The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Memory Thieves
Because Memory Thieves 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 storyline centers around a company that steals the memory of adventurous people who have trouble sleeping and then sell it to billionaires. The plot takes a turn when one of the victims, Vincent Michaels, decides to take revenge and enlists the help of an undercover agent for it. I liked the suspenseful nature of the plot, and I would have read the book even if it wasn't a part of the top ten program as I was intrigued by the cover page and the title. The thing I did like the most while sampling is the action-packed start to the book. The narrative moves at a fast pace and builds enough suspense to want to keep reading the book. The scenes are vivid and entertaining to read. As for the editing, I'll rate the book as professionally edited as I didn't find any errors in the portion sampled. I did see an official review before sampling. I'll read the whole book as I've enjoyed the sample so far, and I don't have any recommendations for improvements.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 4:57 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Alice Ngugi
McLean was on his regular routines when a man walked into the room. Claiming that his family had 'stollen' his memory, the 'delusional' man pleaded with the officers in charge to help him. Things, however, go south as the cops kill the man. The book deploys vivid descriptions. I loved most the incorporation of dialogues. They gave the book a fluid flow. Based on its title, I would have bought the book. It hinted on being crime thriller, a genre I love. Having sampled it and read the review (by OBC), I will buy this book since I love action-packed thrillers. Unlike the reviewer, I didn't find any grammatical errors, and I believe the book was edited by a professional. Furthermore, I cannot suggest any recommendations for this spellbinding book.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 4:56 am by Alice Ngugi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mutai Marshal
Going by the prologue, this seems like a riveting read. A man claiming his life was in danger tells McLean his predicament. However, cops feel threatened and they kill the man. The language used is simple and straightforward. The use of dialogues add splendor to the book. I loved most the vivid descriptions deployed. I could picture the commotion between the cops and the pleading man. Being a crime books enthusiast, the title of this book piqued my interest. The sample and the fascinating OBC review heightened my desire for this book. Therefore, I will buy this book because I love action-packed thrillers. There are no recommendations I can offer for this book. I didn't find any typographical errors, and I believe it was proofread by a professional.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 4:54 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vickie Noel
The name "Tayma Tameem" is becoming the next "Jack Winnick" on OBC, and the name is enough to make me interested in this book. This is because, so far, her stories have been catchy and engaging. The title of the book is quite intriguing, and its cover is clearly in sync with the title. I would have sampled it outside the program. After reading the sample, my opinion didn't change. As usual, Tameem has produced another masterpiece, and I think this one's my favorite from all the ones I've seen so far. I love how she analyzes her characters' thoughts, helping the reader get a glimpse into a particular character's mind at that point in time. Vince's giddy feeling whenever he walked into a tech and gadget store resonated with me; it's the same feeling I get whenever I walk into a library. The book is professionally edited. However, it might be better to include the word "under" after "hide" in the sentence, "...he made his way from the pile of rocks he liked to hide in the water." This is my recommendation for improvement. I saw an OBC review that had piqued my interest before I'd sampled the book.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 4:48 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The cover and the title are indicative of the theme of the book. There is only one customer rating in AlKeyTab website on the book, which is not a sufficient number for me to decide if I should sample the book or not. The Amazon summary gives a clear description of the story, which is about Vince taking revenge on a corporation which stole his memories. As I am interested in the story, 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 a man getting into a police station and pointing a gun towards the police officers. As I am interested in the overall story, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. What I liked most about the book is its interesting story about memory loss. I do not have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found 2 OBC reviews of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 4:47 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
xsquare
I’m quite a big fan of science fiction, so I think I would have sampled the book based on blurb, cover and title even if it hadn’t been part of the First Ten program. The official OBC review only intrigued me more. I liked the prologue of the book; I found it extremely gripping. However, I wished that the first chapter could have had a more exciting start – I found the descriptions of Vince’s daily life to be a bit too long and tedious, although I understand that the author might have intended to convey his situation as mundane. I did not find any typos. Unfortunately, I won’t be reading the rest of the book as I did not find the writing style to be very compelling.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 4:33 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Based on the title and cover, it seems like a mystery thriller, 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, on the first page of the prologue, the comma in "...wet garbage, that could almost be tasted..." is wrongly inserted, as it inaccurately breaks up a clause. I suggest more editing. However, I appreciate how the author has weaved certain details about characters' lives in the descriptions she gives, as it will help maintain interest without too much of an info-dump. For example, we learn that First Officer Jerry McLean is currently on the noon-to-eight shift, and he has been an officer for a very long time, as it is mentioned that his best years were spent wearing the uniform. He also comes across a man who seems a little abnormal, with bloodshot eyes and not quite sane. This man claims that someone took his memories away, and he gets too worked up, even going so far as to steal an officer's gun. However, this man eventually is shot by the other officers during the commotion. However, as I am not in the market for thrillers with science-fiction elements, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 4:21 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Howlan
The cover is good. The synopsis gives us a general summary to this book. The first ten pages start with a prologue in which a man is subdued by a group of policeman after he pulls and aims a gun at the police. The first chapter introduces Vince and his pet turtle Burt. The first chapter describes his current work, apartment and neighbours and features the repeated nightmares of Vince, a airplane crash while he was working in the hangar in the Army. The narration is easy to understand and the tone mysterious. The first ten pages has a little foreshadowing and a decent character introduction. The plot of the story feels unique and the plot uncovers like an old hard-boiled detective story. The concept draws my interest and from the Official OBC Review(which is present), I feel that I will enjoy reading this book. So, I am going to buy and read this book. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 3:31 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Manang Muyang
As is usual with Tameem's books, this has great cover art. The title is a standout too. It is labeled as a sci-fi/fantasy book, not my favorite, but the blurb enticed me. I would have sampled the book outside of First Ten. After reading the sample, I decided not to read the rest of the book. The prologue was riveting; I wondered if Vince was the man who was killed. I also liked Vince's pet turtle, Burt. But Chapters 4 and 5 almost lulled me to sleep with the endless descriptions of the furniture. Nonetheless, the editing was good. I identified only a couple of errors. One was in the first paragraph of the prologue: "The streets smelled like wet garbage, that could be tasted in the air." The comma is either not needed or should be a semicolon. In Chapter 1, "proceeded to binge all of his films" seems to need the verb "binge-watch." In Chapter 4, "It was rather similar to the one Vince saw in the video that was brought from to this place" confused me with the "from-to" phrase. I like characters with pets, and the pet here is an unusual one. Burt Lancaster had me at hello. I wonder if he will be featured until the end. I am not sure about whether the author will have later use for the items described in detail in Chapters 4 and 5. Those descriptions dragged. The official OBC review gave full marks for the story but also mentioned the unnecessary details. It didn't make me change my decision not to read the book.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 2:01 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I wasn’t interested in a book about memories being wiped clean. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. The prologue was a good way to add suspense and excitement, which I liked. The man seeming to be crazy and yelling about his memories being stolen and people wanting to kill him was a good way to start the story. However, the first chapter slowed down more than I would have liked. I also noticed errors that told me the book might not be professionally edited. For example, the second sentence in the prologue has an extra comma. I don’t read books that aren’t edited.
First Ten review added on January 9, 2021, at 1:46 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabrielle Sigaki
Memory Thieves by Tayma Tameem is a sci-fi novel that brings the premise of the ability to steal and sell memories to other people. If I didn't sample this book, I would read it based on its genre and based on its Official OnlineBookClub review that I saw since I enjoy science fiction books and this one seemed to have a unique premise. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I will read the entire novel since I enjoyed the premise and the author's style, which has a fast pacing, realistic dialogues that engage the reader, and unique descriptions of the scenarios. Besides, the book seems professionally edited, I didn't find errors, and there's nothing to be improved in it, in my opinion.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 7:57 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sarah_Khan
The title and cover of this book are average. After reading the Amazon blurb, I definitely would have sampled this even without the First Ten program because the idea of stealing memories is intriguing. The first ten pages seem well edited. I thought Vince was a likable character and I agreed with his opinions about why having a turtle as a pet is better. The OBC review was positive, which solidified my decision to continue reading this story. I am excited to see how this ends. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 7:11 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
RachelEmmanuel
I enjoyed the sample I read of "Memory Thieves" by Tayma Tameem. The premise of companies stealing people's memories is a fascinating one. The Onlinebookclub review was very complimentary and increased my positive opinion of the book. The cover was intriguing and perfect for the premise of the book. Even though the Onlinebookclub review mentioned a few errors, I could not find any obvious errors in the sample and at least from the sample, the book appears to be well-edited. I cannot think of anything that I would change in what I have read so far. However, although I enjoyed the sample, I am not particularly interested in a book about chasing down memory stealing companies. For this reason, I will not be reading this book.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 11:22 am by RachelEmmanuel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
Although I wouldn't have sampled this without the programme as I'm currently not in search of new science fiction, I found the author's blurb on the Bookshelves page appealing. I am grateful to the author for the free giveaway and will read the rest of this because I want to know what happens when the sleep lab try to steal Vince's memories. There was a lot I liked about the sample. I was hooked right away by the sordid setting with the aggressive fluorescent lighting on the worn-out flooring, and the drama when the down-and-out character comes in. I liked the way the turtle was called Burt Lancaster and how Vince preferred having a pet that wasn't emotionally demanding. The editing seemed very good. I noticed a couple of minor issues. "He didn't walk over as much as twitched over" could probably be better rendered as "... as much as twitch over", and the comma is unnecessary in "a cup of fruit juice that smelled like it didn't come out of a box, sat on a ledge in front of Vince". As a minor improvement, the author could eliminate a slight repeat - she describes Vincent's fellow passengers as having bags that cost as much as his rent, and then a page later, suits that cost more than his apartment. Two such similar references are not needed. I also wondered why Vince's job keeps him in Vantiz when he works from home anyway. The OBC review was helpful, though I wondered why a whole paragraph describing someone's appearance was thought to be the best quote.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 6:26 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Justine Ocsebio
I wouldn’t have sampled this book based on the genre, as sci-fi novels no longer pique my interest. The story begins with an interesting prologue. A man claimed that the people who stole his memories were out to get him. The prologue has tension and intrigue, which I like. However, I will not be reading this book, as I’m not interested in the genre. I disliked nothing, and I also didn’t see anything that needed improvement. The text is well edited. The official review was well written, but my opinion was based on the sample entirely.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 5:18 am by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Maria Esposito
I knew I would not be interested in this book before I sampled it. The title and cover design of the book give me sci-fi vibes, which is a genre I do not like reading. The blurb and the idea of a veteran's memories being stolen are intriguing, but I do not read into this genre. The book has one review on Alkeytab, but this had no impact on my initial decision. Reading the first ten pages did not make me change my mind. The story begins as Officer Mclean is approached by a seemingly unstable man, who is telling him that his memories have been stolen. I like the author's writing style, with its captivating flow and intriguing dialogues. There is nothing about the book that I think should be improved: I simply do not like reading science-fiction. It has an official review with a perfect score on Online Book Club, but this had no impact on my final decision.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 4:34 am by Maria Esposito.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Memory Thieves' is written by Tayma Tameem. Officer McLean comes across a harried man. He claims that his memories have been stolen. Men are after him. The concept is intriguing. I like it. I did not find any error. The book is professionally edited. There is nothing in need of an improvement. The title and cover are eye-catching. The OBC review and the Amazon reviews are apt. I will give this book a try as I like the premise.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 4:05 am by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
psychopathycathy
The cover design looks really cool, and the title sounds exciting as well; I'd love to read the book. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I really like how the title made sense when the man entered and started ranting about his memories being stolen! I think there are some instances where the writing gets a little rambly with unnecessary clauses like "for no particular reason." I think those could be cut out in another round of editing, though at the moment I think the book's plot still draws me in. The official review also talks about the book being captivating so it did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 3:20 am by psychopathycathy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kaitlyn Canedy
I likely would have skipped Memory Thieves if it hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day. I prefer to find books that are on Amazon.com; I do not tend to look for them outside of this platform. Adding this book as an ebook on this site will help the book get more exposure. I enjoyed the description of Vince's nightmare, as I feel that I have a better idea of what the book is about with it. The detail is so vivid that I do not think that I would be able to skip it; therefore, I will be reading it. There were no grammatical errors at all in the sample. An official OnlineBookClub review exists for this book, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. Readers that like action-packed thrillers may enjoy this book.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 2:59 am by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Lisa A Rayburn
Even if I were not a member of this program, it is entirely possible that the genre and author of this book would have brought it to my attention. I am a long-time fan of sci-fi and have read other titles by Tayma Tameem. I have found her to be an excellent author, and her books quite enjoyable to read. The title and cover go together perfectly, needing no explanation. I could not locate the book using the link provided but did manage to find a preview on an alternate site. There were no customer reviews on that site for me to base an opinion on. If there had been, I would have been interested in what the reviewer had to say. The review on this site was highly complimentary of the book. The blurb on the site where I found the book hooked me in by triggering memories of a movie I saw years ago that I enjoyed - "Total Recall" with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although the plots are not mirrors of each other, both include large corporations manipulating people's memories. This was more than enough to prompt me to want to read the sample. Vince was a protagonist I instantly empathized with. As a veteran myself, I have both good and not-so-good memories from my time in the service. Thankfully, I don't have nightmares, but, like Vince, those events helped shape me into who I am today, and I would not surrender them easily. I can also understand the desire/need to suppress them if they disrupted my life and functioning as badly as they did Vince's. What I didn't get while reading is how on earth Vince wouldn't make the connection between what Emron was claiming they could do and the raving citizen who came into the station insisting someone had stolen his memories. How could that not hit a cord? I guess I'll just have to read on to find out as I have decided to continue reading. The book seemed well-edited. I found no 'countable' errors in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 2:08 am by Lisa A Rayburn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for this program, I would have sampled this book based on its cover, title, and Official OnlineBookClub review because I had already heard that the author is a talented writer. Also, the premise of the book sounds interesting. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be reading the rest of the book because I realized this book is part of a series and I do not like reading series. I don't recall the Official review mentioning that detail, and it is not on the cover of the book either. My favorite part of what I read was the way the plot appears to be developing. The prologue depicts a very realistic scenario if "memory thieves" were to actually exist - I imagine a lot of mental health problems arising. I do not think this book needs to be improved, and it seems well edited.
First Ten review added on January 8, 2021, at 1:01 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The title and the cover were intriguing. The official OBC review rates it full 4 stars. Based on the premise and the reviews, I would have read the book. I didn't find any noticeable errors in the first ten pages. They show First Officer McLean doing his shift at the front desk, when a man enters the police station and claims that someone has stolen his memories and now wants to kill him. While other police officers arrive at the scene, the man snatches McLean's gun, causing the others to fire at him. I found the premise unique and the writing style catchy. I have no suggestions for improvement and will read this book.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 11:20 pm by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sou Hi
If it's not for this program, I might not be interested in this. The reason is that it's only available on Alkey Tab with only one rating, so I can't be sure if the book is enjoyable. The lengthy loading time is also tiresome. Still, the summary and the official review look good. The sample begins with a man causing a ruckus, claiming that his memories had been stolen. During the chaos, the man snatched an officer's gun and was shot to death. The scene then shifted to Vince, who was suffering from nightmares caused by PTSD. When Vince couldn't take it anymore, he decided to try Emron's memory technology.
I like the sci-fi concept of this novel. It seems intriguing and useful when you can modify your memory to achieve better sleep. However, as a double-bladed knife, this also means other people can access one's consciousness freely. This will result in several issues, and I'm curious to see how the story will unfold. As this piqued my interest, I will buy this. The editing is good. I have no complaint about the content, but I would suggest the author try other means to promote the novel. Alkey Tab is unstable, as sometimes it takes a long time to respond. Just a few days ago, I couldn't even preview books on this website.
Error example: The streets smelled like wet garbage, that could almost be tasted in the air. -> I think the comma is unneeded, as in [wet garbage that could almost]
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 10:22 pm by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jsovermyer
The cover art is interesting, and I like the book title. I have read other books written by Tayma Tameem and would probably buy this book because I like her writing style. This exciting sci-fi thriller is about a company that steals people's memories to sell to wealthy clients. The official reviewer liked this story and gave it a high rating. I found no spelling or grammatical errors and believe it has been professionally edited. I like the character of Vince, a veteran soldier suffering from night terrors due to his experiences in the war. The story is slow moving with little action, but I like how descriptive the writing is. I feel I understand Vince better after reading the details of his life and the description of his apartment. I like that he has a pet turtle named Burt Lancaster. I would like to keep reading to see what happens when they steal Vince's memories under the guise of helping him to sleep. I will probably finish reading the book this year.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 9:52 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MsH2k
The title and the cover were interesting. I would have sampled this book even if I were not part of this program. The book captured my attention from the beginning. After the intense opening scene in the police station, I welcomed the shift to the introduction to Vincent’s life. I liked the description of the turtle, Burt. The similarities between him and Vince were amusing. The author introduced the reader to Vince’s night terrors well. The descriptions were methodical and interesting. I felt for Vince and his predicament. I am interested in this story, and I will finish this book.
I like the author’s writing, but I do not enjoy the platform this book is on. It is hard to gauge where you are in a chapter, and it is very difficult to navigate. A suggestion for improvement would be to make the sample pages (and purchased books) available in a format easier to navigate. It appears you can only access the books in a browser. I noticed in the BOTD email that there was an app in the works. Perhaps the author is in collaboration with other booksellers.
This book appeared to be edited well, but I found a few errors in the sample pages. I could not identify any location or page numbers.
In the Prologue, there was an unnecessary comma in this sentence: “The streets smelled like wet garbage[,] that could almost be tasted in the air.”
This sentence in chapter one seemed to be missing a word. It could possibly be [where] after [rocks] or another preposition before [in] : “With no rush whatsoever, he made his way from the pile of rocks he liked to hide in the water. “
In this sentence in chapter one, a colon should be used to introduce the list instead of a semicolon: “His top right desk drawer was filled with scraps and junk that would be worthless to others; an oddly shaped rock, a twisted piece of wire, a broken part of a soldering iron, and the wrapper of something sugary and brightly colored.”
The featured OnlineBookClub review was positive, and I saw one review external to OBC. Neither of these influenced my decision.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 8:30 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
SweetSourSalty AndSpicy
Outside the program, I will skip this book based on the cover and title. It looked more like a self-help book, which I seldom read. The image reminded me of books about intelligence or memory boosting techniques. However, I enjoy sci-fi, and the blurb made me curious. The concept of harvesting memories and making them profitable was interesting. Likewise, the customer review was enthusiastic. After sampling, I enjoyed the book. The pace was just right. Though there was no action yet in the first few chapters, I liked how the suspense was building. Also, the descriptions were detailed, and yet, the language was simple. As for editing, I noticed some errors. Here are examples.
Prologue. Grammar. Consider changing “on” with “at.”
“The clock was closing in [on] 8:00 pm, and the rain was starting to let up.”
Chapter 1. Grammar. Consider adding “to” before the word “sleep.”
"The bed meant [] sleep, and sleep meant dreams."
Chapter 1. Grammar. Consider changing “to” with “into.”
"The whole act of putting wires and circuit boards together to see what would happen started as a bit of a hobby and grew [to] an obsession."
The official OnlineBookClub review highlighted the good points of the book. It added more encouragement to finish reading the story.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 7:11 pm by SweetSourSalty AndSpicy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Odette Chace
I don't like the cover, but I love the title. The premise of the book is interesting, but I wish that the villain of the story wasn't a large company. I'd rather the book leaned more into the fantasy genre, rather than being a sci-fi. The official Online Book Club review gave the work a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The only criticism the reviewer offered was that the book gave too many unnecessary details and that the book wasn't humorous. I wouldn't normally sample this book. I enjoyed reading about Burt. I haven't read many books featuring pet turtles. I didn't notice any errors in the first ten pages and believe the work was professionally edited. There was nothing in particular that I disliked about the book, but I didn't become invested enough in the book to want to finish reading it.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 6:57 pm by Odette Chace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I like how the author begins the book with a man who sounds crazy, but is he? He tries to get help from someone because he’s sure his memories have been stolen by “them”. Of course, the man doesn’t believe him, so he steals his gun. I’m wondering if the crazy man is actually Vince who goes to a pet store to buy himself a turtle. The review mentioned the book is exceptionally written and edited. I agree, I saw no errors and I also like the author’s descriptive style. The cover is really neat and interesting as well. I don’t read much sci-fi so I wouldn’t have found the book outside the program. The book is free to purchase today, which is another plus, but I think for now I’ll pass. I like the author’s creativity, but the genre isn’t one of my favorites, so I’ll stick to my preferred genres for today. I have no suggestions for improvements because I think science fiction fans will appreciate the author’s originality.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 6:56 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
By inserting a device in Vince's head, a global company is able to erase his war memories, helping him to sleep better at night. When Vince discovers that the device belongs to a company that illegally sells people's memories (including his own memories) to billionaires, he will do anything to destroy the company. I would not have read the book based on the genre, but both the OBC review and the sample intrigued me enough to give this book a try. I liked that I was thrown into the action from the very beginning. Plus, I found Vince's character quite intriguing; I certainly want to know more about his past. The writing style was also enjoyable to read. Unfortunately, I noticed some spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors throughout the sample. For example, it should be written "long-standing" in the following sentence: "It broke a few long standing records when it went on sale to an anonymous buyer." (Chapter 4; page 6) There should not be a comma after "something" in the following sentence: "He sensed that the CEO was eager to tell him something, but was not going to do it." (Chapter 5; page 2) It should also be written "affect" in the following sentence: "Helping them get some respite after some troubling experiences in their past that currently affects their sleep cycle." (Chapter 5; page 2) Other than another round of editing, I found nothing that needed to be improved.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 4:55 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kirsi Cultrera
I have recently become more aware of this author, and I feel that she is the one to keep an eye on. I have liked most of her work I’ve read so far, and she definitely has the talent. Therefore, I would have checked this book out even if I had seen it somewhere else first. When reading the sample pages, the eventful beginning captured me immediately. I also liked the way the author presented her characters. Still, I was slightly bothered by somewhat lengthy sentences that disrupted my concentration on the actual story. I did not spot any actual mistakes but was left under the impression that some more editorial work might not hurt to make the story even better. Be that as it may, as I very much enjoyed the sample pages, I decided to read the whole story. Reading the Official OnlineBookClub review of this book did not affect my decision one way or the other.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 3:32 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Iva Stoyanova
I would have chosen to sample and read this book even if I wasn’t part of this program. I was definitely attracted to the cover, the title, and the genre. The cover includes cool colors and the overall presentation of it is quite unique and eye-catching. The title is also intriguing. It suggests a unique plot full of imagination, creativity, and maybe action. The genre is something I would normally read. After reading the official review, I was certain that I will enjoy this book a lot. The reviewer was fascinated by the plot and by the author’s writing style. So, it definitely got my interest in the book. I will buy and read the book. As I said, I like reading sci-fi books. I was also very intrigued by the plot itself. I didn’t change my mind after reading the first ten pages. In fact, I was even more interested in the story and the characters.
I think the book is very well edited. I liked the writing style. It seems simple and professional. It’s easy for the reader to follow the story and imagine the events that are being described. I am sure this book will keep me and many other readers enthralled until the end. I am sure it’s a fascinating read with a unique plot. I have no recommendations for improvement.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 1:50 pm by Iva Stoyanova.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
The title captured my attention immediately because I think memories are a subject that's not explored enough. The cover is also a nice one, but it seems ordinary (I've seen similar pictures). The OBC reviewer speaks highly of the book, making me feel like I would like it too. The opening paragraph is really relaxing and gives off a nice vibe. I definitely like the descriptions, but the action scene from the beginning was too violent for my taste. I don't like books that involve agents or officers, like Officer McLean. I've seen that too much to like it anymore. However, when the perspective changes to Vince's, the book seems more appealing to me. Although I would prefer to be no Officer McLean, I like the idea of this book too much. And maybe I will actually like him, so I will keep reading the book to find out. I didn't notice any grammar mistakes.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 1:22 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Brenda Creech
The title and cover of this book immediately caught my attention because the idea of someone being able to steal your memory is intriguing and a bit scary. I would have checked this book out without reading a review for those reasons. After reading the official review, I was undecided as to whether I would read the book. In the first ten pages I read, I didn't find anything that needs improving or any errors. I am not a fan of sci-fi books, but I found the storyline unique. If Vince's main character was the person in the prologue, he had obviously snapped due to the loss of his military memory. As the story progressed into chapter one, it was mostly an introduction of Vince and his pet turtle, 'Burt Lancaster.' Although I find the plot intriguing, I am not interested in reading the entire book at this time. I will put this book on my want-to-read shelf, and hopefully, one day, I will get to read it, but right now, sci-fi is still my least favorite genre, so I don't intend to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 1:06 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
The title caught my attention and the brain and puzzle pieces on the cover were cleverly done. The blurb made me wonder why anyone would want another person's memory. The review answered my question by explaining that billionaires were willing to pay to experience someone else's adventures. I liked the descriptive writing style. I found an unnecessary comma in the first paragraph of the prologue, "The streets smelled like wet garbage [,] that could almost be tasted in the air." I have decided to put this book on my "want to read" list in the hopes that it will be available on Kindle Unlimited. I will not be purchasing it today because I do not want to pay for it. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 12:16 pm by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
If I haven't read this sample through this program, I wouldn't have read it otherwise. Because I don't usually read sci-fi books, I would pass on this read. This book has an Offical OnlineBookclub review, which is very helpful. I like the premise of the book, and it sounds intriguing. However, it is not enough to interests me to read it. After reading the sample, I will not be reading the rest of the book. I liked the writing. I can see how other readers of the genre might enjoy it. I didn't notice any grammatical errors. I wouldn't change anything about the book.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 11:56 am by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I like the cover of the book, and the blurb presents a unique storyline. I rarely go for a sci-fi book, but I find this plot original. The book is not on Amazon or Goodreads. It has one 5-star rating on the author's page, which I don't find significant, so I don't know about ratings, but I like the blurb enough to buy the book based on first impressions.
I enjoyed the first ten pages. What I liked most is how fast and apparently easy the author made Vince endearing. I truly hope the police officers didn't kill him, but it was an awful idea to go to the police. At least, they would have sectioned him in a psychiatric ward. But I liked how, with tiny details, like the fact that his turtle is a rescue and it's named Burt Lancaster, Tayma Tameem made me like Vince. Honestly, his reasoning is flawless: "Turtles didn’t ask any questions and didn’t try to make conversation on the way up on the elevator. They also weren’t as emotionally demanding as dogs, or even cats, whom Vince actually liked." I also loved the following description: "Dogs and cats looked at him in curiosity, wondering if this was the day they were to be rescued. Even fish in tanks and reptiles eyed him, though more nonchalantly."
I only find an editing mistake on the blurb, but none on the text. On the blurb it says "and Vince will stop at nothing to take them down after what they didand to protect his guardian angel on the inside" but "did" and "and" should be separate words. Other than fixing this, I don't think anything needs improvement. The official review furthered my enthusiasm for the book.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 11:46 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Juliana_Isabella
I might have chosen this book because I enjoy science fiction. The positive review I read also made me want to read the book. I didn't find any errors in the first ten pages, and the prologue interested me with the way it showed the desperation of the protagonist. However, the opening of the first chapter had a much slower pace as the protagonist visited the pet store. Because of this sudden change of pace, I became disengaged, so I don't plan to finish the book.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 11:38 am by Juliana_Isabella.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
The Official Review was decent and obviously, the reviewer enjoyed the book. The cover I didn't find particularly appealing. However, the review was enough to perk my interest since I enjoy a good sci-fi story. Unfortunately, I found the writing to be a bit ponderous although the author has a good command of the written word. After the Prologue, I was hoping that the story would get off to a faster start. As a suggestion for improvement, I would have dispensed with the turtle business and the info about the neighbors and picked up immediately with Vince's dream. I won't be reading the is a book primarily because in the first ten pages I could understand what the reviewer meant about getting bogged down in details. The book seems professionally edited as I did not notice any errors. What I liked most about the book was the concept; what I dislike was the slowness in which the story began.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 10:45 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I might have read this book. I love the premise behind memories being both a pain and a critical part of life. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will be reading the rest of this book as I already have my copy. I loved how the intrigue in the prologue gave us a glimpse of what was to come. McClean's incredulity to believe that people were after this individual made us knowing we'd see what was to come even more palpitating. Although the book generally looked well written and edited, the first page had a comma error that I noticed. In the sentence "The streets smelled like wet garbage, that could almost be tasted in the air", the comma isn't required. Beyond this, I didn't see anything else I would have wanted changed. There was an official OBC review, and although it was very praising of the book, it did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 10:22 am by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Bertha Jackson
The cover of the book has a beautiful design, which is appropriate for the title and genre. I like science fiction books, and I would have checked the book out based on the cover, title, and genre. The blurb, customer review, and OnlineBookClub review are supportive of the book. However, after reading them and the first ten pages, I decided not to read the book. The book is disturbing to me because sleep studies are common today. I am afraid if I had to have a sleep study done, this book would increase my anxiety. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages, nor did I see anything I would change. I liked how the first ten pages were well-written and flowed smoothly. This book appears to have been edited by a professional.
First Ten review added on January 7, 2021, at 9:54 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 60%
Memory Thieves earned a score of 60%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 60% 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 Memory Thieves
