The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Shadow Wolves: A Novel
Because Shadow Wolves was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Ekta Kumari
The story revolves around Ethan Crowe who has worked with the Delta Forces and the Defense Intelligence Agency. The storyline is action-packed with Crowe combatting Mexican drug cartels as a part of a team formed of other native American trackers. I wouldn't have read the book as I wasn't interested in the themes and the genre. However, the thing I liked the most while sampling is how well the author has portrayed the scenes with the close details of the surroundings. The details created about Skorpions, the Serb paramilitary unit, were also believable and immersive to read. I would say the imaginative details are well portrayed and does not sound superficial. However, I won't be reading the whole book as I'm not into the themes. Plus, I didn't find an OBC official review for the book, and that I think would have influenced my decision to read or not read the book. I didn't find any editing errors, so I would rate the book as professionally edited. I do not have anything to recommend for improvements.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 5:16 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ann Ogochukwu
I was intrigued by this book's cover and title, so I may have given the book a try outside this program. The book had no official OBC review, but I don't think that affected my decision to complete it. I relied on the Amazon reviews to know what this book was about.
I was wide-eyed as I sampled this book. The descriptions of the scenes and actions were so vivid and real. I was most shocked by the brutality of the Skorpions. I like that this book is set both in the past and in the present.
I'm yet to fully comprehend the whole story, but I am curious, so I will continue reading this book. I didn't notice any errors while I read. I don't think this book needs any improvement.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 4:59 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vickie Noel
The "native American" look of this book's cover would have caught my attention outside the program. The fact that it mentioned the confrontation of a drug cartel is another reason why I would have been interested in it outside the program. My opinion didn't change after reading the sample; I was hooked. I loved the detailed descriptive form of writing; it easily painted pictures with words. For example, "The mid-autumn sky was overcast, the grey sky matching the lives of the people under its bleak umbrella." Even if I didn't enjoy the story itself, which I do actually, I would have continued reading the book just to enjoy more of the aforementioned expressions. The book is flawlessly edited; I found no errors. I have no recommendations for improvement as I'm eagerly waiting to resume reading about how Lieutenant Evans tackles the bloodthirsty Skorpion militias. I saw an OBC review, but the sample did the most job of reeling me into the story.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 4:57 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rodel Barnachea
Following my poring over the book's Amazon page, I opted not to purchase the crime thriller. I did not find myself interested in how the special team of Native Americans will help combat the drug lords in Mexico. I am not intrigued by how the Zetas and the Shadow Wolves are going to confront each other. The absence of an OBC review did not affect my decision because the information on the Amazon page is sufficient. Going over its sample failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the text convinced me it would be enjoyable to read the rest of the book. Other reasons I stated before I sampled the crime thriller are factors I considered in making my decision. The first ten pages contain Chapter 1 and a few pages of Chapter 2. My favorite part is the people's reactions after they heard gunshots and realized the Skorpions have arrived in their village. I did not identify any errors in the Amazon sample. I believe the book is professionally edited. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 4:42 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
xsquare
There was nothing in the cover, title or blurb of the book that stood out to me – I don’t think I would’ve sampled this book if it hadn’t been part of the First Ten program. I found the descriptions to be vividly brutal – kudos to the author for evoking such powerful imagery to describe the horrors of war. I did not see any typos, and I don’t think that there was anything else that the author could’ve done better. However, I didn’t find the first ten pages compelling enough to change my mind; I’m not a fan of stories to do with war. I won’t be reading the rest of the book. The lack of an official OBC review did not factor into my decision.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 4:11 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
I wouldn't have read this book outside the First Ten program because the cover page and title hinted at crime, a genre I don't like. I liked the fast-paced nature of this read. It jumps into action from the initial pages. I could tell that there is warfare in the sample. There was no OBC review as part of the program. However, this didn't affect my decision about reading this book. Consequently, I will not buy this book due to the crimes in it. It seems exceptionally edited, and there are no suggestions for improvement that I can propose.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 3:56 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
I like the cover photo because it looks intriguing. I sampled the book based on the program, but the sample failed to capture my interest. I don't like to read books related to military service because I can't relate. Fortunately, the book seems professionally edited because I don't see any typos. Lastly, there's nothing I can recommend for any improvements. The book has an OBC review, but it doesn't affect my decision.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 3:56 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
The title "Shadow Wolves" and the cover that shows a man in a horse do not convey the theme of the book. There are 26 Amazon customer ratings on the book, which is great. The Amazon summary clearly states that the book is about a person called "Ethan Crowe". As I am interested in the theme of the book, I would have sampled the book even if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing the background of the war between Bosnia and Serbia. As I am interested in the overall theme of the book, I am 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 about the book is its overall theme. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I didn't find any OBC reviews of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 3:47 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The cover intrigued me. There wasn't an official OBC review; however, the absence of a review did not affect my judgment. I could not find any errors in the first ten pages. The pages described a village being invaded by armed Serbian soldiers. I liked the sense of anticipation the author built in those pages. I did not have any suggestions for improvement, either. However, the book broached some sensitive topics like human trafficking, which I would prefer to avoid. Hence, I wouldn't read this book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 3:34 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Asma Aisha Ansari
The cover and the title of this book immediately caught my attention, and I wanted to know more about the story. I was disappointed to see that there was no OBC review for the book. However, the sample made up for it, as I liked the writing style in it. It's commendable how the author has created an intense atmosphere with his words. Several scenes in the sample are brutal (and, probably, the whole book will have such scenes). So, sensitive readers might not be comfortable reading this book. But, as for the quality of the writing, I think it's top-notch. Even in the absence of an OBC review, I've decided to give this book a shot. Besides, the Amazon reviews are very positive and encouraging.
There's nothing that I disliked about this book. I think the book is professionally edited, as I found only a few minor errors in the sample. Here's a sentence with an error: The lieutenant nodding to the scouts. Here, the context requires that the word 'nodding' be replaced with the word 'nodded'. I suggest that the book be edited thoroughly for such minor errors. Lastly, as I liked the sample and the story, I'm going to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 3:23 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sou Hi
The cover and the blurb are alright, but there aren't many ratings on Amazon. Since the blurb's promising, I decided to give the sample a try. It begins with a group of brutal men called the Skorpions. They coldly rape and kill many residents of a small and harmless village. When the American Ranger platoon reaches the village, only a few survivors remain with fear in their eyes.
I like the solid and well-written plot. The editing looks good, and I have no suggestions for improvement. Since the story is intriguing enough, I will buy this book. The lack of an official review from OBC didn't affect my decision.
Error example: The truck came to a stop in the middle of the road, and he shouted down at the woman through his open window. "What is that building?" pointing to the schoolhouse. -> I think it should be a comma after "open window" instead of a period.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 3:17 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Dzejn_Crvena
I wouldn't have sampled this book based on the cover and blurb. The cover reminds me of violent stories in the past, and I'm not interested in reading thrillers related to drug cartels. The lack of the OBC review did not affect my decision. Also, the first ten pages did not meet my expectations. The blurb mentioned the happenings in North America, but the sample took place in Europe. It's about the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia. I like the engaging writing style of the author that made me feel worried and sad for the innocent civilians who were killed by the Serbs. However, I can't read it further because I can't tolerate the gory details. The book seems professionally edited, and I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 1:59 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Howlan
I did not think that I would have read the book because the synopsis did not seem that interesting to me. But reading the first ten pages changed my mind. In the first ten pages, we are introduced to a Serbian militia group ruthlessly killing civilian women and children in small villages during a long war. The UN peacekeeping troops led by Lieutenant Evans and his three young scouts named Crowe, Price, and Isaac tailed the Serbian militia group. They followed them to another village which they were trying to destroy. What follows is a swift assassination of the Serbians where the author shows off the military genius of the scouts. The narration was fast-paced, a little edgy but definitely thrill-inducing. I loved the introduction to this book, and the action scenes were described perfectly. The first ten pages kept you at the edge of your seat, and it was a page-turner. I am highly captivated by the first ten pages so, I will buy and read this book today. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The official OBC review is absent, but that did not play a significant role in my decision.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 12:56 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MsH2k
Based on the blurb and cover, I would have sampled this book even if I were not part of this program. It sounded like a story with many interesting components. I was glad to see there was a strong female presence among the Native American team. The sample pages were hard to get through because of the violence. I did not like how calloused the narrative was around the violent acts. It was most likely intended to project the mindset of the Skorpions, but this dissuaded me from buying this book. Based on the blurb, I don’t think that will be the last such violent scene.
I also felt the introduction of the three Native American forward scouts was offensive. The lieutenant had a name, but these three scouts were referred to by their nation instead of their name, and their individual characteristics were grouped into their nation’s characteristics. An example is this sentence at loc 221: “It was said that the Navajo could smell a drop of blood and know if it came from a man or a woman.” Perhaps the author has a reason for withholding the names of the scouts in their introduction, but without a name, their individual characteristics seemed stereotypical.
I noticed one grammatical error in the first ten pages. In the acknowledgements, at loc 97, a colon should be used instead of a semicolon to introduce the list of names: “To my Balkan companions who showed me both the sadness and the wonder that is the Balkans; Oliver, Andrej, Ivana and Ljiljana.”
This seems like a unique and interesting story, but I did not enjoy the descriptions of violence, so I will not buy this book. It would have been nice to read an OBC reviewer’s perspective on this book because it has so many facets, but ultimately, the absence of a featured OnlineBookClub review had no bearing on my decision. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2021, at 12:01 am by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
addicted reader
Having read the first ten pages of this fantastic book, I agree that the book seems to be meticulously edited, as I saw no errors in the first few pages I read. The plot of the story is first set in Central Bosnia in 1994. It is the story of Ethan Crowe, a young soldier in the Delta Force. He and the rest of the team are on a mission to track down the Skorpion, who traces his roots back to Serbia. What I liked most about the book was its beginning. It begins with a quote from Chief Joseph, Next Perce's work, "we do not want churches as they will cause us to querral." This made me eager to find a copy of this book and find out the relevance of the saying. Also, the beginning of the story is fast-paced, with action flowing. Though I didn't find an official OnlineBookClub review, the sample, which was available on Amazon, made me want to finish reading the book. Having read the first ten pages of this book, I found it to be OK and there is nothing else that needs to be done by the author to improve it. I'll buy it to finish reading the story.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 11:21 pm by addicted reader.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sarah_Khan
At first glance, I liked how professional the cover looked and the title was intriguing. The blurb on Amazon made the plot of this book seem complicated, so I am not sure if I would have sampled this if it was not a part of the First Ten program. The first few pages were well edited. The murder of the cute old couple broke my heart. Unfortunately, I did not see any OBC review. I would have liked more information about the plot. For this reason, I will not be reading the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 9:40 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabrielle Sigaki
Shadow Wolves by Jake Kaminski is a Native American novel with crime, thrilling scenes, action, and suspense too. It brings the themes of drug cartels and human trafficking. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its customer reviews since I'm not interested in the themes of drug cartels and human trafficking. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I won't read the entire book because of the reason I stated before. However, it seems professionally edited, there's nothing to be improved in it, and I liked the detailed descriptions of the book since they give all the aspects of each scenario, making the book resemble a movie. This book didn't have an Official OnlineBookClub review, but its lack didn't affect my decision since I read the customer reviews.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 9:22 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelyn
As I am not fond of war-based stories and do not peruse those areas, it is unlikely that I would have come across this book. Given that, even if I had, there is nothing in particular about the cover or title that might have attracted my attention. The blurb introduces an intriguing tale of a highly-skilled group of Native Americans questing to bring down the Mexican drug cartels and stop human trafficking occurring in the Arizona desert. It also mentions that there are two strong female leads among the group. My interest was fully engaged. Customer reviews on the Amazon site were extremely positive and spoke of a gripping read. I did not see an OBC review on the Amazon site. If I had, I would have been interested in what the reviewer had to say. The official OBC review on this site was highly complimentary. This, coupled with the customer reviews, gave a good impression of the book going into the sample. I wanted to like this book. I really did. However, by the end of the first chapter, I knew it involved violence that I did not want to read about. I understand that these things indeed happen, but they do not make my reading list. Nevertheless, there is nothing I would change. I admired Crowe, Price, and Factor not only for their (frankly exceptional) indigenous skills but also for their compassion towards the peasants who had been terrorized and their ruthlessness in bringing justice (i.e., death) to those who had caused the carnage. The scenes of compassion, such as the one with Crowe and the frightened child, were my favorites in the sample. These characters alone were almost enough to make me want to read the book...almost. In the end, my dislike for this level of violence made me decide not to continue reading it. The book seemed well-edited. I found no 'countable' errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 7:42 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kourtney Bradley
From the cover and synopsis, this wouldn’t be something that I would chose to read because I’m not really a fan of Native American Fiction. I couldn’t locate the OBC official review for this one despite using all search options that I could locate- possibly because I am doing the first ten a day after, so it’s more difficult to locate. The first ten pages didn’t pull me in much, which I didn’t really expect it too from the synopsis. I didn’t notice any grammatical or spelling errors while reading the first ten pages. I am choosing to not continue reading this one today just because the subject matter does not interest me and doesn’t feel like something I would enjoy as I’m not a reader of Native American Fiction.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 6:40 pm by Kourtney Bradley.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rachael S 1
The cover of the book is a little misleading. It leads the reader to think this book is more about Indians than gangs and drugs. Both the blurb and the first few pages of the book show this book to be a little bit more violent than I like, so I will not be purchasing and reading the full story. I did not find any grammatical or spelling errors in the first few pages I read. I like how the beginning of Part One starts with a location and time. If the author continues with that, it will help the reader keep the time/places the author goes easier to follow. As the same, I enjoyed how the second chapter started as One Week Later... I did not find anything that I believe should be improved upon.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 5:17 pm by Rachael S 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
This isn't one I'd have sampled on my own because of the genre, as I rarely read thrillers. It does have an attractive cover promising adventure, which can certainly be said of the Amazon blurb. However, the sample didn't change my original assessment that I wouldn't buy this today as the content was harrowing. While I know this is based on true events, the Skorpions' brutality made them seem rather two-dimensional. So did the heroes, albeit the diverstiy is welcome. The text seemed clean, though I found a couple of possible errors. For example, this sentence: "The scouts had also told him that there was sign everywhere and that the Serbs had left in a northerly direction." I'm not sure what is meant by "sign". Also the Serbian should be in italics and the English in plain text, rather than the other way round. I liked the scouts' dilemma as they decided whether to act against the Skorpions when they knew the villagers would be dead if they waited for the platoon, even though this was against their official orders. The author could improve clarity by using fewer unexplained abbreviations. For example, I don't know what a "SAW gun" is. There wasn't an OBC review for this, but that didn't significantly affect my decision, which I was easily able to make on the basis of the sample.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 4:37 pm by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
This book was very vividly detailed. I could sense the fear of the old couple as they were confronted by the militant thugs and killed. It was very sorrowful and terrible. The book is exceptionally well-edited and professional, so I didn’t see any errors. I didn’t need an OBC review to decide against reading the book because I can tell just from the sample that it’s probably going to feature more sad events happening. This genre is really not my cup of tea, so I would not have pursued reading the book outside of OBC, regardless of it having positive reviews or not. I have no suggestions for improvements since I think the book is very well-written.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 2:45 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
The cover and the title were interesting. The Amazon blurb made the story sound exciting. I could not find an OBC review, but a review on Goodreads stated that it was a riveting tale. I liked that the author acknowledged his high school English teacher. There was an unnecessary word in the second paragraph: "...their fierce companion [in] keeping the wolves at bay." I liked the writing style of the author. I did not like that the story started in Serbia. I wanted to read about Mexico. I will not finish reading the book because I did not like the way it started. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 1:50 pm by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J Edwards
This correctly named book should surely be entertaining. I have not had an opportunity to sample the book's official review, but from these first ten pages, I can say with some measure of certainty that this book is remarkable. The introduction features Serbian villains called Skorpions as they ransack a village. As they murder children and women, they are also raping teenage girls indiscriminately. They leave a trail of dead, naked bodies in their wake as they move on to the next village to continue their obscene plunder. This introduction alone made it very difficult for me to stop reading after crossing the ten pages mark. I will definitely read Shadow Wolves, even if it is only to find out the eventual fate of these ruthless, blood-thirsty rapists. I also like that this book appears to be edited exceptionally well since I didn't encounter any errors in this sample.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 12:15 pm by J Edwards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, cover, and title. The story involves war, which didn’t seem like it would be for me. There also wasn’t an OBC review that I could find, and I don’t read books without one. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. The militia group in the book was very well described, which I liked. The author provided enough detail to picture them without drawing it out too long. However, the downfall of this detail is that the murders in the book were shocking. The violence just isn’t for me. The book did seem to be professionally edited, and nothing specific needs improvement.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 10:57 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Michelle Menezes
I couldn't guess the content of the book based on the title, but the blurb gave a clear idea of what to expect. The lack of an Official OnlineBookClub review did not affect me, as I had already decided not to read the book since it's not from my preferred genre. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided to stick to my decision and continue with it. The atrocities committed by the Serbian paramilitary unit called the Skorpions angered me. The mindless killing, stealing, and rape were detailed in the book, and I had a hard time reading about the suffering of the villagers. Even if I did read the genre, I'd skip this book because of the triggering content. I don't think it needs any improvement, and since I did not find any errors, it seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 10:06 am by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
It became evident to me by looking at the cover and title that this book has a crime story. With this idea, I considered reading the OBC official review of this book to know about the premise of the story. I felt stranded when I could not find the OBC official review. It is the official review that makes me decide whether or not to buy any book. However, I thought of looking at the sample of this book. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that this book is not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, "The scouts also told him that there was sign everywhere and that the Serbs had left in a northerly direction.". The sentence could have been as follows. " The scouts also told him that there was a sign everywhere and that the Serbs had left in a northerly direction." The thing l liked the most is the idea of showcasing the ground reality in Serbia when ethnic cleansing was taking place. Unfortunately, most of the narrative appeared overly exaggerating the gut-wrenching scenes of killing. It would have been great if the author had balanced good and bad things so that reading could be pleasant. After looking at all these aspects, I decided not to purchase and read this book today. I will wait until the author considers my suggestions so that I could have a nice time while reading this book.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 8:58 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Looking at the Amazon blurb and cover illustration, it seems that this book belongs to the thriller genre; I am not looking for books in this genre, so I would not have sampled it. I didn't come across an OBC review of the book, but this would not have affected my decision regarding sampling due to the genre mismatch. I have spotted a couple of errors. At 2% in the sample, there is a missing hyphen to mark a compound modifier: "...with a large(-)caliber machine gun mounted...". I suggest more editing to improve book quality. However, what I appreciate is the inclusion of descriptive detail, which will enable the reader to have a more immersive reading experience. For example, we learn the the soldiers are known as the "Skorpions", and these soldiers have been instructed to "wreak havoc" on all the Muslims and Croats that they come across. We also learn that the name "Skorpions" is derived from the soldiers' weapon of choice, which is the Skorpion VZ-61 machine pistol. As readers, we also learn that before the war, these soldiers were "vicious thugs and violent criminals". Other than more editing, I do not have further suggestions for the book's improvement. I will not be buying the book today, as I am not in the market for thrillers that includes war themes.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 6:52 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kirsi Cultrera
At first sight, I thought this book was a historical western novel, and wasn’t really interested in sampling it. Once I started reading, I was immediately pulled into the flow of the story. The events in the beginning were brutal, but I absolutely loved the author’s verbal diction. His style was very descriptive and smooth. The three Native American characters stole my heart right at the beginning of the story. I could not find an Official OnlineBookClub review of this book. The story seemed well-edited to me. Frankly, I did not find anything to dislike from this book, and I am dying to read the whole story. I can’t wait to proceed with it.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 5:16 am by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Verna Coy
I found the cover of this book riveting. What a great design! I don’t usually read this genre though, so I won’t be buying and reading the whole book. What I liked about the sample I read was the way the scenery is described. So lovely. I could picture it. As far as improvements, less violence against the innocent would be great, but I understand why it appeared there in the story. I know that this book will have an appeal to fans of this genre and draw many with its amazing cover design. It seems professionally edited to me. Aside from less violence, I can see no need for changes in it. I saw no errors and the writing style is easy to read and understand. It’s a vivid book inside and out. I didn’t see an official Online Book Club review for this book, but it looks like an excellent addition to the CTMH genre.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 4:38 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Joseph Mutuku 1
The first ten pages of this book chronicle a gripping yet fear-inspiring story. The described scenes of dead and mutilated women and old persons as a result of a heartless attack by the Serbian paramilitary unit demonstrated this author’s excellent writing skills; however, as a sensitive reader, it disturbed me a lot. This debut novel is well-written and riveting. Fans of thrillers will find a treat in this book. If not for my hate of bloody scenes and war stories, I would have finished reading this book. I think both the book’s cover page and the title were attractive. The author did a good job in editing the book, and I would say the book was professionally edited. However, I realized that an official Online Book Club review for this book was missing. Therefore, most of the questions I would have before selecting this book were left unanswered. Overall, I have no advice for the author; I believe the book is well written, and it will appeal to those who love thriller novels.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 3:45 am by Joseph Mutuku 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J_odoyo
After reading the first ten pages, I have realized that this book envelops a riveting yet heartwrenching story that will appeal to many fans of thrillers. The Shadow Wolves by Jake Kaminski is indeed a seemingly well-written book. I didn’t like reading through the heinous actions of the Skorpions (Serb paramilitary unit)—a group tasked to wreak havoc on Bosnian Muslims and Croatian Catholics. The gory scenes in this book, though fictional, really saddened me. The progress of this book is inviting, and I can’t stop guessing what is next. Besides an attractive cover page, the book also has a catchy title. I noticed that this book had no OnlineBookClub review, which denied us insight into what the book is all about. Although the book had editorial reviews posted on the Amazon website, the absence of an OnlineBookClub review was so loud. The sample was well-edited; I found zero errors. It is easier to wager that the book was professionally edited. I liked the author’s narration skills, and the book’s description on the Amazon website was also okay. However, reading this sample didn’t change my mind to finally finish reading this book; I’m not a fan of this genre. I have no recommendation for the improvement of this book; the sample was well written.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 1:51 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Garcia 555
I probably would not have selected this book to read. I like the title, but the cover is a blur of muted colors. I had to look closely at it to figure out what the picture was. I did not see on official Online Book Club Review for this book, further pushing my decision not to read it. However, after reading the sample, it is clear that this is a well-written story with a lot of action. I was drawn into the story from the very first page. I saw no editing errors, so the book seems professionally edited. I am not going to buy or finish reading this book, but only because it is too violent for me. It otherwise seems like an exciting story. I like the authors descriptions of the people and their surroundings. The only improvement I could suggest is a little less graphic violence.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 1:16 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Manang Muyang
Those are Indians on the cover. The blurb narrates that the story is about an Indian tracker (and his team) who plays a vital role in the war against drugs. Call me a coward, but I envisioned that this story would be violent. I wouldn't have sampled it outside of the program. The first pages confirmed my worst fears: They were about the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, and they were bloody! I didn't want to read any more of the book. The author is a decorated undercover cop so he knows about weaponry and fighting skills, and this knowledge showed. There were editing issues in the sample, though. Some of them follow: I noted sentence fragments at 48% ("The lieutenant nodding to the scouts") and at 61% ("His father's words coming to him"). At 82%, "The three scouts moved along the rear walls of the buildings, killing every militiaman that found in the open" needed "they" in place of "that." I don't think the author can tone down the gore, but I hope he can address the errors. While I appreciated that the book highlighted the excellent tracking skill of Indians, I was not a fan of the brutal killings. So I will pass. There was no official OBC review for this book, but I doubt whether one would have changed my mind.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 12:43 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it hadn't been for the First Ten program, I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its title or cover because reading about cartels is not something that interests me. After sampling the book, I will not continue to read it because of the same reason mentioned previously. Even though I don't mind reading violent stories, I have simply never cared about the world of cartels. I wish this book had an OnlineBookClub review because it would have helped me know if there were other aspects of the book I might have liked - perhaps those other aspects might have convinced me to keep reading. My favorite part of the sample was the writing style. I liked that the author gave enough details for the reader to imagine everything that was happening, but did not go deep in explaining the more brutal scenes (like the raping of the women in the village, for example). I can't think of any way to improve the book, and it appears professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2021, at 12:29 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
Even if Shadow Wolves hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I likely would have read the sample of it. The description on Amazon.com was interesting to me; this is what compelled me to read the sample. The cover was honestly my favorite part of the book because of the horse riders on the front. The sample was very gory and horrific for me, which is why I decided after reading it that this book was not for me. While I do not think that any improvements are needed for the book, there is a grammatical error in the 11% section of the sample. It is an incomplete phrase- "Ignoring their pleas for mercy." An official OnlineBookClub review does not exist for this title, but I did not need one to make a decision. If a reader enjoys fictional books about terrorist groups and Native Americans, they may like this one.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 11:20 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
The cover is picturesque with a Native American scene. I would have bypassed sampling this book based on the historical fiction genre. I did like the unity of three different Native American soldiers, as they overlooked the boundaries that their history set. There is an error which I have noted below. I am not sure how to fix the error, as it lacks clarity for me. Likewise, I have no suggestions for improvement for the book. There was no OBC review on this book, and that would influence my choice to not read the book. What I read was very barbaric, as most events in a genocidal war tend to be. I will not be finishing the story based on my dislike of historical fiction.
Error: The gunners were usually newly minted sergeants big and strong enough to haul the heavy, high-capacity machine gun.
I am not certain if this was describing soldiers or if it was describing something that held the weapon.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 10:53 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Arnaiz
Outside the program, I will skip the book. The cover and title did not catch my attention. The book cover looks pale and needs some contrast in color. The text of the title needs to stand out from the background. The blurb gives a comprehensive description of the story, and customer reviews are positive. But, cartels and drugs are not my areas of interest. What I like after sampling is that it takes an insightful and thought-provoking look into heritage and fighting battles. The action and pace make it an engaging read. However, the sample does not include the part about cartels and drugs. It might have helped to get a feel on the approach to these topics and see if it piques my interest. Hence I will not finish the book. There are a few editing issues. Here are some examples.
Location 123. Spelling. Consider adding a hyphen.
These militiamen entered the tiny village led by a Toyota truck with a [large caliber] machine gun mounted in the bed of the vehicle.
These militiamen entered the tiny village led by a Toyota truck with a [large-caliber] machine gun mounted in the bed of the vehicle.
Location 140. Grammar. Number agreement. Consider changing the verb form.
The elderly pair, frozen like statues in the rutted roadway, [were] transfixed by the hard, unshaven men with guns held loosely in their arms.
The elderly pair, frozen like statues in the rutted roadway, [was] transfixed by the hard, unshaven men with guns held loosely in their arms.
The official OnlineBookClub review is not available, but it did not affect my decision to skip this one.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 9:03 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
This would not have been a book I would have checked out based on the cover and title since I had no idea what it would be about, and it just didn't look like a book that would interest me. There was no OBC review to enlighten me on the story. While reading the sample, I was quickly changing my mind about being interested in the book. The sample told the horrendous story of how a group of Serbian militiamen was slaughtering and raping innocent people. They were attacking village after village and leaving no one alive. A heartwrenching scene that brought tears to my eyes was when the military scouts tracking them came into a village and discovered one survivor. It was a small boy who had hid himself under some dead children. When the scout picked him up, and he knew he was safe, he started sobbing. I did not find anything that needed improvement, but I did find a few typos. For instance, at 82% of the sample is the sentence, "The three scouts moved along the rear walls of the buildings, killing every militiaman that found in the open." The word 'that' should be 'they.' I wanted to continue reading, so I will get this book and finish reading it because the writing is superb, and the storyline is one I cannot dismiss from my mind!
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 7:00 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the book's first pages, I wasn't interested in it because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book, I don't want to continue reading it because the story didn't captivate me. I liked the author's prose, especially the expression "pregnant clouds," I had never heard such a thing and I love it. This book seems professionally edited and it doesn't have an official Online BookClub review but that didn't affect my decision to skip it. There was nothing I saw that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 4:00 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
The book cover is not very clear if you see it from a distance. By having a closer look, it becomes clear what this book is about. I would probably not pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore because I cannot really relate to Native Americans, elite forces or drug cartels. There was no OBC review and the blurb only gives a very short description. The sample is well written and without any errors. However, the story started a bit too violent to my liking. The assassination of the old couple is not something I enjoyed reading about. That is the reason why I will not buy this book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 3:34 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Astral Magi
The cover and title of the book made me want to read it, but after reading the first ten pages, I realized that there is just too much violence for my liking. I did not see an official OBC review anywhere. I liked the cover and title very much, but the violence isn't for me. I didn't notice any errors and nothing can be improved. The book appears to have been professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 3:30 pm by Astral Magi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
I would have checked out this book because of the beautiful cover, title, and genre because I thought it would be about Native Americans, which are interesting to me. I was happy to learn from the blurb that the book was about an elite force consisting of Native Americans called Shadow Wolves who fight against drug cartels and human trafficking. I was concerned about the mention of the Bosnia War. The editorial review revealed that the author devotes a lot of attention to the heritage of the Native Americans. The customer reviews are positive and attest to solid character development. I was disappointed by the first ten pages of the review that centered around the Bosnia War. I did not enjoy reading about the deaths and mutilations of innocent victims. I did enjoy Price remembering his father’s belief that “All life is sacred and cannot be replaced.” I was disappointed that there was not an OnlineBookClub review to provide insight into the overall content of this book. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages or any changes I would recommend to the author. I am sure some readers will enjoy reading about the atrocities of the Bosnia War. The book appears to have been edited by a professional editor. I will not purchase and read the book because of the gory content in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 3:19 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
In all honesty, as I enjoy reading crime stories, I would have read the book on my own. Unfortunately, I changed my mind after sampling the book; I believe this book is too intense for me to read. The story follows the eventful journey of Ethan Crowe and his team of Native American trackers (the Shadow Wolves) as they are on a mission to put an end to the Mexican drug cartel in the Arizona desert. The writing style was quite descriptive, and I enjoyed the engaging dialogues. The characters were also relatable, but I noticed some distracting errors; therefore, I would suggest another round of editing. For example, I noticed a missing comma after "he instructed" in the following sentence: "Into his mike, he instructed 'On my signal, commence firing from the SAWs. Scouts, move out when the firing starts. Squads, move out on my signal.'" (location 525 of 594 • 88%) It should be written "he spat" in the following sentence: "Seething, he spit, 'I will only ask you one more time.'" (location 575 of 594 • 97%) The lack of an official OBC review did not influence my decision.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 2:55 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its cover or title. The cover made me think of the South and life in the countryside, which doesn't really interest me. I didn't have the OBC review to check, but I don't think it could've changed my mind. I sampled the book only because of the program. I was surprised to see that the action took place in Bosnia, as it's not a country I often get to read about in books. It's nice to see this change from the usual American scenery. I like the author's descriptive writing style. The described images appear clear in my mind. However, I don't care about wars or anything military, so I quickly lost my interest when the author started talking about the Skorpions. The book is definitely not for me, but it does have some impressive qualities that some readers will definitely appreciate. I didn't notice any grammar errors on the first pages.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 2:48 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mercy Bolo
This book's cover didn't entice me to read it, and the Amazon blurb dissuaded me when it mentioned that this is the story of a Lakota Sioux tracker enlisted to bring down a Serbian militia group. That storyline doesn't appeal to me, so I won't read the rest of the book. The absence of an official Online Book Club review did not influence my opinion of the book. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the author mentioned that the Skorpions were a paramilitary group that had been empowered by Serbian strongmen. I spotted no errors in the text, so I will conclude that it underwent professional editing. There's nothing I disliked about the bit I read, so I wouldn't change anything about it.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 2:42 pm by Mercy Bolo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
First, I have to say I am pleasantly surprised that this is a debut novel because the writing and the flow of the story are flawless. There is no Official Onlinebookclub review, which is another surprise. I would pick this book up if I saw it as available to read and review in a heartbeat. I notice only one grammatical error, and that is because I speak Croatian. When on location 85 author uses the term of endearment "Moja Slatki" it is not grammatically correct. My sweet one in Croatian would be slatka moja. Other phrases in Croatian throughout the sample were correct. I wouldn't change anything about the book. I like the premise of the story. Ethan is an interesting character, and I am curious to know what happened to him after he returned from Bosnia. The description of the horrors of war and especially what happened in Bosnia is amazingly well written.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 2:22 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Scerakor
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and description of this book, I might have read it. The concept of using Native American trackers to tackle drug cartels is fascinating and I'm interested in reading more. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will be buying and reading the rest of this book eventually. I appreciated and "enjoyed" how the author took a no-holds-barred approach to the book right from the get go. Highlighting the violent interactions as much as it did sets the stage for the rest of the book. The book looked well written and edited; I didn't seen any errors from what I sampled. The thing I would have improved from the sample I read is very minor and related to the quote at the beginning of the chapters. I find that making it center justified gives the text a very awkward look to it. There was not an official OBC review, but the lack of a review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 2:21 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
markodim721
I would choose to read samples of this book because of the title and cover. The title of the book is intriguing and is associated with danger and action. The cover of the book is designed to match the title and associate it with Indian warriors. I’m not going to read the book because it’s not about the genre I prefer. While reading the sample I did notice many errors (it is stated that the machine gun Skorpion VZ-61 was produced in Serbia even though the country of production was Yugoslavia; the specimen produced in Yugoslavia was marked M-84; the man addresses the woman with "Moji Slatki ”and it would be correct with “Moja slatka ” - here we have the wrong capital letter in the adjective and the wrong gender; The Federation Army never existed, there were only official and paramilitary units of Serbs, Muslims, and Croats; It is stated that members of the paramilitary formation who are killing in the village are Serbs and that they beat a girl named Anja - Anja is a Russian nickname named Ana while among Serbs Anja is a completely separate name while among Muslims and Croats it does not occur - how Serbs attacked Serbs? It is stated that the paramilitary formation committed crimes and then called the artillery - I have never heard that the paramilitary formation had artillery support anywhere in any conflict; Serbia did not take part in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is listed as a warring party; Dobar dan means Good afternoon and is translated as "hello"; Serbians are mentioned even though the book takes place in Bosnia and Serbians is the name only for Serbs from Serbia) and the book doesn’t seem like it is professionally edited. Reading the sample didn’t change my mind from my original guess. I like that the scouts are Native Americans because the detail is really striking. I think that the book should be reworked en masse because it contains numerous and gross errors and is often very offensive. Let's say the detail when a Serb member of a paramilitary formation kills civilians with a large wooden mallet is exactly the way Muslims and Croats who belonged to Nazi units in WW2 killed Serbs (so-called Srbomlat or Serbswing, Serbtrasher) and writing something like that is like claiming in a novel that Israeli a paramilitary formation kills German civilians. I understand the freedom of writing, but this is offensive. The book does not have an Official OnlineBookClub review but it did not affect my view of the book too much.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 1:51 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would not have read the book. Though the cover is beautiful, I am not that interested in stories about cartel crime. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. The writing was actually very engaging and I loved the inputted sentences in Lakota, which really added to the feeling of authenticity. The descriptions about the setting (like "foul-smelling pollution") made the book really immersive for me. I would not change anything. It was professionally edited. I did not see an official review on OnlineBookClub but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 1:18 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kira Bonita Reece
This is a book about human trafficking and drug cartels. It was well-written and seemed professionally edited. I liked how well the author described the fear the characters felt. I felt like I was a part of the story. I will not be reading this book because I don't particularly like the themes expressed in this book. This story did not have an official online book club review and I think that affected my decision. The review would have provided more details about the book.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 12:40 pm by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Shadow Wolves' is written by Jake Kaminski. Serbia had declared war on Yugoslavia. The Serbs aimed to persecute Catholics and Muslims. The Skorpions broke all boundaries while torturing women, children, and senior citizens. The writing really made me feel sad for the unnamed characters. I like this. The editing is good. There is nothing in need of an improvement. An OBC review would have been helpful. I would read this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I like reading about wars. I will read this book as I like the writing style.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 12:40 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Timothy Rucinski
At first glance, from the cover, I thought that this might be a book I would enjoy. The cover was very well done and would have caught my eye on a bookshelf. Similarly, the reviews on Amazon, highly laudatory, certainly indicated that this was a good book. Although I enjoy thrillers, I really don't like stories about drug cartels. In addition, the brutality of the first several pages turned me off and nearly made me stop reading before taking in enough pages to complete this assignment. Consequently, I won't be reading the book. What I liked was the author's extremely fine descriptive writing style. Unfortunately, what I disliked were the events and sights that he was describing. I've read enough about human brutality and that's what turned me off most about this book. What I also liked was the way in which the Native American scouts were portrayed in the manner in which they assessed a situation, and in how they were able to calm the fears of a youngster. I believe the book was professionally edited as I found no errors. I do not have any recommendations for improvement as I know that there will be many readers who will enjoy this story. I'm just not one of them.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 12:10 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The cover looks appropriate, but I can't read the subtitle in the thumbnail, which is blurry. I find the blurb interesting, especially since I'm from Mexico, so I wonder how they depict the cartels and the character who claims to be Aztec. The book has high ratings, so I would've bought it based on my first impressions.
In my opinion, the best asset of the sample is how powerful the images are. I can picture perfectly, for example, how the militiamen "did not march but swaggered, cigarettes dangling from their mouths as they moved along the roadway." I can hear the "muffled voices coming from the other side, voices he knew well: voices of fear." The author chooses his words carefully to craft powerful sentences that do not rely on being verbose to evoke a feeling, such as the following "Fifty years of love and hardship ending in a pile of black clothes on the side of the road." This is, unfortunately, a double-edged sword. I felt truly sad when the old couple was murdered, and in just ten pages I "witnessed" too much violence. Images like the woman with "her breasts sliced crudely from her chest" are something I don't want in my mind when I read for pleasure. Therefore, I won't buy the book. An official OBC review would've definitely influenced my decision by letting me know if all the book is as violent and graphic as the first ten pages. I didn't find editing mistakes. My only suggestion would be to improve the quality of the thumbnail image.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 11:41 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
The cover art of this book caught my eye. It is creative and tells a story. I also like the title. I’m not sure what the book is about; however, the cover piques my interest. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. I haven’t read an Online Book Club review of this book yet. I also haven’t read a customer review. The first ten pages are very descriptive and paint a picture of the area in Bosnia where the story begins. It describes the harsh realities of war. It also describes innocent lives lost needlessly. The story describes the Skorpians, a Serb paramilitary unit known for violence. They stop an elderly couple traveling with their goat on the side of a rural road. When the husband doesn’t respond to questioning, they are ruthlessly shot and killed. I didn’t see any errors, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. This is a well-written book, and I like the author’s writing style. However, I don’t enjoy reading books about war and death. For that reason, I will not finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2021, at 10:55 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 25%
Shadow Wolves earned a score of 25%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 25% 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 Shadow Wolves
