First Line Friday #16

Sooo… it’s been a couple of weeks… Not my fault! The power was out last Friday! But it’s been a few weeks nonetheless, since last I participated in a 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:

📚 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 are the first lines:

Even as the only home Charlie had ever known burned to the ground, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. His plan had worked and that’s what mattered.

D’you know what book it’s from? Look at the pretty book pics while you think about it…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… The Never Heir by Courtney Millecam!!

(Didja guess it??)

The Never Heir by Courtney Millecam

SERIES: The Otherworlds (Book #1)

LENGTH: 350 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Laurel Ink Press

RELEASE DATE: 16 May 2023

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Charlie ‘Tootles’ Tulane risked everything to break the spell binding the lost boys to Pan and escape Neverland. Now seventeen and living in 1923 London, Charlie’s freedom from the land of Faerie has never felt better. But even the noblest of actions have consequences. Neverland demands a leader, and without one, chaos spills into the mortal world.

Spending his nights as an amateur boxer, Charlie meets the ‘Bright Young Things’ of London’s upper class. Part of that group is Evie, a girl whose ravings about mermaids abducting her sister got her sent to an asylum. Now that she’s back among polite society, Evie’s under strict orders from her mother to avoid any further scandal and to attract a suitable match. But that proves difficult when Evie’s friend and confidant from Faerie turns demanding and sinister, forcing her into a deal she can’t refuse: In exchange for locating Pan’s lost relics of power, the Fae will return the one thing Evie wants most.

When Charlie learns his past betrayals set off a chain reaction resulting in the abduction of Evie’s sister, the two must return to the place of Charlie’s nightmares in an attempt to set things right. But this time, the price for rectitude might prove too steep for either one of them to pay.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and have an excellent day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday #15

I’m early today! …Compared to the last couple of Fridays, at least. Anyway, onwards 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:

If she moved her head all the way up against the wall and tilted it to the left she could just see the edge of the moon through the bars. Just a silver sliver, almost close enough to eat.

Do you know the book? Think about it for a bit…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Alice by Christina Henry!!

Didja get it??

Alice by Christina Henry

SERIES: The Chronicles of Alice (Book #1)

LENGTH: 291 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Horror, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Ace

RELEASE DATE: 4 August 2015

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In a warren of crumbling buildings and desperate people called the Old City, there stands a hospital with cinderblock walls which echo the screams of the poor souls inside.

In the hospital, there is a woman. Her hair, once blond, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn’t remember why she’s in such a terrible place. Just a tea party long ago, and long ears, and blood…

Then, one night, a fire at the hospital gives the woman a chance to escape, tumbling out of the hole that imprisoned her, leaving her free to uncover the truth about what happened to her all those years ago.

Only something else has escaped with her. Something dark. Something powerful. And to find the truth, she will have to track this beast to the very heart of the Old City, where the rabbit waits for his Alice.

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday #14

It’s getting very late, but I was, uh, busy. With stuff. I’m here now, though, and am participating in yet 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 are the first lines:

Outside, wind rattled the wooden chimes in warning. In the distance, waves crashed against the shore; the frantic whispers of water growing louder as if the sea was a mage summoning vio- lence. On this date-for nearly a decade now-the storm followed the same pattern. Next, thunder would roll in quicker than the tide with lightning cracking electric whips across an unforgiving sky. The devil demanded retribution. A blood sacrifice for power stolen.

It wasn’t the first time he’d be cursed by witches, nor would it be the last.

Any guesses? Here’s some lovely photos of books for your viewing please while you ruminate…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco!!

(Did you guess it right??)

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

SERIES: Kingdom of the Wicked (Book #1)

LENGTH: 384 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Jimmy Patterson

RELEASE DATE: 27 October 2020

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself…
And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia’s side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women’s murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems…

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday #13

It’s getting late, but I had some odds and ends that really needed getting done today. But I’m here now, participating in yet 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 are the first lines:

“Nico di Angelo, why don’t you tell me a story?”

Nico bristled at that. A story? Any old story? That seemed too easy after everything they’d been through.

Do you know what book it is? Stare at these lovely books while you give it some thought…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan & Mark Oshiro!!

(Did you guess it??)

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan & Mark Oshiro

LENGTH: 480 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, YA/MG, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Disney-Hyperion

RELEASE DATE: 2 May 2023

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

As the son of Hades, Nico di Angelo has been through so much, from the premature deaths of his mother and sister, to being outed against his will, to losing his friend Jason during the trials of Apollo. But there is a ray of sunshine in his life–literally: his boyfriend, Will Solace, the son of Apollo. Together the two demigods can overcome any obstacle or foe. At least, that’s been the case so far . . .

Now Nico is being plagued by a voice calling out to him from Tartarus, the lowest part of the Underworld. He thinks he knows who it is: a reformed Titan named Bob whom Percy and Annabeth had to leave behind when they escaped Hades’s realm. Nico’s dreams and Rachel Dare’s latest prophecy leave little doubt in Nico’s mind that Bob is in some kind of trouble. Nico has to go on this quest, whether Mr. D and Chiron like it or not. And of course Will insists on coming with. But can a being made of light survive in the darkest part of the world? and what does the prophecy mean that Nico will have to “leave something of equal value behind?”

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday #9

It’s been a couple of weeks (thanks last week, for being oh so wonderful to me), but I’m more than ready to post 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 are the first lines:

It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.

Any ideas?? Admire these books pics while you think about it…

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater!!

(Did you guess right??)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

LENGTH: 409 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press

RELEASE DATE: 18 October 2011

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Some race to win. Others race to survive.

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.

Some riders live.

Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition – the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

As she did in her bestselling Shiver trilogy, author Maggie Stiefvater takes us to the breaking point, where both love and life meet their greatest obstacles, and only the strong of heart can survive. The Scorpio Races is an unforgettable reading experience.

Thank you for reading, and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday #4

It’s been a couple of weeks since I last participated in this, but eh, life happens sometimes. (Like when your chronic illness acts up. Ugh.) But yay, it’s time for First Line Friday post #4!

First Line Friday 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 it’s content? It’s first lines?

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

Here’s the first lines:

In the bloody decades before the year 174 of the Human Era, the Kyprish Isles were locked in strife. Rival branches of the royal house traded the throne on a number of occasions. In turn the crown had lost control over the warring houses of the raka, or native, nobility. Scholars said of those years that only the jungles prospered, for the trees and vines fed on the blood of the raka. During this time the Isles exported more slaves than imported them: victors sold their enemies into the Eastern and Southern Lands, only to enter slavery in their own turn when they lost the next battle.

…So, what book do you think it is? Any guesses? I’ll give you a moment to think about it. (And to look at beautiful pictures of books while you do.)

I lovely picture of an open book to admire while you try to parse the book the first line is from.

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce!

(Did you get it right?)

Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce

Series: Daughter of the Lioness Duology (#1)

Length: 448 pages

Genres: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

Publisher: Random House

Release Date: September 23, 2003

Book Description:

WHEN YOU GAMBLE WITH KINGDOMS, ALL BETS ARE OFF.

Aly is from a family known for great deeds. She is the daughter of Alanna, the famed knight and King’s Champion of Tortall. Even though she is bold and brave, like her mother, her true talents lie on her father’s side, in the art of spying.

When Aly is captured by pirates and sold as a slave to an exiled royal family in the faraway Copper Isles, she strikes a bargain with the trickster god. If she can keep young noblewomen Sarai and Dove safe for the summer, then he will return Aly to her family. The task should be simple, but Sarai and Dove are anything but.

It’s a time of murderous plotting at court, and Aly will need to rely on her training and the insights of a strange young man named Nawat to survive in a world where trust can cost you your life.

First Line Friday #3

I started participating in First Line Fridays a couple of weeks ago, and I’m really enjoying it. So I’m going to continue with it, and really try to do it every week.

In case you don’t know, First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers that was (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 it’s content? It’s 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’re the first lines…

The Magician stood on the edge of his world and took one last look at the city. The spires of churches rose like jagged teeth, and the nightless windows of tumbled buildings flashed in the rising sun. He’d loved it once. In those lawless streets, a boy could become anything – and he had. But in the end, the city had been nothing but a prison. It has borne him and made him and now it would kill him just the same.

…So, what book do you think it is? Any guesses? I’ll give you a moment to think about it. (And to look at beautiful pictures of books while you do.)

another gorgeous book, this time focusing on what's in between the covers in one book only

beautiful contrast with some light and shadow, with one book's pages splayed open

a book and some coffee, can you think of a more perfect combination??

Annnd the book is… The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell!!

(Did you get it right??)

Series: The Last Magician (Book #1)

Length: 512 pages

Genres: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

Release Date: July 18, 2017

Book Description:

Stop the Magician.
Steal the book.
Save the future.

In modern-day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.

Esta is a talented thief, and she’s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.

But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.

Have you read The Last Magician, or any of the rest of its sequels? What did you think, if you did?

Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day/night! As always, tune in next time for more bookish stuff.

See ya ~Mar

LINKS: Goodreads | Instagram

First Lines Friday #2

Good [insert your time of day here]!! I started partaking in a new weekly feature last week and I really liked it, so here it is again for week two! First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers that I saw over at One Book More, but it was formerly hosted by Wandering Words.

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

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

Take a book off your shelf 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 line…

Dear Evangeline,

Eventually you will see him again, and when you do, do not be fooled by him.

Ooh, what book could it be…? Here’s some pictures of lovely books to stare at while you think.

And the book is… The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber!

(Did you get it right?)

first lines friday - the ballad of never after

The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

Series: Once Upon a Broken Heart (Book #2)

Length: 403 pages

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, YA, Fiction

Release Date: September 13, 2022

Book Description:

Stephanie Garber’s The Ballad of Never After is the fiercely-anticipated sequel to the Once Upon a Broken Heart, starring Evangeline Fox and the Prince of Hearts on a new journey of magic, mystery, and heartbreak

Not every love is meant to be.

After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she’ll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.

But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.

Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can….

I’ve been looking forward to reading this since I read the first one a year ago. Now, I haven’t ever read the Caraval trilogy, but this new spin-off intrigued me. It really seemed like my type of book, even though I’ve never had any interest in Caraval or its sequels.

And I ended up really, really liking Once Upon a Broken Heart. It just hit a lot of the stuff that I like in romance. It also had a relatively unlikable protagonist, but she grew bit by bit as a character throughout the novel. And I love it when characters are like that, and I don’t see it that often because it’s hard to pull off well.

But yeah, I’m pretty freaking excited to read the sequel, but I kinda pushed it back on my TBR because of other stuff. But I’m definitely still planning to read it and soon – hopefully in time for a Valentine’s Day post or before!

As always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I’ll see y’all on the flip side for more bookish things! (As well as another First Lines Friday next week!)

~ Mar ~

First Line Friday #1

I was looking for a fun Friday post to do, and after discovering First Lines Fridays, I knew it was the one. First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words (I don’t know why I posted the link, it’s defunct… 😳😣), 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 it’s content? It’s 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 line…

Her satellite made one full orbit around planet Earth every sixteen hours. It was a prison that came with endlessly breathtaking views – vast blue oceans and swirling clouds and sunrises that set half the world on fire.

Can you guess what book it is?

(Here’s some pictures of books to stare at while you think.)

And the book is… Cress by Marissa Meyer!

(Did you get it right?)

Title & Author: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (Book #3)

Length: 552 pages

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, YA, Fiction

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Description:

In this third book in Marissa Meyer’s bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who’s only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she’s just received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she’d ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

I’ve been trying to finish this book for years. Like, the first time I tried to read it, there was a personal life issue that came up, and the second time (last year) life just kinda got in the way (in a different way than the first time).

This time I’m 66% of the way through it, and I’m determined to finish it. It’s one of the three books I’ve marked as Currently Reading (the other two being A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab and Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik) on Goodreads and The StoryGraph. Let’s hope that I can finally finish it, cuz I really want to finish The Lunar Chronicles and see how the series ends.

What book are you currently reading, or looking to read next? What are your favorite first lines, and from which book? Thanks for reading and have an amazing day/night!

~ Mar ~

The Blog That Nobody Knows

guess the book

First Line Friday #16

Here are the first lines:

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… The Never Heir by Courtney Millecam!!

The Never Heir by Courtney Millecam

First Line Friday #15

Here are the first lines:

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Alice by Christina Henry!!

Alice by Christina Henry

First Line Friday #14

Here are the first lines:

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco!!

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

First Line Friday #13

Here are the first lines:

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan & Mark Oshiro!!

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan & Mark Oshiro

First Line Friday #9

Here are the first lines:

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater!!

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

First Line Friday #4

Here’s the first lines:

Annnd the book is 🥁🥁… Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce!

Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce

Book Description:

First Line Friday #3

Here’re the first lines…

Annnd the book is… The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell!!

First Lines Friday #2

Here’s the first line…

And the book is… The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber!

The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

First Line Friday #1

Can you guess what book it is?

And the book is… Cress by Marissa Meyer!

Description: