Monday, February 7, 2011

For One More Day

I'm still eagerly turning through the pages of David Copperfield, but I had this book on my mind and wanted to share.This book is titled, For One More Day and was written by Mitch Albom.
The book tells the story of Chick, a middle-aged former baseball player who encounters a chance to spend the day with his deceased mother. His story begins at a point in his life where he has become lonely and depressed. He decided for himself that there is no light at the end of the tunnel and life is no longer worth living. After getting drunk, he drives to his hometown with intentions of taking his own life but ends up in an accident and flees to his childhood home. Upon his arrival he finds his mother, who has been dead for 8 years. Here he gets to spend an entire day with his mother who helps him sort through the issues in his life and leaves him feeling hopeful and wanting to live!
This heartwarming book has remained in my heart for years and after losing my father to a massive heart attack last February, I often find myself wondering what he and I would do and discuss if I were granted one more day with him. For One More Day is a quick and inspirational read that I highly recommend.


Last photo taken with my dad, just after the birth of my amazing son, Zane.
 RIP Jack Donald Hendricks. 1969-2010
 You are loved and missed by so many.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Reading Valet? Sounds good to me.

So about a week ago I ran across this nifty invention. It would be so handy to roll up next to the bed or use in the kitchen for recipe books. But it seems like a pretty steep price, I think I'll pass for now. I suspect they'll have something much more affordable and more convienent soon enough. Any thoughts?
Infinitely Adjustable Reading Valet

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

I wish I may, I wish I might...

...be so lucky as to get a Kindle tonight!

I don't know how many times I said I was going to buy a book and then never get around to it. Or when I do I decide that maybe I should wait to go to half price bookstore and see if I can get it for less, and then never do so. I would just love to have a Kindle and have just about any book I could ever desire right at my fingertips. I'm trying to talk Brett into letting me use a portion of our tax refund to buy one! Every time I see one I just feel so anxious to get my hands on my own. Don't get me wrong, I still love the feel of a big, hardback novel in my hands but space becomes an issue and I develop such an attachment to some and then they are taking up space I don't have to spare, for when I decide to read them again or pass them down to my son when he can read. So I've decided that a Kindle would be a good purchase for me. Who has one of these and what is everyone's opinion on them?

Waiting for the tea to steep..

Today I'm going to start reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I have this fantastic old copy of it that an old boss of mine gave to me I had started to read it but lost it in the move I made around that time. I never got around to picking it up again. I saw it on my bookshelf the other day and found myself anxious to read it.
So before I go get lost in the pages of a Dickens novel, I wanted everyone to know what I'll be reading for my next book review/suggestion in case any want to read along with me. I'll be aiming to have it finished and have a blog up by the 16th, which is two weeks from today!

And for those that have already read it, I would love to hear from you and your thoughts on the book!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

This is a phenomenal book to start with and lucky for all of you that my future mother-in-law insisted that I borrow her copy!
 This novel will take you on an emotional journey through the lives of  two adult sisters with contrasting personalities. They have both hit a crossroads in their own lives where they have to choose which path to take. On their own, both Meredith and Nina trace their problems back to their relationship with their private and frigid,  Russian mother, Anya. In all the time that they have been alive the only connection either of them has felt with their mother is through the nighttime fairy tales she would tell them, of "a peasant girl living in the Snow Kingdom, under the order of the Black Knight." But those stories have not been heard by either of them since long ago when their attempt to reenact the stories through a short play for a Christmas party outraged Anya and she refused to tell the story again. Meredith and Nina have both given up on having any connection to Anya.
The novel begins with the death of Evan, Anya's husband and Meredith and Nina's father. Then, the three women struggle together toward a new definition of family, as they give honor to Evan's last wishes for Anya to tell them the fairy tale again, but this time in it's entirety. The story begins as they remembered but the further Anya gets into it, her daughters realized that her story is starting to become a more real and personal tale of war and the tragedy that parallels with it. In the ending, there is a delicious surprise of fate, that will leave a smile in your heart.

I give this book 5 cups of tea! A must read!


Here's a sneak peek of the book:
Chapter 1




And you can purchase your own copy here.




Monday, January 31, 2011

Welcome..

So every once in awhile I'll ask for some good reading suggestions on my FB status and I've also seen a few of my other friends do so as well. I always get excited to share my latest read with fellow bookworms. And I got to thinking wouldn't it be great if I had a place to go to where I could have a virtual book club type of experience. I've been saying it for awhile now, so tonight I decided I would start one myself. Thus, Bluestockings is born!

For anyone who may be wondering, bluestockings is a slang term that dates back to the 1600's and is used to describe educated, intellectual women. Perfect! You can read more about it here if you're interested: Bluestockings Definition

I'm going to use this spot as a place to share and recommend my favorite reads and discuss them with all my friends who have read them as well. I want suggestions of new books. I have a vast variety of reading interests, so I'll be happy to have any titles you love thrown my way. It'll be a great way for the readers in my life to connect, which excites me so much since I've got friends and family all over the country!
So this is where I want to start, what books are you reading and loving these days? 





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