Michelle's Musings

22 July 2020

Review: The Sweeney Sisters

The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Review: Darling Rose Gold

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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21 July 2020

Every book reader longs to have a space they can sit with a book, or six and just relax. I have always longed for a room where I could create this environment for reading, writing, organizing or simply logging my books read. When we first talked about moving, we didn't think I would even have room for the books I had because we were leaving behind 3 floor to ceiling bookcases that I had custom built in the living room. We also were thinking we would find a much smaller home. Well, that was not meant to be. We not only got a larger home, but I was able to purchase a few book cases. I still didn't have the floor to ceiling cases I used to have, but I am really trying to only get books I will read again, are autographed or have a special meaning for me. That is much easier to achieve these days since I am primarily a digital reader, but sometimes you just need a book in your hands!!!!

I still have a couple of things I would like to add to this room, like either a large chair for reading, a true reading bench window seat or a chaise lounge. I am not sure which it will be until I find what I want. I do look at the FB marketplace every day so expect to see some changes when I find that dream piece of furniture. In the meantime, here are the way things stand on July 22, 2020.

19 July 2020

Bookworms: the book club

A few years ago a friend of mine created a Facebook group where we do nothing but talk about books. It is a wonderful club where we talk about what we finished, what inspires us, what our reading lists look like, and even our monthly reads. Kelly, the creator, has made a space that is safe, fun, and welcoming. We had never had a live event, until COVID hit, once COVID19 got here everything shut down, we were all at home and needed something for our mental health. Kelly had the brilliant idea to start doing bi-weekly book club meetings over Zoom.

These meetings would have a "theme" of some sort and we would usually spend the first 40 minutes going over our personal lives and the book we were currently reading, it is usually during the second 40 minutes that we go over this meetings theme :), it seems we readers were missing humans and they social aspects of our lives. Over time, those of us that didn't know each other became friends, we all have evolved into a groups of friends that love to get together and talk about BOOKS!!!!

Kelly had the wonderful idea to get the "gang" together for a field trip and set a date of July 18. On this date we all headed to Nashville. One "bookworm" came from Bardstown, the rest of us from Western KY. We all put on our masks and tried to spread love for a good book.

We met up at the Nashville Public Library, which was closed so we headed west to The Loveless Cafe. Here we all chatted about lives, books and our fears of the fall, masks, and general pandemic talks. We then got in our vehicles and headed to the mecca for book lovers in West Nashville, McKay's. I think we were here a couple of hours, I tend to lose track when I am within these walls. I am a mostly (like 98%) digital reader, but spent $35 in books and 2 movies (I did take back enough books to get myself a $30 credit). I got 2 President books (both children's), 1 book that I have a signed bookplate for, and a few books I will be giving away as Christmas gifts.

I am so grateful for this book club. Everyone in the group is just fantastic!!! Over the last few months, our meetings have been something that I have looked forward to and hope our meet ups are going to be an ongoing event even after life gets back to whatever "normal" is.

thanks Kelly for being a great leader.