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? If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:
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!
If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!
Hello, reader!
Happy Friday! I’m particularly excited it’s Friday because I don’t have to work this weekend 🥳 Looking forward to some time to relax and read. Speaking of, let’s talk about my First Lines Friday post! I’ve picked a book that I picked up purely because of the title and the cover, haha. I mean, it helps that it was written by an author I typically enjoy.
Now, let’s see if they can pull me in with the first line.
I’ve been feeling the urge to do a book tag. Thankfully, I’ve been seeing the 2026 Quarter Year Crisis tag popping up everywhere. I love reading everyone’s post, I’ve been wanting to do a tag as I mentioned, so this just feels right! This tag was created by Roisin’s Reading on BookTube, so go check them out, as well 😊
Now let’s get to the tag!
How many books have you read so far?
I’m currently sitting at 26 books read for 2026. Which means I’m well on my way to meeting my goal of 65 books read this year! According to Goodreads, I’m 8 books ahead of schedule 🥳
More importantly than how many books I’ve read, I’ve been enjoying the majority of the books I’ve read so far this year! I’m also exploring non-fiction a lot more and discovering that maybe I don’t hate it as much as I thought I did, haha. No one is more shocked that my fantasy-loving self. Here’s hoping this trend continues!
Have you found a book that you think might be a 2026 favorite?
I’ve only had two five stars so far in 2026, which makes me sad… But, of those two five stars, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones is definitely the frontrunner! I adored this horror novel. It’s quietly disturbing, which is my favorite kind of horror, and I love the format in which it’s presented. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this, but a book written in a journal or diary format is always going to pique my interest. This is freakin’ stunning novel.
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a meme where you get to flail about whatever upcoming book you’re excited to read. Though it is generally a new release, it certainly can be any book that’s on your TBR! This meme is currently hosted by Wishful Endings and it’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.
Hello, reader!
Today on the blog, I’ve decided to dredge up a bookish meme that I used to do awhile back. That’s right, it’s time for Can’t Wait Wednesday! There are quite a few books coming out in the next few months and I thought it was about time I started highlighting them. Maybe I can get you just as hyped as I am 😁
That being said, let’s get to the post!
Featured Title
The book I’ve chosen to feature today isn’t releasing until May, which is honestly not to far away! When I tell you I am chomping at the bit for this book, I’m not lying! I audibly gasped when the book appeared on Goodreads, lol. Here’s a few details before the big reveal:
The newest addition to one of my favorite (if not favorite…) science fiction series
A full-length novel in a series that is mostly novellas (so you know I’m hyped!)
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girland, as is stated on the blog, it was “born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”
Hello, reader!
It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday and this one is pretty creative! I scrolled through a bunch of my read books on Goodreads to see if I could pick some books out that tell you a little bit more about me. I definitely had fun with this (and some may be a bit of stretch 😂) and I’m excited to share my picks with y’all.
Book Titles That Describe Me
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis: My husband recently got his Bachelor’s degree and is currently working a more entry level job, so I’m the one bringing in the dough 😉
Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez: Summer is my favorite season and this cover embodies a perfect summer day to me.
How Freaking Romantic by Emily Harding: I’m a romantic at heart, but I’m also sarcastic as hell 😂
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry: Even with some hard times recently, I’m truly living a wonderful life and I need to remind myself to appreciate that every once in awhile.
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean: I may not physically eat them, but I certainly love to “devour” a good book!
Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Bloginvites you to post about what books are on your Goodreads “to read” lists or TBR lists, the progress you have made on your current books and reading challenges, and any other bookish news!
Hello, reader!
My Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf has somehow moved up to 843 books… I was at 837 just last week! I guess it gives the random number generator more to choose from for Goodreads Monday 😂
Let’s see what we pull out of the hat today!
Random Goodreads Pick
Book: The Testaments
Author: Margaret Atwood
Publisher: Nan A. Talese
Publication Date: September 10th, 2019
Pages: 422
Genre: Dystopia/Science Fiction
Synopsis: When the van door slammed on Offred’s future at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead for her–freedom, prison or death.
With The Testaments, the wait is over.
Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story more than fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.
In this brilliant sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the questions that have tantalized readers for decades.
“Dear Readers: Everything you’ve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we’ve been living in.” –Margaret Atwood
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme created by @CaffeinatedReviewer! It gives you a chance to post a recap of your last week, whether that pertains to books or not. You can talk about however much (or however little) you would like.
Hello, reader!
The end/beginning of the week is upon us and that means it’s time for The Sunday Post! Life is settling back into my normal routine, which is pleasing at the same time as it feels too soon after my grandma’s funeral. Grief is weird, y’all. But it was a good week, a busy week, and I’m feeling okay. Looking forward to the warmer weather that next week promises, as well!
That being said, let’s wrap up last week.
Week in Review
Last week was just a typically work week. I did finally get our taxes done! Nothing like waiting til the last minute 😅 I swear, every year when I get all our documents together, I tell myself I’m going to get my taxes done in February. And almost every year, I wait until it’s freakin’ crunch time. One day I’ll get this procrastination under control. What else did I get up to this week? Well… not much, haha.
My best friend made me a super cute bookmark with one of my favorite animals on it and I started using it this week! How cute is the little Highland cow! I would use it for all my physical reads, but I’m way too afraid that I would leave it in a library book and lose it. No, this beauty is staying in books I actually own, haha.
My youngest had an eye doctor appointment and we dropped by Barnes & Noble afterwards because he couldn’t go back to school right away (freakin’ standardized testing…). I spotted this board game, A Place for All My Books, while browsing and I don’t think there was ever a board game more made for me! Because buying and organizing books is a totally separate hobby to reading and I excel at it 😂 I took a picture so I could remember to ask for it whenever someone wants to get me a gift. I never know what to say when people ask…
I found out through the group chat for a Dungeon Crawler Carl buddy readthat Five Below was selling mystery bag keychains based on the series. So you know I immediately went to my nearest location to try and snag one! My first two visits were a bust (they didn’t have a single one 😭), but the third time was the charm! And I got insanely lucky because I got the one I wanted! Princess Donut will forever have my heart. I wouldn’t have minded a Mongo, either.
Now I’m gearing up for this next work week and the rain that is coming with the warmer weather. April showers and all that, haha. Here’s hoping for a good week!
The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Crazy-For-Books and is currently being hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer. Every Friday, a new question is posted for book bloggers to answer in the coming week. The purpose of the hop is connection and community. You can discover new blogs to follow, new books to read, and you may end up with some new followers, as well!
This Week’s Prompt
If you could revisit one of your past reviews, what would you change, and why?
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? If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:
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!
If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!
Hello, reader!
It was such a beautiful day today and that made me so ready for true Spring! I mean… I know it’s officially Spring, but I don’t know if New England got the memo. But today was a sign that it’s coming! Now it’s time to talk about one of my current reads for this week’s First Lines Friday. This is a book that has been my TBR for awhile and, I have to admit, I’m eating it up.
Now, let’s see if the first line can get you intrigued.
The Line(s):
“I was twelve when my daddy put a suitcase by the door.”
How is it already April?! How was March longer than February but felt like it went infinitely faster? March may have flown by, but it was also a pretty great reading month. I don’t think I read anything below 3 stars! Was it a good month for my reading challenges/projects? Well… perhaps we should just get to the wrap up 😅😂
March Reading Stats
In March 2026, I read 8 books for 3,130 pages. That’s way more pages than both January and February and I’m not 100% sure why… none of the books I read were really chonkers. Then again, I only read one novella in March whereas I read several during the first two months of the year. I need to get back to novellas. They are excellent pallet cleansers between bigger books!
I was apparently into horror in March because it took the top spot along with historical. Again, I think this is because I read a lot of books that were a blend of genres. I’m quickly learning that books that blend multiple genres are kinda my thing. I need to explore that more, I think. I’m surprised that literary muscled its way up there… I’m not sure I would consider anything I read literary. But the Storygraph community has spoken 😂
Oooo, audiobooks are taking over my reading life! That works well with one of my reading challenges and, honestly, my life right now. I feel like I’ve become so busy lately and my ability to focus is suffering. But I have no issue focusing on an audiobook. My frazzled mind wouldn’t let me focus on physical books for too long in March, so thank goodness audiobooks were there to carry me through.
I had another month with no five stars. Still, an average of 4.06 stars is nothing to sneeze at! I thoroughly enjoyed my reading in March, but it would be nice to find another five star in April. I am hoping to read a couple of favorite authors this month, so maybe they’ll get me there!
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.
Current Reads
The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton: The plot is starting to get intriguing in this one, so I find myself picking it up more. That’s certainly a good thing! The not so great thing is that the main characters are starting to get on my nerves… A lot of repetition of goals and being so in love even though they’ve known each other for five seconds. I’m hoping the plot will distract me enough to move past that, haha.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi: I’m joining a new in-person book club and this was the first book that was chosen for all of us to read. I had heard about this book but hadn’t really felt the urge to read it. I’m glad this book club has pushed me to give it a try because I already love our titular character and will fight anyone that is mean to him. I mean… no one has been mean, but the statement stands 😤 I think this is the fastest I’ve latched onto a character in a long time!
Wolfsong by T.J. Klune: I just picked this up today and I’m already invested and whatever the heck is going on in this town. The writing feels a little stilted, but I’m hoping I’ll get used to it as I get farther into the book. I’m hoping to love this one because I’ve already purchased the entire series… oops 😅😂 The paperback Barnes & Noble editions were too pretty!
Kerri McBookNerd 