The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for White Smoke
Because White Smoke 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.
Gabrielle Sigaki
White Smoke by Itamar S.N is a fiction book that brings the theme of the relationship of Israel and Palestine, but also romance. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review since the theme of Israel and Palestine didn't attract me. However, the book seems professionally edited, there's nothing to be improved in it, and I liked the fact that the book brings the theme of LGBTQIA+ relationships but without changing the focus of the chapters since only a few novels approach this theme in fiction books with historical aspects like this book.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 4:56 am by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ekta Kumari
The book is based on the themes of patriotism, history, and human rights while painting a beautiful love story between the two central characters. I wouldn't have read it based on its blurb as I wasn't interested in any of the themes mentioned above. However, I found the narrative to be very well put together in terms of characterization. The writing brings forth deep emotions and frustrations of the characters. The first-person narration also helps in making the read engrossing. The editing seems to be well done as I didn't find any errors in the portion sampled. I would rate the book as professionally edited based on the first ten pages. I did see an official OBC review. Based on the sampling, I would highly recommend naming the chapters. I will not read the whole book as I don't find the themes interesting.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 4:04 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ann Ogochukwu
I like this book's cover, and its title is intriguing, but I would have sampled this book only because of its OBC review. The review portrayed the book to be very remarkable, and it sparked my interest.
The merging of Israel and Palestine sounds like a near impossibility, but that is the event that sets this book rolling. The story was narrated by Amal, the Israeli prime minister's son, who until the merger was at loggerhead with his father. Besides the said merging of states, the most interesting aspect of this book is Amal himself, the black sheep of his family. I will complete this book because I am curious to experience the effect proclaimed in the OBC review and because I enjoyed sampling the book.
I didn't notice any errors in the sample, and I don't think this book needs any improvement.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 3:59 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Asma Aisha Ansari
The title of this book is intriguing and the cover is beautiful. These 2 elements carry a lot of meaning as to what the book is about. I like how much thought was put into creating them. The blurb, the official OBC review and the Amazon reviews all described the book aptly. And even if I hadn't seen the blurb and the reviews, I would have sampled the book. The sample is interesting, as it captured the 2 essential themes of the story well: peace between Israel and Palestine and LGBTQ representation. There's nothing that I disliked about the sample.
The book, however, needs to be edited thoroughly once for grammatical mistakes. I found several instances of missing commas, unnecessary commas and homonym errors. Here's an example: My father chose a sight next to the separation wall, on the outskirts of East Jerusalem, to make the ceremony even more dramatic. In this sentence, the word 'sight' should be replaced with the word 'site'. Hence, my only suggestion for improvement is regrading the editing of this book. As I liked reading the sample and want to know more about the story, I'm going to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 3:59 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title "White Smoke" does not convey the theme of the book. The cover containing two men standing holding hands with each other indicates that the book could be about a gay relationship. There are 40 Amazon customer ratings with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, which is good. The Amazon summary describes that the book contains the story of a bisexual individual. As I am not interested in the theme of the book, I would have skipped sampling if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration in the first chapter describing a person lying in the bed seriously wounded. The second chapter narrates someone watching the TV while an Israel election results are being broadcasted. As I am not interested in the overall theme of the book, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. There were no grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. I didn't like anything specifically about the book. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 3:58 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
I sampled this book based on the program. I was enthralled by the story, but I decided not to continue reading this book because books with traumatic experiences aren't good for me. I'm still dealing with postpartum depression, so I'm avoiding this kind of tale. I'm glad that the book has an OBC review, which is very helpful in giving the overview of the book. The editing seems fine because I don't see any typos, so I assume this book is professionally edited. Lastly, there's nothing I can recommend for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 3:46 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The premise, as revealed in the official OBC review, made me want to read this book. I could not find a single error in the excerpt. A person named Amal was admitted to the hospital, barely holding on to consciousness. I loved the author's writing style. It made me curious to know what happened to him and why he couldn't remember anything. I found nothing that would require any improvement. Based on the unique premise and the awesome writing, I would gladly read the book.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 3:41 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Manang Muyang
That's a meaningful title, a metaphor for peace. I have mixed feelings about the cover, though: I cannot decipher the figure formed by the white smoke. The blurb is intriguing, so I would have sampled the book outside of the program. I was a bit confused by the sample because the three chapters I read were narrated by three different unidentified characters. I hope the author can remedy that by clearly naming each narrator at the beginning of the chapter. I also noted grammar lapses. The comma splices I could chalk up to the author's style, but the other comma lapses were distracting. Sample errors follow: On page 10, "Rest my child" needed a comma after "rest." On page 19, "All shapes, all genders, all ethnicities, were frequently welcomed, at the short-term parking lot otherwise known as my bed" shouldn't have used commas after "ethnicities" and "welcomed." On page 20, "My few friends called me M&M (Meir the Monk)" didn't have end punctuation. What I appreciated most was the crisp dialogue. But I was not a fan of Yonatan's voracious sexual appetite. I don't think the book is for me. The official OBC reviewer also noted the "avalanche of profane words." This comment cemented my decision not to read the rest of the story.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 3:40 am by Manang Muyang.
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 how descriptive the writing is. Amal, the narrator, wakes up in a hospital bed. He doesn’t remember anything, even his name. A woman named Sarah sits beside him. I’m not going to read the book, as I’m not interested in the premise. The OBC review also helped influence my decision. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement. The text is well edited.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 3:28 am by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
I could neither connect with the book's cover page nor title. Therefore, I wouldn't have read this book outside the First Ten program. I relished the use of monologue. I could hear and feel the protagonist's resentment towards his father. The dialogues also portrayed the dire situation in Israel. I didn't flag any grammatical errors, and I believe it was exceptionally edited. The OBC review didn't change my mind about reading this book. Since I am not interested in activism, I will not complete reading this book. I didn't find anything worth improvement in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 3:21 am by Mutai Marshal.
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 highlights the events that occur in a new nation formed from Israel and Palestine's merger. Based on the Amazon blurb, the book highlights a homosexual relationship, which is something I'm not comfortable with. Hence, I won't read the rest of the book. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that Sarah, the nurse, showed empathy for the hospitalized narrator and made him feel comfortable. I spotted no errors in the text, so I will conclude that it underwent professional editing. There's nothing I disliked about the sample, so I wouldn't change anything about it.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 2:57 am by Mercy Bolo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
xsquare
I don’t usually read books to do with politics, so I wouldn’t have sampled this book if it hadn’t been part of the First Ten program. The official OBC review did not convince me. I liked the interesting start (although I do think it was a little cliched). I saw a missing comma in the dialogue line, “Good morning prince charming”. Other than the typo, I don’t think that there was anything that the author could’ve done better. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the first ten pages compelling enough to change my mind – I won’t be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 2:37 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
The cover and the official review from OBC are alright, but the ratings on Amazon are inconsistent. Since the blurb's promising, I decided to give the sample a try. It begins with Amal, who wakes up in a hospital with her body covered in bandages. The scene then shifts to Yonatan, whose father succeeded in uniting Palestine and Israel, and his first meeting with Meir.
I like the book's theme. However, I would suggest another round of editing to fix the errors. Besides, the pace is a bit slow, and I haven't seen any interesting details yet. I will need more of the content to see if I should read the rest of the book. For now, I won't buy it.
Error example: Beep...Beep...BEEP -> There should be a period at the end of the sentence.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 2:17 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
From first glance, I knew I wouldn't have opened this book outside the program because of its cover. Two men holding hands in an amorous manner revealed that there are elements of LGBTQ+ in the story, elements I can't bear to read. Sampling a few pages made no difference. I didn't enjoy the story presentation as it felt like a forced attempt to evoke suspense. For example, "beep...beep...BEEP... Nothing, complete failure...the beats of a terrified heart join with the external beeping. I must try one more time, a superhuman drive, a complete focus of the mind..." I got bored. I liked that there was a bit of humour, though, as can be seen in the sentence, "I'm listening but not hearing because I can't find my name inside my brain." I think the book needs another touch of editing as I found several run-on sentences. Here's an example, "I must escape, I am fading away, I need a line to grab onto before I vanish once and for all." The sentence should be structured thus: "I must escape; I'm fading away. I need a line to grab onto before I vanish once and for all." I have no recommendations for improvement. I saw an OBC review, but it didn't influence my decision.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 2:04 am by Vickie Noel.
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 not have read the book. I like political books but I wish the characters' political views were implied and not explicitly stated with buzzwords in the blurb. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I liked the emphasis at the start of the book on pain and how the main character feels emotionally and on her body, but the writing was just not fluent at all. It was really awkward to read and I would recommend more editing to change run-on sentences and comma-splice errors like "My body tenses, the pain is unbearable." It was not professionally edited and that's the biggest thing I'd change. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 1:19 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
evraealtana
The cover is beautiful, but it doesn't give a sense of what the book is about (at least to me). The official OBC review is more enlightening, but since I don't like political books, I would not have chosen this one based on the plot summary. I loved how vivid the author's descriptions were, and I particularly liked the narrator's description of the "black pain" that enveloped him. The second chapter beginning with "I believe that on that day, for the first time, I felt admiration for my father" makes it sounds like he felt admiration for his father on the day that he woke up in the hospital, which is where the reader just was, rather than the rally he is about to describe. It would be clearer if "that day" was described somehow in the first sentence to make clear to the reader that the setting has changed and that the narrator is no longer discussing the day he woke up in the hospital. Given that the story is supposed to be about Israel and Palestine, both of which worship a male god, I was confused about the "mighty Goddess" to whom the narrator seemed to be praying. I didn't like the way the narrator treated the woman he had just bedded, although I guess it seems like a realistic reaction to her presence, given what he is seeing on the television. Overall, it still feels like this book will turn into another Middle East political thriller, albeit with a futuristic spin, so I am not really interested in reading any more because I dislike the genre. I found two errors in the first ten pages: a run-on sentence in "I utter a quick prayer, finally a crack opens" (these are two complete sentences, so it needs a period, a semicolon, or a conjunction between them, not just a comma); and another run-on sentence beginning with "I try asking the woman". I also found one formatting error, which might be due to the Kindle format rather than a mistake on the author's part: a hyphen instead of an em-dash in "a complete focus of the mind on one goal-escape, before something happens"; this hyphen should be an em-dash, reading "one goal -- escape, before something happens". As it is, the sentence means that the narrator's mind is focused on a "goal-escape", whatever that is. A colon would be preferable in this case, since it would provide the same meaning but would be clearer to read.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 1:02 am by evraealtana.
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 political aspect talked about in the review is something I don’t usually enjoy. The merging of two countries in this story was not content I thought I’d be into. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. The first chapter was intriguing. Amal being in the hospital and the little bits and pieces of how he got there almost pulled me in to this book. I liked this suspense and wanted to know more about what happened to him. However, the second chapter got back to the politics and started talking about the dividing wall and left-wing activism and so forth. This deterred me from wanting to read farther. There wasn’t anything specific that needs improvement and the book did seem to be professionally edited. The political story just isn’t for me.
First Ten review added on November 11, 2021, at 12:04 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dzejn_Crvena
Outside this program, I wouldn't have sampled this book based on the blurb and genre. The sample and the OBC review didn't convince me to read it. I'm not a fan of stories with heavy political themes. In the sample, a bandaged man wakes up in a hospital. A woman named Sarah called him Amal, and he seems to have amnesia. During the upcoming election, the son of Israel's Prime Minister keeps monitoring him to know his decision for the country. I don't understand any of his political ramblings, so I won't continue reading this book. I like the poetic writing style in chapter one. The book seems professionally edited, and I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 10:13 pm by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mary WhiteFace
Without the First Ten program I would not have been interested in reading a book with a violent political storyline. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. The presence of an OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision.
The book seemed to be professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvements. The part I liked best was when they lowered the Israeli and Palestinian flags. Israel and Palestine were united under a new flag of Isratine. I couldn't help but think that it would be nice if there really could be peace between the two countries.
Because of the nature of political fiction, I am fairly certain that the book will include some pretty violent scenes. The acid attack mentioned in the Amazon synopsis is a perfect example. I have a difficult time with violent fiction that mimics reality. I will not be reading the whole book, even though the part I read was very easy to envision. It felt very real.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 9:29 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover makes an allusion to the LGBT theme. It also suggests topics associated with Israel and Palestine. Hence, I think potential readers should be attracted by the combination of cover and title. The subjects the book addresses catch my attention. The blurb indicates that the story blends love, history, politics, and human rights issues. Plus, it comments about Yonatan and his marriage with another man, Meir. Most customer reviews are favorable and praise the story. Based on these elements, I could try this book. I would like the chapters to have a title as I consider it would help to follow the story. The first ten pages begin by telling about Amal when she wakes up in a hospital. She has no memory and is bandaged like a mummy unable to speak. Subsequently, the narrative changed to the son of the Prime Minister of Israel. He is a leftist activist who even protests against the government led by his father. Next, the first pages show that the Prime Minister and the Palestinian president announce the agreement (white smoke) for the union and creation of Isratine. The official OnlineBookClub review indicates it is a love story that includes patriotism. In addition, it highlights that the writing style is descriptive and contains a good development of relatable characters. The editing looks professional as I didn't see any details to comment on. Apart from the comments, I did not see anything that I believe could be improved. The first few pages give glimpses of a political story and so far leave little expectation regarding the plot. As a whole, it did not completely capture me. Therefore, I think I will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 8:41 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
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 like the description of Amal waking up from a coma, though I think starting a book like that is a little bit of a cliché. This book seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookClub review. Other than the typical beginning of the book by waking up from a coma, there was nothing I saw that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 8:09 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rachael S 1
I like the cover of this book, but I am not interested in reading stories regarding the Middle East. However, the first few pages I read were very interesting. I would not buy and finish reading this book. I did not find any spelling or grammatical errors. I liked how the author bolded the titles of articles to make them stand out. I also liked the suspenseful introduction. I did not see anything I think could be improved upon.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 5:55 pm by Rachael S 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kourtney Bradley
The cover of this one immediately caught my attention because it had an eerie feeling to it, which I'm usually drawn to. Once I started reading the synopsis though, I could tell this one would be more patriotic read, which dampened my interest a bit. The OBC official review for this one was exceptionally written, particularly fitting because the reviewer mentions that they live in a country with similar descriptions as Isratine. I did find the first ten pages to be interesting, though not enough to really pull me in and make me want to continue reading. I saw that the reviewer mentioned finding abbreviations a bit off-putting for the story, though the "WTF" abbreviation that they mentioned seemed pretty normal for me in today's world. I found no editing errors while reading the first ten pages. The first ten pages did seem well-written and professionally edited, though they didn't change my mind in regards to whether I would chose to continue reading or not. The subject is just not something that interests me at the time and is not something I think I will continue reading.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 4:22 pm by Kourtney Bradley.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. I don't usually read novels with a significant religious or political theme to them. 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 really enjoyed the straightforward narration style the author uses. A great example of that is how the narrator describes the morning after waking up and trying to figure out what his father is actually up to. That being said, I'm just not interested enough in the politics of Israel and Palestine to enjoy this one. Although the book looked well written and edited, there was at least one error that I came across on the first page. The sentence with "Beep" written three times is missing a period at the end. The thing I would have improved from the sample I read is the use of a bold font. I don't like when authors try to use bold typeface to add extra emphasis; punctuation is sufficient for these purposes. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 2:21 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
White smoke meant many things to me, so I could not guess anything about this book. I read the OBC official review to know about its contents. The OBC official review gave me the idea that this book has a story of hope in an almost helpless situation. 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, "I must run away, but in this new existence I have no legs, no arms." The sentence could have been as follows; "I must run away, but in this new existence, I have no legs, no arms." What I liked most in this book is the soothing words of a woman talking to Amal when he was on the hospital bed. Sadly, I lost interest in reading because I could not clearly visualize the scenes from the narrative, which lacked some necessary details. The narrative was quickly jumping to different topics, and I was feeling stranded due to it. I would have been glad if the scenes were described with necessary details for an average reader like me to visualize them. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing and consider the shortcomings raised by me in the above sentence. After looking at all these aspects, I decided not to purchase and read this book today. I will wait until the author considers my suggestions so that I could be engrossed in the story while reading the book.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 1:01 pm by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
At first glance, I liked the title and cover of this book. They made me want to find out more. After reading the Amazon blurb, I would not have sampled this book without the First Ten program because I do not read books that involve LGBTQ themes. The first few pages were well edited. I thought the whole right-wing father and left-wing son idea was very relevant. The OBC review was positive, but it did not change my mind. The plot of this book involves themes I am not comfortable reading about. So, I do not intend to read the rest of this novel. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 10:33 am by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Looking at the Amazon blurb and title, the book seems like a piece of realist fiction. I am not looking for such genres at the moment, so I would not have sampled it. I did come across a positive OBC review, but I still wouldn't have changed my mind regarding sampling – this is because of the genre mismatch. There are a couple of errors present. At 1%, there is a comma splice in "...a quick prayer, finally a crack...". It should be "...a quick prayer, (and) finally(,) a crack..." (i.e., to insert a conjunction and the comma after "finally" to mark the introductory word of the second independent clause). I suggest more rigorous editing to improve the book. Still, I like that the book starts with a bang, This helps to capture the readers' interest. To begin, the book opens with a scene of the narrator lying in a hospital bed, and the narrator is unable to remember what happened. The narrator is also unsure of her name (she later learns, from Sarah, that her name is "Amal"). Amal, after regaining consciousness, tries to wipe her tears but loses consciousness because of her action. Other than the need for more editing, I do not have further suggestions to improve the book. I am not in the market for fiction with themes of romance and politics, so I will not be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 10:16 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
I probably wouldn't have sampled this book without the programme as I am not looking for new contemporary fiction. I do like the premise gleaned from Amazon, that of a love story interwoven with a political situation. The LBGTQ theme is refreshing too. I won't buy this today, however, as I already have a lot of classic fiction, and judging by the horrifying opening, it might not be the lightest read. This doesn't appear to have been professionally edited. For example, time is given inconsistently as both "AM" and "am", and there are some comma splices and missing vocative commas. There is one clear error here: "My father chose a sight next to the separation wall" should read "My father chose a site". I was surprised that the official OBC review did not mention the LGBTQ aspect, since the unconventional family is obviously important to the author. So my decision was mainly based on the sample. I liked the metaphor: "... we could feel the orgasm was finally reaching its climax". This seemed to fit the narrator as well as the book's interlocking themes. As the different chapters clearly have different narrators, a suggested improvement is headings or different fonts to make this clear.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 8:33 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
I would not have chosen this book based on the cover. There were disturbing images and symbols that I did not understand. The blurb said nothing to change my mind. I was not interested in the setting or the plot. The OBC mentioned activism in the Middle East. I had no desire to read about that subject. I did enjoy the descriptive writing style of the author. There was a misplaced modifier in the first chapter: "...surrounded by machines, covered in bandages." I am not going to finish reading the book because I am not a fan of the subject. I have no suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 7:54 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Verna Coy
If this book had not been featured on the First Ten, I would not have checked it out initially because the cover indicates a lifestyle that doesn’t appeal to me. In addition to that, the title was very similar to a movie I watched years ago called “White Heat.” As an improvement, I suggest a possible rethinking of the title to find something that seems to better echo the book’s content. What I liked most about what I read was the narrative being in the first person, as it seemed to suit the way this book’s story is told. I also would suggest the improvement of less profanity, since the book uses the most profane words and phrases that exist in today’s language, and the liberal use of this type of profanity destroys literary quality. I did read the book in its entirety. As far as typos or errors, I didn’t notice any in the first ten pages. It seems professionally edited. I appreciated the views illustrated in the Online Book Club review. I know that this novel will bring up some debate among some readers as to the question of whether Israel will long endure. Considering the history of the region in which this story is centered, it does not seem that this novel is well-researched. Any writer, even working in fiction, would recognize the fact that Israel will always exist as a nation of its own. I expect that the fictional suggestion of combining Israel and Palestine will be a cause for debate among many.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 4:00 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kirsi Cultrera
At first, I did not know what to expect from this book. The title reminded me of selecting a new Pope, but obviously that wasn’t it for this story. However, it made me curious. Therefore, I would have sampled this book even without this program. The political aspect of the story piqued my interest. In real life, nobody has been able to solve the situation between Israel and Palestine. I was curious to see what the author made of this. However, I did not like the author’s habit of using plentiful profane words in the story. The editing seemed well done. I read the Official OnlineBookClub review of this book, but it did not have any influence on my decision. I had already decided to read this book, as I wanted to see how the story would develop.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 3:51 am by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jennifer Garcia 555
I normally try to avoid political books, but after reading the official Online Book Club Review and the beginning few pages, I am very interested to see where this story leads. I did not see any editing errors, so I believe this book is professionally edited. I really like the idea of Isratine. Peace in the middle east would be wonderful. I will buy and finish this book. I hope to learn more about politics in the middle east. I can not think of any improvements, and I look forward to finishing this book.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 1:58 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rodel Barnachea
After I pored over the book's Amazon page and official OBC review, I opted to purchase the novel. I found myself intrigued by the fictional country "Isratine," which is a merger between Israel and Palestine. I am also interested in learning how queer characters lead their lives given their country's grave circumstances. Perusing its sample did not make me want to change my mind. I would acquire it because I am interested in learning how Amal and the Prime Minister's son will meet and how their relationship will progress. I am also fascinated by the idea of joining Palestine and Israel and forming 'Isratine." The first ten pages cover Chapter 1 and a few pages of Chapter 2. My favorite part is when the Prime Minister's son thought to himself that it is his mother who is the reason why he is alcoholic because his matriarch carries an alcoholism gene she passed onto him. I could not note any errors in the Amazon sample. I believe the book is professionally edited. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 1:23 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Joseph Mutuku 1
The longstanding conflict between Jews (Israelis) and Arab countries has led to many attacks and wars in the past. An event like one playing in this book can be a beacon of hope not only to the Palestinians but also to the Israelis: A formation of a new bi-national country called Isratine. I loud the author his superb narration skills that has shaped this well-flowing story. Fans of Middle East stories will find a treat in this book. If not for the fact that I’m not a fan of this genre, I could have finished reading this book. I think both the book’s cover page and the title were attractive. The author did a good job of editing the book; I found zero errors in the sample. The official Online Book Club review was insightful—enough to answer most of the questions I would have before selecting this book. However, it’s my habit to sample a few pages before buying a book. I can't be fooled by a colorful cover page or catchy titles. That’s my strategy. I have no advice for the author; I believe the book is well written.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 12:36 am by Joseph Mutuku 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
The cover of the book seems to show a ghost type figure over a house. After reading the reviews on Amazon and book synopsis, I would have not sampled this story. The description of what Amal was feeling was very vividly written. From what I can discern, Amal is suffering from severe burns. Professional editing appears to be utilized, and there was nothing I disliked in the story. I have nothing to offer in suggestion for improvement. The OBC review did influence my choice to read the story, and the sample reinforced this by showing this wasn't completely a politically driven book.
First Ten review added on November 10, 2021, at 12:14 am by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Howlan
I think that I would have read this book without the program as the synopsis was interesting. In the first ten pages, we have introduced Amal who is the son of the Prime Minister of Israel. Amal had different ideologies from his father, and during his last term in college, his father announces the creation of a bilateral country between Israel and Palestine. The narration is good and easy to understand. I like the synopsis and the overall plot and the characters look promising. There is not much plot development in the first ten pages but from the official OBC review, the reviewer states that the storytelling is going to be excellent. So, I am going to buy and read this book as I am interested in this story. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 10:57 pm by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ari Martinez
If it hadn't been for this program, I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its title, cover, or Official OnlineBookClub review because I don't like books that deal with political issues since books are an escape from reality for me. After reading the first ten pages, I will not continue reading the book because of the same reason mentioned previously - I would rather read about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in news articles or other sources than in books. My favorite part of what I read was the way the narrator talks about his father. I thought that seeing the Prime Minister through his son's eyes was much more interesting than it would have been otherwise. The book appears professionally edited overall, and I don't think it needs improvement. On page 7, I would remove the first comma of the following sentence: "I concentrate all my power, to try to open them a crack to reveal the real world, a world that might give me answers to the situation that I am in."
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 10:49 pm by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If White Smoke hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I likely would not have read the sample of it. Political thrillers are a hit or miss for me; this is especially true regarding the Palestine and Israeli conflict that is currently happening. As such, I have decided to skip the book based on the description alone. The presence of an official OnlineBookClub review did not change my decision. The name Israline is an interesting one, and learning about this name while reading the sample was the best part for me. I didn't notice any grammatical errors in the sample, and I cannot think of anything that needs improvement. Readers who enjoy political thrillers may like this book.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 10:09 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
I probably would have checked this book out based on the cover and title because I was curious about it. After reading the OBC review, I was intrigued and read a few pages to satisfy my curiosity. However, while reading the first ten pages, I was confused. The story begins with someone who is in a coma after a terrible accident and is waking up. The process of waking terrifies him. His wife, Sarah, tries to comfort and orient him. I can't find any information about who 'he' is, and I assume it to be the protagonist. The one thing I feel needs improvement is what I just mentioned—include the name of the person in chapter one! I did not detect any errors, so I believe the book is exceptionally edited. The first few pages after chapter one switch gears and are again about a nameless person. Books of this type are not my favorite reads. I like getting to know the characters, name and all, from the beginning of a story. Therefore I don't intend to read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 7:12 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
After reading the blurb, I appreciated the cover more. It seems to encompass the main themes in the story. I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. It felt like the book had too many moving parts it would attempt to cover. I had a hard time getting into the story. I felt as if I had missed something from the start, and I was trying to catch up. Perhaps Yonatan’s history with his father will be filled in as the story progresses, but I am not connected enough to the characters or the plot to finish this book. (I initially assumed the narrating son was Amal from the previous chapter, but after reading the featured review, I found out the name of son was Yonatan.) I also have the feeling of impending doom because the Israel-Palestine agreement sounds tentative at best. I noticed a few grammatical errors in the first ten pages. The writing style favors long sentences that are difficult to follow, and often there are unnecessary commas. For example, on page 12, the first comma is not needed in this sentence: “After, what I saw as another aggressive, fascist, campaign that had spread fear and the resentment of any hope, leaving nothing but the smell of burnt flesh and leading to a massive victory for an ultra-right government, with my father as the conductor, came the shocking headline.” The last comma in this sentence on page 7 is a comma splice: “The contours of my body are drawn with sharp, increasing pain, now I finally know where my eyes are.” On page 14, the last comma in this sentence is separating the subject and verb and is not needed: “All the politicians, advisors and diplomats that were part of it, did not say a word.” And also on page 14, the last comma in this sentence is not needed because it seems to be between the adjective phrase and the noun it’s modifying. It could, however, be denoting a parenthetical element, but the sentence is complexly structured: “They were perfect soldiers, obeying my militant, former IDF Chief of Staff and current Prime Minister, father.” These are a few of the errors I noticed. The featured OnlineBookClub review was complimentary, but it had no bearing on my decision. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 7:06 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Arnaiz
Outside the program, I will skip this book. The cover and title did not grab my attention. The cover art needs more visual impact. Some contrast in colors and accents might help. More emphasis on either the graphics of the couple or the star-and-moon symbols could work. The cover hints at the LGBTQ theme, which is consistent with the description on the blurb. Customer reviews are mostly positive. After sampling, I appreciate that it explores the possibilities of a non-traditional family setup in an alternate political climate. It seems to inspire hope. However, I prefer a faster pace. Also, it uses the first-person point of view, which switches on each chapter. Without the swear words, the characters sound the same.
I suggest more distinction in speech. For these reasons, I will not continue reading. There are a handful of editing issues in the initial chapters. Although not distracting, I suggest another round of editing to polish the book. Here are some examples.
Page 11. Spelling. Consider adding hyphens.
He would be asked how his very [left wing], righteous son, could come from such a [right wing] (and even more righteous - may I add) household.
Page 17. Spelling. Use "site" instead of "sight."
My father chose a [sight] next to the separation wall, on the outskirts of East Jerusalem, to make the ceremony even more dramatic.
Page 21. Grammar. Consider changing the verb form. Use “were” instead of “was.”
When they found out about the multi-million-dollar sale of my company, my name and photo [was] plastered all over the media.
The official OnlineBookClub review is enthusiastic. But it seems that it did not mention the LGBTQ theme and if there are sex scenes.
It also gives a PG-13 rating. Considering the sensitive themes, the profanity, and sexual references, I think the book is more appropriate for a mature audience. Also, there are no demerits for the editing errors. The official review did not change my mind, and I will still skip this one.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 6:52 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
The book cover is interesting, with many different details. By seeing the two men holding hands, I already suspect that this story has a LGBTQ feel to it. That is the reason why I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The blurb and OBC review give a thorough description of the book. The sample started in a very gripping way. It really made the reader wonder who the protagonist is and why he finds himself in such an awful situation. I could not find any spelling errors, but I personally would have placed a comma behind the word "white" in the following sentence on the second page of the first chapter: "Two figures dressed in white storm into my nameless space." Personally, I did not like the profanity in the sample. I do not think it is necessary for the story. As I do not like LGBTQ stories, nor profanity, I will not buy this book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 3:34 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Abi McCoy
The cover was gorgeous, the title was intriguing, the blurb was well written. The online reviews, including the Official OnlineBookClub review, highly recommended this work. I would have sampled this book based off these things. I didn’t run across any technical errors, but I disliked the author’s use of commas and sentence structure. For example: “I try asking the woman where I am, and why I’m here, and she is alarmed, jumping out of her seat, not answering, she rushes to my bedside.” I’m not going to read this work – while the sample was intriguing and caught my interest, I disliked the author’s writing style. I think reworking the sentences to get rid of the commas and run-ons would help. But the author did a great job at creating interest and hooking the reader within the first couple pages.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 3:28 pm by Abi McCoy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
The cover is gorgeous. I first thought it looked like historical fiction, so that got my interest. Upon checking out the OBC review and learning about the plot, my curiosity only grew. I like the fact that the book promotes diversity. I don't like it when authors use the amnesia fiasco. It's so overused and I don't get why you would use that at the beginning of the book, considering that I don't know the characters enough to impress me. The book is also too political for me. Even though I liked the idea, the sample didn't impress me enough to want to commit to the whole book. Concerning the editing, I suggest adding a comma before "dear" in "I'm so sorry dear." It's a minor error, but worth noting.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 3:21 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Astral Magi
The title and cover were both appealing, and if I hadn't read the first 10 pages, I would have chosen the book based on them. The official OBC review, as well as the first ten pages, backed up my first assumptions. I liked the new perspective the book has on an old topic. I look forward to reading the rest of the book. There were no errors and there is no need for any improvement. The book was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 2:57 pm by Astral Magi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AntonelaMaria
I like themes of love and hope in books. However, the political aspect of this story is not very appealing to me. I like that this book has LGBTQA+ leading characters. The book opens up with Amal, who has amnesia. Later on, we learn about a family in the middle of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. It is a book that is centered around human rights, and I think that is beautiful. However, after reading the sample, I'm not curious enough to continue reading. I didn't notice any grammatical errors, and I wouldn't change anything about the book. There is an Official Onlinebookclub review of this book. But it didn't sway my opinion on the book. The cover of this book is stunning.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 1:48 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
markodim721
I would choose to read a sample of this book because of the title and cover. The title of the book is interesting and is associated with peace and good news, but also with action. The cover of the book is designed to be interesting and even provocative. I’m not going to read the book because it’s not the genre I prefer. While reading the sample I didn’t notice any typos or errors and the book seems like it is professionally edited. Reading the sample didn’t change my mind from my original guess. I like how the injured man described his feelings in the first chapter, starting from pain to confusion. I expected the beginning of the book to be more dynamic and I think that needs to be improved. The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 1:18 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
The story follows the eventful journey of Yonatan and his husband as they pursue their dream of starting a family after Yonatan's father, Prime Minister Green, succeeded in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by merging the two states into one state named Isratine. Without this program, I would not have read the book based on the genre and the OBC review. Reading the first ten pages did not change my decision, but I really liked the author's choice to tell the story from multiple perspectives. The characters were also relatable, but I found some distracting errors. For this reason, I would suggest another round of editing. For example, there should not be a comma after "blonde" in the following sentence: "The only problem was that his hands were all over a beautiful, blonde, girl." (page 22) It should be written "My name and photo were plastered all over the media" instead of "My name and photo was plastered all over the media." (page 21)
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 1:04 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'White Smoke' is written by Itamar S.N. Amal wakes up in a hospital with blurry memories. His father is a right wing politician. He has a contentious relationship with his parents. I could not point out any errors. The editing is good. I like the concept of merging Israel and Palestine. There is nothing in need of an improvement. I would skip this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I am not in the mind-frame to read books of this genre as of now. I will skip this book as I do not wish to read a book focusing on politics as of now.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 12:34 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kira Bonita Reece
This book is very unique. I like the idea of uniting Israel and Palestine. This book had an interesting official online book club review. The title and cover look great and inviting and the book seemed professionally edited.
I have one slight problem with the book. I don't think the chapters flowed smoothly. I think it would be better if the first chapter was a prologue instead of an actual chapter. I wouldn't choose to continue reading this book because I'm not interested in politics and from the reviews, this book also contains profanity.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 12:13 pm by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone because the cover art and title don’t tell me what the book is about. It looks to be a science fiction novel. However, I can’t be sure. Since I don’t really enjoy reading science fiction novels, I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review was very complimentary and gave the book a perfect rating. This increased my interest. I didn’t read an additional customer review. The first ten pages focus on the character named Amal. He is in a lot of pain and doesn’t know what happened to him. He slips in and out of consciousness. When he wakes, he sees a woman, possibly a nurse, in his room. She tells him he has severe injuries and asks if he knows who he is. When she calls him Amal, he thinks the name sounds familiar. However, he has no memory of who he is or what happened to him. The first ten pages were interesting and created the mystery of who this man is. 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. Based on the first ten pages and the OBC review, I would like to finish reading this book. I am interested in the mystery surrounding this man.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 11:54 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chelsy Scherba
The first chapter with Amal was horrifying. I can only imagine she was blown up or bombed, what a terrible thing to go through. The OBC reviewer was correct about the descriptions, they are vivid and emotional. I didn’t see any typos or errors, so the book appears to be exceptionally edited. I don’t really read this genre, so I would not have discovered this book outside of the program. The writing is excellent, but maybe a little too emotional for me right now. I can’t think of any suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 11:31 am by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
kirthana_shivakumar
I would have read this book even without this opportunity because I love books that weave romance and other important issues. I will read the rest of the book because the beginning is very intriguing. I really liked the dramatic writing style. I do not have any negative feedback. I also did not notice any errors.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 11:24 am by kirthana_shivakumar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Michelle Menezes
I couldn't guess what the book was about from the title, but when I saw the cover, I thought it had something to do with the LGBTQ+ community. The blurb gave an idea about the content, and I decided not to read it. The Official OnlineBookClub review had good things to say about it, but books based on politics, activism, and patriotism are not my cup of tea. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided to stick to my decision and not continue with it. The beginning shows Amal's condition in the hospital after suffering some trauma. It also talks about the formation of Isratine by uniting Israel and Palestine, and the Israeli Prime Minister's son's reaction to it. I liked the author's writing style, especially the part with Amal's thoughts. It was lyrical and flowed beautifully. I only found one error, so the book seems professionally edited. For example, "Under the cloth things are terribly wrong, and I don’t want to find out." There should be a comma after "cloth." I don't think the book needs any improvement.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 10:43 am by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I can't tell much from the cover, since I don't know what the symbols mean. I loved the blurb, though. We rarely get good LGBTQ+ fiction here in OBC, so I would've bought the book based on my first impressions, despite the mixed ratings.
I have mixed feelings about the first ten pages. On the one hand, the opening is strong, and I wonder why Amal is in the hospital and almost died. Most of all, I wonder if she should've died. On the downside, the Prime Minister's son is annoyingly immature. We see this in the way he treats his date (“Oh, for God’s sake! Put some clothes on and please leave. You are a nice woman, but I need to be alone,") and how he blames everything, including his alcoholism, on his parents.
There are a couple of minor mistakes, such as a missing full stop on page 7: "is my rope, my secret map of escape. Beep…Beep…BEEP"
I would suggest fixing these minor mistakes. What convinced me to read the book, since I was on the fence based on the sample, was the official OBC review.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 10:17 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
J_odoyo
After reading the first ten pages of White Smoke: A Novel by Itamar S. N., I have realized that the book seems to have been well written and riveting. I didn’t have any problem with the book’s cover page; I think it was well-designed. The book’s title was also okay. There were no errors in the sample I read, and I would wager that the book was professionally edited. The description on the Amazon website was also okay. The book had an official OnlineBookClub review, which gave insight into what the book is all about. The earlier pages give a gripping fictional story of a formation of a new bi-national country—Isratine. This new country unites Israel and Palestine countries who have agreed to come together for peace purposes. The progress of this book is promising, and I can’t stop guessing what is next. Sincerely, I have no recommendation for the improvement of this book; the sample was well written and enjoyable. I liked the flow of the story. However, reading this sample didn’t change my mind to finally finish reading this book; I’m not a fan of this genre.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 10:11 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
The cover, title, and genre all attracted my attention. The blurb promises romance and suspense, which I love to read. The editorial review states that the book is about love between two men and the rights of all human beings. The customer reviews revealed that the book has a sad ending which concerns me, but at the same time, I want to know what happened. The OnlineBookClub review revealed that this book is an emotional read about what price you would be willing to pay for the love of your country. All of these intrigued me. However, it was the first ten pages that made me decide to purchase and read this book. I found the conflict between father and son over politics exciting and how they overcame their differences. The first few pages of the book made me curious about what happened to land Amal in the hospital. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages or anything I would recommend the author change. The book appears to have been edited by a professional editor.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 10:10 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Timothy Rucinski
Although I liked the cover, I couldn't figure out what the book was about from the imagery. At first glance, I suspected it to be a science-fiction novel. Nevertheless, it was captivating enough to have interested me and I would have checked it out had I come across it in a bookstore. It wasn't until I read the first lines of the Official OBC Review that I understood the book's underlying theme, which struck me as pure fantasy given the state of affairs in the Middle East. I don't like to criticize fellow reviewers, but the Official OBC Review told me absolutely nothing about this book other than the author's emotional feelings. Other than the theme, I had no idea about what the story involved, and for that reason, I didn't have enough to go on to want to read this book. After reading the first ten pages, I was certain that I would not read the book. There wasn't really anything that I liked other than the cover. What I disliked most was the overall wordiness of the writing style. Phrases such as "I can feel the molecules of my face..." on page 10 don't ring true for me. And unlike the Official OBC Reviewer, I found plenty of grammatical errors. For example, on page 7, in the paragraph that begins "The contours of my body..." there is an unnecessary comma following the word "power" in the following sentence: "I concentrate all my power, to try to open them a crack to reveal the real world, a world that might give me answers to the situation that I am in." At the beginning of the next paragraph, the comma should be either be replaced by a semi-colon or a period to end the sentence: "I utter a quick prayer, finally a crack opens." On page 8, in the paragraph beginning "I try asking..." there is no need for a comma after "where I am" in the following sentence: "I try asking the woman where I am, and why I'm here, and she is alarmed, jumping out of her seat, not answering, she rushes to my bedside." On page 12, in the paragraph beginning "Darling..." there should be a period after "peaceful" indicating the end of a sentence and there is no need for a comma following the word "Jerusalem": "She sounded so peaceful, I could even smell in my home in Jaffa, the Martini she was holding in Jerusalem, at 9 AM." My recommendation for improvement is to have the book edited or, at least, professionally proofread.
First Ten review added on November 9, 2021, at 9:20 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 24%
White Smoke earned a score of 24%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 24% 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 White Smoke
