First Chapter ~ First Paragraph and Teaser Tuesday

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker, where bloggers post two teaser sentences (no spoilers allowed) from a random page of their current read. 

Today I'm featuring The Dilemma by B.A. Paris, a book I finished this week.  The excerpts shared are from an eBook I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

Book Beginning:  Sunday, June 9 3:30 A.M. Livia

It's the cooling bathwater that wakes me.  Disorientated, I sit up quickly, sploshing suds up the sides, wondering how long I've been asleep.  I release the plug and the drain gurgles, a too-loud sound in a silent house.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Teaser:  I don't want to think about them today of all days but I can't help it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

Livia and Adam Harman are a fairly typical married couple.  Although they married very young, they have managed to navigate the rocky times thus far, and have raised two children who are now in college.  As Livia's long-planned fortieth birthday party is about to begin, the celebration is overshadowed by momentous events yet to be revealed.  Both Livia and Adam are aware of devastating news they must share with each other--but how and when--will they divulge information that will ultimately shatter their happiness and change their lives forever? 

This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph and Teaser Tuesday post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. 

Thursday Thoughts: Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

Today I'm sharing my thoughts about a recent read, Bring Me Back, the forthcoming psychological thriller from B.A. Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown.  This new book will be available on June 19, 2018.

 

B.A. Paris’s latest psychological thriller centers around an unusual love triangle.  There’s Finn—an at-times volatile man—and Layla and Ellen, sisters who are completely opposite in temperament and taste.  Finn’s initial relationship is with Layla, who vanishes without a trace while the young lovers are returning to England from a holiday on the continent.  After an investigation, Finn is cleared of suspicion of foul play by the police, and Layla’s body is never found.

Years after Layla’s disappearance, Finn embarks on a romantic relationship with Layla’s sister, Ellen.  Soon after the couple announce their engagement, mysterious signs and sightings raise questions about Layla’s fate and whereabouts:  Is it possible that Layla has returned?  If so, why now and where has she been for the past 12 years?  What would such a turn of events mean for Finn and Ellen’s future?  Or, on the other hand, is this merely a cruel hoax by someone determined to destroy Finn and Ellen’s relationship?  

The unfolding story is riveting and well-told:  part one alternates between the present time and the last decade, filling in the back story; part two alternates between Finn and Layla’s voices, revealing their inner thoughts; and part three hurtles towards a stunning conclusion.  Supporting characters add strong elements of suspicion and motive that kept this reader guessing and turning pages to the story’s end.

With this latest novel, B.A. Paris presents her third outstanding, twisty tale, proving beyond doubt that she is a master of suspense and a formidable voice in the genre.

 

Note:  I received an early reader's edition from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This Thursday Thoughts post was originally written and published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Retweeting and sharing of this original post on Google+ are appreciated.

Can't-Wait Wednesday

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tessa at Wishful Endings which spotlights and discusses forthcoming books that bloggers are looking forward to reading. Generally it's about books that haven't been released yet. This meme is based on Waiting on Wednesday, formerly hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This is the first time I'm adding a post to Wishful Endings, although I was a frequent past participant of Waiting on Wednesday.  It's good to have found a new Wednesday landing place to highlight the soon-to-be published books that I'm anxiously waiting for.

This week's I Can't Wait For book is . . .

   

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press

Publication Date:  June 19, 2018

From Goodreads:  A young British couple are driving through France on holiday when they stop for gas. He runs in to pay, she stays in the car. When he returns her car door has been left open, but she's not inside. No one ever sees her again.

Ten years later he's engaged to be married; he's happy, and his past is only a tiny part his life now. Until he comes home from work and finds his new wife-to-be is sitting on their sofa. She's turning something over in her fingers, holding it up to the light. Something that would have no worth to anyone else, something only he and she would know about because his wife is the sister of his missing first love.

As more and more questions are raised, their marriage becomes strained. Has his first love somehow come back to him after all this time? Or is the person who took her playing games with his mind?

My thoughts:  I have read--and been riveted by--B.A. Paris's prior novels, Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown.  Paris's gripping fiction places her in the category of first-rate master of the psychological thriller genre, and she has become a favorite author of mine.

This Can't-Wait Wednesday post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution.  Retweeting and sharing this original post on Google+ are appreciated.

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings

It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

• Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
• The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an ebook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring The Breakdown by B.A. Paris, which I will begin reading soon.  The excerpts shared are from a hardcover edition I borrowed from the library.

 

Beginning:  FRIDAY, JULY 17TH

The thunder starts as we're saying goodbye, leaving each other for the summer holidays ahead.  A loud crack echoes off the ground, making Connie jump.  John laughs, the hot air dense around us.

********************

Page 56: "I wait until he's upstairs, then rewind the news until I find the number and jot it down on a piece of paper.  I don't want the police to be able to trace the call back to me so I'll have to use a pay phone, which means I won't be able to phone until Monday, when Matthew's back at work.  And once I have, hopefully some of my guilt will disappear."

 

********************

My thoughts: The opening lines don't give much detail about the story, but the Goodreads description, and the quality of the author's previous novel Behind Closed Doors, which I couldn't finish fast enough, have me eager to begin this novel.

********************

From Goodreads:  Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…


********************

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

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

                                                      

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

Today I'm featuring Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris, a debut thriller.

Goodreads Page 

PRESENT

The champagne bottle knocks against the marble kitchen counter, making me jump.  I glance at Jack, hoping he won't have noticed how nervous I am.  He catches me looking and smiles.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

Initially I want to know why the narrator is so nervous.  As I read on, I begin to understand.  This un-put-downable psychological thriller is totally engrossing, compelling me to turn the pages at breakneck speed.

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