Friday Firsts: Pirate of my Heart

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.



• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)



• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)



• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?



• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.

  
  

Here is my Friday Firsts:

"The grey clouds of dawn shivered against the paned glass of the castle, shrouding the three figures at the side of the four-poster bed in an eerie light."
Pirate of My Heart: A Novel

by

Jamie Carie

I am about halfway through this book and am absolutely loving it! The first sentence helped to draw me in, but it was after reading the first two paragraphs that I was hooked. I can't wait to finish this book and at the same time I don't want the story to end - it's so good!

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):
When her doting father dies, Lady Kendra Townsend is given a choice: marry the horrid man of her cold, money-grubbing uncle's choosing or leave England to risk a new life in America with unknown relatives. Armed with the faith that God has a plan for her, Kendra boards a cargo ship and meets American sea captain Dorian Colburn. But the captain has been wounded by a woman before and guards his independent life. A swashbuckling man doesn't need an English heiress to make him slow down, feel again, or be challenged with questions about his faith-or so he thinks. It is not until Dorian must save Kendra from the dark forces surrounding her that he decides she may be worth the risk.

Friday Firsts: Coffee at Little Angels

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.



• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)



• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)



• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?



• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.

  
  

Here is my Friday Firsts:

"I went jogging on the morning that I died."
Coffee at Little Angels
by
Nadine Rose Larter

What a beginning sentence! I am not that far in the book yet, but this sentence certainly grabbed my attention.

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

Phillip, Sarah, Kaitlyn, Caleb, Maxine, Grant, Melanie and Josh grew up in a small town where they spent their high school years together as an inseparable clique. But high school has ended, and they are all living their own "grown up" lives, each under the impression that their group has basically come to an end. When Phillip dies in a hit and run accident, Kaitlyn summons the others to all come back home, forcing a reunion that no one is particularly interested in partaking in.

Coffee at Little Angels follows how each character deals with the death of a childhood friend while at the same time dealing with their own ignored demons after years of separation. Events unfolds as the group tries to rekindle the friendship they once shared to honour the memory of a friend they will never see again.

Friday Firsts: Rippler by Cidney Swanson

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.



• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)



• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)



• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?



• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.

"The screaming was the first clue that I'd turned invisible again."

Rippler

by

Cidney Swanson


I'm about halfway through this book at the moment, but I remember that this first sentence drew me in right away! Even though this is a genre that I don't usually read, I'm really enjoying it so far! I can't wait to see how this book will end!

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

Samantha Ruiz has a freak gene that makes her turn invisible, or ripple. She can't control it, and it's getting word. Afraid of becoming a lab-rat, Sam keeps her ability secret, until fellow runner Will Baker sees her vanish into thin air. Will promises secrecy and help, and Sam begins to fall in love. 
Together, the two discover there are worse things than being scientific curiosity. Someone's been killing people who possess Sam's gene. A mysterious man from France sends letters that offer hope for safety, but also reveal a sinister connection with Nazi experiments. The more time Sam spends with Will, the less she can imagine life without him. When Sam uncovers Secrets from her past, She must choose between keeping Will in her life or keeping Will safe.

Friday Firsts: 'A Distant Melody' by Sarah Sundin

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?
• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.

  
  

Here is my Friday Firsts:

One whole delicious week together. Allie Miller clung to her best friend's promise and to the train ticket that would deliver it.

A Distant Melody

by

Sarah Sundin

I'm really enjoying this book! The first sentence drew me in right away and I can't wait to get back to reading it

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com): 

Will a chance meeting in a time of war change her life forever?

Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval--even marry a man she doesn't love. While Allie has nearly resigned herself to that fate, Lt. Walter Novak--fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women--takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas.

Walt and Allie meet and begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

Book 1 in the Wings of Glory series, A Distant Melody is an exciting and tender story of love, courage, and sacrifice during World War II.

"Sarah Sundin is an extraordinarily gifted storyteller who puts the reader in the cockpit of B-17 bombers as easily as she crafts an achingly emotional World War II romance. This is not only the best World War II love story I've ever read, but it may be the best book I've ever read."--Cheryl Bolen, Holt Medallion Winner, Best Historical

Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Francisco. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. This is her debut novel.

Friday Firsts: Inside Threat (Riley Covington, book 4) by Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?
• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.

  
  

Here is my Friday Firsts:

The September sun soaked into Scott Ross's face so deeply that he could almost feel his skin browning. Yeah, baby, brush a little butter on me, and you'll cook up a nice golden, flaky crust.

Inside Threat 

by 

Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

After taking two football seasons off, Riley Covington is attempting to make a comeback in the league while trying to forget Khadi Faroughi, now on security detail for a prominent senator.
But a new attack turns both of their lives upside down yet again. During a state funeral, terrorists overrun the National Cathedral and take senators, congressmen, and their entourages hostage, including Khadi. This new generation of The Cause is made up of homegrown terrorists—an inside threat to the security of the nation. They release most of the hostages, but not all. Several, including Khadi, are kept behind as significant bargaining chips.
The Cause pledges to behead one member of Congress each day throughout the month of Ramadan as a punishment for their own country’s rejection of Islam. Despite the protests of Counter-Terrorism Division director Scott Ross, Riley races to CTD armed with a plan and a fierce determination to rescue Khadi at all costs.

I am not very far in this one yet, but I am really enjoying it! I hope it will be at least as good as the first three in the series, which were amazing!

Friday Firsts: 'The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck' by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?
• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.
  
  

Here is my Friday Firsts:

What Charlotte Beck wanted, Charlotte Beck generally got.

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck: A Novel

by Kathleen Y'Barbo

I am not very far into this one, but after reading the firsts two books in this series this first sentence sounds just like Charlotte. I look forward to complete this book!

Synopsis:

Unlikely romance is sometimes just an inconvenient marriage away

Charlotte Beck may be entering adulthood, but she can’t seem to keep to her stubborn, independent spirit from bucking social protocol. Fed up with her behavior, Charlotte’s father Daniel pressures her to settle into a nice marriage despite knowing she is set on going to college. Then Daniel sees Charlotte with the handsome but annoying English astronomer Alex Hambly, and everything changes. Though Alex and Charlotte can barely stand one another, Daniel offers them a deal they can’t refuse: if they agree to marry, he will save Alex’s family from financial ruin and grant Charlotte the freedom to go to college. Reluctantly the couple agrees, but in private they plot to annul the marriage as soon as possible. But when Alex’s feelings change and he refuses to dissolve their contract, will Charlotte find a way out of her vows? Or will she discover that maybe this marriage isn’t so inconvenient after all?

 

Friday Firsts: 'Anna Finch and the Hired Gun' by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?
• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.  
  
  

Here is my Friday Firsts:

Daybreak found Anna Finch astride her horse, Maisie, heading for the foothills west of Denver. Her father had given her the mare before he decided riding horses across the high plains was not for well-bred women of marriageable age. 

from Anna Finch and the Hired Gun: A Novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo (352 pages) 

 ISBN-13: 978-0307444813

I enjoyed reading the first book in this series, 'The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper', and this book so far seems even more enjoyable. The first sentence by itself didn't interested me that much, but after reading the first chapter I don't want to put this book down!

Synopsis:

When an aspiring reporter and a Pinkerton detective get tangled in Doc Holliday’s story—and each other—sparks can’t help but fly. 

Despite her father’s attempts to marry her off, Anna Finch dreams of becoming a reporter. A chance encounter with legendary gunslinger Doc Holliday gives her the opportunity of a lifetime, but Pinkerton agent Jeb Sanders is about to ruin everything. 

Though her father hired Jeb to keep her out of mischief, Anna’s inconvenient attraction to her hired gun only multiplies her troubles. She doesn’t realize Jeb has a score to settle with Doc Holliday, or that her association with the famous outlaw will affect more than just her marriage prospects. Between her father’s desperation to see her wed and Jeb shadowing her every move, getting the story and fulfilling her journalistic ambition just got far more complicated than she ever imagined.

 Anna Finch & The Hired Gun by Kathleen Y'Barbo (Chapters 1 & 2)

Friday Firsts: 'Hope Rekindled' by Tracie Peterson

Friday Firsts is a meme, hosted by Allison from wellreadreviews.com/. The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph. (If you want to use 2-3 sentences, that is okay but limit it to the very beginning.)
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?
• Come back to this blog post, hosted on WellReadReviews.com and add your comment to the post.

  

Here is my Friday Firsts: 'Hope Rekindled' by Tracie Peterson (350 pages) ISBN:978-0-7642-0891-1

"You...you can't marry him," Jake Wythe declared, taking Deborah Vandermark by the arm.

By now, I am almost finished with this book, but I remember that the first sentence (shown above) drew me in to the story immediately. It is a sentence that grabs your attention and you want to know what is going to happen next.

'Hope Rekindled' is the third book in the 'Striking a Match' series.

Synopsis (taken from Goodreads.com):

The Anticipated Conclusion to Tracie Peterson's Texas Series!

At long last, Deborah Vandermark is preparing for her own wedding... but the groom suddenly goes absent. Tragedy has befallen Christopher's family in Kansas City, upsetting the doctor's future with Deborah. With five siblings now under his care, can he return to Texas and impose a ready-made family on Deborah?

Deborah herself finds her resolve faltering as her fears about marriage and career start to overwhelm her. How can she marry and be a mother to Christopher's siblings, and still be able to pursue her work and training as a physician? When an old adversary reveals a contract that may spell ruin for Vandermark Logging, Deborah's life seems to be spiraling out of control. How can God possibly work this for good? And can Christopher and Deborah find a way to claim the future they long to share when so much stands in their way?