Sharon Shinn

First Lines Fridays: December 6, 2019

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First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

This is the story my mother told me:  She was traveling late in her pregnancy when she was overcome by labor pains.

Did the quote pique your interest? View this book on Goodreads!

First Lines Fridays: November 29, 2019

LeeLeave a comment

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

What would you say if I told you there was a time a Safe-Keeper told a secret, a Truth-Teller told a lie, and a Dream-Maker did everything in her power to make sure a wish went astray? Believe what I tell you, for I am a Truth-Teller, and every word I say is true.

Did the quote pique your interest? View this book on Goodreads!

First Lines Fridays: November 22, 2019

LeeLeave a comment

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

The solitary horse and rider clattered through the sleeping town, iron-shod hooves striking sharply against the half-buried cobblestones of the market square.

Did the quote pique your interest? View this book on Goodreads!

September 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

LeeLeave a comment

The Dream-Maker’s Magic by Sharon Shinn
(Safe-Keepers, book 3)
Rating:  ★★★★★ – loved it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 3 – 6
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Kellen’s time at the Parmer Arms.
Least Favorite Thing:  Frederick can choke.

Man I’m so glad I decided to go through this series because this book was so worth it. I will definitely be reading this book again!

My Posts About The Dream-Maker’s Magic

I Don’t Know What You Know Me From by Judy Greer
Rating:  N/A
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 8 – 9
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  That one quote I pulled?
Least Favorite Thing:  So boring!

I really wish I could have liked this book, but I just couldn’t find it interesting…

My Posts About I Don’t Know What You Know Me From

The Bling Ring by Nancy Jo Sales
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 8 – 9
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The bizarre-ness of the case.
Least Favorite Thing:  There wasn’t really anything I didn’t like.

I feel like this was a strange book to like, but I really did like it.

My Posts About The Bling Ring

The Half Life of Molly Pierce by Katrina Leno
Rating:  ★★★★★ – loved it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 10 – 11
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The writing style.
Least Favorite Thing:  I did not like Lyle even when I was meant to.

Read this book! Read this book! Read it! It is so good I’m going to buy it first chance I get.

My Posts About The Half Life of Molly Pierce

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 14 – 19
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Living Room Theater
Least Favorite Thing:  Skeevy Sam gave me the creeps…

It took about half the book before the pace picked up and I could really get into it, but I think that might just be that I don’t read contemporary as often. I did enjoy it once I got into it though.

My Posts About Since You’ve Been Gone

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 20 – 22
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Hannah’s extreme thirst for Finny Boone lol No, I’m kidding, it’s the homemade Ouija board.
Least Favorite Thing:  Hannah’s friends all suck.

This is not even a little bit the sort of book I usually read. It’s a mystery, a murder one at that, and a little bit spooky which for me is a lot spooky because I’m paranoid as hell…. So I was surprised at how much I liked this story. The beginning seemed a little slow, but it picked up soon and then I couldn’t put it down. I definitely recommend this book.

My Posts About Paper Valentine

Orfe by Cynthia Voigt
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 23
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The descriptions of how Enny felt listening to the music.
Least Favorite Thing:  All the boyfriends were garbagio.

I read this book for bibliophilicwitch‘s 24 Hour Read-A-Thon.

My Posts About Orfe

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook & Print
Reading Dates:  September 23
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Carrie’s poems.
Least Favorite Thing:  I can’t think of anything…

I read along and listened to this book for bibliophilicwitch‘s 24 Hour Read-A-Thon. And I loved her journal entries, I wish I was that eloquent at 18!

My Posts About The Princess Diarist

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  July 18 – September 25
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  The chaos of the Wish catering gigs.
Least Favorite Thing:  My fear of being too old to relate to these books, and therefore not enjoying them quite as much, has officially been realized.

It took me forever to finish this, my goodness! But I finally did it and even mini-review’d it.

My Posts About The Truth About Forever

Need by Carrie Jones
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  September 26
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  I too would like to leave a trail of glitter wherever I go.
Least Favorite Thing:  The entire premise.

Welp, looks like I’ll be donating this book… But at least I can cross one more off my TBR Shame List.

My Posts About Need

In Progress

QuoteLeeLeave a comment
I had another thought as I stood there, trying desperately to understand a completely altered view of my existence. Someday I might be the one to offer kindness to someone else in grim and dire circumstances. Someday I might be the one with wealth or knowledge or strength or power that could be used to alleviate another person’s distress. Such a thought had literally never crossed my mind before. More than once I had been saved. Someday I might save someone else in return.

– Sharon Shinn, The Dream-Maker’s Magic, page 85

Version:
Paperback, 288 pages
Published March 13th 2008 by Speak