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:
How do you hide from a ghost? How do you run from a memory so vivid it plagues you like a phantom? It is impossible, I’ve found. Certain moments in our lives- the hard ones, the defining ones-come back to haunt us..
Do you recognize the lines?
Hint: It’s the fourth book in a YA fantasy series.
Still not sure? Here’s another hint:
It’s written by Cece Louise.
The First Lines Friday book is:
In a Dark, Dark Wood
About the Book:
Title: In a Dark, Dark Wood
Author: Cece Louise
Series: The Forest Tales #4
Publication Date: Feb. 22, 2022
Publisher: Jabberwocky Tales
Synopsis: In a dark, dark wood, there was a dark, dark man . . .
Calia believes in ghosts. How could she not when she is haunted by a past encounter that sent her into hiding? She concocts a plan so crazy, it just might save her— if it doesn’t lead to her downfall. All she has to do is impersonate a missing princess and fulfill that princess’s betrothal to the Prince of Ebonwood.
Prince Brone believes in nothing—certainly not the curse rumored to plague the royal wives of Ebonwood. After the untimely death of his first wife, all he wishes is to be left alone. Once more facing a marriage not of his choosing, he vows not to make the same mistakes that cost him so dearly last time.
Calia soon discovers that fooling the prince will be much harder than she thought. As her complicated feelings for him begin to grow, so does her fear of Ebonwood—a kingdom shrouded in darkness, secrets, and even murder.
Will a warning from beyond the grave save Calia from the fate of the previous Ebonwood wives, or will it spell her ultimate ruin?
Inspired by the classic poem “In a Dark, Dark Wood,” this clean, standalone romantic suspense is perfect for anyone who loves fairy tales with a Gothic twist.
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Did you recognize the lines? What do you think of them? Comment below!
I haven’t heard of this one but it does sound good!
Right! I’m loving this series!
I hope to read this series in March. I will have to sneak it in between ARCs. Great first line.
Thanks, Carla! I hope you enjoy the series when you read it.