Cover for Justice

The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Justice: A Novella

Because Justice 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.

Fireside119

2131205
This book's cover didn't entice me to read it, and the OBC review dissuaded me when it mentioned that the author narrates the story of a cheating wife and dissects the flaws of the criminal justice system. That storyline doesn't appeal to me, so I won't read the rest of the book. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the author pointed out that Brynn didn't feel guilty for cheating because that wasn't her first time. I spotted no errors in the text, so I will conclude that it underwent professional editing. There's nothing I disliked about the bit I read, so I wouldn't change anything about it.

First Ten review added on December 7, 2021, at 3:44 am by Fireside119.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Dzejn_Crvena

2079692
I like short stories, so I'd have sampled this book based on the genre. The OBC review and the sample convinced me to read it. It's about the infidelity of a wife after her husband was indifferent to her pleas for affection. There's also an issue of being in an abusive relationship because he is not violent. He never hit her, and most people might think it's not considered abuse. I'm interested in reading about how they will settle their dilemma. I like the relevance of the story to the negative side of the reality of marriage. The book seems professionally edited, and I don't have suggestions for improvements.

First Ten review added on December 7, 2021, at 3:13 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Sou Hi

1445186
The cover and the official review from OBC are alright, but the ratings on Amazon are inconsistent. Since the blurb's promising, I decided to give the sample a try. It begins with Brynn. Being neglected by her husband, she has been cheating on him several times.

I like the smooth wording, and the editing looks good. I have no suggestions for improvement. However, I don't like the book's premise, so I won't buy it.

Error example: The joke was so lacking in funniness, she chose not to waste valuable brain neurons remembering it. -> I think the comma is not needed, or it should be replaced by "that."

First Ten review added on December 7, 2021, at 2:12 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Justine Ocsebio

1872914
I would have sampled the book based on the blurb, as I was intrigued by the premise. The preface of the book is so poetic. It sets the overall mood of the story, which I like. The first chapter begins with Brynn’s perspective, as she talks about why she no longer feels guilty about cheating on her husband. I’m interested in the story, so I’m going to continue reading the book. The OBC review also affected my decision. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement. The text is well edited.

First Ten review added on December 7, 2021, at 1:59 am by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

brooke oakes

2554006
The books cover is interesting, and the title has me curious about the book. For this reason I would have sampled the book. The OBC review dissuaded me when it mentioned marital problems leading to murder. That storyline doesn't appeal to me, so I won't read the rest of the book. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the author revealed the characters thoughts as they attempted to rationalize their situation. Brynn tries to determine if her actions and infidelity are justified. She tries to explain to herself why she is doing what she is doing. I spotted no errors in the text, so I will conclude that it underwent professional editing. There's nothing I disliked about the bit I read, so I wouldn't change anything about it.

First Ten review added on December 6, 2021, at 6:20 pm by brooke oakes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Rachael S 1

2528506
I like how the title of the book is white against a black drop. It brings the sense of right/wrong to the cover. I am a huge fan of legal justice and the review and the blurb of the book definitely give this a feel of an intense legal thriller. What I liked most about this book was how it started in mystery. The female character is not described other than having a crappy husband and having an affair. Definitely starts the book off on a mystery front. I would be interested in purchasing and reading the full book. I did not find any errors in the first few pages I read.

First Ten review added on December 6, 2021, at 5:21 pm by Rachael S 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Yvonne Monique

1919118
The book cover is beautiful and mysterious. I would pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The blurb and OBC review give a thorough description of the book. I was surprised to see that the author is the OBC's webmaster, which made me even more curious about the sample. The sample is professionally edited. I liked the writing style and felt straight away drawn into the story. I could relate to Brynn's feelings and understood why she would cheat on her husband. I found it surprising that a male author could so perfectly describe the woman's feelings regarding an unhappy marriage. The only thing that I found slightly annoying, was the constant use of cursive text to emphasise the protagonist's thoughts. As I am curious how this story continues, I will buy the book and read it. I have no suggestions for improvement.

First Ten review added on December 6, 2021, at 5:02 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Michelle Menezes

2151472
Based on the title, I thought the book would be about the legal system. The blurb was vague, but the Official OnlineBookClub review shed some light on the story, so I wanted to give it a try. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided to continue with the book. I liked the air of mystery at the beginning of the story. Brynn's thoughts were interesting, and I was curious to know if she was actually being emotionally abused by Marcus, or if it was her way of justifying the cheating. I don't think the book needs any improvement, and I didn't find any errors, so the book seems professionally edited.

First Ten review added on December 6, 2021, at 11:52 am by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Asma Aisha Ansari

1991474
As a fan of novellas, I was positive about sampling this book. The official OBC review, the Amazon reviews, and the blurb were encouraging and positive. However, even if I hadn't read them, I would have chosen to sample the book because it's a novella. Besides, the title and the cover also intrigued me. And, anything that talks about abstract concepts like justice and sacrifice always gets my attention.

I liked the writing style and the explanation of abuse. There's nothing that I disliked about the sample. It seems this book is professionally edited, as I found only one minor error in the sample. Here's the sentence with the error: ...sympathy provides not a rescue but a much needed comfort. In this sentence, the words 'much needed' should be hyphenated. I suggest that the book be edited thoroughly once for such minor errors. I've decided to read the rest of the book because the sample is great, and the subject interests me.

First Ten review added on December 6, 2021, at 6:49 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Ari Martinez

1624319
If it hadn't been for the First Ten program, I would have still sampled this book based on its title, cover, and Official OnlineBookClub review because the criminal justice system is a topic I've been interested in a lot lately. After reading the sample, I will continue to read the book because I thought the narration was captivating. When I got to the end of the sample, I simply wanted more. My favorite part was the tone of the sample. Even though it was narrated in third person, I was easily able to feel Brynn's frustration over her marriage, as if she had been narrating the story herself. The book appears professionally edited, and I can't think of any way to improve it.

First Ten review added on December 6, 2021, at 1:52 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Eunice Geres

1826192
I'm not a fan of the genre, but I like the aspects highlighted in the official review, so I would give the sample a thorough read. I firmly believe in hearing all the sides in every argument. But I sometimes like a hypocrite because my heart literally can't take the side of a cheater in a relationship. So I think this will help me understand the causes of cheating and how two people can move on from that. I feel like this book will teach me what it truly means to have justice. Not just in the relationship settings but also in the judicial system and its flaws. Update: I just read the sample, and no, I cannot finish this book. I really can't read anything from a perspective of a cheater. I just can't. It makes me want to not get married. The narration is great tho. The narration flows smoothly, and the words don't feel cringy. I can already tell Brynn is such a snobby immature spoiled brat. It's really a good thing that the sample only consists of the first chapter. I don't think I can get through ten pages. I don't have anything to recommend. I love the use of italics to differentiate Brynn's thoughts and a third-person pov. I didn't find any grammatical mistakes.

First Ten review added on December 5, 2021, at 9:51 pm by Eunice Geres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

SweetSourSalty AndSpicy

1897704
Outside the program, I will skip this book. The title seems to associate with topics about crime. But I cannot relate the cover graphics with the title, except for the stone sculpture of the lady. I suggest reconsidering the book cover for more visual impact. The blurb is concise. It says that the topic is about loyalty and marriage, which I seldom read. Customer reviews are a mix of positive and critical feedbacks but are equally helpful. From the sample, I appreciate that the story opens strongly. The chapter introduces a character with views that deviates from the mainstream. It somehow gives a hint on the approach to the story. The narration flows smoothly. However, fiction about infidelity does not interest me that much so I will still pass. From what I sampled, the editing looks neat. I did not notice any issues. There are several volunteer reviews from the OnlineBookClub. The enthusiasm and insights help to reconsider keeping this book in mind.

First Ten review added on December 5, 2021, at 8:41 pm by SweetSourSalty AndSpicy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Astral Magi

2482704
The cover and title excited me. I would have chosen the book based on these if I hadn't read the first ten pages. The official OBC review, first ten pages, and blurp gave me a better understanding of what the book was about, and I realized that it wasn't my type of book. I don't enjoy books that center around traumatic relationships. I found that Brynn's marriage with Marcus was too stormy for me. There were no errors and nothing needed to be improved. The book was professionally edited

First Ten review added on December 5, 2021, at 6:10 pm by Astral Magi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No

markodim721

2105861
I would choose to read a sample of this book because of the title and cover. I also read the blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews but they did not influence my decision. The title of the book is short and clear. The cover of the book depicts the goddess of justice and fits well with the title. I will read this book because I am intrigued by what lies behind an effective title and attractive cover. While reading the sample I didn’t notice any typos or errors and the book seems like it is professionally edited. Reading the sample somewhat changed my mind from my original guess. I like the detail when Marcus is described as someone walking around the house in worn, dirty pajamas like some neglected child. I don't think anything needs to be improved in the book. The book has an Official OnlineBookClub review, I read it but it also did not influence my decision.

First Ten review added on December 5, 2021, at 4:05 pm by markodim721.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Timothy Rucinski

697172
Loved the cover. I would have plucked this off a table for review immediately. Great graphics and a simple title. In addition, the Official OBC Review was one of the best Official Reviews that I've read. It truly piqued my interest to read this book and, unlike many of the books provided for this exercise, made me want to start reading it immediately. Kudos to the Reviewer. Then I began reading the story and was annoyed that there was so little of the book provided in the Amazon sample. So it only made sense to buy the book immediately, which I did, and hope to be reading it soon. There was nothing that I disliked about the book and I believe it was professionally edited as I found no errors. I thoroughly enjoyed everything that I read. I particularly loved the line, "People hate most adverbs." Such a simple statement but so true. In addition, having been in a similar situation as portrayed in this book, I understand completely the concept of guilt being very close to feelings of anger. Well done. I have no suggestions for improvement.

First Ten review added on December 5, 2021, at 1:41 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Bertha Jackson

1904023
I would have checked this book out based on the author alone. However, the title, cover, and genre grabbed my attention because I enjoy crime thrillers, and they made me think that this was what the book was about. The blurb did not provide enough information to influence me. The editorial and customer reviews made the book sound interesting. I enjoyed reading the first ten pages of the book. These few pages gave me a lot to think about. I like how Scott Hughes discusses the difference between the different types of abuse and how individuals react and judge them. The OnlineBookClub review makes me curious about the murder and what the consequence was with a corrupt criminal system. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe a professional editor edited the book. I have no recommendations for the author to change anything because the first few pages drew me into the book. For this reason, I am going to buy and read this book.

First Ten review added on December 5, 2021, at 1:12 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

This book appears to have been Book of the Day more than once. Only responses from the most recent Book of the Day focus group are shown. Older responses have been hidden by default to avoid confusion. If you would like to also view the older first ten responses, you can unhide them by clicking the button below.

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Total ~ 63%

Justice earned a score of 63%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 63% 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.

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