Comfort Reads discussion

In honour of our Boof, share you favourite chick lit books here!

I don't usually like chick lit, but i did enjoy Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

Oh yes, perfect Gundula! Chick lit is not usually where I go for comfort either but I had many LOL moments with Bridget Jones. That's a classic!

Did you like the movie versions? I liked the first one, but the sequel was pretty bad (at least in my opinion).

Yippeee! Fluff!

My favourite chicklit authors are Sophie Kinsella and Katie Fforde. They are my never-fail perfect comfort reads for when I am weary and tired and my brain needs candy.

Would you consider The Devil Wears Prada chick lit? I don't know that I'd consider it a Comfort Read, but anytime I feel that my job is rough, that book pops to mind and I feel better.

Boof, I have read and enjoyed some of Katie Fforde's books (I can't remember any specific titles off hand) and I generally don't read many books in this genre. They are a nice mix of romance and humour.

Paula wrote: "Would you consider The Devil Wears Prada chick lit? I don't know that I'd consider it a Comfort Read, but anytime I feel that my job is rough, that book pops to mind and I feel better."

Paula, if it makes you feel better when you're having a rough time at work, I think that's a perfect definition of a comfort read! We all need different things at different times. I don't always want the same time of pick-me up. Sometimes it's action, sometimes romance and sometimes a historical. That's why this group is so great! There's something for every mood.

The reason I struggle with classifying it as a comfort read is because I thought the actual book was garbage (no offence to anyone who loved it). There were times when I wanted to toss the book across the room, much as I did with Shopaholic.

Love Bridget Jone's diary as a movie (altho Colin Firth could probably play any character and I'd love the movie) but when I read the book I couldn't help but feel it was just a knock-off of Pride & Prejudice. So, why, I ask myself, did I still intentionally go out and buy the sequel book?

I don't know Paula, but I think that's a great question to ask yourself. I tried to read Confessions of a Shopaholic and was so uncomfortable with the character's financial issues that I couldn't enjoy it at all. I found her irritating and it certainly didn't relax or comfort me!

I never could get into the book either, Lee. And, while I found at least some of Bridget Jones' quirks funny and even endearing, the shopaholic just annoyed and angered me.

I feel so...under-read.

Whisper, you've come to the right place. I think we all feel that way sometimes. There are so many great books out there.

When I compare myself to all of you, I feel brain-dead (well only on Mondays!) lol Whisper, you have entered the land of booklovers, enjoy the trip with us, discovering new books!

Lol. Yeah, I'm not much for chick books. I'm a teen, so I'm into werewolves and vampires.

Soul Whisper wrote: "Lol. Yeah, I'm not much for chick books. I'm a teen, so I'm into werewolves and vampires."

Just Twilight or any others?

Twilight was...okay. I wasn't happy with the author's choice about Bella having a baby. I usually just read around. I find a book I like and I'll start reading it. I'm reading My Sister's Keeper and Pride and Prejudice

Soul Whisper wrote: "Twilight was...okay. I wasn't happy with the author's choice about Bella having a baby. I usually just read around. I find a book I like and I'll start reading it. I'm reading [book:My Sister's Kee..."

So you were being facetious about the "teen thing"? You are in good company, because I've met quite a few teens here on goodreads who are not neccesarily into werewolves and vampires.

Check out the Jane Austen group, too, if you like Pride & Prejudice.

Yeah, kinda. And I'm not sure I like Pride and Prejudice. It's very confusing.

I didn't like it the first time I read it. I enjoyed it more after seeing the film. You could try Persuasion, which is my favorite Austen.

A friend of mine just posted this as one of her favorite chick lit reads of the year.

The Little Lady Agency

I recently read The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets and loved it. It is set in London in the mid-50's. So charming and lots of fun!

What a great title! Away I go to check it out.

Gundula wrote: "I don't usually like chick lit, but i did enjoy Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. "

I second the books you mentioned here, I greatly enjoyed the books (never watched the adaptation for the second book but I fairly enjoyed the first movie too).

I also particularly enjoyed Sophie Kinsella's Can You Keep a Secret? and Remember Me? (funny how the two books I enjoyed from hers have titles in the form of questions, lol)

Li,

I really did not like the film adaptation of the second Bridget Jones book. One of the funniest parts in the second book was the Colin Firth interview, which, of course could not have been put into the movie, as Colin Firth played the the leading male role (it just would not have worked, but it really wrecked the movie for me to not have the interview).

Gundula wrote: "Li,

I really did not like the film adaptation of the second Bridget Jones book. One of the funniest parts in the second book was the Colin Firth interview, which, of course could not have been pu..."

I'm with you. I saw the film in the theater and it wasn't nearly as good as the first & I really needed the interview as well. I just got around to renting it from Netflix last year because the interview is a bonus feature. It was cute, but I must have built it up in my head over the years because it was a bit uncomfortable and disappointing!

Laurie, for me, the Collin Firth interview makes the whole book; I could not stop laughing.

I'm usually a mystery/suspense gal...but I do like a chick-lit book thrown in the mix every now and again. I went to Half Price Books today (man I love that store!) and got My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, Confessions of a Shopaholic, and The Nanny Diaries.

I haven't read any of them...but saw the Shopaholic movie and enjoyed it. Hmmm....

Valerie, I don't consider myself a chick lit fan but I guess I read my share. I loved My Sister's Keeper and The Nanny Diaries.

Oh my - where's Boof! I read a chick lit book (I think) and loved it!! The Princess Diaries <-- that one!

I figure if the cover is pink and has a tiara on it, it has to be chick lit, right?

Anyway - loved, loved, loved this book! I can totally relate to the main character - I was the tall, lanky, awkward, not popular girl in high school too and thought life wasn't so bad. Of course, my dad didn't surprise me by saying I was the heir to a throne, but I can completely relate to the stories about wanting to fit in at school while still being true to yourself, and taking care of a Bohemian mom in the meantime. What a great book, full of witty commentary about politics and psychology, the drama of high school, and all the worry about why boys don't like you without realizing that one actually does.

I'll definitely be reading more in this series! I couldn't put my Kindle down and was even reading while I was cleaning earlier today :)

Lisa wrote: "Valerie, I don't consider myself a chick lit fan but I guess I read my share. I loved My Sister's Keeper and The Nanny Diaries."

The book following The Nanny Diaries is not even close to as good...beware of Nanny Returns.

Christine, Thanks. Yes, I haven't heard good things. Sequels are often so disappointing. I've read many books that have sequels but I've been happy to stop after the first book.

I was really excited to get it because I had enjoyed the first one so much. The plot was ridiculous though.

I just removed it from my to-read shelf. I thought I already had but I hadn't. So thanks for screening it for us. Ugh. Some authors don't seem to appreciate that sometimes books should be left as standalone books. A great book doesn't necessarily call for a second book.

I'll have to agree with adding Bridget Jones's Diary and Can You Keep a Secret? to the list. Both of those books had me openly cracking up. I *love* when a book has me laughing out loud.

Another author whose sense of humor seems to click with mine is Lani Diane Rich. She is so funny! Her book A Little Ray of Sunshine is wonderful--funny but dealing expertly with serious emotions at the same time. Oh, and for all you Colin Firth fans, she says the hero of her book Ex and the Sinlge Girl was based on Colin. :D

Another pure comfort read for me--fluffy & fun--was Girls' Poker Night by Jill Davis. Written in very short sections, it's like bite-sized bits of book-candy whenever you need it. Yeah, sometimes that's just what I need!

I just received an email from Amazon about the Penny Nichols series by C.A. Belmond. I have added the first in the series, A Rather Lovely Inheritance, to my TBR list. Has anyone read these books?

Mary, I've never heard of the series but I just took a look at A Rather Lovely Inheritance and don't you just love those stories where there is an unexpected inheritance involved?

Lee wrote: "Mary, I've never heard of the series but I just took a look at A Rather Lovely Inheritance and don't you just love those stories where there is an unexpected inheritance involved? "

Lee I do love stories like that!! It would be "rather lovely" to receive an unexpected inheritance as well!!

Mary, sadly I don't think it happens all that often in real life eh? I also love books about people fixing up old houses even if they're not surprise inheritances!

Or an old, overgrown garden...

Yes!!!!!!!!

Jane Austen fan and Mr. Darcy lovers, if you want a nice chick-lit and comfort read, you must read Me and Mr. Darcy I just finished it and passed to one on my friends, it's absolutely amusing :)

Elisabetta wrote: "Jane Austen fan and Mr. Darcy lovers, if you want a nice chick-lit and comfort read, you must read Me and Mr. Darcy I just finished it and passed to one on my friends, it's absolutely..."

Thanks Elisabetta, always looking for more Mr. Darcy! :)

Trisha Ashley's The Urge to Jump is wonderful. A strong narrator with definite quirks. Definitely a comfort read.

I began my journey of reading with Chic Lit books. I'd say hands down one of my favorites is "Something Borrowed" by Emily Griffin and I liked the sequel "Something Blue". But my all time favorite Chic Lit is Angry Housewives eating Bon Bons!

Hi Joyce, is Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons a funny book?

Lee wrote: "Hi Joyce, is Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons a funny book?"

Hi Lee, yes I found it to be funny. It's a great read.

Joyce wrote: "I began my journey of reading with Chic Lit books. I'd say hands down one of my favorites is "Something Borrowed" by Emily Griffin and I liked the sequel "Something Blue". But my all time favorite ..."

I liked Something Borrowed and Something Blue a lot. They were cute. I didn't care for the one that followed those two though.

Another chick lit book that I found to be comfy is Conversations with the Fat Girl.

Christine wrote: "Joyce wrote: "I began my journey of reading with Chic Lit books. I'd say hands down one of my favorites is "Something Borrowed" by Emily Griffin and I liked the sequel "Something Blue". But my all ..."

I haven't read Baby Proof yet. I'll have to look into Conversations with the fat girl :)

Sophie Kinsella has a new book out soon, I just saw that. I love her, although I don't read her books under the Madeleine Wickham name.