Friday Firsts – The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green

Friday Firsts is a new meme that will run every Friday here on Tenacious Reader. It will feature the first few sentences/paragraph of my current book and my first impressions as well. It’s meant to be a quick and easy way to share a bit about what I am reading, and I would love to hear others join in sharing their current reads as well.

TASH

NORTHERN PLATEAU, PITORIA

“EVERYTHING READY?”

“No. This is a figment of your imagination, and I’ve been sitting on my arse all day eating honey.” Tash was adjusting the rope so its knotted end was a hand’s breadth above the bottom of the pit.

“A bit lower,” Gravell said.

“I’m not blind!” “You need to check it.”

Tash turned on Gravell. “I know what I need to do!”

Gravell always got serious and pernickety at this stage, and it only now occurred to Tash that it was because he was scared. Tash was scared too, but it didn’t help to think that Gravell wasn’t far off shitting in his pants as well.

“Not nervous, are you?” she asked.

Gravell muttered, “Why should I be nervous? You’re the one it’ll catch first. By the time it’s done with you I’ll be long gone.”

It was true, of course. Tash was the bait. She lured the demon into the trap and Gravell finished it off.

Tash was thirteen and had been demon bait since Gravell bought her from her family four years ago. He’d turned up one sunny day, the hugest, hairiest man she’d ever seen, saying he’d heard that they had a girl who was a fast runner, and told her he’d give her five kopeks if she could run to the trees before the harpoon he threw hit the ground. Tash thought it must be a trick—no one would pay just to see her run, and five kopeks was a huge sum—but she did it anyway, mostly to show off that she could. She wasn’t sure what she’d do with the money—she’d never had more than a kopek before, and she’d have to hide it before her brothers took it off her. But she needn’t have worried; she left with Gravell that afternoon. Gravell gave her father ten kroners for her, he told her later. “A bit pricey,” he teased. No wonder her father had been smiling when she’d left.

Green, Sally (2018-04-30T23:58:59). The Smoke Thieves (Kindle Locations 118-135). Penguin Young Readers Group. Kindle Edition.

My First Impressions

I was drawn into this story really quick. There are multiple POVs in this, and I honestly enjoy all of them, which is always really nice. I find ut the Demon hunting to be fun and interesting, but again, the other POVs also have their own unique qualities that really draw me in as well. This is also a very easy read. I’m listening to it in audio and have had no problems at all keeping details and people straight.

What are you reading right now? Did it start out strong? Feel free to share in the comments!