The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Awakening
Because Awakening 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.
xsquare
I wouldn’t have sampled this book based on the cover, title or blurb – I enjoy the occasional fantasy story, but I find that worldbuilding of other settings is rarely done well. After reading the official OBC review, however, I was quite intrigued. I like the relationship between the sisters, and the dual-timeline is quite interesting. I didn’t see any typos, and there was nothing that the author could have improved. I’m certainly keen to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 4:53 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jeremie Mondejar
I thought that this book was all about spiritual growth. Fortunately, this book turns out to be a good magical tale. I enjoyed reading the sample. I was curious why the newborn baby had the spirit of Brikkir, and why the king and queen were a bit terrified. It looks like Princess Amara possesses power. I also read the OBC review and through the beautiful review, I will read this series. I didn't notice any typos in the sample via Alkey Cloud Reader as well as anything for improvement. The sample is well-written. I like the cover photo and the plot.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 4:34 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title is not indicative of the theme of the book. The cover is attractive. There are only 3 customer ratings at the Alkeytab website, which is not a sufficient number for me to decide if I should sample the book or not. The Amazon summary clearly describes the story which is about two sisters Katja and Amara. Based on the story, 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 King Frenar telling a bedtime story to his daughter Katja, which is about the spirits of the Four seasons. As I became very interested in the narration, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. There were no grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is its narration. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found 3 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 29, 2020, at 4:33 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Wy_Bertram
I would have sampled Awakening individually. I enjoy the fantasy genre, and this book stands out with an interesting cover and blurb.
However, I would not have bought this book on my own. From the first ten pages, I found the story to be beginning of the story to be quite dull, with a lot of backstory and a slowly ascending plot arc. Awakening seems to have a lot of promise but sadly, no evidence of that is immediately apparent.
I didn't find any errors within the first ten pages.
I'd say I enjoyed the author's writing style the most. Like I mentioned earlier, I think the pacing of this book could be improved. The author might choose to delve into the past, but the present could be way more interesting that a girl walking around, trying to find her memory.
An official onlinebookclub review gave this book four out of four stars.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 3:37 am by Wy_Bertram.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AnnOgochukwu
The cover page of this book caught my attention the moment I saw it, and I was eager to check the book out. However, after reading the description and OBC review of this book, I wasn't excited about the book anymore, because the storyline was very familiar, almost cliche. So my sampling of this book was primarily because of this program. And before sampling, I was almost certain that I wouldn't be reading this book.
I changed my mind after reading the sample.
I was glued to the book the moment I started reading. And although I still think the book is unusually similar to Frozen, I would like to complete it because I enjoyed reading the sample. I liked the author's style of writing and narration, and I enjoyed the story's seamless and natural flow. The story also felt real; the characters and conversations were natural. Moreover, this book has distinguishing twists.
I found no error in the bit that I read, so I believe this book was professionally edited. I don't think there's any improvement needed in this work.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 3:15 am by AnnOgochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Howlan
The cover looks good. The synopsis gives us a summary of this book. The first ten pages start with the birth of Princess Amara, and the royal advisor suggested that the spirit of Winter, Brikkir resides in her. Then we are transported to the present time when Amara's sister Katja awakens from amnesia, hungry and thirsty, and finds a human village. The first ten pages were good. It definitely had an unoriginal but tried and test concept. The narration was good, albeit slowly sometimes. Again, the first ten pages painted a good picture of what the reader can expect throughout the book. I was interested in the concept of the story from the first ten pages, but the synopsis provided in the publisher link really answers most questions I had, and now I have a general idea of how the story is going to turn out, and I have lost interest in the story. The synopsis revealed too much, and I think the only question for which I was going to read the book was answered. So as the summary did not turn out to be of my liking, and I feel the story is a bit too predictable, I am not going to buy and read this book. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The Official Review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 2:31 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Based on the title and cover, it seems like a children's adventure/fantasy book, which I am not in the market for; hence, I would not have sampled it. I have also come across a positive OBC review of the book, but this would not have changed my decision not to sample, since this book does not belong to a genre that I am looking for. After sampling, there are a couple of errors present. For example, on pg 2 of the prologue, there is a missing comma to mark the introductory word: "But(,) on one condition.". I understand that this may be a stylistic choice, as it is part of dialogue. I suggest more editing. However, I appreciate that the author described and given some background context through a bedtime story, which helps the reader maintain immersion. For example, the readers learn, through the bedtime story that King Frenar tells to his daughter Princess Katja. We, as the readers, learn that the Spirit of Winter's eyes would turn blue and the Spirit of Spring's eyes would shift to green. Also, Katja is the one who serves as the inspiration for her baby's sister's name – Amara. However, as I am not in the market for children's adventure/fantasy, I will not be buying the book.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 2:20 am by gen_g.
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 usually read science-fiction/fantasy books, and this story didn’t seem like it would be an exception. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I liked the description. When the father described each of the spirits’ eyes changing color, I could really picture them. However, I’m not into this story of the spirits and what they do and how the daughter has the spirit within her. This type of story just isn’t for me. There isn’t anything that needs improvement. The book seems to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 2:03 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Donovan Smith
The cover clearly designates this book as a fairytale. I would have sampled it based on the cover alone. However, I never would have come across it without the First Ten program because the book is not listed on Amazon or even Goodreads. I'm an avid reader, but I have never heard of alkeyTAB Pro before.
The official OBC review revealed more about the plot than the synopsis did, and I was immediately reminded of Disney's Frozen. This made me hesitant to read the book.
However, I really enjoyed the sample. Despite a few errors, I thought it was really well written. I really enjoyed the author's writing style.
Unfortunately, I will not be purchasing this book. First, I missed the discounted pricing, and I never pay $9.99 for ebooks. Second, it is only available to be read on alkeyTAB Pro's browser-based cloud reader. I tried finding an app in my phone's app store, but there isn't one. I am not interested in reading a book in the browser on my phone or on my computer. It does not appear to be available in print format. My suggestion to the author is to find out if there is a way to better advertise the book and possibly have it published in print. Not many readers will encounter this book if the only way to find it is on alkeyTAB Pro's website. (You have to know the title of the book and cannot even pull it up by searching by the author's name!)
I really wish I could read this book and would even be willing to pay $9.99 for a print edition, but as it stands, the availability of the book poses an issue for me.
Errors found:
“The little girl moved over, making room for her father to [lay] down next to her.” (p. 2) - The correct verb is "lie."
“The bitter cold, which froze the soil and killed the farmer[’]s crops, was no longer a threat…” (p. 2) - Misplaced apostrophe (farmers').
“‘Our [K]ingdom.’” (p. 3) - Kingdom should not be capitalized.
“The king let out a soft laugh[,] ‘You are special to me.’” (p. 3) - A period should follow "laugh" as this is not a dialogue tag.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 12:31 am by Jennifer Donovan Smith.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample, I would have read the book as the cover looks really great and the blurb looks interesting. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I really liked how we were provided a lot of information through indirect storytelling at the start, which also showed us the relationship between Katja and King Frenar. I think a little more consistently around what should be italicized or not — "That's where I need to go, she decided" was not italicized while "I guess it's just you and me, she thought" was not — could help, but I admit that was a minor thing and other than that there were no errors. There's nothing else I'd change as it was professionally edited. The official review did not affect my decision and I really am excited to read about the dynamic between Amara and Katja.
First Ten review added on November 29, 2020, at 12:30 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rodel Barnachea
Poring over the title's official OBC review, I realized I might not enjoy reading the book. I don't usually read fantasy stories because of the many work I need to do, like immersing myself in its world and getting familiar with its various unusual names of characters and places. But when I do, it's typically because I am greatly compelled by the elements contained in those books I read. For this book, even though I found it decent, nothing in it compelled me to read it. I found its premise, plot, and characters just okay. For the said reason, I wouldn't purchase the book.
After I sampled the book, my decision remains unchanged: I wouldn't purchase the book for the same reason I stated in the first paragraph. The first ten pages include a prologue and some pages of the first chapter. My favorite part of the sample is when Queen Esther has finished giving birth to Amara (which was a name given by Katja). This is the part when King Frenar, Katja, Queen Esther, Cortel, the midwife, and the maids realized that the spirit of Brikkir is in the Amara. I didn't note any errors in the text, so I believe the book is professionally edited. I have no suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 10:25 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Awakening' by Tayma Tameem is the story of two princesses. When Princess Amara of the Kingdom of Hale is born, the Spirit of Brikkrir possesses her. It is evident that she is destined for greatness. Princess Katja is her older sister. The sisters love each other. I love the dynamics between King Frenar. He loves both his daughters. He tells them stories as well. The cover is beautiful. The title is catchy. The OBC review and the Amazon reviews are detailed. There were no errors in the first ten pages. It seemss to be professionally edited. There is nothing that has to be improved. I will give this book a try as I am invested in the fate of the two sisters.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 3:50 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gabrielle Sigaki
Awakening by Tayma Tameem is a fantasy book that brings the narrative of two princesses who are searching for their past. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw and based on its genre since the theme of a fairy tale with powers doesn't attract me. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind because I thought the novel had a plot that didn't catch my interest, and because of the fairy tale aspect of it. However, I enjoyed the fact that the author was able to construct a unique and unpredictable premise. Besides, the book seems professionally edited, and there's nothing to be improved in it, in my opinion, but I won't read the entire novel since fairy tales don't interest me.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 10:47 am by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
I love the cover of this book, and the title sounds captivating. I would have sampled it outside the program. I fell in love with the story after reading a few pages; the author's writing style is soft and engaging. I enjoyed the dialogue between all the characters at the birth scene of Katja's sister. Also, I found myself reading pages of narration and not getting bored as I usually do. Tameem's descriptive prowess is worthy of emulation, and I particularly liked the sentence, "The moments of déjà vu were starting to become frustrating as she struggled to find their roots in the buried memories of her mind." I saw no grammatical errors; the book is professionally edited, leaving me with no recommendations for improvement. I saw a raving OBC review, but my decision to read further is based mostly on the sample's effect on me.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 10:25 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Diana Lowery
Because I am not into fantasy, the zodiac-type symbols on the cover did not appeal to me. I did, however, like the ballet feet and hands of the characters on the cover. I feel like the author should have chosen a different title as this one is too similar to other well-known novels. The blurb mentioned things like the dark side and other magic subjects. The prologue was interesting. I found a missing semi-colon in the third paragraph of the prologue. "A shaft of moonlight illuminated his expression [,] the outline of the snow-shaped window grill shaded across his face." I liked the way the writer developed the relationship between the king and his daughter. I got caught up in the first ten pages even though I say I don't like fantasy. The review mentioned themes of family bonds and sisterly love, which I do enjoy. I will not finish reading the book because I prefer realistic fiction, and mages and ice queens are not real. Other than changing the title, I have no suggestions for the author. I think it is a good book for people who like this genre.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 10:20 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Elvis Best
After looking at the book's cover, I might have read the book because the cover is very nice. However, after reading the sample, I would not buy the book because I do not enjoy fantasy stories. The one thing I liked most, though, was the author's smooth writing style. Further, I do not currently have any suggestions for improvement and believe the book was professionally edited, as I found no errors in the sample. Lastly, I read a review of the book that presented it well.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 8:46 am by Elvis Best.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
The story follows a 30-year-old woman named Katja, who suffers from amnesia after waking up alone in a forest. A few days later, she is shocked to discover that her sister is Princess Amara of the Kingdom of Hale. Unfortunately, as she also finds out that Amara is gifted with magical powers and uses them to terrorize her people, Katja has no choice but to find a way to stop her sister from destroying the kingdom. In all honesty, I would not have read the book without The First Ten program. I am not interested in reading fantasy novels, and I did not change my mind after reading the sample and OBC review. From what I have read, however, the story will appeal to those who enjoy reading stories filled with suspense, magic, and action. I particularly liked the engaging, realistic dialogues. The author also did a great job of portraying the characters and events, making it easier for the reader to be invested in the story. In fact, I had no problem connecting with the characters; I could easily feel how much Amara and Katja loved each other when they were little girls. I would suggest another round of editing, though, as I noticed some distracting grammatical and punctuation errors. For example, it should be written "she's eight years old" instead of "she's eight-years-old." (Chapter 4; page 11) There should not be a comma before "but" in the following sentence: "She was suddenly conscious of how her hair looked, but realized it didn’t matter." (Chapter 3; page 11) I would also suggest the author make the book available on Amazon.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 7:01 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Arnaiz
Outside the program, I will sample this book based on the cover. It looked like a tarot card, which captured my attention. With the font style and other motifs, it was easy to tell that the book was a fantasy genre. However, the title somehow suggested that it was an opening of a series. My preference is stand-alone books, so I had some reservations. The blurb and customer reviews reminded me of The Snow Queen and Frozen. It made me curious. Either an original or a retelling, fairy tales appealed to me. After sampling, I was intrigued by the plot. I liked that the author used flashbacks to tell the story. It made my reading experience engaging. The gaps in time kept me curious. Putting the pieces together compelled me to continue reading the entire book. The chapter headings included the timeframes, so I did not feel lost. I think the pace might drag if the narrative was linear. Also, the writing style was casual, so the story was easy to read. The words were simple. Some dialogues from the childhood of the sisters sounded like they were older than their age. As for editing, the sample was neat. But, I noticed a typo error. Here is an example.
"Katja had [overhead] him once, saying he would protect the princesses if his life depended on it, and it had only strengthened her respect for him."
That said, I have no further suggestions. An official OnlineBookClub review, and some from volunteers, was available. Their insights were encouraging to finish reading the book.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 6:34 am by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The cover is beautiful, the genre my favorite. The official OBC review rates this a full 4 stars. Based on these, I would have read the book. I did not find any errors in the first ten pages. They show King Frenar narrating the story of the spirits of four seasons to Princess Katja. Then, the queen goes into labor. I liked the smooth writing and found myself anticipating the future turns. I have no suggestions for improvement and will gladly read the book.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 3:25 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
evraealtana
The front cover is BEAUTIFUL, one of the nicer ones I've seen. At the moment, the images on it don't have any context for me, but I would imagine that they would have taken on meaning as the book progressed. The sample was well-written, in my opinion, with a compelling relationship between Katje and her father. I was confused by the maid announcing that the queen was in labor and the child being born, examined, and cleaned less than a page later with no timeskip; labor had begun and ended within the time it took the king and Katje to traverse the length of the castle. Childbirth isn't that quick, and so the king's notification that labor had begun should have been hours, maybe a day or more, prior to then. Later in the sample, Katje has several thoughts written out, such as "I can do this" and "I have to keep myself alive", that are written in plain text rather than being italicized; later thoughts, like "I guess it's just you and me", are italicized. This may be a small point, but the lack of consistency in formatting made it harder for me to distinguish at first glance which paragraphs were internal perception and which were external description. Although there wasn't anything that I particularly disliked about the sample, it didn't really hold my interest. It seems to be written for a teenage or young adult reader. I applaud the author's skill and imagination, but I will not continue reading it. Consistent with the high-quality editing noted by the official OBC review, I found no errors in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 3:23 am by evraealtana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
The cover looks nice, hinting at the relationship between the two girls. However, there's no information about this book on Amazon. There's only the author's own site with very few reviews. If it's not for the genre and the official review, I won't try this. The sample begins with Amara being born as the vessel of the Spirit of Winter, Brikkir. The scene then shifts to the present day where her sister, Katja, wakes up somewhere with an incomplete memory. Again, we are back to Katja's past, where she's an eight-year-old girl spending her time with her family.
I like the smooth wording of this book and the fantasy genre. The author did a good job describing the feelings of Katja, as well as the relationships between her and her family. However, the plot is too classical, and the sample is quite normal. The concept of someone being born special and a war has been exploits many times, especially in books with medieval settings. Also, the storyline resembles the Frozen movie a lot, from the girls' background to Amara's power, her being the villain, and Katja's seeking her sister. It's nothing new, so this doesn't pique my interest. I found some errors, such as missing quotation marks, 'overhead' instead of 'overheard', or 'let go inside' instead of 'let's go inside'. I suppose this needs another round of proofreading. Since this book has too many cons, I will not buy it.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 3:22 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Melisa Jane
I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its title because it's vague and doesn't give a clue on the contents of the book. After sampling it, I won't finish reading it because, from what I gathered within the sample pages, it's a story within a story. I don't like books which take this form. I liked how the book was introduced, how the king comes home late, only to find her daughter awake, waiting for him to finish the story. I found one grammatical error on the third page. The author writes "It was balance" instead of "it was in balance" or "it was balanced." I recommend another round of editing. This book has an official OBC review.
First Ten review added on November 28, 2020, at 1:44 am by Melisa Jane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MeganDJ
Wow! From the cover, title and the blurb, I was already hooked. The cover is beautiful and the story behind it is equally so. We follow the tale of two princesses; one gifted with magically abilities and the other with sharp intellect and patience. They become separated from one another and all hell seems to break loose. I will stop there, but I will definitely read the rest of this book. From what I read, I did not find any errors. What I liked the most was the style of writing as it was expressive and captivating. For what the novel is, there is nothing that I would improve upon. There was an Online Book Review and I do believe it helped me make my decision to read the novel.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 11:44 pm by MeganDJ.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Verna Coy
Had I not sampled this book through the First Ten program, I would have chosen it because the cover is beautiful in a wintery way, and I like the title.
For this reason, I intend to read the whole book.
Reading the first ten pages confirmed that I would like this book. It is told with the writing style used in the telling of legends, and I like that.
Based on what I read, the book seems professionally edited.
I didn’t see errors in the first ten pages.
What I liked most about what I read is how the author communicated the deep family bond in the a few seconds of the first scene of the book.
I know that readers who like adventurous fantasy novels will like this story.
As far as improvements, I could see no need for any in what I read today.
I did read the Official Online Book Club review and found it insightful. It didn’t affect my views of the book.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 9:40 pm by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chelsy Scherba
I enjoyed the way King Frenar told his daughter Katja the bedtime story about the seasons being born. The snow keeps the crops safe and restores balance, just like all the other season spirits in their time. It moved nicely into the birth of Katja’s baby sister, Amara, who looks like her mother. The review mentioned the book focuses a lot on these princesses and that there are bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout, which I like. I sometimes read this genre, but I don’t search for it much outside of the program, so it’s unlikely I’d come across it independently. The cover is definitely attractive and on par with many books I’ve seen in the kids section of book stores. The editing looked exceptionally done, I saw zero errors. The review was also very positive and gave me a good overview for what to expect. I would buy this book if I had kids, but since I don’t I’ll have to wait for now. I don’t have any suggestions for improvements because the book was entertaining.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 8:00 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The cover seems both intriguing and magical, which can catch the attention of fantasy readers, especially young ones. Although I like the amnesia trope in most books, the rest of the plot described on the blurb just reminds me of Disney's "Frozen", and it's not very appealing to me. The book is not on Amazon, but the ratings on OBC are great. I wouldn't have bought the book based on first impressions because I'm not much into fantasy, and I don't like the plot summary enough to make an exception.
The author provided a sample on her website, which I enjoyed. The close bond between Katja and her father is endearing. And the way he plays with shadows while telling the story reminded me of my own father. That was a lovely part. The rest was extremely predictable or strange. The queen's labor must have been outstandingly fast because by the time the maid lets King Frenar know his wife is in labor, and they go to her room, the baby is already born and clean. I also knew, since the moment they said the baby (Amara) hadn't cried, that she was the child from the prophecy. But I guess this is good if the target audience is young readers. Making accurate predictions and seeing them come true can enhance their confidence and enjoyment of reading.
I didn't find editing mistakes, and I think nothing needs improvement. The book has an official review, but it didn't change my mind. The plot is too simple to keep me engaged, but probably the target audience is much younger than me.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 7:13 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The first pages narrate about Amara's birth. While King Frenar was telling his daughter Katja about the Spirits of the Seasons, Queen Esther was in labor. When King Frenar and Katja arrived at the royal chamber Amara had already been born. Then as the mage Cortel hold Amara, her eyes changed from dark brown to a sapphire shade of blue. Next, they went back to being dark brown. This was an indication that the Spirit of Brikkir was in Amara. The rest of the first ten pages recount when Katja wakes up in a rare place without memory and finally she remembered her name.
The story raises a plot around the two daughters of King Frenar and Queen Esther, the Princesses Amara and Katja. Interesting curiosities are raised about how Amara's life will be since the spirit of Brikkir is in her. Also, the loss of memory of Katja and what will happen with her in that strange place where she woke up, generates an expectation. From the official review, it is extracted that the story emphasizes the sisterly love between the princesses. The story seems properly constructed and leaves intrigues that attract attention but it did not capture me completely. Fantasy stories are not my favorites. The editing seems outstanding as I didn't find any errors or typos. The cover is striking as it reflects fantasy and magic. It highlights two figures that appear to be the Princesses Amara and Katja. In conclusion, I think I will not read the rest of the book at least not in the near future.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 6:03 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
I have seen reviews for several books by this author lately, and, although I do not read fantasy books, I may have sampled this book even if I were not part of this program to get a feel for the author’s writing style. The writing was clear and descriptive. I could feel the benevolence of the king and his close relationship to Katja in the sample pages. The “retelling” of the story about the four spirits was a clever way of introducing the reader to the subjects. I enjoyed the sample pages, and I appreciate the author’s method for distributing her books, but I will not buy this book because I do not enjoy fantasy books. The book appeared to have been professionally edited, but I found one minor error in the sample pages. On page 5 of the Prologue, the end quote is missing: “where did Brikkir settle?
The featured OnlineBookClub review was positive, and the story sounds quite engaging, but I will not buy this book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 5:58 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Odette Chace
I love the cover of the book but wish the title was different. I immediately thought of Kate Chopin's "The Awakening." The synopsis was interesting, though it contained one very distracting grammatical error. The official Online Book Club review gave the work a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The plot is somewhat reminiscent of Disney's "Frozen." The synopsis in the review was much easier to follow than the one on the book's webpage. I would probably still sample this book if I weren't part of this program. "What would happen to them when war breaks out?" (chapter 2). It should be either "what will happen to them when war breaks out" or "what would happen to them if war breaks out." As this is the only error I noticed in the sample, I believe the work was professionally edited. I enjoyed the sample and am looking forward to finishing the book at a later date. While I think that a character having amnesia is really overdone, I am interested enough in the plot to overlook it. I thought the story of the spirits of the seasons was well done and I want to learn more about Amara's powers.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 5:32 pm by Odette Chace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jsovermyer
The cover and title are interesting but not exciting enough to make me want to buy it from the cover alone. The official reviewer liked this story and rated it high. I found no spelling or grammatical errors and believe it has been professionally edited. This is a fantasy story about two princesses, Katja and Amara. Quick-tempered Amara has the ability to form ice through her fingertips. I liked when the two girls were children, and older Katja would encourage Amara to practice her powers so that she could learn to control them. I was confused at first when the story changed time periods from one chapter to the next, but reading on I began to understand the pattern. I liked Katja's character. She is loving, intelligent, and proud of her little sister. This story is well written. I read the sample and want to read more of this fascinating book.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 4:02 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
kperm
Based on the cover, title, and blurb, I would not have chosen to sample the book. However, I usually enjoy this genre, and I saw an Official OnlineBookClub review that gave the book a perfect rating. Therefore, I decided to read the sample. The book seemed professionally edited based on what I read, and I did not notice any mistakes. I like the way Tameem incorporated magic and romance into her novel. Most of all, I enjoyed the fact that the story was set in the magical Kingdom of Hale. It was evident that Tameem put a lot of effort into character development. The two princesses, Amara and Katja, were very complex and relatable. I don't think that there is anything that needs improvement. I will read the whole book.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 3:41 pm by kperm.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AvidBibliophile
The cover art feels mystically, magically engaging, and I like the visual quality of the additionally illustrated quadrants. The product description on the alKeyTAB Pro site entices prospective readers with mentions of a frosty forest, tavern servants, royal kingdoms, mystical foxes, reigns of terror, and wintry, wicked madness! I loved the author's use of descriptive rhetoric. From glowing lanterns to fabric forts, even the mundane felt magically enchanted. I, too, was held captivated by the story of the birth of The Spirits of the Seasons as King Frenar began reading aloud to Katja. This book appears to have been professionally edited, although on page 8 of the prologue, there appears to be a stray spacing issue present between an opening set of quotation marks and the first word that follows it: "[_]After her mother, of course." The three published OBC reviews all award this title a perfect score, as do the three currently posted alKeyTAB user ratings. Since fantasy novels featuring warring princesses, living ice sculptures, and bouts of amnesia don't fall within my preferred reading genres, I will be passing on this one. Since the actual writing quality impressed me thoroughly, I have no doubt true fans of the genre will wholeheartedly enjoy this one!
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 3:32 pm by AvidBibliophile.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kirsi Cultrera
Equipped with an adorable cover picture, this book was sure to catch my attention. I love fantasy novels and naturally wanted to take a second look at this one. Unfortunately, reading the sample pages proved to be a vast disappointment. The storyline seemed like a copy of one beautiful Disney movie, Frozen. The protagonists Katja and Amara were like Anna and Elsa in this movie. I don’t know if the author was familiar with Frozen, but this story didn’t feel exactly unique. The author’s writing style was fluent, and without the flashbacks to this abovementioned movie, I would have probably enjoyed reading the story. The editing of the book seemed accurately done. I was able to find an Official OnlineBookClub review, which gave positive feedback about the book. However, based on my findings, I had already decided not to read the book further.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 3:14 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
I love the beautiful book cover and the title, genre, blurb, and customer reviews are all favorable of the book. I originally put the book into my “Not Interested” bookshelf however, after reading the first ten pages and the OnlineBookClub review, I moved it to my “Want To Read” bookshelf. My original lack of interest was because of the format it is available in, which has no page or location numbers. I believe this book has been professionally-edited because I did not see any errors in the first ten pages, which was confirmed in the OnlineBookClub review. The first ten pages reveal an exciting and interesting plot, and I did not see anything I would change. I like that the book is part of a series that will probably keep my attention throughout.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 1:14 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Brenda Creech
Because of the cover, I would have checked this book out to see what it is about. After reading the official review, I was intrigued, although I knew I would not be reading any more of the book. I try to avoid any story that involves magic. I am not a fantasy fan. The portion I read was well-written, and I did not find any errors or anything that needs improving. I liked the part where Kaja's father, the king, told her a story and made figures as he moved his hands with a lamplight casting shadows. I am sure fantasy fans of all ages will enjoy this book, but I will have to pass due to the magic.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 11:46 am by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
This cover, while intriguing, wouldn't turn my head in a bookstore. Upon reading the OBC review, I was still not convinced that I could enjoy this book. However, the book gives you a cozy feeling from the start. At first, we see King Frenar catching Katja reading past her bedtime and deciding to read her the story of Brikkir. Just then, Queen Esther goes into labor, giving birth to a beautiful baby girl, Amara. I liked the family atmosphere we are introduced to, but I feel like this book is for children, not for me. The pace seems to be like that of a fairytale, which I don't read anymore. Also, Amara reminds me too much of Elsa from Frozen. The book seems perfect for children, so I have nothing to add. Also, it's professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 11:05 am by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
FYI, I could not find the book on Amazon as was stated. I was able to find it and read the First Ten on AlkeyTAB Pro. I seriously loved the cover and it alone would have caused me to take a glance at the book. The Official Review was also very nicely done and provided an accurate synopsis of the book. I won't be reading it, however, because the genre is just not in my wheelhouse, particularly when it comes to the adventures of young princesses. But the writing style is wonderful, and I most liked how the author created a perfectly ethereal feel to the first chapter complete with cold terrain and a transparent fox. If my daughters were young girls, I would recommend this book to them. There was nothing about the book that I disliked. I did notice an error so I suspect there may not have been a professional editor's eye on this. In the Prologue, a close quotation mark is missing from the sentence: “But Father,” Katja said, pausing to look at the snowflake atop her bed, “where did Brikkir settle?
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 10:36 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I love the cover of this book. The cover art is attractive and makes me want to learn more about the book. The title is also intriguing. The Online Book Club review gave a very positive review of the book. It rated it four out of four stars and described it as Book 1 in a series. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. The story begins in the kingdom of Hale where the king learns of the birth of his second daughter to join his older daughter Katja. The author has an interesting writing style that is very descriptive. I enjoy reading these type of novels, so I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 10:16 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AntonelaMaria
The first thing I noticed about this book is the cover. It is stunning. I liked the blurb and the Offical Onlinebookclub review. The only thing making me hesitant about reading this book is that cliffhanger. I try to pick up books that are already all out, especially if the ending is making me want to read the next book immediately. I liked the sample. Even though past and present storylines can be tricky. I liked how the author incorporated childhood stories, so we can learn about Katja and Amara. The writing style is amazing, and the world-building is excellent. I didn't notice any grammatical errors. I wouldn't change anything about the book. I would be interested in reading this series when more books are out.
First Ten review added on November 27, 2020, at 9:36 am by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 41%
Awakening earned a score of 41%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 41% 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 Awakening
