First Lines 2018

Inspired by the Indextrious Reader here is my year in review as revealed by the first line of my first blog post for each month of 2018. 

January
I have decided on 5 reading challenges for 2018 (in addition to the Canadian Book Challenge which ends on Canada Day)
[from 2018 Reading Challenges]

February
The latest in this wonderful mystery series focuses on Quebec's Surete and the opioid crisis. [from Glass Houses]

March
“And yet , the burden of perpetual apprehension that she had carried around for years - of suddenly receiving news of death - had lightened somewhat." [from The Ministry of Utmost Happiness]

April
This is the first novel about Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, a police officer in the Yorkshire Dales. [from Gallows View]

May
“I often ask myself, Will anyone I know be happier if I save this?” [from The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning]

June
This book is a bit of a hodge-podge as it includes essays on how to be an historian as well as essays about various historical issues. [from Practicing History]

July
"The wind began to rush violently as he moved on, and he became aware of other creatures in the darkness." [from Sword of Shannara]

August
"He took down the picture, carried it toward the window, related some curious facts about it." [from The Portrait of a Lady]

September
This was the 50th book I read for my Classics Club list! [from The Scarlet Letter]

October
This book tells the story of a small group of people who come into the world of Count Dracula and end up fighting for their lives and their eternal souls. [from Dracula]

November 
"Our lives really do seem strange and mysterious when you look back on them." [from Killing Commendatore]

December
This book was published in 1963 and is the history of Monte Carlo and its famous casino. [from The Big Wheel]

In gathering these lines I realized that I have gotten into the habit of starting my reviews with quotes. Not sure if that's good or bad, but it seems to be. I was also focusing on my various challenges at the beginning of each month as most of these posts relate to one or another of my reading challenges. Generally I would say I had a good reading year.