Hey guys! Back with a Top Ten Tuesday article, it has been a while (I was not super inspired by previous prompts!) but this week’s theme really inspired me: Opening lines! I love a good opening line, that can hook me into a book right away! And looking for which ones I could choose for the challenge, I realize I do have a type of favorite opening lines… I will let you discover it :p Also, I could not choose only 10 opening lines, so you will get 15!
Oh, and if you do not know what TTT is, you can read all about it at That Artsy Reader Girl.
- « Victor readjusted the shovel on his shoulder and stepped gingerly over an old, half-sunken grave » Vicious – VE Schwab. I mean, how not to be intrigued ????
- « People often shit themselves when they die. » Nevernight– Jay Kristoff. What a line to start a book with, very promising…
- « They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. » The Shadows Between us – Tricia Levenseller. I do not need to read more, I am sold!
- « By the time Alex managed to get the blood out of her good wool coat, it was too warm to wear it. » Ninth House – Leigh Bardugo. Another murder-implying first line, all I’m asking for!
- “Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she’d been told that she would kill her true love.” The Raven Boys – Maggie Stiefvater. That sounds like a story like no other, I just wanted to dive in the first time I read it!
- « We must, by law, keep a record of the innocents we kill. » Scythe – Neal Shusterman. That sets the tone for the rest of the book!
- « Later, they would blame what happened on the little wooden horses » Wild Beauty – Anna-Marie Mclemore. This one is lighter on the murderous vibe than the other but one can’t help but imagined what did happen?
- « In a distant and second-hand set of dimensions, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly, the curling star-mists waver and part… » The Color of Magic – Terry Pratchett. It just sounds too crazy, you have to keep reading right?
- « We were all villains in the beginning. » Renegades – Marissa Meyer. I imagine this line said by a storyteller, whispered as old stories take shape in the smoke of a camp fire… and I am hooked!
- « Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well ». Daughter of smoke and bone – Laini Taylor. One of my favorite series, and just rewriting these opening lines gives me chills!
- « I would have lived in peace. But my enemies brought me war. » Red Rising – Pierce Brown. I know, I know, this is actually two sentences, but they need to be together to deliver their full potential! And what a start for a book!
- « Asha lured the dragon with a story. » The Last Namsara – Kristen Ciccarelli. With this first line I’m like « a dragon? ok I’m gonna read that!! And a story with magical powers? Yes please! »
- « Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood. » The Lightning Thief– Rick Riordan. This is the kind of line that becomes stronger after you have read the book for the first time. Now, rereading it, I have all the anticipation of what will come after flowing through me, making it an amazing first line!
- » In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit. » The Hobbit– JRR Tolkien.
I feel that this one is a mythical one, and that it will be in a lot of lists. But because it is so popular, just hearing it brings the memories of the movies and of Middle Earth and I can’t resist it! - « It was night again. The Waystone Inn lay in silence, and it was a silence of three parts. » The Name of the Wind– Patrick Rothfuss. Again, such a storyteller vibe, I can’t resist!
And of course, the best first line of them all, is simply « Once upon a time…« , just a few words, carrying centuries of storytelling!
What about you, what are some of your favorite first lines? What do you think of these? Kind of makes me want to have a notebook to mark them all!
See you for a cup,
Elise
Great list. I like mysteries and thrillers, so some of these lines make me think of those genres. Thanks for sharing.
https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2020/05/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-memorable.html
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Yes haha hense de killer opening lines title ;P
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I love that first line from The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. What a great series. My TTT Opening Lines
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Yesss I love it so much!
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By Killer Opening Lines I didn’t realize at first that you meant it literally!! This is an intriguing list for sure!! Especially fascinated with Daughter of Smoke and Bone!
My TTT: https://notprimadonna.blogspot.com/2020/05/top-ten-tuesday-why-i-love-historical.html
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hehe I found myself smart there lmao Daughter of smoke and bone is one I always recommend!
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I forgot about the first line to Ninth House! I like the first line to The Shadows Between Us. Makes me want to look into reading it.
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Hehe I’m glad!
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The last comment I made was that I should have included a Pratchett opening, but you have done it for me! And now I want to read The Name of the Wind again!
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ahha I’m glad!! And yes it ‘s definitely the kind of book one rereads!
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After reading that line, I definitely need to pick up The Shadows Between Us!
My TTT
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haha you do!
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So many good ones here! I had several of these on my list this week too 🙂
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/top-ten-tuesday-265/
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oo I’m gonna go check them!
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🙂
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I also picked Nevernight and The Hobbit, and considered adding Scythe as well! Seems like we have similar tastes when it comes to opening lines 😀
My TTT: https://www.traversingchapters.com/top-ten-tuesday-opening-lines/
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haha I’m gonna check yours right now!
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Welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday! It’s nice to see you around again. 🙂
Wow, Scythe has a great opening line.
My TTT .
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aww thanks so much Lydia! And right ??
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I’ve seen the NEVERNIGHT quote on a few lists today. It is funny 🙂
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
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haha yeah it’s the kind of quote that really makes me want to keep reading!
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That Raven Boys one is one of my favorites of all time.
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such a great start right!
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I started Ninth House a few weeks ago but wasn’t feeling in the mood to finish it, but that line stuck out at me.
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I feel it’s more like a Fall-ish book haha
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Love the beginning of The Hobbit! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
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It’s a classic haha
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I remember also reading the first line of The Raven Boys and being hooked! I never grow tired of rereading it. ❤
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it’s such a catchy first line!
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