Book Beginnings and the Firday 56 #19

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

  

This week – for the first time ever – my Friday post is featuring a poetry collection:

Hold Your Own 

by Kate Tempest

Synopsis:

Kate Tempest, winner of the Ted Hughes Prize for Brand New Ancients and widely regarded as the UK's leading spoken word poet, has produced a new poem-sequence of electrifying power. Based on the myth of the blind prophet Tiresias, Hold Your Own is a riveting tale of youth and experience, sex and love, wealth and poverty, community and alienation. Walking in the forest one morning, a young man disturbs two copulating snakes - and is punished by the goddess Hera, who turns him into a woman. This is only the beginning of his journey . . . Weaving elements of classical myth, autobiography and social commentary, Tempest uses the story of the gender-switching, clairvoyant Tiresias to create four sequences of poems: 'childhood', 'manhood', 'womanhood' and 'blind profit'. The result is a rhythmically hypnotic tour de force - and a hugely ambitious leap forward for one of the UK's most talented and compelling young writers.

Book Beginning:

The first verse from the first poem, which is called Teiresias:

Picture a scene:

A boy of fifteen.

With the usual dreams

And the usual routine. 

He's so very usual, yet unusual, as it turns out later.

The Friday 56:

From the poem The Old dogs who fought so well:

And I laughed out loud. Because it's always the way – when you are alone

and feeling like you could jump off the edge of the world,

that's when they find you and tell you they all went through the same thing.

And that's how we all survive... holding onto hope, knowing that others have already experienced what we're going through.

How's your reading week going? What are you reading at the moment? 

Please leave your Friday link for me below.

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #18

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

 

 

The book in the spotlight today is:

 

Mrs Sherlock Holmes

by Brad Ricca 

Synopsis:

Mrs. Sherlock Holmes tells the incredible true life story of Mrs. Grace Humiston, the New York lawyer and detective who solved the famous cold case of Ruth Cruger, an 18-year-old girl who disappeared in 1917. Grace was an amazing lawyer and traveling detective during a time when no women were practicing these professions. She focused on solving cases no one else wanted and advocating for innocents. Grace became the first female U.S. District Attorney and made ground-breaking investigations into modern slavery.

One of Grace's greatest accomplishments was solving the Cruger case after following a trail of corruption that lead from New York to Italy. Her work changed how the country viewed the problem of missing girls. But the victory came with a price when she learned all too well what happens when one woman upstages the entire NYPD.

In the literary tradition of In Cold Blood and The Devil in the White City, Brad Ricca's Mrs. Sherlock Holmes is a true crime tale told in spine-tingling fashion. This story is about a woman whose work was so impressive that the papers gave her the nickname of fiction’s greatest sleuth. With important repercussions in the present about kidnapping, the role of the media, and the truth of crime stories, the great mystery of the book – and its haunting twist ending – is how one woman can become so famous only to disappear completely.

 

 

Book Beginning:

 

Prologue:

 

Pushing through the water, the massive steamship Olympic, sister of the lost Titanic, docked at New York City carrying passengers, thousands of sacks of mail, and the mind of the world's greatest detective.

 

A little game for you: can you guess who arrived to NY or this particular steamship?

 

The Friday 56:

"It doesn't matter so much when a man dies as how he dies." Bell said. "When he dies as a craven spirit he dies forever, but when he dies like a hero he lives forever." 

 

Bell then invited all those in the audience who had sons or relatives in the service to meet him up on the stage. As people filed up on the wooden riser and crowded forward, he shook their hands, sometimes two at a time.

 

"The world was on fire," these fighting men were told.

I don't think these worlds could actually comfort those who lost relatives to the war. The sentiment is very noble but those who were gone were still gone...

How's your reading week going? What are you reading at the moment? 

Please leave your Friday link for me below.

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #17

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

  

My current read is:

Bring Me Their Hearts

by Sara Wolf

 

Synopsis:

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Book Beginning:

"King Sref of Cavanos watches me with the deadened eyes of a raven circling a corpse – patient, waiting to devour me the second I let my guard down."

King Sref seems to be a dangerous fellow. And this is a very powerful first sentence.

  

The Friday 56:

"The prince studies me, or rather, my mask. My eyes behind the mask. It feels as if he's trying to peel away the layers of my defenses, my secrets, like a bird of prey peeling back skin and muscle from a kill." 

 What is it with this book and birds? Haha :)

What are you reading this week?

 

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #16

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

 

 

Here's what I'm reading this week:

 

Norse Mythology

by Neil Gaiman

 

 

Synopsis:

The great Norse myths, which have inspired so much of modern fiction, are dazzlingly retold by Neil Gaiman. Tales of dwarfs and frost giants, of treasure and magic, and of Asgard, home to the gods: Odin the all-father, highest and oldest of the Aesir; his mighty son Thor, whose hammer Mjollnir makes the mountain giants tremble; Loki, wily and handsome, reliably unreliable in his lusts; and Freya, more beautiful than the sun or the moon, who spurns those who seek to control her.

From the dawn of the world to the twilight of the gods, this is a thrilling, vivid retelling of the Norse myths from the award-winning, bestselling Neil Gaiman.

 

Book Beginning:

 

"Before the beginning there was nothing – no earth, no heavens, no stars, no sky: only the mist world, formless and shapeless, and the fire world, always burning."

 

 No surprises here: the beginning starts with the beginning.

 

 

 The Friday 56:

 

"They swore oaths then, the mightiest of oaths, the gods and the stranger, that neither side could betray the other. They swore on their weapons, and they swore on Draupnir, Odin's golden arm-ring, and they swore on Gungnir, Odin's spear, and an oath sworn on Gungnir was unbreakable."

 

I wonder if both sides will keep their word.

 

 

 What are you guys reading this week?

 

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #15

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

This Friday the spotlight is on:

Clowders

by Vanessa Morgan 

Synopsis:

Clervaux, Luxembourg. This secluded, picturesque town in the middle of Europe is home to more cats than people. For years, tourists have flocked to this place – also known as “cat haven” - to meet the cats and buy cat-related souvenirs.

When Aidan, Jess and their five-year-old daughter, Eleonore, move from America to Clervaux, it seems as if they've arrived in paradise. It soon becomes clear, though, that the inhabitants' adoration of their cats is unhealthy. According to a local legend, each time a cat dies, nine human lives are taken as a punishment. To tourists, these tales are supernatural folklore, created to frighten children on cold winter nights. But for the inhabitants of Clervaux, the danger is darkly, horrifyingly real.

Initially, Aidan and Jess regard this as local superstition, but when Jess runs over a cat after a night out in the town, people start dying, one by one, and each time it happens, a clowder of cats can be seen roaming the premises.

Are they falling victim to the collective paranoia infecting the entire town? Or is something horrible waiting for them? Something unspeakably evil.

Aidan and Jess' move to Europe may just have been the worst decision they ever made.

Book Beginning: 

"They held the memorial service in the crematorium on the outskirts of Luxemburg City."

Okay, so we are one character down before the story even begins? These evil cats must be very effective :)))

The Friday 56:

"'I won't leave it at that,' she said, and she took Eleonore's hand and guided her toward the exit.
Eleonore screamed as if she were being dragged to a scaffold, ready to be executed."

I wonder what happened that upset the little girl (Eleonore) so much...

Let me know what you're reading this week!

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #14

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

 

 

The book I'm currently reading is:

The Stolen Girl

(The Veil and the Crown #1)

by Zia Wesley

Synopsis: 

 

The legend of Aimée Dubucq de Rivery, has survived on three continents for more than two hundred years. The Stolen Girl tells the first part of her extraordinary story, her adolescence on the Caribbean island of Martinique, and her voyage to Paris where her hopes of finding a husband are shattered. Resigned to live as an old maid at the ripe age of eighteen, she decides to become a nun and sets sail to visit her relatives on Martinique one last time. On the journey, she meets and falls in love with a dashing young Scotsman. But fate had other plans for Aimée, ones that were foretold by an African Obeah woman when she was fourteen years old.

 

Book Beginning:

 

"Aimée was fairly certain she would burn in hell for the sin she was about to commit."

 

Deeply Catholic, this girl is.

The Friday 56:

"Overcome with deep sadness, she sat up slowly and ran her fingers over the chains of gold and rubies wound around her ankles. They are so beautiful. Are these jewels to take the place of true love?"

That's a sad thought. Hopefully true love is not entirely lost for her.

Don't forget to leave your Friday post links in a comment below! Happy reading!

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #13

TGIF! My best friend is coming home today from London and I can't wait for her to arrive! Her plane lands at night but she'll sleep at my place today, which means we'll have some time to catch up. On Monday she's travelling back to the UK but in two weeks she's moving home for good and we can meet more at last! YAAAY!

 

That's all about me for today, let's get down to Friday business!

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

The book on display today is:

Nothing But Sky 

by Amy Trueblood

Synopsis:

Grace Lafferty only feels alive when she's dangling 500 feet above ground. As a post-World War I wing walker, Grace is determined to get to the World Aviation Expo, proving her team’s worth against flashier competitors and earning a coveted Hollywood contract.

No one’s ever questioned Grace’s ambition until Henry Patton, a mechanic with plenty of scars from the battlefield, joins her barnstorming team. With each new death-defying trick, Henry pushes Grace to consider her reasons for being a daredevil. Annoyed with Henry’s constant interference, and her growing attraction to him, Grace continues to test the powers of the sky.

After one of her risky maneuvers saves a pilot’s life, a Hollywood studio offers Grace a chance to perform at the Expo. She jumps at the opportunity to secure her future. But when a stunt goes wrong, Grace must decide whether Henry, and her life, are worth risking for one final trick.

 

Book Beginning:

 "Blue sky, perfect day to fly. Uncle Warren's favourite phrase ran through my head as I trudged behind Daniel across the field."

I love when the sky is clear blue, it is indeed beautiful.

 

The Friday 56:

"I didn't know anything about this man other than he was rich and powerful. Trusting him felt like trusting Rowland in many ways, but I had to get this team to Chicago. If that meant agreeing to Mr. Knickerbocker's offer, it was a risk I had to take."

Hm... Who is this mysterious fellow, I wonder?

What are you reading these days? Share your Friday post with me in a comment below! :)

Book Beginnings on Friday and the Friday 56 #12

Guess what? It's Friday again! I'm looking forward to the weekend, I'm planning to read and sleep a lot. I'd also like to do something outdoors if the weather holds.

As always, Friday is the day of snippets.

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

The book I'll show you today is:

How to Hang a Witch

(How to Hang a Witch #1)

by Adriana Mather

Synopsis:

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?

If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with the Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.

Book Beginning: 

"Like most fast-talking, opinionated New Yorkers, I have an affinity for sarcasm." 

 That's fine Sam, don't hold back for my sake :)

The Friday 56: 

"Alice stands in answer and Mary shoots up like she can't get out fast enough. There are still so many questions I need to ask them. And some part of me worries that I am the cause of these awful things. Maybe the curse is part of me?" 

 Such a heavy burden on the shoulders of a teenage girl... She keeps blaming herself when none of what happens is her fault. I hope she realises that by the end of the book.

What are you reading on this lovely Friday? Don't forget to leave your link below so I can go and visit your blog!

Book Beginnings on Friday and the Friday 56 #11

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

I'm participating in Hope, Faith & Books's Red Queen read-along which started on Monday, that's the reason why I've decided to feature this series-starter today:

Red Queen

(Red Queen #1)

by Victoria Aveyard

Synopsis:

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, living in the shadow of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from the Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Then Mare finds herself working at the Silver palace, in the midst of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

Book Beginning:

I hate First Friday.

You're dying to know what happens on First Fridays, aren't you? :)

The Friday 56:

Walsh stays by me, whispering advice. "Say nothing. Hear nothing. Speak to no one, for they will not speak to you."

In other words: be invisible. Mare lives in a harsh world, that much is clear. 

If you'd like to join us in the Red Queen read-along, you still have the chance to do it by clicking on the picture below.

 

What is your current read? How is your week looking so far?