The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Spirituality in the 21st Century
Because Spirituality in the 21st Century 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.
Ekta Kumari
The book highlights spiritual concepts for those who are beginning their spiritual journey and are in the search for truth and a deeper meaning to life. I liked the premise, and I'm very much into learning more about spirituality. So, I would have read the book. The thing I liked the most while sampling is that, in spite of the author coming from a certain religion, there is no emphasis on religious principles, and the book is written with the aim to make it relatable for the followers of different faiths. I also like the straightforward and honest tone of the author. As for the editing, I would say the book is professionally edited as I didn't find any errors in the portion I sampled. I did see an official review before sampling the book. I'll read the whole book as I liked the sample, and the subject is of my interest. I've no suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2020, at 4:59 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Lorraine De Vos
I would not have chosen to sample this book based on the title and cover. The first ten pages were very well written. I like how the author tries to be as inclusive as possible of all religions and life choices and it is clear that he does not discriminate based on other people’s lifestyle choices. The book does appear to be professionally edited. The official OnlineBookClub review was excellent, but did not serve to change my mind in this instance. As I am not currently interested in reading about the topic of spirituality, I will not be adding this book to my reading list. I have no recommendations for improvements.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2020, at 4:56 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
The title is common, yet the idea is interesting. I ponder on the title, "what is spirituality in the 21st century?" I will give this book a try, though the sample isn't a gripping one. I like the epigraph, but the thing that piqued my excitement is the idea of "what is spirituality in the 21st century?" written by new authors. The sample looks a bit flat because of the genre, but it doesn't affect my decision. I read the OBC review, which is very helpful in providing a brief summary of the book. I assumed that the book was professionally edited because I didn't notice any typos. For improvements, I will recommend to add more catching questions in the introduction.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2020, at 4:31 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
xsquare
This genre does not really appeal to me: I can tell as much by the title and the blurb. Although the official OBC review rates this book highly, I am not very interested in spirituality. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind – although I appreciate the author’s attempt to make the book as inclusive as possible by being nondenominational, this genre is just simply not my cup of tea. I did not see any typos within the first ten pages. Although I will not be reading this book further, I do think the author has done a remarkable job on the book for those who are interested in spirituality – I did not find any areas for improvement.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2020, at 4:31 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AvidBibliophile
The cover art seems visually appealing and accurately conveys a true sense of what this book aims to explore. The Amazon product description promises to take a down-to-earth approach at presenting a unique set of faith-based, revolutionary concepts. I like that the book begins with some inspirational song lyrics, further supporting the intended focus placed on personal self-discovery and life-enhancement goals. I also appreciate that the author chose to take a nondenominational approach in presenting his chosen set of concepts. Family counseling can be incredibly beneficial, and building a strong moral character is something we should all aim to develop and achieve in life. This book appears to have been professionally edited, as I did not encounter any perceived errors in the sample portion. The pair of officially published OBC reviews are primarily positive, and the 19 currently posted Amazon user ratings seem equally complimentary. Since philosophical books on faith and spirituality do not fall within my preferred reading genres, I will be passing on this one. For readers who take a keen interest in such topics, I suspect they'll find this exploration into the five principles of spiritual enlightenment refreshingly divine!
First Ten review added on August 23, 2020, at 3:27 am by AvidBibliophile.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
evraealtana
The cover of the book matches the assessment of the official OBC review, in that it aims to enhance connection to the universe at large without any particular religious focus. The author, too, claims that this is his goal in the first ten pages. I liked that he acknowledged his own biases, coming from a Roman Catholic background, and that he is actively trying to avoid pushing them onto the reader. He made this point several times in the sample, which reassured me that he really meant what he said. I didn't care for the author's assessment that "problem families", defined as families that lack a "cohesive family structure", are the reason for many of society's current problems. Although the author does not go into specifics, it felt to me that this definition implied single-parent families, grandparents raising grandchildren, foster scenarios, and so on. I strongly disagree that these are "problem families" just because they are atypical, and it feels hurtful and closed-minded to classify them this way. It feels to me that the author is blaming the "problems [that] arise because people have dysfunctions in their lives" on that person not having a "traditional" nuclear family. I also disliked the author's mentioning of the afterlife, since not all readers actually believe in an afterlife. The author claims that spirituality is at the heart of every religion, but he seems to take the idea that a reader HAS a religion of some stripe for granted. He even goes so far as to define spirituality as having a relationship with God, which requires firstly that God exists and secondly that He is the kind of being with whom one can even HAVE a relationship (in contrast to agnosticism, Satanism, Wicca, the Norse pantheon, and so on). I applaud Daversa's effort, but I am not going to continue with this book. It doesn't feel applicable to me, and I can already foresee that the author and I will disagree on many more points as the book progresses, divergences which will probably rub me the wrong way. I noted three errors: the phrase "more weighty" (the correct word is "weightier"); a missing hyphen in "They document my strongly held beliefs" ("strongly-held"); and which/that confusion in "my initial quest...resulted in the passage which follows." (that).
First Ten review added on August 23, 2020, at 2:50 am by evraealtana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
edztan15
As a skeptic and non-practicing Catholic, the review and blurb for this book did not raise my interest in it. Even if the author tried to avoid making the book focus on a specific religion, it is inevitable that people's biases will come into play in reading this book. Reading the first ten pages, my interest further declined. I'm sure that the book will be insightful to those who are still searching for spiritual enlightenment. It's just a matter of personal belief and taste that I didn't find the book appealing, although I must say that it is well-edited as far as the first ten pages are concerned. I think the book is suitable for those who already have a persuasion to these kinds of subjects so I'm going to take a pass on this.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2020, at 2:31 am by edztan15.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I don’t usually read non-fiction, and I stay away from religious or spiritual books. After reading the first ten pages I won’t be finishing this book. I liked that the author tried to appeal to a large audience of people. It was explained that “God” referred to the author’s view, but that the reader should think of this in whatever way fit their beliefs. However, even though the author did a great job appealing to multiple groups, I still just don’t have a personal reason for reading the book. It was stated that this book is for those trying to self discover spirituality and I just don’t fit in that category. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2020, at 2:13 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mbrooks2518
I'm not interested in books about spirituality, so I would not have read the sample without The First Ten. Reading the first ten pages and the official review did not make me interested, so I am not going to buy the book. According to the official review, the author included personal stories, which I like because it helps the reader better understand what the author is saying. I did not find any editing mistakes, and nothing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 11:38 pm by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
After reading the blurb, I wouldn't pick this book up because I don't typically read non-fiction and the premise doesn't really interest me so I'm not the target audience for this book. After reading the first ten pages, I spotted a few minor grammar errors. In chapter one, "Since 1997 I have been engaged..." there should be a comma after 1997. However, the errors were few and not distracting. What I liked best about the book so far was how the author introduced what spirituality means to him and why it's important. I do agree with him that people may have different ideas about what spirituality actually is and how to be more spiritual so I like how he prefaces the book with a definition and what it means to him so that the message is clear rather than vague. I also enjoy the metaphors he uses. I do not have any suggestions for improvement. I found the writing style to be very engaging and direct. I think those who are interested in spirituality would greatly enjoy this book. There was an onlinebookclub review but this isn't a genre I'm interested in so I won't be reading the rest.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 11:28 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Judging by its title, I immediately decided to buy and read this book. However, after I read the official OnlineBookClub review, I changed my mind. The OBC reviewer states that the book’s language style “focuses on telling rather than showing and letting the reader come to their own conclusion”. I want to read, not be indoctrinated. Therefore, I won’t buy this book today. After sampling the first ten pages, I finally decided to not buy this book. The sample I read includes the whole Introduction section and a part of Chapter 1 (until the Five Fundamental Principles of Spiritual Enlightenment part). What I appreciate the most is the fact that the author tried to make this spiritual guide appealing to all religions, instead of just sticking to one. I didn’t notice any errors; I think the book is professionally edited. I suggest that the author change the book’s language style, although that may be challenging and arduous.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 10:54 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
I wouldn't have read this book outside the program because of its title. I don't read secularly or scholarly authored books on religion or spirituality mostly because I'm completely certain that I'd find something that directly conflicts with my personal beliefs on the subject matter. This book was no exception. From chapter 1, I read, "...we all begin life with a default destiny, a spiritual path that God has chosen for us as only He sees fit...Sometimes our default paths are especially good, but sometimes they're just mediocre or especially hard..." Apart from the fact that this thought process goes directly in conflict with the Scriptures at Isaiah 65:11 which revealed God's displeasure at those who believe in the "god of Destiny," my main question is this: Can God create something defective? Implying that a person's "path" can be mediocre and ripe for changing means that God didn't do a perfect job. Again, this is in contrast to the Bible's teaching that God saw that all his creations were good. Also, if, indeed, he'd predestined man to live a certain life, this would go contrary to his nature as a God of justice since there's no tangible basis as to why one person is destined to live an enjoyable life and another is destined to suffer. The true God doesn't predestine our lives, and that's the precise reason it could go either ways: good or bad. Obviously, I wouldn't last long if I'm to read this book. One thing I agreed with, though, was that "many problems arise because people have dysfunction in their lives often resulting in a void" which mostly stems from problem families, affecting children up until the point of adulthood. I found no grammatical errors and have no recommendation for improvement. I saw an OBC review, but it didn't influence my decisison.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 9:43 pm by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Lee
This book really impressed me. Loved the cover and was instantly intrigued by the Amazon blurb's focus on spirituality as opposed to religiosity.
As I am writing this the day after it was BOTD, I must confess that I can't remember whether or not there was a review that went with it. I don't think there was. I went looking for an Online Book Club review, found it, and read it. It was good. One of the things I appreciated about the review was that the reviewer brought out that the author calls on a wide range of spiritual leaders/influencers, from Nelson Mandela and Helen Keller to Mahtma Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Again, this is what I like best about the book: the breadth of influence the author draws on in his focus on spirituality. I was also impressed with the professional editing and clean, clear formatting.
Beyond that, I have mixed feelings about the book. In the introduction, the author states that his book "deals with spirituality, and spirituality is at the core of every religion." Great! That's what interested me in the first place. Reading further, however, I see statements that make it clear the author's religion is Christianity. That was disappointing as I was hoping for a book that didn't have so much of that in it. The author writes clearly and if this is a book that sounds interesting to you, go for it! It is well-written. That said, I'm not going to be purchasing it at this time. I'm still intrigued but a bit disappointed that the author turns from a broad "spirituality" to very obviously Christianity-based statements so quickly.
One thing that might help is if there was a longer sample to try. There weren't very many sample pages. Perhaps if there were more, I could get a better feeling for just where on the spirituality-versus-religiosity spectrum this book falls. That's the main thing I feel could be improved: give me a longer sample to be able to better gauge if this is a book I want to read or not. As it is, I won't be getting it at this time.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 8:11 pm by Laura Lee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
readsbyarun
The book started with a very good introduction in what is needed for the human and what human seeks in the spirituality. This books seems to be very interesting to read, and very well edited. The title, cover page, and the review in OBC enabled me to decide to buy the full book and read it.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 6:41 pm by readsbyarun.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jsovermyer
The cover shows me this is a book about religion. I don't like religious books, so I would not buy this one to read. This is a book on attaining spiritual growth and enlightenment. It is about having a personal relationship with God and living your best life. The free pages were boring to me, more like a seminary thesis. I found no spelling or grammatical errors and believe this book has been professionally edited. The official reviewer liked the book and said it had a few unconventional viewpoints. This is interesting, but not enough for me to buy it. I will not be finishing it.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 4:34 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Maria Esposito
I knew I would not be interested in this book before I sampled it, because I already have an established religious and spiritual orientation and I have no interest in pursuing another one. Hence, the title, cover design, and positive customer Amazon reviews do not catch my interest. The author begins by explaining his own spiritual and religious orientations. Then, the book moves toward a definition of spiritual growth and the different paths to spirituality one might undertake. I did not find any errors within the first ten pages, so I think that the book has been professionally edited. There is nothing I particularly appreciated or disliked about the book: I am simply not interested in its subject matter. I came across an official review of this book, but this had no impact on my initial decision.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 3:33 pm by Maria Esposito.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
kperm
Before reading the sample, I thought that the book would not interest me. While I have heard some great reviews about it, spiritual books usually don’t appeal to me. After reading the sample, I decided not to read the whole book. There wasn’t anything unique about this book. It just seemed like another ordinary spiritual book. Daversa kept stating the we are born with default paths and that there are five fundamental principle of spiritual enlightenment. The book seemed professionally edited, and I did not notice any mistakes. I think the author could make the book a little bit more exciting and use engaging vocabulary.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 2:30 pm by kperm.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. I'm not a spiritual person nor am I interested in the subject. 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. In the sample, I enjoyed the concept of default paths and how we are born with them. The idea that problem families create voids should be universally realised. That being said, I'm just not a spiritual enough person to buy and read the rest of this one. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read and the book looked well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 1:36 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Melisa Jane
I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its title because I'm not into spiritual texts. After sampling it, I won't finish reading it because I find it strange that a spiritual book can have a quote about romance on its first page. I think it's very inconsistent with its major theme. I didn't find anything likable within the first ten pages. I recommend that the author desists from using secular quotes on spiritual texts. I didn't find any grammatical errors while reading. This book has an official OBC review.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 12:40 pm by Melisa Jane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
I like the title and cover of this book. The OBC review got my interest and I would have sampled this faith based book from the reviewer's recommendations. I believe that this is a professionally edited book that was written in a way that wasn't "preachy." The author's use of examples of people most readers can identify was my favorite aspect of the sample. I will definitely read the book completely. I have no suggestions for improvement and feel that this is a good reference book to strengthen a real relationship with God.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 11:23 am by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Tonika632
I am not a fan of spiritual books, and I would not sample it. The first ten pages didn't change my mind, and I am sure that I will not read it simply because I don't like that genre. This book has an official review. I have found no errors and I can tell it is edited professionally. I like the little quotes at the beginning of every chapter. I also like there are many short chapters, that way the author did a good job of explaining some terms and answering the most asked questions about spirituality. I would not change anything in the book. I like the cover, too.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 9:42 am by Tonika632.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sonya Nicolaidis
The OBC reviewer’s summary of this book sounded quite promising and made it sound a bit different from most other books about spirituality. Although I probably wouldn’t have stopped for a closer look, the review made me think it might be worth considering. The sample read exceptionally well, and there were no errors in the text. I definitely think it was edited by a professional. Only one sentence didn’t quite make sense, and that was the dedication at the beginning. I believe it should read, “To all those who yearn for meaning . . . and have a vision with which to achieve it.” Although the sample was short, I enjoyed the fact that the author is non-denominational in his approach; I think this will endear him to a wider readership. There was nothing I didn’t like about the sample, and I cannot suggest anything to change about this book. However, it didn’t turn out to be very different from other books of this genre, and I wasn’t sufficiently engaged by the sample to change my initial reaction to this book. I wouldn’t read any further.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 7:47 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Spirituality in the 21st Century' is non-fiction book. It is written by Frank P. Daversa. The book outlines the path to attain spiritual enlightenment. It is a guide for those starting out their spiritual journey. I like the way the author strives to be unbiased towards any particular religion. His tone is Frank and relatable. The book is well-edited as I did not find any error. Nothing seems to be in need of an improvement. The title and cover did a good job at alluding to the contents of the book. The OBC review and the Amazon reviews were informative. I will skip this book as I am not in the mind-frame to read non-fiction books as of now.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 6:39 am by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
I wouldn't have sampled this book without the programme as I'm not particularly interested in general books about spirituality. I also won't buy this today as I don't believe in God or spiritual enlightenment. This book seems professionally edited as I didn't notice any errors. I liked the quote about needing to be wide awake to make one's dream come true. I also liked the author's five principles, as they did seem sensible in terms of what is needed to live well. The OBC review I saw was informative in sharing those, though my decision was mainly based on the sample. Nothing particularly needs to be improved about the book - some images might enhance its overall appearance.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 5:50 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Elvis Best
Based on the title of the book, I would not have read it because I do not enjoy reading spiritual books. Still, after reading the first ten pages, I would not read the rest of it because I was not interested in the kind of spirituality offered by the author. Also, I believe the book has been professionally edited, as I found no errors in the first ten pages. The one thing I liked most was the author's simple and clear writing. Consequently, I couldn't possibly suggest any improvements to the book at this stage. I did read an Official OnlineBookClub review that I think presented the book very well.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 3:12 am by Elvis Best.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J_odoyo
After reading the sample, I’ve realized that Spirituality in the 21st Century by Frank P. Daversa is one of the books many people would like to read. Although the author only provided an introduction and a section of the first chapter in the sample, I can still tell how important this book seems to be. I think the cover page was okay, and the title was also attractive. The book seemed to have been professionally edited, and I could not find anything to dislike about it (in the pages I've read). Impressively, the book also had an official OnlineBookClub review, which gave insight into what the book entails. I liked the book’s description on the Amazon website; it was succinct and informative enough to allow for an accurate guess of what the book is all about. Author Frank writes to help his readers to understand spirituality, life, and the world. The book is seemingly a tool for spiritual enlightenment. Having read a few pages and the OnlineBookClub review, I’m going to finish reading this book. I believe it has vital information.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 2:44 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sanju Lali
It was quite clear from the cover and the title that this is a spiritual book, knowing that, I considered reading the official review of this book before buying because I wanted to know more about the takeaways from this book. The official review was good, and it helped me to know that this book encourages us to go on a path of spiritual discovery and spiritual enlightenment with the help of the five fundamental principles of spiritual enlightenment. This idea piqued my interest to sample the book. After reading the first ten pages, I found that this book is professionally edited as I did not notice any grammatical or typing errors. The thing l liked the most in this book is the irony in the sentence, which tells us that the spiritual path chosen for us by God guides us like the water current that guides a floating leaf down a stream. My suggestion to the author is to add some more irony and real-life examples so that readers can understand the deeper meaning of the content. Anyway, I am quite happy with this book. After looking at all these aspects, I decided to purchase and read this book today.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2020, at 12:24 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The cover is fitting for the subject matter. The official OBC review rates it a full 4 stars. However, reading spiritual books is not my forte. Hence, based on the reviews and the genre, I would not have read this. The first ten pages were without editing issues. The author explained what spirituality and enlightenment are, and why spiritual enlightenment is required to surpass the obstacles God has put in our path. I don't have any suggestions for improvement. I believe the author has conveyed his ideas clearly. However, seeing that I am neither a believer nor spiritual, the lessons would be wasted on me. So I decided not to read this book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 11:23 pm by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Howlan
The cover looks good. The synopsis gives us a general introduction to this book. It really pulls the big guns in describing the book, such as "so revolutionary" and "full of wisdom, philosophy, new spiritual truths, and practices. Read it and grow spiritually." I have to say this raises my expectations very high. The sample had mainly an introduction and a brief glimpse of the first chapter. In the introduction, the author tried to be considerate by making this book relevant to people of all faiths. In the introduction, he talks about how we all have different destinies and five principles of spiritual enlightenment. Narration is very monotonous and the concept of the book is nothing I have not heard before. No new spiritual practices in the sample. I am not going to buy and read this book as I am not interested in reading non-fiction books based on spirituality. I like reading fast-paced mystery thrillers. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The Official Review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 11:10 pm by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
I likely would have read Spirituality in the 21st Century even if it was not the OnlineBookClub's book of the day. My favorite part of the book so far is that it does not use the Christian religion as a basis for its content. I find that the Christian religion tends to judge people for their wrongs, and that is something that we need less of in today's world. Because this book has aligned with my views well so far, I have decided that I want to read more of what the author has to say. I did not see any grammatical errors, and I cannot think of any improvements that need to be done to it. I also did not see anything that made me dislike the book. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for Spirituality in the 21st Century and after reading it, I became more confident in my decision to read the book because it emphazied what I had already learned. I cannot think of anyone who would not want to read this title, based on the first ten pages that I read. I believe that I will get a different viewpoint on how I am living my life, and I am eager to learn about it.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 11:01 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Damis Seres Rodriguez
I can't say that I was particularly attracted by the cover of the book. However, the title was quite alluring. Sadly, I couldn't find any reviews that gave me a more accurate idea of the content of the book than what the title let on. As for the sample that I read, I found slightly alarming to see the author claiming to have "the answers to the mystery of spirituality." Mostly because claiming to have all answers to anything is more a signal of narcissism than wisdom. It made me feel uncomfortable. In any case, I didn't find any major errors that led me to believe the book was not professionally edited. It is just a sample, though, and those pages are not enough to give an accurate opinion on the edition or suggestions to improve. The approach the author had made me feel uncomfortable in the first few pages. I don't think I would enjoy the rest of the book, so I won't buy it.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 10:51 pm by Damis Seres Rodriguez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mrunalpatki
I like the title and the cover. I liked that in the title, the author has specifically mentioned the 21st century that makes the book very current and relevant. I read the official OBC review and a few sample pages from the book. I found it to be well-edited. The author has very clearly mentioned on the first page that this is not an exhaustive book on spirituality but somewhat of setting you in the right direction kind of a book. This clear goal makes the readers sure of what they can achieve through the book. In the sample pages, I would have liked to see some bulleted lists/ real-life examples/illustrations/steps or something that piqued curiosity, which I think was missing. Also, I am not much of a spiritual reader, more of a fiction reader. I am not going to buy this book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 10:40 pm by Mrunalpatki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
I like the pictures on the cover. They seem appropriate for a book on spirituality—they show awesome scenes with colors and a presentation that would make many consider the Creator of such beauty. I would have read the blurb even if I were not part of this program. I would expect the contents to be a mix of religions and philosophies, and as a Christian, I probably would not read the book, but I would be interested in the summary. I appreciated the author’s thoughtful and transparent introduction. The sample was too brief for me to get a good feel for the book, but the table of contents provided an adequate guide. I will not buy this book because I would prefer solely a Christian approach to enhancing my spirituality, but this seems like a good book for those seeking a spiritual path. I did not notice any grammatical errors in the sample pages; the book was well written and appeared to have been professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvement. The featured OnlineBookClub review had no bearing on my decision not to buy this book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 9:50 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
LinaJan
The cover art and the title of ‘Spirituality in the 21st Century’ by Frank P. Daversa are of the kind that captures my attention immediately. I am a fan of this genre. However, regardless that the topics and themes that are discussed in this book are those that I could not be more passionate about, I initially felt a little put off by the seemingly religious taint. Conversely, upon reading the official onlinebookclub.org review, I was pleased to learn that this piece of writing is more academic than it is preachy. Furthermore, having read the available sample, I learned that the author indeed strives to avoid discussing these important topics through a lens of a particular religion but, instead, make his ideas accessible and acceptable to everyone. The statement that made all the difference for me was that Frank P. Daversa considers himself to be spiritual rather than religious. I also liked that the author makes it clear at the very beginning that pursuing the ‘spiritual enlightenment’ is no walk in the park. I also found that this book seems to be professionally edited and proofread; this, to me, indicates that the author respects his potential audience. I am pleased to testify that this appears to be a piece worth giving one’s time to.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 9:02 pm by LinaJan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Aubrey Lewis
The overall appearance of the book is clean, but not very eye-catching, in my opinion. When I read through the official OBC review, I felt that I wouldn't be able to appreciate the book since I'm not very fond of reading non-fiction, especially ones involving the topic of spirituality. If I weren't a part of this program, I wouldn't have read the sample at all since the genres aren't my cup of tea and the summary didn't interest me enough to check it out willingly.
When I finished sampling the first ten pages, I decided not to read the rest of the book. The contents seemed professionally edited so far, and the author's writing style was light and conversational which was different from what I initially expected. The tone so far was quite convincing and reasonable, especially in regards to problematic families being one of the reasons why there are illegal drug use issues in the world today. However, the sample ended before the five fundamental principles could be listed.
Based on what I've read so far, there wasn't anything interesting that caught my attention. I'm not usually into books like this, so I'll have to pass on this one. Since my reason is due to my own personal preference, I don't think there are any improvements the author needs to make.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 8:02 pm by Aubrey Lewis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
unamilagra
Before sampling this book, I would not have picked it up. Despite the glowing OBC review, I am not spiritual and this is not my cup of tea. In reading the first ten pages, I really like that the author made the effort to present the content in a nondenominational way rather than focusing only on Christian readers. I found the idea of being born with a default path interesting, but it begs the question why does God give some people "good" paths and others "bad" ones? Although I think there are a lot of unique concepts brought up in this book, it just isn't something that is relevant to me. I don't plan to keep reading the book. I didn't notice any errors in the pages I read.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 7:46 pm by unamilagra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
The cover and title of this book are generic. I would not have sampled this without the First Ten program because I am not interested in spirituality. This book seems professionally edited. I have to applaud the author on trying to appeal to people of various beliefs and not sticking to one denomination. I liked the idea of a default destiny, but still having the power of free will. The OBC review was mostly positive, but the reviewer took away one star because of the author's prevalent bias. Overall, the subject of this book does not interest me and the review and free sample were not enough to change my mind. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 7:37 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Odette Chace
I like the title. It has an academic ring to it and makes the book sound authoritative. The cover is pretty generic. The synopsis on Amazon didn't make much of an impact on me. Many books are supposedly "revolutionary," and I rely on reviews because of the kind of language used in synopses like this one. Luckily, the Amazon reviews do look quite positive and the official Online Book Club review gave the book a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars. Additionally, the official Online Book Club review pointed out that the book addresses a few unexpected topics, which piqued my interest. However, I generally don't get far with books on spirituality, so I don't anticipate buying this one. I found the sample to be intelligent, genuine, and moving, but wish that a few more pages were included. I can't judge whether the information presented in the text is actionable based on the sample. However, I do believe that the book was professionally edited as I did not notice a single error. I won't be purchasing the book today just because of my track record with this genre. I have no criticism for the writing in and of itself.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 7:10 pm by Odette Chace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Verna Coy
Had I not sampled this book through the First Ten program, I would not have chosen it because the title doesn’t appeal to me, although the cover is nice.
For this reason, I don’t intend to purchase the book today.
Reading the first ten pages didn’t change my mind about buying the book, but I could see that it would have appeal to readers who would like to better understand spirituality in general.
Based on what I read the book seems professionally edited.
I didn’t see errors in the first ten pages.
What I liked most about what I read is how the author makes his book apply to those of all faiths, rather than just being directed at one.
I know that fans of books on spirituality will enjoy how this book is written.
As far as improvements, I could see no need for any in the sample that I read today.
I did read the Official Online Book Club review and found it insightful. It didn’t affect my views of the book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 6:47 pm by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelyn
If I had not been a member of this program, it is unlikely that the genre, title, cover, or author of this book would have prompted me to pick it up. The genre by itself would almost have guaranteed that I would bypass the book as I generally do not read self-help books. The title's mention of spirituality would have been a second strike against it as I tend to avoid books with a religious/spiritual basis. I know from experience that I do not enjoy either of these types of books. Although the cover is attractive, it would not have overridden the first two facts. The author is unknown to me, so that would not have affected my decision. The blurb and customer reviews did not help engage my interest as they simply highlighted the spiritual basis of the book. Although I did not see a review explicitly identified as being from this program, even if I had, I doubt it would have swayed my opinion. The sample was mildly interesting. I agree with the author that being spiritual doesn't automatically make one religious and applaude him for aiming his book toward the 'modern age.' His use of familiar figures such as Martin Luther King and His Holiness the Dalai Lama makes the book more relatable. Unfortunately, the fact remains that the book is solidly based on religion/spirituality, so I will be passing on this one. Although the book seemed reasonably well-edited, I did find a few mistakes which may have been errors but may have instead been formatting problems. For instance, on the very first page at 81% of the sample – The very first sentence is incomplete – “… having a close and personal relationship with God and the universe.”
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 6:19 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
I love the cover of this book. I don't typically read books on spirituality because some of the beliefs are different than mine. As I read the official review, I sensed this book and my overall beliefs would differ in several ways. I do believe in living a spirit-filled life, meaning being in tune with the Holy Spirit as said in the Bible. I have a problem with so much emphasis being put on being in tune with the earth and the universe. I think we should do everything we can to take care of the planet to ensure our health and wellness from the environment. However, I believe in the Bible as God's inspired word and it teaches us this earth will pass away. If that is God's will, then we can't save this earth. I enjoyed the sample I read of the book, but it wasn't long enough to be able to find out the author's exact beliefs. However, every book I have read on spirituality has different views from mine, somewhat. I did not detect any errors in what I read, and I didn't see anything that needs improvement. I do like the fact that the author strives not to make this a book about one certain denomination. I am sure many will find this book useful and enlightening. I have decided not to read the book based on the review mentioning certain subjects within that could seem unorthodox to some readers.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 5:57 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ritah
Based on the title and genre, I wouldn't have sampled the because it didn't appeal to me. I read the official review and sampled Spirituality in the 21st Century. I liked that the author mentionend that he tried to appeal to people of many different faiths and denominations by not centering on just one. The book appeared to be professionally edited and I saw no areas that need improving. I won't be reading the rest of the book because the main theme and content is not for me.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 5:36 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
elisathelvarik
I would have chosen this book based on its title, cover, and description. I am always on the lookout for more novels about spirituality and God. Religion is very important to me, so I am the target audience for this. I also love the author's welcoming nature to others. It is non-judgmental and accepting of those who want to grow a personal relationship with God. The official review showed me how accepting and inviting this book is. I just had to read the first ten pages to know more. I love the emphasis on love and self-discovery in this book. It is refreshing to see such an open perspective on spirituality. The author also reveals their religion but says they want to appeal to many. It reveals the author's overall credibility and bias in the introduction. Despite that, my religion is very particular in some things, so that may be a problem in the future. Some reviews on Amazon say that they don't always agree with what the author says. Regardless of the caveats, I decided that I will buy and read this book. The sample was short, but it interested me enough in the fundamentals of spirituality that I need more. I have no other notes about the first ten pages. I did not find any errors or typos. This book seems well-edited.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 5:24 pm by elisathelvarik.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
moowshiri
I wouldn't have read this book had I not been part of this program, based on its title. I'm also not going to read it to its end since I have no interest in spirituality reads. After sampling a few of its pages, I loved the fact that Daversa takes no religious side in expressing his thoughts. Him being a Roman Catholic, I expected the book to have a couple of Bible verses. However, there were none. I also never came across any errors. Therefore, no improvements are required to be made. There is also an official review from OnlineBookClub for the book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 4:49 pm by moowshiri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
In the sample, the author gives a preamble of the approach that the book will have. Among other things, it seeks to spiritually advise those who are starting on a spiritual journey, those who are unsatisfied or want to improve their spiritual part. In all, he hopes to thrust them towards self-discovery.
I liked the approach of not limiting the book to a few religions but rather focusing on the spiritual. In fact, it is suitable for any religion. I consider the definition of spirituality proper as having a relationship with God and the universe. The sample reveals little of the book's content itself. However, it already indicates the author's belief that we are all born with a default path, but also we have the ability to reflect and free will. The sample exactly ends when it was going to issue the principles of spirituality enlightenment.
The official review favors the book and motivates reading it but the subject is not one of my favorites, and it does not generate enough expectations for me. The editing seems remarkable as I did not observe any errors. The cover is striking as it reflects beauty, colors, and energy, which are associate with spirituality. In conclusion, I don't think I will read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 4:29 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Juliana_Isabella
I wouldn't have chosen this book because I don't usually read religious books. Even though the review was positive, it didn't make me want to read the book because it seems like it is aimed at people looking for spiritual guidance. I didn't find any errors in the first ten pages, but I also didn't find anything that inspired me to finish the book. I found it odd that the author considers the book nondenominational when he also talks about Jesus. Because of these things, I won't be finishing the book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 4:01 pm by Juliana_Isabella.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
Even before reading the sample, this book didn't sound appealing to me. After reading the sample, I still am not convinced to pick it up. Another thing worth mentioning is that the sample available is too shot to get the feel of the book. That is something that needs improving. I didn't notice any grammatical errors. I am glad that this book has an Offical OnlineBookClub review, which is very helpful.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 3:09 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabrielle Sigaki
Spirituality in the 21st Century by Frank P. Daversa is a self-help book that talks about spirituality, the relationship with God, marriage, and various other themes. When I read its Official OnlineBookClub review, I was willing to read it since the book seemed helpful and not restricted to religious people. However, after sampling it, I decided not to read the entire book since it didn't seem practical for me. Besides, in my opinion, it's more suited for Christians. But I think there's nothing to be improved in it since it's my subject opinion. Also, the book seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 3:08 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
aacodreanu
Had I not read the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have chosen to sample this book based on the title, a promise to give a fresh look to spirituality, and the editorial review that I saw, which was very clear and informative as to the contents of the book. I am not going to buy and read the whole book because it contains too much information and the views of the author are too ”liberal” for me. Reading the first ten pages made my mind as I had not made any guess before that. The book seems like it was professionally edited, with no typos or errors in sight. I cannot say I like anything in particular in the bit I read. I cannot say there can be anything that would make the book more attractive to me by changing.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 3:01 pm by aacodreanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
Books about spirituality don't necessarily appeal to me. I actually feel a need to reject them from the start. This book had a very detailed OBC review which made me want to at least give it a chance. The sample was nice. I enjoyed the author's writing style. It was pleasant, while also trying to be efficient. I like that the author isn't trying to impose his religious beliefs on its readers, but rather to address as many religions as possible. Regarding religion, I'm not in good relation with this topic, and since this book is actually focused on religion, I'll have to pass the occasion of reading this book. The sample seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 2:00 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
As I am not interested in non-fiction books, I would not have read the book based on the genre. Neither the sample nor the OBC review changed my mind. Throughout his book, the author shares how he embarked on a spiritual journey of self-discovery after dealing with a serious illness in 1997. In particular, he explains how discovering your own spiritual path will help you grow personally and find your real purpose in life. I honestly found nothing that needed to be improved. The Amazon blurb was informative, and I liked the simple, colorful cover. I also appreciated the author's clear writing style and conversational tone. The book seemed to be edited professionally; I did not find any typos or grammatical errors throughout the sample.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 1:46 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
I have always wondered whether I have control over my destiny or not. Spirituality in the 21st Century came at the perfect time. The author embraces that when we are born, God has already defined a path for us. However, we have the ability to think and free will to divert our designated paths, for better or for worse. Frank P. Daversa first defines what spirituality is in the introduction. I appreciated the inclusion of the five fundamental principles of spiritual enlightenment. They are meant to guide one in the spiritual journey. The title of this book and review (by OBC) augmented my desire to read this book. Having sampled the first ten pages, my interest stands. I feel this is a perfect book for me as I've been struggling to enhance my spiritual part. Therefore, I am going to buy it. What I loved most about this book is it's capacity to be read by any religious denomination. Siding with a particular denomination may be confusing to those starting their spiritual journeys. I have no suggestion for improvement from the pages I sampled. I presume that it was proofread by a professional as I didn't notice any grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 1:13 pm by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Diana Lowery
You can't go wrong with a cover that has both a sunset and a rainbow over a body of water. I was curious about this being the fifth edition. The copyright shows 2014 as the original date; I wonder what changes took place between 2014 and 2020. The blurb mentioned "no parables, dogma or metaphors" which paralleled the reviewer's opinion that the book was straight-forward. I did not see any errors in the free sample. The synopsis was easy to relate to. I will not finish reading this book because I am content with my level of enlightenment. I did not see anything that needed to be changed.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 1:11 pm by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Based on the title and cover, it is a non-fiction/motivational book, which I am not in the market for; hence, I would not have sampled it. I have also come across a positive review of the book, but this would not have changed my decision not to sample, since this book does not belong to a genre that I am looking for. After sampling, there are a couple of minor errors present. For example, at 46% in the sample, the comma in "...meant to make you think, and to be a primer..." is wrongly inserted (conjunction before dependent phrase). I would suggest more editing. Still, I appreciate that the author has made it very clear in the introduction that the book is not meant to convert anyone to any specific religion – hence, in his book, he attempts to be as nondenominational as possible. However, he admits his own Roman Catholic upbringing, and he only refers to the Creator as "He/Him" as it is the term that is most familiar to him – the readers, he states, are free to think of the Creator in whatever terms they wish, no matter what their faith is. I appreciate the author's acknowledgement of his own faith and how it affects the book, as this indicates the author's ability to always attempt at looking at matters through a perspective that is as objective as possible. However, only because I am currently not in the market for non-fiction (a genre which this book belongs to), I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 1:11 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Twylla
I would not buy and read this book because I study the Bible daily, and I am a member of the Bible Study Fellowship. I actively work on spiritual development in my life and I don't feel compelled to read this particular book as part of that journey.
My favorite thing about this book is that it covers very practical topics such as the environment and overpopulation. Spirituality is very practical as well as theoretical.
I have no suggestions for improving this book. I love the artwork on the cover. I felt like the Amazon sample text should have been longer to get a better feel for the book and the writing style.
Based on the text I read, this book is well written and professionally edited. I didn't find any errors in the text that I read.
The official online book club review was very well written and represents the book well.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 12:57 pm by Twylla.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I like the cover of the book because the design is very clean and it reminded me of Brian Weiss' books. However, I'm always hesitant with books about spirituality because I hate being preached upon. The blurb is clear and interesting and the book has great ratings so, I'm ashamed to admit the only reason I wouldn't have bought the book, based on first impressions, is my own prejudice towards this genre.
I'm glad to say the first ten pages changed my mind. My favorite asset and I can't applaud it enough is that the author tried to keep the book non-denominational. I was raised as a Catholic too but I think spirituality, unlike religion, should include everyone. I also like that the author doesn't pretend to know the one and only truth, as most religious books do, but he clearly says: "This is not to say that one view is right and the other is wrong; all it means is that I believe the methods I present are better for many, if not most, people." I was truly convinced this was the right fit for me when the author mentions the importance of our relationship with nature because I truly dislike the approach most religious books have about environmental issues.
I didn't find a single editing mistake and I don't think anything needs improvement. The book has an official review that didn't influence my decision.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 11:49 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Theresa Moffitt
I was drawn to the cover of this book. I like the title and the images give me a positive impression of the book. They are attractive and up-lifting. I haven’t read a customer reaches of this book yet, but the Online Book Club review was very positive. It gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The first ten pages were interesting and well written. I didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I also didn’t see any errors so I believe the book was professionally edited. The first ten pages discuss the differences and similarities between spirituality and religion. The author stated that he will speak generally about religion so it will include all religions. He also discussed enlightenment and the spiritual aspects impacting readers. Although I enjoy reading self-help books and books about spirituality, the first ten pages didn’t draw me in enough to want to finish the book. However, the OBC review was so well done and so positive about this book that I would like to finish reading this book. So, I will finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2020, at 11:19 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 19%
Spirituality in the 21st Century earned a score of 19%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 19% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for Spirituality in the 21st Century
