The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Karina
Because Karina 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.
Vickie Noel
I enjoy young adult books, and as such, I would have sampled this one outside the program. My opinion hasn't changed after reading the sample. I can't pick my favorite part, Mr Dixon's passionate teaching style or when Karina's focus shifted from the Entropy lesson in class to her crush, Parker Anderson's image. I cewait to read more. However, I saw an error in the sentence, "The ride to Vista Verde Middle School was, as always, too brief, despite the stop at the elementary school her hand." This needs re-editing. The OBC review mentioned that Karina developed uncanny powers, and that piqued my interest in the book. That interest was sustained after reading the sample.
First Ten review added on June 24, 2019, at 4:44 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ekta Kumari
I wouldn't have read the book as I was not enticed by the plotline and usually don't read young adult fiction. However, I must say that the book is well written and is quite engaging. Readers get to connect with the main character, Karina, from the very first page. I like how the author has established her as a timid girl who, I guess, is going to evolve drastically over the course of the rest of this book. I also like that the book highlights the issues of bullying and its impact on self confidence. Considering the premise of the book, I would recommend it to young adults and even to those who like supernatural or fantasy books. I wouldn't be reading it any further as I'm not into reading a supernatural or fantastical storyline. As for the editing, I didn't find any significant error and would rate the book as professionally edited. Those interested can check out the official review.
First Ten review added on June 24, 2019, at 4:43 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
I found the book's premise intriguing but probably wouldn't have sampled it without the programme as I don't read much in the YA category. I also won't buy and read it today after reading the sample because there seemed to be some irrelevant elements, including stereotyped characters. The book appears to have been professionally edited as I noticed no errors. I liked Mr. Dixon's definition of entropy with the statement: "Without a force acting upon things to keep them in a state of order, they will tend towards disorder." Some of the descriptions could be improved. The negative stereotyping of Mrs. Swanson as a woman of around fifty with a "muffin top hanging sloppily over her skirt" seems gratuitous as her only role seems to be to introduce a writing assignment, which I guess is supposed to highlight the significance of Karina's scar. Also, it's a cliche to convey a character's appearance by having them look at themselves in a mirror. The OBC review confirmed that the premise is fascinating, but my decision was based on the sample.
First Ten review added on June 24, 2019, at 4:34 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gravy
I didn't notice any errors in this one. The writing flowed well, and Karina seems to be a well developed character.
I would not have sampled this, mostly due to it being somewhat outside my reading preferences, but also because the cover doesn't really make it clear what the book is about. The sample did not change my mind about this.
I enjoyed Karina's internal voice, it felt genuine and interesting. Some of the dialogue, however, felt a little off to me, like it just didn't quite fit.
I did really like her science teacher, that whole part was awesome.
I don't plan on reading this because I don't think I'd enjoy the story as a whole, I just don't think it's for me.
There was a review for this book, but that does not affect my opinion or decision.
First Ten review added on June 24, 2019, at 2:29 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Fu Zaila
The cover and blurb sounded interesting but I thought the sample was too cheesy. The writing is professionally edited and pretty good. It was what I liked the most about the book. But I didn't like Karina's character much and I hated the aspect of insta-love that was involved. Parker also seemed to be an arrogant boy with the way he called her a freak, so it seemed as if Karina's attraction was based merely on his looks. Even though the sample was easy to read, and I thought it was edited well, I still didn't completely understand the sentence "The ride to Vista Verde Middle School was, as always, too brief, despite the stop at elementary school her hand." Either way, the sample failed to impress me and even the good reviews weren't convincing enough. So I'll not be reading further.
First Ten review added on June 24, 2019, at 2:29 am by Fu Zaila.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dolor
The blurb and the OBC review had piqued my interest, so I will read this book even without The First Ten program. The cover photo displaying a girl wearing a hooded jacket looks catchy and thought-provoking. The title could be understood as the girl's name. The first ten pages talked about Karina attending Mr. Dixon’s eighth-grade science class. Mr. Dixon was lecturing about "Entropy". I have not found any error in this exceptionally well-edited book. I don't have any improvement suggestion, too. I read beyond the first ten pages, and I had decided to read the entire story in this book. Karina by E.B. Mann is an award-winning #Supernatural tale about a teen girl taunted and bullied in her school because of the horrible scar on her forehead. With the help of a strange old man named Algernon and the talking rainbow fish, Karina is able to remember things like her birth, some of her past lives, and the details of how she got her scar.
#Magic #Bullying #Growth #Journey #Reincarnation
First Ten review added on June 24, 2019, at 2:26 am by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CrescentMoon
After reading the blurb, I think I would check this out because the premise is interesting. A bullied middle school student with a scar finding secrets from a cave sounds very adventurous and fun. After reading the first ten pages, I saw some minor errors. The sentence, “... despite the stop at the elementary school her hand.” This doesn’t make sense so I’m guessing there are words missing. But other than that I didn’t see any errors and I thought the writing was very descriptive and full of imagery. I loved how Mr. Dixon’s passion for teaching was described. “His eyes lit up like a Bunsen burner” is a very apt simile. I could easily picture the schoolbus and the bullies and the classroom. It’s so well written and interesting. I will continue reading the rest.
First Ten review added on June 24, 2019, at 1:27 am by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mercelle
Judging by the cover, I wasn't going to read this book, but the OBC review urged me on when it mentioned that the author narrates the story of a teenage girl who unlocks hidden powers after visiting a mysterious cave. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that Mr. Dickson entertained his students during his lessons. Since I noticed no errors, I will conclude that the text underwent professional editing, but I won't read the rest of the book because it doesn't appeal to me. As it is, there's nothing I would change about the bit I read.
First Ten review added on June 24, 2019, at 1:07 am by Mercelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. This one really sounded a bit too young adultfor my liking and I probably wouldn't have read it. 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 did line the writing style used with this one from the sample I read. I especially liked the description of the teachers passion compared with a bunsen burner. That being said, this really isn't the style of book I usually read and therefore will not be paying for and reading the rest of this one. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read, but it did seem well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 10:19 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. I thought the sample was a little slow to start. It really just talked about Karina's day-to-day life. There was a lot of description about the different teachers and the students that bullied her, but it didn't pick up. I also thought the accident would have been a bit more "dramatic", but I was a little disappointed. I did like the style of writing. It would be great for readers around Karina's age. I thought it really had a good flow for a young adult audience. It just isn't for me. It did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 9:49 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jsovermyer
The cover art is beautiful and makes the book very appealing. I would definitely take a second look at this book. This is a very interesting and creative story. Karina is bullied st school because of her scarred face. She finds a mystical world, and the creatures there help her understand other people's motivations and her own fears. The character of Karina is very well-developed. I am sad that she lets her scar make her feel like less of a person. The Beautiful Bitches are an interesting group. It's sad that they can get away with bullying Karina and making fun of her. The official review rated this book highly, and talks about the weird turn this book takes after Karina finds the other world. I couldn't tell that was coming from the ten sample pages that I read. I didn't find any spelling or grammatical errors and believe this book has been professionally edited. I liked what I read so far, but I think the story will turn into more of a fantasy. I'm not interested in that kind of story and so will not be finishing this one.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 9:33 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books. However, the image on the cover (of a little girl) caught my attention. Having read the sample, the lack of a proper introduction disappointed me. The cover was followed by a quote, after which the actual content began. While I liked the quote, I would have liked an introduction to the author, some positive reviews of the book and a prologue. However, the author introduced Karina's character well. Further, Karina's thoughts and emotions were described effectively (specially as the author narrated events relating to her family life). In terms of editing and formatting, I liked how the first sentence of every paragraph was indented. However, I would have liked more spacing between paragraphs to make the book easier to read. Since I do not read the genre usually, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 7:45 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
danielleamy
I read the Official review, which increased my interest in this book. I probably would not have read it without this program. I'm not a huge fan of the cover, I think it could look a little more professional if the font stood out more against the background. I like the title, as Karina is an uncommon name for a character. I like the main character so far, she seems like a typical teenager. However, I am not looking to read a novel written from a young teen's perspective, so will give this a miss. There wasn't anything that really grabbed my interest within the first ten pages. There was nothing in particular that I disliked about the sample, it just isn't to my preference right now. There were also no typos that I could see in the sample which was great.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 7:44 pm by danielleamy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Delaney35
I'm slightly out of the target audience, but I'm close, so it is a book I would consider reading normally. I also thought the official reviewer made a strong case for it. The first few pages described perfectly the experience of going to a public American school. As someone who has, in the last few months, just finished with that it was super relatable. I thought the imagery was on point and was detailed enough to draw me into the scene. I also thought Karina was characterized in an appropriate way. I didn't notice any grammatical issues. Overall, I absolutely want to finish this book.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 7:13 pm by Delaney35.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mary WhiteFace
In full disclosure, I read this book a few months ago when it was BOTD, without the benefit of the first ten program. The cover was interesting. Yet, after reading the sample, I wasn't really interested in reading the whole book. It was well-written, but the sample made it seem to be a simple story of a young girl who was bullied because of a facial scar. What actually changed my mind was reading the OnlineBookClub review. After learning that the story had a supernatural angle, I decided to check it out, and really enjoyed it.
The author does a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the narrative through the use of imaginative descriptions. I especially liked how, on the first page of Chapter 1, Karina's alarm went off and her dream "...sat crouched in the corner of her mind, playing a game of hide-and-seek." The first ten pages were filled with such colorful phrasing. The book seemed to be professionally edited. It was one of those books that once I started reading it, I didn't put it down until I finished it. I have no suggestions for improvements. I do believe that I will read this one again.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 6:54 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sonya Nicolaidis
While the cover of this book was very attractive, I wasn’t too keen on the style and font of the title. It was difficult to read against the black background and I felt it lacked the visual impact necessary for a good first impression. The OBC review was very pleasing and pointed to a great read, so I tackled the sample with interest. I would have probably picked up the book for a closer look anyway. The sample went by very quickly and I immersed myself into the introduction to the characters in the story. The writing was excellent, it flowed well, and there were no errors that I noted. I really enjoyed the description of Katina’s first encounter with Parker - the outcome was a little unexpected and it makes the story more interesting that she admires someone who doesn’t give her a passing thought. I didn’t really like the level of profanity that was evident in the sample, and I felt this doesn’t lend anything to the story. If I were to suggest ways to improve the first impression of the book, the title would have to be re-styled, and the editor would have to edit out all but the very essential profanity. I won’t be reading the whole book, as I am not in the target age group and it is not really my preferred genre.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 5:27 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ritah
Based on the cover and genre, I would have sampled the book out of curiosity for its content. After reading the official review, I sampled Karina. I liked Karina's science teacher, Mr Dixon, for his liveliness and passion for the subject he taught. I did not find any errors in the pages I read. I will read the rest of the book because the summary of the book in the review and the author's writing style appealed to me.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 2:07 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
OliviaLouise
Based on the review, I was not very interested in this book because I do notbread fantasy. After reading the sample, my interest was somewhat piqued because of the way the author treats issues like bullying. I felt like the style of writing was well-suited to YA. The development of Karina’s character was well done—for example, I deeply felt for her as she got caught up in her feelings for the soccer player who promptly rejected her the first time she spoke to him. As a reader, I sympathized with the hurt and disappointment she felt. I only found one editing error at the 20% mark of the sample. The teacher describes his coffee as “premo” stuff when it should be “primo.” Although I sympathized with Karina’s character, I did not otherwise feel interested in this book, so I will not he finishing it.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 2:00 pm by OliviaLouise.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mbrooks2518
This book has an intriguing premise, and I was still intrigued after reading the official review. However, the first ten pages just didn't capture my interest enough for me to buy it.
I did like the descriptive writing style, like "The cold morning light sliced through the window blinds, illuminating the dust swirling in the center of the room" and Karina's dream "sat crouched in the corner of her mind, playing a game of hide-and-seek." And later, the weight of her upcoming school day grew heavier, and Karina "sank into the backseat of her mom's car." As I read that, I was able to feel the heaviness weighing on Karina. There were no editing mistakes.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 6:49 am by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
srividyag1
The cover page looks cool, but could be better, especially the font of the title. The OBC review had mentioned that this book is excellent. As I read the sample, I agreed with the reviewer's view. Karina obviously adores her science teacher and feels very self-conscious over her facial deformity. I like the way the author describes scenes. For example, "the way Mr.Dixon turns as if saying a prayer to the science gods." The book seems professionally edited. And the story line seems to be intriguing. I am going to read the rest of the book. If I had seen only the cover page and not read the review, I might probably not have decided to read the book, so the review influenced my decision considerably.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 5:26 am by srividyag1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emy Katherine
A high school girl, Karina Morgan, keeps being bullied at school because of an ugly scar on her face. Luckily for her, a walk on the beach will magically change her life for the better. In all honesty, I would not have read the book without The First Ten program. I rarely read young adult novels and am not a fan of supernatural stories; therefore, I did not change my mind after reading both the sample and the OBC review. However, the book has many positive aspects that will appeal to fans of the genre. The writing style was descriptive and pleasant to read, and the characters were relatable. For example, I had no problem connecting with Karina; I felt her pain and embarrassment after being bullied for the umpteenth time at school. The dialogues also were realistic and engaging. It is a thought-provoking story with a touch of magic thrown in; it embraces themes of personal growth, courage, and self-discovery. I did not find any typos or grammatical errors, so the book was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 4:39 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Lorraine De Vos
I would have chosen to sample this book based on the knowledge that it is award winning. After reading the first ten pages, I am excited to add this book to my reading list. Karina’s character is complex and interesting and the underlying lessons to be learned makes for a very compelling read. I like the supernatural aspect and I look forward to seeing how the author incorporates it into the story. The book does appear to be professionally edited, as I did not notice any errors. The official OnlineBookClub review was good and gave a great deal of information, but I think it may have had a spoiler or two...? I will definitely be adding this book to my reading list.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 3:27 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Cristina Chifane
I wouldn't have come across this book without the first ten program. The cover is wonderfully designed and immediately draws the readers' attention to this paranormal young adult novel. The book has 34 customer reviews with 76% of them giving it 5 stars. I couldn't find any editing errors in the sample. Moreover, the author did a good job of describing Karina's daily routine and her isolation because of her scar. Althought the story flows easily, I think it is more appropriate for teenagers who would best relate to Karina's feelings and activities. According to the OBC reviewer, the magical side of the story rounds it up quite beautifully. I won't be reading it mainly because I'm not part of the target audience, but I'm sure teenagers will love it.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 2:51 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mai Tran
This sounds like a good book to teach young readers that other people’s behaviors toward us are often the reflections of their own problems, but I wouldn’t have read it as I’m not its target audience. The author has done a good job portraying Karina as a teenager who is conscious about her appearance. Like most teenage girl, Karina has a boy crush and a gang of mean girls who torment her regularly. The book is well-edited and easy to read with a natural flow, but I won’t continue to read it due to a lack of interest.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 2:18 am by Mai Tran.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I really liked the introduction of Karina. She’s an eight grader ashamed of a scar she’s often bullied for having, and her classroom full of B.O. sounds absolutely disgusting. The author has a great way of bringing characters to life. I liked the description of the teacher Mr. Dixon with his goatee and hunched back. The editing is pretty good, but “elementary school her hand.” makes no sense because of “her hand” at the end. I like the cover and feel intrigued by the magical elements the review described. I’ll definitely be checking out more.
First Ten review added on June 23, 2019, at 12:03 am by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
lavellan
I probably would have not read Karina if it had not been a part of The First Ten program. While the Book of the Day review was positive, it didn't really explain the main conflict/plot. The book seemed like it was professionally edited, but I noticed an error while looking it over. "At" should be used instead of "her" in the following phrase: "...was, as always, too brief, despite the stop of the elementary school her hand." I enjoyed the personality of Karina's teacher Mr. Dixon. I didn't like the middle school drama, such as crushes and bullying, that was covered in the novel. As a result of this, I will not buy the book today.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 11:40 pm by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
LV2R
The book cover and title were both OK, but I did not know if I wanted to read the book or not. The Amazon Blurb described Karina Morgan who is bullied by the pretty girls at school. She has a scar on her face from a childhood accident. She finds a cave and her perspective changes her. The sample described Karina as an 8th grader who dreaded going to school. She had one friend Mary Blair, who did not make wise choices. A group of pretty girls bullied her because of her looks. Karina had a crush on Parker, but he called her a freak. I best liked how Karina described her 8th-grade science class teacher, Mr. Dixon, as he explained entropy. It was quite funny, and I could picture the class from her descriptions. The book seems to be edited well, as I did not notice any errors. The OBC review mentioned that Karina discovers her past lives while in the hidden cave with Algernon. She developed a skill to see inside of people and their motives. I am not interested in reading this book mainly because of the theme of reincarnation. Though this (past lives) may be a creative way to help Karina in her situation, I do not agree with it.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 10:46 pm by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample I would have read the book as the blurb sounds very interesting. However, I do think the title could be clearer on the cover, perhaps using white font directly instead of black font and white stroke. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I really liked how we very quickly learned about the environment around the main character, and reading Karina's internal reaction to being called "freak" by Parker was very insightful and a good set-up for future character development. The book was professionally edited. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 9:37 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Verna Coy
Karina by E.B.Mann is a story about a young girl with bad scars, emotionally and physically. Had I not read the first ten pages through the Book of the Day program on Online Book Club, I probably would not have sampled the book. I am not a fan of the concept of reincarnation, so this book would not have appealed to me. For this reason, I do not intend to buy and read the whole book. The first ten pages were better than the description. I was pleased with the way I was drawn into the story! I’m not sure this book is professionally edited, I did see an error on the 2nd page of Chapter One. “The ride to Vista Verde Middle School was, as always, too brief, despite the stop at the elementary school her hand.” This sentence seems to have a sentence fragment attached to the end of it, so I’d say the book needs another round of proofreading. What I liked most was the way the reader can identify with Karina in her life as a child in middle school. This book has real interest, and it’s a story told well enough that I would have been drawn to finish it, had it not been for the reincarnation element in the story. It does need some improvement in editing and proofreading. I read the Official Online Book Club Review, and it was informative but did not affect my decision one way or another as far as sampling the book.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 7:38 pm by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelyn
If I were not in this program, it is unlikely that the cover, title or author would have drawn me to this book although the cover being of a child looking very sad might have caught my eye for a moment. If, however, I had found this in the fantasy section, and I had already read the reviews, it is very likely that I would have picked it up. I love all things fantasy and that includes YA fantasy. The cover and title reveal nothing to indicate that this is a fantasy book! I think it would help if at least the cover had some small indication of the genre. Reading the sample did very little to coax me to continue reading either. It seemed to be a simple coming of age story among many already written. The official review was what really sparked my interest and changed my mind from "no" to "yes." It revealed the genre and gave enough details to interest me in completing the book. I found only one error in the sample. It did seem to be professionally edited. Error: Pg 1 - “…despite the stop at the elementary school her hand.” sentence ends with hand???
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 6:48 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CataclysmicKnight
The cover of this book made me assume Karina was a witch or something. I like magic and fantasy stories so I would've looked into it even if it wasn't the book of the day.
I have a hard time reading or seeing bullying in stories because I was bullied too, and that's translated into this being a tough book to read so far. The writing is very YA-oriented and it feels very genuine to the high school experience as far as I can remember it, which is a good thing. I also haven't seen any errors, which is even better! However, I haven't really gotten hooked on the story yet, even though the mysterious cave from the Amazon description sounds intriguing.
Between the difficulty in reading about bullying and a lack of being hooked on the book, I don't see myself purchasing a copy of it.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 6:25 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
lisalynn
The opening of "Karina" sets the stage perfectly. Eighth-grade girl distressed over her own "hideous imperfection." The teacher in her science class drones on way too long, but when the idea of Parker Anderson, Karina's crush, appears on the scene, things get more interesting. The narrative captures teen angst perfectly, from the stench of a packed classroom to the horror of being called a "freak"—although most YA story protagonists are "freaks." The cool kids aren't interesting enough to carry a story. The cover is adequate; the blurb is tight and intriguing. I'm interested enough to read the rest. I encountered an error immediately. Page one, paragraph four reads, "...despite the stop at the elementary school her hand." I believe "her hand" is intended to be "beforehand." No OnlineBookClub review influenced me.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 5:41 pm by lisalynn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Stephanie Elizabeth
Had I not sampled the first ten pages of this book I would have been inclined to pick it up because the title made it seem like it would be a book with strong character development. After reading the sample I will continue to read the story as I related with Karina's rough time at school.
The book was well edited and I didn't notice any errors. My favorite part was when Karina describes her run-in with her crush Parker. Her sadness and embarrassment was well narrated. I think the book could be improved by describing her relationships with her parents more. This book has an official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 4:05 pm by Stephanie Elizabeth.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Karina' is a book written by E.B. Mann. The title, blurb, and cover did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.
The first ten pages leads me to believe that it revolves around Karina. She studies in the eight grade of Vista Verde. Everybody, including her crush, Parker, despises her because of a scar on her face. I found some errors. For example, the sentence construction is faulty in “..despite the stop at the elementary school her hand.” Hence, I do not think that it is professionally edited. I will give this book a skip as I am not in the mind-frame to read a book of this genre as of now.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 3:36 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
The cover didn't convince me to read the sample. However, I was curious when I've read about the talking fish in the review. I enjoyed the normality of Karina's life. The author describes her morning routine, her eighth-grade science class, her crush. I also liked learning about entropy. Although I am intrigued by the sample, the subject doesn't really appeal to me, so I won't continue to read this book. It's professionally edited.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 3:25 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
evraealtana
I would not have chosen this one, since I generally don't care for books about children and the girl on the front cover looks both very young and also somewhat stereotypical for the "beautiful, special, but lonely girl" young adult genre/subtype. I'm not really engaged by the storyline in the first ten pages, either, so I don't think I'll continue. I did greatly appreciate the author's ability to realistically capture middle school life and the thoughts and feelings of an outsider of that age. It's a hard age to get right, but I think the author did well with it. The book's official OBC review was overwhelmingly favorable, but I guess I didn't quite appreciate it the same way the reviewer did. I did find an error on the very first page: the ride to the middle school "was, as always, too brief, despite the stop at the elementary school her hand." ("Beforehand"?) The review said that errors were rare, but finding one on the first page made me suspicious of the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 3:16 pm by evraealtana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Niv123
There was nothing to not like about the book, although it did not seem too intriguing. I'm not exactly captivated by the cover art, font or the title of the novel. The book is about the life of a girl named Karina, and I believe it to be about her overcoming her flaws and learning to accept herself, or atleast that has been my impression thus far. The writing style is good and the book seems well edited as well, but I don't think I will be reading this as it hasn't really caught my interest in any way.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 2:18 pm by Niv123.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
HRichards
I normally wouldn't have picked this book up as the summary didn't really appeal to me. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book as I didn't find it very interesting. The sample deals with Karina, who is attending school and struggling. She is picked on and rejected by a boy she likes. The writing is pretty good and I didn't notice any grammar errors. Those who like coming of age dramas might like this book. I didn't find the story very appealing to want to keep reading. I have not read any other reviews of this book.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 1:57 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kristy Khem
I felt compelled to read this novel because I liked the cover design, the title, and the blurb. There were good reviews and ratings on Amazon about the book too. Therefore, I would have selected it to read. The sample was error-free and enjoyable. The modern word usage (e.g The Beautiful Bitches and KFC – Kinda Feeling Crampy) seemed teenager-ish which would be relatable to the intended young audience of this book. The descriptions of Mr. Dixon’s science class was hilarious. I liked how he taught the subject of entropy by nearly breaking his mug and describing how the steam from his drink dispersed into the environment. The book also described his eyes like the flame on a Bunsen burner which I found was fittingly amusing since he taught Science. Karina’s crush on Parker Anderson was very realistic. She doodled his name in a heart on her book. The sting of rejection is relatable at her age, especially when he referred to her as a ‘freak’ after seeing her facial scar. I would surely like to read more about Karina’s life so I would buy and read this book.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 12:37 pm by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gen_g
I have not come across reviews of this book; it could also do with a more thorough editing. For example, on page 1, "taillight" is not a single word but two separate words. I'm intrigued by the author's use of Karina's mundane school life (by narrating her science teacher's Mr Dixon's class on the concept of entropy) as the beginning of the book. It would also be interesting to see how Karina's crush on Parker turns out. I currently have no suggestions for improvement. However, I will not be purchasing the book today, as I am not in the market for young adult fiction now.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 12:34 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelsey Hatch
From the title, cover, and blurb, I would not have picked up this book. It appears to fall in the young adult fiction and fantasy genres, neither of which I am currently interested in. The official review praised the book but didn't necessarily pique my interest. The first ten pages of the book were intriguing but didn't stand out as too original to me, though the review and comments made me believe that this book does have unique twists and ideas. The part I liked most was the author's language; it conveyed mysticism, beauty, and potential for adventure despite otherwise commonplace events, such as going to school and crushing on a cute boy. The part I disliked most was the presence of those predictable, commonplace events; I feel it is fair to assume that Karina's crush is going to be a jerk and she'll find love in unexpected places. I would have to read the whole book to discover if it is truly unique, but I am not currently convinced. Therefore, I will not be reading this book. Fortunately, I noticed no spelling or grammatical errors, so I believe this book was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 12:09 pm by Kelsey Hatch.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
britt13
The official review had me excited about this book because it seemed like something right at my threshold enjoyment of the absurd. I was eager to read the first ten. I love the cover, it makes me want to know more about this child that I assume is Karina. The writing was pretty good though I do not think it is for me. This book seems geared toward a younger audience and not only because Karina is in eighth grade. Things like her discussing the "BO" make me think that some of this text will seem a bit juvenile to me. That being said, I still liked Mann's writing. It seemed very relatable with ideas such as the glow-in-the-dark stars and bickering brothers. I did think a lot of hyphens were used which is a bit of a pet peeve of mine but that is not a big deal. I found no grammatical errors. As I said, the writing is interesting but I will not be reading on because I am not what I think the target audience for this book is.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 11:44 am by britt13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
cpru68
Readers are introduced to Karina who makes the dreaded drive to school in the backseat of her mother’s car. We find out that she has a crush on a boy, Parker, who has not returned her affections, but rather, has called her a freak. She has a large scar on her forehead which makes her a target for bullying and being an outcast.
I won’t be finishing this book as I read mainly non-fiction and this one didn’t interest me. I think it will be a great one for YA readers as the setting of school was perfectly written and the awkwardness Karina felt was felt as if it came off the pages. The review mentioned that she can see the “why” behind people’s actions which I also found clever, but past lives and all is not for me.
I found this sentence that seemed a bit strange: The ride to Vista Verde Middle School was, as always, too brief despite the stop at the elementary school her hand. (5 percent of the sample) This sentence seems to be missing some words. Other than that I thought this was professionally edited, and the review suggested this as well.
I appreciate the opportunity to have read the sample pages of this one, and without the online book club, I probably wouldn’t have found it. I will send it out on my social media for others to look into.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 11:16 am by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I wasn’t drawn to the cover of this book. The title of the book is the name of the main character but the image didn’t attract me to the book. I wouldn’t have picked this book up based on the cover alone. I have t read a review of this book yet. The first ten pages tell the story of karina getting ready for school and then sitting in class. She recalls an incident between her and a boy she likes and is embarrassed by the incident. I like the author’s writing style. Karina is an interesting and flawed character that is relatable. I think the book was professionally edited because I saw only one error in the first ten pages. On the second page, a sentence didn’t make sense: “The ride to vista verde middles school was, as always, too brief despite the stop at the elementary school her hand.” This story is interesting. I will finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 11:12 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Yoli García
I would not have sampled this book without this program because I am not looking to read a book for tweens. The OBC review did not convince me to read it because the story sounded a bit common: a girl learning to look past the superficial. I think the book needs further editing. I found a sentence that does not make sense. It is the following: "The ride to Vista Verde Middle School was, as always, too brief, despite the stop at the elementary school her hand." Karina thinking about her middle-school crush reminded me of my crushes at that age. I liked the part in which the enthusiastic teacher explains the meaning of entropy. I will not read the book because I am not the target audience, and it needs another editorial revision.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 11:09 am by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
desantismt_17
This book’s title and description caught my interest. I love books for young readers that have a touch of magic. Before sampling, I wanted to read. After sampling, I still want to read. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors, but I wondered about “her hand” at the end of this sentence: “The ride to Vista Verde Middle School was, as always, too brief, despite the stop at the elementary school her hand.” I was hooked in the first paragraph with the description of Karina’s dream playing hide and seek. Karina’s apprehension and desire not to go to school tugged at my inner middle-school kid. Those are feelings I can identify with. The writing offers a kind of surreal feeling. Though nothing magical has necessarily happened yet, the promise of it hangs in the subtext. I have no improvements to suggest at this time. The OnlineBookClub.org review was glowing and made me even more interested to read.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 10:42 am by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
sarahmarlowe randomeducator
The cover of this book is wonderful. I would have picked it up. The sample was a nice read, a YA novel about Karina, who faces the arrogant jocks and snotty mean girls at school. Karina, however, has a scar on her face that makes the mean even meaner, and she has a hard time making friends, except with Mary Blair. This book is well-edited. I found one mistake on the first page. I believe that "...at the elementary school her hand" should be "...at the elementary school beforehand." I have not read an OBC review of this book, and I don't plan to read it because I'm not looking for a YA book right now. I have a feeling that there is much more good stuff to come in this novel, though.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 9:53 am by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this read. Having a character who has scar since she was a baby, was bullied, but then discovered her place in the world sounds a bit too close to Harry Potter for me. Because of the this, the blurb and genre would not have piqued my interest. I do like the simplicity of the title and the cover looks nice, but these aren't convincing enough to make me want to sample the book. The OBC and customer ratings do not affect my opinion of the book. Based on what I read, the book does seem to be edited well. As Karina is in class and starts daydreaming about her crush, Parker, it made me smile a bit since I remember that age in middle school when I would have a crush on a boy who was way out of my reach. Though when he rudely said, "What's it to you, freak?", my smile faded as I knew this boy wasn't good enough for Karina. Also, I like the addition of Mary Blair. Though a wild card, it's great to know that Karina has a friend. The fact that I have all these thoughts and feelings toward Karina makes me appreciate the way the author has presented her story. I'm sure it'll attract many middle grade and young adult readers. Though the story can be seen compelling, I am a bit worried about the reincarnation aspect of the story. Because of this and the fact that I'm not the target audience, I do not plan on buying and reading the book.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 9:49 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as I am not the target audience. I didn't change my mind after sampling the book. Although the premise of the book is interesting, the writing was a bit juvenile to my taste. The story follows the adventures of a young girl who is bullied in high school due to a childhood scar on her forehead (kind like Harry Potter). Her life changes when she enters a secret cave and meets an old man and a talking fish. I like the blend of fiction and mysticism. The scene with the cruel boy who rejected her advances was heartbreaking. I enjoyed the book more than I expected to, but not enough to buy it. I only noticed one instance of an unclear sentence: "The ride to Vista Verde Middle School was, as always, too brief, despite the stop at the elementary school her hand." I won't read the book, as the sample wasn't interesting enough for me. The official review didn't sway my decision either way.
First Ten review added on June 22, 2019, at 9:00 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 33%
Karina 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.
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