The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman + a Giveaway!

This book was our October selected read for the Book Lover's Unite online book club. If you have not heard about Book Lover's Unite, follow my friends Tamara at Traveling with T and Jennifer Smeth at Bookalicious Mama for all of our posts and discussion questions. Our featured selection for November is Suzanne Redfearn's Hush Little Baby, which I read (and loved!). I am also giving away a signed copy on my blog until this Friday 10/25, which you can enter HERE. If you've always wanted to join a book club, but have the busiest schedule on Earth, or just prefer to come and go as you please, then Book Lover's Unite would be the perfect book club for you. I have met so many of my bookish friends online through our book club, and you guessed it, they are now part of my life list!

I completely digressed, but the point of me bringing up Book Lover's Unite was that it was how I came across this book. This book was such a delightful, heart-warming journey for me as the reader. The premise of the book is that Brett Bohlinger's mother has just died of cancer, and when the family all joins together to hear her last will and testament being read, Brett finds out she hasn't inherited part of her mother's fortune, but rather her old "Life List" she wrote while in high school. The list has several things crossed out, but the rest remain intact. Brett has one year to accomplish the goals on her life list, or she risks obtaining not a single dime of her possible fortune.

The problem lies in the fact that Brett has to change everything about her life to make these things on her list come to fruition. As she accomplishes a goal, Brett hears a letter written to her by her mother (read via a lawyer). The letters are a testament to her mother's belief in her abilities, and the necessity for Brett to change her life. The ending will leave you with some tears shed, but also a sense that there are things on our list we need to accomplish. A wonderful read, and one you must have on your shelf!

I have drafted a preliminary life list, and here it is:
1. Go visit Italy
2. Go to the top of the Seattle Space Needle
3. Eat a beignet in New Orleans
4. Meet Jodi Picoult, author extraordinaire!
5. Take my kids to Disney World
6. Swim with dolphins
7. Take Kenny to a NYY game
8. Attend BEA and meet my fave bookish friends
9. See Niagra Falls, and travel on one of those boats to feel the spray!
10. _______________________________?

If you'd like to be entered to win a copy of The Life List, tell me what would be on your life list? This contest is open to US/Canadian readers only, and only commenters leaving an e-mail address will be considered. The e-mail address is used strictly to notify the winner, and you can use AT and DOT to avoid the dreaded, horrible, evil spammers! Good luck to all! Contest will end this Friday (10/25) at 12:00 PST.

Hush Little Baby giveaway is HERE (remember, it is the Nov. pick for #bookloversunite)

Love to you all, my readers!