11 Books that will hook you from the opening line

 
Opening line:
One year after the fire, my doctor removes my mask and tells me to get a life." 

Not only does the opening line hook the reader, the rest of the story about this survivor is hard to put down.

Opening line:

"It was my aunt who decided to give me to the dragon."

We think we know so much about dragons and how they horde gold and treasures. But what about the dragon who hordes shoes? Or poodles? 

 

Opening line:
"Morning light shimmers on the apricot horizon as I stand at the place where my baby boy rests."

Oh, my heart. 

Set in Philadelphia, in the middle of WWI, and right before the Spanish flu epidemic. There is so much beauty and pain in the sentences this masterful storytellers weaves. 
 

Opening line:

"A ten-point buck and a dead body make the same sound when they hit the forest floor."

 What the?? Yup. This is a great young adult whodunit told from the killer's view point and the the AG intern.

Opening line:
"The day I came squealing and squalling into the world was the first time someone tried to kill me."

I call this a Civil War alternate reality, where the soldiers turn into zombies and the slaves learn combat and how to put the dead down. 

(I listened to this on Audible and LOVE the narrator!). 

Opening line:

"The summer is made for stoop-sitting

and since it's the last week before school starts,

Harlem is opening its eyes to September."

I know a lot of people don't like a book in verse BUT guys! This one is amazing! 

  Opening line:
"It was raining the day Suki came to the Palace of the Sun, and it was raining the night that she died."

Shapeshifter, Samurai and demons...what's not to like??

Opening line:

"My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die."

Three things I loved about this book:
1. Relationships
2. Jonah Griggs
3. Ending

 

Opening line:

"I did not set out to ruin my sister's debut."

Basically, the main character meets family she's never met, makes friends with people she shouldn't have and finds herself in the middle of a revolution.

Opening line:

"The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit."

Oh man, that is a very visual opening. The whole book is visually written. And sometimes, being pretty isn't what you think it is.

Opening line:

"It took seven years to get the letter right."

My advice on this book: don't try and figure anything out, just read and enjoy. Then maybe reread once you figure everything out.

Do you have any suggestions for more amazing/jaw-dropping/stunning opening lines??

My top 10 favorite reads from 2018 (in no particular order)

2018 Reading Challenge

2018

READING

CHALLENGE

Congrats!

You have read 123 books of your goal of 65!

123/65 (189%)

 

 

 

 DREAD NATION by Justina Ireland

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever.

 

 Opening line:
"The day I came squealing and squalling into the world was the first time someone tried to kill me."

I loved this story!
And I LOVED listening to it! Bahni Turpin has the best voice for this story!

There is swearing and fighting and zombies.

 

 

 

 

 

AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN by Susan Meissner

 As Bright as Heaven is the compelling story of a mother and her daughters who find themselves in a harsh world, not of their making, which will either crush their resolve to survive or purify it.

 

 Opening line:
"Morning light shimmers on the apricot horizon as I stand at the place where my baby boy rests."

AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN is a story of family, love and death set during WWI. I became fascinated by WWI and the Spanish Flu a few years ago and I will be adding this book to my growing WWI shelf.
Told from the different perspectives of the Bright women, we get a unique view from different ages and personalities into their lives and what it was like to live through the worse pandemic in history.

 

 

SKY IN THE DEEP by Adrienne Young
Part Wonder Woman, part Vikings—and all heart.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. 

 

Opening line:
""They're coming.""

Eelyn is the kick butt heroine of the story; she's strong, smart and loyal to her family and clan. But her character isn't in your face with how awesome she is. She fights because this is all she knows, because she is protecting her family and because this fight, or death, will bring honor. 

 

 

 

 

THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo
A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.

 

 Opening line:
"The summer is made for stoop-sitting
and since it's the last week before school starts,
Harlem is opening its eyes to September."

What a great opening to a coming of age story told in VERSE.

Here are a couple of stanzas i LOVED:

...but she took all of the stereotypes
and put them in a chokehold
until they breathed out the truth.

but most importantly,
she should be remembered
as always working to become
the warrior she wanted to be

 

WARCROSS by Marie Lu

 For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life.

 

 

 

 Opening line:
"It's too damn cold of a day to be out on a hunt."

Emika is a hacker and a hunter and so will become a player...in Warcross that is. Her biggest hack catches the eye of billionaire, Hideo, inventor of the Warcross game. He's concerned about someone who has been messing up his game and he wants Emika to find out who it is.
I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would I started reading it. After about 20% of the way in, I was hooked. I can't wait for the next book, Wildcard.
I'm trying to get my son to read this book because I think he would LOVE it!

SHADOW OF THE FOX by Julie Kagawa

One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos.

 

 Opening line:
"It was raining the day Suki came to the Palace of the Sun, and it was raining the night that she died."

That's a fantastic beginning though I didn't know or appreciate it when I started reading. As a matter of fact, I almost quit reading because I could not figure out what or who or why this book was happening.
I'm glad I stuck it out.
I WILL read the next book to see what happens to our little clan.

 

 

 

 

 

FINDING US (Pine Valley #5) by Heather Moore

 
Opening line:
"Felicity Miner balanced the steaming cup of hot chocolate and the blueberry muffin with on hand as she unlocked the door to the bookshop."

Heather has a great way of writing romantic tension in her books! This is another great story in the Pine Valley series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 AS WIDE AS THE SKY by Jessica Pack
Amanda Mallorie wakes to the knowledge that her son Robbie is gone.

 

 Opening line:
"Two hours, forty-three minutes."

AS WIDE AS THE SKY is a heavy, enlightening, hopeful book about a mother and the ramifications of a single act of her son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 VEINS OF GOLD by Charlie Holmberg
Desperate to save her siblings from poverty, a young woman discovers magic fueled by gold . . . and a love for the man who wields it. 

 

 Opening line:
"To the ears of Gentry's father, gold cried louder than his children did."

Charlie is an exceptionally talented writer. She can write about ANYTHING and it will be amazing and unique.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 FROM ASH AND STONE by Julie Daines

 Lady Margaret Grey of Hartfell wants for nothing. The daughter of a knight, she has a loving family, wealth, and even a secret romance with the blacksmith's son. But all that is torn from her one fateful night when her home is attacked and her family killed.

 

Opening line:
"Margaret laid on the ground with her eyes closed."

Margaret lives in the time of King Henry VIII and she lives in the path of men, on both sides of the border of Scotland and England, who raid homes with no thought to the people's lives they destroy except to take what they want.

SHADOW OF THE FOX by Julie Kagawa BOOK BIRTHDAY!

 One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos.

Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn.

Raised by monks in the isolated Silent Winds temple, Yumeko has trained all her life to hide her yokai nature. Half kitsune, half human, her skill with illusion is matched only by her penchant for mischief. Until the day her home is burned to the ground, her adoptive family is brutally slain and she is forced to flee for her life with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll.

There are many who would claim the dragon’s wish for their own. Kage Tatsumi, a mysterious samurai of the Shadow Clan, is one such hunter, under orders to retrieve the scroll…at any cost. Fate brings Kage and Yumeko together. With a promise to lead him to the scroll, an uneasy alliance is formed, offering Yumeko her best hope for survival. But he seeks what she has hidden away, and her deception could ultimately tear them both apart.

With an army of demons at her heels and the unlikeliest of allies at her side, Yumeko’s secrets are more than a matter of life or death. They are the key to the fate of the world itself.



Opening line:
"It was raining the day Suki came to the Palace of the Sun, and it was raining the night that she died."

That's a fantastic beginning though I didn't know or appreciate it when I started reading. As a matter of fact, I almost quit reading because I could not figure out what or who or why this book was happening.
I'm glad I stuck it out.

Yumeko was raised with monks, hidden away from the world. The book opens with the day her life changed. Demons broke in and killed everyone inside...except Yumeko who escaped. She is tasked with an almost impossible task: take a piece of a scared scroll to a hidden temple.
Tatsumi is a samurai tasked with bringing a piece of the scroll back to his masters, no matter the cost. he meets Yumeko as she's leaving and somehow she convinces him to be a protector on the journey to the temple.
They meet all sorts of demons (did you know there were thousands??) and interesting characters along their journey.
Yumeko is a naive young woman who has a secret she can't reveal. But she is also tough and kind and humble. She has a knack with bringing people to her side. In the end, there are four on the journey who have the skills needed to help Yumeko.
Tatsumi totally reminded me of Samurai Jack! LOL He was strong and fast and quiet and driven. It was intriguing to read the conflict between being human and being machine with Tatsumi.
I WILL read the next book to see what happens to our little clan.

For the sensitive reader: there are about 20 swear words, lots of fighting and killing and maiming.
Thanks to netgalley for the early read!!

THE LOST PRINCE by Julie Kagawa

  Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

The last line:

"And for the first time, I wasn't afraid."

The Iron Queen's brother, Ethan, has the Sight and can see the fey. But he knows if they know he can see them they will bother him and his family, even hurt them. But when a friend goes missing, thanks to a ghostly fey, he knows he has to enter their world. And see his sister again even though he's mad at her for leaving his family. But when he has to take someone else with him, the plot thickens. Mackenzie is a friend from school who was being threatened by the ghostly fey so Ethan had no choice but to bring her with him.

But Kenize wasn't friends with him at first. She tried to be but Ethan kept shutting her. He was mean! I'm not sure why she kept coming back to him to talk.

New fairies in this book. New characters and a few old but loved ones too. Ash and Puck have a cameo in this book!

There is one swear word that the main character uses a ton in the beginning then hardly any at all until the end.

And Kenzie uses "tough guy" too much! It was starting to annoy me. It got old.

While I enjoyed this book, this isn't a favorite in the series for me.



Rating: PG13

V: Fighting

L: Swearing

S: Kissing



Liked:

Another book in one of my favorite series

Keirran!



Disliked:

Poor me! (from Ethan)

3 STARS

Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

 A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

An ebook exclusive novella from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

I love this series! I'm going to buy it for my personal library.
I can't remember how I got this ebook, some promotion for anyone who saw it.  I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a great marketing tool being that it was free. 
This novella is from Puck's point-of-view. He proves to be a loyal friend and great trickster.
Now I'm off, darlings, to read Iron Knight! *squee*

Rating: PG
V: No
S: No
L: a few

 Want it?

 25% (p.17)

"Chapter Two
For Oberon Is Passing Fell and Wrath
It was twilight when we crossed the barrier from the mortal realm into the wyldwood. Then again, it was always twilight beneath the wyldwood’s huge canopy. Sunlight couldn’t penetrate the thick branches of the trees rising hundreds of yards into the air. Unlike the vivid brightness of Summer and the frigid harshness Winter, the wyldwood was eternally dark, tangled, and dangerous. It was constantly changing, so you never knew what you’d run into next.
I loved it. Even though I was Summer, this felt more like home than anywhere else.
“Here we are,” I said, stepping beneath a pair of cypresses twisted together to form an arch between the trunks. Around us, the murk of the wyldwood closed in, though a few lone will-o-the-wisps bobbed through the leaves, looking for lost travelers. Thick black briars crawled between trunks, creeping along the ground as they strangled the life from all other vegetation. “Arcadia isn’t far. I would’ve used the trod that takes us through the quartz caverns, but I’m afraid a lindworm has taken up residence since the last time I was there.”
Ash looked around, always alert, and raised an eyebrow. “You do realize you’ve brought us right into the middle of hedge wolf territory.”"

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.


To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

First line: "Oy, ice-boy! You sure you know where you're going?" 


Another WOW book! (Look at the front AND back covers! Ash and Puck. Gotta love it.)
The Iron Knight is probably one of my favorite reads this year.
And it might be my favorite book in the series. I want to go back and read the whole series again. (I haven't reread a whole series since Twilight.) I couldn't put it down (or shut it off my iPhone).

The Iron Knight is told from Ash's point of view with twists, turns and obstacles on his way to claiming a soul for himself so he can be with the woman he promised his life to.

Every part of Ash's trip made him better, strengthened him and helped him get closer to his goal to be with Meghan Chase, the Iron Queen.

I loved the Testing Grounds the best.

Along Ash's journey is the ever present Puck, who loves Meghan too. A few surprises in the shape of fellow travelers/helpers show up as well and each must make hard decisions and overcome weaknesses. Even Grimalkin!

The Iron Knight taught the importance of atoning for past mistakes, keeping stories alive and the strength of love.



Thanks to Net Galley, Harlequin Teen and Julie Kagawa for a wonderfully amazing journey.



Rating: PG 13

V: a little. intense scenes

S: mention

L: a couple

Want to buy it? Yes you do!

The Iron Knight (Harlequin Teen) 


25% test:
Sorry. I can't do it without giving away part of the story. I tried but I just can't. You'll have to read the book!!

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

 My name is Meghan Chase. I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back.

WOW.
That said, this is another great book from the Iron Fey series. And yes, I did break my resolution to only read a series if the books were all published. In my defense, I stated a trilogy as a series. So I'm technically off the hook because their is a fourth book.
Another great book with characters becoming stronger and better through trials. Each character has a unique voice and personality. Love, hate, war, finding inner strength, sacrifice, betrayal and magic are woven throughout the story.
I was thrown at revelation of the false king...


Rating: PG 14
V: War
S: Kissing, one scene where you know two people are "together"
L: Some through out each chapter


Page 69 test:
"...all things she could ask for. But before I could say a word, Ash took my elbow and pressed something into my palm.
Curious,I held up my hand. A small gold ring flickered in my palm, surrounded by a gently swirling aura of blue an green. It looked exactly like the one we'd taken from the tomb. I glanced at Ash sharply, and he winked at me.
"Remember when the oracle asked if you had the ring's mate?" he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. "At least one of us was thinking ahead."
"Well, darling?" Leanansidhe called before I could reply. "What are you two whispering about? Does it have anything to do with what you're going to trade for your father?"
I gave Ash a brilliant smile and turned to Leanansidhe again. "Yes," U murmured, and raised the Token so that it gleamed under the lights. Leanansidehe say straight up in her chair. "I can give you this."
The brief, eager flash in the queen's eyes told me we had won. "A Token, darling?" Leanansidhe leaned back again, feigning nonchalance. "That might be sufficient. For now, anyway. I suppose I can trade your father for that."
I was weak with relief, but Ash stepped forward, closing his hand over the ring and my fingers. "That's not enough," he said, and I gaped at him in disbelief. "You know the Iron fey are looking Meghan. We can't just wander around the mortal world without a plan. We need a place that will be secure from the false king's minions."
"Ash, what are you doing?" I hissed under my breath. He gave me a sideways glance and mouthed, "Trust me."
Leanansidhe pursed her lips. "You two are pressing the boundaries of my patience. "She drummed her nails on the armrest and sighed. "Oh, very well, darlings. I have a quaint little hideaway that I can lend you for the time being. It's out in the middle of nowhere and fairly safe--I've got a few of the local trows keeping an eye on it. Will that be good enough for you, dove?"

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.



So far, I've enjoyed this series.
The characters grow, show their weaknesses, fall in love, feel rejected, love someone they shouldn't, defy orders and try to do what's right.
Meghan is half human, half faery who has to find her own inner strength to fight the Iron Fey and not rely only on her magic.
Ash is the Romeo.
Puck is the third in the love triangle.
Ms. Kagawa kept me hooked throughout the book. I found myself wishing I was home while I ran errands so I could keep reading. I made up excuses for crawling back into bed with the book.


Rating: PG 13
V:War
L: sprinkled throughout
S: kissing, 


Want to buy it?


Page 69 Test:
""Make ready, my subjects!" the queen rasped, raising her arms. "The war with summer starts now!"
Another roar, and the minions of the Unseelie Court scattered, leaving the room with raucous battle cries. Mab spared me one more glance over her shoulder, his lips curling into a snarl before she walked out. Rowan stared at me a moment longer, snickered, and followed his queen from the room. Silence fell, and I was left alone, dying but unable to die.
When you can't breathe, each second feels like an eternity. My entire existence shrank into trying to draw air into my lungs. though my head knew it was impossible, my body couldn't understand. I could feel my heart thudding laboriously against my ribs; I could feel the hideous chill of the ice, searing my skin. My body knew it was still alive and continued its fight to live.
i don't know how long I stood there, hours or only a few minutes, when a shadowy figure slipped into the room. Though I could still see out, the ice made everything cracked and distorted, so I couldn't tell who it was. the shadow hesitated in the doorway, watching me for a long moment, Then, quickly, it glided across the room until it stood next to my prison, laying a pale hand against the ice.
"Meghan," a voice whispered. "It's me."
Even through my air-starved delirium, my heart leaped. Ash's silvery eyes eyed through the wall separating us, as bright an soulful as ever. the torment on his face shocked me as if he were the one trapped and unable to breathe.
"Hang on," he murmured, pressing his forehead to mine through the wall. "I'm getting you out of there." He leaned back, both hands against the ice, and closed his eyes. The air began to vibrate; a tremor shook the walls around me, and tiny cracks spider-webbed through the ice.
With the sound of breaking glass, the prison shattered, shards..."

THE IRON KING by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kid...more Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart. The Iron King is the first book in the Iron Fey series.

Honestly, people! I'm getting tired of trilogies! I just want to read a good book, set it down and not have to wait for the next book!
Now that I've had my rant, I'll continue with my review...
This book was action packed from beginning to end. Meghan is of two worlds, mortal and fey. She doesn't realize her heritage until she recognizes that the strange things happening around her are not of her world. Even her BFF isn't of the mortal world.
Not until her four-year old brother is kidnapped does she come to grips with an unseen world and an adventure/quest that will take her to the depths of despair where she will find her true powers.
Of course, every good book has a love triangle, right? And of course, Meghan has to fall for the wrong guy. But he is a cute and princely guy.
There were a few errors that took me out of the story. I had to reread a few sentences and paragraphs to find the right meaning.
There is a lot of swearing in the book. I gave it three stars on goodreads because I think it takes more creativity to find a way around using expletives and get the same effect.
THE IRON KING ends well, meaning no major cliff hanger but enough to wet my appetite for the next book. Please tell me it will be good! Sometimes the second book in a trilogy is just a bridge or info dumping for the third book...

Rating: PG 13 (only because of the swearing)
V: Yes. Fighting, blood, death
L: Yes.
S: No.

Page "69" test:

"Ah, no. That's not how the joke goes," called Rob. "I say 'knock, knock,' and you're supposed to answer with 'who's there?'"
"F*** off!"
"Nope, that's still wrong." Robbie seemed unperturbed, I, however, was horrified at Ethan's language, though I knew it wasn't him. "Here," continued Rob in an amiable voice, "I'll go through the whole thing, so you'll know how to answer next time." He cleared his throat and pounded on the door again. "Knock, knock!": he bellowed. "Who's there? Puck! Puck who? Puck, who will turn you into a squealing pig and stuff you in the oven if you don't get out of our way!" And with that, he banged open the door.
The thing that looked like Ethan stood on the bed, a book in each hand. With a hiss, her hurled them at the doorway. Robbie dodged, but on paperback hit me in the stomach and I grunted.
"Please," I heard Rob mutter, and a ripple went through the air. Suddenly, all the books in the room flapped their covers, rose off the floor and shelves, and began dive-bombing Ethan like a flock of enraged seagulls. I could only stare, feeling my life get more surreal by the second. The fake Ethan hissed and snarled, swatting at the books as they buzzed around him, until on hit him smack in the face and tumbled him off the mattress. Spitting in fur, he darted under the bed. I heard claws scrabbling against the woods as his feet vanished into the crawl space.. Curses and growls drifted out from the darkness.
Robbie shook his head. "Amateurs." He sighed as the books swooping around the room froze midflight and rained to the floor with echoing thuds. "Let's go, princess."