Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop
For the first three, I will be using teasers from City of the Dead, the fourth City Spies book by James Ponti.
This is a middle grade spy novel, as if you couldn't figure that out from the title and cover. It's still got mystery elements, so I'm not completely giving up my normal mysteries. This is a great series, and I loved this latest installment.
The book starts with both a prologue and a first chapter, so I'm going to tease both.
Prologue: The twelve-year-old boy slowly rode a donkey into the desolate Egyptian landscape known as the Valley of the Kings.
Chapter 1: On a slate gray November day, one hundred years after the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb, a group of five young people converged in a part of London known as Bloomsbury.
Okay, neither is exactly an opening that grabs you, but they do help set the scene for the story to come.
Let's see what we can find on page 56, shall we?
Just as they reached the display, a woman's voice filled the gallery and instructed them to "Stop right there!"
Sydney froze and recognized the voice from earlier in the day. It belonged to Valerie Garfield, the museum's director of security.
That definitely caught my attention when I was reading, and I wanted to know more.
I actually finished the book earlier in the week, and I really enjoyed it. I won't be reviewing it until the 26th, so I hope you'll stop back by then and read my full review.
Meanwhile, here's this week's Book Blogger Hop question:
Do you use other sources for ARCs besides NetGalley?
I do work with one publisher, and I get paper ARCs from them, which I appreciate. Since I don't have a Kindle and just use the Kindle app on my phone, I like to mix it up between physical and digital books. One publisher that I used to get physical finished copies from stopped sending them out at the start of the pandemic, and I don't think they will ever go back, so I am just doing NetGalley for them. NetGalley is my only source of eARCs right now. One publisher did switch to Edelweiss, but that publisher closed down, so I don't have to try to navigate that site anymore.
That's it for me this week. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, especially if you get a long weekend for President's Day here in the States.
I haven't read anything by Ponti, but I know my co-blogger has. I'll have to mention this book to her. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteNo long weekend for me. I liked the prologue first letter better - it sounded more mysterious. Have a terrific week.
ReplyDeleteTerrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
https://www.bookshelfjourneys.com/post/friday-memes-11-1
BBH ~ I use Edelweiss, BookSirens and Booksprout. I am not sure where else to get them. Maybe because I am too lazy to research it!🤣
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend Mark 😉
Very intriguing snippets!
ReplyDeleteIt's Family Day weekend here, so happy long weekend to you!
I've read the first book in this series. I used to read lots and lots of middle-grade novels when I was a school librarian.
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of this series. Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteI like when someone shares both the opening from the prologue and the first chapter. More to be tempted by. :-) I am glad you enjoyed City of the Dead and look forward to your review!
ReplyDeleteEdelweiss isn't very user friendly, is it? I use the site, but I prefer to use NetGalley of the two.
My daughter is one of the lucky ones who gets a four day weekend. To be fair though, I get two three days weekends in a row, so I cannot complain. :-) I hope you have a great weekend, Mark.
Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading Memory Lane by Becky Wade.
"After dark that night, Leigh returned from her long journey to bring him his medicine. Thank God, Jonah thought, when he heard her enter Remy's small house. She'd arrived with the good stuff."
I hope you have a great weekend!
That's quite a cover! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI use mostly NetGalley as well. It's easy to use and there is a great selection there.
ReplyDeleteNetgalley is my main source of ARCs too. It is just so intuitive and easy to use.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful weekend. - Katie
My BBH if you care to visit -- https://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2023/02/book-blogger-hop-arc-sources.html
My first line this week comes from The Last Chance Cowboy by Jody Hedlund:
ReplyDeleteChicago, Illinois. March 1871
“ It’s a boy.” Catherine Remington held the squalling infant upside down by his ankles, making sure he didn’t inhale mucus.
Besides Netgall, I'm on a couple publisher blog programs, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued and want to know more.
ReplyDeleteOh I love the look of this one! I'm adding it to my Middle Grade list.
ReplyDeleteThis week went by so fast and I am first catching up on last week's Friday links :) The book is something I know I will love reading so will look for the series.. Here is my last Friday post
ReplyDelete