It’s the first month of the year, and I was thinking, what better time for a post about the first lines of books? So that’s what I’m doing!

It’s getting hard to keep track and not repeat books when I’ve done this so many times. You’d think it wouldn’t be that hard, considering I’ve must’ve read at least a thousand books within the past ten years, and I’ve only used 60 so far for this, but my brain keeps jumping to the same ones lol. So I went with books I’ve read recently this time.

Anyway, I’m low on energy, so I won’t be adding individual links, but here is my affiliate link to Amazon you can use if you’re interested in buying one of these. It would help me out, at no extra cost to you!

Secondhand Skin by Hailey Turner

The end of May in New York City came with a burgeoning heat that Wade Espinoza never really noticed.

The Usual Apocalypse by Christine Price

[ My Review ]

Strangers crowded the house—men with badges, men with cameras, all with the same mutable looks on their faces that switched back and forth between horror and pity.

Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews

[ My Review ]

It hadn’t hurt, the day he had cut out his own heart.

Now, Conjurers by Freddie Kolsch

[ My Review ]

Bastion’s corpse was found in the thin woods at the edge of Stepwood Cemetery, covered in bite marks, by the biggest dickbag at Regional No. 9 high school.

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

[ My Review ]

My father always says: ‘You can’t run from your responsibilities,’ but he lacks imagination.

A Market of Dreams and Destiny by Trip Galey

[ My Review ]

Deri hummed to himself as he dodged through the crowd, an old scrap of rhyme dredged up from a memory so many times bought and sold it was all but worn through.

Cursed Cocktails by S.L. Rowland

[ My Review ]

Thick snowflakes drifted through the air, concealing the sprawling wilderness of the frozen north.

Til Death Do Us Bard by Rose Black

For the fourth time today, Logan regretted leaving his axe at home.

The Diablo’s Curse by Gabe Cole Novoa

[ My Review ]

Once upon a time, a beautiful woman with hair like spilled ink entered her local taberna and sat next to el Diablo.

Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland

[ My Review ]

As soon as he saw that ship come over the horizon, Avra Helvaci said, “Eeee,” scurried to his tiny cabin so he would be safely out from underfoot, shut the door, sat on the bunk with his little rucksack clasped in his lap, and began to silently compose and rehearse the apology he would imminently need to present, if only to keep himself from being shoved overboard and left for dead.

I’ll admit, a few of these are not that exciting, but that’s ok! First lines don’t have to be, and some of the least exciting ones here are favorite books of mine. Now, Conjurers and Voyage of the Damned do a great job of setting up the main character’s voice and sort of the tone of the book. Actually, A Market of Dreams and Destiny, Til Death Do Us Bard, and Running Close to the Wind also set up the tone well. The first immediately drops you into this world where things like memories can be bought and sold. The others show something of the character’s personality. Quite a few of these let you know the book isn’t going to be too serious, there will at least be some humor. But, you know, I think in many ways the core of who I am has not changed in the past 20 years, because I feel like the opening line of Don’t Let the Forest In is exactly the sort of thing that would’ve pulled me in as a 13-year-old, and it still pulls me in now lol. I do love that sort of poetically dramatic and angsty opening.

More Opening Lines Posts

Bookish Musings: Opening Lines
Bookish Musings: Opening Lines (2)
Bookish Musings: Opening Lines (3)
Bookish Musings: Opening Lines (4)
Bookish Musings: Opening Lines (5)
Bookish Musings: Opening Lines (6) – The Quiz Version!
Bookish Musings: Opening Lines (7)