The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Roan: The Tales Of Conor Archer

Ekta Kumari

The book centers around a teen who discovers the secrets about his bloodline and Celtic ancestry. The storyline follows him as he unravels the secrets and tries to find his links with the mystery of the 'Dark Ones'. I wouldn't have read the book as the blurb didn't engage me in any way. However, reading the sample completely changed my opinion. I found the sample to be a great read, and what I liked the most is that the sense of mystery, mythology, and paranormal, which are central themes of the book, are pervasive from the very beginning of the book. I also found the writing to be vivid. I do not have any suggestions for improvements based on my read so far. I saw an official OBC review prior to sampling the book. I would just recommend another round of proofreading as I found two errors. One error is in this sentence, "Walter was sure the Great Cat would bequeath him wisdom, but more importantly, would give him status with the folk in Tinker’s Grove." There's a comma missing before 'more importantly'. I'm definitely going to read the whole book now as I've enjoyed the sample so far.

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 5:37 am by Ekta Kumari.

Manang Muyang

This book has been BOTD a number of times, and I know that it is a fantasy read. That's a genre that I don't read much of, so I wouldn't have sampled the book outside of the program. The reviews at the front of the book compare it to Potter and the Tolkien books, which will surely excite fantasy fans. It is a longish book at almost 600 pages, another reason that dissuades me from reading it. Some of the errors I found follow: At 20% of the sample, "600 foot bluffs that made up this section of the great United States" needed "600-foot." "Signing postcards of her in her pretty bead worked costume" at 22% also needed "bead-worked." At 36%, "The boss is no where around" should have used "nowhere." I could see the similarity to Tolkien's work where the author intersperses the narrative with verses. The depiction of the creature Piasa was so vivid it scared me. However, this is not my genre, so I will pass. The official OBC reviewer has high praises for the book and the author. Apart from addressing the petty errors I found, the author could add chapter numbers to help keep the reader in place.

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.

Asma Aisha Ansari

I wouldn't have picked this book up based on the title, the cover, the genre, the Amazon reviews and the blurb because I found nothing interesting about them. The OBC review is well-written and made me want to sample the book. As for the sample, I found the writing a bit hard to follow. There was anything that piqued my interest in the story. Walter's reminiscences didn't let the plot flow well.

The book seems professionally edited, as I found no errors in the sample. I have no suggestions for improvement. I'm not going to read the rest of the book because I didn't enjoy reading the sample.

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 4:58 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.

Dzejn_Crvena

I wouldn't have sampled this book based on the cover and title because I couldn't read all the letters, and the art is a bit dark. The OBC review didn't convince me to read it after I learned that it's an urban fantasy with themes like Celtic mythology and Native American folklore that I'm not interested in. It's about a teen named Conor, who was prophecied to become either a warrior of light or a harbinger of darkness in his town. He is set to find out about his true identity after a family tragedy unraveled something about his past. I had trouble reading through the phrases in the sample because the writing style is not convenient for someone like me who speaks English as a second language. Thus, I won't continue reading it. I like the inclusion of the map that helped me visualize the fictional world in the story. The book seems professionally edited, so I don't have suggestions for improvements.

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 3:52 am by Dzejn_Crvena.

Gabriella H

The cover looks very interesting. I like how colorful it is. I also like the title and the genre. The official book of the day review by OBC and the editorial review made me expectant. I wondered what Conor would choose, light or darkness? I also enjoyed reading through the customer reviews. According to them, this book beautifully blended different genres into one. I didn't see any blurb for this book. After reading the first ten pages, I was disappointed. I won’t be completing this book because I didn’t enjoy the writing style, and I was very bored. I was disappointed by the way the book started, and it felt like ramblings to me. Walter kept going on about things that made no sense to me, and this made for a confusing and boring start to the book. I would suggest a more interesting, engaging, and attention-grabbing beginning be used to capture the attention of readers. If I weren't a part of this program, I would’ve sampled this book because of the interesting cover, but I definitely wouldn’t have read up to ten pages. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages.

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 3:13 am by Gabriella H.

Mercy Bolo

This book's cover didn't entice me to read it. The OBC review dissuaded me when it mentioned that the author narrates the story of a teenager returning to his hometown after the death of his mother. That storyline doesn't appeal to me, so I won't read the rest of the book. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that Walter kept looking for the silver catfish he was obsessed with as a child. I will conclude that the text underwent professional editing since I spotted no errors. There's nothing I disliked about the bit I read, and I wouldn't change anything about it.

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 3:11 am by Mercy Bolo.

Mutai Marshal

Both the cover page and title dissuaded me from reading this book. They hinted at science-fiction, a genre I don't find fascinating. Therefore, I wouldn't have read it outside the First Ten program. I liked the blurbs and reviews incorporated in the initial pages. They give a brief summary of what this fictional book is about. The OBC review didn't change my mind about it, and I will not buy this science-fiction novel. It wasn't exceptionally edited as I flagged a grammatical error ('Walter remembered that from geography class oh so many years ago.' The 'oh' shouldn't be in the sentence in location 267). I didn't notice anything worth improving in this novel.

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 3:03 am by Mutai Marshal.

Sou Hi

Even without this program, I would have sampled this. Amazon's ratings are not very good, but the official review from OnlineBookClub and the blurb look good. The genre is my cup of tea, too.

I like the fantasy theme, and the editing is fine. However, the writing style is not to my liking. Besides, Walter's part is quite obscure and long-winded. I think the author should add more details to clarify the events, such as the monster's identity or the reason it appears. Since it can't pique my interest, I won't buy this book.

Error example: That's when she told him one scary, bad ass story. -> There should be a hyphen between "bad" and "ass"

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 1:54 am by Sou Hi.

evraealtana

I have not seen urban fantasy done well very often, so I tend to avoid it. For that reason, based solely on the official OBC review, I would not have chosen this book for myself. I loved the character of Grandma Swift Deer and badly wanted to know more about her. I felt that having Walter recall the legends made them seem fake or exaggerated; I would have preferred that the old stories, particularly about the Piasa and its trek to the sea, were told as though they were happening in real time, possibly as a prologue to Walter's story. It would have been much more engaging and would have kept my attention better than Walter sitting on a river, fishing for the Great Cat and thinking about myths he once heard. I was so into the first chapter but much less into the second one. The second chapter, which introduced Conor, the protagonist, and changes the setting to modern Chicago, didn't really hold my attention at all, since I don't generally like modern fiction and Conor's backstory regarding his mother's heritage was unnecessary at this point in the book. If the whole book had been about Walter, I would have kept reading, but because I know it will be about Conor, I don't think I will continue. I found one error in the first ten pages: a typo in "the rattle snakes...kept in a wire cage" (rattlesnakes).

First Ten review added on February 23, 2022, at 1:26 am by evraealtana.

Gabrielle Sigaki

Roan by E. R. Barr is a novel that mixes Urban Fantasy with history. It contains magic, mysticism, Good and Evil, a bit of mythology, and mystery too. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review and its customer reviews since I'm not interested in books that bring the battle between Good and Evil, or that bring mythology with magic. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I won't read the entire book because of the reasons I stated before. However, the book seems professionally edited, there's nothing to be improved in it, and I liked the fact that the author provides a map with some of the book's locations and already uses information on the map to portray the characters' locations. But my favorite aspect was how the author incorporated some myths in the characters' everyday lives through their habits. The book's cover, title, genre, and blurb didn't affect my decision.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 10:11 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.

Jorge Leon Salazar

The title and cover look totally in keeping with the story and the fantasy genre. I think the target audience should feel attracted. In general, I'm not a fan of the fantasy genre. The blurb expresses the story focuses on Conor Archer, who has to discover who he really is and how he is tied to the mystery of the "Dark Ones." The plot includes an ancient river demon and a scientist from a biogenetics company. Conor finds himself in the middle of the struggle between myth and science. The numerous customer reviews are impressively flattering. Based on these elements, I am uninclined to try this book. The extensive Prologue tells about Walter Johnson when he goes fishing and meets Piasa, the hideous creature Grandma Swift Deer had told him about. She was the last survivor of the Winnebago tribe. What is told in the prologue serves to establish the ancient belief of the existence of Piasa, an evil spirit, who ruled those waters surrounding the River Wisconsin. The descriptions become more horrifying with the inclusion of willows whispering in the night and mounds in the shape of owls. The moment when Piasa morphed into a face like an old Indian woman and spoke to Walter produced much terror. Next, the first pages tell about Conor Archer, who plays tin whistle with bands in some pubs. All that happened with the stranger who gave Conor a drink generated expectations. Then the stranger told Conor that he was a "dark one" and had to go to the place of his people. In addition, his dying mother had told him that when she died he had to return to his place of origin. The theme of the creature Piasa and why Conor is important to the people of Tinker's Grove causes a bit of intrigue. The official review indicates that this novel is classified as urban fantasy and stands out for the author's complex and engaging writing style. Additionally, coherent world-building and character development are outstanding features. As for the editing, I did not see any typo or error. Overall, I didn't see anything that I believe could be improved. What I read was striking since it started defining the fantasy environment in which the plot will unfold. However, it didn't completely capture me, as I'm not a fan of fantasy. In summary, I will not read the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 8:19 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.

Mariana Figueira

Before reading the book's first pages, I wasn't interested in it because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book, I don't want to continue reading it because the story didn't captivate me. I didn't like that the book was progressing so slowly: nothing had happened in the first pages, and all I knew was that the part of the river where Walter was "held secrets." This book seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookClub review. There was nothing I saw that I particularly enjoyed. Neither the blurb, customer reviews, nor editorial reviews affect my decision not to read the book.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 4:31 pm by Mariana Figueira.

Kirsi Cultrera

I did not like the cover picture of this book, but its genre and the blurb certainly managed to pique my interest. I haven’t read too many urban fantasy stories, but the ones I’ve read have been amazing. Therefore, I would have at least sampled this book even without The First Ten. The story pulled me in from the very first page. I loved the author’s way with words, and I loved the mixture of modern times and Celtic mythology. The author introduced a few mysterious characters at the beginning and got me hooked. I wanted to know what their meaning was to the story. In addition, Conor’s character was adorable. I found absolutely nothing to dislike from this book and was certain already before reading the Official OnlineBookClub review that I would read this book. The review did not change my mind. The editing seemed professional, as I found no mistakes from the sample. I can’t wait to dive deeper into the world of Conor.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 3:50 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.

Rosemary Owolabi

Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have chosen to read this book based on the blurb, customer positive reviews, and editorial positive reviews. Although it didn't look like the kind of book I was used to, considering the cover and title.

Reading the first ten pages didn't change my opinion of the original guess. Because of some technicalities in the book, I will not buy the book and complete it. The grammatical structure of the book made it hard for me to concentrate on reading it, though the storyline seemed interesting. But that wasn't good enough for me. Based on what I read, the book had some issues with formatting. I didn't notice any typos, but some grammatical errors were in the first ten pages. There were many sentences that were incomplete in the first ten pages, making it difficult to follow. I would like to write out some of the examples I extracted from pages 1 and 3.
'Too slow,  not going to make it to work on time. '(See page 1).
'Just enough Guinness on top and enough lacquer on the..'
(See Page 1).
'Unless he chooses to be one of the faceless homeless, misplaced, or forgotten.'
(See Page 3).

What I liked about the bit that I read was the writer's way of building the touching story between Conor Archer and his sick mother. The sickness was beginning to affect his performance, promptness, and concentration at the Irish pub. I liked how the writer systematically broadened the story. The writer seemed to be preparing the readers' minds for some shocking revelations. In this sample, Conor didn't know his biological father and didn't seem to care.
The story was becoming more interesting as it progressed.

What could be improved would be the construction of the grammar. The writer should work on word choices and grammatical usage. But in all honesty, I was enjoying the storyline, but the unprofessional style of writing was too distracting for me to focus on it.

I didn't see any official OnlineBookClub reviews, but this didn't affect my decision.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 3:45 pm by Rosemary Owolabi.

Soraya Bayah

The prologue and first chapter were intriguing. It was nice to learn about some traditional poems and urban legends. I was shocked with what Conor witnessed. I believe he will go on to discover more about his heritage, only to ease his curiosity. I did not encounter errors. I would pick up this book from the reviews, title, cover, and genre, as I enjoy a bit of old folklore about foreign countries, as well as a thrilling read. I believe the story progressed nicely in a way that did not distract readers. It shocked me to know that Conor was Walter’s son, and that their story closely resembles that of Willie. I see nothing could be bettered, and that the OBC review made me even more interested in picking up this book.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 2:05 pm by Soraya Bayah.

Diana Lowery

I would not have picked this book based on the title or the cover because it looks like a genre that I do not read. The Amazon blurb was in an annoying bold print. It mentioned a dog named Troubles, which was ironic because I used to have a cat named Troubles. The OBC review was glowing, but I was not convinced to read about characters who had "evil dripping from their veins." I liked the Irish ballad at the beginning of the book. I did not see any errors in the pages that I read. I liked the writing style of the author and wished that he/she wrote something besides fantasy. I liked the story of the boy and the rattlesnake. I am not going to finish reading the book because of the genre. I do not have any suggestions for the author.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 8:53 am by Diana Lowery.

Eunice Geres

I wouldn't have checked the sample if it weren't on BOTD because the book doesn't seem like one I would enjoy. I don't usually read sci-fi. However, after reading the official review, I realized that this might be a good book because the review has nothing but praise for the book. The prologue is very promising. I love the way the author sets the vibe of the book. I can already tell that this would be a great fantasy novel. I also like the poems written in some chapters. Unfortunately, I find the story to be too fast-paced. It's like I don't have any time to breathe and enjoy the text even though it's still just the beginning. Like when Conor sang, I'm still trying to imagine the music, but then someone's already taking him outside. I would like a little narration after the music. I think it's a well-written novel for readers who like a fast-paced novel. Sadly, it's not for me. So, I won't be continuing to read this. I didn't notice any grammatical mistakes, and I have no recommendations.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 8:16 am by Eunice Geres.

brooke oakes

I don’t think I would have sampled or read this book outside this program. I didn't find its cover or title interesting. Also, neither its OBC nor Amazon review appealed to me with the mention of family tragedy. The story starts on a foggy creek. Walter is fishing for some catfish. He thinks back to a memory of his foster mom and things she had told him. I liked the vivid narration of this book, but nothing else in the book appealed to me, so I won't complete it.I don't notice any errors, while I read. I don't think this book needs any improvement.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 6:55 am by brooke oakes.

Sanju Lali

I was able to guess that this is a fairy tale book about a boy called Roan after seeing its cover and title. In light of it, I read the OBC official review of this book because I was curious to know more about Roan. The OBC official review helped me understand that this book has a mix of myths, legends, and folklore in a real-time setting. This information encouraged me to read the sample of the book before purchasing it. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that this book was not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, “Like an animal he sniffed her.” The sentence could have been as follows. "Like an animal, he sniffed her.” The thing l liked the most in this sample is the way Cecy, Fintan’s wife, showed a soft corner toward Conor, which he needed the most. What troubled me was the usage of some very short sentences without using a conjunction to join them. This writing style was hampering my pace of reading because I had to read some sentences twice to avoid any confusion. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing and make this book easy to read. I am not going to read this book until the author addresses the above-mentioned problems.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 6:48 am by Sanju Lali.

Vidhi Adhikari

This book has an interesting cover and a title. The description is pretty straightforward and clearly describes the overall plot of the story. However, since I'm not interested in fantasy novels, I wasn't looking forward to reading the sample, even though the book had numerous positive customer and editorial reviews. Unfortunately, the sample couldn't change my mind and I shall not be reading this book further as its genre is not the one I prefer. I did find a couple of grammatical errors while reading, which should be looked into ('With the thickening fog, he couldn’t see that clearly, but whatever it was {add comma} headed {replace with 'was heading'} toward the banks of the willow grove.'). Although I liked the description of the creature that Walter saw in the water, I would suggest shortening the section where he remembers the folklore that his grandmother had shared with him.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 6:07 am by Vidhi Adhikari.

Hazel Arnaiz

The cover, title, and blurb look like teenage urban fantasy. Customer reviews are enthusiastic. I am not keen on this genre. Hence, I will skip this outside the program. After sampling, I appreciate that it revives interest in Celtic mythology and Native American folklore. I also like the fine details of the map and illustrations. I suggest adding more images, especially those that are symbolic or hold a particular meaning, like the brooch on the bandage. Readers can revisit the image as its meaning unfolds along the way. The recall makes the reading experience more visually engaging. However, I will not finish the book. It seems that I am not the target audience. Also, I prefer standalone, and I have some reservations if this opening book reads like one. As for editing issues, here are some examples.

Location 400. Spelling. Compound word. Consider adding a hyphen.

At night, the mist often collected around the river bottoms, sloughs, and 600 foot bluffs that made up this section of the great United States.

At night, the mist often collected around the river bottoms, sloughs, and [600-foot] bluffs that made up this section of the great United States.

Location 436. Spelling. Compound word. Consider adding a hyphen.

Spelling. Consider joining the words.

Couldn’t have been more than ten or eleven, but more than he hated the Burke or loved the service station’s ice cold Coke in bottles, he loved the rattle snakes that Delahanty kept in a wire cage right in the same garage where the cars were fixed.

Couldn’t have been more than ten or eleven, but more than he hated the Burke or loved the service station’s [ice-cold] Coke in bottles, he loved the [rattlesnakes] that Delahanty kept in a wire cage right in the same garage where the cars were fixed.

The official OnlineBookClub review is enthusiastic and insightful, which helps keep this book in mind. But, for now, I will pass.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 2:59 am by Hazel Arnaiz.

Ari Martinez

To say that a book will not let me go, not even "long after the last page has been read," is the best compliment I could ever give a book. Therefore, if it hadn't been for this program, I would still have sampled this book because the Official OnlineBookClub reviewer gave this book the best compliment I could think of. I must admit, however, that I did not like the book's cover - I simply did not find it pleasing to look at. After reading the first ten pages, I will read the rest of the book because I was left intrigued as to what the story in the prologue has to do with Conor. I would also like to learn more about Conor. My favorite part of the sample was the way the prologue ended with Walter clutching the tree. I thought it did a great job at intriguing the reader. This book does not appear to need improvement, and it seems professionally edited.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 2:22 am by Ari Martinez.

Kira Bonita Reece

Judging from the official online book club review, this seems like an interesting urban fantasy. Realizing that you have magical powers can be very fascinating. I would choose to read this book based on the cover, blurb, and customer reviews.
The sample seemed professionally edited but the first ten pages didn't pique my interest. Most of the time I was confused as to what was taking place. I don't understand Walter's character. I would recommend making the prologue a bit clearer. I won't be reading this one because it is not a genre I like.

First Ten review added on February 22, 2022, at 12:15 am by Kira Bonita Reece.

Verna Coy

Roan by E. R. Barr seems to be a professionally edited tale with interesting foundations. I liked the research that seemed evident in the way that tales were told about days gone by. What I liked best about the sample that I read was the stories about Grandma Swift Deer. They added to the feel of the scene and depth of the storyline. I saw no obvious need for improvements to the book. It seems free of errors, and I know it will appeal to fans of urban fantasy as well as those who love adventure. It’ s not my usual style of reading, so I don’t plan to read the whole book. I enjoyed reading the insights in the featured 4 star Online Book Club review.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 11:05 pm by Verna Coy.

Jennifer Garcia 555

I like the genre but the cover is not eye catching. I doubt I would pick this book to read. This book has a lot of good official OnlineBookClub reviews. This made me interested in reading the sample pages. I found no editing errors in the pages that I read, so this book seems professionally edited. I found the idea of the Wisconsin River being evil an interesting idea. I would suggest a bit more action in the beginning of the story. The old man fishing and talking about his past did not draw me in. For that reason I will pass on this book.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 10:58 pm by Jennifer Garcia 555.

Rodel Barnachea

After I pored over the title’s Amazon page and official OnlineBookClub review, I decided not to acquire the urban fantasy novel. I don’t hate or dislike the urban fantasy genre, but I am not an enthusiast as well. I am also not intrigued by how Christian traditions, Celtic myths, and Native American folklore will converge in the plot. I am not interested in learning whether Conor Archer’s ultimate destiny will be as a “warrior of Light” or a “harbinger of Darkness.” Reading its Amazon sample failed to change my mind. I would not purchase it because nothing in the text compelled me to peruse the remaining chapters of the novel. I believe the story is not my cup of tea. The first ten pages cover a prologue, the chapter entitled “At the DerryAir,” and a few pages of the chapter entitled “At the Buckingham Fountain.” My favorite part is when Walter took one of Old Mike’s small snakes and cut off its rattle. I noted some errors in the text: There were instances when some words that should have been hyphenated were not. Such is the case in the sentence “...600 foot bluffs...” ("...600-foot bluffs...”) and in the sentence “...pretty bead worked costume...” (”...pretty bead-worked costume...”). Since the errors are minor, I still believe the book is professionally edited. I have no advice to offer to the author.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 10:41 pm by Rodel Barnachea.

Stephanie Runyon

I have seen this book several times on the internet and have been curious since it looks like it may be a fantasy novel. I would have sampled it based from my curiosity and interest in fantasy stories. The Irish Ballad of Willie Archer was a nice highlight for me. There were numerous grammatical errors; however, I believe they are intentional with Walter Johnson's expressive thoughts. Therefore, I am not counting them as true errors. I wouldn't change anything about the story. The OBC review didn't influence my decision to read the story. The dialect appears to be genuine and allowed for my connection to understanding Walter. There is also suspense regarding the story told by his foster mother, especially after he cut off the rattle on the timber rattlesnake. His thoughts about the evil rumored to be on the area he was fishing in added to the intrigue.

Only time he thought of it before this night was the next time he visited her.- ERROR, subjective grammar
The only time he thought of it, before this night, was the next time he visited her.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 10:14 pm by Stephanie Runyon.

Amy Luman

I don’t think I’ll read this entire book. The cover would not have drawn me in; the woman looks like a stereotypical witch, and I get the impression of a cemetery. The title made me think of a name (I guess because it’s our neighbor's) and not a place, and none of the reviews or the blurb that I read made it sound very interesting. I’m not really interested in fantasy novels. I am sorry for Conor that his mother died, but at least he had Cecy to help him get along in the beginning of the book. Even reading the first ten pages of this didn’t change my mind about reading it. I do think it was professionally edited, though, because I didn’t notice any errors. I like that Conor makes music like he has a passion for it, even though his boss, Finlan, is so gruff. Any changes that I suggest would be purely my personal preferences. The OBC review that I read covered the main points.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 6:32 pm by Amy Luman.

markodim721

I would choose to read a sample of this book because of the cover and partly the title. I read the blurb, customer reviews, and Official OnlineBookClub review but they did not influence my decision. On the other hand, the editor review written by Ruffino Oserio stood out and influenced my decision to some extent because it pointed to supernatural undertones. The cover of the book is clearly designed and reminds me of adventure but also Celtic heritage. The title of the book somewhat fits with the cover of the book but is not particularly inspiring. I’m not going to read the book because I’m not in the mood to read urban fantasy right now. While reading the sample I did not notice any typos or errors and the book seems like it is professionally edited. Reading the sample somewhat changed my mind from my original guess. I like the author's description of "authentic" Irish pubs in Chicago because I think he got to the bottom of it and described the phenomenon in the right way. I also liked the protective relationship Cecy had with Conor. I don't think anything needs to be improved in the book.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 4:44 pm by markodim721.

Yvonne Monique

The book cover looks like a typical cover for a young adult's book. That is why I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. However, the customer reviews, blurb and OBC review make this book sound a perfect read and made me look forward to reading the sample. The sample is well edited. I loved the fact that it started with an old Irish ballad. The first chapter started a bit slow but made a good attempt to slowly introduce the characters and some background information. As I love fantasy stories, and because of the great reviews, I have decided to buy and read this book. As an improvement, I would suggest to make the cover look a bit more 'grown-up' in order to attract a wider audience.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 4:16 pm by Yvonne Monique.

Rizki Pradana

I have chosen to read the first ten of this book based on Amazon reviews because of the title. I have seen an OBC review, and it affected me to read this book. I really liked the map illustration because it could help me understand the story better. Also, I loved the story that focused on unraveling the dark secrets. Because of that, I wanted to read the whole book. I don't have any recommendations for the author. I found no errors, which means this book seemed perfectly edited.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 4:03 pm by Rizki Pradana.

Chinazo Anozie

Fantasies are one of my favourite genres, and I was intrigued by the title, cover, customer reviews, description, and the official OnlineBookClub review for this book. The story drew me in almost immediately, from Walter’s chilling fishing experience to Conor’s midnight adventures with the strange man and woman. There were a lot of mysterious events that left me adequately intrigued. I will buy and read this book. However, it seems this book will benefit from another round of editing because I noticed a few typographical errors. An excerpt of one of the errors from chapter two (At The Derryair) is provided below. I cannot provide the exact page because the format I read on Amazon did not contain page numbers:
[“]Probably, a pervert,[“] muttered Conor under his breath.

The sentence is missing a couple of quotation marks.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 3:47 pm by Chinazo Anozie.

Shridhar Suryawanshi

If I had not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would not have chosen to read or sample this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews that I saw because I believe in "don't judge a book by its cover." I won't be reading this book because I did not feel any suspense or anything that would interest me in reading it. The writing style seemed to lack the entertaining factor. It is exceptionally edited since I did not find any errors. I liked the pace of the book, and I suggest adding personification or similies to make it better. An OnlineBookClub review did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 3:28 pm by Shridhar Suryawanshi.

Bertha Jackson

I would have checked out this book because of the artistic cover and title because I enjoy reading the genre. The blub, editorial reviews, and customer reviews did not influence me. I became intrigued with this book with the map of Tinker’s Grove and the Irish ballad, “The Ballad of Willie Archer,” at the beginning of the book. I became immersed with the Indian and Celtic folklore in the first ten pages. I am curious about the webbing between Conor’s fingers. I had already decided to buy and read this book before reading the OnlineBookClub review, so it did not influence me. I did find a couple of errors in the first ten pages at Loc. 282: “Couldn’t have been more than ten or eleven, but more than he hated the Burke or loved the service station’s [ice cold[ (ice-cold) Coke in bottles, he loved the [rattle snakes] (rattlesnakes) that Delahanty kept in a wire cage right in the same garage where the cars were fixed.” Other than these errors, the first ten pages appear to be professionally edited, and I have no recommendations for this author. I have downloaded the free copy of this book and will eventually finish reading it.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 2:25 pm by Bertha Jackson.

Astral Magi

The title and the dark and intriguing cover drew my interest. If I hadn't read the first ten pages, I would have read the book based on these. The official OBC reviews, as well as the first ten pages of the book, all alluded to a mystery involving Roan and the town, which piqued my interest. Roan was noted in the volunteer and customer reviews as being part of a prophecy involving magic, which provided a deeper understanding of Roan's role in the community. I liked how a rattlesnake was mentioned and how it influenced the course of events. I'm looking forward to finishing the book. There were no errors that I noticed, and there was no space for improvement. The book was professionally edited.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 1:14 pm by Astral Magi.

AntonelaMaria

I read urban fantasy books, but this book's blurb and review gave an impression it is not a book for me. I don't read young adult books as much as I did before. I find my lack of connection with characters prevalent in those books. Other reviews I have read on retail sites didn't convince me either. The cover is something I would change, and it needs improvement. It seemed like it tried to be both illustrated and photographic cover. After reading the sample, I haven't changed my mind. I like that the author found inspiration in Celtic and Native American mythology. I couldn't tell that Conor was the main character at first because the author paid attention to side characters too. That is also noteworthy. There is an Official OnlineBookClub review that gives such high praises to this book. The editing was exceptional, and I didn't notice any errors.

First Ten review added on February 21, 2022, at 11:49 am by AntonelaMaria.

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