Where Is My Bookmark? (03/22/2016)

I have finally dived into my March TBR List winner, The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling). If ever there was a day to call in sick so I could read all day . . . I didn't. But I want to.

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon. It is also where I share my first impressions about the book I am sharing.

The buzz in the street was like the humming of flies. Photographers stood massed behind barriers patrolled by police, their long-snouted cameras poised, their breath rising like steam. Snow fell steadily on to hats and shoulders; gloved fingers wiped lenses clear. From time to time there came outbreaks of desultory clicking, as the watchers filled the waiting time by snapping the white canvas tent in the middle of the road, the entrance to the tall red-brick apartment block behind it, and the balcony on the top floor from which the body had fallen.

Every Tuesday, Jenn from Books And A Beat hosts Teaser Tuesdays at which time participants grab their current read, open to a random page, and share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page while avoiding any spoilers.

Teaser from 6% of The Cuckoo's Calling:

'It'd be better for John if he'd just accept the facts. She killed herself. The rest of the family have come to terms with it, I don't know why he can't.'

and at 7%:

It's a death threat,' she said.

'Oh yeah,' said Strike. 'Nothing to worry about. They come in about once a week.'

What do you think? Would you keep reading?  

The opening paragraph is actually from the prologue, taking place three months before John walks into Private Investigator Cormoran Strike's office asking for help. I really like the opening, the description, the setting of the scene and climate. The teasers give you an idea of what the novel is about. I'm completely intrigued so far! 

What are you reading at the moment?  Is it anything you would recommend?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish.

This week's  Top Ten Tuesday theme is the Top Ten Books I Really Love But Feel Like I Haven't Talked About Enough/In A While. I tried to stay away from the books I have recommended right and left of late--and there are many! All of these are books I love, but could probably use more recognition from me. The covers are linked to my reviews if you want to know about the books.

1.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson ~ This is such an important book dealing with sexual assault and the trauma and stigma that can follow. 

2. 

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert ~ A sweeping historical novel about a girl diagnosed with leprosy. Such a beautiful an sad book that is one of my all time favorites.

3. 

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett ~ This was such an interesting book, one that appealed to the mystery lover in me as well as the book lover. While I am not a book collector per say, I found this book to be entertaining and informative.

4.

The Hollow Man by Oliver Harris ~ There's just something about a British crime fiction novel that cries out "read me!" And read it, I do. I really liked this gritty and complex novel.


5. 

Moonlight Downs by Adrian Hyland ~ Not only was it the Central Australian setting that drew me to this novel, it was the mystery and characters as well. A very well written and intriguing crime fiction novel.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy ~ I think most of you, if not all, have heard of this novel. Sparse in writing, it is an unforgettable story about a father and his son striving to survive in an apocalyptic landscape.

7. 

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning ~ I fell head over heels for this urban fantasy novel featuring the fae. I STILL haven't read the second book in the series. It makes no sense why not. I really should.


8.

No One You Know by Michelle Richmond ~ This is a gem of a novel about a woman who is drawn into searching for her sister's killer years after her murder when a tell all book comes out about the crime, naming a perpetrator who swears he is innocent.

9.

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli ~ This novel is about a female photojournalist during the Vietnam War. I have so much love for this book. The history, the setting, the story itself . . . It just so happens my mom is visiting Vietnam right now, and I am tempted to pick this book up again and read it.


10. 

The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy ~ Told in the style of non-linear but connected stories, this was such an amazing book. It is the story of how one man's act of kindness touched the lives of others, spanning from World War II to the present. 

Have you read any of these? What books would you recommend that you haven't talked about in awhile?

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© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.