The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Thin Places

Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu

I wouldn't have read or sampled this book if it was not part of the First Ten program. The title and cover were not enticing to me. It was listed under the C/T/M/H category, which did nothing to spark any interest in me. The editorial and customer reviews complimented the mystery and romance aspects of the book. In the sample, an inmate on death row notifies his friend that his execution date has arrived and reminds him of his death wish. The narrative felt thin in the sample, lacking details and descriptions. I found nothing to like and no errors either. The OBC review praised the plot of the story, but in my opinion, the first chapter was not a good introduction. As a result, I have decided not to read the rest of this book.

First Ten review added on May 29, 2023, at 4:56 am by Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu.

Damian Keyes

I'm always one to root for the underdog. After reading the OBC official review, I wanted to follow Finn's journey upon his release from prison. As described in the review, Finn has some busy to handle as soon as he gets out. The "Thin Places" review drew me in, I knew it would be the type of book I would buy if I were not in this program. In reading the first ten pages, I learned another shocking piece of information that was not in the review. Calvary tells Finn that theirs a buried treasure he would have to find. I'm a sucker for a scavenger hunt, so I'm definitely going to buy the full book and read the rest of this story. I found no errors or anything I disliked about "Thin Places".

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 11:44 pm by Damian Keyes.

Kelsey Roy

I was initially intrigued by the title and cover of “Thin Places.” These details seem to indicate historical aspects or old-fashioned literature, which I enjoy. The blurb identifies the genre as fiction, which I enjoy more than nonfiction. The blurb and OBC review discuss the main character’s quest to find a soon-to-be-executed man’s daughter, so he can prove his innocence to her before he dies. This is an intriguing plot line.

I found no errors in the sample pages. I am so intrigued by the reference to the title when Calvery says, “See you in the thin places.” This has a sort of ethereal vibe. I enjoyed the setting, prison life is not something I’m very familiar with. The author's writing style is engaging, I felt I could picture the interaction with Calvery on his last day on Earth. I found nothing to dislike in this sample. I have no recommendations for the author. I would like to continue reading to see how Chloe reacts to hearing what her dad wanted her to know.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 10:54 pm by Kelsey Roy.

Hazel Mae Bagarinao

The cover looks full of mystery, and the title is intriguing, so somehow, it's exciting to check out the book. The genre is to my liking, and the blurb summarizes well the interesting story between Tully and Cavelry. The editorial review was long and detailed, so I have a hint of what the story is all about. The customer reviews on Amazon are mixed up. Most are positive, and I noticed one negative review that somehow affects me negatively. The cover, title, genre, blurb, and editorial reviews are all great; however, I have two minds about buying or reading the whole book because I am slightly altered by the negative customer review I read, and I feel like the narrative doesn't flow smoothly as I sampled it. There are no errors in the first ten pages. I like the relationship between Tully and Cavelry in the narrative. It was touching to know that Cavelry will be executed and leave a wish to prove his innocence for her daughter, Chloe. And it appears that the book offers drama between the main characters. There's nothing to dislike about the book, as I believe it is already a hit for those who love this storyline. It's just that my mood today doesn't like to dwell on the storyline. I think the book is at its best for the intended audience, so for now, I don't have any suggestions for improving the book. Yes, the OBC review detailed perfectly the interesting storyline of the book, which somehow helps me decide whether I buy the book or not. However, the negative customer review partly affects me negatively, and the narrative doesn't fit me for now. I would rather not be rude, but I'll skip the book today.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 8:44 pm by Hazel Mae Bagarinao.

Annelore Trujillo

I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, OBC reviews, cover, title, editorial reviews, or customer reviews. The treasure hunt the book promised didn’t seem to be for me. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I wasn’t intrigued by the story between the inmates. I also thought it went into a little too much detail about the trading process to get the wine made. This could use improvement. The book did seem to be professionally edited; I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages. There wasn’t anything specific that I liked about the book.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 7:49 pm by Annelore Trujillo.

Donna Walker

The cover of this book is very unappealing. I would not look twice at this book in a store or online. I would not have known about this book if not for OBC. The Amazon reviews were good, but I found the official OBC review offputting. I was surprised that I actually quite enjoyed the first 10 pages. The first chapter was an interesting read. I read the whole sample. Chapter 2 confirmed my decision to stop reading. I can't really explain why, but a woman operating a fishing charter just put me off reading on. I just lost interest in the book, and I can't figure out exactly what it was. I found no grammatical errors, so it looks professionally edited to me.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 7:45 pm by Donna Walker.

Mayang Bature

This story got right to the point and didn't waste any time getting into the meat of the matter. Tully was devastated when he learned that Calvert would die the next day. That caused him to reflect on his own life. The story was also told through the eyes of Calvery's daughter, Chloe, as stated in the official OBC review. I would have liked to read this book if I wasn't in this program. The description piqued my interest. After reading this sample, I felt that the story was too simple and lacked depth. I dislike boring stories, so this is a no for me. Because of this, I won't finish the rest of the book. There were no errors that I noticed in this sample.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 7:15 pm by Mayang Bature.

Salah bourouba

I think I would read it because of the title, it has a mysterious feeling to it. It makes you wonder which places the author is talking about or what they look like.
After Reading the first ten pages, i would put the book in my "going to read" list. I think I want to know more about Calvery's granddaughter and the treasure he hid. There were no noticable errors in the first ten pages.
I liked the friendships that the two inmates have, though the circumstances they stayed loyal to each other. I didn't like some of the slang the author used, it confused me a bit.
The book's review didn't really affect my decision,i didn't even read one, I didn't think it was necessary because the pages have made an impact on me and that's what matters for me most, the impact of the first pages of any book.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 4:22 pm by Salah bourouba.

Diana Lowery

I​ did not get the connection between the title and the cover. The colors on the cover and the way the characters were dressed made me think the book was a western, but it was not one of the many subgenres mentioned. The blurb spoke of a mystical world, which convinced me not to read the book. The first OBC review I read only gave a two out of four due to errors and timeline issues. The second, more recent, review gave it a four out of four and said there were few errors. I did find a capitalization error on page 3. "We used to walk along Galveston beach with her lime-green bucket . . ." The word beach should be capitalized. I liked the allusion to the Frost poem on page 5. I am not going to finish reading the book because of the mention of mystical worlds. I do not have any suggestions for the author.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 2:20 pm by Diana Lowery.

Ekta Kumari

The book has themes of suspense and romance. It takes the readers through an inspirational journey of discovery and redemption that begins when Tully is entrusted with the responsibility of communicating the innocence of a prison inmate to his daughter. I wasn't planning on sampling or reading the book after going through its blurb because the main story or its themes didn't intrigue me. The cover page wasn't an eye-catcher for me, either. However, what I liked the most while sampling was the emotive nature of the narrative. The conversation between Tully and Calvery the day before Calvery's execution brings out deep emotions of bittersweet pain and liberation. I also like how the narrative reflects back on Tully's background details, which helps get an outlook on his life and hopes outside of prison. I wasn't able to find any errors in the sampled portion, and I can easily consider the text to be professionally edited. I won't suggest anything specific for improvement. There's an elaborate official OBC review that is useful for understanding the central plot. But I don't plan on reading the whole book due to my lack of curiosity for the storyline, and the official OBC review doesn't influence my decision. However, the book surely has a vibrant cast of characters based on what I've understood about it from its official OBC review.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 12:39 pm by Ekta Kumari.

Pauline Parnell

I would have read the book's sample pages even if I had not been a part of this program. This book’s cover is beautiful, and the topic is intriguing. I would purchase the book and read it through after reading the first ten pages. The writer captured my attention with an engaging dialogue between Tully and Calvery. The execution of Calvery was very sad against the backdrop of his innocence. There were no apparent errors in the text. The writer quite skillfully engages me in the life of Tully and makes me curious to know if he was successful in meeting Chloe. There is nothing I dislike. The writer understood the importance of a good introduction. The OBC review assisted me with my decision.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 5:40 am by Pauline Parnell.

Nisha DSouza

I quite liked the unique presentation on the book cover. The blurb was very intriguing. There were several positive Amazon customer comments. I enjoyed reading the official OBC review; it was engaging and got me excited to read the book. The sample pages kept me hooked, and I didn’t want to stop reading. The scene with Finn and Calvery, the day before the latter’s execution, was very moving. I am eager to learn what ensues later with Finn and Chloe. So, I will buy the book. My only suggestion to the author is to shorten some of the lengthy sentences, but it is a minor issue that can be ignored. I found no errors in the first ten pages.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 3:43 am by Nisha DSouza.

SINGH JAY

I was not a part of this program before, but I am now, and I enjoy it. I would have read or sampled this book based on the cover, editorial reviews, and consumer reviews. No, after reading the first page, I would not purchase and read it because it did not give me that much interest to read more. As I read the first ten pages, I found no errors.

What I admire about this is that the day after Calvery was put to death, Tully got a box containing his stuff. He finds a turtle named Sport, a calendar, a poem, and various books. He also learns that, despite the loss of a fine man and his friend, everything seems to be going well. Tully was looking forward to going home as his term came to a close. Despite Lacey's concerns, he visits his mother first after being released before travelling to meet his ex-wife and daughter. When he gets there, all he finds is that his wife has a new husband and a young child who does not know who he is. With all he ever treasured lost, he convinces his mother to accompany him to Washington so they can look for Chloe and fulfil his promise to Calvery. I found nothing too negative to mention, dislike, or complain about in the first ten pages of this book.

Yes, the OBC review helped me, as a reader, decide whether to buy this book.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 2:10 am by SINGH JAY.

Kirsi Cultrera

This book’s title, cover, blurb, editorials, and customer reviews at Amazon were not interesting enough to me; based on those, the book smelled like romance, and I am very picky with romance books. So, no, I probably wouldn’t have chosen to sample or buy this book without the First Ten. However, the opening setup in the book was engaging. I dived into the story and completely forgot that I was reading a sample. The discussion between two inmates, another one in the death row, was touching. Unfortunately, the story then jumped to the other inmate’s daughter, and this is where I lost interest. I loved the author’s writing style, and I am not sure if there was particularly anything wrong with the book. The plot just seemed way too obvious to me at this point, and I decided that I would not be reading this book further. I did not come across any obvious errors in the part I read, and the book seemed professionally edited to me. This book had two Official OnlineBookClub reviews and several voluntary reviews, but reading a few of them didn’t change my mind. To conclude, this is a good book for those who like these types of reads. However, it isn’t something that would keep me engaged until the end.

First Ten review added on May 28, 2023, at 1:21 am by Kirsi Cultrera.

Jennifer Coxon

Whilst the title and blurb of this book are attractive to me, the cover doesn't add to it based on my initial understanding of the book.
On reading, I've been able to understand the background of why Finn goes on the eventual journey, but it's not hinted at enough for me to have a greater understanding or interest in the rest of the story. However, there were no errors.
The OBC review is detailed in its summary of the story and does help to frame what's to come better than the first few pages. Despite this, I don't think this is one I will end up reading.

First Ten review added on May 27, 2023, at 7:44 pm by Jennifer Coxon.

Omneya Shakeep

"Thin Places" by Diane Owens Prettyman seems like an interesting book. The title is catchy and mysterious; the cover is amazing, giving away a romantic and thrilling theme; the blurb hooked me to the story and made me curious to find out more about the plot; the customer reviews were all positive, which made me more interested in the book; and since this genre is one of my favorites, it added to the novel's appeal. All these factors combined would certainly make me sample the book.

After sampling the book, I'm now eager to find out what happened and what the Thin Places are. And with the OBC review praising it, I would gladly buy it, as I found nothing to dislike in the few pages I read. Finding no errors while reading is also a bonus. The mysterious character and story of Calvery caught my attention and made me keen to reveal them. I liked the smooth flow and transition between the characters' perspectives, giving me insights into their thoughts and emotions. The author's narration is very captivating, and it easily hooked me to the story.

First Ten review added on May 27, 2023, at 7:38 pm by Omneya Shakeep.

OTrain Disene

The book opens with an inmate named Fonm talking about another prisoner who changed his life somewhat. They used to trade goods in prison until one had to go to the chair. He was on death row. I liked how it started by going back to tell us about the money we were going to read about. I disliked the lack of suspense, and this didn’t motivate me to read on further. The cover was amazing. It looked like a museum oil painting. It was enticing. I would not have picked this if I had seen it outside of this programme. I will not read it because the first ten pages were not exciting enough. I came across no errors. The official OBC review had no role in my decision.

First Ten review added on May 27, 2023, at 6:25 pm by OTrain Disene.

Rowan The-First

The cover image of the book suggests that it is a story of romance. However, since I am not a fan of romance novels, personally, I wouldn't pick the book based on the cover. As I read through the sample, I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding the "thin places" and Finn's strategy of revealing the truth to Chloe. However, while this mysterious element certainly adds to the book's appeal, it still falls short because the writing style doesn't elevate it to the desired level. Because of this I don't have plans of buying the book. I did not appreciate some instances of profanity in the sample, but I found the character descriptions to be well-written and interesting. Unfortunately, the OBC review only provides a brief summary of the book and fails to mention any of the key elements that might excite a reader's interest. As a result, it doesn't provide enough detail to help readers decide whether or not to read the book.

First Ten review added on May 27, 2023, at 3:16 pm by Rowan The-First.

Nemanja Jankovic

The title of the book properly captures the essence of the book, however, I think the cover may be improved. I would choose to read the book based on its title. I read the Official OnlineBookClub review as well as the blurb, but neither influenced my decision. There were no editor reviews that I could find. Jennifer's customer review highlighted the section of the book about the treasure hunt, which influenced my decision to some extent. I'm not going to read it because I'm not in the mood for romantic adventure books right now. I saw no typos or errors while reading the book, thus it appears to have been professionally edited. I enjoy how jail life is described, especially the method of making primitive wine because it appears authentic. Nothing in the book, in my opinion, needs to be improved.

First Ten review added on May 27, 2023, at 2:51 pm by Nemanja Jankovic.

Olga Markova

But for the First Ten, I would have sampled this book because its cover, title, genre, blurb, and editorial and customer reviews suggest that it is a mystery novel and I like this genre. Sampling the first ten pages, I liked the atmospheric story of Tully’s and Calvery’s relationship. I did not find errors and I have no suggestions for improvement. After reading the first ten pages, I will not buy and read the whole book because it was heart wrenching to read about Calvery’s last day and his death row execution after he told Tully that he was innocent. The OBC review was very informative and positive about this book but it did not impact my decision whether to read this book.

First Ten review added on May 27, 2023, at 11:27 am by Olga Markova.

Eleni Antonopoulou

Although the blurb for Thin Places was very intriguing and unique, I would not have sampled the book because its title and cover seemed irrelevant to its premise. After reading the first few pages, I have definitely changed my mind about this book. The story is very interesting, the characters are well-developed, and the narrative is fluent and engaging. There were no errors in the pages I sampled, and I have no negative remarks about Thin Places. Even though the book immediately throws the reader into the hallways of death row, I was surprised to find myself excited to read the next page! Unfortunately, the OBC review gave away a great deal of the plot, taking away much of my initial excitement. However, I am impressed by the sample I read and very interested in how the story unfolds, so I will certainly add this novel to my reading list.

First Ten review added on May 27, 2023, at 9:28 am by Eleni Antonopoulou.

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