The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for I Am Not Gog
Because I Am Not Gog 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.
va2016
The title and the cover is not very indicative of the theme of the book. There is only one Amazon customer review, so it is difficult to gauge whether to read the book or not based on that. The Amazon summary is crisp and gives the plot of the story. Based on these factors, I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the mad protagonist's narration not very interesting. I was expecting that the first few pages would make me interested in reading more about how the protagonist had gone mad, and how she is handling herself, but the narration turned out to be a turn-off. For this reason, I don't feel like reading the story further, and I am not going to. I found the book professionally edited. There are no grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked about the book is the plot. As an improvement, I could suggest that the writing style be made more interesting for the self-description of the protagonist in the initial portion of the story. Although I found 3 OBC reviews on the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2019, at 4:10 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
briellejee
Based on the cover and title, I think I would have sampled it. The title, especially, caught my attention. And the simplicity and minimalistic type of the cover is done well enough to attract readers. As for the first few pages, the thoughts running around the narrator's head were interesting. The story written in a first-person perspective was intimate. The thoughts she had while soaked in a bath were something personal and made the reader know what character she is, making more depth on her personality. The author's writing style is good. I sometimes find it hard a little tedious to read as to what the ripples and the faucet and the dripping mean, but I guess they lay down the story's tone. I might finish reading this right away, but I guess I will be going to read the rest of the book. I found no noticeable errors and the official OBC review helped in deciding whether this is a good read or not.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2019, at 3:35 am by briellejee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vickie Noel
When I first saw the title, I concluded I wouldn't read the book because of the impression the name "Gog" gave me. Upon closer examination of the cover, I read the other descriptive words and saw that there was no relationship between what I had in mind with this book itself. That reduced my apprehension towards it. Then the OBC review highlighted the plot, and my interest got piqued to check out the sample. Having done that, I'm back to square one - not interested. The monologue was just too much for me to take. The protagonist's thoughts constantly repeating how crazy she was felt more like "telling" rather than "showing." I quickly got exasperated as the action mentioned at the OBC review didn't jump out at me as soon as I'd expected. However, I enjoyed Lydia's chat with the cheeky girl who was bold enough to tell her that her teeth were all rotten, yet sweet enough to tell her she spoke like the Queen. I also didn't find any errors; that part was adequately covered by the professional editor. But unfortunately, I wouldn't be reading any further.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2019, at 2:19 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I thought the main character sounded really relatable. I was interested to see what happened when she decided to take revenge. After reading the first ten pages, I will be finishing this book. I thought the author did a great job providing details without bogging down the story. The metaphors were also great. I really liked that it was said that one ripple doesn’t really have much effect but that the pattern from several does. It’s obvious that this author put a lot of thought into the writing. I also want to continue reading to see exactly what the plan is. For example, why did she pack a whole bag of sweets? I will have to read it to find out. There isn’t anything specific that I didn’t like, and the book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2019, at 2:07 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Bianka Walter
This book has an intriguing premise. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the beginning of the book was so intense that I was immediately captured by the writing. The start of the book begins with a woman contemplating her life and explaining that she is insane. It gives a deep insight into her mind and her thoughts, and the author does an amazing job of putting the reader right into the deliberations of a mad woman. I thought the book was very well edited; I found no errors. I also found that I wanted to read on and find out why this woman thinks she is mad. Or if she is actually mad. I look forward to reading the rest. The OBC reviews have all said that the ending could be better, but I would like to see for myself.
First Ten review added on February 22, 2019, at 1:52 am by Bianka Walter.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gravy
This is not my type of book, so I would not have looked at it, and the sample did not change my mind about it.
I noticed no errors.
Lydia is an interesting character, and she made me feel for her pretty quickly. I like how she winds up in such different situations, allowing the reader to see how she handles each one. If this were not so far outside my preferences, I would likely be inclined to read it. As it is, it just isn't my cup of tea, so I won't be continuing.
There was a review for this book, but my opinion would be the same without one.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 11:34 pm by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Fu Zaila
The sample was really well-written and engaging, with professionally edited writing. I liked the book right after seeing the cover and the blurb. The various expressions the narrator used for "bloody tappy" was pretty funny. I liked the narration and I was curious to learn more about her past and family. There wasn't anything I disliked. I would be reading further to find out what happens next, because I liked the plotline encountered in the sample.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 9:59 pm by Fu Zaila.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Samantha Simoneau
My first reaction to the cover was, "What in the world does 'gog' mean?" The blurb gave me more context, of course. While the blurb is well written, the premise is not my kind of fiction. I believe this book, while it may be a great story, would be too troubling me for me, personally. On to the sample. There should be a comma between "vanished" and "and," as well as between "reality" and "and." There should be a comma between "leg" and "and," as well as between "worth" and "and." The sentence "Lies not promises," is missing a comma after "Lies." These comma-related errors are the only ones I found, and they are not distracting. I believe this book is well edited. It's also very well written. I was completely absorbed with the woman's inner monologue about going crazy in the bathtub. I thought I was going to hate this, but it's written so smoothly, you almost feel like you're losing it by proxy. However, this is definitely not my kind of book, so I won't be finishing this one. I'm a very sensitive reader, and I don't think I'm the target audience for this book. I'm still really curious about the title's meaning, though, just not $4.99 curious.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 7:29 pm by Samantha Simoneau.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MarisaRose
After reading the book blurb for 'I am Not Gog,' I wasn't sure what to make of this book. The premise sounded interesting - a woman holding a man at gunpoint at a local supermarket. However, I couldn't really get a feel for what type of book this was going to be. Based on the title I was expecting it to be humorous, but after reading the blurb, the book sounded pretty serious. That being said, I wouldn't purchase this book blindly since I wasn't really sure what it was about/what type of book it was. An OBC review would help me make a decision about this book because it would provide additional information about the type of writing and the main themes I could expect to find in this book. After sampling the first ten pages, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the beginnings of this book. The writing is really interesting and engaging. The narrator is the woman who ends up holding the man hostage, and her first-person narration gives her a clear and strong voice. Further, I liked the author's use of foreshadowing. Throughout the beginning there is a lot of mention about 'the day of,' clearly eluding to the event that this book focuses on. I thought the author's writing style was really interesting too, and I didn't notice any grammatical errors in the sample. There really wasn't anything I disliked about this book, so I look forward to reading more of it!
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 4:03 pm by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kendra M Parker
The title means very little to me, and the cover does not call out to me in any way, so I would have been reluctant to pick up this book without this program. Reading the official review showed me that this is not my sort of book. I don’t care for memoirs, and even though this is fiction, the idea that it seems like a memoir puts me off. In the first ten pages, I did not find any errors. The discussion of baths being an important part of getting ready for any event was an interesting consideration. I think the author has a point there. Still, with its memoir quality, I think I will pass on this one.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 1:01 pm by Kendra M Parker.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
The cover and title of this book are intriguing. I probably would have picked it up because the plot seems exciting and unique. The first ten pages were professionally edited. I have to say that the beginning kind of turned me off. I thought the writing just seemed like ramblings and I did not quite get the appeal of it. Therefore, I do not intend to read the rest. I did not read the OBC review because I doubt it would have changed my mind.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 12:26 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dolor
The blurb and the OBC review had piqued my interest, so I had decided to read this book even in the absence of The First Ten program. The cover looks gloomy and thought-provoking. The first ten pages were glimpses of a woman's past - her parents' fights and her father's expressions. From her father's expressions about her mom being tappy, to the tap water, to the ripples, up to herself - being a clean person and more, I understand that this woman was feeling disturbed and stressed. Here are the errors I noticed in the first ten pages:
*grammar error*
It’s a Midlands expression. => the Midlands'
*fragmented sentence*
And maybe the Welsh.
Just a fleeting quiver of minuscule energy.
*run-on sentence*
But that wouldn’t really have made sense, because then he’d have been better off saying, ‘I’m bloody tappy!’ instead, because he was doing the tapping, and that would have been silly.
When they vanished and the water became still again as if they were never there, they existed only in my head, but they had been so slight it was hard to remember them clearly.
I felt I shouldn’t move, as if they were demanding that I shouldn’t move because it was their bath and it was not for me to go making ripples.
A woman may have already made endless preparation prior to that, as I had, and technically a bath is still part of preparation, but that is the moment when she truly commits to what she is going to do.
*unnecessary comma (,)*
Nobody realised how seriously mad I had become, because I had learned from experience not to make a display of it, but even I didn’t grasp the full extent of my illness.
I feel sorry for this woman because in a few days, she would be dragged out of her flat. I wonder what will happen to her and how the story would end, so I will read on. I Am Not Gog by Matthew James Hunt is a #Contemporary #Fiction about a woman's tale of struggle, discovery, love, war, and redemption. Aside from having unpredictable characters, the story sounds realistic and has some comic relief.
#WomensFiction #British
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 6:00 am by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sonya Nicolaidis
Wow. When I first read the OBC review, I was impressed at how much the reviewer clearly enjoyed this book, and by all accounts, it did seem to be the kind of story that normally interests me. The cover is stark and attractive, but it is the title and caption that would make me pick it up for a closer look. I still have not got to the bottom of the relevance of 'Gog' in the title, and will have to read further to find out. I was enthralled by the first few words and knew without a doubt very early on that I would be reading this book. The main character's thoughts are shown as rambling and abstract, which is so true to life, and even more so as she is depicted as being mentally unstable. I loved the descriptions of the bath tub, the ripples, the monster, which, as I understand from the reviews, is largely allegorical. This writer is a master of word building; I cannot stress how moved I was by his portrayal of this disturbed woman, just from the sample. The grammar and formatting is impeccable, with no noticeable errors. I cannot criticize anything about this sample, nor could I offer any suggestions for improvement as it is an outstanding piece of work. Not only will I read this whole book, I'm anxious to do so as soon as possible. This is one of those rare gems that is impossible to pass up. Heartfelt congratulations to the author on this achievement.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 3:03 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. This book looks like it touches some pretty depressing topics and I'm really not into that kind of literature right now, despite its importance. After reading the first ten pages I didn’t change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I liked how the internal monologue and worry was conveyed in the first chapter. We got a direct link to our narrator's mind including everything from worrying about lists (and trying to hide it) to operating electrical devices wet from a bath. This shows early on the kind of character she is. That being said, I got annoyed quite quickly with the slang/language used and the book doesn't seem like it would have anything interesting for me in it. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read, but it did seem well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 2:42 am by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sahani Nimandra
I Am Not Gog by Matthew James Hunt is a story about a woman being bullied through her whole life and how she restores to revenge. This life-like story is a tale of fiction, yet depicting reality is a strong read. The official reviewer was careful to use clean words to express her thoughts profoundly about this read. As I begun, I felt as if the narrator is speaking to herself. At times I felt it was drowning the reader into a complicated phase in life. I lost my interest afterwards. I didn't encounter any grammatical or typos hindrances while reading.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 2:31 am by Sahani Nimandra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jsovermyer
The title, I Am Not Gog, and cover art are interesting and would cause me to pick up the book to see what it was about. The official review was very good and made me want to read this book. Abuse and bullying can drive a person to do unspeakable things in revenge. This character is so believable that you forget the story is fiction. In the pages I read, the author did a good job of portraying her maddness. The British expressions used were a little hard for me to understand. I found one misspelled word in my reading. On page 2, "memorize" is spelled "memorise". Although the review praised this book highly, the story started too slowly for me. I won't be finishing it at this time.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 12:56 am by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
revna01
I can't say I much care for the title or cover, but the Online Book Club reviewer called this a masterpiece, raving about the unorthodox protagonist and great character development. The first ten pages were about a woman reliving parts of her childhood, struggling with her sanity, cognizant of her insanity. She is taking a bath and her thoughts are running a mile a minute about random things, including shadow monsters, "taps", and hygiene, while Lief's music plays in the background. She is preparing for the big event tomorrow wich requires much planning. The author's writing is incredible in delving into the character's mind. I didn't notice any errors, and there is nothing to improve, in my opinion. I am intrigued by the sample and am very curious how the story plays out. I still definitely be reading this book.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 12:45 am by revna01.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mai Tran
This book is quite intriguing with all the plot points listed on the cover. It seems like there’s room for humor, which is just my cup of tea. I’d read this book even without the program. The book appears professionally edited. It's taking a while to build up to the much-anticipated kidnap, but I'm enjoying the story so far. It's interesting to learn more about the main character through her conversation with the little girl at the bus stop. I’d love to finish reading this book and see what has driven her to the point of insanity.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 12:30 am by Mai Tran.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mercelle
Judging by the cover, I wasn't going to read this book, but the OBC review urged me on when it mentioned that the author narrates the story of a woman driven to insanity by bullying. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the narrator makes an effort to stay clean. Since I noticed no errors, I'll conclude that the text underwent professional editing, but I won't read the rest of the book because it doesn't appeal to me. As it is, there's nothing I would change about the bit I read.
First Ten review added on February 21, 2019, at 12:07 am by Mercelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
The author really captures the neurotic side of the character’s mental illness. The way she went on about the ripples in the bath and the way her dad said her mother was “tappy” and tried to explain all the possible meanings, was very realistic from a psychological standpoint. The reviewer noted how real the character seems, and at this point, I agree. The editing looks very professional and I didn’t notice any errors in what I read. The title is intriguing because I’m wondering exactly what it’s referring to. I wasn’t sure about this book before I read it, but I’m considering it more the more I think about it. Since I have a free copy, I will continue reading.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 11:00 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
LV2R
The title makes me wonder who Gog is. The cover and font of the title are both OK. I was not sure about reading the book. The Amazon Blurb summarized the story of a vulnerable woman, Lydia, driven to the insanity that led her to hold a man hostage by gunpoint. This did not interest me enough to read the book. The first ten pages were all about someone taking a bath and all the while thinking about drops of water making ripples from the tap. This person recalled her father calling her mother “tappy.” This person seems to know that she has mental problems. I best liked that this person was taking a bubble bath with candle light and music to be calm and prepare for the next day. It sounded relaxing, even though this person thought too much during the bath. The book seemed to be edited well, as I did not notice any errors. The OBC review mentioned that Lydia was bullied and abused as a child and now insanity is driving her as a middle-aged woman to take revenge on a person. I do not want to read this book because Lydia is not mentally well and uses violence to take revenge on a possibly innocent man because of what has happened to her in her childhood.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 9:23 pm by LV2R.
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 as I do not think this is my genre. However, I do like the cover and it is interesting how text-heavy the cover is. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. I really liked how the book started with a small anecdote about the word "tappy" and how the narrative voice really seemed authentically young when it referred to parents. Other than that, I thought the voice was manipulated really well and sounded very mature. It was professionally edited. I did not read the official review but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 9:20 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
ladycraic
I would not have chosen to read the first few pages of I Am Not Gog apart from First Ten due to my disinterest in both the title and cover of this book. The blurb didn't appeal to me -- instead, I became wary of the content this story would contain. Despite my first impressions,I really enjoyed the first few pages. The writing style was so fun to just take in. Matthew Hunt made listening to the protagonist's complicated thoughts so fascinating. I was intrigued by the first few pages but I felt like I didn't know enough of the story to make an informed decision. For that reason, I was eager to view the official OBC review. Overall, the reviewer's enthusiasm about this book is contagious. It appears that I Am Not Gog is more than just a fun read - it's one that has the potential to move you if you stick along for the ride. Therefore, I plan on reading the rest of this book. I Am Not Gog seemed professionally edited and I didn't notice any grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 8:12 pm by ladycraic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
HRichards
I normally wouldn't have picked up this type of book as the content didn't really appeal to me. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book as I didn't find the content to my liking. The sample deals with a woman discussing her mental illness in terms of water and describing her insanity. The writing was pretty good. I didn't notice any grammar errors. This book might appeal to someone who likes high drama, but I didn't really like the content. I have not read any other reviews of this book.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 7:37 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this book. The cover has several words on it, which is kind of distracting for me. The title is confusing as I am not sure what "Gog" means. I do like the way the blurb is written, but depicting why one woman was driven to insanity isn't a topic that interests me. In addition, contemporary fiction isn't a genre I usually lean toward. The positive customer review does not affect my opinion of the book, while the OBC one does convince me this isn't a read for me. The reviewer mentions abuse and gun violence are present here, which both are not topics I care to read about. I didn't see any glaring errors while I read. I thought it was humorous when the little girl at the bus stop mentioned that Lydia's rotten teeth. It's nice to balance a serious topic with some humor. However, I do feel Lydia babbles a bit too much for my taste. Such as, the talk about ripples and baths seemed to have gone on longer than necessary. Also, I'm not sure if Lydia is a very likable character so far. As she argues with the priest and Sofie at the cafe, I think Lydia might have some growing to do. Though this could be a good setup for her journey and growth, I'm not very invested in her character right now. Due to not being invested in Lydia's character and the sensitive subjects that are bound to come up, I do not plan on reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 7:34 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
micoleon13
The title got my attention more than the cover page itself, so I was slightly curious as to what "gog" was and hoped for the OnlineBookClub review to inform me. The review was a bit confusing and, although it did mention the plot outline, it left me unsure as to what the book was about, or if it would be one I would enjoy. From this, I wouldn't choose this book to read. The pages which I read were well written and edited and I liked the imagery of the dripping tap and the ripples, though small, still affected the water, like decesions and actions. Although I did like the writing style, I don't enjoy books that have main character struggling with their sanity unless my head is in the right place, so I will not be continuing to read this book. I have no ideas for improvement.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 7:17 pm by micoleon13.
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 cover (the pink outline of a face against a blue background) caught my attention. Having read the sample, I was disappointed by the lack of a proper introduction. I would have preferred an introduction to the author (to be able to connect with him), some favorable reviews and a preface. However, I liked the way the author described the protagonist's thoughts and feelings. Further, I felt like each event was described in adequate detail to enable me to imagine the scene. I found no major grammatical errors. However, in terms of formatting, I would have liked better spacing between paragraphs (at least equal to one line). Since I do not read the genre usually, I will not be reading the book further.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 6:12 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
I really didn't know what to expect from this book from the cover or title, so I probably would've passed it by if it wasn't the book of the day. But I'm really glad it was, because Matthew is one of those authors who makes every moment enjoyable to read. The main character hasn't done much more than take a bath and prepare for another day, yet I'm incredibly drawn in. Matthew sets scenes incredibly well, and the mentions of madness are incredibly fitting and well-displayed. I definitely want to read more of this one, especially since it was free. I didn't see anything negative at all, and the editing was perfect.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 6:07 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kristy Khem
I would not have chosen this book to read based on the cover design, blurb, title, or Amazon reviews. The main reason is because the cover design, title, and blurb do not fit each other. For instance, the expression ‘Gog’ was not mentioned anywhere else besides the title. I read the sample as part of the First Ten Programme. I think the author did a good job describing the main character’s unhinged mind. The description of water drops and ripples together with her thoughts about them was interesting. She questioned how far the ripples would stretch on if the sides of the bathtub weren’t there, wondered where the ripples’ dirty energy went during her bath, and pondered whether the ripples went inside of her. The rest of the sample continued in much of the same way with other places and things. Honestly, I was not impressed with the sample so this is not a book I would buy and read. With regards to the book’s editing, I did not come across any errors.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 5:51 pm by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yoli García
The title of the book is too weird for my taste, so I would not have sampled this book without this program. The OBC review got me curious about Lydia’s mental health problems caused by bullying and abuse. The book seems professionally edited. Sounds like mental problems run in Lydia’s maternal family as she remembers her father telling her mother that she had problems in the head. This depiction makes the character of Lydia relatable because mental health problems usually run in families. Lydia’s internal monologue, however, was a turn off for me. For example, she thinks too much about the water tapping. I will not read the book because it did not appeal to me despite its originality.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 4:41 pm by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
BelleReadsNietzsche
Had I not sampled the first 10 pages of this book, and had it not been reviewed by OBC, it is very possible I would have skipped it. In many ways, this is the kind of book I like. It has an interesting female character going through something intense, and a premise that I want to see resolved. But I have to admit, I am wary of books about women that are written by men and that feature a female protagonist doing something “crazy.” A lot of the books I’ve encountered that have similar storylines fail to fully humanize such a woman character, and make her craziness of parts of her gender in a way that I find uncomfortable. In short, it’s too easy for such a book to fall into sexist tropes, so I am wary. The glowing and specific OBC review set my mind somewhat at ease in this; the reviewer loved the main character and found her very realistic. Still, the sample provided me the opportunity to see for myself before committing to reading the book.
I loved the beginning. I know I’m supposed to be grammatically correct in these assessments, but permit me to say: I loved, loved, loved the beginning. The main character reflecting on what her father always used to say to her mother,and what it meant felt, true to what people’s inner lives are like, while giving the reader immediate background. “They might not have had a clue what it meant, either. People often say things they don’t really understand. I say plenty.” Brilliant. I love how this segways into the unfolding story. “On the night before the day of doing”- what a phrase! There was nothing I didn’t like. I am going to enthusiastically read this one, which also has the blessing of being short. I don’t mind long books but it is harder to fit them in to my to-read list unexpectedly. There was nothing in the sample I didn’t like. I did not find any major editing, spelling, or grammar errors.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 4:12 pm by BelleReadsNietzsche.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
cpru68
When I saw the cover, I wasn’t impressed. At first glance, I thought it was a self-help book. Then I read the opening pages and being drawn into the world of Lydia where the description of her bath was so detailed and filled with deeper thoughts, I needed to know more about her.
I liked the description of the ripples of water and the tapping. It was so visual and strange that it kept pulling me along. In addition, the “thing” that was going to happen the next day also grabbed my interest, so I will be reading this one completely, and I already put it on my want to read shelf.
I found no spelling, grammar or punctuation errors in the portion I read, so it seems that this has been professionally edited. The glowing review made it sound that way too. And, I must say, the enthusiasm of the reviewer just made me want to read it.
I don’t think I would have found this one on my own search without the online book club because I usually read non-fiction. I appreciate the opportunity to get to read this one and see where it all ends up. And, it’s a pleasure to send it out on my social media for others to enjoy.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 3:45 pm by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Alice Heritage
I might have sampled this based on the description because I am interested in mental health issues. I probably won't read the rest of it after sampling the first ten pages, however, because the intensity of the protagonist's thought processes was quite harrowing. The book seemed well edited, although I think there should be an apostrophe in "for goodness' sake" - this was missing. I liked the part where the narrator reflected on her younger days and noted that the promises of songs, magazines, films and television had not been fulfilled. This is an astute and relatable observation. I found the parts about evil a little disturbing, though they fit well with the character's voice. I don't think anything needs to be improved about this opening for those who would like to read something on the subject of mental suffering. I checked out one of the OnlineBookClub reviews, which helped me to decide that I would probably find the events and thoughts described too intense.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 3:44 pm by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
"I am Gog" is the story of Lidya, a girl who suffered from abuse, and the effects it had on her evolution. The book begins with Lydia observing the ripples effect in the bath. I am always impressed by well-written stories of abuse and from what I've just read, I believe this book is one of them. I am curious about the effects of abuse on the human mind, so I will continue reading it. I would've checked out this book by myself because I heard just great things about it and I think the story suits me. I found no grammar errors.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 3:10 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'I Am Not Gog' is a book written by Mathew James Hunt. The title, blurb, the OBC review, and the customer reviews in Amazon did a good job of convincing me to give the book a try.
The first ten pages of the book leads me to believe that it revolves around Lydia. She is being forcibly evicted from her home. She considers herself to be a bit “tappy". She has decided to wage a holy war against all those who tormented her. I like the wry British writing style. I have to mention that I found some errors in the sample. For example, the author had written, “just come for a look at it” instead of “just come and look at it.” Hence, I do not consider this hook to be professionally edited. I will give this book a try as I am pretty much invested in Lydia's story.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 2:25 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
sarahmarlowe randomeducator
The cover would not have captured my attention. The silhouette is nice, but it isn't eye-catching, and I'm not sure what "gog" is. Reading the sample didn't change my mind. The author does a good job of writing from the mind of someone who is "unhinged," but it is not a style of writing I enjoyed following. The topic of the "tap" and the bath went on for quite a long time, following the thought process of the narrator. It is well-done, but, again, not something I want to read. I found no errors; the sample was well-edited. I have not read an OBC review of this book, and I do not plan to read it.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 2:06 pm by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Cristina Chifane
Without the first ten program, I wouldn't have come across this novel. I think both the title and cover are original and interesting. There are no editorial reviews, but the Amazon blurb and the customer review made me wonder about Lydia's story and the reasons for her unusual behavior. The beginning of the novel felt intimate and emotional as I followed the protagonist through the ritualistic bath prior to her plans for the next day. The first-person narration was the best narrative strategy the author could have used to describe Lydia's feelings and actions. I didn't notice any editing errors. The OBC reviewer also appreciates the almost memorialistic nature of the book and its realism and unpredictability. I'd like to add it to my reading list and see what happens to Lydia in the end.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 1:33 pm by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
desantismt_17
This book’s title made me curious. Though this had the sound of a biography or memoir, it is fiction, and the description grabbed my attention in a way I don’t quite understand. This is far from my usual reading stomping grounds. Before sampling, I was considering reading. After sampling, I’ll give this a try. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors. The first-person POV drew me right into the main character’s headspace. I could hear her going over her father’s dialogue from years ago as if it were in a real person’s voice. The description of ripples led beautifully forward into the effect the tiniest splash can have in the proverbial ocean. It was also wonderful imagery. The main character’s methodical, almost insane, step-by-step process in the early pages was at once enlightening, chilling, and fascinating. It made me want to see how the planning turned out. I have no improvements to suggest at this time. The OnlineBookClub.org review really didn’t say a lot about the book’s contents, but it didn’t need to. The hook and hints at actions and emotions beyond the breaking point made me more than curious. I look forward to reading this.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 12:39 pm by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Camille Turner
I would not have sampled this book because the subject matter—a woman holding a man hostage—does not appeal to me personally. The premise is made evident from the title, cover, and Amazon blurb. After reading the first ten pages, I believe the book to be professionally edited as I didn't see any errors. My impression has stayed the same as I still don't think the subject matter/premise is for me, so I won't read the rest of the book. However, other types of readers will surely like the story, so I wouldn't necessarily improve anything since we all just have different tastes in plots and themes. I'm just not attracted to a story about a woman musing about her mental illness. One thing I did really like were some unique and beautiful images/ideas the author included, such as that despair is a person rotting and baths punctuate our lives and are the moments when women really commit to something. I thought those descriptions were both interesting and powerful.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 10:12 am by Camille Turner.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on own, as it isn't a genre I enjoy reading. The cover and blurb didn't appeal to me and neither did the sample. The story revolves around a woman who was driven to insanity and wants to avenge her wrongdoers. I didn't change my mind after sampling the book. While the premise sounds interesting, the sample didn't reel me in. I didn't notice any glaring errors, always a plus. The sample opened with Lydia in the bath contemplating her life, her coming eviction, and her plans. The description of her mental state was well done. The bath ripples reflected her mental state to the dot. Unfortunately, the plot does not interest me enough to read it. The official reviews further steered me away from the book by mentioning its intense content and unsatisfying ending.
First Ten review added on February 20, 2019, at 9:03 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 48%
I Am Not Gog earned a score of 48%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 48% 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 I Am Not Gog
