Try A Chapter Tag

This was a tag that I tried out back when I was on Booktube because it seemed like a fun way to talk about some books that I’ve not read. It went a little…messy, but I enjoyed it. It was something that I wanted to do again, but this time on my blog! Usually, people pick 5 books, and they read the first chapter.

I’ve pulled out four books that are all very different, that I’m not quite sure how I’m going to feel about them. They’re all books I want to read, obviously. But two came from book boxes, so I didn’t pick them myself, and the other two are books I’ve heard good things from other people about.

Rather than telling you about the books, I’m going to just tell you what I read and what I think. I don’t want to go into these books knowing much about them, so I’m curious what you will all think not knowing much either.

Book 1: The Love Curse of Melody Mcintyre by Robin Talley

So, I’ll be honest. I may have technically cheated a little with this one. The first chapter was incredibly long, and there was a few pages of something related to the story beforehand. That little thing? A fake document about the rules that all stage managers in their high school should follow when it comes to their production.

But I really liked that.

It was fun. I want to know what went wrong with their production of Macbeth, and I also want to know what’s going to go wrong with Les Mis. Something obviously is going to. I know this book is about Melody, a girl who is excited to produce Les Mis and winds up falling in love with another girl in the production. It’s definitely not a book that I’d pick up on my own, I got this in the Book Hooked Box advent box, and I wanted to give it a go.

It seems like it could be kind of fun, but the length of the chapters in a contemporary book is making me kind of nervous….

Book 2: Eventide by Sarah Goodman

This is the second book from this pile that I got from the Book Hooked Box advent box. I was really intrigued when I read the summary, though I don’t remember much about it. It’s some kind of historical mystery. It might even have some fantasy elements in it, but I’m not expecting so. I just get the feeling from this gorgeous cover.

There’s a prologue of sorts in this book that’s only two pages. But it’s powerful. One of my notes is literally just, “well that’s just sad.” Seriously. You get to read about a young woman tucking a necklace into a box. A box that has a dead baby in it that she’s buried. I know this book has a family secret in it. I’m assuming this baby must have something to do with it. And I can’t help but wonder what’s going on and why. Is this even the secret?

I’m not actually sure I want to know.

I do still want to read this book, but I’m worried it’s going to be a little too sad now.

Book 3: Wonderscape by Jennifer Bell

I didn’t actually buy this book for myself. This book actually belonged to my brother. But when he started it, he wasn’t feeling it. I’d heard good things, so I decided to give it a go myself. And it definitely seems like it’s going to be a lot of fun. I don’t read that much middle grade. But I like to pick it up every now and then.

I know this book is about three kids who wind up in a future where they have to take part in this videogame and survive it. This is kinda like the new Jumanji films, I think, which seems like a lot of fun.

The book starts with gnomes exploding. That seemed so random, and I was very bemused. These kids meet up and wonder what’s going on. Then they hear an upset dog, and they go in to save the dog. I was a little worried that the dog wouldn’t be okay, but luckily he was. He was an adorable pup, and I look forward to seeing more of him.

I wasn’t hugely excited by it. The book does sound like fun, and I do definitely want to read it. But I don’t think it’s going to be a favourite.

Book 4: The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe

So this is a book that I did buy myself because I knew I wanted it from what I’d heard. This was the book I was most certain that I’d like, but I still wasn’t completely sure.

The first chapter was so very short, but that was okay. I really loved Nora’s voice. This was such a short passage that begged so many questions. Why is the boy her ex? What did he walk in on with her new girlfriend? What did they do the night before to get all that money?

It starts off like it could just be a funny contemporary novel, but you know there’s going to be something darker. Something a little more thrilling. And I know that’ll be with the robbery they’ve walked in on- as well as whatever happened the night before.

This is definitely the book I’m most excited about out of the four. I was immediately grabbed, and I kind of want to read on right now. But It’s not part of my current TBR.

I definitely want to see where this book goes, and I’m very excited to get to it now!