Friday Bookish Things - 2/26/16


There is nothing of quite the same fun as a good 'ol tag and link-up, and having vanished from my darling CBTW for over a month (dear, dear, what a neglectful creature you can be, Éowyn!) what jollier way to jump back in then with -- not one -- but two link-ups, especially when they have been ones you've been enjoying on other people's blogs? So here I am!

First the Book Blogger Hop as hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer...

Do your children, siblings, or other family members enjoy reading as much as you do?
Yes, altogether we're a very reader-y family. I was raised on evening readings of Henty and Tolkien. :)


Number 2 - Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader

My opening is from Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery
 "A young man in Air Force blue stood by the window of a hotel lounge, staring out at a gray world: the gray streets of a gray town under a gray sky with a gray sea beyond it. Streets and sky and sea had to be taken on trust; for all that could be seen was dense gray mist.

"And the sea sighed and the fog rose up sheer, a wall of nothing at the worlds last edge," murmured the young man. He turned back into the empty room and sat down by the fire. Taking a folded sheet of paper and a tinted photograph from the end-flap of a shabby leather pocketbook, he studied them closely..."

My Thoughts
My heart goes out to the story at the first line. The description soaks you with atmosphere (honestly, I think it is one of the best soakings I've ever had!) and already "the young man in air force blue" is clearly someone worthy of respect. Besides which, mist and gray skies and folded papers are all on my list of Favorite Things.


Comments

  1. What fun to be from a reading family! Most of my family are readers but most of them don't read as much as I do. I love the excerpts. They're almost like reading poetry they're so lyrical.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Katherine,
      That's great that your family likes reading, too. :)

      Delete
  2. That is wonderful you came from a reading family.

    We were not readers, and I am not sure how my sisters and I became readers.

    My son was read to when he was small and shares my love of reading. In fact, I am reading a book now so I can share it with him when I see him at Easter.

    ENJOY your reading weekend.

    Happy Hopping!!

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Blog Hop Answer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elizabeth,
      Ah, that's wonderful that your son enjoys reading too! It must be great fun to share that love for stories. :)

      Delete
  3. The author did a great job of setting a somber mood right from the start. I'd keep reading to find out what's going on with this man in air force blue.
    My Friday post features WATERCOLORS IN THE RAIN.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That sounds so great, coming from a reading family! I had to discover Tolkien all on my own, but have been slowly trying to introduce his works to my niece in the hopes she'll follow my nerdy footsteps

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lulu,
      Oh, that is wonderful that you are introducing your niece to a love of reading! It must be great fun. :)

      Delete
  5. The beginning sounds kind of depressing - I know we need rain and don't mind it but I hate grey skies! Here's my Friday meme

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maria,
      Grey skies can have a great effect on one's mood. I usually find them rather inspiring, but it does depend on my state of mind and the season too. :)

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Teri Lloyd,
      Thank you, I'm glad you like it, too. :)

      Delete
  7. WOW!! You were raised on Tolkien? You were lucky indeed!! I first discovered Tolkien in my early 20s, even though I'd been an avid reader ever since I could read on my own. How nice that your entire family is into reading!

    The book you've chosen this week has a great beginning. I love the descriptions! The repetition of the word "gray" gives the first paragraph a rather musical quality, especially when you read it out loud.

    Happy Reading! Hope you're having a wonderful Saturday!! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maria Behar,
      Your'e right! "Grey" does have such a musical quality. It's one of my favorite words!

      Delete
  8. Can never ever go wrong with Tolkien! From my reader-y family to yours ;)

    Here's my post: http://guiltlessreading.blogspot.ca/2016/02/friday56-bookbeginnings-zero-k.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Guiltless Reader,
      Tolkien is THE best. I actually haven't read his books for a few years, but (thanks to my father's early readings) his stories are such a part of who I am that I don't feel like it has been that long!

      Delete
  9. That is a beginning that sets a mood!

    Thanks for sharing your post on BBOF! I come from a reading family myself, although my husband doesn't read quite as much as I do. He reads a lot, but can be lured away by any WWII documentary on Netflix. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gilion Duma,
      You are most welcome! It was great fun. :)

      Delete
  10. I hail from a family of readers, but not in the same way you describe. We were all lost in our own books more than we enjoyed any together as a family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Literary Feline,
      "Getting lost" is something we do a lot, too. :)

      Delete
  11. I absolutely love that you were raised on reading in the evenings with your family!

    And oohhh, that opening! It's BEAUTIFUL. And I love your thoughts on it. I agree that the young man is "clearly someone worthy of respect". It's astounding how the author can convey that without even saying so! I'm definitely going to put this book on my TBR list. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Natalie,
      I know!!! It gives me happy-shivers every time I think of it. :) The authoress's talent is truly stunning! And as for the young man... as I continue through the story (which I'm reading very slowly, because almost any type of war novel is really intense for me) he becomes only more splendid! BTW: do you like reading war stories? This one isn't exactly a war story as it takes place on the home front, but being in England the war is quite present.

      I hope you can read it soon!

      Delete
    2. Eowyn,
      Oh, judging from your words, I can't wait to get my hands on this book. :) Yes! Any story set during WW1 or WW2 piques my interest. :) Although, I do tend to lean toward ones that are not strictly about the war....usually it has to have a romance or some other plot mixed in as well. ;)

      Delete
    3. Natalie,
      Reading too much about the WW's "churns" me up, but I love reading about wounded heroes and whatnot, so like you I'm usually more about the romance angle. :) This one, though, is one of those rare stories which has like NO ROMANCE, but is all the more un-utterably splendid for it!

      Delete
    4. Heehee, I can understand that. :)
      How wonderful! It is so fun to love a story that does NOT have a romance angle in it. Then my brother and dad can't tease me that I like the story only for the romance. ;)

      Delete
  12. Love the atmosphere in the description - sounds like a great read. :)

    Check out my Friday 56 (With Book Beginnings).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lauren,
      It is most certainly a great read. ;)

      Delete
  13. Enemy Brothers!!! I LOVE that book.

    And Deanna Durbin!! Yesssssss. You made my day.

    Very sweet post, Eowyn.:)

    ~Rilla Blythe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rilla,
      YOU LOVE IT, TOO?! That's WONDERFUL!

      Deanna Durbin is an old friend of mine. :)

      Thank you!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts