Friday 19 June 2015

Would you BUY or PASS? (5)

Rosie Amber's weekly Friday Five Challenge ~ if you already know the rules, skip the next bit and go down to the row of orange stars for my choice.

(It's an interesting exercise for writers ~ it shows the little things that can put potential readers off that click-buy, and it's just quite fun anyway!)

Anyone with a blog can join in ~ here's what you do:

IN ONLY FIVE MINUTES…. 
1) Go to any online book supplier
2) Randomly choose a category
3) Speed through the book covers, choose one which instantly appeals
4) Read the book bio/description, and any other details
5) If there are reviews, check out a couple
6) Make an instant decision: would you BUY or PASS?

You can find others' contributions on the #FridayFiveChallenge hashtag on Twitter

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This week I put a random word, Oranges, into the Amazon search and this was the first cover that really appealed to me: The Orange Lilies by Nathan Dylan Goodwin.  It's a novella, a hundred pages long.


Analysis

Cover
Artistic, subtle, professional, with a World War 1 theme ~ love it!

Price
£2.32

Blurb
Morton Farrier has spent his entire career as a forensic genealogist solving other people’s family history secrets, all the while knowing so little of his very own family’s mysterious past. However, this poignant Christmastime novella sees Morton’s skills put to use much closer to home, as he must confront his own past, present and future through events both present-day and one hundred years ago. It seems that not every soldier saw a truce on the Western Front that 1914 Christmas… This Morton Farrier novella follows on from book two in the series - The Lost Ancestor.  

Reviews
36 - 28 of them are 5*.  The rest are all 4*.

Would I BUY or PASS?
BUY!  It's a bit expensive for a novella of 100 pages, but not excessively so.  Its only potential downside is that it follows on from a previous book, but I suspect it might read fine on its own and this only made me waver a little.  The review situation is most reassuring; if a book has 36 reviews without even a 3* 'it's okay', chances are it's pretty good.  I love the theme; the first World War and a hint of time-slip - two of my favourites!  About which I'm pleased, as I haven't found a buy since week one.

I love the Friday Five Challenge; three cheers to Rosie for thinking of it, and please do join in if you have a blog and the idea appeals to you.  Just copy and paste the instructions at the top, and stick the #hashtag on when you post it on Twitter - or tag me or Rosie in it (@rosieamber1 @TerryTyler4)




16 comments:

  1. I love the cover too, fits really well with WW1 - dark and mysterious, like you I hesitate at it being a follow on book and it's a little pricey for just 100 pages, definitely a gamble for me to buy. I'd waver on this one.

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    1. Yes, I haven't actually bought it because my to-read list is STUPID right now, but 3 months ago I would have, and I'm tempted even now!

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  2. I’m with both of you, I love the cover. A follow on would make me stop and think but if I really fancied it I’d probably get the previous ones too.

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    1. So nice to find one I actually wanted, Cathy!

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  3. I have read good reviews of this author in Family History magazines. Definitely my cup of tea. I also think your creative way of finding a book is superb, Terry!!

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    1. Ha ha, thanks, Liz! Right, that's it - it's now officially written on the to-read list! :)

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  4. I agree--it sounds terrific! I hope you'll review after you read it.

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    1. I can't read anything without reviewing it these days, Barb, not even the back of the fake tan bottle :)

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  5. Great cover, great title and I'm stealing your idea for next week's challenge :)

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    1. What, just putting random words in? Yes, I like doing it that way! I did try genres but I just found that the big bestsellers came up first (of course!) so I didn't find any odd ones that might be interesting!

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  6. Ooh that sounds good! As it was a PASS on my book choice I will take your recommendation instead (much better price too!)

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    1. Ha! I find that often the choices on the #FFC that don't interest me anyway - like fantasy, light romance and stuff about dogs - am I the only person who has zero interest in these creatures??!! I think I must be!

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  7. What a fun but dangerous challenge! And what a find, you can't not read it now, there's something inside it for you I'm sure.

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    1. That's the trouble, Claire, the to-read list is long enough as it is...!

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  8. Well you may not be aware of this, Terry, but Nathan is my client and I proofread this book - not a bad coincidence for a random choice! I really enjoyed reading it, it was very poignant.

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    1. I guessed he must be when I saw you had RTd him! That is jolly weird indeed, when you think of all all the books I looked at that had 'orange' in the title!! Aye, I thought the book would be good - glad to see my powers of analysis work well!

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