First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
- Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
- Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
- Finally… reveal the book!
First Lines:
It is a commonly held belief that the most likely place to find a ghost is beneath a shadowy moon, among the ruins of a castle, or perhaps in an abandoned house where the living have fled leaving only spirits to drift from room to room. To believe so is to acknowledge but half a truth, for there is a connection with those passed over to be found much nearer home.
Can you guess the book?
Hint: The MC’s name is Xanthe.
Still Unsure? Here’s Another Hint:
It’s by bestselling author Paula Brackston.
The First Lines Friday Book Is:
Title: The Little Shop of Found Things
Author: Paula Brackston
Series: Found Things
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Page Length: 307 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Synopsis:
A new series about a young woman whose connection to antiques takes her on a magical adventure, reminiscent of Outlander
New York Times bestselling author of The Witch’s Daughter Paula Brackston returns to her trademark blend of magic and romance to launch a new series guaranteed to enchant her audience even more.
Xanthe and her mother Flora leave London behind for a fresh start, taking over an antique shop in the historic town of Marlborough. Xanthe has always had an affinity with some of the antiques she finds. When she touches them, she can sense something of the past they come from and the stories they hold. So when she has an intense connection to a beautiful silver chatelaine she has to know more.
It’s while she’s examining the chatelaine that she’s transported back to the seventeenth century. And shortly after, she’s confronted by a ghost who reveals that this is where the antique has its origins. The ghost tasks Xanthe with putting right the injustice in its story to save an innocent girl’s life, or else it’ll cost her Flora’s.
While Xanthe fights to save her amid the turbulent days of 1605, she meets architect Samuel Appleby. He may be the person who can help her succeed. He may also be the reason she can’t bring herself to leave.
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LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Well, there you have it! I picked this up not long ago but never got around to reading it. Have you read it? What did you think? Comment below! 🙂
I like that line!! Have a good weekend!
You too! 🙂
I’ve never heard of this book but it sounds really interesting!
I agree. I plan on reading it soon! 🙂
This sounds interesting!
Right! I’m hoping to get to it next week. 🙂
i just added this one to my TBR. I don’t know why it wasn’t previously on my radar, but I have seen it a lot over the past couple weeks. Funny since it’s a couple years old. It sounds really good, though.
I got it online at Book Outlet a couple of months ago but haven’t read it yet. It’s in my ever-growing physical pile of TBRs. 🙂
Ooh great first lines! Never heard of this one but this sounds really interesting!
I agree. I bought it a couple of months ago but haven’t read it yet. Hopefully soon! 🙂