What I Just Read (and Read, and Read)

I am borrowing the premise of this post from Janet of Custom Sepia, whose shop I mentioned last week.  I found her shop through her blog, This Is Beige, which is a really fun read.  She posts things like recipes from the back of the box, pet peeves, shop features, and a bunch of other totally normal-people stuff.  You should check it out for sure.

Anyway, Janet posts "What I Just Read", which is about a book she just read (didn't see that one coming, did you?).  I love the idea because I'm always looking for a good book and it's nice to hear about them from regular people because you never know who's writing those Amazon book reviews.  I don't get a lot of free reading time right now, but typically if I get into a book I'll try and blast through it as fast as I can to find out what happens.  I am one of those read-until-2-am people so I can finish the book, although the last time I was up until 2 am reading was pre-toddler, April vacation from school, Twilight series, which I could not put down.

However, during my 6-hour stint in the bathroom last week followed by many days of total exhaustion, I managed to do some reading because there wasn't much else to do.  On my hit parade: The Friday Night Knitting Club, Knit Two, and Comfort Food, all by Kate Jacobs.  I know I'm behind on this one as they came out many years ago and I think were pretty popular.  My friend gave me the audio version of Knitting Club but I realized that I am not a book-on-tape kind of gal, unless I have the book in front of me as well.  I think I just like to have the print in front of me.  I started with Knitting Club, it being the first one (as well as a gift from the free table at the library!), and I read through it pretty quickly and enjoyed it thoroughly, though I have to say that it does not wind up as a feel-good read, if you know what I mean, and I have decided in recent years that I do not enjoy books or movies that make me cry.  I want to be entertained when I do these things and am not exactly looking for sadness (the fact that the cover said something about Steel Magnolias should have tipped me off).  It was a really good story though and I would highly recommend it.

Knit Two is the follow-up, which I didn't know existed.  I went to the library looking for Comfort Food and was pleasantly surprised there was a sequel.  It is a much happier story that picks up a few years after the first one.  Another great, quick read.  Comfort Food is highly entertaining, about a woman who is a television cooking show host and what she goes through to try and keep her show.  It winds up great and didn't leave me reaching for the tissues, so it also gets a thumbs-up.  I'm also happy to find that there is a third knitting book, Knit the Season, that I'm going to have to look out for.

(Oh, and my giveaway that's right under this is in need of some love!  Read on, and enter to win!)