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:
I had landed on the rosebush again, the prick of the thorns digging into the thick layer of fur that coated my skin. Not that I could move. Every small shift brought a fresh wave of agony. My claw-shaped wounds opened and bled, staining he cobblestone path that led to the front door of Rosewood Manor.
Do you recognize the lines?
Hint: It’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling.
Still not sure? Here’s another hint:
It’s written by Nancy O’Toole.
The First Lines Friday book is:
The Rose and the Claw
About the Book:
Title: The Rose and the Claw
Author: Nancy O’Toole
Series: The Twin Kingdoms #1
Page Length: 140
Publication Date: Aug. 2, 2021
Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing
Synopsis: A woman on a mission…
Rose Gardner never thought she’d leave the small town of West Ridge. But when her husband dies at war, she must return his arms to his place of birth to set his spirit to rest. After traveling into enemy territory, Rose falls into a trap. Held captive in an enchanted manor, she finds herself face to face with a beast who is equally horrifying and kind. Will she manage to complete her quest or be pulled in by the secrets of the manor?
A man haunted by his past…
Trapped within his own home and in the body of a hideous beast, Kris never wanted to share his prison with another. As much as Rose may draw him in with her beauty and stubborn strength, he knows she must escape before the next full moon. After all, he remembers all too well what happened to the previous caretaker.
The dead won’t let him forget the blood on his hands.
LINK: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
*This review is featured by Twinkl in their blog about the latest must-read books. See more recommendations and get involved at Book Lovers’ Top Picks For Your 2021 TBR List.
Do you like Beauty and the Beast retellings? Do you plan on reading this fantastic novella? What do you think if the first lines? Comment below!
I haven’t heard of this one before! It sounds good by that first line!
Yes, it’s a good one!
I do like the first lines, but I don’t read a lot of retellings.
I’m so excited to read this!!
It’s really good! I hope you love it!!