Cathy's Chick Lit Holiday

I have loved Chick Lit since before I even knew it had its own label for the genre (or what I otherwise referred to as Women’s Fiction, for the majority of my life). Like with most things in my life, I go through phases of activity, intensity and duration of time spent and variation on the “genre that is keeping my interest at the moment” in relation to reading. When I lived in Boston, post-grad from college, Chick Lit was all the rage. I devoured the nail polish-color covered books one after another on my train ride to and from work. I could not get enough of them! I have always loved them for their quick, easy reading, humor, wit, charm and above all, their relatable content on everything from relationships to food , weddings to vampires and friendships to murder. Introduced to a select few authors, whether by word of mouth , visual awareness or at my local library, I found my favorite authors, who include, to this day, Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes and Candace Busnhnell. I have only recently (I don’t know what took me so long!!) added to this list, the woman I consider to be the queen of relationships in story telling, Emily Giffin.

I am constantly seeking to add to my list of favorite women writers, especially, since at this point I have read 99% of these three authors books (with only a few Marian Keyes books left to read…and maybe reread, since my memory just isn’t what it used to be) and as such, I have spent the better part of year trying to identify who I want to consider to add to my “Top Ten” list of female authors. So far, I can safely say that Lauren Weisberger, Kristin Harmel, Laura Caldwell, Carol Snow, Gemma Townley, Jen Lancaster, Madeleine Wickham (real name for Sophie Kinsella), Sarah Mlynowski and Kyra Davis are (relative) newbies to me and fantastic authors. I also have a list of authors that either I haven’t read enough of their books or they don’t’ have many books published for me to even check out. This includes books I enjoyed, like the Queen of Babble series by Meg Cabot, Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern, Brenda Janowitz’ Brooke Miller series, Kristin Gore’s Sammy’s series, The Bachelorette by Karen McCullah Lutz, Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston and Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson. It will be interesting to see if these authors move into my favorite list after reading another novel or two.

One author that I have been oddly surprised to find that I don’t have much appeal for (mostly of her established mainstream status and media following) is the duo Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. I have not read The Nanny Diaries but the movie was “okay” enough. I dragged my feet through the audio version of The Nanny Returns and about ¾ of Citizen Girl. I almost tried to listen to Dedication but couldn’t bear to within the first 10 minutes. I don’t mean to speak bad of any author, especially someone (or I should say two women) so highly acclaimed for their novel writing (maybe it’s just me and something I’m missing) but I just haven’t found a book by this pair that has made me want to run out and read another book by them. On the other hand, there is another author, who, thus far, I can go either way on: Plum Sykes. Her debut novel, Bergdorf Blondes was so hyped up that I ran out to get it right away but unfortunately, I was disappointed in it. However, this past winter, I picked up the audio version of her second novel, The Divorcee, and by about the halfway mark, I was hooked! I hope she puts out another novel because this seems like a woman who’s writing and story-telling improves with time and age.

In the Fall of 2009, I saw the release of one of my favorite authors’, Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me at the local drugstore and I had to pick it up. I don’t know why, but before that moment, I really hadn’t given much though to Chick Lit since 2005 or so. I mean, I still read from time to time, but it was more pure fiction type novels. Also, I went through a phase where I read strictly spiritual, growth, Buddhist and “find your own path” type books. Then, I hopped on the fantasy/paranormal band wagon and read (most of) the Harry Potter and Twilight Series. But reading Remember Me was different. Not only was it quick, fast, funny and lighthearted but it sparked in me something, more than a sense of enjoyment and pleasure, which I always get when I read a really good chick lit novel and it made me smile. Like my very own chick lit holiday or someting. From there I was off and running…

Since becoming (excessively) involved in the Chick Lit genre, once again, joining various book clubs on Goodreads and becoming a reviewer for the Chick Lit Club, my TBR list has become astronomically long! In fact, I saw a list recently on Goodreads that prompted me to write this blog. It was a poll of members’ “Can’t Wait List of 2010”. Readers’ choices for 2010 releases were ranked in ascending order based on the number of votes they received. I decided to create my own “Can’t Wait” List for 2010. It seems that every single one of my favorite authors has something new coming out this year. Some of the releases have already past (two, of which I read (Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin and The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell), others are sequels I’ve been dying to read the latest installment and still others, are authors’ I have been in anticipation of reading for sometime. If only there was more time in the day, in the week, in the month or even in the year to read all these books…and without further ado…

My “Can’t Wait” List for 2010

I Heart Hollywood by Lindsey Kelk 1/7/10

The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes 1/21/10

Chelsea, Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler 3/9/10

Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow 4/6/10

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell 4/27/10

Gimme A Call by Sarah Mlynowski 4/27/10

Spotlight by Ilana Fox 4/29/10

My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict’s Attempt to Discover if Being a Dumb Ass is Not the New Black; or A Culture-Up Manifesto by Jen Lancaster 5/4/10

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin 5/11/10

Vows, Vendettas and a Little Black Dress by Kyra Davis 6/1/10

An Ideal Wife by Gemma Townley 6/22/10

Thin, Rich, Pretty by Beth Harbison 7/6/10

I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk 7/8/10

Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber 8/3/10

Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger 8/17/10

Mini-Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella 8/24/10