Thursday, June 29, 2017

First Line Friday

***Warning: This week's line is from a book about a journalist who was sexually assaulted while on assignment and her subsequent investigation into the man's life***



Happy Friday all!

It is no secret that I am addicted to books. Seriously addicted. I can not stop wandering the shelves in search of new books, when I already have so many at home. This week has been especially rough, as we have been to one library twice so Eleanor and her BFF could play and we are going to a different library tomorrow for story time. Needless to say, I now have a stack of about 30 books by the couch, when there are already so many that I own on my desk and Kindle. On the other hand, there are worse things to be addicted to, so...

I came across this book in the biography section and the title intrigued me. I had no idea what it was about until I saw the cover. I considered putting it back; it is heavy subject matter and truth be told, once I had a child I could not even watch Law and Order: SVU anymore, so the idea of reading about one woman's real life trauma was almost too much. But then I reconsidered. While I am not a survivor of sexual assault, I know many women who are. I have a daughter who I am raising in this incredibly difficult time when rape-culture and victim-blaming is still the norm. So, with caution I am starting this one tonight after I post the line.

26820815

"I was thirty years old when I left my body for the first time."

Let me know what you think of the line, and/or leave a line of your own. Then, visit my fellow First-Liners to see what they have this week.


Rachel - Bookworm Mama




Lauraine - Lauraine's Notes

Andi - Radiant Light


Robin - Robin's Nest

(Sydney is currently on hiatus but her previous FLF posts will still be available)

Kathleen - Kathleen Denly



Jeanette - CJaneReads

Christina - Moments Dipped in Ink


If you want to join in on First Line Friday, let Carrie know!

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Thursday, June 22, 2017

First Line Friday: David and Goliath Edition



Happy First Line Friday!

In the wake of VBS ending recently, I myself feel so invigorated after a fun but tiring week and am ready to confront some things head-on that need to be taken care of. I found this gem recently at a local Christian bookstore and am ready to get started. It is non-fiction, of course, relying on the David and Goliath narrative to help us conquer our own giants by "fixing our eyes on the size of our God, not the size of our giant(s)".

33099411

"The king ducked his head, shuffled outside his tent, and stared at the far hill that lay just outside his war camp."

I'm sure, given the context, you can guess which king and war camp is being discussed.

Let me know what you think of the line, and/or leave a line of your own. Then, visit my fellow First-Liners to see what they have this week.


If you want to join in on First Line Friday, let Carrie know!

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Thursday, June 8, 2017

First Line Friday: Chuck Klosterman Edition


Happy First Line Friday!

This week my line is from one of my most favorite authors who is not a historian. Shocker, right?? This author very much writes of the here and now...or sports/music/pop culture-related events within the last couple decades or so. Give or take. Really depends on the essay.

Chuck Klosterman is MY. FAVE. I absolutely love his humor and writing style; if you have not read anything by him, I definitely recommend starting now. He has written for SPIN, The A.V. Club, WaPo, GQ, and Grantland, among many others.

My line this week comes from:

16130377

"What is the most villainous move on the market?"

If you are new to Chuck Klosterman, please allow me to make a few recommendations.

599 is by far my most favorite. Start here if you have never read anything else by him. I just lied to you, however, because 597 is actually tied for my most favorite. Both are excellent and I have read them multiple times. 6462010 was Klosterman's first foray into fiction and I loved it. He has another fictional work, 10373933, which I did not like nearly as well. If memory serves (and really, it doesn't. I had a baby almost four years ago and my memory is still shit), I really did not like the main character. I mean, you weren't supposed to, but I REALLY did not like him. I will probably have to revisit this one and see if my memories are correct. 6386555 is another one I do not feel as strongly about. I don't know why, and I probably need to reread it again, too. I really liked 690186 and 24476. I am also currently reading 27068734 and 33353952 in addition to Black Hat.

So, there you go. Several recommendations in one post. Choose one and enjoy. You're welcome.

Let me know what you think of the line, and/or leave a line of your own. Then, visit my fellow First-Liners to see what they have this week.


If you want to join in on First Line Friday, let Carrie know!

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Cover Reveal: Hearts Are Like Balloons

Cover Reveal!

Hearts are Like Balloons 
by Candace Robinson


This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The cover is designed by Jenny Zemanek from Seedlings Online (http://www.seedlingsonline.com/)

Hearts are Like Balloons
By Candace Robinson
Genre: Contemporary
Age category: upper Young Adult
Release Date: June 30, 2017

Blurb:
May Falkner’s past two years have been a rough road. When her father suddenly passes away, May needs to find a job to help out her mom and regain some control over her life. Working at the bookstore helps her heal, laugh, and hope again. It also leads her to cross paths with Nico Evitts, who begins as just a co-worker, but becomes so much more

When it all becomes perfect, because there is no perfect, life steps in to prove once again that it all can crash down harder than before. This is a story about finding yourself, love, and the things in life that are still here.

Hearts are like balloons. Sometimes they inflate… Sometimes they deflate…

You can find Hearts are Like Balloons on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34807723-hearts-are-like-balloons


About the Author:
Candace Robinson is just your average hemiplegic migraine sufferer. Her days are spent writing, book reviewing and traveling through books. She live just outside of Houston, Texas, where it feels like the hottest place on Earth with the crazy weather. No, seriously, one day it's 30 degrees and the next it's 70 degrees! She resides with her husband and daughter.

You can find and contact Candace here:

Thursday, June 1, 2017

First Line Friday: Magna Carta Edition


Happy First Line Friday! It is also my first Friday of freedom, as school and teacher meetings/work days are also DUNZO. I am looking forward to making more progress on my own writing projects, but even more so to having a lot of awesome time with my baby girl. We have very busy summers filled with camps and museums and of course trips to the library.

This week's line is from a book I really like, by an author you may have seen me mention once or twice. 

29236532

If you are either unsure what Magna Carta is or why it actually matters, definitely give this one a read. You might be surprised that what you thought you knew about this document is not entirely accurate. Jones does a fantastic job explaining the true meaning of it; you won't be disappointed.

"Eight hundred years after it was first granted beneath the trees of Runnymeade, by the fertile banks of the river Thames, the Magna Carta is more famous than ever. This is strange."

Just why it is strange is something you will have to find out for yourself!

Let me know what you think of this line, and/or leave a line of your own. Then, visit my fellow First-Liners to see what they have this week.


If you want to join in on First Line Friday, let Carrie know!

Happy Reading!
Sarah