A recent email informed me that somebody who reviewed my Waterspell boxed set at NetGalley had updated their review, more than a year later. Curious to see what had changed, I Googled “NetGalley Waterspell books,” thinking that would be the quickest way to find a web page that I had not looked at in more than a year.
What came up, to my fascinated delight, was a lengthy Google AI Overview of my little publishing empire. I copy-pasted the overview, wanting to save it and, frankly, learn from it. As much as I detest all AI-generated books (a novel should be written by a human, and ONLY by a human), there’s no denying that AI can often do a better job than the author, when it comes to summarizing a book.
For a writer, no question holds more terror the inevitable, “What’s your book about?” We are too close to our own work. We know the nuances. We know that a book is “about” a lot of things. There are subplots, themes, side-quests. Knowing what we know, it’s very difficult for most of us to give a succinct response to the “What’s it about?” question.
Therefore, when AI offers me its take on the matter, for free, I won’t turn up my nose at the help. Here’s how Google’s AI Overview responded to my rather lazy “NetGalley Waterspell books” search query:
“Highlighting the series’ immersive quality and addictive nature”
NetGalley hosts digital review copies for Waterspell, an immersive, cross-genre fantasy series by Deborah J. Lightfoot, featuring the core quartet (The Warlock, The Wysard, The Wisewoman, The Witch) and sequels like The Karenina Chronicles, praised by reviewers for its world-building, characters, magic, and romance. The series is designed to be read in order, following a continuous story, and offers boxed sets for convenience on platforms like NetGalley for reviewers.
Key Aspects of the Waterspell Series:
- Genre: Epic Fantasy with elements of mystery, adventure, slow-burn romance, and dystopian undertones.
- Story: A multi-generational saga focusing on family, magic, self-discovery, and overcoming danger in a richly detailed world. (Italics added by me. I like this.)
- Characters: Compelling, complex, and morally gray characters, with main protagonists Carin and Verek central to the original quartet.
- Structure: Originally a trilogy, it expanded to a four-book series (Books 1-4) and continues with linked sequels.
- Readability: Intended to be read in order as one continuous story, though the sequels offer deeper dives into new characters like Nina.
How it Relates to NetGalley:
- Review Copies: Publishers (like the one for Waterspell) use NetGalley to offer free digital advance reader copies (ARCs) to book reviewers, bloggers, and industry professionals to generate early buzz.
- Reviewer Feedback: NetGalley hosts reviews from readers who have received these copies, with comments highlighting the series’ immersive quality and addictive nature.
Where to Find It:
- Official Site: waterspell.net for author info, series details, and sales.
- Retailers: Available as ebooks, audiobooks, and print on major platforms (Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, etc.).
- Boxed Sets: Convenient bundles for the first four books are available, often through books2read.com/WaterspellBoxedSet.
Thank You Kindly!
My original reason for googling “NetGalley Waterspell books” fell by the wayside — I did not find out what “updates” the reviewer had made, more than a year after the fact. But never mind that: I got something useful out of the search. Thanks, AI summarizer!
The print edition of my latest book is now available at all of the booksellers. 
