The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Trust Me, I’m a Careworker: Extracts from a Diary of a Careworker
Because Trust Me, I’m a Careworker 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.
SPasciuti
I’ve never been especially fond of biographies and therefore don’t read them often. Despite the intriguing title, the cover and description didn’t endear me immensely to the book initially. After reading the sample I find that I am interested in the book, but not so much so that I feel excited to read it. I have more of a vague inclination to do so.
The story begins with some random, and from what I can tell, unrelated pieces of the author’s life before finally moving into the diary entries detailing the transfer of career from caterer to care worker. I wasn’t overly impressed by the diary format, but the book does appear professionally edited. I like the idea, but I’m not eager to read it and resultingly feel rather torn. For now I won’t be finishing it, but I feel that I might come back to it at some point in the future.
First Ten review added on June 13, 2018, at 2:06 am by SPasciuti.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jgideon
The title of the book is very unique and it caught my attention. I would have chosen to read the sample of the book based on the cover because it gives a hint about what the book is about. I did enjoy reading the sample. I plan to buy and read the whole book. Caregivers go through a lot of hurdles in their lives and the book provides information about such. What I liked most about the bit that I read are the author's honesty and his diction. The book is professionally edited. It has an official OnlineBookClub review that I saw.
First Ten review added on June 13, 2018, at 12:53 am by Jgideon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
briellejee
The title may not be appealing enough and might drove off fiction and adventure genre lovers, but having read the review, I realized I need to read this book. The official OBC review highlighted the different wonderful stories embedded in the book in the world of healthcare, which I am very interested in, thus I decided to read this. I expected to find common musings and ramblings like what I do in my diary, but after reading the sample, I realized that this has a touch of good style writing, which made me like it even more. The different patients the author encountered are very interesting and diverse, starting from George who has clinical depression and to Jarvey, the one with the dementia. Each story, each character gives a perspective in different aspects of life that could certainly help me. I would buy it, finish reading it then read it again if I have the means. I did not find any noticeable errors. I want to thank the offical OBC review for giving such a thorough review that helped me in changing my mind to check this out.
First Ten review added on June 12, 2018, at 11:21 pm by briellejee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
ccrews0408
Based on the review, had I not read the first 10 pages, I would not have read this book. I don't normally read non-fiction memoirs. Now that I have read the first 10 pages, I still don't plan on reading this book. Though the career of a healthcare worker is very admirable, I don't think I want to read about it. I think it was nice how he was inspired by George to switch careers especially late in life. There was a sentence break between chapters 4 and 5. There was an official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on June 12, 2018, at 9:53 pm by ccrews0408.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kendra M Parker
I had seen this book as an option to review, but it did not really appeal to me when I read the blurb about it. The title was interesting, but I usually prefer to read fiction. The official review was interesting since it was quite flattering, but it did not really take me to the point where I really wanted to dive into the book. Reading the first ten pages of this book, I was interested to learn that the author had such a diverse history, going from catering to owning a grocery, to public service and care worker. The first story about his time with the man who told him he could leave set the tone, but it was a bit confusing to me what the point was. I think the chapter formatting issues did not really help the matter, either. As much as I agree that careworkers are underpaid and under recognized, I think I will pass on this book. I’m just not that interested in reading more right now.
First Ten review added on June 12, 2018, at 9:47 pm by Kendra M Parker.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
RebeccasReading
This is not a book I would have normally read. I don't have an interest in the topic. After reading the sample, my opinion is the same. There was nothing in the sample that interested me enough to make me read more. I think it's a really nice concept to tell these stories. However, it's just not something that catches my attention.There were some formatting issues--the header for #5 is in the middle of a sentence. It may not have been professionally edited.
First Ten review added on June 12, 2018, at 9:41 pm by RebeccasReading.
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. However, the title made me curious about the plot of the book. Further, I found the image on the cover (of the caretaker holding the patient's hand) touching. Having read the sample, I liked how the author described the twists and turns in his own life, in the introduction. This helped me connect with the author, and made me curious about what the author had to say. One of the issues I had with the book was the lack of an index (or the "contents" section). I usually prefer going through the table of contents to get an idea of the structure of the book. The book seems professionally edited. However, since I do not read the genre usually, I do not think I will buy the book today.
First Ten review added on June 12, 2018, at 9:33 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I like the pace at which the author describes his life and what brought him into care work. It’s nice to hear the lessons he learned from his new job and experience the fulfillment he did coming into his true purpose in life. It is sad that most of the people in his book are deceased now, but it’s so nice to see he was able to help George out of his depression and provide loving support for the elderly. This book is pleasant and inspiring and I will put it on my list for future reading. The editing looks perfect, I didn’t notice any errors. I like memoirs but don’t search for or read them a lot. In general, I would think the subject matter of this book would be sad or depressing, but it looks like the author mostly focuses on the positive or amusing parts of his job. I wouldn’t have guessed that before reading. The review was positive and made me interested in sampling this book.
First Ten review added on June 12, 2018, at 5:34 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
DancingLady
I’m not into non-fiction and memoirs very much so this book didn’t initially interest me. I was pleasantly surprised by the author’s excellent conversational flow. The first 10 pages breezes by just like if I were listening to someone tell me about their life and what they do. I didn’t find any errors. It was very informative how different employers treat their workers and how little attention is given to the practicalities of staying on such a tight schedule. I would enjoy listening to this if it were an audiobook, but I do not have time to read it.
First Ten review added on June 12, 2018, at 10:14 am by DancingLady.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cristina Chifane
Without the first ten program, I would not have read this book because I am primarily interested in reading fiction and academic books. I like the title as it explicitly relates to the topic as described in the Amazon blurb. However, I would have changed the cover and used a much more clear picture to reflect the topic. With no editorial reviews and one customer review, only reading the sample can give you an idea of the author's writing style. The chattering, informal tone used by Christopher Bulteel is a good choice for a book one might suspect it deals with serious matters in a careworker's life. The story flows smoothly and it becomes a tribute to those whom the author calls "the unsung heroes" in our lives. Although careworkers are underpaid and undervalued, they dedicate themselves entirely to the people they help. From this perspective, the author has done a wonderful job in writing this book and raising people's awareness of the careworkers' difficult lives. The diary extracts are very well written and give the story the necessary touch of authenticity. I have enjoyed Jarvey's story and the author's initiation into the home sitting service. Nigel's story was very emotional for me and I completely understood the author's attitude to those who deny sick old people the right to a peaceful life. I only found two minor mistakes in the sample. I agree with the OBC reviewer that they did not spoil the pleasure of reading. Even if I do not usually read this kind of stories, I would like to continue reading Christopher Bulteel's book.
First Ten review added on June 12, 2018, at 3:36 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
britt13
This book seemed highly reviewed, this includes the official review. I did not think that I would be reading it though because I am not enjoying non-fiction at the moment. That being said I do think that it is dealing with an important topic. I was excited to be able to read the first ten despite my feelings. After reading them I feel that it was constructed pretty well. You do not get too deep into the story with just the introductory type stuff. I only for one "error". I say it in quotes because I am not sure it is actually an error, but it makes the sentence feel awkward. It states "I was born to the sound of a dawn chorus on 20th April in the year 1949." If 20th is going to come first it feels like it should flow "on the 20th of". Like I said, I think it is a personal preference. Anyway like I said I think it seems to have promise as a novel but I will not be reading it right now, maybe down the road I will change my mind.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 10:51 pm by britt13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Samantha Simoneau
Prior to reading the first 10 pages, I was interested in reading this book because of the blurb. I like it when people tell their life stories and his sounds intriguing. There's a bit of name-dropping in the blurb, but that doesn't bother me. There are a couple of missing commas, namely after "warnings" and "committee," but that's not a big deal. There's only one customer review, which disappointed me, but it's 5 stars. When the customer review described the book as "humorous," I was excited to check out the sample. After doing so, I love this book. I'm not going to download it because I don't want to spend the $3 and change and it needs some editing. There were missing and misused commas and apostrophes (i.e. "Dads' shed," and missing commas before nonrestrictive phrases beginning with "which"), missing hyphens (i.e. "home cooked," "life threatening," "6 to 7 year olds"), a semicolon that should have been a colon, missing spaces (i.e. "June2004"), misspellings (i.e. "lived" for "loved"), and there are abrupt numbers that completely interrupt the text in the Amazon sample. This makes for very distracted reading, although I was charmed by the book. The stories are written very conversationally and the descriptions of people and surroundings were simply wonderful. There is an official Online Book Club review, which I read, but the reviewer must have read a very different copy because he/she gave it a perfect rating, so there must not have been so many errors in that one. I would have immediately downloaded it if it was free, but if I'm going to pay for something, it needs to have fewer editing problems than this book does. I am already attached to Chris, though, and find him and his "patients" very interesting and I believe the book is relevant and worth reading, ultimately. Not today, though.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 10:21 pm by Samantha Simoneau.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
kfwilson6
Personal diaries are not something I typically care to read, and Mr.Bulteel's stories working as a care worker are just not something that capture my interest. The cover of this book needs to be redone to be more appealing and relevant. After reading the sample I can say there is more than the cover that needs to be redone. There are numerous missing commas and hypens. There are numbers I assumed to be section breaks placed in the middle of thoughts or even sentences. The first story in which Mr.Bulteel meets his first patient is not at all interesting. I found it quite slow and boring. I don't care to read any more anecdotes by Mr.Bulteels.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 8:43 pm by kfwilson6.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Elizabeth Pass
The cover didn't interest me. The synopsis and review were only mildly intriguing. I didn't want to read this book. After reading a few pages, I still don't want to read it but I enjoyed it more than I thought. I liked the humor mixed in but I didn't care for the rambling narrative. When the senile old man locked his wife in the garage and commented about finally putting the pigs away, I laughed out loud. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to convince me to keep reading. I did not find any editing mistakes.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 7:55 pm by Elizabeth Pass.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
After reading the blurb, I wouldn't pick this book up because I'm not really a fan of the nonfiction genre. I like reading mysteries, thrillers, and suspense novels and this one seems more like a book about anecdotes and experiences being a care worker. After reading the first ten pages, I did notice some minor grammar and spelling errors. In the second paragraph, there should be a comma after the word results. Also, meagre should be spelled as meager. However, these errors were minor and I didn't feel like they detracted from the story. I like how the author first describes how he initially started in the catering business but then transitions into why he decided to go into being a care worker after so long. I think the writing flows well. I think people interested in reading more about the careworkers and their professions would enjoy reading this. However, this book isn't for me.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 6:16 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
lavellan
I probably would have read the sample of Trust Me, I'm a Careworker even if it had not been a part of The First Ten program. The Book of the Day review was very positive. The book seemed like it was professionally edited and I did not notice any errors while reading. I enjoyed the honest tone the author used to write his narrative. I would have liked to have learned more about the circumstances that caused the author to switch careers. I will not be buying the book today because I'm not very interested in the subject matter.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 4:02 pm by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kristy Khem
The title and cover design did not interest me and the blurb was only mildly interesting, so I would not have chosen to read this book. However, after reading the first ten pages, I changed my mind. The excerpts are quite enjoyable and the author can really write descriptions well; particularly, I liked the brief portrayal of the cottage kitchen on page 8. I really liked how the excerpts are written as short stories, complete with detailed accounts of the characters and their dialogues. Unfortunately, I saw many errors in the sample which included lack of close quotation marks on page 8 and no spacing in the date on page 6. The last line of the penultimate paragraph on page 5 runs into the last paragraph mid-sentence and is also indented. The words, ‘Hotel and Catering Management,’ all needed to begin with capital letters because it is the name of an academic course. The book seems interesting, but because of the multitude of errors, I would not continue to read this book unless it is edited professionally.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 3:51 pm by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
melissy370
Initially I would not read this book. Even though I have worked in a similar field, it is not what I typically read. The sample did change my mind and I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Because of that, I would like to read the rest of the book. The stories are relatable because I have worked with dementia patients as well. Although I do not understand why a woman would leave to go to the hairdresser when she knows her ailing husband is missing, the part about getting the pigs in was hilarious. There were a few problems I saw in the narrative. There was a missing quotation mark and the word "love" was missing a "e".
Also, the breaks in the storyline by the chapter numbers were odd.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 2:23 pm by melissy370.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
cpru68
The title is so appropriate for this book because many people who suffer from dementia do not realize that their world has changed. They don’t know why they need help, and they many times cling to what is familiar, so for a stranger to show up and help them means that trust must be built. The difficulty with this, like what the author wrote about, was that by the next morning or even the next minute, you are no longer remembered. With much humor and compassion, this book has been written. I worked in a long term care facility for ten years. I was sixteen years old and spent a lot of time doing housekeeping on a floor where all the patients had dementia. This author’s stories took me back to those days of needing a huge sense of humor and a warm heart. There are some formatting issues with this book, however, and it would be such a shame to not fix them as the storytelling is fantastic. For instance, the numbers placed along the way could be removed. In fact, in one instance, a number 7 was cutting right into the dialogue I was reading. If those numbers were removed, the book will flow better. Also, do another round of punctuation check especially with commas and proper placement. I think this book will be a great help to many. Due to an already overflowing shelf of books to read, I must pass for now.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 2:01 pm by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
desantismt_17
I found this book’s title cute, even if it didn’t much hook my interest. The description didn’t call to me either. I’m not much for memoir-type books. Before sampling, I wasn’t interested in reading. After sampling, I have decided to pass. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed only one missing hyphen. The author’s writing is clear and crisp. It drew me into the events, even though I’m not interested in the rest. The description of childhood fun and the summary of how many changes went on in the author’s life makes for a fascinating beginning to what sounds like a heartwarming collection. There isn’t much in the way of dialogue, which, depending on the story, doesn’t necessarily bother me. But I felt it was worth noting. The OnlineBookClub.org review I read had many good things to say. This just isn’t my kind of book.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 1:21 pm by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kat Berg
I would not have chosen to sample this book based on the cover or title. I would have just assumed that there was really nothing of interest in the pages, but imagine my delight when I began reading and discovered rich description, earthy prose intermixed with clever dialogue. I do not always like when an author indicates an accent in their writing, but in this case, it worked really well. My favorite part of this story was the contrast the author made between Florrie, the perfectly motherly looking character, her surroundings and her startling language. I felt like I was there. The thing I liked least about this book is that it did not seem professionally edited. There are chapter breaks put haphazardly throughout the book. One time it occurred in the middle of a sentence! (p. 10) There were missing possessive apostrophes (p. 8), formatting issues where there is a paragraph break in the middle of a sentence (p. 9), missing commas (p. 13), and mistaken words ("if," instead of the correct "is" on p. 21). The writing is strong enough that I don't mind these issues too much, but it would be fantastic without them. I felt compelled to finish the first little story and would enjoy reading an edited version someday. The only reason I am not going to read it now is that I have too many books already on my plate. If I had a lazy day with nothing else to read, I would possibly pick this one up. I did read the official OBC review.
First Ten review added on June 11, 2018, at 1:21 pm by Kat Berg.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb and OBC review. I don't usually read non-fiction books, and the review and blurb didn't change my mind. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. I couldn't get into it. A big part of this was because of the errors. For example, one that I noticed a couple of times was a misplaced apostrophe. Because of these errors, I don't think the book was professionally edited. I did like that the author added humor, but I would definitely suggest fixing the errors.
First Ten review added on January 1, 2018, at 3:07 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
jungkookblog
When I first see the cover, I don't think that I am going to read the whole book. This is because the title suggests that it is a nonfiction book and talking about jobs. I will not be reading the whole book because the first ten pages talked about their past life and how they got here. I like that, but the author should include more narration on other things such as their love life, struggles, etc. Also, reading the first ten pages did not change my original decision. It does not seem professionally edited because the 4th chapter seems to be included in the 5th chapter, which is not formatted correctly. I did not see a review, and I don't think that would affect my decision.
First Ten review added on January 1, 2018, at 2:30 am by jungkookblog.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gravy
This probably wouldn't have caught my eye, as it is only peripherally related to anything I regularly read. What I read was interesting and well communicated, though, there were a few errors. For instance, the tenses changed within a single paragraph.
The cover is a bit too generic for my taste.
There was an official review, but it wouldn't effect my opinion, regardless.
I do not plan to read this, mainly because it just didn't catch enough of my interest to convince me to.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 11:54 pm by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MarisaRose
This book did not interest me at first. Despite the positive OBC review, the premise and blurb didn’t interest me. Although I think caring for the aging is an important topic, it’s not something I’d care to read about right now, so this isn’t a book I’d buy. After sampling the beginning, I didn’t change my mind. The first ten pages describe why the author chose to become a care worker. While I’m sure this is important for the story, it didn’t interest me, and the writing was a bit boring. On the other hand, I enjoyed the format of the book. It appears to be separated into maneagable chapters. Also, I didn’t notice any grammatical errors or other major issues. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t excited after reading the sample, so I don’t plan to read any more of this book.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 10:03 pm by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Quinto
The OBC review is all praise for today's featured book that gives readers a glimpse into the everyday life of a caregiver for the senior citizens. I decided I would read or sample the book based on it. This is because the review highlights the challenges of this often overlooked profession. It's a job that affords dignity to a portion of the population that played a vital role during the active phase of their lives, and now need a helping hand to do even the most basic chores. I, however, won't be in a position to buy and read the whole book because of my committed reading schedule. Reading the first ten pages was in line with my original guess. The portion I read contained a few errors that made me conclude the book doesn't seem to be professionally edited: "The beach and promenade were busy, with a mostly middle aged and elderly populous, children having returned to school..." ("populous" should read as "population"); "I also felt confident my line manager Charlotte was at the other end of the phone to offer help and advice" (commas needed before and after "Charlotte"); "The onset of dementia was not his fault and at a time when he needed support and lov, he..." ("love" misspelled as "lov"); "I wondered how a family could act in such a callous way to someone who had lived them all and given his life to them ("lived" wrongly used in the sentence); "I hope that all will be well assuming the you're trained to deal..." ("the" misplaced in the sentence). I liked the comical tone of the narrative. It made reading the novel enjoyable and the characters relatable. However, the author needs to have his book professionally edited for greater impact on his audience.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 1:46 pm by Quinto.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
IsabelMay
I wouldn't have sampled this without this program for a couple of reasons. If I'm completely honest, the cover is terrible. The description is all right, but not engaging enough. Last but not least, I only found one Amazon rating without a full review so it wasn't plausible. However, I decided to give this book a chance after checking out an official review on OBC. The sample confirmed my first impression, unfortunately. I didn't find any mistakes, so the book had probably been edited, but there was a problem with formatting. With that aside, the main reason why I won't be buying the book is because the story is boring and not as humourous as the description promised. Perhaps I have a different sense of humour. I've tried to find something I truly liked about this book, but I haven't found anything. Maybe someone who is also a care worker will find this a great read, but this book isn't my cup of tea.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 1:44 pm by IsabelMay.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
I wouldn't have sampled this on the basis of the title and genre because I wouldn't have known from those whether this memoir was worth reading. I will buy and read the whole book on the basis of the first ten pages because the author's personality comes across well and I would like to read about the important work he does. This does not seem professionally edited: crisis was spelt crises and populace was spelt populous; there were also numerous apostrophe errors. What I liked best was the way the author balanced a humorous account with respect for his patients' dignity. The main thing that could be improved is the editing. I did see an OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 1:16 pm by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Christina O Phillips
The title is simple yet caught my attention; the cover did not. The summary made me feel like the author had authority on the subject. There were no errors that I noticed. The tone is conversational, relatable even. Nothing very special happened in the first few pages, but I enjoyed reading it. I have been a caregiver to many people in my life and still am. It is good to read about others' experiences, especially humorous ones so I know I'm not alone.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 12:30 pm by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this read. Since the topic at hand does not relate to my life and I don't enjoy reading a compilation of stories, this read wouldn't be suited for me. When looking at the cover, I found it confusing at first; I think it might be the angle. The title seems a bit too much on the "over-confident" side, which is unappealing for me. Furthermore, I am somewhat picky on what non-fiction to read and after reading the blurb, it confirms that this isn't for me. The positive OBC review and customer review do not sway my decision one way or the other.
Based on what I read, the book could use more editing. For instance, in the line, "...were performed in Dads' shed...", the possessive noun seems to be referring to one Dad. Therefore, the line should be "...in Dad's shed...". Also, in Chapter 4/5, the line, "...to cast my mind back..." is just cut off. I like how open the author seems to be toward the beginning of the read by sharing his childhood experiences, his career switch, and his success with George. However, I found the writing to be a bit too bland, and there are so many errors here that I cannot bring myself to read the book. Therefore, I do not plan on buying and reading this non-fiction.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 11:21 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yoli García
The OBC review indicated that in this book a care taker shares his experiences with the elderly, disabled, and those who suffer from mental illness. Before I read the sample pages, I was not interested in the subject. After reading the sample pages, I thought the book was professionally edited. I liked the author’s tone. I liked that he said he learned from his experiences taking care of people. I will not read this book because I am not interested in its subject. However, I think it will raise awareness about this profession, the elderly, disabled, and those who suffer from mental illness.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 10:34 am by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
jwalker73
I was not particularly drawn to the title as I was not sure if it was meant to be an honest statement or a sarcastic one. I also did not think much of the cover. Despite having a great interest in health care issues, I would not have selected this book based on these alone. The OBC review raised my interest by explaining that this book was a combination of humorous and serious incidents. I also liked that the reviewer felt it highlighted the importance of treating the elderly or infirm with respect and love. For me, the first ten pages were easy to relate to. Working in the health field, I often come across situations similar to those described. The writing was engaging and I did not detect any errors. I do not plan to read the rest of this book as, while I can appreciate the value of the stories included, I would prefer to read a book about topics I do not experience on a daily basis.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 6:53 am by jwalker73.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
I would have chosen the book even if I had not
sampled the book, based on the title and the cover.
They are very representative of the content that's
narrated, which is very important. I am not going
to read this book in full. Although the introduction
was really nice and I felt it would be a great storytelling,
the first chapter story really put me off. May be the
author could have selected a more pleasant story for
the first chapter, which would have made it bearable.
Another reason I am skipping this book is because of
the formatting. The paragraphs are too long with
one or two lines interspersed, which makes it really difficult
to read, and looks awkward too. I could not locate any
grammatical or mechanical errors in the book. This book
might have synergy with caretakers but not my typical genre,
and since the writing style does not make it any interesting,
I am skipping this book in spite of seeing an OBC review
that gave a 4 star rating for the book.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 12:49 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
bookowlie
I probably wouldn't have sampled this book without First Ten since the subject matter is not something that interests me. The cover is a little odd since it's not clear what is depicted in the picture. The summary blurb is free of errors and gives a good idea of what the book is about. However, the explanation didn't really made me more intrigued about the book. The writing in the beginning pages has a smooth, natural flow. I did spot one noticeable error - the label 5. for the next section/chapter is shown in the middle of a sentence and paragraph - there is a line break in the middle of the paragraph and 5. is shown in between. I did like that a patient, George, was utilized as a way of introducing the author's career change to being a case worker. Although the beginning pages are well written and the OBC reviewer gave it high praise, I am not planning to buy the book due to my reading preferences.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 12:42 am by bookowlie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
L_Therese
The title of this book got my attention, but I wasn't sure what the image on the cover was, so I may have passed this one over without this program. As I read the review, the description and praise really encouraged me to read the sample, and the book sounded like one I would probably want to finish. However, when I read the sample, I found numerous editing mistakes. There were frequent missing commas, incorrect punctuation at the end of sentences, and chapter divisions located in the middle of a sentence. There were also grammar errors like choosing to end a sentence with a preposition. This book seems to need an editor, and I might be willing to reconsider it afterwards.
First Ten review added on December 31, 2017, at 12:04 am by L_Therese.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Azeline Arcenal
After reading the first ten pages, I decided to finish reading the book. I found the book to be humorous and I like how the characters are portrayed. I also read the official OBC review which helped influence me to finish reading the book. While reading the sample, I didn't notice any grammatical errors either. If I were to sample the book based on just the cover or title, I probably would have sampled it because both look pretty interesting.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 10:34 pm by Azeline Arcenal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
vaz222
Had I not read the first ten pages as part of this program, I still would have chosen this book to read. This book is highly relatable to me because I am a care worker myself. I am going to be buying the book and reading it because I love my career working with elderly clients just like the author does. Based on what I read, the book does seem to be professionally edited. What I liked most about the bit I read was how honest and entertaining the story is. I don't see anything that needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 10:31 pm by vaz222.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Scerakor
From the cover, review, and blurb on this book, I probably would not have bought it. Although I have been enjoyed memoires recently, one focusing around caregiving industry isn't one that is immediately appealing to me. After reading the first 10 pages, I didn't change my mind. It does look like this book will take a good humorous approach to this serious topic, but it isn't enough to change my views on the topic itself. In general it looks like this book is well written and edited, but on the Kindle sample the paragraph headers seem to appear in awkward positions on the page. Beyond that, I didn't see anything specifically that I would change. I will not be reading the rest of this book. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 9:55 pm by Scerakor.
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 because I am not that interested in the subject matter, and the cover is a little simplistic. After reading the sample I have not changed my mind. I did like the narrative style, but there were lots of errors. For example, the book read "'...brought home the bacon!!!'I decided...", using incorrect punctuation. At the end of the sample, sentence was also interrupted by the chapter number. I think some editing would be good for this book. I did not read the official review but it did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 8:58 pm by Catherine Hsu.
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 have chosen to read or sample this book based on the topic. I wanted to see if it was like Chicken Soup for the Soul.
I am not going to buy and read the whole book because I'm no longer interested in finishing it.
Based on what I read, the book does not seem like it was professionally edited. There were chapter numbers or line breaks in the middle of a sentence.
What I like the most in the bit I read is the lighthearted style of writing. I liked reading the Author's Note for once.
What could be improved is the cohesion. It was hard to follow at times.
The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 7:49 pm by Izesicle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Seraphia Bunny Sparks
After reading a sample of, Trust me I'm a Care Worker by Christopher Bulteel, I have decided that I will not be purchasing this book. At first glance, neither the title nor the cover of this book appeals to me. I don't read non-fiction novels often, and so I feel this book would not be a good fit for me. If I had not read a sample of this book, I would not have picked it up. I will not be purchasing this book. As I read this book, I first thought that it had taken place in the U.S. That was my immediate assumption. As I read further, I learned the words used in this book, indicate it took place overseas. I would have appreciated it if the author had stated this when describing his birth. I like that the author gives us background on himself and his earlier years. Based on what I have read this book appears to be professionally edited. This book does have an official OnlineBookClub review. The reviewer points out a few interesting points, but it does not change my mind concerning this book. The book does not engage my interest, and I feel it isn't for me.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 5:54 pm by Seraphia Bunny Sparks.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ritah
I like the cover of the book, but based on the genre and title, I wouldn't have sampled the because I don't usually read books in the genre. The book appears to be professionally edited, but I did spot what I thought was an error i.e Location 16. "...underwear removed to assess whether any member might scream in a crises." I think 'crisis' would fit better than its plural form. I read the official review and then sampled the book. Even though I initially didn't think I would be interested in the book's content, the sample captured my interest and I felt compelled to read more. Which is why I will be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 4:57 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Snowflake
The title is good but I find the picture on the front visually confusing. I have to keep taking a moment to look at it closely to understand what it is. Perhaps it would be easier for me to understand if it wasn't zoomed in quite so closely. The Amazon blurb is good, if a bit longer than my preference. It is clear and concise without too much hyperbole - which is greatly appreciated. I would likely have sampled this book without the first ten pages program. The OBC review was very positive and added to my interest in the book. I enjoyed the sample. There seemed to be an issue with the formatting though, with the section numbers appearing in the middle of paragraphs. Other than that, I did not notice any obvious typos or grammar errors. I really enjoyed the sample. The writing was humourous, self-aware and kind. It was an excellent way to learn about what it is like to be a care worker. I have so many books on the go right now that I do not plan to purchase this book today. It is one, however, that I may enjoy coming back to in the future.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 4:57 pm by Snowflake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
amybo82
The book has a cheeky tone, and its author is clearly British. If this were available as an audiobook (particularly one read by the author), I would probably download and listen to it. However, I think I would get too bogged down in the author's diction to be able to make it all the way through reading the book. I think people who enjoy humor with a grounded edge will like this book. While I don't think it's the book for me, I could see myself recommending it to people who work in the care industry. I probably would not have picked this book up based on its cover and description. There's only one review on Amazon, so that didn't give me a lot to go on. The official Online Book Club review went more in-depth and provided some examples of just how funny the book is!
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 4:34 pm by amybo82.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
micoleon13
Although this is a nice cover page which ties into the title, I'm not sure about the picture. It is difficult to immediately see what it's about, whether it's someone being pushed or grabbed or comforted. As it is apparent that it's non fiction, something which I don't often read, I wouldn't choose this book. The Onlinebookclub review was very complementary, stating how the discretion of the author regarding anyone in the book was impressive. That it was such a positive review got my attention and it sounded well written and humorously done. The pages which I read were well written and edited, and the style was easy to read. It is certainly a big change around for the author to go from the catering industry to carework. He dealt with subjects such as dimensia with tact. Although I was more interested in the book than I thought, having recently lost an elderly relative, I would find this too emotional to continue reading, so sadly I won't buy this book. A small suggestion for improvement would be a change in the cover picture.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 4:19 pm by micoleon13.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsTri
I knew right away from the title and cover that this book does not appeal to me. The synopsis and review only confirmed my lack of interest, as I'm not interested in either memoirs or the careworker field, in particular. While I was glad to see that the sample was edited well in terms of spelling and grammar, I was also turned off by the formatting issues; page numbers would often fall in the middle of a sentence, pushing the end of the sentence to a whole new paragraph. The content itself was satisfactory, but I'm not interested in reading further.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 3:26 pm by MsTri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ladycraic
I probably would have chosen to sample Trust me, I'm a Careworker had I not been apart of First Ten. The title already implies of a humorous book which I'm down for, and the small bit that reads, "extracts from a diary of a caretaker" hints at a POV that I would definitely be interested in knowing more about. As I read the first ten pages, I couldn't help but find Christopher Bulteel inspiring. He was a caterer who, at the age of 53, made a life-changing decision to care for others and treat his clients with respect. I am dedicated to becoming a child psychiatrist, and though it is an emotionally draining job, people like Christopher Bulteel encourage me to find and embrace the beauty in caring for others who otherwise would've never received such attention. I will be finishing this book, and I'm excited to laugh some more and learn from the somber and humorous accounts of Bulteel. This book seemed professionally edited to an extent, and I believe that a look-over with an editor would be very fruitful. I noticed a couple of punctuation errors, like: "Since that time and conidering reasonably poor exam results my life has taken..." There should be two commas, one between "time" and "and", and another one between "results" and "my".
The official OBC review further validated my decision to read with the mention of humorous characters and inspiring accounts.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 1:31 pm by ladycraic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own because this is not my typical read. I don't read non-fiction books and reading the sample didn't change my mind. The cover isn't very appealing, but the blurb gives a good sense of the book. Based on the sample, the author sounds like a conscientious and companionate care worker. I liked the way he treated his clients, as well as the way he related his experiences to us. Unfortunately, the book does not seem to be well edited. There were several instances of grammatical errors (mothers' gardens instead of mother's gardens), missing/misplaced letters (lov instead of love, it instead of is), missing commas, missing questions marks, and unnecessary hyphens. In addition, sometimes the switch between the chapters was done in the middle of the sentence. While I found the experiences of the author as caretaker interesting, it didn't engage me enough to want to continue reading. The OBC review didn't sway my decision one way or the other.
First Ten review added on December 30, 2017, at 12:16 pm by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 19%
Trust Me, I’m a Careworker earned a score of 19%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 19% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for Trust Me, I’m a Careworker
