The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for The Ultimate Love
Because The Ultimate Love 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
Through this book, the author has shared the grief and pain of losing a child and how she found a way to cope with the loss and go on with her life. This serves as an aid for everyone who is going through the loss of a loved one. I thought the theme of the book to be heart-wrenching and emotionally heavy, based on its blurb, so I wouldn't have read it. However, based on the sample, I can say this is an excellent read and would be relatable for anyone who is facing the same circumstances as the author. The thing I liked the most is the author's understanding and friendly tone. It would most likely feel like listening to a friend for many readers. I did see an OBC official review before sampling. As for the book's editing, I found one error in the introductory part of the book. The error is in this sentence, "So what happens when this cycle is broken and the child dies first?" I think there should be a comma after 'So'. While I deeply sympathize and feel inspired with the author's strength in battling with her grief, I won't read the whole book as it's too emotionally charged for me right now. I do not have anything to recommend for improvements apart from rectifying the editing error.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2021, at 5:00 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
Self-help books are not my cup of tea. Since the title hinted at this genre, I wouldn’t have read this book outside the First Ten program. The language used in the sample is simple and straightforward as it uses common words and phrases. My favorite aspect was its message of recovery. It encourages those undergoing grief to seek help to hasten the process of healing. I didn’t find any objective error, and I believe it was exceptionally edited. The OBC review and sample didn’t change my mind about buying this book, which falls under the self-help genre. Some of the chapters can be read independently, and, therefore, I recommend incorporating page numbers in the table of content to guide readers.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2021, at 4:58 am by Mutai Marshal.
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. I feel like the cover artwork is really awkward and unprofessional; I can barely read the text for the title and author. The blurb also makes it feel like they are trying to tell me what to feel instead of what the book is about. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I felt like the writing was actually really powerful when it was talking about grief and other emotions, but I actually didn't like that there were random images of quotes inserted into the book; they felt generic and did not add much to the writing. I also think some more professional editing is needed: "merry-go-round" was split into two lines randomly, and "Grief is real, it isn't stated enough" was a comma splice error. Those were the things I'd change. The official review did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2021, at 4:56 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Manang Muyang
The blurb talks about how the author coped with her grief at the loss of her son; she hopes that her work will help others who have experienced the passing of a loved one. I am guessing the man on the cover is her late son. I lost two family members in the past five years; I felt the book would reopen wounds. I wouldn't have read the book outside of the program. The official OBC reviewer found nothing to dislike in the book. I was hard put to find something to like. The author seemed to have written her random thoughts throughout the four years of her son's absence. I found some statements confusing. "Repetition and perseverance are the new routine" at 98% of the sample is one of them. I also noted comma splices and other errors, like these: At 60%, "A much more important thing is to consider is the battle for peace and understanding " needed to lose one "is." "'Hat's my brother and my sister'" at 71% should have used "that's." At 73%, "and if he is watching me or" at the end of a paragraph seemed incomplete. I suggest the author weed out the errors. I did like the quotations and artwork included. I don't think I will read the rest of the book, though. I do not see it helping me with my grieving.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2021, at 4:55 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The cover or the title did not interest me much as I felt they couldn't convey the theme of the book. The official OBC review rated this 4 stars. However, based on the heavy subject matter, I did not want to read it. While sampling the first ten pages, I couldn't find any errors. The author declared that while losing any close person is hard enough, the death of a child was simply unbearable. Then they went on to explain grief and its associated emotions. I found the narrative both insightful and helpful. I didn't have any suggestions for improvement either. However, the topic seemed too depressing to even read about. So, I decided not to read the book.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2021, at 4:04 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ann Ogochukwu
I appreciated this book after reading the OBC review, but I honestly wouldn't have sampled it outside this program. The book was about grief, and, thankfully, I'm not struggling with that, so I decided to pass.
My decision did not change after reading the sample; I will not be completing this book. Like I mentioned, I think this is a great and helpful book, and in addition, it seemed professionally edited, as I didn't notice any errors in it. I admired the author's positivity as she reminded herself that her son still believed in her and her fourage in writing this book. I liked her saying that, "You will only be able to work through your grief when you realize what it is..."
I don't think this book needs any improvement.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2021, at 3:56 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
The cover looks alright, and the official review from OBC is nice. However, there are not many ratings on Amazon. Since the blurb is promising, I decided to give the sample a try. The book begins as the author talks about the death of her son. She then discusses grief and how to face the loss.
Losing a child is a very painful thing for parents, so I appreciate the author's bravery to accept it. The editing is fine, and I have no suggestions for improvement. However, I don't think I need this book, and I don't fancy reading about people's pain. I won't buy this book.
Error example: And to my husband Vinash, son Darshan, and daughter Sadhana. -> One redundant space before "husband"
First Ten review added on July 16, 2021, at 2:13 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
The ultimate love meant many things to me, so I could hardly guess anything about the contents of this book by looking at its cover and title. I read the OBC official review to know more about the contents of this book. I got the idea from the OBC official review that this book teaches us how to cope with grief in our life. This information motivated me to read the sample of the book before purchasing it. When I read 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 sentence, "Having clarity in your personal circumstance is absolutely necessary in allowing you to pursue the best solutions for your happiness...". The sentence could have been as follows. "Having clarity in your personal circumstance is absolutely necessary for allowing you to pursue the best solutions for your happiness...". The thing l liked the most is the precise explanation regarding the meaning of grief. I also liked the author's strategy of dealing with grief. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing to make the book a little easier to read. Anyway, I am happy with this book for its heart-touching story and the inspiration to move ahead in life despite having grief. After looking at all these aspects, I decided to purchase this book today and read it because I am thinking that reading this book can provide some internal strength to deal with grief.
First Ten review added on July 16, 2021, at 2:08 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rodel Barnachea
Following my poring over the book's Amazon page and official OBC review, I opted not to purchase the title. I have not experienced great loss yet, so I honestly cannot relate deeply to the author's feelings and experiences. I will, however, keep this book in mind in case something happens that will make me share my sentiments with the author. Perusing its Amazon sample failed to change my mind. I would not purchase it because nothing in what I perused had me wanting to read the rest of the non-fiction title. Other reasons I stated above also play a significant role in my decision. The first ten pages cover an introduction, Chapter 1, and some pages of Chapter 2. My favorite part is when the author stated that healing begins with sadness, so it is only normal to feel sad at first. I did not note 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 July 16, 2021, at 1:00 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Howlan
I would not have read the book without the program, as I do not enjoy reading non-fiction books that are not story-based. In the first ten pages, the narrator describes the various stages of grief they faced when they lost their child Nadeem. The first chapter discusses grief, the second chapter is about coming to terms with the grief, the third chapter is about struggles due to the loss, and the fourth chapter is about how to start the healing process. The narration was easy to understand. I was not too fond of the first ten pages as it has the narrator deep in grief, rather than trying to move on. So, I will not buy and read this book as I am not interested in the content. I prefer reading fast-paced mystery thrillers. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The Official OBC review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 11:19 pm by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I don’t read non-fiction, and a book about grief didn’t seem like something I’d enjoy. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I like that the author introduced herself as a parent who lost a child. She talks about how this doesn’t have a name and the theory about how it’s because “it’s too sad to name”. My heart goes out to her. However, I’m not interested in learning to understand grief, which is what the first chapter talks about. There wasn’t anything specific that needed improvement. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 9:30 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the book's first pages, I wasn't interested in it because it gave me self-help vibes and that's not really my favorite genre. After sampling the book, I confirmed it was self-help but for parents who have lost their children. I admire the author's work for writing this to help others through this incredibly difficult situation, but I don't find this book useful in my life so I don't want to continue reading it. It seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookClub review. I didn't like the very beginning of the book, with the words "Death. We will all experience it." I thought it was a little corny, so maybe that could be improved. There's nothing, in particular, I enjoyed about the book.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 4:22 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
I am not a huge fan of the cover of this book because I do not like covers that include photographs. The title is average. I would not have sampled this without the First Ten program because I do not read non-fiction. The first few pages were well edited. I thought the introduction was beautifully written. I liked the author's explanation of the candle of hope and the importance of keeping the flame lit. The OBC review was positive, but it did not change my mind. I am very sorry that the author had to go through the loss of a child and I can definitely see how this book could help people who share a similar story. Personally, I have been steering clear of sad books. Therefore, I will not be reading the rest of this one. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 2:29 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
“Sometimes I wonder where he is, how he is doing, and if he’s watching me or As a grieving parent...” the error here is that the first sentence doesn’t have a proper ending and starts a new paragraph. Otherwise, I thought the book seemed professionally edited. There were some inconsistencies: she introduced herself as “mum” and later calls herself “mom,” so I suggest that a final sweep with an editor would do wonders. I like the cover and I also like the way she describes grief and what it feels like. Having lost my parents a year ago, I can relate to the ebbs and flows of sorrow she talks about. I like that this book is written specifically for parents who lost a child, but it can apply to anyone who is grieving. The OBC review was very positive and encouraged me to read the sample. I tend to rely on my faith to get me through my grief, so I will leave this book for its intended audience of parents who lost a child. I would not have found this book outside of OBC.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 1:42 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabrielle Sigaki
The Ultimate Love by Sherine Anniruth is a non-fiction book that talks about grieving and coping with grief. It brings advice to those people who are passing through similar situations and seeks to help the reader understand the grief process. If I didn't sample this book, I don't think I would read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review because the theme of grief is not something I'm interested in reading now. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind, and I decided that I won't buy and read the entire book since the premise didn't catch my attention, as I stated before. Nevertheless, the book seems professionally edited, I think there's nothing that could be improved in it, and my favorite aspect in the sample was the fact that the author brought pictures with inspiring and touching phrases that summarize some paragraphs.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 10:11 am by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Based on the title and cover, it seems like a memoir of sorts, which I am not in the market for; hence, I would not have sampled it. However, I have come across a positive OBC review of the book; still, given that I'm not in the market for personal narratives/memoirs, I would not have changed my mind, i.e., I would still not have sampled it. There are errors present. At 1% of the sample, there are missing quotations around words that the author are referring to as terms: "...there was a term like (")orphan(") or (")widow(") to describe...". I suggest more editing to improve the book. Regardless, what I like about the book is that the author takes the time to give a short overview of what she is intending to cover in the book – she speaks about grief and how it works, and how to learn to process it. To illustrate, we learn that the author intends for the book to "share in [the reader's] grief and provide both understanding and tools to guide [the reader] through the tunnel". The author also kindly reminds the reader that if one is religious, to "not lose faith, nor love of life, and above all, hope". There are also a couple of insert pictures with motivational quotes – while they are useful, my suggestion here is to ensure that the pictures are inserted in the appropriate place. Currently, some of them are inserted without form of an introduction, and the quote sometimes is not related to whatever the previous and next paragraph is discussing, which results in a slightly jarring feeling in terms of reading flow. The pictures should be more seamlessly embedded, as it could be a little jarring, if it is not related to the current text-based content. As mentioned previously, I have also suggested further editing. However, as I am not in the market for this form of memoirs/narratives regarding personal experience, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 5:37 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
I initially thought this was a romantic book on the basis of the cover, although the author's name looked familiar. I then thought it might be a rewrite of "Nadeem's Journey", which I've seen mixed reviews of, but I realized it is a sequel. At any rate I wouldn't have sampled this without the programme because I don't want to think about the death of a child. I also won't buy this today as I hope I don't have to deal with or think about this kind of grief. I noticed a few errors: "hat's my brother and sister" should read "That's my brother and sister", and the sentence "Sometimes I wonder where he is, how he is doing, and if he is watching me or" is incomplete. I wonder if this is a Kindle formatting error, which could also apply to the sentence "As a grieving parent or relative, we need to hold on to these memories of our loved ones, to keep their lights shining bright with each year that passes, my love for Nadeem grows stronger", where there should be a full stop after "bright". As the sample included errors that had slipped through the cracks like that, I'm surprised at all the four-star ratings. The OBC review didn't contribute to my decision much given that everything quoted was in the sample, although it was somewhat helpful in mentioning that the book goes into the generally accepted stages of grief. I liked the author's insightful writing about grief, particularly the way she noted that it can ultimately make someone more compassionate and appreciative of the loved ones they still have, which I'm sure is on point. This could be improved through proofreading of the Kindle version. Otherwise, I don't think anything really needs to be improved in the part I read. I appreciate the way the author notes that the concept of a loved one sending signs that they are still with you won't work for everyone.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 5:21 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dzejn_Crvena
Initially, I did not want to read the book when I saw the title and cover. The blurb wasn't convincing enough. I thought the book is about religion and spirituality (again), but when I read the sample I found out it's about grief. I cried while reading the first ten pages because I felt every emotion written in them. I'm glad that the author managed to write her experience about her deceased son, and I love her dedication to the bereaved families who went through the same thing. Sadly, I have to skip this book (for now) because it makes me depressed, and it feeds on my fear of losing my loved ones. The book seems professionally edited because I did not find any errors, but I suggest another design for the cover with something like a withered flower to reflect the contents of the book. Lastly, my decision was not affected by the OBC review that I saw.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 5:04 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
As I do not read non-fiction books, I would not have read the book based on the genre. I thoroughly admire the author for sharing her touching story, but I did not change my mind after reading the sample and the OBC review. In writing her book, the author wants to give hope and strength to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. By using an honest, conversational tone, she expressed her feelings of emptiness and loneliness when she had to face the devastating reality of losing her son five years ago. I enjoyed the clear, descriptive writing style, but I also found some errors that distracted me from my reading. For example, it should be written "A much more important thing to consider" in the following sentence: "A much more important thing is to consider is the battle for peace and understanding." (location 142 of 226 • 63%) It should also be written "if he is watching me or not" at the end of the following sentence: "Sometimes I wonder where he is, how he is doing, and if he is watching me or" (location 179 of 226 • 79%) Other than another round of editing, I found nothing that needed to be improved.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 2:57 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J_odoyo
After reading the first ten pages of this book (The Ultimate Love by Sherine Anniruth), I’ve realized that the book seems to have been well-written and riveting. In the sample, Sherine writes from her heart, intending to help her readers understand grief and the path to healing from grief. Though her son died almost four years ago, the pain of losing him is still new in her heart; therefore, I think writing this book is a brilliant idea; it will help others also to heal from their griefs. The book’s cover page was well designed, and the title was also okay. I liked the OnlineBookClub review; it gave insight into what the book was all about. I didn’t encounter any errors in the sample, and I would guess the book was professionally edited. I have no recommendation for the improvement of this book; the sample was well written. The Amazon website’s book description was also informative. Having read the sample and the OnlineBookClub review, I’m not going to finish reading this book because I’m not a fan of this genre.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 2:53 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
This book is in a genre I usually read. However, the topic of grief is something I have no interest in reading right now. It seems like a heart-wrenching story. After reading the sample, I feel the same. It is great that the author comes from a place of understanding. Only a person who lost a child can understand the feeling. The writing flows well and I like structured chapters. I wouldn't change anything about the book, and I didn't notice any grammatical errors. The Official Onlinebookclub review is very informative and helpful.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 2:28 am by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If I had not sampled this book for this program, I would not have sampled it based on its title, cover, or Official OnlineBookClub review because I usually don't read nonfiction books. After reading the sample, I will not read the rest of the book because it felt a lot more like a self-help book than I would have wanted. I would have preferred to get to know the author's son and the story of his death before getting to the tips of how to face the loss and so forth. There were certain points made by the author that resonated with me. This was my favorite aspect of what I read because it made me analyze my own relationships with the children in my life. I can't think of any way to improve the book. There was a missing space after a period mark in Location 200 ("...like it used to be.I still find warmth when...").
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 1:51 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Aubrey Lewis
The overall appearance of the book is plain and not very eye-catching, in my opinion. When I read through the official OBC review, I felt that I wouldn't be able to appreciate the book since I am not fond of reading stories about grief and I try to stay away from the genre as much as I can. If I weren't a part of this program, I wouldn't have read the sample at all since the book's cover, genres, and summary didn't interest me enough to want to check it out willingly.
When I finished sampling the first ten pages, I decided not to read the rest of the book. The contents seemed professionally edited so far, and the author's writing style was soft and beautifully-worded. The introduction part already made my heart squeeze in pain due to the vivid and familiar description of grief. The author stated "Know that healing begins with sadness" and I think this is true as well. I am not a mother, but I understand my own mom a lot, and I've also taken care of my cousin ever since he was a baby, so I could empathize with the deep grief described even if it's just a little. I cannot even imagine the profound pain mothers go through if they ever lose their child, and if I ever lose my own child as well. It would feel as if half of my soul was torn apart.
Unfortunately, although I found the book to be poignant and well-written, I wasn't really interested in reading any further, especially because I already recovered from my grief a long time ago and I don't like to be reminded of painful memories. Because of this, I will have to pass on this book.
Since my reason is due to my own personal preference, I don't think there are any improvements the author needs to make.
First Ten review added on July 15, 2021, at 1:11 am by Aubrey Lewis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
shravsi
I appreciate the author's courage in sharing her tragedy. This will help readers who are dealing with grief. The pain of a parent losing his/her child is unimaginable. Coming to the book, I am not the target reader of this work, so I will skip this. There were no errors in the sample nor do I have any suggestions. The sample and the OBC review confirmed that this book is well written. I hope this book might help someone somewhere.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 11:03 pm by shravsi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
This book addresses a disturbing theme like the death of a son. In what I read, a definition of what grief is, and what it can cause to a person who suffers the loss of a loved one is proposed. The author's intention to guide and help the reader cope with grief over a loss is commendable. Despite the sensitive subject, the author puts forward practical proposals to face loss and grief such as understanding the feelings that compose grief; seeking peace, acceptance, and hope in life; and being open to new approaches. The suggestion to maintain faith in God and hold the beliefs in the afterlife according to each religion seems appropriate. I think this can be helpful as it holds out hope for meeting again with the lost loved one. In addition, I liked the grief toolbox concept as blessings and good memories change the mood for the better. The official review highlights those aforementioned aspects. The cover and title are eye-catching and in keeping with the primary theme that refers to the loss of a son. I think the combination of the title and cover should appeal to the target audience. The editing looks adequate although I noticed some minor details. For example, at 33% of the sample, there is an unexpected line break after "merry" in the expression “merry-go-round.” Furthermore, at 52% of the sample in the expression "hat's my brother and my sister," it seems it should say "that's" instead of "hat's". The book provides an approach to helping others through practical guidance, which I consider admirable. However, the central theme is sad and unsettling. Therefore for the moment, I prefer not to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 10:59 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Odette Chace
I don't like the title. The cover looks like it was designed by an amateur. One of the hands in the picture looks like it is protruding from the man's chest and I am not sure why. The synopsis on Amazon did not interest me. I don't generally enjoy self-help books. Additionally, I don't have children and think this book would be depressing. The official Online Book Club review gave the work a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars and it made me think much more positively about the book. I thoroughly enjoyed the quotes the reviewer included from the book. Still, I probably wouldn't sample this book if it weren't for this program. "As a parent, one of life's greatest gifts is the opportunity to have a child of your own and watch them grow, to see the smile on their faces every morning..." (46% of sample). "A child" should be changed to "children" to match the rest of the sentence. I noticed a few errors in the sample and don't believe the work was professionally edited. While the sample was better than I initially supposed it would be, I quickly lost interest in the book. I just don't enjoy this genre of literature. My favorite portion of the sample was the opening of chapter two. The author is brutally honest with the reader about her grief. My least favorite portion of the sample was chapter three. I didn't learn anything new and it was a slow read. I don't plan to finish reading the book.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 10:42 pm by Odette Chace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
The cover of the book is colorful and the title does attract attention. I would not have sampled this because of the self help on grief topic. I did like the grief toolbox idea; it sounds like a good way to look at positives when feeling overwhelmed. The book appears professionally edited and I wouldn't change anything about it. The OBC review did not influence me in any direction. I am passing on this book because it touches a sore spot for me after having lost a child and it brings back the pain.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 10:29 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
Based on the cover, I was not sure what to make of the book The Ultimate Love. After reading the description, I had already determined that I did not want to read it because I am not a parent that has had to deal with the grief of losing a child. What is very appealing is that the author had the bravery to write about her struggles, pain, and grief even though her son has been gone for some time. I did notice that there was a formatting issue in the 39% section of the book; part of a sentence is right next to the photograph on the bottom right. Based on the topic of the book, I will be skipping it. I read the official OnlineBookClub review for this title, but it did not change my original decision. If a reader has had to grieve the loss of a loved one and has been struggling to do so, this book may provide solace to them. Based on what I know about the book, there is nothing that I can think of that needs improvement.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 9:32 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Verna Coy
I was touched by the subject matter of this book. Everyone deals with grief at some point, and I know that this book will be useful to readers on that level. That said, I don’t plan to purchase and read through the whole book, as I avoid books that feature sadness. What I read today seemed professionally edited and I caught no errors in the text. The cover seemed to have a calm vibe that I liked, although the image of the man on the front seemed a little bit photoshopped, as though he was floating over the photograph. Aside from a bit of improvement to the cover, I could see no improvements needed for the book. I enjoyed reading the 4-star Online Book Club review. I believe this book will appeal to many readers going through the types of grief discussed by this author.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 8:36 pm by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
Based on the blurb, I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. Grief is so intense and personal. I did not want to visit that place with the author. I appreciated the author’s honesty and openness in sharing the grief of losing her son. It is good that she has accepted the end of his physical earthly life and looks forward to their reconciliation at some point. What the author writes is true: “grief is one of the deepest and most intense feelings a human being can experience.” I will not buy this book. It is not the best time for me to read a book on such a theme. I noticed a few grammatical errors in the sample pages. Here are a couple. There is a comma splice at loc 181: “I’m so grateful to have my other children in my life, they are the breath I take.” There is an incomplete sentence at loc 184: “Sometimes I wonder where he is, how he is doing, and if he is watching me or”
The featured OnlineBookClub review had no bearing on my decision not to buy this book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 7:43 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Twylla
The cover is so inviting I never thought that this was a book about grief and death. I would have read the sample based on the cover. The line I liked most in the sample text was that death "makes a new person out of you." That is so true. I enjoyed the sample, and I wished there was more of it, but I don't believe I will buy and read this book. I am trying to come back from a death in the family, and I don't want to refocus on it.
The book is well-edited, but I found one sentence that was not formatted to wrap around the line correctly. "Grief goes beyond mere discouragement or a bad day at the office. Grief is a merry- go-round." Other than that I didn't find any errors in the sample text.
The official OBC review was lovely and agreed with my assessment of the sample. This book would be a great comfort to anyone who has lost a child.
I really liked the cover. It was upbeat and inviting.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 6:56 pm by Twylla.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
I don't typically read memoirs, so I won't be reading this book. The Official Review was very well done, but the subject matter is of no interest to me at this point. I've had plenty of grief in my life, and for the moment, choose not to revisit it by reading this book. The cover is nicely crafted but not enough to stimulate my interest. What I liked most was the way in which the author addressed grief as being a personal journey for each individual. As she writes on page 7, "Grief is difficult and frustrating. You and you alone are a specialist in your personal sorrow." From personal experience, she couldn't be more accurate. There was nothing that I disliked about the book, just the subject matter. I believe that the book was professionally edited. I found only a single formatting error. There is a missing indentation on page 4 with the paragraph that begins "While you may feel lost..."
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 4:51 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
The book cover gives a good impression of the book, although it looks a bit "homemade." I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a book store because it seems to be an autobiography which is a genre I usually do not read. The blurb and OBC review give a detailed description of the book and make me empathise with the author. The first ten pages are well edited and beautifully written. However, the topic is a very painful and thought-provoking one. Personally, I am not prepared to think about the loss of a child because the mere thought is too painful. I commend the author for her braveness to put down her experience in words. I will not buy this book because I know that reading about her grief will make me feel extremely sad too. As an improvement, I would suggest to make the cover look a bit more professional.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 4:45 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
I wondered if the word love in the title was romantic or religious. The cover confused me. I could not understand what the man in the portrait was holding. The Amazon blurb made the book sound very depressing. The OBC review was favorable, but it did not convince me to read the book. I found the first few pages to be repetitive and boring. I did recognize the author of the quote and liked that. There is an error on the opening page. The pronoun (they) is incorrect for the antecedent (author). "The author...[They] do not..." The pronoun should be she. I will not finish reading this book because it sounds very sad. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 4:11 pm by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
I was not drawn to the cover of this book, but I was drawn to the title. I was curious what the book was about, so I would have checked it out. After reading the OBC official review, I had to admire the author for sharing her story. Within the first ten pages, I did not find anything that needs improvement. I did find an error on Kindle page seven in the following sentence: "A much more important thing is to consider is the battle for peace and understanding." The 'is' after the word 'thing' should not be in the sentence. I could feel the sorrow in the words the author wrote even in the first chapter. I agree that grief is real and that "it isn't stated enough." I felt the following comment from the author described it best: "Grief is like 15,000 pieces of a puzzle scattered on the table, each piece unique to you in every way." I don't plan to read the rest of the book as it brings back too many memories of when my nephew died. However, I believe this book can be a help to many grieving parents.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 3:49 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
I would not have checked out this book because the cover and title made me think it was a religious book. The blurb, customer reviews, editorial reviews, and the OnlineBookClub review made it clear that this book is about a mother's grief after losing her son. I like the colorful inserts with grief facts that the author included in the book. I am not sure that the book has been edited by a professional editor because there are a lot of formatting issues in the sample. I also found one incomplete sentence at 79% of the sample in the sentence that begins, “Sometimes I wonder where he is, how he is doing, and if he is watching me or.” There are no words or punctuation after the word “or.” If these are the result of the uploading process, the author needs to be aware of them and take steps to correct them. This book would prove to be too emotional for me to read; therefore, I will not purchase and read the book.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 3:28 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
The cover art for this book is beautiful. The colors are attractive and caught my attention right away. From the title, Ultimate Love, I don’t know if it is a love story or not. From reading the Online Book Club review, I know the book is about grief. I wouldn’t have picked the book up based on the cover alone because I couldn’t tell that the book was about grief by the title and cover art. However, after reading the OBC review, I know what the book is about and it sounds interesting to me. The OBC review also gave the book a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The first ten pages were interesting and informative. The focus was on grief and how everyone has a different experience. Although I have experience grief in my life, I have not lost a child which is a topic of the book. However, dealing with grief is something I struggle with, and I think I could benefit from this book. I saw some errors in the first ten pages, so I don’t believe the book was professionally edited. For example, on the second page of chapter one it states,“a much more important thing is to consider is the battle for peace and understanding.” This sentence can be written as “is to consider” or “to consider is” but not both. I think the author could have improved this book by having it professionally edited. However, I am very interested in this topic and the advice of the author in coping with grief. For these reasons, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 2:52 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
Based on the cover, I didn't think there was any way I could like this book. The cover seems strange and poorly designed. However, I changed my opinion after reading the OBC review, as it presented the heart-breaking subject of coping with the loss of a child. I like how the book starts strongly with just one word: "Death." The author speaks very passionately about being a parent. It is also touching to read about how losing a child must be like. However, the author clearly intended this book for people who need to deal with their grief. As someone who is still quite young, I don't feel the need to worry about that just yet. Nonetheless, I'm glad that there is a book that can console those in need. The book definitely doesn't need any improvement, including the editing, which seems professionally done.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 2:35 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. I don't really read self-help books nor does a book on grief interest me. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I liked and appreciated the personal touch that this book took. By relating to her son's death, the entire book is provided with context. That being said, I'm just not interested, nor in need of, a book on grief. Although the book looked well written and edited, there was a formatting error that I found. In the Kindle version, there was an unnecessary page break around the word "merry-go-round". The thing I would have improved from the sample I read is with the images in the text. I found that the 'motivational style' poster image between Chapter 1 and 2 added nothing to the book itself. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 2:25 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Michelle Menezes
From the title, I thought it was a romance novel, but then I read the blurb and found out that the author is a grieving mother and the book is about dealing with loss. I immediately decided not to read it as I cannot handle such emotional books. The official review had good things to say about the book. After reading the first ten pages, I can say that I am going to stick to my original decision of not continuing the book.
The chapters are short and to the point, so I don't think it needs any improvement except when it comes to editing. I have mentioned one of the sentences below that seems awkward.
"My strength and pride since he passed has been his amazing siblings who never fail to shine a light on the gloomy days." Instead of 'has been' it should be 'have been', but even after the correction, the sentence seems wrong.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 2:12 pm by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'The Ultimate Love' is written by Sherine Anniruth. The author lost her son. This book is written with the aim to help parents deal with the grief at losing their children. The author writes that her surviving children had been her rocks when her son died. I like how she acknowledges her surviving children while never forgetting her late son. I like the quotes included in the book. The book seems to be well-edited. There is no need of an improvement. I would not read this book without the sample based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I am not in the mood to read non-fiction books. The OBC review was detailed. However, I will skip this book because I am not in the mind-frame to read sad books as of now.
First Ten review added on July 14, 2021, at 1:57 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 5%
The Ultimate Love earned a score of 5%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 5% 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 The Ultimate Love
