The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Malino: The Orphan Road
Because Malino: The Orphan Road was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Ekta Kumari
The storyline is centred around a boy rejected at birth and forced to endure a life of slavery and abuse. Readers get to witness how Malino struggles to find a place for himself away from oppression. My first impression of the book was good, and I knew it is well written from the official OBC reviewer's rating. But I still wouldn't have read the book based on its blurb as the theme of slavery wasn't much appealing to me. I liked the title and the cover page, though. Based on what I've sampled so far, I would say the thing I liked the most is the characterization of the themes of oppression and discrimination from the very beginning of the book. The read is also able to evoke feelings of sympathy for Malino who is a child abandoned at birth by his own father. I like that Malino is not shown as black and white in nature. Rather, he has a mix of traits common for someone who doesn't know any better than just plain survival and dependency on his master. The only thing I would suggest for improvement is thorough proofreading of the text as I was able to find three errors. One error is in this sentence, "I didn’t know where to go so I came back." I believe there should be a comma before 'so'. I plan on reading the whole book to see Malino's journey from acute slavery to finding his place. I did see an official OBC review, and it helped understand the themes. But my decision to read the whole book is solely based on the sample.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 5:11 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Manang Muyang
The title and cover tell me this is a sad story; I am shunning those these days. The blurb confirms my fears, so I would not have considered this book outside the program. I found plenty of errors in the sample, as the official OBC review warned. A couple of them follow: "You stole Vincente's money?" at 10% of the sample needed "Vicente." A few sentences later, "You are a bought and paid for boy" should have used "bought-and-paid-for." At 17%, "'I don't have the teats to feed him,' He grumbled" mistakenly capitalized "he." The first two pages were startlingly gory, so I was afraid to continue reading the book. The rest of the ten pages did not change my mind. I did like the sweet relationship of Francesca and Malino as they tended her flower garden. I will not read the rest of the book because of the violent content and the bestiality that the OBC reviewer mentioned, but I suggest that the author get the book edited again.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:58 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
I wouldn't have sampled this on the basis of the title or genre because gritty historical fiction doesn't represent my usual reading preference. The cover wouldn't have drawn me because it looks dark; I didn't see any editorial or customer reviews. I won't buy this today because historical orphan stories aren't a priority at the moment. I found several formatting errors in the sample; an example of a typo is that the protagonist's name was once spelled "Molino" instead of "Malino". I liked Malino's relationship with Francesca because it opened up the possibility of him finding her again. Nothing necessarily needs to be improved except the errors - the author seemed to go for telling rather than showing, though it was hard to believe that Malino would articulate that he was being sold like a mule, for example. The official OBC review confirmed that the errors were distracting throughout, so it was helpful in that regard, but my decision was mainly based on the sample.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:57 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
psychopathycathy
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would have read the book. I do not read that many historical fiction novels but the premise of this sounds super interesting, as I like underdog stories. There are no Amazon reviews but that did not affect my decision. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I really liked how the story started; seeing the midwives' reactions to the baby's eyes also told me a lot about the traditions and beliefs that they had, as well as why the story started the way it did. There is nothing I disliked, though the formal dialogue took me a while to get into. It was professionally edited. Therefore, I would not change anything. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision. Although it mentioned errors, I did not find any.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:55 am by psychopathycathy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Dzejn_Crvena
Outside this program, I'd have sampled this book because the cover and title remind me of horror stories. At first, I read it as "maligno", which means "evil" or "harmful" in my native language. I enjoy reading historical fiction, so I'd have picked this book based on the genre. The blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews didn't convince me to read it when I learned that it contains heavy themes of slavery and oppression. I'm not ready to read any political stuff that I find heartbreaking. Also, the OBC review and the sample didn't convince me to buy and read it because it has gory and sexual content that involves bestiality and other things. The first ten pages are about Malino as he went home to his former master to negotiate to work together. However, Grillo, his former master and tormentor, wanted him gone and threatened him with an axe. Malino managed to grab it and killed Grillo.
When Malino was born, he had blind eyes that were shaped like a cat's. His mother died after giving birth to him, and the villagers thought he'd bring bad luck. They gave baby Malino to Grillo, who sent him to a boarding house until orphan kids were sold as slaves when they reach puberty. I like the engaging writing style and the fast-paced plot that helped me turn the page faster than expected. It's not for the faint of heart, so I'm not going to read further. The book seems professionally edited, and I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:51 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
The title "Malino: The Orphan Road" and the cover that shows a road do not indicate the theme of the book, although they make me curious about why the road is known as an orphan road. There are only two Amazon customer ratings, which is not a sufficient number for me to decide to sample the book. The Amazon summary states that the story is about a person called Malino who escapes from slavery and goes to live in the wider world, with his physical strength being extraordinary. As I got curious with the 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 Malino killing a person called Grillo. As I didn't get interested in the narration that much, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. What I liked most about the book is its overall story. As an improvement, I would suggest making the narration a little bit brutal in order to make it friendly to read. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:51 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Asma Aisha Ansari
I liked the title and the cover of this book. The OBC review was very positive, and it gave me the impression that the book is interesting albeit a little dark and disturbing. So, this book is ideal for me because it can keep me up at night and glued to the end. The blurb is captivating. I looked everywhere but didn't find any other online reviews for this book.
I loved reading the first chapter. Malino is an intriguing character and someone I want to see beat the odds. I liked the unforgiving environment of the story. There's nothing that I disliked about the bit I read. The book seems professionally edited, as I didn't encounter any noteworthy grammatical or other errors. I've no suggestions for improvement to offer. Finally, as l loved reading the first chapter, I will read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:48 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu
I did not know what to expect from this book based on the title and the cover art. It also had no blurb, no customer review and no editorial review. It was listed under the historical fiction section, which is one of my least favourite genres. I think I would have not read or sampled this book if it wasn't part of the first ten program. The sample did spark my interest a little. It starts off with Malino's escape from his slave master then flashes back to the circumstances surrounding his birth. I liked the brief story about his escape. Giving us a glimpse of what to see later gives a level of anticipation. Unfortunately that was the only thing I liked. Despite not any errors finding errors in the sample, I will not be reading the rest of this book. The synopsis of the book in the OBC review did not sound interesting to me. I do not think I would find an orphan's struggle against discrimination and superstition interesting.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:45 am by Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Carson25
I got the chance to read the sample after downloading Malino: The Orphan Road from Amazon. It appears that the book is well-written and enjoyable to read. Grillo has no desire to collaborate with Malino once more. He accuses him of being uncooperative and slothful. The book's cover was the aspect of the first ten pages that I most liked. In my opinion, it was effectively designed to fit the subject. Nothing in the first few pages I read did not impress me. I don't read fiction, so I won't be picking this one up. Nonetheless, I will recommend it to my friends and other readers who enjoy historical fiction. While reading the first ten pages, I found no grammatical or spelling mistakes. The book's editing, in my opinion, was meticulous. This book won't be mine to buy or read through. The book's genre was what ultimately influenced my choice. The insightful review of this book had no influence on my choice not to buy and finish reading it. Furthermore, nothing should be changed about the book because it is perfect the way it is.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:43 am by Carson25.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
BruceP
I downloaded this book from Amazon and read the first ten pages. Grillo is also presented in this section of the novel, which begins with the account of Malino, who appears to be the protagonist. There is an odd thing going on here. At one point, Grillo flung open the door while threatening his guest with a sharp axe. In the first ten pages I read, there was not a single aspect that I did not love. The writing style used in this book was the element that I liked the most. It has a charming simplicity. I enjoy reading fiction, and this book seems to be fantastic. It will go on my list of favorite novels, and I'll buy and finish reading it later. This book has been the subject of a well-written review. The review provided a thorough synopsis of the book. There were no errors in the first ten pages I read. The book appears to have undergone a thorough editing process. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading historical fiction. This book is well written, in my opinion, and there is no need to change it in any way. The cover, title, or review, but the genre of the book was what made me decide to buy it and finish reading it.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:35 am by BruceP.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gabriella H
The cover and title made me interested in the book, so I would've sampled it without being a part of this program. However, nothing in the OBC official review, blurb, first ten pages, and editorial review stood out to me or made me feel I had to complete this book. Malino seemed like an interesting character, and I was shocked by the drastic turn of events when he killed Grillo. I like the way the author narrated the story, and I thought the descriptions were sufficient, but I didn't feel the need to keep reading. I didn't get an idea of where the story was going and why I should keep reading from the first ten pages. I checked customer reviews to try to get a better idea of the book and see whether it's worth reading the rest of it, but I didn't see any customer reviews, which didn't encourage me to keep reading. Therefore, I won't be completing this book. Also, I saw some errors in the first ten pages. An example of an error I saw was the omission of a comma after "floor" in this sentence, "Grillo immediately fell to the floor blood spurting from the mortal wound." I think another round of proofreading and editing is needed to get rid of these errors. My decision was influenced by the blurb, OBC official review, first ten pages, editorial review, and lack of customer reviews.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:27 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
KafeliKe
The opening ten pages of Joseph R. Barry's novel, Malino: The Orphan Road, caught my attention, and I was intrigued by the premise. The book belongs to the category of historical fiction. The protagonist of the novel, who appears to be a man named Malino, is first introduced to us in the book's opening pages. He is in a room and sees himself as a starving boy who is hiding from his thoughts with a burlap sack. The plot was what I liked most about the first ten pages of this book. It was fast-paced and fluid. In the first ten that I read, there was not a single feature that I disliked. I also loved the book's cover. It was attractive and readily attracted my attention. I read the first ten pages of the book, and I didn't notice any mistakes, so it appears to have undergone professional editing. As was already mentioned, this novel is a work of historical fiction. The genre of historical fiction is not one I enjoy. This book won't be bought and finished by me. But I will recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction. On OnlineBookClub, the book has a well-written review that provides a summary of the plot. My decision not to buy and finish reading this book was unaffected by the review. My choice was influenced by the genre. Additionally, the book is alright and doesn't require any more work.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 4:26 am by KafeliKe.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, OBC review, cover, title, and Amazon description. I thought the story of a baby that was thought to be cursed could be interesting. There wasn’t a blurb on the bookshelf page, and I didn’t see any customer or editorial reviews. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. There were errors right away that told me the book might not be professionally edited; this editing could use improvement. For example, “Vicente” and “Vincente” were both used to describe the same person. I don’t like to read books that aren’t edited. I did like the story so far. It started off with a look into Malino’s life later on before going back to his birth. I probably would have read the book if I didn’t notice the errors.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 3:32 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
Based on the official OBC review and other published reviews, I wanted to read this book. I found a single error in the first ten pages (location 44: Vicente should be Vincente). Malino, a strongly developed man, returns to his erstwhile home after his master, the miner, dies in an accident. His foster father, Grillo, refuses to let him in and loses his life in the skirmish that follows. I liked how the author conveyed a lot of backstories within such a short span. It made me intrigued to know more about the boy Malino. I had no suggestions for improvement. Based on my reading experience, I would love to read the whole book.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 3:25 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shelby Ayres
The cover and the title have a unique feel to them. I enjoy reading the genre. The book had no reviews, which would cause me to pass on it. I felt that the blurb did not have enough to pull readers in. Within the first ten pages, I found no errors. I really liked how the author used details. The argument between Grillo and Malino was believable, and it was easy to envision. Within the first ten pages, there was nothing I disliked. The Online Book Club review that read spoke about the themes throughout the book. Based on the aforementioned, I would buy and read this book.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 3:20 am by Shelby Ayres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sou Hi
Even without this program, I would have sampled this. The ratings on Amazon, the official review from OnlineBookClub, and the blurb look fine. The genre is also my cup of tea. I like the mystery behind Malino's strange eyes. Along with the death of his mother, they were the source of his misery, causing his father to abandon him. However, I found many errors, such as inconsistent names (Vicente/Vincente), so I suggest another round of proofreading. I will wait until this issue is resolved to buy the book. For now, I won't buy it. The OBC review was helpful in making my decision.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 3:06 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
SweetSourSalty AndSpicy
Outside the program, I will skip this book. The cover and title look like a memoir, while the blurb sounds like a coming-of-age story. I seldom read these genres. Also, the book cover looks dark and grainy. The graphics also seem to float in the background. I suggest reconsidering the book cover for more visual impact and catching the intended audience. Customer reviews are not available. What I liked from the sample was the description of the sulfur mines. It was something new to me and informative. However, it was not enough to change my mind and continue reading the book. The storyline did not build enough curiosity to sustain my interest. Also, I prefer a faster pace. Likewise, this material will benefit from another round of editing to clean up the number of errors I noticed on the initial pages. Here are examples.
Page 6. Spelling. "Vicente" is miswritten.
You stole [Vincente’s] money?
Page 8. Capitalization. The pronoun is in the middle of a sentence. It seems the uppercase is unnecessary in this context.
“He’ll probably die of hunger soon, anyway. I don’t have the teats to feed him,” [He] grumbled.
The official OnlineBookClub review has helpful insights. But I will pass.
First Ten review added on August 28, 2022, at 12:08 am by SweetSourSalty AndSpicy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Garcia 555
It is rare that I read historical fiction novels. I do like the cover and title of this book, but based on the description and an official OnlineBookClub review that I read I would not pick this book to read. It book sounds like it is about a young boys tortured life. I read the sample pages and saw a missing coma half way down page six. I also saw Malino’s name spelled wrong. This book may need another round of editing. I like that the boy is resilient and stashes his own food in case he doesn’t get fed. My suggestion for improvement would be better editing. Historical fiction fans may enjoy this dramatic story, but it touches on too many difficult topics for me. I will pass on this book.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 11:33 pm by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Damian Keyes
After reading the OBC official review I was not sure that I was going to like this book. Truthfully, if I wasn't in this program I would not have chosen this book after reading the review and the hardships that Malino is going to encounter as a young child who's forced into slavery. I decided to download the book and give it a chance. I'm glad I did because I have already read 15 pages in this book. I'm already invested in Malino's story, so I'm going to finish this book. The fact that Malino was banished from his own village as a newborn because he had evil eyes and some type of bad luck that Malino symbolized was mindblowing to me. The only thing I did not like in this book was the story starting out with the killing of Grillo, I would've preferred to learn of this moment later on in my reading. In chapter 2 on page 13, the following sentence needs to correct Malino's name; it says, "Grillo invited him in and told Molino to stay in his room."
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 9:57 pm by Damian Keyes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sarah_Khan
I like the cover of this book, it is unique. The title is average. After reading the blurb, I would not have sampled this book because the plot seems sad. The comparison between splitting a body in half and splitting firewood is something I won't soon forget. The official OBC review was mostly positive, but the reviewer mentioned that there were editing errors. Personally, I did not notice any mistakes. The customer reviews and comments were also positive, but they did not change my mind. The sample proved that this story does deal with sad subjects. Therefore, I will not be reading the rest. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 8:41 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover and title suggest abuse and slavery, and they are in keeping with the story. I think many interested readers should be attracted. In general, readings with violence and mistreatment of people do not attract my attention. The blurb expresses that Malino escapes from slavery and abuse but his journey to find a place in society is terrifying and brutal. There are no customer reviews for this book, but two customer ratings give it a perfect score. The official OnlineBookClub review states that Malino's life is very complicated since he has to face various evils like discrimination and slavery. Based on these aspects, I am uninclined to try this book. The first pages narrated a string of suffering for Malino from his birth when his mother died, and they shunned him because of his closed cat-like eyes. I find it attractive that the story is not told chronologically, but the reader's expectation is maintained. Although this story is fictional, I am surprised by the mistreatment Malino is subjected to, even in the nunnery. Despite Malino being able to try to rescue Vicente from the mine, his attitude after being subjected to so much torture seemed understandable. The expectation remains about what Malino will do after murdering Grillo. Plus, I was curious to know what happened to Francesca. What I read was entertaining, but I found it very disturbing the life of suffering and abuse that Malino has lived since his birth. That leads me to decide not to read the rest of the book. The editing looks adequate, although I noticed some details. For example, at 50% of the sample, it says, “The Factor came and offered Grillo 90 lira...” It seems that it should be “Vicente” instead of “Grillo.” Besides the editing details, I didn't see anything else that I believe could be improved.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 8:19 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mbali Qalinge
Malino: The Orphan Road by Joseph R. Barry is a coming-of-age and historical fiction book about Malino, who's been shunned and abused from a young age. I'm not a fan of historical fiction, and though the cover and title don't hint at the book being one set in the 1900s, the blurb does and based on that, I would not have sampled the book if I were not part of the First Ten program. From the first ten pages that I read, I liked the friendship between Francesca and Malino, even though it was short. Being shunned by both kids and adults must have been hard for Malino, but at least with Francesca, he got to feel safe, loved, and happy. There was nothing that I disliked, and I found no errors in the book. I, therefore, don't have any suggestions for the author. The book's OBC review highlighted Malino's difficult upbringing and the themes in the book. This at least convinced me to sample the book but not actually to buy and read the whole book. Though the book appears to be interesting, I will not buy or read it. The book's genre is not my style, and I feel it can be appreciated by others who enjoy historical fiction.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 7:46 pm by Mbali Qalinge.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
I rarely pick up historical books to read. The synopsis of this book is not interesting to me, and the Official OnlineBookClub review is very informative as well. I don't think I would enjoy reading this book. I don't much care for gruesome details and descriptions in books. After reading the sample, I haven't changed my mind. Malino is an interesting protagonist with a very hard life since his birth. He was left to die because people in the village thought he was cursed. I noticed some errors. The first one was at location 37 of the sample. "Visions of a starved trembling boy desperately covering himself with burlap sacks clouded his mind. " It should be a starving, trembling boy. I wouldn't change anything about the book. There are no Amazon reviews of this book.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 7:38 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Malino: The Orphan Road hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would have skipped the sample of it because of the description on Amazon.com. I don't like reading books about the hardships of other people regarding things they cannot control; it is a sad topic for me. At this time, there are two customer ratings, but these ratings did not affect my decision to read the sample. I learned in the first ten pages that Malino got his name due to his appearance; this is an excellent introduction to this character and why he was treated the way he was. There were no grammatical errors in the first ten pages, and I can think of nothing I disliked or thought needed to be improved. Even though I read the official OnlineBookClub review, I decided to skip the rest of the book. The reason for this is because the reviewer said there are gory scenes in the book, which I am not a fan of.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 7:12 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
I read historical fiction occasionally. The cover, title, and blurb captured my attention, and I would have sampled this book even if I were not part of this program. Something about Malino’s troubled beginnings intrigued me. The first ten pages passed quickly. The writing was smooth and vivid, and I could empathize with Malino’s reaction to Grillo’s rejecting him when he returned. I feel a connection to Malino, and I hope he eventually finds happiness in his life. I will buy this book. I want to go on this journey with him. The book appeared professionally edited, but I noticed a recurring grammatical error: the word “bible” was not capitalized. One instance was at loc 128: “Francesca would talk to Malino about her life and tell him stories from the bible.” I have no suggestions for improvement. Neither the featured OnlineBookClub review nor any other editorial reviews or customer reviews influenced my decision.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 4:39 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the book's first pages, I wasn't interested in it because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book, I don't want to continue reading it because the story didn't captivate me. I like that the book started with Malino killing Grillo and then moved on to Malino's birth. This book seems professionally edited, I didn't see any typos in the pages I read; plus, it has an official OnlineBookClub review. I didn't see anything that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 2:26 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vidhi Adhikari
Although the book has insufficient customer and OBC reviews, I was intrigued by the vintage cover design and the brief description talking of an orphan trying to find his place in the world outside of slavery. I loved the quote about the sulphur mine in Sicily, written before the start of the story. There were some missing punctuations in the text, but nothing that would hamper my reading experience ('There was a feeble light in the single window {add comma} that winked when someone moving blocked it out.'). However, I felt that the story was too tragic for my liking and I shall not be able to finish this book. I have no suggestions since had I been interested in this genre, I would have definitely loved reading it.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 2:15 pm by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
Even outside the program called the first ten I would have sampled this book because I was drawn by the cover, title, and genre of the book. I could not find any editorial reviews or customer reviews with comments. The OBC official review influenced me to read the sample by informing me what was inside this book. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that the book was not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the free sample. For example, the sentence, "This shack had been his home nonetheless and he was back, bigger and stronger now." This sentence could be as follows. "This shack had been his home nonetheless, and he was back, bigger and stronger now." In the sample, I liked the scene where Malino gave Grillo a befitting punishment. From the sample, I learned that Grillo illtreated Malino very much. I will not buy and read this book today because I could not visualize many scenes from their descriptions. My suggestion to the author is to describe the scenes in as much detail. A round of professional editing can improve the reading experience.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 2:07 pm by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Tonia Freeman
I would not have looked twice at this book if I wasn't part of this program. The cover is off-putting and dark. If I did look at the description of the book I would have also confirmed this wasn't a topic I want to read about. I knew within the first couple of pages I didn't want to read this book. It's much too violent for my tastes. The first error I found was at location 55. First paragraph carried over from the previous page, “Malino looked at him, saw a scrawny“. Should read, “Malino looked at him, and saw a scrawny”. I did not like anything I read. The worst was opening the book with such a violent scene. I was not prepared at all, for that. I would suggest giving the reader some time in the story before subjecting them to a scene like that. I don’t read reviews prior to deciding if I like a book, I want the book to make an honest unbiased impression. No outside sources swayed my view.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 11:01 am by Tonia Freeman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
After poring over the book’s official OnlineBookClub review and Amazon page, I decided not to acquire the historical fiction novel. I am not intrigued by the villagers’ belief that “a blind, evil-eyed baby would bring a curse” to their village. I am not fascinated by Grillo’s connection to Malino and his role in Malino’s life. I am not interested in finding out what Malino’s future will be in a society where he is ostracized. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not purchase it because nothing in the Amazon sample compelled me to peruse the rest of the title. The first ten pages cover Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and some pages of Chapter 3. What I liked most is when Francesca and Malino met and instantly became close to each other. I identified several errors in the sample:
1 — “I didn't know where to go so I came back.” — In this sentence, there should be a comma after the word “go” (”…where to go, so I came…”).
2 — “All that was known was that each month a cord of firewood would appear at the gate…” — In this sentence, there should be a comma after the word “month” (”…that each month, a cord…”).
3 — “The current Mother Superior worried that before puberty Malino would have to…” — In this sentence, there should be a comma after the word “puberty” (”…that before puberty, Malino would…”).
4 — “…and not so secretly flashed the two finger evil sign.” — In this sentence, there should be a hyphen between the words “two” and “finger” (”…the two-finger evil…”).
5 — “The mother recognized that the temptation extended to her own family and she took the appropriate steps.” In this sentence, there should be a comma after the word “family” (”…to her own family, and she took…”).
Since there are several errors in just the first ten pages of this book, the book does NOT seem professionally edited. My advice to the author is to have the book undergo a round of editing.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 9:59 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Andrada Madalina
"Malino: The Orphan Road" by Joseph R. Barry is a historical fiction that presents the story of an orphan who escaped from slavery. I liked the somber style of the book cover and found it suitable for its title. I did not find any customer or editorial review for this book, but I sampled it because of its descriptive blurb and excellent Official OnlineBookClub review. The book seems professionally edited since I discovered no error while reading its first ten pages. I would not improve anything on the plot and writing style because I liked the character development. I empathized with Malino's sad life and the beatings and starvation he faced while he was working in the woods. I disliked that Malino was abandoned immediately after his birth just because he was blind. Nevertheless, I will not buy and read the whole book because I am not a fan of stories about slavery and bestiality.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 6:52 am by Andrada Madalina.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Debra Morgan
ERROR: Pg. 2 Line 2
Grillo immediately fell to the floor(,) blood spurting from the mortal wound.
The cover art and title of this book appealed to me and would have convinced me to purchase it and read it. The OBC reviewer, however, honestly warned about the number of errors and I was disappointed to discover they were correct in this caution. Because of this, I will not be reading the book as I am too easily distracted by this many errors to enjoy the book. I also found the writing to be less than appealing to my personal tastes. What I did like about the book was that the author succeeded in describing certain scenes in a colorful way that gave me a strong idea of what they were seeing. The storyline is good and I believe it would make an excellent read without the errors and with a bit more organization.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 6:20 am by Debra Morgan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kirsi Cultrera
This book caught my attention because of its genre and that the story happened in Sicily, Italy. My first impression was that I would enjoy the book and would also have sampled it without the First Ten program. There was not too much information on the book's Amazon page; I did not see any customer reviews, and the blurb was very short. However, since I love historical fiction, the lack of information would not have stopped me from sampling this book. The sample pages pretty much glued my eyes to the book. Malino seemed like an interesting character, and of course, the fact that he just murdered the only father he ever knew right in front of my eyes got me wondering what might have happened before. Malino didn't appear a devilish person to me, even if he was accused of being one. I loved the atmosphere of this book, as it seemed fitting to the topic. I was transferred back in time and felt like I was right there in the scene. I did not find anything that I would have hoped done otherwise from the book; I am surely going to read this one. The Official OnlineBookClub review was informative and favorable for the book. Had I seen the review first, I would have chosen this book for reading based on it. However, in this case, I was already convinced that this book was for me. The review just confirmed my impressions. The review also mentioned that there were a lot of errors in this book, but I did not spot any on sample pages. Therefore, I conclude that based on the sample, the book seems professionally edited to me.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 4:58 am by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rita Nuncia
Malino: The Orphan Road by Joseph R. Barry is historical fiction. The story is about the life of Malino, the main character in the story. The first ten pages of the book begin with where Malino killed Grillo, his former master. The next scene takes us back to the day Malino was born. His mother had died during his birth. Because of this and his catlike eyes, his father and village, who called him evil, rejected Malino. They gave him over to a man named Grillo to dispose of him. There began the story of Malino’s painful life. I would not have read this book without being a part of the first ten programs because of the OnlineBookClub review I read. I do not have a problem with the cover or the title. However, in the official OnlineBookClub review, some sensitive content that I have an aversion to was mentioned in there. I did not bother to check the blurb, editorial, or customer review. I did enjoy the first ten pages, but because of the warning given about the sensitive contents, I will not buy and read this book. The first ten pages seem professionally edited, as I did not see any error in them. I have no suggestions for improvements. The OBC official review provided more insight into the book, and it did affect my opinion of the book.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 2:57 am by Rita Nuncia.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jen Nghishitende
If I were not part of this program, I would not have sampled the book based on the title and book cover. I don’t really know how I feel about the title and the book cover. I found the book cover unsettling with those pictures of an axe, hat, chains, a pot of roses and so on. Looking at those two aspects alone, I struggled to see the connection. I read the OBC before reading the first ten pages, which gave me more insight into what to expect if I read the book. After reading the ten pages and the OBC review, however, I started to understand why the book cover was designed the way it was. This became very clear within the first ten pages, which describe a brutal murder, a difficult birth (Malino’s) that killed a mother and a suspected evil baby (Malino). All this is too much for me, too violent and brutal, a genre that is definitely not for me. Thus I will positively not be reading the rest of this book even though I downloaded it free from Kindle Unlimited. The first ten pages had me in a state of shock, the detail was too much to bear for me, but I suspect someone who enjoys this genre will love the book. The book is well written, and I did not find any errors in the first ten pages; I just did not like the brutality of it all. I did not read a blurp, editorial or customer review, but I will not need to as I know I will not read the book. There was nothing I liked about the first ten pages, and I have no suggestions for change.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 2:22 am by Jen Nghishitende.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
I would not have sampled this book because I am not a fan of historical fiction. I thought it was odd that a baby would be considered cursed because of his eyes. I understood how Malino would seek his freedom when the cave collapsed on Vicente. There were several errors in the book. Beyond editing, I did not see anything I would change about the book. The OBC review did not influence my decision to pass on the book. I did not read anything online to change my choice. I found the errors too distracting to continue reading.
ERROR: Grillo flung the door open menacing his visitor with a sharp axe. There should be a comma after open.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 1:52 am by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't sample this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, Official OnlineBookClub review, or other reviews because I didn't feel like I would enjoy the plot with so many negative things happening to Malino. After reading the first ten pages, I will not continue reading the book because of the same reason mentioned previously. I also felt the book wasn't thoroughly edited, and that's something that would bother me if I were to read it. From what I read, my favorite part was the way the author described the nuns. Some Catholics might be offended, but I thought their behavior was pretty realistic. The book doesn't need improvement. In Location 153, the author misspelled Malino's name as "Molino" ("Grillo invited him in and told Molino to stay in his room.").
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 1:41 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
IconReviews
The cover of this book suggests that it is a dark and sad story. I would not read it based on the cover and title. The blurb and the official OnlineBookClub review were well-written but did not convince me to read. The idea of a child being discarded because he might be evil is very horrible but the book seemed to have an interesting plot. I liked how descriptive it was. The sample was not professionally edited as I found minor errors. At 4% of the sample, the character's name was Vicente and by 6% of the sample it was Vincente. I think this book would benefit from another round of editing. I won't be reading this one because it did not have any customer reviews and it seemed to be filled with gore.
First Ten review added on August 27, 2022, at 12:16 am by IconReviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kira Bonita Reece
The cover of this book looks dull and depressing so I would not read it based on the cover or title. I would read it based on the genre, blurb, and the official OnlineBookClub review because they sounded interesting. The idea of a child being abandoned because of something he cannot control is very sad. After reading the sample I have decided to read the book. I liked how the book was structured. The prologue at the beginning was very intense and interesting and made me want to know what will happen next. The book seemed professionally edited but I did find a misspelling of the character named Vincente. It was spelled 'Vicente' at 4% of the sample. I don't think the book needs any improvements. I will be reading it because the storyline seems intriguing.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 9:40 pm by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sumto Nii
The book, Malino: The Orphan Road, tells the story of a young man who was rejected at birth because everyone thought he was blind and evil. The book starts with Malino, a young abandoned boy, killing his foster father, Grillo. And from there, it moves to tell the story of Malino, from his controversial birth. I would still have read this book if I had not been part of this First Ten Pages Programme. This is because I got intrigued by the artistry of the book cover. A dark cave in the surroundings captures perfectly the uncertainty that this orphan would face all through his journey of life.
I did not find any typos or grammatical errors in the first ten pages. I can safely say that the editing is excellent. I love the way the author, Joseph R. Barry, opened the book. He started the book with the murder of Grillo. This opening would get any reader hooked on this book. There is nothing I disliked in the sample I just read. After reading this sample, I would surely buy this book and complete it. The reason I want to complete it is because I sense that the story would be full of twists and suspense. And I want to find out if Malino was truly an evil child as prophesied at his birth. I found an Online Book Club review for this book. The review was positive and it further influenced my decision to buy this book and complete it. Summarily, after reading the first ten pages of this book, I find the story interesting. I would get the book and read the whole story.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 8:31 pm by Sumto Nii.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kenesha Latoya Fowler
This book is not my cup of tea, and I wouldn't have read any of it if I weren't part of this program. The OBC reviewer had it right in warning off sensitive readers. I should have heeded the warning more, but I didn't consider myself to be such a one. I was immediately repulsed by the first instance of gore: a bloody axe being buried into someone's chest, "...splitting him as he would a piece of firewood." I especially disliked reading about the mistreatment of a child. I did find some errors, which made me question whether or not the book was professionally editing. One example is: "They do look evil," He said to himself, "But they are clear and lively."
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 7:41 pm by Kenesha Latoya Fowler.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Amy Luman
When Malino was helping Vicente with the sulfur ore by putting water into the molds, we were told the lowest grade was dark brown and course. It should have been coarse. With this error found in the first part of the novel and the reference to errors in the OBC review, I don’t think that this has been professionally edited. The only editorial review that I could find was about the author, not the book. There were also only two customer reviews, but both gave the book five stars. The cover is very dark, but it does give a glimpse into Malino’s life. The title is just what the book is about. I will not be finishing this as the themes of child abuse and neglect are abhorrent. I do think this would be much more readable if each chapter began on its own page.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 6:32 pm by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chinazo Anozie
I was interested in this book from the title, cover, description, customer reviews, genre, and the official OnlineBookClub review. I love historical fiction, so I’ll buy and read this book. Although I was a bit disturbed by the amount of abuse Malino went through, I’m very intrigued to know what will become of him. This book seems professionally edited because I didn’t notice any errors from the few pages I read. I don’t think anything needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 5:26 pm by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emy Katherine
The story is set in the 1900s and follows the survival journey of Malino as he finds himself enduring years of brutality, violence, and slavery in Sicily. In all honesty, as I am not interested in reading historical fiction novels, I would not have read the book based on the genre, cover, and title. After reading the first ten pages and the OBC review, I can safely say this book is too intense for me to read. Although I liked the fast-paced writing style, I had a hard time reading the first ten pages. In particular, reading about how a 7-year-old boy, Malino, endured years of insults, starvation, and beatings made me angry and sad at the same time. There were no editorial reviews, but the book had two positive customer ratings. I also appreciated the clear, descriptive Amazon blurb, but I was not pleased with the punctuation and grammatical errors I found throughout the first three chapters. For example, I noticed a missing comma after "floor" in the following sentence: "Grillo immediately fell to the floor blood spurting from the mortal wound." (page 6) It should be written "thirty lire" in the following sentence: "The village elders paid him thirty lira." (page 8) It should be written "There were still, however, hundreds of small mining plots employing a few miners and their boys" instead of "There was still, however, hundreds of small mining plots employing a few miners and their boys." (page 15) Other than another round of editing, nothing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 4:53 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
The cover art of this book is very detailed and intriguing. It caught my attention right away. I’m not sure what the book is about from the title, but I would have picked the book up based on the cover art. It piqued my curiosity about the book. The onlinebookclub.org review gave it a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. It noted several errors in the book but still recommended it to readers who enjoy historical fiction. I didn’t read any additional customer reviews or blurbs because the OBC review was very detailed. When I read the first ten pages, I noticed some punctuation errors. The author could improve the book with some additional editing. The first ten pages begin with a description of a slave named Malino who has returned to the home of his former master. Malino and his former owner get into an argument that turns violent. The book then skips to a storyline involving a woman who died in childbirth. I am not sure if the characters and storylines are related. The story was interesting, so I would like to finish reading the book. Although there were errors in the first ten pages, they didn’t distract me from the story. An example of the errors I encountered can be found on page 3. It states, “Malino looked at him, saw a scrawny, wrinkled old man who was cursing him with his dying breaths, and with an ease that surprised him he buried the bloody axe in gillo’s chest, splitting him as he would a piece of firewood.” There should be a comma between “him” and “he” in this sentence. The author could improve the book with additional editing.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 4:02 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kelsey Roy
I was initially interested in “Malino: The Orphan Road” because the cover showed several potential topics within the book, such as weapons and the mine. I was clued in on the historical fiction genre by the cover page and the blurb. I love historical fiction, so based on these two items, I would read this book. The title did not add or detract from my interest in reading, but after seeing the OBC review, I understand the book’s title indicates the theme.
The OBC review I read was informative and honest. The reviewer mentioned multiple errors which distracted them from the plot. The review made me hesitant to read the book because I hate finding many errors in a book I’m reading for fun.
I found many borderline grammatical errors in the book, mainly incorrect or missing punctuation. For example, “Grillo immediately fell to the floor blood spurting from the mortal wound.” There should be a coma between “floor” and “blood.” My favorite part of the sample was the author’s explanation of Malino’s name and its connection to his eyes. My least favorite part was the punctuation issue, it made the plot hard to follow. My recommendation for the author is to spend further time editing this novel. I will not continue reading this book after the sample because I was not enjoying the plot with the grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 2:51 pm by Kelsey Roy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
I don't like it when the book covers look so depressing. It makes me think this book is dark and sad, which it is, but I don't want to feel hopeless. I checked out the OBC review and the blurb. They helped me understand the plot better. I was intrigued at what happened to poor Malino. There seemed to be no Amazon reviews, which is too bad. I would've sampled this book based on the book's plot. I was disgusted at Grillo's behavior towards Malino. However, Malino killing him was shocking and gruesome. The book felt too dark for me. I'm in no mood for reading depressing books, so I will stay away from this one. I didn't get why the author decided to show us how Malino killed Grillo and then simply return to the story of how Malino was born and grew up. I already know how it will turn out because of the first chapter, so I don't see the point of starting with Malino as an adult. I think it would be an improvement to start with Malino's background first. I found a missing comma in "Grillo immediately fell to the floor[,] blood spurting from the mortal wound."
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 2:39 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Patty Allread
Had I not been part of the OBC program, I would have at least sampled this book because I like historical fiction and the Amazon blurb said the story starts in Sicily in 1900, which appealed to me. I didn't understand the title exactly but soon gathered Malino was a character in the book. The cover art is okay, and I can see what it depicts, but it is overall too dark. There were no customer reviews or editorial reviews on Amazon.
Having sampled this book, I've decided not to read it. The character of Malino is not developed in the first couple of chapters. The author only writes about Malino, with little to reveal his personality. I recommend using dialogue to express who Malino is, for instance, talking to Francesca. I like the basis for the story and the setting in 1900s Sicily. I am pretty neutral about this book and whether I like or dislike it. I didn't become interested in it enough to keep reading. I noticed a possible error in the "Book" T. Washington poem, the line says, "I believe in a physical hell in the nest[next] world, . . " Also, the author is usually referred to as Booker T. Washington. The misquote is unacceptable. I read the official OBC review by a seasoned reviewer who pointed out there were many other grammatical errors in the book. I learned more about the novel from the OBC review, but the errors, the sexual content, and the gore are a turn-off. I would rather have heard more about Malino's personality as a character. I will not buy and read this.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 2:09 pm by Patty Allread.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Malino: The Orphan Road' is a fictional book written by Joseph R. Barry. Malino was deemed evil and abandoned right after birth. Grillo, a woodcutter, left him in a nunnery for seven years. When Malino became seven, Grillo came for him. After years of labor and bearings, he sold him to Vicente. At fourteen, Vicente died. Malino came back to Grillo in the hopes of making amends. Grillo's harsh words prompted him to kill him. I like the engaging writing style. Hence, I will give this book a try. Nothing is in need of improvement. Though, I did find some errors. For example, there should have been a question mark after "Who's there.." I would have read this book based on the cover, title, genre, and blurb as I like the premise. The OBC review is great as well. However, I have to mention that I did not find any editorial reviews and customer reviews.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 2:04 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Timothy Rucinski
I truly dislike the cover and would never have given this book a second glance. The images are too dark, and they look as if they were randomly cut and pasted from a variety of sources. It gave the book a slipshod appearance. The Official OBC Review did nothing to make me want to read the book. From the description, I couldn't tell where the story took place, and the story didn't sound all that interesting. Like the Reviewer, I dislike reading books with too many distracting errors. I read no other reviews or blurbs. After reading the first ten pages, there isn't a chance that I will continue reading. The writing was rather dull and never grabbed my interest. I liked that the author began the story with some action - the death of Grillo - then flashed back to fill in the details. But, as I mentioned, the writing style is relatively colorless, and even the opening scene came across more as an incident of shock value than an incentive to read more. I also found the process of mining sulfur somewhat interesting. However, as the Reviewer stated, the book is also filled with errors. For example, at the bottom of page 6 of the Amazon Kindle version, a comma is missing following the word "floor" in the following sentence: "Grillo immediately fell to the floor blood spurting from the mortal wound." On page 8, the word "He" is unnecessarily capitalized in the following sentence: "'I don't have the teats to feed him,' He grumbled." I recommend that the author use a professional editor to clean up the errors.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 1:25 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Aashu Chaudhary
In the first chapter, the encounter between Malino and Woodcutter was enough for me to fall in love with the story of the book. I don't Judge Malino for killing his master, but I'm pretty sure he might be not dead. Every month woodcutter brought wood to a nunnery, made me believed that Woodcutter was a good person. Still liked the character. I'm really excited to see what will happen with the Malino. What role are his nunnery friend and father going to play? The thing I liked the most about the book was the fast-paced moving story. This shows that the author really has a great story in his mind, and not just dragging the story.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 1:20 pm by Aashu Chaudhary.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shadreck Rogers
I find the design of the book cover to be sublime. The title of the book is too obvious. I would thus have selected the book based on the cover. However, I will not buy and read the entire book because the storyline is not something I find intriguing. However, I like how the author started the book; the dialogues were interesting, and I already started liking Grillo as a favourite character. There are no errors in the first ten pages of the book. I was not influenced by any OBC review.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 1:19 pm by Shadreck Rogers.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ohna Martin
I would like to finish this book. Even if I was not part of this program. Although I do not like the genre I would like to see that there is justice somewhere for this abused, thrown-away boy. Milano has been abused by everyone he has ever known. The cover and the name fits the story perfectly. I do not like the violence of the book, but I like the story. I have no suggestions for the author. Although the OBC review mentioned errors there are none in the first ten pages. No other review, OBC or otherwise, or blurbs influenced my decision. This was solely based on the first ten pages of this book.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 1:00 pm by Ohna Martin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The colors of the cover are too muted to catch my attention. I like historical fiction, but the blurb is too succinct and tragic for my liking. Therefore, despite the high ratings, I wouldn't have bought the book based on my first impressions.
I liked the first ten pages, but I was still hesitant. For example, I found Dolorosa's comment hilarious: "Of course it is a male. Only a male would be this much trouble." I also liked learning about the period and the culture. For example, the superstitions regarding Malino's birth, and the cultural ideas, such as how "profligacy or chronic disobedience" were considered valid reasons to send a girl to a nunnery. There are also cultural aspects that, in my opinion, require further explanation. What's the "two finger evil sign" that the nuns make at Malino's sight? Also, the way they treat the baby and the whole topic is too sad for my current reading mood. Furthermore, there are some editing mistakes. The first one is on page 5: "I believe in a physical hell in the nest world, But a sulphur mine in Sicily is about the nearest..." I checked the reference on several websites, and the correct word is "next" not "nest." I suggest fixing the edition and making the blurb more explanatory. The official OBC review convinced me that, though the book has potential, I would rather read it in a further, more polished edition.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 11:58 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
The plot is very engaging. Right off the bat, Malino kills the man he thought of as his father and may have killed his employer too. He started life by killing his own mother also. The writing is very descriptive and interesting, and I don’t notice any errors, but the OBC review docked a point for the amount of errors, so I suggest the author get a good editor to eliminate them. There were no editorial or customer reviews, but the rating on Amazon was high from the two people that read the book. I was hesitant to read this book based on some one the content and still am. I don’t think I would have found this book on my own outside of the program because I generally read more nonfiction. Still, I do like the premise, cover design, and plot.
First Ten review added on August 26, 2022, at 11:35 am by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 29%
Malino: The Orphan Road earned a score of 29%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 29% 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 Malino: The Orphan Road
