First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . 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.

 

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick. The excerpt shared is from a trade paperback version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  The Apartment in the Clouds

Liv Green wore her polishing cloth draped over her arm in the same proud way a maitre d' might wear a napkin. She'd already cleaned Essie Starling's two bathrooms, each bigger than her own bedroom, polished the white marble kitchen worktops and left uniform vacuum cleaner tracks on the dove gray carpets, just how the bestselling author liked them. She wore one earbud while she worked, listening to the audiobook of Essie's nineteenth novel for the second time and leaving her other ear free in case the author called out any commands.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

I am eager to read this book because I found one of the author's previous novels, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper so endearing. And even if that wasn't the case, I couldn't resist the cover and title of Ms. Patrick's current novel.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and 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 Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman. The excerpts shared are from a trade paperback edition borrowed from the library.

 

 

Beginning:  Staten Island bus station

December 1971

People still search the woods for the remains of lost children.

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Page 56:  A searing pain tore at the top of Sage's feet, dragging along her flesh like hot knives and slowly bringing her out of her drug-induced stupor. After several tries, she opened her heavy eyelids, looked around, and tried to understand what was happening.

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My thoughts:  The plot is quite realistic and the setting has an ominous sense of danger and mystery. Given its history, one can easily imagine sinister happenings at the former Willowbrook State School. 

Closed after an expose by reporter Geraldo Rivera, the real-life Willowbrook State School was the site of neglect and abuse on a major scale. The property is now the home of The College of Staten Island, a senior college within the City University of New York system. Several of the old buildings still remain on the campus. They are unoccupied, but there are some who believe they are haunted by the ghosts of former inhabitants.

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From GoodReads:  Fact, fiction, and urban legend blend in this haunting story about a young woman mistakenly imprisoned at Willowbrook State School, the real-life institution later shuttered for its horrendous abuses.

Sage Winters always knew her sister was a little different even though they were identical twins. They loved the same things and shared a deep understanding, but Rosemary—awake to every emotion, easily moved to joy or tears—seemed to need more protection from the world.

Six years after Rosemary’s death from pneumonia, Sage, now sixteen, still misses her deeply. Their mother perished in a car crash, and Sage’s stepfather, Alan, resents being burdened by a responsibility he never wanted. Yet despite living as near strangers in their Staten Island apartment, Sage is stunned to discover that Alan has kept a shocking secret: Rosemary didn’t die. She was committed to Willowbrook State School and has lingered there until just a few days ago, when she went missing.

Sage knows little about Willowbrook. It’s always been a place shrouded by rumor and mystery. A place local parents threaten to send misbehaving kids. With no idea what to expect, Sage secretly sets out for Willowbrook, determined to find Rosemary. What she learns, once she steps through its doors and is mistakenly believed to be her sister, will change her life in ways she never could imagined . . .

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This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . 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.

 

Today I'm featuring my current read, A Study in Murder by Callie Hutton. It's the first book in the Victorian Book Club Mystery series. The excerpt shared is from an eBook version borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  Bath, England

April 1890

Lady Amy Lovell, only daughter of the Marquess of Winchester, hurried up the steps of St. Swithin's, the old and stately church on the Paragon in the Walcot area of Bath, barely on time for the Sunday service. As usual, she arrived ten minutes past her aunt Margaret, who had never in all her life been late for a church service. Or anything else.

Her aunt shifted over in the family pew as Amy slid in alongside her She offered her a hymnal, a Bible, and a slight roll of her warm brown eyes.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The opening paragraphs convey the family status of privilege, and hint at the protagonist's character traits. Make no mistake, Lady Amy Lovell is no wallflower. She is a spirited young woman fighting against the constraints of a woman's place in society and a murder mystery novelist who writes under a pen name to appease her father's sensibilities. When her ex-fiance is found stabbed to death in the library of her family's estate, Lady Amy is the main suspect and is thrust into an all too real murder investigation unlike the ones she creates in her novels.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and 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 my current read, Murder in the Park, the first book in the Oak Park Village mystery series by Jeanne M. Dams. The book first came to my attention at this year's Malice Domestic Conference in Bethesda, Maryland. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover edition borrowed from the library.

 

Beginning:  Oak Park, Illinois. June, 1925

It was Ginger who started it.

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Page 56:  "It can hurt. A lot. And -- it can be dangerous."

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My thoughts:  Wealthy, privileged Elizabeth Fairchild must find a way out of the crippling grief that has kept her close to home and make a new life for herself. When a local antiques dealer is murdered, she feels compelled to find the killer and clear the name of the music teacher wrongly accused of the crime. But her efforts put Elizabeth in the cross hairs of the Chicago mob and hate groups intolerant of immigrants, other religions, and racial minorities. Fearless sometimes to the point of being foolhardy, Elizabeth navigates threats to her safety in search of a murderer as well as the vulnerability of opening herself up to new personal relationships.

A strong independent streak, sense of fairness, and pursuit of justice, make the protagonist of this series a breath of fresh air. As a modern woman, Elizabeth rejects the constraints of her mother's beliefs to embrace equality, taking a stand for what is right and advocating for those less fortunate. She is the type of character one roots for as she finds her footing, with anticipation of what is to come in subsequent installments.Grace Hemingway--Ernest's mother--plays an active role in the plot as a neighbor, and it will be interesting to see if Mrs. Hemingway continues in the story line going forward. Yet another reason to await book two in the series.

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From GoodReads: Introducing spirited female sleuth Elizabeth Fairchild in the first of the brilliant new Oak Park village mystery series, set in 1920s Illinois.

June, 1925. Having been widowed in the First World War, Elizabeth Fairchild lives a quiet life at the home of her wealthy parents in genteel Oak Park village, Illinois. Although she does her best to avoid emotional entanglements, determined never to be hurt again, Elizabeth forms a close friendship with gentle Mr Anthony, who owns the local antiques store.

But tragedy strikes when Mr Anthony is found stabbed to death in the alley behind his shop. Why would anyone murder a mild-mannered antiques dealer who simply loved beautiful things? A robbery gone wrong? A gangland execution? Or could it have something to do with the mysterious customer who bought a gold pocket watch from Mr Anthony on the day he died?

When one of her father's oldest friends is accused of the crime, Elizabeth determines to expose the real killer. But her investigations soon attract unwelcome attention. With gangsters moving into the neighbourhood from nearby Chicago, Oak Park is no longer the safe haven it once was. Could Elizabeth be seriously out of her depth?

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This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

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.

 

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline. The excerpt shared is from an eARC from the publisher.

First Chapter:  I glanced in my rearview mirror at the pickup truck, which was riding my bumper. I hated tailgaters, especially with my family in the car, but nothing could ruin my good mood. My daughter's field hockey team had just beat Radnor, and Allison had scored  a goal. She was texting in the back seat, one of  a generation that makes better use of opposable thumbs than any prior.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

I agree with the narrator--I hate tailgaters too. They create dangerous and uncomfortable situations. I'm eager to read this book for two reasons: (1) I love the author and (2) my book club selected it as our November read.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and 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 my current read, Lady Takes the Case by Eliza Casey. The excerpts shared are from a trade paperback edition borrowed from the library.

Beginning: Prologue   Spring 1912

When Colonel Havelock bicycled through the tall iron gates, past the gatehouse, up the long gravel drive, and along the lane of ancient oak trees, he found a scene of utter chaos.

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Page 56:  At least Mrs. Solent, her mother's best friend, was already there, sipping tea with Lady Avebury.

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My thoughts: Danby Hall puts one in mind of Downton Abbey in terms of setting and time period. When a guest collapses and dies during a dinner party at the stately manor, it is quickly discovered that he ingested a tainted beverage. Was Richard Hayes the intended victim, or was the poison meant for Annabel Clarke, the American heiress and guest of honor whom the Aveburys hope will save their estate from ruin by marrying into the family? Lady Cecilia Bates, the family's young debutante, is determined to find out.

There is no shortage of suspects both above and below stairs in this delightful first installment of the Manor Cat Mysteries series. A proper cup of tea has added to my reading enjoyment as this traditional British mystery unfolds in perfect measure.

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From GoodReads: When a dinner party turns deadly, the feisty Lady Cecilia Bates and intuitive cat Jack are on the case, in this first entry to an exciting new historical-mystery series.

England 1912. Danby Hall is the only home Lady Cecilia Bates has ever known. Despite the rigid rules of etiquette and her mother the Countess of Avebury's fervent desire to see her married off, Lady Cecilia can't imagine life anywhere else. But now, with an agricultural depression sweeping the countryside, the Bates family's possession of the hall is suddenly in peril.

A possible solution arrives in the form of the imperious American heiress Annabel Clarke. The Earl and Countess of Avebury are determined that Cecilia's brother, Patrick, will win Annabel's hand in marriage--and her fortune along with it. To help the lackluster Patrick in this pursuit, the Bates and their staff arrange a grand house party upon the heiress's arrival.

When a guest dies after sipping from a glass meant for Annabel, it's clear the Bates have a more poisonous problem on their hands than a lack of chemistry. As the scandal seizes Danby, Cecilia sets out to find the culprit, with help from Annabel's maid, Jane, and Jane's curiously intelligent cat, Jack.

After the poison that someone had stashed away inside the manor is discovered, Cecilia is left with two possibilities: Either a resident of Danby snapped and tried to kill the arrogant heiress, or the threat is coming from one of their guests, who would love to see the Bates family's decline become permanent.

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This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. No portion can be republished without proper attribution.

 

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

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.

 

Today I'm featuring a recent read, The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe. The excerpt shared is from a trade paperback borrowed from the library.

First Chapter:  June 1907

Newport, Rhode Island

The first time she saw him, she was essentially invisible: thirteen years old, a schoolgirl on holiday, her hair dripping from the sea, sleek wet mermaid curls clinging to her arms and back. She was nestled, legs tucked under her, in the coarse silvery sand of Bailey's Beach, her ruffled cap tossed beside her. Her nose was tingling hot and she didn't care, because it was breezy and warm, and the sun was a high glorious pinpoint, and if it were ladylike in the least to stretch out all the way in her bathing costume to make a sand angel, she would have.

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The she referred to in the first paragraph is Madeleine Talmage Force, who at 18 becomes the bride of John Jacob "Jack" Astor. He was twenty-nine years her senior, but their relationship is portrayed as a true love match. Tragically, their future is forever changed when the couple are aboard the Titanic on its ill-fated voyage.

The Second Mrs. Astor is a fascinating look into New York society during the Gilded Age and the lifestyle of wealthy families of the time.

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.