Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings #72

It's Friday . . . time to share excerpts from one of my current reads 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:

 

   

Kentucky Home by Sarah Title

This is the first book in the warm and witty Southern Comfort series.  The author of this debut novel is a librarian with the perfect last name for the profession.

Beginning: 

Prologue

Luke Carson sat in a chair on the fire escape outside of his DC apartment window, his feet resting on the railing. He tilted the chair back, breathing in the humid summer night.  It wasn't much of a porch, and it wasn't much of a view over the edge of the building next door, but he needed some fresh air.  He cracked his beer open and thought it might be time to move on again.

 

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Page 56 (of e-book):  "Katie looked at her brother like he'd suggested she give up one of her kidneys.  Or wear a dress and heels."

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Which book are you reading now or about to start?

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings #72 was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com. This post cannot be republished without attribution.    

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings #24

 
It's Friday . . . time to share excerpts from one of my current reads 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.

This week's selection:

   

Beginning:  Chapter 1

She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain.  Louisa May Alcott

 

Anyone who says that money can't buy happiness has clearly never been inside a bookstore.  And certainly not one like Chaucer's, Darcy Archer thought proudly, glancing around the gorgeous place she was lucky enough to work in. 

This book pulled me in immediately.  I love its opening quote and the first sentence.  This is the first novel I've ever read by Irish author Melissa Hill and it is a nice escape from my holiday to-do lists.

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Page 56:  "She only wished she had one of her beloved books to help soothe her right now, but in her haste to leave the apartment this morning, she'd forgotten to put the copy of Pride and Prejudice back into her bag."

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From barnesandnoble.com:  Darcy Archer works in a small bookstore in Manhattan. A daydream believer, she refuses to settle for anything less than being swept off her feet by the perfect man… literally.

One day, when cycling to work, Darcy accidentally crashes into a sharply dressed gentleman walking his dog. He is knocked out cold, rushed to hospital and the poor pup gets left behind.

Wracked with guilt, Darcy takes the dog and makes plans to reunite him with owner, Aidan. As she discovers the mysterious stranger's world of books, travel, adventure and all the wonderful things she's ever dreamt about, Darcy builds a picture of this man and wonders if he could be THE ONE…

But does fantasy match reality? What happens when Prince Charming wakes up? Will Aidan be the happy ever after she's always imagined?

 

Enjoy life with books . . .

 

Catherine

 

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings #24 was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com. This post cannot be republished without attribution.    

Waiting on Wednesday--New Deanna Raybourn Novel

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature of the Breaking the Spine blog.  It's a great way to share information about a forthcoming book with other readers.

 

This week's anticipated book:

A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn

Publication Date:  April 30 2013

Publisher: Harlequin

 Preorder now from online and bricks and mortar bookstores

From barnesandnoble.com:

Paris, 1923

The daughter of a scandalous mother, Delilah Drummond is already notorious, even among Paris society. But her latest scandal is big enough to make even her oft-married mother blanch. Delilah is exiled to Kenya and her favorite stepfather's savanna manor house until gossip subsides.

Fairlight is the crumbling, sun-bleached skeleton of a faded African dream, a world where dissolute expats are bolstered by gin and jazz records, cigarettes and safaris. As mistress of this wasted estate, Delilah falls into the decadent pleasures of society.

Against the frivolity of her peers, Ryder White stands in sharp contrast. As foreign to Delilah as Africa, Ryder becomes her guide to the complex beauty of this unknown world. Giraffes, buffalo, lions and elephants roam the shores of Lake Wanyama amid swirls of red dust. Here, life is lush and teeming—yet fleeting and often cheap.

Amidst the wonders—and dangers—of Africa, Delilah awakes to a land out of all proportion: extremes of heat, darkness, beauty and joy that cut to her very heart. Only when this sacred place is profaned by bloodshed does Delilah discover what is truly worth fighting for—and what she can no longer live without.

My thoughts:   I had the pleasure of meeting Deanna Raybourn a few years ago in New York City at a Romance Writers of America Librarians Day, where she was a panelist.  I was impressed by the author's warm personable nature and independent streak--qualities which come across in the wonderfully engaging female characters she creates.  I've been reading and enjoying Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey Series, and am looking forward to her new stand-alone novel.

Enjoy life with books...

Catherine

Follow me on Twitter: @bookclubreader

Waiting on Wednesday--New Deanna Raybourn Novel was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com. This post cannot be republished without attribution.