Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence of the book you’re reading.  The Friday 56 – As many of you know Freda over at Freda’s Voice hosted The Friday56 for many years. Since Freda is no longer blogging The Friday 56 is now hosted by, Anne over at My Head Is Full of Books. So grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in your e-reader, and share a non-spoiler sentence or two.  First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Reading is My Superpower that asks you to share the first sentence of the book you’re reading. Book Blogger Hop asks a question of general interest or discussion hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer

My book for today is You Can’t Hurt Me by Emma Cook

Publication Date: November 5, 2024

Meet Eva, who can’t feel pain, and Anna, who can’t escape it.

Everyone has heard about the case of Eva Reid. Ever since she was born, she’s felt no pain: she can get a paper cut, break a limb and even give birth without feeling a single thing. Her story has long captivated the minds of reporters and researchers—including Dr. Nate Reid, Eva’s husband and acclaimed scientist, renowned for his work in the Pain Laboratory. Also among them is Anna Tate, a ruthless journalist with a dark past of her own.

When Eva is suddenly found dead inside her home, it raises a flurry of questions about the last night of her life—and who might’ve been involved. Anna finds herself growing increasingly obsessed with Eva’s case: her protected, painless existence, her promising career as a psychotherapist, and especially her toxic relationship with the alluring Dr. Reid, whom Eva met and married as his former patient. But what other secrets could they be hiding?

When Dr. Reid embarks on the process of writing a book about Eva, an opportunity arises for Anna to work on it alongside him. As she slowly inserts herself into their home to uncover what’s fact and what’s fiction, shocking discoveries await her—and not everyone may come out unscathed…

Goodreads/Amazon

First Sentence:

7 December 2022, 7: 30 p.m.

I am a ghost in the room tonight. A shadow no one will notice, exactly as it should be. Guests arrive, flowing toward the heat and hum of the glass atrium at the back of the bookshop. Turing my back to them, I retreat farther into the deserted aisles of Anthropology, reach for a slim volume, inhale the flutter of air as my thumb zips through the pages. I wait for that aroma, dry and sweet, biscuits and sawdust to work its usual magic, a sensory hit that never fails to reassure me. Until now. Books used to be an escape. A window to another world that for a short time might alter me in some unfathomable way. But I’ve been too close to them, seen how they can taint and twist the truth.

Page 56

“I owe Grayson another book. And as I say, it was Priya’s idea, not mine. But lately, I’m not sure it’s worth a book contract, or that I can preserve Eva’s legacy.” He gives me a wistful look. “What can be gained by constantly raking through the past? Who’s it really serving?”

Today’s Question Is: –  September is a busy month for literary events and book awards. Are there any award-winning books or authors you’re eager to read, or any forthcoming book events you intend to go to or cover on your blog?  (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

A: I am sorry to say that I have not had time to even think about this. September has been a pretty lost month for me so far. 🙃

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Friday 56 is hosted by My Head Is Full of Books

Book Beginnings hosted by Rose City Reader

First Sentence Friday hosted by Reading Is My Superpower

Book Blogger Hop (BBH) is hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer

Please leave a comment so I can visit your post. Visit the hosts above and see what other participants have to say, or better yet, join the fun!

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She’s a witch. He hunts killers. Solving murders is just the foreplay.

Deadly Blooms by Sadie J. Foxx @sadiejfoxx  is available now in physical, ebook, and audio! 

Audio narrated in duet multicast by @j.f.harding @danisoleilnarrator @cadenhartnarrator @molly.briar and produced by @adleraudios

TROPES
❤️‍🔥1st in Series
🖤NOT a HEA-yet *cliffhanger*
❤️‍🔥Insta-lust but slowburn
🖤Dirty talkers
❤️‍🔥witty & unhinged banter
🖤Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥Grumpy/Grumpy
🖤*Toys*
❤️‍🔥He’s coded like Dean...🫠
🖤Ob$es$ive / Pr0tective MMC
❤️‍🔥light 🐝DSM (she awakens him)
🖤Tragic past
❤️‍🔥Found Family
🖤FMC/MMC over 35

BLURB
Maggie Maxwell didn’t mean to become the town’s newest scandal.

But moving into her dead uncle’s haunted manor came with more than creaky headboards—it came with murders. Multiple. Right in her backyard.

And a six-foot-four officer, built like a wall of muscle and her filthiest desires, babysitting her like she’s breakable. He’s brooding, bossy, and overprotective—and Maggie? She’s sworn off quick flings. Especially since her love spell has a new side effect: obsessive, zombie-like exes who abandon their families just to worship the ground she walks on.
Harlow from A.D. Wilde @authoradwilde is coming soon! 

Releases July 14th 

Pre-Order Here → https://a.co/d/05o9Wkkj

TROPES

🗡️ Hitman MMC
🩷 Revenge Plot
🗡️ Blood Play
🩷 Stabby FMC
🗡️ Age Gap
🩷 Pierced MMC
🗡️ Spitting
🩷 Slow Burn

BLURB

HARLOW
Insanity—I can taste it lingering on the tip of my tongue, threatening to slip down my throat and poison me. But my hunger for revenge is relentless. And I’m not leaving this earth until my appetite has been satiated. 

The only problem: I’m being robbed of my sins before I can commit them. And I know exactly who’s to blame.

LYNX
She’s prepared to stain her soul by seeking sweet revenge. And although I enjoy watching her toy with her prey, I won’t allow her to condemn herself to hell for eternity. 

I’ll lurk in the dark, stealing her gratification the way she steals my breath, until every drop of blood of the men who wronged her has run dry. 

After all, monsters like me were built for this.
Tether by Cadence Smoke & @author.demivalentine is coming soon

Releasing July 15th 2026

🐦‍⬛Secret Society
🗝️Found Family
🐦‍⬛Enemies to Lovers
🗝️Gothic Academia
🐦‍⬛Protective MMC
🗝️Love Triangle
🐦‍⬛Rags to Riches
🗝️Forced Proximity
🐦‍⬛He Falls First

Welcome to Hollowcrest, where fates are tethered by secrets, and love knows no bounds.

https://books2read.com/u/m2G066
BLUE IN THE DEEP BLUE SEA by @iam_a_em

‼️Pre-Order Today ➤ https://a.co/d/0aTFeTbx

What you will have:

Enemies to lovers… but he’s her brother’s best friend
Brother’s best friend… and completely off limits
From annoying little sister… to his biggest weakness
When the sea takes everything… except the one person she can’t stand
Shipwrecked with the one person she hates most
Stranded on an island… with her brother’s best friend and her childhood crush

When her brother goes missing, she turns to the one man she swore she’d never need.
She should’ve stayed away. What happens next, preorder and find out… 

She should hate him forever. But somewhere along the way… she forgot how. From enemies to lovers… 

Blue in the Deep Blue Sea by A. Em. is coming out on August 3rd.

#booktok #enemiestolovers #brothersbestfriend #shipwrecked #dᴀʀᴋrᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ