First Line Friday: 6/28

Sooo… It’s been a few weeks since I participated in First Line Fridays. Not to mention my posting has been pretty spotty this month as well. Sorry about that…

Anyway, First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

📚 Take a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open it to the first page
📝 Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
📙 Finally… reveal the book!

Here’s the first lines:

For the first time since he had arrived at the Museum of Gigantic Achievement, Knox heard no sounds of dragons wreaking havoc above.

Any ideas on the book? Here’s another hint or two if you still can’t figure it out…

Still not quite sure yet? Here are some lovely photos of books to admire while you think about it…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Return of the Dragon Slayers by Brandon Mull!!

(Did you get it?)

Return of the Dragon Slayers by Brandon Mull

SERIES: Dragonwatch #5

LENGTH: 624 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Shadow Mountain

RELEASE DATE: 26 October 2021

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The magical world teeters on the brink of collapse. The Dragon King, Celebrant, has united the dragons into a vengeful army, and only a final artifact stands in the way of them unleashing their fury against humankind. With established allegiances shifting under the strain, Seth and Kendra find themselves in desperate need of new allies.

Seth must face his most dangerous quest–the fulfillment of his pledge to the Singing Sisters. With only Calvin the Tiny Hero at his side, Seth needs to collect the pieces of the Ethergem, including the stones from the crowns of the Dragon King, the Giant Queen, and the Demon King.

Halfway across the world, Kendra finds herself torn between her duty to Dragonwatch and her desire to rescue Bracken. Can she challenge Ronodin’s control of the fairy realm without leaving the five legendary dragon slayers to be hunted by Celebrant and his sons?

Left behind at Titan Valley, Knox and Tess must survive the aftermath of the Giant Queen’s fall. Will the secret crown in Knox’s possession prove too much for him to handle?

In this fifth and final volume of Dragonwatch, our heroes make their last stand at the hidden Kingdom of Selona. For the defenders of light to stand a chance, the legendary dragon slayers must arise, lost secrets must be uncovered, and ancient powers must awaken. Get ready for the gripping, revelatory, and unforeseen conclusion to the epic ten-volume New York Times best-selling Fablehaven and Dragonwatch series.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an great day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 6/7

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve participated in this post, but I’ve been busy. Sorry. 😣

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here’s the first lines:

“You… You’re that mage lady…”

Do you know what book it is? Here’s another hint if you’re still having some trouble guessing…

Still not sure? Here’s some awesome pics of books to look at while you consider…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Tristan & Lancelot: A Tale of Two Knights (An Arthurian Love Story) by James Persichetti & L.S. Biehler!!

(Didja guess it?)

Tristan & Lancelot: A Tale of Two Knights (An Arthurian Love Story) by James Persichetti & L.S. Biehler

LENGTH: 336 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, YA, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: HarperAlley

RELEASE DATE: 4 June 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In this queer reimagining of Arthurian legend, Knights of the Round Table Lancelot and Tristan set out on a quest to find the missing magician Merlin, but instead discover an unexpected romance. An inclusive, magical twist on the enduring legend of Arthur that is a tale for the ages.

Merlin is missing, and Camelot is under attack.

When King Arthur calls for aid, Morgan le Fay answers her estranged half brother’s plea—for a price. She’ll locate Merlin in exchange for the mysterious magical sapling their father bequeathed to Arthur on his passing. Much to her chagrin, Arthur insists on sending two Knights of the Round Table with her.

Sir Lancelot has carefully built himself a reputation as the most well-liked of Arthur’s knights, but he can’t crack quiet Tristan’s brooding exterior. Sir Tristan is silently battling a curse—one that has bound him to the lady Isolde against his will, and one he grows ever more desperate to break.

As the trio journeys through Albion, sparks begin to fly between the two knights. But before they can unravel the tangle of feelings and secrets between them, they will have to face a threat that could destroy all of Camelot—unless they and Morgan can learn to work together to destroy it first.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an great day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 5/24

Two weeks in a row with this one!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here’s the first lines:

From a distance, the man struggling up the white face of the glacier might have looked like an ant crawling slowly up the side of a dinner plate. The shantytown of La Rinconada was a collection of scattered specks far below him, the wind increasing as his elevation did, blowing powdery gusts of snow into his face and freezing the damp tendrils of his black hair. Despite his amber goggles, he winced at the brightness of the reflected sunset.

Know the book yet? Here’s a second hint if you don’t know…

Still no idea? Here are some beautiful pictures of books to admire while you think about it…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare!!

(Didja guess it?)

The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

SERIES: Magisterium #1

LENGTH: 295 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press

RELEASE DATE: 9 September 2014

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst – and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It’s a place that’s both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come…

From the remarkable imaginations of bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare comes a heart-stopping, mind-blowing, pulse-pounding plunge into the magical unknown.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an great day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 5/17

It’s been a few weeks, but here I am again, participating in another First Line Friday.

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here’s the first lines:

The thing about fucking off to the woods is that unless you are a very particular, very rare sort of person, it does not take long to understand why people left said woods in the first place.

Any ideas on what the book is? Here’s another hint if you don’t know.

Still don’t know what it is? Here’s some gorgeous photos of books to look at while you think…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 A Prayer for the Crown Shy by Becky Chambers!!

(Were you able to guess it?)

A Prayer for the Crown Shy by Becky Chambers

SERIES: Monk & Robot #2

LENGTH: 152 pages

GENRES: Science Fiction, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tordotcom Publishing

RELEASE DATE: 12 July 2022

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is a story of kindness and love from one of the foremost practitioners of hopeful SF.

After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.

They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.

Becky Chambers’s new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an great day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 4/26

It’s been a bit over a month since I last participated in this post, but I’m finally coming out of my reading slump. I’m also feeling rather motivated in general, and I’ve felt better about posting. So here’s another First Line Friday!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here’s the first lines:

“I want you to kill my stepdad.”

I kick my feet off my desk and lean forward, rucking my brow. “Say that again, kid?”

Know what it is? Here’s another hint or two if you’re having trouble.

Still no idea? I’ll give you a little more time to think about it, whilst admiring some awesome pics of books…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw!!

(Were you able to guess it?)

Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw

SERIES: Persons Non Grata #1

LENGTH: 110 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tor.com

RELEASE DATE: 11 October 2016

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

John Persons is a private investigator with a distasteful job from an unlikely client. He’s been hired by a ten-year-old to kill the kid’s stepdad, McKinsey. The man in question is abusive, abrasive, and abominable.

He’s also a monster, which makes Persons the perfect thing to hunt him. Over the course of his ancient, arcane existence, he’s hunted gods and demons, and broken them in his teeth.

As Persons investigates the horrible McKinsey, he realizes that he carries something far darker. He’s infected with an alien presence, and he’s spreading that monstrosity far and wide. Luckily Persons is no stranger to the occult, being an ancient and magical intelligence himself. The question is whether the private dick can take down the abusive stepdad without releasing the holds on his own horrifying potential.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 3/15

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve participated in this weekly post, but here I am with another First Line Friday! Also, I just wanted to let everyone who wasn’t aware that yesterday was Pi Day (3/14 = 3.14) and that I hope that you enjoyed whatever you were reading yesterday with a slice of pie. 🥧📖

Anyway.

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here’s the first lines:

There was a wolf at the gallery door.

I know, I know. That’s less than I usually give. But I feel like if I gave you guys more to work with, it would give the book away instantly. So here’s a couple more hints.

Still have no idea? I’ll give you a little more time to think about it, whilst admiring some photos of books…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas!

(Were you able to guess it?)

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

SERIES: Crescent City #1

LENGTH: 800 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury Publishing

RELEASE DATE: 3 March 2020

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The CRESCENT CITY series begins with House of Earth and Blood: the story of half-Fae and half-human Bryce Quinlan as she seeks revenge in a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and searing romance.

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 2/2

It’s been quite some time since I’ve participated in this post. Like a couple of months kind of some time. But I’m eager to get back to it. So let’s jump right in!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here are the first lines:

They had tried to destroy the Will, but that proved to be beyond their power. So they broke it, in two ways. It was broken physically, torn apart, with the fragments of heavy parchment scattered across both space and time. It was bro- ken in spirit because not one clause of it had been fulfilled.

Can you guess the book? Here’s another one (or two) if you can’t guess…

Still not know what it is? Look at these gorgeous pics of books while you think about it…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Mister Monday by Garth Nix!

(Were you able to guess it?)

Mister Monday by Garth Nix

SERIES: Keys to the Kingdom (Book #1)

LENGTH: 384 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Scholastic

RELEASE DATE: 28 December 2003

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world — where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets.

This is another thrilling, triumphantly imaginative series from Garth Nix, the best-selling author of The Seventh Tower, Sabriel, Lirael, Frogkisser, and the Troubletwisters series.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 12/1

It’s been a bit since I’ve participated in this post, but I’m ready for something familiar after a rather stressful week and a half. So let’s jump right in to the post!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here are the first lines:

The dragon wasn’t happy with the roses. No matter how Autumn cajoled and pleaded, Amfidzel refused to leave her garden, declaring that she wasn’t going anywhere until she’d plucked all the aphids off the drooping stems.

Jack’s round face was pale. “What do we do?”

Know what book it is? Here’s another hint (or two) if you need it.

Still don’t know? Here are some lovely photos of books to admire while you think about it…

flowers on top of stacked books and mug — Photo by Bianca Debisko on Pexels.com

sill life with gingerbread red berries and old books lying on a windowsill — Photo by Ioana Motoc on Pexels.com

wooden christmas decorations with open book — Photo by Demetra Ioannidou on Pexels.com

christmas gingerbread cookies tea candles and other decorations — Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV on Pexels.com

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… The School Between Winter and Fairyland by Heather Fawcett!!

(Did you get it right??)

The School Between Winter and Fairyland by Heather Fawcett

LENGTH: 343 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Balzer + Bray

RELEASE DATE: 14 September 2021

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A spell-binding tale of magic, monsters and mystery, set in an enchanted boarding school. Full of suspense and exquisitely written, this is middle-grade fantasy at its best – and most original – for fans of Nevermoor.

Twelve-year-old Autumn is a beastkeeper at Inglenook School for Magicians, which she secretly dreams of attending as a student. Instead, she must care for Inglenook’s menagerie of dangerous creatures so the king’s future monster hunters can study them. But when she isn’t mucking out the griffin stalls, Autumn searches for clues about her twin brother’s mysterious disappearance. Everyone else thinks that he was devoured by the terrifying Hollow Dragon, but Autumn isn’t so sure.

Enter Cai Morrigan, the famous young magician prophesied to one day destroy the Hollow Dragon. When Cai comes to Autumn with a secret problem, Autumn agrees to help on one condition: that the ‘Chosen One’ join her quest to find her brother. Together they uncover the dark truth that lies at the heart of Inglenook School – because every school has its secrets…

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 11/10

Wow. So it’s, uh, been about a month. Whoops?

Anyway, I’m back to participating in this post… mostly weekly? Hopefully.

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here are the first lines:

The smell of wilting flowers and spent candles almost masked the odor of decay. Raef pressed against a statue and fought to keep from trem- bling as the knight with the flaming sword paced nearer.

Any ideas? Here’s another hint or two, just in case…

Still no ideas? Here’s some awesome book pics to look at whilst you consider…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton!!

(Were you able to guess it?)

Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton

SERIES: The Gods of Night and Day (Book #1)

LENGTH: 394 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Blackstone Publishing

RELEASE DATE: 31 October 2023

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The first in a new epic fantasy series from David R. Slayton—author of White Trash Warlock – Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a powerful story of divine betrayal, ghosts, and self-discovery, perfect for fans of the Dark Souls series or Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.

When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics. With Phoebe gone, the souls of the dead are no longer ferried to the underworld, and instead linger on as shades who feast on the blood of the living.

Raef is a child of the night. He lives in the shadows, on scraps, eking out a meager existence as a thief. But when an ornate box is sequestered in the Temple of Hyperion, the chance of a big score proves too great to resist. What he finds within propels him on an odyssey across the sea and back again, altering the course of his life forever.

Seth is a knight of the sun. But unlike the others of his order, the fire of Hyperion only brings him pain. He believes he deserves this penance, exacted for his unknown origins. Tasked with recovering the contents of the box, Seth must also venture beyond the horizon if he’s to learn the truth about himself.

In a dying world divided by the greed of those in power, Raef and Seth find their destinies intertwined—and learn they might have more in common than they ever imagined.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 10/14

Check it out! It’s Friday the 13th – and it’s in October to boot! 🎃👻🐈‍⬛💀🕸️🦇

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

Here are the first lines:

It came in handy, being small.

People talked of growing up like it was some grand accomplishment, but small bodies could slip through narrow gaps, and hide in tight cor- ners, and get in and out of places other bodies wouldn’t fit.

Like a chimney.

Still can’t figure it out? Here’s another hint or two…

Do you know which book it is now? If you don’t, here’s some lovely images of books to admire while you think about it some more.

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab!!

(Were you able to guess it?)

The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab

SERIES: The Threads of Power (Book #1)

LENGTH: 656 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tor Books

RELEASE DATE: 26 September 2023

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and set in the world of A Darker Shade of Magic, V. E. Schwab opens a new door into perilous adventure and tangled schemes with The Fragile Threads of Power.

Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed, and now only three Antari are known in recent memory – Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk of White London.

But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years—and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland’s absence. The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own – but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead.

And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely.

Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds.

Her name is Tes, and she’s the only one who can bring them together – or unravel it all.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re most excited about?

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have an excellent day/night!

See ya ~Mar