Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the previous books!
Review: I have been a fan of Jennifer Chiaverini's work since the first book and each one has been full and rich. My expectations for her new book were high, I admit. Unfortunately, with this book she seems to have run out of steam. Many of the chapters are repetitious as she is telling the story from the different characters perspectives and though that is a writing technique that can be very effective, it just seemed a way to fill the pages. The only reason I gave this three stars instead of 2, was the book definitely got better towards the end and had an interesting twist which made it worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't wait for the next one!
Review: I loved Jennifer Chiaverini's latest Elm Creek Quilts novel. The book tells the story of the same several month time period from the view of different characters. Each chapter is another character's experience. It was very interesting to read what each person was thinking at the time and how the actions of others, which seemed unusual, were explained when the next chapter was told in their voice. Once again, Chiaverini has wrapped her readers in the warm storyquilt of friendship that trancends age and geography. Some characters are moving on to different places in their lives, and I look forward to the new characters that will fill their places at Elm Creek Quilts and the stories they will bring with them.
On a side note: Oooohhhh! I hate that man! Bonnie Markham's husband Craig is one of the biggest turd's I've ever read in a novel! Just wait, you'll hate him too.
Rating:
Summary: The Master Quilter leaves a few threads hanging
Review: I whipped through this book in a weekend. Initially I found the writing style interesting, but it go to the point where it was just annoying. The author writes well and the approach is interesting. The plot revolves around six women who are members of a quilting group called the Elm Creek Quilters. The main action in the story is the attempt by five of the six women to make a bridal quilt for the head of the group, who has recently married. The story is written from the perspective of one of the characters first and it then is re-told from the perspective of the other members of the group. Seeing how the same events can be interpreted in different ways by different people was at first iteresting, but cycling through the same chain of events six times became repetitive and boring. I finally started skimming through the last two characters' stories because I was sick of the repetition and wanted to get to a point of closure for the story. This book was charming in its own way, but the approach to telling the story finally became the major detraction from the story. It made for a pleasant weekend read overall.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as previous
Review: I'm somewhat new to the Elm Creek Quilter's novels and this is the third one I've read. The first book I read was "The Quilter's Legacy" which was wonderful and I would highly reccomend that one. It doesn't matter if you read them out of order, they each stand on their own.
This story was not as good as the others for two reasons, one of which was already stated. It gets repetitive. I agree that at first it was interesting to read the story from different viewpoints but after having the same events related SIX times, it gets annoying. Some of the conversations are repeated and I just wanted to get on with the story.
The other reason was that I felt that it was being politcally correct for that sole purpose. We have the, now grown, hippie flower child, Gwen, who doesn't want her daughter to surrender her independence for a man. Gwen also happens to be a female professor who has hit the "glass-ceiling". The so-called liberal male who has "turned Republican" because Gwen did not get selected as department chair. We also have the stay-at-home dad, the Vietnamese immigrant community, and the Hanukkah gift that Summer gives her boyfriend.
I know that you want to make characters broad and different, but these things seemed too forced to just be a natural part of the story. I didn't notice either of these things in the other two that I read: "The Quilter's Legacy" and "The Cross-Country Quilters".
I wouldn't judge this series based on this one novel because I enjoyed the other two immensely and the plot was good, it just was repeated too many times.
I am going to start at the beginning. If you are new to this series, I would start with one of the other ones first. This is not her best.
Rating:
Summary: Another fine book in this series
Review: In 2002 Sylvia Compson and her eight partner friends have turned the Elm Creek Manor into a successful quilter making school and meeting place. Her friend Sarah quietly requests former students gift a block to be included in a special wedding quilt for the recently married Sylvia and her new husband Andrew. Summer struggles with informing her Elm Creek Quilter mom Gwen that she has moved in with her boyfriend knowing the angry reaction she will receive about throwing away one's freedom for a man. Gwen is also upset that she failed to obtain the department chair at the college she works because her academic research into quilting is perceived as insignificant. With his unsolicited actions Bonnie's husband proves that their relationship is practically dead and adding to her woes is the fact that someone broke into her fabric store and robbed all of the blocks received for Sylvia's wedding quilt. Agnes, Judy, Diane and Mary Beth have personal woes too, but all eight women worry about the wedding quilt most. More a series of vignettes as each of the quilter friends serves as lead of a chapter, fans of the series will enjoy the close up look at the supporting octet. Of interest is that readers receive the same events over the same time frame, but told from a different perspective (everything is relative). Jennifer Chiaverini's vast readership will appreciate THE MASTER QUILTER for it s insight into some old friends, but newcomers will wonder if the story line block was stolen too. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Another fine book in this series
Review: In 2002 Sylvia Compson and her eight partner friends have turned the Elm Creek Manor into a successful quilter making school and meeting place. Her friend Sarah quietly requests former students gift a block to be included in a special wedding quilt for the recently married Sylvia and her new husband Andrew. Summer struggles with informing her Elm Creek Quilter mom Gwen that she has moved in with her boyfriend knowing the angry reaction she will receive about throwing away one's freedom for a man. Gwen is also upset that she failed to obtain the department chair at the college she works because her academic research into quilting is perceived as insignificant. With his unsolicited actions Bonnie's husband proves that their relationship is practically dead and adding to her woes is the fact that someone broke into her fabric store and robbed all of the blocks received for Sylvia's wedding quilt. Agnes, Judy, Diane and Mary Beth have personal woes too, but all eight women worry about the wedding quilt most. More a series of vignettes as each of the quilter friends serves as lead of a chapter, fans of the series will enjoy the close up look at the supporting octet. Of interest is that readers receive the same events over the same time frame, but told from a different perspective (everything is relative). Jennifer Chiaverini's vast readership will appreciate THE MASTER QUILTER for it s insight into some old friends, but newcomers will wonder if the story line block was stolen too. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Chiaverini's Latest Effort is Masterful
Review: Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilts series has drawn readers in for five books now, and the sixth, THE MASTER QUILTER, will be no different. The beloved characters from the previous books are back. This time, the Elm Creek Quilters are trying to arrange a wedding quilt as a surprise present for newlyweds Sylvia and Andrew. To help make the quilt, the Elm Creek Quilters contact various minor characters from earlier books to have them contribute quilt blocks. Meanwhile, Sarah's ability to keep a secret is tested, especially by her husband, Matthew. But both she and Sylvia seem to have minor roles in this book compared to some of the other characters. Bonnie is having financial problems with Grandma's Attic and, even worse, marital difficulties. Diane is feeling unappreciated by her fellow quilters and suspects that her son has begun his bad ways again. Gwen is trying to deal with her peers at the college who tell her that quilting is not a serious academic subject; she feels pressured to stop studying what she loves and concentrate on what is "in." Summer, Gwen's daughter, is moving in with her boyfriend without telling her mother, and she's juggling career choices as well. Agnes is there for Bonnie, but her role is minor. She's her usual self: helpful, loyal and a good friend. When she does some investigation work to help out Bonnie, we see a different side of the usually reserved Agnes. The prose here is wonderful, much like the images of quilts throughout the book. The characters are more fleshed out in this latest installment; it is interesting to see them struggling with decisions that any person could face in real life. The history among the characters is respected, which adds to the power of the story. Past relationships are brought in; the nicest was the hostility between Diane and her neighbor Mary Beth, the President of the other quilting club. The messages of friendship and loyalty are still there, and the fact that, six books later, these characters are still interesting is a testament to Chiaverini's writing abilities. This is a series that can continue for the foreseeable future, and that is a good thing. These characters have a lot of stories left in them, and Chiaverini is bringing them to life in a wonderful way. --- Reviewed by Melissa A. Palmer (melissaenglish72@yahoo.com)
Rating:
Summary: Best Yet!
Review: Jennifer Chiaverini's writing continues to improve! I received and read this book on the same day. The chapter style she used in this edition of the series, using each character's view point of the same time period, was refreshing and not over-done. It is SOOOO nice to enjoy a book that has been proof-read and edited as well as this one! My kudos to the publisher.
Rating:
Summary: Best Yet!
Review: Jennifer Chiaverini's writing continues to improve! I received and read this book on the same day. The chapter style she used in this edition of the series, using each character's view point of the same time period, was refreshing and not over-done. It is SOOOO nice to enjoy a book that has been proof-read and edited as well as this one! My kudos to the publisher.
Rating:
Summary: Wow, another great read from a great author
Review: NO SPOILERS.... Another great book with all of our favorite characters. Jennifer just gets better and better. There are so many layers to the stories, and threads that you thought might have been dropped are picked up, so you can catch up with familar characters.
Now I will admit that some of the books have dragged but this one and Quilters Legacy put this series right on the top on my must read list. Unfortunately I finish them just too fast. If only the author could keep up with the speed I read them. I'll just have to be satisfied with making up my own continuations of the story lines, until we hear from Jennifer agian.
I can't wait!!!
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