My Favorite Book Opening Lines

The first couple of lines from a book can make a huge difference in choosing a book to take home. If my imagination is grabbed by the first lines of a book, then I feel that it has got to be a winner. I do know that the first line is not always an indicator of how great a book is, but I can't help feeling it can't hurt. Here are a few of the opening lines that have caught my attention and imagination.

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning, New York: Bantam Dell Books, 2006.

"My philosophy is pretty simple - any day - nobody's trying to kill me is a good day in my book. I haven't had many good days lately."

I doubled checked spine - it does say romance. So what kind of a romance novel starts out with a couple of lines like those? I had to buy just to find out. The author has combined mystery with fantasy and added a pinch of romance and a sprinkling of humor to create this wonderful book.

Howl at the Moon by Christine Warren, New York: St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2007.

"Seriously, there's this thing called 'the sun' and it gives off this stuff called 'sunlight' that it's important to have occasional contact with."

This is a romance and a mystery novel blended together, then placed inside a contemporary world where werewolves live openly with humans.

The Husband by Dean Koontz, New York: Bantam Books, 2006.

"A man begins dying at the moment of his birth. Most people live in denial of Death's patient courtship until, late in life and deep in sickness, they become aware of him sitting bedside."

When I see Dean Koontz's name on a book, I'm expecting a psychological thriller slash horror book, but the first lines in this book sound like it is coming from a philosopher. I had to read it. Excellent book - it had so many unexpected twists and turns that I reread some passages to make sure I didn't read something wrong.

Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach, New York: Dell Publishing Company, 1977.

"1. There was a Master come unto the earth, born in the holy land of Indiana, raised in the mystical hills of east of Fort Wayne."

Okay with a title and first line like that how could I not take it home? This is a totally awesome book that is both inspiring and a way to open your mind up to the possibilities of what life has to offer.

October Sky by Homer H. Hickam, Jr,. New York: Dell Books, 1998.

"Until I began to build and launch rockets, I didn't know my hometown was at war with itself over its children and that my parents were locked in a kind of bloodless combat over how my brother and I would live our lives. I didn't know that if a girl broke your heart, another girl, virtuous at least in spirit, could mend it on the same night."

This book is an autobiography of a man from Coalwood, West Virginia, who at the age of 14 with friends and support from townspeople made a rocket in 1957 from materials they scrounged around town to find. This is a very well written inspiring book that is as good as its opening lines.

RealLove: The Truth about Finding Unconditional Love and Fulfilling Relationships by Greg Baer, M.D., New York: Gotham Books, 2003.

Relationships fail all around us every day - between spouses, lovers, siblings, friends, and co-workers, among others. But despite an abundance of self-assured finger-pointing, the people involved rarely have any idea what actually went wrong. As a result, many people seem to be caught in an endless cycle of disappointment and unhappiness, blindly repeating the same mistakes."

This book caught my attention because he has started out with a simple truth that is so familiar to me. Since I wanted to get out of that vicious cycle I bought this book and the CD version of it. It is an excellent book that has the potential of changing your life - if you take his advice to heart.

Remember the Alibi by Elizabeth Daniels Squire, New York: Berkley Prime Crime Books, 1994.

"I couldn't really blame my Swiss-cheese memory with the holes in it for landing me with a gun at my head. All I forgot was how suspicious I would look in a graveyard with a shovel in my hands."

Doesn't it just make you wonder why the character is out in a graveyard in the first place? Then you have to wonder what's the deal with the shovel? This is a murder mystery, but the character isn't out there digging up clues or burying a body. I decided not to tell you any more, you'll just have to read the book for yourself.

Sleeping with Fear by Kay Hooper, New York: Bantam Books, 2006.

"Even before she opened her eyes, Riley Crane was aware of two things. Her pounding head, and the smell of blood. Neither was all that unusual."

This book is part of Kay Hooper's Bishop Series about an FBI Special Crimes Unit that is a team made up of psychics, so I knew it would be good before I opened the book. Even if I had no knowledge of Ms. Hooper's books these lines alone would have gotten me to take it home.