The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Aftermath: Corruption and Intrigue in Post Katrina New Orleans
Because Aftermath 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.
Manang Muyang
The title, cover, and blurb all talk about New Orleans, a city that fascinates me. I would have sampled the book outside of the program. After reading the sample and marveling at the great character development and the excellent starting chapter, I decided to read the rest of the book. I noted just minor grammatical issues. At 5% of the sample, "On that last weekend of August, 2005, when Katrina's precisely aimed blow flooded all the low-lying areas of the City" had two errors. The comma after "August" was not needed, and "City" should have been in lower case. Apart from those minor issues, I found nothing to dislike from the bit I read. The accompanying volunteer OBC review gave the perfect rating, too. I can't wait to read the rest of the story.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ekta Kumari
The plot takes place in the aftermath of the Hurricane, Katrina. It brings together the story of three men who all are aiming for their own goals in a time of rampant corruption. I liked the storyline, though I wouldn't have read the book as I wasn't much intrigued by the blurb and the cover page. However, I did find the sample to be an engaging read. What I liked the most is the narrative that goes into much details about the destruction post the natural disaster while also portraying the despair and struggles of the characters amid the destruction. I also like that the narrative is not too fast paced, considering the genre. The editing is also well done, and I didn't find any errors in the portion sampled. I would rate the book as professionally edited. I did see an official review before sampling. However, I do not intend to read the whole book as I don't think I'll enjoy it as much as I would like to. Based on the sample, I don't have anything to recommend for improvements.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 4:58 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ann Ogochukwu
Outside this program, the OBC review of this book would have persuaded me to sample this book. The cover page and title, on the other hand, did not catch my interest.
The sample seemed well-edited; I didn't notice any error. The premise of this book is an interesting one as well as the characters, but I won't be completing this book. I felt the beginning dragged on for a little too long, and I just wasn't caught up with the story.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 4:57 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
The title and the cover photo are pretty obvious about the book's plot. Though the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is also similar in Typhoon Yolanda, I already have the picturesque of the first scene. It was quite devastating while remembering the moments of being caught up with a typhoon. The sample perfectly picture out the possible scenarios of the real Hurricane Katrina, which is I like how the author put the details together. It seems realistic. However, I will not finish reading this book because a hurricane or a typhoon is a traumatic experience for me. I don't like to remember the whistles of the wind, falling house's debris and many others. The OBC review also gives a valuable information about the book, but it doesn't affect my decision. Fortunately, the sample looks professionally edited, but I notice unnecessary long gap of spaces in a sentence. This is only my concern for improvement.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 4:56 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
The title "Aftermath" conveys that the book is about an event that happened before. The cover conveys that the theme is linked to a cyclone and time ticking. There are 24 Amazon customer ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which is great. The Amazon summary clearly describes the story, which is about three men on a mission in New Orleans after a cyclone. Since I am interested in the New Orleans background, I would have sampled the book even if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing Reverend Clarence Washington ruminating about the aftereffects of Cyclone Katrina. As I am interested in the overall theme of the book, I am going to read the book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. I didn't like anything specifically about the book. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found 17 OBC reviews of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 4:56 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rodel Barnachea
After I read the title's Amazon page and one of its featured volunteer reviews, I opted not to acquire the novel. I'm not interested in the story's premise, which is about these three men trying to achieve what they want after Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans devastated. I think the book just isn't my cup of tea. Sampling the suspense thriller failed to change my mind. I wouldn't purchase it because nothing in its Amazon sample intrigued me or had me wanting to read the rest of the novel. The reasons stated above also play a significant role in my decision. The first ten pages include some pages of Chapter 1. My favorite part is when Father Clarence revealed he doesn't like depending on white people since he often only has to interact with them when he's in trouble when he was a child. I couldn't identify any errors in the text; I believe the book is professionally edited. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 4:54 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
I probably would have read this book outside the program based on its title and cover art. I like the depiction of the clock, and the title sounds intriguing. It's as if it's drawing attention to the outcome of an extraordinary event. Reading the sample eventually changed my mind. Although I like the author's writing style and use of words, the story sounds rather depressing to me. Clint's predicament which involved a bipolar wife and an incredibly sick daughter didn't cause me to smile while reading. Yes, these are things that happen in real life, but I'd rather not be reminded at every turn, especially in my choice of entertainment. The book is professionally edited. However, capitalizing the word "city" in sentences like, "Vast areas of the City, flooded by breaks in seawalls...," "Historic neighbourhoods in the central City area...," and "...the City cannot recover" is wrong because "city" is not a proper noun within the context of these sentences since the article "the" preempts it every time. The word is also frequently repeated and should be replaced occasionally with a suitable pronoun, "it." This is my recommendation for improvement. I saw an OBC review, but it didn't influence my decision.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 4:53 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
evraealtana
The cover makes the book look at first like science fiction, at least until one reads the subtitle. I'm not really interested in politics or modern political novels, so I wouldn't have expected enjoying this one. Sure enough, I didn't really care about the New Orleans who's-who as laid out by the pastor in his conversation with the mayor, so that section bored me. I might have been interested in hearing how the pastor finally managed to pay his past-due bills, but the sample didn't interest me enough to keep me reading. I liked the detail about the payments for the pastor's wife's Mercedes getting through even when other bills didn't, as I think it says a lot about him that his priorities would be there instead of elsewhere. I also liked the details given about New Orleans, the Ninth Ward in particular, which added realism and authenticity to the events. I am concerned by the official OBC reviewer reporting that the book contains racist and sexist slurs, and I really don't want to read things like that, so there's another reason to stop reading now. I found only one error, which was repeated throughout the sample: missing capitalization in "Black", such as "one of the largest black churches" and "growing up poor and black". "Black" should be capitalized whenever it is used to refer to the race but not when it refers to the color, as in the following: "A Black man in a black suit walks his black dog through a Black neighborhood."
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 4:51 am by evraealtana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
If it's not for this program, I wouldn't be interested in this book. The reason is that the official review and the blurb are not very impressive. There are not many ratings on Amazon, and the readers have different opinions about the novel. The story follows three main characters. Reverend Clarence Washington is struggling with paying the bills after Hurricane Katrina's strike. Clint Johnson is having trouble with his family. Joe Pacello is displeased with the mayor's demand for money.
I like the descriptions of the consequences of Hurricane Katrina. The city of New Orleans suffered the most, and its people were trying to get back to their legs. The editing is fine. However, the pace is slow, and the plot is kind of dull. While the book's genre is C/T/M/H, I don't see those elements in the sample. The connections between the three men are also unclear. Since the story doesn't pique my interest, I won't buy it.
Error example: He winked at Joey and concluded, "of course I have buddies in the building permit department so occupancy permits are never a problem." -> Since the sentence in the quote mark is a complete and independent sentence, I think the first letter should be capitalized like the other instances.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 2:37 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nikolas Farmakis
This is a fiction novel about hurricane Katrina and a family's struggle with their autistic daughter. I would not have read this book based on the cover, the title, or the genre, as I do not like family fiction novels. I will not read this book, as it seemed monotonous and dull. I did not find any objective grammar errors in the text, so this book was professionally edited. What I liked most about the sample I read was that the book's plot was realistic and it followed a real-life scenario. To improve, the author should add more emotion and suspense to the text to make it more interesting. This book had an Official OnlineBookClub review, which did not influence my opinion.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 2:10 am by Nikolas Farmakis.
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 think this book about New Orleans after the hurricane is for me. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. One of my biggest problems with the book is that the author uses the “n” word as a white man. I understand that he wrote this in a way that many consider to be okay since the character was Black, but it still doesn’t sit right with me. Also, the author talks about racial issues, but didn’t capitalize “Black” which has been a huge issue in terms of these issues over the last few years. It just seems as if maybe the author could’ve done more research before trying to write about racial injustice from a Black person’s point of view. However, I do appreciate that the author brought up these issues in the first place. The book did seem to be professionally and there’s nothing specific that needs improvement.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 1:39 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
It was clear from the cover and the title that this book is about the aftermath of a natural calamity. So, I considered reading the official review of this book to know the contents of the book. I learned from the official review that this book has a fictional story of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. This idea piqued my interest to sample the book. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that this book is not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, "But for now he had no choice but to work with Pacello...". The sentence could have been, "But for now, he had no choice but to work with Pacello... ". The thing l liked the most is the information regarding the local government's plan of action to handle the aftermath of cyclones. Sadly, for an average reader like me, a few more fine details about the situation are required to visualize the scenario properly. For example, details of changes in the public distribution system and public welfare schemes were required. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing and consider the shortcomings pointed out by me in the above sentences. After looking at all these aspects, I decided not to purchase and read this book today. I will wait until the author considers my suggestions so that I can get maximum takeaways from this book.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2021, at 12:32 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mary WhiteFace
Without the first ten program I would not have been interested in reading a fictional story about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. The OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision.
The book seemed to be professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvements. There wasn't any part that I particularly liked more than another, but I did find it ironic that Reverend Clarence Washington thought that his wife's Mercedes payments were more important than the church's utility bills.
Even though the book seemed to be well-written, I'm not interested in the subject matter. I will not be reading the whole book.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 11:14 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Justine Ocsebio
I wouldn’t have sampled this book based on the blurb, as I’m not interested in books featuring natural disasters. In the sample, the author paints a vivid picture of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We see it through the eyes of Clarence Washington, a black pastor, trying to keep his church afloat. While I like the author’s writing style, I will not be reading this book. I didn’t find the premise interesting. The official review did not affect my decision. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement. The text is well edited.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 10:51 pm by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
Originally, I would have passed on reading a book that was written about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The contents of the book were much different than my original perception. I liked the storylines of the different characters, especially Clint's endeavors to figure out how to finance the treatment of his autistic daughter to hopefully live somewhat independently. The author kicked up the amount of suspense when Clint comes home to find his wife appearing to have taken a tranquilizer. This book appears to be professionally edited and I have no suggestions for improvement. The OBC review didn't influence my choice to read this story. The detailed emotional descriptions of the characters made them realistic and the suspense held my interest. I did not read anything online about the book.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 10:24 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MsH2k
I read a few reviews of this book in the past and added it to my reading list. Surprisingly, I have never gotten around to sampling it. Since it’s the BOTD, I would have sampled it today even if I were not part of this program. The sample pages were very engaging. I was intrigued by the storyline as well as the characters; I could identify with both Pastor Washington and Clint and their predicaments. It will be interesting to see who gets caught in the FBI’s net. I will buy this book. It has a secure spot on my reading list. I did not notice any grammatical errors in the sample pages, and I have no suggestions for improvement. The featured OnlineBookClub review was very thorough, and it reinforced my decision to buy this book.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 7:19 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rayah Raouf
I would not have chosen to sample this book. The cover did not intrigue me. The colors are quite harsh. The genre is something I do occasionally read, but I am selective. In addition, the sample does not open as an error shows up each time. I will not buy and read the whole book. As I could not read the sample, I based my decision on the blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews. The story does not appeal to me. As I was unable to read the content, the cover page had no grammatical errors. According to the official review, there are no grammatical errors in the book. I like how people claim the book to be fast-paced. I would recommend the author check if a sample can be provided on amazon. I think that would improve the likeliness of the book being read. There was an official review, and it did not affect my decision. I know I would not enjoy reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 5:31 pm by Rayah Raouf.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mvictoria
After reading the online book club review and the summary, I was very excited about reading this book. The plot definitely did not disappoint! I’m excited to see how all these people fit together to form the story. I’m especially interested in Clint and Cindy. I found no errors and have no recommendations for improvements to this book. Even though the plot seems exciting, the real estate plot doesn’t interest me much and it’s my understanding that the real estate is the major plot. I will not be reading this book only because the plot doesn’t catch my attention as much as I would like. I think it’s written well and is likely a good story, but I don’t see it holding my interest.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 5:10 pm by Mvictoria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Aftermath' is a book written by Charles Williams. Hurricane Katrina had ravaged the city of New Orleans. Reverend Clarence Washington has been doing everything to rebuild the society. Clint is burdened with financial woes. A lot of money is required for the treatment of his autistic child, Mattie. I like the way the author shows the racial disparity that still exists in today's world. Also, I like the way he shows Clint's distress. The title and the cover are great. The Amazon reviews are apt. An OBC review would have been helpful. The editing is professional. There is nothing in need of an improvement. I will skip this book as I am not that invested in the story.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 4:49 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Howlan
The first ten pages start with the introduction of Reverend Clarence Washington the head of the black church in New Orleans. He is having recent money problems after the hurricane and talks with the local mayor for funds. Then we are introduced to a local family who is also having money problems for the treatment of their autistic daughter Mattie. The narration is fluent and easy to understand. The story is good and it basically portrays the aftermath of a disaster. The characters are not properly introduced and I did not find the story interesting after reading the first ten pages. The lack of a major hook to pull readers into the story made the first ten pages not significant. So, I am not going to buy and read this book as I am not interested in this story. No typos were found in the first ten pages. For improvement, a major event is required in the beginning to draw the reader's attention. The Official OBC Review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 3:59 pm by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
I was not interested in the title or the cover of this book, so I would not have checked it out without a review to read. After reading the official review, I still wasn't interested in reading the rest of the book. Reading the sample helped me make my final decision. I did not find any errors in what I read, and I didn't find anything I felt needs improvement. The book is not something I would read. My heart went out to Clint and Cindy when they could not get any definite answers about their child's autism, and then being told she also had epilepsy was depressing to me just reading it. And the pastor of a Baptist church in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina did so much damage. He was racist with his comments about the Loan Officer, who was waiting to hear about a loan. I also felt some remarks about white people had racial undertones. I won't be reading the rest of the book because I couldn't connect with the characters.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 12:55 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover and title are in line with the main theme. Readers interested in the subject might choose this book based on them. In the first pages, it is clarified that the book is a work of fiction. An overview of the damage caused by Katrina is outlined, including the poor community of Bacauptown.
There is talk of The Reverence Clarence Washington and his plan to rebuild the community and its financial decline due to people leaving for other cities. It is then told about Clint Johnson, his wife Cindy, and his autistic daughter Mattie. Until now, the relationship between the two stories is unshown. Likewise, Joe Pacello, the white man appointed by Major Hypolite Juneau to manage the community rebuilding coveted project, is mentioned.
What has been read so far contains little development. What most caught my attention was related to Mattie and her autistic condition and possible complications like epilepsy. The editing seems outstanding as I didn't see any errors or typos. The story is interesting and based on a real natural disaster. However, what I sampled did not convince me to read the rest of the book. I think it did not generate enough curiosity.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 10:21 am by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
xsquare
Nothing in the blurb, cover and title of the book stands out – it sounds rather generic. It didn’t really catch my attention, and I don’t think that I would’ve sampled the book if it hadn’t been part of the First Ten program. The official OBC review did not convince me. I think that the author has depicted the internal struggles of Clint and Cindy at dealing with Mattie very well – that section was quite heart-wrenching to read. I did not see any typos, and I don’t think that there was anything that the author could have done better. However, I didn’t find the premise of the book to be very interesting. I don’t think I will be reading the rest.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 6:40 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
This sounds really interesting and I had always been intrigued by the Katrina event — before reading the sample I'd definitely have read the book. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I really liked the addition of thoughts that really allowed me to get into the mind of characters who might be feeling angry or annoyed. However, the use of the n-word in the book was a little hard to read and I would have appreciated a disclaimer of some sort. It was professionally edited. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 5:42 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Iva Stoyanova
If I wasn't part of this program I would have still chosen to sample and read this book. The cover suggests an interesting fiction involving a few different themes and topics. The title is also suggesting an intriguing story making me wonder what kind of aftermath is the story about. Also, the genre is my favorite one. There isn't an official review but the other reviews gave me a good idea of the book. It seems that the character development is wonderful. The diversity of the characters make the book very intriguing. So, I will probably buy and read the book. I was interested to find out what the aftermath will be and how the characters will cope with it. I didn't change my mind after reading the first ten pages.
I think the book is well edited. I liked the narration. The book as a whole seems very professional, well-written, and well-thought. I'm sure many other readers will find it interesting too. Fans of good fiction, crime, and thrillers will appreciate it the most. Finally, I don't have any suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 4:59 am by Iva Stoyanova.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The cover was more pretty than ominous, something that I would have associated more with the premise. The official OBC review rated the book 4 stars. However, based on the premise, I didn't feel inclined to read the book. I failed to find any technical issues in the first ten pages. They narrated the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, where Reverend Washington took note of the devastation left in its wake. He hoped to restore things soon, yet was apprehensive. I liked how the scenes of horrible destruction were portrayed succinctly using only a few sentences. I didn't really dislike anything in the excerpt nor had any suggestions for improvement. Yet, the premise and the fact that there were initially disjoined subplots, as revealed by the OBC review, made me hesitant to take up this book. I decided not to read it.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 3:54 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sonya Nicolaidis
From reading the blurb about this book and the OBC reviewer’s comments, I had the idea that this was a good book to read. It was quite attractive, judging from the cover illustration, and the fact that it was loosely based on the aftermath of hurricane Katrina made it sound like a plausible storyline. I read the first ten, impressed by the writing style and language used. It flowed well and was interesting. I most enjoyed the two parallel storylines that were introduced early on. The one thing I didn’t really enjoy was the emphasis early on about black/white issues and notice the story is heavily polarized in this regard. This puts me off reading more of this book. However, the sample is error- free and appears to have been professionally edited. It will, no doubt, appeal to many, but I’ll pass on this one.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 2:58 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J_odoyo
After reading the first ten pages of this book, I’ve realized that it is a riveting story that seems to have been well written. The book’s title was relevant and could easily attract fans of this genre. I think the book’s cover page was well designed, and it was attractive. The author’s description on the Amazon website was precise and informative enough to allow for an accurate guess of what to expect in the book. Its storyline is gripping and well written. The book also had a positive OnlineBookClub review, which gave insight into what the book entails. I didn’t find any error, and I would say the book seemed to have been professionally edited. One can’t help but be engrossed by this wonderful fictional story. Hurricane Katrina has done great damage, both to the New Orleans residents and the Gethsemane Baptist Church. Reverend Clarence Washington can't believe how they're behind in paying church bills and a feeling of inevitable begging. On the other hand, following the destruction done to New Orleans, the US Congress has approved hundreds of millions of dollars for the rebuilding of the same. FBI anticipates the possibility of fraud, racketeering, and corruption. They have planned an undercover operation. The story is promising, and I can’t stop guessing what is next. Sincerely, the sample is well written, and I wouldn't recommend anything for the improvement of this book. Having read the sample and the OnlineBookClub review, I’m not going to finish reading it because I’m not a fan of this genre.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 1:42 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mbrooks2518
The summary of this book sounded interesting, so I would have read the sample even without The First Ten. I liked the beginning of the book. I was able to start to get a decent sense of Reverend Clarence's personality and how much he wanted to rebuild his neighborhood. The story then shifted and showed an FBI memo which mentioned an undercover operation, which added some intrigue to the story. The official review made me even more interested in the book, so I am going to buy it so I can find out how everything plays out for the different characters.
There were no editing errors, and nothing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 12:59 am by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gen_g
Based on the title and cover, it seems like a thriller/tale of intrigue, which I am not in the market for; hence, I would not have sampled it. I have also come across a positive OBC 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 errors present. For example, at 6%, there is a missing comma to mark the introductory word: "Today(,) he felt only discouragement...". I suggest more editing. However, for a piece of fiction (albeit based in reality), I appreciate that the story started with a bang, as it helps to pique the readers' interest in the book, hopefully maintaining it. For example, we learn that Hurricane Katrina has struck, and on the last weekend of August 2005, it flooded all the low-lying areas of the city. Reverend Clarence Washington is then contemplating his options, deciding that he and his wife would have to continue to take half the salaries that they had always taken, before his congregation shifts to other areas. He is currently intending to pay only the smaller bills and ask for more time on the bigger ones. Reverend Clarence is a person of colour, and he does not like being dependent on white people. However, as I am not in the market for realistic fiction/fiction with themes of intrigue, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2021, at 12:24 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If I hadn't sampled this book for this program, I would have sampled it based on its title, cover, and Official OnlineBookClub review because I was still a child in 2005, but I remember hearing about Hurricane Katrina on the news, so it would be interesting to read a story about it. After reading the first ten pages, I will not continue to read the book because I didn't like the political aspect of it (the Reverend dealing with the mayor to get funds and all the corruption in the government). Even though I like staying informed about politics, I have never liked reading about politics in fictional books because I see books as an escape from the real world. My favorite part of the sample was Clint's story with his daughter because I have a niece around Mattie's age, so it's easy to picture that story. The book appears to be professionally edited, and it does not need to be improved.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 11:12 pm by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
After reading the blurb, I would not pick this book up. The premise didn't really catch my attention and I don't think I'm the target audience for this. After reading the first ten pages, I didn't see any spelling or grammar errors and the book appears professionally edited. What I liked best about the book so far was how descriptive and well-written it was. I could easily picture the horrible scenery of different cities in Louisiana and the devastation that Hurricane Katrina caused. I felt like I was almost transported back in time to 2005 because I remember seeing on the news how horrible the situation was after Katrina so it's extra horrifying to read about the devastation through Clarence's eyes. I do not have any suggestions for improvement. There was an onlinebookclub review, but this genre isn't for me so I won't be reading the rest.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 11:09 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Verna Coy
I was drawn in. initially, by the impact of the cover of this book. I don’t usually read books in this genre, so I don’t plan to purchase it, but I can see how the story will entertain. I know this book will be a good choice for readers who enjoy fictional stories based on true events. Hurricane Katrina changed our nation as a whole, so I see this book as one that will make a difference to those who read it. What I liked most was the reality of the desperation featured at the beginning of the plot. I enjoyed the 4-star review by the Online Book Club. Nice job. I see no need for improvement in this novel. It’s professionally edited and written beautifully.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 9:06 pm by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. Although the plot seems exciting, I'm not sure that basing it off of a real-life event like Katrina is wise. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I liked how the author is able to capture the financial realities of the U.S. hospital system. When Clint and Cindy are discussing the devastating $50,000 debt it is heartbreaking. That being said, I'm just not interested in the background theme of hurricane Katrina ever present with this one. Although the book looked well written and edited, there was one thing I would have improved from the sample I read. This is nit picky on my part, but the FBI correspondence header was off slightly. I have never seen a "CC" field come after the subject line. It should always be right next to the "from" and "to" fields as it has the same content. There was an official OBC review that I read. This review, however, didn't sway my decision at all.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 8:55 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Odette Chace
I don't like the cover or the title. The synopsis on Amazon did not interest me. The official Online Book Club review gave the work a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars, but I still have no desire to read this book. "He stood and stared out the second-floor window just as he had, amazed and distressed, on that last weekend of August, 2005, when Katrina’s precisely aimed blow flooded all the low-lying areas of the City" (loc. 101). City should not be capitalized. Despite this error, I believe the work was professionally edited. The author did a wonderful job describing how the once vibrant New Orleans fared after the hurricane. I particularly enjoyed the reverend imagining that a new apartment building would be built. Apartments are so common, and not at all romantic, so to dream of new ones being put in and to see families return to the area was a very powerful image. However, I don't plan to finish reading the book. The premise of the book just doesn't interest me and I did not get hooked while sampling the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 8:30 pm by Odette Chace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the first pages, I wasn't interested in the book because, although I enjoy thriller novels, I don't like them to be about corruption. After reading the sample, my opinion hasn't changed, it's just no a topic I enjoy. What I did like about the book was the presence of multiple storylines; it seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookCLub review. I didn't see anything that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 7:54 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
I would have read the book based on the genre and the OBC review. Unfortunately, as I did not feel invested in the story, I changed my mind after sampling the book. The story follows the eventful journey of three men as they try to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina that hit the city of New Orleans in August 2005. I liked the fast-paced writing style and also found the characters relatable. I would suggest another round of editing, though, as I noticed some distracting errors throughout the sample. For example, it should be written "the pleasurable memory" instead of "the pleasureable memory." (location 331 of 544 • 61%) It should also be written "subordinated loans" instead of "subordinate loans." (location 404 of 544 • 74%) I noticed a missing comma after "something" in the following sentence: "He appeared to be on the verge of saying something but Dr. Kalinski seemed compelled to elaborate on the point." (location 235 of 544 • 43%)
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 5:38 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
The book does a decent job setting the scene. Clarence is a pastor of a black church and he longs to see his community restored. I think this book would be most relatable to people who went through the devastation themselves. The way the yards are overgrown with weeds and refrigerators are piled up in places is terrible. The pastor even has to get an extension on his debts. The review mentioned religion plays a role in the story, which I like. I’m not particularly interested in reliving that sad day though. I like the title and the cover which resembles Katrina. I also didn’t see any errors in the editing. I can’t think of any suggestions for improvement, this just isn’t my preferred genre, so I wouldn’t have been drawn to it outside of the program.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 5:31 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
TheMazeRunner
I love fiction, and I would choose this book for sampling based on the genre and the cover. To be honest, I wasn't impressed by it. I could see a lot of political aspects in the book, and that is the thing that I don't like. I won't read it because of that. I noticed no errors in the sample: this book is edited professionally. I wouldn't fix anything in it. This book has the official review. I like the color of the cover, it attracted me to the book.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 4:29 pm by TheMazeRunner.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
The book cover is superb, displaying important elements of the book and explaining exactly what the book is about. Because of this, I would pick this book up to have a closer look if I would see it in a book store. The blurb and OBC review explain that this is a fictional story, based on events that happened after Hurricane Katrina. After reading the well-edited first ten pages, it immediately becomes clear that the main topic is corruption and racial differences. I was a bit disappointed that the book did not start with a description of the devastating hurricane itself, which is something that would have interested me. Personally, I will not buy this book as I am not American and feel that I cannot fully relate to the places and events described. However, I am sure that people from the USA, and especially New Orleans, will be interested in this book's content. As an improvement, I would suggest to add a prologue with a description of the disaster itself.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 3:49 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
The cover didn't really appeal to me. It's probably because of the color combination, which doesn't fit. The title seems pretty generic, so maybe adding something more to it would improve it a little. The OBC review didn't leave an impression on me, so my general opinion was negative. The book details the consequences of Hurricane Katrina. However, I don't like that it deals with corruption, as I'm not interested in reading about it. I can't believe that the kind of racism presented was happening in 2007. While reading, I wasn't sure if it was the 20th or the 21st century because of that. The book didn't strike me as captivating. I can't think of anything that would make it more interesting, but I think that it depends on the reader's taste. For me, it's going to be a no for this book. The editing looks good.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 3:41 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
The subtitle of the book caught my attention because I have read other books about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and enjoyed them. The cover seemed appropriate for the book. The blurb made the book sound interesting. I liked the first ten pages that I read and saw no errors. However, the review mentioned that there were multiple errors in the later part of the novel, and for that reason, I decided not to finish reading the book. I suggest that the author complete the editing process to improve readability of his story.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 2:55 pm by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
I would not have checked this book out based on the book cover, title, genre, and blurb because I have no interest in the aftermath of Katrina. The customer, editorial, and OnlineBookClub Reviews are favorable for the book; however, I am still not interested in the book after reading the first ten pages. The connection between a child with autism and her family’s difficulties could be associated with any historical event. This book is not unique. I liked how the story flowed in the first ten pages, and those pages appear to be edited by a professional editor as I did not see any errors. I did not see anything I would recommend for improvement. I will not purchase and read this book due to my lack of interest in the topic.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 2:52 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
I loved the cover. If I had come across this book in a store or library, I would have picked it up to look it over solely based upon the cover. At first glance, I thought it was for a sci-fi book but quickly changed my mind once I read the subtitle. The Official Review was good and summed up nicely the sections that I read. Normally, this book would fall into a "maybe" category for me, but since one doesn't exist, I'll have to say that I won't be reading it. Katrina was a nightmare, and with Covid still ranging, I don't have the mental capacity to deal with the nightmare of hurricane aftermath while dealing with a real one going on around me. Still, what I liked most was the author's ability, through excellent characterizations, to bring out the depth of human suffering that befell New Orleans after the hurricane. There was nothing about what I read that I disliked. And I believe that the book was professionally edited as I found no errors.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 2:35 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
My first thought at seeing the cover of this book was that this would be non-fiction, until I saw the words "a novel". I thought the title was average. I would have sampled this novel even without the First Ten program because New Orleans has also interested me. The first few pages are well edited. My heart raced as Cindy walked in to find Mattie playing with literal fire and I felt bad for Clint as he struggled to deal with everyone in a calm manner. I did see a lot of volunteer reviews, but I could not find an official OBC review. Overall, I am intrigued by the corruption aspect of this novel, so I am excited to read the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 2:27 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Theresa Moffitt
The cover of this book is interesting and the title tells me exactly what the book is about. The cover art introduces several different topics related to Hurricane Katrina that the book will likely cover. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review increased my interest in the book. It gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I didn’t read an additional customer review. The first ten pages introduced the character of Reverend Clarence Washington in New Orleans as he is concerned about bills. The bills are mounting after Hurricane Katrina and his parish members are dwindling. People have been forced to leave the area due to the aftermath of Katrina. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. Based on the first ten pages and the positive OBC review, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 2:27 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kaitlyn Canedy
I likely would have skipped the sample of Aftermath if it hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day. The title itself caught my interest, as I was only a child when Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans; it even affected parts of the state that I currently live in. Due to the personal ties that I have with this natural disaster, I decided to read the sample. After reading it, I will say that I am skipping the rest of the book. The reason for this is because I did not enjoy the numerous racial slurs that were used as soon as the reader starts to delve into the sample. I did like the realism that is used though. There were no grammatical errors, and I cannot think of any improvements that would make this book any better. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for this title, but this did not affect my decision to not finish the book. Readers that like fictional books with a sense of realism may very well enjoy this one.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 1:59 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I like the cover of the book, and I especially appreciate it when authors include a catchphrase or subtitle that lets the reader know, at first glance, what the book is about. The blurb was interesting, but what captured my attention was the "beautiful Creole woman who has returned to New Orleans on a mission". Despite the mixed ratings, I would have bought the book based on first impressions.
The first ten pages are powerful. I'm old enough to remember Katrina, so the opening note truly gave me chills. I especially liked being able to put myself in the shoes of a person of color, and I felt very sad when the author explains, "Clarence did not like being dependent on white people. Growing up poor and black in the Ninth Ward, he’d had few interactions with white people, and most of those were with teachers and police officers when he was in trouble." However, the Reverend's reflection on how destruction is also an opportunity to build something better gave me hope.
I didn't found editing mistakes or anything to dislike. I can't think of anything that needs improvement. The official review furthered my enthusiasm for the book.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 12:50 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AntonelaMaria
If I haven't read the sample of this book through the First Ten program, I wouldn't have read it otherwise. I'm not drawn to thrillers. However, some reviews pointed out racial slurs and sexists characterization, which I don't like to read. The Offical Onlinebookclub review is very informative. But it didn't convince me to continue reading. After reading the sample, I decided not to pick this book up. The writing, characters, and storyline didn't interest me. Except for Cindy and Clint because their storyline is the most relatable. I didn't notice any grammatical errors. I wouldn't change anything about the book. Even though I will not read it, I am sure other readers might enjoy it.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 12:49 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabrielle Sigaki
Aftermath by Charles Williams is a fiction book that brings a story about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If I didn't sample this book, I would read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review I saw because I'm very interested in books that talk about aftermaths and what some people are capable of in desperate times. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind, and I will read the entire novel since I liked the fact that the author changes the book's perspective rapidly, which makes the novel very dynamic and fast, in my opinion, something I appreciate. Therefore, it was my favorite aspect of this novel. Besides, the book seems professionally edited, and I wouldn't change anything in it.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2021, at 12:16 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 22%
Aftermath earned a score of 22%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 22% 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 Aftermath
