Cover for The Governor's Daughter

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for The Governor's Daughter: The Mysteries of Colonial Cambodia

Because The Governor's Daughter 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.

MarisaRose

106960
When I first hear about "The Governor's Daughter" I was intrigued by the premise as well as the beautiful cover. The OBC reviewer had a lot of positive things to say about the book, leading me to want to read it. I would have considered buying this book prior to sampling it for this program. That being said, after reading the sample I was still just as excited about the book. The book appears to be professionally edited, and the writing is interesting and engaging. The author does a great job describing the scene from the beginning. I'm left excited to get into the mystery element of this book. I will buy this book today and read it eventually!

First Ten review added on June 16, 2017, at 9:32 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Heidi M Simone

76506
I have actually read this book prior to this program. Though, the reason I read it was because the OBC reviewer spoke highly of The Governor's Daughter. I do prefer this cover as opposed to the previous one. Based on what I read, the book does seem to be professionally edited. I like how the author has included some historical information, assuming they are accurate, but found it a bit tedious to read. Overall, because I already have a copy of this book and have read it before, I do not plan on purchasing it today.

First Ten review added on June 16, 2017, at 6:36 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

AA1495

104697
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read romance books. Having read the sample, my opinion remains. While the book seems well written, I thought that the first few pages contained a lot of information (names, dates and events). I did not come across any major grammatical errors. The book has a favorable onlinebookclub review. Since I do not read the genre usually, I will not be reading the book further.

First Ten review added on June 16, 2017, at 2:00 am by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Megwe85

104509
Seeing the title, The Governor's Daughter, immediately had me thinking of the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. I thought the book cover was attractive, although it, combined with the title, gave the impression of a book in the YA genre. Had I not read the first ten pages, I probably would not have made this book a priority on my reading list because it seemed like it was aimed at a younger audience. I found the first pages to be quite intriguing though. Although I know quite a bit about Eastern religions, I am not as familiar with the history of the region. I think this book will give me a lot to think about and I am now looking forward to reading it. It seemed to be professionally edited. I am excited to delve deeper into the main character and find out what her predicaments will be. I did not see an official review so it did not play any part in my choosing to continue to read this book.

First Ten review added on June 16, 2017, at 1:59 am by Megwe85.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

jungkookblog

92866
I think I would be reading this book because from the cover, it seems like there would be political riots and something that leads to a conflict between the relationship of the governor and his daughter. I will be reading this book because the first ten pages had a lot about religion, and I find that interesting. It seems professionally edited. I did not see a review, and I don't think that would affect my decision.

First Ten review added on June 16, 2017, at 12:55 am by jungkookblog.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Gravy

60847
Historical is not my typical genre, so I wouldn't have looked at this. The cover doesn't really fit the story/genre (in my opinion).
I did notice errors. Some switching of tenses, and some missing words.
The story sounds interesting enough, and I like the author's choice of time and setting. Despite the errors, if I read more historical, I might have chosen to read this. As it is, I just have too many books on my plate, and this didn't tempt me enough.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 8:49 pm by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kdonegan91

108481
The cover is beautiful and the title made me curious. I read the sample and the Amazon description and I was disappointed. The sample was hard to follow and seemed to jump around a lot. It did not make me want to read more. I will not be purchasing this book.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 3:37 pm by Kdonegan91.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Momlovesbooks

71009
The cover of the book caught my eye. However, it was the well-written, detailed review by the OBC reviewer that made me want to try this one. I enjoy historical fiction and thought it sounded informative with a unique plot. I read the sample and could tell it had been thoroughly researched and edited. I just couldn't tell from the pages I read, if this book is for me. I may pick it up in the future, but won't be reading it right now.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 9:19 am by Momlovesbooks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Christina O Phillips

127531
The title sounds plain and the summary did not interest me. The first few pages open with a mini history lesson, explaining to the reader the world the book is set in and the narrator's experiences in that world. However, it was all telling and no showing. I feel like that information could have been integrated into the story in another way which would make for a more interesting beginning to the book. These pages did not make me want to keep reading.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 8:48 am by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kourtney Bradley

81668
A strong female lead is what first drew me in for this one. I like that she is interested in becoming a detective and will have to prove herself before she can do so. Although I really do like the premise behind this one, I have taken on the idea of too many books right now that will take me a bit to catch up. I'm passing on this one solely because of lack of time.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 8:07 am by Kourtney Bradley.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kitkat3

124950
I like the cover and the title. The blurb made me interested in the story. The book received somewhat mixed reviews. The OnlineBookClub review made me excited to sample the book. I might have sampled this book without this program. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be reading the rest of the book. It does appear to be professionally edited. I'm not sure if it will hold my interest, and something about the dialogue felt forced to me.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 2:54 am by Kitkat3.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

classicaltwist

135316
My first impression of this book is that I would not read it. The cover is good, the blurb is interesting, and the reviews seem to be positive. I wouldn't read it simply because it isn't my cup of tea. I don't care for thrillers or murder mysteries.

The sample did not change my mind. It does seem to be professionally edited as I saw no grammar or spelling errors. However, I just wasn't interested. As I said, I don't like the genre so I was already biased against it. The beginning was a lot like a history lecture, so I often found my mind drifting. The official OnlineBookClub review was a positive one, but ultimately not enough to sway me to read a book in a genre I'm usually not interested in.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 1:21 am by classicaltwist.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Miche Sora

137318
If this book were in the mystery section, I might have picked it up because of the cover, but not if it were in historical fiction. After reading the sample, I'm definitely going to buy the book because the main character is just like me--bound and determined to do what she wants, and not be saddled with doing things that most women are expected to do, like chores and stay at home.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 1:02 am by Miche Sora.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

L_Therese

49351
As I initially viewed this book, I was interested. Historical fiction set in colonized Cambodia isn't something I run across every day. As I read the first ten pages, it seemed clear that the book was well-researched, but to me, it could have been more engaging. I felt like I got a lot of information about the setting, but I didn't feel like I was there with the characters.

First Ten review added on June 15, 2017, at 12:57 am by L_Therese.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Cjgarland89

72859
Based on the cover this book looked mildly interesting, and I thought it would be something I'd be interested in. The OBC review definitely grasped my attention farther because they brought up a good point that I also know nothing about Cambodia. After sampling I can agree that I would love to finish this book, and am even more thrilled it's part of a series! I didn't see any errors.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 11:25 pm by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Shelle

89475
The premise of this book sounded interesting and I was happy to sample it. The book starts with a history lesson of turn-of-the-century Cambodia. While that was interesting, it did not pull me in or give me much information about the main character. She's probably very interesting, but I couldn't tell. The book appeared to be professionally edited and error-free.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 10:01 pm by Shelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mollymae

119986
I really like both the cover and the title. I found the sample to be well written and paced. I enjoy historical fiction and find the topic intriguing.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 9:28 pm by Mollymae.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Scerakor

45879
From the blurb and cover of this book (and even more so after reading the official OBC review) I may have picked up this book was I exposed to it. Even if I rarely read YA, this book seemed to hit several of my favorite characteristics (historical fiction in an "unknown" (to me) part of the world). After reading the first ten pages I was not disappointed. I loved how the author introduced the characters and the way that the author's writing style was easily accessible/attractive to the reader. Although I likely won't read it today, I honestly believe that I will buy it in the future and read the rest of the book. It seemed extremely well written and edited.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 8:17 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

micoleon13

97247
This cover page is beautiful and draws the reader in. I'm not very interested in historical Asian fiction, however, after reading the Onlinebookclub review I was much more interested. The writing was well done with no apparent mistakes. The introduction dragged a little but did set the scene, especially as the majority of people wouldn't know any history of Cambodia. I liked the idea of this book, especially for young adults to give them more knowledge of different cultures, although they may skip through the introduction. I probably wouldn't read it further unless on holiday with more time to read, but would reccomend it to others.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 5:35 pm by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

EMoffat

167021
Had I not read the sample pages, I would not have read this book. The blurb didn't entice me in, and it did not seem like the kind of book I would enjoy. I got the impression it was quite romantic, and this was emphasised by the cover and title. The reviews of the book were good, but this would not have changed my mind because it just isn't the kind of book I enjoy reading. After reading the sample pages, I still think I will not read the story. Although, it did change my original impression, and I like the story line about a strong woman trying to fit into a man's world. However, it is still not for me. Romance mixed with crime is just not my genre. It is nothing against the way the story is written, which seems like it is done very well, it is just personal preference. The book seems professionally edited, and I found no grammatical errors. I really did enjoy the lead character, Anjali, and I think the concept of her making herself in a male dominated country is a great story. The only recommendation I have is that the dialogue between the characters seemed a little forced, and could be written with more natural flow. I did not see an Official OnlineBookClub review, but I do not think this would have changed my mind. The reviews on Amazon were all very promising, the book just is not for me.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 4:12 pm by EMoffat.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Snowflake

127807
This book both looked and sounded interesting to me. I enjoyed the first 10 pages. They gave a good introduction to the characters and a good background to the story. It is well edited; I did not notice any typos or grammar errors. I enjoy stories about strong and interesting women and also like to learn about other countries and cultures. After reading the first 10 pages and the blurb about the book on Amazon, I have decided to purchase and read this book.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 3:38 pm by Snowflake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

CrescentMoon

56447
I really like the cover of this book. It's apt for a historical fiction young adult novel and relates to what the story is about. After reading the first ten pages, I didn't see any major grammatical errors or spelling issues. Unfortunately, I'm not really hooked into the storyline so I don't think I'll be reading the rest of the book. I'm also not too much of a fan of the genre so I'm not the target audience for this.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 3:34 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ashley_claire

68714
The cover of this book captures my attention while also being pleasing to the eye. I do enjoy the occasional historical fiction book, but not very often. So I was glad to read on the OBC review that this book also mixes other genres into the story as well. A teenager who is aiming to one day be a detective is a storyline that immediately sparks interest in me because it's not one I've heard very often.

Half of the book sample consisted of history and backstory for the country and time period. This was not a turn off and I thought the author did a good job of making the information interesting for the reader. The first ten pages were engaging and prompted me to want to read more of the story.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 2:24 pm by ashley_claire.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

va2016

119030
It sounds like a very interesting story based on the sampling I did. I think I will definitely like the background of Cambodia and the history behind the French occupation of Cambodia, and to know how the youth of Cambodia think through the protagonist character. I am going to read this book.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 1:13 pm by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Vermont Reviews

94574
Today's choice for book of the day. The govenor's Daughter by Sambath Mea s a detective story set in the 1920s for my taste was a bit slow paced. For this reason I have decided not to download the book. Aljali and her father are detectives and anjali cannot wait for her first case.
Vermont Reviews

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 1:05 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ananya92

65409
This book combines elements of suspense, thriller, historical fiction, and to top it all, caters to the Young Adult section. Set in French occupied Cambodia, the book weaves in detective fiction, with wider themes of racial prejudice, misconceptions, and conflict. It looks at the conflict between the Khmer and French people, both from the point of view of colonizers as well as cultural aliens. Apart from these subtle themes, the main plot itself seems interesting, going by the review. Though the review was quite encouraging, the description was slightly confusing as it pointed towards a complicated plot line. The book seems to be edited well. Though I found the premise of the book interesting enough, I am still unsure about how the book progresses, so I think I'll skip this one presently.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 11:42 am by ananya92.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sarah_Khan

89585
At first glance, I like the cover and title of this book. The plot seems interesting to me. After reading the first ten pages, I can say that this book is professionally edited and well-written. It is intriguing from the start. I liked that the online book club review mentioned that the story is not too complicated to follow. Unfortunately, this is the first book in a series and I do not intend to commit to it just yet.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 11:18 am by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Azeline Arcenal

120828
This seems like an interesting read, but I think I'll pass on this book. I usually don't read historical fiction novels, but the book cover looks very interesting. I didn't notice any major grammatical errors while reading the sample.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 11:10 am by Azeline Arcenal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

James Craft

108171
I love the idea of a book like this with a strong female character and some details about a far-off country that not a lot of people have been to. I, for one, know very little about Cambodia and would love to learn some details about the country and the people who live there. I didn't see any mistakes or flaws in the opening of the book and I certainly think this one sounds like an interesting read. I would pick up a copy, but I'm too busy just now to give this one a full read.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 10:28 am by James Craft.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gali

50066
I probably would have sampled the book on my own, as I love the genre. The cover is beautiful and the blurb concise and informative. The sample started rather slow and didn't draw me in. I understand giving us the background about the country is necessary, but it was written in a rather dry manner. Fortunately, things improved afterward and the book picked up the pace after that slow start. The official review was very convincing, but I understood from some of the reviews that the story was rather predictable. Still, if I didn't have so many books on my reading list, and if the book was free, I may have read the balance of the book regardless. As this isn't the case, I won't read the book at this time.

First Ten review added on June 14, 2017, at 10:22 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Total ~ 33%

The Governor's Daughter earned a score of 33%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 33% 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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