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“Marianne had the sense that her real life was happening somewhere very far away, happening without her, and she didn't know if she would ever find out where it was or become part of it.”
― Sally Rooney, Normal People

“I was desperate. I had to keep Annabeth alive. I imagined all the bubbles in the sea—always churning, rising. I imagined them coming together, being pulled toward me.
The sea obeyed. There was a flurry of white, a tickling sensation all around me, and when my vision cleared, Annabeth and I had a huge bubble of air around us. Only our legs stuck into the water.
She gasped and coughed. Her whole body shuddered, but when she looked at me, I knew the spell had been broken.
She started to sob—I mean horrible, heartbroken sobbing. She put her head on my shoulder and I held her.
Fish gathered to look at us—a school of barracudas, some curious marlins.
'Scram!' I told them.
They swam off, but I could tell they went reluctantly. I swear I understood their intentions.
They were about to start rumors flying around the sea about the son of Poseidon and some girl at the bottom of Siren Bay.”
― Rick Riordan, The Sea of Monsters

“You want a bonbon?” Silena asked. “My dad sent them. He thought—he thought they might cheer me up.” “Are they any good?” I asked. She shook her head. “They taste like cardboard.” I didn’t have anything against cardboard, so I tried one.”
― Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian

“Her interface did that sometimes—recording moments of strong emotion and replaying them over and over. Like déjà vu or when the last words of a conversation linger in the air long after silence has settled in.”
― Marissa Meyer, Cinder