So, I’ve been in a bit of a book slump lately. I just recently finished a book that took me a longer than it should have to complete and I have just been feeling a little unmotivated to read lately. I wasn’t sure what to pick up next until I remembered seeing someone on youtube participate in the Try A Chapter book tag (originally created by BookParadise) and I decided that this would be the perfect way to help me decide what to pick up next! I wasn’t tagged by anyone to participate, but I still figured I would give it a go! Keep scrolling to see what my first impression was of the first chapter of five different novels! Who will win? Keep reading to find out!

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Contender #1

Want by Cindy Pon

First Chapter = 25 pages

Want seems to be about a futuristic Taipei that suffers from terrible pollution. There are mei, those who are not rich and do not have protective suits to help them live in the now polluted world, and there are you, those who are extremely rich and live their lives in fancy protective suits, thus extending their lifespan on Earth. This first chapter opened the story with a young male mei kidnapping a young female you for ransom.

Am I intrigued? Hell yeah! When I noticed that the first chapter was 25 pages I thought it might take longer to get through, but I blew right through it.

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Contender #2

Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire

First Chapter = 3 pages (Prologue)

Every Heart A Doorway probably has one of the most intriguing concepts, yet I don’t think I’m in the right mood for this one just yet. It’s about what happens when the kids who disappear into magical lands (i.e. Alice In Wonderland, Chronicles of Narnia) come back home. I did only read the prologue which may have been a little unfair, but I want to be able to read this one when I’m in the right mindset for it.

Am I intrigued? Yes, but the timing just isn’t right at the moment.

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Contender #3

Tattoo Atlas by Tim Floreen

First Chapter = 8 pages

This first chapter opens with an interrogation of a boy named Franklin. The narrator is the son of the scientist that is questioning him. It looks that she may want to implant his brain with some sort of chip. That’s all I really got from these first few pages. This story may have some sort of good vs. evil thing going for it and I’m here for that. Also, the ending to this chapter gave me the heebie jeebies.

Am I intrigued? Umm, yes! Are you kidding me with that first chapter? I’m actually a little terrified…I love that 😂

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Contender #4

The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich

First Chapter = 13 pages

This first chapter opens with a boy who is training to become a “Nice” love interest. He will face off against a “Bad” for the heart of a Love Interest. Whoever loses the fight will die. This already seems like a satirical take on the stereotypical male love interests found in the YA genre. I really hope the next chapter switches to the perspective of the “Bad” love interest!

Am I intrigued? Yes! Especially because of the secret twist that’s not really that much of a secret twist!

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Contender #5

Words In Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

First Chapter = 4 pages

Based on the first chapter, Words In Deep Blue seems to be about a teenaged girl named Rachel who recently lost her younger brother in a drowning accident. The chapter also opened up with a letter that Rachel has written back in 2012 to someone named Henry. This first chapter was pretty short, so it didn’t give me anything more than that, but I did like the writing style and it seems like the perfect darker contemporary for me.

Am I intrigued? Yes indeed! It looks like the next chapter is from Henry’s perspective and I’d love to learn more about who he is.

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AND THE WINNER IS…

Want by Cindy Pon! 

Out of all 5 choices, it was a really close tie between Want by Cindy Pon and Tattoo Atlas by Tim Floreen. In the end, Want reigned victorious! I really wanted to know what would happen next the most after thinking about each of the five books and I can’t wait to continue reading! Let’s all hope and pray that my reading slump is over! Feel free to participate in this tag if you’re also feeling like you’re stuck on what to read next!

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Thank you for reading!