May isn’t quite over yet, which means of course I was going to put a fantasy spin on this post.
I actually seem to have jumped the gun a little somehow (hint: because I don’t read ahead) and just did a post on the best fantasy first lines on my TBR. So … oops? That means I had to find something different to do for this.
Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is opening lines, which thankfully is pretty broad, so it was easy enough to spin it a little.
It may come as absolutely no surprise to any of you that I have a lot of upcoming releases that I’m looking forward to and way more ARCs than any one person should have to face alone (not that I’m complaining at all, because they’re all lovely, even if they intend to devour me if I don’t read them soon). So I thought, hey, why don’t we appease talk about them this week.
Please note: these first lines are taken from ARCs and may differ from the final product.
I have to say that I love first lines. They often can sell a book for me if I’m unsure about whether I want to read it or not. And I have not looked at any of these first lines yet, so this’ll be a fun surprise for all of us. These are books that I’m just looking forward to based on … some wish and a whim? I don’t know. Don’t try to understand my brain. It probably won’t end well for you.
Burn
by Patrick Ness
Why I’m anticipating:
- Dragons! Assassins! Prophecies!
- Patrick Ness will obviously destroy my soul.
- The cover has two of my favorite things!
- LGBTQ.
- A nice mix of, like, five different genres and boy am I curious.
On a cold Sunday evening in early 1957—the very day, in fact, that Dwight David Eisenhower took the oath of office for the second time as President of the United States of America—Sarah Dewhurst waited with her father in the parking lot of the Chevron gas station for the dragon he’d hired to help on the farm.
Cemetery Boys
by Aiden Thomas
Why I’m anticipating:
- Latinx LGBTQ!
- Summoning ghosts is always fun.
- But yeah, okay, of course it was going to go wrong. It always does.
- Yadriel is a fantastic name. But I’m not jealous. Pfft.
- Enemies-to-loves vibe that I’m digging.
- Look at that cover! *melts*
Yadriel wasn’t trespassing. He’d lived in the cemetery his whole life, so he couldn’t trespass in his own home. But breaking into the church was definitely cross the moral-ambiguity line.
Blazewrath Games
by Amparo Ortiz
Why I’m anticipating:
- Which part of this doesn’t sound like me, hm? The dragons or the freaking Quidditch?!
- I, too, prefer dragons to people. No offense. Y’all are okay.
- Puerto Rican protagonist!
- International conspiracies are fun.
Dragons are better company than people.
Not that I hate people. Some are okay.
Not that I hate people. Some are okay.
The Gryphon’s Lair
by Kelley Armstrong
Why I’m anticipating:
- Comedy mixed with some high fantasy sounds fun.
- All sorts of cute, cuddly, and potentially dangerous creatures!
- Lots of adventure and shenanigans.
- Baby gryphons sound adorable, and I want one.
- Yes, I know baby gryphons don’t stay babies forever, and that’s sort of the point.
- I like rare and deadly monsters. Can’t wait to meet them.
I have a way with monsters. Unfortunately, this chickcharney seems immune to it.
When I was three, my dad captured a chickcharney and brought it home for me. I tried to hug it. You can’t blame me. chickcharnies look like owls on stilts with amazing monkey tails. Adorable.
Anyway, the chickcharney, shockingly, did not want to be hugged, even by a princess.
When I was three, my dad captured a chickcharney and brought it home for me. I tried to hug it. You can’t blame me. chickcharnies look like owls on stilts with amazing monkey tails. Adorable.
Anyway, the chickcharney, shockingly, did not want to be hugged, even by a princess.
Obsidian Tower
by Melissa Caruso
Why I’m anticipating:
- It opens with a rhyming prophecy. I do so love those.
- Draining the life from people I touch sounds like it could be kind of convenient. Just saying.
- I’m 100% all for magical artifacts.
- Sounds like possibly found family or enemies working together, both of which are tropes I approve of.
There are two kinds of magic.
There is the kind that lifts you up and fills you with wonder, saving you when all is lost or opening doors to new worlds of possibility. And there is the kind that wrecks you, that shatters you, bitter in your mouth and jagged in your hand, breaking everything you touch.
Mine was the second kind.
There is the kind that lifts you up and fills you with wonder, saving you when all is lost or opening doors to new worlds of possibility. And there is the kind that wrecks you, that shatters you, bitter in your mouth and jagged in your hand, breaking everything you touch.
Mine was the second kind.
Deal with the Devil
by Kit Rocha
Why I’m anticipating:
- Two words: mercenary. Librarians.
- Yes, we all wish we could be that bad-ass, but we’ll have to settle for reading about it.
- Add “information broker” to my list of jobs I want.
- Enemies forced to work together, possibly enemies-to-lovers? Sign me up!
- Comped as the “post-apocalyptic Avengers,” and color me intrigued.
Nina had broken the cardinal rule, and now she had to kill someone.
Four someones, actually.
Four someones, actually.
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears
by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Why I’m anticipating:
- I grew up hearing legends of La Llorona! About time a kid’s book was written … about … oh, wait … hmm. Well, this could be interesting.
- I’ll read pretty much any Rick Riordan Presents book at this point.
- I’ve been waiting for some Hispanic mythology.
- I love that Pao is into science and astronomy.
- Sounds like one heck of an adventure.
When I was a kid growing up in Texas, I was terrified of going into deep water. That wasn’t just because the movie Jaws had freaked me out. (Although, yes, that giant robotic shark had scared the Twizzlers out of me.)
Worse: I had grown up listening to campfire stories about La Llorona, the weeping ghost who had drowned her own children in a river and was condemned to wander the riverbanks for eternity, looking for their bodies.
Worse: I had grown up listening to campfire stories about La Llorona, the weeping ghost who had drowned her own children in a river and was condemned to wander the riverbanks for eternity, looking for their bodies.
The Kingdom of Liars
by Nick Martell
Why I’m anticipating:
- Secrets, rebellion, and murder? Sounds like my kind of book.
- Memory used as currency sounds particularly interesting.
- Political upheaval and secrets is always fun.
You will hear this story as I lived it.
Count yourself lucky to hear a Kingman tell their story. There has been no other account like this. And all I ask from you, in return for the greatest story ever told, is a small favor and to let me live long enough to tell it.
Count yourself lucky to hear a Kingman tell their story. There has been no other account like this. And all I ask from you, in return for the greatest story ever told, is a small favor and to let me live long enough to tell it.
The Sin in the Steel
Why I’m anticipating:
- Helloooo pirates.
- “Featuring dead gods, a pirate queen, shapeshifting mages, and a Sherlockian teenager” – I’m not sure this could sound more perfect?
- I love the idea of fantasy detectives! Yes, raise those stakes for me, please!
- I’ll read pretty much anything where gods are characters.
Before I learned how to read, I thought knowledge was finite, dead and decaying inside old men’s skulls. Now I know the truth, that knowledge is living gold threaded through layers of dead parchment, just waiting to be mined.
Tristan Strong Destroys the World
by Kwame Mbalia
Why I’m anticipating:
- Okay, come on now, you’ve heard me yell about Tristan Strong before.
- I’ve only been waiting for this sequel for foreverrrrr now.
- I need some more Gum Baby in my life.
- I low-key stan Anansi (and who wouldn’t?!).
- Comedy + adventure + black folklore = win.
Nobody likes getting punched in the face.
Call it a hunch or an educated guess. Either way, I can confirm from firsthand experience that getting punched in the face is way down on the list of enjoyable activities. It’s somewhere between eating a halfway-scraped-off piece of burnt toast and giving yourself a wedgie.
Call it a hunch or an educated guess. Either way, I can confirm from firsthand experience that getting punched in the face is way down on the list of enjoyable activities. It’s somewhere between eating a halfway-scraped-off piece of burnt toast and giving yourself a wedgie.
I love the opening line from Cemetery Boys. Wow!
My TTT .
Lydia recently posted…Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: How I’d Fare in a Zombie Apocalypse
That looks like it’s going to be a really good one!
Ooooooooooh!!! New Rick Riordan Presents book! Well, I’m definitely gonna have to read that one. 😍😍😍
And before I forget it: Guess who got Tristan Strong punches a hole in the sky for her birthday! 😁 Be prepared to be appropriately shouted at. (Okay, well, I don’t know when I will get to it, because I may have gone overboard with ebooks. I mean, okay. Let’s…let’s not talk about it.
Obsidian Tower sounds great as well. Might check that out.
Yeees! There’s a couple really interesting ones coming out at the end of this year from RRP that I’m really looking forward to! I’ve basically told my library’s director that we need to order everything the imprint releases, please and thanks. xD
Yaaay! I’m so glad you were able to get it. 😀 Whenever you get to it, do shout at me! Even if it’s, like, five years down the road. It’ll be fine. (What is this “going overboard with ebooks” thing? I’ve clearly never heard of this.)
I love your spin on the theme this week! And I’m happy to have several of these ARCs too. That line from Deal with the Devil makes me want to pick it up right now!
Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy recently posted…Check out a special excerpt! TO SLEEP IN A SEA OF STARS by Christopher Paolini
I’m not surprised, given how often our TBRs overlap, that you’ve got several of these. xD Right? I’m really trying not to read too far ahead (because then I have no one to yell about the book with), but some of these books make it hard to wait lol.
I love your twist on this! Cemetery Boys was so good.
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that! It’s one I’m really looking forward to reading.
Tell us the truth!! Did YOU really write Blazewrath Games?? Ha! It sounds like your perfect book. I hope you love all of these!
Dedra @ A Book Wanderer recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Opening Lines From Books on my TBR Shelf (that make me want to read them even more)
Whaaaat? Pshaw. Of course not. *wink wink*
I mean, it really does sound perfect, and I can see how suspicious this looks. But huzzah, that means there’s at least one other person out there like me! That … sounds more concerning than it originally did now that I type it lol. Hmmm.
Can’t not have your May fantasy! 😉 Great post/
Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Great Opening Lines
Of course not. One month a year to shout about my favorite genre! Even though I technically do it all year round … but it’s only *official* this one month. 😉
Pretty much all of these are on my tbr, but I’m most excited for Deal with the Devil. 🙂
It looks like it’ll be a really good one, doesn’t it? I can’t wait!
Looks like you’ve got some fun reading ahead of you. Good luck with all of it!
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
The Kingdom of Liars sounds really good.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Astilbe recently posted…Risking Her Heart on the Single Dad by Annie O’Neil
I am stoked for Cemetery Boys. That’s one of my most anticipated for late summer.
This is the first I’m hearing about Paola Santiago and the River of Tears. Yes, I’m ready for a middle grade book about La Llorna, too.
Leah recently posted…{Weekly Wednesday Blogging Challenge} Books Set in my Home State
I’ve heard such good things about it already. It’s getting me even more excited to read it. xD
I’ve been waiting for that book since it was announced, which feels like forever ago. I’m surprised more people haven’t heard of it yet, so I’m trying to shout about it, because yes. Just yes. Even though La Llorona totally gave me nightmares as a kid lol.
Looks like you have some great fantasy releases to look forward – I particularly like the opening of Blazewrath Games! 😆
That one looks like it’s going to be a definite winner. I’m not sure how I could not love it, honestly. xD
That quote from TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD is great. And true. Nobody likes getting punched in the face.
Here’s my TTT!
Lectrice Vorace recently posted…Rating Ten of the Best Opening Lines in Literature
It’s clearly inspired. xD It’s the humor that I really loved from the first book, and just from the beginning, I can see I have lots of it to look forward to in book two!
Omg I can’t wait to read Cemetery Boys! It sounds so good 😍 All of these first lines are great though and make me wanna check out all the books lol also are you sure you didn’t write Blazewrath Games because those opening lines are 100% you! Haha I hope you enjoy all of these whenever you get to them, Sammie! <3
Dini @ dinipandareads recently posted…Review: The Great Devil War #2-4 by Kenneth B. Andersen
Doesn’t it?! I’m super looking forward to it, and I’ve heard wonderful things about it.
I feel like I would’ve remembered if I wrote Blazewrath Games, though the author and I are obviously destined to be BFF. They just don’t know it yet. xD