OnlineBookClub.org
The First Ten Feedback for Ironbark Hill
Because Ironbark Hill was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted reviewers have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book. The reviewers even read at least the first 10 pages of the book. They have each written a short review explaining why they plan to read the whole book or not based on the sample they read and other aspects of the book. Their feedback is displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten.
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.
RebeccasReading
This is a book I probably would have read based on the blurb. I'm a fan of books about strong women defeating the odds. However, the title is very clunky--I would recommend removing the entire subtitle. After reading the sample, I will not be finishing the book. The time frame and location is not established, so I was confused while I was reading. The strong slang used by the characters is very distracting (though it may be historically accurate). The book does seem professionally edited, though the font on the last page of Chapter 1 appears to be enlarged for one paragraph. Other than that, I did not notice any errors. The thing I did like about the sample was the description of sibling interactions. It was a very accurate representation of how young siblings behave towards each other. My recommendation for improvements would be to clearly establish the setting right away and to clean up some of the dialogue to make it easier to read.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 9:06 am by RebeccasReading.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as this is not my typical read. The cover is nice and the blurb concise and informative. The sample started off quite strong, with a chilling abuse episode, and then moved to the beginning of the year. The emotions leap off the pages and tug at your emotions. What I liked most about the book was the language. I am very impressed with the writing and the lack of noticeable errors. Despite that, and the excellent descriptions, the subject matter is not something I am interested in reading. I won't read the book, as abuse/infidelity tales are not my cup of tea. The OBC review didn't sway my decision either way.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 9:12 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Snowflake
The title is good and the cover is ok. The drawing is excellent. The Amazon blurb is well done and gives a good idea of what the book is about. The OBC review was also very positive. I may have sampled this book without the first ten pages program. The sample was well written. I did not notice any obvious typos or grammar errors. The characters were clearly drawn as was their situation. It was easy to understand and imagine them. The text flowed well and was not awkward at all. The book seems very well done. This is just a storyline that I do not wish to read at this time. The meanness of the stepfather and one of the step-sisters, as well as a relationship between a young girl and a married man, are just not topics I want to read about at this time. I do not plan to purchase and read the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 9:28 am by Snowflake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dolor
Ironbark Hill by Jennie Linnane chronicles the struggles of Natalie Chapman - protecting her mother and her brother from her abusive stepdad, rising above poverty, and becoming an art teacher - with the dark twists of domestic violence and forbidden love.
"IRONBARK HILL: There lies ahead a long, rough road for a girl fighting discrimination, seeking revenge, and pursuing a career in landscape painting."
I was pulled by the book, so I'm gonna read it, with or without the First Ten program. I prefer the book cover design of Kindle Edition more, than its paperback. There is no Amazon review of this book yet. The OBC review with its perfect 4 out of 4 star rating adds to my willingness to buy and to read this book. I have not seen any error in the first ten pages. Though this book is self-published, I could say, it is professionally edited. I don't have any improvement suggestion for this book. I can't wait to read the whole story.
#Fiction #Revenge #Discrimination
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 12:51 pm by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
BookishCreature
I would not have picked this book up at first glance. The cover isn't very appealing and the synopsis didn't catch my attention either. The OBC review was very positive, but that alone wasn't enough to make me want to buy this book. After reading the first ten pages, I found that the writing is very good - it's descriptive and it has a nice flow. It's obviously been professionally edited. However, the premise of the story still isn't enough to pique my interest, so I will not be finishing this book. A better cover and a more exciting synopsis would do this book wonders.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 1:23 pm by BookishCreature.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ritah
Based on the cover and genre, I would have sampled the novel out of curiosity about its content. The official review made me want to sample the book even more. But what really sold me on the book was the sample; It was one of those books that grabs your attention from page one! I fell in love with how the author used description to embed images of the unfolding story in my mind. I also liked the plot and look forward to reading more from Natalie(our protagonist); which is why I will be reading the rest of the book. There were no errors in the pages I read, leading me to believe the book is professionally edited.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 2:14 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
hsimone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this read. Even though the cover is beautifully sketched and the title seems clear enough, the blurb doesn't pique my interest. I don't like reading about abuse and spouses cheating on each other. Though there is a positive OBC review, it still doesn't convince me that this is read for me.
Based on what I read, the book does seem to be professionally edited. I really like the author's writing style, and the way she is able to describe the opening scenes. It was easy to picture what the child saw as she watch her father hit her mother. I also thought the transition to the first chapter was smoothly done. However, as I have said before, I don't enjoy reading about abusive relationships and infidelity. Though that beginning scene was fairly gripping, it made me feel too sad and uncomfortable. Therefore, I do not plan on buying and reading this book.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 2:30 pm by hsimone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yolimari
I would not have sampled this book without this program because I do not like reading about abuse. The OBC review about this novel was very positive but it did not convinced me to read the book. The theme of abuse and the fact that Natalie gets interested in a married man put me off. After reading the sample pages, I thought the book was professionally edited. The author has a detailed writing style that I liked. However, I did not like the scene in which Natalie saw her stepfather about to hit her mother again. I will not read this book because I do not like reading about abuse and relationships with married men.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 3:28 pm by Yolimari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
From the cover and the title of this one I wouldn’t have checked it out if it wasn’t the book of the day; it isn’t among my typical genres at all. The Amazon description had me a bit worried too, it sounded like a book full of abuse, hardship and heartache. While it definitely seems like hardship is a big part of the book, it’s done in a relatable, well-written way - the historical fiction nails the “historical” part incredibly well. The relationship between the siblings is also a big positive, and while there’s little to dislike I really don’t see reading it solely because it’s a genre I’m not often a fan of and the plot hasn’t hooked me. Despite that, I already feel like I can recommend the book to fans of historical fiction novels that expertly captures their settings.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 4:09 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
micoleon13
While the cover page is nice enough, it just doesn't have the spark to catch my attention. I wouldn't pick it up to find out more. The OnlineBookClub review was very complementary and outlined a storyline which I would be interested in. The character development of Natalie made me curious, as 16 is an age of development and change and it sounds like it's described well. The pages which I read were well written and edited. I liked the writing style and how Natalie found ways to stand up to her stepfather. I have no ideas for improvement and I would like to continue reading this book.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 5:26 pm by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Momiji1987
The author’s writing style is interesting and descriptive. I like the Australian locations and dialect, though I’m not exactly sure what some of the slang words mean. That’s okay though, because I enjoy learning regional words. The author also uses words that aren’t commonly seen in books anymore. I liked that as well. The characters are good and well thought out, but I felt sad for the steer. The middle sister is a complete jerk and so is the step-dad, so the author did a good job of making me dislike them. I’m not sure if I want to keep reading because I’m not comfortable with a teen having feelings for a married man. The reviewer loved the story, but I think it’s just too sad and close to real life for me to want to continue. The author is talented though, and the book was mostly professionally edited. I noticed one snippet of dialogue needed a space between the words and the text was different sizes on some pages. This isn’t really my genre so I probably wouldn’t have sampled this book outside of this program. I do like the drawing on the cover though.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 6:23 pm by Momiji1987.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shelle
This book reads like a memoir, but is actually fiction. The story opened with a a lot of arguing and violence and I couldn't tell if it was going to get better or not by reading the sample. The word choice and attempt at dialect seems amateur-ish, but I didn't find any glaring errors. It's only due to the BOTD program that I knew this book even existed. This book didn't really pull me in and I don't think I'll be reading more.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 6:46 pm by Shelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
BunnySTx
After reading a sample of, Ironbark Hill by Jennie Linnane, I have decided that I will not be purchasing this book. If I had not read a few pages, I would not have picked this book up. At first glance, the cover of this book does not pique my interest. The blurb for this book does not pique my interest either. Plus, the main character becomes involved with a married man quickly lessened my interest. I immediately shut down after reading that part of the blurb. As I read the story, I don't feel engaged with the main character. I just feel disinterested. The author doesn't pull me in and make me want to read along. I enjoy coming of age books, but I don't feel this book will be one I enjoy. This book does have an official OnlineBookClub review. The reviewer makes a few interesting points but does not change my decision concerning this book.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 7:34 pm by BunnySTx.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
After reading the blurb, I wouldn't pick this book up. I'm not interested in reading stories about young girls with older married men, the thought actually disturbs me so I don't think I could read this. After reading the first ten pages, I was really impressed with the writing. I thought the prologue was really well written. It really showcased the fear, horror, and abuse the main character experiences from her stepfather and just how tragic her home life is. I didn't see any spelling or grammar errors and it definitely seems professionally edited. However, this genre really isn't for me. I think people who enjoy reading coming of age stories would like this, but I'm not the target audience for this book.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 7:58 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have given a chance. I'm not a fan of coming-of-age novels and this one didn't seem like it brought anything extra to the table. After reading the first 10 pages I didn't change my mind. The simple that I read was extremely will written, and I didn't see any mistakes, and the language used was more than eloquent. I didn't see anything specifically in the sample that I read that I would have wanted to change. The only thing that I have against this novel, is the type of book that it is. I will not be buying this book and reading the rest of it simply because I'm not interested in coming of age, domestic dispute, and family dramas. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 10:00 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ladycraic
I would not have chosen to sample this book apart from First Ten. The cover doesn't indicate that I would find the book interesting. A pop of color in the cover would've drawn my eye more. Reading the official OBC review made me a bit skeptical about whether I would enjoy reading this book. There was mention of what seemed like the beginnings of an extramarital affair and I'm not down for that. The first ten pages were quite interesting and drew me in. I liked the setting of the story and most of the characters (Alex, of course, excluded). Shirley did freak me out in the beginning with her obsession with the steer's impending death, but I'm hoping she will outgrow such sinister thinking.
Due to the extramarital affair, I will not be finishing this book. From what I read so far, this book appeared to be professionally edited and I didn't notice any grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 10:07 pm by ladycraic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ZenaLei7
After reading the first ten pages, I decided not to finish reading the book. The sample wasn't interesting enough for me. I do like the book cover and title so if I were to sample the book based on just the cover and title, I probably would have chosen to sample it because they both look interesting. While reading the sample, I didn't notice any grammatical errors either. I also read the official OBC review for this book which was helpful in solidifying my decision on taking a pass on this book. There isn't anything I would change anything about this book.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 11:41 pm by ZenaLei7.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Izesicle
Had I 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. It's not appealing and the sentence gives away the story instead of enticing the reader to read.
I am not going to buy and read the whole book because I'm not fond of the writing style.
Based on what I read, the book seems like it was not professionally edited. I noticed typo or grammar errors, such as, the first "lay" should have been in past tense and quite a few sentences more commas.
What I like the most in the bit I read is that the descriptions are vivid.
What could be improved is to reduce the use of the word "ever".
The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 11:44 pm by Izesicle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Afuglsan
I like that the author drew her own cover, but it doesn't really speak to me. The title, too, is dull. Fiction is always a hit or miss genre for me. I don't think, however, that this is a book for me based on what I read and the OBC review. I did enjoy the author's writing style. I thought it was flowy and descriptive. I also like her use of vocabulary. Overall, however, I thought the book was a bit boring. I did not see any editorial issues. I will not be reading the rest.
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 11:45 pm by Afuglsan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vermont Reviews
After reading the preview of today's book of the day Irishmen Hill by Jennie Linnane. I decided not to purchase the book. The reason for that is because I have too many books currently in my reading schedule. I did like the cover illustration drawn by the author. I found the story well written and it did appear to have been edited.
I did enjoy reading the preview.
Vermont Reviews
First Ten review added on February 7, 2018, at 11:59 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsTri
The cover for "Ironbark Hill" is interesting, so it peaked my curiosity right away, but the title didn't particularly pull at me. Upon reading the synopsis and review, I determined that I don't want to read this. First, I don't like coming-of-age tales and second, I don't like stories with domestic violence. I reluctantly read the sample and though it was okay, I really couldn't wait for it to be over. I wouldn't suggest changing anything insofar as content, it just isn't my kind of story. I also noticed a few grammatical errors - mostly missing commas - on the first two pages alone, so the author may want to have someone else look it over. What I did like was the speech. Characters often speak too properly and precise, so it was refreshing that Natalie and everyone was talking like people really talk.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 12:09 am by MsTri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scrawling Pen
I will not be finishing this book due to a lack of time, but I do think that it contained many good attributes. I loved the detailed scenes and the very realistic dialogue that the author creates. There is an obvious tension between the characters, and the reader can sense it building. I did see an online review for the story which peaked my interest. It sounds like this story and its characters could potentially be a bit more complicated than originally perceived. The cover image is not necessarily a very impactful or exciting image, but it portrays the theme well. The only grammatical error that I noticed was a missing space between two words, but otherwise it seemed very professional.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 12:12 am by Scrawling Pen.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
psychopathycathy
If I had not read the sample I would not have read the book as I do not think it is my genre and the cover is a little incohesive with the vibrant turquoise and black and white drawing. After reading the sample I have changed my mind. I really liked the intensity of the story, and the only complaint I have is that there is a missing punctuation here: "I NEED THE MONEY". In this paragraph, the font also got bigger, which I am not sure was intentional. Other than that, I really liked the story's writing style.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 1:38 am by psychopathycathy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title conveys the place in which the story happens.
The cover graphic looks good. But I had to sample the
book to figure out what the book is about. I am not
going to buy and read the book in full, as during my
sampling of the first few pages, I found the story too
be too negative for my taste - very sad, painful, making
it uninteresting for me to move forward. Also, the narration
sounded raw (not polished). The book seems to be
professionally edited. I didn't find any mechanical errors.
I did find an OBC review for the book, but my decision to not
to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 2:11 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
I'm not quite sure if I would or wouldn't have read this book without the program but the first ten pages were interesting to read. I initially thought I wouldn't care less for the story when I came across all that narration without dialogue but I changed my mind. I enjoyed the use of words and descriptive clauses shimmering all over. As for the language, I suppose it was designed that way because they aren't exactly straight English, more like a combination of the old and new. As a result, some words wrongly spelled or totally omitted may be attributed to the style. I don't have a problem with it though. Therefore, I suppose it was properly edited although I don't mind suggesting another clean sweep from an editor who knows the rules of the style just to be extra sure. Nothing else to be improved on. The OBC review was lovely and was my first point of contact with this book and the decision to read it.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 6:20 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
bookowlie
The cover of this book is attractive, but the words near the bottom are very small and hard to see. Based on the OBC review, I would have not sampled this book without First Ten since I don't care for books that include child abuse. The summary is free of errors, although the first sentence is very long-winded. I didn't care for the shocking way the story began, with the main character's memory of her drunken stepfather about to hit her mother. The sample pages are well written, but the writing style is a bit formal for my taste. Based on the subject matter and beginning pages, I don't think this book is my cup of tea.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 11:59 am by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ButterscotchCherrie
I wouldn't have sampled this on the basis of the genre or description as I'm not prioritizing fiction of this type at the moment; the cover is beautiful, though. I won't buy and read the whole book on the basis of the first ten pages because I would not enjoy reading about an abusive, alcoholic father. The book seems professionally edited as I didn't notice any errors. What I liked best was the descriptive prose and the information that the narrator eventually becomes a successful artist. The characters were excellently drawn. Nothing needs to be improved as everything is appropriate to the style and genre. I did see an OnlineBookClub review, which was informative about the intriguing dilemma the narrator faces.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 12:50 pm by ButterscotchCherrie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
IsabelMay
I thought this was going to be a non-fiction novel (based on the cover). The description cleared things up, but I have to admit I wouldn't have sampled the book without this program. There are no reviews on Amazon or Goodreads, I only found an official review by OBC, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I can't say I'm impressed with the sample, but the writing is solid. The book seems to be edited and the premise is a mix of originality and ideas that have already been used in many other books. The writing style is good, there's little to improve. The only ''flaw'' is unprofessional formatting, which is a shame because it interferes with the reading flow. Overall, this book has potential. Since I'm not a fan of romance novels, I won't be buying it, but I'd recommend it to anyone who would enjoy something similar.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 4:09 pm by IsabelMay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books. Having read the sample, I thought that the author described the events and the characters' thoughts well. I could imagine all the scenes being described. However, I thought that the vocabulary used was complex and I had to assume the meanings of a lot of words based on the context. The book seems professionally edited. Since I do not read this genre usually, I will not be purchasing this book today.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 8:04 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
SPasciuti
Initially I thought this book sounded really interesting. I was somewhat weary of the romance mentioned in the OnlineBookClub review, but the premise made it sound worth checking out. More in the interest of time, I don't think I will finish this book after reading the sample. I really liked the introduction and I felt emotionally close to the main character. Unfortunately, the book was heavy with exposition. There was so much that it felt overwhelming at times. The book is professionally edited. An improvement that could be made would be to include more dialogue. I liked the characterization, but I feel like the book's density is distracting.
First Ten review added on February 8, 2018, at 10:16 pm by SPasciuti.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
anneloretrujillo
I would not have sampled this book without this program. I sometimes enjoy the genre, but the review and blurb didn't draw me in. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. I didn't really like the style of writing. It just didn't flow to me the way I expected it to. I wouldn't suggest changing anything, it just wasn't for me. I did like the description used. However, this just isn't the book for me. It did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on February 9, 2018, at 12:36 am by anneloretrujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
I would not have picked this book up because the plot does not interest me and the title and cover seem plain. I was impressed by the first ten pages. They were well-written and professionally edited. I found myself getting emotional and I was immediately invested in the main character's life. The OBC review was favorable and spoke highly of the writing, which I agree with. Unfortunately, I still do not find the overall plot very interesting. Therefore, I do not intend to read the rest.
First Ten review added on February 9, 2018, at 12:39 am by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Joy2thenations
Unfortunately, in my opinion the book cover does not have much shelf appeal. It looks like a book cover from the 40s or 50s. Though the official online review was well done and was positive, it did not draw me in as this is really not my style of book. This was confirmed in reading the first several pages of the book. I also felt bogged down in the number of adjectives used to describe things. I like well described scenes, but this just seemed to be a little bit overboard, and the types of words used are not common in my vocabulary and therefore slowed me down in the reading. This is neither my style of writing nor is it my favorite genre. I will not be reading this book for those reasons. The book did seem professionally edited, I found no errors in my reading.
First Ten review added on February 9, 2018, at 3:45 am by Joy2thenations.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gravy
This is not to my taste, so I would not have looked at it, and the sample didn't change my opinion of it. Needless to say, I won't be continuing, as it's just not for me. I noticed no errors, and I did enjoy some of the visuals created, but I just couldn't get into the sample.
I cannot say if there was an official review, but it wouldn't effect my opinion either way.
First Ten review added on February 9, 2018, at 5:36 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MarisaRose
When I first read the blurb for “Ironbark Hill” I was intrigued by the plot and the main character, but I wasn’t completely sold on this book. After reading the OBC review, I decided I would consider buying this book based on the reviewer’s positive comments about the writing style and characterization. After sampling the first ten pages, I was hooked on this book and excited to read more. The author does a great job setting a pogniant tone, and the writing is impeccable. I noticed no errors in the sample, and I found it hard to put the book down. I’m intrigued by Natalie and can’t wait to see what will happen to her as the story progresses. I look forward to reading more of this book!
First Ten review added on February 9, 2018, at 6:10 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
jwalker73
I would have passed this book by based on the cover and title. The lack of colour resulted in it failing to catch my eye. The picture, while quaint, and the title looked more like a non-fiction book than a novel. The blurb and review still left me undecided, although I enjoy stories about overcoming adversity. The first ten pages were well written. The story was easy to follow and the writing style maintained my interest. I enjoyed the author's story-telling ability, particularly the description of the family dynamics. The sibling relationships were very realistic. The book appears professionally edited. Due to my enjoyment of the author's writing style I plan to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on February 9, 2018, at 6:35 am by jwalker73.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
cristinaro
The cover seems to reflect the storyline featuring a girl pursuing a career in landscape painting. The title is perhaps misleading, lacking any emotional impact although reading the novel may prove otherwise. The Amazon blurb is too short and plot focused. I would have preferred reading more things about the way the story evolves, the chosen narrative style or character development. Unfortunately, there are no editorial or customer reviews, but I hope that this will change after the book being selected Book of the Month by the OnlineBookClub community. I have read the short bio about the author and I agree with her maxim: "Every person has a story to tell." What I would add is that gifted writers have many stories to tell whether they collect or imagine them. The prologue throws the reader into a pool of emotions as it describes Natalie's mixed feelings when facing her stepfather's abusive behavior. Written in the first person, the story follows Natalie's struggle to overcome her fear and achieve her dreams. I could not help but feel touched by the first chapter suggestively entitled "Home and Family" and minutely portraying Natalie's life in the middle of a broken family. I particularly liked the author's narrative style with penetrating descriptions. For example, I loved her oxymoronic juxtaposition of the stinking smell of her handicapped brother's sandshoes and the spring fragrances at Ironbark Hill. I also noticed the writer's keen eye for detail. For instance, Natalie mentions her small acts of defiance against her stepfather. I was impressed by Natalie's hard life and her resilience not to give up. Although it is her sixteenth birthday, she starts her day by changing her 5-year-old sister's wet pyjamas, doing the laundry and setting the table. I felt touched by the way Natalie says she is longing for Mondays because she can go to work and escape the hostile family atmosphere. Instead of gifts and praise, she is verbally abused by her stepfather on her very birthday. In sheer contrast with her stepfather's image, Natalie holds dear her grandpa's memory. I enjoyed the tender portrait she draws in the second chapter. Moreover, I sympathized with Natalie's disappointment when nobody remembered her birthday. Instead, her alcoholic stepfather is slaughtering a steer with younger Shirley as an excited bystander. If it had not been for this program, I would never have heard of this book. I am glad I had the chance of discovering it especially since it is professionally edited too. I would like to read it and see if I share the OnlineBookClub reviewer's enthusiasm about it.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 4:50 pm by cristinaro.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
lavellan
I probably would not have read the sample for Ironbark Hill if it had not been a part of the First Ten program. While the Book of the Day review was positive, the cover is a bit boring. The book seemed like it was professionally edited, but I noticed one error while reading. While was used instead of when. I enjoyed the part where the protagonist stopped her stepfather from abusing her mother. However, the writing was a bit dry. As a result, I probably will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 5:00 pm by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ccrews0408
Had I not read the first 10 pages, based on the title and cover, I wouldn't have read this book. After reading the review, I was very surprised about the content of the book. I think the author should have chosen a cover that would appeal to the audience because I feel many people will overlook a great book. Now that I have read the first 10 pages, I still don't plan to buy this book but for a different reason. I tend to stay away from books with dark and heavy content. I do, however, feel the author did a great job at drawing the reader in from the beginning. I didn't notice any typos or grammatical errors and there was an official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 5:25 pm by ccrews0408.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
melissy370
I would have never read this book based on the book cover or the blurb about it. Both seemed boring to me. Upon reading the sample my mind has changed. The writing is well written and engaging. When the author writes that integrity goes first in someone with alcoholism I quickly concur with examples from my own past. The setting and characters are realistically portrayed and that is what attracts me. Looking forward to finishing this book. I saw no errors.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 5:34 pm by melissy370.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mercy Bolo
This book's cover did little to influence my decision whether to read it or not but the well-written review had me eager to flip its pages. The sample, on the other hand, put me off with the use of multiple complex vocabularies. For this reason, I won't read the rest of the book. From what I read, there's nothing I would change about the book and I like that I noticed no grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 5:41 pm by Mercy Bolo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
kfwilson6
Nothing about the title or cover of this book would have made me want to read it. It looks very plain and uninteresting. The summary of the book somewhat grabbed my interest but it isn't very well written and doesn't do much to grab an interested reader's attention. Without the onlinebookclub review, I would not have been interested in reading this book. The onlinebookclub reviewer did such a great job explaining what this story is about and made it sound like a great read. I wish there were some Amazon reviews but the onlinebookclub review alone would have been enough to convince me to read this book. The sample too made me want to read it. I found some of the dialogue a little difficult to understand but the narrative is well written and I already felt like there was so much depth in the story and characters. So much is introduced at the beginning that I want to keep reading to know more.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 6:10 pm by kfwilson6.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emmanae
I don't think I would have read this book without the first ten program. As it's not the most provoking cover, I didn't pay much attention to it. After reading the Official OBC Review, I'm going to get this book as I also had an abusive adult in my past. I'm curious to see how they flesh out this story in just 207 pages! I'm unsure whether or not this book was professionally edited, as they pluralized "Hail Mary's" as Hail Marys. I loved the main characters attitude and was thankful but concerned for her as she tried to defend her mom. I'm definitely going to finish this book soon!
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 6:49 pm by Emmanae.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Haute_Coffee
I I wasn’t drawn to the cover or title of this book and I assumed I would be taking a pass. However, the sample drew me right into Natalie’s world. Right from the beginning her character is vividly drawn. I had no trouble feeling her emotions. The prose is beautifully written with a wonderful sense of rhythm. It was cleanly edited. I really look forward to reading more about Natalie’s life.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 8:06 pm by Haute_Coffee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Tbunde5
I was not immediately drawn to read this book by the cover or title. The description given by Amazon was not very helpful either. The best description of the actual story was the OBC review, which gave more insight into the character of Natalie. After reading the sample, I was found myself falling into the story because of the author’s natural writing style and the narrative style of the story. The prologue caught my interest because of the descriptive way the author tells the story of Natalie. I wanted to find out how she was able to protect her siblings from their stepfather and whether she would be able to escape her situation. The book seems well-edited and professionally written.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2018, at 10:42 pm by Tbunde5.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
DancingLady
I was considering reading this book for the April book of the month until I read the official review and found out it contains abuse and an inappropriate attraction. After reading the sample I really felt the weight of negativity that comes from such horrible family situations. I like that Natalie is a strong girl, seemingly better equipped to survive than some, but I still do not like the feel of this book and will not be reading the rest. I did find one error. “I recognised the disturbing fact that integrity was an early causality of alcoholism, and felt the full force of the threat.” I believe it should say “casualty”
First Ten review added on April 2, 2018, at 1:21 am by DancingLady.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
VictoriaMcMillen
I read the first ten pages and was not interested, the title and cover weren't very interesting to me either. The book did seem professionally edited and well written, it is just not something that interested me enough to keep going. Sorry, this book just isn't for me, even after reading the review. I liked the background of the young girl experiencing domestic violence in her household, I did not like how the story went after that, too drawn out for me. However, I am sure others would appreciate the book.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2018, at 10:17 pm by VictoriaMcMillen.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kathryn Price
I've actually read this sample before - I don't remember when. This seems like a book I would enjoy reading. I particularly like the author's flowery language and vivid descriptions, that contrast with the characters' rough and distinctive speech patterns and yet somehow fits together. This to me is the mark of a good author. Sometimes the language is a little too flowery, in my opinion, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I found no editing mistakes. Overall, I think this is a good book and I will put it in my reading list to read as soon as I get the chance, especially as it is April book of the month!
First Ten review added on April 2, 2018, at 11:40 pm by Kathryn Price.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
NL Hartje
The cover of this book immediately turns me off. This is, of course, a personal preference, but I am reminded of grade school readers and with this comes the connotation of "required reading." The book seems well edited and the reviews suggest a story with strong character development. Following a sixteen-year-old girl as she comes into her own and tries to protect her mother and siblings from an abusive step-father doesn't exactly scream "fun" and "lighthearted" reading. Since this is generally what I'm looking for, I don't see myself finding enjoyment in this book. The only thing that intrigues me is the promise of an extramarital affair later on and sadly, it's just too far off for me to want to read the rest to get there. I won't be reading this book.
First Ten review added on April 3, 2018, at 12:33 am by NL Hartje.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
N_R
This sounded like a very true, and sad portrayal of life in Australia within this era. While I really like the fact that a book with this content has been written, I am not going to buy and read the whole book. I have previously completed a degree where this history was covered and therefore I feel I have a good grounding in this. Also, with all the books I have to review and read, I am having to limit how many books I can take on to read. I did enjoy the sample, although it is quite an aggressive start to a novel. I did like the fact that this is a true story and that the events were inspired by real events. The reviews for this book were very positive and so I think that people who enjoy reading this genre are going to enjoy this book. There seems to be no issue with the grammar and formatting of this book.
First Ten review added on April 3, 2018, at 1:36 am by N_R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cjgarland89
At first glance this book doesn’t leap out at me, the cover makes it seem drab and unedifying. I wouldn’t have picked this up on my own. The OBC review was positive but wasn’t convincing enough to make me want to read the entire thing. It started pretty slow, and depressing. The author did great with the wording and making the reader feel emotions. I think a new cover could help this book a lot. I didn’t see any errors, therefore it’s professionally edited. I won’t be finishing this book.
First Ten review added on April 3, 2018, at 6:55 am by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 27%
Ironbark Hill earned a score of 27%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 27% 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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