Bring on the chick lit books. Although I pride myself on being honest about books that I think are bad (I'm looking at you, Thomas Friedman), I will freely admit that I have no standards, no cynicism, absolutely no discrimination whatsoever when it comes to chick lit books. I pretty much love them all.
This week's case in point was Holly Denham's Holly's Inbox, which is an entire novel told through the emails of receptionist extraordinaire Holly Denham's life. Although you might find the epistolary (emailistolary?) format tiresome, it does have one big payoff: it reads fast. Sure, this book is 665 pages long. But it can still be read in a couple of hours, which has the added benefit of allowing you to quickly finish the book and slam it down with a meaty thunk and really feel like you've accomplished something with your afternoon.
This novel is also set in Great Britain, which is a second sure way to get me interested (it's been compared to Helen Fieldings's Bridget Jones's Diary, and although I liked it, I must say it is no Bridget Jones's Diary). It also ended a trifle abruptly, I thought, although a sequel is in the works so perhaps that's why. But it is fun; the following is an email from her coworker in reception, as Holly has just started the job:
"From: Patricia Gillot
That's nice for you, darlin. Just keep grinning at people for today, and I'll do the rest. Hopefully by the end of the month you might know your arse from your elbow."
Of course her tough-as-nails co-worker turns out to have a heart of gold; Holly has the obligatory gay male best friend; the perfect guy turns out to be a sleaze; the man who formerly wronged her turns out to have been wronged himself. Formulaic, simplistic, it's got it all. And I ate it up with a spoon. Please refer to my first paragraph, and then feel free to mock me--IF you don't have any reading skeletons in your closet.
You liked this? I started it one night while I was working and didn't bother to check it out and take it home. I didn't like Bridgit Jones either. My skeleton is romance novels :)
Posted by: Melanie | 20 August 2009 at 09:36 AM
That's funny. Denham is going to be my married name.
Posted by: Jessica | 20 August 2009 at 10:06 AM
Yeah, Melanie, I liked it. Great literature I know it ain't. But something in my soul responds to chick lit. (More so than traditional romance novels, for some reason; I have tried and cannot make it through any Nora Roberts novels.) Any romance author in particular you enjoy?
Hey, Ms. Denham,
You can write "Jessica's Inbox"! Very funny.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 20 August 2009 at 12:07 PM
As I'm looking at my favorite romance authors, they are mostly regency romances and not contemporary. Maybe I'm not a fan of chick lit becuase it's contemporary. Jane Austen, the chick lit of her day? I like Mary Balogh, Georgette Heyer, Teresa Medeiros, Stephanie Laurens, among others.
Posted by: Melanie | 20 August 2009 at 12:52 PM
Oh, Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, lovely. Perhaps I think of them mentally as chick lit from other centuries?
Never tried Balogh or the other two authors you mention, but I just might. Sometimes I need something completely different from the NF for a palate cleanser. I've got a Heyer book home right now from the library (Why Shoot a Butler? or something like that), also a Barbara Pym I'm looking forward to trying. Thanks for the suggestions!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 20 August 2009 at 01:05 PM
I so am not looking forward to "Twitter Lit". Of course, it would never actually be PRINTED AND BOUND, would it?
Depends on the chick, but chick lit can be a lot of fun. My spoon food is Georgian romances - much earthier than Regencies. And then there are books about royalty of all time periods. Higher class, I know, but still spoonable. OK, perhaps the food metaphor is contributing to my inability to control portions . . .
Posted by: Sarah | 20 August 2009 at 01:27 PM
Is this where Chit Lit Anonymous is meeting?
As a nonfiction reader, sometimes I just have a cravinging for the simple delight of light and airy chick lit. Plus, the characters are closer to my age than in other genres and they are usually screwing up their lives in the same way I am. . . . There is comfort in that.
My particular weakness is Sophie Kinsella.
Posted by: Sarah L.. | 20 August 2009 at 02:14 PM
Sarah,
Ugh, "Twitter Lit." I can't handle Twitter. Although, I suppose if they wrap it up in a chick lit wrapper, I'll still be a sucker for it.
I've enjoyed many of those Georgian romances you've recommended (especially the spicy ones!) so keep those suggestions coming, please! Oh, and ditto on the royalty stuff, you know I'm helplessly in thrall to that stuff too.
Sarah L.,
CLA, chick lits anonymous, I love it. Welcome to our inaugural meeting! I think there's something to what you say about the chick lit heroines being close to our ages, although I'm rapidly aging out of the demographic. But I like that it often offers female characters who are comfortably into their 30s without having everything figured out. (Makes me feel better!)
I've never read Sophie Kinsella but I might have to give her a try!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 20 August 2009 at 03:42 PM
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin may be my fave chic lit book eva! I gushed about it shamelessly a while back on my blog.
I also like Mary Kay Andrews because her main characters are always going to estate sales and junk yards and/or cooking interesting things! 2 things I love!
Posted by: Bookie | 21 August 2009 at 09:44 AM
Bookie!
Ooh, Emily Giffin, another name I've always meant to track down. Thanks for the suggestion! Ditto on Mary Kay Andrews. That's it. I need more hours in my reading days.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 21 August 2009 at 09:56 AM