Chick Lit: Not Chicklets, Which Is Gum..Something You Chew!

I have been reading, "Chick Lit", not so much as my favorite genre, rather as I won several titles in the various book swaps I participate in. 

The last one I read was gol-durn-awful.  I swear on....um, my Cat, this has to have been one of the WORST books I have ever read.  No matter how I tried I just could not like the book... I felt absolutely nothing about the characters, nor could I relate to them in any way. 

From what I read, some young dilettante was on her honeymoon in Mexico, at a uber-expensive & exclusive resort...however, her husband had left her at the airport to attend business.  She then meets up with a pair of filthy-rich cousins who are newly divorced.  They hang around the villa, swim, nosh, drink alcohol laced tropical libations, lounge around in high-end designer clothing....and talk about "me-me-me".....and from there, I have not a clue as to what happened, because I put the book down.   What I liked best about the book was one of its tags: "Waste of Time"! 

Another book I read was "Barefoot".  This was a tad bit better, but it went on & on & on with information about the characters (their guilty ruminations) that I didn't think was necessary.  Three women, two sisters & a friend, run away from their lives & family to Nantucket for the summer.  Each one has a secret which has turned their life upside down. 

The eldest sister has cancer, her friend finds herself pregnant while her husband is having an affair with a co-worker (he's a selfish piece of work), and the youngest sister has been fired from her job as a literature professor for falling in love with one of her students.....  This book was very similar to Jennifer Weiner's "Fly Away Home".

Another book I put down was Madelyn Alt's newest witchcraft mystery, "A Witch in Time".  This was so awful..... Her sister is having a baby and she gets stuck in an elevator & over hears a suspicious conversation.  This went on for over 50 pages.....there was nothing going on except the co-dependance dance she does with her mother.....  Another waste of time.

Currently I am reading, "A Cast-Off Coven".  This is set in San Francisco at a Art College.  The big donor has just been murdered and everyone wants to blame the resident ghosts.  The characters are predictable: Sexy Cop with ATTITUDE, Innocent Newbie Witch (vintage clothing shop owner), Nosy Geeky Investigative Male Journalist, & Mysterious Smouldering Warlock. 


I'm skimming this one...but so far, I'm so very Not Impressed.   I much prefer the Vintage Clothing/Paranormal series by, Annette Blair. 



There are chick-lit authors who stand out for me: Jennifer Weiner, Jennifer Crusie, Janet Evanovich's new not-Plum series, and Jill Connor Browne because they write well, they are entertaining, have interesting plots and are down-right funny.

Mostly Humorous Essays

As of late I have been reading mostly essays and semi-biogrophies/memoirs.  I say this because much of what I'm reading is humorous and not a full blown, detailed life story.

I've read 3 books by Lewis Black: "Nothing's Sacred" , "I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas", & "Me of Little Faith".  If nothing else this man is funny and he tells it like it is.  he's astute, honest and very intelligent.  He talks about his life, Judaism, politics, children & how they are raised, the environment, economics, his family, and a myriad of other topics.  My only complaint, is that on occasion he seems to use profanity where it isn't needed or funny.

I've read 2 books by Celia Rivenbark: "Stop Dressing Your Six-Year Old Like a Skank" &  "Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits & Conniptions".   Celia is a Southern Belle Journalist, but unlike most Southern Belles, she doesn't priss around being nice, but takes the bull by it's horns and faces the facts of life.  Like Lewis Black, she also tells us like it is and wraps it all up with a ribbon, bow & gales of laughter.  I am looking forward to reading her other three books: "Bless Your Heart, Tramp: and Other Southern Endearments",  "We're Just Like You Only Prettier", & "You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning".                     

I've also read both books written by Fran (Nanny) Drescher: "Enter Whining" & "Cancer Schmancer".  The latter is the amazing story of how she suffered with cancer for two years before the 8th doctor she went to was able to diagnose what was ailing her.  Here is a bright, intelligent & funny woman telling about her fight with cancer, loss of her beloved dog, Chester, and divorce in an honest, funny & heart-felt manner.

The last book of essays: "The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup: My Encounters With Extraordinary People" was written by Susan Orlean.  Until I read this book I had never heard of "The Shaggs" an all girl band singing home written music at the local Community Hall who are now pop-icons, The Fish Market Window Artist, the only Buttons-Only Store in America, the top ranked Bullfighter (who happens to be a Woman), or the Hana Hilo Surfer Girls....  I had heard of Bill Blass...but everyone else were non-bell-ringers for me.  But you know what?  All the people she wrote about, Really Are Extraordinary and in a really Make-You-Feel Good kind of way.