Friday Firsts: The Heart of Stone by Ben Galley
17 March 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Ben Galley, Friday Firsts, tenacious reader, The Heart of Stone
Friday Firsts is a new meme that runs every Friday over on Tenacious Reader. The idea is to feature the first few sentences/paragraph of your current book and try and outline your first impressions as a result. This is a quick and easy way to share a snippet of information about your current read and to perhaps tempt others. Stop on by and link up with Tenacious Reader. This Friday I’m reading, well, like last week, a couple of books but I’ve gone with Heart of Stone by Ben Galley. Check it out:
‘Keep still!’ a voice demanded. ‘Keep still or it will take root in the wrong place, mercy me!’
He remained motionless as the soft hands dug inside his mouth; checking, shuffling, fixing. His face felt so wide, so open. He could feel his body tingling, as though he wore the dying embers of a fire.
‘There!’
He felt the fingers crawl back to his chin and cheeks. Always touching.
‘Bite down, and slowly mind!’
His jaw did the work for him, clicking back into place under the guiding hands; teeth crunching, finding their nests. The tongue began to burn in the pit of his mouth.
There came a clanking as the room swivelled about him. Something tugged at him without touching, pulling at every corner of his body. He felt heavier than a mountain.
‘It is time to open your eyes, my new friend!’
My First Impressions
I am absolutely intrigued by this start. It makes you want to read on doesn’t it? I can’t help but have at the back of my mind Frankenstein and his monster – don’t ask me why but just a feel of new creations.
What you reading this Friday??
*The above excerpt was taken from an advanced reader copy and it is possible that the final version may have further changes.
Friday Firsts: Island of Exiles (The Ryogan Chronicles #1) by Erica Cameron
10 March 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Erica Cameron, Friday Firsts, Island of Exiles, tenacious reader, The Ryogan Chronicles
Friday Firsts is a new meme that runs every Friday over on Tenacious Reader. The idea is to feature the first few sentences/paragraph of your current book and try and outline your first impressions as a result. This is a quick and easy way to share a snippet of information about your current read and to perhaps tempt others. Stop on by and link up with Tenacious Reader. This Friday I’m reading a couple of books but the one I’ve just started is Island of Exiles (The Ryogan Chronicles #1) by Erica Cameron.
I press as close as possible to the sandstone wall of the ravine, trying to shove my whole body into the narrow strip of shade on the rising slope. A few feet below, Rai does the same, pulling the canteen of water from the pack strapped to her thigh, loosening the atakafu cloth covering her mouth and nose, and sipping slowly. The sight makes my mouth feel drier than ever.
My hand falls to my own thigh pack, and I toy with the ties holding it shut. There isn’t much water left in my canteen, and I don’t know how much longer we’ll be enduring the brutal, dehydrating heart of the desert sun. The hunt has been longer than we expected and far trickier than it should be.
Pulling my hand away from the temptation, I search the path above us for any sign of our prey. There isn’t anywhere else the teegras could have gone once they entered the ravine, but we haven’t spotted a single trace of them since – wait There.
“Rai, look.” My murmured words are muffled by the atakafu, but it’s enough to draw her attention to fresh claw marks on the red sandstone.
My First Impressions
I like the way this one starts. It has a good opening, there’s a hunt under difficult conditions and just what are these ‘teegras’?? On top of that I’m really feeling stories with a desert type setting at the moment so I need to read on and find out more.
What you reading this Friday??
*The above excerpt was taken from an advanced reader copy and it is possible that the final version may have further changes.
Friday Firsts: Empress of the Fall by David Hair
3 March 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: David Hair, Empress of the Fall, Friday Firsts, tenacious reader
Friday Firsts is a new meme that runs every Friday over on Tenacious Reader. The idea is to feature the first few sentences/paragraph of your current book and try and outline your first impressions as a result. This is a quick and easy way to share a snippet of information about your current read and to perhaps tempt others. Stop on by and link up with Tenacious Reader. This Friday I’m reading a couple of books but one of them is Empress of the Fall by David Hair.
‘More than 500 years ago, in 379, a man died and his followers became the new gods of Yuros – the magi. They have ruled the western continent ever since, yet the name of he who died has been raised highest. Johan Corin – ‘Corineus’ – is now revered as a god made flesh, sent from Paradise Above to gather and empower his followers. He is said to have been the Son of Kore.
But he was just a man: dead people are always easier to deify than living ones. Ordo Costruo Collegiate, Pontus, 927.
The Celestial, Pallas, Rondelmar Junesse 930 – final month of the Moontide Longevity is cruel, Ostevan Prelatus mused as he knelt in the holiest place in Yuros, mouthing prayers while staring at the massive rump of his superior. There were no seats, no cushions, just wooden leaning bars against which the thirty-two prelates of the Church of Kore could contemplate the infinite, while gazing upon the golden casket of Johan Corin – known to the world as Corineus the Saviour.’
My First Impressions
Well, immediate impressions are that there are an awful lot of names and named dates in that first couple of paragraphs, but, I won’t let that put me off, I understand this is a sequel to a previous series but can be read as a standalone so it stands to reason that this world is already firmly established. I must admit that I’m quite intrigued and anxious to find out more.
What you reading this Friday??
*The above excerpt was taken from an advanced reader copy and it is possible that the final version may have further changes.
Friday Firsts: Game of Shadows by Erika Lewis
24 February 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: tenacious reader, Friday Firsts, Game of Shadows, Erika Lewis
Friday Firsts is a new meme that runs every Friday over on Tenacious Reader. The idea is to feature the first few sentences/paragraph of your current book and try and outline your first impressions as a result. This is a quick and easy way to share a snippet of information about your current read and to perhaps tempt others. Stop on by and link up with Tenacious Reader. This Friday I’ve just started Game of Shadows by Erika Lewis.
“Ethan Makkai, freedom is a state of mind.”
Ethan shook his head at his mother’s canned response. It was the same thing she said every time he told her it was time to cut the parental leash.
He dropped his backpack next to the kitchen table and sat down with a loud huff. “Wrong. Freedom is the state of not being imprisoned.”
“Will you please stop saying that?” Keeping an eye on the toaster oven, she poured herself another cup of coffee. “You’re not in prison.”
But Ethan was in prison. Incarcerated for life if she had her way. She wouldn’t let him go anywhere without her. Ever.
The only time she let him out of her sight was during school. He’d contemplated sneaking out. Skipping class. But every time he made a move for the exit one of his teachers was there. They were always watching.
A few seconds after the timer dinged, Caitriona padded over and playfully pushed his shoulder. “Can’t a mom want to spend time with her son?”
“Not when she makes him look like more of a total reject than he already is.”
My First Impressions
Well – difficult to gain too much from this start – although it makes me wonder if Ethan is going to be sorry in some way – he’s clearly wishing for more freedom and you know what they say about being careful what you wish for!
What you reading this Friday??
*The above excerpt was taken from an advanced reader copy and it is possible that the final version may have further changes.
Friday Firsts: The Valiant by Lesley Livingston
17 February 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Friday Firsts, Lesley Livingston, tenacious reader, The Valiant
Friday Firsts is a new meme that runs every Friday over on Tenacious Reader. The idea is to feature the first few sentences/paragraph of your current book and try and outline your first impressions as a result. This is a quick and easy way to share a snippet of information about your current read and to perhaps tempt others. Stop on by and link up with Tenacious Reader. This week I’m reading The Valiant by Lesley Livingston.
The steam rising off the backs of the cantering horses faded into the morning fog. Our chariot raced toward the far end of the Forgotten Vale and Maelgwyn Ironhand – my chariot, constant companion, and frequent adversary – pulled back on the reins.
“No!” I shouted. “Faster! Make them run faster!”
Mael didn’t bother to spare a glance over his shoulder at me. He knew any argument would be futile. Instead he gave the ponies their head and let them run. We flew over the ground like ravens diving over a battlefield. The horses snorted and strained, hooves drumming the grassy track and sending mist billowing in our wake.
I stood behind Mael with a spear gripped tight in my right fist and my feet braced against the swaying motion of the chariot’s suspended deck. The wind screeched in my ears, and the ground was a blur beneath our wheels. We’d never gone so fast before, and my heart hammered in my chest. I shifted and moved past Mael, stepping out in front of the chariot’s platform to balance on the square-sided draft pole that ran between the two horses.
“Fallon – be careful!” Mael called as one of my feet slipped on the wood.
My First Impressions
Well – that got off to a quick start, literally it exploded right off the page. I can’t wait to dig further into this one. It promises to be a great read and I’ve already read good reviews.
What you reading this Friday??
Books and travelling with Lynn 