The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Dark Healer: A Dark Lords Novel
Because Dark Healer 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.
Kourtney Bradley
This one caught my attention with it being a sort of vampire romance novel. I can't really explain why, but I'm drawn to these books lately. I like the drama thrown in with a bit of romance and the unknown. I wasn't much of a fan of the cover at first glance, but have learned not to make my decisions based on that. I'll probably read this one soon, since it's something I'm really into lately.
First Ten review added on April 12, 2017, at 8:15 am by Kourtney Bradley.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MarisaRose
'Dark Healer' by E.J. Powell is not a book I would typically choose to read. I'm not a big fan of the vampire craze as I feel many of the books in the genre are nothing unique. Further, the cover of this one didn't really stand out to me or hold my interest. After sampling the beginning of the book my favorite aspect is the pacing so far. The book really jumps right into the action and moves along quickly. The author doesn't spend too much time describing situations or people. However, the overall content of the book is not much different than what I expected. Vampire slayers and predictable romance seem to be at the forefront of this book. I can see how this book would appeal to those who enjoy the genre, but being that I'm not really a fan, I will not be finishing this one. I did not notice any editorial issues in the beginning sample.
First Ten review added on April 12, 2017, at 7:57 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cjgarland89
At first glance I like the cover of this book. It's appropriate for the genre and really just a pretty deep red. The OBC review didn't pull me in to wanting to read this book as I don't really like romance or paranormal books that much. After sampling my opinion hasn't changed. It wasn't fun to get through the sample, as it just didn't interest me at all. I won't be buying this book for future reading.
First Ten review added on April 12, 2017, at 6:54 am by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
jungkookblog
I think I will be reading this book because a vampire romance sounds like a really good plot along with some action in it. I will be reading it because the first ten pages has caught my attention. It is filled with detail, and romance that drags the reader into the book. 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 12, 2017, at 1:24 am by jungkookblog.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shreyoshi Sen
I liked the review of the book very much but after reading the sample pages my interest seemed fading. This book is not for me as I am not completely fascinated by it. Though there are a few errors but can be ignored.
First Ten review added on April 11, 2017, at 10:35 pm by Shreyoshi Sen.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I do not know if I would have read it. I read romance but not paranormal fiction. Having read the sample, I liked the author's writing style. The characters' feelings were described well. However, I would have liked to know more about the personalities of the characters. The book seems professionally edited. It has a favorable Onlinebookclub review. Since I do not read paranormal fiction, I do not think I will be reading this book further.
First Ten review added on April 11, 2017, at 10:06 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I might have sampled this book without this program based on the genre, title, and cover. Paranormal romance is usually a genre I like, and I thought the title and cover really matched the genre. However, the OBC review mentioned vampires, which I tend to stray away from. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. The first scene was a little too gory for me. It started off right away with the vampires, and I wasn't interested. It had great description, but the content definitely wasn't for me. It did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on April 11, 2017, at 8:04 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gravy
This would normally be something I'd look at, and the blurb probably would have me sampling it. Not the biggest fan of the cover, though it is pretty. It just didn't seem to fit for me. There were some errors, missing words and whatnot. I can't say I enjoyed the sample. The style just isn't for me, so I do not plan on reading this, despite it being one of my favorite genres.
First Ten review added on April 11, 2017, at 6:31 pm by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
The cover is beautiful while the title is intriguing. The blurb is concise and well-written. Typically, I like a good paranormal read and, though with little reviews, this seems like one that some have enjoyed. However, due to it being another vampire story, I would not have read the sample without this program; there are so many vampire stories that I'd like to take a break from reading one.
Based on what I read, the book does seem to be professionally edited. I like how the author choose to open with an intense scene - a vampire killing Colt's family. This gives a good background of how Colt becomes a vampire hunter. However, as I mentioned before, I'm taking a break from vampire reads. Therefore, I do not plan on purchasing this book today.
First Ten review added on April 11, 2017, at 7:04 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Amagine
The cover of the book shows a passionate and dark image which correlates well with the story. After sampling a few pages, I was entranced by the author's writing and quickly became enveloped by the story. Yes, this is a book that I would want to read.
First Ten review added on April 11, 2017, at 1:00 am by Amagine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
L_Therese
From the get-go, I wasn't really viewing this book with an eye to buying it because I don't usually do vampires. It would have had to be truly extraordinary to sway me to purchasing any kind of vampire book. As I read the first ten pages, I was horrified by the initial scenes of violence. While this may pull many readers in, I decided that I didn't really want to read any more.
First Ten review added on April 11, 2017, at 12:39 am by L_Therese.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Pilar Guerrero
I did not like this novel. I found the dialogues and the descriptions plain and the few cliche sentences, like "a kid in a candy store", did not add to the story. I have the impression that the author is trying too hard to make the story believable, but the narration is monotonous. The characters are also too much of something: too good, too rough, too bossy. For that reason I found them boring. I would not buy this book.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 11:03 pm by Pilar Guerrero.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
bookowlie
The summary blurb appears to be professionally edited and gave me a good idea of the plot and themes of this book. Although the cover is attractive, it's a bit generic and didn't seem to be fit well with the description of the story. I was a little turned off by the violence in the first page or two. The sample pages appears to be professionally edited, but I found it difficult to become absorbed in the story. I don't usually care for books with a vampire theme, but I might be more interested in this type of story if there was less violence. Based on the beginning pages, I am not interested in reading further.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 10:35 pm by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
The title made me think of a fantasy novel, so I probably would've checked this one out no matter what. The concept of a vampire killer falling for a vampire is interesting, especially as dark as Colt's - the killer's - past was. However, as interested as I am, I don't see it making my massive "to read" list, especially since it wasn't free. I'm sure romance fans and vampire fans (and especially both) will enjoy it though!
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 7:23 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ashley_claire
This is exactly the kind of book I normally read. I've read my fair share of vampire books, and as long as a book has a good plot I don't see myself tiring of the genre. I was intrigued by the OBC review and the fact that the vampire in this story is a woman while the male is human. Typically in books I've read for this genre, those are reversed. I really enjoyed the first ten pages and learning about Colt's background. He's the typical, dark, brooding bad boy that I find entertaining to read about. The OBC review for this book raised my interest and the first ten pages kept it going. I definitely see myself reaching for this book in the near future to continue reading.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 6:13 pm by ashley_claire.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sarah_Khan
The title of this book is interesting but I think the cover could use some more help. After reading the first few pages, I can say that this book seems professionally edited and well-written. After reading the online book club review, I can not find anything unique about the plot of this book. Therefore I do not intend to read it.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 5:50 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample, I would not have read the book. Although the world sounds interesting, I felt that the blurb was nothing special. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. Although I was a little confused by who the characters were, I was pulled in by the prologue. I really liked the writing style, especially when there were long scenes of just dialogue. It was professionally edited. The official review I read contributed to my desire to read the book.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 5:39 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
jamesabr
This book is very fast-paced and I enjoyed sampling it. If I were not a part of the First Ten program, I would have sampled it due to the positive Online Book Club review of it and the Facebook blurb it received. My favorite part of my sampling was the descriptive nature of the first three paragraphs. Although they almost seemed ham-fisted, the exposition was vivid enough for me to imagine the danger. The word choices were also exciting: "In a snap second" and "the rage that ripped through him" were my favorites. I will definitely purchase and read this book. There were no typos or grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 5:35 pm by jamesabr.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
dhomespot
I would have decided to buy the book based on the blurb. It looks to be professionally edited. I liked the descriptive details of the scenes and how the author made you feel like you knew the character. This book does have an official review, but I would have bought the book regardless.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 5:24 pm by dhomespot.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vermont Reviews
Dark Healer by E.J. Powell today's book of the day shows the story of Colt and Helena. Will these two have a future relationship? Based on the preview I would have bought the book. As of this time my reading schedule is overbooked and I will not be downloading the book.
I thought the characters were great and the story was excellent. I did notice some mistakes like missing words.
Vermont Reviews
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 3:46 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
I really like the cover of this book. The red rose really gives it a dark romance feel which is perfect considering it's about the love between vampire and vampire hunter. I actually do think this book sounds interesting and after reading the first ten pages, I am hooked and would love to read the rest. Unfortunately I don't have time now to read it, but I think romance and paranormal lovers would like this book.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 2:47 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ananya92
The review of this book was pretty encouraging, and I have to agree that the sample managed to engross me thoroughly. The book seems to be edited properly, though there were a few errors. I liked the fast pace of the story, though at first I found the prologue too abrupt and unemotional. I liked that the author doesn't waste words and comes to the point quite early in the book, however, some length to add to the context would have been helpful. Since I like paranormal/fantasy romances, and this book has sufficiently aroused my interest, I'm going to finish this one.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 12:52 pm by ananya92.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
James Craft
The cover for this one didn't really draw me in, but the review from OBC looks really good and makes it seem like an appealing book that I might like, The overall book itself seems super interesting and reminds me a lot of good paranormal books I've read, so I was happy jumping into the sample. It didn't really spark me to want to continue reading the way I like books to, so I won't be buying a copy right now, but I'll keep my eye on this one and if I get more time in the future I might pick it back up.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 12:37 pm by James Craft.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
The cover, blurb, and review that I read, although very positive, didn't really do it for me. I would not likely pick up the book based on these items alone, solely for the reason that I am not a fan of paranormal fiction and never did jump on the "Vampire" bandwagon. I read the first ten pages as a part of this program and I did not change my mind. Although the book seems well written and edited, it wasn't enough to convince me to pick up this genre. I did like the build up in the beginning of the store (vengeance story, turns action, turns intrigue, turns existential crisis) but again, the genre isn't my cup of tea. For that reason I will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. The official OBC review, although complementary, did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 12:27 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Christina O Phillips
I like vampire stories, but I normally don't like romance stories. However, I read the sample anyway and want to read more. I like that it started in the middle of the action, the attack that led Colt to become a vampire hunter. I also like learning about his life right away and it made me want to read more.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 11:30 am by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gali
I probably wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as its premise doesn't sound any different from many others of its caliber. The cover and the blurb aren't very compelling, but the official review sure had me intrigued. The book is penned in the third point of view and not in the first person perspective as was stated in the review, or at least the sample was. as the reviewer stated. The book started well enough, with a chilling scene of death, then moving on to the present. It was well-written, but it failed to grab me. I won't buy the book today, as the subject matter of the book doesn't interest me.
First Ten review added on April 10, 2017, at 10:41 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 35%
Dark Healer earned a score of 35%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 35% 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.
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