The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Dreams Are to Be Lived
Because Dreams Are to Be Lived 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 is based around a seventeen-year-old teenager, Bobby, and his father. The plot develops as Bobby delves into his father's past and take actions to ensure his and his mother's safety. I like that Bobby's character has been shown as too mature and caring for his age. But, based on the blurb, I wouldn't have read the book as I wasn't too intrigued by its main themes. The thing I liked the most while sampling is that the author takes the time to develop other characters as well. This adds more interesting dimensions to the read. I liked the friendship and understanding between Bobby and his friend, Carolyn, and that the author has also given time to develop their connection. I haven't found any editing errors yet, so I would rate the book as professionally edited. I didn't see an official OBC review, but I read volunteer reviews for this book. While this is an engaging story, I don't plan on reading the whole book as I don't think I'll necessarily enjoy it. The absence of an official OBC review has nothing to do with my decision. As for improvements, I think the book would do better if the author names the chapters based on events or the themes of a particular chapter.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 5:04 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ann Ogochukwu
I like exploring the "other fiction" genre, and I enjoyed the OBC review of this book, so I guess I would have sampled the book outside this program. Also, I agree with the title.
True to my initial guess, I liked this book. I liked the slow pace of the book, and I loved the honest, sweet friendship between Booby and Carolyn, especially Carolyn's quick move of "claiming" Booby. I'm curious to see how things play out in this book, so I will complete it.
I didn't notice any errors while I read, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I can't think of any improvement that this book needs.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 5:00 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title "Dreams Are To Be Lived", and the cover depicting some things like pencils do not indicate exactly what the book would contain, or whether it is a fiction or a non-fiction book. There are 16 Amazon customer ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which is good. The Amazon summary clearly states that the book is about motivating people to nurture and follow their dreams, with the example of a person named Bobby. As I am interested in the overall theme of the book, 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 Bobby and Carolyn getting together for sketching. As I am interested in the overall theme of the book, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is its theme of motivating people to dream. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found 5 OBC reviews of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 4:56 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vickie Noel
Based on its title and cover art, I probably wouldn't have read this book outside the program because I initially thought it was a nonfiction book. I was quite surprised to discover that it is even a young adult story, one of my favorite genres. I will definitely keep reading it as I'm curious of what becomes of the friendship of Bobby Leveret and Carolyn Bethune, if they do progress to the dating scene together or if some floozy eventually gets a hold of Bobby as Carolyn had said. I like that the author writes with a very engaging, natural tone, providing a mental scenery that is quite easy to visualize. For example, "She looked up at him, reading his face like a scanner copying a picture as if she could decipher what was going on inside his head. He looked back at her and could see her eyes light up a little while a smile crept across her lips. “What?” “You are too damn mature for a seventeen-year-old boy. Here I am offering myself up to you, and all I get is the voice of reason,” Carolyn laughed." Although I'm not exactly inclined to say that the book isn't professionally edited, I found a lot of small errors that would suggest that. Here are some examples: "© copywrite 2021" should be written as "Copyright ©2021 Jerry Greenberg." Also, on the dedication page, there's a wrongly placed comma in the sentence, "I want to thank, my editor, Gary Smailes at Bubblecow for teaching me how to be a better writer." The comma after "thank" should be placed after "Smailes" while "at Bubblecow" should be deleted. Then again, there was one instance of "light-hearted" spelled without a hyphen on page 8. An editor needs to run through the book again to clean up those pesky little errors. I have no qualms with how the story is written and presented, so there are no recommendations for improvement on that front. However, I would suggest that a more appropriate book cover be used, one that would truly reflect the book's content. I saw an OBC review, but the sample revved up my interest in the tale.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 4:53 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The cover was unusual. There was not an official OBC review, but a volunteer one. Despite its rating, I did not feel inclined to read the book because of its premise. I could not find any error in the first ten pages. It showed Bobby in his high school, interested in nothing but art. I didn't particularly like anything on those pages. The sudden plunge into a high school dialogue involving a boy and sex was somewhat disorienting for me. This was one area that could be improved. Based on these points, I decided not to read this book.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 4:41 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Manang Muyang
Like most of his books, Jerry Greenberg's Dreams Are To Be Lived sounds like self-help. The cover shows art materials; the main character, 17-year-old Bobby, is an artist. The blurb talks about a couple of crimes committed by Bobby's father. I was confused by the seemingly inconsistent messages; thus, I wouldn't have sampled the book outside of the program. I read around 20 pages of the book and found what I read very juvenile: teenage girls fighting over Bobby. If I had not read the blurb, I would have thought the book was for young adults. Sadly, nothing in the bit I read made me interested to read the rest of the book. I found errors too. A couple of them follow: In the Dedication, "I want to thank, my editor, Gary Smailes at Bubblecow for teaching me how to be a better writer" didn't need the first comma and needed a comma before "for." On page 11, "She reached over and took Booby's hand in hers" misspelled "Bobby." I think the book needs a faster pace, considering the events that the blurb mentions. The featured OBC review was all praises for the book. It did not convince me to change my mind, though.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 4:41 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
xsquare
I didn’t find the blurb of the book particularly compelling – I don’t think I would’ve sampled this book if it hadn’t been part of the First Ten program. Upon opening the preview on Amazon, I already discovered some punctuation errors in the dedication section: “I wanted to thank, my editor, [...]”. It was difficult to find something that I actually liked about the book. I thought the dialogue between Carolyn and the other girls sounded very stilted and unrealistic. I also wasn’t particularly invested in the development of Bobby and Carolyn’s relationship, especially since it happened in the first few pages. I’m not interested in reading the rest of the book, and the lack of an official OBC review did not factor into my decision.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 4:38 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
The cover photo is an indicator that this book talks about paintings. I like the narrative, especially the first scenario of the students chattering over a guy. The book has an OBC review that helps me decide about this book. While sampling the book, I don't see any typos, so I assume this book is professionally edited. Lastly, there's nothing I can recommend for any improvements. I will not read this book because I don't like to read books in a series.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 4:16 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Asma Aisha Ansari
When I saw the title and the beautiful cover, I initially thought that this is a non-fiction, self-help book. However, the Amazon reviews and the OBC review described the book as an emotional and inspirational story focused primarily on a father-son relationship. Although I like such stories, the sample didn't entice me to read further because it focused on the characters of Bobby and Carolyn instead, and I didn't get to see much of Bobby's father (Al) and their unique relationship. If the first chapter itself had more of Al and Bobby in it, I think the sample would have captivated me more. The sample had more of Bobby's school and friends, and I wasn't interested in knowing about them.
I liked the character of Bobby. But besides this one endearing character, I didn't like anything else in the sample. I found only one error in the sample. In one sentence, the name 'Bobby' is misspelt as 'Booby'. Here is the sentence: She reached over and took Booby’s hand in hers. I suggest that the book be edited thoroughly for such errors. Finally, as I didn't like the sample, I won't read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 4:11 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dzejn_Crvena
I wanted to read this book based on the cover because I like anything related to art. I've read many OBC reviews that convinced me to read it to motivate me in pursuing my goals in life. However, I was a bit disappointed that the first ten pages are more about romance than art. Bobby and Carolyn have been best friends for a long time. They often hang out together when doing art. Upon knowing that Samantha, their classmate, threatened to pursue Bobby, Carolyn confessed her feelings to Bobby. He reciprocated her advances. Later, he postponed their date to help Samantha with her homework, and it infuriated Carolyn. There's no element of surprise in the story, and I'm not interested in reading more about the story. I like the title and the cover, but I believe the book needs another round of editing. Location 157 error: "You know Bobby; I'm always glad to hear you are hanging out with a pretty girl." I suggest replacing the semicolon with a comma.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 4:05 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Justine Ocsebio
I wouldn’t have sampled the book based on the blurb, as I wasn’t interested in the premise. I like the writing style of the author. The book begins with two best friends, Carolyn and Bobby. The two are navigating their feelings towards each other. I’m not that interested in the premise, so I’m not going to read the book. The OBC review also helped influence my decision. The text is well edited. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 3:58 am by Justine Ocsebio.
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. The story just didn’t interest me. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I thought the dialogue was a little cheesy and unrealistic. The conversations were not what I would expect from teenagers. For example, Carolyn grossly overreacted when the plan to go the the art exhibit was postponed, but then she fully apologized about it in a way that was more mature than most teens. I also thought that the voices of the characters could use improvement. They didn’t have unique voices in the dialogue, so each one seemed the same. There wasn’t anything specific that I liked. The book did seem to be professionally edited. It just isn’t for me.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 3:41 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mercy Bolo
This book's cover didn't entice me to read it, and the OBC review dissuaded me when it mentioned that the author narrates the story of a father with a troubled childhood. Since there are graphic scenes within the book, I won't read the rest of it. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that Carolyn challenged her friends and asked why she couldn't just be friends with a guy. I noticed no errors in the text, so I will conclude that it underwent professional editing. There's nothing I disliked about the bit I read, so I wouldn't change anything about it.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 2:15 am by Mercy Bolo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Following my reading the book's Amazon page and one of its volunteer OnlineBookClub reviews, I opted not to acquire the title. I did not find myself interested in learning about the past of the protagonist's father. I am also not interested in learning how Bobby will manage to convince his father to be supportive of his dream of being an artist. Sampling the book did not change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the Amazon sample had me wanting to pore over the rest of the story. It is also because I am not intrigued nor fascinated by my reading of the sample. The first ten pages contain the first chapter and a few pages of the second chapter. What I liked most is when Carolyn admitted that the thought of Samantha seducing Bobby disgusts her. I did not note any errors in the text; the book seems professionally edited to me. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on October 23, 2021, at 1:50 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Donovan Smith
I would not have sampled this book on my own based on the cover, title, or synopsis. The synopsis does not foster interest in the plot. I would recommend that it be rewritten and edited for errors. There are several volunteer reviews, but there is no official OBC review. The lack of an official review does not impact my first impression.
The first error I noticed was on the copyright page. Copyright is misspelled as "copywrite." The dedication contained several comma errors. The editing in the first couple pages of content was good, until I ran into a missing hyphen in "moderate[]length brown hair" on page 7. I would wager that this book has not been professionally edited.
There was nothing I particularly liked about the sample. The dialogue felt unnatural. I would recommend revising the dialogue in addition to revising the synopsis.
Because I was not drawn into the story and the number of errors I found, I have decided not to finish the book.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 11:46 pm by Jennifer Donovan Smith.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
I like the cover and title of this book, they give off an optimistic vibe. After reading the Amazon blurb, I would not have sampled this book because it seems to deal with some tough subjects. The first few pages were well edited. The girls objectifying Bobby made me uncomfortable. I did find it funny that Cindy immediately smelled the perfume on Bobby. I saw a lot of volunteer reviews but no official OBC review. Overall, I think the plot of this book involves too many sensitive subjects for me. Therefore, I will not be reading the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 10:29 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
If it's not for this program, I wouldn't read this. I don't see any official reviews from OBC, and the site has only a few volunteer reviews with good ratings. Amazon's ratings are not good either. It begins with Bobby, a teenager who loves to paint. His best friend, Carolyn, is trying to have a romantic relationship with him. Another girl is also attempting to get his attention.
To be frank, I don't like anything in the sample. The plot is boring, and I'm not interested in teenagers' cheesy love stories. The sample is totally different from what the blurb and the review from OBC say. I have no suggestions for improvement, but since the book can't pique my interest, I won't buy it. The lack of an official review from OBC didn't affect my decision. The editing is fine, though I found some errors.
Error example: Except if it counts, I did trade ID bracelets back in fifth grade with Candy Wilson. -> There should be a closing quote mark at the end of the sentence.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 8:25 pm by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
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 the story didn't captivate me. I didn't like that the book failed the Bechdel test, having the first conversation of the whole thing be between Carolyn and other girls talking about Bobby, and like he was a piece of meat, too; I think this definitely needs improvement. This book seems professionally edited and it doesn't have an official Online BookClub review, only volunteer ones. There was nothing in particular that I enjoyed.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 7:47 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
I would have read this book based on the title that suggested that this is a motivational book, a genre I love. I liked the dialogues incorporated in this book. They enabled me to get a glimpse of the relationship between Carolyn and Bobby. The dialogues also portray the desires of Carolyn's friends. Having read the OBC review, I will not but this fictional book due to the graphic scenes present. It wasn't exceptionally edited because I flagged one minor grammatical error ('I want to thank, my editor, Gary Smailes at Bubblecow for teaching me how to be a better writer.' Missing comma before 'for.' Found in the dedication section). Lastly, there are no suggestions for improvement that I can offer.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 1:22 pm by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Based on the title and cover alone, the book seems to be a piece of realist fiction – I am not looking for books in this genre, so I would not have sampled it, even if I came across a positive OBC review (which I did). Still, after sampling, there are numerous errors present. At 0% in the dedication, the comma in "I want to, thank my editor..." is wrongly inserted; the clause should not be broken up/interrupted. I suggest that more rigorous editing be done to rectify all the errors present. However, what I think is worth commending is the use of description – the author does describe background settings in somewhat decent detail that will help readers have a fuller reading experience. For example, we learn that the school building is quite old, with "high ceilings, wide limestone stairways, and wooden floors". This design actually provides for a "perfect echo chamber". Other than the need for further editing, I have no further suggestions for improvement. As I am not in the market for realist fiction, I will not be reading the rest of the book today.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 12:34 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Valkyrie9
Dreams Are To Be Lived by Jerry A. Greenberg tells the story of Bobby Leveret, who always wanted to study art but never got to follow his dream because of his controlling father. Bobby eventually uncovers what really happened to make his father like he is. The cover is satisfyingly compartmentalized, and I feel it perfectly reflects the heart of this story. The blurb on Amazon gives a bit too much information without building the suspense or getting the reader excited about reading the book. I think this could be improved. If I had not read the sample, I would probably not pick up this book based on the genre and blurb.
Having read the sample and the OBC review, I don’t think I will enjoy this book. What I liked most about the sample that I read was Bobby’s dedication to his art. I did not notice any errors, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I did not enjoy the sample enough to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 10:45 am by Valkyrie9.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Michelle Menezes
From the title, I thought it would be a nonfiction novel about pursuing your dreams. I found the blurb interesting but also felt that it had revealed everything already, and there was no mystery left anymore. The Official OnlineBookClub review had good things to say about it, but I had decided not to read it. After reading the first ten pages, I have changed my mind. I liked the teenage drama at the beginning that happened with Bobby, and it also gave me an insight into the kind of person he was. I liked his relationship with his parents and best friend, Carolyn, and his passion for art. For this reason, I'd like to continue reading the book. I don't think it needs any improvement, and I didn't find any errors, so it seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 10:41 am by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emy Katherine
The story follows the journey of a 17-year-old boy named Bobby, who is determined to pursue his dream of becoming a talented artist. However, when his father has a nervous breakdown, Bobby finds himself dealing with his father's dark past. To be honest, I would not have read the book based on the genre and the OBC review; unfortunately, reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. I found the writing style quite descriptive and enjoyed the engaging dialogues, but I did not feel invested in the story. The book also has editing issues. For example, it should be written "Carolyn was blond" in the following sentence: "She was about the same size as Carolyn, 5’3”, but brunette, whereas Carolyn is blond." (page 12) It should be written, "They followed close alongside her at the water's edge, making all kinds of quacking sounds as she tossed them bits of bread" instead of "They followed close alongside her at the waters’ edge making all kinds of quacking sounds as she tossed them bits of bread." (page 8) All in all, I would only suggest another round of editing. This is not my genre, but those who enjoy reading thought-provoking stories filled with suspense and mystery should give it a try.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 3:57 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Joseph Mutuku 1
I have enjoyed the first ten pages of this book—following the story of Bobby Leveret and Carolyn Bethune in the first chapter. The sample was well-written and riveting. Sincerely, the book’s title is catchy; moreover, the cover page is also well designed. I didn’t spot any objective error in the pages I read—this is an indication that this book was professionally edited. Reading the first ten pages did convince me to finish reading it; I love heart-warming stories, and this one sounds just like one. The book had a positive official Online Book Club review, and it was insightful enough to answer most of the questions I would have before selecting this book. However, I usually sample a few pages before buying any book. Many thanks to the author for a free copy today! After checking all that makes a good beginning of a fictional book, I have no advice for the author of this book.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 3:48 am by Joseph Mutuku 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sanju Lali
The cover and title gave me the impression that this is an inspirational book to realize our dreams. Therefore, I decided to read an OBC volunteer review to know what this book is offering to me. The OBC volunteer review gave me the idea that the book follows Bobby, who happens to investigate his father's past in order to improve his own future. This information motivated me to read the sample of the book before purchasing it. When I read the first ten pages, I realized that this book is not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, "Samantha said as she jumped off his leg and, while simultaneously buttoning her shirt, approached the door." The sentence could have been as follows; "Samantha said as she jumped off his leg, and while simultaneously buttoning her shirt, approached the door." The thing l liked the most is the warm relation between Bobby and his parents, which focused on pleasing each other. Unfortunately, the narrative jumped from one topic to another rather abruptly, leaving me sometimes stranded when I was engrossed in one topic. This experience pushed me away from reading the book. It would have been nice if the topics were changed gradually instead of changing them abruptly because of the nature of the content in this book. For example, the conversation between Bobby and Carolyn and also between him and his parents appeared bit abrupt to me. I would suggest the author for a round of professional editing and look at my problems as described above. After looking at all these aspects, I decided not to purchase and read this book today. So I will wait until the author looks at my suggestions so that while reading the book, I could completely immerse myself into it.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 3:42 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Howlan
I do not think that I would have read this book without the program as I was not interested in the synopsis. In the first ten pages, we are introduced to Bobby who has problems with his friend Carolyn who starts to develop romantic feelings for him. Bobby wants to focus on his art career and does not want to destroy the friendship he has with Carolyn for a romantic relationship. The narration was good and easy to understand. The plot did not move much forward in the first ten pages. According to the official OBC review and the synopsis, much of this plot will revolve around Booby's father Al, who had a traumatic childhood. I generally do not enjoy reading family dramas so I do not think that I will like the story. The character of Bobby also did not appeal to me. So, I am not going to buy and read this book today. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 3:27 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J_odoyo
Jerry A. Greenberg's Dreams Are to Be Lived is by no doubt a well-written book. After reading the first ten pages, I have realized that this book envelops a riveting story that will appeal to many fans of young adult novels. The earlier pages chronicle a light-hearted story of Bobby Leveret and his buddy, Carolyn Bethune. As Carolyn initiates a turning point in their relationship, I got engrossed in the story, and I can’t stop guessing what is next. Besides an attractive cover page, the book also has a catchy title. I appreciate the fact that this book had an OnlineBookClub review, which gave insight into what the book is all about. The sample was well-edited, and I couldn’t spot any other case of errors, apart from one case of missing closing quotation mark: “Jeez, you had me sweating there… (page 9). However, it is easier to wager that the book was professionally edited. I liked the author’s narration skills. The description on the Amazon website was also okay. However, reading this sample didn’t convince me to finally finish reading this book; I’m not a fan of this genre. I have no recommendation for the improvement of this book; the sample was well written.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 3:13 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would have read the book. The blurb looks interesting, but I would move the first paragraph describing how the book is about "never letting go of your dreams" and marketing the author's website to the end of the blurb, as it made me think it was a self-help book from the first line, and the last part feels too commercial. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I'd rewrite some character introductions by using more "show, not tell", as I think it is unnecessary to include details like exact measurements for how tall characters were. That's the only thing I'd change. Overall, however, I still like the writing a lot and I liked hearing Bobby's chaotic thoughts. It was professionally edited. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision; I don't think I would be bothered by lack of suspense and a fast pace.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 2:43 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ari Martinez
I would not have sampled this book based on its title and cover because I thought this was a self-help book at first glance, and I don't like self-help books. The Official OnlineBookClub review showed me what the book was about, but I still did not feel too interested in the plot. After reading the first ten pages, I will not continue to read the book because it seemed like a YA novel, and those types of novels can be a hit or miss with me. My favorite part was Bobby. He seemed like a likeable and mature teenager. I can't think of any way to improve the book. There was a missing closing quotation mark on page 10 (“Jeez, you had me sweating there... Except if it counts, I did trade ID bracelets back in fifth grade with Candy Wilson.).
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 1:17 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Eunice Geres
Looking at the cover, I thought this book was a self-help book. I would have picked this up if this was self-help. The blurb didn't get my attention, but the official review piqued my interest. Oh no, I've just read the first ten pages. And it was so cringy. The conversations between Carolyn and the girls are just so bland, uninteresting, and a little bit disgusting. This book is now really for me. I also didn't like the third point of view, seems boring. I didn't like anything, and I didn't see any grammatical mistakes. I don't have anything to recommend.
First Ten review added on October 22, 2021, at 12:21 am by Eunice Geres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Dreams Are To Be Lived was not the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I still would have read the sample because the author's name is one that I recognize. I like the artwork of the book because it matches the protagonist's passion, and that is art. I did decide to skip it after reading the sample though because I did not like how sexual Samantha was with Bobby; this is very unbecoming of a seventeen-year-old. Even though there is an official OnlineBookClub review for this title, I did not need to read it to make the decision to skip this book. There were no grammatical errors that I could find, and I can think of no improvements. If a reader enjoys coming-of-age stories, this book may be the perfect fit for them.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 10:58 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
From the title of the book, I would have taken this to be a memoir and would not have sampled the story. I liked how easy the story was to read, and the realistic thoughts by Carolyn and Bobby. I didn't encounter any errors and believe the book professionally edited. There is nothing I would change because I found this a book that I can easily connect to the main characters. There is an OBC review, but it didn't influence my decision to read the story. I will finish this book because it held my interest easily with the details making it easy to envision every setting.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 10:13 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kelyn
If I had not been a member of this program, it is unlikely that I would have run across this book. My tastes (and browsing) run more toward sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal, and this book is solidly outside those areas. Given this, there is nothing in particular about the title or cover that would have caught my attention. I am unfamiliar with the author, so that would not have affected my decision. The blurb gave me the impression that the book is simply another coming-of-age story but written as an adult rather than a YA novel. This did not stir any curiosity in me about the book. Although there were customer reviews on the Amazon site, they were mixed - some positive, some negative. This did not increase my interest in the book. If possible, it lessened it. I did not see an OBC review on the Amazon site. If I had, I would have been interested in what the reviewer had to say. The official OBC review on this site was highly complimentary of the book. This gave a good impression of the book going into the sample. My favorite thing about the sample was discovering that it was written about somewhere down south, possibly even in Louisiana, where I am from. How do I know this? Sweet Olive trees. Other than in Louisiana, I have never met anyone who even knows these trees exist. I was delighted to find them mentioned in a book! It sounds like Bobby (and Al) have had difficult lives. Now the adult responsibilities of taking care of a family are being put on Bobby's shoulders. I could relate to that because of my own experiences at that age and even younger. No child should have that thrust on them. Unfortunately, despite this engagement with the main character, the sample did not succeed in 'hooking' me into reading the book. I will not be continuing to read it. I cannot think of anything I would change, though. The book seemed well-edited. I found no 'countable' errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 8:26 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
I like the cover of the book, but after reading the blurb, I would not have sampled it if I were not part of this program. Thankfully, the sample pages did not get into the dark parts mentioned in the blurb. I did not connect with the characters, but I could sympathize with Bobby’s wanting to keep his friendship with Carolyn platonic and enjoy their mutual love of art. I will not finish this book. Both the depressing elements referred to in the blurb and my lack of connection to the characters contributed to my decision. The book appeared to have been professionally edited; I found one minor grammatical error in the first ten pages. On page 9, a comma is missing before the participial phrase beginning with “making”: “A gusting breeze is a bonus making me feel light-hearted and happy, especially if I’m with someone I care about.” I have no suggestions for improvement. The featured OnlineBookClub review was positive and very engaging, but it had no bearing on my decision.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 7:42 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover and title are eye-catching and in keeping with the theme of wanting to fulfill dreams. I believe the combination of cover and title should appeal to the target audience. Overall, the readings of other fiction are to my liking. The blurb comments that although the story is fictional it is a lot based on the author’s experience to become an artist. Customer reviews have mixed opinions, most agree the book has potential but needs improvement. Based on these elements I am unsure to try this book. The first ten pages tell about Bobby Leveret, who is a seventeen-year-old college student. I found astounding Bobby's maturity around preferring to focus on art rather than being distracted by a girlfriend. In addition, the issue of the pressure that some parents put on their sons to date girls is raised. The central topic of the conflicts between Bobby and his father regarding his dream of being an artist has not yet surfaced. The official OnlineBookClub review indicates the story revolves around Booby's desire to achieve his dream and the confrontations with his father who does not support him. The editing looks outstanding as I didn't see any details to comment on. In general, I did not see anything that I believe could be improved. These first pages focused on situations that Bobby has to handle around his relationship with his best friend Carolyn and on the prowl for other girls. The principal issue of Bobby's desire to achieve his dream and the conflict with his father over disagreeing has not yet been addressed. What I read did not completely capture me. Also, considering that some customer reviews mention that the plot needs improvement, I decide not to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 6:45 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I like the relationship between Carolyn and Bobby. They both love art, and right now are just friends. I’m curious as to whether she truly has feelings for him. The OBC review mentioned Bobby has a difficult home life with family who don’t support his art. I like that he must overcome this struggle. The editing looks very professional without any notable errors that I can see. I have no suggestions for improvements. I like the cover with the art supplies. I received a free copy, so I’ll read more. I don’t read many books in this genre, so I would not have found this book outside of the program.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 5:00 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Brenda Creech
I would have checked this book out based on the title but not the cover because it does not appeal to me. After reading the OBC review, I wanted to read a little more of the story to see what I could learn about the book. Reading the first ten pages did not convince me to read the entire book. The part I read was about high schoolers Carolyn and Bobby, best friends with a common interest in art. It was typical high school situations we have all gone through. Bobby and Carolyn were meeting after school to draw, and some girls had stopped Carolyn, asking her about their relationship. When Carolyn said they were just friends, the other girls began taunting her about how they would make a move on Bobby. The part I enjoyed most of what I read was the description surrounding the 'farmers' pond where Bobby and Carolyn went to do their art. It was a refreshing change from the rest of the narrative in the first ten pages. I did not find anything that needs improving in what I read. There were no page numbers as I read from Kindle Cloud, but I found the following error in what I read. One sentence read: "She reached over and took Booby's hand in hers." 'Booby's should be 'Bobby's.' Other than that one error, I don't have anything to complain about regarding this book; I am not interested in reading any farther into it. I am burnt out on memoirs for now.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 4:07 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
The title is very attractive and would suit a self-help guide. The book cover itself does not reveal much of the story, though. As the title intrigues me, I would pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The blurb and OBC review reveal that this is not a self-help guide, but a fictional novel about difficult relationships within a family. Unfortunately, not one of my favourite topics. The sample is well edited, and I liked the author's writing style. The story has a slow start, but it gives a good idea about who Bobby and Carolyn are. To read how these two teenagers go and feed the ducks, gave me a happy feeling. However, as the review left clear that this book is full of family dramas, I am afraid that that happy feeling would not last very long. As reading is a relaxing experience for me, and do not want to read about problematic family relationships. That is why I will not buy this book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 2:34 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kirsi Cultrera
This book did not look especially appealing to me, and I am afraid I would have passed it without this program. The volunteer review from OnlineBookClub completely changed my mind. A story of a boy who wanted to follow his dreams but had troubles doing so because of his father sounded intriguing to me. Still, I wasn’t prepared for what happened when I started reading the sample. I was immediately drawn into the flow of the story. I loved Bobby’s somehow mature but still naive character. Furthermore, I couldn’t help but laugh at the girls having a cat fight over the poor guy. The editing seemed professional. I did not find anything to dislike from this book, and I am definitely going to read the whole story.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 2:28 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
From the cover, I got that this book was self-help. Since I don't enjoy that genre, I started off with the wrong impression. However, the OBC review presented a different book than the one I had in mind. Reading a fiction book about dreams seemed interesting, so I decided to give it a try. Although I usually don't like when the author introduces a romantic relationship at the beginning without developing the characters first, I was curious about Bobby and Carolyn's relationship. I just like the way the author describes Carolyn's thoughts and feelings. I couldn't stop reading, as the author has a very alluring writing style. I would happily read more of this book. I don't think it could be improved. Also, the editing didn't seem to have any issues.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 2:03 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Dreams are to be Lived' is written by Jerry A. Greenberg. The story is set in the 1960s. Bobby Leveret is a mature seventeen-year-old boy. His passion is art. Carolyn is his best friend. I loved the way Carolyn and Bobby handled their growing attraction to one another. The editing is good. There is nothing in need of an improvement. I will read this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as the blurb is interesting. The OBC review is insightful. I will read this book as I wish to know if Bobby ends up with Carolyn.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 1:54 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Bertha Jackson
I would have skipped over this book because the cover and title made me think it was a memoir. I was happy to see that the genre revealed it as a piece of fiction. The customer reviews are only average for this book and told that there were problems with the editing. The OnlineBookClub contradicts the error issue, and I was happy that I did not find any errors in the first ten pages. The book appears to have been edited by a professional editor, and I did not see anything I would recommend the author change. The blurb made me curious as to how Al’s mental health will impact Bobby and his mother. I enjoyed the pace of the plot and will buy this book and eventually read it.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 1:14 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
markodim721
I would choose to read a sample of this book because of the title and cover. The title of the book is inspiring and sounds zestful. The cover of the book is designed simply and fits well with the title. I’m not going to read the 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 didn’t notice any typos or errors and the book seems like it is professionally edited. I like how the story of trading ID bracelets in fifth grade between Bobby and Candy Wilson is described because it seems authentic. I don’t think anything needs to be improved in the book. The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 12:58 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I'm an amateur artist myself, so the cover evoked intense feelings in me. I also liked the premise of the blurb, but there are confusing sentences (what is "suicide by police"?), and the burb reveals too much and lacks a hook. That's why I wouldn't have bought it based on my first impressions, despite my intense love for art. Also, the ratings for the book are mixed.
I can't say I liked the first ten pages. The narrative feels stiff and uses unusual terms. What teenager says "sexually active predator", "gusting breeze" or "serious togetherness"? I get that Bobby is supposed to be very mature, but this feels exaggerated. There are also repetitive parts that feel condescending towards the reader. For example: "On the way to drop Carolyn off, Bobby reminded her of the art exhibit downtown they had talked about attending. “Don’t forget the art exhibit tomorrow.” Did the author need to tell us she reminded him when a second later he shows us in dialogue how she reminded him? On the plus side, I didn't find editing mistakes. I would suggest fixing the blurb and, if possible, reconsidering the unnatural dialogues. The only reason I'll read the book is the official OBC review. I truly hope it's as good as the review promises!
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 12:18 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jennifer Garcia 555
I do enjoy fiction stories but the title and cover of this book did not appeal to me or catch my attention. After reading the sample the book did not catch my attention. I did not find any editing errors so it seems this book may have been professionally edited. I liked the budding love story between the main characters, but the point of view changes made the book harder to follow. I read an Online book club review that further convinced me that this book is not one I would be interested in. The book needs a more exciting beginning. I would not buy or continue reading this book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 11:52 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
At first glance, I thought that this was a self-help book, or perhaps a memoir, based on the cover. It just didn't strike me as the kind of cover that would be associated with a work of fiction. Perhaps that's the way my brain has been conditioned, but I was surprised by the Official OBC Review that this was a novel. After reading the review, I realized that this wasn't the type of book that I enjoy. There seem to be a lot of books about cruel parents and their youngster's struggle to adapt, and I just don't like these types of stories. So I was pretty sure that I wouldn't be reading it. After reading the first few sections, I was sure that I won't be reading it. It's very well written but it's simply not a genre that I enjoy. What I liked most was the author's ability to capture the individuality of his characters in a relatively short time, mostly through dialogue that was unique to each of them. There wasn't anything that I disliked, other than the genre. And although the book's author thanks his editor for doing a great job in the dedication, there are errors.
On page 10 of the Amazon Kindle edition, there is a quotation mark missing in the paragraph beginning "Jeez..." at the end of the paragraph following "Candy Wilson." There are also errors in the Dedication: "I want to thank, my editor, Gary Smailes at Bubblecow for teaching me how to be a better writer." There should be no comma following "thank;" there should be a comma following "Smailes;" and there should be a comma following "Bubblecow."
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 10:21 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
Even though I like a prologue in books, the way the author troughs the reader into the story is working for this book. I will be reading the rest of the book. I didn't notice any grammatical errors, and I wouldn't change anything. However, in emotional stories like this one, I like the first point of view better. But that is just my subjective taste. This book doesn't have an Official Onlinebookclub review, and I don't mind. I think that the volunteer review gives enough information about the book. I found the girls' dialogue a little bit awkward and unrealistic. Not sure that the author understands how teenage girls talk. I like the premise of the book, and the cover is great too.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 9:44 am by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Astral Magi
The title and the cover caught my attention immediately. I wanted to read the book based on these and would have still felt this way had I not read the first ten pages. The official OBC review, as well as the first ten pages, confirmed my initial response. I loved how the romance in the first few pages captured my attention. I did not spot any errors and therefore I believe that the book has been professionally edited. There is no need for any improvements. I look forward to reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 8:40 am by Astral Magi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Abi McCoy
I found the cover and title intriguing, and after reading the blurb I found myself very interested in reading this work (I enjoy works of fiction based off the author’s personal experiences). The positive customer reviews as well as the Official OnlineBookClub review also recommended this book to me.
I enjoyed how easily the dialogue flowed and how realistic it felt. There was nothing I disliked from the sample I read, and the work seemed professionally edited as I found no errors. Reading the first ten pages just confirmed my suspicions that I would enjoy this work; the characters were relatable and well-written, and Bobby was likeable from his first introduction. I’m going to have to download the whole book and read it now!
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 8:19 am by Abi McCoy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Theresa Moffitt
The cover art of this book is interesting and caught my attention. The title is also intriguing to me. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review was very positive and rated the book four out of four stars. This increased my interest in the book. I didn’t read any additional customer reviews. The first ten pages introduce the characters of Bobby and Carolyn. They are best friends in high school. When a group of girls tell Carolyn they are interested in Bobby romantically, she realizes she may need to claim him for her own before someone else does. She brings the subject up to Bobby and it’s awkward. He doesn’t want to ruin the friendship by starting a romance that might not last. He is very interested in art and wants to focus on that. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. The first ten pages didn’t draw me into the story enough to want to finish reading this book. For that reason, I will not finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on October 21, 2021, at 8:13 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 32%
Dreams Are to Be Lived earned a score of 32%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 32% 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 Dreams Are to Be Lived
