Book Tag: Try a Chapter

I saw this tag over on That Wild Soul (a very awesome book blog filled with great reviews, cool tags like this one, and more – check it out here). It seemed really interesting to me, and since lately, I’ve been DNFing so many books, I figured perhaps I should try this so I find out ahead of time whether or not I will be struggling through the book or not…and perhaps since I’m in between books and at a loss of what I should read, perhaps this might help try and get me into something. Let’s begin?

RULES:

• Pick 5 (or more) books from your tbr
• Read the first chapter of all of them (including the prologue if there is one)
• Tell your readers if you’re sold on the book and what you thought of the first chapter.
• Are you going to finish the book this month?

 

Credits to Barnes and Noble 

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Wuthering Heights is a wild, passionate story of the intense and almost demonic love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a foundling adopted by Catherine’s father. After Mr Earnshaw’s death, Heathcliff is bullied and humiliated by Catherine’s brother Hindley and wrongly believing that his love for Catherine is not reciprocated, leaves Wuthering Heights, only to return years later as a wealthy and polished man. He proceeds to exact a terrible revenge for his former miseries. The action of the story is chaotic and unremittingly violent, but the accomplished handling of a complex structure, the evocative descriptions of the lonely moorland setting and the poetic grandeur of vision combine to make this unique novel a masterpiece of English literature.

I’ve seen a lot of people talk about this on the blog circuit lately, and I did win a book in a Goodreads giveaway that is going to be referencing a lot to a certain Victorian broody boy, so I, of course, wanted to give this a try. The first chapter seems interesting. I totally had thought this book was in Catherine’s point of view, so it will be interesting that it’s kind of a Great Gatsby type thing with the bystander telling the story. Heathcliff does seem quite deliciously broody, so I’m game for more of it especially since the classic-ness of it all doesn’t seem to bad.

Update: Errrrrr I decided to continue and I’m not sure how I’m feeling about it. The classic-ness has set in, and it’s getting a little too weird for me. Hmmmm. Might not be finishing this period and not just this month.

Credits to Little Brown

The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone

Maddie has big plans to spend the last months before college tying up high school “loose ends” alongside her best friends. Then her beloved grandmother drops two bombshells: (1) Gram is dying. (2) She’s taking her entire family on a round-the-world cruise of dreams come true—but at the end, Gram won’t be returning home.

With a promise to live in the now without regrets, Maddie boards the Wishwell determined to make every moment count. She finds new friends in her fellow Wishwellians, takes advantage of the trip’s many luxuries, gets even closer to her quirky family, and falls for painfully gorgeous Enzo. But despite the copious laughter, headiness of first love, and wonder of the glamorous destinations, Maddie knows she is on the brink of losing Gram, and she struggles to find the strength to let go in a whirlwind summer shaped by love, grief, and laughter.

This book has been on my TBR since last year at this time, I believe. It sounds like an adorable, squishy read, filled with piles of adorable, cheesy goodness. And I love me some hilarious grandmas, especially since I have my own in real life. The first chapter seems promising enough, but I’m not completely sold on Maddie yet. I really didn’t connect with her, but I do feel like a pretty big redemption arc brewing so I have faith.

Verdict: Keep and read but not going to finish this month most likely – it’s feel a bit more summery for me.

The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid

For Nemesis, that person is Sidonia, heir to the galactic Senate. The two grew up side by side, and there’s no one Nemesis wouldn’t kill to keep her safe. But when the power-mad Emperor summons Sidonia to the Imperial Court as a hostage, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia.

She must become her.

Now one of the galaxy’s most dangerous weapons is masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced Senators’ children, and Nemesis must find within herself the one thing she’s been told she doesn’t have—humanity. With the Empire beginning to fracture and rebellion looming, that could be the one thing that saves her and the Empire itself.

Thanks to the lovely Krysti over at YA and Wine, I now have my very own copy of this, and it’s been staring at me for the past few weeks now, begging for me to read. And who am I to deny a talking book? Perhaps a bit delusional, but shhhh…Anyway, with this opening, I’m hooked. If this isn’t my next read, then I’m not quite sure what is. I mean, not only does it open up with a line from one of my favorite poems and one I was literally discussing tonight (I think William Blake and his angels would think this was fate), it hooks the person right at the beginning by the end of the first page. You find out what Nemesis is a cool, unique, action-packed way. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Although they did the wrong spelling of “The Tyger” so I’m not sure what to do with that. BUT STILL. SO INTERESTING.

Verdict: Keep and totalllllly reading. Totally my next read if another book doesn’t convince me by the time this is over.

Credits to Delacorte Press

One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus

Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

Okay, first off, Ms. McManus, it is just mean to make your fictional school’s title so close to the iconic Bayside school. I literally read it Bayside as many times as it was mentioned in the book. XD Now I’m picturing AC Slater, Jesse, Screech, Lisa, and the gang offing each other in detention. XD Anyway, the first two or three pages didn’t pull me in, but the moment that we found out that they all had mysterious phones dropped in their possessions to get them all into detention? Yeah, I’m hooked. It’s such an interesting premise, and I’m totally getting the eerie tension from the beginning. McManus has a nice writing style, too. Oh gosh, now I want this to be my next read. Welp.

Verdict: Keep and for sure reading very, very soon. Plus, I kind of need, too, since it’s an ARC.

First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy

It started for pranks, fun, and forever memories.
A secret society – for the four of us.
The rules: Never lie. Never tell. Love each other.
We made the pledge and danced under the blood moon on the meteorite in the orchard. In the spot we found the dead girl five years earlier. And discovered the ancient drawings way before that.
Nothing could break the four of us apart – I thought.
But then, others wanted in. Our seaside town had secrets. History.
We wanted revenge.
We broke the rules. We lied. We told. We loved each other too much, not enough, and in ways we weren’t supposed to.
Our invention ratcheted out of control.
What started as a secret society, ended as justice. Revenge. Death. Rebellion.

“First we were four. Then we were three.” Oh, Sirowy, why do you have to have me fall back in love with your writing by the first chapter? This chapter was only two and half pages, but it captured everything that is Sirowy’s writing: haunting phrases, eerie foreshadowing, beautiful prose, and creepy mystery. I have no clue what’s going on or what’s happening, but I can’t wait to find out. This was the shortest of all of them, but the prettiest. It’s bad when you’re already noting quotes you want to add to Goodreads later. XD

Verdict: Keeeeppppp and maybe start next. It’s just so pretty.

Ugh, so I’m not sure what to do. I didn’t prepare myself for now wanting to read the last three. All of them are so interesting, and I want to read them alllllll at the same time. Which probably wouldn’t go over well, I’m thinking? Although Belle is totally whispering in my ear, telling me I could do it. Stop it, Belle. I’m thinking One of Us is Lying is main squeeze book right now, and First We Were IV is runner up. The Diabolic will be happening very shortly after, though. Since I wasn’t tagged, I won’t be tagging anyone else. But please feel free to do it since it was actually quite fun and I now have my next book picked out and one book kind of off the TBR.

What do you think? Are any of these on your TBR? Have you read any of them? How important is a first chapter? Let’s discuss in the comments below!