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.
Prologue First Lines
First Lines
56% Snippet
Book Reveal
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea meets Frankenstein in Frances Hardinge’s latest fantasy adventure.
The gods are dead. Decades ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. But are they really gone forever? When 15-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of a terrifying deity, he risks everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, military scientists, and a secret fanatical cult so that he can use it to save the life of his best friend, Jelt. But with the heart, Jelt gradually and eerily transforms. How long should Hark stay loyal to his friend when he’s becoming a monster—and what is Hark willing to sacrifice to save him?
Reasons to Read
✿ Dead gods that tore each other apart!
✿ Interesting coastal city with a dark backdrop.
✿ Dark mystery about what made the gods turn.
✿ Twists and turns and betrayal galore.
✿ All the hidden secrets you could ever want.
This is a new weekly meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook meant to take place on Mondays, but since Fridays tend to be my TBR-focused post, I’ve decided to combine them here. Monday’s prompt is: poetry. Since I don’t actually read poetry books, generally, and I have no intention to read any poetry books, I’ve decided to spin the prompt a little to: books with poetry in them. Since I mostly read fantasy, I imagine these will probably be some sort of prophetic poem.
The Deck of Omens shares the same prophetic poem as the first book in the series The Devouring Gray:
Wandered through the woods one day,
Stumbled right into the Gray,
Never to return.
In that place where nightmares dwell,
Only four have lived to tell.
That is why we have to stay:
Branches and stones, daggers and bones,
They locked the Beast away.
The Dark is Rising is actually a re-read … and how often do I do those? (Hint: the answer is almost never). This was my second favorite series as a kid, and it’s been so long that really, the only thing I can remember about it is the poetry, which I memorized. Sure, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast three days ago (or if I had breakfast three days ago), but I can remember a pointless poem I memorized when I was eight. Go figure.
On Cadfan’s Way where the kestrels call;
Though grim from the Grey King shadows fall,
Yet singing the golden harp shall guide
To break their sleep and bid them ride.
When light from the lost land shall return,
Six Sleepers shall ride, six Signs shall burn,
And where the midsummer tree grows tall
By Pendragon’s sword the Dark shall fall.
Fun fact: I named my first cat Pendragon after this book. He was … nothing at all like any of the characters in this book. Mostly, he was a loveable lump of fluff with a resting cat face that could melt you in acidic judgment, but I loved him anyway.
Brown Girl Dreaming is part poetry book and part novel written in verse. It lives in this weird in-between space, with the added benefit of being a memoir. I’ve heard wonderful things about it, and it’s definitely one I want to pick up sooner rather than later.
Columbus, Ohio,
USA—
a country caught
between Black and White.
I don’t know much about The Mulberry Tree, but its summary opens with the rhyme: “Do naught wrong by the mulberry tree, or she’ll take your daughters … one, two, three.” That was enough for me. Count me in!
I thought this was pretty unique, but For A Muse of Fire has a prologue that’s actually a poem.
A girl who’d leave this broken land behind
Like ash and eggshells from a phoenix, rising,
Or the tattered body of a soul set free.
I like the book, new look and layout and name! Blog looks awesome and I love th edragon graphic! Happy weekend, stay safe!
Freda Mans-Labianca recently posted…The #Friday56 #Instagram56
Thank you! I’m glad it turned out okay. Redesigns are stressful haha! Hope you had a great weekend.
I love the Francis Hardinge books I’ve read. What an imagination.
Stay Safe and Stay Inside
My Friday quotes are from LONESOME DOVE
Anne@HeadFullofBooks recently posted…Review and quotes: LONESOME DOVE
I’ve never read any of her other books! I’m glad to hear that, though. I am absolutely LOVING this world that she’s created here, though. Imagination, indeed!
Deeplight sounds totally awesome. I hope to read For a Muse of Fire soon. Happy reading.
Lauren @ Always Me
Oooh, I’ll have to keep an eye open for a review from you, then, maybe. 😉 I’ll be interested to see what you think of it. And Deeplight has been so good so far!
Happy Friday!
On my blog I’m sharing from Being Known by Robin Jones Gunn. It’s such an EXCELLENT story. Currently, I’m reading Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish by Bethany Turner. I’m just getting into chapter 2 so I’ll share a line from there.
“Meemaw? Are you home?”
Hope you have a great weekend. Happy reading! 🙂
Nicole Santana recently posted…First-Line Friday #133
I love the cover of Deeplight! The first line of chapter one shows that it starts with action. I am intrigued 🙂
Konna @ The Reading Armchair recently posted…Book Beginnings / Friday 56 – Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata
Isn’t the new cover so pretty?! I love it! It does. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the opening at first, but that chapter really grabbed my interest in the gods. :3
Deeplight sounds good–and I love that cover! I’ve had Brown Girl Dreaming on my TBR shelf for a very long time. I am not sure why I have not read it yet. I love novels in verse. I enjoy poetry. So I have no excuse other than all the other tempting books on my shelf that keep calling to me. Have a good weekend. Stay safe and well.
The new cover really is gorgeous! I just love the green. That is, in my opinion, the BEST excuse. Probably because that’s the only reason I have for not reading all the books I should’ve by now, too. xD
Sounds like a fun book! I love the cover.
The cover’s definitely what first caught my eye! It’s such a pretty green.
This sounds like a fantastic book. I haven’t read this author before but I remember hearing good things.
I somehow hadn’t heard of her before this? But I really liked this one!