Book Beginnings on Fridays - The Enemy by Charlie Higson

Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted by Rose City Reader and as she says the idea of this meme is for you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name. There's a linky list on the website and you can use #BookBeginnings on Twitter.

 

I know it isn't Friday at the time of posting this but I didn't start reading The Enemy until yesterday. I loved the beginning, how can you read these first few sentences and not want to continue?

 

Small Sam was playing in the car park behind Waitrose when the grown-ups took him. He'd been with some of the little kids, having a battle with an odd assortment of action figures, when it happened. They weren't supposed to play outside without a guard, but it was alovely sunny day and the little kids got bored indoors.

 

 

 

Book Description

 

When the sickness came, every parent, police officer, politician - every adult fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry.

Only children under fourteen remain, and they're fighting to survive.

Now there are rumours of a safe place to hide. And so a gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city - down alleyways, in deserted houses, underground - the grown-ups lie in wait.

But can they make it there - alive?

 

 

Book Beginnings On Fridays - Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller

Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted by Rose City Reader and as she says the idea of this meme is for you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name. There's a linky list on the website and you can use #BookBeginnings on Twitter.

 

My book beginning is Our Endless Numbered Days which is the debut novel by Claire Fuller.

 

This morning I found a black and white photograph of my father at the back of the bureau drawer. He didn't look like a liar. My mother, Ute, had removed the other pictures of him from the albums she kept on the bottom shelf of the bookcase, and shuffled around all the remaining family and baby snapshots to fill in the gaps.

 

  

 

Book Description

1976: Peggy Hillcoat is eight. She spends her summer camping with her father, playing her beloved record of The Railway Children and listening to her mother's grand piano, but her pretty life is about to change.

Her survivalist father, who has been stockpiling provisions for the end which is surely coming soon, takes her from London to a cabin in a remote European forest. There he tells Peggy the rest of the world has disappeared. And so her life is reduced to a piano which makes music but no sound, a forest where all that grows is a means of survival. And a tiny wooden hut that is Everything.

Peggy is not seen again for another nine years.

1985: Peggy has returned to the family home. But what happened to her in the forest? And why has she come back now? 

Book Beginnings On Fridays - The Doll's House by M.J. Arlidge

Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted by Rose City Reader and as she says the idea of this meme is for you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name. There's a linky list on the website and you can use #BookBeginnings on Twitter.

 

My book beginning is The Doll's House by M.J. Arlidge, the third novel in the Helen Grace series.

 

Ruby tossed fitfully in her bed after a disturbed night's sleep. She seemed to have been in and out of consciousness for hours - not fully awake, but not truly asleep either. Wild anxiety dreams collided uneasily with the odd sensation of her mother carrying her to bed. That had felt nice but impossible of course. Ruby lived alone and it had been fifteen years or more since her parents had had to do that. 

 

 

 

Book Description

 A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.

Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.

For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.

And as Helen struggles to understand the killer's motivation, she begins to realize that she's in a desperate race against time . . . 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme run by Book Journey and you can mention books you've just finished, are currently reading and any you plan to read this week. You can leave a link to your blog and read other bloggers posts.

 

This week I finished Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. It was an easier read than I was expecting but I still enjoyed it, especially the chapters that were set in the past.

I'm now reading The Mall by S.L Grey which is a horror novel that was recommended to me by my husband. 

   

Book Beginnngs on Fridays - Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted by Rose City Reader and as she says the idea of this meme is for you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name. There's a linky list on the website and you can use #BookBeginnings on Twitter.

 

 

I've just finished this and it was a lighter, easier read than I was expecting. I enjoyed the chapters set in the past more than the ones in the present day.

 

Book Beginning:

 

I believe in ghosts. They're the ones who haunt us, the ones who have left us behind. Many times in my life I have felt them around me, observing, witnessing, when no one in the living world knew or cared what happened. 

 

 

Book Description

 

 Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to “aging out” out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvie and worse...
As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.
Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life – answers that will ultimately free them both.

Village Candles

A few weeks ago Village Candle kindly sent me some of their products to review. I love scented candles, I'm a big fan of Kringle and Yankee so was looking forward to trying these.

I got a small jar (11 fl oz) of Violet Blossom with a burn time of up to 55 hours.The scent is described as containing violet, iris, rose, heliotrope and musk. I'm not usually a huge fan of flower scents but liked this as it's not too overpowering. Also as the smaller size is a wide candle (unlike other makes) you still get a good scent throw.

 

The Rendezvous medium jar (16 fl oz) I received lasts for up to 105 hours. This contains cedar, grapefruit, orange and musk. Although more of a masculine scent there was enough of a hint of the fruit scents coming through for me.    

 

The large jar (26 fl oz) was Raspberry Rose Tea (raspberry, herbs, tea and musk) and this size jar has a maximum huge burn time of 170 hours. Out of the three this was my favourite, I could definitely smell the raspberry and tea scents.

 

What I especially like about these premium jar candles is that they all have 2 wicks, this means a more even clean burn. You get an excellent wax pool very quickly, thankfully no tunnelling issues with these.

I've been very impressed with the quality of Village Candles, I have already bought myself a Frozen Margarita one and shall treat myself to more in the future.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

 

Miss Hayes has a new theory. She thinks I'm not really scared of Them. 

 

P86 - Alice and the Fly by James Rice