First Line Friday #121
Today’s First Line Friday is one that came out back in January.
Nobody taught me this when I first started as a bartender, but luckily, I was a quick learner: When a group of men are walking in, you should work out which one is the alpha.
Crush: a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach…
Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.
When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.
Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that’s inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.
Blog Tour: Confessions of a Traveler: The Observations of Alien 597
Today I am part of the blog tour for Confessions of a Traveler: The Observations of Alien 597 by Clara Molina. I share my review of this short story.
Short Story Description:
Grotesque insect looking beasts, which burst out of your chest, and have acid for blood. Grey and short aliens with big eyes, who want to take over your mind, and they do horrible experiments with instruments that go up your anus. They’ve come to take over the world, and make you into a zombie or dinner. If they ever land in full view, they would either be worshiped and a new religion would form, or murdered immediately, and their ship parts sold to the highest bidder. Alien 597 read her report about aliens that humans had encountered.
A short story about an alien visiting Earth.
Author: Clara Molina
Published: June 7, 2019
18 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: August 20, 2019
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Jessica’s Review:
This is a cute, fun short story about Alien 597 traveling to Earth and sharing her observations and discoveries. If only we humans knew about the aliens among us and what their thoughts are! I would love to see this concept expanded upon and Alien 597 traveling to certain parts of the USA (Las Vegas and Disney World for starters!) and then the rest of the world if she dared…. Maybe she could answer that question that we all wonder about the pyramids. Did aliens actually build them? And yes, we do find out what aliens actually look like!
Well done Molina for a short story that entertains and leaves you wanting more!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
About the Author:
Clara L Molina writes Science Fiction books most of the time, dabbles in comic drawings occasionally, and writes to laugh at herself all the time. She has a computer science degree, but has been a lifelong writer. She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, and enjoys fresh air and days where her hair is not frizzy.
Contact Clara:
Website
Twitter @BoxaEl
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Author: Rory Power
Published: July 9, 2019
353 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
It’s been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty’s life out from under her.
It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don’t dare wander outside the school’s fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.
But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there’s more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.
Kim’s Review:
This. Cover. I am so in love, I can’t even tell you. And now that I’ve read the book, I love it even more. There’s a girls school on an island; that should be enough for y’all to realize that I was hooked pretty fast. Everything started quickly and the sickness has zombie like qualities, but with a new twist. There was plenty of tension, conspiracy and mystery. I actually hope that there’s a second book coming because I’d love to learn more. My only issue is the hypocrisy of Hetty at the very end. She ends up doing exactly what she accuses others of doing. However, the story itself completely outweighs any problems that arise. This reminds me of a condensed version of The Girl with All the Gifts. It’s actually in my top ten so far for this year. This would be a great one for trying to get teens to read. I absolutely recommend it to most people!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
