More Debbie Macomber

I am really enjoying reading Debbie Macomber's books. They are heart-warming and have innovative plots, like the one I have just read. 16 Lighthouse Road, one of a series of books set in Cedar Cove, a small town, starts off with a scandal, where a young couple petitioning for a divorce, are refused by the Judge on the grounds that they haven't tried to make their marriage work. I know that sometimes marriages just don't work, but sometimes I do feel that it is too easy to just split up. Anyway, it is a good, easy-to-read story, with romance, sadness (not everyone gets a happy ending) and mystery. Debbie also has her own website where she shares knitting patterns and recipes.

Word of caution

I have just finished reading The Knitting Circle which is full of engaging characters, but it is just so sad. If you are feeling emotional, be warned, there are some very tragic, and also disturbing stories in this book. It is a good book, but it isn't light reading, which is what I thought it would be.

Knitting books

Not what it seemed. I have just finished the sequal to Divas Don't Knit by Gil McNeil. Needles and Pearls continues the story about Jo, the widow of a philandering husband, with two young children, who left her high-powered media job to take over her granny's knitting shop. In all honesty, I think I preferred the first one. This one was a little too complicated and made me feel a bit uncomfortable in places. Saying that, I finished it and was keen to know the outcome. It has left room for another installment.

Summer spent reading

Yet again, time has flown past. Work and holidays has interfered with my reading, but I have managed to find some gems as well as some favourites. Obviously, I read the final instalment of Harry Potter - the Deathly Hallows, and JK Rowling really could not have created a better ending. It was perfect, and I shall enjoy re-reading it in due course.

I have just finished reading The Friday Night Knitting Club and it was wonderful, only the second book to make me cry (the first being Shadowlands - the true story of C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman). The whole book describes the lives of a group of women who attend a knitting club, which was set up quite spontaneously, and is not just focused on knitting, I might hasten to add. There are wonderful tips for people who are actually interested in knitting, but the majority of the book is about the differences between the women, but how they all complement each other. It is fun, serious, happy and sad, and completely brilliant. You can read more about it on their web-site. I cannot wait for Kate Jacob's next book.

At the moment, I am reading Jeffrey Archer's Cat O' Nine Tales, which are stories of some of the people he met while at Her Majesty's pleasure. I have read and enjoyed all his short stories, and from his novels, I have read Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less, A Matter Of Honour, and his most recent on A False Impression, and I have enjoyed the twists in all.

I also read over the Summer, Probable Future, by Alice Hoffman, and Digging to America by Anne Tyler. They definitely continue to be on my favourites list!

Finally, I read The Other Side of the Bridge, by Mary Lawson, which was about the turbulent relationship of two brothers in rural America. This was such a well-written story. I really felt all the conflicts and struggles, and I felt the love that was given throughout. It is a tremendous story with really strong characters. Crow Lake was written by the same author, and I found that story equally gripping. She is another wonderful storyteller to add to my collection.

So now you can see why I struggle to find time to blog. Until next time....