Seeking Recommendations

You may have read earlier that I am doing Chick Lit Plus' Reading Challenge in 2011.  That means I'll be reading, you guessed it, Chick Lit.

Off the table are mystery/thrillers and historical romance.  But anything else goes. I think.  So,  this is where you come in.  I need chick lit suggestions.  I like smart Chick Lit (Jennifer Weiner, Emily Giffin, Marian Keyes). I like Brit Chick Lit. I'm interested in books that might stretch the definition of Chick Lit.

Any thoughts? I have to read twelve. So please, add your suggestions in the comments.

Thanks!

I'm Doing Chick Lit Plus' Reading Challenge

One of the blogs I follow, Chick Lit Plus (http://ow.ly/3nWGf ), is sponsoring a reading challenge for 2011.  It is a simple challenge, twelve chick lit books throughout the year, two of which must be by a debut author.  So why this challenge?

The label "chick lit" alone is enough to turn off some people, and I understand that argument. You don't see much "men's fiction" but let's be honest.  Some fiction appeals more to certain groups than others. I, for example, don't often choose to read about hunting and fishing- they simply aren't interests of mine. That being said, some people use the term "chick lit" to be summarily dismissive of a work simply because it is written by, or geared towards, women.  And while some books I've read certainly fit the "chick lit" stereotype, others do not.  And if they do, so what? People read for a myriad of reasons. If someone gets some enjoyment reading the Shopaholic series, even if it isn't your cup of tea, why do you care? 

So part of the reason I'm doing this challenge is to, hopefully, broaden people's understanding of what "chick lit" is and show where it, like any other entertaining piece of fiction, has merit.  Secondly, although I read a fair amount of non-fiction to learn, sometimes I like to read to escape from the day to day chaos in my own life.  This challenge will remind me to slow down, at least once a month, and read.  There are so many talented, smart writers out there, writing about things that matter to me or that I can relate to. Still, I sometimes forget to take time to enjoy them.

So, I hope you'll join me on this journey, participating yourself or following the challenge related posts.   And as always, suggestions are welcome!

Book 35: The Brightest Star in the Sky

I don't think I've ever read a Marian Keyes novel that I didn't like.  The Brightest Star in the Sky was no exception.  I downloaded this one from audible.com, and got an extra treat with it: The narrator is Irish, which is fitting since the story is set a Number 66 Star Street in Dublin.

A mysterious presence is visiting the residents of the four flats in Number 66.  This presence is counting down to something, which of course is not revealed until the very end. But if you pay attention to a seemingly innocuous description in the story, you get a good clue as to what is going on.

Keyes deftly weaves between the stories of each of the residents of Number 66, unfolding their stories in bits and pieces, and intertwining the characters lives a bit at a time. You know all will be revealed, but Keyes switches between story lines at just the right moment, always leaving you wanting to know more about each character.  Without disclosing too much, I did tear up at an especially poignant moment near the end.  I have a lot more to say about that, but it would be a big  spoiler for me to elaborate here, so I'll share only this: sometimes, the most precious moments of our lives are those we never envision, and we find we were lucky to be a part of them.

Keyes stories are easy to enjoy, even when the subject matter is heavy.  I to relate to the characters.  I describe Keyes' heroines as "charmingly real."  Flawed, certainly.  Dim? Maybe, on occasion.  But also spunky.  Going after what they want. Making tough decisions. Surviving.  

For listeners not familiar with an Irish accent, the audiobook may be a bit hard to follow, and perhaps reading the book would be better.  But to me, listening to it provided an authenticity to the story.

http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/products/ProductDetail.jsp?productID=BK_PENG_001415&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes