Friday, July 8, 2011

Friday Book Beginnings




How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.


I am currently reading 3 books. The first is To the Lighthouse, a read-a-long with Unputdownables.net, the second is The Sheltering Sky, which I am reading for my monthly library book club, and the third book is The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig, which I found perusing the shelves of my local library.   I chose this book for a few reasons.  First for the setting: England. The main character is headed there in order to finish her dissertation on the dashing pair of spies, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and the Purple Gentian. The Scarlet Pimpernel would be the main reason I chose this read as The Scarlet Pimpernel was one of my all-time favorite books in high school.
"What she discovers is something the finest historians have missed: the secret history of the Pink Carnation-the most elusive spy of all time, who saved England itself from Napoleon's invasion."


Here is the first line of the story.




"The city of your birth awaits your return".


I'm hoping the book turns out to be good. Especially because I believe it's the first in a series.
Check back soon for a review.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Elspeth,

    Three great book choices by the sound of things, two from authors that are new to me.

    Virginia Woolf, is of course well known to me, although I have to own up to being very lax, when it comes to reading the classics.

    The first lines that you chose would definitely make me want to read on, although from the full synopsis, I am not sure that I would choose to read that book of the three you mention, first.

    I really like the sound of 'The Sheltering Sky', although I have added all three to my reading list.

    Thanks for the great recommendations.

    Yvonne

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  2. I LOVED The Scarlet Pimpernel in high school, too. You'll have to let us know if this book turned out any good.

    Also, I've had The Sheltering Sky on my TBR shelf for ages. Let me know if I should move it to the top of the pile.

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  3. Hi Yvonne,
    If you are interested in trying out some Virginia Woolf, you could join us in the read-a-long of To the Lighthouse with Unputdownables.net. It's my first time reading anything by her.
    Yesterday was only our first post so you could easily catch up. Here's a link to the page with the schedule and all the info you need, if you decide to join us.
    http://unputdownables.net/2011/06/23/read-a-long-with-unputdownables-to-the-lighthouse-by-virginia-woolf/

    Hi Phaedosia,
    I love that you, too, loved The Scarlet Pimpernel! I'll definitely put up a review of it when I've finished.
    As far as The Sheltering Sky, I put off reading this book for so long. I received it as a gift and it was highly recommended. I started it and then shelved it. But then I suggested it for my library reading group as a way to motivate myself to read it and it worked. I'm about 100 pages in, with roughly 200 more to go, and I'm loving it so far!

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  4. Most of the historical fiction blogs I follow are fans of the Pink Carnation. I hope you enjoy it!

    Thanks for participating in Book Beginnings!

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