First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if, instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

The Rules:

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page.
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first.
• Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

“It only took twenty-eight years and one bad take-out meal to unlock my superpower. Okay, “power” might be stretching the definition. I don’t fly or shoot beams out of my eyes or have absurd strength. I may be able to bring supreme joy, though … by baking.”

Okay, I’m curious about this kind of superpower. Bringing supreme joy through baking? 

Do you recognize the lines?

Here’s a hint:

It’s a new cozy mystery novel, and the start of a new series.

Still not sure? Here’s another hint:

It’s written by Jennifer J. Chow.

The First Lines Friday book is:

Ill-Fated Fortune.

About the Book:

Title: Ill-Fated Fortune

Author: Jennifer J. Chow

Series: Magical Fortune Cookie Series #1

Page Length: 320 pages

Publication Date: February 20, 2024

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Synopsis: 

The first in the heart-warming and deliciously mysterious Magical Fortune Cookie series from Lefty Award-nominee Jennifer J. Chow.

Felicity Jin grew up literally hanging onto Mom’s apron strings in their magical bakery in the quaint town of Pixie, California. Her mother’s enchanted baked goods, including puffy pineapple buns and creamy egg tarts, bring instant joy to all who consume them. Felicity has always been hesitant in the kitchen herself after many failed attempts, but a takeout meal gone wrong inspires her to craft some

handmade fortune cookies.

They become so popular that Felicity runs out of generic fortunes and starts making her own personalized predictions. When one customer’s ill-fated fortune results in his murder, Felicity’s suspiciously specific fortune has the police focusing on her as the main culprit. Now Felicity must find a way to turn her luck around and get cleared from suspicion.

Links: Goodreads     

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