The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Covet Not: (Samuel Sparks Book 1)
Because Covet Not 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.
Manang Muyang
The title and cover immediately caught my interest; I am a crime story buff. I think the cover would have been more impactful without the lady, though. The blurb talked about a serial killer with a unique fetish, which increased my curiosity. I would have sampled the book outside of the program. Chapter 1 introduced Skinny, the serial killer. I liked entering his criminal mind and being privy to his plans. Chapter 2 showed the hero, Sparks, in a courtroom battle with Peterson. I am a huge fan of courtroom drama. I will read the rest of this story. I did note several grammar issues. None were distracting, but I hope the author can clear them up for a smoother read. Some of the errors follow: At 6% of the book, "She was hard working" should have used "hardworking." At 8%, a couple of statements with "Your honor" needed "Your Honor." The official OBC review gave the book a great rating; the reviewer enjoyed the courtroom scenes.
First Ten review added on September 14, 2021, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title "Covet Not" and the cover that has a lady do not indicate what the book is about. There are 119 Amazon customer ratings with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, which is great. The Amazon summary states that the book is about a missing TV reporter who is tracked by a killer. As I am intrigued by the overall story, I would have sampled the book even if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing Skinny, the killer getting ready for his next kill. As I am interested in the overall story of the book, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors. What I liked most about the book is the overall story. 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 September 14, 2021, at 4:53 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jeremie Mondejar
The title is pretty obvious about the possible topic, which I don't like to read. Plus, the book is in the series, which I am not interested right now because of being a new mom. The sample is quite entertaining because of the "check" word. I like imagining when someone says "check." The book has an OBC review that is very insightful, but it doesn't affect my decision. Fortunately, the sample is well-written, so I assume this book is professionally edited. There's nothing I can recommend for improvement because the story sounds upbeat. I will not read this book because of my reasons above.
First Ten review added on September 14, 2021, at 4:27 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
The cover is not very attractive, and Amazon's reviews look inconsistent. Since the blurb and the official review from OBC are promising, I decided to give the sample a try. The sample begins with Skinny, who kidnaps a young woman and uses her for his film. The scene then shifts to Samuel, who is trying to defend his client against a bank.
I like Samuel's mindset and meaningful choices. The editing looks good, and I have no suggestions for improvement. Since the plot seems interesting enough, I will buy the book.
Error example: They had used high pressure sales tactics and false promises to close deals, even coming to individuals' homes to make it more convenient to finalize the paperwork and closings. -> A hyphen is needed between "high" and "pressure"
First Ten review added on September 14, 2021, at 3:46 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Howlan
I think I would have read this book without the program. I like reading mystery thrillers and this book seemed good. In the first ten pages, we meet Skinny who murders a woman in cold blood for entertainment. Then we are introduced to Samuel Sparks who is fighting a case against a predatory bank for Norma Ruiz, a sixty-seven-year-old lady. The first ten pages do not progress the plot much and the characters do not leave any impact on the story. The narration is good and easy to understand. However, I am not going to read the rest of the book because the plot does not seem interesting to me. The main character also failed to leave an impact on me in the first ten pages. I also felt that the story lacked originality compared to the many crime fiction books out there. So, I do not think I will be reading the rest of this book. No typos were found in the first ten pages. The official OBC review is present and the reviewer rates it highly. For improvement, I think the main plot of this story is too common. I feel that that the author could add something unique to make the plot more interesting. For example, rather than the same antagonist who is just killing for fun, why not introduce a character who is easier to relate to? I think that can depth to all the characters and create a memorable clash between him and the protagonist.
First Ten review added on September 14, 2021, at 3:25 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The cover or the premise did not appeal to me, although the genre is my favorite. Despite the praises in the official OBC review, I wouldn't have read the book. I didn't find any error in the first ten pages. The pages described Skinny, a professional killer as he prepared for his next murder. I liked the fact that the book started from the killer's POV. However, the excerpt lacked chill despite the contents. This is one area where the book could have improved. Based on my reading experience, I wouldn't read it.
First Ten review added on September 14, 2021, at 3:08 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
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 the first chapter brings the reader inside the head of the murderer in the story. This serial killer holds an unknown woman captive. I can just imagine how this will engage someone who likes murder mysteries. However, I’m not interested in the story, so I’m not going to read it. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement. The text is well edited. The OBC review helped influence my decision.
First Ten review added on September 14, 2021, at 2:45 am by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. I like C/T/M/H books occasionally, and this story seemed interesting. After reading the first ten pages, I will be finishing this book. I was pulled in by the first chapter. Skinny seemed to be putting on some type of show, but I assumed that the tied up girl was Gina. I liked that it went from this suspense filled introduction into the first chapter with more background on the characters and the law firm and everything. There wasn’t anything specific that needs improvement. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on September 14, 2021, at 12:46 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Melisa Jane
I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its cover because the cover makes it look like a memoir. I'm not a fan of memoirs. However, after sampling it, I will continue reading it because I like the storyline. I'm curious to see how Skinny does the killings and why. I like how Skinny asks himself questions and double-checks his choices. I recommend that the author improve the cover to something more interesting. I didn't find any grammatical errors while reading. This book has an official OBC review that I saw.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 10:41 pm by Melisa Jane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jsovermyer
I lile the bookcover, especially the super-creepy person at the bottom. I would probably buy this book from the cover alone. The reviewer liked this story and gave it a high rating. I found no spelling or grammatical errors and believe it has been exceptionally well edited. I like the character, Samuel Sparks. He is a good lawyer who really cares about his clients. He wants to fight against the greedy big companies. The man in the beginning chapter who has the woman tied up is creepy. Her torture wasn't detailed yet, but I think it probably will be soon. It may be too gruesome for me to read. However. I like the story so far and am interested in finishing it.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 10:33 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gabrielle Sigaki
Covet Not by Errin P. Stowell is a thriller book that brings crime, drama, some mysterious disappearances, and a lot more. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review since I'm not interested in dramatic books like this one. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I won't read the entire book because of its dramatic aspect. Nevertheless, I think there's nothing to be improved in it and it also seems to be professionally edited. Besides, I liked the characters descriptions since they were very vivid and realistic, which made the book more interesting and engaging, in my opinion.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 10:24 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
After reading the blurb, I probably would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. It seemed like an ok plot, but it didn’t interest me too much. The sample pages breezed along. It’s always creepy getting into the head of a killer, but this guy was funny. And he got distracted a lot. I liked the writing style, and I’m actually interested in finding out what happens to Gina. I will finish this book. I hope it’s not too gory. The featured OnlineBookClub review reinforced the feeling I got from reading the first ten pages. I did not notice any grammatical errors in the sample pages, and I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 8:58 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Stephanie Runyon
I have the impression that this book may have been made into a movie, as Angelina Jolie is on the cover. I would have sampled this book based on the genre of crime fiction. The first chapter about Skinny was extremely creepy, but helped build suspense. I found it admirable that Sparks was trying to help Norma keep her home and wasn't concerned about charging her an exorbitant amount of money to do so. Professional editing appears to have been used, as I did not encounter any errors. I wouldn't change anything about this story, and the OBC review had no influence on my choice to continue reading. To be honest, I got carried away reading the book and went past the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 8:25 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sarah_Khan
The cover and title of this book are average. I would not have sampled this without the First Ten program because the plot does not seem unique. The first few pages were well edited. In a time where most of the world is dealing with a housing crisis, I couldn't help but sympathize with Norma's situation. The OBC review was positive, but it did not change my mind. Overall, I do not think the plot of this book is original enough to keep my interest. Therefore, I will not be reading the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 5:24 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sonya Nicolaidis
At first glance, I didn’t think I would be very interested in reading this book. The front cover wasn’t very appealing; I think it was the layout and coloration which put me off the most. I would certainly not have paused for a closer look in a bookstore. However, from the OBC reviewer’s comments, I realized that this book had all the elements which I really enjoy, particularly the aspect of a serial killer on the loose. Upon reading, I was very impressed by the professional writing style of the author and the way the story was carefully constructed. I loved how the serial killer made his appearance early on and then the story turns to the courtroom battle between the main character and his professional nemesis. It was a great introduction to the main plot. There was nothing to dislike in this story from my point of view, and I loved every minute of the sample. There were no noticeable errors indicating that this book was professionally edited. I would love to continue reading this book in its entirety as it holds all the elements that I find most appealing. I wish the author would consider redesigning the cover a little more creatively as this would make the book more appealing at first glance.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 4:29 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Eunice Geres
I've always wanted to try legal thriller. I wouldn't say I liked the cover, but the blurb, reviews, and genre piqued my interest. As I was reading the sample, I couldn't help but chuckle at the character's memory. The author wrote it funnily; I don't think I like that in my legal thriller. I would recommend that the author lessen the stupidity of the main character. I would still read it, though. The funny antics were written alright, if a little too much. I didn't notice any mistakes.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 8:23 am by Eunice Geres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Aubrey Lewis
The overall appearance of the book seems interesting, but it's not very eye-catching, in my opinion. When I read through the official OBC review, I instantly felt curious about the story since I am usually fond of reading well-written crime thrillers, especially ones involving fast-paced and dramatic courtroom scenes. If I weren't a part of this program, I think I still would've read the sample since the book's cover, genres, and summary interested me enough to want to check it out willingly.
When I finished sampling the first ten pages, I decided not to read the rest of the book. The contents seemed professionally edited so far, and the author's writing style was polished yet also fast-paced enough to my liking. The premise creeped me out because of the introduction of a killer named Skinny. It also seemed apparent that Skinny had memory problems since he kept thinking about a lot of things but would forget more than a few details, leaving him confused. His mind process was also quite disturbing since he was planning on filming his own murder scene with the poor woman, and I dreaded reading further as to what he would do with those nail clippers. Thankfully, it went to the next chapter instantly.
The following scenes featured Samuel Sparks and his client, Norma Ruiz. It was okay at first but when her loan situation was being explained and then broken down into parts, I got bored instantly. I think it dragged on for too long, in my opinion, especially since I am not really fond of knowing such technicalities. Due to this and also because I am not really interested enough in the story to want to read it any further, I will have to pass on this book. Since my reason is due to my own personal preference, I don't think there are any improvements the author needs to make.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 8:21 am by Aubrey Lewis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
xsquare
There was nothing particularly eye-catching in the cover, title and blurb of the book – I don’t think I would’ve sampled it if it hadn’t been part of the First Ten program. The official OBC review did not convince me. I liked the exciting start – I thought the author had done a really great job writing how disjointed and jarring Skinny’s thoughts were. I did not see any typos, and I don’t think that there was anything that the author could have done better. However, I did not find the first ten pages very compelling. I don’t think I will be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 7:56 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Upon reading the book's official OnlineBookClub review and Amazon page, I opted not to acquire the legal thriller. I did not find myself interested in learning what really happened to Gina Simmons, the protagonist's girlfriend. I am also not intrigued by the serial killer with an "atrocious" fetish; I am not curious about their identity and motivations. I believe the story is not my cup of tea. Sampling the book did not change my mind. I would not acquire it because the Amazon sample failed to capture my attention, pique my curiosity, or have me wanting to peruse the rest of the thriller. The first ten pages include Chapter 1 and some pages of Chapter 2. What I liked most is when Skinny referred to urban explorers as "urbexers." I was not able to note any errors in the text; the book seems professionally edited to me. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 7:37 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
The story follows attorney Samuel Sparks as he is on a mission to solve the mystery of his girlfriend's disappearance and prove to Detective Owens he did not commit the crime. As I enjoy reading crime thrillers, I would have read the book on my own. Luckily, my interest increased after reading the OBC review and the first ten pages. I particularly liked the story was told from multiple perspectives, including the killer's perspective. The dialogues were realistic, and I also enjoyed the fast-paced writing style. All things considered, there was nothing that needed to be improved. I found some errors, but they were not distracting. For example, I noticed a missing comma after "loss" in the following sentence: "It wasn’t a complete loss but Sparks still had a sinking feeling in his stomach." (location 330 of 3396 • 10%)
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 5:13 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mercy Bolo
This book's cover and title made me think it was a romance novel, and that motivated me to read it. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the author iterated that recognition for quality work beats grand accolades. The OBC review, however, dissuaded me when it mentioned that there's a serial killer in the story who performs atrocious acts on his victims. I won't read the rest of the book since such gory details aren't my cup of tea. I noticed no errors in the text, so I will conclude that it underwent professional editing. There's nothing I disliked about the bit I read, so I wouldn't change anything about it.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 5:06 am by Mercy Bolo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dzejn_Crvena
I thought the cover and title were about dark erotica, so I was not interested in reading or buying this book. Chapter one was very confusing because the narrator seemed to be unreliable. The next chapter was about Sparks in a courtroom. Norma, his client, was a nurse who applied for a mortgage loan, and the bank notified her of an incoming foreclosure. Peterson, his former colleague, was working for the other side of the court settlement. I like that Sparks cared about the situation of his client. The sample and OBC review didn't convince me to read further, but the book seems professionally edited. I didn't find errors, and I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 4:53 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Based on the title and cover, this book looks like it is a crime thriller. I do not read books in this genre, so I would not have sampled it. Due to BOTD, I have read a positive OBC review of this book; however, I still wouldn't have sampled it because of the genre mismatch. After sampling for First Ten, I found a couple of errors. For example, at 2%, there is a missing comma to mark the introductory word: "Maybe(,) one of the old-timers...". I suggest more rigorous editing to improve the quality of the book. However, what I like is the use of the stream-of-consciousness technique to better show the reader the narrator's thought processes – the use of such a technique gives the reader an insight into the character that is as unfiltered as possible, which in turn, helps to flesh out the character. For example, we learn that the Skinny is trying to remember the details of the movie The Sound of Music (I assume), and Skinny is unable to remember if it was in Switzerland or Austria. Skinny is also slightly confused as to whether the lady in the movie is a nun or nanny, or a governess. Other than the need for more editing, I have no further suggestions for improvement. I am not in the market for crime thrillers, so I will not be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 4:22 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would have read this book. Although I think the blurb could have more details so that it sounds less like a generic mystery novel, it still sounds interesting to me. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I really think the set-up for the book is great, and mentions of loans and the mortgage crisis made the world seem even more realistic. It was professionally edited so there's nothing I'd change other than the blurb. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 4:17 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mai Tran
I wouldn't have picked up this thriller novel on my own because the synopsis didn't appeal to me and also because the official review mentioned disturbing things that the killer likes to perform on his victims. While reading the first ten pages didn't change my decision of not buying this book, I noticed that the character building was well-executed. The killer seems easily sidetracked as his thoughts keep jumping from one thing to the next. It will be very interesting if those little details become clues for readers to identify him later on in the novel. On the other hand, Samuel Sparks is portrayed as a well-meaning lawyer who doesn't seem to be doing so well in his career. The book seems well-edited and seems to have the potential to be a suspenseful thriller, but again, I won't continue to read this book because of my own reservation about disturbing details.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 4:10 am by Mai Tran.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
Covet not meant many things to me, so I could not guess anything about the content of this book. I read the OBC official review to know what is inside this book. The OBC official review gave me the idea that this book follows attorney Samuel Sparks, who would be imprisoned if he doesn't act fast to disentangle himself from a risky 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, "His online friends would not only be impressed, they would be drawn in." The sentence could have been as follows; "His online friends would not only be impressed but they would also be drawn in." The thing I liked the most in this book is the idea of crafting characters with maximum contrast, like the two attorneys, Samuel Sparks and Peterson, who are poles apart in many aspects of their lives. Unfortunately, I found the irony used in sentences was misleading and also creating confusion while reading. Some details in the scenes were not necessary because an average reader like me gets confused by them. I found myself losing time while making meaning out of it by putting everything together. I lost interest in reading this book because of this reason. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing and consider the shortcomings listed in the above sentences. Based on all these factors, I decided not to buy this book today because I would rather wait until the author addresses my suggestion before reading it in hopes that it would entertain me.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 3:53 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Elena Nechita
Based on the cover and the blurb, I probably wouldn't have picked this book simply because I am not one to read thrillers. After reading the first 10 pages, I realised that this novel wasn't for me. The writing didn't grab my attention, and I am already disturbed by the killer. I read the official review of the book and I am certain I wouldn't like it. Just from the short read, I can tell women won't be treated very nicely, and that's something I hate in books. I was intrigued a bit by the fact that the killer saw his crime as a performance, but that's about it. I appreciated that the book was professionally edited, with no errors.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 2:42 am by Elena Nechita.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Covet Not hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I likely would not have given it the chance. Because I do not typically read crime thriller books, this book would not have been set in my sights. I decided to read the sample because of the cover; the bright woman on the top and the mysterious dark man on the bottom caught my attention. I liked the descriptions of what Skinny was doing to the woman; it definitely gives a big clue as to what his fetish is. Since I am not a fan of crime thrillers, I will be passing on this book. I did not see any grammatical errors in the sample, and I can think of no improvements that can be done to it. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for this title, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. If a reader enjoys books that are dark but gross in a good way, then they may like this title.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 1:12 am by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Arnaiz
The cover and title look more like a romance story. From the blurb, the serial-killing plot sounds typical, but customer reviews are enthusiastic. Although I enjoy suspense thrillers, I will skip this book outside the program. However, sampling piqued my curiosity and changed my mind. I like that the book explores the different faces of obsession in an action-packed and fast-paced thriller. As for editing, there are some issues. Here are examples.
Location 98. Spelling. Consider spelling as one word.
[Cross fades] and cutaways and superimpositions.
Location 107. Spelling. Consider adding a hyphen.
He felt his pant pockets and sighed with relief when he found the nail clippers in the [left back].
Location 117. Punctuation. Missing comma. Spelling. Consider adding a hyphen.
Inside the building[] the [semi darkness] morphed into a faint glow from a room down a hallway.
For additional visual impact, I suggest a book cover hinting at the intriguing parts of the story. Likewise, the insights on the official OnlineBookClub review help reconsider finishing the book.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 12:56 am by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Covet Not' is a book written by Errin P. Stowell. Skinny is a member of a strange online community. He had kidnapped a woman. He aims to film the process of torturing her. Samuel Sparks is a lawyer. He is not very successful. The book opens with him representing sixty-seven-year old Norma Ruiz. She had not been able to pay-off her mortgage. She is on the verge of losing her home. Sparks knows that he could do little to save her. Sparks is not as successful as his classmate Peterson. He is cynical. He knows that he would not be able to help Norma much. Still he tries to be of help. I like this about Samuel Sparks. It could have been "Like in the movie with all the kids and the singing nun when they are trying to escape Hitler.." instead of "Like in the movie with all the kids and the singing nun and they are trying to escape Hitler.." However, it is a subjective opinion. Hence, I do not consider it to be an error. Apart from this, the editing is great. There is nothing in need of an improvement. I would read this book without the sample based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I like the genre. The OBC review was informative. I will read this book as I would like to know what happens with Skinny.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 12:50 am by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't sample this book because the way the plot was described in the OnlineBookClub review did not appeal to me. After reading the first ten pages, I will read the rest of the book because I enjoyed how the author portrayed Skinny's thoughts in the first chapter. I also enjoyed hearing about Norma's case and Sparks' career. Norma's case was my favorite part of what I read because I had a neighbor who went through the same exact thing. The book appears professionally edited, and I don't think it needs improvement.
First Ten review added on September 13, 2021, at 12:41 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jennifer Donovan Smith
I wouldn’t have sampled this book outside the program because of the religious title (and because the subtitle is so small that you cannot see it in comparison). I would’ve thought this was a nonfiction religious book.
I noticed a few errors in the sample, one of which was improper usage and placement of the word “atop”:
“Skinny set the duffel bag down near a tripod with a digital camera perched atop.” (Loc. 130)
A sentence cannot end in a preposition, for one, and for two, “atop” requires a subject following it. You would say “atop it” or just replace it with “on top.”
I would recommend additional editing. I would also recommend limiting how choppy the narrative is. I understand that Skinny is scatter-brained, but the constant distractions, in addition to the very choppy sentence structure, are simply jarring as a reader.
There’s nothing that I particularly liked about the sample, but it did remind me that I need to change the cat litter. My cats are finicky about their litter, too.
I will not be finishing the book due to the need for additional editing, as well as the choppy sentence structure. The book has an official OBC review.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 11:45 pm by Jennifer Donovan Smith.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CrescentMoon
After reading the blurb, I would check this book out because I'm a big fan of legal thrillers and courtroom drama. After reading the first ten pages, I didn't see any spelling or grammar errors so it appears professionally edited. What I liked best about the book so far was the humor. I enjoyed the narration for Skinny as it was very tangential and reminds me of a person who has ADHD which I think is the point. I also thought Skinny's inner rambling was pretty amusing. He was thinking about changing the cat litter but was also preparing himself to commit a murder so the juxtaposition was very interesting. I do not have any suggestions for improvement. There was an onlinebookclub review, and I am curious about the rest of the plot and how Samuel Sparks will save himself so I will continue to read the rest.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 11:41 pm by CrescentMoon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kelyn
As mystery/thrillers are not among my genres of choice, it is unlikely that I would have seen this book. Given that, even if I had run across it, nothing in particular about the cover or title would have encouraged me to take a second look. I am unfamiliar with the author, so that would not have affected my decision. The blurb did little to add to my interest, reflecting the book as one of the standard detective/mystery plots with the slight twist of depicting the detective as one of the suspects. I did not see an OBC review on the Amazon site. If I had, I would have been interested in what the reviewer had to say. There were many customer reviews, the vast majority of which were positive. That, coupled with the positive official OBC review on this site, raised my expectations going into the sample. Let's face it, Skinny is just creepy...and highly disturbing, but then what's a killer with a fetish supposed to be. Despite myself, I keep wondering what that fetish is...even while I don't think I really want to know. My impression of Sparks was a positive one. Given the pro bono and low-cost cases he takes, he's obviously not a lawyer for the money. His morals seem to loom large in that decision. Given that, I'm certain that he isn't involved in Gina's disappearance. (Yes, I read a bit further in the book than the sample went.) On the contrary, he is determined to find her. I didn't really have a particular spot or scene that struck me as a favorite part of the sample, but neither would I change anything. I can't say that I'm going to finish the book immediately. Mysteries just aren't really my cup of tea. It is, however, on my 'to read in the future' list. The book seemed well-edited. I found no 'countable' errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 11:02 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover and title are attractive, but I think they cannot easily be associated with the crime thriller genre. Maybe they don't attract the target audience. In general, I like crime and mystery novels. The blurb mentions the plot around the disappearance of Gina Simmons, Sparks’s girlfriend. He is considered the main suspect. The customer reviews are flattering. Based on these elements I could try this book. The first ten pages show little plot progress. Initially, it tells about Skinny, who appears to be some kind of psychopath who has a woman kidnapped in an abandoned brewery. He apparently is going to record a video doing something to the woman to post it on the web. On the other hand, the sample narrates about the attorney Samuel Sparks and his colleague Jared Peterson. Sparks hasn't been successful and only has clients to pay the bills. Meanwhile, Peterson is a shareholder in a big firm and has important clients. They are going to face each other again, Sparks representing an old lady who is about to lose her house and Peterson to the bank. What I read raises the intrigue of how the stories of Skinny and Sparks can intersect. The official OnlineBookClub indicates the plot revolves around the disappearance of Gina Simmons and the fact that Sparks is the main suspect. The editing seems outstanding as I didn't see any details to comment on. As a whole, I did not see anything that I believe could be improved. What I read did not quite capture me. The story looks like a typical case of a missing woman in which his partner is blamed. The inclusion of a serial killer appears not to be the most relevant aspect of the plot. In conclusion, I will not read the rest of the book in the near future.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 10:27 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 appreciate that the narration of the murder stopped before anything gruesome happened; also, I liked that the nail clippers came into play because I was wondering what those were for. This book seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookClub review. There was nothing I saw that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 8:09 pm by Mariana Figueira.
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 seems very intriguing and provocative. The cover of the book fits well with the title and is suggestive, but I would appreciate it more if the photo of the lady was published as black and white. I will not read this book because this is not the genre I prefer. Reading sample partially change my mind from my original guess. While reading the sample I did not notice any typos or errors and the book seems like it is professionally edited. I like how the young woman is described as a victim, with a lot of convincing details. I also liked how the author authentically presented Skinny’s psychological profile. I don’t think anything needs to be improved in the book. The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 5:55 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kirsi Cultrera
My first intention said that I might enjoy reading this book. Therefore, I would have sampled it had I seen it somewhere else first. I liked the idea of a second-class lawyer who was not so successful with his career as a protagonist. Also, the other characters seemed interesting enough. On the other hand, this book also included some features that are not suitable for a sensitive reader. Unfortunately, the opening chapter introduced a scene that was most likely going to escalate to brutal murder. Even if I found the characters fascinating, I knew it right there that I would not be able to read the whole book. Editing seemed professional. Despite the sickening opening scene, I did not find anything to dislike from the sample. The Official OnlineBookClub review was interesting, but it did not manage to change my mind about this book.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 4:15 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
I do not particularly like the book cover as it does not give much information about the story. Nor does the book title make sense to me, but that might be because I am not a native English speaker. The blurb and OBC review give a good description of the book. However, after reading in the review that the murderer does disgusting things to his victims, I immediately knew that this book is not for me. The first ten pages are well edited. The story starts straight away with a gripping description of the murderer's way of working, but I felt uncomfortable throughout the whole first chapter. Murder novels are simply not my cup of tea, which is why I will not read the rest of this book. As an improvement, I would suggest to mention on the book cover that this is a murder mystery.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 3:51 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
It was difficult for me to determine from the Official Review if I would be reading this or not. The review wasn't very persuasive. In addition, I thought the cover was terrible, composed of random pictures that were probably copied from a secondary source. Sometimes simpler is better and I think that the cover would have worked better without these disparate images. Nevertheless, the first several pages of the book were extremely well done and immediately captured my attention as a reader. The characters were very nicely defined through their thoughts. I particularly enjoyed the back and forth internal monologue of the killer as he bounced back and forth thinking about his mission and the more mundane things related to taking care of the home, such as changing the kitty litter. There wasn't really anything that I disliked other than the cover. However, I won't be reading the book. I just finished reading a book about a serial killer and am not in the mood to tackle another. That may change down the road, but for right now I'm not interested. I suspect the book was professionally edited, however, I did find one error. At Location 116 of the Kindle edition, the author writes that "...the semi darkness morphed..." The word should be either "semi-darkness" or "semidarkness."
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 3:01 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I like how the author created a weirdo killer described only as “Skinny.” His thought processes were interesting in that they somehow relate to The Sound of Music and he has a cat named Sprinkles. Unfortunately, I don’t really enjoy crime fiction and the evil it relates, so the review didn’t make me want to read anymore. I don’t actively search for crime fiction because of the dark content, and the OBC review mentioned some of the things the killer does made them feel squeamish, and I’d assume they were a fan of the genre or they would not have reviewed it. The editing appears to be perfect and flawless and the dark humor should appeal to the twisted mind who enjoys such things, therefore I have no suggestions to improve the book.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 2:45 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
This book begins on a high note. Someone is packing a duffel bag with very curious objects, the kind that can be used to torture or kill someone. Then we are introduced to a girl tied up in an old building, and he is about to film what seems to be a torture video. What I loved most in the first ten pages is the way the author writes in a language that is psychopathic. Someone going to murder a girl is concerned that people don’t smell flowers, and whether he changed the litter box since his cat doesn’t like it. At first glance at the book’s cover, I thought it would be religious. This dissuaded me from reading it because I don't like religious books. After reading the OBC review, I wanted to know more about Spark’s situation. Sampling the first pages increased my interest. I did not find any errors in the book and I suggest no improvement so far. I will buy and read this book. This seems like a very promising and thrilling piece of work. As someone interested in law-themed books, I immensely love this read.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 2:43 pm by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
I usually don't go for books with people on the cover. Regarding this book, I really couldn't make an impression based on its appearance other than that. The OBC review helped me form an opinion. It sparked my curiosity, but I was reluctant because I usually don't enjoy crime mysteries. Thus, my only motivation was the program. I liked how the author wrote Skinny. His thoughts are messy, although he tries to organize himself by making mental lists. However, once he started filming his victim, it became too much for me, as I can't stand reading scenes like this one. Then the action moved to Samuel Sparks. This isn't too original, as I've often seen it done many times (going from the killer to the detective or lawyer.) Thus, the book didn't convince me to keep reading it. I don't think it needs improvement, but it's just not my style. The editing didn't seem to have any flaws.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 2:09 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Valkyrie9
In Covet Not by Errin Stowell, Samuel Sparks is the prime suspect in his girlfriend’s disappearance. He decides to investigate on his own, much to the chagrin of the lead detective. The cover is enticing, and the blurb on Amazon tells just enough of the story to intrigue. If I had not read the sample, I would still read this book based on the cover, genre and blurb.
Having read the sample and the OBC review, I know I will definitely enjoy this book. What I liked most about the sample that I read was the insight into the killer’s mind that the reader is offered. I also liked that the action was there right from the offset. I did not notice any errors, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I thoroughly enjoyed the sample and would love to read further to find out what happens – although I am hesitant after the graphic nature of the book implied in the OBC review. I did not notice anything that could be improved.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 1:51 pm by Valkyrie9.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The cover promises a good mystery, and the blurb checks off all the items I want in a good thriller, including a serial killer. But I don't know, from my first impression, what makes this book different from the thousands of books about attorneys and serial killers. The book has good ratings, but it seems generic, so I wouldn't have bought it based on my first impressions.
I'm so glad I read the first ten pages! I have to admit I loved Skinny's dark humor. For example, how he connected his previous thought about "The Sound of Music" with his favorite things (a song from the musical): "Rubber gloves. Check. Baby wipes. Check. Heavy-duty plastic trash bags. Check. These were a few of Skinny’s favorite things." I also appreciate that the author included hyperlinks to what he considers important, such as César Chávez. I didn't find editing mistakes, and there's nothing I disliked. I would suggest including an extract from the book in the blurb to showcase what makes this book different. The official OBC review furthered my enthusiasm for the book.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 1:19 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Michelle Menezes
From the title and cover, I thought it was a self-help book about learning to be satisfied with what you have. When I read the blurb, I realised it was a crime-thriller. The Official OnlineBookClub review had positive things to say about it, but it also mentioned that the killer did disgusting things to his victims, so I decided not to read it. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided to stick to my decision of not reading the book. I liked the way the characters were developed, especially the serial killer. The author attempted to show how unhinged and sick the man was and his fetish of recording the murders. Sparks' character was outlined well too. If it wasn't for the detailed violence I would have read the book, but the first chapter itself put me off. I don't think the book needs any improvement, and I didn't find any errors, so it seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 1:18 pm by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J_odoyo
Errin Stowell’s Covet Not is by no doubt a well-written book. After reading the first ten pages, I have realized that this book envelops a riveting story that will appeal to many fans of crime thrillers. In the earlier pages, Samuel Sparks (an attorney) is in court to defend his client (Ms. Norman Ruiz), who’s faced with a mortgage foreclosure sale. The story is humorously told, and I can’t stop guessing what is next. Besides an attractive cover page, the book also has a catchy title. I appreciate the fact that this book had an OnlineBookClub review, which gave insight into what the book is all about. The sample was well-edited, and I couldn’t spot any errors. It is easier to wager that the book was professionally edited. I liked the author’s detailed narration skills. The description on the Amazon website was also okay. However, reading this sample didn’t change my mind to finally finish reading this book; I’m not a fan of this genre. I have no recommendation for the improvement of this book; the sample was well written.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 1:18 pm by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I like the title of this book, it piques my interest in the story. I was not drawn to the cover art, however, the title was interesting enough that I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review was very positive and recommended the book. This increased my interest. I didn’t read any additional customer reviews. The first ten pages described a man referred to as Skinny gathering items together. It’s unclear what he is preparing to do, however, it turns out he is holding a woman captive and intends to torture her in some way. He has gathered tools together and is laying them out in front of a camera. 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 I prove upon. Based on the first ten pages, I will not finish reading this book. The topic of violence is not something I enjoy reading.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 1:15 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
Although I enjoy reading crime thrillers, the cover and title of this book are not appealing to me. Therefore, I would have skipped over it without looking at the blurb and customer reviews. However, I did become curious when the blurb and customer reviews revealed the book is a mystery and the OnlineBookClub review stated it is a courtroom drama. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first ten pages of this book. I particularly like how the author switches back and forth between the serial killer and courtroom scenes. I am curious if Ms. Ruiz keeps her home. The book appears to have been edited by a professional editor as I did not see any errors or anything I would recommend being changed in the first ten pages. I enjoy crime thrillers, mysteries, and courtroom dramas, and the first ten pages were an enjoyable read. For these reasons, I have purchased the book and will eventually read it.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 1:11 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AntonelaMaria
The genre of this is the one I rarely read. Thrillers with court drama elements are not my preference. After reading the sample, I am not interested enough to continue reading. It is a fast-paced book with short chapters. Samuel is written in a way that the reader sympathise with him. He is a very likable character. I can see how the author can expand the series based on his character. I didn't notice any grammatical errors, and I wouldn't change anything about the book. There is an Offical Onlinebookclub review of this book, which is very helpful. The other reviews that I have read are favorable too. I think the fans of the genre will enjoy this book.
First Ten review added on September 12, 2021, at 10:37 am by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 42%
Covet Not earned a score of 42%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 42% 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 Covet Not
