First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

                                                      

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach, where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.  

Today I'm featuring a current read, After Nightfall by A.J. Banner.  The excerpt shared is from the trade paperback copy I borrowed from the library.  

 

CHAPTER ONE

  

Lauren is flirting with my fiance over the dinner I spent hours preparing.  She gets this way when she's had too much wine.  I'm not far behind her; I'm already into my second glass of merlot.  I'm not even sure why I'm drinking--I usually don't.  But tonight, Nathan and I are planning to announce our engagement.  Our shared future shimmers on a single fragile thread--his daughter's approval.  Anna is only nine years old and fiercely loyal to her mother.  He promised he'd broken the news to her earlier today, but she hasn't said anything to me.  At the moment she's busy hiding olives in her lap.  I forgot that she hates them in pasta.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

I was anxious to get my hands on a copy of this book after reading Banner's previous novel, The Twilight Wife.  I get the same ominous feeling in this opening paragraph as I did reading The Twilight Wife.  To find out more about what I mean,  you can read my review of The Twilight Wife here.

This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter, Google+ and/or other blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated.

  

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Intro and Review

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . .

                                                      

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea, is where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.  

Today I'm featuring a suspenseful new read from A.J. Banner.  Its release date is  today (12/27/16).

My review follows the first chapter snippet below . . .

CHAPTER ONE

This morning, I know the scientific term fro the vermilion star, Mediaster aequalis, but I have trouble remembering my name.  I reach into the icy water to touch the sea star's bumpy exoskeleton, and I feel like a child full of fascination, not a thirty-four-year-old marine biologist recovering from a head injury.  They say I taught freshman classes at Seattle University, but I have no memory of those days.  I wonder about the moments I've lost, the people I loved.  We surely must have laughed together, lifted our glasses to celebrate weddings, birthdays, anniversaries.  I used to have a life.  But now I have only this island, the husband who stays by my side, and a peculiar recurring dream.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

The introductory paragraph draws the reader in, providing a good amount of information about the narrator and her situation.

My Review . . .

Over the past few years, psychological suspense stories with unreliable narrators, questionable characters, and complicated marriages have taken the fiction world by storm.  A new entry to the genre is The Twilight Wife, the latest novel by A.J. Banner, author of The Good Neighbor. 

In The Twilight Wife, Kyra, a young marine biologist suffering from a complex form of amnesia caused by a diving accident, has come to remote Mystic Island in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Jacob in the hopes of regaining her memory.  She cannot recall the last four years—the entire time of her relationship with Jacob—and is dependent on him to fill in the blanks.   At first, Jacob is patient and caring; yet, as her recovery progresses, Kyra’s flashbacks and recurring dreams cause her to doubt the information Jacob has shared about their past and her accident, triggering questions about their relationship and Jacob’s disingenuousness.  Can Kyra trust him?  Can she accurately piece together her memory and move forward with her life? Who can she turn to for answers and help?  

This fast-paced tale of deception is well plotted and filled with supporting characters who add mysterious elements and clues that keep readers guessing about the story's outcome.  The remote, stormy island intensifies Kyra's vulnerability, and provides the perfect atmosphere for the twists and revelations that make this a satisfying, engaging read from start to finish.   

Banner is an author to watch, and I’ll be picking up a copy of her previous book, which I somehow missed in 2015.  I hope the wait for a third novel won't be too long.

Note:  I received an advanced copy of The Twilight Wife from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  

This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally written and published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Retweeting and sharing on Google+ are appreciated.