The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for It's My Party: A Memoir
Because It's My Party 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.
klwoodford
The reviews and content of the book interest me. Mental illness is prevalent, and I believe that the author sharing her story could help someone fighting a similar battle. The cover of the book isn't really eye-catching, but it is unique. I'm not a huge fan of memoirs, but I would have sampled the book regardless of the program due to the positive reviews. I will not be finishing this book as the style of writing does not draw me in. That being said, it is well-written. I did not notice any grammatical errors, and the author is very descriptive. As she was describing her home it was as if I could picture it in my mind. I enjoyed studying the pictures included and found the differences (and similarities) in our childhood interesting. I never had a nanny, and I grew up far from rich. My home was only a single story with a crawl space attached in case of tornados. However, the prayer that the author mentions saying before bed is the same one that I was taught and told to say before bed. Overall, it seems like a great book with an important message, but it was difficult for me to get lost in.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2018, at 3:24 am by klwoodford.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gravy
I have a weakness for memoirs, so it is likely I would have looked at this. The writing style is personable, the voice pleasent.
I would say this was professionally edited. However, the 'about the author' on the Amazon page is just reviews. This is slightly annoying to me, but not a deal breaker.
The stories are interesting and well written, however, I do wish there were a bit more of a link betweem them, or timeline. They just seem to be random, though that could change somewhere passed the sample.
There was a review for this one, but this did not affect my opinion.
Sadly, the sample did change my mind, as I do not plan to continue this. Due to my preference for physical books, and it failing to really grab me enough to warrant committing myself to the price of a non-ebook copy. I may try it at some point in the future.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2018, at 3:24 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
bookowlie
Although I generally like memoirs, I don't care for stories with depression and mental breakdown themes (as described in the Amazon blurb). As a result, I would not have sampled this book on my own. The Amazon summary appears to be edited well, but it is overly detailed and a bit long-winded. I found the sample pages to be the same way - too many minor details about the author's childhood. Still, I didn't find any errors and the sample is generally well written. However, I found the story slow-paced and was not too interested in the subject matter. Although the OBC review is glowing, I found it difficult to become absorbed in the story and found myself rereading certain parts. Based on my reading preferences, I am not planning to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 9:41 pm by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
RebeccasReading
This is not a book I would have normally read. I don't typically read memoirs. After reading the sample, my opinion has changed. I enjoyed the author's writing. She was very open and honest from the beginning. I enjoyed the tidbit about being worried that her unladylike laugh would prevent her from finding a husband. I think I could relate to her later discussions about mental health. My one suggestion for improvement is to make the description more relatable for younger people. I didn't recognize any of the "celebrity" names mentioned in the description (except for JFK). I would not have normally read this book because I didn't think I could relate to it. It seems to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 8:45 pm by RebeccasReading.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
KRay93
The cover has a striking design and very appropriate design for a memoir of the tone posed by the blurb. The official review highlights the importance of the theme of depression and generational change. The first ten pages revolve around an introduction to the life and family environment of the author when she was young, in addition to a series of complementary illustrations. The prose is very fluid and intimate in an emotional aspect, something very appropriate taking into account the genre in question. The editing work looks acceptable since I did not run into grammatical errors or typos. While I do not usually read memoirs or autobiographies, the topic of depression and the author's particular family environment are of my interest, which is why I will continue reading this book.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 8:37 pm by KRay93.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn't have read it. Although memoirs can be interesting, this one doesn't sound like it had something to what interests me in it. After reading the first 10 pages I didn't change my mind, and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. Despite the above, there were amusing parts within the sample that I read. I particularly liked the euphemisms that came from Nana including windy-pop for fart! That being said, it doesn't look exciting enough to hold my interest despite looking well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 6:58 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bianka Walter
I am not a big reader of memoirs. So this is not a book that I would have sampled without the first ten program. The first ten pages seem very well edited, and I thought the narrative flowed nicely. I didn't feel any sort of connection to Jeannette in the sample that I read, however, and that makes me less inclined to want to read this. I'm sure she was just getting started, but I felt myself struggling to concentrate in the sample. The OBC review solidified my thoughts on this book. Although it was very complimentary, it outlined some deeper, heavier subjects that this memoir covers. I am not interested in a gloomy book right now.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 5:15 pm by Bianka Walter.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
JuliaKay
I think the cover is pretty, and the title is okay. The reviews and blurb for this book were good, but it is not really a genre that I enjoy. I probably would not have chosen to sample this book if it were not for this program. I usually read memoirs that are steeped in other cultures. I do like that there were photographs included in the book. I think the part about Nana taking a special interest in the children's bowels was funny. The description of their home in Greenwich was too long for my taste. I did notice some technical errors immediately. In chapter one, there is a line that says, "I have always loved to laugh: a loud, raucous belly laugh..." After the colon, the letter "a" should be capitalized. There is another instance on the same page where after a comma the words in quotations began with an uppercase letter, and they did not need to. Instances similar were scattered throughout the first ten pages. I think people who enjoy reading memoirs that are more traditional will enjoy this one and like finding out more about Jeannette and what becomes of her and her family, but it is not my style. I do not think that I will buy this book or read it.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 4:52 pm by JuliaKay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
IsabelMay
The cover isn't attractive and the description makes it clear the book isn't for me, so I only sampled it for this program. The sample did nothing to change my opinion. The writing is dry and full of unnecessary details. For example, the house description is incredibly detailed even though it adds zero value to the story and could've been skipped without a doubt. It's just there to fill the pages, just like some adjectives, such as ''graceous curving stairway'' and repetition (''doll'' is repeated 8 times in six lines of text). I highly doubt the book is edited and I can't say I like anything about it except for the formatting. The reviews express mixed feelings as well. I am honestly not impressed by the sample, so I won't be buying the book.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 4:38 pm by IsabelMay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Samantha Simoneau
Prior to reading the sample, this book interested me. I enjoy memoirs and auto/biographies. The unique perspective the author has, being the daughter of wealthy celebrities and coping (or not coping) with depression as well, further stoked my interest. I like the title, given that the author struggled with emotional issues - it is a bit darkly funny. The OBC featured review made me glad that I won the book giveaway and got it for free, as it's, by reputation, a good read. Having sampled the book, I like the flow of it. It feels almost stream-of-consciousness, as if the author is talking to me about whatever comes to mind after I've asked her what her youth was like. I did get a bit bored with the numerous details, such as the layout of the house and purpose of each room, and the weekly schedule. Perhaps this information becomes relevant later in the book. The author's "voice" is engaging and elegant. Coupled with the fact that I didn't encounter a single error, it made for a smooth, absorbing read. I wish the sample was longer because, as it is, I wouldn't finish the book if I didn't already get it for free. This is because there's not enough in the sample to build expectation or foreshadow what's to come. I appreciate that the book is peppered with captioned personal photos. I always like to see that in a memoir or biography, as pictures really help me relate to and internalize what I'm reading. However, the first photo, captioned "Olive with Tom and six-month-old Jeanette," seriously confused me because the author had not yet told the reader what her mother's name was, and the only mention of "Olive" prior to the photo was the author's younger sister. I was perplexed until I realized that Jeanette's sister Olive must be named for their mother, which was confirmed a page or two later. Anyway, I will be finishing this book because the author's style is lovely and I already own it.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 4:36 pm by Samantha Simoneau.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this book. The title is eye-catching, but the cover doesn't pique my interest. When reading the blurb, I get a good idea of what the book will be about. However, reading about a celebrity and/or rich person's life isn't one that appeals to me much. In turn, memoirs are books that I am very particular about in reading. Even with its positive reviews, including the OBC review, I still would not have been swayed to sample this read.
Based on what I read, the book does seem to be edited well. I found the photographs included, with the author and her family when she was younger, endearing and adds more of a personal touch to the novel. I also found the tidbit of Jeannette's grandmother's interest in bowel movements humorous. However, when the talk about the family's house setup came up, it became a bit tedious to read. In general, I do not find myself captivated enough to want to continue this memoir, therefore, I do not plan on buying and reading the rest.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 4:28 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MarisaRose
I don't typically care for non-fiction, so this autobiography didn't appeal to me at first. Based on the cover art and the blurb, I wouldn't purchase this book blindly. After reading the OBC review, my initial opinion didn't change. The reviewer had a lot of positive things to say about the author's writing style and the themes dealt with in this autobiography, but the general content of the book still didn't appeal to me - I wasn't drawn to the author or her story. After reading the first ten pages of this book, my initial thoughts were that this was a great book for the author's friends and family members; however, having no previous knowledge of the author, I had trouble caring about her narrative. Additionally, there were a lot of family pictures added into the narrative; I did enjoy the pictures as I thought it was helpful to have faces to go with the names of the people the author described. I didn't notice any grammatical errors in the sample, but I wasn't really thrilled by the writing either. The majority of the first ten pages is just the author describing the house she lived in, her siblings and her nana. Generally speaking, I was bored by the narrative. I don't plan to read any more of this book.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 4:27 pm by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
I really wasn't particularly interested in this book when I first came across it, and if it wasn't the book of the day I wouldn't have read any of the sample. So far the book is definitely professionally edited as far as errors go, but there seems to be a bit of extraneous information (like furniture and room layouts) that I just wasn't interested in and thought could be removed. The author's voice is like hearing a story told from a loved one, very casual and reminiscing, which was fantastic. Unfortunately it's just not a story I want to read more of. As such, I definitely don't see purchasing a copy.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 4:23 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
After reading the blurb, I wouldn't pick this book up because I don't typically read non-fiction and memoirs and biographies aren't really my thing. After reading the first ten pages, I didn't see any spelling or grammar errors. I actually really enjoyed the writing style. I thought it was very simple and straightforward and I could easily picture the time period and how the author felt about her family. I enjoyed the pictures as well as it really gives a feel to the memoir. I especially could empathize when the author spoke of how her parent's lost their first child and how her father said that her laugh was unfeminine. I could really relate to her. I think this book would be a great read for those interested in reading about this time period and who enjoy memoirs as well, but this isn't for me.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 3:29 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Azeline Arcenal
After reading the first ten pages, I decided not to finish reading the book. The sample wasn't interesting enough for me and I usually don't read memoirs either. I like how the author included black and white photos in her book which makes the book more unique. I do like the book cover and title so if I were to sample the book based on just the cover and title, I probably would have chosen to sample it because they both look interesting. While reading the sample, I didn't notice any grammatical errors either. I also read the official OBC review for this book which was helpful in solidifying my decision on taking a pass on this book. There isn't anything I would change anything about this book.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 10:37 am by Azeline Arcenal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
I don't think I would have sampled this without the program as I don't normally read memoirs. I won't buy and read it today on the basis of the first ten pages partly for that reason, and also because I have a lot of other stuff to read at the moment. I am quite intrigued by the information in the reviews, including the OnlineBookClub review, that this is about dealing with depression. It appears professionally edited as I noticed no errors. I liked Jeannette's mention of how strange her Nanny's British English sounded. As a Brit, I would say words like flannel and pram sound normal while washcloth and carriage are unfamiliar, although some of "Nanner's" terms like form instead of bench sound dated. In terms of what could be improved, there was perhaps too much detail about the layout of the house, although that's an interesting topic. I will keep this in mind for the future as it seems an interesting read.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 10:15 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
lesler
Had I not sampled the first part of the book and just looked at the cover, I would have chosen not to read this book, as it did not interest me. After sampling, this book was different than what I expected and I enjoyed it, but it still does not interest me to read. The book appeared professionally edited, with no typos or grammatical errors that I noticed. I liked the fact that this book is a memoir of a person from a famous family, as it sounds interesting. I like how the author talked about her father's memoirs to gain a different perspective from her upbringing. I did not like how many different directions the author went with this story-it was hard to follow.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 9:59 am by lesler.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dolor
Without The First Ten program, I wouldn't have read this book. The photo cover is thought-provoking, but the genre is not my cup of tea. The official OBC review with a 4 out of 4 star rating was well-written, but it did not convince me to change my original decision. Though I had not found any error in the first ten pages of this professionally-edited book, I still decide to bypass reading the whole book. It did not flicker an interest in me. This is my better version of Jeannette's night prayer:
I lay my body down to sleep.
I pray to God, my soul to keep.
If I die before I wake,
I pray to God, my soul to take.
Amen.
It's My Party by Jeannette Watson is a memoir that details the author's skeleton in the closet, her fight against depression and mental breakdown, and her journey towards spiritual healing.
#Memoir #Depression #CelebrityFamily #Healing
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 6:33 am by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cristina Chifane
Without the first ten program, I would probably not have sampled this book since I am not particularly interested in reading memoirs. However, I like the title, cover and Amazon blurb of the book. I would like to know how Jeanette Watson fought depression. Although many people suffer from it, only a few admit struggling with it or ask for help. Th editorial reviews highly recommend the book whereas 88% of the customer reviews give it a 4 or 5-star rating. Still, one of the customer reviewers mentions the fact that the book is more of a biography than a memoir and touches the issue of depression only superficially. I have enjoyed reading the few pages in the first chapter. The story of Jeanette's childhood flows smoothly and the text is punctuated with anecdotes and family pictures. I could easily imagine Jeanette's nany, her upbringing in a family with six children or their father's "Library Lectures." Since I could find no editing errors and the OBC review gives the book a 4-star rating, I would like to add this memoir to my reading list.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 2:18 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mary WhiteFace
Without the First 10 program, I would not have been interested in sampling this book. The cover and title give the impression that it is a memoir. The blurb and reviews confirm that as true. I don't have any great aversion to the book. It simply doesn't interest me. I'm not sure who the author is, or who her family is.
The editors' description of her father is that he "...was Watson's son, who turned the company into the powerhouse it still is today,..." It's a rather vague description, and the only Watson who comes to my mind is the one who was with Alexander Graham Bell when he invented the phone. I'm not sure if there is any connection. The Official OnlineBookClub review does not clarify who her father is either, just that hers is a celebrity family. I think it odd that it is assumed that people will automatically know. Then again, maybe I'm the only one who doesn't.
Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. It was well written. It seemed to be a nice book for a lazy afternoon. There was a nice flow to the narrative, yet I could detect a hint of sadness in the tone. There was nothing about it that particularly interested me.
The book seemed professionally edited. I did not notice any errors. I have no suggestions for improvements. As I mentioned, it was well written. It just didn't appeal to me. I will not be purchasing or reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 2:03 am by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ladycraic
I would not have chosen to sample the first few pages of It's My Party apart from First Ten due to my lack of interest in the cover and the title. The blurb didn't push me in the direction if reading as the memoir mentioned heavy topics like depression. I don't necessarily like to read about struggles with serious mental illnesses because afterwards the atmosphere feels...depressing. I like happier books and they're generally my go to. The first few pages slowly changed my mind. I liked Jeanette's engaging writing style. I found her home life interesting and I wanted to read more about her childhood. The bits of humor she incorporated did lighten up the mood which was a bonus for me. Seeing as I'm not up for reading about the author's struggle with depression right now, I'll save this read for a later time. This book seems professionally edited and I didn't notice any grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 1:21 am by ladycraic.
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. The cover image is interesting, but I think the title text could be bolder and larger to make it pop out more. The title is very interesting. After reading the sample I have changed my mind. I actually really enjoyed the writing style, and I liked that the narrator started out by talking about her laugh, instead of telling a story traditionally from the very beginning. Several terms I did not understand, like "lazy Susan", but I could easily look them up myself. I also liked the images, which added authenticity. It was professionally edited. I did not read the official review but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 1:15 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mely918
I would have likely been intrigued by the book's cover because it is in black and white. Those kinds of covers usually grab my attention immediately. However, after reading the first ten pages, I became less enthusiastic about the book. I like the general theme of depression. I believe books such as these are great for raising awareness on those types of mental illnesses. I simply did not like the author's writing style very much. It felt as though it dragged on too much. I also thought is was way too wordy and detailed. I did like that it was well edited and had no obvious grammatical errors. The official review makes me reconsider my opinions of this book, simply because depression is a personal issue for me. I may keep this book in the back of my mind, but I will not be purchasing it today.
First Ten review added on July 13, 2018, at 12:31 am by Mely918.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
britt13
As someone who has depression, this book sounded like it could be really interesting. It also received a very positive official review so I was excited to read the first ten. I love how Watson's descriptions flow so effortlessly. Exposition can often feel like a bit of a chore to read on these types of books but it was not in this case. I also enjoyed the side note type aspect of a lot of the descriptions, such as the acknowledgment of the naming of the second son the name of the dead first being odd. I found no errors as well. I do like what I read and would love to read it eventually, I just can not afford it right now so it will have to wait.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 10:53 pm by britt13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
scratchcat318
I thought the cover for this book was pretty nice. I like that it's all in black and white except for a few characters in the title text, making it pop a little bit from the rest of the image. The blurb is also nicely written, containing a lot of details to make the book sound enticing to new readers. I like that the first chapter of this book does such a great job of establishing the setting and time period that the author grew up in. Considering a large majority of readers may not be familiar with the decade she grew up in, I thought she introduced it to us quite well. I like that she writes about her childhood in a realistic light, painting it as neither perfect nor intolerable but a nice mix of good and bad. One part I didn't like was the first paragraph of this book. Compared to the rest of the chapter, the starting paragraph to this book seems somewhat pointless, as it details her husbands and personality in her later years in a chapter that delves into her childhood. I spotted a couple comma errors but no major grammar problems in this book. With everything considered, I will plan on reading this book in the future, as I like the idea of a book detailing a woman's struggle with depression. As a person who has gone through depression myself, I feel like this could be a book that relates very personally to me and that I'd like to see to completion.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 10:16 pm by scratchcat318.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kendra M Parker
I really do not like memoirs. I knew right away that this would not be a book for me. I’d much rather read something else. When I read the official review, I found it interesting that the depression was such a feature in this book. Again, that rather confirmed my thoughts on whether this would be a good book for me. While I understand depression needs to be dealt with and awareness raised, I don’t much care to read about it in others. As I read the first ten pages, I found I was quite disappointed in Jeannette's childhood. I could see that she had suffered from a lack of parental love and affection. That thought made me so sad for her, but it did not really make me want to read the book. I did not find any errors in the section I read, which was nice. It seems to be well written but not a book for me.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 9:29 pm by Kendra M Parker.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CinWin
The cover is very interesting but doesn't really tell what the book is about and I probably wouldn't have opened it. But when I read the first 10 pages and realized that it was a story of a poor little rich girl, I was intrigued. She talks about having 3 dolls when she was younger and a nanny; like that is a "normal" way for a child to be raised. I enjoyed that about "Its My Party" by Jeannette Watson. The only thing I would improve on would be the lack of descriptive language. The photos in the book helped and were unusual because you don't usually see pictures in an e-book. That was wonderful. I did not see any grammatical errors so I assume it was professionally edited, which led to an easier read. There was an onlinebookclub review. I am not going to finish the book, only because I have too many to read right now. Maybe later I will.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 7:57 pm by CinWin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kristy Khem
I would not have selected this book to read based on its title or blurb. The cover design is also colorless and drab, except for a hint of pink. However, after I read the sample on Amazon, I changed my mind. The author’s childhood escapades were delightful to read about. I especially liked her English governess, Nana, who had names for everything like “windy pops” which actually referred to farts. The pictures in the book showed bits and pieces of the author’s experiences, like the pram in which Olive, Lucinda, and Jeannette sat in and the pony cart which they used to go blackberry picking. Additionally, the book seems professionally edited and I saw no grammatical errors in it. It's stellar 4/4 rating in its official review confirmed my final thoughts – I will buy this book.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 7:29 pm by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
lavellan
I probably would have not read the sample of It's My Party if it had not been a part of The First Ten program. While the Book of the Day review was positive, I do not know who the author's father is. This made her memoir less appealing to me. The book seemed like it was professionally edited and I did not notice any errors while reading. I enjoyed the family pictures included in the book. The picture with the pony cart was especially appealing. I disliked how mundane the beginning of the book is. This left me uninterested in how the author's life played out. As a result, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 6:52 pm by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsTri
Neither the cover nor the title for "It's My Party" caught my eye, and both the synopsis and OBC review (the only one I read) confirmed that I'm not interested in reading this book. I don't like memoirs in general, and I'm especially not interested in a book about a privileged lady's struggles with depression and other things. I was still glad that the sample is professionally edited, and I have no suggestions for changes because it's written well even if it isn't for me. My favorite part would have to be the section where the author noted the British vocabulary that "Nanner" brought with her, using examples such as "woolies" and "pram".
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 6:31 pm by MsTri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Seraphia Bunny Sparks
After reading a sample of, It's My Party by Jeannette Watson, I have decided that I will not be purchasing this book. When I saw the cover for this book, neither the cover nor the title piqued my interest. I do not read a lot of memoirs, and I did not think this book would be a good fit for me. As I read the blurb, my curiosity was not piqued. Instead, I was left confused. The blurb talks about the author being born into a celebrity family but doesn't identify the family. I felt the author should have said who the celebrity family was. Instead, the author names other famous people. I find this off-putting. As I read, my interest is not engaged. I must admit that I find it odd and disturbing that her family named their second born the same as the first. I did find some humor in the nanny situation. How the father handles the selection of nannies, is funny. I'm disappointed that the mother undercuts the nanny though. I'm also disappointed that none of them kept in touch with her after she leaves the family. Based on what I have read this book appears to be professionally edited. This book does have an official OnlineBookClub review. The reviewer speaks positively of this book but does not alter my decision. If I had not read a sample of this book, I would not have picked it up. I do not feel that this book will interest me. I will not be purchasing it or adding to my to-be-read shelf.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 6:00 pm by Seraphia Bunny Sparks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I like the author’s writing style. Her prose and the pictures she selected to include in the book help bring her childhood to life. I felt sad that she didn’t really bond with her nanny. The nanny sounded like she tried to do a good job raising the author and her siblings, especially giving the kids prune juice and staying on, even though she sometimes had to go to her room and cry. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the pony and the pram, and some of her siblings baby photos also. The editing looks great, I didn’t see any errors. The review mentioned this book deals in part with the author’s depression. I’m not particularly interested in mental health problems so I wouldn’t have looked at this book on my own; however, I liked what I read so far in the sample so I would like to continue reading in the future. I won the giveaway, so I look forward to continuing the author’s story.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 5:57 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
LarissaRunamuck
I will not be reading the rest of this book. She writes as though every little detail is very exciting but I honestly found it very boring and it was hard for me not to skim. It seems to be a memoire beginning with the childhood of a girl named Jeanette and her one brother and many sisters. She talks about disliking their Nanny ("Nanner") who seems to have really enjoyed working with her previous child, Nicholas, and to have had a hard time with Jeannette and her five siblings. She often went to her room crying although the book does not particularly explain anything the children did (other than exist as rather a handful) to have upset her so much. Before the book begins there is a short blurb of a Prologue that explains Jeanette having a vision of her deceased father. I personally am rather accustomed to stories like that and have family members who have claimed to witness visions of other deceased family members as well. It seems like this book is sort of geared around that event and I'm not particularly interested in it personally. It doesn't seem very exciting or different. In fact it feels like a very normal story about a very average person so I will not be finishing the book. It does seem to be professionally edited and I found no grammar errors.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 5:36 pm by LarissaRunamuck.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yoli García
I rarely read memoirs, so I would not have sampled this book without this program. The OBC review did not convince to read this book. The subject of depression is heavy for me for personal reasons. I prefer not to dwell on it. After I read the sample pages, I thought the book was professionally edited. I liked that the author opens up about her life quite freely. She mentions that her parents lost their first son. Sounds like her dad was strict. He complained about their clothes if these did not look perfect. I will not read the book because it is about depression and I only read certain memoirs.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 5:13 pm by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Snowflake
The cover is quite effective up close but from a distance, it is hard to puzzle out what the picture is. The title gives an excellent idea of what the book is about. The Amazon blurb also adds to that in a positive way. I don’t often read memoirs and so, it is unlikely that I would have sampled this book without the first ten pages program. The blurb and the OBC review give the understanding that this book is about the author’s struggle with depression but we don’t quite get to that in the sample. We are mostly still in the introduction stage by the end of the sample so it’s hard to comment on that aspect of the book. The sample was well written and was easy to understand and imagine. I did not notice any obvious typos or grammar errors. I did enjoy learning about Jeanette’s early years and found her note about their “big” house not being so big anymore interesting. I will have to say that I am still not entirely sure who Jeannette Watson is. Perhaps a bit more about her family would help me and any other unenlightened readers out there. As I mentioned, I am not an avid memoir reader and so, I do not plan to read the rest of this book. I will keep it in mind though, if I want to do further reading about living with depression.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 5:01 pm by Snowflake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
kfwilson6
I am not really a fan of memoirs and Mrs. Watson's story really does not capture my interest. I don't care to read about a woman's struggle through depression. The OBC review and Amazon reviews didn't really sway me, despite there being several reviewers who really enjoyed the book. The sample is well written with only one small mistake noted where a double quote should have been a single quote. Other than that, the story is easy to follow. Mrs. Watson has a nice style to her writing. The content is just very ordinary for lack of a better word. I didn't find anything special about what was happening during Mrs. Watson's childhood. The only thing that one might see as unusual were the household workers, which most people would not be accustomed to.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 3:28 pm by kfwilson6.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
cpru68
I do read a lot of non-fiction but not a lot of memoirs, so it was nice to be directed toward this one today through the online book club. I found the writing to be superior as the author tells of her upbringing in a wealthy house with her five siblings and career oriented parents. What I found striking is that for those of us who have not been raised in this fashion that it seemed most of the child rearing was done by a nanny. And, after ten years of being with the family, no one stayed in touch with her. I understand that maybe from the text that the relationship with this woman was not the best, but absolutely no emotional ties of comfort or love were formed. This, for me, gave me a slight insight as to why the title was chosen for this book. The author was surrounded by wealth, and in all respects should have been happy, but she was not. The review was great because it gave me a little bit more information about what the book entailed, and its glowing review seems worthy as I did not find any errors in what I did read, and I have no suggestions for the author to improve. At this time, my reading obligations are extensive, and I won't be reading this book any further.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 2:04 pm by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
daniya__shah3
Depression is a topic about which people are often hesitant. It's a courageous act to be able to share a personal experience based on it, let alone write about it. I liked the introductory line, it's catchy since it's based on laughter. The narrative was smoothly flowing without any errors. I feel that Nana must be an amazing character. However, the sample provides very little insight into her character. Although, the book sounds like a unique memoir, I think it is not my cup of tea. Therefore, I am not going to continue reading it.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 1:49 pm by daniya__shah3.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
"It's My Party" by Jeanette Watson is a memoir about growing up in a family of celebrities. The book traces the life of the author and how she eventually deals with depression. I don't like the title, it didn't make me want to read the book. It starts by describing the family and their numerous children. It took me quite long to read this few pages. The family story just didn't catch me. I liked the Official OnlineBookClub review, it made the story attractive but when I started reading, I was let down by how slow things were going. I won't continue reading the book. I didn't find any grammar mistakes.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 12:51 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
DancingLady
While I’m not a biogeography fan, this book looked more interesting to me than most, especially after reading the review. I enjoyed the author’s detailed descriptions of growing up in an affluent family. I don’t relate to her experiences, but it gives the reader a good sense of her background. The book is well written and edited and has a great flow. If I had more free time I might buy it, but I don’t feel I will get around to reading it.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 11:38 am by DancingLady.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Christina O Phillips
The title is simple, but the cover art is beautiful and eye-catching. I do not normally read memoirs, but the summary intrigued me as I myself have issues with depression. The prose is nicely written. We get to see and know the family in the first chapter and although there is no dialogue or action, I liked the opening. I felt as if I were there with the family in Connecticut and the pictures helped me to see them, too. There were no errors that I noticed.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 11:37 am by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
ritah
Based on the cover and genre, I wouldn't have sampled the book because it didn't pull me in and I don't usually read books in this genre and category. I read the official review. However, when I went to download/ read the sample, Amazon stated, 'This title is not currently available for purchase' thus, I can't speak to the specifics of the book i.e if there are any errors or what I liked/ didn't like. I won't be reading the rest of the book because I don't have an interest in memoirs at the moment.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 10:03 am by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as I don't read memoirs. This memoir recounts the up and down of IBM’s Thomas J. Watson's granddaughter. The cover and blurb are adequate, but they didn't appeal to me. Sampling the book didn't change my mind. There are too many memoirs floating around, and this one doesn't seem that different from others of its kind. Adding the photos was a nice touch and helped me visualize the tale. The sample appears to be well edited. I like that the sample started from the author's sad childhood and identified with the author's love of reading. While I like the honesty of the author, the storyline does not interest me. I won't read the book as it isn't my cup of tea. The official review didn't sway my decision either way.
First Ten review added on July 12, 2018, at 8:06 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 21%
It's My Party earned a score of 21%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 21% 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 It's My Party
