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!
For my fifteenth birthday, my grandfather let me dig my own grave. It was dawn when he woke me. He was standing over my bed with an oil lamp in one hand and a brand-new shovel in the other. I remember how bright its blade was in the darkness. I think he had been awake all night, going at it with his whetstone. ‘Happy Birthday,’ he said. ‘Shall we get started?’
Any ideas?
Goodreads Synopsis:
To the horror of young gravedigger, Ned, body-snatchers have been visiting his churchyard in the dead of night. Until now, he’d been daydreaming about another visitor – daughter of the manor, Obedience Wellrest.
But 16-year-old Obedience has troubles of her own: her loving but overbearing father, and his wish to see her married to a rich man of science, Phineas Mordaunt.
But when Mordaunt starts to poke his nose into her family history – in particular, the ruinous research of late Uncle Herbert – Obedience enters into a dangerous game of Death, and Ned might be the only person who can save her …
Written by Sophie Anderson Illustrated by Melissa Castrillon Published by Usborne Publishing
The Snow Girl is a wondrous adventure which swirls with wintry magic – a story of friendship, of courage and of re-awakening. Utterly mesmerising and guaranteed to find a place in the hearts of young readers who I have no doubt will be completely captivated by this tale, just as I was, and will want to return to it again and again.
Twelve-year-old Tasha and her parents have moved in with her grandpa whose ill-health has made it difficult for him to look after his farm, and loves looking after the animals there. She has always dreamed of seeing snow and is excited when it begins to fall, but she is feeling lonely as a past difficult event in her life has made her close herself off from friendships and adventure.
When she builds a snow girl with her grandpa, whispering her hopes and dreams as she carves, he tells her to make a wish as the first snow holds powerful magic. Wishing for a friend, she is disappointed to wake up the next morning to see that the snow girl has gone … but then she follows some footprints and hears a girl’s laughter – and meets Alyana. Could her wish have come true after all?
So begins a truly enchanting fairytale as the two girls enjoy wonderful moonlit sleigh-driven adventures through an icy, snowy world of forest creatures, ice-caverns in the mountains and frozen lakes. Whilst keeping her magical adventures with her new friend a secret from her family, Tasha spends her days ever so slowly thawing from the fear that has kept her company for so long … but could her new friendship be stopping the arrival of spring and causing hardship and danger for others in her community?
Tasha is a wonderfully sympathetic young girl who has found her way into my heart. A traumatic experience in her past has made her shut herself off from the opportunity to make new friends making her feel trapped and alone, but Alyana helps her relinquish her past pain, face her fears and accept the joy of friendship. Her adventures with Alyana through the wintry, frozen wonderland give her the courage to slowly form other friendships and have the confidence to be part of the wider community, but will she have the strength to let go when all she wants is to hold on to her friendship?
This is a story that is inspired by the Russian fairytale, The Snow Maiden, and I loved the versions of the tale which Grandpa and Mika share with Tasha, honouring the tradition of oral storytelling. But this is very much its own story with its lyrical writing, ethereal-like descriptions embodied with a sense of wonder and awe, hope and loss, joy and sadness.
My proof copy does not have illustrations, but I have seen some of the stunning images from the gorgeous hardback edition which will make a perfect present for young readers of 8+. I have pre-ordered a signed copy for my niece and know that she will adore it! I can just imagine this being a much-loved shared family read in the much-needed quieter moments of the holiday period …
Make reading this stunning adventure, a story of family, love and friendship swirling with winter’s wondrous magic, a new family tradition.
Thank you to Fritha Lindqvist and Usborne for a proof copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Written by Cat Gray Cover Illustration by David Dean Published by Usborne Publishing
The Spirit Snatcher is a spine-tinglingly thrilling, spooky story that completely captivated me: an adventure brimming with friendship, humour, danger and a brilliant cast of supernatural creatures.
12-year-old Pip Rushkin is reluctantly moving to London with his wonderfully eccentric parents, but his new home is not quite what he is was expecting. Arriving in Elbow Alley, he meets a girl in a pub doorway who greets him with a warning to leave as, if he stays, something bad will happen. But what can he do when his parents seem happy in their new home despite its rather neglected appearance?
Awoken by a noise in the middle of the night, Pip notices a mist moving towards him from beneath the door, a mist which is threatening to devour him, but then it disappears through the flat window. Convincing himself that he must be dreaming, he listens to an audiobook and falls asleep.
But, the next morning, his parents are acting strangely and are not at all like themselves. Spooked by their blank expressions, Pip races outside and finds himself at the pub where Fliss, the girl who had warned him to leave, tells him that his parents have fallen victim to the spirit snatcher: a supernatural creature who drains people’s personalities. Pip has until he turns 13 on Halloween to discover the identity of the spirit-snatcher and destroy it in order to save his parents, before time runs out and he too is in danger of being spirit-snatched.
Finding something strangely out-of-place in his new home shouldn’t be too difficult, should it? But, unfortunately for Pip, he is the one who is out-of-place as he and his family have moved into a secret, hidden place that magical beings call home. His neighbours are hags, banshees, werewolves and vampires not to mention a ghost who runs an antique food shop with some majestic mouldy cheese, a harpy with a shrewd business mind and a pair of ghouls with, to put it mildly, unusual dietary tastes.
I absolutely loved this action-packed, exciting adventure as Pip and Fliss, alongside loyal and protective terrier, Splodge, team up to track down the spirit snatcher and uncover their identity before time runs out. There is plenty of peril, lightened with some brilliant moments of humour. I loved following the children’s investigations which leads them into mischief, trouble and danger as they seek the spirit snatcher who always seems to be one step ahead of them. The revelations and twists in this adventure are absolutely fantastic, and they really took me by surprise as I’m sure they will young readers.
Both Pip and Fliss are wonderful characters who form a gorgeous bond of friendship. They are quite different characters with Pip aiming to fit in whilst Fliss is happy to stand out, but both are hiding from their true selves. Fliss is brilliantly feisty and gives Pip the confidence not to give up whilst he proves himself a determined and courageous friend.
The Spirit Snatcher is an exhilarating, perfectly spooky mystery that is sure to captivate readers of 9+.
Thank you so much to Kaleidoscopic Tours for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour, and to Usborne for providing me with a copy of The Spirit Snatcher in exchange for my honest opinion.
Do check out the other stops on this week’s Blog Tour below:
I’m a real Bob Mortimer fan and I couldn’t resist listening to the audiobook of his autobiography which he reads himself. It is absolutely brilliant and kept me great company on a very busy M4 heading to Wales! I’m about half way through and am really looking forward to listening to the rest.
I have now finished listening to the audiobook of The Accidental Stowaway which was a wonderfully action-packed mystery adventure with a feisty main character in Patch. I loved the friendships which develop, and the ending was just perfect! I also read The Midnight Switch, an eerie and very clever mystery with a brilliant twist that I really enjoyed. I have posted my review. Over the weekend, I read the gorgeously magical The Snow Girl. I absolutely loved it, and am hoping to post my review tomorrow. This one will make a wonderful Christmas present for young readers – I have ordered a personalised copy for my niece. And, just wow! What can I say about Impossible Creatures! A book of the year for me – a breath-taking, epic fantasy adventure with such an incredible cast of human and magical characters. I was not prepared for everything that happened – there was shock, tears and wonder. I absolutely cannot wait for the next one in this trilogy.
I’ve still got a couple of days left of my half-term so I’m aiming to read these three books next.
Written by Samuel J. Halpin Illustration by Laura Borio Published by Usborne
The Midnight Switch is an exciting, dark and dangerous mystery where an old legend threatens a new friendship – a perfect spooky, edge-of-the-seat adventure for readers of 9+.
Lewis is moving with his mum and dad to Barrow, the town where his dad grew up in the hope of getting a scholarship to Elksbridge Collegiate School. Gaining the scholarship is not something Lewis is particularly interested in, but it is his father’s dream for him so he goes along with it for his sake. And besides, at least it has taken him away from the large bird that has been tapping on his window just after midnight … until he discovers that Barrow is the home of the East Snoring Rook, and the rook from his old home arrives at his new home – at midnight!
It is not long before Lewis learns about one of the town’s old legends: the Bogwitch of Barrow who had cursed the town with a terrible flood; in commemoration of her defeat, the town hold a ceremony, the Peering of the Goblet, which predicts whether a flood will come which will allow the Bogwitch access to the town again from the marshes where she waits for her revenge. But surely this is only a story, and could have no truth? The rooks which seem to be following him couldn’t really be her spies? And, it must be just a coincidence that the Bogwitch marking seems familiar to him?
Just as Lewis discovers a puzzle to be solved in his new home, another mystery arrives in the form of his father’s best friend’s daughter, Moira who unexpectedly knocks on the door at midnight. Although Lewis has not seen her for a while, she seems different to what he can remember. Following some startling revelations and discoveries, the two friends realise that they are in dreadful danger, and so begins their mission to break a curse, but can they do so before time runs out?
Oh wow! This is a deliciously dark and spooky adventure that kept me utterly gripped throughout. The sense of danger and feeling of time running out as Lewis and Moira race to solve the mystery is brilliantly portrayed. I loved the slow revelation of the terrible truth behind the legend; the children’s clever unravelling of the secrets and clues held by the town; and, the slightly unsettling feeling of never quite knowing who was friend and who foe. I also really enjoyed how the seemingly innocuous references in earlier parts of the story are pieced together as the plot unfolds which made this such an intriguing and satisfying mystery. And I just have to mention the title and time – I won’t say any more, but utterly brilliant!
I loved the firm friendship that develops between Lewis and Moira, who have both been pulled to Barrow, as they work together to fight against the danger that threatens them. They show ingenuity, determination and courage when facing danger and unknown foes. I also have to say that I really liked unexpected hero, train-loving Hereward!
This is a real page-turner where young readers may well be kept reading beyond midnight, but remember to check what’s tapping on the window!
Thank you to Usborne for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Sally in the City of Dreams is a wonderfully charming and exciting historical adventure with friendship and family at its heart. I have no doubt that young readers will enjoy getting to know Sally and her friends as they travel from early 1900s Ireland to New York, the City of Dreams, to start a new life.
Sally and her sister Bridget are leaving their family’s small Irish farm to sail across the ocean to live with their cousin Catherine in New York. They hope to start a new life there, where there are more opportunities than at home. They arrive in America with a new friend, Julia, who they meet on the crossing.
The welcome they receive from their cousin is not quite what the sisters expected, but they are determined to make the most of their new life and are excited to explore what New York has to offer. The three girls have an incredibly close bond, a bond that is much needed when an unfair accusation jeopardises their new life.
I absolutely loved this historical adventure which gives a thought-provoking insight into Irish emigration, the struggles and excitement of starting a new life, and the discrimination faced by Irish people in America. This is a story about the bonds of friendship and the ties of family. It is a story of the kindness of strangers, of sisterhood and standing up to, and for, others. There is a wonderful warmth and endearing quality to the narrative that drew me completely into the story, eager to explore this fascinating and exciting new place with the three friends as they face both challenges and successes.
The connections kept with family left behind in Ireland through letters were incredibly moving. I left Ireland over twenty years ago, but it will always be home, and I really felt the ache of missing home when reading the letters. It’s the little things, like a turn of phrase, or news from home through letters, that really spoke to me, and made me feel a closeness to my Irish roots.
Sally, Bridget and Julia are incredibly likeable characters which really made me root for all three as they faced different challenges in their new lives. Bridget’s fiery nature sees her speaking her mind, and sometimes speaking without thinking about the consequences; she has an innate sense of fairness and is a loyal friend. Sally has a more calm, quiet temperament, but has an inner courage and strength which stands her in good stead when it is sorely needed. The girls have a strong bond of friendship and are there for each other to offer support, encouragement and hope.
A heart-warming, exciting historical adventure with strong friendships, sure to be adored by young readers of 9+.
Author Info
JUDI CURTIN is one of Ireland’s favourite children’s writers. She is the best-selling author of the Alice and Megan and Eva series, Time After Time, Stand By Me, You’ve Got A Friend and the Lily at Lissadell series. Judi won an Irish Book Award for Stand By Me, and she was shortlisted for an Irish Book Award for both Lily at Lissadell and Lily’s Dream. Her books have been published in German, Portuguese, Spanish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Serbian, Welsh, Czech and Turkish, and in Australia and New Zealand. Judi grew up in Cork and lives in Limerick.
Thank you so much to TheO’Brien Press for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour, and for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:
Written by Judi Curtin Cover by Rachel Corcoran Published by The O’Brien Press
I’m listening to The Accidental Stowaway which is a wonderful adventure with a brilliantly feisty main character, Patch, who finds herself aboard a steamship headed for New York. I’m loving the mystery and danger as she tries to help her new friend who has secrets of her own.
I finished listening to Read, Scream, Repeat which is a brilliant collection of genuinely scary stories – perfect for spooky season! I also read a wonderful historical adventure, Sally in the City of Dream. I will be posting my review at the start of next week. I was sent The Final Year as part of a book subscription. Wow! This is an incredibly powerful, heartfelt book that will make a brilliant read for Year 6. I absolutely could not put it down. I’ve given it to one of my colleagues to read.
I’m off for half-term next week, so I’m hoping to read The Midnight Switch and The Snow Girl.
Written by Christine Aziz Cover & Illustrations by Ewa Beniak-Haremska Published by Everything with Words
The Kingdom of Broken Magic is a spectacularly surreal and brilliantly bizarre adventure that completely captured me in its unique magic. I was swept into a highly imaginative, wonderfully strange world where nothing is ever as it seems – and I absolutely loved it!
Maggie and Josh live in a dreadful place: Scribbens’ Home for Very Wayward Children. Left there as babies, they have become inseparable, the only family each has. Whilst Josh works in the Home, Maggie has proved herself a master pickpocket, so is sent out to increase the cruel and unscrupulous Miss Scribbens’ wealth. Both children long to escape from the clutches of Miss Scribbens and her loyal spy, the crow, Carry-On; however, all their attempts have proven unsuccessful, and they are caught and returned to face punishment.
That is, until the day Maggie almost gets caught stealing, and finds herself pulled to safety by Madam Lulu, a trapeze artiste in Mrs Gumbo’s Flying Circus. Although Maggie wants to return for Josh, she makes do with sending him a letter, and begins a new life in the circus …
She soon discovers that her new life may not quite be the sanctuary she had hoped for. Whilst forming bonds with the strange and wonderful animal and human performers, she discovers that some have gone missing in strange circumstances. Could she be in danger of disappearing too? Maggie is determined to solve the mystery, and begins her investigations …
Meanwhile, Josh is not prepared to lose his best friend and only family, and sets out to find Maggie. But, will he find her before the evil mastermind behind the world’s broken magic strikes yet again? Will these two daring children be reunited in their efforts to defeat a power-hungry villain? Can they fix the world’s broken magic, and return those who have disappeared?
Oh my goodness! This is just brilliant, and like nothing I’ve ever read before! I loved the peculiar circus with its vegetarian, party-loving tigers and keen-knitter elephant not to mention the wonderful Madam Lulu who takes Maggie into her care, believes in her, and helps her discover a dazzling talent. I loved the twists and turns, the danger and intrigue and the unexpected revelations as I got closer and closer to discovering the villain. There is both darkness and light, humour and sadness and moments of surrealness that make this an exceptional read. I don’t want to say too much about the Kingdom of Broken Magic itself except that it is a dark, strangely curious, imaginative feast with surprises galore – superb!
A truly magical, mesmerising adventure: a story of finding family, friendship and a place to belong whilst fighting against the darkness brought by those whose greed and thirst for power corrupts and seeks to control.
The partial-and-full-page illustrations are just stunning – dark, intricate, expressive wonder-pieces that capture the atmosphere of the story perfectly.
An unmissable read to captivate young readers of 9+ as they join a curious circus and meet its strange and wonderful performers.
Thank you so much to Mikka at Everything With Words for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Written by Chris Bradford Illustrated by Charlotte Grange Published by Barrington Stoke
Lunar is an exciting space adventure where a young explorer finds herself in a race for survival … absolutely gripping from the action-packed opening to the hope-filled ending.
Luna enjoys living on the moon where she helps her father – who is a Moon Miner – collect mineral and rock samples. But, when a catastrophic meteor strikes their base, Luna is left alone, stranded on the moon. Not only must she find a way to survive in this harsh environment, but she has to find a way to communicate that she is alive in the hope that she will be rescued. With only enough oxygen and supplies for a few days, time is quickly running out … and any hope of rescue is 400,000km away!
This is fast-paced, thrilling adventure that kept me completely captivated throughout. I was in awe of Luna’s courage in such a perilous situation and her creativity in overcoming seemingly insurmountable difficulties. There is a real sense of danger and isolation coupled with an awareness of the awesomeness of the environment. I really enjoyed the factual information as well as references to previous explorations.
Luna is a wonderful young girl who shows remarkable resilience and tenacity in extremely challenging circumstances. She never gives up and uses her knowledge of physics and engineering to solve the problems she faces. Her fortitude, strength and resourcefulness really shine through as she fights for her survival, and the hope of being reunited with her father.
There are stunning full-and-partial-page illustrations throughout which depict Luna’s changing emotions and isolation perfectly.
A gripping, fascinating and heartfelt adventure for readers of 9+.
This book is published by the wonderful Barrington Stoke who publish dyslexia-friendly, super-readable and accessible books for children of all ages.
Thank you to Barrington Stoke for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Written by Carolyn Ward Illustrated by Beatriz Castro
Bella Bright and the Ghost Game is a deliciously dark and spooky delight that completely captured me, and is one that I cannot recommend highly enough to young fans of horror who are guaranteed just the right amount of shivers and frights as they join Bella and her friends in Darkling Manor.
Eleven-year-old Bella Bright has moved into Darkling Manor – a dilapidated, dust-ridden house – with her Mum who renovates old properties before moving on to her next project. This means yet another school for Bella, and it is not long before she draws the attention of two mean girls, Skylar and Regan. They invite themselves to a Halloween sleepover at Darkling Manor, and Bella can’t think of a reason to refuse them, especially as her Mum will be away. Luckily, she has made a new friend, Lex, who offers to come along too.
When the girls arrive for the sleepover, Skylar suggests a game of hide and seek, but someone else wants to play too, and she is playing a terrifying game. Will the 150-year-old ghost of a young girl trap the friends in the house, or can they solve her cryptic clues and escape before time runs out? What will it take to win this perilous game?
This is the most fantastically spine-tingling, spooky treat that kept me on the edge of my seat and desperately turning pages to discover the house’s secrets. The sense of foreboding and tension builds superbly – whispers, unexpected noises, locked doors and something else that I won’t mention but, oh my goodness, shivers definitely raced down my spine – every time! The eerie, scary atmosphere in the house is portrayed to perfection, and there were times I genuinely gasped aloud at unexpected happenings and sights.
Bella is a wonderfully sympathetic young girl who has found it difficult to make friends as she has had to move schools so many times due to her mother’s job. She has a close relationship with her mother, and enjoys helping her with her renovations, but there is a definite sense that she would like to settle and find a place to call home. I love that she quickly finds friendship with Lex, and really enjoyed their shared sense of humour. I enjoyed the changing dynamics in the girls’ relationships as the terrifying situation they find themselves in worsens.
The full-and-partial-page illustrations throughout are stunning and provide a wonderful complement to both the friendships and spookiness of this adventure.
A fantastic spooky season ghostly adventure which is sure to delight young readers of 9+, and why not enjoy snuggled up with some gingerdead men biscuits?
Thank you to Hachette for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour and for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Book Craic 