First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
- Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
- Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
- Finally… reveal the book!
Caidyn will be in blue.
Chantel will be in purple.
The Palazzo Falconieri stands on a promontory on one of the smaller Italian lakes. It’s late June, and a faint breeze touches the pines and the cypresses that cluster like sentinels around the rocky headland. The gardens are imposing, and perhaps even beautiful, but the deep shadows lend the place a forbidding air, which is echoed by the severe lines of the Palazzo itself.
But, seriously. That opener was boring, wasn’t it? Wayyyy too much description. If I was judging the book off of that opening paragraph, I’d be super wary.
However, I already know what’s going on and what the book’s about.
The book is…
Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings
On Sunday, I totally watched Killing Eve and was super impressed. It was funny, it was dark, it was violent, it was fun. It was just right up my alley in every single way. So, of course, I have to read the book that inspired it.
While I’m not sure that I’ll like the book, I’m sure I’ll love the show.
Death-Cast is calling with the warning of a lifetime – I’m going to die today. Forget that, “warning” is too strong a word since warnings suggest something can be avoided, like a car honking at someone who’s crossing the street when it isn’t their light, giving them the chance to step back; this is more of a heads-up.
Like most books I’ve been talking about in First Line Fridays, this is a book I want to read but haven’t yet. I’ve got a long list and if I’m talking about the books I want to read, I’ll have material for a while.
Anyway, I’ve DNF-ed a book by this author but that doesn’t mean I won’t revisit that book or refuse to read the author’s work. I think I would really enjoy his work even if it is notorious for making people ugly cry.
I’ve chosen…
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
I love this cover. I love the concept of this book. What I like about Adam Silvera’s work (other than him featuring queer POCs) is how there is a slightly futuristic aspect to a few of his works. In More Happy Than Not, it was technology which could erase memories a la Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In this book, it’s a technology that tells you the day you will die.
I do look forward to reading this book and go on the journey of these two boys last day on Earth. While it’s a depressing thought, I’m sure it’s going to be a great story.
BW Reviews 