The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for The Story Of...
Because The Story Of... was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Manang Muyang
The title is the most generic you can think of. Yet the picture of those two young boys on a journey to nowhere tugs at the heart. Then the blurb squeezes the heart more. I am avoiding sad stories, so I would not have looked into this book outside the program. The prologue caught my attention. Who was this mysterious man who made Jacob remember a bad experience from his distant past? The author interspersed the story with flashbacks that made the story richer. It was fun reading about Jewish traditions. But the fathers in the sample were mean. The story was depressing, so I would not read it to the end. I found some sentences that sounded erroneous. At 14% of the sample, "The only time Max would deviate from allowing his boys to have any solace was on Friday evenings" seemed to need "not" before "allowing." At 19%, "The only kind thing that she feared was that he not be too old nor too large or ugly" seemed not to need "kind"; "feared" seemed inappropriate too ("hoped for" seemed a better fit). The OBC reviewer gave the book top marks, but the review did not sway me from my decision. My suggestions? A more catchy title might be in order. I also hope the author will consider revising the blurb; there is a bit of a spoiler there.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
When I was a part of this program, I preferred to sample every Book of the Day based on the editorial review and customer reviews, if there are reviews available. I'm happy to read those reviews available on Amazon because through them I learned more insights about the book. When I read the sample, it glued me a bit until the end of the sample. Jacob and Heschel were brothers with a positive attitude even how hard they had experienced after the death of their mother. Their characters are quite gripping one that would hook a lot of readers who like this genre. I'm satisfied, at least Jacob and his brother went to America and their father never broke his promise to them. I like the true to life attitude of Jacob, who suffered poverty, raped, but always their to protect his brother. In the sample, I don't see any errors. What I least like was when Jordanna's kindness made her life valuable to others yet not in a decent way. Apart from what I least like, I cannot give anything for improvement because the plot seems to be in progressive details in each scene. I read the OBC review, which is quite helpful, but it doesn't affect my decision. I will not read this book because the book is quite costly for me.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 4:58 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Adrian Rondon Salazar
I would have been interested in reading this book outside the program because of the cover. The landscape design is beautiful and detailed. I liked the sample a lot. I'm dying to know if Jacob manages to face his rapist; therefore, I am interested in reading this book. Errors: none. I liked the character Jordanna: she is an admirable woman; she went through a lot, but she still remained sane and kind. No negative aspects. The official review on OBC was very helpful.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 4:57 am by Adrian Rondon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Asma Aisha Ansari
I wouldn't have picked this book up based on the well-written OBC review, cover and title of the book. As for sampling the book, I found the story compelling. However, I didn't like the pace of the book and the repetitions. For example, the fact about Max's frustration over the birth of his second son Heschel is repeated thrice. I would suggest the removal of such repetitions in the book.
The book seems professionally edited in terms of grammar, as I didn't encounter any grammatical errors so far. But I don't want to read the rest of the book because this story will not keep me hooked till the end. I didn't read the Amazon blurb, other editorial reviews, or customer reviews to make my decision to not read the whole book.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 4:44 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
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 Amazon reviews did not affect my decision. The blurb could be written in a more interesting manner but subject-wise it seems very moving and harrowing; I am intrigued. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. The jump from the incident to the year of 1948 was so jarring and I think that was very powerful. I felt the same visceral reaction that Jacob had to the voice, and I really felt his emotional turmoil. There was nothing I disliked and it was professionally edited. I would not change anything. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision. I would definitely recommend this to readers of historical fiction but I would be sure to provide a trigger warning first.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 4:39 am by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
Based on the official OBC review and other published reviews, I wanted to read this book. I found no errors in the first ten pages. The excerpt described Jacob and Heschel's early life. Jacob was born to a kind and loving mother, but his father's countenance was rough. I liked the way the author drew the readers in from the very first page. I had no suggestions for improvement. Based on my reading experience, I would read the whole book.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 4:30 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu
The title of this book sparked a bit of curiosity in me but the cover was not as enticing. neither hinted at what the book was about. It had no blurb and no editorial review so I read the sample with no idea what to expect. The sample was not exciting. It described the birth of Jacob and his brother while detailing the miserable marriage between their parents. I found this sample uninteresting and uneventful. Nothing exciting happened in those first few pages.The customer reviews were mostly positive, and the OBC review suggested that the book gets better as you read on. I found no errors in the sample and nothing to like either. I will not be reading the rest of it.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 4:29 am by Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
The title "The Story Of..." and the cover that shows two people walking on a pathway do not indicate the theme of the book. There are thirty-two Amazon customer ratings, which is a good enough number for me to decide to sample the book. The Amazon summary states that the book is about a character called Jacob. After reading the story summary, I was not interested in the theme, so 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 Jacob's childhood life. As I am not interested in the overall story, I am not going to read the 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 December 12, 2022, at 4:26 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabriella H
The title and book cover made me curious about the book. The book seemed straightforward when I read the OBC official review, and this didn't appeal to me. Additionally, the book's Amazon description answered and confirmed my questions and suspicions. So, I didn't feel any incentive to read this book, and I wouldn't have sampled it without this program. The customer reviews did not influence me. The editorial review I read made it sound like an emotional read, and I wondered whether this would be something I would enjoy. There wasn't anything in the first ten pages that gripped me. Maybe because I prefer thrillers, the story seemed too straightforward/plain. I wondered why Sarah married someone she knew was unkind. Thankfully, I got my answer in chapter two. It was an arranged marriage. I didn't like that there was no suspense in the first ten pages, and I already knew some of what was to come in the book. I won't be completing this book. I didn't see any OBC blurb. This didn't influence me. I think another round of proofreading would help because I saw some errors. I think it was professionally edited, but some minor errors were missed. This is one error example, "Sarah was a kindhearted soul who could fiind a semblance of happiness in almost anything." (last paragraph of chapter one). Find was misspelled as fiind.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 4:06 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alex Reeves
I must confess that the cover held no interest to me. However, I read it only because I'm in this program, and I have to say that I was impressed. I took delight in the introduction of the characters, especially Jacob and Sarah, and the way the author described them. So Max left his kids to seek greener pastures, and I think that this was a normal phenomena in that time. I found no errors in the sample I read, and I'll get the book only because I hope to see how Jacob and Herschel turned out to be. The OBC review did nothing to influence my decision of this book. I'll get myself a copy.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 3:49 am by Alex Reeves.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mutai Marshal
I wouldn't have read this book without sampling based on its cover page and title since I could not connect with them. The book has no OBC blurb to guide readers. From the pages I sampled, I liked the pacing of the novel. It elicited suspense. I couldn't help but wonder why Max was so inhumane towards his family. The reader is left wondering whether his upbringing has any bearing on his behavior. The editing of the book seems professional as I didn't notice any grammatical errors. Also, I didn't see anything that warrants improvement. The OBC review dissuaded me from reading this book. Because I am not a fan of historical novels containing romance, I will not complete reading this book.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 3:42 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stellah Chege
The cover page and title have a story to tell. The book is very captivating. The OBC review also gave this book a wonderful summary, and after sampling the first ten pages, I wasn't dissapointed. The author is very good at storytelling. I can already see Jacob's life with his father Max. Must have been difficult losing a mother and being left behind by the father. I cannot wait to read more to know more of what lies ahead for them. I did not find any errors and I believe it is professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvement so far. I will buy and read the book.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 3:40 am by Stellah Chege.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Dzejn_Crvena
Outside this program, I wouldn't have sampled this book because the title seemed incomplete, and I couldn't figure out its meaning. However, I'd have sampled it because the cover looked soothing to the eyes. The blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews convinced me to sample it when I learned that it's about immigrants. I enjoy reading about stories of the past, so I'd have sampled it based on the genre. The OBC review and sample influenced me to buy and read it because of the family drama involved in the first ten pages. Jacob and his brother were loved by their mother until her death. When Jacob turned twelve, his father left them at the hands of a brothel owner. He and his brothers did their best as craftsmen to survive and they managed to live in America several years later. For years, Jacob carried a heavy secret until he saw the other person who was involved in it. I like the inclusion of Jewish tradition in the lives of the characters which helped me understand more about their life, and I'm interested to know more about Jacob and his brother's journey throughout the book. It seems professionally edited, and I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 3:32 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Justine Ocsebio
I wasn't really intrigued by the plot, so I never would've picked up the book had it not been for the program. The first chapter tells about Jacob and Herschel's childhood. The book also tells an adequate backstory of their mother, which I like because it gives us a glimpse of their family dynamics. I have no issues with this book. The narrative is simple, so I don't dislike anything. There aren't any errors in the text, so I assume that the book has excellent editing. However, I'm not going to read the book because the premise doesn't excite me. The OBC review was helpful in my decision.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 2:38 am by Justine Ocsebio.
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, the cover, the blurb, and the ratings on Amazon are fine, but the book sounds too dark for my taste.
I like the good narrative and the realistic characters. The author depicts their feelings, such as those of Jacob, Sarah, and Jordanna, very well. The editing looks good, and I have no suggestions for improvement. Still, the plot is quite somber. I will need more of the content to see if I should read the rest of the book. For now, I won't buy it. The OBC review was helpful in making my decision.
Error example: It was 1916 Koretz, Poland, and stories of uprisings and pogroms were all around. -> I think it should be "It was 1916 in Koretz, Poland," or there should be a comma after "1916"
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 1:23 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Garcia 555
I like the cover of this book, but based on the genre, the vague title, the description, and the official OnlineBookClub review I read, this is not a book I would pick to read. I prefer fantasy stories. I read the sample pages and I enjoyed it. I like how resilient Jacob is, and how he always watches out for his little brother. This book could be improved with less repetition. When the chapters switch to different characters, the story gets repetitive. I saw no editing error in the pages I read, so this book seems professionally edited. Although I enjoyed the sample more than expected, reading about children being mistreated is not a topic I like to read about. I will not buy or finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on December 12, 2022, at 12:12 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
If it wasn’t for this program, I would not have sampled this read. Books like contain raping, especially of children, doesn’t appeal to me. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Therefore, the blurb would have turned me away from the book. I did not see any glaring errors while reading.
I really like how the author takes the time to explain Jacob’s back story. So sad that his parents’ arranged marriage did not work out well and that his loving mother died. Although, I will say that I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style. As we the reader learns how neglectful Jacob’s father is and as the boys are brought to Jordanna’s house. There writing style is very much “tell not show”, and I prefer “show, not tell”. It feels as if as if I’m an outsider to the story, where I would prefer to be in the story.
Based on the blurb and writing style, I do not plan on buying and reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 11:25 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelsey Roy
I was initially intrigued by “The Story Of…” due to the cover and title. The cover art is beautiful, and the title is open-ended, promising a good narrative. The genre is historical fiction, my favorite reading material. The blurb and OBC review identify the story of a young boy in the early 20th century who deals with tragic situations. I enjoy this historical period, and I am excited to read the sample.
I found no errors in the sample pages. I enjoyed the teaser of action to come in the prologue of the book. I want to discover who this voice belongs to and why it evoked such a reaction. I am flabbergasted at the situation where Sarah had to marry Max. I feel bad for her and her children to experience that abuse. I found nothing to dislike in the sample pages. I have no recommendations for the author. I will continue reading this book because I enjoy the genre and the plot so far.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 10:16 pm by Kelsey Roy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ekta Kumari
The book documents the story of two brothers, Jacob and Heschel, and the suffering they endure at the hands of an insensitive father who leaves them in the care of a brothel owner after the death of their mother. The plot covers the early years of the brothers as well as how they grow up to find their own way in life. I wouldn't have read the book based on its genre and the blurb. The main reason was my lack of interest in the themes. However, I like what I have read so far. The thing I liked the most was the characterization. There are separate chapters to explain the background story of some characters. The story of the mother, Sarah, is also portrayed in great detail. We get to witness the challenging childhood of both the brothers and how they were not afforded some basic joys of childhood. I was able to relate to the characters only due to the author's emphatic and vivid portrayal. The book also seems to be professionally edited. I didn't find any errors. I saw an official OBC review before sampling but wouldn't plan on reading the whole book, as I don't usually enjoy the themes this book is centred around. I suggest the author to include a table of content (as an improvement). This would help jump to the chapters focused on a specific character, if the reader wishes to do so.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 9:57 pm by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The title and cover art are creative and in keeping with the story of Jacob and Heschel. I think many readers should be attracted to this book. I am not into stories with a lot of family tragedy and suffering. The blurb comments that the story centers on Jacob, whose life was scarred after being raped by a Polish soldier. Most of the customer reviews are favorable. The official OnlineBookClub review indicates this fictional novel focuses on the themes of love and friendship. Based on these aspects, I am uninclined to try this book. The first ten pages are filled with many misfortunes for Sarah, Jordanna, Jacob, and Heschel. Plus, the Prologue suggested that Jacob came across the man who abused him as a child. What is narrated about Jacob and Heschel is heartbreaking since it is hard to bear a father who does not love them. In addition, their mother died when they were still little children. They couldn't even say goodbye to her, and their father left them in a brothel. Jordanna's life has also been very miserable. I found it distressing she lost Chaim and the children, as they were her hope for a family she never had. What I sampled was very sad and tragic, so it didn't fully capture me. It was too much family drama and suffering for my taste. The editing looked remarkable since I did not see any detail to comment on. Overall, I didn't see anything that I believed could be improved. In conclusion, I will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 7:34 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kira Bonita Reece
The cover of this book seems very dreary so I would not read it based on the cover and title. I would read it based on the blurb, genre, customer reviews, and the official OnlineBookClub review. I liked that the characters seemed well-developed. I could imagine Jacob's mother having to live with a man who doesn't love her. The story follows the life of Jacob being an immigrant. The sample was professionally edited and needs no improvements. I won't be reading it because it is too emotional and I don't like reading about kids having traumatic experiences.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 5:42 pm by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, OBC review, cover, title, and customer reviews. There were no editorial reviews or a blurb on the bookshelf page, which did not deter my decision. I was interested in how Jacob’s story comes full circle with the reintroduction of the soldier. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. The preface was great. I definitely liked this part. I was pulled in when Jacob realizes who is talking to him. However, it became repetitive once it starts going into his family’s background. Within a few paragraphs it seems to try to oversell the idea of how much Max did not care for the boys. This repetition could use some improvement. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 5:37 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mayang Bature
I read the official OBC review of this book, and it didn't appeal to me at all. The first ten pages confirmed my suspicions that the book would be filled with melancholy emotions. What I loved best was how the author articulated the narratives while keeping them fascinating so that readers didn't become tired and lose interest. I found no faults, and apart from the overly melancholic theme, there is nothing in particular that I detest about the novel. Regardless, I don't think I'll finish the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 4:19 pm by Mayang Bature.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
The book cover has a beautiful image, making the future reader wonder where that road might go. I would pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The customer reviews, blurb and OBC review give an interesting description of the book and make me curious about the sample. The first ten pages are well edited, and the writing style is engaging. It quickly becomes clear that Jacob's family is Jewish, and as I have no knowledge about Jewish traditions, I found the description of Sarah's marriage surprising. After Sarah's death, I felt uneasy about the boys' fate, and decided to buy the book to find out what will happen to them. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 3:08 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AntonelaMaria
I rarely read historical fiction books. The synopsis of this book didn't catch my attention either. There is an excellent Official OnlineBookClub review of this book and many favorable Amazon reviews. After reading the sample, I haven't changed my mind. In this book, we follow two brothers as they grow up in the early 20th century in Poland. After Jacob gets raped, I wasn't interested in reading the rest of the story. I didn't like the narration going all over, skipping time, and going back. I like more linear writing. I didn't notice any errors, and I wouldn't change anything about the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 2:38 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
At first glance, I thought the cover of this book looked mysterious and the title was intriguing. After reading the blurb, I would not have sampled this book because the story sounds sad. The first ten pages were well edited. I felt really bad for Sarah, I can not imagine not knowing your husband before you marry him. The official OBC review was positive. The customer reviews and comments were also positive. Overall, this seems like a good novel. Personally, I try to read books that are upbeat and lighthearted. Therefore, I will not be finishing this novel today. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 12:48 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
I got curious to know more about the book after seeing its cover, title, and genre. Outside the program called the first ten, I would have read the reviews of this book. I could not find any editorial reviews of this book, and the customer reviews appeared overly sugarcoated. The OBC official review persuaded me to sample this book. After reading the sample, I realized that the book was not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the free sample. For example, the sentence, "It was with this thought in mind that her father would tell her over and over that she really was older than she thought, than she knew." This sentence could be as follows. "It was with this thought in mind that her father would tell her over and over that she really was older than she thought she knew." In this sample, I liked Jacob's attitude toward taking responsibility at a young age. From the sample, I learned that Jacob's father was very rude to his family. I will buy and read this book today because I found the story heart-touching. My suggestion to the author is to elaborate on why Jacob's father was rude. A round of professional editing can make this book perfect.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 12:40 pm by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
IconReviews
Immigrants have always had problems adjusting to new countries. In this book, the author shared the story of Jacob who has had a traumatic childhood. This is a book I would read based on the cover, title, blurb, genre, customer reviews and the official OnlineBookClub review. I liked how smoothly the narrative flowed. We met Jacob first, then his mother and how she met his father. The sample needs no modifications and was professionally edited. I will be reading it because the sample has piqued my interest and I want to see where the story leads.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 11:05 am by IconReviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kenesha Latoya Fowler
After reading the blurb and official OBC review, I wasn’t sure that this was a book I wanted to read; I did want to sample it, though. I liked the simple cover and the unusual title, and while I don’t generally go for historical fiction, I didn’t mind it in this case.
My experience of the sample was pleasant enough. I liked that the language was simple and clear, which made for quick, easy reading. The main emotional responses the first few pages pulled from me were sadness and sympathy, which I’m sure many readers will relate to. Jacob and Heschel’s plight was so heart-breaking. That this was because of their own father was just awful. While I didn’t dislike anything in particular about the book, I still don’t think I want to read the rest of it. Because I can’t give a definite “yes”, I won’t be buying the book. The OBC review didn’t affect this decision. I didn’t find any errors in the copy.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 6:01 am by Kenesha Latoya Fowler.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
BruceP
The Story Of... is a book that I was able to read the first ten pages of after successfully downloading a free sample from Amazon. I really liked reading the official OBC review of this book, which was posted there. The review provided a thorough overview of the subject matter of this book. I went through the first ten pages of the book's first chapter, which introduces the character Jacob Kalinsky. In the same chapter of the book, Max and Sarah, his parents, are introduced. I love reading historical fiction. I'm including this book in my list of all-time favourites. I'll purchase it and read it through later. I didn't notice any grammatical or spelling issues in the first ten pages of this book, so it appears to have been edited by a professional. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction books should read this one, too. The genre of the book influenced my choice to buy and finish it. My choice was unaffected by the attractive cover, the positive editorial evaluations, or the feedback from customers. This book's cover is the aspect that I loved the most. It was great and gorgeous. In the few pages I read, there was not a single element about this book that I didn't adore. This book, in my opinion, was well-written and edited and doesn't require any additional work.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 4:44 am by BruceP.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Carson25
I read the first ten pages of this book, The Story Of..., after I downloaded a sample. It is a historical fiction novel. In the book’s opening pages, we are introduced to a character called Jacob—the best artisan in the city. He had some words in an unmistakable voice. The words brought back a memory that he had shoved in the recesses of his mind. The element that I appreciated most in the first few pages that I read was the book’s cover. In my opinion, it had a great design. There was no element that I didn’t like in the first few pages that I sampled. I don’t read fiction. This explains why I won’t purchase and finish reading this book. I’ll just recommend it to lovers of historical fiction novels. My decision not to purchase and finish reading it was because of its genre. This book also had an official review on the OBC website. The review gave an overview of this book. Both the official review and the cover had no impact on my decision not to purchase and finish reading this book. This book seems to have been exceptionally edited. This is because I didn’t find any errors in the few pages that I read. In my opinion, this book seems fine the way it is and needs no further improvement.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 4:36 am by Carson25.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
KafeliKe
The Story Of… by Shirley B Novak sounds like a fabulously written historical fiction book. In the first ten pages that I read, the book begins with the story of Jacob. In this section, a brief history of Jacob Kalinsky is given. For example, his birth date is given in this part. December 10, 1904, an uneventful day, was the day he was born. The aspect of the book that I liked the most in the first ten pages that I read was the author’s writing style. It was simple but fluid. There was no aspect that I didn’t like in the first ten pages that I read. This book seems to have been professionally edited, as I didn’t find any flaws in the first ten pages that I read. I’m not a fan of historical fiction books. I’ll therefore not buy and finish reading this book. I’ll recommend it to those readers who enjoy reading historical fiction books. On the OnlineBookClub, there is an insightful review of this book. My decision not to buy and finish reading this book was because of its genre. The cover and the official review had no impact on my decision. This book seems to be okay and doesn’t need to be improved.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 4:33 am by KafeliKe.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rita Nuncia
I would have read this book without being a part of the first ten programs because of the genre, cover, title, intriguing editorial, customer reviews, and the OnlineBookClub review. The reviews praised the book and stated how interesting it was. It has no blurb. After reading the first ten pages, I will not be reading the book because the first few pages did not captivate me. I do not think the book is for me. The first few pages seem professionally edited because I didn't see any errors in them. What I like the most about this book is the Amazon customer reviews and how they praised the book. It shows the book is really interesting for people who like the book. There is nothing I dislike about the book. I have no suggestions for improvements. There is an OnlineBookClub official review. It did affect my opinion of the book.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 3:58 am by Rita Nuncia.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Damian Keyes
If I was not in this program, I would have sampled this book because of the information provided in the OBC official review. This review plucked at my heartstrings because child abandonment is the worst thing to do to a young person. In my reading of this story, I found it horrifying that Max was a person who did not care for Jacob's and Heschel's mother or them when he found out she was pregnant. I appreciate that Jordanna took them in when he left for the United States. I'm really in love with this story, so far, so I'm going to buy the book and finish it. I found no errors or anything I disliked about this story.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 3:00 am by Damian Keyes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vidhi Adhikari
The book makes a good first impression with it's attractive cover design, straightforward title, detailed description, and multiple customer and OBC reviews. Since I am a fan of historical immigration books, I was excited to read the sample. That said, I loved the simple writing style of the author. There were some minor grammatical errors, but nothing that would affect my reading experience (it was a voice with certain inflection {,} that Jacob would never forget). Fortunately, since the genre is not of my liking, I will not finish this book. I would suggest making the content pictorial to better grab the reader's attention.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 2:27 am by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chinazo Anozie
I knew I wouldn’t be interested in this book from the title, cover, description, genre, customer reviews, and the official OnlineBookClub review. I’m not a big fan of historical fiction, so I won’t buy and read this book. However, I enjoyed how the author executed this story. My heart ached for Jacob and Heschel as they were forced to grow up when they were just children. 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 December 11, 2022, at 1:58 am by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kirsi Cultrera
I am always drawn to historical fiction, so I would have sampled this book even without the First Ten. The cover looked like one of a romance book, and the title raised lots of questions. The blurb was intriguing and revealed that even though fictional, the story was based on a life of a real person. The customer reviews and other information at Amazon hinted that this might be a good read. The story was, indeed, enchanting. I felt I could not take my eyes off the sample, as I wanted so desperately to know what would happen to Jacob and Herschel next. I couldn’t believe a father would leave his kids to a brothel, and it also felt so wrong that the two were not allowed to say goodbye to their mother before she died. The characters were introduced with a matter-of-fact style in their own chapters, which felt abrupt and broke the flow of the story. The author’s style was a bit simplistic to my taste. The sample was too short that I could have figured out if it was a sign of a first-timers inexperience or a knowingly chosen style. I would have had to read further to find out the answer to this, but I decided not to, since it was taking my concentration out of the story itself. I didn’t discover any obvious errors while reading, so this book must have been edited professionally. The Official OnlineBookClub review was the opposite to the book; it said quite much. However, it did not pique my interest enough, and I probably wouldn’t have picked up the book based on it. Either way, I decided not to read the book since the author’s writing was distracting me from the otherwise interesting story.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 1:06 am by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jay_shon03
The unpredictability of the book's title would make a curious person want to know what the book is all about. As such, even if I was not part of the OBC, I would have sampled this book based on the title. So far, I am happy I read the first ten pages because of the manner the author builds the characters of Jacob and his brother Heschel, from when they were given birth to the time they lost their mother. One thing I like about the story is that it is relatable. Infusing historical context into the book provides the plot with some authenticity. For instance, 1916, the year Max left Poland for the United States, was a period that saw several Jews of Polish origin migrate to the United States. The one thing I didn't like about the book is the fact it seems predictable. It didn't help that the book's review on the OBC platform gave a spoiler when it mentioned that Jacob and his brother would eventually migrate to the US and become successful men. For this reason, I won't buy the book becuase I am not interested in finishing it.
That aside, I must commend the editing of the book. I am yet to spot any errors.
First Ten review added on December 11, 2022, at 12:36 am by Jay_shon03.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shanesha Sammerson
The summary given on Amazon was interesting enough, and the reviews made me want to read it. The OBC review was also very interesting to read and mentioned a lot of positive aspects of the book. If I were not part of OBC, I would have sampled this book based on the reviews left on Amazon. After reading the first 10 pages, I would buy and read it. Although the book was not fast-paced and exciting like the books I usually enjoy, the storyline was interesting. I, like many other women, can relate to the traumatizing life Jack's mother had to go through living with a heartless man. The emotional aspects of the book were well portrayed so that a reader can easily feel along with the characters. For example, when Jordanna was forced to have sexual relations with soldiers for two years, she finally ran away, and it seemed like she was settling with a new family. Then they were horrifically killed leaving her alone in the world and I almost cried for her. I found no errors in the first 10 pages.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 9:23 pm by Shanesha Sammerson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't sample this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, OnlineBookClub review, or other reviews because I prefer books with a lot more suspense. Also, historical fiction is not my favorite genre. After sampling the book, I will not read the whole book because I didn't really like the narrating style. Instead of having the author tell us that Max was "sullen and quick to anger" or that Sarah was sweet and loving, I wanted the author to show us those traits through stories and dialogue. My favorite part of what I read was Jordanna's story. I found myself more connected to her character than to Jacob. I found her story very heartbreaking. The book doesn't need to be improved, and it seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 8:51 pm by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The cover is intriguing, especially the title. I also like the blurb because I like historical fiction. The problem is that the subject of abuse can be pretty triggering, so without an official OBC review and the sample, I wouldn't have bought the book based on my first impressions, despite the high ratings.
The first ten pages didn't change my mind. The author heavily favors telling instead of showing and is sometimes unnecessarily descriptive. For example, I don't think the reader needed to know that arranged marriages were the norm for a long time ("It was not unusual in that time to meet one's husband after one reached the chuppah.") We all know that. In comparison, the parts with dialogues are much more compelling (i.e., "Children are to be seen and not heard from!" he would shout. "Go outside and tend to the chickens!" he would roar.") I decided not to read the book because I don't like this monotone narrative style. I didn't find editing mistakes. I suggest favoring dialogues and actions, especially at the beginning when the reader's not invested in the story yet. The official OBC review didn't change my mind.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 8:38 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Upon poring over the book’s official OBC review and Amazon page, I opted not to purchase the title. I am not fascinated by the success stories of Jacob and Heschel. I am not intrigued by what Jacob's "worst nightmare" is. I am not interested in finding out how Jacob will cope after his worst nightmare resurfaced. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the Amazon sample had me wanting to peruse the rest of the book. The first ten pages include a prologue, the first three chapters, and some pages of the fourth chapter. What I liked most is the stark difference between the personalities of Sarah and Max. I was not able to note any errors in the sample. The book seems professionally edited. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 8:24 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
I am not a fan of historical fiction books and would not have sampled this book. The development of Jacob, Heschel, Jordanna, Max, and Sara was amazing. The way their lives intertwined with a full back story was done well. The suspense from the voice of the man who violated Jacob felt chilling. Professionally edited, I wouldn't change anything in what I read. The OBC review did not influence my choice to continue reading. Nothing online altered my decision. I found the development of the characters interesting and the historical events didn't detract from the story. I will continue reading this BOTD.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 8:01 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MsH2k
Of course, the title piqued my curiosity, and I wondered who the two young boys were on the cover. I read historical fiction occasionally, but after reading the blurb, I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. The blurb told me all I needed to know about the story. The sample pages were clearly written; the writing style was not flowery, but it told the story succinctly. I felt a connection with Jacob and Heschel. They were fortunate to be able to stay with a loving woman like Jordanna, but it didn’t seem like she could protect them well. What are the odds that Jacob would run into his attacker after so many years! I will not finish this book because I do not want to read about the abuse in Jacob’s life. It appeared professionally edited; I did not notice any grammatical errors in the first ten pages, and I have no suggestions for improvement. Neither the featured OnlineBookClub review nor other editorial reviews or customer reviews influenced my decision.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 7:52 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If The Story Of... hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would not have read the sample of it based on the description. The description told readers that a violent thing happened to one of the boys, and I am very much against violence against children. However, the customer reviews caught my attention due to how many positive ones there are. I like how many characters the author brought to the table and the Jewish religious practices; I feel like I know the characters a bit more because of this. I did not find any grammatical errors in the first ten pages. However, I noticed a few details, especially about the boys coming to America, were repeated a couple of times in the sample. I had to go back and ensure I did not miss something in the book. An official OnlineBookClub review exists for this title, but I made the decision not to read the book due to the theme of war and violence.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 7:02 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nemanja Jankovic
I wouldn't choose to read the book based solely on the book's cover or title because I don't find either of them particularly intriguing. I read the customer and official OnlineBookClub reviews, but they did not affect my decision. There are no editor reviews online. Jacob Kalinsky was a rape victim, and after reading the blurb I became curious to find out more about his story. I'll read the book because I'm curious about what will happen to Jacob and his brother in the future. The lack of typos or errors leads me to believe that the book was properly edited. I like the way Jordanna is portrayed as caring for Chaim's kids. The repetitions about Max having a bad temper might be dropped to make the novel better.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 5:59 pm by Nemanja Jankovic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Emy Katherine
As I am not fond of historical fiction novels, I would not have read the book based on the genre, cover, and title. However, despite the lack of editorial reviews, the positive customer reviews and the Amazon blurb piqued my interest, which increased after reading the OBC review and the sample. For this reason, I have decided to give this book a try. The story follows the eventful journey of Jacob Kalinsky as he manages to build a stable life in America after dealing with loss, physical abuse, and a bad-tempered father during his teenage years in Poland. Unfortunately, things take an unexpected turn when his dark past resurfaces, threatening to destroy his peaceful life in America. I particularly enjoyed the short chapters and the fast-paced writing style. Also, I had no problem connecting with the characters; they were quite relatable. From what I have read, I would only suggest another round of editing; I did not like that I encountered some distracting errors. For example, it should be written "food and milk were scarce" in the following sentence: "Jordanna was the oldest of seven children, and food and milk was scarce." (location 145 of 376 • 32%) It should also be written "a year and a half" in the following sentence: "A year and half had passed." (location 284 of 376 • 74%) Other than that, I found nothing that needed to be improved.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 5:04 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Andrada Madalina
"The Story Of..." by Shirley B Novack is a historical fiction that illustrates the journey of a Polish boy. I did not find the title appealing, but I liked the simplicity of the book cover and found it suitable for its informative blurb. I did not find any editorial reviews for this book, but I sampled it because of its positive customer reviews and excellent Official OnlineBookClub review. The book seems exceptionally well edited since I discovered no single error while reading its first ten pages. I would not improve anything on the plot because I liked that the author created suspense right from the prologue through Jacob's meeting with a man from his past and appreciated the descriptions of the characters' backgrounds. I empathized with Jordanna's hardships and loved her kindness towards Jacob and his brother. Nevertheless, I will not buy and read the whole book because I am not interested in stories about rape and revenge.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 5:03 pm by Andrada Madalina.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Julie Gebrosky
If I had not been part of this program, I still would have sampled the book. I really like historical fiction, and the cover was also appealing to me. The OBC review also made me want to read it. After reading the first ten pages, I do plan to finish it. The first chapter about how Jacob hears the voice he recognized immediately drew me in and made me want to know more. The story was an easy read, and I was drawn to the characters. There was nothing that I disliked about the book. I did not find any errors.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 4:00 pm by Julie Gebrosky.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
I like the nostalgic vibe of the cover. The OBC review and the blurb also seemed interesting. It is a book I would like to check out for myself. The Amazon reviews were very positive. I was interested also because this is the author's debut, which seemed promising. I was mesmerized by the fact that Jacob's birthday is on the same date as today (December 10). I don't like how concise the events are. I like to see the details of the story. The author kept things short and on point. I know that a lot of readers will love it, but I don't particularly enjoy it. It feels like I am reading the summary of the events, not like I am living them with the characters. I was touched by the tragedy of Sarah's fate to live with such an awful man as Max. However, I don't think I could read this book because of the reason I mentioned above. The editing seemed very good. I didn't notice any errors.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 3:49 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Arnaiz
Outside the program, I will skip this book. The title is catchy but does not hint at the contents. The cover and blurb seem like a coming-of-age story, which I seldom read. Customer reviews are positive. After sampling, it looks like the book touches on the impacts of absent parents on childhood and adult life. I appreciate how the book used history to provide a suitable background for exploring this theme. However, I did not feel enough emotional connection from the storytelling. Hence, I will pass. I have no suggestions for improvement. Also, I did not encounter editing issues from what I sampled. The official OnlineBookClub review is enthusiastic.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 3:31 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
I didn't care much for the cover and really didn't find anything interesting about the title. Had I come across this book independently of this exercise, I would have never looked at it. I also found the Official OBC Review rather lackluster, certainly not enough to pique my interest. I read no other reviews or blurbs. After reading the sample on Amazon, I knew I would not continue. Unfortunately, I found the story boring and the writing too simplistic for my taste. The lack of any description - whether of the characters or the environment - failed to conjure up any sort of picture of what I was reading. The simple sentences seemed almost monotone when read. This is what I disliked most. The only thing that I liked was the chain of events that prompted Jordanna to establish a brothel. In the hands of a more gifted writer, this episode could have produced much more pathos in the character and sympathy from the reader. However, the sequence of events fell flat. I agree with the Official OBC Reviewer that the book must be professionally edited, as I found no errors. I have no recommendations for improvement.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 3:05 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Patty Allread
Had I not been part of the OBC program, I would still have sampled this book. I enjoy historical fiction, and I was intrigued by the open-ended title. The cover art is good and shows that the story is about these two boys on a long journey. I read the Amazon blurb, which gave the storyline but also gave away a critical twist in the plot. This was a spoiler. The customer reviews were excellent and implied that the book was engaging and entertaining. I didn't see any editorial reviews. Now that I've sampled this book, I was immediately pulled into the story and wanted to read more. For that reason, I will buy and read the book.
I didn't find any errors in the pages I read. One of the things I liked about the book was how the characters were introduced. The author brings them into the story with simple but revealing descriptions. I got the feel of each character right away because it was easy to fill in the picture with my imagination. There was nothing I didn't like in what I read. I also read the OBC review, which was pretty good and did strengthen my decision to buy and read the book. The OBC reviewer convinced me this was a unique story written with accurate historical background.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 1:04 pm by Patty Allread.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Christell Lindeque
I will not be reading this book despite my participation in this program. The story's tone and the father's treatment of his family make me uncomfortable. The cover is appealing, but I don't understand how the title relates to the content.
After reading the first ten pages, I decided this book wasn't for me mostly because of the storyline involving the father's treatment of his children and wife.
After reading the first ten pages, I found no typos.
Nothing about the book appealed to me. Two children are adored by their mother but rejected by their father. Their father abandons them at a brothel after their mother passes away from an illness.
Even after reading the OBC review, I decided against reading the book because neither the genre nor the premise interested me.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 11:31 am by Christell Lindeque.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
I liked the cover, but I did not like the title because of the ellipse and the missing words. The blurb had startling information which captured my interest. The OBC review was favorable, and I was somewhat convinced to read the book. There was an odd word in this sentence, "The only kind thing she feared was that he be not too old nor too large or ugly." The word kind does not seem to fit. I felt sorry for the wife living with such a terrible husband, and I was sad for her sons when she died. I am not going to finish reading the book because the writing style is YA, but the content is for a mature audience. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 11:23 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The title is interesting but it doesn’t tell me what this book is about. Also, the cover art depicts what looks like a parent and child but it is not clear to me what the book is about. The onlinebookclub.org review that I read was very positive. It gave the book a perfect rating and recommended it to fans of historical fiction. Since I like reading historical fiction novels, this review increased my interest in the book. The OBC review also stated that the book was exceptionally well edited without any errors. I agree with that statement because I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages. The first ten pages begin with background descriptions of the characters. Sarah and Max are married with two sons, Jacob and Heschel. Max was a chicken farmer in Poland. As the boys got older, they got more responsibility on the farm. Since I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I enjoy reading historical fiction novels; however, I was not drawn into the story enough in the first ten pages to want to finish reading this book. For that reason, I will not finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 11:00 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
The cover and title of this book made me think it would be more of a memoir than historical fiction, so I would have skipped over it outside this program. I base my decisions on whether to read a book or not on my enjoyment of the sample and not on the blurb, customer reviews, or the OnlineBookClub review. There were no editorial reviews to read. I enjoyed the flow of the first ten pages and the author's skill of moving between past and current events. The first ten pages made me curious about how Jacob reacts to his rapist in his adult years and if the boys' father ever treats them better. I have no recommendations for the author because the book appears professionally edited. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages. Unfortunately, at this time, my budget does not allow me to purchase any more books. There was nothing I disliked about the first ten pages, so I may buy and read this book at a later time, but not today.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 10:47 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ohna Martin
I would like to finish this book, whether I was part of this program or not. The cover looks beautiful and the name of the book is unique, it leaves the reader guessing about the content. I like Jacob's character. Despite all, he has been through at the age of thirteen he still inspires people. I dislike all the boys had been through in their short little lives and would love to know what happens. I have no suggestions for the author. I found no spelling or grammar errors. No other review, OBC or otherwise, or blurbs influenced my decsion. This was solely based on the first ten pages of this book.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 10:28 am by Ohna Martin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Amy Luman
I am not a fan of any historical fiction, so I won’t be reading this, but I can see how it would appeal to others. The cover shows two children alone on a journey, and it made me emotional when coupled with what I learned about this novel from the OBC review. The title did not seem to me to be very relevant. I could find no editorial reviews of this, but any customer reviews with comments were 4 or 5 stars, and I found that very encouraging. I agree with the OBC reviewer that this has been well edited and that it was probably done by a professional. I felt sorry for Jacob and Heschel for having to live with Max, and after reading the sample, I also felt badly for Jordanna. Although I really had no favorite or least favorite part of what I read, I could understand what made Jordanna do what she did for a living. Being treated so unkindly by your father and losing your family in such an accident must have been devastating.
First Ten review added on December 10, 2022, at 9:22 am by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 32%
The Story Of... earned a score of 32%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 32% 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 The Story Of...
