My Bookish Mewsings: An Easy Death / A Longer Fall / Stars Beyond

In the morning I got Chrissie to cut off all my hair. ~ Opening of An Easy Death 

An Easy Death (Gunnie Rose, #1) by Charlaine Harris

Gallery/Saga, 22018

Fantasy/Alternate History; 321 pgs

Source: Purchased

There was no question I would read Charlaine Harris’s Gunnie Rose series when the first book came out, having read and enjoyed some of the author’s previous work. I eagerly dived into An Easy Death and followed it up not long after with A Longer Fall, the second book in the series. The series is set in the Southwest with an alternate history timeline. The Great Depression and the assassination of Franklin Roosevelt resulted in a fractured the United States that broke off into several different countries. 

In An Easy Death, Gunslinger Lizbeth Rose is hired as guide and protection by two wizards searching for a man they believe can save the life of their tsar—or at least his blood can. Lizbeth Rose does not trust anyone who can wield magic, but she is desperate for work and money. High in action and lots of magic with a bit of romance, I was immediately drawn into the novel. Gunnie Rose may be a bit rough around the edges, but she’s sharp and thinks quickly on her feet. I liked her right away. The author’s world building is top-notch. It has a definite Old West vibe to it with a mix of the modern. Loving all things magic, I was especially interested in Eli and Paulina, the two wizards who had hired Gunnie Rose. Both were interesting characters in their own rights. Will I read the next book in the series? Absolutely!

It had been a long time since I was on a train, and I found I hadn't missed it a bit. ~ Opening of A Longer Fall 

A Longer Fall (Gunnie Rose, #2) by Charlaine Harris

Gallery/Saga, 2020

Fantasy/Alternate History; 304 pgs

Source: NetGalley for an honest review

Lizbeth Rose is hired to be part of a new crew in A Longer Fall with a mission to protect a crate as it is transported into the state of Dixie, once a part of the United States—and the last place Gunnie Rose wants to go. Of course, everything goes wrong on the mission when the crate is stolen, and Gunnie Rose teams up with an old friend to attempt to retrieve it. A Longer Fall has a slightly different feel to it than the first book in the series. This second book is set almost entirely in Dixie. Dixie has a different set of rules than Gunnie Rose is used to. White supremacy runs rampant, and there is a definite hierarchy in terms of race and gender. Jim Crow Laws evidently still apply. I did cringe near the end. White Savior-ism rears its ugly head, which is my only complaint about the novel. Although I ultimately liked An Easy Death more, A Longer Fall was quite the page turner, and I enjoyed it overall. There was plenty of action and magic with bit of romance. The world building continues to be superb. 

It might have been coincidence--the chairman of Eaglehawk Company standing in the foyer of the Grande Hotel, watching the news vid on the three-floor-high screen--but Leonard Wickmore didn't believe in coincidence. ~ Opening of Stars Beyond

Stars Beyond (Stars Uncharted, #2) by S.K. Dunstall

Ace, 2020

Science Fiction; 416 pgs

Source: NetGalley for an honest review

I fell in love with the the first book, Stars Uncharted, and the world building, and eagerly dove into Stars Beyond, which takes us deeper into the world sister-writing team S.K. Dunstall has created. The reader steps right back into the lives of the Another Road crew, who have barely escaped with their lives in the previous novel. In a new and better armed spaceship, the crew is still on the run from the corrupt Department of Justice agents and the company men tracking them. Captain Roystan's memory is shot and his health is deteriorating. Genemodder Nika must get that new genenod machine she's ordered, not mention find more of the transurides, if she hopes to save him. It seems simple enough. Until it isn't. A company general is bent on getting his hands on genemod apprentice Bertram Snowshoe; the evil and cruel company man Wickmore will stop at nothing to get his hands on Nika; and Agent McAlister is after Nika too, but for his own desperate reasons.  

High in tension and suspense, Stars Beyond does not disappoint.  Nika Rik Terri and Josune continue to be my favorite characters in the series, both resourceful and skilled in their crafts. I would not have minded more Josune in the novel though. I continue to be impressed with S.K. Dunstall's world building and the complexity and nuances of the world and characters they have created. 

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© 2020, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Last Sentences of 2019 (Spoiler Alert)

**SPOILER ALERT**

Below you will find the last sentences of the books I read in 2019. Sometimes the last sentence in the book can be the most powerful as it brings the book's journey to a close. I started keeping track of the final sentences of each book I read as an experiment to see if, at the end of the year or even years later, that last sentence would bring the feelings back again I had when I first finished each book. And it does! I enjoy looking back on these last words in the books I read as I reflect on the year's reading. It may mean nothing to anyone but me--but, then, I really only keep track for me.  Please be aware they may contain spoilers. 

*

I laughed and set about proving how very troublesome I was, indeed. ~ This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber


"I would never play an April Fool's tick on April second!" ~ April Fools' Fiasco by Ron Roy

She crossed the avenue toward Grand Central, unencumbered and unafraid, and started through the doors of the station, headed for the life that awaited her. ~ Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

"Just Moody, Girl Detective," she said, grinning from ear to ear. ~ Judy Moody Girl Detective by Megan McDonald


"But . . . I think I'm looking forward to it." ~ The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman


Mr. Duncan pulled onto the highway and headed for home. ~ Sleepy Hollow Sleepover by Ron Roy

We're fine. ~ Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward


"Boy, I love doing that," President Zachary Thornton said to himself. ~ White House White-Out by Ron Roy


Nika looked foward to it. ~ Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall


Fit for a queen! ~ Judy Moody and the Right Royal Tea Party by Megan McDonald


I say VIVA LA FRIDA! ~ Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself by Margaret Frith


Many people feel that Frida's suffering and art symbolized Mexico's struggle to find its own identify as a country. ~ Who Was Frida Kahlo? by Sarah Fabiny


Sometimes, real life was even better. ~ Getting Hot With a Scot by Melonie Johnson


Then he ran out of the rose garden as fast as his legs would carry him.  ~ A Spy in the White House by Ron Roy


I figured we'd find out soon, because I was about to light the fuse on enough explosives to blow the galaxy apart. ~ Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet


And silence. ~ Broken Girls by Simone St. James


And there was one more thing Judy did know for sure and absolute positive--there would be many ore moods. ~ Judy Moody Predicts the Future by Megan McDonald


"I think you'll like it there." ~ The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo


Wouldn't Elizabeth Blackwell, First Woman Doctor, be proud! ~ Judy Moody Gets Famous! by Megan McDonald


It's the only way the world ever gets changed: Together. ~ I Am Jackie Robinson by Brad Meltzer


I named him Turtle . . . to remind me. ~ Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume


"To us." ~ Unraveling by Karen Lord


But that would remain her secret. ~ The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale


Merry Christmas to all . . . and to all a good night. ~ A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel


"Even if they're scary." ~ The Book Supremacy by Kate Carlisle


"Always stick with your buddy!"~ Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann


Major Kraft looked up, and saw George's school teacher leading his son towards him by the scruff of his neck. ~ The Master Key by Masako Togawa


He took his time, and when he looked up, he was sure. ~ How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee


"No way, Ray." ~ Grand Canyon Grab by Ron Roy


Then it rose into the air and flew quickly out the door, following the beautiful man down the veranda, and both vanished into the night. ~ Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa


"Lead the way, darling." ~ The Lady and the Thief by Megan Derr


I have time. ~ Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire


"I have everything I need," she said, pulling her dashing duke closer, "right here." ~ Smitten by the Brit by Melonie Johnson


"Thank you, Mrs. Redfern." ~ Death in Kew Gardens by Jennifer Ashley


But someday . . . someday Sydney would. ~ False Step by Victoria Helen Stone


we are going away tomorrow to a new house daddy can't come right now but I hope you can I love you please come back soon love Ellie age 5 goodbye ~ Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware


Baxter Price was gone. ~ Fan the Flames by Katie Ruggle


And she'd never been happier in her life. ~ Off the Grid by Monica McCarty


Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose slipped the fangs into their mouths just as the movie started. ~ The Vampire's Vacation by Ron Roy


She laughed at the use of the favorite SEAL saying, looking forward to the next seventy years or so of Mr. Take Charge SEAL Commander realizing that she played to win, too. ~ Out of Time by Monica McCarty


"Even me?" the skeleton asked. ~ The School Skeleton by Ron Roy


"Don't be so sure." ~ The Gossamer Mage by Julie E. Czerneda


They talk with their hands and their bodies and their souls, and they sing. ~ Vox by Christina Dalcher


"We've got a problem." ~ Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle


"He says he is your brother." ~ Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews


Smiling, she took another step toward home. ~ On His Watch by Katie Ruggle


And secret names. ~ The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale


And once they'd finished that, they lived happily ever after. ~ The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman


And she knew, in her heart, she never would. ~ Pretty Guilty Women by Gina LaManna


Then we continue to stand there, unmoving, looking, out at the electric glitter of Tokyo, my boots pointed away from the house and toward the city, my heart suspended somewhere between one choice and another, unsure where to go next. ~ Warcross by Marie Lu


It sounded like they were singing. ~ After the Flood by Kassandra Montag


It really is THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING. ~ The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires


A home where we can be safe and begin our story again. ~ The Journey by Francesca Sanna


But now . . . well, right now when I'm still sort of small,
The best job is dreaming, with no work at all." 
~ The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by Dr. Seuss


It did. ~ The Taken by Vicki Pettersson


The back room wasn't as sexy as the classics section, but I soon descovered it would do in a pinch. ~ Well Met by Jen DeLuca


"And the day after that," she said. ~ Ivy + Bean by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall


Red knocked on the door. ~ The Girl in Red by Christina Henry


"See you tomorrow, Mommy and Daddy said kissing us both goodnight. ~ Goldilicious by Victoria Kann


"Christmas has a magic of its own." ~ Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by Tomie de Paola


She steps through it, and is gone. ~ The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow


"I have a lot to tell you." ~ Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece by Rose Pressey


From now on I am always going to be as sweet as my sweet tooth. ~ Silverlicious by Victoria Kann


Until the Duck said . . . "I think I'll play the bagpipes now." ~ Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper


And she turned on the light - 
and closed the door -
and that's all there is - 
there isn't any more. 
~ Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans


And she did. ~ Possum Magic by Mem Fox & Julie Vivas


After supper, I sit with her and she can reach right up and turn out the light if I fall asleep in her lap. ~ A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams


Everyone called him Henry "BOX" Brown. ~ Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine & Kadir Nelson


A really great day, thought Bean. ~ Ivy + Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall


And though I'll find new ways of being me my whole life through, my favorite me will always be . . . when I am me with you. ~ Me With You by Kristy Dempsey and Christopher Denise


And by his reckoning, his son was moving closer to that particular goal. ~ Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill


I knew it wouldn't stay perfect--nothing ever did--but for now, I was utterly happy. ~ Death Overdue by Allison Brook


If I'd learned one thing these past few weeks, it was they wouldn't stay perfect for long. ~ Read and Gone by Allison Brook


Amelia Bedelia felt like she was the luckiest person in the world. ~ Amelia Bedelia Tries Her Luck by Herman Parish & Lynn Avril


"Never mind," said Bean. ~ Ivy + Bean Break the Fossil Record by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall


And I hope you'll remember that the greatest flight you'll ever take, is the one no one has tried before. ~ I Am Amelia Earhart by Brad Meltzer


"Meow," he said, agreeing with me. ~ Buried in the Stacks by Allison Brook


"We've got a long way to go." ~ Wicked Hour by Chloe Neill


The witch tapped the broomstick and 
     whoosh! they were gone. 
~ Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler


She was smiling, too, her eyes soft as she watched them, and Luke was quite certain his heart couldn't contain any more joy. ~ Coming Home for Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne


After all, she was  a Thompson now, and Thompsons keep to themselves. ~ One Wish by Jodi Thomas


Ugly sweaters and all. ~ The Christmas Keeper by Jenn McKinlay


"Christmas in Colorado." ~ A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan


"And there are still lots of hours left," said Ivy. ~ Ivy + Bean Take Care of the Babysitter by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall


The moon is still around, but part of it is in Earth's shadow. ~ Nighttime by Jill Esbaum


Yes, deep in the heart of
Wintermouse Wood,
a friend by your side
 makes life twice as good. 
~ Side by Side by Rachel Bright & Debi Gliori


And he did. ~ Santa's Book of Names by David McPhail


He was happy to have such wonderful friends. ~ Wolf! by Becky Bloom and Pascal Biet


(Okay, it was the only one, but it was still completely amazing. ~ Snow Place Like Home by Christina Soontornvat and  Barbara Szepesi Szucs


But up by the tree, Ivy and Blister rested peacefully, both pure of heart. ~ Ivy + Bean Bound to Be Bad by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall


When you stare at the night sky, someone might be staring back! ~ Night Sky by Stephanie Warren Drimmer


Love,
Molly Lou Melon
~ Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell & David Catrow


I am home. ~ The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor


After a while Pippi and the horse looked like a little speck, far away, and finally they disappeared completely. ~ Pippi Goes On Board by Astrid Lindgren


"Our own little world." ~ Once Upon a Bad Boy by Melonie Johnson

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© 2019, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

2017 Last Sentences of Books Read (*Spoiler Warning*)

**SPOILER ALERT**

Below you will find the last sentences of the books I read in 2017. Please be aware they may contain spoilers. 

*

My a-ma. ~ The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

To begin perfect happiness at the respective ages of twenty-six and eighteen, is to do pretty well, and professing myself moreover convinced, that the General's unjust interference, so far from being really injurious to their felicity, was perhaps rather conducive to it, by improving their knowledge of each other, and adding strength to their attachment, I leave it to be settled by whomsoever it may concern, whether the tendency of this work be altogether to recommend parental tyranny, or reward filial disobedience. ~ Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen


I reached out and took his hand. ~ Uprooted by Naomi Novik


The greatest part of her legacy--Christine Darden and the generation of younger women who were standing on the shoulders of the West Computers--was still in the office. ~ Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly


Consider Kits: Within these sacred bones rests a power that our enemies would destroy the world to possess. ~ Monstress, Volume One: Awakening by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

Well . . . You know. ~ As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes, Joe Layden

They were safe in the Library, and the Library would endure. ~ The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman

It was perfect. ~ The Devil Takes a Bride by Julia London

"Darling please," and then a two-word poem: "Come Home." ~ A Death By Any Other Name by Tessa Arlen

Are there any questions? ~ The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

YES PLEASE THANK YOU SHARITA. ~ Yes, Please by Amy Poehler

Ophie joined the moms in shouting, "Key West." ~ Read to Death by Terrie Farley Moran

"What could possibly happen?" ~ The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel


I drew in a breath of crisp December air and stood perfectly still, savoring the feel, the sound, and the smell of the world around me, sensations that would have passed by me unnoticed had I never met Carl Iverson. ~ The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens


"Forever." ~ Soulfire by Juliette Cross


And my heart. ~ Windburn by Juliette Cross


As I would love him. ~ Nightbloom by Juliette Cross


And our hearts were happier for it. ~ Dragon Heartstrings by Juliette Cross


My Morgon man was full of fire and love, and as I would learn over the years, full of many, pleasurable surprises. ~ Waking the Dragon by Juliette Cross


"When pain and sorrow hurts you too near, then come away . . . come away . . . back home." ~ Dragon in the Blood by Juliette Cross


"That belongs to you." ~ The Black Lily by Juliette Cross


Picture her at twelve, thirteen, fourteen, equal parts Victorian storybook and diffident anti-cool, wondering, asking, answered: every one of us etched on, brokenwhole, fragile, arise. ~ Etched On Me by Jenn Crowell


Some things never changed. ~ The Girls Next Door by Mel Sherratt


He grinned and said, "I told you to trust me." ~ A Killer Ball At the Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison


Dad survived the Japanese,
now he's receiving an award,
thriving in his post-war
medical practice,
beaming into the camera-
with my pride and feistiness.
~ WTF: Poems by Laura Foley


Josette was staring straight ahead, standing next t him, and her voice was the voice of a woman. ~ LaRose by Louise Erdrich


And if they are ready, they'll know what to do. ~ Planetfall by Emma Newman


Maisie sauntered off into the evening, swinging her holdall beside her. ~ Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford


She was content with her role; she had a muse of her own. ~ Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal


There is great unrest. ~ The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes


It had never been anything else. ~ Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie


"Someone has to be first," I told myself ruefully, joyfully, and swung the door open. ~ Girl in Disguise by Greer Macallister


The corpse opened his eyes. ~ The Lost Girls of Rome by Donato Carrisi


Then the rain sweeps in and it is gone. ~ Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum


Signing off with a big ole crotch-to-crotch hug and not one of those wussy hugs where people stand a foot away from each other and barely touch. ~ I Want My Epidural Back: Adventures in Mediocre Parenting by Karen Alpert


The turkey answered a thin, "You'll see," his voice a little song that hung in the air long after he 'ddisappeared~ Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris


I promise. ~ The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas


Kate is buried at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, alongside other Pinkerton operatives. ~ The Pinks: The First Women Detectives, Operatives, and Spies With the Pinkerton National Detective Agency by Chris Enss


Greek myths and quadratic equations will come later. ~ The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey


And so the ice-cream machine kept churning. ~ The Ice-Cream Makers by Ernest Van der Kwast


And I count them all twice before I realize--it's me Dede, it's me, the one who survived to tell the story. ~ In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez


She was alive. ~ The Girl With a Clock For a Heart by Peter Swanson


He was a guy she could count on to get things done--always. ~ Going Dark by Monica McCarty


"I swear it." ~ Sadie's Highlander by Maeve Grayson


South-south-west, south, south-east, east . . . ~ Brave New World by Aldous Huxley


 She would survive it again. ~ Sworn Virgin by Kristopher Dukes


It wasn't perfect, but it was mine. ~ Gin and Panic by Maia Chance


And by now, this shouldn't surprise us. ~ Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain


"When the hell did you start talking to elves?" ~ Owl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish


She exhaled sharply, tugging down the front of her jacket resolutely; then she pulled open the door and stepped into her future. ~ The Fire By Night by Teresa Messineo


They stood very still, hushed, their gleaming black eyes fixed on her, white beaks open in a strange alert anticipation. ~ Miss Jane by Brad Watson


All is as it should be. ~ The Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb


The yeti devours anything that strays into its path, though it fears fire and may be repulsed by the skilled wizards. ~ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander and J.K. Rowling


Never. ~ Death in the Stacks by Jenn McKinlay


But they would be looking for a ghost. ~ Cinder by Marissa Meyer


"I'd claimed you a long time ago." ~ Bitten by Deceit by Shawntelle Madison


It was all gone from her mind as she smiled up at the white tiger shifter who'd made her dreams come true. ~ Forbidden by Elle Thorne


"God bless us. Everyone." ~ Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva


I was overwhelmed with the lust and wonder of it all. ~ Lust and Wonder by Augusten Burroughs


"That's what I thought," she says softly. ~ Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris


It's absolutely perfect." ~ Snowfall on Haven Point by RaeAnne Thayne


And as he vanished upstairs, she turned, watching the lighthouse beam sweep over the harbor, the little town, out to the  mainland, where the fireworks were already starting to pop, one two three, and just before she switched out the light, she went into the kitchen in her wedding dress, and she laid out the yeast and the flour and the eggs for the morning bread, and kissed Neil, already snuggled in front of the Aga, and put out the light, then ran upstairs, her skirt and a faint wake of flour trailing behind her. ~ Christmas At Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan


She ran to meet it. ~ Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo


He's Tracker. ~ Shadowed by Karen E. Olson


Life was full of beautiful surprises, and for her, Sam Conacher was one of them. ~ The Christmas Room by Catherine Anderson


This was the season of miracles and she would always be grateful for her own--and it had all started with a song. ~ The Rancher's Christmas Song by RaeAnne Thayne

And while the three cats vied for the pudgy puppy's attention and the tree lights twinkled and snowflakes danced outside, they made each other's dreams come true. ~ Sugar Pine Trail by RaeAnne Thayne


And so we did. ~ "Red to Hide the Blood" from Mrs. Claus: Not the Fairy Tale They Say edited by Rhonda Parrish


"I'm feeling a little bit better already." ~ These Violent Delights by Victoria Namkung


"That's plenty enough for me." ~ Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

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© 2017, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Last Sentences of 2016 (SPOILERS - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK)

[Last sentences of books read in 2016]

Just as first sentences hold their own magic, so do the last sentences of each story and book we read. The first sentence must draw you in and make you want to keep reading. The last sentence carries with it the final feeling a reader will have for the book. Was it satisfying? Did it leave something to be desired? More importantly, does that last sentence bear the weight of all that came before it? Ultimately, that's exactly what it is supposed to do. 

Some of these last sentences will mean nothing out of context, but some are major spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Do you ever come across a last sentence that stays with you for awhile?

Before the car turned down another street, a fox's tail slipped between a line of trees. ~ The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary


And they would live happily ever after. ~ The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald


Neely and I have a son. ~ Angels Burning by Tawni O'Dell


And that is all anybody needs to know. ~ What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan


She would have bathe in the moonlight falling so beautifully over Paris, and she would think of the girl who had so badly wnated to live, the girl who had simply wanted more, and she would thank her, then, for promises made and promises kept. ~ Moonlight Over Paris by Jennifer Robson


And that yes, Momma, the spirit always has a choice. ~ My Sweet Vidalia by Deborah Mantella


Devi groaned and buried her hands in Neoeme's hair, pulling her closer and resolving never to go six weeks without Noeme ever again. ~ Slaying Dragons by Sasha L. Miller


And I shouldn't have worried about her not recognising me, not at all, because we know each other at once. ~ The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer


And just as I let my eyes close, I realize that it's a Russian Olive outside, tapping at my window. ~ The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams


She had plenty of time to change and catch the half past ten train to Kew, and meet Mr. Stafford at the Lamb and Flag before their visit to the Orchid House. ~ Death Sits Down for Dinner by Tessa Arlen

It felt like he was never letting go. ~ North of Here by Laurel Saville


"And a future to plan." ~ Delia's Shadow by Jaime Lee Moyer


I am a cat, and I have one life left. ~ The Ninth Life by Clea Simon

It looked like the one. ~ The Decent Proposal by Kemper Donovan

I cannot rest from travel:

I will drink

Life to the less; all times I 

have enjoy'd

Greatly, have suffer'd

greatly, both with those

That loved me, and alone;

on shore and when

Thro' scudding drifts the

rainy Hyades

Vext the dim sea: I am

become a name. 

~ The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Neither said very much, but what they did not say spoke to a rare peacefulness, a trust so solid that even if they could not see each other, they both new the other was there. ~ All Stories Are Love Stories by Elizabeth Percer

And you saved us. ~ Terrible Virtue by Ellen Feldman


And this is what I have remembered of love. ~ The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys


"Ajmal, my friend, let's go!" ~ When the Moon Is Low by Nadia Hashimi


I had a place to stand. ~ Seraphina by Rachel Hartman


He made room for me and we sat together the rest of that afternoon, not talking, but letting our hands walk over the keys and remember. ~ Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman


Their names meant hope, and they had given hope to each other, and this was what brought them together, closed that gap between them, eliminated the social and class differences, made them sisters, mothers--made them equals. ~ A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi


Samantha smiles again and puts her arm around Nick as they walk. ~ Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi


And they lived. ~ Charming by Elliott James


One after the other, the women went inside. ~ June by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore


The glasses clinked together as the key glittered in the candlelight, casting sharp reflections on the three faces. ~ The Shadow Revolution by Clay Giffith and Susan Griffith


"Wouldn't you like to know . . ." ~ Stone Guardian by Danielle Monsch


She will know that I am a mother. ~ Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward


"I certainly think I can guarantee that." ~ Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman


For keeps. ~ Under An Adirondack Sky by Karen Rock


In less than a whisper, he breathed it against my breast: "I surrender." ~ The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan


If we are open to it, we can see that there is grace all around us, with or without God. ~ Grace Without God by Katherine Ozment


She puts her good hand in his, and they walk away from the town, together, toward the brightening horizon. ~ The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister


For a minute, my finger hovers irrationally over the delete button, and then I click. ~ In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware


I told myself there were two of them now and they were holding hands, their eyes fixed on the road ahead. ~ The American Girl by Kate Horsley


He says get ready to have some fun, little girl, because it's  a big bright morning, and this is where the story begins. ~ The Fireman by Joe Hill



"That will work very well." ~ 'Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick



And in a few months, someone else. ~ The Sixth Idea by P.J. Tracy


"She knows how to keep a secret." ~ The Ninja's Daughter by Susan Spann


"I love you, too, and I'm so very fortunate to have found you," she replied, before he lowered his lips to hers. ~ When I Found You by Kate James


"Take me out, Sam." ~ The Whiskey Sea by Ann Howard Creel


This is why we're all here.
Love
Anthony
~ Love Anthony by Lisa Genova


"Because neither could I." ~ Lost in Geeklandia by E.J. Russell


The only world that Logan wanted, anyway. ~ Blame It On the Cowboy by Delores Fossen

I can't imagine what the next ten years will bring, and for that I am immensely grateful. ~ Fractured by Catherine McKenzie

She just hoped she lived long enough to enjoy it. ~ The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

"No dreams tonight." ~ Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

She dropped another curtesy to Ao Shun and followed Coppelia out of the room--back towards the Library. ~ The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman

Taylor went after her. ~ A Black Sail by Rich Zahradnik

He tucked his arm around her waist again, nudged her foreward, "Perfect timing." ~ Glory in Death by J.D. Robb

"I think we need to talk." ~ Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates


But Fleurette's voice banished the criminals and lunatics from my mind, if only for one night. ~ Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart


"Let's put our heads together and find Victoria West." ~ A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley


"To Lily."  ~ The Madness of Mercury by Connie DiMarco


There was no doubt a rational explanation. ~ The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum by Kristen Weiss


Behind them, for now, was Sean and the old green Chevy, and behind the Chevy was the lit diminishing city and beyond the city were the high summits, undiminished by distance, and beyond these the sun was falling into the west but they did not see it--nor the mountains nor the city but only the darkening sky ahead and the climbing moon and the road, and it was a road as straight and flat and bare as any they'd ever seen and it raced away before them over the plains, hiding nothing. ~ Descent by Tim Johnston

This time he did not have to make his voice go deep when he said it. ~ Lazaretto by Diane McKinney-Whetstone


And again, "Daniel." ~ The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon


I wrote that he found it on the beach between Abbekås and the Mossbystrand the day we met each other in the November twilight, when he was out collecting stones and I was walking my dog. ~ The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist


Except  for her lone, grainy figure on the water's surface, dark in the face of the sun. ~ Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

And for now that was all she was going to reveal. ~ White Christmas by Rebecca York

"Welcome home, my Queen." ~ Royal Enchantment by Lia Davis


My gargoyle was home to stay. ~ Curse of the Gargoyles by Rebecca Chastain


All along, it was you. ~ All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

All the while his chest continued to oscillate, to rise and fall independently of him, accepting and renouncing, as the atmosphere continued entering and leaving, the small volume of air that it was still able to hold. ~ The Story of a Brief Marriage by Anuk Arudpragasam

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