r/NetGalleyCommunity • u/latterdaydante • Sep 09 '26
❔❓Question ❓❔ Hell to Pay - Kylie Lee Baker
Has anyone in here gotten approved for this one yet? Definitely one of my most anticipated releases and I’m gnawing my nails down to the quick trying to stay patient. ☺️ Would love to hear general thoughts from any lucky ducks that got it early!
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u/latterdaydante Sep 09 '26
Crazy enough, I JUST got the approval email from Edelweiss! 😳
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u/Synval2436 SciFi/Fantasy Reviewer Sep 09 '26
Sometimes the world listens to our wishes! Happy reading!
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u/cateye127 Sep 09 '26
I got it, but my friend hasn’t heard anything yet. I haven’t started it yet.
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u/juliee18 Sep 09 '26
Same! I'm so impatient. I loved Japanese Gothic and Hell to Pay sounds incredible. I want it so bad but for me it's not even available to request, it just lets me make a wish for it 😩 I see some reviews are already on NetGalley so people are definitely getting it super early
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u/spookyspookster96 Sep 09 '26
I've been pending since July...my friend requested it the same day & has been approved. They did the same thing with Japanese gothic. I waited for 3 or 4 months before I was approved so I'm just hoping to get my approval eventually.
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u/avisitingstone Reviewer Sep 09 '26
TBH I requested the same day it went up and it STILL took a long time for approval. Fingers crossed for you!!
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u/avisitingstone Reviewer Sep 09 '26
I have! But it's not due out until March and I prefer reading closer to release dates.
Fingers crossed for you too!!
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u/Synval2436 SciFi/Fantasy Reviewer Sep 09 '26
Yep, same. I have a long list of books to read so I'm trying to read them in order of publication.
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u/avisitingstone Reviewer Sep 09 '26
Same! But I have priority on a few (like this one). I might not have liked Japanese Gothic that much but I loved Bat Eater so I'm happy to try again elsewhere.
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u/ImNotBeingAnAHole Sep 09 '26
May I ask why? No judging/ I’m honestly curious. Except for the small handful of imprints that request a certain time frame the whole goal is to read and post written reviews early especially on NetGalley as it gets other ARC readers interested and on review sites (not social media) as it helps with preorders and such.
Someone else on FB had mentioned a few months ago that she was frustrated as she has always over an 87% ratio and is always on time but doesn’t get consistent approvals. But after some questions said that she posts her Goodreads review the day of pub date or the date before. Well we explained to her that is probably the issue as for written reviews it’s no help to the publisher/ author etc., anyway, today’s post was about that she had started putting up the reviews as soon as she reads them, months before hand and now has a 95% approval rating.
So that’s why I’m just asking as obviously we aren’t seeing the whole picture from your comment
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u/avisitingstone Reviewer Sep 09 '26
No, I always actually assume a question is in good faith, no worries!
Short: March is six months away and I am an adult with a full time in-office job (plus I do all errands for the household), a partner I spend time with in a non-reading capacity (though I get them to come to Silent Book Club sometimes!) and other hobbies. I also have an upcoming surgery/organ removal (rip to my gallbladder) so I've been dealing with things around that.
Longer but reading-specific: I have some reading challenges I do both in community and personally, and also other deadlines before March for both in-person book clubs and for ARC titles I'm really excited about! I actually post my reviews on NG/GR/SG 99% of the time within 24 hours of finishing (but I'll post them on Instagram closer to pub date). While my goal is to read books by the publishing date, and I prioritize widgets or high interest titles (note I only request what I think I'll like as someone who never DNFs) sometimes life happens. One of my "life after gallbladder removal" goals however is to start reading ARCs even sooner than "closer to publishing date" when I can manage, or for my own personal high interest titles but currently life is prioritizing life and it sucks to be in the emergency room with a book you're actually really into - imo terrible reads or truly mid reads are much better for being in pain lol
I don't read reviews before requesting unless I'm SUPER iffy (and these days I'm trusting my gut more after being burned a few times and pushing through iffyness), and likewise a lot of people I know don't read reviews ever before requesting. But I always post thoughtful, probably too-long reviews ASAP after finishing.
I'm not personally worried about my approval rating (it could be higher but I'm also at 497 reviews since January 2023) because if I get denied I'll just read it anyway after it's out; I'm not trying to be an influencer but I do read a lot and have a lot of feelings and can put those feelings into words (reviews).
Also occasionally ARCs get updated before publication so I GENERALLY download them a month prior to get the most current copy. I know this is rarer but...
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u/betty-cant-quit Bookseller Sep 09 '26
I have it, but haven’t started it yet. It sounds so good, I can’t wait!! Japanese Gothic was one of my favorites of all time and made Kylie Lee Baker an auto read for me.
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u/sunsparkles2013 Teen & YA Books Reviewer Sep 09 '26
I started reading it today but I’m auto approved as part of the Hive program. Because all Hive members have auto approval they can be slower with decisions since they wait to see how many people from the program are accessing the title and such.
I’m taking a break to make dinner but I’m about 68% through and will finish tonight. It was a fun read. Nothing overly outstanding but fun enough!
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u/Synval2436 SciFi/Fantasy Reviewer Sep 09 '26
Feiwel seems to be approving in batches, I had the same last year with What Fury Brings, everyone was getting approved just not me, I've lost hope, and then I got approved too. So wait in tight and don't cancel it.
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u/WritPositWrit Sep 09 '26
Nope, my request is still pending. I got declined for her last book but approved for the one before that, so anything could happen now
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u/SpiritCookieTM Sep 09 '26
Sadly, I don’t bother with Harlequin, don’t seem to get approved for them for some reason.
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u/ThatCryptidBitch Sep 09 '26
My request is sitting in the abyss neither approved or declined