First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"I open my eyes and choose violence."

~ The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

Series Sunday: To Die For

(The 6:20 Man #3) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

"And some of these people will not stop until what we have today is replaced with something more 1930s Germany than 2020s America." ~ 62%

My Series Sunday pick is To Die For, the third book in The 6:20 Man series by David Baldacci. Travis Devine is back to aid the FBI and Homeland Security in a case that gets more convoluted by the hour, especially when he comes face-to-face with the girl on the train.

Travis Devine has already proven he can accomplish any mission he is tasked with. His current assignment seems easy: escort a 12-year-old orphaned girl to a meeting with her uncle, who is under investigation for RICO charges. A perfect lowkey job that should keep him off the radar. But Devine gets to know Betsy and questions how her parents really died. Once he starts digging, the answers point to a conspiracy much bigger than a small rural town. It just may involve several government agencies, allies, enemies, Betsy and her uncle too.

"I go where the evidence takes me and I don't give a shit who goes down." ~ 17%

To Die For gave me Jack Reacher meets Myron Bolitar vibes. The main character, Travis Devine, is already a classic character and has become one of my favorites. He is smart-assed, witty, a quick thinker, dangerous, beyond intelligent, resourceful and I could go on and on and on. He has one-liners that make me smirk. His inner dialogue is brilliant. His conversations are heavy on logic but not boring or full of jargon. And best believe he will protect and fight with all of his might. Devine is simply a divine man.

It just so happens that To Die For is to be published within days of a presidential election. I see what you did here, Baldacci. I picked up on the not-so-subtle references to power, democracy, dictatorship, attempts to overthrow the government and supporters of a country that looks very KKK-ish. Normally this will turn me off in a book. I read fiction to escape the real troubles of the world, especially with the 2024 election results. But the way Baldacci weaved this narrative into a thriller that made sense was very well done. Combined with the exciting fast-paced plot, signature stellar writing and unforgettable characters, To Die For is one of the best thrillers I've read this year.

"They want all the wealth and power, along with a population that looks the same, prays the same, speaks the same, and where men dominate everything." ~ 72%

Fans of thrillers should immediately begin this series. You can read To Die For as a standalone but I recommend reading the previous two books for context: The 6:20 Man and The Edge. Some of the things mentioned will not make sense otherwise. But just because To Die For is soooo good and the best in series so far, I selfishly want Bookhearts to hurry and read this one so we can discuss. I guarantee this one is going to hit different.

Happy Early Pub Day, David Baldacci! To Die For will be available Tuesday, November 12, 2024.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: To Die For

Author: David Baldacci

Published: November 2024

Pages: 399

Edition: Galley

Genre: Thriller

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

First Lines Friday Bonus

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"Coming down the Alpine Road in a wheelchair-adapted van with Massachusetts handicap plates, Malcomb felt groggy, still heavy-headed from the drugs, but also anxious and sweaty."

~ The House of Cross by James Patterson

*BONUS* Click the title link above to read the first four chapters and view the official book trailer. Then join me in watching the Prime Video original series Cross.

Saturday Night, Sunday Morning

Staying True to Myself from the Pews to the Stage

"That's how people know me and my sound, because I bring in something different from anyone else." ~ 59%

What a perfect title for PJ Morton's new memoir! Saturday Night Sunday Morning is a new released book by the accomplished entertainment executive, musician and artist with a unique sound. PJ Morton is the rare artist that straddles religious and secular music lines, racial and cultural identities and combining his two worlds of the pews and stage.

PJ Morton shares his influences in life, from his dad to church, gospel groups, second lines in New Orleans, piano teachers, bands and more. The first section highlights his early and most important influences. The second section begins with memories as a student of the prestigious St. Augustine High School. Known for its academic excellence and many successful alumni, it reminds me of the high school I graduated from (Cass Tech).

"Once I believe something, if I can see how all the pieces fit together, I won't question it." ~ 31%

Morton goes on to talk about Morehouse, a very public bad breakup, finding new yet familiar love and starting a family. The rest of the memoir goes into great detail of his music career. The most interesting tidbit I learned was PJ Morton's connection to Mack Maine, president of Young Money Entertainment, his introduction to Maroon 5 and the bittersweet Super Bowl moment. Bookhearts, this is the PJ Morton you may know. Yes, that Black dude in Maroon 5! This is the part I looked forward to reading most. It took a while to get to that good part, but we needed the background and grass roots to fully understand his journey.

The blessings and opportunities that PJ Morton shares within his memoir are inspiring. I recommend reading Saturday Night Sunday Morning with access to your preferred music streaming service. Play the songs he mentions. Play the artists he name drops. Read the lyrics to his songs and get lost in the music while reading his story. There are a couple times where he references a topic but doesn't go further, yet he always came back to it eventually which I can appreciate!

Happy Early Pub Day, P.J. Morton! Saturday Night, Sunday Morning will be available Tuesday, November 12.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
Author: PJ Morton
Published: November 2024
Pages: 190
Edition: Galley
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: Throne of Glass

(Throne of Glass #1) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

"Still, it can't be pleasant to be one's own companion at all times." ~ pg. 155

My Series Sunday pick is Throne of Glass, the first book in the series of same name by Sarah J. Maas. In a land supposedly without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle where a vicious powerful king rules from his throne of glass. She is there to win her freedom. If she defeats 23 murderers, thieves and warriors in a competition lasting for 13 weeks, she will be released from prison to serve as the King's Champion. Say her name: Celaena Sardothien.

Celaena's fight for freedom turns into a fight for survival. Something evil dwells in the castle. Competitors start dying mysteriously, one by one. The Crown Prince will provoke and flirt with her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. And a princess will befriend her. So truly begins the story of Adarlan's Assassin.

"I read what I like." ~ pg. 237

The writing in Throne of Glass is very different from the writing in ACOTAR. Let's just say while I am impressed with the level of detail she put into it as a teenager and debut author, I can also tell she was a teenager and debut author writing this. Does that make any sense? It is less fantasy, less spice, less romance mingled with juvenile dialogue. I have to keep reminding myself that Celaena is only 18 years old. I can't very well expect her to pick up on everything right away but damn it is frustrating.

The world building though? Oh, SJM you have this is in the bag. I don't yet know how, or definitively if, the worlds of Erilea and Prythian connect. Guess I will continue...

Title: Throne of Glass

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Published: August 2012

Pages: 436

Edition: eBook

Genre: Romantasy Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"The shutters swinging in the storm winds were the only sign of her entry."

~ Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

The Ministry of Time

"One never understands one's use but through the opinion of others." ~ pg. 26

Boy meets girl. Past meets future. Finger meets trigger. Beginning meets the end. A recently established government ministry is gathering expats that were doomed for death anyway to test time travel. The expats are assigned a bridge for a year to help adjust to their new life. An unnamed civil servant works as the bridge to Commander Graham Gore. Through constant monitoring, living together and assisting with culture, the two characters form a bond and their relationship evolves into something deeper. Much like the real mission behind the ministry. 

WTDF genre is this?! The Ministry of Time is doing too much. It is a non-romantic rom-com. Fantasy in the 25th hour. Spy thriller at best. Historical sci-fi yet time travel to the future. A cautionary tale too. So it is my duty to caution you, my Bookhearts, that while I do not recommend The Ministry of Time, I am in the minority. A lot of people rate this book 3.5 stars or higher, give rave reviews, recommend it to all who will listen and is a national bestseller. President Obama lists The Ministry of Time as a favorite summer read. But me? Nope.

This new novel does not compare to the time-travel concept I have ever read or watched. Instead the author pushed her personal views, opinions and agenda into the minds of readers through the guise of fiction. There are messages within the pages that are not so subliminal. There are many missed opportunities with the plot and character development. We don't even know the narrator's name until well into the story. She's simply "the bridge." By the time I begrudgingly reached the last chapter, I didn't care enough to interpret the ending. The Ministry of Time is just an overall miss for me.

For a more detailed discussion, join the Sistahs Be Readin' Book Club on Patreon! See what the other Sistahs have to say about this month's selection.

Title: The Ministry of Time
Author: Kaliane Bradley
Published: 2024
Pages: 339
Edition: Hardcover
Genre: All 'em
Rating: 🖤 🖤