
The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Her Lost Words; Her Broken Silence
Because Her Lost Words; Her Broken Silence 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 novel is centred around Summer Taylor who never knew her parents and, even after growing up and finding her happiness in her husband, has to struggle with manipulation and danger. Based on the blurb, I wouldn't have read this book as it seemed inched more towards a romantic thriller, and I'm not into the genre. However, the thing I liked the most while sampling is the characterization of the lead female character. Summer's character feels quite grounded and less fictional or dramatized. I didn't find any editing errors and would rate the book as professionally edited. While I wouldn't read the whole book due to my disinterest in the genre, this is an engaging read. I did see an official OBC review. And I don't have anything to recommend for improvements.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 5:00 am by Ekta Kumari.
Rodel Barnachea

Following my perusing the title's official OBC review and Amazon page, I decided not to purchase the book. To be honest, I did not like the premise of having the female protagonist fall in love with an abuser. I am also not the kind of person who likes romance stories with dark themes. I believe the novel is not my cup of tea. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the Amazon sample appealed to my attention, engaged my interest, or compelled me to read the rest of the story. The first ten pages contain some pages of the first chapter. What I liked most is when it is stated that Summer would read books as a way to escape reality. I did not identify any errors in the text. The book seems professionally edited to me. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 4:59 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Manang Muyang

The blurb compares the book to Sleeping with the Enemy. I am a Julia Roberts fan, so I would have sampled the book on my own. That cover is indeed reminiscent of the movie. I think the title is overdone, though: Either "Her Lost Words" or "Her Broken Silence" would have been plenty. Unfortunately, I was not happy with the sample. The pace was slow, and the scenes were too juvenile for me. I did not find anything to like in the bit I read. There were errors too. Some of them follow: On page 4, "drug house in the southside of Jamaica Queens, New York" should have used "Southside Jamaica, Queens, New York." "Black Jehovah's witness" on page 7 should have capitalized "witness." On page 10, "She immediately felt the Globus sensation" should have used "globus." Apart from addressing the errors, the author should also adjust the formatting of paragraphs so that the reader would know which character is speaking. The featured OBC reviewer "loved everything about the book." Good for them! The book and I are not meant for each other, though.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 4:56 am by Manang Muyang.
va2016

The title "Her Lost Words; Her Broken Silence" and the cover that has a rose and some blood do not convey much about the theme of the book. There are 17 Amazon customer ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is good. The Amazon summary states that the book is about a person called "Summer" who had been abandoned by her parents. As I am not interested in family stories, I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing Summer growing up in an orphans home. As I am not interested in this theme, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited, although one of the OBC reviews mentions a few minor errors which I didn't find. There were no grammatical or mechanical errors. I didn't like anything specifically about the book. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found 2 OBC reviews of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 4:55 am by va2016.
Howlan

I think I would have read this book without the program. The synopsis seemed interesting to me, and according to the official OBC review, the author does a great job at character writing. In the first ten pages, Summer is introduced as a young, innocent girl who is moving to Springfield, Illinois, for a job as a nurse. The first ten pages serve as an introduction in which we get to see the bright life that Summer is leading. Her luxurious housing, her colleagues, social events, and Summer's general excitement with each passing day. I like the way the author presents a contrast in the story with the bright, fun life she is leading and the dark future that is coming. I do not really like the characters in the story at this point, but still, the story feels intriguing, so I am going to read the rest of this book. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The official OBC review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 4:54 am by Howlan.
smolbird

I would not have sampled this book based on its title and cover, as I thought it would be a romance book, which is something I’m not interested in reading at the moment. However, after reading its official OBC review, I learned that it’s a book about Summer, a victim of domestic abuse. I like that Summer has Miss Dangerfield because in stories about abuse, the victim rarely has an ally. After sampling a few pages of the book, I would suggest that the author should have the book undergo another round of editing to polish it. I found an error on page 5 where “MSN on Nursing” should simply be MSN because MSN stands for “Master of Science in Nursing.” I found nothing to dislike about the book, and therefore, I have decided to read the book in its entirety.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 4:53 am by smolbird.
Catherine Hsu

The blurb sounds really harrowing and interesting; I love the trope it mentions so without being part of the First Ten program I would have read the book. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. The writing unfortunately did not appeal to me and there was not really anything I liked. I wish the book introduced Summer's background in a more interesting way than dumping her background information on us right at the start in many paragraphs. I also think some more editing is needed; the writing is a little too much "tell, not show" and I found a formatting error with a random indent after "...You will fit in just fine." I didn't find an official review on OnlineBookClub but it did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 4:51 am by Catherine Hsu.
Mercy Bolo

This book's cover caught my attention but the Official OBC review dissuaded me when it mentioned that the book is laden with domestic violence content. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that Miss Dangerfield took a liking to Summer and even slipped her a lunch bag daily to ensure that she had snacks. Since I spotted no errors, I will conclude that the text underwent professional editing. I will, however, not read the rest of the book since I don't like violet and abusive content. The first ten pages, however, didn't change my opinion of the book. There is nothing I would change about the bit that I read since the author is straightforward and delivers the message with grace.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 4:42 am by Mercy Bolo.
Jeremie Mondejar

The cover photo isn't appealing to me, so I will not read this book if not for this program. Summer's character portrays the common behavior of an orphan or of an abandoned child. I don't like to read a story that started with a pity-childhood plot. The sample has no visible errors, so I assume this book is professionally edited. The book has OBC review, but I'm not convinced either. Lastly, I like the simple language being used, and there's nothing I can recommend for improvement.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 4:32 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Sou Hi

If it's not for this program, I wouldn't read this. Based on the official review from OnlineBookClub and Amazon's blurb, the book is not my cup of tea. The sample begins with Summer Taylor, who is leaving her guardian. Summer is a new nurse, but she is transferred to a hospital in Illinois, and her new life is going to start.
To be frank, I don't really like anything. The plot is classical, and the main character is more like an overindulged kid than an orphan. Also, I felt like Summer never tries to change herself, so it's easy to understand why she can't make friends or be adopted. I also suggest another round of editing. I don't think this book is for me, so I won't buy it.
Error example: Summer could close her eyes and remember the smell of her sweet perfume as she held her and rocked her while encouraging her not to let the other kids run all over her. -> This paragraph should be indented like the others.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 3:47 am by Sou Hi.
Ann Ogochukwu

The cover and title of this book caught my attention, and I was intrigued by the book's storyline after reading its OBC review. So, yes, I would have sampled this book outside this program.
Having spent her whole life shying away in a foster home, Summer is about to start a new chapter in life; nothing could be more exciting. I felt the emotions in this story —Summer's excitement about her new house and her anxiety about leaving home— and that was what I liked best about this book. On the other hand, I didn't like the tone of this story. The story was written in a passive language, which took some life and action from it. Changing the tenses from past to present would improve the overall tone of this book. I enjoyed the book, nonetheless, and I will complete it.
I didn't notice any errors per se in this book, but I noticed a couple of formatting mishaps and a few sentences that were difficult to comprehend, for instance: "Miss Dangerfield would sneak Summer a lunch bag daily through the week before she would leave the facility to ensure that Summer had snacks to eat throughout the night and weekend when she was off." I think this book could use some careful re-editing.
First Ten review added on August 29, 2021, at 2:48 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Annelore Trujillo

I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I liked the “romance gone wrong” theme that was promised. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. The writing could really use some work. It was very repetitive. For example, one of the sentences in the first paragraph had the word “new” in it three times. There were also several parts that repeated the same thought in two different sentences, almost like the author couldn’t decide which to choose. I did like the story so far. It starts out well with talking about the group home and the big move to a new city and a new apartment. There were a lot of emotional ups and downs so far. For example, she was excited to see her new apartment but nervous about the move and surprised that the apartment needed furniture. It kept me on my toes. If the writing were better, I probably would’ve finished it. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 11:04 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Jsovermyer

The cover art isn't interesting or eye-catching to me, and I would not buy the book from the cover alone. The review for this book gave it a high rating. I found no spelling or grammatical errors and believe it has been exceptionally well edited. The story is interesting and I feel sorry for the character of Summer. However, it is hard to believe she would be so socially awkward, especially growing up in an orphanage. To me it would be more believable if she was tougher. I probably will not finish this book because the review mentioned strong instances of abuse. I don't like to read stories that are so serious and depressing.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 10:42 pm by Jsovermyer.
evraealtana

I don't like romance novels at all, so the official OBC review warned me away from this one. The cover looks more like a memoir to me, but in either case, I didn't anticipate enjoying it. When reading the sample, I was confused by the author's focus on Summer's lack of a love life. By making no comments on the new town or job but making many comments on the possible romantic opportunities and Summer's predictions of her own ineptitude, the author seems to suggest that Summer is taking a new job purely in hopes of finding a romantic partner. This seems incongruous with Summer's dearth of attention to romance for her entire 22 years of life. I liked that the author didn't try to delve too deeply into the specifics of Summer's new job, since they don't seem relevant to the storyline. I wish the author had had someone actually familiar with the medical field look over that section, though. Summer's degree is awkwardly written as an "MSN in Nursing", which is redundant, since, if the acronym is written out, it becomes "Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing". Additionally, Summer goes to college at 18 and the book is set when she is 22; this means that she would have JUST graduated from college. However, getting an MSN is a 2-3 year postgraduate degree program. If Summer has a postgrad degree, then she would be 24 or 25 at a bare minimum, assuming she took no breaks in her education. Maybe most readers wouldn't care about that, but to my eye it looks sloppy to have mistakes like that in the text, particularly so early on. The pacing of the sample feels rushed, like the author is just trying to skip to the romance -- but in that case, why not start when Summer is already moved in, skipping the glossed-over, hurried bits like meeting Mr. Ben or calling Mimi in a panic but then not really actually speaking to her? Or, if the early events are actually important, then more time should be spent fleshing them out. I don't like romance novels and I'm not drawn to much about the sample of this one, so I will not continue reading. I found two errors in the first ten pages: missing capitalization in "Jehovah's witness" ("Witness" -- this is the name of a Christian denomination and therefore should be capitalized); and incorrect punctuation in "I wonder can he tell that I am nervous." (If this is intended to be a statement, it should be "I wonder IF HE CAN tell", and if it is a question, it should be "I wonder, can he tell that I am nervous?").
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 8:56 pm by evraealtana.
Diana Lowery

I did not like the cover of the book because of the mixed font and the blood. The title was shown in two different places with two different punctuation marks: a comma and a semi-colon. The blurb mentioned the similarity to Fifty Shades of Grey which made me not want to read the book. The OBC review made the book sound tempting. I liked the first ten pages, and I liked the character of the cafeteria worker. There was an error on page 5. There is a comma missing after "...Springfield, Illinois [ ]. . . ." I plan to keep reading the book, but if it gets too "lustful", I will have to stop. I don't have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 8:54 pm by Diana Lowery.
Gabrielle Sigaki

Her Lost Words; Her Broken Silence by Shantanel Payne is a fiction book with drama, romance, and suspense too. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its genre since I'm not interested in romances and dramas. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I won't read the entire book because its genre didn't interest me. However, the book seems professionally edited, I think there's nothing to be improved in it, and I liked the fact that the author wrote about the characters' thoughts and feelings mixed with the real events, which brings more emotions in the scenarios. This book has an Official OnlineBookClub review that I read, but it didn't affect my decision.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 8:15 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Sarah_Khan

The cover of this book is average, but the title made me think this would be a sad story. After reading the Amazon blurb, I definitely would have sampled this because it seems like an exciting read. I did find editing errors (e.g. At first, she was hesitant to take the job offfer and leave behind Miss. Dangerfield). Summer seems like a likable character and I can relate to her wanting to get lost in books. The OBC review was mostly positive, but the author did mention the need for further editing. For this reason, I will not be reading the rest. My one suggestion for the author is another round of proofreading.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 7:41 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Njokime

The title of this book, draws the readers attention. Even before sampling the book, I think I would have chosen to read it. I have read the first ten pages, and I enjoyed the book. I think the growth process of a child affects their adulthood, I would like to continue reading and know what happens to summer.
I have read a few pages of this book and the editing is professional. The flow of the story is good and comprehendible and that is what I liked most. This book has an official onlinebookclub review, and this review also influenced my interest in reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 5:32 pm by Njokime.
Kaitlyn Canedy

Based on the description on Amazon.com, I would have read the sample of Her Lost Words; Her Broken Silence even if this title was not the OnlineBookClub's book of the day. I liked the way the author set the background for Summer; this explains why she was overwhelmed at how her life changed so quickly. The title was interesting as well because I have never seen a title use a semicolon before. After reading the sample, I decided that I wanted to finish the book so I can learn how things play out for Summer. There were no noticeable grammatical errors, and I can think of no improvements. There are two official OnlineBookClub reviews for this title. However, as I was already interested in the rest of the book before I read these reviews, they did not influence my final decision. Readers who love romance books may like this one.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 4:59 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Kirsi Cultrera

This book had a touching cover picture that grabbed my attention. Therefore, I would have sampled it regardless where I’d first seen it. The story was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Domestic violence is a common problem. Unfortunately, having unhealthy surroundings as a child is one of the things that exposes us to unhealthy relationships as adults. I felt that there were numerous life lessons included in this fictional book. I enjoyed reading the sample, but felt that the author was giving out the whole backstory a bit hastily. Other than that, I did not find anything to complain. Even the editing seemed professional. Reading one of the Official OnlineBookClub reviews encouraged me to read the whole story. I can’t wait to find out how the story unfolds for Summer.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 1:52 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Theresa Moffitt

I like the title of this book. It piqued my interest and made me curious about the subject of the book. I also like the cover art. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review of the book was very positive which increased my interest. I didn’t read an additional customer review. The first ten pages were interesting and described the character of Summer. She is traveling to a new nursing position where she is given a huge sign-on bonus and a free apartment for 6 months. She doesn’t have extensive nursing experience but she is put in charge of the nursing unit in the cardiac department. It all sounds too good to be true. I am interested in the story and would like to finish reading the book. I saw some errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was not professionally edited. For example, there is a spacing error on page 9. Specifically, it states “ ‘ You will fit in just fine.’ He further explained that she would.” There is an excessively large amount of spaces after “fine.” I didn’t see anything the author could improve upon except for additional editing. I enjoyed the story and the character of Summer, so I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 11:44 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Emy Katherine

The story follows Summer Taylor, a 22-year-old woman who moves to Springfield, Illinois, to build a better life after experiencing a difficult childhood. Unfortunately, as the story unfolds, she finds herself trapped in an abusive relationship. In all honesty, I would not have read the book without this program. As the book deals with heavy topics like domestic violence and abuse, I am sure this book is too intense for me to read. For this reason, reading the first ten pages and the OBC review did not change my mind. However, I enjoyed the fast-paced, engaging writing style and had no problem connecting with the main character. The book had editing and formatting issues, though. For example, it should be written "to ask Summer" in the following sentence: "Mr. Bash stopped as they approached the elevator and then turned to asked Summer if she would like to have drinks with him . . ." (page 16) Other than another round of editing, nothing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 8:15 am by Emy Katherine.
Dzejn_Crvena

I wanted to sample the book when I saw the blurb. I'm interested to read stories on domestic abuse. The story begins when the protagonist is moving into a new apartment. At age 3, she was found in a drug house. Growing up in an orphanage, she was an easy target of bullying for being soft-spoken and shy. She was never adopted until she turned 18, so the cafeteria supervisor took her in. Now at age 22, she's starting a new life. The book seems professionally edited, so I don't have suggestions for improvements. I like that the character is relatable to most people who have trouble fitting in. However, the OBC review did not convince me to read further because it mentioned that the book contains erotic scenes.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 7:39 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Sanju Lali

The cover and the title indicated to me that this novel has a heart-touching story about a woman. Therefore, I considered reading the OBC official review of this book to know the setting of the story. The OBC official review gave me the idea that the book has a romantic tale with a dark storyline underneath. This information motivated me to read the sample of the book before purchasing it. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that this book is not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, "While preparing task for her upcoming staff meeting, Summer was sitting at her desk when she heard a tap on her office door." The sentence could have been as follows. "While preparing a task for her upcoming staff meeting, Summer was sitting at her desk when she heard a tap on her office door." The thing l liked the most is the bond between Miss Dangerfield and Summer. It is like a mother-daughter relationship. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing and make the book more appealing to read. I decided to purchase this book today and read it because I feel that reading this book will be a captivating experience for me.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 5:10 am by Sanju Lali.
Atieno Magero

Had I not sampled this book as part of the first ten program, I still would have been interested in reading this book. Initially, what piqued my curiosity about this book was the title. Plus, upon reading the official Online Book Club review I knew I wanted to read the book.
I'm going to be buying this book to finish the story. Reading the first ten pages intensified my desire in reading this book. I found the sample quite enjoyable. The story captured my interest.
I didn't come across any errors or typos whatsoever while reading. Therefore it's safe to say that the book was professionally edited. What I liked the most about the sample was how well the author explained Summer's background. It allowed me to connect better with her character. I like the book as it is. I don't think there's anything that needs to be improved on.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 4:30 am by Atieno Magero.
gen_g

Based on the title and cover, it looks like a romance book with some thriller/psychological elements. I am not in the market for such books, so I would not have sampled it. Whilst I did come across a glowing review of the book on OBC, I would not have changed my decision regarding sampling because of the genre mismatch. There are a few errors present, although said errors are not too serious. At 1%, the hyphen in "...eighteen years old - the age of..." is wrongly used; instead of the hyphen, it should have been an em dash. I suggest closer editing to improve book quality. However, what I like most about the book is the author's decision to include all necessary background information about the characters at the beginning of the book. For example, we learn that Summer was orphaned when she was 3 years old, and she was actually found in an abandoned drug house in New York. She was also not adopted, so she remained a ward of the state until she turned 18, which is the age of emancipation. Other than the need for more editing, I have no further suggestions for improvement, except perhaps for the back cover. There is too much text at the back, which could put off some readers. Making the back more succinct would be better (especially the introduction of the author – a more detailed version can be placed at the beginning of the book's pages), I believe. I will not be reading the rest of the book, as I am not in the market for a story about love.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 4:25 am by gen_g.
Shrabastee Chakraborty

The cover was enticing. Based on the rating of the official OBC review, I would have read the book. Sampling the first ten pages, however, changed my mind. I couldn't find any errors in them apart from an abrupt sentence break at location 30. The pages described Summer's life as she was on the verge of joining a new job. It narrated how, as an orphan, her life was spent in a home, with almost no friends. I liked how the author maintained a simplistic approach to narrate her life story. However, it was monotonous with no dialogues. This is something the author could have improved. Based on my reading experience, I wouldn't read the entire book.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 1:47 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Ari Martinez

If it hadn't been for this program, I wouldn't have sampled this book because even though the title and cover was very interesting, the plot described in the Official OnlineBookClub review did not seem like something I would enjoy. After reading the first ten pages, I won't continue to read the book because I feel it will be a really tragic story, and I am not in the mood for shedding tears over fictional characters. My favorite part of what I read was Summer. Her innocence and shyness made me really like her. The book appears professionally edited, and I can't think of any way to improve it.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 12:58 am by Ari Martinez.
J_odoyo

Shantanel Payne has penned a nice story, that is almost effortless to read; it is enjoyable, riveting, and flows so well. After reading the first ten pages, I have more than good to say about this book. The earlier pages I have read are inviting that I feel like finishing reading this book. The book’s cover page is catchy and well-designed. I’ve also liked the book’s title; I think it is okay. The book had an official online OnlineBookClub review, which gave an insight into what the book is all about. I didn’t encounter any errors in the sample, and I believe the book was professionally edited. Sincerely, I have nothing to recommend for the improvement of this book. Despite the nice story I’ve read in the sample, I’m not going to finish reading it; the OnlineBookClub reviewer did mention that the book involves erotic scenes and curse words. I’m a sensitive reader, and I’m sure that I won’t enjoy the entire book.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2021, at 12:16 am by J_odoyo.
Kajori Sheryl Paul

'Her Lost Words; Her Broken Silence' is written by Shantanel Payne.
I found a few errors. Summer Taylor grew up in foster care after being abandoned by her parents. Mrs. Dangerfield was the only person who cared about her. Summer grew up to be a nurse. She got a new position in Springfield, Illinois. She took this opportunity to begin life on a fresh note. I like Summer's bond with Mrs. Dangerfield. For example, it should have been "Mrs. Dangerfield gracefully declined in a weak, shaky voice.." instead of "Mrs. Dangerfield so gracefully declined in a weak shaky voice.." Apart from the editing, there is nothing in need of an improvement. I would read this book without the sample based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I am intrigued by the title. The OBC review was great. I will read this book as I wish to know Summer's fate.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 8:01 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Brenda Creech

I would have checked this book out based on the title, but not necessarily on the cover. Any book about domestic violence and abuse is something everyone should read; therefore, I wanted to find out where this one was heading. After reading the OBC official review, I wanted to learn a little more about Summer's story. As I read the first ten pages, my heart went out to Summer. Even as a child, others picked on her, and she never felt part of a group of people. The only person Summer trusted was Miss Dangerfield, the cafeteria supervisor, who took Summer under her wing and helped her make it through her lonely childhood. While reading the first ten pages, I did not find any errors or anything I felt needed improvement. I think this is an important book for anyone to read. However, I don't plan to read any more of it because of the emotional feelings I feel it will stir in me from memories of how my sister suffered at the hands of an abusive husband for thirteen years.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 6:39 pm by Brenda Creech.
Yvonne Monique

The book cover did not really catch my eye. I understand that it is difficult to reflect such a complex story in an image, but I do not think that the cover gives a good idea about the book's content. Therefore, I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. However, the blurb and OBC review give an excellent description of the book and make me want to read it. The first ten pages seem to be well edited, but I found an unnecessary enter after the word "new" on page 6 of 231 (Kindle mobile phone version). I like the beginning of the book. Summer's youth is quickly summarised, which allows the story to immediately start with the events of her new life. I felt sympathy for Summer as she appears to be very innocent and vulnerable, knowing that she will have a hard time later on in the book. I am really hoping for a happy ending, which is the reason why I will read the rest of the book. As an improvement, I would suggest to alter the book cover.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 6:06 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Jorge Leon Salazar

The cover and title are eye-catching, but I think they don't convey clarity regarding the genre as they give the impression of a crime thriller. According to the blurb, this novel seems to be more oriented towards marriage drama and domestic violence. The customer reviews are very flattering and some mention that Summer endures a lot of drama and violence. In general, I don't enjoy the readings where the characters undergo so much suffering. Based on the aspects mentioned I am unsure if I will give this book a try. The first ten pages narrate about Summer arriving at her new workplace where she would be a supervisor. During this narrative, Summer is described as an orphan and her only family was Miss Dangerfield, who was her protector in the group home. Summer was shy and had no friends as the few she made were adopted and left the orphanage. Summer seems to have an apparent good chance of starting a new life with a splendid job and a home of her own. In these ten pages, the plot made little progress. The official OnlineBookClub review describes a plot surrounding the abuse and domestic violence suffered by Summer from who would become her husband, Christopher Diamond. The editing looks adequate although I did notice details of missing indentation and unexpected line breaks. For example, on page 6 the paragraph that initiates with “At the age of twenty-two" has no indentation as the others. Also, on page 7 in the phrase "Afraid to walk in her new grown-up shoes" there is an unexpected line break after the word "new." Otherwise, I did not see anything I believe could be improved. I think there is so much drama in Summer’s life. I dislike the readings where there are characters so unfortunate. Therefore, I will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 5:47 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Kelyn

If I had not been a member of this program, it is unlikely that I would have run across this book. While I do read fiction, my preferences run toward sci-fi and fantasy. This book is in neither of these genres. If I had found the book, the title and cover would not have helped its case toward my reading it. The cover, quite frankly, looks a bit gory, and that is not to my taste. The title is vague at best. I am unfamiliar with the author, so that would not have influenced my decision. The blurb lost me when it mentioned that the book was similar to Fifty Shades of Grey, as I did not particularly enjoy that book. There are several positive customer reviews, but they reveal that the book contains a great deal about domestic violence. That decided for me, before I even read the sample, that I would not be reading the book as some aspects of this subject can be triggering for me. I did not see a review from OBC on the Amazon site. If I had, I would have been interested in what our reviewer had to say. The official OBC review on this site was positive as well which gave a good impression of the book. The sample was interesting, and I found Summer to be an engaging character. As my youngest daughter just moved out on her own, I could definitely empathize with Summer's uncertainty about the move, her new job, and her hesitancy to trust strangers. That Summer was oblivious to both Steven's and Ben's attraction to her was an interesting facet to her personality, but understandable given how she grew up and her lack of body confidence. I cannot really pinpoint a specific part of the sample that would have been my favorite, although I did like the relationship Summer had with her Mimi. I did not see anything I would change either. Though there was no hint of the abuse to come in the sample, the customer reviews had strongly referenced it. Given this, despite my engagement with Summer, I will not be reading the book. It seemed fairly well-edited, but I did find a mistake in the sample. There was the following error at 87% of the sample: "Besides, waiting for me already have you late." 'have' should be 'has' -- "Besides, waiting for me already [has] you late.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 4:41 pm by Kelyn.
MsH2k

Based on the blurb, I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. “Fifty Shades of Grey” was my clue that this book was not for me. The book cover was beautifully designed. The sample pages introduced Summer thoroughly, but I did not find the writing engaging. It felt dull and a bit repetitive. Also, it seemed to gloss over how she got to her new job—everything happened so quickly and effortlessly. I will not finish the book because I do not enjoy erotic fiction. I noticed a few grammatical errors in the first ten pages. Here are a couple. On page 5, the comma is missing after the state, Illinois: “their sister hospital in Springfield, Illinois after only being a new charge nurse.” On page 6, “witness” should be capitalized because Jehovah’s Witness is a proper noun: “Taking fashion tips from a 64-year-old black Jehovah’s witness didn’t land her on the best-dressed list.” The featured OnlineBookClub review was informative, and it shared further aspects of the story that reinforced my decision not to finish this book. Along with the romantic component, it sounds like this read sheds light on domestic violence and other betrayals. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 4:38 pm by MsH2k.
Mary WhiteFace

My immediate response to the book cover and title was that the book was about a love story gone wrong. The Amazon synopsis and the OnlineBookClub review revealed that it was a romance that turned into an abusive relationship. Without the First Ten program, I would not have been interested in reading a book that has the potential to become a negative emotional trigger.
The book seemed to be professionally edited. Although, I did notice one tiny grammar slip on page 8: "...she dashed out the car while saying a loud prayer...". The word 'of' should be after 'dashed'. A tiny faux pax I would not have noticed had I not been looking for errors.
If I hadn't been forewarned about the abuse to come, the first ten pages would have tempted me to read the whole book. I found the narrative to be engaging. The author did a nice job of bringing Summer to life. I believe most people could relate to Summer's response to Stevin as she went through the new job orientation. On the outside she was calm, cool, and collected. On the inside she was a hot mess, mentally freaking out. It stirred feelings of protectiveness in me. I wanted to comfort and protect her.
I have no suggestions for improvements. Because of the expected emotional triggers, I will not be reading the whole book.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 4:20 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
markodim721

I would choose to read a sample of this book because of its title and cover. The title is enigmatic and intelligent. The cover fits well with the title and is associated with romance and violence. I’m not going to buy this book because it’s not the genre I prefer. Reading the sample didn’t change my mind from my original guess. While reading the sample I did not notice any typos or errors and the book seems like it is professionally edited. I like how the character Summer Taylor was designed as well as an introduction to her growing up. I think the book should change the part when Summer swears because it doesn't fit her character (However, she was thinking to herself, "Well shit. I didn't think of that."). The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 3:24 pm by markodim721.
Mariana Figueira

Before reading the book's first pages, I wasn't interested in it because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book, I don't want to continue reading it because I can´t see where the story is going; I read about Summer's past in foster care, her insecurities, and that she has a new job and a nosey neighbor, but what is the point of the book? Is it a relationship? A journey to self-discovery? I don't know because what I read gave nothing away and I think that could use some improvement. This book seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookClub review. There was nothing in particular that I enjoyed.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 3:20 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Laura Ungureanu

I didn't have a good feeling about this book based on its appearance. It looked like a cheesy romance filled with drama. I had no interest in reading something like that. However, my opinion changed once I checked the OBC review. I was touched by the subject, so I was definitely going to read the book. It felt very easy to get attached to Summer, as her story is impressive from the first page. I would suggest slowing down the beginning, as that information seemed really important, so it's best not to hurry the reader. Nonetheless, this book seemed like a perfect read for me. It has the emotional factor I want. I want to see more of it. The sample seemed professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 2:44 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Hazel Arnaiz

The cover, title, and blurb did not grab my attention. Although customer reviews are positive, I am not a fan of romance stories and will skip this book outside the program. After sampling, I appreciate that the book promotes awareness about abusive relationships.
However, it did not change my mind. I also find the pace a bit slow for my taste. As for editing, here are examples of some issues.
Page 7. Grammar. Consider adding an article.
So, she would be a fish out of [the] water as she embarked on her new journey.
Page 8. Grammar. Consider adding a preposition.
Like a champ, she dashed out [of] the car while saying a loud prayer in her mind in an attempt to drown out the negative thoughts that had plagued her throughout her entire life.
The composition of the book cover looks like so much is happening on the page. Organizing the elements and using an accent might help in adding visual impact. Likewise, the official OnlineBookClub reviews are equally insightful, but they did not affect my decision. I will skip this one due to preference.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 1:32 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Michelle Menezes

From the title, I expected it to be a biography, but after reading the blurb I realised I was wrong. The Official OnlineBookClub review stated that the book revolves around a toxic relationship that the female character gets into, and I found myself confused. This is because the blurb compared it with 50 Shades of Grey, while the OBC review said it contains domestic violence- physical, mental, and emotional. I have only read the first book of 50 Shades, and I don't remember it being violent as such. I decided to read some Amazon reviews for further clarification and then decided not to read the book, as it does contain abuse.
After reading the first ten pages, I have chosen to stick to my original decision and not continue with it. I find domestic violence triggering, so I know I won't be able to read it. What I liked was the temporary feeling of happiness Summer experiences at the beginning of the book. She has a rough childhood, and her future is going to be equally bad, but at that moment she is happy and looking forward to a new life. I don't think the book needs any improvement, and I did not find any errors, so it seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 1:28 pm by Michelle Menezes.
Chelsy Scherba

This book is well-written, but because the OBC review mentioned a lot of abuse and eroticism, I’m not inclined to read this book. I generally avoid romance and trauma, so I would not have found this book outside of the program. The editing appears to be flawless, I saw zero errors. I liked how Summer had a good relationship with Mimi, the lady who cared for her at the adoption center. I also like the cover design. I have no suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 12:25 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Scerakor

After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. I'm not a big reader of romance novels and therefore wouldn't have picked this one up. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I liked how the author was able to convey the dichotomy of internal versus external emotions. When Summer found out about her job being more than she expected, I really felt this difference. That being said, I really have no desire to read a romance novel where domestic violence plays a big role. Although the book looked well written and edited, there was potentially one error that I found. Based on the official website (https://www.capri-sun.com/group/en/), it looks like the term "Capri-Sun" requires a hyphen. The thing I would have improved from the sample I read is to do with consistency in titles. For example, Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 seem to have different font sizes and center/left justifications. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 12:12 pm by Scerakor.
Bertha Jackson

The beautiful book cover and title grabbed my attention and made me want to check this fictional book out. I appreciate the blurb’s honesty in pointing out this book contains content that may be offensive to some readers by comparing the book to movies. The only errors I found in the first ten pages were formatting problems that did not distract from my reading pleasure. The first one is at 10% of the sample. The OnlineBookClub review and customer reviews do not mention them, so I am hopeful they are in the sample only. The first ten pages made me sympathize with Summer for having never felt love or being wanted. The only recommendation I have for Shantanel Payne is for her to check out the formatting issues. Other than the formatting, the book appears to have been edited by a professional editor. I am curious about how Summer deals with her insecurities, so I will buy this book and eventually read it.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 11:00 am by Bertha Jackson.
AntonelaMaria

The blurb of this book sounds very intriguing. Domestic violence is still not something we see a lot in books, but we should. The Official Onlinebookclub review gives this book a glowing recommendation, and it is very helpful. I like the sample, and I want to continue reading this book. Summer is very sheltered in life experience. She is also someone who was abandoned and bullied from a young age. She never had a peaceful life. Starting a new job in a new city can challenge anyone. I didn't notice any grammatical errors in the sample. Based on the writing, I assume that this is a debut novel. I wish we get more showing instead of telling. But that is something that the author can improve in her future books.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 10:58 am by AntonelaMaria.
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda

The thumbnail of the cover presents both the front and back covers. Quite frankly, it looks amateurish. It also doesn't allow the reader to appreciate the cover art. The blurb left me confused as to the genre. The author mentions "Fifty Shades of Grey," so I guess this is erotica but I'm not sure. That's why despite the (mostly) high ratings, I would not have bought the book based on my first impressions.
I didn't like the first ten pages. The author heavily favors telling instead of showing. When she says that Summer "lacked fashion sense" couldn't she describe her clothing? The author also over-explains. If I already read that "her college classmates described her as a coke bottle body in a burlap sack." I don't need the explanation of "They simply referred to her as a nice curvy woman who hides her shape with large unflattering clothing.". Also, are we supposed to know what "Globus sensation" means? I'm a fairly cultured person, and I had to look that up. This is not a science book and a "lump in her throat" would have worked just fine. Furthermore, did Summer attend boarding school or a group home? The author states both, and they're not the same. When I picture a boarding school, it's usually filled with privileged kids, unlike Summer. On a positive note, I can say the book appears to be well-edited. There are a couple of missing commas, and some awkwardly phrased sentences ("I wonder can he tell I am nervous"), but nothing blatantly incorrect.
The official OBC review confused me even more. Is this a book about domestic violence? How is that like "Fifty Shades of Grey"? Does the author think abuse and BDSM are the same? And why do authors keep romanticizing abusers? I'm so confused (and a little scared) that I never would've considered reading the whole book.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 10:45 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Timothy Rucinski

From the first two words of the Official OBC Review, "domestic violence," I knew there wasn't a chance that I would be reading this book. I don't have any interest in spending time reading about an abusive relationship. I also don't typically read romances so I'll be skipping this. The cover, however, is absolutely beautiful and highly eye-catching. What I liked most was the scene in which Summer enters her new apartment for the first time. It helped me to recall a similar experience with my first apartment, and the author captured the emotions beautifully. There wasn't anything that I disliked, just the genre. And although the book may be professionally edited with respect to grammatical errors, as I found none, there are a number of formatting errors that should have been picked up prior to publication. There is a formatting error on page 4 of the Kindle version in which there is an unnecessary paragraph break after the sentence that ends "... nurturing person in her life." There is another similar error on page 5 with an undented paragraph that begins "At the age of twenty-two..." This type of error happens again going forward as on page 7 where the paragraph is broken in the middle after the words "her new" in the sentence that begins "Afraid to walk in her new shoes..."
First Ten review added on August 27, 2021, at 10:41 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Total ~ 34%
Her Lost Words; Her Broken Silence earned a score of 34%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 34% 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 Her Lost Words; Her Broken Silence