diff --git a/gemtext-parser.c b/gemtext-parser.c
index f873883..28dc1ad 100644
--- a/gemtext-parser.c
+++ b/gemtext-parser.c
@@ -6,6 +6,16 @@
 
 #include "gemtext-parser.h"
 
+int lineBufferInit(lineBuffer *lb) {
+    char *buf = calloc(1, LBUF_SIZE);
+    if (buf == NULL) return 2;
+    lb->len = 0;
+    lb->capacity = LBUF_SIZE;
+    lb->buf = buf;
+    lb->cursor = buf;
+    return 0;
+}
+
 gemtextParser* gemtextParserInit(FILE *stream) {
     gemtextParser *parser = calloc(1, sizeof(gemtextParser));
     if (parser == NULL)
@@ -13,11 +23,20 @@ gemtextParser* gemtextParserInit(FILE *stream) {
     parser->stream = stream;
     parser->mode = normalMode;
     parser->state = lineStart;
+    if (lineBufferInit(&parser->buffer) != 0) {
+        free(parser);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    parser->linkUrl = NULL;
     return parser;
 }
 
 void gemtextParserDeinit(gemtextParser *parser) {
     fclose(parser->stream);
+    free(parser->buffer.buf);
+    if (parser->linkUrl != NULL) {
+        free(parser->linkUrl);
+    }
     free(parser);
 }
 
@@ -65,38 +84,6 @@ gemtextLine* gemtextLineQueuePop(gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
     return line;
 }
 
-lineBuffer* lineBufferNew() {
-    char *buf;
-    lineBuffer *lb = calloc(1, sizeof(lineBuffer));
-
-    if (lb == NULL) return NULL;
-    lb->capacity = LBUF_SIZE;
-    lb->len = 0;
-    buf = calloc(1, LBUF_SIZE);
-    if (buf == NULL) {
-        free(lb);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    lb->buf = buf;
-    lb->cursor = lb->buf;
-    return lb;
-}
-
-int lineBufferInit(lineBuffer *lb) {
-    char *buf = calloc(1, LBUF_SIZE);
-    if (buf == NULL) return 2;
-    lb->len = 0;
-    lb->capacity = LBUF_SIZE;
-    lb->buf = buf;
-    lb->cursor = buf;
-    return 0;
-}
-
-void lineBufferDeinit(lineBuffer *lb) {
-    free(lb->buf);
-    free(lb);
-}
-
 int lineBufferExtend(lineBuffer *lb, size_t len) {
     char  *buf = calloc(1, lb->capacity + len);
     if (buf == NULL) return 2;
@@ -152,6 +139,27 @@ void lineBufferReset(lineBuffer *lb) {
     lb->cursor = lb->buf;
 }
 
+int gemtextParserSend(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineType lt, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+    gemtextLine *line;
+    char        *buf;
+
+    line = calloc(1, sizeof(gemtextLine));
+    if (line == NULL) return errno;
+    line->lineType = lt;
+    buf = strndup(parser->buffer.buf, parser->buffer.len);
+    if (buf == NULL) return errno;
+    line->str = buf;
+    gemtextLineQueuePush(lq, line);
+    lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
+    parser->state = lineStart;
+    parser->mode = normalMode;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void logParseError(int err) {
+    //todo
+}
+
 gemtextLink* readLink(FILE *stream, lineBuffer *lb) {
     char c;
     char *buf;
@@ -204,141 +212,228 @@ gemtextLink* readLink(FILE *stream, lineBuffer *lb) {
     return link;
 }
 
-int parsePreformatted(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+enterH1Mode(gemtextParser *parser, char c) {
+    lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
+    switch (c) {
+    case ' ':
+    case '\t':
+        break;
+    default:
+        lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
+        lineBufferAppendCharUnchecked(&parser->buffer, c);
+    }
+    parser->mode = h1Mode;
+    parser->state = normalState;
+}
+
+enterH2Mode(gemtextParser *parser, char c) {
+    lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
+    switch (c) {
+    case ' ':
+    case '\t':
+        break;
+    default:
+        lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
+        lineBufferAppendCharUnchecked(&parser->buffer, c);
+    }
+    parser->mode = h2Mode;
+    parser->state = normalState;
+}
+
+enterH3Mode(gemtextParser *parser, char c) {
+    lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
+    switch (c) {
+    case ' ':
+    case '\t':
+        break;
+    default:
+        lineBufferReset(&parser->buffer);
+        lineBufferAppendCharUnchecked(&parser->buffer, c);
+    }
+    parser->mode = h3Mode;
+    parser->state = normalState;
+}
+
+int parseLink(gemtextParser *parser, char c, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
     // todo
     return 0;
 }
 
-int parseQuote(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+int parsePreformatted(gemtextParser *parser, char c, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
     // todo
     return 0;
 }
 
-int parseNormal(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+int parseQuote(gemtextParser *parser, char c, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+    // todo
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int parseH1(gemtextParser *parser, char c, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+    // todo
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int parseH2(gemtextParser *parser, char c, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+    // todo
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int parseH3(gemtextParser *parser, char c, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+    // todo
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int parseList(gemtextParser *parser, char c, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+    // todo
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int parseNormal(gemtextParser *parser, char c, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
+    int ret;
+
+    switch (parser->state) {
+    case lineStart:
+        switch (c) {
+        case '=':
+            parser->state = firstLinkChar;
+            break;
+        case '>':
+            parser->mode = quoteMode;
+            parser->state = lineStart;
+            break;
+        case '*':
+            parser->mode = listMode;
+            parser->state = normalState;
+        case '#':
+            parser->state = firstHashChar;
+            break;
+        case '`':
+            parser->state = firstBacktickChar;
+            break;
+        case '\n':
+            ret = gemtextParserSend(parser, normalLine, lq);
+            if (ret) return ret;
+            break;
+        default:
+            break;
+        }
+        break;
+    case firstLinkChar:
+        if (c == '>') {
+            parser->state = lineStart;
+            parser->mode = linkMode;
+        } else if (c == '\n') {
+            ret = gemtextParserSend(parser, normalLine, lq);
+            if (ret) return ret;
+        } else {
+            parser->state = normalState;
+        }
+        break;
+    case firstHashChar:
+        if (c == '#') {
+            parser->state = secondHashChar;
+        } else if (c == '\n') {
+            ret = gemtextParserSend(parser, normalLine, lq);
+            if (ret) return ret;
+        } else {
+            enterH1Mode(parser, c);
+        }
+        break;
+    case secondHashChar:
+        if (c == '#') {
+            parser->state = thirdHashChar;
+        } else if (c == '\n') {
+            ret = gemtextParserSend(parser, normalLine, lq);
+            if (ret) return ret;
+        } else {
+            enterH2Mode(parser, c);
+        }
+        break;
+    case thirdHashChar:
+        if (c == '\n') {
+            ret = gemtextParserSend(parser, normalLine, lq);
+            if (ret) return ret;
+        } else {
+            enterH3Mode(parser, c);
+        }
+        break;
+    case firstBacktickChar:
+        if (c == '\n') {
+            ret = gemtextParserSend(parser, normalLine, lq);
+            if (ret) return ret;
+        } else if (c == '`') {
+            parser->state = secondBacktickChar;
+        } else {
+            parser->state = normalState;
+            parser->mode = normalMode;
+        }
+    case secondBacktickChar:
+        if (c == '`') {
+            parser->state = thirdBacktickChar;
+        } else if (c == '\n') {
+            ret = gemtextParserSend(parser, normalLine, lq);
+            if (ret) return ret;
+        }
+    case thirdBacktickChar:
+    case normalState:
+            break;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int parseGemtext(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
     char         c;
     int          ret;
     gemtextLine *line;
-    gemtextLink *link;
-    lineBuffer   lb;
-    char        *buf;
 
-    ret = lineBufferInit(&lb);
-    if (ret != 0) return ret;
-    while (1) {
+    for (;;) {
         ret = fread(&c, 1, 1, parser->stream);
-        if (c != 1) {
+        if (ret == 1) {
+            ret = lineBufferAppendChar(&parser->buffer, c);
+            if (ret) {
+                logParseError(ret);
+                return ret;
+            }
+        } else {
             line = calloc(1, sizeof(gemtextLine));
             if (line == NULL) return errno;
             line->lineType = endOfStream;
             line->prev = line->next = NULL;
             line->str = NULL;
             gemtextLineQueuePush(lq, line);
+            break;
         }
-        switch (parser->state) {
-        case lineStart:
-            switch (c) {
-            case '=':
-                ret = lineBufferAppendChar(&lb, c);
-                if (ret != 0) {
-                    free(lb.buf);
-                    return ret;
-                }
-                parser->state = firstLinkChar;
-                break;
-            case '>':
-                parser->mode = quoteMode;
-                ret = parseQuote(parser, lq);
-                if (ret != 0) {
-                    free(lb.buf);
-                    return ret;
-                }
-                break;
-            case '#':
-                ret = lineBufferAppendChar(&lb, c);
-                if (ret != 0) {
-                    free(lb.buf);
-                    return ret;
-                }
-                parser->state = firstHashChar;
-                break;
-            case '`':
-                ret = lineBufferAppendChar(&lb, c);
-                if (ret != 0) {
-                    free(lb.buf);
-                    return ret;
-                }
-                parser->state = firstBacktickChar;
-                break;
-            case '\n':
-                line = calloc(1, sizeof(gemtextLine));
-                if (line == NULL) return errno;
-                line->lineType = normalLine;
-                buf = strndup("\n", 1);
-                if (buf == NULL) {
-                    free(lb.buf);
-                    return errno;
-                }
-                line->str = buf;
-                gemtextLineQueuePush(lq, line);
-                break;
-            default:
-                ret = lineBufferAppendChar(&lb, c);
-                if (ret != 0) {
-                    free(lb.buf);
-                    return ret;
-                }
-                parser->state = normalState;
-                break;
-            }
+        switch (parser->mode) {
+        case normalMode:
+            ret = parseNormal(parser, c, lq);
             break;
-        case firstLinkChar:
-            ret = lineBufferAppendChar(&lb, c);
-            if (ret != 0) {
-                free(lb.buf);
-                return ret;
-            }
-            if (c == '>') {
-                parser->state = secondLinkChar;
-            } else if (c == '\n') {
-                // todo - send a 'normal' line to the lineQueue and reset the
-                // lineBuffer
-            } else {
-                parser->state = normalState;
-            }
-        case secondLinkChar:
-            line = calloc(1, sizeof(gemtextLine));
-            if (line == NULL) return errno;
-            link = readLink(parser->stream, &lb);
-            if (link == NULL) {
-                line->lineType = normalLine;
-                buf = strndup(lb.buf, lb.len);
-                if (buf == NULL) {
-                    free(lb.buf);
-                    free(line);
-                    return errno;
-                }
-                line->str = buf;
-                gemtextLineQueuePush(lq, line);
-            } else {
-                line->lineType = linkLine;
-                line->link = link;
-                gemtextLineQueuePush(lq, line);
-            }
-            lineBufferReset(&lb);
+        case preformattedMode:
+            ret = parsePreformatted(parser, c, lq);
             break;
-        case firstHashChar:
-        case secondHashChar:
-        case thirdHashChar:
-        case firstBacktickChar:
-        case secondBacktickChar:
-        case thirdBacktickChar:
-        case normalState:
+        case quoteMode:
+            ret = parseQuote(parser, c, lq);
+            break;
+        case linkMode:
+            ret = parseLink(parser, c, lq);
+            break;
+        case h1Mode:
+            ret = parseH1(parser, c, lq);
+            break;
+        case h2Mode:
+            ret = parseH2(parser, c, lq);
+            break;
+        case h3Mode:
+            ret = parseH3(parser, c, lq);
+            break;
+        case listMode:
+            ret = parseList(parser, c, lq);
+            break;
+        }
+        if (ret) {
+            logParseError(ret);
+            return ret;
         }
     }
     return 0;
-}
-
-int parseGemtext(gemtextParser *parser, gemtextLineQueue *lq) {
-    // todo
-    return 0;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/gemtext-parser.h b/include/gemtext-parser.h
index c8d741f..c9d87f9 100644
--- a/include/gemtext-parser.h
+++ b/include/gemtext-parser.h
@@ -11,12 +11,17 @@ typedef enum {
     normalMode,
     preformattedMode,
     quoteMode,
+    linkMode,
+    h1Mode,
+    h2Mode,
+    h3Mode,
+    listMode,
 } gemtextParserMode;
 
 typedef enum {
     lineStart,
+    lineEnd,
     firstLinkChar,
-    secondLinkChar,
     firstHashChar,
     secondHashChar,
     thirdHashChar,
@@ -54,6 +59,8 @@ typedef struct {
     FILE               *stream;
     gemtextParserMode   mode;
     gemtextParserState  state;
+    lineBuffer          buffer;
+    char               *linkUrl;
 } gemtextParser;
 
 struct _gemtextLine {