How to become an ARC reader
An ARC is an Advance Review Copy — a finished book shared before release so early readers can post honest reviews on launch day. Reading them here is free. Here is the whole process, start to finish.
- 1
Create your free Initiate account
Reader membership is free and never expires. Sign up with email or Google — that single account covers ARCs, betas and reviews.
- 2
Fill in your Reader Card
Record the genres and tropes you love and the triggers you never want to see. We match rounds to your card and keep flagged content off your shelf.
- 3
Claim an ARC or a beta
Hold up to three ARCs and one beta manuscript at a time. Reviewing a book frees the slot immediately.
- 4
Read inside the platform
Manuscripts open in our reading room. Beta rounds use the page-turning novel reader with a notes sidebar you submit to the author at the end.
- 5
Review before the window closes
Scribe rounds stay open 14 days, Alchemist betas 30. Post a star rating and a written review inside Fiction Addicts Anonymous before the round locks.
- 6
Earn points and climb the leaderboard
Longer reviews and upvotes from other members earn more points. Each quarter the top reviewer takes the prize pool.
What authors expect from you
Honesty, not five stars. Meet the deadline, avoid spoilers, and say what worked as well as what did not. Some authors set a minimum reviewer-point requirement on their ARCs, so your early reviews open more doors later. If you cannot finish in time, release the claim so another reader can take it.
Find a round in your genre
Jump straight into the library filtered by what you read:
Or by trope:
ARC reader FAQ
›Does it cost anything to be an ARC reader?
No. Reader membership (Initiate) is free forever. You only need an account so authors know their ARCs are going to real reviewers.
›How many ARCs can I hold at once?
Three ARCs and one beta manuscript at a time. Posting a rating and written review inside Fiction Addicts Anonymous frees the slot straight away.
›How long do I have to read and review?
Scribe ARC rounds stay open for 14 days and Alchemist beta rounds for 30 days. When the window closes the reading room locks automatically.
›Where do I read the book?
Inside the platform. ARCs and beta manuscripts open in our reading room, and beta rounds use a page-turning reader with a notes sidebar you submit to the author at the end.
›Do I have to leave a five-star review?
Never. Authors want honest, spoiler-free feedback. Say what worked and what did not — that is what makes a review useful.
›Why can I not claim some ARCs?
Some authors set a minimum reviewer-point requirement so their copies go to readers with a review history. Post a few reviews and those rounds open up.
›How do reviewer points work?
Longer, more considered reviews earn more points, and upvotes from other members add more. Each quarter the top reviewer takes the prize pool.
›What if I cannot finish in time?
Release the claim from your shelf so another reader can take it. There is no penalty for handing a book back before the deadline.