First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea, is where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.
Today I'm featuring a suspenseful new read from A.J. Banner. Its release date is today (12/27/16).
My review follows the first chapter snippet below . . .
CHAPTER ONE
This morning, I know the scientific term fro the vermilion star, Mediaster aequalis, but I have trouble remembering my name. I reach into the icy water to touch the sea star's bumpy exoskeleton, and I feel like a child full of fascination, not a thirty-four-year-old marine biologist recovering from a head injury. They say I taught freshman classes at Seattle University, but I have no memory of those days. I wonder about the moments I've lost, the people I loved. We surely must have laughed together, lifted our glasses to celebrate weddings, birthdays, anniversaries. I used to have a life. But now I have only this island, the husband who stays by my side, and a peculiar recurring dream.
What do you think? Would you continue reading?
The introductory paragraph draws the reader in, providing a good amount of information about the narrator and her situation.
My Review . . .
This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally written and published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution. Retweeting and sharing on Google+ are appreciated.
Over the past few years, psychological suspense stories with
unreliable narrators, questionable characters, and complicated marriages have
taken the fiction world by storm. A new
entry to the genre is The Twilight Wife, the latest novel by A.J. Banner, author of The Good Neighbor.
In The Twilight Wife, Kyra, a young marine biologist suffering from a complex form
of amnesia caused by a diving accident, has come to remote Mystic Island in the
Pacific Northwest with her husband Jacob in the hopes of regaining her memory. She cannot recall the last four years—the entire
time of her relationship with Jacob—and is dependent on him to fill in the
blanks. At first, Jacob is patient and
caring; yet, as her recovery progresses, Kyra’s flashbacks and recurring dreams
cause her to doubt the information Jacob has shared about their past and her accident, triggering
questions about their relationship and Jacob’s disingenuousness. Can Kyra trust him? Can she accurately piece together her memory and move forward with her life? Who can she turn to for answers and help?
This fast-paced tale of deception is well plotted and filled
with supporting characters who add mysterious elements and clues that keep readers
guessing about the story's outcome. The remote, stormy island intensifies Kyra's vulnerability, and provides the perfect atmosphere for the twists and
revelations that make this a satisfying, engaging read from start to finish.
Banner is an author to watch, and I’ll be picking up a copy
of her previous book, which I somehow missed in 2015. I hope the wait for a third novel won't be too long.
Note: I received an advanced copy of The Twilight Wife from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally written and published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution. Retweeting and sharing on Google+ are appreciated.
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