Monday, September 20, 2010

Enticing First Lines


I love starting a book that has an enticing first line.  That first sentence can be short and simple or long and descriptive.  It can be sexy, funny, sarcastic, distressing, or philosophical - anything really, but there's just something about it that grabs your attention.  Here are just a few of my favorite first sentences I've come across recently (in no particular order):

Have you ever wanted to put yourself in the hands of a man whose sole purpose is to give you pleasure?
- Wicked Ties by Shayla Black

The first day of my captivity was like being born...or dying.
- Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas

My philosophy is pretty simple - any day nobody's trying to kill me is a good day in my book.
- Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

The summer I discovered the world was not black-and-white - the way I liked it - but a host of annoying shades of gray was the summer a lot more changed than my vision.
- Blue Moon by Lori Handeland

Julie Stanford took a deep breath before shoving aside the curtain to walk into the massage room where Nathan was laid out in all his glorious, naked splendor.
- Sweet Seduction by Maya Banks

When Patricia descended to investigate the noise in her antique store, she found a man with a broken wing stretched unconscious across the floor.
- Mortal Temptations by Allyson James

She made certain they didn't have bodies to bury.
- Shadow of the Vampire by Meagan Hatfield

It had obviously been one hell of a night if I couldn't recall why I was waking up in a Dumpster.
- Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles

The unmistakable sound of a woman being pleasured echoed through the woods above the village of Carbrey.
- Rampant by Saskia Walker

Have you ever been spanked?
- Bound to Please by Lilli Feisty

I was standing there naked when a dead man sauntered into my bathroom.
- Dark & Disorderly by Bernita Harris

There are so many great first sentences.  Do you have any memorable favorites?  Please share with us!

9 comments:

  1. The only line I can remember is from The Lovely Bones.

    My name is Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie.

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  2. It had obviously been one hell of a night if I couldn't recall why I was waking up in a Dumpster.

    Love it!

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  3. Oh la la, so many great first sentences.

    I think a strong first sentence/paragraph is important and can get you in the right mood to enjoy a book.

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  4. Some of my favorites:

    Some nights, a woman just wanted to bash her brain against a wall to keep from screaming.
    --Marked by Elisabeth Naughton

    The worst part about murdering someone was planning exactly how to do it.
    --Divorced, Desperate, and Dating by Christie Craig

    Haven't read either one but bought them based on their beginnings :)

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  5. These are great, Diana! I'm going to have to start paying more attention to first lines! Thanks!

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  6. Sometimes you can tell whether you are really going to like a book or hate it from the first few lines. Great choices!

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  7. I enjoyed this post--thanks for sharing!

    The first line of The Doctor's Wife by Elizabeth Brundage really drew me in: The memory starts here, in my apron pocket, with the gun.

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  8. My favorite first line recently is from Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

    "My name is Gin and I kill people".

    It's a great urban fantasy, definitely on the dark side.

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I appreciate your comments!