So Many Books, So Little Time

Sunday, August 2, 2009

The Sunday Salon- August 2, 2009

This week was another lazy week. Since I am having Lasik done tomorrow, I wasn't allowed to wear my contact lenses or wear makeup this past week. And since I don't go out of the house without either, I definitely wasn't going out without BOTH! I know...my boyfriend tells me that I'm crazy, but that's me!

I finished and reviewed the following books this week:

First Night by Tom Weston

The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark

Fifteen Minutes of Shame by Lisa Daily

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent

Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

I fullfilled items for the following challenges this week:

Paranormal 999 Challenge: Ghosts, Fae/Faerie

A to Z Reading Challenge: V

I am currently reading Real Vampires Get Lucky by Gerry Bartlett and up next is the sequel, Real Vampires Don't Diet.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Book Review- Very Valentine

I just finished reading Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani.

From the inside cover:

Meet the Roncalli and Angelini families, a vibrant cast of colorful characters who navigate tricky family dynamics with hilarity and brio, from magical Manhattan to the picturesque hills of bella Italia. Very Valentine is the first novel in a trilogy that is sure to be the new favorite of Trigiani's millions of fans around the world.

In this luscious, contemporary family saga, the Angelini Shoe Company, makers of exquisite wedding shoes since 1903, is one of the last family-owned businesses in the Greenwich Village. The company is on the verge of financial collapse. It falls to thirty-three-year-old Valentine Roncalli, the talented and determined apprentice to her grandmother, the master artisan Teodora Angelini, to bring the family's old-world craftmanship into the twenty-first century and save the company from ruin.

While juggling a budding romance with dashing chef Roman Falconi, her duty to her family, and a design challenge presented by a prestigious department store, Valentine returns to Italy with her grandmother to learn new techniques and seek one-of-a-kind materials for building a pair of glorious shoes to beat their rivals. There, in Tuscany, Naples, and on the Isle of Capri, a family secret is revealed as Valentine discovers her artistic voice and much more, turning her life and the family business upside down in ways she never expected. Very Valentine is a sumptuous treat, a journey of dreams fullfilled, a celebration of love and loss filled with Trigiani's trademark heart and humor.

This book was just okay for me. I felt that there were too many descriptions. Yes, it's nice to know what Italy looks like, but I don't need to know what every single person is wearing or what everything smells like. That's just me though.

As for the characters, sometimes I like Valentine and felt warmth from her and other times I didn't get her at all. The same went for Roman. There were times when I liked him and wanted them to make it work, but there were other times where I didn't like him and felt like he should have put more energy into their relationship. I did really like the character of Gram. I loved that an eighty-year old women could fall in love.

Overall, I had to put focus into reading this book, it didn't just fly by for me. I'm not saying that it's not good--it is. I'm just not one that likes so much detail.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fullfilled items in the following challenge:
A to Z Reading Challenge: V

Prophecy of the Sisters Tweet Party Tonight!

Total Chaos Twitter Party

Want to have fun and win some awesome prizes while chatting with Prophecy of the Sisters author Michelle Zink?

Come to the Total Chaos Twitter Party on tonight from 8pm-11pm EST/5pm-8pm PST!!!

Prizes include gift cards and other items of awesomeness to be awarded for answers to Prophecy trivia and other random things that come to mind at the time.

You must be following Michelle Zink on Twitter and must use the hashtag #ProphecyoftheSisters to win.

What An Animal II Challenge- August Update

The rules for the What an Animal II Challenge are the same as the original What an Animal Challenge:

1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements: 
a. there is an animal in the title of the book
b. there is an animal on the cover of the book 
c. an animal plays a major role in the book 
d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like ;o)

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...
 
3. Challenge runs from July 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010. That’s 8 months to read at least 6 books (you can read more if you’d like). You can still sign up after July 1st as long as you can get 6 books read by February 28th ;o).
 
4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction. 

5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them. 

6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with). 

7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged. 

8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to. 

Here's the link to my original post: What An Animal II Challenge

Peace, Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge- August Update

Welcome to the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge!

Here's your chance to catch up on Sookie and all her friends -- living and undead, fully human and not.

It's easy, it's fun, it's for you! And you have an entire year to complete the challenge.

The Rules:

1. Between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, catch up on Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire series. No matter if you're starting with book 1 or book 8, you have a year to read all about Sookie. Read Sookie in print, listen to the audio, read an eBook -- format is not an issue.

Here is a link to my original post: Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge

The Books:

Dead Until Dark

Living Dead in Dallas

Club Dead

Dead to the World

Dead as a Doornail

Definitely Dead

All Together Dead

From Dead to Worse

Dead and Gone

There are also Sookie and gang short stories and an up-coming anthology! For more, see Charlaine Harris's website.

Chick Lit Challenge 2- August Update

Chick Lit Challenge 2
I am participating in another Chick-lit Challenge on Paperback Swap.
So of course I have to blog about it here!
Here is a link to my original post: Chick-Lit Challenge 2

1) Pick a Chic Lit book that's been on your TBR for a year or more.
2)Pick a book that hasn't had a movie made from it. --The Agency by Ally O'Brien
3)Read a new to you author--American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
4)Read a book with a hair color in the title example: Bergdorf Blondes
5)Start a series! (you don't need to finish it) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
6)Read a book with some kind of beverage in the title (i.e.:Cocktails for Three, Milk Run)

A to Z Reading Challenge- August Update

Option B: Read titles A to Z. Commit to reading 26 books theoretically speaking. (since X and Z are hard to find, I will count the book if the letter is anywhere in the title)
Here is a link to my original post: A to Z Reading Challenge

A. Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin
B. Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin
C. Countdown by Michelle Maddox
D. Demons Are Forever by Julie Kenner
E. Excuse Me, Your Soul Mate is Waiting by Marla Martenson
F. Follow Me by Joanna Scott
G.
H. Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick
I. In Over Her Head by Judi Fennell
J. Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi
K. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
L. Look Both Ways by Jacquelyn Mitchard
M. Modern Magic by Anne Cordwainer
N.
O. Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter
P.Playing With Fire by Katie MacAlister
Q.
R. Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz
S. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
T. The Silver Moon Elm by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi
U. Untamed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
V. Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
W. Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home by Michele Bardsley
X.
Y. Your Coffin or Mine? by Kimberly Raye
Z. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

What's In A Name Challenge- August Update

*This is a challenge that anyone can join, no matter what types of books they like to read. You should be able to find books from any genre that will work.

*Dates: January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009

*The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.

1. A book with a "profession" in its title. Examples might include: The Book Thief, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Historian

2.A book with a "time of day" in its title. Examples might include: Twilight, Four Past Midnight, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

3. A book with a "relative" in its title. Examples might include: Eight Cousins, My Father's Dragon, The Daughter of Time

4. A book with a "body part" in its title. Examples might include: The Bluest Eye, Bag of Bones, The Heart of Darkness

5. A book with a "building" in its title. Examples might include: Uncle Tom's Cabin, Little House on the Prairie, The Looming Tower

6. A book with a "medical condition" in its title. Examples might include: Insomnia, Coma, The Plague

*You may overlap books with other challenges, but please don't use the same book for more than one category.

*If you join, please leave a comment here with a link to your challenge page, and click on the image above to leave a comment on the original page as well.

Here is a link to my original post: What's In A Name Challenge

PROFESSION-
TIME OF DAY-The Midnight Twins by Jacquelyn Mitchard
RELATIVE- American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
BODY PART- In Over Her Head by Judi Fennell
BUILDING- Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home by Michele Bardsley
MEDICAL CONDITION- Dead End Dating by Kimberly Raye

Read Your Name Challenge- August Update

The challenge is to read your name in book title first letters, ultimately spelling out your name. That means:
1. Using your first name, or blogger name, or your pets name, or even your favorite literary character's name; whichever you like, choose books with first title letters that spell out your name. (Audio books and eBooks are also okay.)

2. The challenge runs from Jan. 1st 2009, to Dec. 31st 2009. You may join at any time.

3. If you join, please leave a comment here with a link to your challenge page, and click on the image above to leave a comment on the original page as well.
Here is the link to my original post: Read Your Name Challenge

A. Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin
N.
D. Demons are Forever by Julie Kenner
R. Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz
E. Excuse Me, Your Sould Mate Is Waiting by Marla Martenson
A. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

Paranormal 999 Challenge- August Update

Description: 9 books in 9 different categories, all read in 2009. For an added challenge, try completing your books by 9/9/09!This group is to help you track your progress on the Paranormal 999 challenge.You choose your own categories.... but you must have 9 categories and they must be paranormal....some examples are:
Vampires
Werewolves
Ghost
Witches
Wizards
Demons
Psychic
Vampires

If you join, please leave a comment here with a link to your challenge page, and click on the image above to leave a comment on the original page as well.

Here is a link to my original post: Paranormal 999 Challenge

Vampires