Doh! (said to the tune of Homer Simpson)

I had just arrived inside the Metro station, quickly stealing a spot along the crowded platform, and reached into my bag only to discover I had forgotten my book in the office!!! AAAHHHH!!! Having no book to occupy myself for the commute sure does make for a long 40 min train ride home! There was actually a moment where I contemplated running back to the work place to grab the book…just for a split second. I have been so engrossed in this book since having started it on Monday, and honestly, if rush hour wasn't such a mad house in this city on a daily basis, I would have ran back for it! Anyone who's visited/lives in DC can attest to that I'm sure!

The book is The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl, and I'm having trouble putting it down (well, not enough trouble that I was able to forget it obviously!). I have a good excuse for it not being in my bag, however. Although this wasn't the case today, some days I am so raveled up in my book that even when my train arrives at my stop downtown, I will continue to read the book for the 4 blocks I have to walk to my office. I'm sure I look like a complete fool/nerd doing this! Who cares – a good book is worth this silliness! At any rate, my luck was working against me today. After I arrived at my desk, I began my morning routine which includes turning on my computer immediately upon arrival. It takes so long to boot up, so this morning I decided to finish the chapter I was reading. I rarely do this – usually I turn on my computer and start preparing my tea or putting my lunch in the fridge. Today I couldn't put the book down! Of course, who walks around the corner to my desk but one of top managers. Great. It was one of those moments where you'd almost look just as bad explaining "I swear I wasn't reading on the job", as opposed to just sitting there and acting as though you weren't doing anything wrong. In reality, I was 10 min early, and I was just waiting until my computer was ready to go. But still!

For once I'm actually looking forward to going to work tomorrow…but only to get my book!

Happy Reading!

I Now Have a Strong Desire to Knit

I just finished reading The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. I had high hopes for this book & I will come right out and say I was disappointed. However, it does make me want to take up knitting. hehe

Before I begin, I've glanced at other blogger's book reviews and noticed how a lot of them start off by giving a synopsis of the book, and then the blogger gives their thoughts. I tend to only read reviews about books AFTER I've read the book, so I'm going to skip the synopsis piece. Sorry for those who were hoping for the traditional book review! With that said, there will most likely be "spoilers" ahead.

So moving on… I expected this book to be more focused on the Knitting Club itself instead of the life of the shop owner, Georgia. I had envisioned a more "Sex in the City" plotline, where there would be a handful of main characters and each one would tell their own story, with all this great drama happening during Club hours (obviously I did no research of my own before reading it). While there were a handful of Knitting Club members, their lives were not the focus of the book. Sure, their lives were mentioned with some mini-drama: a grad student who cheated on her med-school hubby, a wanna-be lawyer, a wanna-be purse seller, and a wanna-be momma. I had simply hoped for more drama.

Still, I want to try to focus on the good of the book, despite my lack of excitement regarding the story. I enjoyed how after so many chapters there would be a page on knitting techniques. In the end I came to realize, at least to me, that these section dividers told a story more deeply than just knitting how-to's – they actually seemed to reveal life lessons camouflaged by the practice of knitting. I was also thrilled whenever Georgia was able to get back with her daughter's father, James. Really, who doesn't like to see the trials and tribulations of love result in a happily-ever-after? No? Well, I am actually a romantic at heart, so I do! However, this wasn't entirely a happily-ever-after type story. Obviously a woman is going to have some resistance with allowing a man back into her life who once exited so quickly and easily out of selfishness. Perhaps one reason for my lack of love toward Knitting was that I didn't actually love the main character. I just had a hard time getting in to her story and situation. I liked that she was from PA, and I liked her story with her ex-best friend-turned best friend, Cat. For those who've ever had some rocky friendships, and I'm sure you've had, don't you just wish they'd all end up like this? Still, Georgia seemed very uptight and stressed out, which is no surprise given her lifestyle as a sole-proprietor. She just didn't reel me in like I like to be reeled in by a main character! I felt like a 20lb bass swimming around in the Potomac just waiting to be caught, and the fisherman didn't use the bait I liked (that analogy is for Joel!). Now, I loved Anita, Georgia's mentor and pseudo-mom, and I loved James, the ex. I really had a little yearning in me when I would read their stories. I was pulling for James – I knew he deeply regretted leaving Georgia and was willing to do whatever it took to make it up to her. I was also pulling for Anita and Marty, the deli/building owner, to get together and have their own little happily-ever-after.

I must admit that I never anticipated a death in this story, not for one second. I figured after Georgia got cancer, it would somehow work itself into the ending of the story in a different way than the way it did! And while I actually liked the twist that the story took when Georgia died, only a few more pages later and the book was over! "Just when it was really gettin' good…!" So, would I recommend this book to others? Eh. BUT, I do plan to read the sequel, Knit Two, just because I always have to read sequels, and also because I'm not giving up hope for Kate! I'm holding out faith that her second novel will be much more worthwhile.

P.S. Did anyone make Dakota's muffins or Darwin's sweater (the recipe was in the back in case you didn't notice)? I definitely plan to make those muffins, and I'd like to try to knit soon (it was on my list of New Year's Resolutions), so I think I'll start with that one!

Next up is The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl! Happy reading!