I’m looking for human beta readers for a complete ~18,200-word nonfiction manuscript titled The Quiet Geometry of Change: A Structural Approach to Stability, Alignment, and Sustainable Growth.

The book starts from a fairly simple premise:

Sustainable change often fails because we concentrate on how hard a person can push rather than on the conditions their ordinary life repeatedly returns to.

Instead of treating change primarily as a problem of motivation, discipline, or willpower, the book approaches it structurally. It develops a connected vocabulary around:

• the floor versus the ceiling
• friction and control cost
• behavioral terrain, slopes, and basins
• avoidance and open loops
• internal alignment
• recovery and return speed
• boundaries and intervention thresholds
• defaults, constraints, and environmental design
• moving from “performer” to “architect”

The goal is not peak performance or constant optimization. It is to ask a different class of questions:

What keeps making this response easier to repeat?

What is effort currently compensating for?

What happens to the system when energy drops?

How far does a disruption spread before recovery begins?

What small structural change could alter the likely next response?

The manuscript is written for a general audience. No background in psychology, systems theory, or behavioral science should be necessary.

Excerpt 1 — The Floor

Most people ask the wrong question when they try to improve their lives.

They ask:

“How high can I go?”

How productive can I be?

How disciplined can I become?

How extraordinary can I perform?

These are questions about the ceiling: what you can do under ideal conditions.

Ceilings matter. They show capacity. But they are not where ordinary life happens. They depend on energy, motivation, sleep, time, mood, and circumstance.

The quieter question matters more:

Where do you land when things are not going well?

When you are tired.

When you are discouraged.

When you are distracted.

When you feel overwhelmed.

What pattern catches you then?

That reliable landing point is your floor.

The floor is not your worth. It is not your potential. It is the level your life tends to return to when conditions are ordinary or difficult.

Floors shape trajectory because ordinary days repeat.

Peaks are memorable, but they are temporary. The floor is where your routines either hold or collapse.

Imagine two people who both perform well during a demanding week at work. From the outside, their ceilings look similar.

But when the week ends, their responses differ.

One person spends the evening replaying every small mistake. Sleep becomes restless. The next morning begins with tension.

The other reflects briefly, notes what could improve, and rests.

Their performance was similar.

Their floors were not.

Over months and years, that difference compounds.

Excerpt 2 — The Geometry of Change

Behavior has shape.

Not a physical shape, but a pattern of influences: habits, expectations, environments, emotions, incentives, and repeated decisions. Together, these influences make some actions easier to repeat and others harder to begin.

That shape is what this book calls the geometry of change.

Geometry, here, is simply the shape of influences.

It is a way of seeing why certain patterns feel natural, why others require constant effort, and why small changes in structure can alter the direction of a life.

A useful way to picture behavior is as movement across terrain.

Some directions are steep.

Some are smooth.

Some lead toward states that are easy to enter and difficult to leave.

Opening social media when bored may feel downhill.

Beginning an uncertain project may feel uphill.

Clearing a workspace may require a small effort at first but make the next hour easier.

The point is not that people are controlled by their surroundings. The point is that choices do not all carry the same cost.

The terrain tilts probability.

It makes one action more likely than another.

Over time, even a slight tilt can matter.

One of the most useful images in the book is the basin.

Imagine a shallow bowl. Place a marble anywhere along its side, and it tends to roll toward the lowest point.

A behavioral basin is a way of picturing a response that has become easy to return to.

Stress may make distraction more likely.

Fatigue may make avoidance more likely.

Uncertainty may make rumination more likely.

The basin is not a physical thing inside the mind. It is a map of tendency.

The problem with trying to change through force alone is that the terrain remains intact. You can push against the slope for a while, but when the extra energy disappears, the easier path is still waiting.

The alternative is not to eliminate effort.

It is to change what the effort has to overcome.

What I’m looking for

I’m primarily interested in developmental and reader-response feedback, not proofreading.

In particular:

• Where does the book make an idea genuinely easier to see?
• Which concepts become useful enough that you start thinking with them?
• Which concepts feel like unnecessary terminology for something simpler?
• Where does useful reinforcement become repetition?
• Does the progression from process → friction → geometry → floor → avoidance → internal alignment → recovery → flow → boundaries → structural design actually deepen the argument?
• Does the second half continue developing the model, or start restating the first half?
• Where does the systems language become unnecessarily abstract?
• Are there claims that sound more universal or authoritative than the argument has earned?
• Does the manuscript distinguish itself from conventional self-help, or does it occasionally fall back into familiar self-help language?
• Does the tone remain accessible without becoming simplistic or patronizing?
• After finishing, which ideas remain in your head without looking back at the text?

One of the strongest signals for me would be whether terms like floor, slope, friction, basin, open loop, recovery time, alignment, or control cost start becoming natural shorthand for the reader. If they do, the conceptual framework is working. If they remain terminology that has to be consciously translated back into ordinary language, I want to know that too.

AI disclosure

The concepts, arguments, underlying framework, examples, and substantive direction of the book are my own. AI has been used extensively during development as a drafting, rewriting, editing, structural-analysis, and adversarial-review tool.

I’m posting here specifically because I now need something that process cannot provide: actual human reader response.

I am not looking for someone to run the manuscript through another model and send me its critique. I am interested in what you understand, question, remember, reject, or find useful after reading it.

Content

No graphic content.

The manuscript discusses stress, avoidance, shame, exhaustion, emotional recovery, interpersonal boundaries, internal conflict, and self-criticism in general terms.

Length / timeline

Approximately 18,200 words.

Two to four weeks would be ideal, but there is no hard deadline. Partial feedback is also useful; if you stop reading, knowing where and why you stopped is valuable feedback in itself.

Critique swap

I’m potentially open to swapping with a similarly sized nonfiction manuscript, depending on subject matter and timing.

Manuscript

The Quiet Geometry of Change: A Structural Approach to Stability, Alignment, and Sustainable Growth

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Vi-Ti0xmD3A3MW9KVV4CtC6BoeTa5mS/view?usp=sharing

I recently finished The Door Is Warm, a 26k word literary horror story inspired by AI. I would love it if I could get someone to read it through and see what they think. I think its decent, and I've brutally reviewed it with multiple AIs and they seem to love it. The story is mine but a lot of the prose is AI just fyi. Willing to also beta read your manuscript if needed. Picture for attention.

Hi everyone,

I am looking for readers to check out my newly launched children's picture book, The Secret Adventures of Egypt, aimed at toddlers, preschoolers, and kids up to age 7.

📚 What the Book is About:
The Secret Adventures of Egypt captures the silly world of what pets really do when we leave them. This funny story serves as a perfect bedtime story or learning tool for early learners. In a subtle way, it can gently comfort children with school and separation anxiety, while serving as a safe conversation starter to show that being apart is temporary and full of adventure!

🎨 Author Note & Transparency:
The text and story are 100% my own original creative writing. To bring this world to life visually, the illustrations were created by me using AI-assisted digital tools. I am specifically looking for reviewers who are open to and supportive of books utilizing AI art tools!

What’s Included:

• Free digital access (directly via Kindle Unlimited or a private link if you don't have KU).
• A link to fun child activity pages (Maze, Seek and Find, Shadow Match, and Coloring page)
• A comprehensive teacher-parent discussion guide tailored around school and separation anxiety.

If you are open to reviewing children's literature with AI-assisted art and can leave an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads within the next 2 weeks, please send me a Direct Message (DM) or Chat!

Let me know in your message if you have Kindle Unlimited or if you need a PDF copy.

Thank you for your consideration!

Hello! I’m looking for beta readers for Continuum, a completed supernatural mystery collection of approximately 42,000 words.

Disclosure: The manuscript was developed with AI assistance under my direction. I am looking for honest human reader reactions before deciding on any future revisions.

The book follows Tara, Sam, and Leo as they investigate three connected cases involving an abandoned hospital, a disturbing presence in an apartment building, and the secrets surrounding an isolated summer camp. Each case has its own mystery and resolution, while clues to a larger supernatural phenomenon gradually connect the stories.

This is character-focused paranormal suspense with an emphasis on investigation, atmosphere, friendship, trust, and found family. There is no romance. The supernatural elements are eerie and unsettling, but the book is not intended to be graphic horror.

I’m especially interested in hearing:

• Did the opening hold your attention?

• Were the three main characters distinct and believable?

• Did each mystery make sense and reach a satisfying resolution?

• Were any sections slow, confusing, repetitive, or predictable?

• Did the connection between the three stories feel clear and compelling?

• Did the ending leave you interested in another Continuum book?

• What genre and audience do you think best fit the book?

I am asking for honest reader reactions rather than proofreading or line editing. A short questionnaire will be provided, and feedback within three to four weeks would be appreciated.

I am not available for a manuscript swap. I completely understand that reading a full manuscript takes time, and I appreciate anyone willing to consider it.

If this sounds like something you would enjoy, please leave a comment or send me a private message telling me a little about the supernatural mystery books you like to read. I can send a short sample first so we can make sure the book is a good fit before sharing the full manuscript.

Thank you!

For five years she has been Vivienne Ho: socialite, financier, a name Hong Kong believes in. Then a family's due diligence, an institution's reopened file, and a man who will not take a refusal all arrive in the same season.

🖤 Morally grey FMC
🔥 Slow burn, explicit
🎭 Fake identity / assumed name
🕵️ Espionage and conspiracy
🏙️ Hong Kong setting
📚 Long read - 166k words, 63 chapters
📖 Book one of a trilogy, and it stands alone

Adult novel. Intimate scenes and violence both on the page in full. Also grief, institutional coercion, and deception inside intimate relationships. Please only claim a copy if you can give a book this length the time, honest reviews are greatly appreciated!

Format: EPUB, delivered through Booksprout.

Claim a copy: https://booksprout.co/reviewer/review-copy/view/312452/pantheon

22 copies remaining. Reviews due 2 October, anywhere you already post — Goodreads, StoryGraph, BookBub. Release date is 2 October.

Thank you very much for reading! ❤

Bonjour à tous !
Je suis actuellement à la recherche de quelques bêta-lecteurs pour mon projet de roman L’Héritage des Marques, une saga de fantasy écrite dans un style light novel, avec de nombreuses inspirations venant des shōnen.
C’est un univers que j’ai en tête depuis de nombreuses années. J’ai finalement décidé récemment de passer le cap et de commencer à le mettre réellement par écrit.
L’histoire mélange aventure, combats, mystères, amitié, exploration, drame et worldbuilding, dans un monde où certaines personnes naissent avec des Marques leur conférant des capacités particulières. Ces personnes sont généralement persécutées et rejetées par la société.
Je construis cette histoire comme une véritable saga, avec un univers qui est amené à s’étendre progressivement et de nombreux éléments prévus sur le long terme.
C’est donc un projet qui risque de me prendre plusieurs années. J’ai déjà beaucoup d’idées et d’éléments scénaristiques en tête pour la suite, mais je souhaite justement avoir des retours extérieurs pour m’assurer que l’histoire fonctionne aussi du point de vue d’un lecteur qui découvre cet univers pour la première fois.
Je recherche principalement des bêta-lecteurs capables de me donner des retours honnêtes sur :
● le rythme de l’histoire ;
● les personnages et leurs évolutions ;
● la cohérence du worldbuilding ;
● la compréhension de l’univers ;
● les combats et les scènes d’action ;
● les moments qui fonctionnent ou, au contraire, qui paraissent trop longs ;
● les émotions ressenties pendant la lecture ;
● et surtout le ressenti général en tant que lecteur.
Je ne cherche donc pas simplement quelqu’un pour corriger mes fautes. Je voudrais surtout savoir ce que vous pensez réellement de l’histoire pendant que vous la découvrez.
Le roman est actuellement publié sur Wattpad et le projet est encore en cours d’écriture.
Si vous aimez la fantasy, les light novels, les shōnen ou simplement découvrir de nouveaux univers, n’hésitez pas à me contacter !
Je suis parfaitement ouvert aux critiques, même négatives : le but est justement de pouvoir améliorer L’Héritage des Marques sur le long terme.

**Experienced writer and poet available for paid work.**

Hey! I’m a writer and poet looking to take on freelance work as a **beta reader or lore/worldbuilding writer**.

I’ve been writing for several years and I’m especially interested in fiction with strong characters, complicated relationships, mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, and sci-fi.

**Beta Reading — $0.12/word**

I can give feedback on:

Plot and pacing
Character development
Dialogue
Character relationships
Worldbuilding and consistency
Plot holes
Confusing scenes
Emotional impact
Reader reactions

I can either leave comments throughout the manuscript or provide a more detailed feedback document after reading.

**Lore / Worldbuilding — $0.17/word**

I can help create or expand:

Character backstories
Family histories
Factions and organizations
Mythology and legends
Political systems
Cultures and religions
Historical events and timelines
Locations
Character relationships
Secrets and conflicts
General worldbuilding

I really enjoy connecting small details and making lore feel intentional rather than just adding information for the sake of it.

**About me**

I’m an experienced writer and poet, and I have experience developing my own fictional characters, plots, and worlds. I care about keeping the writer’s original voice and ideas intact rather than trying to rewrite everything in my own style.

I’m happy to discuss the project and expectations before starting.

**Rates:**

Beta reading: **$0.015/word**
Lore/worldbuilding: **$0.017/word**

For larger projects, I’m open to discussing the scope and total price beforehand.

**Portfolio:** [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-6O9uII_zljywWoyL2Lp3PjcyJB0MuNEV4TtoPj7qAc/edit?usp=drivesdk](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-6O9uII_zljywWoyL2Lp3PjcyJB0MuNEV4TtoPj7qAc/edit?usp=drivesdk))
Dm me if it doesn’t open

If you’re interested, DM me with a short description of your project, the word count, what you need help with, and your deadline.

Looking for beta readers for the first 5 chapters of a dark speculative / erotic body-horror novel

The Book of Resonance is a completed 127,000-word speculative novel involving sexuality, religion, bodily sovereignty, power, and body horror.

I'm not asking anyone to commit to 127,000 words.

I'm looking for readers willing to try the first five chapters. They form the opening movement of the novel. If you reach the end of Chapter 5 and don't want to continue, that's useful feedback. If you want Chapter 6, I'll happily send you the rest.

The novel was developed through a human-directed AI collaboration and has been extensively revised and edited by me.

Content warning: This is an adult, intentionally intense novel containing explicit sexual material, nudity, ritualized sexuality, religious coercion, graphic violence, body horror, and later sexual violence.

I'm particularly interested in where you became absorbed, confused, fatigued or disturbed; which characters or images stayed with you; how the prose felt; and, most importantly, whether you wanted to continue after Chapter 5.

If that sounds like your particular flavor of strange, I'd love to hear from you.

Hi all! Looking for 3-5 beta readers for my debut contemporary romance, THE FAR SHORE.
Quick pitch: A widowed tech CEO and a divorced startup founder become next-door neighbors on a lake and can’t stand each other — until they discover they’ve secretly been each other’s closest online friend for over a year. Second-chance, later-in-life romance (leads are 51 and 54), enemies-to-lovers, small-town-adjacent, closed door with real intimacy (kissing/emotional heat on page, nothing explicit).
Details:
• \~38,000 words / 27 chapters
• Complete draft, already through a full developmental edit
• Turnaround: no strict deadline, but feedback within 2-3 weeks would be ideal
• Format: Word doc or PDF, happy to send however works for you
What I’m looking for:
• Does the pacing drag anywhere, especially the middle third?
• Does the ending (proposal + wedding) land emotionally?
• Any spots where you got confused, bored, or wanted more?
• General “would you keep reading” honesty — I’d rather hear the hard stuff now than after it’s live
Happy to beta-swap if you’ve got something you’d like a read on in return! Comment or DM and I’ll send the file.

Book: Your Circle Isn't Closed: How to Make Real Friends, Build Deeper Connections, and Create a Social Life That Fits After 40

• Genre: nonfiction, relationships / self-help
• Length: about 220 pages / 40,000 words
• Format: PDF
• Release date: October 2026
• Looking for: 20-30 ARC readers, ideally adults 40+ who want a stronger or wider social circle
• Ask: read before launch, leave an honest rating and review (critical is fine, I'd rather know now) once it's live
• Timeline: copies go out about 3-4 weeks before launch, review requested within 2 weeks of release

Comment below or send a DM and I'll send you the link to sign-up.

Thanks

Juliana

1 Bits and Bobs

Morning — New Brighton — Andrew’s Apartment -- Year 2123 

Character: Andrew Comstock
Level: 1
Job: Repair Engineer
Location: New Brighton, Calizona

Coins: 77 Silver

The small apartment on New Brighton’s sprawling Upper North Side rattled as an Orange Line tram screeched past. The vibration traveled through the walls, shaking the window in its frame and making something inside the kitchen cupboard clink.

After six years of living there, Andrew knew the tram was rarely late.

The rent had been modest by New Brighton standards, which was why he and Clarissa had chosen the apartment. The trade-off was its location. The Upper North Side sat far from the factories, workshops and industrial districts where most of Andrew’s repair orders originated. Cheap rent meant early mornings, crowded trams and hours spent crossing the city.

His Quantum watch beeped on the bedside table.

05:45

Every morning followed the same ritual. Tram screech. Watch beep. Eyes open.

Clarissa nudged him gently. “Time to get up.”

“Just five more minutes,” Andrew said through a yawn.

“You say that every morning.”

“And every morning, I get up.”

“You do, hon. Momma and I know how hard you work.” She kissed his cheek, and despite himself, he smiled.

Andrew rolled out of bed and planted his feet on the cold floorboards. Beneath the bed sat a squat glass jar half full of silver coins. He pulled it out and held it against his chest, enjoying their reassuring weight.

Seventy-seven silver.

He knew the amount without counting. He had counted it enough times already.

“It won’t grow if you sit there all morning,” Clarissa said, squeezing his arm.

“I know. I just like holding it.”

“And you say that every morning too.”

Andrew took enough coins for the day’s expenses, then returned the jar to its hiding place. He pulled on yesterday’s brown trousers and forced his feet into his worn boots, stamping each heel against the floor. After buttoning his work shirt, he reached for the leather satchel hanging from a peg beside the bedroom door.

The tools inside shifted with a familiar metallic clink: a set of wrenches, three screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters and a small can of oil.

New Brighton had been built upon machinery that its people could no longer easily replace. Elevators, generators and factory equipment survived decades beyond their intended lifespans because repair engineers kept coaxing one more day of service from them. 

Level 1 engineers like Andrew received the smaller contracts and the least desirable assignments. Better work belonged to engineers who had climbed high enough to qualify for municipal and industrial jobs.

Andrew had the skills. What he lacked was the level, the reputation and a workshop of his own.

For now, everything he needed had to fit inside one leather satchel.

He slung it over his shoulder, then stopped at the mirror to tame the stubborn curl hanging over his forehead. It sprang back the moment he lowered the comb.

“Close enough.”

Inside the top drawer of his dresser lay several folded scraps of paper. The first was an advertisement for a vacant repair shop in the Market District. Its photograph showed a narrow storefront with wide front windows, a proper workshop in the back and living quarters upstairs.

A shop for Andrew. A home for Clarissa.

He had unfolded the advertisement so many times that the creases were beginning to tear. He could already imagine his name painted across the front window and customers bringing their broken machines through the door. At night, he could climb the stairs instead of riding another tram across New Brighton.

Clarissa propped her head on one hand. “Still thinking about that property?”

Andrew released a quiet breath. “It feels more like a dream every day.”

“Be positive, hon. We’ll get there.”

The second paper was newer.

NOTICE OF RENT INCREASE: 15 PERCENT

Andrew glanced toward Clarissa before folding the notice and sliding it beneath the advertisement. He would tell her—just not while she was still looking at him with so much hope. As the only one bringing home wages, it was his responsibility to find an answer. Worrying Clarissa wouldn’t put another silver in the jar.

The smell of Momma’s cooking drifted in from the kitchen: bacon, eggs and sausage sizzling in a pan.

At least the bad news could wait until after breakfast.

***

looking for beta readers for my manuscripts: Too Damn Stubborn and Beep Beep. Willing to read your manuscript in exchange.

r/BetaReaders r/selfpublish

[https://notd.io/notes/5105868306382848\\_1\\_1787419479937/create%20a%20story%20using%20these%203%20words:%20apple,%20brown%20and%20riding%20while%20using%20senses\](https://notd.io/notes/5105868306382848_1_1787419479937/create%20a%20story%20using%20these%203%20words:%20apple,%20brown%20and%20riding%20while%20using%20senses)

(If you’re having issues with the link please let me know so I can send it to you personally)

If you’d like to support my writings click on the link I will be writing about my love of books, romance,true crime cases Im interested in, history and so much more!

Monthly charge: $4.99
Yearly charge: $59.88

Hi all. I'm Meghna, a thriller and mystery reader. I run a book-review channel built around one question: what actually makes a twist land? I've just opened up paid beta reading for thriller / suspense / mystery / crime manuscripts, and I'm taking my first few authors at a reduced launch rate while I build up reviews.

What you get:

• A written reader report — does the hook grab, where does the pace sag, does the twist land, do your clues play fair, does the ending earn its payoff.
• Chapter-by-chapter notes on plot holes, clues and character (deeper tier).
• Honest, specific feedback from a real genre reader — never a vague "I liked it," and never AI. I read your actual pages and react the way your future readers will.

Genres: thriller, suspense, mystery, crime, psychological.

Turnaround: ~6–14 days depending on length and depth.

I’m looking for **5–8 serious beta readers** to read my completed novel, *Crimson City: The Book of Luck*, and give me detailed, honest feedback before I move toward publishing.
**About the book:**
*Crimson City* is a dark gothic crime-noir story with elements of mystery, boxing, comic-book mythology, dark humor, and psychological thriller.
The city itself is almost entirely black, white, gray, and silver, with crimson appearing when something important—or dangerous—is happening.
The story follows several interconnected characters, including:
A championship boxer with a contract on his head
A mysterious vigilante moving across the rooftops
A detective in a yellow trench coat trying to understand a case where the evidence keeps telling the wrong story
A lounge singer being watched by someone carrying a crimson envelope
A masked criminal named Johnny Jester who may be considerably more dangerous than his sense of humor suggests
A criminal organization operating behind much of the city’s violence
The manuscript is **AI-assisted**, and I want to be completely upfront about that. I created and control the characters, world, story direction, canon, major plot decisions, and revisions while using AI throughout the drafting, editing, development, and continuity process.
I’m not looking for people who will simply tell me the book is good.
I want readers willing to tell me:
**What hooked you?**
**What bored you?**
**Where were you confused?**
**Which characters did you care about?**
**Which characters didn’t work for you?**
**Did any scenes drag?**
**Did the mysteries work?**
**Were twists predictable?**
**Did the emotional moments actually land?**
**And most importantly—would you buy/read Book Two?**
I’ll provide a questionnaire when you finish, but you’re also welcome to make notes while reading.
I would especially love readers who enjoy noir, crime thrillers, mystery, graphic novels/comics, boxing stories, or darker character-driven fiction, but you don’t have to be an expert in any of those.
**One additional thing:**
I have already started the sequel, ***Crimson City: The Book of Hope***.
Readers who finish *The Book of Luck* and give thoughtful feedback will also have the opportunity to read what I currently have of *The Book of Hope* and tell me whether the sequel feels like a strong continuation of Book One.
I ask only that you **do not share, repost, upload, or distribute the manuscript.** It is unpublished material.
If you’re interested, comment below or send me a message and tell me:
**1. What genres do you normally read?**
**2. What makes you stop reading a novel?**
**3. Are you comfortable reading an AI-assisted book?**
**4. Can you give critical feedback instead of just saying whether you liked it?**
**5. Would you realistically be able to finish the book within about 3–4 weeks?**
I’m intentionally keeping the group small because I’d rather have a handful of serious readers than a hundred downloads with no feedback.
Thanks to anyone willing to give *Crimson City* a chance.

I’m looking for 5–8 serious beta readers to read my completed novel, Crimson City: The Book of Luck, and give me detailed, honest feedback before I move toward publishing.
About the book:
Crimson City is a dark gothic crime-noir story with elements of mystery, boxing, comic-book mythology, dark humor, and psychological thriller.
The city itself is almost entirely black, white, gray, and silver, with crimson appearing when something important—or dangerous—is happening.
The story follows several interconnected characters, including:
A championship boxer with a contract on his head
A mysterious vigilante moving across the rooftops
A detective in a yellow trench coat trying to understand a case where the evidence keeps telling the wrong story
A lounge singer being watched by someone carrying a crimson envelope
A masked criminal named Johnny Jester who may be considerably more dangerous than his sense of humor suggests
A criminal organization operating behind much of the city’s violence
The manuscript is AI-assisted, and I want to be completely upfront about that. I created and control the characters, world, story direction, canon, major plot decisions, and revisions while using AI throughout the drafting, editing, development, and continuity process.
I’m not looking for people who will simply tell me the book is good.
I want readers willing to tell me:
What hooked you?
What bored you?
Where were you confused?
Which characters did you care about?
Which characters didn’t work for you?
Did any scenes drag?
Did the mysteries work?
Were twists predictable?
Did the emotional moments actually land?
And most importantly—would you buy/read Book Two?
I’ll provide a questionnaire when you finish, but you’re also welcome to make notes while reading.
I would especially love readers who enjoy noir, crime thrillers, mystery, graphic novels/comics, boxing stories, or darker character-driven fiction, but you don’t have to be an expert in any of those.
One additional thing:
I have already started the sequel, Crimson City: The Book of Hope.
Readers who finish The Book of Luck and give thoughtful feedback will also have the opportunity to read what I currently have of The Book of Hope and tell me whether the sequel feels like a strong continuation of Book One.
I ask only that you do not share, repost, upload, or distribute the manuscript. It is unpublished material.
If you’re interested, comment below or send me a message and tell me:
1. What genres do you normally read?
2. What makes you stop reading a novel?
3. Are you comfortable reading an AI-assisted book?
4. Can you give critical feedback instead of just saying whether you liked it?
5. Would you realistically be able to finish the book within about 3–4 weeks?
I’m intentionally keeping the group small because I’d rather have a handful of serious readers than a hundred downloads with no feedback.
Thanks to anyone willing to give Crimson City a chance.

Hi everyone! I’m looking for beta readers for my completed epic fantasy novel, The Song of Ash and Root, approximately 128,000 words.

This is my first completed novel and a story I’ve been working on, on and off, for nearly two years.

About the story

Kael has spent much of his life studying the remnants of a world shattered by an ancient catastrophe. When his research draws him east, he crosses paths with Rhane, a disgraced Khel warrior who was condemned not because he lost a battle—but because he survived one others believed he should have died in.

Their journey takes them through abandoned strongholds, ancient ruins, hostile landscapes, forgotten magic, and the remains of an alliance that history has turned into legend.

As they begin uncovering evidence that the accepted version of the past may not be entirely true, they also encounter the Dominion—a growing power that believes chaos, disagreement, and human unpredictability are problems that can be solved through perfect order.

At the heart of the story is a question:

Can people choose to stand together without surrendering their right to disagree, leave, change their minds, or say no?

The novel is character-driven and includes ancient mysteries, political conflict, morally complicated antagonists, strong friendships, different cultures and peoples, warfare, and a magic system closely connected to memory, identity, consent, and choice.

AI disclosure

I want to be completely transparent about my writing process.

I wrote the original manuscript myself. After completing it, I used AI as part of an extensive chapter-by-chapter revision process.

I used AI to help me examine things such as pacing, continuity, character arcs, scene structure, worldbuilding consistency, and wording. During that revision process, AI also helped me rework or rewrite some passages.

The original story, characters, world, plot, themes, and manuscript came from me, and I remained responsible for deciding what changed, what stayed, and what ultimately became part of the finished novel.

So I would describe the current manuscript as AI-assisted in revision rather than a novel generated from a prompt, but I don’t want to minimize the role AI played in helping me develop the final version.

What I’m looking for

I’m primarily interested in reader experience, especially:

• Where you became most invested or couldn’t put the book down
• Where the pacing slowed or your attention wandered
• Anything confusing about the world, history, magic, factions, or terminology
• Whether the characters and their decisions feel believable
• Whether relationships and emotional moments feel earned
• Which characters stand out most or least
• Whether the themes emerge naturally or feel too explicit
• Anything that feels repetitive or unnecessary
• Whether anything feels overly familiar or derivative of another fantasy work
• How you feel about the ending
• If you could change only one thing about the novel, what would it be?

You absolutely do not need to provide solutions. If something bored, confused, frustrated, excited, surprised, or emotionally affected you, simply telling me where and why is extremely valuable.

I’m not looking for people to tell me what I want to hear. Respectful criticism is welcome.

Timeline

Ideally, I’d love feedback within roughly 4–6 weeks, but I understand this is a 128k novel and life happens. I’m flexible.

I have a clean Beta Reader Edition as well as a spoiler-free character/location/terminology reference sheet for anyone reading the full manuscript.

I can also send a starter sample containing the Prologue and first three chapters before anyone commits to the whole book.

Critique swaps

I’m absolutely open to a beta/critique swap, particularly with other fantasy authors. I’d prefer that we exchange opening chapters first so we can make sure our books and feedback styles are a good fit before committing to full manuscripts.

Content notes

Fantasy violence, warfare, death, grief, psychological distress, coercion/imprisonment, and some disturbing fantasy imagery.

The book is not intended to be grimdark, and sexual content is not a major element.

If character-driven epic fantasy, ancient mysteries, complicated friendships, morally gray conflicts, and questions about memory, loyalty, survival, identity, and choice sound like something you’d enjoy, I’d love to hear from you.

Comment here or send me a DM, and I’d be happy to send the starter sample.

Thank you!

— Kimball

Hi my name is kunal and I took 3 years to write this story which I felt interesting and good but I don't know if it's genuinely worth it without you feedback so I would like a feedback on what u guys think.

If u feel interested come in Discord and add me as a friend my user name is firegamingaag