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.

Click To Reveal The Book

Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns with Ring Shout, a dark fantasy historical novella that gives a supernatural twist to the Ku Klux Klan’s reign of terror.

D. W. Griffith is a sorcerer, and The Birth of a Nation is a spell that drew upon the darkest thoughts and wishes from the heart of America. Now, rising in power and prominence, the Klan has a plot to unleash Hell on Earth.

Luckily, Maryse Boudreaux has a magic sword and a head full of tales. When she’s not running bootleg whiskey through Prohibition Georgia, she’s fighting monsters she calls “Ku Kluxes.” She’s damn good at it, too. But to confront this ongoing evil, she must journey between worlds to face nightmares made flesh–and her own demons. Together with a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter, Maryse sets out to save a world from the hate that would consume it.

✿ Historical fiction mixed with fantasy for a fun twist.
✿ Characters that leap right off the page.
✿ Plenty of action and surprises.
✿ Unique take on race relations and struggles.
✿ Horror that’ll for sure give you goosebumps.
✿ A dark fantasy world that I would not appreciate living in, for a change.
✿ Not one but three strong leading ladies.

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: historical.

I think it’s probably not surprise that a lot of my historical is either, like, World War II or mixed with fantasy. Actually, some of my favorite historical fiction books are actually alternate history, because I love the various takes on what could have happened!

               

Set in an alternate Victorian era, Timekeeper has been on my list for aaaages! I actually even bought the series so I could read it, and I just … didn’t. I’m still super curious about a mechanic that can repair time, though, and all the implications that go with it.

The Golem and the Jinni is one that’s been on my TBR for a long time, too, and I’m not sure why I haven’t read it yet. Heck, I’ve even recommended it to people in the library based on things I’ve heard, and they’ve come back and told me they enjoyed it. So what’s taking me so long?! Pffft. Darned if I have any answers.

I’m super interested in The Mermaid not only as a retelling of The Little Mermaid but because it mixes that with historical fiction and the potential horrors of being part of P.T. Barnum’s show.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about The Dollmaker of Krakow. I’ve just been waiting to get my hands on the book! Not gonna lie, dolls kind of creep me out a little bit, but this sounds like it’ll be a really emotional read, so I’m willing to put that aside just this once.

Did you really think a book with DRAGONS wouldn’t make it on this list?! Bwahaha. I’ve actually wanted to read A Natural History of Dragons (and the entire Lady Trent series) for years. Unfortunately, the libraries I have a card to don’t have them. I can’t wait to get my hands on the entire series, so I can read them all back to back.

What are the first lines of the book you’re reading this week? Drop them in the comments or drop a link to your Friday post.