The Friday 56 (With Book Beginnings): The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis + 50/50 Friday

Welcome to The Friday 56, a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice.

These are the rules:

1. Grab a book, any book.

2. Turn to page 56, or 56% on your eReader.
3. Find any sentence (or a few, just don't spoil it) that grabs you.
4. Post it.
5. Add the URL to your post in the link on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post.

I'm also taking part in Book Beginnings, a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader.  The rules are pretty simple - you share the first sentence or so and your initial thoughts, impressions, or whatever else it inspires.  Don't forget to link up your post's url with Rose City Reader.

This week I'm spotlighting Mindy McGinnis, a fellow Ohioan's newest release, The Female of the Species.  She's quickly becoming a favorite author and I just picked up my copy last weekend.  Even more exciting - I very recently learned that she's going to be at my local bookstore this Saturday!  If I can help it, I will be too!  

Beginning:

This is how I kill someone.

I learn his habits, I know his schedule.  It is not difficult.  His life consists of quick stops to the dollar store for the bare minimum of things required to keep this ragged cycle going, his hat pulled down low over his eyes so as not to be recognized.

But he is.  It's a small town.

56:

Anna told me I would understand about boys one day.

She said that everything would change and I would look at them differently, assess their bodies and their words, the way their eyes moved when they talked to me.  She'd said I'd not only want to answer them but that I'd learn how, knowing which words to use, how to give meaning to a pause.

Then a man took her.

This week I'm also taking part in a brand new linkup called 50/50 Friday, which is hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader and Laura @ Blue Eye Books.  Every week they'll have a new topic featuring two sides of the same coin - this week the topic is Character most/ least likely to go cliff-diving.

Most Likely:

Bella Swan in New Moon by Stephenie Meyer - Didn't have to think too hard here seeing as she actually goes cliff-diving in the novel in order to hallucinate Edward's presence.

Least Likely:

John Watson from Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle  - At least according to Mrs. Hudson at first - I just really wanted to use this gif, honestly.