Very Staten Island

So... despite the fact that it's been slow going, I have made progress in reading Very Valentine. I have a feeling that, with Valentine's trip to Italy taking place over the next few chapters, I will probably get really into the book. The weather has been getting nicer lately, and thus... I've been getting out of the house as much as I can and enjoying it, leaving less time for reading than I'd like. I'm working overtime on Staten Island today, so it gave me an opportunity to catch up on the ferry ride here. Hopefully, I'll complete a chapter or two on the ferry ride back as well.

The deadline for my completion of both books was extended for a month, leaving me to finish up "Valentine" before diving into the sequel, Brava, Valentine. Bernice McFadden, writer of "Sugar", was nice enough to happen across my blog and send me a copy of her book for an upcoming contest (I'll admit- I didn't even read the rules yet. I'm going to go do that right after this). I also won a 200+ ebook from Early Reviewers. PLUS, I had to take time out because of a mailing mishap where I got books from SLJ to review, but only got them 7 days after they were supposed to read + reviewed. It's a lot of homework, kids. I remember the good ol' days a year ago where I got to pick the books I read. Now, I'm part of so many different websites and contests it's a little overwhelming. I'm going to try to keep reading, though, and at least tell you if the stuff I am going through it crap. Valentine, for the record, isn't. I've just been so crazy lately it's hard for me to commit. Much like the character of Roman, who is so invested in his Little Italy restaurant he may not be committed to our heroine. I guess we'll see :)

Very Valentine [continued]

I'm keeping up with my reading of Very Valentine, albeit at a slower pace that I would like. I'm now on page 134. I wish I still had moving as an excuse, but I just got internet at my new apartment and have been using it to catch up on the variety of TV shows I've been missing (mostly House and Legend of the Seeker this weekend, for the record). I'm a bad, bad book blogger.

But the drama is escalating in my little tale. Valentine's father just got diagnosed with cancer, and her evil brother Arthur has brought a broker around to show him the shoe business's space. The only comfort Valentine has is her new beau, a successful chef with a small restaurant in Little Italy. The romance aspects of the book prove to be a nice break from the multitude of family problems that are plaguing our heroine.

In other news, I finally won another ARC book from our favorite website LibraryThing! The downside, kinda, is that it's an eBook, meaning I will have to stare at a computer screen to read it. The book isn't too long, however. I will probably review it when I finish up reading it sometime in the next month or so.