The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for The Underground: Second Edition
Because The Underground: Second Edition was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
ZeroChill
As far as the review is concerned, it was well written, but werewolves are not my field of interest. It is not a disrespect to the author but it is only due to my personal likings. I did read the first ten pages. The author has given a good start to the book, the grammar is good too, but there is the usage of words like fu**.
First Ten review added on November 7, 2017, at 5:46 am by ZeroChill.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Radhika_17
The cover is interesting but I don’t read erotica, so I wouldn’t have picked up the book by myself. The internal struggle between Parker and his wolf self was interesting but not interesting enough to keep me glued. I didn’t feel connected to the characters. There weren’t any visible editing errors. The graphic sexual scenes in the book are a put off to me, so I won’t be buying the book to read it.
First Ten review added on November 7, 2017, at 3:58 am by Radhika_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb and OBC review. I'm not usually into sci-fi and fantasy, and this story wasn't really of interest to me. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. I wasn't a big fan of the formatting of the dialogue between the main character and the werewolf within him. I understood why italic print was used, but not the other characters. The italic print would have been substantial. I also couldn't get into the story because of the werewolf aspect. It did seem to be professionally edited. It just isn't the book for me.
First Ten review added on November 7, 2017, at 2:15 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
jungkookblog
When I first see the cover, I don't think I am going to be reading this book because I think that it is going to be about a werewolf and he goes around the 'underground' when he discovers something. I will be reading this book because the first ten pages show the struggles if you're a wolf. I feel like there would be future conflict if that continues, and I am interested in finding out what will happen. There is also missing background info as well. It seems professionally edited. I did not see a review, and I don't think that would've affected my decision.
First Ten review added on November 7, 2017, at 1:42 am by jungkookblog.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Cjgarland89
At first glance this isn’t something I’d be interested in. The cover is really confusing, and doesn’t relate to the genre much at all. I am not into erotic books so this was almost an immediate no. After sampling my opinion has not changed. It’s kind of awkward at the beginning and not something I’d ever consider finishing. The OBC review didn’t convince me otherwise. I didn’t see any errors.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 10:19 pm by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
Mixed feelings, I must say. Judging by the cover and title, I wouldn't have sampled the book. The OBC review, while revealing, didn't exactly help matters either and pushed me farther away. The first chapters, though, were an entirely different story. As a lover of intrapersonal conversations, I found it delicious, the interaction between Parker and his wolf. My favorite part of the sample was when Susie called Parker and 'their' fondness of her was quite evident. The expressions, 'Parker-the-human' and 'Parker -the-ware wolf' for no reason, got me smiling. I noticed an error with 'an seventh shot' but the book seems to be professionally edited. However, the inventive language does pose a difficulty in fast reading. Yet, I'd like to read more on Parker's adventures.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 9:05 pm by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MarisaRose
I had considered reading “The Underground” a while back, but after reading the OBC review and the blurb for the book, I changed my mind. This isn’t a book I would consider purchasing, mostly because it sounds too busy. After sampling the beginning, I thought the writing was okay, but could have used some additional editing to polish the narrative. Also, I wasn’t hooked on anything in the sample; the beginning was actually pretty slow. I don’t plan to read any more of this one.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 7:48 pm by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kitkat3
I like the cover and the title. The blurb is sufficient, and reviews are mostly positive. I am sometimes a fan of the genre. I may have sampled this book without this program. It appears to be professionally edited. The OnlineBookClub review talks about an abrupt ending, and I wasn't sure that this book would be for me for that reason. After reading the first ten pages, I have determined that this book is not for me.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 5:46 pm by Kitkat3.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mallory Whitaker
Honestly, I probably would have skipped over this one. The synopsis makes it feel like it's a combination of a lot of things I've read before. Vampires vs. werewolves, urban fantasy in Seattle (why is Washington so popular for these books?), dealing with the drama of alpha males and all the romance and eroticism. It just didn't really stick out to me as something different. The <<>>'s around the wolf's thoughts seem unnecessary since I think the italics really do the job. They're a little distracting. That being said, the author does a good job of building up suspense about what happened to Parker that's upset both him and his wolf. I like the idea of he and his wolf communicating with one another verbally. The world is more interesting and layered than I think the summary gives it credit for. I enjoyed the world-building aspects very much. I'm not going to buy this only because I'm being very stingy with my money lately. I'm not particularly interested in reading the graphic scenes mentioned in the Official Review either. This book seems to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 4:53 pm by Mallory Whitaker.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
bookowlie
The Amazon blurb is free of technical errors and gives a clear explanation of the plot and overall themes. The beginning pages also appear to be professionally edited. The author has a nice writing style although there is a too much description for my taste. I don't care for dark fantasy novels or paranormal themes, so I am not planning to purchase this book.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 4:49 pm by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
jwalker73
This book is not one I would have chosen. Dark fantasy, werewolves and vampires are not things that appeal to me. Initially, based on the cover, I thought this may have been a comedy. The review informed me otherwise. The first ten pages grammatically flowed well and it was easy to work out the werewolf's dialogue versus Parker's by the way it was written. As expected, however, I did not enjoy the content. This is purely a matter of personal taste and no fault of the author. I will not be buying this book for that reason.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 4:00 pm by jwalker73.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kourtney Bradley
Going by the cover of the book, it's probably not something I would have chosen on my own without the information I came across. I thought the book resembled a children't type of Halloween read, but after learning that this is actually a darker, paranormal fantasy tale, I was more interested than I thought I would be. Although it's not offered for free (which is something I really look for in the book of the day) this one does seem like the type of book I would still purchase and enjoy. The only reason I'm choosing to pass on this one for now is because my TBR list has been growing far too long over the last few months.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 1:30 pm by Kourtney Bradley.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
micoleon13
This is a great cover page and it immediately let's the reader know that it will be about supernatural creatures. The Onlinebookclub review was very complementary and outlined the story well. I like supernatural stories, but there are so many around, they tend to follow the same sort of story line. The pages which I read were well written and edited, and I liked how the author split up the character between werewolf and man. However, in the first ten pages, the story just didn't grab my attention, so I will not be reading this book. I have no ideas for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 11:53 am by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ReviewerDiksha
The cover of this book seems a bit comical to me, I don't know why. Having seen a lot of supernatural shows, movies, etc. I am not really into this stuff anymore. From the sample also, it felt a but repetitive. Though I was intrigued by the idea of aliens, as described in the official OBC review. I wasn't much enthusiastic to read further after going through the sample.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 6:51 am by ReviewerDiksha.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
The title and the cover are intriguing and I'm quite interested in this genre, so I might have sampled this. I won't buy it, however, as the first ten pages contained some descriptions of non-consensual sex. While this can be part of a narrative - I get that Parker is a hero who may combat this - it isn't something I fancy reading about at the moment. This appeared well edited though I noticed the error "hurling inside", which presumably should have read "hurtling". I liked the description of Parker's house, and of his struggles with himself to "Stay human". The way in which the events were recounted was a little rambling. I did see an OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 6:21 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsDree
I would choose to sample this book because of the book cover that totally eye-catching. When I sampled the book, I noticed the character's conversation with the wolf that resided within him was distinguished by the use of symbol. I think it was a good move by the author. However, I could not continue reading this book further because of the erotica content made me uncomfortable. I cannot say if the whole book were well-written and professionally edited but I noticed a mistake in the usage of word "rooted." There were no parts in this book that I particularly like. The presence of OnlineBookClub review did not affect my decision to not read the whole book.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 3:06 am by MsDree.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample I would not have read the book. I am a little wary of the graphic adult content. After reading the sample I have changed my mind. I like how the formatting distinguished between thoughts or dialogue. It was professionally edited. The official review made me want to read the book more.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 1:21 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
L_Therese
I was confused about why the phrase "Second Edition" was included in the title. If I encountered the book outside of this program, I might have been intrigued by the cover, but the title probably would have made me think that the book was a sequel and pass it by. As I read the first ten pages, I enjoyed most of the book, and there were no obvious errors in the text. In the end, it came down to the fact that I have far too many books on my "to read" list, and I have to be highly selective about adding more.
First Ten review added on November 6, 2017, at 12:39 am by L_Therese.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Quinto
Given the cover, title, genre and reviews of this book, it's not one I would have chosen to read or sample. This is because its tone and story line is too dark for my taste. Reading the first ten pages only confirmed my earlier sentiments on the book, so I will neither buy nor read the rest of the book. However, the book appears professionally edited based on the portion read. In terms of improvement to it, maybe the author can avoid reference to children being part of this dark fantasy world. Lastly, the book has an official OnlineBookClub review which is helpful in assessing its suitability as a book to read.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 11:48 pm by Quinto.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ananya92
This is a book in dark fantasy genre. From the description it seems like an interesting book, full of suspense and a variety of fantasy creatures. The review explains what to expect from the book. The book could have been edited better. While the plot is not overtly complex, multiple sub-plots do make it seem messy somehow. Though the book is interesting, since currently I'm in the middle of another book, I would not peruse this one.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 11:20 pm by ananya92.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Afuglsan
So the cover looks a little silly on this one. Certainly not the best graphics. But it does look interesting. The title doesn't sway me either way. I absolutely love the reviews on this. I love paranormal books so I am definitely interested in reading the book. So far the book is interesting and different. I think it's unique how the author gives the 'inner wolf' his own dialogue while still in human form. I don't think I've seen weres presented like this before. The pace isn't too exciting yet though. I haven't noticed any grammar errors. I think I will continue reading the book because I'd like to see where the author takes it.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 10:42 pm by Afuglsan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vermont Reviews
Today's book of the day The Underground: Second Edition by Roxanne Bland based on reading the preview I decided not to read or purchase this one. Kudos to the author for mentioning graphic sexual content. This was one that I would have chosen not to read. I am not going to purchase this book based on content. The book does appear to have been professionally edited. I did like the characters in this story. I felt the story would have been fine without the sexual content.
Vermont Reviews
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 8:47 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
mratdegraff91
This novel has an interesting summary, and the OBC review was helpful and to the point. What I enjoyed most was sampling the novel. I felt that it quickly caught my attention and I can't wait to read more. Parker's character is interesting especially considering he has internal conversations with his were half. I find it fascinating that the two can communicate as they do. I didn't observe any errors in the sample, but it is mentioned in the review that the book does have several. If I had not sampled the novel, I would probably not have purchased it.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 7:57 pm by mratdegraff91.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ashley Simon
I probably wouldn't have read "The Underground", as it's not my genre of choice and the cover/title didn't interest me exactly. The OBC review was positive but reiterated some things that turned me off (vampires, werewolves, graphic sex scenes). Though I thought Parker's battle to keep his wolf at bay was interesting, I don't plan to finish the book. I didn't notice significant grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 7:36 pm by Ashley Simon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
From the cover, description, and review of this book I probably would not have picked it up. I'm not one that likes to read Vampire / werewolf / other stories like this. After reading the first 10 pages I almost changed my mind. The character presentation was excellent right from the get-go, and there was an interesting plot introduced. Unfortunately, this was not enough to convince me to jump into a genre that I usually dislike. The book definitely did seem well written and edited, but I will not be buying and reading the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 7:16 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gingerbo0ks
The cover looks like a children's book, but some of the content mentioned in the OBC review says otherwise! So maybe this needs looking at. The book falls under the genre I like, but I wouldn't have read the book as I couldn't really tell what it was all about, and the ending did not seem good based on the review. The sample didn't change my mind. The begining didn't draw me in as much as it should, I didn't find the battle between wolf Parker and normal Parker a great start.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 7:08 pm by Gingerbo0ks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Izesicle
Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have chosen to read or sample this book based on the cover. I've read some books about werewolves, so I'm familiar with the mythology. Unlike the Moreva of Astoreth book, I didn't have to learn a new universe. I am not going to buy and read the whole book because the review said the ending was abrupt. I'm fine with erotic content. Based on what I read, the book seems like it was professionally edited. I didn't notice typo or grammar errors. What I like the most in the bit I read was it was fascinating, the push/pull of human and werewolf personalities.
What could be improved is the cover had a children's book feel for some reason.
The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 7:07 pm by Izesicle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Seraphia Bunny Sparks
After reading a sample of, The Underground by Roxanne Bland, I have decided that I will be adding this book to my to-be-read shelf. I plan on purchasing this book, but not today. If I had not read a sample of this book, I would have picked it up. Once I read the blurb for this book I was immediately interested and wanted to know more. I am an avid fan of paranormal novels, and this author's nod to some of my favorites hooked me. I fully intend to buy this book in the next few days. The reason being I love the variety of characters and races of paranormal creatures. Based on what I have read this book does appear to be professionally edited. This book does have an official OnlineBookClub review. I found the review for this book to be interesting. I was disappointed when the reviewer warned about the abrupt ending to the story. This critique makes me less inclined to purchase the book.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 6:34 pm by Seraphia Bunny Sparks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Snowflake
The cover and title are fine and they clearly indicate that this book is not in a genre I typically read. The OBC was helpful in providing further details about the book and confirming my thoughts that this is not a book I would enjoy. I read the sample and it was well written. The words seemed to flow well, the characters were easy to visualize and the story easy enough to follow so far. However, as mentioned, I truly don't enjoy this genre, so, however well it is done, I do not plan to read the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 5:08 pm by Snowflake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
The idea of a human and wolf coexisting in one body as a werewolf is interesting, and it drives a great twist on the idea of a wolf literally "taking over" instead of it just being an ability to use at will. The author also seems to be covering some really cool groundwork for a werewolf vs vampire plot, but it also sounds like it's going to get rather raunchy. As such, this one really isn't for me.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 5:06 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yoli García
I knew this book was not for me before reading the sample pages because the storyline has too many distinct fantastical creatures. After I read the sample pages, I thought the book is professionally edited. I think paranormal lovers might like the story. However, I did not liked Parker talking to his inner wolf. I will not read this book.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 3:56 pm by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
I think the cover of this book is interesting. I like paranormal novels. I thought the first ten pages were well-edited and started in a great and interesting way that really caught my interest. Unfortunately, the OBC review mentioned that this book would be better sorted under erotica. Therefore, I do not intend to read the rest since erotica is not my cup of tea.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 2:47 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kat Kennedy
The cover is interesting, but as I’m not a fan of this genre, I wouldn’t have read this had I not read it for the first ten pages. The author does a good job pulling the reader into the narrative at the beginning of the book. I did like the idea of having a young female character with the promise of becoming an unusual type of wolf. I found no editorial issues within the first ten pages. I will not be reading because it isn’t my favorite genre.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 2:37 pm by Kat Kennedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Christina O Phillips
The cover is cute and the title interested me. The summary sounded too similar to other paranormal, urban fantasy books out there. Without this program, I probably would have skipped reading this sample. The book opens with a different perspective: Parker arguing with his wolf and fighting to keep in control of it. I've heard of characters fighting with their wolf, but have not seen it written like this. I like the different take on wolves. The struggle, to me, lasted too long. I started to get tired of Parker fighting his wolf as the battle continued for a few chapters. Besides the argument with Parker the human and Parker the wolf, nothing else interested me in this sample.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 2:28 pm by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
I wouldn't have chosen to sample this book based on
any other factor. I sampled the book to see if
it is worth as read.
I didn't change my mind as I wanted to sample the book to decide. No other factors influenced my decision. As the story never really seem to be moving in the first ten pages, I was not interested in the book.
There were a few formatting issues, e.g., the wolf's voice was quoted and italicised
which stood out in a awkward fashion.
I didn't particularly like anything about the book at all. It
didn't sound interesting to continue reading the book.
I did see an OnlineBookClub review of the book, but that would not have made a difference in my decision to read the book in full.
I am not reading this book in full.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 1:59 pm by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ritah
Based on the cover, title, and genre I would have sampled the book because they appeal to me. After reading the official OBC review and sample of the book I knew that this is a book I want to continue reading, I felt drawn into the storyline and I liked how the author painted a picture in my mind with his words; those are the reasons that'll be reading the rest of the book. I did stumble into a few errors e.g "Parker poured himself an seventh shot..." I think it would be better to use the article "the" instead of "an" in that sentence.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 1:54 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
IsabelMay
As soon as I saw the summary, I was once again disappointed that the author compared herself and the book to a number of others. The premise is more original than the premise of the previous book (The Moreva of Astoreth) featured on OnlineBookCub, as it promises a blend of different genres. The reviews speak highly of the book, so I wanted to give it a chance. The first ten pages are better than expected, I also didn't spot any mistakes. The plot is not entirely predictable, which is good, but I couldn't connect to the characters and wasn't overly interested in what will happen next. Therefore, I'm not sure that I want to spend money on this book.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 12:08 pm by IsabelMay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this read. The cover is a bit odd, and I don't understand what the "Second Edition" in the subtitle stands for. I've been leaning away from some romance novels, especially when they contain graphic, sexual scenes and much profanity. It's something that I don't enjoy. The OBC reviewer and the blurb mentions this, so again, this sways me in not sampling this read on my own. While reading, I didn't find any glaring mistakes. I find the conflict between Parker and his "were" self interesting; it's almost an internal struggle, but that could have more severe consequences. I believe if this didn't include the upcoming graphic and sexual scenes, I might have enjoyed this read. However, due to knowing this, I will not purchase and finish this read.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 8:42 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I may have sampled the book on my own as I love the genre. The cover is fetching, but the blurb is a bit confusing. According to the blurb, the human population is the murderous party. Surely, the author meant that the “exotics” community is the murderous party. The sample opened with Parker fighting to stay in human form and I loved the way he connected with his inner wolf. Still, the book isn't that different from other books of its kind and I am tired of the genre. I didn't notice any glaring errors, but I wasn't too fond of the writing. In addition, according to the OBC review, the book contains explicit scenes and has an abrupt ending, two things I don't like in a book. I won't read the book because of those issues.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 8:19 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
RegularGuy3
This is not typically my genre. I found the first ten pages entertaining enough, but it was a scene I've seen many times before in many movies--the human struggling to stay human rather than become a werewolf. I thought the author did a nice job differentiation human speech and the internal wolf narrative, but ultimately didn't find anything special enough to warrant continued reading. The review was very positive and I didn't find any errors, so maybe this would be a good fit for someone interested in the subject.
First Ten review added on November 5, 2017, at 8:13 am by RegularGuy3.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 15%
The Underground: Second Edition earned a score of 15%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 15% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for The Underground: Second Edition
