Jessie's Book Reviews

204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber

2008-08-27T16:04:00.003-05:00

Have I mentioned lately that Debbie's books are hard to put down? Well they are! 204 Rosewood Lane is the second book in the Cedar Cove series, and it just so happens to be Grace Sherman's address. We learn more about Grace and her two daughters, Kelly and Maryellen. Dan's, Grace's husband, disappearance really takes the family for a loop. I can't imagine going through that, and not knowing what happened. Another mystery pops up in the town of Cedar Cove too. A stranger shows up at the local bed and breakfast and mysteriously dies during the night. No one knows who he is or what he was doing. But I wouldn't worry too much, Roy McAfee the local PI is on the case. We also meet Zach and Rosie Cox, who are going through a messy divorce.

Again, this was a really good book. I believe I am going to enjoy the whole Cedar Cove series.

16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber

2008-08-27T15:49:00.003-05:00

I now see why Debbie Macomber is such a popular author. Her books are simply amazing! 16 Lighthouse Road is the first in the Cedar Cove series. I met so many characters in this book. Olivia Lockhart and her family and friends and Grace Sherman and her family. I found that I could relate to just about every character in some small way. There is so much going in the town of Cedar Cove. As a judge Olivia handed down a shocking judgement by denying a petition for divorce for Cecilia and Ian Randall. This decision completely shocked everyone and at the same time impressed Jack Griffin, the new editor of the town paper. Grace Sherman's husband disappears leaving no trace! It seems like everyone life becomes challenged in one way or another. Mystery, Romance, Joy, and the unexpected can be found at Cedar Cove.

I find it very hard to not recommend one of Debbie's books to read. Debbie has such an amazing talent. The way the stories unfold make you feel like you are right there in Cedar Cove!

Sooner or Later by Debbie Macomber

2008-08-15T10:22:00.005-05:00

Sooner or Later by Debbie Macomber was a wonderful book to read! Letty a Postal work in Texas, hires Murphy to go with her to a country in Central America to rescue her brother, Luke, who was working in a Mission when the country's government collapsed. Letty and Murphy are about a opposites as you can get in personality and personal beliefs. But you know what they say about opposites, they attract!
You can see as you ready the book how Letty and Murphy complement each other personality-wise. The book is full of romance and suspense. It was very hard to put this book down. We also see Keller in this book as well. Keller has his own set of issues to deal with in this book.
In Someday Soon we met both Keller and Murphy in supporting roles. We get to know them much better in Sooner or Later. We gain a better understanding of their characters in this book. This better understanding helps us to view both Murphy and Keller in a better light.
I personally enjoyed this book and was sorry when it was over. I definitely want to recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense mixed with a little romance.

Someday Soon by Debbie Macomber

2008-08-11T14:57:00.003-05:00

I find myself using this phrase often when describing one of Debbie Macombers' books, but this book was just an amazing book. I enjoyed reading every page of it. It's one of those very hard to put down books, as are most of Debbie's books.
The story revolves around Linette, a widow, and Cain, a soldier for hire. Despite what their brains and friends tell them, they are drawn to each other. They both learn it's hard to ignore the desires of the heart. This book has a little bit of everything, love, romance, suspense, even a bit of mystery. You are going to love this book.
Someday Soon is the first of three books in the Deliverance Company series.

Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber

2008-08-06T09:57:00.005-05:00

Debbie Macomber did it again! Twenty Wishes was such a wonderful book to read. I enjoyed every minute of it. Twenty Wishes is about Anne Marie and three of her very special friends who found common ground in the fact that all four of them are widows. Anne Marie owns the bookstore on blossom street, and like Lydia (from The Shop on Blossom Street) she lives in the small apartment above the bookstore.
On Valentines Day the widows have a get together and end up making a list of twenty wishes they want to come true. The whole book revolves around these women learning to really live again and gain the strength to make their wishes come true. You go through the emotional highs and lows with them.
This story warmed my heart. I really really enjoyed this book. All of our friends from Blossom Street make appearances in the book. Anne Marie and her friends show us that we can make things happen for ourselves. No matter what happens in our lives we can cope and start to live again. All it takes is a positive attitude and good friends to support you. I'm thinking about making a list of twenty wishes of my own.

Hip Knit Hats by Cathy Carron

2008-08-05T09:14:00.003-05:00

I've recently become a fan of knitting hats. They are so fast and easy. I like to call them my instant gratification projects. I discovered this book, Hip Knit Hats, when my mom checked the book out from the library. I really liked two particular patterns from the book a beret and a pattern called Nina. I've made 4 hats from these two patterns, 3 berets and one Nina.

Over the weekend I looked through the book again while visiting a Barnes and Nobles. I decided I must have this book. And wouldn't you know it, Knit Picks is having a book sale through August 8th! So the book is officially on its way.

The hats in this book are a mixture of classic and funky modern. While I may not knit every single pattern in the book, I will knit up more than half of them at least. Most of the hats call for bulky weight yarn and size 10 to 10.5 circulars and DPNs. The instructions are pretty easy to follow. The two patterns that I have been knitting up start at the top of the hat, the crown, and you increase into the body of the hat. There's also a hat for everyone in this book. Kids will love the funky hats and there are even hats that guys would enjoy wearing. There are also a few hats that call for novelty yarn such as the Fun Fur yarn.

If you love knitting hats and don't have this book, you should definitely look into buying it.

Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber

2008-07-24T08:51:00.005-05:00

I actually just finished reading this book last night. I was a little unsure if I was going to enjoy reading Susannah's Garden when I began the first chapter. I had thought about setting it aside for another time, but I decided to read a few more chapters to give it a chance. Obviously it won, because I couldn't put the book down. If you've read the book Back on Blossom Street you will already know Susannah Nelson. In Susannah's Garden you get to know Susannah a little more personally. You learn about her background and her family. I would almost recommend reading Susannah's Garden before reading Back on Blossom Street. But that's just a personal opinion.
The story pretty much revolves around the path not taken. For most us we get to sit around and wonder about that path we didn't take, and play the "what if" game until it drives us crazy. Susannah actually gets to explore the path she didn't get to take several years ago and learns a lot about her family as well as herself. There is also a valuable lesson in the book, we can't always take things as they seem. We need to open our minds to other perspectives. Susannah finds new perspectives and starts to see the other point of view when she visits her hometown to take care of her mother.
The first part of the book is pretty straight forward and fairly interesting. Once you hit the middle of the book things really start to get very interesting and a mystery or two pop up. It becomes harder and harder to put the book down. I had several theories in mind while reading the book. The ending however, was a pretty big surprise! I highly recommend this book to everyone! Once again, Debbie Macomber has done an excellent job!

The Sally Lockhart Trilogy by Philip Pullman

2008-07-22T14:43:00.008-05:00

If you like mystery novels then this trilogy is definitely for you! I just happened upon the Sally Lockhart Trilogy by chance at a Barnes and Noble. I thought it looked interesting, the story line sounded good, and I needed something new to read so why not. I did not realize what I was getting myself into. I was hooked from the very first chapter in the first book all the way through the third book!
In the first book, The Ruby in the Smoke, we meet a 16 year old Sally Lockhart who's world has been turned upside down by the death of her beloved father. Although the story is set in Victorian England, we find that Sally is in no way a typical young girl that you would expect to find during that era. Sally is extremely intelligent and well educated. The death of her father is the catalyst that begins the unfolding of a huge mystery that spans three novels.
Philip Pullman does an excellent job of keeping the read in suspense with every chapter. Trust me when I say you will get hooked! This trilogy is a must read for mystery buffs. I've read the trilogy two or three times already!Every time I go back, I pick up on a something new. The tell tell sign of a good mystery novel, every time you pick up the book you discover something new that you did not see the previous time.

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

2008-07-22T09:48:00.005-05:00

This was such a good book. Last year I had set out to read as many of the classics I could, especially the ones that were set in Victorian times. I just love the Victorian era novels!
When I first started reading this book, I was not convinced that I was going to like it. It moved a little slow for me in the beginning, but it was able to hold my attention and I am glad it did. The story revolves around a young girl named Molly. There are so many lessons we could all learn from Molly when it comes to sacrificing ones own wants and desires for someone else's happiness. Molly is truly a selfless individual who puts others before herself.
Molly's world is taken on a roller coaster ride when her father decides to remarry in order to provide a mother for his only daughter. Molly welcomes a new mother and a sister into her life, and everything changes. This is a story about self sacrifice, patience, innocence, coming of age, and love all rolled into one. I really enjoyed reading this book. The ending is a little abrupt as the author, Elizabeth Gaskell, passed away before completing the story. However, you can tell the direction she was heading with the story line. For anyone who enjoys reading Victorian era novels this is a must read.

Books 1, 2 & 3 of the Blossom Street Series by Debbie Macomber

2008-07-18T13:23:00.007-05:00

I recently discovered Debbie Macomber's books. I was browsing books and found a series about women and their knitting hobby. Obviously I had to read these! It must be said that these books are absolutely wonderful! I read all three of them in a matter of two months. The main focus of the series revolves around a little yarn shop where women from diverse backgrounds come together and ultimately form unbreakable bonds, through a shared love of knitting.

These books are so easy to read. At times it felt almost as if you were part of the conversations. It was really hard to put the books down, I kept thinking "one more page" until I had read two more chapters! If you are a knitting these books are a must read! I can't wait to read the next book in the series: 20 Wishes. After reading the first book, the next two are like you are catching up with old friends. Debbie Macomber is a must read author in my opinion. I was excited to find out that she has several books out, individual books as well as other series. I know who I will be reading all summer long!

Wrapped in Comfort by Alison Jeppson Hyde

2008-07-16T09:49:00.006-05:00

I am a huge fan of this book! The first shawl I ever knitted was the Bigfoot shawl from this book. The instructions are straight forward and very easy to follow. Alison does a great job of explaining the steps for each shawl. There is also a section in the beginning of the books that talks about technique and shawl construction. There is a pattern or two for every experience level. One of the things I really love about this books is that there is a story included for each pattern.

It's a rare event that I find a knitting book that I can honestly say that I really like each pattern in the book. But this is one of those books. My personal goal is to knit at least one of every shawl in the book. These shawls knit up pretty quickly and they are just lovely. I love how my Bigfoot shawl turned out!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to knit lace shawls. It doesn't matter your experience level, from new lace knitters to experienced lace knitters, there is something for everyone in this book! You can check out more pictures of projects from this book in the Wrapped in Comfort group on Ravelry. An added bonus, Alison is also a member of this group!

Hello and Welcome!

2008-07-15T11:31:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to my book review blog! While my favorite past time is knitting, I also really enjoying reading. I created Jessie's Yarn Obsession earlier this year to share my knitting passion with others. I decided that it's about time I create a second blog to share my love of reading. So here we are, Jessie's Book Reviews!
In this blog I will post personal reviews of the books I have read in the past, as well as books that I currently am read and will read in the future. I will also post reviews of knitting pattern books that I purchase and look at. I will try to always include a photo of the books as well.
A little back ground on my reading. I did a lot of reading in junior high and high school. I'm not even sure I could count or remember all the books I have read thus far in my lifetime. I do remember, however, that I really enjoyed the Fear Street books by R.L. Stine.
Once I started college, my personal reading time disappeared for a while. It found it again though, just in the past two and a half years after graduating from college. Sometimes I become torn between knitting and reading, especially if the book is really good and can hold my attention!
Over the next month or so I plan on writing little reviews of books that I have read in the past year or two, mainly the ones that really left an impression on me. I will also be adding labels to each post in an attempt to classify each book.
I am looking forward to sharing my views on the books I read. If you've happen to have read one of the books, feel free to post a comment and tell me what you thought of the book! All comments and opinions are welcomed!