Where Is Your Bookmark? (04/25/2017)

I am in the middle of Hannah Dennison's A Killer Ball at Honeychurch Hall, the third in her Honeychurch Hall cozy mystery series. This is my first book by Dennison, but if this book is anything to go by, it will not be my last. I am quite enjoying getting to know Kat Stanford, antique dealer.

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.

"You are absolutely not selling William Dobson, Rupert!" The dowager countess, Lady Edith Honeychurch, was furious. Even Mr. Chips, her tan-and-white Jack Russell, seemed to bristle with indignation.

Edith's son looked pained. "Do we have to go through this again, Mother?"

For emphasis, Edith slapped her riding crop against the side of her leather boot. "As long as I am alive, this is still my house!"

"Mother," Rupert hissed and gestured to where Mum and I were standing in the doorway. "Not in front of . . . "

"The servants?" Mum chimed in cheerfully. "Don't mind us. We're always arguing--aren't we, Kat?" 

Every Tuesday, Ambrosia from The Purple Booker hosts Teaser Teaser at which participants grab their current read, open to a random page, and share two or more sentences from that page while avoiding any spoilers.

Teaser from 7% of A Killer Ball at Honechurch Hall:

"Don't! she cried and roughly elbowed me aside. I lost my balance and thrust both hands out to save my fall but fell heavily onto the top shelf. 

There was a whoosh of air and I felt myself falling, falling, a sharp pain, a deafening crack and then - - darkness. 

What do you think? Would you keep reading?  

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.

I missed last week's topic which was the Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly Want to Read a Book. It ties in nicely with this week's  Top Ten Tuesday, which is is Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly Not Want To Read A Book. I decided to do both--and couldn't stop at five with either one.

Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly Want to Read a Book:

1. British/Scottish/Irish crime fiction~ Whether contemporary or historical, I enjoy a good novel set in the British Isles.

2. A World War I/II setting ~ There is just something about these time periods that draws me in.

3. A book with a character who shares my daughter's name ~ Silly, maybe, but for some reason, I can't help but take interest when I see a book mentioning her name.

4. Magic/Supernatural ~ Nothing attracts me to a book faster than the mention that it involves magic. Witches, shapeshifters, wizards, high fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal . . . I love anything involving magic or supernatural beings. Throw in mythology and folklore too, and I get even more excited.

5. Favorite authors or series ~ I do not even care what the book may be about. If it is by a favorite author or a part of a favorite series of mine, I instantly want to read it.

6. A banned or challenged book ~ tell me I should not read something and it makes me want to read it even more, especially if it's for so-called religious or moral reasons.

7. Emotional books (especially ones that make me cry) ~ Or what some might refer to as depressing books. These are often character driven books in which the main character faces some sort of traumatic event or giant obstacle and is forced to work through, overcome or accept it. The ending may or many not be a happy one. Sometimes it is ambiguous.

8. Books set in countries or cultures other than my own ~ I love exploring the world through books. Celebrating differences and yet also seeing how much alike we are in our experiences and thoughts and feelings. It's a reminder of just how small the world is.

9. Female leads who save themselves and possibly the day ~ There's nothing wrong with needing to be saved by someone else, including a man, but I really enjoy a story featuring a woman who is more than capable of getting herself out of tight situations more often than not.

10. When my favorite book bloggers gush and gush about a book and tell me I HAVE to read it ~ Because you know what I like.

*

Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly Not Want To Read A Book (or at least give it a second thought before I do):

1. An animal/pet book in which the animal dies in the end.

2. Animal cruelty.

3. Excessive violence and gore. If I know ahead of time, a book will feature either, chances are I will give the books a pass.

4. Although I do read and enjoy a number of books featuring serial killers, I am finding myself turned off more than not these days by them when the victims are all women.

5. If a character wants to lose my respect fast, committing adultery or cheating is sure to do it. I tend not to like books that feature adultery, although it won't always completely turn me off of reading a book. I do tend to avoid them, however--at least unless convinced by you all it's worth my time. This is another instance in which I have read some really good ones despite my aversion to the topic in question.

6. Incest/Sexual Abuse. It comes up in books I read and sometimes I have even sought out certain books knowing they tackled the subject (and they've been very good). Still, it's a topic I mostly avoid.

7. Books about or featuring American football, the sport or players.

8. Erotica. I prefer more story than sex in my novels. This is another area though where there might be exceptions--I just haven't had much luck with this sub-genre.

9. There are a couple romance tropes I do not like. Particularly rape to love and step-sibling romance. Both hold an ick factor I just can't get past.

10. Nonfiction titles I have absolutely no interest in. Like learning how to fly fish or (please don't hate me). . .  cookbooks.

What about you? What things will make you instantly want to read or not read a book?

---

© 2017, 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.