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:
Stories always begin the same way: There was and there was not. There is possibility in those words, the chance for hope or despair. When the daughter sits at her mother’s feet and asks her for the story-always the same story-her favorite part is hearing those words, because it means anything is possible.
Do you recognize the lines?
Hint: It’s a newly released YA fantasy.
Still not sure? Here’s another hint:
The MC’s name is Soraya.
The First Lines Friday Book Is:
Title: Girl, Serpent, Thorn
Author: Melissa Basherdoust
Page Length: 336
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Synopsis: There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.
As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.
Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming…human or demon. Princess or monster.
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LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
I received an ARC of Girl, Serpent, Thorn and absolutely loved it! The characters, the world-building, the themes – everything is fantastic! This is a book that I thought about long after I finished it, and I can’t recommend it enough!
Check out my review for Girl, Serpent, Thorn!
Have you read or do you want to read Girl, Serpent, Thorn? What first lines do you love? Comment below!
It has such a beautiful cover!
I really want to read Girl, serpent Thorn! I mean for a start – that cover! I also love the sound of the plot.
It is fantastic-one of my favorite reads of the year. I hope you get to read it soon. I’d love to hear your thoughts! 🙂
I might have to get a copy soon. I think its going to be on my TBR list for next month 🤔
I really want to read Girl Serpent Thorn!! The cover is beautiful, and the first lines are so enchanting. 🙂
It’s fantastic!! I highly recommend it!