Book Blog Hop and Follow Friday (9-14-12)

Happy Friday everyone! Enjoying the beginning of September? It's still a little warm here but it looks like it will start cooling down next week. I've even had a couple pumpkin spice lattes to welcome September and they were delicious! Now, if only work wasn't so hectic, I could enjoy my lattes more and get some more reading in! Anywho, onto the Friday fun ...

Jen at Crazy For Books asks:

Highlight one of your favorite reviews from the past month!

Brava, Valentine was my favorite review from the past month! It was a great audiobook listen, one of the best I think I'll ever listen to!

Parajunkee asks:

What hyped up book do you think was not worth all the talk?

The Hunger Games trilogy. Just wasn't what I thought it would be after all the hype.

So, what's your fave review from the past month? What book just didn't live up to the hype for you? Let me know and have a great weekend!

Audiobook Review: Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

Big Stone Gap
Author: Adriana Trigiani
Narrator: Grace Bennett
Published: January 1, 2000
Genre: fiction
Audiobook: 10 CDs (10 hours)
Source: borrowed from the library


My Rating: 2.5 stars


Synopsis (from GoodReads): Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the tiny town of Big Stone Gap is home to some of the most charming eccentrics in the state. Ave Maria Mulligan is the town's self-proclaimed spinster, a thirty-five year old pharmacist with a "mountain girl's body and a flat behind." She lives an amiable life with good friends and lots of hobbies until the fateful day in 1978 when she suddenly discovers that she's not who she always thought she was. Before she can blink, Ave's fielding marriage proposals, fighting off greedy family members, organizing a celebration for visiting celebrities, and planning the trip of a lifetime—a trip that could change her view of the world and her own place in it forever. Brimming with humor and wise notions of small-town life, Big Stone Gap is a gem of a book with a giant heart. . . .


My Thoughts: I discovered Adriana Trigiani's work a few months ago and fell in love with it. She is a gifted writer and has a way of pulling her readers into her character's lives. I had high hopes for this novel but they fell far short of what I have come to expect from a Trigiani novel. Now, I'm not sure if this is because it was in audiobook form, but there was something that just didn't flow with this book. It felt a bit disjointed at times, like we were jumping around with no real direction. I did enjoy parts of the story and I liked the character of Ave Maria, but there was something that was just off.


For me, part of the problem with this novel was the narrator. I don't think I've ever had an issue with a narrator before, or one who I thought ruined the entire audiobook experience, but I felt that way with this story. Grace Bennett narrated this story and her pacing was awful! There were long pauses, as if a new chapter was beginning. Instead, Bennett would take a pause in the middle of a conversation with two characters. It was awful and made for a poor listening experience. It really upset me, and I have never felt that way about a narrator before.


This is the first book in the series, and I debated for a few days whether I should continue with it or not. I decided that I would give it a try based on how much I've enjoyed Trigiani's other books but decided to do the print version instead of the audiobook. Have you read this series? What are your thoughts on it?

Giveaway - The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

Hello everyone! I have an exciting giveaway for you! 

About 2 months ago, I read an amazing book: The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani (link goes to my review). A sweeping novel spanning the Atlantic Ocean and several decades, it tells the story of two Italian immigrants, Ciro and Enza. Starting with their lives as small children in Italy all the way to when Enza is an old, old woman, Trigiani weaves an amazing tale of love across time and distance.

The great people over at Harper are offering me a copy of this wonderful book to giveaway! It's pretty simple to enter: just leave a comment! The contest is open from today, August 21, until Monday, August 27 at 8 pm. If you are a GFC follower, let me know in your comment, and that will count for two entries! Make sure to leave an email address where I can contact you. (The winner will be chosen using random.org)

Don't miss this chance to read a great historical novel!

Audiobook Review: Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

Brava, Valentine
Author: Adriana Trigiani
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
Published: February 9, 2010
Genre: chick lit
Audiobook: 10 discs
Source: borrowed from the library


My Rating: 5 stars


Synopsis (from GoodReads): As "Brava, Valentine" begins, Valentine learns that Alfred, her only brother and nemesis, has been named her partner at Angelini Shoes. Devastated, Valentine falls into the arms of Gianluca, a sexy Tuscan tanner. Despite their passion for one another, a long-distance relationship seems impossible. As Valentine turns away from romance and devotes herself to her work, Bret Fitzpatrick, her first love and former fiancEe, encourages Valentine to exploit her full potential as a designer with a plan that will bring her singular creations to the world. A once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity takes Valentine to Buenos Aires, where she finds a long-buried secret. Once unearthed, the truth rocks the Roncallis and Valentine is determined to hold her family together. More so, she longs to create one of her own, but is torn between a past love that nurtured her, and a new one that promises to sustain her.


My Thoughts: I was nervous to listen to this book instead of reading it. I loved the first book in this trilogy and didn't know if that would translate into a good audiobook. Let me just say this: I believe this to be one of the greatest audiobooks that I will ever listen to. Now, I realize that that is a big statement to make. But everything about this audiobook was perfect. The story carries over from the first novel and puts you right into the action. Adriana Trigiani puts you into the story and has you nervous for Valentine as she embarks on her new business venture. Cassandra Campbell is a fantastic narrator and really made this audiobook great. She has a great voice and was able to differentiate between all of the different characters (between the large Italian-American family, the Italians, and South Americans, she had her work cut out for her). Even when there were many characters in a scene, she was able to change her voice enough so that you are able to tell who is speaking. She is fantastic and really made this audiobook what it is.


The story in this book continues with the first book but is progressing so that the plot isn't stagnant or dragging. Since Valentine is dealing with taking her handmade shoe business into the mass production market, you are able to see how Valentine handles business. I also loved the interaction with Valentine and her brother, Albert. Albert wasn't featured that much in the first book, but he more than makes up for it in this book. I felt like all the characters were adding something to the novel, making you think about something from a different view point or adding something to the conversation. I also loved Valentine and Gianluca's relationship. I loved how Trigiani handled it. Instead of making Valentine this person who is so easy to love, she allows you to she her faults. You are unsure if these two can make it work, but you are rooting for them to be together and for Valentine to make her business a success. 


The entire reading experience was just amazing with this novel. The narrator was fantastic, the story engaging, the characters intriguing, creating one of the best novels that I have ever listened to. I cannot wait for the third book in this trilogy to be released, and you can bet that I will be listening to it!

Audiobook Review: The Queen of the Big Time by Adriana Trigiani

The Queen of the Big Time
Author: Adriana Trigiani
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
Published: March 31, 2004
Genre: chick lit
Audiobook: 8 discs
Source: borrowed from the library


My Rating: 3 stars


Synopsis (from GoodReads): In the late 1800s, the residents of a small village in the Bari region of Italy, on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, made a mass migration to the promised land of America. They settled in Roseto, Pennsylvania, and re-created their former lives in their new home–down to the very last detail of who lived next door to whom. The village’s annual celebration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel–or “the Big Time,” as the occasion is called by the young women who compete to be the pageant’s Queen–is the centerpiece of Roseto’s colorful old-world tradition.

The industrious Castellucas farm the land outside Roseto. Nella, the middle daughter of five, aspires to a genteel life “in town,” far from the rigors of farm life, which have taken a toll on her mother and forced her father to take extra work in the slate quarries to make ends meet. But Nella’s dreams of making her own fortune shift when she meets Renato Lanzara, the son of a prominent Roseto family. Renato is a worldly, handsome, devil-may-care poet who has a way with words that makes him irresistible. Their friendship ignites into a fiery romance that Nella is certain will lead to marriage. But Nella is not alone in her pursuit: every girl in town seems to want Renato. When he disappears without explanation, Nella is left with a shattered heart. Four years later, Renato’s sudden return to Roseto the night before Nella’s wedding to the steadfast Franco Zollerano leaves her and the Castelluca family shaken. For although Renato has chosen a path very different from Nella’s, they are fated to live and work in Roseto, where the past hangs over them like a brewing storm.

An epic of small-town life, etched in glorious detail in the trademark Trigiani style, The Queen of the Big Time is the story of a determined, passionate woman who can never forget her first love.

My Thoughts: This is the fourth Adriana Trigiani book that I've read and I think that it differed a bit from her other novels that I've read. It still featured an Italian-American leading lady and her big family. There is love involved. But for some reason, there was something that was a bit off in this novel. Focusing on Nella Castelucca and her family in Roseto, Pennsylvania, Trigiani tells the tale of Nella's life, from middle school to her death. You see her go from a young girl with a thirst for knowledge to someone trying to provide for her family. Nella matures and grows as a character, from someone who is focused on her education to someone who will do whatever it takes to provide for her family. I thought that she was a well-written character and a strong main character.

I liked some of the other characters. There is Franco, a young machinist who is madly in love with Nella. He was so amiable that you can't help but love him. And he is a good foil to Nella and her practicality. I also like Nella's parents. They are loving and supportive and only want the best for their children. Trigiani's novels feature a large cast of characters, but for some reason, there just seemed to be too many this time. It was distracting and sometimes hard to keep up with. Once again, I loved Cassandra Campbell's narration. I think she's my favorite audiobook narrator. She does voices so well that it's easy to differentiate between each character. She is also filled with emotion and you instantly empathize with the characters. While not my favorite Trigiani novel, it was still an enjoyable listen.

Review: The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

The Shoemaker's Wife
Author: Adriana Trigiani
Published: April 3, 2012
Genre: historical fiction
Hardcover: 496 pages
Source: borrowed from the library


My Rating: 4 stars


Synopsis (from GoodReads): Majestic and haunting beauty of the Italian Alps is the setting of the first meeting of Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a strapping mountain boy, who meet as teenagers, despite growing up in villages just a few miles apart. At the turn of the last century, when Ciro catches the local priest in a scandal, he is banished from his village and sent to hide in America as an apprentice to a shoemaker in Little Italy. Without explanation, he leaves a bereft Enza behind. Soon, Enza's family faces disaster and she, too, is forced to go to America with her father to secure their future.

Unbeknownst to one another, they both build fledgling lives in America, Ciro masters shoemaking and Enza takes a factory job in Hoboken until fate intervenes and reunites them. But it is too late: Ciro has volunteered to serve in World War I and Enza, determined to forge a life without him, begins her impressive career as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House that will sweep her into the glamorous salons of Manhattan and into the life of the international singing sensation, Enrico Caruso. 

From the stately mansions of Carnegie Hill, to the cobblestone streets of Little Italy, over the perilous cliffs of northern Italy, to the white-capped lakes of northern Minnesota, these star-crossed lovers meet and separate, until, finally, the power of their love changes both of their lives forever. 

Lush and evocative, told in tantalizing detail and enriched with lovable, unforgettable characters, The Shoemaker's Wife is a portrait of the times, the places and the people who defined the immigrant experience, claiming their portion of the American dream with ambition and resolve, cutting it to fit their needs like the finest Italian silk.

My Thoughts: Wow. Where to begin with this epic novel. To say it's one of the best books I've read this year is an understatement (and I've read some really good ones). This is an epic story, not just of two people in love with one another, but an epic tale of the American dream. Ciro and Enza come over from America and work in their respective trades, building lives for themselves in this new world. They become masters of what they do and are able to live out the American dream when Ciro opens his own business. They work hard to support themselves and give their lives to building a business and home.

Adriana Trigiani's characters are so real and she continues that in this book. Enza seemed like someone who I would know (if I was alive way back then). I immediately liked her and was rooting for her to find happiness in America. Ciro is endearing from the moment that he is introduced and you can't help but love him, even if he seems a little stupid at times (how could he lead Enza on like that when they were young?!?) I also loved how Trigiani switched between the two as narrators. It made the story so rich when you could see what each one was doing.

So, I loved the book. Why did I only give it 4 stars then? For me, the ending was too fast. It may be a case of wishing that this book would never end, but I felt too rushed. I thought that it could have been a bit more drawn out and not wrapped up so perfectly, or maybe ended a little earlier. Either way, that's the only downside of this book for me. Trigiani is now one of my favorite authors and this book was such a magnificent work. If you haven't read Trigiani's novels, then you need to give her a try. I don't think that you will be disappointed.

Review: Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

Very Valentine
Author: Adriana Trigiana
Published: February 3, 2009
Genre: chick lit
Hardcover: 371 pages
Source: borrowed from the library


My Rating: 3.5 stars


Synopsis (from GoodReads): This first-in-a-trilogy is a frilly valentine to Manhattan's picturesque West Village, starring a boisterous and charmingly contentious Italian-American family. Valentine Roncalli, adrift after a failed relationship and an aborted teaching career, becomes an apprentice to her 80-year-old grandmother, Teodora Angelini, at the tiny family shoe business. While Valentine struggles to come up with a financial plan—and shoe design—to bring the Old World operation into the 21st century, her brother, Alfred, is pushing Gram to retire and sell her building for $6 million. It's not all business for Valentine, of course: handsome and sophisticated Roman Falconi, owner and chef at a posh restaurant, is vying for her heart. 


My Thoughts: I grabbed this book at the library because I was interested in Adriana Trigiani's newest book, The Shoemaker's Wife, but didn't know if I was going to like it. So, I picked up this book and decided to give her a shot. Let me just say that after finishing this book, I cannot wait to read all of Trigiani's novels. Her voice is so clear that her writing is enthralling. It wasn't simple, but it wasn't too much. And it was writing that is characteristic of chick lit novels. The plot seems to be very chick lit-y (a shoemaker in NYC who falls in love with a hot chef, then starts feeling something for another man), but the writing never felt that way. 


I was reading this book, hoping the entire time that it wouldn't end. I admired Valentine so much. Yes, she was experiencing the hardships of a relationship, but her story was more about her career (which is what I have been looking for in a chick lit book for months now!!!). It's about trying to keep the family business afloat and trying things that she hasn't done before to keep the family business open. It was refreshing to read a book that wasn't all about the romance! 


For me, Trigiana's work is something that can't be easily classified. I look forward to reading more of her books, not only this series, but all of her novels.

Waiting On Wednesday (3-21-12)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Each week, you highlight an upcoming release that you are eagerly awaiting. This week, my pick is: The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani (expected publication date: April 3, 2012).

Synopsis (from GoodReads): 

The majestic and haunting beauty of the Italian Alps is the setting of the first meeting of Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a strapping mountain boy, who meet as teenagers, despite growing up in villages just a few miles apart. At the turn of the last century, when Ciro catches the local priest in a scandal, he is banished from his village and sent to hide in America as an apprentice to a shoemaker in Little Italy. Without explanation, he leaves a bereft Enza behind. Soon, Enza's family faces disaster and she, too, is forced to go to America with her father to secure their future. Unbeknownst to one another, they both build fledgling lives in America, Ciro masters shoemaking and Enza takes a factory job in Hoboken until fate intervenes and reunites them. But it is too late: Ciro has volunteered to serve in World War I and Enza, determined to forge a life without him, begins her impressive career as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House that will sweep her into the glamorous salons of Manhattan and into the life of the international singing sensation, Enrico Caruso. From the stately mansions of Carnegie Hill, to the cobblestone streets of Little Italy, over the perilous cliffs of northern Italy, to the white-capped lakes of northern Minnesota, these star-crossed lovers meet and separate, until, finally, the power of their love changes both of their lives forever. 

So, what are you waiting on this Wednesday?