Cover for The Ordinary Doll

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for The Ordinary Doll

Because The Ordinary Doll 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.

Vickie Noel

249577
There's something mysterious and symbolic about the title and cover of this book that attracts me. But the blurb didn't really stimulate my enthusiasm for it. Upon reading the sample, my opinion hasn't changed. The story just rambled on and on, especially from when Mateo started to relate his aunt Luciana's story to Parker. My eyes began to glaze over from the lack of active dialogue and the too much narration evident on the first ten pages. However, I picked up on no errors, so the book appears professionally edited. The OBC review equally did not influence me in the direction of reading the book.

First Ten review added on May 2, 2019, at 4:39 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Ekta Kumari

896308
I was not planning on reading it as the plot didn't excite me enough. From the cover, it seemed like there is some mystery behind the doll, but, after reading the sample, I think this story is entirely based on Luciana, who seems to be the main character here, and the doll is just a metaphor used for her. The sample is mostly about her family and their background. The readers get to witness how Luciana's life takes a drastic turn when she never could have thought of it. There is use of some Spanish words and I also noticed inclusion of Hispanic culture and folklore in the story. To me, this seems like a multifaceted storyline with many themes, and that is what I like the most. The book seems to be well edited, too. I'm enticed by its sample, so I definitely look forward to read the rest of the book. I also saw a very detailed official review and that can be referred to by those who are interested in the book.

First Ten review added on May 2, 2019, at 4:35 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Alice Heritage

173569
I would certainly have sampled this book had it not come up in the First Ten Programme because I already had it on my "to read" list on the basis of an OBC review I saw once. That had highlighted the paranormal elements; the other two reviews I checked didn't have an impact on my decision. Although certain flaws struck me in the first ten pages, I will buy and read the book as I am sufficiently intrigued by the promise of paranormal aspects; the fact that it's short ultimately swayed me. I am surprised at the four-star ratings in that in the sample alone I found several errors I don't think a professional editor would have left in. Typos weren't the issue so much as commas in odd places. An example is: "Although, the Arizona heat was oppressive, it was very different from the Texas heat ..." - there should not be a comma after "although". I loved the parts where the author described the characters' thoughts and actions. I could visualize Hector chain-smoking by the oak tree when he realized Jesus was with his wife. However, this was followed by an example of too much "telling", which was a weakness I found in the sample. After several paragraphs have proved just that, it seems unnecessary to have Hector say: "Cabron ... Jesus is supposed to be my friend." The book could be improved by dropping some of the "telling", I feel. The inclusion of a glossary was a nice touch, and this was very user-friendly in the Kindle app.

First Ten review added on May 2, 2019, at 4:10 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Bianka Walter

502647
This is not a book that I would have sampled without the first ten program. The cover makes it look a bit like a horror book, but that is slightly misleading. The opening sentence of the book explains the doll quite well, and while foreboding, there is no other explanation besides the fact that it is just an old doll. I was intrigued by the relationship between Hector and Jesus, and the author did a sterling job of making me feel Hector's anger when Jesus betrayed him. I am interested to see how this all works out, seeing as Hector doesn't even as much as mention the infidelity. However, the story didn't blow me away in the opening pages. The introduction of Luciana and her family was a bit slow, and I can tell that the author takes great care in building his characters. I will, however, not be reading this book further. It doesn't excite me enough to want to read on. The OBC review actually made the book sound a lot more interesting. But it still didn't change my mind.

First Ten review added on May 2, 2019, at 3:48 am by Bianka Walter.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Gravy

60847
I didn't notice a lot of errors, but there was an instance of a sentence beginning with 'But,' and being followed immediately by a comma. While considered an error (and actually quite disruptive to the visual flow while reading), it seems to be happening more and more. However, I still consider it an error, and find it off putting.
I am not a fan of this genre so I would not have sampled it, and the sample did not change my mind.
Despite not enjoying the genre, I liked the author's style, particularly the detailed description of the doll. Sadly, it did loose much of my interest as it journeyed into being memory/story.
I am unsure of whether or not there was a review for this book, but my opinion would be the same either way. I will not be reading this due to it not being my cup of tea.

First Ten review added on May 2, 2019, at 3:47 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mercelle

204747
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 girl who battled the odds to realize a better life besides coming from a low-income family. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the author iterated that the role of the braceros was to travel from one field to the next to harvest whatever was in season. The text needs a round of editing to eliminate a misplaced apostrophe on the phrase "That was the braceros’ purpose," on loc 174. That is the only thing I would change about the bit I read. I will, however, not read the rest of the book because it doesn't appeal to me.

First Ten review added on May 2, 2019, at 1:45 am by Mercelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

unamilagra

1197956
Before sampling this book, I probably would not have picked it up, because the cover art made me think it was a horror story, which is not a genre I enjoy. I was pleased to discover that the story is really more of a historical novel. I was interested in the history of the long drought that finally ended around the time the novel began. That said, I found the writing style to be a little wordy. I felt that the descriptions of the doll and the braceros to be too long-winded. Nothing about this book really grabbed me in, so I don't believe I will continue reading it. I did notice one unnecessary comma in Loc 109: "...the return of the rain, brought a return to the fields..."

First Ten review added on May 2, 2019, at 12:12 am by unamilagra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

AA1495

104697
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books. However, the cover caught my attention. I liked how the title was in white font. It was a good contrast against the background's colors. Having read the sample, I thought that the introductory pages were rather short. The introduction to the author was one paragraph long and I would have liked to know more. Further, I would have liked to read some positive reviews of the book and a foreword. However, I thought that the author described each character's thoughts and emotions well. I was also curious to know more about Luciana's story. I did not find any major grammatical error in the book. However, I would have liked more spacing between paragraphs. Since I do not read the genre usually, I will not be buying the book today.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 11:51 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Dolor

363055
My interest was piqued by the title, the cover, the blurb, the official OBC review, and the first ten pages of this book. I will read this book even without The First Ten program. As a whole, I found this book interesting and well-edited. The first ten pages talked about Mateo visiting his mother's house long after his mother's death. He brought his friend, Parker, along with him. Parker was curious about Luciana (Mateo's aunt). Then, the flashback began. It talked about the devastating drought and deluged (flood, hail, and tornadoes). It also talked about the wonderful braceros community which included Luciana's parents. I wanted to read on in order to know more. I don't have any improvement  suggestion for this book. I have not found any error in the first ten pages. The Ordinary Doll by Mario Kiefer is a #Psychological #Fiction tale that follows Luciana's journey, her dreams which became a nightmare,  and her road to #Recovery. Luciana saw herself and her desire to be loved in the repaired doll.

#Suspense #Perception  #KindleUnlimited






 Parker noticed Mateo glancing at him and asked, “What happened to her?”“Who?” Mateo asked, “My mother? She died September 11, you know that.”“No, I mean your aunt, Luciana.”

Flashback

 Between 1949 and 1957, Texas received some thirty to fifty percent less rain than normal, and the temperatures had been well above-average throughout the majority of that period. This particular drought had been dubbed the most devastating in six-hundred years, and its economic impact was felt across the vast lands of the United States. At its height, in 1954, the drought affected ten different states.

 shortly thereafter, the rains finally came. Of course, there is that old saying , “Be careful what you wish for.” That deluge lasted thirty -two days and brought with it flooding, hail and tornadoes. Like the drought before, this weather pattern devastated many portions of the state.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 10:13 pm by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kourtney Bradley

81668
My first impression upon seeing this book was that the cover design was eerie and seemed to match the title of the book accurately. Although I’m generally one to be interested in an eerie read, I probably wouldn’t have selected this one solely based on the first impression. I liked how the first ten pages immediately began with describing the appearance of the doll and then jumped straight into a backstory that would provide information necessary to understand the significance of said doll. The OBC review that I found seemed to show that the reviewer enjoyed the story but did notice a few spelling and grammar errors while reading. Although I didn’t notice any within the first ten pages, I can see how that would lower a rating. I do not plan to continue with the book at this time due to just timing issues and having other books that peaked my interest more on my TBR.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 9:42 pm by Kourtney Bradley.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sahani Nimandra

385393
The Ordinary Doll by Mario Kiefer is a unique sequel about a girl's lost childhood. Through the review: Sounds like a luminary read that keeps its reader at the edge of the knife. Suspenseful. The start goes to introduce the doll and its current situations. Then reflected on the family whose mother died six months back. The story gave a detailed background information about the political, economical, social, and environmental situations between 1949 and 1954 in Texas. I didn't find the plot interest me as I anticipated it would. I didn't encounter any grammatical hindrances while reading.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 8:55 pm by Sahani Nimandra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Heidi M Simone

76506
Without this program, I would not have sampled this book. The cover is a bit creepy and gives off a horror feeling, even though this isn't the genre. I find the title to be appropriate with the cover, however, the blurb doesn't pique my interest. In addition, psychological fiction is a genre that I read sparingly. The positive OBC and customer ratings do not affect my opinion of the book. Based on what I read, the book could use another round of editing. For instance, in the first chapter, the line, "Oh; well, that's a long story.", has a semicolon when it is not necessary. I liked how the author began the book by describing the worn doll that is featured on the book's cover. Also, it's nice the author tied in the "cucuy", the bogeyman in the Hispanic culture, as this is a legend that people can learn about. However, I am not very interested in learning about Luciana's fear of the cucuy and how certain thoughts would summon him. Also, though I know and understand a lot of Spanish, I find that including Spanish words like, "gringos", "parásito", "Cállate", and others, could be confusing for some. I can see that there is an index, but flipping back and forth from the story to the index might get kind of tiresome on the Kindle version of the book. In general, I am not invested in continuing to read about Luciana's story. Therefore, I do not plan on buying and reading this book.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 5:15 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Annelore Trujillo

97769
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. It was too long-winded for my taste. For example, the story of the drought could have been condensed. The part where Hector found out Jesus was with his wife could also have been condensed a bit. It seemed to use a lot of words to say something that could have been more concise. This is just a personal preference, and other readers might enjoy the style. I did enjoy the use of flashback. However, I noticed a couple of errors that told me the book might not have been edited. For example “travelled” and “traveled” were both used as spellings in chapter one. Also, I thought more of the Spanish words could have been defined for readers that aren’t fluent in Spanish.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 5:14 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jsovermyer

1045410
The cover photo, of the broken doll, is very creepy and drew my attention immediately. The title, The Ordinary Doll, is also good. This psychological thriller is interesting to me. Luciana is a good girl who works hard and just wants some happiness in her life. It is sad that her father's indiscretion, with the neighbor's wife, led to Luciana being shot and possibly paralyzed. The official review rated this story highly, and I would agree that it is exciting and well-written. I didn't find any spelling or grammatical errors and believe that this book has been professionally edited. The Spanish words throughout the text added to the feel of the story and could be understood from the context that they were used in. I would like to read this book eventually, but will not be finishing it at this time. There are others that appeal to me more.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 1:31 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Emy Katherine

94929
The cover is quite frightening, but the blurb is well written and gives enough information about the book. As I am not a huge fan of psychological suspense novels, I would not have read the book based on the cover, title, and genre. I did not change my mind after reading the sample and the OBC review. "The Ordinary Doll" by Mario Keifer follows the life journey of a Mexican woman, Luciana, whose life drastically changes for the worst at the age of 15. It is a story of survival and perseverance that also embraces themes of family relationships, adultery, sacrifice, love, and hope. I particularly liked the engaging, realistic dialogues between the characters; also, the inclusion of Spanish words made the characters and the story more believable. The writing style was simple and pleasant to read. All in all, the book has great Amazon ratings; people who enjoy reading thought-provoking novels will enjoy it. I did not find any typos or grammatical errors; the book seems like it was professionally edited.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 12:53 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

danielleamy

1221038
I would have sampled this book without the first ten program. I love reading psychological thrillers and suspense novels. The Official review is also very persuading, so I was interested in reading the sample of this book.
Based on the first ten pages, I will be finishing the book. The beginning was slow as we were introduced to characters such as Hector, Jesus and Luciana. But the story quickly took a surprising turn and I would like to find out more.
I could not find any grammatical errors in the sample I read, so it looks professionally edited. After reading these few pages, I am already invested in Luciana and am looking forward to reading the rest of the book!

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 5:57 am by danielleamy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Catherine Hsu

104096
If I had not read the sample I would not have read the book as I do not really read this genre. After reading the official sample I have changed my mind. I really liked how the story started with a description of the doll, which set up the mood for the story very well and also linked the story to the cover. I also liked Luciana's long thought process and stream-of-consciousness in which exclamation points were used to set the tone. The sample was professionally edited. I did not read the official review but that did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 5:22 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Cristina Chifane

418146
I wouldn't have sampled the novel solely based on the cover because I would have thought it to belong to the horror genre. However, I like the metaphor of the broken doll in the title. Besides, it will become symbolic for Luciana and her sinuous life journey. All 15 customer reviews give the book 3, 4 or 5 stars and praise it for both its plot and characters. In terms of editing, I noticed one extra comma ("Although (,) the Arizona heat was oppressive, it was very different from the Texas heat [...]" - 17% of Sample), the wrong use of another comma ("[...] included Jesus and Fabia's children. But (,) Hector had no children." - 18% of Sample) and a missing infinitive article ("It was not as if anybody was going (to) eat [...]" - 54% of Sample). I particularly liked the description of the community of braceros and the close relationships its members shared. The references to Spanish folklore and mythology add more charm to this psychological thriller. I'm wondering what will happen to Luciana after Hector's attack. Based on the suspenseful plot and the OBC reviewer's recommendation, I'll add this novel to my reading list.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 4:19 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Scerakor

45879
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. I'm not really looking for a psychological thriller at this point in time. 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 found the descriptions of the trials and tribulations of the braceros that was described early on in this book very interesting. That being said, as mentioned above, I'm not a big fan of psychological thrillers and this one didn't seem like it had anything interesting that would appeal to me. 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 May 1, 2019, at 4:00 am by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Lorraine De Vos

140922
I probably would not have chosen to sample this book based on the cover; it appeared to be a horror story that I would rather pass on. However, after reading the first ten pages, I can confidently say my mind has been changed. The author masterfully keeps the narrative calm and then suddenly hits you with massive drama and suspense. The character of Luciana portrays innocence like only a child can and I felt sincere heartache while reading how confused she felt after being shot and not understanding the gravity of the situation. The only thing I didn’t like was the cover picture - it has the feeling of horror, which this book is not. The book does appear to be professionally edited; I didn’t notice any errors. The official OnlineBookClub review was excellent and provided more information without any spoilers.

First Ten review added on May 1, 2019, at 1:35 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

srividyag1

1186486
When I saw the cover, I thought that the book belonged to the horror genre. Then I read the sample and understood that it is a psychological thriller, and the tattered doll is of great significance to the story. From the official review, I gathered that Luciana considered herself similar to the doll in many ways, hence the significance. In the sample, we see two men, Mateo and Parker, driving with the doll on the dashboard. This is in 2007. Parker asks Mateo about his aunt Luciana, and Mateo starts reminiscing. Then the story flashes back to 1950s when migrant workers from Mexico worked as farmhands in and around Texas. We see two men Hector and Jesus, who are friends. When Hector finds that Jesus is sleeping with his wife, he vows to take revenge against both of them. Then we see Luciana, as a teenager, staying at home taking care of her younger siblings and cooking. She thinks many things and her thoughts involve jealous musings about her elder sister Lucia. Then her father Jesus comes back. Hector comes in and randomly shoots. Luciana gets shot. The sample ends with Luciana losing consciousness. I loved the writing style and the building of suspense. I was disappointed the sample ended at a cliffhanger because I wanted to know the rest of the story. I also liked that the author has provided a glossary of Spanish terms used in the book, for those who don't know Spanish. The book seems well-edited. I'm going to download this book and read it.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 11:59 pm by srividyag1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

CataclysmicKnight

67089
The first thing I thought when I saw this book was "I highly doubt this is going to be about an ordinary doll". I assumed it was horror, though, and never would've guessed that it would be about a girl who goes through a tragedy.

So far the book hasn't been about the girl at all, although I'm assuming one of the characters is her father. In either case, it was interesting reading about the effects of a massive drought on farmers. While that didn't keep me interested long, toward the end of the what I read was some drama settling in that could potentially keep me going.

I didn't see any errors in the book, and the writing was smooth enough, but a good portion of the middle of what I read just didn't hold my attention very well. I don't see myself reading any more of The Ordinary Doll.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 9:44 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

LV2R

708077
The book cover of the broken doll looks very scary and ugly. I was not interested in the book, even though the title is “The Ordinary Doll,” it did not look ordinary at all. The Amazon Blurb described Luciana as being born in a poor family of migrant workers and was on a long way to recover from a “monster” invading their home. I was not sure about reading the book, so I wanted to read the sample. The sample described the migrant workers of Jesus and Hector. Jesus had an affair with Hector’s wife, and readers see the buildup of hate and anger boil up in Hector. What would Hector do? This was a scary feeling when Hector did not immediately confront his trusted friend Jesus. I best liked how the book started with Mateo and Patrick moving Mateo’s mother, Lucia’s things after she had passed away and the doll was on the dashboard. This prompted Patrick to ask about his Aunt Lucianda, and the story unfolds from there. This present moment to talk about the past is an interesting way to tell the story of Luciana. The book seemed to be edited well, as I did not notice any errors. The OBC review mentioned that there was a Spanish word glossary in the back of the book, which would be helpful. Luciana identified with the broken doll as her own life needs to be loved. I do not want to read this book because I feel like it is a very sad and dark story of something terrible that happened to Luciana and affected her whole life. I want to read something more light-hearted for now.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 9:08 pm by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Nisha Ward

1192566
I'm not going to lie. If I had to read this based on the cover alone, I wouldn't. Dolls creep me out a lot. With that being said, I read it without the review anyway and found that I liked it. I love stories that look at family histories and the past and this one doesn't disappoint. Luciana's PoV was a delight and Hector's quiet anger was terrifying. It was also really well edited, so I think I'll finish this later when I get it.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 8:44 pm by Nisha Ward.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kristy Khem

533451
The cover design was not appealing because I think it was a bit frightening. Despite this, the title and blurb intrigued me. There were positive reviews on Amazon as well. I would have chosen to read this book since it is wise not to judge a book by its cover. The sample was interesting. I liked that the author used a flashback technique to begin the story. It began with a description of the doll followed by Parker asking Mateo to tell him the story of his aunt, Luciana. Then the story receded into the past where readers were introduced to two families of Mexican harvesters. I liked the Hispanic culture that was described in the book. For instance, the superstitions surrounding the cucuy (a type of superstitious monster). The story had a nice build up to it, especially after Hector found out that his best friend, Jesus, was sleeping with his wife. I would like to continue reading so I would buy the book. I did not see any errors in the sample so I think it has been edited professionally.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 8:38 pm by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

CinWin

717915
"The Ordinary Doll" by Mario Kiefer begins with Mateo coming home from a visit to his hometown in Texas, this being the first time he has been back since his mother died six years ago. He has an ancient and beat-up doll sitting on the dashboard as he begins to tell the story of his aunt Luciana, former owner of the doll. The author then begins to explain what Texas was like between 1949 and 1957 for the migrant Mexican farm workers. I enjoyed how Mario explained the way these workers form their lives around "community." They all help each other, no matter what. I won't be finishing the novel because it is a bit too slow-paced for my liking. I read the onlinebookclub review. There is a lot of sadness, abuse and trauma throughout the book, and I prefer upbeat books or total fantasy. The cover itself was somber, showing an old, beat-up and uncared-for doll. I would not have chosen this book by its cover. There were no typos. It was a good book - just not for me.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 8:19 pm by CinWin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Christina O Phillips

127531
The title is simple, but the cover is creepy so it caught my eye. The summary showed the story to be more of a coming of age type rather than the creepy story I thought it would be based on the cover. Without this program, I would have skipped this sample. The story opened with Mateo but quickly turned into a flashback of Luciana's life. The writing is more telling than showing, more narration than dialogue. It was hard for me to get pulled in to Luciana's story because the ideas from the culture (el cucuy, for example) and Spanish words were explained or translated. It was jarring as it pulled me out of the tale. Because I did not like the writing style or tone (too simple), I will not read more. There were no errors I noticed so it seems to be professionally edited.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 8:14 pm by Christina O Phillips.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mbrooks2518

1121144
From what I read and the book's official review, this story is well written and has an intriguing plot. Also, I did not find any editing mistakes. I liked the way the story opens and the focus that is given to the doll; it draws the reader into the story. However, while the plot sounds intriguing, it is not enough for me to want to finish reading the book.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 5:38 pm by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kajori Sheryl Paul

997537
'The Ordinary Doll' is a book written by Mario Kiefer. The title, cover, OBC review, and Amazon review did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.

The sample leads me to believe that it revolves around Luciana, the second daughter of Jesus and Fabia. The book starts with Lucia's son, Mateo, collecting a box of his mother's belongings six years after her death. In that box, Mateo found a broken dollar. Then, his friend asks about his aunt, Luciana. The book then shift back to the 1950's, a time when his family worked as farm-hands. I liked the writing style. I found some errors. For example, the author had written, “She heard another bang as she lie on the floor.” It should have been, “She heard another bang as she lay on the floor.” Hence, I do not consider it to be professionally edited. I will give this book a try as I like reading books of this genre.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 4:21 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Bukari

486502
Had it not been this program, I would have liked to read the work because of the title and picture of the doll on the cover page. The two entities made me excited about exploring the role of the doll. The official review also convinced me to read the whole book, as the reviewer gave it four stars. I am ready to purchase the book for more of Luciana's adventures. After going through the first ten pages, my guess was wrong. I thought the work was in the genre of children, but it was not so. What I liked most about the work was the excellent editing done. There was no error noticed after I visited the first ten pages. I hope the author will include complex characters to help Luciana overcome her fears. The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review, and it was an influential factor for me.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 4:17 pm by Bukari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Sarah_Khan

89585
At first glance, I probably would not have picked up this book because the amazon blurb is too vague. The first ten pages seem well-edited. I loved the description of the doll in the beginning. The facts about the Mexican harvesters were interesting, but also a bit too long. I read the OBC review to get more information on the plot, but unfortunately, I felt like it did not provide enough information. The reviewer does mention the misspelled Spanish words and that fact that their meaning is at the end of the book, which I think would be tiring. For these reasons, I will not be reading the rest.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 3:21 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Chelsy Scherba

75151
I liked the introduction of the creepy, beat up doll with its missing leg and hair. I also enjoyed the historical details about the drought and flood in Texas during the fifties that made it harder for Hector and other Mexican migrants to find consistent work on farms. These details and the ones about the community, particularly the way the women supported each other by making a lunch for the sick woman’s husband, interested me. The review mentioned this book has an unexpected twist at the end which really entices me to read more. So far, the editing looks professionally done. I couldn’t see any errors. I like the cover image and the overall premise, so I will consider this book.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 2:42 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

HRichards

741384
I normally wouldn't have picked this book up as the summary didn't really interest me. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book as it is a bit slow. The sample deals with a doll that reminds Mateo about the story behind the doll which he begins to tell. It deals with his parents, who were braceros, and the falling out his father had with another bracero man. The writing is pretty good, though I did notice a grammar error in the line "on this late summer day, it was particularly hot..." where it didn't need a comma. Those who like historical novels might like this book. I wasn't that interested in the story. I have not read any other reviews of this book.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 2:33 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sonya Nicolaidis

1005818
I love the cover illustration and title and would definitely have though this would be a good book to read. The reviews are exceptional, and one reviewer even describes the book as "fantastic and tragic and uplifting all at once" which is a great recommendation. I liked the clear and easy way the book is written and the first couple of chapters certainly captured my interest. I saw no errors at all so I assume it has been professionally edited. There is nothing I can criticize about the sample and could not suggest any improvements as it is a wonderful start to what seems to be a fantastic book. I would definitely read this one, because I'm curious as to what happens and what the promised twist in the tale will turn out to be.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 2:25 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Laura Ungureanu

620179
The creepy cover didn't encourage me to check out this book, but the review did. The book starts with a short description of the doll on the cover. After that, we dive into the lives of Hector, Mariana, Jesus, and Fabia. Hector and Jesus are braceros, which I didn't know anything about until reading this. The writing style was captivating. I didn't find grammar errors. As the review mentioned, this book is for people who like Hispanic culture and folklore. I don't find myself enjoying Hispanic books, so I won't continue reading this one.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 2:24 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kristin Ransome

1137885
This book is not part of my usual sci-fi genre, so I would not normally have picked it up. After reading the first 10 pages, while interesting, did not pique my interest enough to continue reading it. Having found no errors, I'd say the book was professionally edited. My favourite part was the inclusion of footnotes to translate the frequently-used spanish for non-spanish readers! My least favourite part was how Jesus is suspected of having an affair with Hector's wife, whom Hector begins insulting with no proof of her unfaithfulness.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 1:12 pm by Kristin Ransome.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Juliana_Isabella

1210914
If I hadn't read the review, the doll on the cover probably would have kept me far away from this book because it reminds me of cliche horror stories like Chuckie. Although I loved the vivid scenes the author paints, I found a couple grammatical errors within the first ten pages. In the sentence "In time, however, the return of the rain, brought a return to the fields and to the harvest." does not need the comma after "rain". I enjoyed the characters and imagery, but I'm afraid that the genre "psychological thriller" will keep me from buying this book today.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 12:24 pm by Juliana_Isabella.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Delaney35

1181892
I have read several very positive review of this book, both the official one and volunteer reviews. The cover kind of freaks me out though. From it, I'm getting horror vibes, which isn't my favorite genre. However, I think I would highly consider reading this book even without sampling it. The first few pages did not contain any grammatical issues, at least that I noticed. It started off with the main character's nephew, Mateo, and the doll from the cover. He is telling his aunt Luciana's story. I absolutely plan on finishing this book. I want to find out how Luciana's story turns out.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 12:08 pm by Delaney35.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

gen_g

697597
I have not come across reviews of this book. The book is also professionally edited, which I very much appreciate. I like how the doll is first introduced via prolepsis, with special care given to its appearance, especially to its previously torn leg. It's also interesting that the person who mended the doll used blue thread when the stockings on the leg are red and white. I would suggest that the author spend a bit more word count to flesh out Parker and Mateo (in the proleptic introduction) before going back to the past to the actual story (by introducing Hector and James). I will not be buying the book today, as the sample was honestly rather confusing to me; without a proper transition from the proleptic introduction to the actual story, there seems to be 2 different stories.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 11:32 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mai Tran

1025684
When I first looked at this book, I thought it was a horror novel. The official review clears that up and makes the book sounds very intriguing. Having read the sample, I now understand why the reviewer enjoyed the book so much. It’s very well written and edited. The first person point of views provides a very personal and engaging experience. It’s easy to understand Luciana’s character from her narrative, which would be the foundation for upcoming events. I’d love to continue reading the book and see how Luciana fights her misfortunes and wins her life back.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 11:14 am by Mai Tran.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

lisalynn

1211288
Amazon lists The Ordinary Doll as a psychological fiction book, but I would not know that from the title font. Conversely, the cover image is sufficiently creepy and innocent at the same time to fit that category and interesting enough to entice a reader to see what’s inside. The writing style of the novel is more like a memoir than fiction, going deep into several characters' stream of consciousness. The opening scene is a frame set-up for a flashback, which leads to a history lesson and then backstory, backstory, backstory that seems more like the author's notes to himself than pages to be published. It's page seven before much of anything happens, and by that time, most readers will have abandoned the chase. Subsequently, there are several characters with a POV section. I'm still not sure which one of them is intended to be the main protagonist. I can’t bond to any of them with such brief contact. In an effort to supply some cultural ambiance, the author sprinkles Spanish words into the narrative. I don't mind the authenticity, however, some of the words are footnoted, while others are not. The footnotes are jarring in a work of fiction. Surely there's a better way to convey the vibe of the community without the need for a translator. One tiny error appears on page 4. “…paying higher wages than those being paid…” There is an extra space between than and those. Other than that, the text is clean and well edited. No OnlineBookClub review influenced me as to whether to sample this book or not. The first ten pages are too slow moving for me to want to read on.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 11:09 am by lisalynn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

cpru68

517613
Mateo and his partner are on a road trip when the conversation turns to family history. The story goes back to a time period in Arizona when his grandmother was a child. Readers are introduced to Hector, a migrant worker, who labors alongside of his friend Jesus. The two men have wives and it seems that they both have a strong bond with one another until the day Hector discovers that Jesus is seeing his wife Marianne on the side. It is during a lunch break, and she has said she isn’t feeling well. Hector realizes that everytime his wife claims she is sick, and he goes elsewhere at lunch, Jesus disappears. So, he spies on his own home and sees with his own eyes the betrayal as Jesus enters his home for awhile and then departs.

The opening is good as readers will immediately feel the tension of the scene. And with Hector plotting his revenge, it sets up conflict.

I won’t be finishing this book as I usually read non-fiction and this one just doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t read a lot of psychological thrillers, so this is just not in my reading interest.

I found no errors in punctuation, spelling or grammar so this seems to have been professionally edited, and the review gave this a 4 out of 4 stars indicating a job well done.

I probably wouldn’t have found this one without the online book club, and I appreciate the opportunity to have read the sample pages and will send it out on my social media for others to look into.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 10:24 am by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

desantismt_17

604219
This book’s title made me curious. The description also left me feeling curious but not necessarily enough to read the book. Before sampling, I was considering reading. After sampling, though, I’ll pass. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors. The first line is fantastic. “It was just an ordinary doll” could go in so many directions. The following paragraphs didn’t really hold my attention, except for the detailed description of the doll. Then, when I got to Texas and the drought, I was unsure why Mateo and Parker were included. If they pop up throughout the story as reminders that Mateo’s telling the story, that would make sense. But the story seems to start just fine with the drought. I’m not a fan of “false starts,” but this is a subjective thing. Other readers may feel differently, but depending on how the rest of the book goes, removing Mateo and Parker at the beginning may have improved this for me. The OnlineBookClub.org review was positive but a bit scattered. I didn’t get too much out of it, and it didn’t change my mind. This book isn’t for me.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 9:09 am by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Stephanie Elizabeth

946569
This book piqued my interest as soon as I saw the cover. The blurb about the book captured my attention. Upon reading the first ten pages, I will definitely read the rest of this book. I didn't notice any errors.
I loved how the author was able to narrate how both Hector and Luciana were feeling in both situations. I felt like I was there when Luciana was describing how it felt to be shot. I can't say there is anything that needs improvement in this book. I really enjoyed the sample provided. The book had an OnlineBookClub official review.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 9:06 am by Stephanie Elizabeth.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Renu G

1230512
The Ordinary Doll is a story of a young girl named Luciana. They were from a poor immigrant family. Her dreams were crushed after an attack. After reading the description on amazon, I was not sure whether I should read the book. When I read the first ten pages, I learnt some more details about her life. She tried to recover from the trauma by seeing herself in a broken but repaired doll. I feel sorry for her. However, I've read many books of this genre over the decades and do not plan to read the whole book. It seems to have been professionally edited and I did not find any errors. There is an OBC review but it didn't my mind.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 7:57 am by Renu G.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gali

50066
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as it isn't the type of books I enjoy reading. The book follows Luciana, a daughter of Mexican immigrants, whose life changed for the worse after being hit by a stray bullet. While a novel revolving around Hispanic folklore sounds original, it is too intense for me. I didn't change my mind after sampling the book. The scene where Luciana was shot made me wince. I like that the author uses the literary device of a story within a story. The sample opened with Mateo telling his friend about the doll he is about to retrieve from his late mom's home, and then he narrated his aunt Luciana's story. I also like the inclusion of the Spanish word and Mexican folklore in the text. Although I didn't notice any glaring errors, the writing was a bit dry to my taste. I won't read the book, as it isn't my cup of tea. The official review didn't sway my decision either way.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 6:54 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Theresa Moffitt

857578
I do not like the cover photo of this book. I would not have picked this book up based on the cover. The title and cover imply possibly a horror novel. I like horror stories, but this photo doesn’t interest me. I haven’t read a review of this book. The first ten pages were confusing at times because it seems to be a story within a story. It starts with the character Mateo going to the childhood home to pick up items from his childhood three years after the death of his mother. Then the mother’s death on 9/11 is briefly discussed. Next he starts to tell the story of his Aunt. The majority of the first ten pages are about hector and his wife traveling for work from Mexico to Texas and Arizona. Hectors wife seems to be cheating on him with his best friend. The first ten pages are well-written, but confusing. I wasn’t sure which story was the main story. I would like to read a review of this book to see if the story gets more focused after the first ten pages. I believe the book was professionally edited because I didn’t see any errors. Based on the first ten pages, I will not finish reading this book. However, if I read a review that recommends, I may change my mind.

First Ten review added on April 30, 2019, at 6:48 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Total ~ 36%

The Ordinary Doll earned a score of 36%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 36% 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 The Ordinary Doll