Cover for Different Family Structures

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Different Family Structures: Relationships- Issues- Provisions

Because Different Family Structures 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.

Alice Heritage

173569
I might have sampled this book without the programme as the topic sounds interesting. I probably won't read the rest of it, however, because there seems to be a lack of useful information - at least in the opening pages - and the editing seems poor. I noticed several errors in the sample. These included a sentence that seemed too loosely structured: "As long as a family strives to become successful, have love and support for each other, nobody seems to question it." I also noticed the following incorrect use of a semicolon: "... as long as there is some type of communicating, teaching, and affection; an essential difference can be made ..." as well as a typo in this phrase: "... the safe haven a child can resort too". I liked the author's message that communication and relationships are more important than a traditional family structure. However, I feel that the opening pages show room for improvement in that there's a lot of information about the importance of family which I think can be taken as read - I would prefer to see the book get more quickly to the substance about the impact of different parenting styles and communication strategies. I was surprised that the OBC review mentioned a lack of errors when I found at least three in the sample alone. My decision was based on my reading of the first ten pages.

First Ten review added on October 9, 2019, at 4:56 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

supernatural143

1401442
The cover photo and the enclosed family photos made me decide to read this book even without The First Ten program. I love to see people from different races as one family. The first ten pages talked about different kinds of family relationships, individual needs, and the important family values. I have not found a single error in this superb book. With or without the official OBC review, I have decided to read this book. In "Different Family Structures", Mildred Stallworth talks about the different models of families, styles of parenting, and the positive elements that can make these families work for everyone involved.

#NonFiction #Family #Relationships #FreeBook

First Ten review added on October 9, 2019, at 4:44 am by supernatural143.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Dolor

363055
I would have chosen to read this book even without The First Ten program because I like its title, cover, blurb, and official OBC review. The topic discussed in this book may strengthen the bond of each family. I have not found any error in this professionally-edited book. I like this statement: "Family can be whoever, whether related or not." I can't agree more. I love the enclosed photos. My decision is final. I wouldn't mind reading the entire story in this book. Different Family Structures by Mildred Stallworth is a #NonFiction book that discusses #Family structures, #Relationships, styles of parenting, and the importance of unity and positive communications.

#FreeBook

First Ten review added on October 9, 2019, at 4:36 am by Dolor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Vickie Noel

249577
I wouldn't have read this book outside the program; it's not classified among my top genres, neither does the title nor book cover encourage me to consider it outside my regular preferences. Reading a few pages didn't change my mind. The book appeared like an advanced social studies textbook for upper primary school students, and I can imagine many a teacher using it as a support text during class. The writing style is very plain and simple, which added to the reasons why I consider the book below my general reading standard and more for students. I did, however, like the realistic pictures placed within some chapters, pictures depicting real-life families. I also appreciated the quotes at the end of each sub-topic. I believe these tools would further drive home the point to the children during classroom discussions. For example, "Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, and call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." –Jane Howard.
The book is largely well edited, although I noticed a couple of errors which should be adjusted. One instance is with the arrangement of this sentence, "Not always, these words are lived up to fulfillment because other things can transpire..." I believe the proper structure could be either of these two: "Not always are these words lived up to..." or "These words are not always lived up to..." Another discrepancy is that the pictures' placement exhibited irregularity by not following a particular format. Initially, I'd thought they would be at the beginning of each chapter, but in chapter two, there were about three scattered within (none at the beginning) while chapter three didn't have any. I think there should be a defined method of inserting the pictures so that readers will know what to expect in each chapter.
My blood didn't boil over in anticipation of reading this book through the OBC review I'd read, and although the sample pages are nice, I really do need that heat if I'm to continue reading, but the sample didn't provide that for me either.

First Ten review added on October 9, 2019, at 4:22 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Annelore Trujillo

97769
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. While I agree with the author on a lot of points, the book was kind of boring to me. The author covered a lot of information I learned in a family relationship class during my undergraduate degree. The book talked about family core values and how control in the family is more important than the size of the family. Unfortunately, I found the book boring because it was information I have read before so far. However, I did like that the author was writing about different types of families. It did seem to be professionally edited.

First Ten review added on October 9, 2019, at 2:41 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Lorraine De Vos

140922
I would not have chosen to sample this book based on the title, cover and genre. The subject matter of different family structures is not something I’m interested in reading about. The first ten pages are well written and it appears that the author is passionate about guiding all types of families to provide good homes for children. It is a noble idea, however I think it is slightly misguided, as the people that need to read this kind of book, sadly won’t. The book does appear to be professionally edited, as I did not find any errors. The official OnlineBookClub review was good, but did not serve to change my mind in this instance.

First Ten review added on October 9, 2019, at 12:07 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ritah

236447
Based on the genre and title, I wouldn't have sampled the book because it didn't appeal to me. I read the official review and then sampled Different Family Structures. I didn't expect to see a quote from Kim Kardashian so that was interesting. I also liked that the author acknowledged that positive qualities, nurturing, and a good environment for children can exist in single parent households as well. The book appeared to be professionally edited and well-written. Therefore, I wouldn't make or recommend any changes to it. However, the topic covered in this book is not for me, which is the reason why I won't be reading the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 11:04 pm by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Fu Zaila

878840
The cover looks generic, the blurb was interesting, but nothing new. The reviews were positive enough. I thought the writing was kind of formal, and even though it seems edited, sentences like "Family is the full support for them in this phase", with their incorrect grammar, made me think it isn't professionally edited. I really liked that the collage picture in the begiinning was diverse and included most races - Black, White and Asian. I also liked how the author states that being a single parent is a family structure in itself. The author provides some good advice on why children need parental approval and communication to grow up as self-reliant. There wasn't anything I disliked, but I thought the writing could have been a bit more inclusive and informal. I am not a fan of non-fiction and the sample didn't interest me enough to keep on reading, so I won't.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 10:45 pm by Fu Zaila.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

va2016

119030
The title and the cover are indicative of the theme of the book. There are only 2 Amazon customer reviews. The Amazon summary gives a good overview of the theme of the book. As I am interested in different types of family structures, 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 what a family structure is, and why it is important. The table of contents provides the topics of what's covered in the book. As I want to learn about each of these topics, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. There are no grammatical or mechanical errors I found in the sample. What I liked most about the book is the important topic of parenting and family relationships that it covers. As an improvement, I would suggest a bit more attention paid to formatting, as I found the formatting not very pleasing to the reader, especially the Table of Contents. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 10:41 pm by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Ekta Kumari

896308
I wouldn't have read the book as the overall plot didn't entice me. However, I'm glad that I sampled this amazing book. I totally loved the author's thoughts on a family structure and how it can impact the life of children born into that family. I also like that this book discusses that family is not always about blood relationships. In a way, this read highlights the importance of having a family as your support system, whoever that may be. I'll read the whole book as I thoroughly enjoyed reading its sample. I didn't find many errors, though I found one where opening quote is missing: your family will support you no matter what," and "blood is thicker than water." Apart from this, the book looks fairly well edited. Others interested in the book can check out its official review.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 10:12 pm by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Nisha Ward

1192566
I don't think I would have picked this one up, even if I'd read the review first. It's a view of the family and how it affects a child's development, with both the introduction and the first part of the first chapter emphasising the importance of the family unit. However, it's just not a topic I'm interested in right now and the organisational problems with the book, like the introduction coming before the table contents, means I won't be reading this one.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 9:43 pm by Nisha Ward.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Delaney35

1181892
As I am not a fan of non-fiction, this is not a book I would normally look at without this program. I also wasn't interested by the reviews that I read. This book, as described in the title, details different family structures. It addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the different types of families. The book begins by addressing the fact that not every family looks the same. It then talks about how the family is one of the most impactful parts of a child's life; it is the first social interaction the child has and the family dynamic will shape the child's life. Overall, it was well written; I didn't notice any grammatical issues. It also had an informative tone that set the book up nicely. I will not be finishing this book though, because I do not enjoy reading non-fiction.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 7:23 pm by Delaney35.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Nuel Ukah

1285770
If I had not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have chosen to read or sample this book based on the cover page, title, and genre because I like the subject matter which the book is centred on — family structure. I am going to buy and read the whole book because I'd like to learn how to build an effective family structure. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind from my original guess, rather it inspired me to want to read the entire book.

Based on what I read, the book seems like it was professionally edited as I noticed no error. What I like most in the bit I read is that the author acknowledged family as an essential aspect of God's creation. What I know about the book is that it seeks to enlighten both parents and children about the importance of family and help them build effective family structure. I didn't notice anything that could be improved in the bit I read. The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review, which affected my decision by providing a brief, detailed overview of the book.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 6:05 pm by Nuel Ukah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Mbrooks2518

1121144
I would not have sampled this book without The First Ten. I am just not interested in this type of non-fiction, and reading the first ten pages and the official review did not change my mind. I do like that the author included pictures of families and quotes about families. This keeps the book from becoming a dry read. I found no editing errors and nothing that needs to be improved.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 5:02 pm by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

CrescentMoon

56447
After reading the blurb, I wouldn't pick this book up because I don't typically read non-fiction books, and the subject material isn't really something I'm interested in, but I do think that family dynamics and how different family structures are made and how children can thrive in each one, is an important topic. After reading the first ten pages, it seems to be well-edited and I didn't see any spelling or grammar errors. I liked the introduction and how the author explained how family dynamics have changed from it being the traditional modern family with married parents and children and how that always seemed like the more stable structure. However, later on that dynamic has changed to include other family structures like single-parent households. I really like how the author provides hope and optimism that just because a child is born to a different type of family structure, such as a single parent household, the child can still grow to be a functioning and healthy individual provided he/she gets the love and support he/she needs. I think this topic is important overall but the genre just isn't for me so I won't be reading the rest.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 3:54 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kajori Sheryl Paul

997537
'Different Family Structures' is a book written by Mildred Stallworth. 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 non-fiction book. It is about the importance of family and the structure of family units. I like how to author included photographs. I found some errors. For example, the sentence construction is faulty in “When children have a rock-solid family system that takes care of their need to belong and reinforces their ability to be their own unique person, this determines how strong and self-reliable they will be in the early stages of life.” I do not 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 October 8, 2019, at 11:22 am by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Aditi Sapate

1296030
Based on the cover and genre, I wouldn't have chosen to sample this book because I would've thought it is more suited to people who are raising a child. After reading the sample, this belief was confirmed and I will not be reading the whole book. However, so far, the book does seem to contain sound advice, and seems to go with my own thoughts on the subject. The book doesn't seem to be professionally edited. One example of an error is, on page 7, instead of '...a safe haven a child can resort too' should be '...a safe haven a child can resort to'. The book would be more appealing if it gets the professional editing it needs. The book does have an official OnlineBookClub review which neatly summarized the book.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 8:10 am by Aditi Sapate.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jsovermyer

1045410
The cover picture is sweet and appealing. The title, Different Family Structures, is rather clinical. A more catchy title might be better. This book describes different family structures and emphasizes the need for love and communication in a child's life. This book is valuable since the average family of a mother, father and children is not always the norm in today's world. I like the quotes by famous people about their families. The book points out that the first family, Adam and Eve, was a traditional family. It also says that families do not have to be related as long as there is love, trust and communication. The official review rated this book highly, and I agree that it is well-written. I did, however, find one mistake in my reading. On page 19, the top of Chapter 2, it says, "a kind and supportive families." This should be "kind and supportive families" or "a kind and supportive family." I like what this book says and would like to read more of the author's ideas for making a strong family. I will be finishing this one.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 7:59 am by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

MarisaRose

106960
After reading the blurb for "Different Family Structures," I wasn't interested in buying the book. Although I agree with the author's premise that there are many different types of family units other than the traditional heterosexual, two parent household, I didn't think it'd be all that enlightening to read an entire book dedicated to the subject. An OBC review wouldn't have swayed my opinion in this case because the main premise of the book seemed obvious to me and not a topic I want to read about in depth. After sampling the first ten pages, I decided I definitely did not want to read any more of the book. Although I didn't notice any grammatical errors in the text, I was put off by the simplicity of the introduction. The concepts explained in the introduction seemed really obvious to me: Family is important, no matter how your family is structured. Further, I didn't think the quote from Kim Kardashian was helpful, and I found her words to be less-than profound. As I read more of chapter one and then chapter two, I was more convinced that the information conveyed by the author didn't need to be a book. Again, the concepts were obvious - children rely on their family for support from the minute they are born, and it doesn't matter if the family consists of a mother and a father or something completely different. Further, I found the organization of the book lacking. Chapters begin right in the middle of a page, and the chapter headings aren't bold to distinguish them from the rest of the narrative. I did like that the author used bullets to make her points. I thought this was a digestible way to convey the basic information about family. Overall, there was a lot more I disliked about this sample than I liked. Therefore, I don't plan to read any more of this book.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 6:56 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Cristina Chifane

418146
I wouldn't have come across this book without the first ten program since I was not looking for a book on different family structures. However, I am excited about the topic and the cover looks great. I am also glad that the author tackles the issue of the advantages and disadvantages of different family structures apart from the traditional nuclear family. No matter if we are talking of single parent families or foster parenting, a caring atttitude should be the foundation of every united family. The sample pleasantly surprised me with the author's positive and open outlook on the variety of family structures. In terms of editing, I noticed the use of a semicolon instead of a comma: "[...] but as long as there is some type of communicating, teaching, and affection (;) an essential difference can be made in the upbringing of children." (p.5) The OBC reviewer gives the book 4 out of 4 stars, so I have all the reasons to add this book to my reading list and learn more about strong family relationships.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 5:35 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Catherine Hsu

104096
I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision. The writing was interesting at times but I ran into a grammatical error: "Each family structure is different, but as long as there is some type of communicating, teaching, and affection; an essential..." The clause in front of the semi-colon is a fragment. I thnk more professional editing is needed. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 4:11 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Fazzier

1170785
Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, still I would have chosen to read this book based on the title. A book on different family structures gets my interest right away since family is such a vital unit in a society. Reading the sample has further piqued interest in reading the whole book. So far I've liked everything in the sample and can find any improvement to recommend to the author. The book seems to have been professionally edited since I found no errors in the sample I read. What I liked the most is the author's emphasis on bringing a child the right way no matter a family in question. So, I think this book will be informative in many ways. I'm, therefore, going to buy the book and read the rest of it.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 3:34 am by Fazzier.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

CataclysmicKnight

67089
I probably wouldn't have looked into this book if it wasn't the book of the day merely because it doesn't really stand out. The title doesn't evoke any specific interesting thoughts when I look at it.

So far I'm not a big fan of the book. It's okay, don't get me wrong, but this early in the book I haven't read anything that I didn't already know. I found three errors, including one use of a semicolon instead of a colon and two quantity disagreements (such as "a kind and supportive families"). The formatting is also rough, with each chapter and section leading right into the next without much white space. I did like the quotes that were included throughout, though. Regardless of what an OBC review might say, I'm not interested in reading any more of this book.

First Ten review added on October 8, 2019, at 12:12 am by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kaitlyn Canedy

1401101
The title was enough to get my attention! I did not need to read the sample to decide to read Different Family Structures. I will be reading this book for the same reason that I like it- family structures have changed and it is presented well. Change in family structure is here, and there is nothing that is going to stop it. Everyone needs to read this. I read the first 20 pages, but I did not see any grammatical errors at all in this part. I expect the rest of the book to have the same level of professional editing. The Official OnlineBookClub Review gave me more information about Different Family Structures that I did not know before. This information gave me more reasons to want to read this book. I do not think that this book needs any improvements; it is great the way it is.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 11:57 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

MsTri

255145
I knew that I wouldn't want to read this book as soon as I saw its cover and title. Reading the Amazon synopsis and OBC review (the only one I read) solidified my initial thoughts. I don't like nonfiction, and I'm definitely not interested in reading "about the various structures of the family unit." With that being said, I was glad that the sample seemed to indicate that the book was professionally edited. There wasn't much content in the sample, but I did like the look back at how things were centuries ago. Even though I won't finish reading this tome, I don't have any suggestions for changes because it is written well for its genre.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 10:10 pm by MsTri.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Washboard

1305922
This genre is not one I normally look for. The cover art and title seem to suit it well, although it looks a bit like an instruction manual or textbook. I didn't notice any errors in my reading, but I was a little concerned with how Christian religion was introduced in the book so readily. It makes me concerned that this book will discuss all sorts of families, as long as they adhere to Christian standards (meaning heterosexual and monogamous). I won't be continuing to read this one, as it is not relevant to me, and because I am concerned it will be homophobic.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 10:00 pm by Washboard.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Juliet+1

1385689
Based on the title, the cover, and the OBC review, I did not think I would be interested in reading this book. I know as much as I need to about family structures and have no desire to learn more. Reading the first 10 pages did not change my mind. I won't be reading the rest of the book because it seems to be a very short and simplistic description of various family arrangements.

The book is well written, well edited, and well organized, with a nice collection of pictures and quotes sprinkled across the chapters. But I think it might attain a wider audience if the author eliminated the references to "God's Creation" and "God's plan." I found that mildly offensive; others might also.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 9:54 pm by Juliet+1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

KendraRobinson

1312645
If I had not read the first ten pages, I would not have picked up this book. The cover seems fitting for the title, but it screams "textbook" to me. I am also not interested in reading about different family structures. The OBC review I had read rated it 4 out of 4 stars and highlighted that the book discusses the different family types in our society today (not just the traditional mother, father, and children). Each can have a positive outcome on the children as long as there is effective communication and love.

After reading the first ten pages, I would not choose to finish the rest of this book. The first two chapters were about identifying what a family is and its purpose. This read very much like a textbook to me and I did not enjoy that. The author's overuse of the word "family" was super redundant (60 times in 10 pages), which was a big turn off for me.

Based on what I had read, this book did not seem professionally edited. I had found a handful of grammatical errors, such as the missing commas in this sentence: "Sometimes it can mean people who are not related but are dependable and reliable to each other by showing support in the time of need."

I liked that the author was attempting to lay the basis of what a family is, sort of like laying the foundation of the book. I believe the author could improve on the redundancy used in text, though, as well as having the book proofread once more.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 9:51 pm by KendraRobinson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

OliviaLouise

1275066
When I first read the review, it left me with the impression that this book was going to idealize and reinforce traditional family structures. After reading the sample, I was surprised and pleased to find that the author was both empathetic and nonjudgemental. In her introduction, she says, “Centuries ago, there was a time when family structure took on a real definition and meaning, but in today’s society, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what type of family structure is best.” With a new understanding about the author’s intentions for writing this book, as well as an interest in this topic, I do expect to read the rest of this book. Furthermore, I did not find any editing errors.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 9:14 pm by OliviaLouise.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

AA1495

104697
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books and do not normally read non fiction. However, I found the cover simple but effective. Further, the book had a 4/4 OBC review, which gave me a good impression. Having read the sample, I liked how the author began the book with images of different families. In the introductory section, the first thing that I noticed was that the spacing between paragraphs was uneven. Further, the heading "Introduction" was in a similar font and did not stand out from the content. This gave me a feeling that the book could have been edited better. However, the language was easy to read and understand. I do not usually read non fiction, and hence, I will not be reading the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 9:06 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

MsH2k

1404847
Based on the cover, title, and genre of this book, I would have sampled this book because I couldn’t get a feel for the contents based on the blurb. I have the opportunity to interact with people that have different types of family structures. I would consider reading this book if it seemed to have information to help me understand different family structures better. After reading ten pages, I still don’t understand the purpose of this book, and I won’t be reading it. I don’t know what “provisions are made” means in the blurb. I don’t want to read what Kim Kardashian thinks about family. I don’t get the feeling that the author truly respects different types of family structures. It feels as if the author pities any family structure that is not the traditional mother, father, and two and one-half kids.

I could not discern whether the book was professionally edited or not. One grammatical error I found was this partial sentence on page six that could have been combined with the previous sentence to make it complete: “Meaning each individual is unique, and there are definitely differences.” The official OnlineBookClub review was very positive. It is an important topic, and I truly hope others find it informative.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 7:37 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Brenda Creech

1236408
I would not have chosen this book based on the title and cover. After reading the review and the first ten pages, I can see the value in the message of the book. Family is of the utmost importance, regardless of the make-up of the family unit. God intended there to be family. I like the way the author explains the role of a 'found family.' Not everyone is fortunate enough to have the love and security from their natural family they should have. I have witnessed a situation where a natural family was nothing but turmoil for a child. That same child found a family that took her in and made her a part of their family structure, and she is now a happy, well-adjusted young lady. I did not find anything in the first ten pages of this book that needs improving. The book was very well-edited, and I saw no errors in what I read. I do not plan to read this book due to marriage being over, and my children already are grown. To understand how a family should be structured brings back too many hurtful memories of my marriage, which held too many deficits.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 7:06 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

unamilagra

1197956
Before sampling this book, I probably would not have picked it up. The OBC review points out that this is a relevant book for many different groups of people, but I don't really think it's relevant to me personally. I read the first ten pages, which consisted of the introduction and the beginning of Chapter One. I liked the emphasis on the essential elements of a family, regardless of structure, although I must admit I found the choice of quotations a bit questionable (Kim Kardashian, for example). Because nothing about this book really made me want to keep reading to find out more, I don't plan to read this book. I didn't notice any errors in the section I read.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 6:47 pm by unamilagra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

sarahmarlowe randomeducator

812327
The cover is attractive, and the title design is clear. I probably would have picked this book up to see what it is about. I enjoyed the sample. It is well organized, and it seems thorough, including every possible family structure I can think of. I think that non-traditional families (and people raised in them) would feel encouraged by this book. I agree with the author that the result of all families should be raising strong, confident children. I did find a few errors, like this one in the Table of Contents, for Chapter Seven: "Divorce(d) Single Parents." I haven't read an OBC review of this book, and I won't be reading it. It is not in a genre I am interested in right now.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 5:27 pm by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gen_g

697597
I have come across a positive review of this book, and it has piqued my interest. There are a couple of layout errors, where the number of line breaks in between paragraphs are not consistent, starting from the book's introduction (2 line breaks in between the first and second paragraphs, and 3 line breaks in between the second and third paragraphs). Also, on page 4, "committed spouses provided their children" should be "committed spouses provide their children", as the author is intending it as a statement of fact, which necessitates the use of the singular. Font sizes in the table of contents are also irregular. However, I like that the author has given the reader a brief introduction about the various kinds of family structures, as well as stating the fact that children do not have to be born within the social sanctity of heterosexual marriage in order to have a happy childhood (and to eventually grow up as healthy adults). I would suggest that the author run his work through rigorous editing in order to iron out the various errors present, as they are very distracting. This is also, unfortunately, the reason why I will not be reading the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 5:08 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

evraealtana

1255476
I'm not really interested in the topic, so I wouldn't have chosen this book for myself. It looks like a textbook for a social sciences class, which doesn't really say "enjoyable reading" for me. The official OBC review indicates that the core subject matter of the later parts of the book is interesting (to the reviewer), but I doubt I would enjoy it. The first ten pages went by quickly, due to the large text and short sections. I liked that the author approached the topic with simple, short sentences to get the message across in an accessible way, particularly for readers who do not speak English natively. Still, I don't have any use for a book like this one, so I will not continue with it. I noted two errors: the sentence in the introduction that begins "In all reality, it matters not" should be divided with a semicolon, not a comma; and the sentence further down that same page beginning with "Each family structure is different" has a semicolon where it should have a comma.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 4:38 pm by evraealtana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

desantismt_17

604219
This book’s title made me curious. The description made me wonder if it would touch on single-parent households, as well as polyamorous or group family structures. Before sampling, I was thinking about reading. After sampling, I’ll give this a try. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors. I didn’t see anything in terms of my group/polyamorous family, but there were things that hinted at discussing this kind of extended structure. I’m curious what the author has to say on this. The Table of Contents also showed me a list of chapter headings that I found intriguing—foster families and family violence, to name a few. I found the writing clear and easy to follow. I liked the author’s emphasis on the impact of a healthy family on children and how they develop. I appreciated the departure from “traditional” family structure to embrace that families of all shapes and sizes can result in a supportive environment. I also agreed with the idea that communication is key and that it’s not just children who need clear communication. I have no improvements to suggest at this time. The OnlineBookClub.org review didn’t really introduce anything I didn’t get from the book description and sample pages. I look forward to reading this.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 4:32 pm by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Emy Katherine

94929
As I do not read non-fiction books, I would not have read the book based on the genre. I am not interested in a book that focuses on family relationships, so I did not change my mind after reading the first ten pages and the OBC review. By using a clear, expository writing style, the author explains how important it is for children to belong to a solid family and have healthy family relationships. Although there are different types of family structures, each one of them must provide safety, positive communication, and family values. It is definitely an informative book, and the inclusion of colorful pictures makes the book more entertaining. I am not sure the book was professionally edited, though; I found a missing quotation mark, misplaced semicolons, and missing commas. For example, there should be a comma before "they" in the following sentence: "As children grow up they are usually influenced..."(page 14 of 115)

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 3:44 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kelyn

741624
If I had not been a member of this program, it is unlikely that the cover, title, author, or genre would have prompted me to pick up this book. I am not familiar with the author, so that would not have affected my decision. The cover, title, and genre seem to indicate that this is a book intended for those with younger children. I do not fit into that category, so my interest would not have been great. I was not given much of a chance to evaluate the book by the sample as it consisted only of the introduction and the table of contents. This alone did not encourage me to read the book. Perhaps if there had been more content of the book in the sample, I might have had reason to decide differently. It is difficult to access whether or not the book was well-edited from such a small sample, but I found no errors in the bit that was given.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 3:33 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kelsey Hatch

1296448
As a person with a social work background, I was immediately intrigued by this book and its themes about different family structures. The first ten pages were scholarly but also very readable to the general public. The part I liked most was the author's inclusion of different popular quotes about the family structure, though I have to admit that the first quote from Kim Kardashian threw me off a little. The only thing I could see being improved is perhaps more reputable quotes, though this is coming from personal preference and a general side-eye toward popular culture. I only noticed one typo in the first ten pages, on page seven: "Having support, whether from a group or one person who really cares can be the safe haven a child can resort too." I believe the proper word in this sentence is "to." I will not be reading this book because I do not have children, nor do I work with children anymore, so I don't think this is relevant to me at this time.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 12:47 pm by Kelsey Hatch.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

lavellan

403587
I probably wouldn't have read Different Family Structures if it hadn't been a part of the First Ten program. The Book of the Day review was positive, but I'm not very interested in the subject matter. The book did not seem like it was professionally edited, and I noticed errors while reading. In the following phrase, a comma is not needed before "so": "This is why parents have to stay focused on their children, so they..." I enjoyed that the author included quotes from popular figures at the end of each section. I thought that the book's message about the important of family wasn't very original. As a result of this, I will not read the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 12:07 pm by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

HRichards

741384
I normally wouldn't have picked this book up since the subject matter didn't really interest me. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book because I don't have a lot of interest in the topic. The sample deals with the an introduction into how the family structure has changed over time and that while two parent households used to be the only acceptable system, single parent homes are showing up more. The writing is good, but there is formatting issues being that none of the paragraphs in the introduction are indented. I read the OBC review of the book and while it seemed like a good book for those interested in different types of modern families, it still didn't really attract my interest in the topic. Maybe if I was interested in sociology I would feel differently.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 11:29 am by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Juliana_Isabella

1210914
I probably wouldn't have chosen this book because I usually prefer to read fiction, but I was encouraged by the positive review. I enjoyed how accepting the author was of different family styles, but the sentences tended to wander, leaving me often confused. I also found a run-on sentence in Location 38 ("In all reality, it matters not if children are born in relationships through marriage or not, positive communication results in a loving, caring, and supportive relationship for children."). This, along with the generally confusing style of writing, made me not want to finish the book.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 10:56 am by Juliana_Isabella.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

cpru68

517613
This author has put together a book explaining various family structures. While many might think of the traditional marriage between a man and woman, she includes those who are single and also family members who have stepped up to help raise a child. In addition, she mentions those who are not biologically related and also make up a family. The foundation, according to the author, of a strong family is supporting one another. That no matter what the world throws at someone, he or she should find a support system at home to help navigate through troubled times. She does mention that it is the responsibility of the parents or those parenting to teach the children about God. There were quotes along the way by famous people who speak positive things about their family.

I won’t be finishing this book as I am well versed in what a family is, and I have helped raise excellent children. And now I am watching the result of that as it gets passed on. I agree that the key is communication in a family along with support that makes it strong, so a book of this nature will benefit many, but I have no need to finish it.

I found on page 10-11 this sentence: From their first minutes of life, children depend on their parents for the things he or she needs to know to function in life.

The word “their” denotes plural but then the rest of the sentence is “he or she”. If the word “their” is being used then the word “they” would be better for the rest of that sentence.

On page 15:In most traditional family households; family always comes first.

The semicolon should be a comma. This is not placed right.

On page 15:Not always, these words are lived up to fulfillment because other things can transpire and change the whole definition of a family arrangement.

This would be better stated as: Not always “are” these words lived up to fulfillment....”

The reviewer stated this was professionally edited, but with these three errors found in the first ten, I would recommend giving it another round of proofreading to be sure errors such as these are corrected.

I appreciate the opportunity to have read the sample pages of this book, 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 October 7, 2019, at 10:09 am by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Theresa Moffitt

857578
I like the cover of this book and the title. It tells the reader exactly what the book is about. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. I haven’t read a review of this book yet. The book describes the meaning of family and the need for everyone to have one. A family is not just a blood relative but can be friends that have become like family. It is the support structure that people
Need and that structure can be made up of a wide variety of people. I don’t believe this book was professionally edited. Some of the sentence structures were incorrect or awkward. For example, on the third page of chapter one “Not always, these words are lived up to fulfillment because other things can transpire and change the whole definition of a family arrangement.” I will not finish reading this book because I am not the intended audience. The book seems focused on how to raise children with a support system. I think if you are raising children, this book could be of interest to you.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 9:24 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kristy Khem

533451
Non-fiction books like this one are not interesting to me. I would not read this book based on the cover design, title, and blurb. There were a couple of positive Amazon reviews, but they did not encourage me to read it. The sample was typed in bold print which I didn't like. It felt as if the author was shouting. The information about families included things like a definition, the people who make up a family, and the importance of the family unit. However, these are things I already know. There was also a quote by Kim Kardashian which didn't quite harmonize with the author's ideas; mainly because the Kardashians' family is far from perfect. The book also spoke about the duty that parents have to help their children lead a Christian life. I think only Christian people may find this aspect of the book helpful. I did not see any errors in the book. However, I will not buy and read this one.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 8:55 am by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

LV2R

708077
The book cover and title are both OK, but I am not interested in reading about different family structures. The Amazon Blurb summarized that there are different types of family structures, each built on relationships and not necessarily from a traditional family model of a married couple with biological children. I was not very interested in reading the book. The sample began with the purpose of family and describing the traditional versus the family of choice. I best liked the picture of a multi-cultural family on page 14 because this showed that there are different types of family structures that are full of love, care, and support. I do not think the book has been edited well, though the OBC reviewer believed it was. On page 10, the titles “Chapter One” and “The Family” are at the bottom of the Table of Contents on the Kindle e-book. Also, another example of an error is found on page 14: “In most traditional family households; family always comes first.” (It should be a comma used and not a semicolon.) The OBC reviewer mentioned that the author included the positive elements of the different types of family structures and used quotes about families. I do not want to read this book because I am not interested in reading about different family structures. I also do not think that the book was well written.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 8:17 am by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Erin Dydek

1322609
This book has an attractive cover photo that goes well with the topic indicated in the title. It looked much like a text book and I thought I wouldn’t be interested in reading it. As I went though the introduction and the first chapters, I enjoyed the message about positive communication with children. I also enjoyed reading about how a family makes up a solid foundation for children to grow and develop. They need a home with a family that can help them learn to love, communicate, and establish their sense of self worth. Family doesn’t have to be the traditional two parent home, it can be single parent, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, etc but family must be there to support and care for each other. The book is well edited and, at 115 pages, a quick read. Since the OBC review also had a positive recommendation I will read this whole book. It’s message is relevant to today’s society and a valuable source of information to help children grow up in a healthy environment.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 8:17 am by Erin Dydek.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

gali

50066
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 book about the different models of families sounds enlightening, it isn't my kind of read. The sample was rather short and contained just an introduction. Adding a few pages from the book would have benefited it. On the plus side, I didn't notice any glaring errors. The author lists different types of groups, aiming to show the importance of family support in children's life. I like her point that what matters is the support given to the child and not the type of family unit. I won't read the book, as the subject doesn't interest me. The official review didn't sway my decision either way.

First Ten review added on October 7, 2019, at 7:44 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Total ~ 24%

Different Family Structures earned a score of 24%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 24% 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 Different Family Structures