The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Shadow Song
Because Shadow Song 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
This is a historical fiction based on the events surrounding the Germany's occupation of Rome and the opposition forces that cropped up around Rome to defeat Germany. The storyline centers around a lead female character and Carlo and their role in the opposition forces, especially when the life of those they love depend on it. Based on the genre and blurb, I wouldn't have read the book as I don't often read historical fictions. Plus, I wasn't much intrigued by the cover page as well. Though, the narrative is engaging, and the thing I liked the most is the author's research into the local language and characterization. I also enjoyed the pace at which the story flows and that there's a solid outline for setting the background before jumping into the main themes. The chapters are also not long winded, which I really liked. I saw an official OBC review that explained quite a bit about the book. But I will not read the rest of it based only on my lack of interest in the genre. There's nothing I would like to suggest for improvements based on what I read so far. As there weren't any significant editing errors, I would rate this book as professionally edited.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 10:20 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Manang Muyang
The title and the cover do not mean anything to me, so they would not have made me interested in the book. (I later found out about the elephant statue from Google, but I could not see how it was relevant to the story.) The blurb talks about wartime in Rome in 1943 and the resistance movement. I would not have sampled the book outside of the program; I am not interested in war stories at this time. I appreciate the map at the start of the book (it showed some places I saw when I visited Rome), but it was crude. I hope it can be rendered professionally. I noted some possible errors. On page 15, "No - give him to the allies" should have used "Allies." All subsequent uses of "allies" were likewise not capitalized. "No- one else was nearby" on page 21 needed "no one" with no hyphen. The hyphenated spelling was also how the word was used elsewhere in the book. I guess they are the author's stylistic choices. The official OBC review was complimentary, but I have decided to skip the book because of its main theme, the war. The author's writing was very good: I felt Francesca's anxiety for her brother, a soldier, and her infatuation with the tenor. I'm guessing he is the singer of the "shadow song." But no war stories for me now.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
I wouldn't choose to sample this book because, at first glance at the cover photo, I don't understand the relevance of it to the title. I'm a part of this program, so I proceed to sample the book. I noticed that the introduction scenario is a gripping one when Cesca is a bit jealous of Luca, who is dancing with someone. I like the emotions of the characters, as a particular teenager does react to a hidden feeling with someone. The reviews of this book, both on this site and on Amazon, do give me enough information about the book's concept, so I changed my mind after reading the sample and the reviews. Plus, I became more intrigued by the new man that Cesca falls in love with, as stated in the OBC review. The OBC review is very insightful for me. I don't see any errors, but my suggestion is to modify the cover photo into something more brilliant and stunning at first sight because it's a bit dull.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 4:56 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The title "Shadow Song" and the cover that shows a statue do not indicate the theme of the book. There is only one Amazon customer rating, which is not a sufficient number for me to decide to sample the book. The Amazon summary states that the story is about two people living in Rome during a war. As I am generally not interested in wartime stories, 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 Francesca living in Rome. As I didn't find the narration interesting, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. There were no grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. I didn't like anything specifically about the book. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 4:51 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stellah Chege
Based on the book's OBC blurb that suggest this book addresses love, I would have read this book outside the first ten program. The book's title and cover page are quite mysterious. They also piqued my interest. The book's editing was professionally done. There were no objective errors that I noticed. The book contains lots of dialogues. This is what I loved about the book as they portrayed the restlessness and anxiety amongst the characters. I also love that its setting is during the second World War since I am student of history. I will buy and complete reading this book as it contains interesting topics about the war in Italy. The well-written OBC review didn't change my mind about it. Lastly, I have no suggestions at the moment.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 4:50 am by Stellah Chege.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Asma Aisha Ansari
I wouldn't have picked this book up based on the genre because I'm not interested in reading historical fiction books on war. But I must add that the title and cover are amazing, and they don't make it look like a war story. The OBC review is quite positive about this book, and it mentioned that the stakes are high in this book which will make it an interesting read. I looked everywhere but didn't find other online reviews for this book.
I read the first chapter of the book. Though I liked the story and the tension surrounding the eventual German attack on Italy, I didn't like the writing style. I found it too descriptive for my liking. Because of this reason, I'm not going to read the rest of the book. The story is good though, and therefore, fans of this genre will enjoy this book. The book seems professionally edited, as I didn't encounter any errors in the first chapter. The blurb is short and amazing. I've no suggestions for improvement to offer.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 4:37 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
Based on the genre, the official OBC review, and other published reviews, I intended to read the book. I failed to find any errors in the first ten pages. The excerpt described the aftermath of Mussolini's arrest, during which Francesca joined the festivities with her friend and the latter's brother. I liked how the relief of common people was portrayed as well as the undercurrents of suspicions. I had no reason to suggest improvements. Based on my reading experience, I would read the whole book.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 4:06 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would have read the book. There were no Amazon reviews but that did not affect my decision. The blurb is really short and sweet and I love romance so this seems right up my alley. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I would not change anything. The writing was so engaging right off the bat and I really loved how we got knowledge of historical context through conversations and radio broadcasts. It created a great balance between more casual tones and very official-sounding information. It was professionally edited. Overall I am just really intrigued by the romance that is starting to ensue. There was nothing I disliked and I would definitely recommend this to readers of historical romance. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 3:15 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shelby Ayres
I think that the title gives the book a little mystery, and the cover fits well with the theme and genre of the book. I that the blurb is short, but perfectly tells what the short holds. The lack of reviews is off-putting. Within the first ten pages, I found no errors. I liked how the author put the character's thoughts in italics; it gave a sense of personality to the character. Within the first ten pages, there was nothing that I disliked. The Online Book Club review that I read spoke of the author's ability to put fiction into history to create something new. Based on the aforementioned, I will not be reading this book. I do not enjoy historical fiction, but this book would be loved by people who enjoy this genre.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 1:57 am by Shelby Ayres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Adrian Rondon Salazar
The author tells what happens, but does not clearly describe the events. The sequence of events is too fast and abrupt. The cover is a simple and boring photograph. I didn't like anything in this book. The only positive to mention is that it has no errors. The official OBC review didn't help me make up my mind.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 1:47 am by Adrian Rondon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Garcia 555
Based on the genre, plain cover, and the reviews that I read, I would not pick this book to read. The official OnlineBookClub review that I read stated that this was a historical fiction war story. I usually avoid historical fiction and war stories, so this review made me believe that this is not a book I would enjoy. I read the sample pages and did not see any editing errors, so this book seems professionally edited. I like that Francesca was so drawn to the singing that she heard. She seems like a likable person. I have no suggestions for improvement. Reader that like historical fiction war stories will probably enjoy this book. The sample did not have enough action to get me hooked, so I will not buy or read this book.
First Ten review added on September 8, 2022, at 1:42 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Following my poring over the book’s official OnlineBookClub review and Amazon page, I decided not to acquire the title. I am not fascinated by the time and place when/where this historical fiction novel took place. I am not intrigued by the German occupation of Rome. I am not interested in finding out if the main characters will be able to survive the world war and get to experience peace. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not purchase it because nothing in the Amazon sample convinced me I would enjoy perusing the rest of the title. The first ten pages contain Chapter 1 and some pages of Chapter 2. What I liked most is when Isabella and Francesca found Luca dancing with the Rosselli twins. I noted one minor error in the sample:
1 — “The far end of the street was noisier and Luca had to raise his voice.” — There should be a comma between the words “noisier” and “and” because the two clauses are independent.
I also observed other missing commas in other sentences composed of two independent clauses, but I only noticed those because I am specifically searching for errors. Because of this, the book still seems professionally edited. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 11:23 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu
I would not have read this book if it was not part of the First Ten program. The cover is a plain photograph that does not indicate what the book is about. The title did not interest me and the fact that it's listed as a historical fiction novel added to my disinterest. The blurb didn't help either, nor did the lack of editorial and customer reviews. The sample introduces us to the main character as the civilians of Rome celebrate the arrest of Mussolini. The introduction seems rushed and does not do a good job of introducing Francesca or any of the other characters. Very little happens in terms of plot progression within the first ten pages. This made the plot seem slow and boring. I did not find any errors in the sample but I did not find anything to like either. I tend to avoid books from the Historical fiction section, and this sample did badly at encouraging me to read the rest of this book. I will not be reading the rest of this book, despite the glossy OBC review I read. The story does not seem interesting and the themes mentioned in the blurb do not interest me.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 11:17 pm by Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
Without this program, I wouldn't have read this. The cover, the blurb, and the ratings on Amazon are fine, but according to the official review from OnlineBookClub, the book is not my cup of tea.
I found no countable errors, so the editing is excellent. This is what I like in the bit I read. However, I would suggest a more creative plot. Besides, Francesca cries too much for no apparent reason, and I can't fathom her logic. While her brother may be fighting somewhere, and her friends are helping the soldiers at the hospital, she seems to care more about her art supplies and her crush. Since the sample can't pique my interest, I won't buy this book. The OBC review was helpful in making my decision.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 10:47 pm by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover is allusive to Rome, and together with the title, they form a combination that should attract interested readers. In general, I like readings associated with WWII. The blurb expresses the story is set in Rome in 1943 and features Francesca and Carlo as the protagonists. There are no customer reviews for this book. The official OnlineBookClub review highlights that this historical fiction novel mixes fictional events with real ones. Based on these aspects, I could try this book. The first ten pages were interesting since they reflected a situation of hope and fear that Italians lived around the war, especially the inhabitants of Rome. They hoped the war would end with the peace treaty that Italy would sign with the allies. However, there was fear of the Germans' reaction, mainly because they felt betrayed. Francesca's character is intriguing for being a spontaneous artist. I liked when she felt attracted by the beauty of some figure or monument and promptly proceeded to sketch it. Plus, I found the descriptions of the city appealing. I have been there and consider it to be a captivating city. The main expectation that what I read generated was the imminent invasion of Italy by the Germans. In addition, I'm curious about the role of the mysterious tenor and how he will fit into Francesca's life. It equally strikes me what will happen with Roberto. What I read captured me completely, so I would like to read the rest of the book. The editing looks remarkable, as I didn't see any details to comment on. Overall, I didn't see anything that I believed could be improved. In conclusion, I will read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 10:28 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
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, and I don't like war stories, not even World War II. This book seems professionally edited, I didn't see any typos; plus, it has an official OnlineBookClub review. I didn't see anything that needed improvement or that I particularly enjoyed.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 8:47 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
The cover of this book is average, but the title is intriguing. After reading the blurb, I would not have sampled this book because the blurb was too vague. The first few pages were well edited. Francesca being unused to the freedom after Mussolini, kind of reminded me of the uneasy feeling after covid restrictions were lifted. The official OBC review was positive and I was happy to get more information about the plot. The customer review and comments were also positive. I am a fan of historical fiction and romance is always a positive addition. So, I look forward to seeing how this story unfolds. I cannot wait to read the rest! I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 7:13 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Hazel Arnaiz
I will skip this book outside the program. Looking at the cover and title do not give me a hint about the genre and story. The blurb was also vague and does not build intrigue. I suggest a visually impactful book cover and a clearer blurb. Customer reviews are not available. What I appreciate from the book is that it explores Rome in the context of World War II. However, the storyline is not for me. I will skip this one. For editing, here is an example.
Page 15. Grammar. The preposition does not seem to fit in this context. Consider changing it to "by."
The streetlamps were obscured [for] the blackout, but light streamed from the apartments, windows flung open, curtains discarded.
The official OnlineBookClub review is insightful.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 6:29 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover, title, and editorial reviews. There were no customer reviews on Amazon. I tend to like books set in this time period surrounding WWII, and this one filled with love stories sounded intriguing. After reading the first ten pages, I will be finishing this book. I think the celebration following the call for the arrest of Mussolini was a great way to start the book. There was also some foreshadowing within that first chapter that kind of tells that more is about to happen. I liked the way this was done. The book did seem to be professionally edited. There isn’t anything specific that needs improvement.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 6:25 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chelsy Scherba
I loved the opening of this book. I could really picture everyone going about their business, Francesca being jealous of the twins, and the statue of Mussolini…very descriptive. The editing looks top notch, I didn’t see any issues. I like the cover. Sometimes books about WWII bore me, so I generally avoid this genre outside of the program, but the OBC review made this book sound interesting. There weren’t many customer reviews, but the editorial reviews make this book sound like a must read. I look forward to perusing my free copy. I didn’t see any blurbs.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 4:03 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sushan Ekanayake
Shadow Song by Anita Morrish belongs to the Historical Fiction genre, towards which I do not have a special preference. The title and the cover page were neither revealing nor appealing. The blurb revealed that this was a WW II related story, which was set up in Italy, depicting a romantic story. The editorial reviews spoke highly about the book, although there were no customer reviews. Based on the above facts, I would not have sampled this book if I had not been a part of the program, mainly due to the nature of the story which was revealed in the blurb.
Then I read the first ten pages, which described Francesca participating in a festival that was held with the dismissal of Mussolini. I liked the beautiful descriptions and the way they were presented, but I saw nothing that was intriguing enough to make me to continue reading. So I decided not to continue reading this book after reading the first ten pages.
I did not see any errors in the first ten pages, and I did not see any area that could be improved. I saw the official OBC review, which appreciated the book very much. But it did not convince me to change my mind.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 2:48 pm by Sushan Ekanayake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I might have read this book. I love historical fiction surrounding WWII and don't know much about the situation around Rome. After reading the first ten pages I changed my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I liked the frank descriptions and mindset of the characters portrayed in the sample. The time period comes out very well and their worries - such as the realization that six weeks ago a dozen men and women walking together would have been arrested (in chapter 2) - painted a picture. That being said, I got the feeling that this book was going to be much more dramatic than I originally thought it would be and a bit too oriented on family/relationships that the circumstances of war. The book looked well written and edited; there weren't any objective errors that I came across. The thing I would have improved from the sample I read is extremely minor. I would have made the map at the beginning of the book into a more professional looking format rather than a hand-drawn representation of the area. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 2:45 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rosemary Owolabi
Had I not come across this first ten-page sample program, I would have relied on the customer's reviews, blurb, genre, and cover of this book for my decision to read this book or not. I am glad to have come across this first ten-page program. It reveals how brilliant Anita's writing skills are. I also realized that I needed a quiet place to concentrate on it.
I was looking for the title for a while at first glance of the book cover, until I noticed it at the bottom part of the cover, above the author's name. The background picture visibly and blankly takes up most of the cover. The title was noticeable and bold. The writer's name was not so noticeable in the thumbnail size unless it was enlarged. In my opinion, the author's name should be adjusted accordingly. The title of the book should also be on the upper or middle side of the cover without a reader having to search for it on the cover.
I will read the remaining chapters of the book because it is relatable and well-written. The characters' development got me a bit confused at first, but after settling down to read it at a quiet place, I found it to be more interesting, intriguing, and full of suspense than I had already thought.
The book seemed to be well-written. While I didn't notice any errors or typos while going through the cover, copyright, dedication, table of contents (author's note, chapters 1 to 103, and map), as well as the first ten pages, I did notice some formatting issues.
What I liked about the bit that I read was the fact that the characters and storyline were relatable. In my opinion, some countries are going through wars, major or minor, and apart from the fact that it is costly, service to the country can also mean loss of human and financial resources. It also makes the citizens feel trapped, fearful, or insecure most of the time. They just want some peace and for their loved ones that are defending the country to return home safely at the end. The characters' innocence, adventurous, carefree lifestyle, togetherness, and love of family and friends make the book more appealing to me. I like where the story is going and can't wait to continue reading the rest of the book.
What could be improved about the bit that I read was the formatting issues. It needed some adjustments. The name of the author also needed to be adjusted. The title should be where any reader can notice it easily, possibly on the upper side of the cover rather than the bottom. The name of the author should be raised slightly above where it was positioned and enlarged a bit.
The book "Shadow Song" by Anita Morrish has an OnlineBookClub forum review. But this didn't affect my decision.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 1:45 pm by Rosemary Owolabi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Diana Lowery
The cover caught my eye because I have seen the obelisk in Rome. However, neither the title, the cover, the blurb nor the review convinced me to read the book. I like that the author included her website, and I enjoyed looking at her photography. I thought the book introduced too many characters in the first chapter, and I got confused trying to sort them all out. I thought there was a spacing error at 31%, but I realized that it was often repeated later, so it must have been a stylistic choice. I am not going to finish reading the book because the plot and the setting do not interest me. My suggestion to the author is to increase the content on the Amazon blurb because it is too short.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 9:29 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Radhika Nair
The cover and title of this book certainly caught my eye. I don't read much historical fiction, but I loved the way the author dropped hints about what was happening at the time and place depicted in the story. Hardly anything tangible happens in the first ten pages, yet many hints are dropped to give the reader an idea of the context, and I really liked the slow building up of the atmosphere. I disliked nothing about the book, and though the beginning is a bit slow, I wouldn't mind investing more time in this story to see where it goes. I found no errors nor anything to dislike, and I have no suggestions for improvement. I liked the OBC review of this book. It gave me the impression that the characterisation in this book is splendid, and I'm already inclined to agree with the reviewer on this.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 8:17 am by Radhika Nair.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mutai Marshal
The inability to connect with either the book's cover page or title means that I wouldn't have read this book outside the First Ten program. The brevity of the OBC blurb revealed too little that could have helped change my mind. From the sample, I liked the suspense elicited by Mussolini's dismissal. The first chapter didn't provide lots of information about it. I flagged a minor grammatical error (The street fell silent, and Francesca freed herself from Luca’s hand, edging forwards[should be 'forward'].) I, however, still believe the book was edited professionally. Having read the OBC review, I will not complete reading this novel because I am not a fan of war-based books. I didn't see anything that warrants improvement.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 8:07 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Verna Coy
What I liked most about this book was how well-researched it is. I appreciate how the history has been woven into the plot. I avoid stories that are centered during wartime, but this one is interesting and pulled me in. I also like that it has maps to help the reader picture the geography in the story. The emotions and dialogue in the first few scenes are intense and felt by the reader. I know that fans of drama will enjoy that aspect of this book. I like how the cover and title play well together, and the reviews and descriptions are accurate and informative for the book. It suits the genre of historical fiction quite well. It seems excellently and professionally edited. I didn’t notice errors in the first ten pages. I enjoyed reading the 4 out of 4 star review written by the Online Book Club. Nice work. I found no reasons for improvement on this work. Even though it isn’t my style of book, I do plan to read further, and will likely finish the whole book because it is well written.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 6:50 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gabriella H
Neither the cover nor the title attracted me to this book, so I wouldn't have sampled it if I weren't a part of this program. I felt the blurb was too vague, so it had no influence on my decision. I thought it sounded interesting and worth trying after reading the OBC official review. I didn't see any customer reviews, and my mind wasn't changed by this. I felt indifferent to the editorial reviews and was uninfluenced by them. Having sampled this book, I would like to continue reading it. I would like to know what will happen to Roberto, Cesca, Isabella, Luca, Giorgio, Carlo, etc. Will their efforts against the Germans have any real influence? I felt the writing flowed with ease and described the emotions of the characters well. I have no suggestions for improvements and believe the first ten pages were professionally edited because I didn't see any errors in them.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 5:20 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rita Nuncia
Shadow Song by Anita Morrish is a historical fiction novel. The plot takes place in Rome during the German invasion. I would not have read this book without being a part of the first ten programs because of the genre and the OnlineBookClub reviews I read. I am not a fan of historical fiction, and after reading the official OnlineBookClub review, I discovered that I did not get excited about reading the whole book. Because I had decided not to read the book, I didn’t bother to check for the blurb and the customer review. The title is intriguing. Also, the cover, a picture of a statue in Rome, suits the book’s content. I do not have any problem with the title and the cover as I like them. I found the first ten pages a little boring. Therefore, I don’t want to buy and read this book. The first ten pages seem professionally edited because I didn't see any errors in them. What I like the most is the cover of this book. I have no suggestions for improvements. The OnlineBookClub official review provided more insight into the book, and it did affect my opinion of the book.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 5:16 am by Rita Nuncia.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
BruceP
I had an opportunity to read the first ten pages of this book after downloading the sample from Amazon. In my opinion, this book seems to be OK, and there does not seem to be a need to improve it further. The editing seems to have been done by a professional, as the first ten pages contained no grammatical or spelling mistakes. The story is set in Rome, and the main character seems to be Francesca, as portrayed in the opening pages of the book. The college has closed for the summer, and this makes her want to visit Borghese for a vacation. The book has an official review, which provides detailed information about the book. The feature that I liked the most in the first ten pages that I sampled was the title of the book. In my opinion, the title was appealing. There was no feature that I didn’t like in the sample that I read. I enjoy reading fiction books, but I’ll pass on this one. This is because it was not what I expected. I will just recommend it to readers of fiction books. This doesn’t mean I hate this book. My decision not to buy and finish reading it was based on my personal preferences and not the cover, editorial reviews, or the title of the book.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 4:59 am by BruceP.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Carson25
I downloaded this book from Amazon and read the sample. After reading the first ten pages, I found the plot to be intriguing and enjoyable. The action takes place on July 25, 1943, in Rome. Francesca, who appears to be the main subject of this chapter, is introduced to the readers in the opening chapter, "Francesca." During the break, she will be relaxing on her vacation in Borghese. The first ten pages of this book had no elements that I didn't appreciate. The author's writing style was the element that I liked the most. I find the writing to be smooth and simple to read. The book appears to have undergone a thorough editing process. This is due to the fact that the first ten pages I read were error-free. Despite the fact that I enjoy reading a lot, I don't read historical fiction. Therefore, I won't buy it and read it through. I will, however, recommend it to readers who enjoy reading historical fiction. It appears that the book is well-written and doesn't require any sort of improvement. The genre of the book, not its cover, official review, or title, was what made me decide not to buy it and finish reading it. In addition, I thought the official review was insightful.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 4:57 am by Carson25.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
KafeliKe
I read the first ten pages of this book, Shadow Song, and it sounds like a well-written historical fiction novel. At the start of the first chapter of the book, we are introduced to a character called Francesca, who has visited the Borghese Gardens after Art College was closed for the summer. I also read the official review of this book, and it gave a detailed summary of what the book is I read the first ten pages of this book, Shadow Song, and it sounds like a well-written historical fiction novel. At the start of the first chapter of the book, we are introduced to a character called Francesca, who has visited the Borghese Gardens after Art College was closed for the summer. I also read the official review of this book, and it gave a detailed summary of what the book is all about. The cover was the aspect I liked the most in the first ten pages that I read. The only aspect that I didn’t like about this book in the first ten pages that I read was how the book is divided into many chapters, as highlighted in the table of contents. In my opinion, that was the only aspect that the author needed to revisit and improve by reducing. The book seems to have been thoroughly edited, as I didn’t find any flaws in its first ten pages. I’m not a fan of historical fiction books, and this explains why I won't purchase and finish reading the rest of the book. I'll, however, recommend it to lovers of historical fiction books. My decision not to buy and finish reading the entire book was because of its genre, and not the cover, title, or the official review. The cover and the title of the book were well-selected to complement each other.all about. The cover was the aspect I liked the most in the first ten pages that I read. The only aspect that I didn’t like about this book in the first ten pages that I read was how the book is divided into many chapters, as highlighted in the table of contents. In my opinion, that was the only aspect that the author needed to revisit and improve by reducing. The book seems to have been thoroughly edited, as I didn’t find any flaws in its first ten pages. I’m not a fan of historical fiction books, and this explains why I won't purchase and finish reading the rest of the book. I'll, however, recommend it to lovers of historical fiction books. My decision not to buy and finish reading the entire book was because of its genre, and not the cover, title, or the official review. The cover and the title of the book were well-selected to complement each other.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 4:49 am by KafeliKe.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Fu
I thought the introduction to this book was absolutely beautiful. When the musician was first introduced, I immediately became captivated and knew I had to read it. Although I typically don't read historical fiction, the selection of words throughout the sample had me rushing to finish everything and further process what was going on in the book.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 3:29 am by Alice Fu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sumto Nii
Sincerely, if I wasn't part of this First Ten Pages programme, I wouldn't read this book. There was nothing that attracted me in this book at first glance. And after sampling this book, I am not going to buy this book or complete the story. The reason for this decision is that I am not a fan of historical fiction. It always seems drab to me. I actually did not find errors in the first ten pages. Beyond my dislike for historical fiction, I find myself having some kind of liking for the character of Francesca in this book. From the sample, she seems like a hopeless romantic and that's what I love about her. This is evident when she burst into tears and fell for the sonorous voice of a male tenor singer. One thing I dislike about most historical fictions is that there are lots of characters. A reader like me struggles to get hold of all of them. And this book was no exception. In just chapter one, I have seen more than five characters and I was already struggling to identify who is who. The official Online Book Club review I found was positive, but yet I am still not convinced to buy this book and complete it.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 3:18 am by Sumto Nii.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Damian Keyes
After reading the OBS official review and finding out that this book is a historical-fiction story centered during WWII, I've made the decision to not finish this book. I'm not a history buff so I barely know about the world wars, I wouldn't have even read the sample of this book if I wasn't in this program. I found an error on page 13 in chapter 1 of the book. The sentence says, "Isabella lived in the same street..." The word 'in' should be changed to 'on'. Francesca is the main character in this story and something I love is that she's an artist. In my spare time, I do sketches and freestyle drawings so I was glad to find something that I had in common with this character. I can say that I did not find anything I dislike about the story, I just know that I will get disinterested once the war and fighting parts are introduced.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 2:01 am by Damian Keyes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Debra Morgan
I am not generally a fan of novels about war. The OBC review swayed me toward it, though. I was also enticed by the title and the cover art. Those along with my love of historical fiction did encourage my decision to read. After reading the first bit, I am convinced to continue reading. The dialogue is natural and the text flows easily. Those are my favorite aspects of the book. I found no errors in my reading and nothing to dislike. I do not consider the use of British English/older English spelling mistakes; they make the reading more realistic. Therefore, I found no errors in my reading.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 12:50 am by Debra Morgan.
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, Official OnlineBookClub review, or other reviews because I do not tend to enjoy historical fiction novels that take place during a time of war. I will not read the whole book because I felt a lot of anxiety while reading the first ten pages, and that is a feeling I am trying to avoid. From what I read, my favorite part was the way Francesca worried about her family. She seemed like a very empathetic and likeable character. The book seems professionally edited, and I can't think of any way to improve it.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 12:40 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jen Nghishitende
I thought the book cover and title are pretty interesting and inspire curiosity, and as such, I would have sampled this book had I not been part of this programme. That being said, I think this would be an exciting read, judging from the OBC review and the first ten pages, but it is not one that I would read as those two aspects did not generate enough of a spark for me to read the book. It is my typical genre, and I was already warming up to Francesca in the first ten pages, but not enough to read the book in full. I did not read a blurb or editorial, or customer reviews. I did not find any errors in the first ten pages, and there is nothing in particular that I can say I disliked. I have nothing to add or suggest for improvement.
First Ten review added on September 7, 2022, at 12:21 am by Jen Nghishitende.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ohna Martin
I would love to finish this book, even if I was not part of this program. I am not a big fan of the genre but am curious to see how the situation between Carlo, Francesca and Giorgio plays out. And if her brother would be able to return home. The cover looks very inviting and the name fits the story. I like the time in which the book is written. There is nothing that I dislike about this book so far. I found no spelling or grammar mistakes. I have no suggestions for the author. 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 September 7, 2022, at 12:10 am by Ohna Martin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kelsey Roy
I was immediately excited by the genre of “Shadow Song.” The cover and title do not reveal the novel’s premise, so they did not increase my interest. However, the blurb identified the book as historical fiction based on German-occupied Rome during WWII. I love historical fiction and nerd out over any literature on WWII, so I was interested after seeing the genre. The OBC review was excellent, and I found nothing to dissuade me from reading the book immediately. I was particularly interested after reading that Carlos is an army doctor!
I found no errors in the first ten pages. There was nothing I disliked about the novel, and I have no suggestions for this author. The writing is engaging, and the sample is well-edited. My favorite part of the book is that I feel transported to 1940s Rome. The characters are likable, and I look forward to finishing this book after the first ten pages!
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 11:05 pm by Kelsey Roy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Shadow Song hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would have skipped it because the description implies this book is based on historical facts. There is one customer rating at the time of this writing, but it did not influence my decision to read the sample. The background photo on the cover is beautiful. I liked the familial relationships between the characters at the beginning of the book; it should make for an interesting tale. The suspension and references to famous dictators were also appealing. I did not find any grammatical errors in the first ten pages, and there was nothing that I thought needed to be improved. I also did not find anything that I disliked. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for this book, but I decided I did not want to finish this book before reading the review. Because I am not a fan of historical fiction, I knew I would not want to finish this book.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 7:43 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
I read historical fiction occasionally, and the cover and title were beautiful, but based on the blurb, I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. I thought I had no interest in reading about Rome’s history during WWII. The samples pages were well written and moved quickly. I could sense Francesca’s difficult life being the daughter of a policeman, and I hope she will get to meet the tenor whose voice captivated her. I will finish this book. I will learn something about Rome at this time in history, and I trust the author’s research. The book appeared professionally edited; I did not notice any grammatical errors in the first ten pages, and I have no suggestions for improvement. The featured OnlineBookClub review was well written and indicated Francesca would indeed meet the tenor, but it had no bearing on my decision. I noticed only one Amazon rating and did not see any other reviews, but they would not have influenced me.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 7:23 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Theresa Moffitt
I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The cover art is interesting but doesn’t tell me what the book is about. The title also doesn’t explain anything about the story. I haven’t read any customer reviews or blurbs, however, the onlinebookclub.org review was very positive and recommended the book to fans of historical fiction. It also gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. This increased my interest in the book because I enjoy reading historical fiction novels. The first ten pages describe a character named Francesca who is attending art college. It has recently ended for the summer. She is listening to the radio which is describing how Mussolini has been dismissed by the king. She hopes this means the war will be over soon because her brother is in the military. I saw some errors in the first ten pages, so I don’t believe the book was professionally edited. For example, on the fifth page there seems to be a formatting error. It states, “ Francesca shrugged…” with at least 10 spaces between the two words. This seems to be an error. I think the author could have improved the book with additional editing. I didn’t feel like I was pulled into the story enough by the first ten pages to want to finish reading this book. For that reason, I will not finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 6:14 pm by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Tonia Freeman
I probably would have overlooked this book had I not been in this first ten group. The cover is okay but it also doesn't grab my attention. I did read the OBC official review before reading this today. However, it only gave me an overall idea of the storyline, but it didn't help me decide one way or the other. This is the first book I have sampled that I am truly on the fence to keep reading. If someone gave me the book and I had some free time, I might pick it back up if I had the time later. Since I couldn't say for sure that I would finish it, I had to choose no that I would not finish it. I do like historical romances and I enjoyed the part where Francesca and Isabella were swept up into the crowd that was running to join the Italian army to defend their city. What a passionate and daring group that must have been. Francesca soon finds out that her beloved city fell and then that her brother is missing. It definitely pulled at the heartstrings. I wouldn't change anything about it. The book appears well written and edited, as no mistakes were found in my sample.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 5:14 pm by Tonia Freeman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
The cover and title caught my attention, but I would not have read the book based on the genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews. Because I am not fond of historical fiction novels, reading the first ten pages and the OBC review did nothing to change my mind. The story follows a doctor (Carlo) and an art student (Francesca) as they embark on a journey of survival after joining the resistance groups to liberate Rome from the German army during World War II. The writing style was quite descriptive, and I especially enjoyed the engaging, realistic dialogues. Also, the inclusion of Italian words and phrases made the story more believable. The only thing that I disliked was that the book had editing issues. For example, it should be written "Francesca turned hers into a cough" in the following sentence: "Isabella stifled a giggle and Francesca turned hers to a cough." (page 13) It should be written "the first week of September" in the following sentence: "It was the first week in September and Francesca followed the River Tevere in search of a subject to sketch." (page 20) I would only suggest another round of editing.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 5:12 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kenesha Latoya Fowler
Ordinarily, I'd bypass this book - mainly because of the genre and theme (war). The OBC review was thorough and made the book sound interesting, but didn't convince me that I might like it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I did like what I read in those first pages. I liked the characters; they're so lively and real-like. I especially liked Luca; he seems like a charming young man. I don't know if I'll enjoy the book, but I'm curious enough to continue reading. I didn't find any errors.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 5:12 pm by Kenesha Latoya Fowler.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Shadow Song' is a book written by Anita Morrish. Francesca was an art student living in Rome in 1943. Mussolini was dismissed. Italy was on the verge of signing a peace treaty. Francesca is in the midst of it. Her brother is a soldier and father a police officer. I like how the author included maps and sketches. The writing style is engaging as well. Nothing is in need of improvement. I would have read this book based on the cover, title, genre, and blurb as I am a huge WWII buff. For the same reason I will continue reading the book. The OBC review is insightful as well. Though, I have to mention that I did not find editorial reviews and customer reviews.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 5:08 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AntonelaMaria
I usually avoid historical fiction books with war settings, especially those set around World War II. But after reading the sample, I changed my mind. I want to read this book. I like the Rome setting, and the characters are interesting. Francesca is a very intriguing protagonist, and the author's writing is good too. I like how the author portrayed the wartime setting. A reader can tell their hopelessness and the intensity of the war. When Francesa is trying to understand what will happen next, or will her brother, a soldier, survive. There is a helpful Official OnlineBookClub review of this book. There are no Amazon reviews yet. I noticed a spacing error on page 13. "No … Francesca dropped the curtain and scrambled to retrieve her drawings as they skidded across the floor." I wouldn't change anything about the book.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 4:30 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Yvonne Monique
The book cover immediately catches my attention as I love Rome. That is why I would pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The customer reviews, blurb and OBC review give a good description of the book but do not convince me to read the sample as I do not like war stories. The first ten pages are well edited, but I found the beginning a bit too slow. As we are being introduced to Isabella and Luca, I wonder where the story will take us, as the first chapter does not seem to give us any significant information. I am sorry to say that I did not feel the urge to carry on reading. That is why I will not read the rest of the book. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 4:23 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
The cover looks like a photograph I would take, which didn't appeal to me, but once I read the blurb and the OBC review, I was hooked. I love historical fiction books. Luckily, I don't know that much about WWII in Italy, so I am interested in learning more through this book. I wish there were some Amazon reviews, but I would still try the book to see for myself. It's sad to see how happy the people of Rome were when Mussolini was gone, only for them to experience the consequences of the German occupation. It was easy to relate to Francesca because she is an art student. Her character is also pleasant and real. I also enjoyed her dialogues with the others. I wish some events were better explained. For example, many people might not know what happened to Mussolini, so they would benefit from some context. That would be my recommendation for this book. Personally, I would love to see what happens to Francesca and to the people of Rome. I plan on reading more from this book. I noticed a bunch of commas missing before the independent 'but' clause, such as "She was already moving but Luca shook his head."
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 4:02 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Eva Nyaburi
I would not have read this book based on the cover or title. I read the OBC review, which I found to be vague. There was a war in Rome, and Francesca, the main character, had some of her loved ones involved.
There were so many activities in the first few pages that I became disoriented with the story. I also felt like too many characters were introduced all at once. I found the first ten pages rather disinteresting, and nothing about Francesca piqued my interest, so I won't be continuing to read this book. I didn't like the third-person narration. I can't pinpoint any particular feature that I liked. I found no grammatical errors in the first ten pages and have no suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 3:56 pm by Eva Nyaburi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mary WhiteFace
Without the First Ten program I would not have been interested in reading a book set in WWII. I do not like war stories. The title was interesting but did not reveal the subject matter of the narrative. There were no Amazon customer reviews. The presence of an OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision. My initial decision was based upon reading the synopsis.
Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. The book seemed to be professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvements. The part I liked best was when Francesca mentally described the ancient bridge Ponte Rotto with it's broken arch: "It’s like an open mouth, exclaiming that it can’t reach the shore." It was clear that she had an artist's heart.
The book seemed well-written and easy to envision. I just don't like to read stories about war. I will not be reading the whole book.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 3:43 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
I am not a fan of historical fiction and would not choose to sample this book. There was an intense building of suspense. Giorgio seems like he may be hiding something, and Francesca's family appears to cause him concern with her father being a policeman. An error appeared in the story; however, there is nothing I would change about the story. The OBC review didn't influence my choice to keep reading the book. Nothing online altered my decision. I like the suspense and am curious to know what subterfuge might include Francesca.
ERROR: Luca shepherded them through a group of revellers and Francesca wondered if he had heard.
The spelling of revelers is incorrect.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 3:23 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vidhi Adhikari
Although the book has received insufficient customer and OBC reviews, I was intrigued by the vintage cover design and the fact that this historical romance novel was set during wartime, as mentioned in the description. I loved the animated map drawn before the story begins as it really helped take me back to the 1940s. Sadly the writing style was a bit too fancy for my taste and I did come across some unnecessary punctuations in the first few pages (No … Francesca dropped the curtain and scrambled to retrieve her drawings as they skidded across the floor.) Because of this, I shall not be finishing this book. I would suggest making the writing more conversational to enhance the book's appeal.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 3:06 pm by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
IconReviews
War stories always fascinate me. I would read this based on the cover, blurb, title, genre, and the official OnlineBookClub review. I liked how suspenseful it was. Francesca waiting to hear if the war would end and if her brother would return home was emotional. The sample was professionally edited and the book needs no improvements. Although I didn't notice any customer reviews, that did not affect my decision of choosing to read this book. I will be reading it because the sample has intrigued me.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 2:48 pm by IconReviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Patty Allread
Had I not been part of the OBC program, I would not have sampled or read the book. I read the Amazon blurb, and though it mentions historical fiction, the storyline sounds mainly like a romance novel which is not a genre I often read. The title also sounds like a romance novel, and the cover, showing a statue or maybe a fountain, is not very impactful because of too much shadow. The editorial reviews were positive but very general. One thing that did interest me was what the author said about Rome and what it's like there. There were no customer reviews.
I sampled the first ten pages of the book, and there were two things that I didn't like. The first sentence was confusing, and I had to re-read it several times to figure out what the author was trying to say. When I realized it was a description of the breeze coming through the window, it left me flat, and the insertion of shadows felt forced. The second problem was the paragraph formatting errors. Some are indented, and some aren't. The first of those errors was on page one: the first line on page 13 is not indented, but the rest are. This error happens again on page 13 and continues to be irregular throughout. I liked that the author gave a link to further notes and photos of Rome. Rome as the setting at the end of WWII interests me, but I wouldn't say I like the writing style. I will not buy and read this book.
I read the official OBC review, which was very positive. I attribute the disparity between that reviewer's comments and mine to the fact that I only read ten pages. However, I will not continue reading for the reason I gave above.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 2:25 pm by Patty Allread.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I don't know what to make of the cover of the book because I don't recognize the statue. It's not an inadequate cover, but I don't get it. The blurb is succinct, but it works. I do want to know what happens to Francesca and Carlo. Also, the ratings are perfect. So I would've bought the book based on my first impressions.
I loved the first ten pages. They reaffirmed my decision to read the whole book. Besides this (WWII, fascism, etc) being a subject I like learning more about, there are some very powerful images in the narrative. For example, the description of the opera singer: "he sang in perfect pitch and time, at one with his imaginary orchestra and its phantom conductor." The way Francesca thinks of Ponte Rotto as "an open mouth, exclaiming that it can’t reach the shore" was very moving, too. There was nothing I disliked. I didn't find editing mistakes, but the official OBC review says there are some. I suggest fixing these flaws and expanding the blurb. It worked for me, but it's too brief. The official OBC review furthered my enthusiasm for this read.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 1:38 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Babalola Oluseyi
Had I not been a part of this program, I would still have chosen to read or sample this book based on its cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews. This is because they were exceptional. I found the combination of the cover and blurb to be sweet and beautiful. I will purchase this book because it isn't the type of book I usually read. Historical romances of this nature have never been something I've picked up to read, but the author presented the book in a way that made it seem wonderful.
I loved the author's style of writing. It was so easy to become absorbed in the story. It had this beautiful, almost nostalgic, feel to it, as though the author had experienced everything. Stepping into the room with Francesca and her mother, Natalia, felt like stepping into a movie. From Francesca's worry about the war to her excitement at being able to go out with Luca and Isabella, it was so easy to picture everything. There was nothing I hated about this book. Its error-free content and the official OBC review did not influence my decision to buy this book.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 1:23 pm by Babalola Oluseyi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Andrada Madalina
"Shadow Song" by Anita Morrish is a historical fiction that focuses on the attack of the Germans on Rome. I liked the art design of the book cover and found it suitable for its catchy title. Unfortunately, I did not find any customer reviews for this book. I sampled this book because of its descriptive blurb and positive editorial reviews. Also, its Official OnlineBookClub review made me curious about character development. The book seems exceptionally well edited since I discovered no single error while reading its first ten pages. I liked the interactions between Francesca and Giorgio and empathized with her fears regarding the war. If I had to improve something in this book, I would add more suspense and engaging dialogues. Nevertheless, I will not buy and read the whole book because I am not a fan of war stories, German attacks, and peace treaties.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 11:17 am by Andrada Madalina.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Amy Luman
There were no customer reviews only a rating of 5 stars. The editorial reviews praised the book and the OBC review mentioned that there were vary few errors. I agree that it has been professionally edited. I really liked when Francesca got to join the celebration of Mussolini's defeat with Isabella and Luca. The cover shows a beautiful fountain and I assume that the title refers to her having to hide her feelings. I didn't really dislike anything in what I read and I have no changes to suggest. I won't be reading it, though.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 10:58 am by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chinazo Anozie
I knew I wouldn’t be interested in this book from the title, cover, description, customer reviews, genre, and the official OnlineBookClub review. I’m not a fan of historical fiction, so I’ll not buy and read this book. I didn’t particularly like anything about the book. The plot seemed very rushed to me. I also didn’t understand how the plot jumped from Francesca and her family to Carlo. 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 September 6, 2022, at 10:50 am by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
The is nothing about the cover that I liked. Given the Official OBC Review, the image on the cover doesn't capture the story's content, the book's themes, or the setting of WWII. However, the Official OBC Review was enough to make me at least interested in sampling the first several pages. I enjoy stories set in war-torn Europe, and this one sounded interesting. However, I won't be reading it. The story didn't grab my interest in the pages I read. I think that if the author began with the German army advancing on Rome, then flashed back to the celebration over Mussolini's demise, I would have been more inclined to continue. But the story just bored me. Other than not being engaged by a topic I otherwise would find interesting, I found no other faults with the novel. It appears to be professionally edited; I saw no errors. As a suggestion for improvement, I have already cited my opinion above. In addition, I would switch to a much more interesting cover. I read no other reviews or blurbs.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 10:26 am by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kira Bonita Reece
I would choose to read this book based on the cover, title, genre, and blurb. I enjoy reading good war stories and this one is set in Rome. Francesca is hopeful that her brother will return home safely from the army. I liked how the narrative flowed smoothly. I didn't feel like I was getting an overshare of war details. The book was professionally edited and had a well-written official OnlineBookClub review. No improvements are needed for this book. I won't be reading it because the sample felt cliched and I did not find any customer reviews.
First Ten review added on September 6, 2022, at 8:00 am by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 40%
Shadow Song earned a score of 40%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 40% 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 Shadow Song
