First Line Friday #131

  

First Line Friday is hosted once again by Carrie at Reading is my Superpower. You can visit HERE to go directly to the FLF page of her blog.

Playing along is easy: open the book nearest you and share the first line. Then check out the link to see the other first lines posted this week.

Bluff River, Wisconsin
August 1928

Life was not unlike the wisp of fog that curled around the base of a grave marker, softly caressing the marble before dissolving into the violet shadows of the night.

Because of Cindy (@Cindy's Book Corner). I found The Souls of Lost Lake and LOVED it. So I naturally did what any normal person does and immediately checked out every single other book by the same author and have been devouring them rapidly. There will be several more First Lines to come from this author in the next several weeks!

Leave a comment and let me know what you think, and leave a link to your FLF so I can stop by to see what you've posted this week.

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Stacking the Shelves #198

             

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Reality. It is a chance to showcase all the goodies you've collected throughout the week, whether they're bought on-line or in-store, an ARC or a final copy, borrowed from a friend or the library, physical or digital, etc.

Library Treasures

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Speechless, Yet Not Surprised At All

A pretty horrific yet accurate portrait of the US at the moment.

This issue is not up for debate. Everyone is entitled to their own personal feelings about the topic of abortion. What you are not entitled to is to make that decision for someone else and I will not entertain any discussion otherwise.

NetGalley ARC | Helltown: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer on Cape Cod

 

I received a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐

I really tried with this one because Costa's victims deserve to have their stories told. But the alternating chapters with Vonnegut/Mailer were not necessary and added nothing to the story, though then I suppose the book would have been much shorter. I skimmed those chapters because I did not find them interesting or valuable to the real story. I also find it difficult to believe massive re-created conversations and don't believe they belong in a non-fiction text unless the original conversation was recorded word-for-word. A few lines of dialogue, sure. But long conversation? Nope. If the book is marketed as non-fiction, then it should BE non-fiction. There is even an author's note where he states he took some fictional liberties with the story, which is not cool at all and that should have been at the beginning of the text. I was incredibly disappointed in this one, it was a jumbled mess, and I could not finish it despite several attempts. There are better books on the subject, and I do not recommend this one at all.

First Line Friday #130

 

First Line Friday is hosted once again by Carrie at Reading is my Superpower. You can visit HERE to go directly to the FLF page of her blog.

Playing along is easy: open the book nearest you and share the first line. Then check out the link to see the other first lines posted this week.

Pleasant Valley
Northwoods of Wisconsin, 1908

Melancholy was a condition of the spirit and the soul, but also of the mind.

Because of Cindy (@Cindy's Book Corner). I found The Souls of Lost Lake and LOVED it. So I naturally did what any normal person does and immediately checked out every single other book by the same author and have been devouring them rapidly. There will be several more First Lines to come from this author in the next several weeks!

Leave a comment and let me know what you think, and leave a link to your FLF so I can stop by to see what you've posted this week.

Happy Reading!

Sarah 

Tackling the TBR Weeks 23 and 24: June 8 - June 21, 2022

     

I am now in year FOUR of Tackling the TBR. Slowly but surely I have made big strides in getting my TBR under control. When I first started in 2019, that list was topping out at over 5,000 books. I don't know that I will ever get below 500, but a #BookDragon can dream!

I will be posting on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and the last day of the month. Feel free to join in if you'd like!

Previous Week's TBR Total: 2,428

Currently Reading

Books Added to TBR: 0

Books Removed from TBR: 0

Books Reads

Books DNF-ed: 0

Duplicates Removed: 0

New TBR Total: 2,428

So yeah, no movement AGAIN. But I was getting dangerously close to not being 'X books ahead' on my Goodreads challenge for the year and I like to be ahead, so I can spend time getting some reviews up while Eleanor has to be at her father's house. Hence, the Gossip Girls books, which I LOVE and will never apologize for. I had not read the Carlyles and it ended up being fine, but was just kind of the same thing all over again but with new characters. Not surprised the series only lasted four books. GG Psycho Killer though, was HILARIOUS. I can appreciate an author's sense of humor when they can kind of spoof their own series and then add in a ridiculous amount of murder, just for fun. It cracked me up.

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Excuse Me While I Brag...

Isn't it so pretty? And it is ALL MINE!

A couple days ago on his Facebook page Dan Jones posted that Essex Dogs was available on NetGalley.

I thought, "FINALLY!" and went to request it.

Silly me, it is on the UK site but not the US one.

I told Dan this on the post in a reply to his post...

...And now I have a digital copy of my very own!

(I did already pre-order it anyway, but I am not patient and want to read it NOW.)

I know you're thinking, "But Sarah! It's HISTORICAL FICTION! You HATE that nonsense!"

That's true.

However, I heart Dan Jones more, and I trust that he will be as authentic in his portrayal of these lives and events as he is thorough in his research and writing of his non-fiction texts.

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Stacking the Shelves #197

            

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Reality. It is a chance to showcase all the goodies you've collected throughout the week, whether they're bought on-line or in-store, an ARC or a final copy, borrowed from a friend or the library, physical or digital, etc.

Author Gift

(EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!)

NetGalley ARC

Borrowed from a Friend

Library Treasures

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Comment Publishing Issues?

 Is anyone else having problems commenting on Blogger? I have been trying to catch up with comments from last week and this week, but when I try to respond to comments on my post the comment never publishes. I have also encountered the issue when I attempt to comment on others' Blogger blogs. Just trying to figure out if it is site-wide or something me-specific. On the other hand, if everyone is having trouble, then no one can comment here, so...

Anyway, just a heads-up to everyone on Blogger, I am not ignoring you. I am trying to reply and visit, so hopefully this gets sorted soon!

First Line Friday #129

 

First Line Friday is hosted once again by Carrie at Reading is my Superpower. You can visit HERE to go directly to the FLF page of her blog.

Playing along is easy: open the book nearest you and share the first line. Then check out the link to see the other first lines posted this week.

Gossamer Grove, Wisconsin
1907

Libby Sheffield had never stopped to wonder what she would take specific note of if she ever stumbled upon a dead body.

Because of Cindy (@Cindy's Book Corner). I found The Souls of Lost Lake and LOVED it. So I naturally did what any normal person does and immediately checked out every single other book by the same author and have been devouring them rapidly. There will be several more First Lines to come from this author in the next several weeks!

Leave a comment and let me know what you think, and leave a link to your FLF so I can stop by to see what you've posted this week.

Happy Reading!
Sarah

Stacking the Shelves #196

           

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Reality. It is a chance to showcase all the goodies you've collected throughout the week, whether they're bought on-line or in-store, an ARC or a final copy, borrowed from a friend or the library, physical or digital, etc.

NetGalley ARC

Library Treasures

Happy Reading!
Sarah