The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers
Because Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers 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.
Ekta Kumari
The storyline is centered around a tenant farmer who struggles to make ends meet and feed his family, and this is highlighted in contrast to the life of the landowner, who often profits from the cruel practices. The book illustrates the tough lives and circumstances of German immigrants who settled in the United States in the 1940s. I wouldn't have read the book based on its genre because I wasn't interested in historical fiction, and the plot didn't interest me much. The part I sampled so far was engaging, and the book opens with a scene where Margaret, Urs Wagnor's wife, is visiting a midwife to consult her about some pregnancy complications. The story develops to show the stark reality of the poor treatment received by Urs from the landowner. What I liked the most was the storytelling because I think the writing does a good job at portraying the themes of injustice and social differences. I saw a useful official OBC review before sampling, but I don't plan on reading the whole book because the storyline isn't much to my liking. Also, I would suggest another round of professional editing. I was able to find three comma-related errors. One of them was a missing comma after 'chanted' in the following sentence: "As she chanted Margaret focused on a mole dancing on the woman’s upper lip." There's nothing else I can suggest for improvement.
First Ten review added on May 4, 2023, at 2:00 pm by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
Had I not been a part of this program, I would not have read the book based on the genre, cover, or published reviews. The OBC review did not change my mind, either, but the first ten pages did. I found only one error (location 197: there should not be a space after the opening quotation mark). The excerpt showed Margaret coming to the Hebamme with complaints of sickness during her latest pregnancy. I liked that I was invested in the characters' lives from the beginning. I had no suggestions for improvement. Based on my reading experience, I would read the whole book.
First Ten review added on May 4, 2023, at 3:59 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jeremie Mondejar
At first sight, I thought this book was a self-help book based on the title. When I read the sample, blurb, and OBC review, I found out that this book is a family drama. Margaret's character is quite typical of a mother who endures pain during pregnancy. The thing that makes me curious is when Margaret goes to the hebamme, or midwife. The most intriguing part is when Urs land was now under a cruel crumpled man. I wonder if Urs will ever regain his land. I read the OBC review, which is very informative in giving details about this book that influenced my decision. I didn't see any errors while sampling the book. There's nothing I dislike, and I want to suggest changing the cover photo into something more attractive and eye-catching. Yes, I will read this book because I'm always fascinated by the lives of immigrants.
First Ten review added on May 4, 2023, at 3:57 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sou Hi
Without this program, I wouldn't have read this. The official review from OnlineBookClub, the cover, the blurb, and the ratings on Amazon are fine, but the book's premise is not my cup of tea.
I like nothing in the bit I read. The sample is riddled with grammatical errors, and the story is incoherent. The author should clarify the book's settings, such as Margaret's circumstances or the dates. I also suggest another round of proofreading. Since the sample can't pique my interest, I won't buy this book. The OBC review was helpful in making my decision.
Error example: "Come in, come in." she nodded, as mother and daughter climbed the steps and entered the closed in porch. -> The first letter of "she" should be capitalized, and it should be "the closed-in porch."
Scheiss!" Urs yelled again and walked away. -> An opening quote mark is needed before "Scheiss!"
First Ten review added on May 4, 2023, at 1:50 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Anna_Hernandez
Had I not been part of this program, I would have been intrigued to sample the book based on its cover image and title, which feature conflicting subjects, ‘whispers’ and ‘prayers’. After reading the first ten pages, I decided not to continue reading the book because it was a little outside of my comfort zone. When I read, I want to escape reality, and I felt that this book was too realistic, fictional or not. However, I did not find any errors in the first ten pages, and I would not change anything. The beginning with the fortune teller really captured my attention, drawing me into the premonition. The writing style conveys enough of human nature to capture the reader's attention and create a quick connection to the characters. Finally, the official featured review of ‘Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers’ by Donna Mack on OBC did not affect my decision not to read the book, as I mentioned, it just seemed a bit too realistic for my liking.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 10:26 pm by Anna_Hernandez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover, title, editorial reviews, and customer reviews. There seemed like there would be a lot of drama with this family based on the summaries of the book, which didn't seem to be for me. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. The style of writing wasn't for me. It was a little choppy. The editing could also use improvement as the book did not seem to be professionally edited. For example, in "You stay out here." she added to the girl, the period should be a comma. There were other incorrectly used punctuation marks throughout the sample. I don't like to read books that aren't edited. I did like the suspense of the story itself with the initial conversation about the baby with the Hebamme.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 8:36 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
I found the cover to be too busy with the overlaying images. And although I find the topic of immigration important, the Official OBC Review wasn't enough to convince me to read this book. I didn't read any other reviews or blurbs. I read the first ten pages and don't think I will continue. The book is riddled with errors, enough to interrupt my concentration. It's what I disliked most about this book. For example, in the second paragraph of the Prologue, there should be a comma rather than a period before "she" in the following: "'Come in, come in.' she nodded..." On page 2, the following sentence should have a comma rather than a semi-colon: "The women leaned closer; staring into each other." The story unfolded rather nicely, and I liked the images of Urs lamenting that humans couldn't be more like machines. And I enjoyed the sentimental touch in the way he pocketed the baby bunny. My only recommendation for improvement would be to have the book proofread.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 6:51 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shanesha Sammerson
The OBC review and Amazon summary were neither intriguing nor compelling enough to entice me to read the book. This is not my usual genre, therefore it did not pique my curiosity. Because of the reasons stated above, I would not buy it after reading the first ten pages. I could understand Margaret's concern that something was amiss with her pregnancy when she felt ill and bleed. I discovered no mistakes. Nothing about the book appealed to me. It was a little perplexing.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 6:18 pm by Shanesha Sammerson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Donna Walker
I think the cover looks incredibly boring. The title doesn't make me want to read it either. Based on the genre and the reviews that I have read, this is not a book that I would even consider reading. The first 10 pages were very boring to me. I found the pace very slow. There's nothing in particular that I liked or disliked. I don't really like reading stories of hardship, so this one is not for me. Even though I do like some historical fiction, it is rare that I can get into one. I didn't find any errors, so I am assuming that the book was professionally edited. The OBC review was positive but would not sway me to buy and read this book. I have no interest in Urs story. I would not have known about this book if it were not for OBC.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 5:58 pm by Donna Walker.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mbali Qalinge
Donna Mack's Whispered Secrets, Whispered Prayers is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of a German immigrant tenant farmer and his family's struggles in 1940s North Dakota. As someone who is not a fan of historical fiction, I would not have read this book based on the title and cover alone. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided not to continue reading the book due to my lack of interest in the genre. Although I appreciated the book's descriptive writing style, I found nothing particularly compelling about the story. I did not notice any errors in the first ten pages, and the OBC review did provide some helpful context about the book's genre and subject matter. Overall, while this book may not have been for me, I believe it could appeal to those who enjoy historical fiction.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 5:21 pm by Mbali Qalinge.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelsey Roy
I was initially intrigued by the cover and title of “Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers.” These details indicate historical or general fiction, which I enjoy reading. The blurb confirms that the novel is historical fiction set in the American Midwest in the 1940s. I love this period, and I am intrigued by the North Dakota setting. The OBC review discusses immigrants who settled in America post-WWII and tried to carve out their existence on a farm. I am very interested in reading the sample.
I found some minor typographical errors in the sample, such as, ‘“ Me neither,” said the third.’ There is an unneeded space between the beginning quotation mark and “Me.” I felt transported to a different time and place by the author’s writing style. I do not know what type of service the ‘Hembamme’ was performing in the prologue, but I was intrigued by her insight. I felt the fear of the mother, who thought she might lose her baby due to the bleeding. I enjoyed the sudden action in the intro, and I think the author appropriately conveyed the sense of the past in the narrative. I would like to continue this book and learn the character’s stories. This book needs a further round of editing. I found nothing to dislike aside from the typographical error.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 5:00 pm by Kelsey Roy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would have skipped it based on the description. I am not a fan of historical fiction, which is what I knew this book was about based on the description. There are some customer reviews, but these reviews did not affect my decision to sample the book. The author was very vivid in her descriptions; this can be seen from the prologue. Based on what I know, there may be witchcraft in this novel; this is evident when Margaret was asked to stare into a swinging silver chain. Because of this, I decided to skip the book even before I read the official OnlineBookClub review. There were no grammatical errors, and I found nothing I can think of that I disliked or thought needed improvement.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 4:52 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
I learned that Urs was working for Humpy. I liked the way Urs was behaving in front of Humpy, even though he hated Humpy. I found several grammatical mistakes in the sample. For example, the sentence, "When Urs was finished Humpy Chris gave a small wave, rolled up the window, and smoothly pulled the new '47 Pontiac out of the farm yard." This sentence could have been as follows. "When Urs was finished, Humpy Chris gave a small wave, rolled up the window, and smoothly pulled the new '47 Pontiac out of the farm yard." This book needs a round of professional editing. Several customer and editorial reviews of this book praised this book. It was the OBC official that inspired me to read the sample. I would not have read the sample outside The First Ten program because the cover, title, and genre barely impressed me. I felt that the characters were coming into the scenes without any pre-introduction. I will not buy and read this book today due to the above reason. My suggestion to the author is to consider the introduction of the characters before bringing them into the scenes.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 1:15 pm by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Pauline Parnell
Even if I hadn't been a part of this program, I would not have read the sample pages of this book. Neither the topic nor the blurb intrigues me. I wouldn't buy the book or finish reading it after the first ten pages. I was not in tune with the 1940s settings. There were obvious errors. On page 1, it reads: "Come in, come in. " she nodded, as mother and daughter climbed the steps and entered the closed in porch. The corrections are: "Come in, come in," she nodded, as mother and daughter climbed the steps and entered the closed-in porch. I do believe the book is beautifully written; however, the grammatical errors were too overwhelming. Although the OBC review was favorable, it had no bearing on my decision.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 10:14 am by Pauline Parnell.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
I will not finish reading this book because the pages that I read made me shiver. I was confused because I did not know what a Hebamme was, and the author did not explain it. Based on the context clues I assume it is a midwife or a witch. There was a missing comma error at 16%: "As they crossed the windswept farmyard [ ] the edge of the woman's long coat flapped . . ." The cover of the book was not appealing because it was blurry, so I would not have chosen to read it. The blurb mentioned that it was a psychological and surreal drama, which convinced me not to read it. The OBC review only gave it three out of four stars and that convinced me not to read the book. Although the author's writing skills are impressive, I will not finish reading the book because the subject does not appeal to me.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 9:54 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
The story is set in 1947 and follows the adversity faced by a tenant farmer, Urs Wagnor, who has a hard time providing for his family while working the land of a heartless landlord, Chris Nielsen. I am not interested in reading historical fiction novels, so I would not have read the book based on the genre, cover, and title. The Amazon blurb was informative, though. Also, despite the lack of editorial reviews, the book has received positive customer reviews. From what I have read, this book will surely appeal to anyone interested in reading stories that highlight the struggles faced by immigrant families in Midwest America in the 1900s. Unfortunately, I am not the target audience. However, I enjoyed the fast-paced writing style and liked the author's choice to include German words and phrases, which made the story more believable. The only thing I disliked was that I encountered some distracting errors. For example, it should be written "choking" in the following sentence: "Margaret swallowed a chocking in her throat." (Page 16) It should be written "ten good-sized potatoes and half a dozen carrots" in the following sentence: "Liz, go get about ten good-sized potatoes and a half a dozen carrots." (Page 13) Other than another round of editing, nothing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 4:04 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
SINGH JAY
I did not participate in this program previously, but I am now, and I like it. Yes, based on editorial reviews, and customer reviews, I would have read or sampled this book. Yes, after reading the first page, I would like to purchase and read it. As I read the first ten pages, I found no errors. It is an enjoyable and fascinating book, which is why I like it. The moment Margaret started looking for information about her pregnancy, I was sucked into the book. I was interested to learn more about the family's lifestyle and the tumultuous historical period in which it must have occurred. I kept flipping the pages because of how the lives and motives of the two families intersected. Generally speaking, the characters have depth. It was obvious what they were doing and why. I found nothing too negative to mention, dislike, or complain about in the first ten pages of this book. Yes, OBC reviews help readers decide whether to buy this book.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 4:01 am by SINGH JAY.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vidhi Adhikari
The book makes a decent first impression with its attractive cover design, straightforward title, detailed description, and multiple customer reviews but no OBC reviews. Since the book is a psychological drama, I was excited to read the sample. The OBC review spoke about the paradox angle which piqued my interest. That said, I loved the simple writing style of the author. There were some minor grammatical errors, but nothing that would affect my reading experience (Sofia stood at her window {add comma} watching the woman and child approach the house. ). Unfortunately, since the story seemed a little slow to me, I will not be finishing this book. I would suggest that the writer add pictures to better grab the reader's attention.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 2:04 am by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Arnaiz
The cover and title make me think of a self-help book or memoir. However, the blurb says that it is historical fiction. Customer feedback has been positive. The subject did not capture my interest enough to make me want to read the book outside of the program. My opinion was not changed by sampling. I liked how the book raises awareness of a specific group of immigrants to America: Germans from Russia. However, the storyline is not for me, and the pace is slow for my liking. Hence, I will pass. To attract the attention of the target audience, I recommend a more eye-catching cover. Here is an example of an issue for editing.
Location 155. Punctuation. The period following the direct speech appears to be inappropriate in this case.
"Come in, come in." she nodded, as mother and daughter climbed the steps and entered the closed in porch.
The balanced feedback from the official OnlineBookClub review is helpful.
First Ten review added on May 3, 2023, at 1:34 am by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Carlos Mata Saenz
I would not have chosen this book because of the cover, title or reviews, although some of them were positive. I don't dislike the title or the cover, but I don't find them captivating.
After reading the first ten pages, I have decided not to buy or read the rest of the book.
I found it interesting that the author starts to introduce some central elements of the plot from the very beginning.
On the negative side, I found confusing how the action moves from one character to the others, as well as the typos or mistakes. These are factors that have been highlighted, for example, in the OBC review, what makes me understand they are constants throughout the whole book. I found this helpful to my decision, as I found it unpleasant during the sample.
I found a sentence that I think could improve with a editorial check. When the current text says: "Come in, come in." she nodded, as mother and daughter climbed the steps and entered the closed in porch. "You stay out here." she added to the girl. "This business is not for children."
Personally, I would suggest instead: "Come in, come in." She nodded, as mother and daughter climbed the steps and entered the closed-in porch. "You stay out here," she added to the girl, "this business is not for children."
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 11:57 pm by Carlos Mata Saenz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't sample this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, OnlineBookClub review, or other reviews because historical fiction is not usually my first choice, and I'm not too interested in the time period covered in this book. After reading the first ten pages, I will not read the whole book because I wasn't a big fan of the setting, and even though the characters were well written, I did not see myself getting attached to them. My favorite part of what I read was the progression of Urs' thoughts after Chris left. I thought his anger was understandable, and I liked that it showed his struggles and his determination. I don't think the book needs to be improved. There's a missing opening quotation mark in Location 283 (Scheiss!" Urs yelled again and walked away.).
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 11:08 pm by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Upon poring over the book’s official OBC review and Amazon page, I opted not to purchase the historical fiction novel. I am not fascinated by the struggles and adversities Urs' family faced as German immigrants in America. I am not intrigued by Urs' vision of having a son who would grow up to be a strong and able man (just like him) who would one day own his own patch of land. I am not interested in finding out how everyone's lives changed after Danny began going back to school. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the Amazon sample had me wanting to peruse the rest of the book. The first ten pages include a prologue, the first chapter, and some pages of the second chapter. What I liked most was when Margaret consulted the Hebamme regarding her condition. I was not able to note any errors in the sample. The book seems professionally edited. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 10:27 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mariana Figueira
If I wasn't part of the First Ten program, I wouldn't have read the book because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book I don't want to continue reading it because the story didn't captivate me. I like that Margaret is worried about her baby, and I feel sorry for her. This book seems professionally edited, I didn't see any typos; plus, it has an official Online Bookclub review but that didn't affect my opinion about not reading the book. I didn't see anything that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 9:40 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Olivia Bird Whitworth
If I weren't part of this program, I wouldn't have sampled this book based on the cover or the OBC review, which both didn't interest me. However, I enjoyed reading the sample. I got to know a little more about the struggles that tenant farmers faced through the family's experience. I didn't see any errors in the first ten pages, and there wasn't anything that I didn't like about it. I did enjoy Annie's character and wanted to get to know her better. I won't be finishing the book right now because I don't have enough interest in historical fiction to finish it, but I think the author has done a great job.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 9:39 pm by Olivia Bird Whitworth.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
OTrain Disene
The cover was OK, while the title evoked some sense of curiosity in me. I would not have picked this book had it not been because of this programme. The book opens with two women together. One is pregnant, while the other is not. It is revealed that the one who isn’t is some form of a healer. The pregnant woman is worried that she might lose her pregnancy, so she comes to consult. I liked how deep the story was. I hadn’t got far with it, but already I could see that a lot would happen. The suspense and mystery were also welcomed. I didn’t find anything I disliked. I will not be reading it further because it is just not my cup of tea. It was professionally edited with no errors. The official review from OBC had no impact on my decision.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 7:46 pm by OTrain Disene.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis
The book's cover didn't entice me, but reading the first ten pages piqued my interest. The official review on OBC did not sway me towards reading the book, as it was mentioned that there were a lot of errors, and the plot switched back and forth. However, I do not let other people's opinions make up my mind for me. I did not notice any typos, but there was some foul language in German, as well as in English. I liked the part about the little girl playing on the floor with the tangled nails. I did not the owner of the farm and thought that he was abusive towards Urs. I think that I will purchase the book as I am curious to find out what happened to Urs, Margaret, and the five children.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 7:14 pm by Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MsH2k
I read historical fiction occasionally, but neither the title nor the cover attracted me. Also, I found the blurb lengthy and disjointed, so I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. I learned a new word while reading the first ten pages of this book: Hebamme. I looked it up and found it means midwife, but Sofia seems to have other divination skills. I felt sorry for Margaret, who not only found out she was not carrying the son her husband wanted but also the child could have some physical issues. I will not buy this book today because the story seemed dark and depressing, and I did not connect with the characters. It appeared professionally edited; I did not notice any grammatical errors in the first ten pages, but it was sometimes hard to follow because I was unfamiliar with the customs. Neither the featured OnlineBookClub review nor any other reviews or ratings had any bearing on my decision. A suggestion for improvement would be to make the blurb more concise.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 7:04 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mayang Bature
This book is very descriptive. It clearly explains the emotions of the characters, which I appreciate. However, as stated in the official OBC review, there was no proper transition between the two characters' stories. It was confusing at times and will require extra attention to avoid getting lost in the story. When Margaret and Annie went to see the Hebamme, the transitions from Margaret's scene to Annie's were too frequent, and it became irritating. I would have liked to read this book if I hadn't been in this program. The description sounded intriguing, and I'd like to know if Urs finally got the land he desired. I'm not going to finish the book after reading this sample. Aside from the book's somewhat disjointed stories, the official review claimed that it was riddled with sloppy errors. I didn't find any in what I read, though, but they could be irritating, which I would not appreciate.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 6:05 pm by Mayang Bature.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Amy Luman
In the Prologue, when Margaret is consulting with the Hebamme, she says, "There are spots of blood every month, even now, this late. I lost one already, years ago...." There should only be one space between the sentences, even in dialog. This same thing occurs frequently. I disliked that each chapter started right where the previous one finished. They didn’t start on their own page. I didn’t find anything that I really liked, and I was really disturbed by Chris’ description of the Depression as "good times." The OBC reviewer mentioned that this book describes the struggles of a tenant farmer in the 1940s, and I can see that in the life of Urs. The cover didn’t really interest me, and the title just piqued my curiosity but didn’t make me want to read the novel. The editorial and customer reviews of this were good, but I’m not going to finish it. Historical fiction just isn’t one of my interests. The only thing that I would change is to have each chapter start on its own page, but that’s just a matter of preference.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 5:09 pm by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
I am not a fan of historical fiction and would not sample this book. I found Annie to be the most interesting. She had a dream beyond the knowledge of her family. Urs sounds cruel. There were several errors in the story. Editing would be suggested. I also think making clearer transitions between each character would improve the story's flow. The OBC didn't convince me to read the story. Nothing online altered my decision. I am passing on the BOTD for my dislike of historical fiction and the above-mentioned reasons. Error: Dumb farmers 'tiling the god-forsaken soil.
tilling is working land
tiling is working tiles-like in puzzles or floor surfaces
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 4:27 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I would have checked out this book based on that and the title, even though I am not particularly fond of the bland book cover. The blurb, customer reviews, editorial reviews, and the OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision. I could sympathize with Annie while she had to wait on her mother to be examined by Sofia, the Hebamme. I could also sympathize with Urs having many children to provide for with a farm that was not producing, and I wonder what he does with the white bunny. Humpy Chris sounds like a terrible landlord, and I can’t but wonder if he did give Urs bad seeds to plant to make him fail so he could foreclose on him like he did the other two farmers. Other than some subjective comma errors and wordy sentences, I noticed no objective errors in the first ten pages. However, they did not appear professionally edited because they would have been more concise if a professional editor had edited them. Therefore, I recommend the author have the book professionally edited. There was nothing I disliked about the first ten pages. I will finish reading the book’s free copy because I like the storyline, and I want to see if Urs’s family survives the hard times they are going through.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 3:52 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Nemanja Jankovic
The title of the book is wonderful, but I can't say the same for the cover, so I would choose to read the book based on the title alone. I read the Official OnlineBookClub review, as well as editor and customer reviews, but they did not influence my decision. The blurb affected my decision because it highlighted Urs and Humpy Chris's simmering conflict. I'll read the book since I'm curious about how the rest of the book develops the Humpy Chris character. I only detected one typo while reading the book ("I just have one leg!" Said the first nail. - said), thus it seemed to have been professionally edited. I loved how Urs's thoughts were conveyed, in which he grieved that life is not like a machine that can be simply fixed. This way of thinking feels very authentic to me. Nothing in the book, in my opinion, needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 3:50 pm by Nemanja Jankovic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chinazo Anozie
I knew I wouldn’t be interested in this book from the title, cover, description, genre, customer reviews and the official OnlineBookClub review. I don’t read historical fiction, so I’ll not buy and read this book. I didn’t like anything about the book because I found it difficult to understand. I didn’t understand who the Hebamme was and how she had the power to know what was wrong with Margaret. I also didn’t understand the foreign language that was sometimes included in the dialogues. This book seems professionally edited because I didn’t notice any typos. I don’t think anything needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 2:37 pm by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Olga Markova
But for the First Ten, I would have been intrigued by the title which suggests mystery, and by the cover that features landscapes but I would not have read or sampled this book because the blurb and the editorial and customer reviews suggest that it is a book of historical fiction, and I do not like the genre. Sampling the first ten pages, I liked the author’s writing style but the story of the hardships of Margaret and Urs made me feel sad and depressed. I did not find errors, and I have no suggestions for improvement. The OBC review was very informative and encouraging but after reading the first ten pages and the OBC review, I will not buy and read the whole book because I prefer light-pitched fiction to unwind and this book is a serious read.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 12:05 pm by Olga Markova.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The cover seems generic. It would never have caught my attention. From the blurb, I found the plot boring, and since I don't know the author that's referenced (O.E. Rolvaag), that didn't help. Despite the high ratings, I wouldn't have bought the book based on my first impressions.
I was intrigued by the ritual Margaret performed. Is that a religious thing? An old-fashioned form of hypnosis? Is a Hebamme a doula? I wish that was explained further. But I don't understand the Annie part with the nails. And all of it lacks a hook for me to want to keep reading. So the first ten pages didn't change my mind. There are some editing mistakes. For example, the missing hyphen in the following sentence's compound adjective: "Beyond woman and child, the icy sleeved stalks of last year's sunflowers." (Location 183) The official OBC review didn't change my mind. I suggest improving the cover and the blurb.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 10:15 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nisha DSouza
With a not-so-appealing cover and title, I moved on to read the book's description. I had to reread it as I found it confusing due to the introduction of many characters in just two paragraphs. There were a few positive Amazon customer comments. The official OBC review was engaging and descriptive. The sample pages conveyed the dismal state of affairs between Urs and his landlord, Chris. I liked the author's writing style; Donna Mack described the characters' emotions in a way that will have the readers empathizing. The scene with Margaret and the Hebamme was rather intense. Besides the uninteresting cover, the story's slow pace is what I disliked. Since I don't read a lot of historical fiction, I will not be interested in buying this book. I found some errors in the first ten pages; I have provided the details for two of those errors below.
Page 6 of 264
Error 1: He scooped up a handful of seed.
Explanation: It should be ‘handful of seeds’ instead of ‘handful of seed.’
Page 7 of 264
Error 2: Hadn’t he groomed and fed them all winter, telling them his plans.
Explanation: The closing punctuation should be a ‘?’ instead of ‘.’
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 10:08 am by Nisha DSouza.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Mae Bagarinao
Seeing the title, I'd like to try it. The blurb is captivating, a reason to try the book, too. The editorial and customer reviews are all fascinating to try to sample the book, which I did, and I, therefore, can connect the story and the interesting writing style of the author. However, I have one complaint. The cover is uninteresting because of its color and opacity. But considering all the positives I mentioned, the book is worthwhile to sample, and I'm glad the author shared a free sample. I would like to buy the book based on what I read in the customer reviews on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. They have an exceptional blurb for the book, and all the reviews written there are enchanting and satisfying. The first ten pages are error-free. I like that the book's theme involves hope, which shows in the Wagnor family. I like that the book talks about German immigrants back in the 1950s, and I like the two families in the narrative: Chris's family, the landowner, and Urs's family, the tenants, who make the novel more exciting to read. What I know is that the two families have different dreams that backfire on the other party; Chris aims for profit, which affects Wagnor's family. There is no dislikable aspect of the book. All this sounds great. What I would like to see improved is the book cover. Yes, the OBC review prompted me to sample the book and urged me to read the whole book or buy it.
First Ten review added on May 2, 2023, at 9:17 am by Hazel Mae Bagarinao.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 22%
Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers earned a score of 22%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 22% 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 Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers
