Cover for OOF

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for OOF: An Online Outrage Fiesta for the Ages

Because OOF 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.

Ann Ogochukwu

2074422
I may not have sampled this book based on its cover, but I would have given it a try after reading its OBC review. I was intrigued by the review.
My intrigue continued upon sampling the book, and that was because of the narrator's tone. The tone of the book was confessional, especially the preface, where the narrator talked about her past and desires. Simply, I liked the mystery I perceived in this book. I'll like to complete this book.
I didn't notice any errors while reading. I don't think this book needs any improvement.

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 4:59 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Asma Aisha Ansari

1991474
I immediately wanted to sample this book based on its cover and title, as it's simple but powerful. The sample is amazing because it cleverly captures the confusion and danger surrounding every human being when an online outrage 'event' turns even an innocuous thing into something sinister. In fact, things that didn't have any potential to cause any harm become harmful because of social media storms.

I liked how vlogs, blogs, Twitter, newspapers, and legal blogs covered the matter. These reactions felt extremely real. There's nothing that I disliked about the sample. The book seems professionally edited, as I came across just one sentence with a minor error in the bit I read. Here's the sentence: Participants typically did not change their opinion or were in fact persuaded to increase the intensity of their existing opinion. In this sentence, there should be a comma before and after the words 'in fact'. Hence, I would suggest that the book be edited thoroughly once for such minor errors. The official OBC review and the Amazon reviews are promising and encouraging. However, even without reading these reviews, I would have picked this book up because it's the kind of book I always look forward to reading.

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 4:58 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

va2016

119030
The title "OOF" and the cover with the subtitle that states "Online Outrage Fiesta" indicate that the book is about an online outrage. There are 71 Amazon customer ratings, which is a sufficient number for me to decide to sample the book. The Amazon summary of the book contains a set of reviews, but they are not helping me in deciding whether to sample the book or not. I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program as it was not really clear to me as what the book is about. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing the protagonist describing how it was to live with their partner. As I got interested in the narration, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. There were no grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is its eloquent narration. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 4:44 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Jeremie Mondejar

215415
The cover photo isn't attractive, so I will not pick this book in any store. I sampled this book and was surprised by the font's size. I appreciate the font's size and really likes it. I agree with the Amazon blurb about the "hilarious" scenario. The smell topic seems a bit funny. The book has an OBC review, but it doesn't affect my decision. When in terms of editing, it looks well-written because I don't see any typos. Lastly, my only suggestion for improvement is changing the cover photo into something stunning and colorful.

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 4:26 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

xsquare

1815722
I don’t usually read books of this genre, 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 like that each chapter seems to be written in a different style. However, I didn't find the transition between each chapter to be seamless – I found it quite difficult to follow what was happening. I did not see any typos. 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 December 4, 2021, at 4:02 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Shrabastee Chakraborty

614426
The title was quirky; however, despite the official OBC review's praise, I did not feel inclined to read the book because of its premise. I failed to find any error in the first ten pages. The initial chapter talked about a FLOTUS who wanted her potentials to bloom. She felt disheartened when a gallery sued her and kept her paintings hostage, yet her husband did not take any step. I liked how the author had expressed her anguish. I had no improvements to suggest, either. However, I still didn't prefer to read the book and would pass it.

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 3:51 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sou Hi

1445186
The cover and the official review from OBC are alright, but the ratings on Amazon are not very good. Since the blurb's promising, I decided to give the sample a try. It begins with Strobe's book, FLOTUS: A Memoir. However, its leaked chapters receive many negative responses.

I like the topic of social media's fake news. The editing is good. However, the sample is quite confusing, especially when the character has the same name as the author. I think the author should change Strobe's name and clarify the context. Since the book is not interesting enough, I won't buy it.

Error example: No More Treason Strobe! -> I think there should be a comma between "Treason" and "Strobe"

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 3:15 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Justine Ocsebio

1872914
I wouldn’t have sampled the book based on the blurb, as I wasn’t interested in the premise. I liked how the book began with the editor introducing the reader to his friend, Strobe. The book was about how Strobe became a victim of internet outrage. I’m not interested in the premise, so I’m skipping the book. The OBC review did not affect my decision. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement. The text is well edited.

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 2:14 am by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jennifer Garcia 555

2026742
I would not pick this book to read because the title and the cover are very plain. The cover did not stand out or appeal to me. I didn’t notice any editing errors, so the book seems professionally edited. I like how the book is set up. There are articles and Tweets about the author. It made for an interesting flow. This story could use a more exciting cover and the parts that seem like parts of a different book were a bit confusing. The official Online Book Club review that I read gave this book a great rating. However, this did not convince me to read this book. I steer clear of political books. I will not be buying or finishing this book.

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 1:19 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Annelore Trujillo

97769
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. A big turn away for me was that the blurb on Amazon only had quotes from reviews. It didn’t have any type of summary or description of the book. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I didn’t like the format. It jumped from one introduction to the next and then from the journal article to the transcript then to the Twitter feed. I might have liked this better if it seemed more like actual documents. For example, if the Twitter feed looked like a webpage, that would’ve been better. I think the presentation could use improvement. As it was, I just didn’t like this jumping around trying to pull everything together. There wasn’t anything specific that I liked so far. The book did seem to be professionally edited.

First Ten review added on December 4, 2021, at 12:11 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Manang Muyang

176802
The title demands attention. The minimalist cover speaks volumes; the vintage typewriter font is genius. The blurb shouts FAKE NEWS. One review included in the blurb says this book has "a more personal story painted almost invisibly in the negative space." I don't need more convincing. I am a tech and social media klutz, and I want this book. I believe it will give me all the reasons to remain such a klutz. I am ecstatic that it is free. I would have sampled the book outside of the program. I found the first four chapters addictive (the book is an anthology of various news articles, blog entries, emails, and other writings), so I decided to finish the book pronto. There were no noticeable errors in the bit I read. I liked the unique presentation of the book as an anthology and didn't see anything that could be done better. The official OBC review gave the perfect rating, but I didn't need to read it to make my decision. The email announcement for this BOTD said that the book "reminds us all that It. Can. Always. Get. Stupider." God help us!

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 11:32 pm by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Sarah_Khan

89585
At first glance, I liked the simple cover of this book. I also thought the title was clever. The plot seems unique but I do not like satire, so I would not have sampled this even without the First Ten program. The first few pages were well edited. I did not know about the English Treason Act of 1351. It seems wrong to punish someone for only imagining something. The OBC review was positive, but it did not persuade me to finish reading this book. Satire is not my cup of tea. Therefore, I will not be reading the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 10:08 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Rosemary Owolabi

2702082
If I hadn't sampled the first ten pages of this program, I wouldn't have chosen this book.
The book cover looks too plain for my liking. I like bright colors or catchy front covers.
No, I wouldn't have purchased the book because it is free on Kindle.
I honestly don't want to continue reading it because it doesn't interest me.
Yes, this book was professionally edited. I didn't notice any typos/errors in the first ten pages.
The first ten pages were about a woman reminiscing about her past, her husband's mood swings, regrets, and achievements, which seemed to be pushing her backward. It was overshadowing her negatively because she had incurred a lawsuit for closing her gallery. She wants people to see the good side of her and not the negative side. She wasn't going to keep changing people's opinions of her but wanted to focus on her achievements. Furthermore, she wanted things between her and her husband to get back together, like in the good old days. Besides, she missed how things used to be.
The writing style seems complicated and touches on too many topics at once. If she could tone it down and focus on a few things at a time, it seems like an interesting book. 

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 8:59 pm by Rosemary Owolabi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Gabrielle Sigaki

1762417
OOF by Strobe Witherspoon is a political satire that mixes fiction and non-fiction stories involving misinterpretation and social media. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review since I'm not interested in political satires. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I won't read the entire book. However, it seems professionally edited, there's nothing to be improved in it, and I liked the fact that the author used free indirect speech since the narrator's thoughts and conversations were mixed in the paragraphs.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 8:42 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

brooke oakes

2554006
I doubt I would have sampled or read this book outside this program. It’s cover is simple and the title doesn’t reveal much. The OBC review did not share anything about the book that interested me. The Amazon reviews didn’t really appeal to me either.
It’s a book that explores the effects of social media and the spread of misinformation. In the beginning blogs, social media, and news articles are said to be similar to toxins poisoning a well. The book shows how small bits of information can grow into dangerous explosions that can be detrimental. I liked the vivid narration of this book, but nothing else in the book appealed to me, so I won't complete it.
I don't notice any errors, while I read. I don't think this book needs any improvement.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 7:36 pm by brooke oakes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jorge Leon Salazar

1225511
The cover and title are bizarre, but they generate intrigue to know what the book is about. I think this combination would attract many readers. I like the topic of the negative effects of social media. The blurb indicates this book explores the role of satire in a society where the media outlets in their quest to stay alive transmit anger and misinformation. Most customer reviews are favorable and highlight the book as a social satire. Based on the comments, I am inclined to try this book. The first ten pages center on the content of the document "FLOTUS: A Memoir", in which the former first lady allegedly harshly criticizes her husband, the former president of the US. The author of the writing is Strobe Witherspoon. What I read is a bit tangled because it seems like a true story associated with former President Trump. However, later one can see it is a fictitious story. Also, It is somewhat confusing that it is implied that the aforementioned writing caused the demise of Witherspoon. The book has a satirical approach and addresses the issue of the effect of what is published on social media. Hence, it can be concluded that what these first pages express is part of that approach. I can see there is a Strobe character other than the author. The official OnlineBookClub review indicates that the book addresses the issue of judgments and criticisms made on social networks. This is very important since many people give credit to what they read in them without doing any verification. Plus, It confirms the satirical perspective which includes life lessons. The editing looks professional as I didn't see any details to comment on. Overall, I did not see anything that I believe could be improved. What I read seemed interesting but somewhat entangled. Although I know this is intentional, it does not motivate me to read the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 7:22 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

MsH2k

1404847
I liked the simple and slightly odd title and cover, and I would have probably sampled this book even if I were not part of this program. It sounded interesting. The sample pages revealed a story with many layers: the fictional FLOTUS memoir, attacks on Strobe for writing it, and the narrator’s voice. It ended up being too many moving parts for me. I did not like the whole FLOTUS memoir in the center of it all because it was not fictional enough. It was obvious who the real person was, and I would have preferred if it were truly based on a fictional character. I will not finish this book. It is satirical and clever, but it is also too realistic. I did not notice any grammatical errors in the first ten pages, and I have no suggestions for improvement. The featured OnlineBookClub review had no bearing on my decision.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 6:30 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Rachael S 1

2528506
I love the title of the book. OOF is a fun way to catch a reader's language. I was initially confused by the review and the book's blurb. I took some time to realize this was a novel regarding a memoir written and then destroyed through social media - not just a simple memoir. Either way, I prefer books that are either high-paid thrillers or sci-fi. I will not be purchasing and reading the full book. Perhaps reading further into the book will resolve some of the confusion the initial few pages have caused, however, this is not a book that I am interested in. I did not find any grammatical or spelling errors in the first few pages.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 5:13 pm by Rachael S 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Melisa Jane

1660668
I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its cover because it is too simple and not very appealing. After sampling it, I won't finish reading it because I couldn't connect how satire plays here. Reading about how charming the man is made the book seem more of a romance novel. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of this genre. I think the cover should be changed to something a little more visually appealing. Since this isn't my genre, I liked nothing about the book. I didn't find any grammatical errors while reading. This book has an official OBC review.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 2:43 pm by Melisa Jane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Diana Lowery

1202329
I liked the colors of the cover. The title reminded me of a great scrabble word, but I learned in the OBC review that it was an acronym of an online outrage fiesta. The blurb mentioned that it was a satirical novel, which I usually like. The OBC review also mentioned that it was about a conspiracy theory and that it was confusing. The only errors that I saw were an abundance of stylistic sentence fragments. I am not going to finish reading the book because of the obvious allusion to the Trump family.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 2:43 pm by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mutai Marshal

1793503
I wouldn’t have read this book outside the First Ten program since I could connect with neither its cover page nor title. From the sample, I didn’t grasp much information. The information seemed intricate and required more time to fathom. Having read the OBC review, I will not buy this book because I am not interested in satirical reads. It seems exceptionally edited. I recommend incorporating a table of contents to guide readers.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 1:47 pm by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sanju Lali

739725
I had never heard about OOF. Therefore, I could not guess anything about the contents of this book. I read the OBC official review to know about its contents. The OBC official review gave me the idea that this book shows how social media can either make or mar someone. I was motivated by this 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, "This time, it’s an older gentleman with a strong limp and rosy cheeks." The sentence could have been as follows. "This time, it’s an older gentleman with strong limp and rosy cheeks." What I liked about the book is the author's courage in sharing the truth about his life, including the reasons for his sister's demise. To my dismay, I found the narrative too often deviating away from the core topic to the other things, which distracted me and made me lose interest in reading this book. I would have been glad if the things that were misrepresented against the author were prominently displayed in the book. 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 sentences. 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 can have some takeaways by reading this book.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 12:56 pm by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Michelle Menezes

2151472
I couldn't exactly guess the content of the book based on the title, but I had a feeling that it had something to do with some scandal. The blurb didn't interest me, so I decided not to read it even though the Official OnlineBookClub review had good things to say about it. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided not to continue with it. I'm so confused about what I read. I couldn't even understand where exactly the book began. It mentioned a little about FLOTUS, which talks about a woman's rise to the First Lady of the United States. The first chapter was leaked, and Strobe was targeted. I can't say I liked anything about the book since I barely understood what was going on. I also can't suggest any improvements for the same reason. The author is said to be Strobe Witherspoon, but it felt like a different person was narrating the events. I didn't find any errors, so the book seems professionally edited.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 9:20 am by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gen_g

697597
Looking at the title and Amazon blurb, it is obvious that the book is a piece of satire – I am not in the market for satire, so I would not have sampled it, even if I came across a positive OBC review (which I did for BOTD). There are a couple of errors present. On page 6, there is a missing comma to mark the introductory word: "Then(,) the long stretches...". I suggest more editing to improve the book. Additionally, another suggestion to improve the book would be to redesign the cover illustration, as it could be more sophisticated. Next, a short preface by the author included at the beginning of the book detailing the reasons behind writing the book will also go a long way; this is because satire is always personal and hence always political – understanding where the author's perspectives lie will only help to ease the reading experience. However, I do like the inclusion of detail present, such as the little descriptive details about the narrator of FLOTUS: A Memoir. These little details help the reader to have a more immersive reading experience. To illustrate, we learn the the narrator (a former FLOTUS) is an immigrant who has two master's degrees and is fluent in five languages. Also, we learn that the narrator's husband (the former President of the United States) smelled like "fresh dry-cleaning mixed with buttery sunscreen". I am not in the market for satire, so I will not be reading the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 4:01 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kirsi Cultrera

1629804
Just by looking at the cover of this book, I had no idea what to expect from the content. Therefore, it is unlikely that I would have sampled this book without this program. The Official OnlineBookClub review revealed that this was indeed a satire about a modern world topic that more or less touches us all. Social media is here to stay, and this book shows the worst sides of it. Reading the review added to my interest towards this book, as I usually love satire. However, the sample pages indicated that the story might be quite complicated and would need a lot of concentration from the reader. I could not form a proper picture of the book after I had read the sample, and it did not really hook me to the story. There were so many parties included, like the FLOTUS, Strobe, the narrator, and several publishers, that it was impossible to figure out which ones were the most relevant to the story. Deciding whether to read this book further was difficult. If I was to base my judgment on the review, I should read the book. On the other hand, the sample did not convince me at all. In the end, I decided to skip reading this book. The first reason is stated above, and the second reason is that I am somewhat tired of topics related to social media. However, this book appeared well-edited and is probably a good picture of our times.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 3:43 am by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kaitlyn Canedy

1401101
If OOF hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I likely would not have read the sample of it. The description told me that this book would be satirical; I am not a fan of satirical books because I do not understand them. There are customer reviews, but I did not read them because I already knew that I would be skipping the book after reading the description. I enjoyed what the book title's meaning was as this was very original. However, I did not enjoy that the book is more on the political side. This is another reason why I have decided to skip the book. An official OnlineBookClub review exists for this title, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. There are no improvements that I can think of for this book, and I did not notice any grammatical errors in the sample. If a reader enjoys books that pertain to social media and satire, then they may like this one.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 2:58 am by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

J_odoyo

1344976
After reading the first ten pages of this book (OOF by Strobe Witherspoon), I’ve realized that the book seems to have been well-written and riveting. Though the cover page was plain and had no attractive features, I didn’t find a reason to dislike it; moreover, I don’t always shop by cover page. Its title was creative and attractive. I liked the OnlineBookClub review; it gave insight into what the book was all about. I didn’t encounter any errors in the sample, and I would guess the book was professionally edited. I have no recommendation for the improvement of this book; the sample was well written. The Amazon website’s book description was also informative. The author mentioned that the book is intended to capture the essence of the Online Outrage Fiesta (OOF) that led to his friend’s demise, and the reviewer also indicated that it’s a satirical story. Fans of such stories will enjoy this book. Having read the sample and the OnlineBookClub review, I’m not going to finish reading this book because I’m not a fan of this genre.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 2:56 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Joseph Mutuku 1

2339373
Having read the first ten pages of this book, I would boldly confirm that fans of satirical stories will find a treat in this novel. Strobe Witherspoon has paints the pages of this book with an enjoyable prose. It’s true that “an outrage on the internet can turn into real-world damage that can’t be deleted.” Its preface was titled “FLOTUS: A Memoir,” and its introduction was also titled as “OOF: A Compendium.” I liked that uniqueness, and also how they were written. I think both the book’s cover page and the title were okay. The author did a good job in editing the book (I found zero errors), and I believe the book was professionally edited. The official Online Book Club review was insightful enough to answer most of the questions I would have before selecting this book. After reading the sample, I’m not going to finish reading this book because of the previously mentioned reasons. I have no advice for the author; I believe the book is well-written, and it will appeal to those who love using social media and loves of satirical stories.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 2:46 am by Joseph Mutuku 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Howlan

1471486
I do not think I would have read this book as the synopsis did not interest me. In the first ten pages, after a preface of the former first lady's memoir was leaked, a blog is shown that asks people to raise their voices against her for her remarks. Then a detailed analysis of the charges she could be accused of is given. The narration is detailed and well-paced. I did not find the content interesting. I generally prefer reading fast-paced mystery thrillers, so this book did not pique my interest. So, as I am not the target audience for this book, I am not going to read the rest of it. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The official OBC review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 2:20 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Catherine Hsu

104096
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would not have read the book. This does sound creative from the blurb but I'm not sure this kind of parody is for me. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind, partly for the same reason. It was creative indeed, but I think the book could actually go even further with its experimental style. For example, mock news articles could actually be formatted as one and be on a news template, and the tweets could actually look like screenshots. I would ask the author to reference books like Illuminae for that. I think it could really take the book to another level and as an artist, I think it would have made the story a lot more immersive. That was the main thing I'd change; the book was professionally edited. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 2:12 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kira Bonita Reece

2272578
I don't particularly like the cover of this book but the reviews I've read were all amazing. This book had an official online book club review and I would choose to read this book based on the reviews. The pages I've read were professionally edited and what I liked most about this book was how unique it was. The main character was in a huge age-gap relationship and was often the topic of gossips. I also liked the theme of how social media can break someone. I will be reading the entire book. It is very enticing.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 12:19 am by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Ari Martinez

1624319
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 even though I like satire, I don't like political satire. Books are an escape from reality for me, so I would prefer not to be reminded of politics or religion when I'm reading. After reading the first ten pages, I won't continue reading the book because of the same reason mentioned previously. My favorite part of the sample was how each chapter seemed to be from a different source (FLOTUS: A memoir, Publishers Weekly, etc.). I don't know if this will continue until the end of the book, but it felt very unique and realistic. I don't think the book needs improvement, and it appears professionally edited.

First Ten review added on December 3, 2021, at 12:15 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mercy Bolo

2131205
This book's cover didn't entice me to read it, and the OBC review dissuaded me when it mentioned that the author narrates an ensuing outrage fueled by the leak of a chapter from Strobe Witherspoon's book. That storyline doesn't appeal to me, so I won't read the rest of the book. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that FLOTUS wanted people to see another side of her. She wanted to be the bridge between the tragedy of the country's recent past and the promise of the future. I spotted 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 December 2, 2021, at 11:49 pm by Mercy Bolo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Rodel Barnachea

1816865
Upon going over the title's Amazon page and official OnlineBookClub review, I decided not to acquire the satire fiction novel. I am not intrigued by the content of the leaked excerpt from Witherspoon's book. I am also not interested in reading how Strobe will deal with the public's reaction to the leak. Poring over its Amazon sample did not change my mind. I would not purchase it because nothing in the text appealed to my interests, piqued my curiosity, or compelled me to read the satire. The first ten pages include the first four chapters (or sections, I'm not sure what to call it) and some pages of the fifth chapter. My favorite part is when an article from The New Journal reported that it is the first time a current president has been served a divorce paper by his wife. I was not able to identify any errors in the sample; I believe the book is professionally edited. I have no advice to offer to the author.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 9:37 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kelyn

741624
As this book falls firmly outside my preferred genres, it is unlikely that I would have found it. Even if I had, nothing in particular about the cover or title would have caught my attention. There is no blurb as such, but instead a series of reviews of the book. These include a brief excerpt from the official OBC review stating it's score on this site. These reviews, as well as the ensuing customer reviews, are all highly complimentary. This gave a good impression of the book going into the sample. Aside from a few fairly obvious statements about the fictional FLOTUS, such as the one about nude paintings and the one about the...ahem...contraption, the book reads similarly to a nonfiction book. That is, it does unless you are privy to the fact that it is a satire. In that case, Witherspoon's tongue-in-cheek humor comes through loud and clear. Somewhat embarassingly, I must admit the bit about the 'contraption' made me chuckle. I can't say that I had a favorite part of the sample, but neither can I say that I would change anything. Unfortunately, the subject matter just didn't engage me. For this reason, despite my enjoyment of the author's writing style, I will not be continuing to read the book. It seemed well-edited. I found no 'countable' errors in the first ten pages.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 9:27 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Scerakor

45879
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I might have read this book. The satirical and quirky nature of this one really attracted me. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will be reading the rest of this book since I already have my copy. I loved the humour that bled into the pages, literally from page one. One great example, that gave me a smile and epitomises the book's premise, was "Business is good because things are bad." Unsurprisingly for a book about a book and writing, I didn't see any errors in the sample I read. It definitely looked well written and edited. Although I honestly tried to come up with something, I didn't see anything specific that I would have changed from the sample that I read. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 9:15 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Eunice Geres

1826192
It's the first time I've ever heard of the meaning of OOF. The premise of the novel is genuinely intriguing. It's something I've never read before. The cover is also good. It has a great first impression on me. But I don't get it. The first ten pages are written from the perspective of Strobe's friend. And the introduction suggests that Strobe is dead. But the author is Strobe. I really don't understand it. Even the official review is confused at one point. I wouldn't say I liked anything or even enjoyed reading the first ten pages, so I won't finish this book. But to be technical, it's wonderfully written. It has no grammatical errors, and the narrative flows smoothly. I think other people would love it. It's just not for me.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 8:18 pm by Eunice Geres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mariana Figueira

1878669
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 it was too confusing: the book is supposed to be fiction but the first chapter says memoir in the title, and then the character's name is the same as the author's name... I didn't understand what was going on and I idn't like that at all. However, I don't know if this is something tht could be improved. This book seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookClub review. There was nothing I saw that I particularly enjoyed.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 6:05 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Hazel Arnaiz

1897704
I will pick this book outside the program. I find the old-school-typewriter-printout-look of the cover eye-catching. Using an acronym as a title works to draw attention. But, the blurb says it is about politics and social media. Right now, I am not in the market for such topics. The current political climate from my side of the globe is entertaining enough. After sampling, I appreciate the creative approach to examining the social media culture. Different media sources show various perspectives instead of using vignettes or switching points of view. The technique adds a realistic feel. For improvement, I suggest reconsidering the font style from the start of the book up to the second chapter. It looks tightly spaced and somehow strains the eye. Editing looks neat with only a few issues. Here is an example.

Page 6. Grammar. Consider changing the verb form.

I now enjoyed painting, philosophy, history.

I now [enjoy] painting, philosophy, history.

The official OnlineBookClub review is enthusiastic and insightful. It helps me reconsider keeping this book in mind. For now, I will pass.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 5:50 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

markodim721

2105861
I would choose to read a sample of this book because of the title and cover. I also read the blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews but they did not influence my decision. The title of the book attracted me because it has similarities with the word "off" but also with the James Bond code "007". The cover of the book is clearly designed and due to the contrast of black and white, it is very impressive. I will read the book because I liked its actuality. Besides, the influence of social media is a topic that interests me. 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 the way Strobe's personality is described because his physical appearance and behavior seem very authentic and harmonized. I don’t think anything needs to be improved in the book. The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review, I read it but it also did not influence my decision.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 4:31 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Emy Katherine

94929
Without this program, I would not have read the book based on the genre and the OBC review. As I am not interested in reading political satire books, I did not change my mind after reading the first ten pages. The story follows a writer named Strobe Witherspoon, who finds himself dealing with social media harassment after writing a book focused on the life of the first lady of the United States. I found the writing style quite captivating and also liked that the chapters were short. Plus, I only noticed some minor errors that did not distract me from my reading. For example, there should be a comma after "apparently" in the following sentence: "Apparently the 'fictional' president in this book likes it when FLOTUS..." (page 16) I also noticed a missing comma after "rifle" in the following sentence: "If they ever make me carry a rifle the first man I want to get in my sights is [President] L.B.J." (page 20) Personally, there was nothing that needed to be improved.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 4:05 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Yvonne Monique

1919118
The book title is very original and would make me pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The blurb and OBC review give a good description, but make me doubt if this is a book that I would like to read. The sample is well edited, but I found the writing style confusing. I understand that ten pages are not enough to fully grasp the author's intention, but I could not really understand what this book is about. It felt like I was reading the thoughts of the protagonist, and these thoughts jumped from one subject to the other. As I believe that this is not a kind of story that I will enjoy, I will not read the rest of the book. I have no suggestions for improvement.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 4:04 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Laura Ungureanu

620179
The book's appearance didn't make me want to read it. The title is strange and the cover too simple. The OBC review and the Amazon description raised my interest because I like satirical books. However, the action of the book was a mystery to me. I couldn't understand exactly what it is about from the reviews and descriptions I read. I gave this book a chance anyway because I wanted to see if I will like it. The writing style felt unique. I liked the way the author described personalities, emphasizing the strange habits one might have, like enjoying shiny things. Finishing the Introduction with "I wish it had a better ending" really made me curious. However, I'm not interested in the world of politics and media. I liked everything about the book and I wouldn't change a thing, but the subject is not really one I want to learn more about. The sample was professionally edited.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 3:05 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Stephanie Runyon

1424579
The title is eye catching, and I would have sampled the book after reading the subtitle: An Online Outrage Fiesta for the Ages. I find the defense for Strobe Witherspoon against the slanderous remarks that the story presents to be interesting. I also noted Strobe Witherspoon is the author, so perhaps the account could be biased? I noted a grammar error: “Secondly, it is nothing short of legal malpractice to weigh in on something like this on the internet without having even a basic understanding of the details of the case.” Even should be removed to make the sentence clear and avoid excessive wordiness. To improve the book, FLOTUS before the introduction made it hard for me to connect it to the story. I think the introduction should come first, especially since explains the correlation to the story. There is an OBC review, and it did evoke my interest in reading this book. I listen to podcasts by Ben Shapiro, Heavy Duty Country, and The Daily Wire which sound similar to the contents of this book. I will continue reading OOF, as I believe the novel will be enlightening on some facts and entertaining with its fictional content.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 2:50 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Brenda Creech

1236408
I would have checked this book out based on the title more than on the cover because I thought it would be a fun book to read. After reading the OBC review, I was skeptical but wanted to read more of the book to see what I thought. While reading the first ten pages, I did not encounter any errors or anything that needed improvement. But, I have to say, from page one, I was confused. The chapter on FLOTUS was a strange way to start the book, in my opinion. Plus, if this is fiction, don't make who the FLOTUS was so obvious! One major thing I did agree with the author was that '...outrage on the internet can turn into real-world damage that can’t be deleted.' That is true. Social media has made it possible for one person to be taunted and harassed by others. The couple of things I have mentioned above are honestly the only things I read that I even halfway understand. I have never had a good comprehension of satire. Therefore, I have decided not to read the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 1:49 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Timothy Rucinski

697172
Well, the cover is certainly different from most that I've seen and it would have caught my eye. It reminded me of Ginsberg's "Howl and Other Poems" with respect to the typeface and graphics. The Official OBC Review was interesting too, although not exactly intriguing. But after the first several pages, none of which made much sense to me, I wasn't hooked enough to want to continue. Perhaps this is a good book, but I don't think it's for me. I can't really say whether I liked or disliked anything. The overall impact is just one of "meh." I suppose if I were to like anything it would be the cover for the reason mentioned above. And if I were to dislike anything, it was the repetitious changes in typeface within the text. I don't have any recommendations for improvement. Lastly, I believe the book was professionally edited as I found no errors.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 1:35 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

zainherb

384585
Since I have not read a review of this book, I found the title to be rather vague. It was only after reading the book sample that I understood the title and appreciated the comedy of it. So, based on just the title, I would not have wanted to read the book. The same goes for the book cover as it is not the most appealing cover design and reveals nothing about the book's content. I would recommend that the author change the book cover to be more attractive.
From the book itself, I appreciate the satirical nature of the novel. Also, I did not find any errors, which is great. I think it is a nice book, and will be interesting for some people. However, I am not one of them because the content did not interest me enough. I don't believe this is my kind of book and for this, I won't be reading the complete book.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 1:34 pm by zainherb.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

AntonelaMaria

1285898
Satire is not a genre I'm overly familiar with. I like the premise of this book, and the Official Onlinebookclub review is very favorable. I enjoyed the sample too. So, I want to continue reading this book. Deciding factor was the sample. I enjoyed it. It is relevant, funny but also a thought-provoking book. A reader can draw a clear conclusion about the inspiration for a FLOTUS from the book. It is a book I would nominate for a monthly forum discussion. There are many conversation starters within this book that are important for today's cultural climate. Some of them are social media, news outlets, media in general, the political atmosphere, cancel culture, and the outrage mob. I didn't notice any errors, and I wouldn't change anything about the book. It is a book I would recommend to other readers too.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 12:30 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Kajori Sheryl Paul

997537
'OOF' is a book written by Strobe Witherspoon. Witherspoon is the author of the book, 'Flotus: A Memoir.' After the first chapter of the book is released, Witherspoon experiences a lot of unwarranted criticism. 'OOF' is a compendium that shows the extent of the flak Witherspoon experienced. There is nothing in need of an improvement. The OBC review is informative. I would skip this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I am not interested in reading non-fiction books as of now. I will skip this book as I am not interested in reading books of this genre as of now.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 12:20 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Astral Magi

2482704
The cover and title drew my attention. I would have chosen the book based on these and the genre, had I not read the first ten pages. The first ten pages, as well as the official OBC review, confirmed my initial reaction. I didn't see any blurbs or other reviews. I enjoyed the part where FLOTUS expresses her views on the political situation. The satirical repertoire is particularly entertaining. I didn't spot any errors and nothing needs to be improved. The book was professionally edited.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 12:08 pm by Astral Magi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda

712962
I like the typewriter font from the cover very much, and a book named only by initials intrigued me. The blurb is short but explanatory enough and, most of all, I think the topic is meaningful and relatable to anyone who lives in this day and age. Therefore, despite the mixed ratings, I would have bought the book based on my first impressions.
What stands out from the first ten pages, in my opinion, is the precise but striking choice of words the author makes. We see this, from the start, in the extract from "FLOTUS: A Memoir": "I now enjoyed painting, philosophy, history. Not smiling, waving, starving."
And later on, on the description of Strobe, "to whom the human race’s unrelenting idiocy brought great joy." Strobe is a character that especially intrigues me because I can relate to his desire to reach "an age that no longer required him to explain or justify his hermit-like existence." I didn't find editing mistakes or anything I disliked, so I don't have suggestions. The official OBC review furthered my enthusiasm for this original book.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 11:26 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Bertha Jackson

1904023
Although fiction books are one of my favorite genres, I am not fond of this book’s cover or title. Therefore, I would not have checked this book out. The blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews triggered adverse emotions in me because I find many blogs and internet posts offensive because they are not honest facts. They intend to cause embarrassment and harm to the reputations of innocent people. However, some people believe everything they read on the internet. There was nothing I enjoyed in the first ten pages. I particularly disliked the comments about a president’s sex life. I am sure there are readers out there who will enjoy this book and take everything as facts about a former president. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages, and I have no recommendations for the author because the book appears to have been edited by a professional editor. I will not buy and read this book because I am not fond of the topic.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 10:45 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Theresa Moffitt

857578
I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The cover art is very plain and would not have caught my eye. Also, the title and cover art don’t tell me what the book is about. The Online Book Club review was very positive and recommended the book. This increased my interest and told me more about the story. I didn’t read any additional customer reviews. 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 are told from my the point fo view of a woman who is in a relationship with a much older man. He’s wealthy and has become interested in politics. The description reminds me of Melania Trump. She describes herself as an immigrant who makes her way to the White House. I wasn’t drawn into the story enough in the first ten pages to want to finish reading this book. For that reason, I will not finish reading this book.

First Ten review added on December 2, 2021, at 10:08 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Total ~ 21%

OOF earned a score of 21%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 21% 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 OOF