Hi there you guys! Mareli here, coming from OR Tambo International airport. In case you didn’t know, that is in Johannesburg, South Africa. My home country. I have a quick few minutes to write a weekend post and have a cup of coffee before we depart for Mauritius. Whoo hoo!
Of course my Kindle is fully loaded and I even sneaked an extra book in. I won’t share that one with you today, as it’s in Afrikaans and I don’t have time to do a translation as well… So I’ll just share my current kindle/review read with you today. I think it’s quite possible that I might not be the only one reading this one at the moment.
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill on June 7th, 2022
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: Netgalley
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
In every person's story, there is something to hide...
The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet, until the tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who'd happened to sit at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning—it just happens that one is a murderer.
Award-winning author Sulari Gentill delivers a sharply thrilling read with The Woman in the Library, an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all.
We are quickly going to say hi to @ Reading is my Super Power for First Line Friday and to Gilion @ Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings. Every Friday you can link up and share the first sentence of your current read (or the one you plan to devour over the weekend), as well as your initial thoughts and impressions.
I do like the very first page….
“Open me carefully….” – Emily Dickinson, Intimate Letters
Chapter One opens with:
Writing in the Boston Public Library had been a mistake. It was too magnificent. One could spend hours just staring at the ceiling in the reading room. Very few books have been written with the writer’s eyes cast upwards. It judged you, that ceiling, looked down on you in every way.
From the title and and these opening sentences, we can see that the Boston Library will play an important role. How awesome is that.
Our next stop will be to Freda’s Voice who hosts the Friday 56. Don’t show up empty handed though!
- Grab a book (Yes, any book. But it might get you to your other Friday activities a bit quicker if you just grab the book you are currently reading)
- Turn to page 56 or 56% on your e-reader
- Find a sentence or two (your other Friday activities might determine this)
- Post it!
- Remember to post your link on Freda’s Voice and to visit the other guys in the linky.
- And last but not least, don’t forget to list the title of the book and the author as well.
We haven’t reached 56% yet, so I am cheating a bit here:
Cain sleeps for most of the afternoon. On his stomach, one hand under the cushion he uses as pillow, as if even now he’s reaching for a knife. I sit in the armchair opposite, pretending to read and watching. My vigilance is not based in fear of him, but for him. The horror of what happened is difficult to take in, and I wonder how he could be so calm, so reasonable, so not bitter.
What the heck is going on here? Who of you have already read this one?? This is going to end good, right?
Friendly Fill-Ins
I am so excited for our holiday, but I am going to miss little Elza a lot! So to pay homage to my little white fur ball, I’ll quickly join the Friendly Fill-ins today. Friendly Fill-Ins is hosted by 15 and Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs. They come up with a couple of sentences, and then you have to fill in the blanks. I think it’s a great way to get to know each other better as well. This week’s questions:
I just started At Love’s Bidding by Regina Jennings and the first line is: “Behind the massive marble building where even in May the crisp sea air never chased away the odors ground unto the cobblestone, the newsboys and shoe-shinners gathered, waiting in her.”
On my blog is the first line is from To Tame a Cowboy by Jody Hedlund. https://daniellegrandinetti.com/2022/05/13/to-tame-a-cowboy/
I hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks for sharing Daniella!
I hope you had a good weekend and a fun week to look forward to.
Thank you!
Wow, this may be the first that I’ve not seen your cat make an appearance. I bet you’ll miss her daily. I love writing at the Airport and on the plane in particular. Earlier this week I took quite a few people to the airport in MN and they told me stories about how planes were detoured to avoid a tornado. Hope your trip goes swell.
Hi Trin!
A few of my reviews are from my own perspective and not from Elza, but for “general” posts, I normally use Elza’s quirky voice. And yes! I miss her terribly. It was the first time I took my laptop with on a trip and I did have fun on the airport doing my Friday Post. But I didn’t take my laptop out on the flight and just spend my time reading. Best part of the flight!!
Hope you will have a good week and thanks for visiting us!
Adding The Woman in the Library to my TBR. Sounds wonderful and that first line sounds intriguing. Enjoy your trip and your coffee and have a wonderful week!
Hi Katherine! I have 10% left and I THINK I know what is going on there…. !! It really is quite good and I think you will enjoy it yes.
Hope you guys are doing well and had a good weekend.
Those are great first lines! Can’t wait to hear what you think! Enjoy your holiday!
Hi there Cindy!
I am enjoying The Woman in the Library yes and can’t wait to see what the ending is going to bring. But we are having such a great holiday, reading and blogging is not too high on the priority list!!
My first line this week is from When The Meadow Blooms by Ann Gabhart:
February 27, 1925
“You will never be completely well. Tuberculosis leaves it’s mark on your lungs.”
Hi there Paula!
Thanks for sharing, will take a look!
I hope you have a wonderful time on your holiday, it sounds amazing!!!
Hi there Wendy! We are having a wonderful time yes. Blogging and reading are taking a bit of a backburner though, but so what – we all need a holiday every now and then!
I just finished this one. I really liked how it started but not so much how it ended. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Lauren! I’m around 70% done and really still enjoying it. Aah, I hope I’m not going to be disappointed in the ending as well.
Thanks for visiting us!
Happy Friday!
I’m currently reading Potiphar’s Wife by Mesu Andrews.
“Potiphar escaped his chamber with the relief of a prisoner on the run.”
I hope you have an excellent weekend filled with fun reading time. 😀❤📚
Hi there Nicole!
Just from the title, Potiphar’s Wife, definitely draws my attention. Will take a look and thanks for sharing!
Have a wonderful trip! Kudos for your commitment to post before taking off.
The book sounds amazing. Any story featuring a library has to be great, right?
Hi there Roberta! Couldn’t agree more! And yes, The Women in the Library is a definite good read. I’m around 70% done and eager to find out what’s going on there after all!
This sounds like an excellent book. I’ve seen it around.
Have a great time away!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2022/05/13/the-friday-56-the-attic-child-by-lola-jaye/
Hi there Emily!
The Woman in the Library is only being published in June, but I think it’s going to be a very successful publication. I am around 70% done and really enjoying it.
Thanks for visiting us and I hope you are having a good weekend!
That looks like an interesting book. Thank you for participating in the fill-ins, great answers. I am glad you found Elza and that she is spoiled as I wish al cats could be. Have a wonderful holiday! XO
Hi there Ellen!
We are staying in a lovely complex in Mauritius, the only sad thing is the stray cats and dogs that are roaming the island. And I know I can’t dare to put out food or anything, not everyone cares about pets and the next tenants might just hurt the poor animals. Yes, I also wish all pets can just be loved and spoiled.
Hope you are having a good weekend so far!
Have a great trip! I’ve heard many good things about the book. I’ll have to add it to my TBR. Great fill ins too! I’m sure changing places with Elza would be interesting.
Have a great week!
Hi Yvonne!
Ugh, my fingers are way too quick today. The woman in the Library is a good read yes and I think you might enjoy it as well. I’m around 70% done and I am quite eager to figure out what’s going on there. There’s a few red herrings that I would like to fish out.
Hope you are having a good weekend!
A great sounding book! Thanks for sharing, and here’s mine: “THE ROAD TRIP”
Hi Laurel-Rain!
The Woman in the Library is definitely a book that I believe you might enjoy too!
Thanks for paying us a visit!
Sounds like a wonderful read!! Happy weekend!
Hi Freda!
I am enjoying it yes and if it wasn’t for all the holiday travels, I might have been done with it already!
Ooh I’ve had ‘The Woman in the Library’ on my TBR for a while and your teasers have just made me want to read it even more! I’ve been working on my thesis in the university library here and it’s also definitely a little too imposing sometimes xD Thanks for sharing and have a lovely weekend 🙂
Juli @ A Universe in Words
Hi Juli! A good, functioning library is really something I miss so much in our town. I love working in the school’s library though.
I can just imagine that the university library can be slightly imposing yes!
The Woman in the Library is a good read, I’m about 70% done and am eager to figure out what’s going on there now. Quite a few red herrings….
Thanks for visiting us!
I’ve got this book on my Kindle and can’t wait to get it started. Enjoy!
Hi there Catherine! I’m about 70% done and I am enjoying it so much. I will let you guys know as soon as I’m done.
Hope you are having a good weekend!