The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Thin Places
Because Thin Places 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.
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
Iā 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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Manang Muyang
I was not familiar with the term "thin places." After checking it on Google, now I know. The cover is not particularly inviting, and the blurb and the official OBC review seem to indicate a complicated story. I wouldn't have been enticed to sample the book outside the program. The first pages were heartbreaking: Calvery on death row was to be executed the next day. The writing was so vivid I could imagine Finn and Calvery's facial expressions. I also liked this statement from Calvery: When it's just you and your soul, you better be friends." I found one error at 37% of the sample: In "For me, Calvery's last day drug on like a Sunday sermon,""drug" should have been "dragged." (But I also read that using "drug" is a regional thing in the US.) I didn't see anything I wanted to be changed, although a newer OBC review seems needed. The book made me recall The Green Mile. I want to read the rest of it.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jeremie Mondejar
The sample seems bizarre to me, but I'm glad that the OBC review summarizes the book well. I notice the heartwrenching friendship between the two inmates. What I liked was the capturing moments of the prisoner's farewell and his will for his daughter. However, I will not read this book because the plot seems full of heavy traumatic experiences about anxiety, which is currently not good for me. I didn't notice any typos, so I assumed this book has been professionally edited, and I didn't see any areas that need improvement.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 4:57 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
The title "Thin places" and the cover that has two people do not convey the theme of the book. There are 85 Amazon customer ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which is good enough for me to decide to sample this book. The Amazon summary states that the book is a romantic novel. As I am generally not interested in romance books, I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing Calvery talking about his execution the next day in the prison to the protagonist. As I am not interested in the overall theme of the book, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is its fantastic narration. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found two OBC reviews of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 4:55 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
I liked the mystery imbued by the initial pages. I could help but wonder the treasure at hand that Calvery spoke about. Outside the First Ten program, I wouldn't have read this book because I could hardly connect with the book's title and cover page. I will not buy this book because I don't relish book revolving around redemption, as the OBC review suggests. The editing was done professionally as I noticed no errors. Lastly, I have no recommendations for Thin Places.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 4:51 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dzejn_Crvena
When I saw on the blurb that it has romance, I wouldn't have sampled it because I'm not a fan of the genre. The OBC review and the sample didn't convince me to buy or read it when I learned that it involves some criminal activities. The protagonist is imprisoned and he met someone on death row. He'd smuggle some sugar cubes in exchange for wine from this fellow prisoner. One day, he learned that the other guy was going to be executed. He's asked to fulfill the dying man's wish. I'm not interested in the ending of this story, so I won't read further. I like the straightforward writing style that makes the sample engaging to read. The book seems professionally edited, and I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 4:46 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
I loved the cover and the premise. Based on the official OBC review and other published reviews, I wanted to read the book. I found no errors in the first ten pages. The protagonist describes their tryst with Calvery, a prisoner who used to make wine from the sugar the former supplied him. One day, he decides to stop. I liked the way the author dove headfirst into the story without a preamble. It captured my attention instantly. I had no suggestions to offer. Based on my reading experience, I would love to read the whole book.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 4:37 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sonya Nicolaidis
I wasn’t too impressed by the cover illustration of this book, and thought it might be a young adult adventure story. But there was something about the title which sparked interest in me, and I wondered about the ‘Thin Places’ spoken of in the title. I must say I probably wouldn’t have ordinarily stopped for a closer look at this one. I enjoyed the OBC reviewer’s comments about the book, but even this didn’t prepare me for how good it actually was. The first ten were really remarkable and written so beautifully, it captured my interest and I really felt as if I was there in the cells on death row with the two main characters. This author knows how to develop a scene and conjure up a feeling with the written word, for sure. There was absolutely nothing not to like, and I have no criticisms of this sample. I didn’t see any errors at all, but did see one questionable phrase in, “Calvary’s last day drug on like a Sunday sermon…” where the word “dragged” might be better. I think a redesign of the cover of this book would go a long way towards a better initial impact, but I really loved this one and would definitely read the whole thing.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 3:44 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Eunice Geres
I wouldn't have read this book if it weren't on BOTD because it doesn't seem like one I would enjoy. I don't usually read crime and thrillers, so I think I wouldn't enjoy this book. However, the official review mentioned that the genre is misleading because there's not much crime and suspense. I didn't notice any grammatical mistakes in the sample, but the official review noted that this book has many, so I think grammatical errors would be found deeper in the book. I didn't mind reading the sample. I think the first few chapters set an appropriate vibe to the story. I'm a bit interested if Finn would look for the treasure that Calvery mentioned. However, my interest is not enough to make me want to read the whole book. So, I will not continue to read the book. I think many people would like this, though. I also don't have anything to recommend. I didn't notice grammatical errors yet.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 1:18 am by Eunice Geres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabrielle Sigaki
Thin Places by Diane Owens Prettyman is a fiction book that starts talking about how two inmates became friends, one of them was an innocent man who was executed, and the other man starts a journey to find the daughter of that friend and tell her about everything. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review, its customer reviews, and its blurb since I'm not interested in books with important inspirational and romantic aspects like this one. The book's cover, title, and genre didn't affect my decision. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I won't read the entire book because of the reason I stated before, but the book seems professionally edited. I think there's nothing to be improved in it, and my favorite aspect was the fact that the friendship between Calvery and Finn seemed realistic since they started communicating slowly and after some time their conversations seemed to be more fluid.
First Ten review added on May 28, 2022, at 12:08 am by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
I like the illustration on the cover of this book and the title made me want to find out more. After reading the Amazon blurb, I would have sampled this even without the First Ten program because I am a fan of romance. The first few pages were well edited. I really liked all the original sayings the author provided like "when it's just you and your soul, you better be friends". Calvery was a unique character. The customer reviews and comments were also positive. This story is intriguing and the official OBC review even said it was hard to put down. For this reason, I look forward to reading the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 10:34 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Thin Places hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I likely would have skipped it because of the description on Amazon.com. I do not like reading books about death, and this book is about another man fulfilling another man's dying wish. There are numerous positive reviews for this book, so I decided to give the sample a try. Even though Calvery was on death row, he remained positive the entire time. This is a commendable trait because he did not let his situation get the best of him. I did not see any grammatical errors, and I cannot think of anything that needs improvement. Due to the type of book this is, I do not think I would be interested in it. Because of this, I have decided to skip the rest of it. An official OnlineBookClub review exists for this title, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. If a reader enjoys books with a suspenseful storyline and a selfless act, this may be a good read for them.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 6:07 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Garcia 555
I like the genre of this book and the title and description caught my attention. I would probably pick this book to read. I read a couple official OnlineBookClub reviews and the sample pages, and it changed my mind about reading the book. I like that the inmates seem to have created such a strong bond and that the main character promised his friend he would tell his daughter he was innocent. Although a review said there were a few editing errors, I did not see any in the sample pages. This book could be improved by more mystery in the beginning. I did not have the urge to continue reading after the sample. Based on the sample and reviews, I will not buy or finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 3:25 pm by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. The dramatic aspects of fulfilling a dying man's wish associated with this book didn't interest me. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I enjoyed the descriptive writing I read early on in the sample. For example, the phrase, "The numbers of the clock flipped over with a sound like a tongue clicking" really painted a picture for me. That being said, I just wasn't interested enough in the premise behind this one to buy and read the rest of it. The book looked well written and edited; there weren't any errors in the sample that I picked up on. The thing I would have improved from the sample I read is to not mix in Spanish with English in some of the conversation lines with the other inmates. Although that could be possible, the examples that were used, like "his is always el mejor", likely isn't too natural in my opinion. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 2:59 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
I think it is quite obvious that the book belongs to the mystery genre, after viewing the Amazon blurb. I am not looking for books in this genre, so I would not have sampled it. I know that there are two official OBC reviews, one positive and one scoring only two stars – I'm more inclined to believe hsimone's review (with a rating of two out of four) because I am more aware of hsimone's work. Nonetheless, the presence of the OBC reviews generally do not influence my sampling decision because of the genre mismatch. Thereafter, I have also spotted a couple of errors present. At 1% in the sample, there is a missing comma to mark the introductory phrase of the second independent clause: "...life, and by that(,) I mean the...". A comma is necessary for consistency, as the author has used commas to mark all introductory phrases, even those phrases that are only a word long (e.g. "Now, I think..." at 1% in the sample). Hence, I suggest more editing because I expect error-free works from anyone who wants to publish. However, after reading, I feel that the author has a tendency to describe every single detail, which slows the plot's pacing and reduces immersion. To elaborate, when Calvery is about to be executed, the scene is supposed to be at an emotional high, however, the emotional high gets brought down when the narrator starts thinking about what Calvary's last words might be, how he would look like a bona fide saint when he kneels in front of the altar if he didn't have those tattoos, et cetera. All of these details slows down pacing (I'm sure there are other ways to insert such details in an organic manner that does not take away from pacing). Additionally, there are some Spanish words used, and there are no accompanying English translations – the author could do to insert a couple of translations (either as footnotes or perhaps even as dialogue). Translations will help to improve the book's clarity as well. I will not be buying the book today because there are too many errors present, and there still needs to be a lot of work done for the book to become its best possible version.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 12:09 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
This is a terrific cover picture. I like the imagery and the color scheme, seemingly a work of colored pencils. But, I'm not certain if this is the right typeface for the book. And even though I liked the cover, I don't think it's enough to have grabbed my attention. As far as the OBC Review, I thought it gave away the entire plot of the book and, as such, didn't leave much to the imagination. The cover and review together were not enough to entice me to read the book. I read no other reviews or blurbs. After reading the first ten pages, I was impressed with the author's skill. She writes beautifully. But I don't typically like stories about ex-cons, prison, or heroin abuse, so I won't read any further. What I liked most were the verbal images the author creates. For example, I really liked the passage of Chloe crumpling the newspaper with the photo of her father on it, hurling it at the window, almost expecting it to crash, bringing closure to her father's life. This is good writing. There wasn't anything that I disliked other than the subject matter. My assumption is that the book was professionally edited as I found no errors. I have no recommendations for improvement other than, perhaps, changing the typeface on the cover.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 10:40 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
honeybear_11001
Thin Places seems to have a unique storyline. I think the cover is also interesting, and I can't help but wonder what inspired it. I would have picked the book based on the title and cover. The official onlinebookclub review of the book was intriguing, and I got a good insight into the plot, but it made me skeptical. Reading the first ten pages confirmed my disinterest. I will not be buying or reading the book because I am not interested in reading about prisons.
I think the book has a sad theme that is almost depressing. Given my current state of mind, this book does not suit me. However, I loved how the book was introduced. It has an appealing first paragraph that most people would love. The book seems professionally edited since I did not find any errors. I don't think anything needs improvement.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 6:03 am by honeybear_11001.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vidhi Adhikari
I love old fashion book covers and mysterious titles, two things that this book already has, making for a great first impression. The words 'mystery' and 'thin places' in the description do manage to grab my attention and the multiple positive customer and OBC reviews compelled me to give the sample a try. There were some awkwardly-framed and lengthy sentences in the text ('The way I see it, it’s the people you least expect, the people the rest of the world walk right by, maybe even turn away from, who know about the meaning of life, and by that I mean the world beyond this one and all those strings that connect us to it.'). I loved the honesty in the author's writing style as she blatantly mentions about the pedophiles. However, since the book did not have an exciting incident in the first few pages, I was not curious enough to finish the book. I would suggest starting the book with an ambiguous exciting incident to better grab the reader's attention.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 5:34 am by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabriella H
The cover combined with the title looks interesting. However, having read the detailed OBC official review, I feel like I have read this book. I also read customer reviews, and now I know how the book ended. It was sad to read about Calvery's execution, but nothing in the first ten pages made me feel like continuing this book, especially since I know how it ends. Therefore, I will not be completing this book. If I weren't a part of this program, I would've sampled this book because the cover looks interesting. I think the first ten pages were professionally edited because they are error-free. I have no suggestions for improvements. My decision wasn't influenced by the blurb or editorial review.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 5:02 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rita Nuncia
Thin Places by Diane Owens Prettyman is a thriller novel with a touch of romance. The book is about Tully, in prison made friends with Calvery, another prisoner who was on a death row waiting for his day of execution. However, Calvery is innocent. Tully promises Calvery that he will fulfil his death wish. I would have read it without the First Ten program being the reason because I enjoy reading thrillers. The few pages that I have read are actually captivating and seem interesting, therefore, I will buy and read the whole book. This book seems professionally edited as I did not notice any grammatical or typographical errors while reading the available sample pages of the book. I like mostl how the author began the book and the plot seems to develop properly. I do not see anything that needs to be improved as I did not notice any fault in the few pages I read. I read an OnlineBookClub official review and it gave me an insight into what to expect from the book.
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 5:00 am by Rita Nuncia.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ari Martinez
If it hadn't been for the First Ten program, I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, or Official OnlineBookClub review because even though the plot sounded interesting, I don't like books with religious undertones. After reading the first ten pages, I will continue reading the book because I liked the characters, and I liked the flow of the story.
I also noticed the religious undertones, but I never felt like I was being preached to. My favorite part of what I read was Tully himself. Even though he states he was "an addict and a liar" on the first page, he still comes across as likeable. I can't think of any way to improve the book. In Location 115, there's an unnecessary space between a comma and a closing quotation mark (“Solitude does strange things to a man. When it’s just you and your soul, you better be friends, ” Calvery said.).
First Ten review added on May 27, 2022, at 1:03 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Owuamanam Eberechukwu
The book is a great book that has a peculiar storyline. The protagonist was serving a prison sentence. He seemed to be a constant visitor to the prison because of his lifestyle. While in prison, he was made to mob and clean prison passages as part of his penitentiary journey. As fate may have it, he met Calvery Thomas, an inmate who was on death row. Calvery claimed he was innocent and then shared with him some secrets about his treasure and entrusted his last will to him. The author's manner of narration is really interesting. The story is magnificent and magnetic, and I like it. The cover page and design are well suited. I can buy and read the book based on them. Based on the pages I read, I have no recommendation for the author. The book was well edited, excluding a punctuation mark error on the first page. I will buy and read the book because the plot is really peculiar and interesting. This is my personal thoughts and was not influenced by reviews, comments, or blurbs on OBC or not.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 10:53 pm by Owuamanam Eberechukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Verna Coy
The cover of this book would have drawn me to it right away had I not been participating in the First Ten program and sampled it today. The sketch style of cover with the sea and wave action is an adventurous scene and pulls readers in. Nice work in design there. That said, I don’t plan to purchase and finish the whole book today, mainly because Tully’s character seemed slightly vague in the sample. All of the other characters were vivid. Perhaps that would be my mention for a little improvement. Some more background of Tully’s personality would have been great. I found no errors to mention, and it seem professionally edited as well. What I liked most was the sense of anticipation that grew as the story progressed toward a meeting between Tully and Chloe. I know that fans of adventure will enjoyt that about this story. I enjoyed reading the 4-star review the book garnered from the Online Book Club, great work!
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 8:34 pm by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Arnaiz
The cover, title, and blurb were not impactful enough to make me sample the book outside the program. I am clueless about how the title relates to the image. Also, the font styles do not seem to match the art style. I suggest reconsidering the book cover for more visual impact. Likewise, drugs and prison are not my favorite topics. Customer reviews are a mix of positive and critical reviews. After sampling, I appreciate that it explores the impacts of incarceration on families. However, it was not enough to change my mind to get a copy and finish reading the book. The pace is slow to my liking. For editing issues, here are some examples.
Location 126. Spelling. Consider joining the words to fit in this context.
When Spud was in [ear shot], I started whistling “Thirty Days in the Hole.”
Location 208. Grammar. Consider adding a pronoun.
She had wished for a crash, the accompanying shatter of glass, her window destroyed, some lasting destruction to signal the end of [] father’s life, but she was exhausted, wine-fogged, and in shocked disbelief that she cared about this man who had caused her such shame and pain.
There are several official OnlineBookClub reviews with different ratings. They are equally helpful, but I will pass.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 8:25 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kira Bonita Reece
The cover of this book was the first thing that got me intrigued. The cover is well done. I would choose to read this book based on the cover, blurb, title, and genre. What I liked most about this book was that the author wasted no time getting to the action of the book. From the first chapter, I was intrigued to know if Tully would be able to fulfill his promise. I also liked that the book had a touch of romance.
I did not notice any errors in the sample. It was professionally edited and needs no improvements. The official OnlineBookClub review had an extensive summary of the book but I wished the reviewer would have shared what was positive about the book. I will be reading this book because the sample piqued my interest.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 7:19 pm by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MsH2k
The cover of this book was interesting. It, along with the title, would have led me to read the blurb of this book, but I would not have sampled it if I were not part of this program. The sample pages were well written. I enjoyed the descriptive narratives, and I could easily picture the transfer of Calvery’s final precious wine to Finn via the Sunkist bottle. The description of cell life and how the cellmates ended up there sounded realistic—I didn’t understand some terms used, but they seemed authentic. I was touched by the respect the inmates paid to Calvery at the hour of his death. I enjoyed the introduction, but I will not buy this book because I am not invested enough in the outcome. It appeared professionally edited. I did not notice any grammatical errors in the first ten pages, and I have no suggestions for improvement. The featured OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision; the mix of genres and other customer and editorial reviews had no bearing either.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 7:06 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
The cover looks like a crime committed by the man towards the woman. I would have sampled the book based off this impression, as I like reading some crime novels. Calvery's use of metaphor quips to describe his last day before execution were psychologically telling of the type of person he could be. In some situations, a defense against a bad situation, people will use humor to lighten the mood. I like that the author used this to describe his character. I noted an error in the story, and beyond editing, I have to suggest for improving the story. The OBC review did not influence me to read the story. I also did not read anything online to make my decision. I would like to read the story because I fully connected with Tully and some of his story reveals the truth I have discovered in life. For example: He said that he had only three friends because of drugs and jail. I have experienced this as well. The sample was my deciding factor, and I am interested in what Tully does to fulfill Calvery's request.
ERROR: The way I see it, it's the people you least expect, the people the rest of the world walk right by, maybe even turn away from, who know about the meaning of life, and by that I mean the world beyond this one and all those strings that connect us to it.
This sentence is somewhat confusing. There should be a comma after “and by that.”
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 5:40 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emy Katherine
Before being executed, Calvery Thomas convinces his friend, Finn Tully, to find his 25-year-old daughter, Chloe, and tell her the truth about his innocence. Once Tully gets out of prison and finally meets Chloe, things get complicated when he finds out Chloe is involved in illegal activities. I found the Amazon blurb informative, but I would not have read the book based on the genre, cover, title, and OBC review. Even though the book had positive customer reviews and editorial reviews, I did not change my mind after sampling the book. I honestly liked that the story was told from the perspective of both Tully and Chloe, but I did not feel invested in the story. Furthermore, as I encountered some distracting errors, I would suggest another round of editing. For example, it should be written "after a while" in the following sentence: "Chloe knew that after awhile Scooter would wonder if Chloe would follow in her father’s footsteps." (location 237 of 379 • 58%) It should be written "He thought for a moment" instead of "He thought a moment." (location 257 of 379 • 64%)
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 4:29 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
The book cover does not really give a good idea about the book's content, although the image is very artistic. At first sight, it looks like a young adult's story, which is why I would not pick it up if I would see it in a bookstore. The customer reviews, blurb and OBC review give a good description of the story, but do not really make me want to read the sample as I believe that this is not a story that I will enjoy. The sample is well edited, and I found the introduction of Calvery and Finn done in a clever way. Just within a couple of pages, the reader gets an excellent idea about who is who. Although I found the sample well written, I have decided not to read the rest of the book because I do not like stories that have anything to do with crime, prisons or smuggling. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 4:20 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chinazo Anozie
I wasn’t initially interested in this book from the title, cover, genre, description, customer reviews, and the official OnlineBookClub review. However, this changed when I read the first few pages. I was intrigued by the storyline, so I will buy and read this book. I can’t wait to find out what happens to Finn and if he eventually finds Calvery’s treasure. This book seems professionally edited because I did not notice any typographical errors. I don’t think anything needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 3:33 pm by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chelsy Scherba
I enjoy the author’s writing style. It’s very poignant and makes you feel immersed in the place and time and feelings of the characters. I like the plot of trying to find your daughter while living on death row too. The OBC review gave away a lot more details than I would like, so I only skimmed to see the 4 star rating. This seems to lineup with the Amazon customer ratings that are also quite high. I didn’t see any blurbs or editorial reviews. I don’t really read much fiction, so I probably wouldn’t have sampled this book outside of the program on my own. The editing looks pristine, so I have no suggestions for improvements. I also really like the art on the cover image. I wasn’t really on the lookout for this genre today, so I’ll probably just add it to my list in case I feel like reading more at a later date.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 2:54 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Andrada Madalina
If I had decided to sample "Thin Places" only based on its title and book cover, I wouldn't have done it because I disliked the art cover like an oil painting, and the title seemed too vague. Nevertheless, after reading the blurb and the customers' reviews, I was intrigued by the storyline. I liked that the novel is a mystery fiction and the two detailed Official OnlineBookClub reviews made me sample its first ten pages, but I didn't want to buy it. Briefly, this book focuses on the story of Finn Tully and Chloe. Finn knows Chloe's father, Calvery Thomas, who will be executed at the Polunsky Unit in Texas for a crime he did not commit. Calvery entrusted Finn with his dying wish to talk to his daughter and tell her he was innocent. I changed my mind after reading the free sample and decided to read the whole book. I liked the most that the story had two points of view, and I could empathize with the characters in the bit I read. Also, I loved that Diane Owens Prettyman illustrated Chloe's inner struggles between the shame she felt because her father was a murderer and the pain that he would be executed after twenty years in prison. I felt sorry for Calvery that his family was not with him at his execution. His last words caught my attention, and I correlated them with the title: "See you in the thin places." I didn't notice any errors while reading the first ten pages, and I think this novel was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 2:34 pm by Andrada Madalina.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Theresa Moffitt
This book has an interesting title. It doesn’t tell me what the book is about but it makes me curious about the topic in the book. The cover art is unique. The drawing isn’t very clear but the man and woman look as though they are running from something. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone because it increased my curiosity about the story. The onlinebookclub.org review that I read was very positive and gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It recommended the book to readers who enjoy inspirational stories. This increased my interest in reading the book. The review also noted that the book was edited very well. I agree with that statement because I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages. So, I believe the book was professionally edited. The OBC review provided me with enough information about the book, so I didn’t need to read any additional customer reviews or blurbs. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. The first ten pages drew me into the story immediately. It begins with prisoners in a prison in Texas. One of the prisoners is on death row and the other is the narrator. He feels bad that his friend will be put to death soon. It’s something they don’t speak about. However, the deadline is looming over them. He smuggles sugar to his friend on death row. It’s used to turn juice into wine. The dialogue between the characters is written very well. I like the author’s writing style. I would like to learn more about these characters and this story. Based on the first ten pages and the OBC review, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 2:27 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
The cover didn't catch my attention. My interest in this book began after reading the blurb and the OBC review. It seemed like a book that could evoke many different emotions. The Amazon reviews didn't seem so great, so I was still a bit reluctant. I loved the first paragraph because it was very thought-provoking. The relationship between Finn and Calvery seemed intriguing. The plot of an impending execution is definitely interesting. However, I don't like the world of prisons and inmates, so I will stop reading this book. I wouldn't want to change a thing about what I read because everything seemed perfect. I did find a missing preposition in "over the last couple years," which should be "couple of years."
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 2:10 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Michelle Menezes
When I saw the cover and title, I thought that it would be an adventure or mystery novel. It turned out to be a blend of many more genres including romance and suspense. Since I enjoy all those genres very much, I decided to check the blurb, which turned out to be very interesting. I avoid reading editorial and customer reviews, as I like to form my own opinions, but I did read the Official OnlineBookClub review, and based on that I decided to read the book. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided to continue with it. I liked the first-person narrative employed by the author. It gave an insight into Tully's thoughts and how he felt about Calvery's impending death and the promise he had made. I'm curious to see how Tully fulfills this promise and also about the hidden treasure. I didn't notice any errors, and what seemed like an error was more of a writing style in my opinion. For example, "over the last couple years" should have been "couple of years" but since it is narrated by the main character, I think the author chose to write it in an informal style. Hence, the book seems professionally edited. I don't think it needs any improvement; I found it to be very interesting.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 1:37 pm by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
markodim721
I would choose to read a sample of this book because of the cover and title. I read customer reviews and the blurb but they did not influence my decision. I didn't find any editor reviews. The official OnlineBookClub review helped me understand the structure of the book and in that sense influenced my decision. The title of the book is short and enigmatic. The cover of the book contains a clear association with adventure and action. I’m not going to read a book because I’m not in the mood to read adventure fiction books right now. While reading the sample I did notice only one typo (… chowing down on a T-Bone with… It should be: …chowing down on a T-bone with… - no need for capital letter) but other than that the book seems like it is professionally edited. Reading the sample did not change my mind from my original guess. I like the detail when Finn lost his balance and the mop handle stabbed his throat because it looks authentic. I don't think anything needs to be improved in the book.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 1:30 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Thin Places' is written by Diane Owens Prettyman. Finn Tully had struck up a friendship of sorts with Calvery while in prison. Just before his execution, Tully promised Calvery that he would find his daughter and tell him about Calvery's innocence. I like Tully's tongue in cheek humor. I would not change anything about the book. The editing seems good. The OBC review is insightful. I would have read the book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I like the blurb. I will read this book as I want to know Tully's story.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 1:15 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Bertha Jackson
This book is one of my favorite genres, and I am curious how the artistic cover goes along with the title. The blurb makes me curious how Finn can convince Chloe of her father’s innocence. The customer reviews and the editorial review did not impact my decision. After reading the first ten pages, I was unsure if I wanted to read the book. I was disappointed that Calvary was executed before Finn could talk to his daughter. However, this also increased my interest and made me wonder if an innocent man was executed. The OnlineBookClub review discouraged me from reading the book because it mentioned that Finn’s wife divorced him and his daughter, Lacy, did not know him. These were spoilers for me. However, I am still curious about how this story ends. For this reason, I will purchase this book and finish reading it. I would recommend that the author provide translations for non-English words.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 1:00 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Amy Luman
This is really not my kind of book. I do Ike mysteries, but this one starts out weird, so I won’t be finishing it. My favorite part is that "Spud" trusts him enough to give Finn only a minimal pat down on the way to his job. At least from what I read, the cover and title don’t seem to have anything to do with the book’s contents. The reviews, including the OBC one, and the blurb, gave an adequate summary. I think it has been professionally edited and I cannot suggest anything for improvement.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 12:48 pm by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MarĆa Andrea FernĆ”ndez SepĆŗlveda
The cover reminds me of the "scary" books I read as a child so it would've caught my attention. I also liked the blurb until we got to the "old fashioned treasure hunt." By the way, "old-fashioned" should be hyphenated. That kind of adventure is not my style. Adding to this the mixed ratings, I wouldn't have bought the book based on my first impressions.
The first ten pages changed my mind. I found them moving and interesting. For example, I wonder what crime did Calvery, who seems to be not only wise but kind, commit to be on death row? The description of the time of his death was chilling. But I also liked the interesting facts and tidbits of wisdom. For example, “Solitude does strange things to a man. When it’s just you and your soul, you better be friends." I also didn't know that prisoners had special respect for the elderly. There are some minor editing mistakes. For example, in position 164, the spelling of the Spanish word is "señorita" not "senorita." I suggest fixing these minor editing flaws, and the one that I pointed out in the blurb. Unfortunately, the official OBC review changed my mind again. It pretty much tells the whole story instead of focusing on the likes and dislikes of the reviewer. With so many spoilers, I don't feel like reading the book anymore.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 11:29 am by MarĆa Andrea FernĆ”ndez SepĆŗlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rosemary Owolabi
Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have chosen to read this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, customer reviews, and editorial reviews that I saw. The feedback of most readers was so impactful on the lives of other readers that it should be encouraged.
The sample is available on Amazon. Reading the first ten pages changed my mind from the original guess. I would buy and read the whole book because of the emotional story of Calvery, a deathrow inmate who sought a favour from the inmate he trusted most because they had formed a connection. I want to know how the story progresses from where Calvery humourously says his goodbye to the character. Calvery knew his friend wasn't ready to hear what he was saying, but he was brave enough not to show any sign of weakness. This work of fiction was so well-written that I kept reading it and became a bit sad the more I read it. It was a touching story. I want to see the good that comes out of this story.
Based on what I read, the story seemed to have been professionally edited. I didn't notice any typos or errors, but I did notice some formatting issues.
What I liked about the bit that I read was the way the book was structured: copyrighted, website address was included, dedication, table of contents (chapters 1 to 28), and acknowledgments. (The front cover's picture looks nice, but I don't seem to understand its meaning yet.) "The thin places" by Diane Owens Prettyman felt personal and well-constructed. It felt realistic, and it was easy-to-understand Diane's style of writing. It felt like a well-researched story. This novel's first ten pages are wonderful and full of suspense. The way this character risked his life for Calvery was selfless. Calvery meant a lot to him, and he never judged him, even though his own family didn't give him the benefit of the doubt. He didn't allow that to cloud his judgement with how he reacted to Calvery's story as a deathrow inmate with a harsh sentence of no visitation.
What could be improved would be the formatting issues, and I couldn't get the name of the character that was stealing sugar for Calvery. He was narrating the story, but I couldn't place his name in the first ten pages of this sample.
The book had no OnlineBookClub review that I saw, but this didn't affect my decision.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 11:16 am by Rosemary Owolabi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AntonelaMaria
I like romantic suspense, and the synopsis of this book is interesting. But the story didn't catch my attention. After reading the sample, I haven't changed my mind. I don't understand why Chloe couldn't go and see her father. It is a weird moment, but Calvery seems so peaceful about it. I don't like the cover. But it is very subjective. There are plenty of reviews, but they seem all very divisive. This book has an Official OnlineBookClub review. I didn't notice any errors, and I wouldn't change anything about it.
First Ten review added on May 26, 2022, at 10:09 am by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
truebookaddict
I probably would not have chosen to read this without first sampling it based on the blurb because when I see the word inspirational in the description, it makes me think it's going to be Christian fiction, or preachy.
I probably will not read the whole book. The writing style was good. I just was not intrigued enough by what I read to continue the whole book.
The book is well-edited. I did not notice any typos or grammatical errors.
I liked the portrayal of the caring nature of the main character, showing that convicts do have compassion in their hearts. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on August 15, 2016, at 9:11 am by truebookaddict.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cjgarland89
I typically would not have chosen to read this book. Anytime I see romance or something like that I steer clear. I am not a romance type despite what else is going on in the book. Based on the first ten the book looks to be professionally edited, everything flows nicely and I didn't see any grammar or spelling mistakes. Although I won't be reading the remainder of the book, simply because it's not for me, I did enjoy the setting and how human the author made the prisoners feel, and the mystery of what the thin places actually is.
First Ten review added on August 15, 2016, at 6:36 am by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Judyk
Without the first ten program I would not have sampled "Thin Places" based on it's title, genre or blurb. The writing and editing appear to be professional based on the sample I read. I did enjoy the writing style of the author, it was a very easy to read sample and I would like to read more of this book but I really don't have the time right now and I'll likely loose track of it before I do.
First Ten review added on August 15, 2016, at 2:56 am by Judyk.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gravy
This book is not for me. There are parts I find intriguing, but from the blurb and sample, and reading the reviews here and on Amazon, it just doesn't sound like something I want to continue.
I didn't really like the style, and it felt awkward in places. To be honest, Calvery was probably the most interesting character I encountered.
However, I do like the title, and the way it's used.
I would not have looked at this book, and am not a fan of the cover.
First Ten review added on August 13, 2016, at 9:54 pm by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
L_Therese
I was pretty excited for this book when I saw it. It looked exciting and mysterious. As I read the first ten pages, I grew gradually more and more disappointed. There was a glaring error (drug/dragged) that really changed the way I was reading the book. As soon as I registered that error, the sentence fragments that are a major factor in the writing style started bothering me as well. The writing is clever, but the characters do not yet have any depth - not even the main character who is also the first-person narrator. I continued reading a few pages into Chloe's narrative to see if her part of the story would compel me to continue, but I didn't find the character to be very interesting or indeed very original. I had such high hopes, and I feel very disappointed.
First Ten review added on August 13, 2016, at 3:31 pm by L_Therese.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
I had absolutely no idea what to expect from the title or cover, but once I read the first ten pages the title started to make sense. The story was a smooth read and interesting, AND it's leading up to a treasure hunt! Yeah, I'll end up finishing this one sometime.
First Ten review added on August 13, 2016, at 3:08 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gali
The cover is lovely, but the blurb didn't really grab me. The mixed reviews on the book raised my interest more than the blurb. The first pages seemed interesting and I didn't catch any major errors. I liked Finn and found his side of the story (Thomas’s dying wish and all) interesting, but was bored by Chloe's side of it. There also seem to be some religious undertones, which isn't to my taste. That, combined with slow-paced plot made me not interested in reading further.
First Ten review added on August 13, 2016, at 2:14 pm by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
bookowlie
I was intrigued by the Amazon blurb as Chloe seems like a strong, female character. The summary is well-written and appears to be professionally edited. The main thing I didn't care for is that I don't like books that contains mystical elements. The cover artwork and font are both attractive. In the beginning pages, I liked the author's conversational writing style. It made me feel like Finn was telling me the story over coffee. Still, I doubt I would read the rest of the book because of the mystical elements mentioned in the Amazon summary.
First Ten review added on August 13, 2016, at 1:40 pm by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vermont Reviews
After reading the preview and the reviews I decided to take a chance and download this book. Of course it helped that Scott gave it a heads up. I love a good mystery. I was amazed with the reviews, it seems that readers either love it, or hate it. After I finish the story I will know that yes I will either like it or not. From the preview that I've read I believe that I will enjoy the book. I absolutely love the cover. Great art. I also like the title of the book. I will be adding this to my reading list for this week. Congratulations on being the book of the day. Thanks for giving all of us here on onlinebookclub the opportunity to have your book at a discount. We do appreciate good literature. After I finish the story I will make sure to leave you a review. Vermont Reviews
First Ten review added on August 13, 2016, at 12:27 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rachaelamb1
I like the cover and description of the book. The mixed reviews made me a little apprehensive, but I really enjoyed reading the sample. The story sounds interesting and I like the main characters. I am not sure if it grabs my attention enough to buy it today, since I have so many other books to read, but I will be adding it to my want to read list. From what I read, the book seems well-edited.
First Ten review added on August 13, 2016, at 12:27 pm by Rachaelamb1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 33%
Thin Places earned a score of 33%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 33% 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 Thin Places
