First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

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 my current read, Lillian Boxfish Takes A Walk by Kathleen Rooney, which I borrowed from the library.

I

The Road of Anthracite

There once was a girl named Phoebe Snow.  She wore only white and held tight to a violet corsage, an emblem of modesty.  She was not retiring, though, and her life spun out as a series of journeys through mountain tunnels carved from poetry.  I never saw her doing anything besides boarding, riding, or disembarking a train, immaculate always, captivating conductors, enchanting other passengers.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

This story combines two of my most favorite elements:  a Manhattan setting and a strong, independent female protagonist who acts on the strength of her convictions.  I'm enjoying the read so far.

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.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

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 my current read, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. 

Book One

1922

The Ambassador

At half past six on the twenty-first of June 1922, when Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov was escorted through the gates of the Kremlin onto Red Square, it was glorious and cool.  Drawing his shoulders back without breaking stride, the Count inhaled the air like one fresh from a swim.  The sky was the very blue that the cupolas of St. Basil's had been painted for. Their pinks, greens, and golds shimmered as if it were the sole purpose of a religion to cheer its Divinity.  Even the Bolshevik girls conversing before the windows of the State Department Store seemed dressed to celebrate the last days of spring.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

This descriptive opening sets the scene in vivid detail and draws me into the story. I'm reading this book with one of my book clubs, and have been anticipating settling into another historical story by this author.  I was completely enthralled with Towles's previous novel, Rules of Civility which is set in late 1930's Manhattan.  Even though I read Rules several years ago, I still remember savoring the characters and sparkling dialogue.

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.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

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 my current read, Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough, which I borrowed from the library. 

 

1

THEN

Pinch myself and say I AM AWAKE once an hour.

Look at my hands.  Count my fingers.

Look at clock (or watch), look away, look back.

Stay calm and focused.

Think of a door.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

The terse sentences of the opening convey a sense of urgency and danger.  Who is the narrator?  Where is he or she at the moment?  I want to know more.

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.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

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 my next read, The Girl Before by JP Delaney, which I borrowed from the library.  According to the book jacket, it is the first psychological thriller (written under a pseudonym) from a writer who has penned bestselling fiction under other names. 

  

THEN: EMMA

It's a lovely little flat, the agent says with what could almost pass for genuine enthusiasm.  Close to the amenities.  And there's that private bit of roof.  That could become a sun terrace, subject of course to the landlord's consent.

Nice, Simon agrees, trying not to catch my eye.  I'd known the flat was no good as soon as I walked in and saw that six-foot stretch of roof below one of the windows.  Si knows it too but he doesn't want to tell the agent, or at least not so soon it'll seem rude.  He might even hope that if I listen to the man's stupid patter long enough I'll waver.  The agent's Simon's kind of guy: sharp, brash, eager.  He probably reads the magazine Simon works for.  They were exchanging sports chat before we even got up the stairs.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

The opening doesn't give away much, but I have seen this title all over the blogosophere.  My curiosity is definitely piqued, and I am anxious to find out first hand what all the buzz is about.

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.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

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.  

I've been out of the blog loop since the start of the year, but I'm back today and featuring Miss Jane by Brad Watson, a novel I acquired last May at Library Journal's Day of Dialog for librarians. 

 

   

You would not think someone so afflicted would or could be cheerful, not prone to melancholy or miseries.  Early on she acquired ways of dealing with her life, with life in general.  And as she grew older it became evident that she feared almost nothing--perhaps only horses and something she couldn't quite name, a strange presence of danger not quite or not really a part of the world.


 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

The first paragraph is intriguing and makes me curious about the life of the character whose outlook is described.  I'm several chapters into this story, which begins with the birth of Miss Jane in 1915 rural Mississippi.

Incidentally, I find the cover stunning.

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.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

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 Alice Hoffman's newest novel, which I selected as my First Book of the Year 2017.  

  

Chapter 

1

In February, when the snow comes down hard, little globes of light are left along Route 110, on the side of the road that slopes off when a driver least expects it.  The lights are candles set inside paper bags, surrounded by sand, and they burn past midnight.  They shouldn't last for that amount of time, but that's part of the miracle.  On the second anniversary of the accident, a gang of boys creep out their windows and gather at two in the morning to see if Helene's mother, Diana Boyd, drives along the road replacing each melting pool of wax with a fresh candle.  They're hoping to reveal a con in process and dispel the myth of a miracle, but after keeping watch for a while the boys all flee.  In the early morning hours, safe in their beds, they wonder how much of the world can never be understood or explained.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

The first paragraph is a good example of Hoffman's exquisite writing style.  With a mystical touch she connects a significant past event with the present, while observing the elements of nature (human and environmental) and the complexity of life.

Those of you already familiar with this novel (and/or Hoffman's other work) know what I mean.  If you haven't yet sampled an Alice Hoffman novel, I hope 2017 will be the year that you do.

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.

First Book of the Year 2017

Happy New Year!!

It's 2017. . . Welcome to my first post of the new year . . . and my participation in a new meme . . . First Book of the Year . . . hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

My first book of the year is Faithful by Alice Hoffman . . .

 

I am a huge fan of Alice Hoffman, having read and enjoyed so many of her books over the years.  

Her newest novel is the January selection of one of my book clubs.  Last year this group read Hoffman's 2014 novel The Museum of Extraordinary Things and it was one of our favorite books of the entire year.  

I can't think of a better read to start off the new year . . .

Now, I'm going to visit Book Journey to see what other bloggers have selected as their first books of the year.

First Book of the Year 2017 was originally written and published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com and cannot be republished without attribution.  Retweeting and sharing on Google+ are appreciated.