Denise’s Comments (group member since May 13, 2007)

Denise’s comments from the Chick Lit group.

Oh good, you were able to post. Congrats!

I just finished The Luxe (young adult), which I picked up because my local indepedent didn't have Eclipse in trade paperback (I'm not a hardcover fan, price and inconvenience in equal measure!). It was an intriguing read.

And I didn't enjoy Twilight at all, too slow and too much gazing into each other's eyes...but I kept reading, and finished New Moon in 2 days. Much better pace and I'll take a warmblooded werewolf over a cold vampire any day ;)

Keep in mind, this comment is coming from the Romance world, not the Fiction world, where Chick-Lit is usually shelved.

I'm hoping this means that the Chick Lit "genre" is growing and changing, in a good way, and not toward the vampire/paranormal so currently rampant in Romance ;)

Just saw this in an update on the romance genre from Writer's Digest:

"Krentz notes with some relief the wane of chick-lit and a greater freedom to cross-breed with other genres. A fine example is a series of detective romances that evoke the classic film noir style of the ’40s..."

The entire article (including updates on other classic genres ) can be read here:

http://writersdigest.com/article/The_...

Thoughts?

--Denise

I worked with a guy who proclaimed this the BEST NOVEL HE'S EVER READ, EVER! so of course I was bored. I find that's true with anything someone talks up as being so, so great...movies included. When the movie came out I tried to remember ONE detail from the book, all I could remember was something about a broken vase (?!) Sad when you can't recall a character name or even a shade of their personality...not great writing, IMHO.

P.S. Lauren: ROFL!

Joanie: We're over at the Chick Lit Book Club (a separate group here at GoodReads) discussing Savannah Blues. Come on over and jump into our discussion at anytime! Let me know if you have problems getting to the CLBC group. --Denise (this month's discussion leader)

There's a book called See Jane Write, about writing chick lit, and they list character cliches:

The Bitchy Boss
The Jerk Ex-Boyfriend
The Gay Best Friend (!!)
The Knockout Friend (whom guys fall head over heels for, leaving your protagonist out in the cold)

This is a great book, BTW, if you're interested in writing Chick Lit. And a fun overview of the genre. It's by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs. Highly recommended :)
--Denise

Hi all, we're over in the Chick Lit Book Club group reading Savannah Blues. Look for our folder at that group and come join the fun!
--Denise

I think the only one I did not like was Sushi for Beginners. The protagonist was too unlikeable for my tastes. Otherwise, I have enjoyed her books; especially Angels.

I read the book with trepidation (I thought it sounded too melancholy and a bit cheesy) but found the pacing to be fantastic. Don't know about the movie; not a Hilary Swank fan. I would recommend the book to any chick lit fan, though!

Hi, I'm leader for Savannah Blues for January. Sorry I'm a bit late. I'll post a new thread for the book sometime later today.

--Denise

Jim: I like to participate in National Novel Writing Month from time to time (it's November of each year), and I picked up See Jane Write as a guide for laying out my chick lit novel (which I did not complete yet for this year's NaNoWriMo).

Writing instruction aside, I think it's a great overview of the genre, where it came from, and where it's going.

There are some young adult novels/series with a chick lit "feel" to them, like Meg Cabot's Princess Diary and the Gossip Girl series, that a teen reader might start with. I guess it depends on her interests and desire to read chick lit topics.

Just thought I'd post for Ashley that we're having discussions for this book over here:

Chick Lit Book Club (Discussions)

...hope that link works. It was the group called "Second Chance," after the first book club discussion Ashley started last month...looks like you can change the name of your group without losing members, which is cool!

Wanted to give everyone here a heads up so that you can join the discussion if you'd like to. Thanks again, Ashley!!

...my SIL gave me a shopping bag (natch) of Chick Lit before we moved; I just unpacked it and there are a handful that I've already read and don't need.

I'd love to trade if you have what I'm looking for (see below), otherwise I'll just send these out as a RAK to anyone who wants (any or all of) them. LMK!*

I HAVE TO SEND:
The Undomestic Goddess, by Sophie Kinsella (LOVED this book!)
With or Without You, by Carole Matthews
Emily Ever After, by Anne Drayton and May Vanderbilt
(I also just got Consider Lily by this same duo, which I haven't read yet, but if I dislike it as much as I did Emily Ever After -- see my review on it here -- I'll send Lily along, too)
Little Altars Everywhere, by Rebecca Wells
AND
Entranced, by Nora Roberts

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE:
ANY in the Shopaholic series, I haven't read them yet, particularly the first one (Confessions of a Shopaholic, right?)...I have Shopaholic & Sister from my SIL :)
The Baby Trail, by Sinead Moriarty (my SIL gave me the "sequel," The Right Fit, which I'm happy to send out once I'm done with it...I'm one of those readers who Has To Read A Series In Order, cough, cough)
Miss Julia Meets Her Match, by Ann B. Ross (again, first in the series, SIL gave me the second book, aaaaarrrrgh!)

*My email is creative_exile (at) yahoo.com -- please head it SEND ME BOOKS so I see it, even if it lands in my bulk folder!

Depending on how many you want, I may send them by slow boat, so they may take a while to get to you, but I love knowing that books are in the hands of those that will enjoy them.

Thanks!
--Denise

Thanks, Ashley! I didn't get the invite to the Jane Green group but found it & requested to join it :) Talk with y'all soon!

We tried it in August with Jody Picoult's Salem Falls with lukewarm results...I know it was a rough month for me, with moving house and my dd starting kindergarten...I'd love to try it again!

Yes, I'm glad I didn't recommend this for our book club here in August. Since reading about the book (somewhere?) and being intrigued, like Tammy, by the title, I have read several rough reviews that really give it a bashing.

Will think of something else for our next book club, now that I'm all settled in our new place. Maybe I'll yet unpack something...! ;)

I hear ya, Christy. Just got all moved in this weekend. Still unpacking. Found my book yesterday. I'm still trying to get to page 189. The kiddoodles return tomorrow, so I better get reading. Oh, and unpacking. Thanks for the questions!

I was amused a while ago by looking for Chick Lit in the Romance section of my bookstore...they are all filed under Fiction, like Hornby and the rest...so in a way, it's about being aware of authors who are writing about *modern* romance in a fresh, exciting way. Including the guys!

I tend to think of it as a humorous, modern take on romance novels...tongue-in-cheek, with a heroine who knows how to make fun of herself (or at least, an author who can make her real, not perfect).

But my view has been changing with our book club pick this month...although I think my husband might enjoy the mystery element in Salem Falls as well as the male protagonist.