The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for City of Masks
Because City of Masks 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.
Momlovesbooks
The review of this book was impressive. I normally don't read a lot of sci-fi but thought I would try it, based on the review. I read the first few pages, but it's still not my favorite genre. I won't be reading the rest of it.
First Ten review added on February 17, 2017, at 9:58 am by Momlovesbooks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cjgarland89
At first I didn't think I would want to read this book. The cover didn't look very interesting. However after seeing the OBC review I became very interested due to the apparent action right away. Reading the first ten I was absolutely hooked. The opening scene in prison really got my attention. I am usually not drawn to fantasy but I'm hooked with this one, and the second was free too! I will be finishing them both!
First Ten review added on February 17, 2017, at 6:53 am by Cjgarland89.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Insomniac07
I was immediately intrigued by the gorgeous cover of this book, but it was the blurb and the official OnlineBookClub review that got me interested to read it. I've already downloaded the book and started reading it. So far it has been great. It's fast-paced and has a lot of my favorite elements in the fantasy genre, such as mercenaries, kick-ass women, etc. The book also looks like it is well edited and is error free, so looking forward to having a relaxing weekend reading.
First Ten review added on February 17, 2017, at 6:28 am by Insomniac07.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
jungkookblog
I think I will be reading this book because it has a very deep plot with different characters and with a action plot. I am going to be reading this book because the first ten pages has caught my attention. It seems professionally edited. I love how the author included so much detail into the book. I did not see a review, and I don't think it would affect my decision.
First Ten review added on February 17, 2017, at 1:14 am by jungkookblog.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CataclysmicKnight
I was drawn into this one immediately by the cover, and the Amazon description made me want to dive in immediately. After reading the first ten pages (and then some as I couldn't stop reading) I'm so intrigued by what's going to happen now that Notch has been freed. I'm also dying to find out how the three main characters will come together! If the other two are as cool as Notch, this one will be a treat for sure. I'll absolutely finish it (and probably book 2 as well since both were free!).
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 11:41 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rachaelamb1
I love the cover and description of this book. The OBC official review had good things to say about this one so I would have read it without the first ten program. I love the first ten pages. Notch's predicament immediately drew me in and I had to read more. I look forward to reading the rest. The book seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 10:33 pm by Rachaelamb1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gravy
I would not have looked at this, but I like the cover. I noticed no errors. The author's style is nice. If I read more in this genre I'd likely be more interested in this, however, at this point I don't plan to continue.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 9:23 pm by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
mratdegraff91
The cover of this book is different from the cover featured with the OnlineBookClub review. They are both interesting pictures, though. The description of the book was sweet but did not share enough for me to want to purchase the book. Upon reading the review and sampling the first ten pages, I was sold on it. Notch is an interesting character, and I look forward to reading about the other main characters mentioned in the review. The book also did not have any grammatical errors in the sample, and the story flowed smoothly.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 9:18 pm by mratdegraff91.
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 or comedy books. Having read the sample, my opinion remains. I liked the author's writing style and how the characters' thoughts are described. However, I found a few dialogues confusing. The book seems to be professionally edited. It has a favorable 4/4 OBC review. While I will not be reading it further now, I might read it in the future.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 8:22 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
chocomeiske
This is definitely something that would have captured my interest because the cover and title promises a fantasy read. The sample was good and does what it's supposed to do, which is capture the reader's interest so that one want's to invest time in reading it. I liked that it starts off with the prison scene which I found intriguing. It also appears to be well-edited.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 4:04 pm by chocomeiske.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Annelore Trujillo
I probably would not have sampled this book without this program. I don't usually like science fiction and fantasy books. After reading blurb and OBC review, it sounded like the content was not something I was interested in. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. It just wasn't a book of interest to me. I liked the style of writing and the book seemed to be professionally edited. This just isn't my type of book.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 3:19 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
The cover and title are very captivating. I love fantasies and there are several positive reviews, including an OBC review. Finally, the blurb sparks my interest. Therefore, I might have sampled this read even without this program. Based on what I read, the book does seem to be professionally edited. Right from the beginning, I was hooked. The mystery of whether Notch killed the young girl or not is something I would like to learn more about. At this point, I can see myself in finishing this read, and therefore plan to continue.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 11:55 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
L_Therese
At first glance, this book looked like a pretty generic YA fantasy, and I wasn't all that impressed. When I learned from the description that the protagonist would be accused of a murder he did not commit, I thought that the novel would echo a million others that I've seen. Then as I read the first ten pages, I found the characters engaging, and while I still don't understand all the elements in the fantasy world, it's still definitely comprehensible. Unfortunately, my list is far too long, so I'm still going to pass, but I pass more reluctantly than I thought I would.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 8:19 am by L_Therese.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
SandraTWP-BRW
Based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, and reviews: I have a neutral response on whether I would have read this book. I may - or may not - have. If I was busy, as I generally am, I would likely not have selected this for precious recreational reading time. However, if I knew I was going to have available time, and this was available, I would be more likely to pick this book up than many others. It’s not so much the cover as the blurb - I’m curious about those characters, how they manage their lives and how their cultures work.
Having read the first ten pages, I was quickly enmeshed in Notch’s murky history and current situation. The author did an excellent job of creating a scene into which the reader is immediately immersed. I even found myself liking Bren, for all his prattling and prison mal-hygiene. And I actually grew a warmth in my heart for Notch never, not once, losing patience with the addled man who never seemed to stop talking.
This book is definitely now in my “to finish reading” list.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 6:50 am by SandraTWP-BRW.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample, I would have read the book. The cover looks great, and the blurb was very interesting. The official review also peaked my curiosity. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. Although I was a little confused at the start, I grew to understand Notch's character and situation. The writing was descriptive and fluent. It was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on February 16, 2017, at 5:36 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
bookowlie
The cover artwork is beautiful and I also liked the stylish font used for the title. The summary is edited well and gave me a good flavor of the plot. I didn't care too much for the sample pages. Even though the part I read was technically well written, I had trouble keeping track of what was going on. I also don't think the characters were introduced well. To be fair, I don't read a lot of books in the fantasy genre, but I still found it difficult to get into the story.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 11:34 pm by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kdonegan91
The cover is appealing and title is creative. However, they imply this novel is written in the fantasy genre and I do not favor this particular genre. Therefore, I was not interested in it by the cover and title alone. After reading the sample and OBC review, my original opinion was confirmed. This book is not for me. It did not keep me interested and did not make me want to read more.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 11:06 pm by Kdonegan91.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Azeline Arcenal
Based on the first ten pages, I would probably read the whole book. The story started off at a good pace and had enough tension and suspense to keep me interested. I read the official online book club review which helped me to make the decision to read the whole book. There were grammar mistakes that I noticed. For example, there was period where there should have been a comma.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 7:39 pm by Azeline Arcenal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
James Craft
Another 4 out of 4 book from OBC that sounds really good! I love the cover of this one and think it does a great job of setting the mood. The introduction is really good and hooked me right in, and I think I will be picking up a copy of this one to follow up. The formatting was a little off at certain points, but never gets overly distracting. All in all, I think this is a great one that could be very appealing.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 4:47 pm by James Craft.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
jamesabr
This book was interesting to sample. If I were not a part of this program, I would have sampled it due to the genre (fantasy) and the enthusiastically positive review it received on Online Book Club. Notch was an interesting character to narrate Chapter 1. I found the repetition of "did you kill her?" to be appropriate, given the prison setting, so exposition flowed naturally. My favorite portion of the sample was the entry of the noblewoman, Lady Cera. Her disdain for Notch and the murder of the child was evident through the writing, and I enjoyed the fact that I could glean from the context that there was uncertainty involved in the child's death. I will definitely purchase and read this book in the future. There were no typos or grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 4:38 pm by jamesabr.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
CrescentMoon
I like the cover of this book. It is very fitting for the fantasy genre and for what the book is about. After reading the blurb, I am intrigued by the storyline and would pick it up out of curiosity. After reading the first ten pages though, I don't think I will read the rest. Mostly because I am already reading some fantasy books right now and this seems like a similar read. It is also very long and I have to be in the mood to read it.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 3:10 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vermont Reviews
After reading the preview of today's book of the day City of Masks by Ashley Capes I decided to download the book. The main characters Sofia Falco and Notch
As well as the others have a story to share with us and I want to see how Sofia turns out as successor. Tip of the hat to the author Ashley Capes. Well written.
Vermont Reviews
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 2:19 pm by Vermont Reviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sarah_Khan
At first glance, I found the cover art and the title of this book interesting. I thought the blurb was clear and concise.
After reading the first few pages, I was pleasantly surprised. This novel is well-written and professionally edited. Unfortunately, the plot did not catch my interest, therefore I do not intend to read the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 1:18 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ashley_claire
I was very interested in this book based on the cover, which I think is well done and intriguing. I am a fan of fantasy novels and the glowing review on OBC further fuels my desire to give this book a try. The book appears to be professionally edited. The story begins with a bang in the first ten pages when Notch wakes up in jail for a crime he doesn't remember committing. I was intrigued from the start and the many other positive reviews promise that this will be an exciting read. I definitely plan to continue reading this book in the near future.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 10:46 am by ashley_claire.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gali
I would have sampled the book on my own, as I love the genre. Imagine my joy when I found out that this book and its sequel are free! I love the cover and find the blurb intriguing. The official review further had me hooked. The opening pages, starting with Notch in prison, drew me in immediately. The premise sure sounds original. As the sample perked my interest, I will definitely read the balance of the book eventually.
First Ten review added on February 15, 2017, at 10:31 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 64%
City of Masks earned a score of 64%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 64% 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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