Tag: Book Beginnings (Page 5 of 16)

#BookBeginnings Beneath the Surface

02/14/2020 / Roberta / 4 Comments

Let’s take a look at Beneath the Surface: An Inspector Tom Reynolds Mystery by Jo Spain for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

Book Beginnings is a fun meme hosted by Rose City Reader blog. To participate, share the first sentence or so of a novel you are reading and your thoughts about it. When you are finished, add your URL to the Book Beginnings page linked above. Hope to see you there!

Beneath the Surface: An Inspector Tom Reynolds Mystery* by Jo Spain

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary: In this police procedural set in Dublin, Ryan Finnegan, a senior advisor to a government official, is murdered. Inspector Tom Reynolds has to figure out if the motive was political or deeply personal.

Prologue:

The Death
I am going to die.
I know this as surely as I know I don’t want to.

Chapter 1.

The Investigation
Friday, 11:30 p.m., Dublin

Well, that had been a total and utter disaster.

Discussion:

Oh my, I just started reading this and can’t wait to get back to it. A police procedural set in Dublin is candy to me.

I can already tell Jo Spain is a screenwriter as well as author. The text is pretty dialogue heavy so far. However, I don’t mind a lot of dialogue. It can make a novel fly by.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

Do you like novels with a lot of dialogue?

#BookBeginnings February Fever: Hot and Hilarious by Jess Lourey

02/06/2020 / Roberta / 3 Comments

Let’s take a peek at February Fever: Hot and Hilarious by Jess Lourey for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

February Fever: Hot and Hilarious* (A Mira James Mystery) by Jess Lourey

(*Amazon Affiliate Link)

Summary: In a sly nod to Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, a trip to a conference for private investigators in Portland leaves Mira James trapped on a train with a murderer on board. It is soon apparent that some of the passengers are hiding their true identities. Will she be able to figure out who the killer is before someone else –possibly Mira herself — dies?

First Sentence:

The upright bass strings resonated, the notes deep and husky. In the background, the finger-snapping began. Peggy Lee’s voice threaded over the top of the rhythm. It was playful, hot, and full of delicious promise.

Discussion:

See the Hot and Hilarious subtitle? The novel starts with a steamy scene between Mira James and her boyfriend, giving the hot part.

Readers might expect the rest is going to be a steamy romance novel. It turns out, however, this is only an attention-grabbing hook. It doesn’t truly reflect the rest of the book, which is a solid mystery with some threads of humor and at times downright wackiness.

Have you read any novels where the hook pointed to a different genre than the rest of the book? Did you feel like it was a bait-and-switch device or did it work for you?

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

Dear Blogger Friends,

For some reason, I can not leave comments on Blogger blogs. Any comments I add disappear when I hit publish. I have tried many different fixes, but nothing has worked yet. I want to let you know I’m still reading your posts.

Roberta

#BookBeginnings Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard

01/24/2020 / Roberta / 6 Comments

I just picked up Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

Trace of Evil* by Alice Blanchard

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary: Rookie police detective Natalie Lockhart wants to find out who killed Daisy Buckner, a schoolteacher whom everyone in their small Upstate New York community loved. The good news is Natalie has a suspect. The bad news is that the suspect lapsed into a coma right after Daisy’s death. Has she solved the case or is Daisy’s death somehow linked to the mysterious disappearance of nine transients?

First Sentence:

Detective Natalie Lockhart pulled into the cemetery and parked in front of a run-down church covered in ivy and twining vines, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. This part of the weed-choked graveyard was isolated and neglected.

Discussion:

The cover intrigued me, so I grabbed this at the library today. The premise indicates it is a police procedural novel, which I usually enjoy, plus I wanted to find out more about the Upstate New York setting.

Why do you think she is visiting an old graveyard? Would you keep reading?

#BookBeginnings Jeopardy in January by Camilla Chafer

01/16/2020 / Roberta / 8 Comments

Let’s take a look at Jeopardy in January by Camilla Chafer for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

Jeopardy in January* by Camilla Chafer

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary: As the head of the Calendar Public Library, Sara Cutler is fighting to keep the building from being torn down by a real estate developer named Jason Rees. When she discovers her assistant dead in the rare books section, handsome Rees is on hand to keep Sara safe. Soon Sara’s life becomes complicated as she must solve the mystery of her assistant’s double life, save the library, and figure out what to do about Rees.

First Sentence:

Discussion:

I love novels set in libraries, but after reading this first paragraph I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. The protagonist sounds young and immature rather than what I would expect for a head librarian. Hopefully it gets better.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

This novel is part of the Calendar of Crime 2020 challenge.

#BookBeginnings The Hit by David Baldacci

01/09/2020 / Roberta / 3 Comments

Today we have one of the novels from The Bestseller Code 100 list, The Hit by David Baldacci for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

The Hit* by David Baldacci

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

The Hit is the second title in the Will Robie thriller series.

Summary: When a fellow CIA assassin Jessica Reel starts killing their colleagues, Will Robie accepts the task of hunting her down. Soon the clues aren’t adding up, and Robie must figure out who is telling the truth before he becomes the next target.

First Sentence:

Feeling energized by the death that was about to happen, Doug Jacobs adjusted his headset and brightened his computer screen.

Discussion:

Doesn’t that first line make you want to keep reading?

I’ve read far enough to know that what happens next is not expected.

Last week’s novel, Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich was on the same list of 100 bestsellers, but the two novels couldn’t be more different in voice. Twelve Sharp was hot and emotional. This one is cold, calculating, and denies emotions. What a contrast.

Have you read any of David Baldacci’s thrillers ?

#BookBeginnings Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

01/03/2020 / Roberta / 4 Comments

Today we have one of the novels from The Bestseller Code 100 list, Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

Twelve Sharp*by Janet Evanovich

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Twelve Sharp is number twelve in the long-running Stephanie Plum series. Each new novel features the series number in the title, starting with One for the Money. Twisted Twenty-Six is the most recent.

Summary: Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum spends her days trying to outwit criminals who have skipped bail plus figuring out what she should do about the two guys she’s attracted to, police detective Joe Morelli and the mysterious Ranger. When a crazy woman shows up and says she is Ranger’s wife, it should make her decision easier, but soon it is evident things just got way more complicated.

First Sentences:

When I was twelve years old I accidentally substituted salt for sugar in a cake recipe. I baked a cake, iced the cake, and served it up. It looked like a cake, but as soon as you cut into it and took a taste, you knew something was going on. People are like that, too.

Discussion:

Okay, the writer-geek in me adores that Evanovich worked the word “twelve “into her first sentence. Isn’t that clever?

Previously I have read maybe the first five of this series, so when Twelve Sharp showed up on The Bestseller Code list of 100 best books (picked by a computer algorithm) I knew I wanted to read it.

Wow. I had forgotten who much I loved Evanovich’s snarky humor and her awesome use of the “will they or won’t they?” trope. I’m such a sucker for that.

In case you were wondering, Twelve Sharp works well as a stand alone because she takes time to introduce everything and everyone you need to know to enjoy it.

Have you read any of the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich?

#BookBeginnings N. K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season

12/26/2019 / Roberta / 3 Comments

Today I’m reading N. K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

The Fifth Season* (The Broken Earth #1) by N. K. Jemisin

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Won the Hugo Award in 2016

If you’ve read this book, you realize it is hard to summarize without spoilers. Here’s my best attempt:

Summary: Against the backdrop of a earthquake that rips apart the world called Stillness, Essun finds that her own world is shattered as well. Her husband has killed her son, and he and her daughter have disappeared. How will she survive?

First Sentence Chapter 1:

You are she. She is you. You are Essun. Remember? The woman whose son is dead.

Discussion:

I like the short sentences at the beginning. To me, the brevity gives it a primal feel.

What do you think? Have you read any books by N. K. Jemisin? Have you read this series?

#BookBeginnings The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin

12/12/2019 / Roberta / 7 Comments

Today I pulled out The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

The Ice Dragon* by George R. R. Martin and illustrated by Luis Royo

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary: When the fiery dragons swoop in and threaten Adara’s community, she has a secret — in the form of an ice dragon — that could help stave off destruction.

First Sentence:

Adara liked the winter best of all, for when the world grew cold, the ice dragon came.

Discussion:

If you’ve never heard of The Ice Dragon, be prepared that this is not George R.R. Martin’s usual giant tome. Instead it is a wisp of a novella; it is short and sweet.

I have read this before and it really moved me. That’s why I like to pick it up again once in awhile.

My thoughts:

I absolutely love, love the illustrations. They are breathtaking. The way the words flow has a special quality, too.

I also love that the story has flaws. It reminds me of a really old pane of glass, one that is full of bubbles and is so wavy your view through it is a bit distorted. If you expect a piece of glass to be clear and straight and perfect in a modern way, then you will be disappointed. But if you appreciate that not everything needs to be perfect to be beautiful, then this is the book for you.

Here’s a snippet to help you decide.

What do you think? Have you read The Ice Dragon? Are you a George R. R. Martin fan?

Public Domain Image by JL Field downloaded at PublicDomainPictures.net

#BookBeginnings Chase Darkness With Me By Billy Jensen

12/05/2019 / Roberta / 4 Comments

Let’s take a look at Chase Darkness with Me: How One True Crime Writer Started Solving Murders by Billy Jensen for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

Book Beginnings is a fun meme hosted by Rose City Reader blog. To participate, share the first sentence or so of a novel/book you are reading and your thoughts about it. When you are finished, add your URL to the Book Beginnings page linked above. Hope to see you there!

Chase Darkness with Me: How One True Crime Writer Started Solving Murders* by Billy Jensen

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary: Tired of writing about unsolved murders, journalist Billy Jensen decided to use his investigative know-how to solve cases. In this book he reveals how he uses social media to hunt down killers.

First Sentence:

It starts with an overhead shot — in color, but with no sound — of a man walking into a 7-Eleven. It’s late, well past 2:00 a.m., but the scene is glowing, the streetlamps working with the store signs to give off a glimmer you don’t usually see on the typical nighttime surveillance video.

Discussion:

Billy Jensen first came to my attention when I read I’ll Be in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (my post). Michelle passed away before finishing her book , so Billy Jensen and Paul Holes pieced the story together and finished it. I’m looking forward to reading more about him.

What do you think? Do you read true crime? Would you give Billy Jensen’s book a try?

____________________

Side note: If you have clicked on my blog over the last week or so, you have probably noticed it has been out of service. The switch from http to https has not been a smooth one. Hopefully I’ll get the bugs out soon and participate more regularly.

Thank you for visiting.

#BookBeginnings Never Tell by Lisa Gardner

11/07/2019 / Roberta / 3 Comments

Let’s take a look at the novel Never Tell by Lisa Gardner for Book Beginnings on Fridays.

Never Tell*by Lisa Gardner

(*Amazon Affiliate link)

Summary: When a pregnant woman named Evie Carter is found next to her dead husband holding a gun in her hand, Detective D.D. Warren realizes she has encountered Carter at a prior crime scene. Years before Evie confessed to accidentally shooting her father. Was the previous case actually murder? Is this case as open and shut as it appears?

First Sentence:

By the time I pull my car into the garage, my hands are shaking on the wheel. I tell myself I have no reason to feel so nervous.

Discussion:

Evie is the narrator of the first scene. It really grabbed me and made me want to know what was going on. Including the viewpoints of those caught up in the crime — not just those investigating — is one of Lisa Gardner’s strengths (see previous review of Hide).

I picked this novel up at the airport because I’d already finished the novel I had intended to read on the flight. I’m glad I did! It was engrossing enough to make the time fly (pun intended?), but wasn’t so complicated that I’d lose track of the plot whenever I got interrupted. I would call this the perfect airplane read.

Tag: Book Beginnings (Page 5 of 16)

#BookBeginnings Beneath the Surface

Prologue:

Chapter 1.

#BookBeginnings February Fever: Hot and Hilarious by Jess Lourey

First Sentence:

Dear Blogger Friends,

For some reason, I can not leave comments on Blogger blogs. Any comments I add disappear when I hit publish. I have tried many different fixes, but nothing has worked yet. I want to let you know I’m still reading your posts.

Roberta

#BookBeginnings Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard

First Sentence:

#BookBeginnings Jeopardy in January by Camilla Chafer

First Sentence:

#BookBeginnings The Hit by David Baldacci

First Sentence:

Have you read any of David Baldacci’s thrillers ?

#BookBeginnings Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

First Sentences:

Have you read any of the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich?

#BookBeginnings N. K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season

First Sentence Chapter 1:

#BookBeginnings The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin

First Sentence:

Discussion:

#BookBeginnings Chase Darkness With Me By Billy Jensen

First Sentence:

What do you think? Do you read true crime? Would you give Billy Jensen’s book a try?

#BookBeginnings Never Tell by Lisa Gardner

First Sentence:

What do you think? Have you read any of Lisa Gardner’s novels?

What is your favorite airline novel?

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