more books, less sewing

It's not been a very productive week, quilt or sewing-wise, but after the randomness of the holidays, it feels good to be getting back into a groove and back to normal.

I did sew a few more of the cat toys shut - with help, of course!

Freddie was the most attentive, though most of the other kitties had a visit.  For the most part, though, they sniffed around and then went to take naps elsewhere.  I guess they got stoned on catnip fumes and then went to sleep it off?  Whatever the reason (they were interested, so I know the catnip was good), I wasn't complaining.  Things go a lot faster when you don't have to stop to remove a cat every 15 seconds.

I got a few gift cards to Barnes and Noble for Christmas this year, so a few days after the holiday, I went through my various places where I've saved books I want to read (I save them in apps and screenshots and whatnot, as I come across them) and went shopping (online)!

Six of the eight have arrived.  The remaining two have not been released yet.  One comes out in February and the other in June, I think.  It's not like I have a shortage of books around here, so it's not a big deal.  I just have to decide if I want to work these into the system for what I already own, or wait until at least that February release comes in?

New books are always exciting.  Right up there with new fabric!  But I'm going to be good and not read these immediately.  Or maybe I will...

Speaking of reading books, I did finish one this past week.

Generally when visiting used book sales, I don't go after the quilty books, like this one above.  I'm not sure why, but in recent visits, I've picked up a few.  I didn't realize this is the first in a series of three, also the first book by this author, but I guess I got lucky?!

The first thing I noticed in this book is the grammar.  As though someone stuck a book of grammar up the authors backside it was so correct.  Now don't get me wrong, correct grammar is important, but it wouldn't have killed this woman to use a contraction.

So I thought to myself "I wonder who this author is - she writes like an old lady" and I flipped the book over and found this photo of her.  Honestly, I could not have imagined the person who would write with such precision any better.  I got used to it, but it took a bit to not be distracted by it.

The book itself - categorized as a "cozy mystery" I would like to amend that to be a "cozy romance with a side of mystery that is not solved."

So there is a quilt, made by one woman, that is quilted in the basement of her sister, with the help of a third sister and a couple of nieces.  It brings the women of the family together and they all seem to catch the quilt bug.

The mystery surrounds the quilting itself.  Apparently there is a ghost.  But, as with all good ghost stories, the characters just accept its presence and actions, don't get scared and move on.  No, wait, that's not normal.  Yet that's what happens.

The romance - a far too good to be real guy falls for the main character, who also falls for him.  (I don't think I'm spoiling anything here.)  I kept waiting for something bad to happen, but I guess that's where the "cozy" part comes in.  It never does.  Even the sad part of the book never really felt all that sad.  (And it was sad.)

I guess "cozy" is not my genre.

Anyways, I do have one other book by this author in my stash, but I don't think I'll be seeking out any others.  At least not until I've read that second book to see how she grows as an writer.

I'm more than halfway through the next book, and it's pretty good.  A second in a series that I read the first one last year, it's been hard to remember who all the characters were (some are more formally reintroduced than others), but the story itself is good and my frustration is more that I kind of remember characters, but not enough!  (If I hadn't read the first, I'd probably be better off.)

Time to get back to chores and whatnot.  I'm on the schedule for this weekend, so everything else has to fit between trips to work to feed and let animals out.  (But it's so cold, the doggos are in an out fast, which is nice for me!)

Happy quilting!

Katie

PS  I'm debating joining the 100 day stitch book challenge again this year.  With working so many more hours (and long shifts) than last year, I'm not sure, but I'll be pondering it now that I've seen the announcement.