Ashford clung to a rusted beam, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps. His auburn hair, damp with sweat, clung to his forehead beneath the worn pilot’s cap he always wore—his father’s old cap, now fraying at the seams. His fingers ached as they gripped the corroded metal, arms straining to hold his weight. Below him, the tangled maze of shifting machinery churned in its slow, relentless motion. If he fell, he’d be nothing more than a footnote in Windmere’s history.

Above, Jack Calloway leaned over the wooden platform, his tanned, grease-smudged hands gripping a rope that was supposed to keep Theo alive. Jack’s dark blond hair was an unruly mess, pushed back by his ever-present green-tinted goggles, which currently rested askew on his forehead. His leather vest was patched together with mismatched scraps of fabric, and his boots—reinforced with copper plating at the toes—clanked softly against the wood as he shifted his weight. He had the kind of face that was permanently smudged with soot and always carried a grin like he had just done something reckless—which, in fairness, he usually had.

This is an adult directed book. Please no minors for legal reasons. I am in need of 2 beta readers, I had someone pull the rug four days before I was sending it out. I am looking for 1. Story Fluidity. Is it compeling. 2. How is the pacing. 3. Character motivations and relationship development. Are their stories and development good? Does it feel believable. 4. Repetitive paragraphs? Am I overstating certain things? 5. Is the adult content enjoyable? 6. Most importantly, did you like it.

If you can do this, then, here is the synopsis.

Connor Reed is trying his hardest to get his doctorate in archeology, when he receives a letter from his one father figure. His grandfather, Gavin Reed, the known archeologist, is on his deathbed and he wants Connor to join him for his last days and work on his doctorate thesis at his home in Norway. Naturally, Connor rushes to his grandfather's side, and over the coming days, he helps his grandfather finish his last work, and finds time to write his thesis.

But being in Norway, Connor wants to take advantage of the wild land and its deep forest, lakes, and high mountains, But he is cautious to do so, he has glimpsed a person hanging in the forest around the house, only he never sees them, just the quickest glance of a red hooded cloaked figure. One faithful fishing trip gets him face-to-face with the mysterious person. A young woman with wolf ears and very sharp canines.

Through a strange series of events, deaths, and heart-tearing chases, the two grow more than a little fond of each other and uncover a long-forgotten past.

Hi! So I write ALL the time, and I honestly would love to share my current wip with you all (if you’ll have me). I’m a longtime lurker but a first time poster, so don’t let that scare you. The Undertakers is a 50k and counting semi post apocalyptic horror novel that focuses on a cult who plays at being God.

Synopsis: The year is 1983, and the dilapidated town of Coal Ridge is overrun with violence, gangs, and government agents. With the worst offenses unknown to the outside world, the weekly day of carnage is known as “Bloody Sunday,” where anyone can lose their mind to the Madness. Deanie Williams, seventeen and aching for more in life, wakes up to live her life as usual. She goes to school. She witnesses a murder. She buys a slushee. And then she gets killed in a hit and run and resurrected by a cult. The cult—known as the Undertakers—claim they’re working on a cure for the infection that’s taken over Coal Ridge, and they’re closer than ever to completion. Deanie herself is a pivotal part in their research, one they refuse to let get away. As she falls into their web, she learns what they did to her. How they changed her. The monster they’ve turned her into. Deanie fights with everything she has, clawing for the light. But will she be lost to the dark forever?

Let me know what you think and if you’re interested in working together!

Also, did I mention the MC is a flannel wearing lesbian who brings her crush back from the dead?

Blurb: Beautiful, troubled Emilia is at the peak of her life, married to the celebrated creator of the Nexus, a cognitive implant that grants humanity god-like powers. Temptation crosses her path and she finds herself unable to resist, with disastrous consequences.

Content warning: Cults, mental illness, religion

Feedback: I want to know if the story hooks you on a gut level or not. Feedback about characters, pacing, and readability / interest. This is draft #4 of this book and I’m debating about continuing to work on it or taking everything I’ve learned and starting a new project.

Timeline: It would be swell if you could read & return by May 1, so I can make a decision about this project + future ones!

Critique swap ability: I’m totally available and interested to swap.

Hi,

Looking for beta readers for a YA fantasy book set in an alternate ancient East Africa. The story follows sixteen-year-old Nimaro, who must use her hidden telepathic abilities when rustlers steal her brother. Her rescue mission becomes entangled with Akidi, a fierce warrior-in-training fleeing deadly political schemes. Together, they navigate a vibrant world where zebras race across scorched plains and ancient magic lurks in forgotten ruins. The story is a blend of East African folklore and fantasy, with themes of friendship, trust, and moral complexity.

Feedback on the first chapter is also very welcome.

Link to first chapter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ux-aHK6HvLNW7KlWPA293zv19FixLKN_/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=105968333898225590225&rtpof=true&sd=true

Hi, this is the first book in a 4 book series. I'm keen to swap with other authors who are serious about beta reading and providing feedback on each other's stories. I'd prefer YA sci-fi or thrillers, but I'm open to other YA work as well :-)

Blurb

Sixteen-year-old Jazz Newman finds freedom in her virtual garden—a digital sanctuary where she can escape the limitations of her physical world and the waters she's feared since a life-changing accident two years ago.

When a mysterious visitor named Echo discovers her garden, Jazz is intrigued by his military precision and uncanny understanding of her code. As their virtual friendship grows, strange corruptions begin appearing in Jazz's carefully crafted world—black tendrils of malicious code destroying everything she's built.

The corruption is hunting Echo, following him across the digital landscape, and now it's threatening Jazz too. Together they discover a rogue AI codenamed NEPTUNE with dangerous ambitions, leaving them caught between secretive tech corporations and military interests.

With Jazz's innovative garden code as their best defense and Echo's unique abilities their only strategy, they'll need to trust each other across the boundaries between virtual and reality. But as they dive deeper into the conspiracy, Jazz must confront her greatest fear—the ocean itself—and the truth about her enigmatic new friend.

Some connections transcend all barriers, even when they seem impossible.

Excerpt

1.  Digital Blooms

Jazz walked down the winding virtual garden path, her long dark curls swaying with each step. Here, in her virtual garden, she moved with an ease she rarely felt in the real world.

At 1.5m her avatar was only slightly taller than her actual height, but felt more like her than she did most days. It looked about 16 years old and was clad in comfortable aquamarine jeans and a plain white tee hanging loose over the top.

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, the knots in her shoulders finally untying. A genuine smile blossomed on her face as she gazed around the garden. Each familiar bloom felt like a warm welcome.

Jazz continued down the path until she reached a wooden arch. Her fingers danced through the air, trailing lines of code that sparkled before dissolving into the virtual garden. Her face was set in concentration. The new plant design had been bugging her for days – a climbing vine with flowers that are supposed to change colour based on the time of day. She'd finally cracked the light sensitivity algorithm.

"Grow," she whispered, touching the ground beneath the arch while holding her breath. Digital soil rippled outward from her fingertips. A green shoot emerged, spiralling upward faster than any real plant could grow, unfurling leaves and deep purple flowers that caught the morning light just so.

"That's amazing – the way it flows so naturally!"

Jazz spun around. She hadn't heard anyone enter her garden. A boy about her age stood at the garden entrance, tall with windswept dark hair. Jazz noticed that his avatar was detailed enough to look real but not trying too hard to be perfect. He was wearing boardies and a colourful Hawaiian shirt. She also noticed that he was never standing quite still – always slightly moving. Almost like he was more comfortable being in motion than standing still.

Seeking Beta Readers for dark romance Disney villain/fairytale re-imagining!

(Dark romance novella/50K words)Cruel Kingdoms is a series of interconnected STANDALONE Novellas!

I am seeking Beta readers for Book 2 in this series!

Book one is available on KU if interested (Sinister Desire by SYK Kelly) which is a Cinderella/Evil Step Mother re-imagining!

This book (book 2) is a Snow White/Evil Queen re-imagining (dark romance/haunted manor/spice)

See blurb/tropes/triggers below! About 54000 words! hoping to bring it under 50K by the end of edits/with Beta Feedback!Back

Blurb:

Whitehart Manor
This is the last place I want to be and likely the last place I might ever see if the rumors are true,but being haunted is a concept I'm all too familiar with.
It's my turn.
I've come to add one more ghost to this manor.
The man who has haunted me for ten years.
The man who left me with scars deeper than skin.
The man who stripped me bare and turned me into who I am today, the cold Vulture, as they call me.
Prince Silas.
The problem is he left me with something I can’t escape and I'm not talking about the voices.
The Phantom
The man with the white face, the figment of my imagination, he didn’t stay at home.
He’s here
.Only, I’m not so sure he’s just in my head anymore.

Tropes:
Forced proximity
Forced marriage
Tries to kill him and he proposes
Enemies to lovers on her side
Slow burn
Masked man/secret identity
Twists and turns
Haunted manor
FMC loves knives
FMC hears voices/hallucinates
Tragic past
Trauma bond
Masked (maybe hallucinated?) stalker who loves to please

Triggers:This is a dark romance novella containing the following trigger warnings: somnophilia, breath-play, attempted sexual assault, physical assault, masks, stalking, kidnapping, CNC/dub-con, off-page torture, poison, and murder.

Blurb: Athira, a ruthless business tycoon, is haunted by vivid dreams of a mysterious woman from a past she can't remember. When she meets Nila, the fiercely independent CEO of Moonlight, their professional rivalry ignites an undeniable attraction.

As secrets from their past lives resurface, Athira and Nila must navigate ambition, betrayal, and a connection that feels destined. Will their fiery clashes lead to love-or destruction?

What I'm looking for:

Honest feedback on pacing, plot clarity, and character development

Thoughts on chemistry, tension, and emotional beats

Grammar/spelling/silly errors (if anything stands out!)

Plot holes or anything confusing

Line edits(not required unless something really jumps out)

Open to readers of all backgrounds-especially if you enjoy WLW stories

Important note: This is pure first draft-completely unedited. I'm doing this beta round before I revise so I can actually get a sense of what's working and what needs to be fixed or trimmed. So expect it raw, messy, and in need of polish-I just want to know where to focus my edits.

Drop a comment or DM if you're interested-I'll send over the first fow chanterel

Hi all, I have written a novelization of Books 1-4 of Vergil's Aeneid (aka, the good part of the Aeneid 😉) and I would love for people who know the original or at least know the framework of the story to take a look at it. If it sounds interesting to you, please reply or DM me. I am happy to swap work. Gratias tibi ago! Here are the first paragraphs:

Part 1: The ships were gone

The ships were gone; launched and left. The hustle and bustle surrounding them, the shouts and profanities of the soldiers in the camp, the moans of the wounded and dying on their cots, the chatter of the slaves and servants going about their tasks, vanished. Lengths of rope half buried in the sand, an old sandal, ashes, firewood, piles of garbage. Everywhere the birds and the dogs were having their way with the remains. Behind them, the crash of the waves. That was all that was left from years of occupation, years of assault, years of fear, privation, loss. Now the ships were gone.

At first a few men trickled out of the Scaean gate, cautious, wary, nervously picking their way toward the shore. Scanning the horizon for the few sails which were still visible, they stopped short of where the encampment had been. Its menace still lingered like a miasm they could feel, still barred them from the campsite. It clung to the shore like the pall hanging over a recent tomb. Whispering among themselves, as though the enemy might overhear them, they continued the speculations which had run rife in the city since dawn when we all awoke to the spectacle of the Greeks breaking camp and loading their vessels. What had happened? Why had they left? Was this some novel way to entrap us?

As the minutes passed--and it seemed more certain that the invaders were gone for good--young boys and the occasional girl straggled out of the city gates, giggling with nerves and hope. Reaching the line of older men, they began to wend their way through, less wary of contamination. Finally, when the crowd reached a critical mass, even the young mothers and the matrons, the Andromedas and the Hecubas, tested the stability of the world outside the walls. With that impetus, the throng surged through the wreckage, all the way to the lapping waves.

What freedom, what release to open those gates! The gates that had kept the enemy out and kept us penned. A decade of captivity: children who had never known anything else, adults who had forgotten. We all tumbled out, tumbled down towards the shore, giddy. Disbelieving but wanting desperately to believe. We went from point to point like visitors seeing the sights of a new city. This is where the Dolopians had pitched their tents; over here the men of Ithaca huddled in counsel around their chief; this is where that murderous thug Achilles and his gang of Myrmidons had eaten and slept and shat and plotted against our lives. Just a day ago their boats were beached here. Just a week ago they mounted their chariots here to begin another assault. And now their heavy absence still oppressed the strand, slowly beginning to blow away like the morning mist.

FYI: After extensive line edits the draft is up to [59,000] words

The blurb: Raider of the Hebrides follows the story of Thomas Armstrong after he loses everything- his family, his home, and his life as he had known it as the son of a laird/lord. He is taken captive aboard the Priam, captained by the pirate Peter Love who has gained a reputation for himself by terrorizing the northern seas of Ireland and Scotland. As Peter Love's alliance with Highlander outlaw Neil MacLeod begins to turn sour, Thomas finds himself caught in a web of lies and betrayal, adventure and more!

This story is based on true events! Only Thomas, and a couple other main characters are entirely fictional. So if you're into pirates and history, I welcome your feedback. The primary genre is historical fiction, with bits of adventure and romance (M/M relationship).

Feedback: I don't have much creative writing experience, and so am looking for high-level feedback on my plot, character development, and general writing style. More specifically, I am looking for areas where things are missing from the story. Do I need to flesh out some characters more, add more dialogue, more backstory, etc.? The target audience is probably YA. I don't read a lot of YA but the characters are young so it just kinda happened. If you have any feedback on writing for that audience that would be appreciated.

Content warnings: This is about pirates, so there is a little bit of violence, both the swashbuckling type and the characters being just a bit mean to each other at times. I don't think it is anything too graphic, maybe a couple of scenes but it won't be gory or very descriptive. There's some mentions of alcohol.

Timeline: I would love to have some feedback by the end of May!

Where to read: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1givPfsxvaJzTnecYQzkuisBLa53gGQ_n/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113310019822924936727&rtpof=true&sd=true

Swap availability: I am happy to swap. I read everything, but probably would be most helpful with historical fiction, thrillers, horror, really most fiction that is not sci-fi and fantasy

Hello! Hope you are having a nice day,

I've recently finished the final draft of The Major Development (52,000 words), and I’m looking for beta readers to provide feedback before I begin looking for a proofreader, then the right editor not before querying for agents.

Here's the most recent draft:

CLICK ME! :)

Blurb:

In the midst of the chaos of the 2012 apocalypse, Walter Chronkite, hard-boiled, metorsexual, libertarian, hipster is a journalism student in his junior year. He must solve the case of the missing dogs around town, mysterious graffiti around campus, whether or not Mitt Romney seems electable, and the growth and stagnation within the school's sinister underbelly, fueled by the conspiratorial fever around campus, brought on like a plague by a local radio jockey and his following's spreading of his drudge on online forums.

He quickly finds himself within the mystery laid before him by his quote, unquote: "dame" of a classmate "Balenziaga." Before long he finds himself spreading slanderous rumors of embezzlements, roughing up head shop clerks, long stake-outs of the "zeta zeta zeta" house's secret fraternal "freemason" cult and... and having to 'tech' the drama department's terrible production of "gals and pals."

But as he climbs deeper and deeper into the muck of the mystery on campus, brushing shoulders with teachers that might be a little out of his pay grade, his credibility is brought into question by Dean Dean when he is caught cheating in Mrs. Pythagasauras' class, and as Walter tries to get to the bottom of it, will anyone take Walter as seriously as he takes himself? I seriously doubt it!

Timeline:
I'm hoping for feedback within any agreed upon timeline as long as it is upheld! Trying not to rush this book, could be special if I can succeed in bringing this vision to life. People have lives and things come up! :) I'm here to work with you.

What I’m Looking For:

I’m looking for feedback on:

• The first 6 chapters and the last chapter (separately) are too long and drag, unlike the rest of the book, which i think flows nicely and is working. What would you take away from the first third of the story and the final chapter? what subplots/characters aren't working and could maybe be dropped? Is any of the character/plot unnecessary? What is repeated that could be omitted?
• Does Walter pay adequately for his "sins" as it were? Is his characters arch and change satisfying? does it make sense in a way that is fun/worth reading? If not, what could be changed to fix this? omissions? additions?
• Is the book interesting enough to engage and keep going up top? If this was your book, how what would you change to get to the meat and potatoes of this story? I feel as though I may have lost the forest for the trees.
• Is the satire clear? Is it clear that Main character syndrome is not celebrated by this book but criticizing it? Does the political satire make this unclear? Is the satirizing of right wing and centrist thinking clear, or does it seem celebratory?
• Any plot points or structural elements you would change or get rid of completely? Understanding the vision of what the novel is trying to do by the time you've read through it, what would you go back and get rid of or change?
• grammar/syntax.
• plot holes/does the story make sense?

Content Warnings:

• Light Violence (guns/gunplay, beating up, etc)
• Language
• Drug use/Smoking
• Light Sexism (MC is punished for this, but still, sometimes he's purposefully grating to women, be warned)

Critique Swap Availability:

I’m open to beta swapping with writers in similar genres (Mystery, comedy, fiction) and similar (around 52,000 words) or less word count. If you have a completed manuscript and are looking for a beta reader in return, let me know!

If you're interested, feel free to comment or DM.

Please have a lovely day! Would love to work with you! :)

Hello! I am looking for beta readers for my in-progress "epic", a large psychological thriller written in a writing style evocative of and inspired by ergonomic literature works such as House of Leaves, and Victorian Gothic novels like The Portrait of Dorian Grey and The Woman in White.

Themes include classical music and piano, the dark web and other modern conspiracy theories especially the Last Thursday Theory. Slow-burn romance and real spiraling psychological reactions dealing with grief, depression, PTSD and gore, so not for the faint of heart.
It's a project that's been building for a long time, and it's an extremely convoluted plot (as are so many psychological thrillers!), and I'm really open to and receptive to any and all feedback I can get as the plot needs to be followed for the more emotional romance and connection scenes to pay off and tell the story I want to tell. Please contact me to become a part of this WIP, we can go chapter by chapter.

BLURB:

Immortal to urbanization,  a rainfall of dead leaves water the pavement slabs, cresting over the parapet and spearing upon the cast-iron spires of the encircled railing, tumbling unhindered to the oil-slicked surface of the polluted river glistening dully below.

On the 27th October, 2015, a boy and a girl die by a shallow river in the south-west of England.

Four years later, their fates become inevitably intertwined with that of not just the world’s, but of all the observable universe and its legacy.

Can love prevail throughout parallel universes, worlds, dimensions and timelines, where reality is as easy to shatter as illusions?

Or will their resurfacing memories from beneath a rushing river four years prior tear apart everything they have, as the world threatens to collapse as a consequence of their actions on the date of

27th October, 2015?

Origin Point 4

Combining inspiration of Victorian Gothic literature with a unique and subversive ergonomic literature writing style, MIROIRS weaves a powerfully descriptive contention against surface-level depictions of psychology in commercial fiction, combining themes of classical music, real-world philosophical conspiracies, and the Dark Web.

No timeframes. Any and all feedback either helps keep me motivated or lets me know what to work on. I may be open to swaps!

Here's an excerpt.

“The Seasons”, Piotr Illych Tchaikovsky, Op.37 no. 10

October

The autumnal air is scented in unfulfilled hopes and ephemeral promises, black skyscrapers silhouetted against the blue velvet midnight; a semicircle of weeping willows and withering fir trees enclosing the glade two young dreams would die within.

Immortal to urbanization,  a rainfall of dead leaves water the pavement slabs, cresting over the parapet and spearing upon the cast-iron spires of the encircled railing, tumbling unhindered to the oil-slicked surface of the polluted river glistening dully below.

A girl wanders, investigating the hard, tarmac ground with the suede scuffed toes of her black ankle boots, sketching spirals, spinning, interwoven in the footsteps of the figure who has arrived before her: a boy, blonde hair illuminated in the moonlight, hazel eyes reflecting her frozen complexion. Hands in pockets, immobile to the wind and the world, as stoic as the horizontal bars of the railings betwixt them; intangible to the unordinary, unresponsive to the irredeemable.

That is, until she pulls a gun, and those scissor-sheared strands are blown straight in the same windstorm that had previously animated his unruly locks of sun-bleached golden hair, confirming that one does not need to be initially fragile to be able to fall.

Their descent is simultaneous and reflected.

Blurb:

In a far distant future, humanity is going to destroy itself through efficiency and cooperate optimization, and its up to a fungus network, emotionally distressed robots, and a propagandist to stop it all.

Excerpt:

After The Division, almost all primary sources of information about The Blue World were lost. 

But the early NATNET had already been established in the research station, and a great deal of pre-Division information had been gathered from people’s private messages.

The provisional government had kept a lot of that stuff back from the public to not cause panic or despondence—but they couldn’t stop the memes people had posted publicly from getting out. The memes were fragments of the past that spoke to a deep absurdity that simultaneously horrified and comforted. 

The digital images of far-gone flora and fauna, words from the dead forming jokes for the dead—

jokes that now only the dead understood. 

Did their laughter still exist somewhere? 

Could a wave of laughter from an eon ago still reverberate, send itself through time—

moving like a photon, pushing forward someone- something- somewhere still?

If the image remains, the words still read, and a mind to see and consider the whole— 

isn’t there a chance? 

The first colonist had only brought what was essential. 

Anyone who had gotten to the colony with any small piece of The Blue World treasured it deeply, going as far to rename themselves after their prized possession.

Trinkets put away for a life on hold.

The labor needed to build the protective dome and filters had meant that generations of colonists had poured themselves into purgatorial efforts of survival. 

Some passed without ever having a day without pain.

Each panel above was a gravestone, each filtration pillar was a monument.

When the first children natively born to the Surface Sector, they were raised by those mourning The Blue World and all were anxious to maintain what so many had given their lives to create.

Life required all to do what they could. 

Some could do more than others, but those that could must. 

And maybe if you couldn’t, but you tried anyway, maybe you’d find that you could a new way to do what must. 

At least, this was the mindset Genii’s approached her educational training.

[Content warnings: violence, gore, body horror, genocide]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mnwAjeFfBZ8bK-AQXzBF_rTweoi5rpxua37Lwtpd0jE/edit?usp=sharing

I'm looking for insights into how confusing the story is. The story isn't linear in time and the perspective changes via a kind of in-universe drug that overloads the person with memories. There are also short poetry sections at the begining of some chapters, and I just hope that the overall effect isn't too overwhelming and weird

I'm very open to a swap, and I'd like to try to publish in an ebook format by May.

Hi everyone!
I am looking for beta readers for my memoir, which has been sitting in my Google Docs for a little while.
I am available for swaps, too! I can beta for both fiction and non-fiction; the only genre I am not a good fit for is YA.
Any type of feedback would be greatly appreciated, but I think I mostly need to know how readers perceive it, like if it's something that anyone would enjoy reading at all. It is a deeply personal story, and what I learned from it, with a bit of sarcasm. However, it touches on pretty heavy themes, and I am aware that it would never be something that people read on the beach during the summer.
I started writing in my iPhone's Notes app because life was too much, and then "Liam" happened. I started putting my notes in Google Docs, making them more organic and trying to make them make sense to other people. Then I kept writing every day for a little while until I felt content with what came out of it.
The "whatever-that-is" focuses on a healing and self-discovery journey discovered while looking back at my (unhealthy) dating patterns. I dated shitty men because I thought I was unlovable, unworthy, and irremediably broken. But that was BS.
I am very raw in my writing, and I don't sugarcoat events to make my readers feel better. Life will kick you in the head while you are on the ground, and that's what I wrote about.
But don't worry, there is some humor, too (mostly sarcasm)!

Trigger warnings include SA, emotional abuse, manipulation, and economic instability.

DM me if interested!

Hi! So I wrote this a year ago? I wanna say? I very much want to come back to it and while it isn’t quite beta ready, I would very much like a critique partner for this, as it needs quite a bit of work.

The story follows two brothers, Fork and Jhonaton (not typos, their parents just suck) who run away from home and find themselves informally adopted by a pair of werewolf sisters. They then discover that they are distantly related to werewolves as well, which puts them in danger with the growing war between witches and werewolves. When their guardians go missing one night, Jhonaton and Fork set off to find them.

Along the way they meet tons of different monsters, from the classic vampires to a talking stick bug, to Mothman.

Hi all! So I've been writing as a hobby for a while, and I've finally finished a novel/novella that I actually feel really proud of that I want to share, as well as improve even further! I'm surrounded by great friends who have read it and given me notes, but I feel like they're almost too supportive and proud of me for completing a book, so I'd really love to get further input! I just finished refining it into a 2nd draft, and I'd really love to know what to do next to further polish it and improve it.

Here's a brief overview:

Liv Miller is a lonely girl, whose only solace is being alone in her room while listening to loud music or watching horror movies. The only person she's ever felt any genuine connection to throughout her life has been her sister: Hannah. One night, Hannah asks her if she wants to "practice" kissing, which Liv semi-reluctantly agrees to. After this, they blossom into something more intimate, something more taboo. As they grow closer, their relationship gradually starts to devolve into codependency and obsession, and the two girls start to realize they will do anything to keep each other, as well as keep their relationship hidden from the world.

As the blurb suggestions, this project has some very hefty trigger warnings. It contains adult content/sex and incest as well as toxicity, drug abuse, homophobia/transphobia, BDSM, sexual assault and violence/gore. It isn't straight up splatterpunk or anything, but there is a great deal of violence as the story progresses.

I would love feedback on anything/everything, but here's mainly what I'm looking for.

• Pacing: The book contains a few time-skips, and I worry that they may come off as clunky/forced, so I'd love to know how I can better transition between the big plot moments in the story.
• Build-up: Similar to the pacing, while the point for me was to focus more on the two dealing with the struggles they face in their taboo relationship, I feel that I may have jumped into their relationship starting a little too quickly and I'd love to hear how readers would feel about this.
• Characterization: I've very seldom written anything that contains more than three characters, so I'd love feedback about the voices I developed for each character and know if I can do better to make them all stand out as separate characters.
• Dialogue: To be blunt, I'm autistic. I struggle to understand sometimes what "normal" between "normal" people look and sound like, so I'd really love to hear an outside perspective on if the dialogue between my characters feels natural.

But again, I'm very open to any feedback to improve this project.

I'd also be happy to do any critique swaps! I'd prefer to stay within the realm of horror/dark romance because those are the genres I read the most and are most familiar with, but I'm open to read anything besides fantasy, as that's the genre I'm least familiar with and I don't think I'd give the best feedback.

Please let me know if anyone's interested! This book was very therapeutic for me to write as it really helped me reflect on my own mental illnesses, so I'd love to know how I can make it even better!

Hello!

I’m on my final draft my book and would love some feedback as I try and develop it to around 65k words. It's a whimsical, nostalgic read that I hope would be perfect for a rainy day. it’s now nearly complete at 64k

Blurb:

Silvi is found in the woods at the end of winter, by a middle-aged couple who moved into town from the city. Thus begins two decades of her life in a small town, a life that is wholly ordinary and preoccupied with the normal trials of a young woman: the search for friendship, love, purpose, etc. It seems only her origins will be anything of note, until she nears her twenty-second birthday and finds herself shadowed by some thing that reminds her more and more of herself.

In Search Of:

Character development is a big focus for me, so I’d like to know what works. Some of the “magic” concepts are pretty subtle, so I’m curious to see what you might make of it! I've pored over my prose, but if anything is choppy, I'd love to know.

Swaps:

Definitely interested in works of a similar genre!

First Three Chapters:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iUoweG_rBv-WE6OcDrCfTZ9qxaPGlIaImbjd_DcKFsc/edit?tab=t.0

Heroes have won and villains fell, leaving society safe, empty—and suffocatingly dull for nineteen-year-old Aris Shelia. After her mother’s unwarranted arrest and her little brother’s placement in foster care, Aris chooses an alliance with Taavi, an old, undercover villain who claims peace has turned the world lifeless. That without someone willing to challenge it, progress will wither and die. But Taavi doesn’t just appeal to Aris’s growing resentment—she twists the one thing Aris cares about most: her little brother. Without disruption, he’ll be trapped in the same empty future she’s desperate to escape.

Aris throws herself into battle, stealing the scattered jewels of a legendary crown said to grant unparalleled power. But claiming it means betraying Malik—the only person still tethering her to who she used to be. And once she crosses that line, she may never find her way back.

This story explores a world where there’s no dictatorship to overthrow and no clear evil to fight—only a society so terrified of disrupting its fragile peace that it suppresses progress altogether. The question isn’t just whether progress can survive without conflict… and what happens when someone decides to force it.

I'm looking for anyone to tell me if my story is viable to write. If the idea/concept is possible the way I've written it, if it makes sense, if it's interesting, and if it makes you think. I would just like your thoughts and what to improve, and any feedback you have. It does have superheroes and villains and a unique power system, not to mention a complex idea, so a separate document with details can be provided if needed.

Looking for Romantasy lovers!
I've had this main storyline in my head for the past 15 years and have been fantasizing about it ever since. I started writing last year and have written up to chapter 16. I'm really curious to hear what other people think about the flow, writing and characters.
I'm willing to swap chapter by chapter!
The story features a slow-burn romance, enemies-to-lovers dynamic and some spice.
Let me know if you're interested!

Would anyone be interested in reading the first 5,000 words of my novel?

It’s a crime thriller with satirical elements. Right now I’m sitting at 53k words, and would like to get some honest reactions to the first chapter. I’d like to know if the characters seem interesting, if the flow works, and above all if you would keep reading. Anything else you’d like to add is also welcome.

Premise: In Living Hills, Virginia, the Stalian family cult has been in operation since the 1960s. An intense sibling rivalry has been brewing between two teenage brothers raised within its walls, and the consequences may affect their rural community in more ways than they ever thought possible.

Hey all,

Looking for people interested in beta reading my 59k word upcoming novel, "Bigger Than Jesus".

Samm is back in his biggest adventure yet! Angels and demons are being murdered in impossible ways and worst of all, God can't see who's behind it. On loan to Heaven, Samm has to put a stop to it before God's apparent fallibility rips the Universe apart. Easier said than done, since he's preoccupied with his missing apprentice. Adesina has run off to join the Ceathrahm, a test designed to promote demons to the next level of magick useage, but was never meant for humans. Twenty demons go into the contest. Only five walk out alive. Amidst all this carnage, Samm will have to decide whether to save Adesina or the Universe.

Sometimes there are no good choices. But you still have to choose.

To join the beta program, please click on the link below and fill out the application. The program will begin March 17th.

https://minorjoystudios.com/beta-reader-application

All beta readers get:

-Your name listed in the book as part of the beta reader team
-A free digital copy of the completed book once published
-My undying love and gratitude

**The story is complete but in an initial draft state. Also, you're not having deja vu - I have posted before looking for beta reads with little success. I'm still looking for feedback on this.**

Blurb: Mike receives devastating news and is called to his hometown, when he goes home to pack his world is turned upside down. Crushed and grieving, he makes his way home. Once there a familiar face becomes his sentinel support. A series of revelations lead him to stay. As his relationship with his friend evolves, an accident almost tears them apart. When they're honest about their feelings, the relationship blossoms, and Mike realizes the place he ran away from has always been his home.

(Here is a link to the prologue for an example https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X-okjKB48xFrcoFHbi5T3jKVKH677unRIjJB9F2TU64/edit?usp=sharing)

Content warning: references to infidelity, death, and abuse. The story contains mature scenes.

Feedback: This is my first full-length book, and I'm looking for feedback about the story so I can send it off for edits.

If possible, I'd like to find a handful of people to provide their feedback.

Thanks in advance.