The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Something (Wisteria 1)
Because Something (Wisteria 1) 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.
dhomespot
This seems to be a very interesting book. I started reading and could not put it down. There are spots that lead me to think that it was not professionally edited, but it did not take away from what I read. I believe I would have bought the book even without reading the reviews. I was halfway through it before I realized that I had passed the 10 page mark.
First Ten review added on April 8, 2017, at 5:28 am by dhomespot.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
jungkookblog
I don't think I will be reading this book because I don't want to read any horror novel. The Ring has creeped me out when I watched it, so I don't want to read something that's similar. I will not be reading this book because of that reason. It seems professionally edited. I did not see any review, and I don't think that would affect my decision.
First Ten review added on April 8, 2017, at 3:52 am by jungkookblog.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I probably would have sampled this book without this program based on the genre, title, cover, blurb, and OBC review. I thought it looked like an interesting book. However, I was a little hesitant because the review mentioned a lot of sexual content, which sometimes bothers me depending on the context. After reading the first ten pages, I will be finishing this book. I was pulled in right away. I want to see how the book affects each of the characters. The sexual content so far hasn't bothered me. It did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on April 8, 2017, at 2:24 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
truebookaddict
Had I not sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have chosen to read this book because I love horror novels and this one sounded first rate.
This book was free and I did download it. I plan to read the whole book eventually. I found the story so far to be compelling.
The book seems to be professionally edited. I did not notice typos or grammatical errors.
Aubrey is a troubled character which can only lead to some bad situations. She's kind of like watching a trainwreck...one cannot look away. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens.
This book was officially reviewed on OBC.
First Ten review added on April 8, 2017, at 2:13 am by truebookaddict.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I wouldn't have read it. I usually read romance books. Having read the sample, my opinion remains. While I like how the plot makes the reader curious, I thought that there were many descriptions. The book seems professionally edited. It has a favorable onlinebookclub review. I do not read the genre and hence, I will not be reading the book further.
First Ten review added on April 8, 2017, at 1:38 am by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cjgarland89
I was excited to check this book out because I love horror and suspense. The cover has just enough mystery to draw you in and its colors are perfect. I didn't see an OBC review but it wouldn't have made a difference as I decided pretty quick I wanted to read this one. After sampling I can confirm I will be finishing this book. It's mysterious enough to drag me right in and I can't wait to finish it. I didn't see any errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on April 7, 2017, at 5:00 pm by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MarisaRose
At first, I was a little unsure of reading "Something" by Shelby Lamb. The overall content seemed dark and I'm not sure I would be able to connect with the teenage protagonists. After sampling the first ten pages, I decided I would not be continuing on with the book. The content is not only dark, but also depressing. Further, from what I read, the pacing seems very choppy and many of the descriptive words felt repetitive. I think this book may appeal to a younger (but mature) audience. I did not notice any errors in the beginning sample.
First Ten review added on April 7, 2017, at 4:17 pm by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kdonegan91
The cover and title instantly caught my attention. After reading the first ten pages, I was anxious to read more. I am not a fan of fantasy or horror but the author's style of writing really pulled me in. I will finish reading this book in the near future.
First Ten review added on April 7, 2017, at 2:22 pm by Kdonegan91.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
L_Therese
Horror is definitely not my genre, so even the cover was like a flashing neon warning sign to me. When I read the Amazon blurb before downloading a copy to try, I was also a little thrown off by the decision to put so many accolades and criticisms before even showing a summary. When I read the first ten pages, I decided that this book was certainly not for me. My impression wasn't exactly horror, but the characters seemed very juvenile to me. Depending on where the story eventually goes, it may be a book that appeals more to a younger crowd (though I'd be cautious about recommending it because of the drugs/alcohol/sex/suicidal ideations that have already shown up).
First Ten review added on April 7, 2017, at 8:10 am by L_Therese.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Momlovesbooks
The title and cover of this book caught my eye. The OBC review was well-written and detailed. Based on some of the warnings of intense scenes and very graphic sexual situations, I don't think this is my kind of book. I read the first few pages and had mixed feelings about it. The book appears to be creatively written and very entertaining. However, I could tell some of the situations would be uncomfortable to me. I won't be reading this one.
First Ten review added on April 7, 2017, at 7:51 am by Momlovesbooks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gravy
There were some typos, though nothing huge. The cover is very eye-catching. The writing is fine and the premise is as well, though I'm not really a fan of the style. This really isn't a book I would be interested in, and the sample didn't change my mind. Because of this, I don't intend to read it.
First Ten review added on April 7, 2017, at 6:36 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
The cover seems very fitting with the genre (horror) and I like how the title is simple. The blurb is a bit too long, and I really just wanted to skim to the actual summary of the book. It does have high customer ratings, and a high OBC rating. However, in the OBC review, the mention of disturbing, almost erotic scenes occur here. Since these scenes make me feel uncomfortable, I would not have sampled this read on my own.
Based on what I read, the book does seem to be professionally edited. I think certain young adults would enjoy the feel of this book. It gives a sort of Gothic-feel and has a girl who is emotionally lost. However, for me, the book did not grab me from the beginning. I find the unstable teenager, Aubrey, a bit cliche and reminds me too much of high school in some ways; I'm referring to the wanting to be perfect, missing a boyfriend, and constantly hearing "Bring Me Back to Life" song. It is also hard to sympathize with Aubrey, at this point, since I don't much about her and what is making her feel so depressed. Because of these reasons, I do not plan on finishing this read.
First Ten review added on April 7, 2017, at 4:59 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ananya92
The description and the excellent review of this book, were pretty encouraging, so I was keen to read the sample. Though horror is not my favorite genre (since I get scared easily), I've to say that this book will definitely engage the reader. The author cleverly and imaginatively uses popular horror material to fashion a refreshingly chilly and menacing tale. The book seems to be edited professionally, as well. My only grouse is the excessive sexual content in the book, which is sadly too much for my liking. Therefore, even though I think this is a good novel, I won't be completing it.
First Ten review added on April 7, 2017, at 2:51 am by ananya92.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Pilar Guerrero
The cover looks interesting for the book, and the title is also appropriate to the story, as the book does something to the people. I did not like the narration or the characters in the book. The teenage girls are full of problems and their arguments were boring for me to read. I would not buy this book because I do not like horror stories with stron sexual content.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 10:23 pm by Pilar Guerrero.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample, I would have read the book, because the genre and cover are great. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. I was very confused by how much everything seemed to jump around, and I felt lost about who the characters were. The official review made me not want to read the book because of how much sexual content there is. The sample was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 8:37 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bfrisco
I might have looked into this book, given the title and the cover. It looks like a young adult novel, possibly involving suspense. Once I read the description, however, I realized that I would not enjoy reading this book. I appreciated that the author included reviews that were both positive and negative in the description, but I'm always frustrated when I have to scroll through a long list of reviews to get to the summary of the book. The onlinebookclub review also summarized the book well, in my opinion. When I read the book, I did feel it was professionally edited. I would not continue reading this book, however. I avoid horror novels and really anything frightening in general, and this book certainly seems to fall under that category. I also tend to avoid books that heavily feature mentions of suicide and suicidal tendencies, which this book also does. I found the description to be somewhat hit or miss, although I felt that the way the author described emotions was generally effective.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 5:50 pm by Bfrisco.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shelle
This book looks like fun and I was glad to see it as the book of the day. The first few pages left me with a lot of unanswered questions, so I guess I'll need to keep reading to find out more. I like the pace and writing style and hopefully the characters will grow on me.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 5:42 pm by Shelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
jamesabr
Aubrey's story in the sampling so far is interesting. If I were not a part of the First Ten program, I would have sampled this book due to the review's synopsis of it on the Online Book Club website. Aubrey's desperate attempt to forget Nathan while hooking up with a random guy she met hours after the first setting. I could sense her lack of self esteem, so the sample felt almost too quick to read. I enjoyed this book enough to buy and read it. There were no typos or grammar errors.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 5:41 pm by jamesabr.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CataclysmicKnight
I'm not really a horror fan, and dark writing without humor isn't my thing either, so I probably wouldn't have read this if it wasn't a book of the day. The author definitely has some skill with writing a depressed girl, and it was the highlight of the entire first ten pages so far. However, the Amazon description isn't something I'm interested in, with all the sex and porn star talk, so I won't be finishing this book.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 2:48 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
The cover of this novel and the title seem creepy so they definitely piqued my interest. The blurb was a little confusing but the online book club review gave a clear understanding of the plot. I was excited to start reading this book because it was compared to The Ring.
After reading the first ten pages, I can say that this book seems professionally edited and easy-to-read. The sexual content paired with the young age of the characters has me a little uncomfortable. Therefore I do not think this book is for me, and I do not intend to read the rest.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 2:45 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
bookowlie
The cover is eye-catching and creepy. I found the format of the Amazon blurb annoying, with a huge number of review excerpts placed before the actual summary. I think many potential readers won't even bother stitcking around to read the summary. The beginning pages are slow paced with an excess of description about minor things. Based on the writing style and the OBC's comments about the characters being hard to follow, I am not interested in reading further.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 2:03 pm by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
The cover is really eye-catching and perfect for the genre and the storyline. It adds a very creepy and horror like theme that captures what the story is about. After reading the blurb, I am highly intrigued by the book and after reading the first ten pages, I am definitely hooked. I will continue reading the rest.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 12:46 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Scerakor
The cover, blurb, and official OBC review were very compelling and I may have picked this up even if I hadn't been a part of the "first ten" program. The book sounds creepy and intriguing enough to make me want to know a bit more. After reading the first ten pages, I still haven't made up my mind if I will buy the book and read it later. It followed through with the promises of "shock" content as well as keeping the creepy feeling to it, but I found that (at least the first ten pages) the characters seemed a bity whiny for my liking. I get the impression that things will improve and so although I won't be at the top of my list, I will say that I'll read the rest of the book. I liked how the author doesn't shy away from harsh content and that whereas most authors would ease into a complex situation like that, disturbing scenes were already unfolding on page 2. The book definitely looks well written and edited and the OBC review didn't affect my final decision in any way.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 12:24 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vermont Reviews
Great characters make this story Something by Shelby Lamb come alive. I really liked the preview. The character I liked least was Bella Broadhurst. She is not a nice person. Always after what someone else has. We do not really learn a lot about Aubrey yet, but I know that more is coming up. Looking forward to finishing this one. Scary you betcha.
Vermont Reviews
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 12:11 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
James Craft
Already got my copy of this and looking forward to reading it! The cover is awesome, the book sounds great, and the fact that it is free is hugely beneficial. I am thrilled to check it out and can't wait! This is a great follow-up for the last couple of days and something I'm definitely looking forward to.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 11:42 am by James Craft.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gali
I may have sampled this book, as I love the genre. The cover is awesome, but the blurb isn't that good. Instead of just informing the reader about the content, it has far too many review excerpts that did nothing to entice me to read the book. I had to skip through all of them to find some info about the content. Luckily, the official review shed some light on the content. I liked the dark gothic atmosphere of the book, and found the sample interesting and well written. The reviewer warned us about the excess of sexual content in this book. I am not too thrilled about this. Still, as I enjoyed the sample, I will give this book a try. The book seems unique and I am curios to find out more about it.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 10:56 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shreyoshi Sen
I am so not imprested by the plot mainly because of the high usage of sexual content. Though the review did warn but I didn't think that it would have so much of a sexual content. I felt drawn to the book at first but now if I am asked whether I would be buying the book or not, my answer is a big no.
First Ten review added on April 6, 2017, at 10:36 am by Shreyoshi Sen.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 44%
Something (Wisteria 1) earned a score of 44%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 44% 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 Something (Wisteria 1)
