Booking Through Thursday: 50

BTT for 05/09/2013:

My brother-in-law turns 50 this weekend. So, in his honor, please pick up your nearest book or whatever book you’re currently reading, and turn to page 50 and then share the first 50 words with the rest of us. (Do feel free to round this off, to stop and start with complete sentences, though.)

My response:

I am currently in the middle of reading the book Showing Up for Life: Thoughts on the Gifts of a Lifetime by Bill Gates Sr. (father of Bill "Trey" Gates, the famous co-founder of Microsoft and also co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). So far, I am really enjoying reading the stories that he shares, which are truly words of wisdom coming from a man who raised one of the most admirable billionaires in the world. Turning back to page 50, I see a letter he shares written by his now late wife to her future daughter-in-law.

Here is what he writes: 

I remember helping Mary prepare a toast to Trey and Melinda that took the form of a letter to Melinda, based on the wedding vows. We cherish a picture of her delivering the toast, looking vibrant and beautiful.

Here is Mary's letter:

Dear Melinda:

In just a few hours you will be married and you and I will share the same name!

Although Bill and I have been married forty-two years, we continue to learn what it means to be married.

OK, I know that was far more than the first 50 words, but I wanted to at least finish the introduction to the heartfelt letter, which continues on with a list of lessons that Mary imparts to Melinda, and which I think anyone who is about to be married should be told. Basically she explains what it means to be a true partner to your spouse, and how being committed is one of the most important things ever. The idea of being serious about your life's commitments is something that Mr. Gates emphasizes throughout his book. If you would like to read more, I recommend you pick up a copy of this book pronto! :) I'm looking forward to finishing it myself, and it seems to be one of those books that could be enjoyed time and again.

How about you? What are the first 50 words on page 50 in the book you're currently reading? Feel free to share!

Speechless!

Yes, I seem to be at a loss for words right now. Which rarely happens, really. Everyone says I'm the girl who always talks so much and never runs out of things to say, but how is it that getting a simple tweet from my favorite writer can stir so much excitement in me, such as to render me speechless?

R. L. Stine replied to my picture post on Twitter today--and he said he's "impressed" with my book collection! Oh wow! This has totally made my day! Yup, a real dream come true for this Goosebumps fanatic! Thank you, R. L. Stine. Just thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Red Rain: A Novel by R.L. Stine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Finished reading the book last night! The last hundred or so pages were the most exciting. Other than some gratuitous sex scenes and an excessive amount of swearing, I'd say this book reads more like another one of his young adult Fear Street novels (which I was addicted to back in the 1990s), and the twist at the end was definitely classic Goosebumps style.

The horror scenes were not as descriptively horrific or shocking as I thought they might be based on the book trailer (I'd say Darren Shan's young adult series are far more gruesome), but certainly they were thrilling enough to satisfy any R. L. Stine fan looking for a good freaky creepy nightmarish read. So much of the book focused on the evil twin brothers who were only 12 years old and their mischievous deeds that could only be described as demonic. One can't help but want to know how it would all end and if the evilly possessed children would ever be saved. I had a strong feeling that the death ritual at the beginning of the book would be of utmost importance somehow. I just didn't guess exactly how!

Non-fans probably may not appreciate this so-called "adult horror" novel as much, I think, especially if they're wanting something more seriously sinister or intensely terrifying. Still I'm glad to have read this book by my favorite children's horror writer. No matter how young or old, I could never have enough of R. L. Stine!





View all my reviews