First Line Friday 56 || Life Is Hard, and So Is Bank Robbery

Posted September 4, 2020 by Sammie in #5OnMyTBR, #amreading, Book Beginnings, chat with me, First Line Friday, Friday 56 / 18 Comments

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.

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A bank robbery. A hostage drama. A stairwell full of police officers on their way to storm an apartment. It was easy to get to this point, much easier than you might think. All it took was one single really bad idea.
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JACK: Because you’re witnesses to such a serious offense as this, I really must insist on being able to speak to you separately rather than both at the same time.

JULES: Why?

JACK: Because that’s just the way it is.

JULES: Sorry, but has your body been taken over by a demon that sounds like my mother? What do you mean, “just the way it is”?

JACK: You’re witnesses in a criminal investigation. There are rules.

JULES: Is either of us suspected of committing a crime, then?

JACK: No.

JULES: Well, then. Then we’ll do this together. You know why?

JACK: No.

JULES: Because that’s just the way it is!

JACK: Christ, if there’s ever been a more difficult group of witnesses, I have no idea where that could have been.
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Click To Reveal The Book
Anxious People

This is a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers slowly begin opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.

As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people.



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✿ One of my all-time favorite authors!
✿ A book that is absolutely guaranteed to shatter your feels.
✿ But in a heartwarming way.
✿ With characters you’ll love with, even if you don’t want to.
✿ A bit of a curious mystery to solve.
✿ The most absurd crime ever committed.
✿ Unruly and stubborn witnesses.
✿ A jumpy plot that is dreamy and stream of consciousness.
✿ Yet absolutely guaranteed to come together into a masterpiece by the end.
✿ Comedy that’ll make you laugh out loud.
✿ But also contemplate all the important, deeper things in life.
✿ Like why the heck we have to adult anyway?!
✿ No, seriously, there should be “people” for this …

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5

This is a 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. Next Monday’s prompt is: autumn reads.

For me, autumn read means all the spooks and creepiness and sleepless nights! So here’s some spine-chilling novels that I hope to read in the coming months.

The Shadows     Scritch Scratch     The Only Good Indians     Whispering Pines     The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires


If I’m honest, I probably should’ve read The Shadows already, yet here we are. I really enjoyed The Whisper Man, so I was doubly excited when I saw that Alex North was coming out with another book! The first book was a fabulous fall read, so I was hoping to read this one in fall, too.

Since i’m absolutely a big baby, I love me some middle grade horror, so I had to add some of those here. I couldn’t resist requesting Scritch Scratch on NetGalley, and I need to pick it up soon. It’s comped to Small Spaces, and it sounds super spooky and great!

I actually can’t believe I haven’t read The Only Good Indians yet. It was one I was so looking forward to, and then just … life happened. Other books happened. I don’t even know. I’ve heard such good things about it, though, and I can’t wait to pick it up!

I know I’ve mentioned Whispering Pines a lot on the blog, but it’s one of my most anticipated books. It takes place in a small town (just like the one I live in), and people end up as zombies with their eyes removed. So much yes right there.

This one might be a little bit akin to cheating, since I’ve got a physical copy sitting in the other room waiting for me to pick it up, but … I still haven’t read The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires yet? Somehow? Even though I was so excited about it and talked about it so much that my director got a copy for the library. No, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, either, but I’m sure it’s not contagious. You’ll be fine. Probably.

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Stay Fierce, Sammie

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18 responses to “First Line Friday 56 || Life Is Hard, and So Is Bank Robbery

    • Yeeees! I will. For sure. It’s just … taking me longer than I expected, which honestly is basically just my brand in 2020 lol. They both sound great, though, and I imagine they’ll make really good fall reads!

  1. I really want to read Anxious People! I had no idea from the excerpts you shared that that is what the book was–but it makes me want to read it even more! Your autumn TBR books all sound good. You have to read The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. It’s so good! I hope you have a great weekend. Happy reading!

    • I’ve actually got it checked out from the library now. It’s on my shelf. Judging me. Probably plotting my demise. xD I keep meaning to pick it up, and soon as I finish this week’s reads for blog tours, I hope I can! You know, before I have to give it back, preferably hehe.

      I hope you get a chance to read Anxious People!

    • Never too late for this bandwagon. We gladly slow down for new boarders and freely pass out coffee and cookies. 😉 You should definitely read My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry, since that’s where Britt Marie is introduced!

    • Yeeees, read Whispering Pine. I finished it. It’s fantastic. I don’t thiiiink there’s any scenes that are TOO scary. Definitely creepy scenes, but nothing that would, say, stop me from reading at night. It feels more on the paranormal side than the scary side. :3

      And I’m sure you already know that I support everyone reading all of Backman’s work, always, so I’m glad this caught your attention. xD

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