
The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Paradise Rising: A Teen Superhero Fantasy
Because Paradise Rising was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Ekta Kumari

This is the first installment of The Gifted Ones pre-superhero fantasy series. The story revolves around two teenagers who possess special abilities and superpowers beyond their comprehension. The story explores how both of them set out on an adventure to discover what connects them. I liked the premise but wouldn't have read the book based on its cover or summary if it wasn't a part of the top ten because I'm not into a superhero fantasy revolving around teenagers or YA fictions. The thing I did like the most while sampling is the author's writing. I like that the author takes the time to establish the characters first. I also like the detailing that the author has done for each scene. I didn't find any errors so far, so I would rate the book as professionally edited. While I believe it to be an engaging read based on sampling, I don't think I'll enjoy it due to the genre. So, I wouldn't be reading the whole book. I've no other recommendations for improvements. And I did see an official review before sampling.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 4:59 am by Ekta Kumari.
Jeremie Mondejar

I may take a look at this book even without this program because the cover photo hooks me. The curly long hair of the young woman caught my attention. While sampling, I like the presence of mystery with a twist of heartwarming scenes. Cheater is hiding from the authorities, while also trying to search for the faceless man. The foundation of the narrative is quite touching as well as enthralling because of the mysterious man. I'm also curious why Cheater's former poster mother called her that way as the OBC review noted it. Furthermore, through the review, I know the novel's overview as well as a glimpse of the plot. I will read this book because the OBC review piqued my interest as well as it influences my decision. The book looks well-written because I don't pick any typos. I can't suggest anything for improvement.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 3:44 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
va2016

The cover is indicative of the theme of the book, which is about young adults' fantasies. The title is not indicative of what the book is about. There are 25 Amazon customer ratings with 4.5 out of 5 stars rating, which is great! The Amazon summary gives a clear description of the story, which is about young Cheater and Jaz going through a lot of challenges, and eventually facing the situation of going to jail. As I am not usually interested in fantasy and young adult books, I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing the protagonist Cheater having dreams that she could not understand. The dreams always end up showing the same set of people, but occurring in different places and situations, and always the Police chasing her and looking out for her. Although I am not into stories with these kind of themes, the narration is pretty interesting, and so I am going to read this book in full to enjoy the nice narration! I found the sample professionally edited, and I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is its beautiful narration. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found 4 OBC reviews of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 3:32 am by va2016.
Catherine Hsu

If I had not read the sample, I would have read the book as the cover looks really great and the blurb looks interesting. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. Sometimes there were too many adjectives or descriptive phrases back-to-back, like "a rough, arthritic, dry, calloused hand" or "chasing out the smile of hope, spreading to every chilly limb...returning the trembling to her body after the darkness had left." Other than that, I really liked the intensity of the story. It was professionally edited. The official review did not affect my decision, though I am a little put off by the grammatical errors mentioned at the end of the book.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 3:28 am by Catherine Hsu.
Annelore Trujillo

I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I don’t usually read young adult books, and this young adult fantasy didn’t seem like it was for me. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. The story isn’t for me. It talked about trying to get back to the dream to see the man’s face, and it talked about Sadie, the good foster mom. This story didn’t pull me in. The area of improvement that could be worked on is including the characters’ names more often so that the story is easier to follow. There isn’t anything specific I liked. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 2:21 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Damis Seres Rodriguez

To begin with, the cover of the book didn't really catch my attention. I don't think I would have picked the book if it wasn't the book of the day. The OBC review I read rated it quite well, though, and that's always a good thing. As for the sample I read, I really liked how descriptive it was. I would have liked to know the name of the girl earlier on, though. I didn't find any errors that led me to believe the book is not professionally edited, and I don't think ten pages are enough for me to give an accurate suggestion on how to improve it. This is the kind of book I probably would have loved as a teenager. I am not sure I would enjoy it now, though, so I won't continue reading.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 2:18 am by Damis Seres Rodriguez.
Nikolas Farmakis

This is a fictional young adult novel about a young girl who is abducted but she loves her captor. I would not have read this book based on the cover, the title, or the genre, as I do not like young adult novels. I will not read this book, as it was unrealistic and cliche. The sample I read did not have any objective grammatical errors, so this book has been professionally edited. What I liked most in this book was that it had plenty of suspense and excitement. To improve, the author should make this book more realistic and original. This book had an Official OnlineBookClub review, which did not affect my opinion.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 2:12 am by Nikolas Farmakis.
Tonika632

Paradise Rising is a sci-fi book, and that is the genre I like. I would sample it based on the genre. Although this is a young adult book, the first ten pages were okay, but I wasn't impressed with the story. It is too predictive and simple, and I won't read the rest. I feel like this book is more for younger population since there are 13-year old characters in it. The writing is easy and suitable for kids to understand the plot. I wouldn't change a thing in it. I haven't noticed any mistakes in it, and I think it is professionally edited. This book also has the official review.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 2:10 am by Tonika632.
Aditi Sapate

I wouldn't have chosen to read this book based on the title, cover and genre, as I'm now past the age of reading young adult books. The official OnlineBookClub review gave me a summary of the book. When I started sampling it, I realised that the book revolves around a teenager named Cheater and her friend Jaz, who possess some unusual qualities. I also realized that there is a certain mystery element to this book where Cheater doesn't know what happens when she blacks out. I think that this is a really solid and enjoyable plot for the said genre. I really liked this aspect of the book. However, I couldn't really connect to the story while I read the sample. I will not be reading the full book. The sample did not contain any grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 1:46 am by Aditi Sapate.
edztan15

The YA genre isn't my cup of tea when it comes to books, so this one did not quite pique my interest even after reading the blurb and review. Although I have to admit that the premise sounds intriguing. Reading the sample, it has the typical feel of a YA novel, and I think it connects effectively to its target audience. The book seems to be professionally edited since I did not find any errors in the sample pages. I did not find anything I dislike in the book, but I have to take a pass on this due to personal reading preferences.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2020, at 1:21 am by edztan15.
ritah

Based on the cover and genre, I would have sampled the book because I often enjoy books in this genre. I read the official review and sampled Paradise Rising. Sadie's actions towards the central character (as described in the first few pages were admirable), I was surprised to find out she had died. I, naturally, wondered what had happened to her. I did not see any errors or areas needing improvement. I liked the plot description of the book and the author's writing style, which is why I will be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 8:56 pm by ritah.
Samantha Gayle

The cover is pretty standard for a YA fantasy novel, so I probably would have picked it up to read a review about it. I enjoy YA, so I was happy to see that the official OBC review was positive. The beginning of the story felt intense, and it instantly drew me in. The dream sequence was captivating, and the pacing was excellent. I did not notice any errors and wouldn’t change anything I read so far. I will continue reading this book because I enjoyed the first ten pages, and the official OBC review gave an indication of other aspects further along in the book that I know I will enjoy. I am looking forward to this book and series.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 8:25 pm by Samantha Gayle.
moowshiri

I wouldn't have read this book had I not been part of this program since I didn't find anything striking on its cover. On sampling its first ten pages, I loved Shriver's skill in embedding emotions into the book. For instance, I empathised with Cheater's nostalgic feelings for Sadie. I also liked the lack of errors in the few pages I sampled. Consequently, none of the book's sections that I sampled requires improvement. Nonetheless, I won't be reading it any further since I didn't find anything captivating about it. There is also an official review from OnlineBookClub for the book.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 7:52 pm by moowshiri.
Vickie Noel

I would have liked to read this book outside the program because it's a young adult book. I like both the title and cover art. However, after sampling the first ten pages, I lost interest. There is an uneven balance between narration and dialogue as conversations between characters are scarce. The book is largely well edited but still has a number of errors. For example, "sleep induced" in the sentence, "More screams pierced the sleep induced silence" should be hyphenated. The word "rose" should be used in place of "raised" in the sentence, "She raised up on her elbows..." I recommend that the author infuse more action and dialogue scenes early in the book and also tackle the grammatical errors. I saw an OBC review which initially piqued my interest, but the overly narrative text diminished my attentiveness.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 6:27 pm by Vickie Noel.
Rashida10

I decided to sample the book, Paradise Rising by PG Shriver, after seeing an official review on OBC about its content. The book seemed professionally edited, and I encountered no grammar errors/typos. Although if I hadn’t read the first ten pages of the book, I would still have sampled it in the first place based on its title. I liked that the book involved supernatural powers and a twisted plot. I will buy and read the whole book because I would like to see how the protagonist manages her powers. This book requires a lot of suspense.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 6:01 pm by Rashida10.
Melisa Jane

I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its cover because of the poor quality of the cover. After sampling it, I won't finish reading it because it's a little scary. The thought of scary dreams and having to face a faceless man is discomforting. I liked that the author used simple vocabulary that can be understood by many. I recommend a quality book cover. I didn't find any grammatical errors while reading. This book has an official OBC review.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 5:03 pm by Melisa Jane.
aacodreanu

Had I 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: the two teenagers with their arms folded are passing a message that the reader needs to read the book to decifer. Also the title had a say in it: another puzzle as everybody knows paradise is up there, so where can it rise to? The genre, as fantasy has always been among my favourites, and the Official OnlineBookClub editorial review that I saw all had a positive effect urging me to read the book. I am going to buy and read the whole book. Reading the first ten pages not only did not change my mind from my original guess, but it made me befriend Cheater and want to find out what was going to happen to her. Based on what I read, the book seems like it was professionally edited. In the bit I read, I like most the presentation of the way Cheater lived ”in the wild”, ferociously determined not to give up, and finding in her availability to help others too, from the mutt to the bullied boy.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 3:01 pm by aacodreanu.
xsquare

I wouldn’t have read this book based on the genre alone, since I’m not really interested in teen fiction. The cover and title are nothing special, and the blurb was not incredibly compelling. After reading the glowing official OBC review, I was more interested in sampling the book. However, I did not really find the first ten pages very interesting. It was definitely mysterious, which was something I liked, but I think that leaving the reader with more questions than answers did not work very well in this case. (Also, giving the main character the name of 'Cheater' is... a unique choice, to say the least.)I did not see any typos. I won’t be reading the rest of the book as it’s not really something that’s very interesting to me personally.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 2:18 pm by xsquare.
Sarah_Khan

The cover and title of this book are average. I would not have picked it up without the First Ten program because the cover makes me think this story is for a younger audience. The first ten pages were well edited. I have to say the author did a good job of putting the readers in Cheater's shoes because I was just as disoriented as her. I found myself rereading passages to see if I missed something and to find out who the old woman and the boy were. The OBC review is positive. I think this book seems like an exciting read for preteens and teens. Unfortunately, it is a little too juvenile for my taste. Therefore, I will not be reading the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 2:12 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Howlan

The cover looks good. The synopsis gives us a dramatic introduction to this book. The first ten pages is rather uneventful. It features Cheater, an adolescent girl, running away from the authories and has a thousand dollars prize on her capture. She has a weird power which involves giving people some hallucinations about their loved ones. She is on a two month run and is lookng to survive. The narration is good. The main problem in the first ten pages is nothing really happens. The main protagonist is rather easy to forget and her super power seems uninteresting. I also have a problem with the slow pacing of the first ten pages. All these problems failed to kindle an interest for me in the story. So, I am not going to buy and read this book as I am not interested in the story. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I think the pacing should be a little faster, and the first ten pages could feature a few more events that are interesting. The Official Review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 12:41 pm by Howlan.
gen_g

Based on the title and cover, it seems like a young adult, adventure-type of book, 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 18% in the sample, there is an extra space after the ellipsis, which should not be present because the sentence has not ended: "Screams...( )were they part of...". I suggest more editing. However, I appreciate that the author chose to start the book with a bang, as this helps readers to maintain interest in the story. For example, we learn that Cheater is running away from the police, as if she were caught, she would be sent back to a worse place. However, she is at least accompanied by a small dog, with whom she shares food with – at least, the dog doesn't mind eating the already bitten parts. Cheater also does not understand why there is a reward of one thousand dollars for her capture. However, I will not buy the book today, as I am not in the market for adventure/thriller fiction, and the presence of the grammar errors is also rather distracting.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 12:33 pm by gen_g.
Elvis Best

Looking at the book's cover, I might have read it because it looks quite attractive to me. However, after reading the sample, I would not buy and read the rest of it because I could not connect to the book. As such, I found it hard to follow the storyline. The book looks professionally edited, though, as I found no errors in the sample. The one thing I liked most was the sense of suspense in the first few pages. I also do not have suggestions for improvement. Lastly, I read an Official OnlineBookClub review that represented the book well.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 11:48 am by Elvis Best.
Sou Hi

The cover is not very suggestive, as it only focuses on the two main characters without any hints about the content. However, since it has good responses from the official review and Amazon, I opted for the sample. The copy features Cheater recalling the memory of her foster mother, Sadie, who was no longer around. As a faceless man seemed to be responsible for Sadie's death, Cheater was on his tail. Meanwhile, she herself was being on the police's wanted list and a reward of a thousand dollars for unknown reasons.
I like the smooth wording of this copy, as well as its good editing. It's nice to see that the author created a heroine with a tragic past and a mysterious power. While Cheater doesn't seem to fully understand or retain any memories of her doings, her power still helps people out. Nevertheless, this also makes the book vague and hard to comprehend. What exactly is Cheater's ability? What does it do to help people? Who is the faceless man, and how does Cheater know he is evil if she knows almost nothing about him? I feel like the plot is quite slow and ambiguous due to these aspects. Therefore, I don't think this book is interesting enough for me. I won't be buying this.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 10:38 am by Sou Hi.
Mbrooks2518

The summary of this book did intrigue me, so I would have read the sample without The First Ten. However, after reading the first ten pages and the official review, I am not interested enough to buy the book. I did like the descriptive writing as I was able to imagine things in my mind, like when Cheater wakes in the park and feels the chilly, damp morning air and sees the fog covering the park. I did not find any editing errors, and nothing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 10:34 am by Mbrooks2518.
Gabrielle Sigaki

Paradise Rising by PG Shriver is a young adult fantasy novel that brings children and teenagers with superpowers. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on the genre and the blurb since fantasy books like this one don't sound original for me. When I saw its Official OnlineBookClub review, I also thought that the novel didn't fit my taste and the plot seemed to be similar to the most common young adult books, which made it seem predictable for me. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind, and I won't read the entire book because I didn't find the novel original. However, I enjoyed the fact that the author has a fast-pacing book, which makes it more engaging and thrilling. Besides, the book seems professionally edited, and I didn't find any typos or errors. In my opinion, the author could include more unique aspects of the plot since it could make the book less predictable.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 10:01 am by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Iva Stoyanova

Based on the cover and the title, I thought at first that this is a teenage book. It didn't catch my attention at all, and I didn't think I would have chosen to read it. However, when I read the official review and I sampled the book, I realized it's more than just a teen book. There is suspense and mystery. I definitely changed my mind after reading the first ten pages. I would be happy to buy and read the whole book. I found the story to be unique, and the two main characters to be very interesting. Also, the writing style is exceptional, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Based on the pages I read, I think the book was professionally edited. I haven't found any errors. My favorite thing about this book is the writing style of the author. It seemed very professional and easy to read. I think the book is suitable for everyone, and there's enough suspense and mystery to keep us interested until the end of the story. In my point of view, there is only one thing that could be improved. I would suggest a change of the cover. It could be changed to another more professional and mature one.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 9:22 am by Iva Stoyanova.
Alice Heritage

I probably wouldn't have sampled this one without the programme as I'm not in the market for young adult fiction. I also won't buy this today because although it was intriguing, the timelines seemed very confusing. I noticed some errors with punctuation, specifically, a use of semicolons that made sentences hard to follow. An example is the following sentence: "She shook the memories away; her burning eyes blinked to check the tears that always followed; her body racked with shivers." It lacks parallelism - at the very least it should be altered to read "her body was racked" as "racked" does not work transitively. I therefore suspect the book wasn't professionally edited. I liked some of the details, like the missing person posters that had been reduced to corners and staples because the protagonist had torn them down. I found the way the narrative didn't seem focused in one timeline confusing, and think the work could be improved by tidying up the flashbacks. The official OBC review I saw didn't mention this issue, and my decision was based on the sample.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 4:46 am by Alice Heritage.
Sanju Lali

I could not guess anything from the cover and the title of this book because "Paradise Rising” meant many things to me. Therefore, I read the official review of this book as I was keen on knowing its contents. The official review helped me to understand that this is a young adult fantasy novel that focuses on a teenage girl named Cheater, who has an apparent magical power to save herself from getting killed by a strange supernatural force. This information encouraged me to read the sample of the book before purchasing it. When I read the first ten pages, I realized that this book is professionally edited because I did not find any grammatical or typing errors. The thing l liked the most is the premise of the story where a young girl senses the impending doom and escapes from it while people near to her get killed. I also liked the starting scene, where Cheater wakes up from a nightmare. Unfortunately, I could not find any character introduction before any scene. At least some kind of introduction is necessary for readers like me to anticipate what comes in the next scene. In some instances, it was not clear to me whether Cheater was talking to herself or was talking to someone else. My suggestion to the author would be to consider the shortcomings raised by me in the above sentences. Considering all these facts, I decided not to purchase and read this book today but wait until the author could help by addressing my suggestion so that I could enjoy reading this book.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 4:14 am by Sanju Lali.
Lorraine De Vos

I would have chosen to sample this book based on the title and genre, as I generally enjoy YA fantasy novels. The sample pages were excellent and I instantly fell in love with Cheater’s character - her broken spirit and sad demeanor made me want jump into the book, hold her tight and tell her that everything will be ok. The book does appear to be professionally edited. The official OnlineBookClub review was comprehensive and confirmed that I will be adding this book to my reading list. I have no recommendations for improvements.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 4:12 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Emy Katherine

Without The First Ten program, I would not have read the book based on the genre. Neither the sample nor the OBC review changed my mind. I am not interested in reading fantasy novels, so I will not read the rest of the book. The story follows a 13-year-old homeless girl named Cheater, who struggles to understand why she becomes unconscious when she finds herself helping people who are facing dangerous situations. When she meets a 15-year-old boy named Jaz, who has the unique ability to read her mind, she decides to team up with him to find out why they have superpowers. I liked the descriptive writing style, and I had no problem connecting with Cheater's character. She was homeless, alone, hungry, and wanted for murder; I could effortlessly feel her anxiety and fear of being captured by a police officer. I would suggest another round of editing, though, as I encountered some distracting errors throughout the sample. For example, it should be written "dew-soaked grass" instead of "dew soaked grass." (location 102 of 332 • 31%) It should also be written "the young, rough-looking boy" instead of "the young, rough looking boy." (location131 of 332 • 39%) There should not be a comma after "meals" in the following sentence: "She preferred to make money for her meals, and offered to work many times..." (location 262 of 332 • 79%) The book has received many positive reviews on Amazon, so those who enjoy reading fantasy novels should give it a try.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 4:01 am by Emy Katherine.
elisathelvarik

I would not have chosen this book based on its title, cover, and description. The teen fiction genre is oversaturated. The title and cover do not intrigue me or stand out from other books. The description does not interest much either. The official review goes into more depth about the characters and why they are interesting, but I was not completely motivated to read the book. I like the author's use of descriptive language. I thought the story was interesting enough for me to finish the story. It was slow, but not too slow. I find the third person a bit odd. It was a bit jarring to read the first few pages in this point of view. The author's sentence structure is also jarring. For example, the author uses semi-colon six times on the same page. I understand that it is the author's stylistic choice, but it does make the book seem unprofessional when there are too many semicolons or the same sentence structure. After sampling, I will not buy and read this book. It is not my cup of tea, and I do not like the author's stylistic choices sentence-wise. The sentence structure makes the book unenjoyable for me to read. I did not find any typos, but the weird sentence structure makes the book seem unprofessional.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 3:11 am by elisathelvarik.
MeganDJ

Everything about this book draws you in: from the first 10 pages, cover and Online book review, I was mesmerized at what I found. With a truly unique premise of a girl who saves the day without even knowing it, I was instantly hooked, and I would love to read the rest of the novel. It seems professionally edited as I did not find a single error. I liked that it started off building the world and I knew instantly in what kind of world I was in. I don't think anything can be improved upon. I saw an Online Book Review and I was instantly drawn to the novel from the premise that was explained in the review.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 1:32 am by MeganDJ.
Mai Tran

The book has an interesting premise, but I wouldn't have read it because I think it'd be more suitable for young adults. Although the OBC review was very positive and recommended the book to everyone, it didn’t change my opinion of the book. The author is obviously very talented. Every word that I’ve read reflects how guilty Cheater was over Sadie’s death, without the need to spell it out. As impressed as I was at the writing, unfortunately, the tormented hero/heroine cliché has always been too dark for me. Cheater presumably killing the one who tried to give her a home is just too sad. I prefer to stay away from such books even if they end on a warmhearted note. I won’t continue reading "Paradise Rising" for this reason. The book seems well-edited.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 12:50 am by Mai Tran.
MsH2k

I don’t enjoy the fantasy genre, and I rarely read young adult novels, so I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. I liked the teens pictured on the cover. They looked smart and determined. Reading the sample pages, I was confused in the opening scene when Cheater was asleep on the bench. I’m pretty sure that was the author’s intention. But I was also confused by all the changes in time and location after Cheater woke up. It was a lot of action, and I felt one step behind. That may be because I am no longer a young (ahem) adult. I will not buy this book. I was impressed by the amount of time the author devoted to working on this book. The featured review and the Amazon ratings were favorable, but they did not influence my decision. I have no suggestions for improvement.
I found one minor grammatical error in the sample pages. At loc 192, there is a hyphen missing in the compound adjective sleep-induced: “More screams pierced the sleep induced silence.”
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 12:20 am by MsH2k.
Stephanie Runyon

I would have sampled this book based off of the genre, cover and title. The OBC review added to the appeal by revealing the fantasy aspect of Cheater. I didn't find anything I disliked, though some of the circumstances about Sadie left me wondering what had happened that made Cheater feel at fault for her death. The faceless man was another element of suspense, drawing my attention to see she was seeking something rather than aimlessly wandering from place to place. This is well-edited as I didn't encounter any errors. From my curiosity and finding nothing I disliked, I want to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2020, at 12:07 am by Stephanie Runyon.
AvidBibliophile

The cover art is visually appealing and effectively represents the chosen genre, all while successfully attracting the intended target audience. The Amazon product description entices prospective readers with mentions of mysterious encounters, destined connections, and a pair of superhuman teens. The story begins with chilling nightmares, wet dogs, dim alleyways, and police sirens. I genuinely found the descriptive prose to be quite captivating. This book appears to have been thoughtfully edited, although on page 1, there is hyphenation missing in "sleep(-)induced silence" and "dew(-)soaked grass," and when used as a noun, the term "black outs" should really appear as a closed compound without a separating space present (blackouts). The four published OBC reviews all award this title a perfect score, and the majority of the 25 currently posted Amazon user ratings are just as positive. Since YA sci-fi/fantasy novels are not one of my personally preferred reading genres, I will be passing on this one. For readers who enjoy action-packed, emotional trilogies that tackle adolescent issues like bullying and loneliness amidst gang robberies and murder speculations, this series appears quite promising!
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 11:40 pm by AvidBibliophile.
dianaterrado

I definitely wanted to read the book when I first saw it. Not to mention the OBC official review gave this a perfect rating which made me even more excited. Reading the first few pages cemented my initial decision. I really liked the author's engaging writing, and I immediately loved Cheater's character. I found myself rooting for her from the start. The book was also professionally edited which is another plus. I have to say I can't think of anything to be improved. I do hope the book will get even better the farther I read.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 11:37 pm by dianaterrado.
Kelyn

Even if I had not been in this program, it is quite possible that the genre of this book would have brought it to my attention. Sci-fi is one of my favored genres, and I often peruse the YA section. I don't know that the cover or title would have impacted my decision to investigate the book except that the subtitle mentions "superhero," which further confirms the book's genre. The cover is what one would expect from a YA novel. The author is unknown to me, so that would not have affected my decision. The blurb was enticing, introducing Jaz, with whom Cheater has a mysterious connection and that the same fairytale led both of them. There were several customer reviews, including one from this program, all of which were highly complimentary of the book. This gave a good impression going into the sample, especially as I trust our reviewer's opinions. The sample was intriguing. It gave the reader bits of information about Cheater and her power while really revealing nothing except that she helps people, and she has no memory of what happens during her blackouts. We meet Jaz at the end of the sample and feel his connection to Cheater before the sample ends. It's almost as if the sample itself ends on a cliffhanger. Do I intend to read the book? I'm already on chapter 20! The book seems well edited. I found no 'countable' errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 11:33 pm by Kelyn.
Shrabastee Chakraborty

From the title and the cover, I wasn't very sure about the book. The official OBC review that rates it a full 4 stars changed my mind, though. Based on that, I would have read this book. The first ten pages were without editing issues. They showed Cheetos waking up from sleep after hearing a scream in her dreams. Then she retreats into another trance-like state. I loved everything from the style of writing to the sense of anticipation. I will gladly read the book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 10:51 pm by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Kajori Sheryl Paul

'Paradise Rising' is a book written by P.G. Shriver. This Cheater’s story. Cheater is a girl with an unusual ability. The book begins with Cheater waking up on a park bench. She is on the run. Soon, she blacks out. She finds herself in an alley where a boy thanks her for bringing his brother to him. Like always, Cheater has no memory of her heroic actions. The writing style is engrossing. I liked it. Also, I like the protagonist’s unusual name. I did not find any error. I believe that it is professionally edited. The title and cover are intriguing. The OBC review and the Amazon reviews are insightful. I will read this book as I would like to know Cheater’s fate.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 10:49 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Laura Lee

The first thing that drew me was the cover. So many self-published books don't put in the money and the effort to have a professional-quality cover designed. The fact that this one has such a great cover really intrigued me. The Amazon blurb was well done and so was the review. In fact, they were so compelling, that even before I read the sample pages, I went and bought the book. I'm not into fantasy for kids, but I have a daughter who is going to eat this up.
There really was nothing I disliked about the sample pages. They seem to be professionally edited. The only typos I saw were 1) an extra space after some ellipses, and, 2) an extra space after an em dash. Obviously, nothing so major that it was distracting. I can say that there is a lot I LIKE about this book. I like the premise: making the "gifted ones" kids, instead of adults. Another major point for me is that the author has mastered the art of "showing" rather than "telling." I recently read a book that was all HE SAID, SHE SAID, SAID HE, etc. It got so old. Shriver doesn't do that. Just the right amount of description is given to allow the reader to picture it in their mind without getting bogged down. Very well done. I'm thankful for this program because, quite honestly, as I never read YA books anymore, I wouldn't have known about it. I'm always on the lookout for quality books for my kids and I was really impressed with the quality of writing in this one.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 10:41 pm by Laura Lee.
Mallory Porshnev

The cover of this book looks like a teen movie. It didn't appeal to me, and the OBC review I read didn't paint a very appealing summary either. The book sounds geared towards young adults, and the plot doesn't sound very interesting. I read the first ten pages and didn't notice any errors. I liked that the book seemed professionally edited. The writing style is engaging and easy to read. There's nothing wrong with this book necessarily. I just don't think it;s my genre, and I won't be reading it.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 10:17 pm by Mallory Porshnev.
Jennifer Donovan Smith

The cover very clearly communicates the genre and intended age group for this novel: sci-fi/fantasy and young adult. I appreciate that the cover also discloses that this book is the first in a trilogy. Although I read a lot of young adult fiction, after reading the synopsis, I likely would not have chosen to sample this book because of the ages of the characters. Young adult fiction is generally written about characters ranging from about 16 to their early 20s. The heroine in this novel is 13 (and the girl on the cover looks a few years older). As someone who is subscribed to multiple young adult book boxes, I would highly recommend that the author consider marketing this book as a middle-grade book to attract more readers, as middle-grade readers range from about 8 to 13 years of age. Many young adult fiction fans are already adults in their 20s and 30s and do not have much interest in such young characters.
The official OBC review was full of praise for this book, and I found the premise to be interesting. However, I was rather turned off by the author's overuse of semi-colons. They are used properly, but to excess. I really liked the author's prose, but I felt that readability would be improved by breaking up some of the sentences that are strung together with lots of commas and semi-colons. I found myself rereading quite a few passages.
I noticed quite a few errors in hyphenation and in capitalization in dialogue tags. I would recommend another round of editing by an experienced editor. An example of incorrect capitalization in a dialogue tag is at Loc. 204:
"'Good idea!' She praised the wanderer..."
Because Cheater is praising him with this exclamation, the "s" should not be capitalized. I noticed five such instances in the sample pages provided.
Some sentences are run-on sentences with comma splices:
"She'd entered the city from a back road, which didn't provide a great amount of details, no city signs with population postings announced locations on windy dirt roads" (Loc. 243).
A period should go after "details" (and though a semi-colon would also be appropriate, there are quite enough of those).
I was also very confused by the following phrase (and "trashcan" should be two words):
"...someone else unashamedly dripped his own hot tears on her big toe, its hiding place given away by a hole in a trashcan, cross trainer" (Loc. 141).
I cannot decipher what in the world this line is trying to convey.
Because I found the writing style to be very difficult to read, and because the characters are much younger than those in the young adult fiction novels I enjoy reading, I will not be purchasing the book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 10:15 pm by Jennifer Donovan Smith.
CrescentMoon

After reading the blurb, I don't think I would pick this book up. The premise didn't interest me. After reading the first ten pages, I didn't see any spelling or grammar errors but there were a lot of sentences that were overly long and run-on sentences. For example, in chapter one, "She felt, in her semi awakened state, that he was connected to her life, to the tragedies that had occurred, the loneliness, but she had no factual assurance, only intuition, and the dream." The commas were all placed in the correct locations, but this sentence was just so long and there were way too many descriptive clauses. What I liked best about the book so far was the imagery and descriptions. I could easily picture the scenes. For example, the dog's wet nose trying to wake Cheater up. I could almost feel the sensation so I thought the author did a great job describing the scenes. The suggestion for improvement would be to cut the long sentences in shorter, more digestible phrases. It makes the writing more concise and easy to understand. There was an onlinebookclub review. However, I wasn't hooked by the sample, so I won't be reading the rest.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 9:24 pm by CrescentMoon.
Kaitlyn Canedy

If this book was not the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would have skipped the sample. The description for me was not that compelling, but the artwork on the front is very attractive. When I had finished the sample, I noticed that there were no grammatical errors at all in the first ten pages. I tried to relate to Cheater, but I was unable to do so as the descriptions of what was happening to her did not connect with me well. It is because of this reason that I am skipping Paradise Rising. I cannot think of improvements that can be done to it to make it better; this book just is not my favorite genre. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for it, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. Readers that enjoy suspenseful books or even supernatural ones may find this book enjoyable.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 8:51 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Jorge Leon Salazar

Much of the sample is dedicated to telling about the complicated life of Cheater, the teenage protagonist. She wanders the streets homeless, running from the police, and trying to get food for herself and her dog. Cheater has nightmares in which a faceless man seems to signify something important to her. She set herself the goal of finding him or knowing who he was.
In what I have read so far the plot has not developed much. However, it has already been observed that Cheater appears to have powers after meeting the boy who had been bullied and the other older boy named Jaz. I found the narrative appealing, but it's a bit confusing what's associated with the nightmares and angst that Cheater suffers from. The issue of the homeless and people's lack of empathy is a bit sorrowful.
The official review reveals a little more about the plot and powers of Cheater and Jaz. Plus, the relationship that Cheater later has with Jaz and Thomas is unveiled. The reviewer motivates to read the book. However, the story did not captivate me completely; I think it did not generate enough expectations or curiosity. The editing is outstanding as I didn't find any errors. The cover is striking and consistent with the content; it highlights the two teenagers who are the main characters. In conclusion, I won't read the rest of the book, at least not in the near future.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 8:13 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Verna Coy

Had I not sampled this book through the First Ten program, I would not have chosen it as it’s not my favorite genre.
For this reason, I don’t intend to purchase and read the whole book today.
Reading the first ten pages didn’t change my mind about buying the book, but I can see the character development is great right from the beginning.
Based on what I read, the book seems professionally edited, although the Official Online Book Club review did mention a few errors.
I didn’t see errors in the first ten pages.
What I liked most about what I read is how the main character comes across to the reader very well at the beginning of the book.
I know that fans of young adult fantasy stories will like aspects of this novel.
As far as improvements, aside from proofreading for the mentioned errors, I could see no need for any in what I read.
I did read the Official Online Book Club review and found it insightful. It didn’t affect my views of the book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 7:08 pm by Verna Coy.
Ari Martinez

If I had not sampled this book as part of this program, I would not have chosen to sample it based on its title, cover, and Official OnlineBookClub review. Even though the title is interesting, the cover image appears to be aimed at young teens, which makes me uninterested since I am not a young teen and do not want to read YA novels at the moment. The official review also confirmed my thoughts that this is a young adult novel. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. I will not be reading the rest of the book because the story did not grab my attention enough to make me want to continue reading it. From what I read, I liked the way Cheater's thoughts were described concerning her blackouts. The book seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 5:40 pm by Ari Martinez.
Jsovermyer

The cover and book title are very exciting. They are sure to appeal to young-adult readers. I sometimes like to read this genre and would purchase the book from the cover alone. The official reviewer mentioned the book teaches valuable lessons about bullying. This makes the book even more interesting to me. I found no spelling or grammatical errors and believe it has been professionally edited. I like that Cheater shares her food with the little dog that follows her. I feel sorry for her and sympathize with her character. I am confused if she is accidently causing people to die or if someone else is doing it. I wish this was clearer, but I guess it adds to the suspense of the story. I liked the book so far and will try to get a copy so I can finish it.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 4:12 pm by Jsovermyer.
Kirsi Cultrera

Just by looking at the cover of this book, I would not have chosen it for reading. It simply looked too much like a teenager book and was also categorized under young adults. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised after reading the sample pages. Even though the protagonists were young, it soon became clear that the story was a well-written one and that the author is a skilled writer. It also seemed to me that this book was professionally edited as I didn’t encounter any mistakes during the short moments I spent with it. The beginning of the book was catching, taking the reader right into the middle of the action. It aroused my interest and left me wanting to find out what was about to happen next. This book had an Official OnlineBookClub review available, which provided a lot of helpful information about the book but also supported my original intention to skip reading the whole story. Regardless of all the obvious qualifications of this book, I am still hopelessly over-aged and serious-minded for this story. However, I will definitely recommend this read to my younger friends.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 3:35 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Odette Chace

I don't like the title. It brings to mind "Paradise Lost" and I don't think that connection was intentional. The cover makes me think the book is meant for younger teens so I'm a bit worried the book might be a bit young for me. I was startled while reading the synopsis on Amazon to learn that the main character is 13 but is responsible for both killing people and saving them. That seems pretty heavy for a young adult novel. However, the official Online Book Club review explains that Cheater blacks out when she uses her supernatural abilities. I'm intrigued to see how the author handles these ethical dilemmas. I do wish that Cheater had a different name. It seems very odd that a parental figure would give a child a nickname about the child cheating death. That's a bit morbid and I don't see how that particular nickname would become used by people outside of the household. Cheater has other very negative connotations, so I can't imagine Cheater would really ask her friends to call her that. On another note, I find it potentially problematic that Jaz is black, at least on the cover. Is he black because he's in a gang? "It was happening more and more frequently, the screaming, the black outs, the memory loss" (23% of sample). It should be blackouts instead of black outs. I found the sample engaging from the very beginning and only noticed a few minor errors. I believe the work was professionally edited. Like Cheater, I am very curious to learn more about the origin of her powers. The only detail that seemed out of place was the mention of a King, but that might be explained later in the book. I'm looking forward to finishing the book at a later date.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 2:46 pm by Odette Chace.
Brenda Creech

I am not much of a fantasy fan, but this book cover caught my attention. I would have checked it out without a review to read. After reading the official review, I thought this might be a fantasy novel I could read and enjoy. However, after reading the sample, I changed my mind. I found the premise of the story fascinating, and what I read was well-edited with no errors. I also didn't find anything that needs improvement. What I read was well-written. I found that I couldn't get engrossed in the book as I was reading. Perhaps because it is written for young adults is the reason I wasn't relating well to it. I decided not to read the rest of the book due to my difficulty engaging in the story.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 2:32 pm by Brenda Creech.
Hazel Arnaiz

I will not sample the book outside the program. The cover, title, and genre did not interest me enough. I would like to see some activity on the cover as a teaser of what is inside. The word “paradise” is not something that I would typically associate with superhero fantasy stories. The blurb and reviews were mostly positive but, I did not find anything saying what sets this book apart. Sampling the first ten pages did not change my mind. I liked that the descriptions were vivid. The emotions of the characters and the scenes were described in detail. I also appreciated that concerns about environmental pollution and social indifference were brought out. However, the pace was quite slow. I did not feel engaged enough when the main character displayed her unusual abilities. The descriptions leaned more on the emotions than the action component. I was expecting more action and intensity from a superhero story. Meanwhile, I did not notice grammar or typo errors from the pages I sampled. There was an official OnlineBookClub review which was enthusiastic. However, it did not change my mind. I will not continue reading the book but will recommend to those who are keen on this theme.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 2:30 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Diana Lowery

This is not a book that I would have chosen to read based on the subtitle because I am not a teenager or someone who enjoys fantasy. The cover makes me think that the story is politically correct because it shows a boy and a girl who represent different ethnicities. Reading the blurb did not change my mind about reading the book. The review, however, mentioned that anyone would enjoy the message, but after reading the first ten pages, I decided not to finish reading the book because I knew that it would start to dwell too much on the fantasy aspect. I did appreciate the descriptive writing style and liked how quickly I felt sympathy for the protagonist. The only error that I noticed was right after the table of contents. There are two titles of future books that are underlined instead of italicized. There is nothing I would change as it seems appropriate for the intended teenage audience.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 2:29 pm by Diana Lowery.
Chelsy Scherba

I really enjoyed the author’s originality. Cheater seems to be living on the streets with a mutt and she recalls happier times with Sadie, her elderly foster mom. Cheater also has weird blackouts that end up with her being around people that thank her for helping them. She can’t explain what she did to save these people because all she remembers is darkness. Apparently, her supernatural powers have caused her to kill as well. I liked how she hid from the police and shared a biscuit with the dog. There’s also a faceless man that may be good or evil. This story is quite interesting and well-written. I didn’t see any errors or typos. I like the cover and the characters. I assume the boy is Jaz, so I’m curious to find out more about him as well. The review was very positive and informative about the story. I don’t usually search for books outside of the program, but I am definitely attracted to it based on the cover and genre, so I might have sampled it if I saw it independent of OBC.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 2:26 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Scerakor

From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. I don't usually read young-adult novels and this one didn't jump out at me as an exception. 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 enjoyed the mystery embedded in the reader's mind as Cheater wakes up on the bench in the first chapter, and the humour associated with a dog being there licking her. That being said, there's just not enough here to jump into a genre that I don't really enjoy. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read, but it did seem well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 1:18 pm by Scerakor.
Laura Ungureanu

I don't like covers that have people on them, so I wouldn't have checked this book out by myself. The OBC review masterfully presented the book. I wasn't pleased with its genre, since stories that revolve around teens often annoy me. The book starts with Cheater experiencing her blackout and memory loss. The author has a very descriptive writing style, which is good, but not something I enjoy that much. Because of all the negative things, I would better stop reading right now. I found no problems with the editing.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 12:49 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Juliana_Isabella

I might have chosen this book because I enjoy fantasy novels. The review also made me think I might like the intrigue surrounding Cheater's powers. I didn't find any errors in the first ten pages, and I was moved by Cheater's memories of Sadie's death. However, I found it really sad that Cheater was all alone and blamed herself for so many deaths. I usually prefer uplifting stories, so I don't plan to finish this book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 12:44 pm by Juliana_Isabella.
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda

The cover of the book is appropriate for a YA read. The blurb is well explained, and it presents the main characters and a hint of what's at stake in the novel. The ratings are mostly good. The only reason I wouldn't have bought this book based on my first impression is that I'm not that much into fantasy, and I didn't find the blurb to be interesting.
What I liked most about the first ten pages are the descriptions. Even when this is a book directed to young readers the author didn't dumb down the vocabulary and created fascinating passages such as the following: "the young, rough looking boy; a toboggan fitted over the crown of his head; greasy golden spikes poked out over his too large ears; baggy, ripped clothes hung on his body; dry, cracked lips moving; tiny streams followed two freckled white lines down a dirt-encrusted face, drip... drip... drip." What I didn't like is that I was left feeling confused. The author doesn't offer the reader an anchor to get the reader invested and make him feel he knows something about the story.
I found a couple of editing mistakes. The first one, on position 104, where "sleep induced" is missing a hyphen: "More screams pierced the sleep induced silence, stirring her—distant, torturous screaming that had never before presented itself in the dream." I would suggest correcting these mistakes. I don't think anything else needs improvement. The book has an official review but it didn't change my mind.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 11:31 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
AntonelaMaria

This book wasn't interesting to me just from the title alone. I am not into teenage fantasy drama. But after reading the Offical OnlineBookClub review, I can appreciate the good job the author did with the premise and the characters. After reading the sample, I am not curious enough to continue with this story, and considering it is a trilogy, I don't want to invest my time and money when I will be going into it reluctantly. I like the character's names. The authors, at times, try to go overboard with them but here they fit well. Cheater is a fabulous name. I didn't notice any errors, and I wouldn't change anything about the book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 11:20 am by AntonelaMaria.
Bertha Jackson

I would have read the summary on my own after seeing the cover, title, and genre, However, after reading the first ten pages and the OnlineBookClub review, this is a book for younger readers, and I will not be purchasing this book. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages, so it has probably been edited professionally. I did like that Cheater can change people for the better. This makes the book a good read for teenagers that enjoy bullying their peers. The book may help them see the damages they cause to others. I did not see anything to improve in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 9:43 am by Bertha Jackson.
Theresa Moffitt

Judging by the cover of this book, this is a young adult novel. I like the title of the book. It sounds interesting, but I wouldn’t have picked this book up based on the cover alone because it looks to be for a young adult audience and I am a little older than that. The first ten pages conveyed a confusion by the main character named Cheater. She wakes up on a park bench after blacking out. She can hear voices in the distance, but can’t make out where she is. A young boy comes up and thanks her, but she doesn’t know what she did for him that deserved thanks. The first ten pages were confusing to me because I couldn’t tell what was happening to the girl. When I read an Online Book Club review, the story became a little clearer. It seems that when something bad happens to someone near Cheater, she blacks out and something positive happens instead. I’m still not clear on what abilities she has to save people. I wasn’t able to find a customer review to read. The OBC review was very positive and gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I believe the book was professionally edited because I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. Primarily because this seems to be a book for young adults, I will not finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2020, at 9:35 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Total ~ 31%
Paradise Rising earned a score of 31%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 31% 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 Paradise Rising