Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Back by special request!

This thread is to mark your completion of the January challenge for the prompt: a book with a great first line. You can join the group read or read a book of your choice.

Please include the following:

Title:
Author:
What was the first line?
Would you recommend?
Have you read this author before?

No other posts on this thread please.

Title: A Christmas Carol
Author: Charles Dickens

What was the first line? Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.

Would you recommend? Yes, definitely! How had I never read the book before? All of those great lines in all of the movies are in the book, and the book has a more serious tone - much more of a spooky story. Great Foreword and Introduction which gave me much more of a sense of how Dickens was trying to save the traditions of Christmas in a hyper-industrial England.

Have you read this author before? Yes - David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities. Not since high school, so I appreciated his descriptive style much more now.

Title: Get a Life, Chloe Brown
Author: Talia Hibbert

What was the first line? Once upon a time Chloe Brown died.

Would you recommend? yes, it touch upon some serious issues but also had a light feel to it. Quick and easy read

Have you read this author before? Nope

Title: The Catcher in the Rye

Author: J.D. Salinger

What was the first line? If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.

Would you recommend? No

Have you read this author before? No

Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
First line: I'm pretty much fucked. That's my considered opinion. Fucked.
Recommend: Yes. I did not see the movie but knew Matt Damon played the lead so kept seeing him when I read the story. I loved the MacGyver feel.
Read from this author before: No

Title: All Systems Red
Author: Martha Wells

What was the first line?
"I could have become a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites."

Would you recommend?
Definitely! Murderbot was so snarky and relatable. It's a rather short read too.

Have you read this author before?
No I haven't but I'm definitely finishing this series! (The book is self-contained though)

Title: Strange the Dreamer

Author: Laini Taylor

What was the first line? On the second Sabbat of Twelfthmoon, in the city of Weep, a girl fell from the sky.

Would you recommend? Yes

Have you read this author before? No, but i plan on reading the sequel

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Title: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Author: Daniel James Brown

What was the first line? "This book was born on a cold, drizzly, late spring day when I clambered over the split-rail cedar fence that surrounds my pasture and made my way through wet woods to the modest frame house where Joe Rantz lay dying."

Would you recommend? Yes

Have you read this author before? No. But I will be reading more of his books now.

Debra wrote: ".
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Title: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Author: Daniel James Brown

What was the first line? "This..."

This is a good book!

Title: No Exit
Author: Taylor Adams
What was the first line? "Screw You, Bing Crosby."
Would you recommend? YES- to anyone and everyone that will listen.
Have you read this author before? No.

Title: Beartown
Author: Fredrik Backman
What was the first line? Late one evening toward the end of March, a teenager picked up a double-barrelled shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else's forehead and pulled the trigger.
Would you recommend? Yes!! Twist and turns, small town drama.
Have you read this author before? No this was my Backman book.

Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
What was the first line? I'm pretty much fucked. That's my considered opinion. Fucked.
Would you recommend? Yes! I am not a huge fan of science-fiction but loved this book!
Have you read this author before? No, but I am definitely interested in reading more now.

Title: The Elizas
Author: Sara Shepard
What was the first line? "I am screaming as I wake up."
Would you recommend? Not really, I found it very predictable.
Have you read this author before? No

Title An Easy Death
Author Charlaine Harris
First line In the morning I got Christie to cut off all my hair.

Would I absolutely recommend this book. I wasn’t sure whole reading the first two chapters time line etc but next thing I knew I was more than half way through. I have read many books by this author and will continue to read her offerings I purchased the second one before I had finished this one.

On to a new read.

Karin wrote: "Debra wrote: ".
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Title: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

.. This is a good book! "

It took me by surprise. I did not know I was going to love it.

Title: Twisted Twenty-Six
Author: Janet Evanovich
What was the first line? "Some men enter a woman's life and screw it up forever."
Would you recommend? Definitely!
I read it on January 5--5/5 stars!
Have you read this author before?
I have read 25 Stephanie Plum novels leading up to this one and will continue reading them as long as she publishes them! :)

Mindless escapism at its best for me!

Title: Rebecca
Author: Daphne du Maurier
What was the first line? "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."
Would you recommend? Yes! This is one of those classics that I somehow missed reading. I can't believe I didn't seek it out after I watched the Hitchcock film adaptation, but am happy to have filled that void in my classics reading life.
Have you read this author before? Yes. I previously read My Cousin Rachel and look forward to reading other works by this author in the future.

Title: Salvaged
Author: Madeleine Roux
What was the first line? "Rosalyn had endured disappointing birthdays before, but never one in ankle-deep corpse sludge."
Would you recommend? If you're into sci-fi/space books, I guess. This is not a genre that I read a ton but sometimes I find books that I really love in it; unfortunately this wasn't one of them for me. I think the pacing was a bit off but I think a different reader would still really enjoy it.
Have you read this author before? Nope this was the first book of hers that I read.

Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
What was the first line? I'm pretty much fucked.
Would you recommend? Yes, the novel does a good job keeping the reader engaged with Mark's trials and tribulations.
Have you read this author before? No I have not. Might look for others by them though.

Title: The Guest Book

Author: Sarah Blake

What was the first line? 'It's the usual story." the man at the tiller reflected, regarding the beautiful derelict on the hill.

Would you recommend? First few chapter I would have said no, but I kept reading and didnt want it to end! So yes I would, stick with it, its a really good story.

Have you read this author before? Nope

Title: Red Sister

Author: Mark Lawrence

What was the first line?: It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.

Would you recommend? Yes, pulled me in from the first line. But only for those that like fantasy and don't mind a bit of gore.

Have you read this author before? No

Title: Red Sister

Author: Mark Lawrence

What was the first line? "It is important when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size."

Would you recommend? Yes. It took a bit to get into the story but once it picked up it had an interesting storyline and the characters were well developed.

Have you read this author before? No

Title: Red Sister
Author: Mark Lawrence

What was the first line? "It is important when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size."

Would you recommend? I would have to seriously consider the type of reader I would recommend this to. I enjoyed the story, it was a bit long for me. I really like how it all tied back in at the end. BUT its more for someone that enjoys fantasy.

Have you read this author before? No

I had Rebecca and/or Fahrenheit 451 slotted for this prompt but went with the one voted on. I'll still be reading both and see where I can fit them in elsewhere.

Title: Rebecca
Author: Daphne Du Maurier
What was the first line? “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”
Would you recommend? I put off reading this book for years because it's one of my mum's favourites, but usually I don't like books she recommends to me! However I was pleasantly surprised by this one; the writing was beautiful with vivid descriptions and multidimensional characters.
Have you read this author before? No, but I already own Jamaica Inn and haven't got round to it yet, but having enjoyed Rebecca I'll definitely read it soon.

Title: The Snow Child
Author: Eowyn Ivey
What was the first line? "Mabel had known there would be silence."
Would you recommend? Absolutely, particularly for those who enjoy magical realism/fairy tale retellings/stories about new frontiers.
Have you read this author before? Nope!

Title: The Wild Girl
Author: Kate Forsyth
What was the first line? "Wild by name and wild by nature," Dortchen's father used to say of her.
Would you recommend? Absolutely! I rated it 5 stars.
Have you read this author before? Yes, I read Bitter Greens last year. I like this book even more.

Book Atomic Habits

Author: James Clear

First line: ON THE FINAL day of my sophomore year of high school, I was hit in the face with a baseball bat.

Have you read this author before? no

Would you recommend: I listed to the audio book of it and found it dry and boring. Thinking maybe having the physical book to highlight things might have been better. Did have some great ideas

Book: Half a Life

Author: Darin Strauss

First line: Half my life ago, I killed a girl.

Would I recommend: yes. This is a true story of trauma and PTSD and the problems that arrise from an accidental death; a car versus a bike. The author shares how that faithful day had affected his entire life after the accident.. the book may not be for everyone though.

Have I read the author before: no

Half a Life: A Memoir

Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
First Line: I'm pretty much fucked.
Would you recommend: Yes, I really enjoyed it.
Have you read anything else by this author: No, but after looking I realized I have another one of his books already on my tbr list.

Title: Fairest

Author: Marissa Meyer

What was the first line? She was lying on a burning pyre, hot coals beneath her back.

Would you recommend? Yes - a great addition to The Lunar Chronicles but also could be read as a stand-alone.

Have you read this author before? Yes, I've read three other books in The Lunar Chronicles.

Title: Little Fires Everywhere

Author: Celeste Ng

What was the first line? "Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down."

Would you recommend? Sure

Have you read this author before? No, first time.

I should have posted this a while back, as I finished the prompt on 11/02. Ho hum.

Title: The Gift of Rain
Author: Tan Twan Eng

What was the first line?
"I was born with the gift of rain, an ancient soothsayer in an even more ancient temple once told me."

Would you recommend? Yes, for people who like WWII-based historical fiction, or Japanese cultural fiction.

Have you read this author before? Yes. I read his other book, The Garden of Evening Mists, about eighteen months ago, which is why I picked this up. Similar themes, but of the two, I preferred Evening Mists.

Title: Red Sister

Author: Mark Lawrence

What was the first line?: It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.

Would you recommend? Sure! I am not much of a fantasy reader and I wasn't looking forward to this one, but I surprised myself and really enjoyed this book. I'm planning to read the other two books in the trilogy.

Have you read this author before? No. I had never even heard of him (or this book) before it was selected for this month's challenge.

Title: Rebecca
Author: Daphne du Maurier

What was the first line? Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.
Would you recommend? Yes! People kept saying it was good and they were right! It took me about 50 pages to get into the story and like how it was written. Once I got used to it, it was awesome.
Have you read this author before? It was my first Daphne du Maurier, but I can't wait to read her other novels. I'm waiting on a copy of Jamaica Inn.

Title: A Curse So Dark and Lonely
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
What was the first line? I read this awhile back and have forgotten what it was. Also too lazy to look it up.
Would you recommend? Yes. I did not expect to like the book and it surprised me.
Have you read this author before? Nope. Got this book so I could read the sequel with my book club.

Title: The Walled City
Author: Ryan Graudin

What was the first line? "There are three rules of survival in the Walled City: Run fast. Trust no one. Always carry your knife."

Would you recommend? Yeah, if you're into gritty fast-paced historical YA. The setting was my favorite part: It takes place in the 1980s in a fictionalized version of Kowloon Walled City, a lawless Hong Kong slum that was basically ruled by organized crime syndicates.

Have you read this author before? Yep. I've read Wolf by Wolf, which is about a Jewish shapeshifter trying to assassinate Hitler. Also I'm tentatively planning to read another Graudin book, Invictus, for the "same title as a movie" prompt.