The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for CodeY
Because CodeY was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Ekta Kumari
The story revolves around three medical students who set off on an adventure to run an experiment in order to find their perfect genetic matches. While one of them does find his match, things eventually takes a darker turn, and the story explores how these events culminate against them. I liked the storyline and would have read the book as I was intrigued by the cover page and the title. The thing I liked the most while sampling is the detailing done by the author. The narration develops at a steady pace as we get to know the characters. The editing also seems well done. I would rate the book as professionally edited. I did see an official review before sampling. I'll definitely read the whole book as I've enjoyed the sample so far. There are no recommendations for improvements that I would like to make.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2020, at 4:59 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The cover and the title are not indicative of the theme of the book. There are 15 Amazon customer ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is good. The Amazon summary provides a clear description of the story, which is about three individuals venturing on an experiment to find their best matches based on genetic factors. As I was intrigued by the plot, 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 the interaction between Dr. Cole and Keece. As I am interested in the plot, I am going to read the book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. There were no grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is its plot. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. 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 December 12, 2020, at 4:55 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vickie Noel
I may not have opted to read this book outside the program based on its title or cover art. The red-dominated background didn't attract me as the color isn't one of my favorites. I'm still undecided after sampling the first ten pages. While the story appears interesting, it's rather too slow paced for my liking. The OBC review I saw mentioned secret research, experiments and couple pairings that produced supertalented offspring which had piqued my interest, but with what I've read so far, I'm not sure I have the patience to stick around until the story gets to that point. However, I liked that the writing style was simple and easy to understand. I found several grammatical errors that could easily have been picked up by an eagle-eyed editor. This leads me to conclude that the book isn't professionally edited. For example, the word "nonetheless" was hyphenated in the sentence, "But, none-the-less, he was impressed." There were also misplaced and omitted commas. In the sentence, "Cole trying not to show he was relieved to hear she would be open to having a family asked another question," two commas should appear—one before "trying" and the other after "family." My recommendation is that another editor makes a clean sweep of the book from top to bottom to remove those pesky little errors. As earlier mentioned, I saw an OBC review, but it did not influence my decision.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2020, at 4:51 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
xsquare
The premise of the story seemed incredibly interesting – as a fan of science fiction, I would have sampled this book based on the title, cover and blurb. I was even more intrigued after reading the official OBC review. I liked the writing style and the way the author set up the premise. However, I noticed several errors involving the placement of extra commas, such as in this sentence: “Cole, mused, it always surprised him what people would do simply because their doctor asked them to.” Other than the typos, I thought the author could have introduced the characters better – personally, I felt that I was often getting confused between the three at the very start. I don’t think I will read the rest of the book unless the typos are fixed, as they tend to get quite distracting.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2020, at 4:49 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
The cover photo looks a bit interesting. I sampled this book based on the program. The sample piques my curiosity, however, I can't fully connect to medical terms. Fortunately, the OBC review influences me to keep reading the book. I'm happy that it's free via Kindle Unlimited. I like the intriguing plots of matching a suitable partner through DNA. I didn't notice any typos while sampling this book. It looks professionally edited. Since I recently love this genre, I will read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2020, at 4:13 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Howlan
The cover looks good. The synopsis gives us a general introduction to this book. The first ten pages are pretty decent. The story starts with Cole doing a regular health checkup of a woman named Keece, and they start talking about family and relationships. in the next chapter we meet up with Cole's friends, Pele and Radi, all of them doctors, who join a VR game club for fun and games. The synopsis and Official OBC review explain what is next to come, which is a genetic experiment which takes a darker turn in the future as always. The story is unoriginal, and the characters present do not seem interesting in the beginning. There is no 'hook' to draw your interest in the story in the first ten pages. So, I am not going to read the rest of this book as I am not interested in the story. No typos were found in the first ten pages. Better character and story introduction, including some kind of tension, are required in the beginning to grab the readers attention. The Official Review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2020, at 1:33 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Melisa Jane
I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its cover because it's mostly blank and not very visually appealing. After sampling it, I won't finish reading it because I found it extremely slow-paced. I also didn't understand why the doctor had to do all those tests on Keece. Although I appreciate the suspense used in this book, I think the author overused it, especially within the sample pages. I didn't find any grammatical errors while reading. This book has an official OBC review.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2020, at 12:53 am by Melisa Jane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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 changed my mind. I think some editing is needed: "she agreed, ignoring the faint tingle of apprehension at the back of her neck, more tests sounded like they may not be sure she did 'very well.' This sentence is a run-on sentence. Some of the details that were mentioned just seem a little minor and tedious to read. I did, however, like that we got to see some of the relationships between the characters. The official review did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2020, at 12:52 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Upon poring over the book's official OBC review and Amazon page, I believe I might want to pass on reading this one. The primary characters of the story are not that interesting to me. The premise of finding one's perfect genetic match also does not appeal to me. I believe it is a matter of personal tastes. Considering these factors, I decided not to purchase the book.
Sampling the title did not convince me to want to read the book since nothing in it greatly captured and held my attention throughout the time I was reading. The first ten pages cover Chapter 1 and the first few pages of Chapter 2. The first chapter focuses on Cole running tests on Keece, his being amazed by the results, and his gathering of Keece's personal information. The second chapter is about Radi, Pele, Cole, and an experiment called "Codey." My favorite part of the sample is the conversation between Keece and Cole. I didn't note any errors in the text; I believe the book is professionally edited. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 10:05 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Wy_Bertram
Based on the blurb and cover, I would have been interested in sampling this book independently.
No, I don't think I'll be reading the whole book. A few pages in, I realised it wasn't what I expected. The narrative hardly piques my interest and ultimately, love stories are not for me.
I found one error on page seven. "Cole, mused,..."
Sadly, I didn't particularly like anything in the bit I read. In the way of improvements, I think the beginning is a bit dull. The author could reel the reader in more effectively with a much more different scene.
This book received a perfect rating in an official review.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 6:53 pm by Wy_Bertram.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
I like the cover and title of this book. I definitely would have sampled this even without the First Ten program because the idea of a genetic match sounds unique and intriguing. The first ten pages are professionally edited. I have to say I found Cole a little creepy, specially with his comment about what people would be willing to do if their doctor asked them to. The OBC review was positive. The fact that the reviewer said that this is their favorite book of the year so far, solidifies my decision. I look forward to reading the rest of this book. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 6:07 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Manang Muyang
The title and the cover wouldn't have interested me. But the blurb surely did. And the 15 five-star reviews on Amazon further piqued my curiosity. I would have sampled the book outside of First Ten. I'm a bit perplexed that the book is classified as a YA book, though. I bought the book for free, but I don't think I will read all of it. The story is mighty interesting, but the bad editing turns me off. I found a lot of misplaced commas, awkward speech tags, misused hyphens, and run-on sentences. One sentence, at 5% of the book, goes this way: "Regardless, it had been years since they had talked about it, Cole and Pele, had given up on the concept long ago." That's a comma splice; the comma after "Pele" is also not needed. At 8%, "I know! I don't know how he can hit those" lacks ending punctuation. At 10%, the "wooden horse" was "with an oversized head and awkward tale." At 11%, "But Pele was less worried about providing the beer then he was about the hard ground below him." "Then" should be "than" there. Even "Codey," the name of the project, was spelled in several ways: Code Y, CodeY, and Codey. The opening scene also seems implausible: The cardiologist administered more tests than necessary, and the patient willingly submitted to the tests. The flaws indicated notwithstanding, the sample was enjoyable; I actually read way more than ten pages. The repartee among the three friends was very realistic. The poor editing has to be addressed, though. The official OBC review gave the full four stars to the book. I guess the reviewer did not mind the errors.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 5:25 pm by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sonya Nicolaidis
At first, I wasn’t sure if the title of this book was “Codey” or “Code Y”, only to find out that it was both. I liked the cover presentation of the book, showing both the DNA strand, and the polo theme that runs through the book. First impressions were good, confirmed by the positive comments by the OBC reviewer. I would have picked this book up anyway, as it has many elements that are intriguing to me. Upon reading the sample, I was impressed by the excellent writing and the strong background to the story that is given early on. If there was one thing I had difficulty with, it was the given names of the characters. I find these are often too random for me, and I take a while to identify and distinguish between the individual characters if their names are unfamiliar to me. At any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed the sample and found the whole idea quite fascinating. I noted two cases of unnecessary hyphenation, in words like “none-the-less” and “ever-so-slightly” on the first page. Apart from these, there were no other errors, and I do think the book was edited properly. I cannot suggest any improvements, and I would definitely read this one.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 4:11 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Alice Heritage
I was intrigued by the Amazon blurb for this book and might have sampled it if I'd been looking for something new. I wasn't quite so intrigued by the sample, though, because the focus on the talented and wealthy didn't hit quite the right note for me. Perhaps the talented teens would appeal more to young adults; that's not a market I'm in. The book may not have been professionally edited. I noticed a lot of ellipses that might have been stylistic, but it really looked as if words were missing. Examples: "Cole, mused, it always surprised him ..." seems as if it should read "Cole mused that it always surprised him" and "Keece a little surprised by the abrupt change ..." could pehaps be better rendered "Keece was a little surprised ...", or at least set off by commas. I liked the description of "Another World" - it was fun to imagine a place that was a cross between a warehouse and a furniture store with different living rooms and screens. Nothing really needs to be improved from the point of view of those who would enjoy something futuristic. The OBC review confirmed my impression that the focus on talented youngsters wouldn't really be my cup of tea.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 3:18 pm by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Based on the title and cover, it seems like a science fiction 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 loc 16, the semicolon in "...strong and compact; more inspiration for her to..." is wrongly inserted – both fragments before and after the semicolon have to be complete; there is a missing subject in the second fragment, i.e., "This served as more inspiration...". I suggest more editing. However, I appreciate that the story starts by giving some description, which will help readers relate better to the characters, which will then in turn help readers to better immerse themselves in the story. For example, we learn that the Keece, although she is on the older side, her boyfriend, who is also her polo instructor, is much much younger than her. Still, Keece and her boyfriend have been dating for a year, although she had to be persuaded into the relationship because of the age difference. However, Keece, despite her age, is very healthy, which is why Cole, her doctor, decided to also test her on other areas of her physical fitness, like her reflexes, and got carried away until Keece asked him about her heart; he realised that in the midst of marvelling about her physical health, he had forgotten that he was Keece's cardiologist. However, as I am not in the market for adventure thrillers, I will not be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 11:36 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jsovermyer
The cover is not interesting to me. At first, I didn't understand why the two people on horseback were there. Also the all red cover is not appealing. When I first glanced at the title, I thought it was "Codey," a person's name. Finally, I realized it was "Code Y." I wouldn't buy this book from the cover alone. The official reviewer liked the book. I found no spelling or grammatical errors and believe it has been professionally edited. This sci-fi/romance novel is about finding your perfect genetic match and the effect this has on future generations. The dialogue in the first ten pages was natural and easy to read. But I didn't like the doctor asking his patient all of those personal questions. To me, it seemed creepy, and he was overstepping the boundary between doctor and patient. The first ten pages didn't hook me on the story. I will not be finishing this book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 9:09 am by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'CodeY' is a book written by Lamar Rutherford. Dr. Cole finds a genetic match in Keece for his friend, Dr. Pele. Leeds had come for a heart check-up. Dr. Cole, Dr. Pele, and Dr. Radi are best friends since medical school. They have been working on an experiment called Codey. The aim of the experiment is to find one's best match on the basis of genes. Radi is more serious about their little experiment than the others. I like the concept of finding one's match on the basis of genes. It seems pretty feasible. Some might consider “..overly enthusiastically..” to be an error as it should ideally be “..over enthusiastically..” However, apart from this minor glitch, the book seems to be well-edited. The cover, title, OBC review, and the Amazon reviews are all apt. I will give this book a try as I like the premise.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 8:43 am by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Hazel Arnaiz
Outside the program, I will not sample the book based on the cover and title. I thought it was a story about polo because of the images. The title only made sense to me after reading the blurb. From the blurb and customer reviews, the idea of using genetics in finding an ideal mate intrigued me. I was also curious about what will happen if the prospect mates discover they were part of a social experiment. But I had an impression that the story will lean more on the social aspect rather than the science part. After sampling, I was still uncertain about the book. I did not get to read much of the genetics part on the initial pages. It focused more on polo and pursuing the woman. But I liked the smooth flow of the story. It was easy to read, even with the detailed descriptions. It was because of the simple words and the conversational writing style. As for editing, I noticed some errors, but they were not distracting. Here is an example from page 9.
“Yah, the real thing. I started playing a few years ago, and now I’m completely hooked. It’s funny how people have become so much more aware of it thanks to the Patron Polo VR game,” she said, imitating the distinctive game [announcer] voice as she said the name.
I think it should be “announcer's” instead of “announcer.” Other than the editing, I have no further suggestions. The official OnlineBookClub review was comprehensive. It encouraged me to finish reading the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 7:30 am by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Elvis Best
The cover doesn't seem attractive to me, so I doubt I would have picked up the book to read. Further, after reading the sample, I would not read the rest of this novel because I did not fall in love with the story. The one thing I enjoyed most, though, was the casual conversation between the characters. I also have no suggestions for improvement and believe the book was professionally edited, since I found no errors in the sample pages. Finally, I read an Official OnlineBookClub review, which summarized the book well.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 4:00 am by Elvis Best.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
The cover looks simple but suitable for the title and its interesting summary. With the good responses for the official review and Amazon's customers, I opt for reading. The sample is about three men trying to find their genetic matches to create greater future generations. Cole has found a good candidate for his friend, Pele, but there are some issues they need to resolve first.
I like the concept of the book. Humans have been trying to decode our own genetic map for curing diseases and a better future, and this book has a bold approach to that objective. However, the progress is kind of bland and unimpressive. Also, the fact that they are trying to use women for that experiment does not sit well with me. First of all, it's unrealistic to find the perfect genetic match and fall in love with them. Secondly, as the subjects are not completely healthy themselves, there's no guarantee that their children would inherit all of their good genes. That will lead to a question: what will happen to the ones they deem defective? Personally, I think this will be more acceptable if they execute it in the labs, manipulating the DNA to perfection first before making real kids. If they can control the genetic map, they don't need to look for perfect matches anymore. The editing is also quite sloppy with typos and punctuation errors. Since this book doesn't seem interesting enough, I have no intention to buy it.
Error example: "Very good. Okay, if we run a few more tests?" - > Should be [Okay if we run a few more tests?"]
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 1:57 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MeganDJ
From the title, cover to the first 10 pages, I was drawn to the premise of this book. To think that your ideal match is out there is perplexing, but to understand what could happen if you were brought into union is another ball game. With that being said, I would like to read the rest of the book to see what happens next. I came across a few misplaced commas that made the sentences sound strange: Okay, if we run a few more tests? (Page 7) so I think it could do with another round of editing. What I liked most was the author's casual and believable writing style, and I do believe that what could improve this book is another round of editing. I did see an Online Book Review, and I believe that this book deserves its 4 out of 4 stars.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 1:52 am by MeganDJ.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Stephanie Runyon
The cover shows polo riding so I might have sampled the book. This isn't a genre that catches my interest as it revolves around human genetics. I didn't really like how Cole put Keece through extra tests just to see if she would be a good test subject. I didn't see anything to improve upon and the OBC review confirmed that I would dislike the story. The book appears professionally edited but the subject matter isn't one I like to read about so I will be passing on this one.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 1:33 am by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nikolas Farmakis
This is a science fiction medical thriller about containing adventure and suspense. I would not have read this book based on its cover, its title, or its genre, as I do not like science fiction. I will not read this book because it seemed unoriginal and cliché. There were no errors in the sample I read, so I assumed that this book was professionally edited. What I liked most about the sample I read was that it contained a very realistic scenario and the author added plenty of suspense and excitement to the text. To improve, the author should add more creativity and originality to the story. This book has an Official OnlineBookClub review, which did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 1:07 am by Nikolas Farmakis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it weren't for this program, I would not have sampled this book based on its title, cover, or Official OnlineBookClub review because the title and cover did not grab my attention, and the plot (as described in the review) simply did not seem like it would interest me. The first ten pages did not change my mind on how I felt about the plot; therefore, I will not be reading the rest of the book. I am not a fan of video games or polo, and both seem like they will be an important part of the book, so that also influenced my decision to not continue reading. My favorite aspect of the sample is the way the author is showing the readers the close friendship between the main characters. For example, saving someone's life can make two people form a strong bond. The book appears to need a bit more editing. An error I found is on page 12 - "Suddently" should be spelled "Suddenly." I cannot think of any way to improve the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 12:50 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
The cover and the title hinted to me that this is a science fiction book, which is focused on genetics. In light of that, I read the official review of this book because I was curious to know the premise of the story. The official review helped me to understand that the book focuses on the three young doctors who are doing a secret genetics experiment. 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 not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence "He had not seen results this strong in a long time, but he kept his face expressionless...". The sentence could have been, ' "He had not seen results this strong for a long time, but he kept his face expressionless...". Grammatical errors can slow down my reading speed. The thing l liked the most is the amusing conversation between Keece and her doctor Cole regarding her health. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing. Considering all these facts, I decided not to purchase and read this book today but wait until the author addresses my suggestion so that I could enjoy reading the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 12:29 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
I likely would have skipped the sample of CodeY if it hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day. The cover is not that attractive, to be honest; I expected something more science-like. Maybe the author could create a cover that is a bit more attractive to readers. When I read the sample, I noticed that there were no grammatical errors at all. I really enjoyed the description of the virtual reality bar, as this is a bar that I would visit in real life. I was going to read the book based on the sample because I enjoyed what I read. However, the official OnlineBookClub review stated that there is mention of rape in the book, so I will not be reading it. Readers that want a mix of genres in one book may want to see if this is the read for them.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2020, at 12:20 am by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelyn
If I had not been a member of this program, I doubt that the genre, title, cover, or author would have attracted me to this book. The genre alone (action/adventure) would have made it unlikely for me to run across it as it is not a genre I normally peruse. However, if I had found it, the title and cover might have encouraged me to pick it up. While I am not into polo, and it's obvious that's what they are playing on the cover, the DNA strand in the background and the emphasis on the word "code" might have spelled "sci-fi" to me, and that is one of my favorite genres. The author is unknown to me, so that would not have affected my decision. At first, the blurb brought it more into the 'sci-fi' arena with the mention of genetic manipulation, but then almost blanked out my interest completely when it turned in the direction of 'international terrorism' rather than science fiction. It was clear that the book would contain only a snippet of sci-fi. That was very disappointing. There are several rave reviews for the book on the Amazon site. This attests to it being an enjoyable book to those who like the action/adventure/terrorism type of plot. Although I did not see a review from our program on the Amazon site, if I had, I would have been interested in what the reviewer had to say. The review on this site was highly complimentary of the book. That was encouraging going into the sample. The sample was written engagingly, and it was easy to be drawn along while reading. I loved the casual way Cole, Pele, and Radi got along and kidded with each other. The close friendship was written very realistically. Pele and Radi's memory of the 'near miss' with the jet ski's was especially vividly written. Unfortunately, the plot simply isn't one that interests me. I'm not into that genre. For this reason, I have decided not to read the book. Although the book seemed reasonably well-edited, I did find errors in the sample. For instance: “Cole, mused, it always surprised him what people would do simply because their doctor asked them to.” – 1) The comma after “Cole” should be removed. Neither "Cole" nor "mused" is its own phrase, so there is no need to set them off with commas 2) The thoughts “Cole mused” and “it always surprised him what …” should be separated. This can be done in either of the following ways: “…mused; it…” OR “Cole mused. It always surprised him….”
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 11:12 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Lee
The premise for this book is intriguing and I enjoyed both the Amazon blurb as well as the review. It was the idea of the plotline I liked best; very creative! In reading the sample pages, I didn't notice any glaring grammatical errors, but I did notice quite a few minor things that, if it had been professionally edited, would have been caught. For example, the first quoted statement says, "How are you doing[,] Keece?" Not a huge typo, but one that occurs more than once and one that a professional editor would have caught.
The thing I disliked the most was the dialogue. It sounded stilted. The author made an effort to do something besides he said/she said. But the substitutes (replied, laughed, laughed, replied) still sounded quite stilted and unnatural. I will not be finishing the book. Even without this program I would not have chosen to finish it as it is not a genre I particularly enjoy. That lack of interest in the genre combined with the stilted dialogue in the sample pages was enough to make me decide to take a pass.
If you enjoy this genre, though, give the book a try. It's a creative plotline and you'll likely enjoy it.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 10:08 pm by Laura Lee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
The author has a way of moving the story along through conversations quite well. Keece is doing a fitness test on a treadmill and has the same endurance as an Olympic athlete. Her doctor is a young, dark-skinned man that is handsome and he and Keece share an interest in virtual reality polo. The book is professionally edited without any noticeable errors. The cover is very eye catching and indicates science fiction to me which is, in general, a genre I rarely read so I would not have found this book outside of the program. The review was very positive and gave me a good idea of what to expect in the novel. I’m not really interested in the story, so I’ll pass today. I have no suggestions for improvements because the review gave the book full marks, it’s just not my cup of tea.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 8:29 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. Although the concept looks interesting, it seemed a bit cheesy to me. 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 appreciated the banter between the colleagues. Cheeky references to 007 and Get Smart add a bit of cultural humour to the mix as well. That being said, I'm just not interested in a book with this premise to dedicate myself to reading the rest of it. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read and the book looked well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 8:04 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
The book cover makes sense once you know what the story is about. I was confused by the blurb, and it didn’t sound like a plot I would be interested in, so I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. In the sample pages, the author established the three main characters well and shared a bit about their history. I did not relate to the characters. I believe I am older than the target audience for this book. I also was not interested in the plot. I don’t like manipulating events to attempt to achieve perfection. I will not finish this book. It appeared to have been professionally edited, but I found one minor grammatical error in the pages I sampled.
On page 7, the comma is not needed: “Okay, if we run a few more tests?”
There were quite a few Amazon 5-star ratings, and the featured OnlineBookClub review was very thorough, but neither of these influenced my decision not to finish this book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 7:39 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
Usually when I come across a new book, my mind does not change about whether or not I am going to read it, mostly based on the cover and the title. I was not impressed with either the title or the cover of this book, and the blurb did not change my mind. However, I enjoyed the first ten pages so much that I forgot to stop reading. Then I read the review, and the deal was made. I will be finishing this book. The title was confusing to me because it looked at first like it was the name of a person. The cover gave off conflicting messages with the polo players, the DNA, and the mystery man The blurb explained the cover, but it did not change my negative opinion of the book. Another reason why I will finish the book is that it appears to be professionally edited. I just saw a few subjective punctuation errors. My suggestion would be to improve the Amazon blurb.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 5:49 pm by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emy Katherine
Without The First Ten program, I would not have read the book based on the genre. Unfortunately, neither the OBC review nor the first ten pages changed my mind. The story is set in the future and follows the adventures and misadventures of three doctors as they decide to find their right genetic matches by conducting a genetics experiment known as the CodeY experiment. In all honestly, I did not feel invested in the story, but I found the writing style descriptive and particularly liked the story was told from multiple perspectives. The dialogues were also realistic. Considering the book has received many positive reviews on Amazon, those interested in reading fast-paced stories filled with adventure and romance will surely enjoy this book. However, because I found some errors that distracted me from my reading, I would suggest another round of editing. For example, there should be a comma before "clearly" in the following sentence: "Radi continued clearly unfazed by Pele’s attitude." (page 14 of 492 • 2%) There should not be a comma before "but" in the following sentence: "Radi perked up, but then responded in a very measured tone..." (page 17 of 492 • 3%) It should also be written "Suddenly, Radi hit an unexpected wave and launched himself over the front of his jet ski" instead of "Suddently Radi hit an unexpected wave and launched himself over the front of his jet ski." (page 12 of 492 • 2%)
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 4:30 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The narrative begins in the year 2022 when Dr. Coleman Janson examines a woman, Keece. He assesses her physical condition through numerous physical exams to determine, without arousing suspicions, if she might be an "ideal match." She likes and practices polo. Plus, she creates a sells virtual reality games for fitness. These first few pages equally feature Janson's other two doctor friends, Radi Kapur (genetics doctor) and Pele Rosen (orthopedic surgeon).
I consider it interesting that sport is highlighted, especially polo. References are made to the real game and the Patron Polo Virtual Reality game too. In the first ten pages, the CodeY is barely mentioned. Although it is already comprehended that it was an experiment in which the three doctors participated and had left it behind. The official review reveals a little more about the plot in terms of the family consequences that the three doctors might suffer. The editing looks outstanding as I didn't see any errors or typos. The cover refers to polo and genetic codes, two prominent themes in the book. The story is attractive, and the plot seems well constructed and intriguing, but it did not quite capture me completely. Therefore, at the moment I think I will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 4:23 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Odette Chace
I like the way the title is stylized on the cover. However, I don't like how "CodeY" looks otherwise. The synopsis on Amazon was interesting. However, I'm not sure how I feel about the introduction of a "sinister plot by an international terrorist organization." It doesn't seem like it flows with the rest of the plot. The official Online Book Club review gave the work a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars and the reviewer could not think of a single thing she/he did not like about the book. The review gave a bit more background information on the doctors' experiment, which further piqued my interest in the book. "Cole[,] surprised, replied, "Polo? Real polo? As in on a horse?" (pg. 8). This was the only minor error I noticed in the first ten pages, so I believe the work was professionally edited. I found the portion I read highly entertaining. Knowing Cole's true motives made his conversation with Kleece much more interesting. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 4:19 pm by Odette Chace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kirsi Cultrera
The outward appearance of this book did not make a big impression on me. I was also not thrilled about the idea of three doctors doing experiments with genetics. Therefore, I would probably have skipped the book if it wasn’t for this program. However, I found some enjoyable details while reading the sample pages. For example, I enjoyed the slightly humorous manner of conversation between the three doctors. I also found the author’s writing style gripping and easy to read. This book seemed professionally edited, and the available Official OnlineBookClub review cleared away some of my suspicions. This book is not nearly as bad as I first thought, and it might be an entertaining read for many. I still decided not to read further, as I find the whole topic of experiencing with genetics too repulsive.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 4:02 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabrielle Sigaki
CodeY by Lamar Rutherford is a young adult sci-fi novel that brings the premise of a perfect genetic match. If I didn't sample this book, I would read it based on its cover and based on its Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw since I thought that the idea of the story was unique and dynamic. After sampling it, I changed my mind, and I won't read the entire novel since I found its pacing too slow. However, I enjoyed the fact that the author constructed this book with a unique idea that is the perfect genetic match. Besides, the book seems professionally edited, but it could be improved if the author used more dialogues to make the story more dynamic.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 1:27 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Iva Stoyanova
If I wasn't part of this program, I would have still chosen to sample and maybe read this book. The title is quite unusual and catchy. Also, the cover looks interesting and suggests a unique plot. The genre is one that I like, too. When I read the official review I gained a good idea of the book. It sounded very interesting and unusual. I was very intrigued. I will probably buy and read this book someday. As I mentioned, I like the genre and I was interested in the book as a whole. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind. I was even more intrigued by the story.
I find the book to be professionally edited. I liked the writing style of the author. Some complicated words are used suggesting professionalism in writing. I am sure the book will be very engaging until its very end. The characters will be very well developed and presented. I don't have any suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 1:16 pm by Iva Stoyanova.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Maria Esposito
I knew I would not be interested in reading this book before I sampled it, mainly because I do not like reading young-adult books. However, I do think that the title and cover design are extremely fascinating and interesting. The book has five customer reviews on Amazon, but this had no impact on my decision. The blurb makes the book seem like an exciting story for young adult readers, but I am not one of them. Reading the first ten pages did not make me change my mind. The book starts as Keece is performing a heart fitness test. She did excellently, performing like an Olympics athlete. It turns out that she is being tested by Dr. Cole so that he can determine whether she is the right match for his friend, Radi. I came across a couple of errors. On page 6, the author hyphenated the word "nonetheless" (writing it "none-the-less.") On page 9, there is a missing comma and verb: "Keece[,] a little surprised by the abrupt subject change and personal questions [said.]" These errors make me think that the book might need another round of editing. I like the dialogues and the way that the story is developing from the start. However, I am not part of the book's target audience, hence I am not interested in reading it. This novel has an official review on Online Book Club, but this had no impact on my decision.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 1:14 pm by Maria Esposito.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I was not drawn to the cover of this book. The images are interesting but everything in red made the images fade into the background. The title seems interesting but I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review was very positive and gave this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars which increased my interest in the book. I didn’t read an additional customer review. The first ten pages describe the character, Keece, at the doctor’s office getting tests done. She has a concern because her mother has a heart condition, so she wants to get checked out. Her doctor seems like he is interested in more than that. He’s flirtatious but he also is doing extra tests on her that she’s not aware of. The story sounds interesting. I didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. However, there were some errors, so I don’t believe the book was professionally edited. For example, on the first pages the left and right borders change and “How are you doing Keece” needs a comma before “Keece”. The first ten pages and the OBC review increased my interest in the book, so I would like to finish reading it.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 1:12 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The cover of the book is intriguing, and it's hard to create such an appealing monochromatic cover, so kudos to the designer. The blurb is also attractive. It reminded me of a book on my TBR list about a girl who creates the perfect equation for love or something of the sort. I rarely go for sci-fi, but I think this story blends human issues in a very thought-provoking way. Also, the book has great ratings. So yes, I would've bought it based on my first impressions.
What I liked the most about the first ten pages was how naturally the author introduces Keece's futuristic job and how Cole reflects "it always surprised him what people would do simply because their doctor asked them to." It reminded me of The Milgram experiment. What I didn't like so much is that later on Cole asks Keece about her boyfriend, and she answers without a qualm. I would freak out if my doctor meddled in my love life.
I didn't find editing mistakes. I don't think anything needs improvement. The official review furthered my enthusiasm for the book.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 11:56 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mbrooks2518
The summary was intriguing with the mention of an international terrorist organization, so I would have sampled the book even without The First Ten. I liked the writing style. It had a smooth flow that helped to pull me into the story. However, after reading the official review, I do not think I would enjoy the book enough to want to read the rest of it.
I did find one editing error on page seven that said, "Cole surprised, replied, 'Polo?'" There should be a comma after Cole. Otherwise, nothing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 11:46 am by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
kperm
I would not have chosen to sample the book based on its cover, title, genre, and blurb. However, I saw an official OnlineBookClub review that gave the book a perfect rating and decided to read the sample. Based on what I read, the book seemed professionally edited, and I did not notice any mistakes. The book is focused on three young doctors who wish to find their perfect genetic matches. It is evident that the author put a lot of effort into character development. The first two characters who were introduced were Keece and Cole. They seemed very relatable and likable. I don't think there is anything that should be improved. However, I am not going to read the rest of the book. The main reason is that I don't find the storyline very appealing. I am not thrilled to read about the doctors' journey of finding their genetic matches.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 11:11 am by kperm.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
Based on this book's title, I felt it would be a scientific read, so I would not have checked it out without a review. After reading the official review, I was intrigued, but not enough to consider reading the book in its entirety. After reading the first ten pages, I knew it was not a book I would relate to due to the science of genetics. In the portion I read, Keece's cardiologist, Dr. Coleman Janson, tested Keece to see how fit she was. He was supposed to be checking her heart due to her mother's heart condition. Still, due to an experiment he was doing with some fellow doctors on finding your perfect mate genetically, he expanded his testing beyond what he needed to assess her heart. I did not see any errors in the part I read, nor did I see anything that needed improving. Although I enjoy books with a romantic twist, I don't care for anything science-related. I also find the concept of the three doctors experimenting to find the perfect mate manipulative. I won't be reading the rest of the book due to not enjoying reading books with a scientific plot.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 10:56 am by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
I initially put this book on my Not Interested bookshelf because the cover made it look like it was a book about polo. I did not understand the title until after I read the amazon blurb, customer reviews, the OnlineBookClub review, and read the first ten pages. All of these made it sound like an interesting book, but it was the OnlineBookClub review that convinced me to move the book to my Want To Read shelf. I am interested in seeing how the characters’ lives are affected by genetic matching and breeding. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages, nor anything I would change. I believe it has been edited by a professional.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 10:02 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Timothy Rucinski
I wish there was a "maybe" category, not just a yes or no choice because maybe I'd read this. Personally, the cover is awful and would not have caught my attention on a bookshelf. I also disliked the title, which, despite the highlighted "Y," looks like a kid's book at first glance about a kid named Codey. If on a bookshelf I saw the book's title on the spine, I'd never pick it up. The Official Review was enough to make me interested in the book, but the review is rather nebulous regarding the direction of the story. From what I read, the author's style is simple and easy to read, and I suppose that's what I liked best about what I read. But what I read is just not enough to push me over the edge to complete the book. There really isn't anything, other than the cover and title, that I disliked and it appears that the book was professionally edited as I saw no errors.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2020, at 9:13 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 30%
CodeY earned a score of 30%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 30% 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 CodeY
