Reading Challenge: They Say Your Book’s First Lines Should Grab the Reader’s Attention

Did mine grab yours? You tell me

Photo by Olia Gozha on Unsplash

Rank the First Lines — Reading Challenge

Are you up for the reading challenge? Rank the first lines of the following books in order of most to least engaging and let me know your order in the comments below!

The following are the first lines from all my books. I’ve omitted the titles so the first lines could be all that you judge the story by.

I hope you find at least one among them that grabs your attention!

Opening #1:

“Birds and cars, shrill screams and thunder. The sharp sounds of the morning are always the worst. I stare out onto the concrete yard, shielding my eyes from the sun. Suburbia at war with my senses. If I press my ears up to the glass, I can hear the soft sizzle of delicate wings burning in the black tar as unfortunate beetles get too close to the rising heat waves. I close my eyes and listen.”

Opening #2:

“The car lurched forward as it advanced across the gravel barrier. The terrain shifted from connected pavement to loose grit. This was true wilderness. That was Sam’s first thought as she and Sav crossed the rough borderline in the belly of their aluminum beast.”

Opening #3:

“I was only five years old. That’s probably the reason no one believed me. But I did see it. It’s one of the clearest memories I have to this day.”

Opening #4:

“It’s almost 9:30 p.m. I sit in the front passenger seat of Miss Lenny’s bronze minivan, gazing out the tinted window. Only a few streetlamps and the fading lights of the city guide the way as we drive. I brush my fingers through my dark hair, trying to tame out all the tangles, and look up at the moon. It’s bright and full tonight.”

Opening #4.5:

“You open your eyes. It’s almost 9:30 p.m. You must have fallen asleep. You sit in the front passenger seat of your teacher’s bronze minivan, gazing out the tinted window. Only a few streetlamps and the fading lights of the city guide the way. You…