There is a German book called “Der schönste erste Satz” (The most beautiful first sentence) about a contest where people could send in the sentence which they thought was the best first sentence in a book. A wonderful idea, because for me, if the first sentence doesn’t attract me, usually I am not too fussed on the overall book either. The winner of the contest, by the way, was the first sentence of “The Flounder” by Günther Grass.

The reason I am telling you this is because it explains why I decided to join the “Book Beginnings on Friday” event (a day late, I know). I never thought the Teaser Tuesday was much good, since any sentence out of context wouldn’t say much about a book, whereas the first sentence does.

So, without further ado, here is my first sentence:

“This is terrible,” Mom moaned, fussing with her hair as we inched down the Long Island Expressway, a line of cars, as far as the eye could see.

From this alone it is obvious it is a YA book. It is one that I have been wanting to read for quite some time. “The Summer of Skinny Dipping” by Amanda Howells. I liked it because it already hints at some things, especially about “Mom” who so far turned out to be quite a terrible mother and/or person.

I am not a YA reader in general, even though I have read a few and it seems that the whole genre has changed quite a bit since I was a young adult. As an in between read I quite like those books, easy, fast reads, not too complicated (I am not saying simplified) and pleasant. I think I will definitely enjoy this one.