Saturday, October 24, 2009

Knit the Season

Serendipity. It's one of my favorite words. Wikipedia defines serendipity as "the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something entirely unrelated". Serendipity is a sprinkle of magic. Some days are transformed by serendipity of the best kind, often in relation to books. One afternoon I found a copy of The Giver signed by the author, Lois Lowry, at a used book shop. This was a book I had wanted to read for ages, and now I had an autographed copy! Sometimes the very books I want to read fall right into my lap.

Such was also the case with Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel. Craving a cozy, comforting book to curl up with and get me in the mood for the holidays, I was thrilled to learn about Kate Jacob's new book, Knit the Season, the third book of a trilogy. When Lydia from Putnam offered to send me an advance reading copy of the book, I felt honored I'd be one of the first to read it.

About a year ago, I discovered the novels of Kate Jacobs. My husband gave me The Friday Night Knitting Club as a birthday gift, because he knew my blog focused mainly on books by women writers. I read and reviewed The Friday Night Knitting Club, and was also lucky to interview Kate Jacobs. This was my first interview with an author. I read the second book in the series, Knit Two, soon after it came out last November.

Knit the Season takes place a year after the second book. I need to be very careful here not to say too much, because I don't want to spoil any of the books in this series by revealing too much. The same lively characters are featured, Dakota, Georgia, Catherine, Gran, James, Peri, Anita, and the rest of the cast. The holidays are coming up (just as they are for us), and James wants to take his family and Catherine to Scotland to visit Gran, who's in her nineties. But Dakota has a conflict, and must decide between career and family. There are also many changes for these characters as they mature a bit and realize what's important in life. Of course, knitting is still a leitmotif, and the Manhattan knitting store, Walker and Daughter, continues to thrive. Friendships between characters have ripened, and there are romances and even wedding plans. Knit this all together (sorry, couldn't help it) and you get a thoroughly charming and enjoyable novel.




















My youngest daughter and I baked Gran's Scrumptious Shortbread, a recipe featured in Knit the Season. We spent an evening mixing up the dough, cutting the shapes, baking them, and, of course, sampling them. We added lingonberry jam to the centers of the circular cookies. Together, we had a taste of the season ahead.

Special thanks to Lydia for sending me this book. Knit the Season will be available for purchase on November 3, 2009. Please stay tuned for another exclusive interview with Kate Jacobs!

20 comments:

  1. Hello! I just happened upon your blog and found it very interesting, as I am a teacher and book lover. I think I personally keep amazon.com afloat. Anyway, I'm always glad to learn more about books I haven't read, so I'm following you. Thanks for the information. --Janie B

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  2. Janie B, thank you and welcome! I hope you will visit often.

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  3. I've heard good things about these books. Great review! Looking forward to the interview. The cookies you and your daughter made look yummy :)

    And thank you for cheering me on during the read-a-thon! ((hugs))
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  4. This sounds like a really good book! The cookies you made look very yummy! I love making the jelly filled cookies they are sooooo good!

    xoxo~ Renee

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  5. The book sounds so good and the picture of your shortbread cookies is just gorgeous!

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  6. looks and sounds good - book and cookies that is. i better get a move on with knit two so i can read this one for during the holiday season.

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  7. Diane, thank you for stopping by.

    Naida, hope you're all recovered from the read-a-thon! It must have been so much fun.

    Renee, thanks for your comment. :)

    bermudaonion, thank you for your kind words.

    vvb32, thanks! I hope you will read Knit Two and Knit the Season.

    Hopefully I'll post my interview with Kate Jacobs soon. More comments welcomed! :)

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  8. I love the sound of this series, but have not read any of the books as of yet. After reading your review I am thinking about grabbing the first one. It sounds like a cozy read. I also really like your cookies, they are totally adorable!

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  9. Thank you for commenting on my blog, Suko! I'm new to your blog and have just added your link to my Google Reader. :)

    Those cookies look yummy!

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  10. Sounds like a wonderful festive book. And the cookies look scrumptious. I love reading the season's best books too to fill with with the spirit of the holidays.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  11. Zibilee, Melody, and Eileen, thank you for stopping by. Your comments are truly appreciated. I enjoy trying recipes found in novels, and my daughter and I had a great time baking together.

    More comments welcomed.

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  12. The cookies look to die for!

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  13. Wow... I have always wanted to read this Trilogy! I am glad it keeps going strong! One of these days I will surely read the 1st one!

    I so want to!

    I am glad you liked it!

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  14. And those cookies..wow YUMM! look great and i think i virtually smell them too :o)

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  15. Great review! I loved the first two books so I will definitely have to pick this book up. I also love Christmas books so that will definitely make this interesting! I can't wait for your interview with Kate Jacobs!

    Also - Gran's Scrumptious Shortbread looks quite tasty!

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  16. gnoegnoe and Stephanie, I love butter cookies! We'd often bake some near Christmas and leave some out for Santa on Christmas Eve.

    Veens, thanks for your cute comments! :)

    Laura, thank you as well. I always appreciate your comments.

    I've just posted my interview with Kate Jacobs! Please stop by when you can.

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  17. I've heard such good things about this book, and the treats which you baked look like perfection!

    I like the Little Prince quote and cover you have in your sidebar; it's such a meaningful book to me.

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  18. dolcebellezza, thank you for all the kind words. You live up to your name. The Little Prince is an exquisite book.

    More comments welcomed!

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