The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Mirrored Sword Part One: The Dance
Because Mirrored Sword Part One 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.
Diana Lowery
The title and the cover look medieval, which is not my favorite setting. The Amazon blurb was much too lengthy and made me want to skip reading the book, but I did like the phrase "mirroring your journey" between the past and the present, which tied into the tile. The OBC review was favorable, but it did not convince me to read the book. I did not see any errors in the pages that I read. I like the author's descriptive writing style. It was easy to visualize the small boy posing for the painting. Except for the setting, there is nothing I did not like. I am not going to finish reading the book because it is not a genre that I enjoy. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 6:44 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ekta Kumari
The storyline follows the tale of rebellion in England and the stories of different historic characters around it in a medieval past. I wouldn't have read the book based on its genre, cover page, and the blurb as I wasn't much intrigued by the Amazon blurb. However, I enjoyed sampling the book. The thing I liked the most while sampling is that the book has an interesting mix of characters, intertwined together in this tale. I particularly like Susanna's quirks. I also noticed that the story is divided into different sections, and each section is based on a character. This really upped my enjoyment of the read as I found myself more engaged in some characters than the others. The narrative also follows a day format, which helps in maintaining the chronology of the events. Quite frankly, I've enjoyed the portion I've read so far. Reading the sample definitely changed my opinion about this book. So, I plan to read the rest of the book as I enjoyed the sample. I only observed one error in this sentence, "Meanwhile the white background facing Susanna kept disappearing stroke by stroke of her quick brush, acquiring the first, dark suggestions of a tragic scene." There should be a comma after 'Meanwhile'. I saw an official OBC review before sampling. I wouldn't recommend anything for improvements besides rectifying the editing error.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 5:31 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ann Ogochukwu
I surely would have given this book a try based on its colorful cover page and after reading its OBC review. I am a big lover of historical fiction, and I wasn't disappointed by what I saw in the pages of this book.
In the first scene, Susanna is seen painting the picture of a young boy—a painting inspired by a bible story—while her maid, Matilda, frets over her looks. I loved the diction of this book the most; it was just as artistic as Susanna's painting. This book ticks off all the right boxes, and I would love to complete it.
I believe this book was professionally edited because I didn't notice any errors in the bit I've read. I don't think this book needs any improvement.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 4:59 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Manang Muyang
The title and cover are puzzling, but the blurb clearly identifies the story as transpiring in the 15th century during the Wars of the Roses in England. The book has almost 400 pages, and it is just half of the story. The length would have stopped me from sampling the book outside of the program. I enjoyed the first ten pages featuring Susanna and her maid, Matilda. I found their unusual relationship amusing. (After meeting Susanna, the cover made sense to me.) The next part where the rebels came in was a bit confusing, though. I guess I need to read up on the historical background to understand the happenings, which made me decide not to read the rest of the book. I found two errors in the bit I read. At 3% of the book, "its claws branches enmeshed in her hair" needed "claws'." At 6%, "These troubles cannot to be endured a day longer" did not need "to." I do not know why the author had to use the pen name "Allan Hands" because his real name is on the copyright page. I also think the map and the "points of view" page at the beginning should be enlarged for better appreciation. The official OBC reviewer found the book to their liking but cautioned that "young readers should be protected from the vices in the book." I wonder what they mean.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 4:57 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Eunice Geres
I would've read the sample of this book even if it wasn't on BOTD because the book cover is so beautiful. I can already tell that I would enjoy reading this one. The official review said that the characters are interesting. I also gathered from the review that the main character is a headstrong woman. That's everything I like in a medieval-themed book. I would certainly continue reading this one. Susanna seems a bit full of herself based on the first few pages I read. I genuinely enjoyed reading the sample, and I didn't notice any grammatical mistakes. I also don't have any recommendations, as the book seems to be written pretty well.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 4:53 am by Eunice Geres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mutai Marshal
I wouldn't have read this book outside the First Ten program. This is because the title and cover page suggested that it is war-based, a subject I don't find fascinating. From the sample, I liked the dialogues that portrayed Sussana's obsession with her beauty. I noticed an inconsistency in punctuation ('It praised her mouth, “red and proud as a summer rose”, her nose “petite as a wild lily half-hidden in snow”, her eyes, “blue as the sky at mid-morning”, her cheeks, “round as apples that ask to be bitten”, and her hair, “the colour of copper.”' The commas should come before the closing quotation marks). Therefore, I believe the book wasn't exceptionally edited. Having read the OBC review, I will not buy this book as it contains a theme I don't relish, romance. Lastly, I didn't find anything worth improving.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 4:45 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
Without this program, I wouldn't have read this. The official review from OnlineBookClub looks alright, but the ratings on Amazon are not good, and the blurb is not interesting. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind from my original guess.
Frankly, I don't like anything in the bit I read, though the editing is fine. I find Susanna annoying and selfish. Despite doing nothing to help Adam and his family, the heroine takes it for granted that they must be indebted to her and obey her unconditionally. I think the author should make Susanna a bit more likable. Since I don't like her, I won't buy this book.
Error example: It praised her mouth, "red and proud as a summer rose", her nose "petite as a wild lily half-hidden in snow", her eyes, "blue as the sky at mid-morning" -> There should be a comma after "her nose" like the other instances.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 4:36 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Justine Ocsebio
I want to sample the book because I love the genre of historical fiction. The book begins with Susanna, a free-spirited artist who rejects conventions imposed on women during her time. She does not wish to marry, although there is one man she seems to be interested in. His name was Edward, and he had caught her attention when she shared a dance with him. I think I’m going to continue reading the book. I want to give the book a chance as the premise seems simple and light, which I’m in the mood for. The OBC review helped with my decision. I can’t think of anything to dislike about the book, and I also don’t have criticisms to share. I tried looking for errors, but I found none. It seems like the book is well edited.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 4:36 am by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title "Mirrored Sword" and the cover that shows two men fighting conveys that this is a story about a sword. There are only seven 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 period in England's history. As I am generally not interested in historical fiction, I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing Susanne living in her aunt's place. As I got interested with the wonderful narration, I am going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. What I liked most about the book is its wonderful narration. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 4:30 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rodel Barnachea
After perusing the book’s official OBC review and Amazon page, I decided not to purchase the historical fiction novel. I am not fascinated by the personality of Susanna Mandeville, the story’s main character. I am not interested in finding out what will happen to her after she is banished to Bourne. I am also not intrigued by the rebellious forces that want to overthrow the King of England. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the sample piqued my curiosity, appealed to my interests, or had me wanting to pore over the rest of the medieval historical romance title. The first ten pages cover the first ten pages of the first chapter. What I liked most is when Susanna is described as someone who dresses like the daughter of a respectable peasant even though, in reality, she is the daughter of a wealthy merchant. I could not identify any errors in the Amazon sample. The book seems professionally edited. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 4:08 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Owuamanam Eberechukwu
The Mirrored Sword is an excellent novel that depicts life in a society torn apart by war and rebellion. With Susanna and Matilda caught in the dream of drawing, author tries to examine the prevalent issue in society. The book's cover and title are engaging, and I can choose this book based on the two. The inner page design was great. I loved it. The book was also exceptionally well edited. However, the author used long sentences a lot, and it kind of distracted the reading experience. I will not buy and read this book because it seems to have been written to show the love that existed between two women. It was also difficult to get an understanding of the storyline by reading the first ten pages. This is my view and was not influenced by reviews, blurbs, or comments on OBC or outside OBC.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 3:36 am by Owuamanam Eberechukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Garcia 555
I like cover and title of this book, but I am not a fan of historical fiction. The description did not sound very interesting to me so I would normally not pick this book to read. I read an official OnlineBookClub review that gave the book a good rating. This made me interested in reading the sample. I did not see any editing errors, so this book seems professionally edited. I like that Susanna is strong willed. I also like that she is a painter. This book had a slow moving beginning. The author speaks about Susanna’s painting and dislike of men for too long. This book could be improved with more action in the beginning. The beginning of this book did not grab my attention. The good review was not enough for me to buy or finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 1:56 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabriella H
I like the book cover and the title. Based on the cover and the title alone, I would've read this book without being a part of this program. I also enjoyed the OBC official review and the blurb. Based on the above reviews, the book seemed interesting, and my curiosity was piqued. After reading the first ten pages, I can say I will be completing this book. I enjoyed the writing style and the characterization, and I look forward to reading more about Susanna. I didn't see any errors in the first ten pages, so the book seems well edited so far. I have no suggestions for improvements. The customer reviews and lack of an editorial review didn't influence my decision.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 1:44 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Astral Magi
The colorful cover drew my attention, and the subject piqued my interest. If I hadn't read the first ten pages, I would have chosen the book based on these. The official OBC review, along with the first ten pages, persuaded me that this work of historical fiction is worth reading. According to the customer and volunteer reviews, the book contains a considerable amount of comedy and drama. I adore historical fiction, and I can't say no when there's a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. The blurb persuaded me that the book would be quite fascinating. I look forward to finding out more about Susanna and whether she chooses her career or her role as a woman. There was nothing I could improve, and there were no errors. I believe that the book was professionally edited.
First Ten review added on April 2, 2022, at 12:44 am by Astral Magi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gabrielle Sigaki
Mirrored Sword Part One by Allan Hands is a historical fiction book that takes the reader to the medieval past. It talks about the rebellion on England and the importance of several different characters in the rebellion. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review, its blurb, its genre, and its customer reviews since I'm not interested in medieval historical fiction books that mix drama and humor. The book's cover and title didn't affect my decision. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I won't read the entire book because of the reason I stated before. The book also doesn't seem professionally edited since I found errors while sampling it. For example, in "The first one fell under a waggon" the word "waggon" should be "wagon." Therefore, this book could be improved with another round of editing. Nevertheless, my favorite aspect was Susanna's character since she had a strong personality mixed with a lot of creativity.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 10:00 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rosemary Owolabi
Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would have chosen to read this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, customer reviews, and editorial reviews that I saw. Because their information would determine whether I would consider reading this book.
It is free on Amazon and you don't need the Kindle Unlimited app to download it. I would read it because Allan Hands wrote it as interesting as he could without making the storyline boring.
Reading the first ten pages changed my mind from the original guess. I would read the book because of the interesting characters in it. Susanna Mandeville felt safe in Aunty Marian's house in Bourne.
Susanna, the daughter of a rich merchant, was interested in painting. After the devastation of the recurring bouts of plague had left many homes vacant, survivors were claiming what was left behind as their own. Susanna's passion for painting drew her to Adam. Adam, who had been feeling chilly as Susanna started painting, began to shiver. Initially, she was told by Adam's parents that she should not use him as a model. But they agreed when she promised them money. There was something mysterious about Adam; maybe it was his innocence and self-respect that got Susanna hooked on painting him. Meanwhile, they were not alone. A woman named Maltida couldn't stand Susanna's untamed hair. She brought a hairbrush for Susanna's locks.
Maltida wondered why Susanna was not so concerned about her looks or appearance but focused on painting a boy that wasn't worthy of her time or attention.
Based on what I read, the book seemed to be professionally edited. I didn't notice any typos or errors.
What I liked in the bit that I read was the Biblical references. I liked the inclusion of the Bible story of Isaac and Abraham while making reference to her painting. Overall, it seemed like a good story.
What needed improvement was the way the story was told. I found it a bit complicated or confusing. It felt like I needed to read it multiple times to understand it more clearly. It wasn't everything written that I got to understand.
The book had an official OnlineBookClub review that I saw, but this didn't affect my decision.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 7:34 pm by Rosemary Owolabi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Mirrored Sword Part One hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would have skipped the sample of it. The description had me interested at first, but I was almost concerned when I saw that the main character had to choose between being an artist or a woman. The customer reviews did not affect my decision to sample the book. I liked reading about Susanna and her spunky attitude; she doesn't seem scared to say things how they are. I noticed no grammatical errors in the sample, and I cannot think of anything that needs improvement. Ultimately, I want to know what choice Susanna takes, so I will be finishing the book. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for this title, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. If a reader likes an adventurous romance book, this one may be for them.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 6:02 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover and title are catchy, but I think they don't fully reflect the time and history associated with the story. I'm unsure if the entire target audience will be attracted to this title-cover combination. In general, stories of ancient history do not capture my attention nor does the rebellion in England. The blurb comments that this book is part one of the story and covers a set of trips to the medieval past. It refers to the hero and heroine as characters. Plus, it expresses that the story is set in England in 1470 during the Wars of the Roses. It offers an overview of the historical figures and places the reader will encounter. In addition, it references the difficult decisions Susanna and Tom must make. Most of the customer reviews are favorable. Based on these aspects, I am uninclined to try this book. The first ten pages focus on Susanna Mandeville who is the daughter of a wealthy merchant. She is portrayed as an interesting character, her fondness for painting and her apparent aversion for men make her the center of criticism and gossip. One of the main expectations that these first pages generated for me is if her platonic love for King Edward will come true. Given Susanna's speech when she was talking to Watt it seems that she supports the Yorkist king and is against the rebels. These first few pages were very much about Susanna and her discussions with Matilda while she was painting the Adam boy, which was a bit of a slow pace. The part that appeared most exciting to me was the incident with the hawk that apparently took her up in the air. Next, the appearance of a mysterious man arouses curiosity. In these first few pages, the plot of the rebels is barely introduced when Robert Welles is mentioned. The official OnlineBookClub review highlights the development of the characters, especially Susanna, Tom Russell, and Matilda. Moreover, it indicates that the story includes romance. The editing looks outstanding as I didn't see any details to comment on. Overall, I didn't see anything that I believe could be improved. What I read was a bit slow at first, but then it raised issues that arouse intrigue. However, the topics associated with ancient history and the rebellion in England do not appeal to me completely. Therefore, I think I will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 5:48 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kirsi Cultrera
I am very fond of stories that take place in medieval times. Therefore, I would definitely have sampled this book even without the First Ten program. The blurb and customer reviews clearly showed that this book told a story from that time period. The cover and the title seemed to be cited in the same direction. When I started reading the sample, I was positively surprised by the author’s use of words. His style seemed descriptive, smooth, and absorbing. I laughed at the dialogue between Susanna and her maid, Matilda. The sample pages left no need for improvement, but I still decided against reading this book. It became clear that this is a part of the series, and even though I enjoyed the sample, I felt that one book might be enough. In addition, I was not interested getting myself hooked on another series. I read the Official OnlineBookClub review, and although it was very praising, it could not change my mind. I did not encounter any mistakes along the way and therefore believe this book to have been professionally edited.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 3:31 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I love the cover image, it fits the time so well and is very expressive. It matches Susanna perfectly with her distaste for men and I like that she was painting Adam in exchange for a shilling, even though he was cold and she was criticized for not asking for compliments on her beauty. I’m curious to find out why she doesn’t like men; the OBC review said you find out later in the story. I didn’t see any blurbs or editorial reviews, but the Amazon customer reviews were mostly positive. I got this book for free during the promotion, so I’ll likely read it when I get a chance. I enjoy history, but I usually read nonfiction if I’m searching for myself outside the program. I probably wouldn’t have discovered this book outside of OBC. I have no suggestions to make improvements because the editing looks very professional and free of errors.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 1:47 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
gen_g
The title and cover alone makes it clear that the book is set in the medieval ages, making it a piece of historical fiction. I am not looking for books in this genre, so I would not have sampled it. There is a positive OBC review (that I came across for BOTD), but OBC reviews generally do not have the power to influence my decision regarding sampling. Hence, my choice not to sample the book remains unchanged. Still, for First Ten, I have spotted a couple of errors present, and there is a lack of consistency when it comes to punctuation. For example. on page 1, there is a missing comma before a conjunction (that precedes an independent phrase): "...common limewood(,) but the surface...". This comma is necessary (as per grammar rules), if not for consistency; there is a comma used in the same manner earlier on ("...bristles, and the world..."), so it stands to reason that there should be a comma used in a later, but similar, situation. Hence, I suggest more rigorous editing – having no errors in a published work is the basic minimum I expect of anyone who wants to publish. After sampling, I feel that the author tends to include a lot of extraneous detail, which is usually a good thing, but in this case, this excess of details backfired, i.e., it detracts from reading flow and reader immersion. For example, it is not really necessary to know that the hawk that landed on the tree was the type of hawk that a baronet might own. A little detail is fine, but personally, in this case, given that the details about the hawk is almost one paragraph long, it is too much detail. Hence, I would also like to suggest that the author rework the book with an editor to iron out the kinks in writing; the story could also be reworked to make it more period-appropriate. I am unable to immerse myself in the story, and given the genre mismatch, I will not be reading the rest of it.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 11:55 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
The cover of this book is certainly eye-catching. The title is also intriguing. I thought the Amazon blurb was a little too long, but I am a fan of historical fiction, so I would have picked this up even without the First Ten program. The first few pages were well edited. I have to admit, I could not relate to Susanna being bored by the topic of her beauty. All the comments, customer reviews, and the official OBC review were positive, which confirmed my decision to finish reading this book. I look forward to seeing how it ends. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 11:18 am by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sanju Lali
I thought that this was a supernatural fantasy book when I saw its cover and title. I read the OBC official review to know the premise of the story. The OBC official review gave me the idea that this historical fiction book tells the story of a rebellion in England. This idea motivated me to read the first ten pages sample of this book. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that this book was not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, "Meanwhile the white background facing Susanna kept disappearing stroke by stroke of her quick brush, acquiring the first, dark suggestions of a tragic scene." The sentence could be as follows. "Meanwhile, the white background facing Susanna kept disappearing stroke by stroke of her quick brush, acquiring the first, dark suggestions of a tragic scene." In this book, I liked Susanna’s interest in her paintings and how she sacrificed other things in her life for her passion for painting. To my dismay, the usage of very long and complex sentences with mismatching irony, pushed me away from this book because reading became difficult for me. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing and use simple language to deliver the intended message clearly to a reader like me. Looking at all the aspects of this book, I decided not to purchase and read this book today until the author resolves my difficulties mentioned above.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 7:29 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rita Nuncia
Allan Hands' Mirrored Sword, Part One is a work of historical fiction with a romantic undertone set in England. Being a lover of fictional historical romance novels, I became interested in the book. The cover and the title also caught my interest. Therefore, I would have read this book without the First Ten program being the reason. After reading the first ten pages of this book, I would love to buy and read it to the end because it is so interesting and suspense-filled. While reading the first ten pages of this book, I found no grammatical or typographical errors, as it had been professionally edited. I love the descriptive way the author writes and the suspense he creates from the first chapter. From what I have read so far, I do not see anything that needs to be improved. I saw and read an OnlineBookClub official review. However, the availability of one or lack thereof would not have changed my opinion of this book, nor would it have changed my decision to read this book.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 3:58 am by Rita Nuncia.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Verna Coy
What I loved most about this book was the fact that it is part of a set. I know that aspect will appeal to readers who love having all of the volumes of a set of books. I loved the beautiful setting in the first scene. The action was great as well. It provided excitement as well as mystery when the new character who had the hawk came into the storyline. This book is set in a most interesting time period and I do plan to eventually read the book in its entirety. I saw no reasons for improvements to this work. It seems professionally edited to me as well. I enjoyed the Official Online Book Club review. A 4-star review is nice work!
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 3:37 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kelyn
As my tastes run more toward sci-fi and fantasy, it is unlikely that I would have run across this book if I had not been in this program. However, if I had, the cover and title make it look enough like a book in the fantasy genre for it to have caught my eye. I am unfamiliar with the author, so that would not have affected my decision. The blurb, quite frankly, was too long for my tastes and confusing. If I had not been reading for this program, I would not have read it completely through. I would simply have moved on and not given the book another thought. If I were to suggest any change, it would be to shorten the blurb. This might serve to attract more readers toward finishing it and encourage interest in the book. There were a few customer reviews, but their scores were so mixed that it was hard to get a read on the book's quality. I did not see an OBC review on the Amazon site. If I had, it would have been helpful to know what one of our reviewers thought about the book. The official OBC review on this site was positive. This gave a good impression going into the sample. Some readers might not have liked Susanna simply because she was so outspoken in her dislike of men. I found her feisty and rebellious spirit delightful, and I LOVED that a lady of that time period knew how to use her fists effectively! Jumping in front of what was obviously a hawk trained to hunt to save Watt (my favorite part) was just a hint of her bravery and made me like her even more. If it weren't for her aunt's insistence, I don't think she would have given a fig whether or not Roussell apologized. Sadly, despite my engagement with Susanna, the book remains historical fiction, a genre I do not generally enjoy. Additionally, the blurb seems to suggest that an inordinate amount of politics is involved in the book. That alone was enough to make me decide not to continue reading it. The book seemed well-edited. I found no 'countable' mistakes in the sample.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 3:33 am by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
I like historical fiction. The prospect of meeting a strong heroine, as revealed in the official OBC review, made me want to read this book. Other published reviews also suggested the book would be good; however, the blurb was too long for my choice. I did not find any errors in the first ten pages. Susanna attempts to complete a drawing of Abraham, while her model, a ten-year-old boy, gets restless and cold. Her maid, Matilda, tries to brush her hair even though she is busy painting. I loved the sassy exchange between Susanna and Matilda as well as the former's wayward spirit. I did not have any suggestions for improvements. Based on my reading experience, I would definitely read the book.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 3:23 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emy Katherine
Because of her rebellious behavior, Susanna Mandeville is sent to live with her aunt Marian in Bourne. She does not want to get married and enjoys spending her days painting. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when she receives an invitation from King Edward to a banquet and dance party. In all honesty, I am not a big fan of historical fiction novels, so I would not have read the book based on the cover, title, OBC review, and genre. For this reason, reading the first ten pages did not convince me to read the whole book. However, I enjoyed the author's writing style; it was clear and descriptive, with a touch of humor thrown in. Also, I am pleased that I only encountered three minor errors that did not disrupt the flow of the story. For example, I noticed a missing comma after "sight" in the following sentence: "Matilda was supposed to stay out of sight but she kept edging forward for a better look at her own handiwork." (page 2) I found no editorial reviews, but the story had great Amazon ratings. From what I have read, it will appeal to those interested in reading medieval tales filled with action, romance, and humor. I would only suggest that the author shorten the Amazon blurb; even though I found it intriguing, it was too long and too descriptive.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 2:39 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
TheGayOne12
I would've chosen to read this book based on the cover alone. Since this book is currently free, I already have it on my kindle, but I would've bought it regardless. The book seems to be professionally edited, which I love. My favorite aspect while reading the first ten pages has to be the writing style. It was just so detailed. I could feel the characters, even though it's only ten pages. I don't see how anything could be improved. It's a very spectacular beginning. Yes, it does have an official OnlineBookClub review, but I would choose to read this book no matter what.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 2:06 am by TheGayOne12.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vidhi Adhikari
I liked the unique title and cover of this book, that seem ancient in some ways. The description is quite detailed and grabbed my attention with the mention of our current generation's life running parallel with the ancient times and the book taking the reader through a myriad of emotions. However, the further I read through the description, the more I started to feel that this book is not for me, as the focus shifted from showing the parallel timelines to just the historical fiction part. I was skeptical about reading this book despite the positive customer and OBC reviews it has received. Sadly, the sample couldn't change my mind as the first few pages only seemed to talk about beauty and marriage. Hence, I'm afraid that I shall not be finishing this book. There were some minor grammatical errors that I came across that should be looked into ('It was important to work quickly {remove comma} while the paint was fresh on the bristles'). I would suggest keeping an exciting incident as the first chapter to better grab the reader's attention. Other than that, I loved the vintage theme and look of this book, along with the wartime scene set in the beginning of the novel.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 2:05 am by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would have read the book. The reviews on Amazon are mixed but I really like the cover art. I do think the blurb could be shortened to one paragraph. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I was intrigued right off the bat, and as an artist, I thought it was beautiful how Susanna's painting was described, with the egg being cracked, charcoal crushed, and her subject's outline becoming a "spider's web." It was all professionally edited. A minor thing I would change was making the dialogue sound a little more fluid and casual; sometimes lines without contractions felt clunky and awkward. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision and I would definitely recommend this to other readers of historical romance.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 1:47 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for the First Ten program, I wouldn't sample this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, or Official OnlineBookClub review because I prefer stand-alone books. I don't tend to read trilogies/series. I am also not very interested in reading about medieval England. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. I will not continue reading the book because of the same reasons mentioned previously. I also did not find myself drawn to Susanna's interest in the king of England. My favorite part of the sample was Susanna's passion for art and her views on men. It was refreshing to read about a woman from medieval times who's not interested in marriage. The combination of Susanna's attitude and the author's writing style was amusing to read. The book doesn't need improvement, and it appears professionally edited.
First Ten review added on April 1, 2022, at 1:42 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
I found myself chuckling at the cover, as there is a picture of a girl striking a boy. I would have sampled the book based on how it caught my eye with the cover. Susanna sounds overconfident in her painting ability, and she also seems to be stuck with the memory of her single dance with King Edward. I noted a few errors in the book. The pace of the story is too slow for my taste, and I would try to improve it. The detailed description of Susanna's painting technique could be condensed to increase the pace. The OBC review didn't convince me to read the book. I didn't find anything online that would convince me otherwise. I am not a big fan of historical fiction, and I found it hard to stay interested in the story.
ERROR: Rebels preyed on travellers and isolated buildings but not even a woman as beautiful as herself- a woman, moreover, devoted to the Yorkist king-could reasonably expect to get through the day unmolested, if she stayed in town, minding her own business.
There should be a comma after buildings. I would normally say travellers is misspelled, but when I looked up the British form of the word, it is correct.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 10:13 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
I did not understand the title or the cover initially, but it certainly caught my attention. Based on the blurb, I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. It was very long and involved. In the sample pages, there would be a lull while focusing on a couple of characters and then several seemingly new characters would be introduced at once. I don’t enjoy having to keep up with a large cast of characters. I did, however, like Susanna—she had spunk. Sometimes I had trouble following the scenes. For example, I’m not really sure what happened with Susanna and the hawk. I will not finish this historical fiction because I did not connect with the writing style and there seem to be a lot of characters. The book appeared professionally edited; I did not notice any grammatical errors in the first ten pages. A suggestion for improvement would be to make the blurb more succinct. The featured OnlineBookClub review had no bearing on my decision. The genre and other customer and editorial reviews had no bearing either.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 8:03 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the book's first pages, I wasn't interested in it because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book, I don't want to continue reading it because the story didn't captivate me. I didn't like that Sussana's father read her suitor's letter just to embarrass her, that's terrible. However that is just a part of the story, I don't think it needs improvement. This book seems professionally edited, I didn't see any typos; plus, it has an official Online BookClub review. I didn't see anything that I particularly enjoyed. Neither the blurb, customer reviews, nor editorial reviews affect my decision not to read the book.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 7:40 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 cover and the title. I read the Official OnlineBookClub and customer reviews but they did not influence my decision. Customer reviews seem authentic. I didn't find any editor reviews. The blurb influenced my decision because I learned a lot about the structure of the book. The cover of the book is clearly and provocatively designed in colors that attract attention. The title of the book is associated with adventure and mystery. I will not read the book because I am not in the mood to read historical romance books at the moment. While reading the sample I did notice only one typo (…already over-crowded morning. It should be: …overcrowded…) and other than that the book seems like it is professionally edited. Reading the sample did not change my mind from my original guess. I like the description of Susanna that one of her suitors wrote in the letter because it seems very authentic. The words and comparisons used seem to be from that era. I don't think anything needs to be improved in the book.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 6:12 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
"Mirrored Sword is where the world's worst shrew meets the world's most formidable warrior, a comedy as black as the Plague, as turbulent as the Wars of the Roses."
Whoever wrote this should get a raise. This is what sold me on the book. I haven't changed my mind after reading the sample. I like Susanna as a character. The writing is witty and interesting. I am intrigued about where the plotline is going. There is an informative Official OnlineBookClub review of this book. I didn't notice any errors, and I wouldn't change anything about the book. I like the genre and the sample. I will read the book. I don't get swayed by reviews once I decide to read the book. However, this book has a lot of positive reviews on Amazon.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 6:02 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Hazel Arnaiz
The cover and title hint at medieval times. The blurb mentions that it is an introduction to a series. Customer reviews are few and a mix of positive and critical feedback. Although I enjoy history, I prefer standalone books. For this reason, I will skip this outside the program. Sampling did not change my mind. I like the vivid descriptions. But, I prefer a faster pace. Also, I had some difficulty with Tom’s direct speech. The distinction is there, but it disrupts the reading flow. I suggest keeping the uniqueness but making it easier to read. As for editing issues, here are some examples.
Page 9. Grammar. Consider changing the preposition.
Opening her eyes, she observed the hawk, now perched [in] the apple tree just overhead.
Page 10. Grammar. Consider changing the verb form for subject agreement.
If she screamed, it was lost in the uproar, thoughts reeling in the terrible grip of a moment that had latched onto her with an artist’s own passion for the ultimate sacrifice, even as she fought against it, lest the pain [bite] deep and her beauty be marred forever, never valued till now.
The official OnlineBookClub review has helpful insights, but I will pass.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 4:41 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Amy Luman
I like that Susanna is inclined to pay Adam, not only for his time served as a model, but also for minding Watt. There are, however, no suggestions that I can make for improvements to this novel. I am not a fan of historical fiction, and I won’t be finishing this one, either. The cover is done in one of my favorite colors, but that is all that draws me to it. I’m not sure how the title relates to the book. The reviews, including the OBC one, and the blurb made it clear that this wasn’t for me. I didn’t see any errors in the work, so it was probably professionally edited.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 4:10 pm by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I like covers that capture my attention with simplicity and few colors. Here, the cover made me think of fencing and of novels like "The Three Musketeers," which I like. I found the blurb enticing because I love history, but I think it's too long, and the use of "hero" and "heroine" instead of proper names makes for an awkward reading. The convoluted style of the blurb and the mixed ratings made me decide not to buy the book based on my first impressions.
The first ten pages changed my mind and pleasantly surprised me. Susanna is a fascinating character. Since I love strong female characters, I can't resist reading a novel about someone described as "Pleasing to the eye [...] Deadly to the taste." I also like the way the author taught me historical facts through her words, which makes it much more enjoyable than a dry history textbook. For example, when she is trying to explain the meaning of the word "jester" to Watt: "Shall I tell you about kings? There are two. One is called Edward of York, who lives in a great big palace at Westminster—he is very handsome—and the other is a grubby lunatic called Henry of Lancaster. He lives in the Tower of London. Why are there two kings? A good question! It is because there are two kinds of people in England today: people who try to do great things, and other people, like maids and small boys, who try to stop them." I found a couple of editing mistakes. For example, in position 64 "summer" is capitalized, when seasons shouldn't be: " “Think Summer,” she urged him." I suggest fixing these minor flaws and making the blurb more simple and to the point. The official OBC review furthered my enthusiasm for the book.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 3:57 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Yvonne Monique
I like the book cover design, but it does not clearly show what the book is exactly about. That is why I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The customer reviews, blurb and OBC review did not make me curious about the sample. The first ten pages are well edited. The author describes well the characters and the setting of the story, but fails to make me want to read the rest of the book. Susanne is a likeable character, but I did not feel the need to learn more about her or her life. That is why I will not read the book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 3:47 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Mirrored Sword Part One' is a historical fiction book. It is written by Allan Hands. The book is set in the 1400s. Susanna Mandeville is beautiful. However, she was a shrew. She had no interest in men. The only person she loved was King Edward. Her only passion was painting. I like the way the author showed the Shrewsbury character of Susanna. She is not very likeable at first. She has no care for anyone except herself. I would like to see how she changes during the course of the book. So, I will give this book a try. The editing is fair. There is nothing in need of an improvement. The OBC review is very appreciative as well. Based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews, I would have read this book as I love reading historical books.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 3:24 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
I like the colors and the illustrations on the cover. Upon checking the blurb and the OBC review, I was intrigued by the medieval time setting. However, I wasn't so sure if I will like the plot. The Amazon reviews seem split, so I had to see for myself. The poetical descriptions of Susanna's artistic thoughts and her actual paintings make the book pleasant. I also appreciated the way the writing style matches the time period. It transported me to a different world. Despite my initial doubt regarding the plot, I found myself immersed in the story and wanting to see more, so I will keep reading this book. There is nothing I would like to improve. Also, the editing is very well-done, as I didn't find any errors.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 3:13 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kira Bonita Reece
The title and cover of this book does not seem like a story I would enjoy. I would choose to read this book based on the blurb, customer reviews, editorial reviews and the official OnlineBookClub review. The book covers accounts of rebellions in England, with a touch of romance and adventure.
The sample I read seemed professionally edited and needs no improvements. What I liked most about this book was the relationship between Susanna and Matilda. Matilda, being the maid, was not afraid to disagree with Susanna. I won't be reading this one because I'm not a fan of historical fictions nor England's history.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 2:47 pm by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chinazo Anozie
I was interested in this book based on the title, cover, genre, description, customer reviews, and the official OnlineBookClub review. I loved Susanna’s feistiness. I was adequately intrigued by this historical fiction from the first few pages, so I will buy and read it. This book seems professionally edited because I did not notice any typographical errors. I don’t think anything needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 12:22 pm by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shridhar Suryawanshi
If I had not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I would not have chosen to read or sample this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews that I saw because I believe in "don't judge a book by it cover." I won't read this book because there was no hook to make me want to read more; the story starts off with the character in a house and nothing interesting happens after, that's not something that makes me think it will be a good book. It is exceptionally edited since I did not find any grammar errors. I liked that the author was able to express the weather clearly with dialogues like "B-b-but I'm-m c-c-cold"; it helped me visualize the setting in my head better, but I suggest adding more suspense and drama to hook the reader. An OnlineBookClub review did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 12:03 pm by Shridhar Suryawanshi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
I love reading romantic historical-fiction books; therefore, I would have checked this book out based on the cover, title, and genre. The blurb grabbed my interest with the mention of the medieval period. There were no editorial reviews, and the mixed customer reviews did not influence me. The positive OnlineBookClub review furthered my interest in the book with the brief summaries of some of the main characters. I enjoyed reading the first ten pages, and I like that Susanna is portrayed as a strong woman who sticks up for herself. I wonder if Susanna’s infatuation with the King of York ever bears fruit. For this reason, I have downloaded the free copy of the book and will eventually read it. I have no recommendations for the author because the first ten pages appear to have been edited by a professional editor. However, I did find an error on Page 2: “Aunt Marian had taken them under her wing out of charity, because the town was [over-crowded] (overcrowded) with travellers stranded by the rebellion, and nobody else could find room for them.”
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 10:51 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rizki Pradana
I hadn't sampled the first them of this program. I had chosen to read this book based on the genre. The information that people told about this book could help me decide whether to buy this book or not.
I will buy this book because of the contents. There aren't many books that discussed the rebellion in England. I wonder about how the rebellion will turn out to be. Furthermore, I was interested in Susana because she was a sharp tongue character.
From what I read, this book seemed perfectly edited. I don't think this book needs any improvements.
I saw an OBC review. It strengthened my decision to buy and read the whole book.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 10:39 am by Rizki Pradana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Theresa Moffitt
The title and cover art for this book caught my attention. It also tells me that this is part one of a series. It looks to be a novel of historical fiction. I enjoy reading historical fiction, so I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The onlinebookclub.org review was very positive and gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It confirmed that it is a work of historical fiction and recommended it to fans of the genre. The OBC review increased my interest in the book. It was very informative, so I did not need to read any additional customer reviews or blurbs. The first ten pages introduce the character of Susanna in 1470. She is an artist and is working on a painting of a young boy who lives in her town. She has a maid, Matilda, who is trying to fix her hair for her to make her more presentable. Susanna doesn’t care what she looks like and is focused on her painting. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I like the author’s writing style. So, based on the first ten pages and the OBC review, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 31, 2022, at 9:23 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 49%
Mirrored Sword Part One earned a score of 49%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 49% 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 Mirrored Sword Part One
