Happy Tuesday, everyone! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
I love a good first line in a book. They can speak to you. They can move you. They can be so moving, so gripping, that you remember them for a long time. Enough waxing poetic about favorite first lines, let’s get to them!
Honorable mention to Andy Weir’s The Martian because I haven’t read it yet.
“It was a pleasure to burn.”
“My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie.”
“I am what they call in our village ‘one who has not yet died’–a widow, eighty years old.”
“When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.”
“There once was a young man who wished to gain his Heart’s Desire.”And my most absolute favorite first line to date. (Technically it’s two lines but you need the second line to grasp the awesomeness of the first.)
“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well.”
What are some of your favorite first lines?
- {Review} You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson - July 30, 2020
- {Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge} Things on My Bucket List - July 29, 2020
- The Six of Crows Book Tag - July 24, 2020
That opening line for The Outsiders is such a great one and I just love that book. My son read it in school this year and now I really want to re-read it.
I love that book too. Enjoy your re-read!
Twitter: 1990
Great choices! I haven’t read a lot of these and you’ve definitely intrigued me!!
Happy reading!
I love the quote from Smoke and Bone. I haven’t read it, so I’ll have to look into it. Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
I hope you like the book when you read it!
Twitter: LASReviews
I haven’t thought about The Outsiders in years! What a good story that was.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by earlier.
I’ve been meaning to reread it and I’m determined to next month,
Oh I’ve always loved The Outsiders one! So much emotion in that one. And I’d forgotten the opening to Daughter of Smoke & Bone. That’s a great one, too. <3
They’re both amazing first lines. 🙂
Twitter: Lauren Always Me
Classics! 🙂
😀
Just reading that Lovely Bones one gives me the chills knowing what comes next. Great picks!
Right? I know there’s an epigraph in the beginning, but to me, those words are the first line of the book that draw me in.
Fahrenheit 451 was a great book. I don’t know how many great opening lines I have read, but I do keep a book full of quotes I have put into it from books I have read or bloggers who said something meaningful and deep.
I love quotes, too. I have a few on hand that I keep in a notebook and a few on my notepad on my phone.
Fahrenheit 451 – that was a great first line.
Daughter of smoke & bone – those lines got me to read the book but I didn’t like it and I didn’t finish it, just couldn’t get into it at all but great opening.
Have a lovely day.
That happens. I was pulled in by the first line of Stardust but I thought the book was simply okay.
Have a lovely day as well!
I love the Stardust movie, but haven’t read the book yet. But now I really want to!
My TTT: https://www.traversingchapters.com/top-ten-tuesday-opening-lines/
The writing is beautiful and the story is very creative. I hope you like it. 🙂
Twitter: Magic_Violinist
I forgot about the Daughter of Smoke & Bone opening line, but it’s PERFECT! I always aim to craft perfect lines and I always fail, but a girl can dream. xD
I dream of a perfect first line in my writing as well. 😀
Twitter: _jessticulates
Great list! I love the first line of The Lovely Bones – I ended up not being able to get through that book in the end, though, it just made me far too sad.
Thanks, Jess. It was a hard read for me as well. I ended up loving the book.
Twitter: TorontoLydia
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was such an interesting story, too.
My TTT .
Wasn’t it?
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone one is great!
It’s one of the best opening lines I’ve read. 🙂
Twitter: ICCO ROSEA
Omg I totally forgot about the opening lines for DoSaB! If I hadn’t read it yet that would’ve definitely piqued my interest. I really like the opening line for Lovely Bones as well. Great post, Leah!
Thanks, Dini! I forgot to post the opening line from the first Hunger Games book. It happens. 😀
Hey Leah, you have some great opening lines here – I love Fahrenheit 451 and The Lovely Bones.
For my own TTT post, this week, I kept it classic and shared my favourite opening lines: https://thebookwormchronicles.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/top-ten-tuesday-26th-may-2020/
Thanks, Jessica!
Oh, Stardust! Such a great book!
It was so lyrical!
I like your quote from DoSaB. I have a quote from Strange the Dreamer this week. She has such a beautiful writing style!
Laini’s one of my favorite authors because of her writing. I’m pretty much in awe of every book she writes.
Twitter: 2003
Yes I just saw the line from Daughter of Smoke and Bone on another list and it’s one of my favorites as well! Super fascinating!
My TTT: https://notprimadonna.blogspot.com/2020/05/top-ten-tuesday-why-i-love-historical.html
It is one of the best first lines I’ve ever read. I hope you enjoy the book!
Twitter: Greg L Hill
I love a good first line. Can totally hook me into a book.
Me too!
I love that OUTSIDERS line. It is a feeling I’ve experienced myself. My TTT Opening Lines
Same, I love The Outsiders line a lot.