It’s time to play “guess that book” and also watch our TBRs weep.
Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and is all about the first line of a current/upcoming read. Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda’s Voice, where you turn to page 56 (or 56%) in what you’re reading a find a snippet that jumps out at you.
First Lines
56% Snippet
I say nothing, steeling my expression to blankness. I just pick up my sickles and storm over to where the rest of the girls gather.
I’m getting out of here. But before I do, I’m going to get a little payback of my own.
Book Reveal
Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.
But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.
Reasons to Read
✿ Ummm … helloooo. Zombie. Slaying.
✿ Badass black girl protagonist.
✿ Alternate history historical fiction set during a civil war.
✿ Bisexual protagonist unashamed about her sexuality.
✿ Conspiracies! Missing people! Oh no!
✿ … did I mention the zombies?
✿ Poignant commentary on race and society.
Chat With Me
What’s your first line (or a favorite line) from what you’re reading this week?
Follow Me
I can’t believe I haven’t read this yet! I can’t wait to read your full review😁
I’ve owned this book forever and keep putting it off for absolutely no reason, too. So you’re not alone.
Happy Friday!
Today on my blog I am sharing the first line from More Than We Remember by Christina Suzann Nelson: https://christianfictiongirl.blog/2020/01/24/first-line-friday-120/. It’s definitely an emotional read! I’m currently on chapter 16, so I will share the first line from there.
“‘Are you kidding me?’ Emilia slammed down the phone.”
I hope you have an excellent weekend filled with fun reading time!
Oh gosh, how I relate to Emilia. xD But also … nothing felt as good as slamming the old phones and making the bell ring LOL. I miss that.
I’m still not sold on zombie books. I’ve read a couple, and have a couple more on the TBR, but zombies are my least favorite of the main paranormal baddies.
Zombies are normally a miss for me, because they creep me out, but this character is giving me Michonne vibes (from The Walking Dead), and I just love that character archetype!
Yeah… I haven’t watched The Walking Dead. I’m a wimp. 😉
I normally am, too, and I can’t do gore. The earlier seasons weren’t too bad, but it just got more and more ridiculous with gore as it went on, so I completely stopped watching it.
We tend to not be on top of the TV show new releases, so by the time I was really aware that TWD was a thing it had gotten gory enough to be of no interest to me. Sometimes there is a benefit to being a bit behind the hype… 😉
Sounds wicked, and then when I revealed the book, it’s one on my wishlist!! 🙂 Happy weekend!
Oooh, I hope you get to read it soon!
I started this book and then for some reason I didn’t finish it. Should I go back and try again? My Friday Quotes
I can’t say yet. xD I haven’t actually gotten very far into it. I probably won’t finish it for another week lol.
Enjoy your current read!
Okay, I got sidetracked by the Writer’s Corner tab and read your fabulous essay about writers needing friends. You see, I once was in a group with a sociopath, but I didn’t realize it until after she broke the group apart. But, you are right, she gave straightforward, unemotional advice.
Your essay gives me hope there is someone out there…
Aha, I’m glad you enjoyed it! And getting sidetracked is good. Really, you just took the scenic route. 😉
It definitely takes thick skin to deal with that, and you have to be at a certain place in your writing and have the confidence to not let it tear you down. But also, recognizing that generally, it isn’t coming from a mean place. It’s just … blunt honesty lol.
Ah, I’ve seen this one around but haven’t read it myself. Hope you enjoy it.
Thank you! It seems really good so far, but I’ve also only just started it.
Loved this one – can’t wait for the sequel!
Lauren @ Always Me
I’m so glad to hear it! I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Deathless Divide, too, so I’m hoping to piggyback read them, and I can’t wait!
Very tempting, with great excerpts. Thanks for sharing.
Not my usual genre but the excerpts do grab my interest.
I don’t generally do zombies, either (and definitely not gore), but I love the voice in this, and the whole thing just grabbed my attention.
Those are both attention grabbers. I’ve heard of this book but little of what it was about. It sounds interesting. Also, what a fun way to do your Friday memes!
Thanks! I didn’t know too much about it going in, either, but I’m really enjoying it so far!
This sounds awesome! I love a good zombie book. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
If zombies are your thing, I’d definitely highly recommend this one!
I love the way you set up this post. I really enjoyed this one. Happy Sunday!
Thank you!