The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Knowing He's There: True Stories Of God's Subtle Yet Unmistakable Touch

Because Knowing He's There 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.

Mercelle

Judging by the cover, I wasn't going to read this book, and the OBC review discouraged me when it mentioned that the author recounts God's presence in his life. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the author admitted that the move to Florida was bittersweet because his best friend, Spinner, had lost his mother and brother in an accident. Since I noticed no errors, I will conclude that the text underwent professional editing, but I won't read the rest of the book because it doesn't appeal to me. As it is, there's nothing I would change about the bit I read.

First Ten review added on June 2, 2019, at 4:45 am by Mercelle.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Vickie Noel

I wouldn't have read this book outside the program because it looks like a religious book which I generally don't read. After reading the sample, it appears more of a memoir and one that showcases good relationships with people who have helped shaped the author's life. I like how "Spinner" continues to "take care of" Charles from helping him cross the street to helping him with filing his tax returns. I appreciate the author's efforts in trying to share with others how he felt God's hands in his life and for that reason, I will be reading this book as a form of encouragement, since I, too, have had similar experiences. I discovered no grammatical errors, thus, the book was professionally edited. The OBC review equally did a good job of highlighting the book's contents and generating sufficient interest for me to sample a few pages.

First Ten review added on June 2, 2019, at 4:34 am by Vickie Noel.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Alice Heritage

This is not one I would have sampled on the basis of the cover, genre or subtitle as I rarely read religious books. I also won't buy and read it today because it essentially seems to be a memoir, which is a genre I don't normally read. I noticed one error in the sample: "he peddled the two miles", which should read "pedalled". I liked some of the details from the author's life. For example, I wondered what a "Tastykake pie" might be, and I liked the way Spinner used his lip-reading skills to his advantage. Probably nothing needs to be improved for those who like to read memoirs about families. This just isn't one for me. I didn't see the OBC review; my decision was based on the general description and sample.

First Ten review added on June 2, 2019, at 3:34 am by Alice Heritage.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Dolor

I'm not into religious books, so I probably won't be reading this book had it not for The First Ten program. The cover looks hopeful. I could not determine if the cover photo is sunset or sunrise. The first ten program talked about "Spinner" and "Uncle Mario". Spinner was a special kid. His mom, Floy, his dad, Rocco, and his brother, Jerry, were all deaf. Spinner was hearing impaired but could hear with the help of hearing aids. On the other hand, Mario Sacchetti (the author's uncle), had provided him the most memorable moments. The stories in the first ten pages had piqued my interest, so I will read on. I had not seen any error in this exceptionally well edited book. With or without the official OBC review, my decision to read the entire story is final. I don't have any improvement suggestion for this book. The enclosed photos were a great addition. Knowing He's There by Charles Sacchetti is an #Inspirational book with #Heartwarming stories about how God touched the author’s life in many ways. This religious book will appeal to #Christian readers.

#Essays

First Ten review added on June 2, 2019, at 2:31 am by Dolor.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

briellejee

Based on the cover and title, I think I wouldn't have sampled the book. Though both aspects are appealing, I, for one, don't usually read topics and genres like this. As for the first few pages, I liked that the author provided pictures at the beginning of each story. Talking about his friend Spinner and his Uncle Mario, the author has a knack for storytelling. It was apparent that his feelings towards these people and the events of his life involving them was something memorable and fervent. I also liked that these stories were short and concise as they do not seem tedious to read. However, his writing style is not for me. I think my preference of genres affected my subjectivity towards such topics and writing style. With that said, I will not be buying the book. I found no noticeable errors and the official OBC review was persuasive enough to tell me to sample it.

First Ten review added on June 2, 2019, at 2:23 am by briellejee.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Ekta Kumari

"Knowing He's There" is a great read for fans of memoir. Although I wouldn't have read it as I do not usually read memoirs, I did enjoy reading the author's writing. It's apparent that the author is a warm-hearted person and appreciates the important people of his life, as he considers them to be a blessing from God. In the sample, he introduces the readers to some special people in his life and how they have influenced him. I also liked the pictures provided at the beginning of chapters to deliver a personal touch. I would highly recommend this read to anyone who has faith and is a theist. Moreover, I didn't find any errors in the sample, so I feel this book is professionally edited. In spite of this being a well-written book, I'll not read it any further as I rarely read memoirs and wouldn't be able to appreciate this book. Those interested can check out its official review.

First Ten review added on June 2, 2019, at 2:18 am by Ekta Kumari.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Gravy

I didn't notice any errors, so I'd say this was professionally edited. Sadly, this just isn't my kind of book (I enjoy memoirs, but not those of this particular bent), so I doubt I would have looked at it, and the sample didn't change my mind.
The cover is really nice and I like the essay format, the author has done a good job with the stories. "Spinner" was particularly interesting. If it weren't for the genre/subject I might have even given this one a try. I won't be reading this only due to personal preference.
If I remember correctly, there was a review for this book, but that does not affect my opinion.

First Ten review added on June 2, 2019, at 2:03 am by Gravy.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

AA1495

Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books. However, the landscape on the cover caught my attention. Having read the sample, I liked how elaborate the introduction was. I liked how the author introduced himself to allow the readers to connect to his writing. Further, I liked how there was a picture at the beginning of the first chapter. The sample made me curious about the author’s story. I found no major errors in the sample. While I will not buy the book today, I might read it in the future.

First Ten review added on June 2, 2019, at 1:26 am by AA1495.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

unamilagra

Before sampling this book, I would not have picked it up because I’m not religious. After reading the first ten pages, I thought the writing style was nice, but nothing about the intros of Spinner or Uncle Mario grabbed me and made me want to keep reading. I don’t plan to read this book. I didn’t notice any errors in the pages I read.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 10:08 pm by unamilagra.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sarah_Khan

At first glance, I would not have picked up this book because I am not a fan of religious books. The first ten pages seem well-edited. The beginning reminded me more of a memoir. The overall concept of things that prove God exists does not interest me. I will not be reading the rest of this book because it is just not my cup of tea. I did not read any OBC review.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 7:33 pm by Sarah_Khan.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

HRichards

Normally I wouldn't have picked this book up as the genre doesn't really appeal to me. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book as I didn't find it that interesting. The sample deals with the author talking about his friend Spinner who was deaf and who lost his parents in an automobile accident. Spinner proves to be an inspiration in the author's life. The author then starts to talk about his uncle Mario. The writing is pretty good and I didn't notice any grammar errors. Those who like inspirational books might like this one. I didn't find it that interesting. I have not read any other reviews of this book.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 3:49 pm by HRichards.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

MsTri

Both the cover and the title for this book caught my interest. Then I read the Amazon synopsis and OBC review (the only one I read) and my initial thoughts were confirmed. I love spiritually-based books, and this one seems really interesting. When I read the sample, I was glad that it seemed to indicate that the book was professionally edited. I also liked the section where the author talks about telling his Uncle Mario jokes, and his uncle really liked his joke telling. Additionally, I don't have any suggestions for changes because this tome is already written perfectly.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 3:35 pm by MsTri.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Delaney35

This is not something I would consider without this program. I have no interest in Christian non-fiction. The author starts off with an account from his childhood. He made friends with a boy that had deaf parents however, he could hear with the help of hearing aids. It was an interesting enough beginning, and I noticed no grammatical mistakes. However, because I don't care for Christian non-fiction I will not be buying and finishing this book.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 3:07 pm by Delaney35.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

CataclysmicKnight

I like religious books but don't really go out of my way to find them, so it's unlikely I would've looked into this if it wasn't the book of the day.

So far the writing is good, and I didn't see any errors, but I don't quite see "God's unmistakable touch" in the pages yet. There have been some terrific pieces, and my favorite is easily when the author asks their uncle what they remembered most about WWII, and "he described how wonderful it was one night, in an English meadow, when he was able to read the newspaper by only the light of the full moon." That's an incredible insight, and as the author points out, a terrific look at seeing the positive in a very negative experience.

While the author does a great job of finding the diamonds in the rough of a seemingly ordinary life, I don't see myself finishing this book.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 11:22 am by CataclysmicKnight.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sonya Nicolaidis

I loved the bright and attractive cover of this book, and found the title to be eye-catching too. I would ordinarily have been interested enough to pick this book up, but upon noticing it was a memoir, I may have put it down again. This isn’t my first choice in genre when selecting a book to read. Reviews were generally quite positive which gave me hope for a different kind of reading experience. Unfortunately, this book comes across like so many others, with no real redeeming quality that I can speak of. God’s influence in this author’s life was not manifest in the first ten pages, so I can only assume it is revealed further on. The editing was sound and I didn’t see any errors. I liked the narrative that deals with ‘Spinner’ and his disability, which was quite interesting. However, apart from this, all I came across was a random collection of unrelated memories which seem put together without much structure. I would prefer if there was a chronological sequence to this collection, or at least memories linked by a common theme. I won’t read this book as it is just too abstract to be of much use or pleasure to me.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 11:07 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

danielleamy

I would not have read this without the First Ten program. I read the Official review, which did not change my opinion on reading the book. The stories the author tells us about his good friend Spinner and his Uncle Mario were heartwarming. These were an interesting way to begin the book. Then the story about the 'hut' they were staying in was hilarious. I like the author's style of storytelling - you really feel like you are in his shoes! There is nothing that I disliked about the sample. I can definitely see why the book has so many positive reveiws on Amazon! However, I am not interested in the subject matter of religious experience. Therefore, I will not be reading the whole book. I did not find any errors or typos throughout the sample. It was very well-written and looked professionally edited.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 7:52 am by danielleamy.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Emy Katherine

Without The First Ten program, I would not have chosen to read the book based on the genre. I do not read religious books, so reading both the sample and the OBC review did not change my mind. Through his work, "Knowing He's There," Charles Sacchetti shares his real-life experiences about how God impacted his everyday life. Even though both the title and the beautiful cover caught my attention, what I liked most was the engaging and descriptive writing style. In particular, I felt the author's admiration, appreciation, and love for both his uncle and his friend. I am sure those who enjoy reading inspirational, thought-provoking stories will enjoy this non-fiction book. The book also has great Amazon ratings and seems like it was professionally edited as I did not find any typos or grammatical errors.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 7:01 am by Emy Katherine.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Lorraine De Vos

I do think I would have sampled this book based on the stunning cover and descriptive title. I expected heartwarming short stories of encounters with God. After reading the first ten pages, I got so much more than expected. The author has a clear talent for telling stories and the humor and emotion used to recall his childhood memories were nothing short of excellence. It being a book written from a Christian point of view I would have expected it to be only appealing to Christians, but the narrative is welcoming to all types of readers. The book does appear to be professionally edited; I did not notice any errors. The official OnlineBookClub review was very well written and confirmed my desire to add this book to my reading list. There was nothing I disliked about this book.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 2:53 am by Lorraine De Vos.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

cpru68

Readers are introduced to the author’s longtime friend Spinner as the novel opens. At the age of 8, the author was befriended by an older boy whose parents were deaf and he wore hearing aids to help him hear. The two grow up sharing time together at baseball games, movies and playing games. Their friendship has lasted to current day even though both have different lives. Spinner now helps the author file his taxes.

I liked the old fashioned feel of the first story and the description of bygone days of a little bit of money going a long way. Like Spinner showing his birth certificate at the movie theater to get the cheaper ticket price.

I won’t be finishing this one as I am a bit burnt out on memoirs at the moment. I have read a lot of faith based books and memoirs, so I am passing on this one for now. I did not find any errors in punctuation, spelling or grammar so this seems to have been professionally edited. I appreciate the opportunity to have read the sample pages of this one, and I probably wouldn’t have found this without the online book club. I will send it out on my social media for others to look into.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 2:09 am by cpru68.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Susmita Biswas

Many forms of God come and help us. Sometimes we can feel him. Some facts of the author's life prove that there is God, and he always comes to help us. Knowing He's There by Charles Sacchetti is a heart touching story which will make people feel that the story is similar to their stories. Because we all experience this in our lives. I've chosen this book because I think this kind of stories will inspire people when they would lose hope. First of all, the official onlinebookclub review impressed me, and I decided to read the sample. The story gives you faith and makes you believe that you are not alone. God is always watching you. I am surely going to read the whole book. The book is well-edited. I've not found any typos or grammatical mistakes.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 12:43 am by Susmita Biswas.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Fu Zaila

I'm not interested in Christian books, so I wasn't intrigued by the cover, blurb or reviews. The sample however, starts with the author's childhood. I couldn't believe a 11 year old could be six feet tall but it was fun to read about. I did not like that there was no explanation made on the game Pinochle, which I have no idea about. I liked the author's approach on taking about faith without actually talking about faith. I liked Spinner's tale and how he grew up to become a tax accountant. There wasn't much to dislike, and the writing was also professionally edited. I also liked that there were photographs that helped to really connect to the story. I won't be reading any further though, since I have no patience for non- fiction.

First Ten review added on June 1, 2019, at 12:34 am by Fu Zaila.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Nisha Ward

While the stories in this book were amusing, and I particularly enjoyed the mention of the author's Uncle Mario always tipping the waitresses and tellers well, it's just not for me. I'm not a huge fan of Christian books and they have to stand out for me to pick it up on my own. Despite being amused and the clean editing, I won't be picking this up.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 11:19 pm by Nisha Ward.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

va2016

The cover and the title are indicative of the theme of the book. There are 15 Amazon customer reviews. The Amazon summary gives a clear indication of what to expect from the book. Since I am not a fan of religious book, I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing the friendship between the author and Tommy aka Spinner. Although the events described are very interesting, since the theme of the book is about religion, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. What I liked about the book is its writing style. I could not find anything that could be improved with the book. Although I found one OBC review on the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 10:28 pm by va2016.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jlbaird85

This a book I would have considered for reading based on the title and cover. I have not seen an OnlineBook Club review for it, but it would help my choice to read or not to read if there was one. I liked that the author is sharing his story, although I am not familiar with him. It is clear he is a baseball star. What I liked most was that he clearly specified his reasons for writing the book, what needs to be improved is the first few chapters. They are not as engaging as I would like them to be. When he is talking about his friend, it sounds nice, but not complete. He says he was a gift from God, but does not really explain why. I will try to keep reading this book, but will stop if it does not get more interesting. I did not notice any proofreading errors in what I read.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 10:22 pm by Jlbaird85.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

lavellan

I probably would have not read the sample of Knowing He's There if it had not been a part of The First Ten program. The Book of the Day review was positive, but I'm not interested in memoirs or religious books. The book seemed like it was professionally edited, but I noticed one error while looking over the book. In the following phrase, "peddled" is used instead of "pedaled": "...and he peddled the two miles..." I enjoyed the author's friend Spinner. I haven't come across many books that mention hard-of-hearing characters. I found the book to be a bit boring. There wasn't a driving plot so the book mostly just described the important people in the author's life like his uncle. As a result, I will not be buying the book today.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 10:02 pm by lavellan.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mbrooks2518

From the title and official review, I would not have read the sample if not for The First Ten. It is not the type of book I normally read. While the stories about the people in the author's life and their positive influence were nice, I am not interested enough to finish the book, even with the positive official review. I did like the pictures that were included at the beginning of each chapter. They were a nice visual touch to go with each chapter and reinforced the personal nature of the stories. I did not notice any editing mistakes.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 9:39 pm by Mbrooks2518.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kristy Khem

The book’s cover design, title, blurb, and positive Amazon reviews encouraged me to read this book. I have been thinking about making a greater effort towards connecting with God. Therefore, I would have chosen to read this book. What I liked most in the sample was the author’s writing style. It reminded me of a memoir. The people in the author’s life were described in amusing ways. I smiled when Uncle Mario told him that the best part about the war was that he could read the newspaper under the light of a full moon in an English meadow. I mean, what else would you tell a nine-year-old about the war? I also liked the pictures which introduced each chapter. However, I didn’t find many references to Christianity in the sample. People and places were described, but I failed to see what influence God had on the author through these descriptions. I expected the book to have more thought-stimulating events and experiences; ones which would jolt me out of the monotonous stagnated procrastination which prevents me from attending church more often. Due to this, I won’t buy and read this one because it is not the kind of spiritual book which would have an impact on me. I saw no errors while reading so I assume this book was professionally edited. The book was rated 4/4 by the review team so I think others may enjoy it.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 9:28 pm by Kristy Khem.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

CinWin

"Knowing He's There" by Charles Sacchetti begins with the author telling us of his childhood and his exceptional friend, Spinner. The writing style of Charles is very free-flowing and easy to understand. It is easy-going without drama, which I enjoy. I won't be finishing it because I already believe in the premise of the book, which is that God continually shows his presence in our lives. There were no typos, and there is an onlinebookclub review. The cover is nicely put together, with a beautiful picture and a short blurb of what the book entails. I believe Charles's stories will inspire many people, and I could see nothing to denote a recommendation to improve this novel.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 8:56 pm by CinWin.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Catherine Hsu

If I had not read the official sample, I would not have read the book as I do not read religious books. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind for the same reason. There seems to be a comma splice error, which I was not sure if it was intentional or not: "He did not consider his physical impairment a handicap, it was just something to overcome and deal with." If it was unintentional, perhaps some editing is needed. I did like the photos that were included in the book, however. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 8:54 pm by Catherine Hsu.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kendra M Parker

Memoirs and personal stories like this are interesting, but I generally try to avoid them. I prefer to read to escape, and I don’t really care for these sorts of things in general. As I read the first ten pages, I did not find any errors. I thought that the tone of the author’s memories of “Spinner” were interesting, and I think that tracing the author’s connection with this man and his disability was interesting. It is interesting to see how Spinner overcame the adversity to become very successful. Still, I don’t think I care to read any more of these. They’re not bad, they just aren’t the sort of thing I prefer to read.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 4:59 pm by Kendra M Parker.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Samantha Simoneau

I have read this book, own it, and love it! The opening piece about the impromptu church service conducted by Sacchetti's chaplain when he was in the National Guard took my breath away. I love all the personal stories, many of them funny. Nearly every story is moving, and some are amazing, such as the "Midnight Visitor" piece, or the one where Sacchetti discovers a figurine of the Virgin Mary in a very unlikely place. The piece retelling the time Charles fell asleep while driving, yet made it safely home, was impressive. Full disclosure: I'm the editor of this book, which may disqualify me from leaving a first-ten review. It also might make my saying I did not observe any editing issues in the first 10 pages and that I don't believe it needs re-editing moot, but I love this book. :-)

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 4:37 pm by Samantha Simoneau.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kajori Sheryl Paul

'Knowing He's There' is a book written by Charles Sacchetti. The title, blurb, and cover did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.

The first ten pages leads me to believe that it is a memoir. Sacchetti has led a very uplifting life. Tommy Manieri aka Spinner and his Uncle Mario play a big role in the author's life. The way he sees God's hand everything is admirable. I like the pictures included. I did not find any error. Hence, I think that it is professionally edited. I will give this book a skip as I am not in the mind-frame to read a book of this genre as of now.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 3:50 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

OliviaLouise

Based on the cover and title, I knew immediately what this book was going to be about. The blurb and review confirmed that it was about finding God’s presence in your life. When I began reading the sample, I was touched by the heartwarming anecdotes about “Spinner” and Uncle Mario. Clearly the author has been fortunate to have wonderful people in his life; however, I failed to see how these anecdotes connected to the author’s main point, which is God’s presence in one’s life. He briefly mentions got at the front end of his anecdote, but never really summarizes the connection between God and the subject of the story. Because this book does not seem to have a cohesive theme, I am not likely to finish reading it. I also found one error 4 pages into the sample. In reference to a movie ticket, the author states, “it only cost you” when it should have read “it only costed you.”

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 3:37 pm by OliviaLouise.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ritah

Based on the cover and genre, I wouldn't have sampled the book because I don't usually go for books in this genre and category. I read the official review and sampled Knowing He's There. I liked the genuine friendship between the author, Spinner, and Rocco. I found Spinner so thoughtful; I liked that he thought to suggest that the author borrow his car for the driving test knowing that it would maneuver better than the car the author planned to use. I appreciated that Spinner was able to remain a good friend even with all the adversity that affected his childhood years. I did not spot any errors in the pages I read. I'd like to say that I will read the rest of the book, but the content and genre isn't for me...which is the reason why I won't be reading the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 3:32 pm by ritah.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Cristina Chifane

I wouldn't have sampled this book without the first ten program. I've always felt God's presence in my life, so a book praising His subtle yet unmistakable touch can only be a wonderful thank you for His influence in our lives. The cover and title reflect the serene, peaceful message of the book. Although there are no editorial reviews, the 15 customer reviews give the book only 4 or 5 stars. The sample was error-free and included personal stories from the author's past experiences with his friend Spinner or his uncle Mario. The book flows easily because of the author's familiar, conversational style. The OBC reviewer also notices that the book is not overtly religious, but rather spiritual and inspirational. For its message and simplicity, I'm willing to give it a chance.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 3:01 pm by Cristina Chifane.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Laura Ungureanu

I wouldn't have checked this book out by myself because I don't read realigious books. However, the review convinced me that the stories are light and entertaining. Reading about the author's friend, Spinner, was a nice experience. Spinner's relatives were all deaf. I liked that the author focused on another person than himself. But because I don't read realigious books, I'm not going to continue reading this book. I didn't find any grammar errors.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 2:08 pm by Laura Ungureanu.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kelyn

Had I not been a part of this program I almost certainly would not have been attracted to the book by the title, author, blurb, or genre. It is likely, therefore, that I never would have read the customer reviews. I do not plan to read the entire book. I tend to have little interest in books with a religious basis or in memoirs. This book is both. The story presented in the sample is heartwarming but did not stir my interest enough to entice me to finish the book. The book appears to have been professionally edited. I found no errors.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 2:07 pm by Kelyn.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

srividyag1

The title and cover page clearly shows that this is a spiritual book. The review has mentioned that it's a very short book with stories of God's interference in the author's life. I read the sample where in the first story, the author talks about his friend Spinner who was hearing impaired. He mentions that God sent Spinner to help start his baseball career. The book seems well-edited. Since I'm not a big fan of spiritual or religious books, I am not going to read this book.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 12:47 pm by srividyag1.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gen_g

I have not come across reviews of this book; it is also professionally edited. I like how the author starts with a flashback of his life to provide more detail and to allow the reader to better relate to him. For example, the author reminisces about the time when movie tickets only cost 35 cents for goers above 13 years, otherwise, it would be a quarter. I currently have no suggestions for improvement. However, I will not buying the book today, as religious texts are not my cup of tea.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 12:40 pm by gen_g.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Stephanie Elizabeth

Had I not sampled the first ten pages of this book, I wouldn't have picked up the book to read because I am not religious. After reading the sample, I appreciate the humor in the book, but I will not continue reading the book because I feel as though God is being pointed at for every good thing that happens in this man's life and that doesn't resonate with me.
The book is well edited and I found no errors. My favorite part was when the author was talking about his childhood with his friend Spinner. My favorite thing about the chapter was right at the end when the author says this, "...he made it safe for me to cross the street. Now he makes it safe for me to file my tax return!" I like the author's comical way of sharing information. I think the author could improve the book by providing some more background about himself. When did he accept God into his life? When was the turning moment? This book has an official onlinebookclub review.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 12:12 pm by Stephanie Elizabeth.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mai Tran

I’m normally not interested in other people’s relationship with God, but the official review states that the book focuses on the people who has made an impact on the author’s life as well, so I’m wiling to give this a try. The book is exceptionally well-written and professional edited. Sacchetti paints a vivid picture of his friend Spinner and his uncle Mario without the need to describe them. I’d love to continue reading this book because I enjoy the author’s conversational and engaging storytelling a lot.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 10:47 am by Mai Tran.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Jsovermyer

The cover art and title, Knowing He's There, are both excellent and give the reader an idea of what the book is about. This is a series of short, heartwarming stories of people or events that showed the author that God was present in his life. Some are funny and some are sad. My favorite story was in Chapter 2, Uncle Mario. Mario liked to tease the kids and was known to steal meatballs from their plates when they weren't looking. He sounds like a fun person to be around. The official review rated this book highly, and I would agree the stories are entertaining and enjoyable. I didn't find any spelling or grammatical errors and believe that this book has been professionally edited. Although the stories are interesting, I wasn't compelled enough to want to buy and finish the book.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 10:35 am by Jsovermyer.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Scerakor

From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn't have read it. I'm not a religious person and I don't read religiously focused books. 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 did like the heartwarming style that the author uses to talk to the reader. Whether reminiscing about the good times (going to the theatre with his friend) or the bad times (family tragedy) you feel like you are having a conversation with him. Despite this, I don't like books like this nor do I believe in signs from God, and therefore will not buy and read this book. The book looked well written and edited and I didn't see anything specifically to change. The official review did not affect my decision at all.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 10:19 am by Scerakor.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

sarahmarlowe randomeducator

The cover has a nice picture, and I might have picked it up based on that and the title. I very much enjoyed the sample! The author is a very good storyteller. I loved hearing about Spinner and his uncle, and the last story of the sample about the baseball trip was pulling me right along. I found no errors, and I have not read an OBC review of this book. I won't be reading this one not because I found anything wrong with the book, but simply because I'm not into this genre. Enjoyed the read!

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 9:18 am by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

lisalynn

Nostalgic photographs headline each chapter in this innocuous little memoir. The stories inside are reported to be true examples of God's subtle touch in the author's life. If by "subtle" he means "unremarkable", then he's spot on. The Foreword describes an outdoor church service with an impromptu altar set up on the hood of a jeep. The service is conducted under a star-filled sky and brilliant moon. In this setting, it's not hard to grasp the spiritually of the moment. However, the first ten pages do not reflect this unique touch of God. They're just simple stories that have probably been told around the dinner table hundreds of times. Maybe the ending will tie all this up, but so far, I'm not interested in reading more. I didn't see any errors. No OnlineBookClub review influenced me.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 8:50 am by lisalynn.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gali

I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as I don't read non-fiction. I didn't change my mind after sampling the book. While a memoir revolving around the ways God touched the author’s life sounds uplifting, I don't read religious-themed books. The author relates the experiences that shaped his life and faith. I liked the photos the best. I also like the author's regard for his best friend and to his uncle. His love for them shined through and was heart-warming. Him joining his friend's baseball team was the steppingstone to his Professional baseball career. It is nice that he and Spinner still keep in touch after 60 years! Although I didn't notice any glaring errors, I didn't care for the writing. I won't read the book, as I am not a fan of inspirational religious books. The official review strengthened my decision not to read the book.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 7:33 am by gali.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Theresa Moffitt

I like the cover of the book. The image is attractive and drew my attention I also like the title. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. I haven’t read a review of this book yet. The book consists of separate individual stories told by the author based on his life experiences. Chapter one begins with his memories of his childhood friend Spinner and his belief that God put spinner in his life to begin his experience playing baseball. He mentions that he eventually played professional baseball. In the second chapter, the author discusses his uncle and his experiences with him growing up. The book is well-written and the stories are interesting to read. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I would like to read a review of this book to see how the book progresses. I may change my mind after reading a review, but based on the first ten pages, I will not finish reading this book. Although the author explains the idea that god brought spinner into his life to begin his interest in baseball, he doesn’t explain the connection in the next chapter. It seems to be just memories of his uncle. Which was interesting, but if the remainder of the book are just these snippets I don’t think I would like to finish the book.

First Ten review added on May 31, 2019, at 7:28 am by Theresa Moffitt.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Total ~ 19%

Knowing He's There 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.

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