Review: Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

Hello everyone :)

How was your week-end? I hope that you all enjoyed Mother's Day :) Me, I spent my week-end reading :) Been a while since I did that... I've also re-addicted myself to Minesweeper ^_^; I love that game... I know, it's simple... but I think it's a great game :) Thing is, I get super competitive and try to lower my best times... Few years ago, I was able to complete the 99 mines under 100 seconds.

Anyway, enough about Minesweeper... Let's talk book :) Today, I chose to go with Summer on Blossom Street, one of my highly anticipated books of April/May.

Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
published by Mira in April 2009 (Hardcover format)

Knitting and life. They’re both about beginnings—and endings. That’s why it makes sense for Lydia Goetz, owner of A Good Yarn on Seattle’s Blossom Street, to offer a class called Knit to Quit. It’s for people who want to quit something—or someone!—and start a new phase of their lives.

First to join is Phoebe Rylander. She recently ended her engagement to a man who doesn’t know the meaning of faithful, and she’s trying to get over him. Then there’s Alix Turner. She and her husband, Jordan, want a baby, which means she has to quit smoking. And Bryan Hutchinson joins the class because he needs a way to deal with the stress of running his family’s business—not to mention the lawsuit brought against him by an unscrupulous lawyer.

Life can be as complicated as a knitting pattern. Just ask Anne Marie Roche. She and her adopted daughter, Ellen, finally have the happiness they wished for. And then a stranger comes to her bookstore asking questions.

Or ask Lydia herself. Not only is she coping with her increasingly frail mother, but she and Brad have unexpectedly become foster parents to an angry, defiant twelve-year-old.

But as Lydia already knows, when life gets difficult and your stitches are snarled, your friends can always help!

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Blossom Street, book #5

The Story: As usual, there are many storylines going on in this book. I think that the book description does a good job summarizing everything up, so I won't go in the details.

My Opinion: I've really enjoyed the previous books in this series. My favorite character so far has been Alix, the angry girl from the "wrong" side of the track falling in love with the minister's son... which is one of the reasons why I was anticipating this book so much, because Alix was going to have a storyline in this book :) I've also enjoyed the series because it depicts the life of normal people overcoming obstacles in their lives. The writing style is engaging and these books are fun to read... However, I have to admit, Summer on Blossom Street was quite a disappointment.

I have nothing to say about the writing style. If you've enjoyed the writing style in previous books, there's no reason for you to not enjoy it this time around. Ms Macomber has a very gentle writing style. It's very unique to her, in my opinion. It's funny how the series takes place in Seattle, but I have the feeling of a small community - which in a sense, it is since we're focusing on a street. Anyway, the best words to describe Ms Macomber's writing style is gentle and calm in my opinion.

So why did I find this book disappointing? Basically, because there were too many storylines and not enough development. First of all, Alix storyline was way too short! I understood why she was worried about becoming a mother... however, that's it. Even the resolution at the end was too fast! It would have been fun to see her and Jordan discuss it a little bit or something. Lydia's storyline about wanting to adopt was a tad too predictable... especially given that it was very similar to the last book storyline (Twenty Wishes). Speaking of the last book, there was a storyline involving Anne-Marie and her new adopted daugther, Emily... with Emily's biological father showing up unexpected. I just wasn't interested in that storyline, so I skimmed it ^_^; Finally, the last storyline was Phoebe and Hutch, which in a way, was the most interesting... Phoebe is engaged to this super charming guy... only, he's already cheated once on her... but with peer pressure and because she loves him, she took him back. Only this time, he was arrested for solicitation... and Phoebe put her foot down and broke up with him. The thing is that he doesn't understand the word "no" and kept pursuing Phoebe. So to remind herself not to give in, Phoebe signed up for the "Knit to Quit" class. In the class, she meets Hutch who's really a nice guy. I liked the romance between the two. I liked how Phoebe put her foot down... and I was as outraged as her when people around her told her she should forgive her ex-fiance... Especially her mother. Seriously?!? The guy thought that hiring a prostitute wasn't cheating and therefore, was excusable. Ugh, hello!! So good for Phoebe, she was way better off without that guy! I'm sorry for her that her entourage wasn't more supporting of her... and I'm glad she realized what kind of man he was. So yes, I enjoyed seeing the budding relationship between Phoebe and Hutch. I thought it was sweet and very believable. I liked Hutch as well :) A normal and nice man... and very sweet! :) That book about dating that he was reading... very cute LOL :) Although I enjoyed their relationship, I wanted more. I felt like sometimes, I was missing pieces and bits :( Also, the conflict at the end could have been expandable or at least, dealt a different way.

Overall, it wasn't that Summer on Blossom Street was a bad book. It just wasn't enough to be satisfying. Perhaps reducing the number of storylines would have been better.

My Grade: C-. Personally, I felt like I would have been more forgiving if this book hasn't been published in hardcover format. Like I said, this book wasn't a bad book, I would have liked it to focus more on certain storylines than others. However, did I feel like it was worth hardcover price? Unfortunately no. I like Ms Macomber style and her storylines - they really focus on relationships and their evolutions... However, I don't think this one was as good as the first three books. I'd like to see her mix it up a little more in the next one - which I intend to read... My best advice is to wait for this one to be released in paperback format or go to the library.

TGIF!!

First of all:

Happy Mother's Day

to all the blogger mothers... the mother bloggers... Hmmmm, well you know who you are LOL :) Hope you have an excellent week-end and hope you get pampered by your hubby and kiddos...

So, how has everyone been doing? My week has been quite busy - first, going out with my friends on Monday and then, going out for lunch on Wednesday... Have to say, I'd have my fill of sushi :) In addition, well, I signed up for the gym again :( My dad made me - he needed someone else to sign up for the gym so we could get the familial package... so there you go, back to the gym. This time though, I paid for the year... so I better go. So far, I've been 2 times... My goal is 2 or 3 times a week + one swimming session. That's my goal... will I be able to make it? No idea...

In the previous post, I promised some pictures of the sushi I ate on Sunday. So here there are:

Looks pretty right? Taste is okay. The yellow paper is actually algae that they colored yellow. It's fun once in a while to eat something different - but it relied at lot on the sauces... Japanese mayo and sweet sauce... So it hid the taste a bit. The presentation is very nice though, so it makes it worth once in a while. I still prefer the sushi place near my house that I went with my friends on Monday night.

Few months ago, after the So Cal bloggers had their get-together, Kristie wrote a post about a send Canadian get-together... More details to come about it, but I've been planning my trip to Toronto LOL :) The date we've come up with is June 13... and that is only a month and a few days away. Me, being anal, I wanted to start to plan the trip... So that's what I did :)

Also, Ames and I have a crazy bet/challenge going on. We were complaining about how there were not many releases for the month of May. I only had 2 books actually... Sad no? Ames didn't have many releases either... and so we came up with this challenge: no more buying books for a month. A month!! LOL, you guys know me. A month is like eternity!!! Anyway, challenge started May 6 to June 5... Let see who caves first - my sis believes I won't make it LOL :) She's right... if you look at the odds, Ames has a greater chance to make it... but we never know :)

So that's pretty much it with my life. Nothing much going on. I had the reading blues... but I finished two books in two days, so I think it's coming back :) My goal this week-end? Read and write posts :) What about you? Any special plans?

Review: Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

Ugh, I don't know how it happened, but my routine is all off!! :( Somehow, I ended up not having time to blog or read... I have a couple of reviews that should go up pretty soon and I hope that I'll be able to start a book tonight... Please, please, please.

Otherwise, I've been a bit busy at work and I'm also planning a trip, so it's taken a bit of my time. Ames and I have a crazy bet going on. My friends posted up some pics she's taken at my b-day on FB, so I'm going to steal them and post here again. Oh, did I tell you I signed up to the gym again? Yep, my dad was bugging me and he needed someone living at the same address to sign up as well so he could take advantage of the family price ^_^; So I went yesterday... Bleh... LOL. So everything combined had made me fall off my blogging and reading wagon, sigh. Hope I'll be back in business soon!!


In the meantime, I have a review up at Breezing Through. Thanks to Renee who agreed to buddy review Turn Coat by Jim Butcher. We've been working on it for a couple of weeks already and it is now finally up here.

Enjoy it all :)

The Warden Morgan has been accused of treason against the Wizards of the White Council--and there's only one, final punishment for that crime. He's on the run, wants his name cleared, and needs someone with a knack for backing the underdog. Someone like Harry Dresden.

Now, Harry must uncover a traitor within the Council, keep a less-than-agreeable Morgan under wraps, and avoid coming under scrutiny himself. And a single mistake may cost someone his head--someone like Harry.

Big THANK YOU!!!

As some of you know, yesterday was my b-day! :) I am now 26 years old and LOL, that's all I am going to say about my age :)

So a big, huge

THANK YOU

to all the wishes I've received by emails, comments, Facebook! I LOVE you all!!!! You guys are so awesome! :) I really feel the love and you don't know how much I appreciate it :) So again,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

I had a great day yesterday. Did some shopping with my sister, played bowling and pool with friends and went to eat sushi :) The weather was gorgeous and it was a beautiful day :)

As soon as my friend sends me the pics she took, I'm going to make a post. The sushi were very pretty - it was more about style and decoration and new taste.

Oh and guess what? My sister asked me what I wanted for my birthday, but she told me: "Don't say books, because the parents told me not to buy you any. I won't buy you any gift cards either. The only thing that might work is if you ask for an e-book reader, because maybe Dad will consider it as technology."

LMAO :) So yeah, didn't get any books, but it's okay :) Actually, the only sad part in my day yesterday is I almost didn't see my parents. They did wish me a happy birthday, but they had to go to the temple really early. My sister and I went too, but we left early to go shopping... when we got home, my parents were still at the temple - they had a meeting for next week, very big celebration. I left to meet my friends and when I came home, they were already in bed :(

Today, well I'm at work... and tradition is that the birthday person brings in a cake to celebrate :) My mom made one - it's been age since she didn't do one for my birthday LOL :) I'll take some pics later and post them along with the sushi :) Then tonight, going out again with another group of friends... for more sushi :)

Oh, and I'd like to take this opportunity to say:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRACY!!!

Turns out Tracy and I share a birthday! How awesome is it? LOL :) I wish you all the best and a lot of books :)

Re-Read Challenge: April Winner :)

Let see, this month, we had 14 entries :) It is lower than the previous months, but I guess that's to be expected :) These kind of challenges lose participants as we go along... Also, blogland has been really quiet. Hopefully, next month, there'll be more entries :)

So this month's winner is...

ISABEL

Congrats Isabel! E-mail me (well you have my email address already :P) to let me know which store you want the 10$ gift certificate from :)

I hope you guys are still having fun with the challenge :) I know that my list of TBB books is growing each month, which is fun :)

Re-Read Challenge: April!

*This is a sticky post, please scroll down for new entry!*

Another month has gone by... which means, Re-Read Challenge entries!! Yay!!

Seriously, I'm really glad that I've started this challenge. It's been a lot of fun :) Blogland has been quiet lately, so I wonder how many will make it this month :P

As I said earlier this week, people will have till Friday night, May 1st, at 12am (Eastern time) to post your review and link it in this post :) I will be doing the draw on Saturday morning :)


Nath: Twisted Creek by Jodi Thomas
Lori: He Said Yes by Patricia Waddell
Taja: Gabriel's Ghost by Linnea Sinclair
Tracy: Pack Challenge by Shelly Laurenston
Jenn: Fall Into Me by Linda Winfree
Seneca: Secret Submission and Submission Revealed by Diana Hunter
Rowena: Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts
Isabel: Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
Zeek: Tempting the Beast by Lora Leigh
Renee: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Jill: Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Kristie: Knock Me Off My Feet by Susan Donovan
Ames: Kiss An Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Leslie: Touched by Fire by Catherine Sprangler

Monthly Reads - April 2009

Hi everyone :)

I wanted to have this up earlier today, but I got the blues :( However, I bounced back and here is my reading list for the month of April :) I'm pretty happy with it, I have to admit :)

1) The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner: B+

2) Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews: C

3) Rewriting Monday by Jodi Thomas: B

4) Love in Bloom by Sheila Roberts: B

I became a fan of Sheila Roberts thanks to Dev :) Her books are more women fiction. They are about women of different ages linked by a common theme. In this one, the theme is gardening. Love in Bloom is a solid and enjoyable read - although I have to admit, I was expecting a bit more.

5) Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews: B

6) Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews: B++

7) White Star by Elizabeth Vaughan: B

Review to come to Book Binge.

8) Rebel Waltz by Kay Hooper: B

I love that Ms Hooper's backlist is being re-printed!! Because otherwise, I would never be able to read these :) Rebel Waltz was a very sweet romance in my opinion. Very Kay Hooper style as well :) There's just the right touch of humor, romance and paranormal element to make it interesting :)

9) Tempted at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro: D

Review to come to Book Binge.

10) Turn Coat by Jim Butcher: B++

Buddy review to come to Breezing Through.

11) Hot Stuff by Carly Phillips: B

Hmmm, I picked these up after reading Ames TBR entry this month. If I'm not wrong, I already read Hot Stuff, but didn't remember much of it. I liked this well enough and actually didn't remember much from the first read. I like the hero, he was very yummy :) Heroine was okay. Overall, a nice romance with sports as background.

12) Hot Number by Carly Phillips: B

This one is the sequel and it was a bit more interesting than Hot Stuff because the hero is still a professional athlete. Out of the three sisters, I like Micki the most, although I was surprised at how "fragile" and "unsure" she felt. What I didn't work for me is that their "affair" was really way too short. I don't understand men that are not able to deal with their career and love. I mean, women do it all the time right? So very weak excuse in my opinion... that coupled with the pregnancy accusation made the grade the same as Hot Stuff although I liked the characters better in Hot Number.

13) Hot Item by Carly Phillips: DNF

Blah. Was really not interested in the H/H in this one. I don't mind kids in my romance, but I have to say the spoiled girl from a professional athlete who doesn't want her father to date is the worst. I just found them very, very annoying. Seriously, it's not an interesting plot... This one had potential though, given the build up from Hot Stuff and Hot Number, but I just wasn't into it.

14) The Warrior by Sharon Sala: B

15) Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James: B+

Most probably, I'll review this book. I don't know where yet, but I mean, the grade says it all right? Oh and if you're wondering, I'm siding with J.D. :P

16) Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber: C

I was really looking forward to this book... I like the Blossom Street series and one of my favorite character was coming back: Alix :) I ended up being quite disappointed. Let see, Lydia had the main storyline and it was okay - not very original. She and her husband want to adopt a baby, but they end up fostering a young teenager girl. You can guess the rest right? I liked Phoebe and Hutch's storylines and romance, but I wished there'd been more. I skipped over Anne Marie's storyling - I really wasn't interested in. Basically, in Twenty Wishes, Anne Marie adopted an 8 years old girl... and her biological father shows up now. The worst is that this storyline is probably going to continue in the next Blossom Street book. Sigh. As for Alix, I really liked her character and her romance with Jordan. In this one, Alix and Jordan want to start their family, but Alix is nervous because she doesn't know if she'll be a good mother or not. Again, very typical and the worst is that we barely saw Alix and Jordan compared to all the other relationships in the book :( So let just say I'm disappointed with this one. Although the storylines are all very typical, Ms Macomber does save the book with her writing style... Hence the C.

17) Twisted Creek by Jodi Thomas: A

18) Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder: B+

Review to come.

19) Visions in White by Nora Roberts: B+

20) Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder: A

So after reading Storm Glass, I wanted to re-visit Yelena and her books. So I re-read Poison Study. Awesome book!! I put the link of my previous review, but seriously, I really like Yelena, Valek, Janco and Ari :) and I thought this book was great ;)

21) Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder: A

LOL, just normal that after reading Poison Study, I would follow up with Magic Study :) Another great book, very enjoyable :) Again, really love Yelena's character and she grows :) Yes, she gets into trouble, but she gets out of them :) and she has a very good entourage. I liked re-reading about Yelena and Valek, re-visiting her friendship with Janco and Ari and get to know her brother Leif. I have to say, Kiki is great! :)


So that's it for this month :) I really had an awesome month and I ended up reviewing more than I thought I did! So overall, very happy with myself :) I'm crossing my fingers so that May is as good - although less new releases...

You guys have any plans for this week-end?