
Member Reviews

Super helpful little guide for anyone using NetGalley - whether you're just getting started or have been around for a bit. Honestly, I wish I had this when I first signed up! It's packed with tips to make the whole experience smoother, plus links to other posts if you want to dive deeper. There's even a section on the NetGalley Shelf app (which I had no clue how to use at first), and some solid advice on how to make your profile stand out. Definitely worth a read!

Soooo helpful! I wish I had read this sooner because of how much it really helped with my understanding of Net Galley and its features. Definitely glad that I read this!

Loved this toolkit!! It's a really nice starter kit for reading and reviewing ARCs. I'm thinking about getting serious about my booktok/bookstagram this summer, so the social media chapter will be helpful for that.

As a brand-new reviewer of ARCs, I found this toolkit incredibly useful and encouraging. It offers a clear, comprehensive guide that covers every key aspect a beginner needs to understand—what makes a successful reviewer, how to access review copies on NetGalley, and how to craft effective book reviews.
What stood out to me most was the practical advice and thoughtful structure. The detailed breakdown of review expectations and etiquette helped me feel more confident about starting my reviewing journey. The examples of book reviews were especially helpful. They gave me a concrete sense of tone, structure, and what publishers look for. I also appreciated the reminder to maintain a high review ratio and to avoid going on (very tempting) request sprees, as someone who loves building my TBR list even more than reading!
I highly recommend this tool kit to other beginners, NetGalley reviewers or anyone just starting out.
I'm also looking forward to exploring the Social Media Review Kit included in this library.
Thank you for creating and sharing such a thoughtful, beginner-friendly guide!

This was a great little toolbox with tips to help improve your NetGalley experience. I have some experience reviewing books but it’s always nice to have a refresher on exactly what publishers are looking for. I also thought the section on what to include in your bio is very helpful so that it is not easily overlooked by publishers. I recommend this to all reviewers whether they have experience or not because it is a quick reference guide that is to the point with helpful tips.

I appreciated being able to have a place to restart my journey on NetGalley, and I loved being able to follow links for tips I really need. Honestly, I wish this was recommended up front!

This was definitely helpful and a great jumping off point to aid in getting started with everything. It's also aesthetically pleasing and easy to read.

A great toolkit for use, thanks for not only the opportunities to get to read books before they come out, but also for giving us tools to help us do better with our reviews!

This was a great toolkit to show me the things I don’t know about NetGalley. I think it will be very beneficial to use throughout my reviewing journey.

I really enjoyed reading through this guide. It was well thought out and made it easy to understand what a publisher might be looking for. I am glad that I noticed this book in the beginning of my reviewing process. I wish I found this a little sooner before I went on the “request spree”. Since reading I went back in and made sure that I was only requesting books that I absolutely couldn’t go without reading and have changed my profile to hopeful attract the publishers.

I found this guide to be extremely useful and beneficial. I wish I would have seen it when I first signed up for NetGalley. It contains great information and gets straight to the point.

Very helpful booklet for those starting out their review journey on NetGalley, I will to consult this booklet as I continue learning the ins and outs of NetGalley!

This is a great guide on how to write reviews for books on NetGalley! This gives you tips on how your profile makes a great impact on being approved because publishers can see them.

Very informative .
I am new to being an ARC reviewer and there were so many good tips in this book. I look forward to reviewing many more .

So helpful! Thank you We Are Bookish for creating this straightforward, thoughtful guide for new members. As a new reviewer on this platform, I've been uncertain how to get started. This guide provided the just-right amount of detail with plenty of links for further explanation (e.g. how to write a DNF review). I also appreciated the friendly, nonjudgemental tone. I'm glad I started here and will referencing it often as I take my first steps as a baby reviewer!

I went into this thinking I already knew how to write book reviews—but I was genuinely surprised by how much I learned! The NetGalley Member Toolkit is a fantastic resource, whether you're brand new to reviewing or have been around the bookish block a few times.
The updated edition walks you through everything: from polishing your profile to understanding the importance of your Feedback Ratio (which, let’s be honest, can feel like a mystery at first). I especially appreciated the section on writing thoughtful, balanced reviews—even when the book didn’t totally work for you. That is something I definitely struggle with because I want to rate high because I'm so grateful for the ARC, but sometimes a book just does not do it for me.
It’s well-organized, easy to follow, and full of practical, actionable advice. If you're hoping to grow as a reviewer, advocate for books more effectively, or just make the most of your time on NetGalley, this toolkit is absolutely worth reading.

This was such a helpful book for someone new to netgalley! In addition to the fantastic tips, what really stuck out to me was the design of every page. You can really tell the design team put in a lot of effort.

This resource guide was quick and easy to read with solid examples and hyperlinks to additional information. I would recommend it to anyone new to Netgalley. Thank you!

Great information! I found this to be a helpful tool for beginners! Thank you for providing that for newcomers it is greatly appreciated!

This toolkit was very helpful in completing my profile on NetGalley. It also helped me on how to get started and all the dos and don’ts.