The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Unbalanced
Because Unbalanced 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.
Gravy
Depending on my mood, I may have looked at this. I sometimes find myself interested in this type of story. This one is interesting and the style is enjoyable, though I did notice a few errors, mainly extra words, but nothing that would keep me from reading. I do have to say, I am not a fan of the cover. It looks like the same picture was used, and turned, for all the girls, and it gives it a fractal look that I just don't like.
I am unsure if there was an official review, but it does not effect my opinion.
My first impression of this book remains the same, and if I were in the mood for it I'd likely want to give it a try. However, at this time I am not.
First Ten review added on February 24, 2018, at 6:08 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample I would not have read the book as I do not think this is my genre. After reading the sample I have changed my mind. I really liked the writing style, which was kind of vague and therefore gave the book a very mysterious vibe. It was professionally edited.I also really liked the italicized thoughts, which gave me insight into the main character's mind. I did not read an official review but it did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on February 24, 2018, at 2:27 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title is not indicative of the story
of the book. The cover is not that appealing.
I had to sample the book to figure out what's
inside. I found that this is a historical
Spanish story of conquest. This is not my typical
genre, so I am skipping this book. I found the book
to be professionally edited, with no mechanical
errors that I could find. I could not find anything
that could be improved in the book. Although I
found OBC reviews of the book, my decision to not
to read the book is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on February 24, 2018, at 1:21 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb and OBC review. I usually like romance books. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. The story just didn't pull me in. It seemed to be more of a fantasy book than a romance. I like the author's style; the story just isn't for me. It did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on February 24, 2018, at 12:08 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cjgarland89
At first glance I thought this might be something I’d like to read. Even though it’s a paranormal book, the plot reminded me of a movie I saw once. I think I may have sampled this even without the program just because it looks appealing. After sampling I don’t think I can get into this book. I like that the women are orphans and have come together to discover their potential, but it’s just not something I can completely be devoted to. It does seem like a professionally edited book, free from errors. The OBC review was very informative, but didn’t change my mind on the book, as it describes exactly what I thought it was. I will not be finishing this book.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 10:27 pm by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kathryn Price
This book seems interesting. I'm not usually into this genre so I might not have tried this one if it hadn't been Book of the Day. The writing style flowed easily and I found no editing errors. The prologue was slightly confusing, but I'd bet that more gets explained the further you get into the book, so it's not really a big deal. I might just read the rest of this one - it has an interesting premise.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 8:23 pm by Kathryn Price.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CrescentMoon
Based on the blurb, I think I would check this book out. Four sisters each with a unique power sounds really interesting. I'm also curious to see how the handsome stranger she falls for betrays her. After reading the first ten pages, I didn't see any spelling or grammar errors so it looks professionally edited. This young adult fantasy genre seems like it would be perfect for young teenagers and maybe some young adults. I personally wasn't really too hooked on reading it, so I don't think I will be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 5:41 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
The cover is intriguing and some reviews I've seen suggest that this is a colourful tale, so I might have sampled it. On the basis of the first ten pages, however, it seems to be a fairly standard fantasy - I won't buy and read the whole book because I'm interested in fantasy that diverts from the beaten track somehow. It did seem professionally edited as I noticed no errors. I liked the descriptions of the sisters and their powers - that was an interesting idea. In terms of what could be improved, though, I'm not sure it was best to start with exposing the sisters' curse. Maybe they and the reader could be more in the dark and things could be gradually revealed. I don't know, just a thought. I did see an OnlineBookClub review, which mentioned shallow plotting as an issue.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 4:48 pm by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shelle
The cover of this book looks very dark and foreboding and I was happy to sample it. I had not heard of this author and appreciate the BOTD program for bringing it to my attention. The OBC review was also very positive. I like the fast-paced opening pages and think the characters are probably interesting. This book just seems a little too young for me and I think it's geared more for teens than mature adults. I could easily see it being quite popular with a younger audience. This book appeared to be professionally edited and error-free.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 4:38 pm by Shelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
IsabelMay
I wouldn't sample the book because the cover is completely unattractive and poorly made. The description didn't help, the ''controlling earth, air, fire, and water'' thing is completely cliché. I decided to give it a chance thanks to this program and positive reviews on OBC. Judging by the sample, the book seems to be edited. Just like I predicted, there is hardly any originality when it comes to plotting. I would've preferred more dialogue as well and I wasn't too intrigued by the storyline. All things considered, I'll skip this book. The author has potential, but I hope to see stories that are more original in the future.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 3:38 pm by IsabelMay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
I like the cover of this book and I absolutely love the title. I do not think I would have picked it up because the plot sounds too familiar. I enjoyed reading the first ten pages, they were professionally edited. I liked the ominous feel in the writing and that it starts off with giving adequate background information without overwhelming the reader. Unfortunately, even after reading the first few pages and the OBC review, I still feel like this plot lacks originality. Therefore, I do not intend to read the rest.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 2:54 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
The cover of this one looked like a horror novel, so I probably wouldn't have looked more into it if I came across it (I'm not a horror fan). I'm glad it was the book of the day, though, because I love fantasy and the plot of this sounds really interesting. The sample so far has been great - I loved how even the villain, the Master, was shown to have a personality and how they really do believe the girls are the evil ones. I also loved that the girls used magic in such cool ways, and that even they were able to be crushed by the main villains. It definitely has a good plot set up from the very beginning, and without any errors or anything else to complain about I only really saw positives with this one! I guess the only negative was that it wasn't free! I'll definitely throw this on a wishlist and keep an eye out for a sale, but I don't see buying it for almost full price when I already have so many books to read.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 2:42 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
bookowlie
Although two OBC reviewers gave this book a high rating, I would not have sampled this book on my own since I don't like paranormal fantasy books. I noticed one error in the Amazon summary (a missing comma after the word up) and found the explanation of the plot a little disjointed. The beginning pages appeared to be edited well, but I was uanble to become engrossed in the story. Of course, this is probably more due to my reading tastes than the author's writing, since the author has a nice writing style. In any case, I am not interested in reading further.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 1:48 pm by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
I think the book cover is attractive and the title, fitting. I would have perused it without the program. However, I'm in between continuing to read this or not after checking out the sample. I like the plot and story line about girls controlling natural elements but I have a problem with certain aspects of the writing. It seems that it needs improvement on subject identification. For instance, a part described the soldiers advancing in on the girls and later on made reference to a "he" which got me confused as to who exactly was being referred to. There were also grammatical errors like, "Panic and fear were weakness" instead of 'weaknesses'; the absence of a second comma acting as bracket in the sentence, "The sisters walked forward, past the quivering guards into the crowd." Even the drama that occurred when the girls were subdued wasn't clearly described. All these reduced my enthusiasm in reading the book. The OBC review I saw really stimulated me initially but the sample has dampened my zeal. I may have kept reading if the book was free, but I certainly won't go all out to purchase it.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 11:52 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ashley_claire
The cover of this book looks professionally done, it draws me in and makes me want to know more about the story. Based on the OBC review, the plot sounds like something I might normally read. I like the idea of four sisters reuniting and having magical powers. I thought the sample was well-written and I found no mistakes. The battle between the girls and the Master was exciting and succeeded in piquing my interest in the rest of the book. I will be reading the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 10:32 am by ashley_claire.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kourtney Bradley
The idea of four women meeting and finding out that they each possess a power to one of the natural elements seems like an interesting, yet not a unique idea. From reading the OBC review, I can tell that the reader had fun while reading, but thought the transitions between the sisters was a bit fast paced and jumped around too much. I can see how I would agree with this complaint, as that's something I know would bother me while reading. As surprised as I was to see that all members of the OBC review team who read this book, there were only 4 star ratings, I do have to admit that it seems to me like an idea that has been expressed by many authors. While I have read and enjoyed many of these types of books, I probably have ran my time with them and would more than likely not choose to read this one. I do like the cover art designed for this book, and felt that it gives off a mystical vibe, which I'm sure was something that author was intending. I was fortunate to not find any errors while reading the first ten pages, so I can say that the editing seems to be professionally done.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 9:07 am by Kourtney Bradley.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this read. The title is interesting while the cover seems fitting. It's been a while since I've read a paranormal romance, so I'm not sure if I still enjoy this genre. The blurb does seem to give a good idea of what the book would be about, however, it's not a premise that I am interesting in reading. When looking at the OBC review, knowing that this a simple and not very unique plot, then this solidifies that Unbalanced isn't for me. The positive customer reviews do not sway my opinion of the book one way or the other.
Based on what I read, the book does seem to be edited well. However, I do find the tightly-spaced paragraphs unpleasant to read. The author definitely opens the story with a bang, where the Master from the Order interacts with the four sisters. I keep imagining the four girls as powerful ones and are no match for the Master and his soldiers. However, I don't find myself compelled to continue reading since I don't really feel a connection with the characters, so far. Also, I found the repetition of wanting the four babies for the same reason as something I worry about happening again, making the story repetitive. Due to this, the OBC reviewer mentioning this to be a simple story, and the premise isn't of interest to me, I do not plan on finishing this book.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 8:23 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
RebeccasReading
This book surprised me. I had no interest in it based on the description. However, I loved the sample. I will be finishing this book. The author's writing hooked me in immediately. I normally am not a fan of science fiction, but I liked that the mythical elements in this book are still grounded in humanity and realism.There isn't anything that stood out as needing improvement. I didn't notice any errors, so I think it was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 8:02 am by RebeccasReading.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
jwalker73
The cover of this book is mesmerising and the title is intriguing, however, the genre does not appeal to me. I am not a fan of paranormal stories. The blurb did not interest me. The review provided more detail but still did not entice me to read the book. I would not have selected it. The first ten pages were easy to read and appeared professionally edited, however, the content did not agree with me. I was initially thrown by the fact that, at the start of the story, a fifteen year old had had quadruplets. While I know this is fiction, I found this quite disturbing. There was also too much violence for my liking. I do not plan to read the rest of this book for these reasons.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 7:38 am by jwalker73.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dolor
Without the First Ten program, I might have chosen to buy and read this book because generally, I like everything in the book from the cover, the title, and the genre. It has high review ratings too. Reading the OBC review made me turn the book down - it lacks in-depth world-building. When I read the first ten pages, it's just the prologue, which reaches more than the first ten pages. The narration bores me. This made me choose to bypass reading this book. I have not seen any error. The book is professionally edited. I don't have any improvement suggestion for this book. It just didn't hook me up. It lacks the substance. Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard chronicles the paranormal adventure of the four sisters with a touch of romance.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 1:25 am by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read it. Although it sounds interesting, it doesn't seem unique enough of a fantasy novel to capture my attention. After reading the first 10 pages I didn't change my mind. I enjoyed the suspense that was created early by the Grandmaster's search for the sisters and especially the sisters' way and desire to protect the Citizens of the village. I didn't see anything specifically that I would have changed within the sample. Despite the above, this is not a type of fantasy novel that I would usually read, and therefore I will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. The official review did not affect my decision it all. The book definitely looks well written and edited.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 12:57 am by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Penny Lee
The intriguing cover of this book caught my eye, and the blurb on the back inspired me to read the sample. I would have read the sample even if this book were not the Online Book Club book of the day.
The sample piqued my interest through its great descriptions, action scenes, and interesting characters. I plan to read the rest of this book.
I liked the descriptions, including not only how things looked, but the sounds, feel of the air, etc. I was a bit turned off by the blood lust of the "Master" at the beginning of the story, but it certainly did a good job of portraying him as the villain, and provoked an emotional dislike of him from the get-go.
I would have like to know a bit more of Asha's background and growing up years, rather than just knowing that she was taken away as a baby and seemed to be working as a mercenary at age 16.
I found one grammar error (typo) in the free sample. “This is how it IS must be.” - "IS" is a typo on page 5 of the Prologue.
I am glad to see that this book was reviewed by Online Book Club -- reading the review makes me even more eager to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 12:46 am by Penny Lee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
ladycraic
I would not have chosen to sample Unbalanced apart from First Ten. I don't find the cover appealing, and neither the cover nor the title indicates that I would enjoy reading this novel. The blurb definitely caught my interest. There was a nice balance between information and mystery that left me wanting to know how the story would end. The story captured my attention from the get-go - what a way to start a novel, right as the Master captures the four girls! I thought the story was interesting but finding out the four sisters were demon witches left me feeling a little uneasy. I don't like horror in any novel I'm reading, and a combination of demons and witches doesn't fail to keep me on my toes. I will not be reading Unbalanced. I thought the concept of this novel was cool but I didn't have a burning interest to read further. The official OBC review didn't have much of an influence on my decision. This book seemed professionally edited and I didn't notice any grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on February 23, 2018, at 12:18 am by ladycraic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsTri
I was immediately drawn to both the cover and title for "Unbalanced" because they indicated that the book therein is of one of my favorite genres. The synopsis was okay, but it was the review that really made me want to read this. I was also mystified by the sample read. Thankfully, the tome seems to be professionally edited. I also liked the flow of the language and the perfect amount of descriptions. My favorite part was when the girls actually turned into the elements they controlled; I could completely see the scene in my mind's eye. From what I read, it doesn't seem like I'd change a thing about the writing. I would, however, prefer a slightly different cover. Even though the girls are quadruplets, they're different enough to warrant a slightly different look from each other. A slight change to each female on the cover would make it even more captivating.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 11:58 pm by MsTri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
N_R
Had I not sampled the first ten pages, I would not have chosen to sample or considering reading this book. I do not like fantasy or romance genres so I was not drawn to this book anyway. However, I was actually quite impressed with the writing style and I did enjoy reading the first ten pages. I would not say that I was enticed to read more, however, it did make me think about my thoughts on these genres that I do not like and I might need to consider reading a few books like this to see if I do actually like them.
I am not going to buy and read the whole book as I just did not feel enticed to do so. While I did enjoy reading the sample, I did not get to the end of the ten pages and wondered what happened next. Because I do not read fantasy as a rule, I did not find myself drawn into this other world.
Based on what I read, the book does seem like it was professionally edited and I did not see any typos or grammatical errors. I did feel that it moved a bit quickly with the plot at the start and would probably like a bit more of a lead-in or a fast start that tapers down in terms of the amount of action occurring. The book review was very positive about this book and I do have to say that it did initially pique my interest. In particular, it would be about the idea of the elements and a person representing each element. There has been so much non-fiction written about the elements and that is why I think I liked this part of the story. To be honest, I think that the part I enjoyed the most about the sample was the talk about a Grand Master as that conjures up a lot of associations with mystery and magic; it helps to set the scene for the genre.
Did the book have an Official OnlineBookClub review that you saw? If not, did the lack of an OnlineBookClub review affect your decision?
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 10:34 pm by N_R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ayoomisope
Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard is a fictional novel about four girls with powers of nature's primary elements. The story depicts how they discover one another and battle against evil. The book's title and cover build interest without spoilers. In addition, I appreciate the drama and action in the sample provided. I would love to buy and read this book because of the elements of fantasy and super powers inherent in it.
The book seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 10:25 pm by ayoomisope.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Izesicle
Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have not chosen to read or sample this book based on the genre. I usually don't like fantasy books.
I am not going to buy and read the whole book because the review said that the world-building was not extensive and the villain not fleshed out as a character.
Based on what I read, the book seems like it was professionally edited. I didn't notice typo or grammar errors, except for one.
What I like the most in the bit I read is the first scene was very well described.
What could be improved is nothing I can think of aside from fixing the typo. I haven't read much of the book to support the criticism of the reviewer.
The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 10:15 pm by Izesicle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Afuglsan
The cover is interesting. I think I would flip through the book based on this alone. I'm not a huge fan of the title, so that's a little off-putting. I love paranormal romances, though. I adored the first ten pages of this book. I'll be honest, I read more than ten pages. I loved how full of action and mystery this book is. I thought the dialogue was a little cheesy at times, but overall, I have no complaints. I didn't see any editorial issues. I would love to read the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 7:55 pm by Afuglsan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Seraphia Bunny Sparks
After reading a sample of, Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard, I have decided that I will be putting this book on my to-be-read shelf. When I first saw the cover of this book I was intrigued. I am a fan of the paranormal genre and felt this book would be a good fit for me. If I had not read a sample of this book, I would have picked it up. The blurb immediately hooked me in. Every generation four sisters are born with unique powers, and The Order exists to sacrifice these girls for their power. The author had me begging for more. I like that the author dives into the story with the past. The author engages me in the hunt for the sisters, and how they appear. Based on what I have read this book looks to be professionally edited. This book does have an official OnlineBookClub review. The reviewer piques my interest even further into the story. I want to know more about the sisters and The Order that hunts them. I will not be purchasing this book today but soon.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 7:34 pm by Seraphia Bunny Sparks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emmanae
Without the "first ten" program I don't think I would have read a sample of this book. I normally don't read much romance, but this book seems to also be in the fantasy genre, which is definitely in my wheelhouse. I don't think I would buy the book, but I would consider picking it as a review book, simply as my to be read pile is too high currently. From what I read, the book seemed to not have grammatical errors, though I prefer paragraphs that are more broken up. I most liked the girls each getting their powers. The fact that Emma was trying to stop it makes me think this is a reoccurring thing and possibly a curse of sorts. This book did have a review, and that review was what tipped me off to the fact that it might not be only a romance, and may possess some fantasy characteristics.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 7:34 pm by Emmanae.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
NL Hartje
The cover perfectly mimics the mystique outlined in the prologue and beginning chapter! Kudos on the great art! Also, the promotional reviews inside the cover definitely encouraged me to keep reading. The first ten were definitely written with menace and foreshadowing, both of which entice readers to move further into the story. As a fantasy lover, I'm very excited about this book! I've always enjoyed stories that involve manipulation of the elements. This book seems professionally edited so I will certainly be reading it and looking forward to the next book.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 7:04 pm by NL Hartje.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chelsy Scherba
This author is a terrifically gifted writer. The opening scene is riveting and held my interest, but the subject matter is pretty dark. I think the author wants the reader to sympathize with the witches, but that’s hard for me to do. I couldn’t sympathize with the master either, because both sides seemed to be connected to the demonic. I think this book will appeal to many who don’t hold strongly to the light as I strive to, and in my former days I would have loved reading this book. It has all the elements of an epic fantasy in the making. The cover is interesting and captures the content well. The review was positive, but I read the sample first and formed my own opinion, so it didn’t change my mind. The book was professionally edited and I saw no errors.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 6:09 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
pilvi
I would not have chosen to read this book based on the genre, cover, title or review, mainly because I don't enjoy paranormal romance books in general. Having read the sample, I did get hooked and am interested to find out what happens. I'm still not going to read it, mainly because it looks light, romantic and somewhat black-and-white. I did not find any typos, but maybe this is an error: "whether these fools understood it [or not]". This is probably a completely good book in its genre. Other people do like to read light fantastical romances.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 4:47 pm by pilvi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
micoleon13
This is a great cover page and I immediately want to know more about it. The OnlineBookClub review was very complementary, pointing out that it was not a weighty read, and that there were mystical aspects around the four sisters which appealed to me. I was even more interested in reading it. The pages which I read were well written and edited. It is a story which immediately sucks the reader in. I wanted to continue reading. The set up of the four sisters and their powers was very interesting and I liked how it then jumped into recent times. I would like to continue reading this book and I have no ideas for improvement.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 4:40 pm by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Azeline Arcenal
After reading the first ten pages, I decided not to finish reading the book. The sample was interesting, but I don't have time to read this book. I like how the book centers around four women and I do like the book cover and title so if I were to sample the book based on just the cover and title, I probably would have chosen to sample it because they both look interesting. While reading the sample, I didn't notice any grammatical errors either. I also read the official OBC review for this book which was helpful in solidifying my decision on taking a pass on this book. There isn't anything I would change anything about this book.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 4:24 pm by Azeline Arcenal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ritah
The cover of the book appeals to me and the title aroused my curiosity, based on that I would have sampled the book. I read the official review. Once I started sampling the book, I couldn't stop turning the pages; I really liked that the storyline had me in its grips from the beginning. I also appreciated the use of description, I could visualize the intensity of the scene when 'Master' found the girls. It is for those reasons that I will be reading the rest of the book. I did not spot any obvious errors in the pages I read.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 2:03 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
BookishCreature
At first glance, I would not have picked up this book. The cover is nice and the reviews are mostly positive, but the OBC review brought up some issues that probably would have bugged me - too-fast pacing and shallow worldbuilding in particular. After reading the first ten pages, I found that the writing style is very descriptive and fast-paced, and I liked that it started the story at such a tense moment. The book looks like it's been professionally edited. However, due to the issues the OBC reviewer had with the book, I have a feeling it's not a book for me, and I won't be finishing it.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 12:33 pm by BookishCreature.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Christina O Phillips
The title is simple, but I like the cover. The summary interested me. Without this program, I would have read this sample. Taken separately, each section (prologue, chapter) read well. The dialogue felt natural and I enjoyed the descriptions. However, because each of these sections take place in a different place and time, I felt a bit jarred. The pieces did not feel connected enough which made it hard for me to get fully engrossed in the sample. While I did not notice any errors, the choppiness of the timeline turned me off of this read.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 11:26 am by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yoli García
I would not have sampled this book without this program because the title of the book does not grab my attention. The OBC reviews are positive but did not convince to read the book. I just liked the idea of four sisters with powers to control the four elements. After I read the sample pages, I thought the book was professionally edited. I liked how the town tries to protect the girls from the hunter and the girls are ready for what is coming. However, I will not read this book because I was not fully interested in the story.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 9:31 am by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as the premise sounds pretty generic. I love the cover, but the blurb sounds bland. As much as I love fantasies and natural elements tales, something in the sample didn't work for me. A fanatical Order pursues four sisters who can control the elements. Although the premise of the book is interesting, the sample did not catch my attention. Also, I didn't understand the need to sacrifice the four sisters, and the sharp switch from the compelling beginning to Asha confused me. The book appears to be well edited, and I didn't notice any glaring errors. The OBC review steered me further away from the book after mentioning the predictable plot and lack of depth in the world building. The fact that it is just the first book in the series was another point against the book. I won't read the book as the sample didn't engage me enough to keep reading.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2018, at 8:51 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 28%
Unbalanced earned a score of 28%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 28% 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 Unbalanced
