Friday, October 8, 2021

The Friday 56 (206) & Book Beginnings: Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE


Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.


Synopsis from Goodreads...
New York Times bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn't think—she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both loved her, and a peculiar deal made with "the smiling man," a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price. Ollie is captivated by the tale until her school trip the next day to Smoke Hollow, a local farm with a haunting history all its own. There she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about. Could it be the story about the smiling man is true? Ollie doesn't have too long to think about the answer to that. On the way home, the school bus breaks down, sending their teacher back to the farm for help. But the strange bus driver has some advice for the kids left behind in his care: "Best get moving. At nightfall they'll come for the rest of you." Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie's previously broken digital wristwatch, a keepsake reminder of better times, begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN. Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed the bus driver's warning. As the trio head out into the woods--bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them--the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: "Avoid large places. Keep to small." And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins.


Beginning: "She wished she were on the other side of the glass. You don't waste October sunshine."

56: "Brian snorted and the strange tension broke." 


Comments: Small Spaces is still one of my favorite tales. I'm doing a reread of the first two books of the series this October. I wanted to refresh my memory of the story before picking up Dark Waters. What are you reading this week?

16 comments:

  1. I absolutely adored Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy but for some reason never read any of her other books. Maybe I need to get to it asap, because this does sound very fun! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a lovely weekend :)
    Juli @ A Universe in Words

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    1. The Winternight trilogy is one of my favorites. I missed the initial release of Small Spaces, and I only started reading the series when Dead Voices was close to coming out. But since then, its joined my favorites list as well. It's a really good series, and I highly recommend it. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  2. This sounds so good! I still haven't read The Bear and the Nightingale, but I will get to it soon. Now I will have to add this one to my TBR as well. Great cover hey!

    Elza Reads

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    1. I've read both series, and I highly recommend them. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  3. Such an ominous cover...I'm definitely curious about this book!

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    1. It is, and it fits the story perfectly. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  4. Sounds like a perfect read for October! Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.

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    1. It really is. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  5. This sounds like a good Spooky Season read, I might have to pick it up for the 13 year old who loves scary stories

    Here is my link:
    https://twogirlsandtheirbookishlife.blogspot.com/2021/10/book-beginnings-ex-hex-by-erin-sterling.html

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    1. Small Spaces is a good fit for this time of year with its fall setting and overall spookiness. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  6. This sounds like the perfect read for this time of the year. Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great weekend! :)

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    1. It is. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  7. Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend! :-)

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  8. I think I'm going to have to check this one out. :)

    Thanks for the introduction!

    Lauren @ Always Me

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  9. I would read this one! Happy weekend!

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Comments are appreciated and always welcome. :)

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