top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Recent First Lines

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s TTT is a freebie on book quotes. I’m not one to collect quotes from each book in detail, although I will highlight (in ebooks) quotes I found super interesting or well crafted for the context and story.

For that reason, I’ve chosen to highlight the first sentences of books I’ve recently finished reading or am currently reading. First lines are important as they help set the tone for drawing a reader in.

If you’ve read some of these books, do you think the first line is a good representation for the rest of the book? If you haven’t read these books, would you want to based on the first line?

Tell me what you think in the comments below!

1. A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

It was safest to cross the ocean at night, when the moon and stars shone on the water.

2. This Place is Still Beautiful by XiXi Tian

The predicted rain on the first day of summer never comes, meaning I can count on two things: my mother spending most of the morning in the garden, and Thom Froggett coming by the Sprinkle Shoppe for a double scoop of Rocky Road in a waffle cone.

3. Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Spontaneity is overrated.

4. Rise of the Vicious Princess by C.J. Redwine

After tonight, the new hairstyle of Charis Willowthorn would be the only acceptable updo for a debutante to wear to a ball.

5. Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

“State your name for the record, please.”

6. Don’t Forget Me by Judy Corry

Betting on my best friend’s love life was getting expensive.

7. The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad by Natasha Deen

The planets are in precise alignment, the moons are in their proper houses, and the auspicious signs can’t be denied.

8. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

The myths of my people say only a true bride of the Sea God can bring an end to his insatiable wrath.

9. Cinder & Glass by Melissa de la Cruz

I was meant to be listening to Claudine explain how best to pack for the move to Versailles.

10. The Song that Moves the Sun by Anna Bright

We begin at the center.

Did any of these first lines stick out to you?

I will admit, some of these were marvellous and some were…different than what I anticipated the book to be. If you agree or disagree, let me know what you think!

Published by Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

A lifelong reader of all things YA and books with heartfelt moments that punch you with all the feels. Currently expanding my reading interests to encompass anything that makes me feel deep and resonate with the characters

30 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Recent First Lines”

  9. I’ve got a few of these on my TBR and some of these first lines definitely have me excited to read them. Can’t wait to tackle A River Enchanted, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea and Portrait of A Thief! Great twist to today’s prompt 🙂

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  18. Great choice this week! First lines are so important. I haven’t read any of these yet, but Starry Eyes is waiting on my shelf!

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