Got any chick lit up your sleeve?

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments about my weight loss success! I appreciate it. I still have more weight to power walk off so I’ll keep y’all up to date.

Some of my blog absence has been filled with reading, reading and more reading. Earlier this year I was going through a bit of a dry spell with reading material. I couldn’t seem to find anything interesting enough to hold my attention. But I’ve been a bit luckier lately having to throw aside only a handful of books. And a couple in the keep stack were really enjoyable.

I usually have at least two books going at one time: one by the bed and an audio in the car. And sometimes a third to carry in my bag in case I’m stuck waiting in line someplace.

I haven’t listened to as many audio books lately because I’ve been trying to pump myself up with groovy music to spur me on during my power walks. I sometimes find myself humming the tune while out on the trail. And nothing gets me pepped up and motivated like Pat Benatar! Except for Prince’s Raspberry Beret. That song will get me seat dancing with the volume turned up mighty high every time. Anyhow, I’ve been listening to Pat Benatar’s greatest hits album and let me tell you, Ani Difranco has nothing on this girl! If you don’t believe me take a good listen to her lyrics next time.

So anyway, my recent audios include Between Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson, Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews, and Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts. Of the three, Between Georgia is the only one I can recommend. It was a wonderful southern story with some very strong and often flawed female characters. Its read by the author who is obviously a great storytelling since she's able to create voices for the many characters.

Andrew’s latest novel just couldn’t keep me interested. It’s such a shame too because her first book Savannah Blues is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. But unfortunately I seem to like each of her books less and less even though I very much want to like them.

I’m almost ashamed to admit that I read Nora Roberts. Ok, strike that, I AM ashamed to admit it! But my dear friend got me hooked when she forced me to read the enchantingly enjoyable Key trilogy. Now every so often I pick one of her books up at the library and give it a go. But Jewels of the Sun didn’t pull me in so I had to abandon it.

Now onto the print books. Recently I’ve read:

• Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore
• The Sugar Queen By Sarah Allen Addison
• Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
• The Host by Stephenie Meyer
• From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore is another one of those southern Georgia stories with quirky characters. This book is narrated by a young girl growing up in the 70s in the rural south. She longs to grow up and make her way in the big city and her story sweeps us along with her. I enjoyed this book immensely. It’s a delightful coming of age story with a few plot twists thrown in to make it interesting.

I’m not sure I can say enough good things about The Sugar Queen by Sarah Allen Addison. I don’t often buy books and fiction very rarely. But if I run across it or Addison’s first one, Garden Spells, I think I’ll buy them just to have on hand in case I feel the need to give them away to someone. I do this a lot with Harry Potter. I always scoop up used copies of these books to give away to folks who haven’t been lucky enough to read them.

I’m pretty sure that I like The Sugar Queen an eensy bit more than Garden Spells but they were both terrific. Once again set in the south, the author refers to her books as magical realism. In other words, just a bit of magic in an otherwise totally normal world and somehow it works. Kind of perhaps like the television show Charmed only better.

I don’t want to give anything away so please get on down to the library quick and pick this book up. And if its not there go ahead and grab her first one. Its not a series, although they do have similar themes, so you can read them out of order.

Now one you probably shouldn’t read out of order is Janet Evanovich’s Fearless Fourteen. With the exception of number thirteen, I thoroughly enjoy all of the books in this series and got a busting your guts chuckle out of each one. Probably thirteen was a one off because of the unlucky number. Stephanie Plum fans will not be disappointed.

In amongst all this chick lit I managed to squeeze in a science fiction novel. At the suggestion of a friend I read The Host by Stephenie Meyer. Meyer is the famed author of the teenage vampire Twilight series soon to be a major motion picture. In The Host, benevolent aliens invade earth and take over human bodies to save us from killing ourselves. The author is a devout Mormon so essentially this is a sci fi version of her proselytizing religion invading and taking over non-Mormon faiths. Well written and engaging for sure. You’ll question who to root for in the end, the aliens or the humans.

Finally, I’m just pages away from finishing From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris. This book is part of an ongoing series about cocktail waitress and mind reader Sookie Stackhouse. She lives in a tiny town in nowhere Louisiana and has all manner of interactions with vampires, shape shifters, and witches. I’ve gotta say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her main character and seeing how she copes with all the weird things that happen to her. Read them in order if you can, starting with Dead until Dark.

This is not nearly all of the books that I've read lately but these are all that I can recall at the moment. And  folks, I hope that fills your chick lit needs for a while. I’m pooped after writing all that up. And I’m anxiously rifling through the pile for the next read. I’m thinking perhaps Lark Rise to Candleford…

Oh, by the way, what are you reading this summer?

Comments

[Karyn]

I'm slowly making my way through Lean Mean Thirteen right now. I tend to agree with you, it seems to be "unlucky 13".

Thanks for your reviews!

[Marci]

Felicia -

I'm late to the dance, but congrats on the weight loss! I'm right there with you - almost 25 lbs for me since mid-March. I'll be cheering you on while I pursue my goals of losing more.

Reading-wise, I've always got a book or two in my bag. I'm not a huge chick lit fan, my preferences run towards historical fiction or mystery/suspense. I just finished Linda Fairstein's 'Killer Heat' and enjoyed it. Her two previous books left me lukewarm, but this one I totally enjoyed. Also finished 'A Fatal Waltz' by Tasha Alexander which is her third book set in Victorian England.

I was pretty much bored silly with 'Lean Mean Thirteen' and thought that Evanovich should hang it up and let Stephanie end up with either Morelli or Ranger. I don't have great hopes for Fourteen as the reviews I've read on Amazon have been less than stellar. Your review is the first positive one for this book that I've seen! I'm on the list from the library - so I'll get to it sooner or later.

[Marilyn]

Oh my goodness I love Charlaine Harris!!! Her books are so much fun. :)

My summer reading will probably craft books that I get to write a review for. Not a bad gig.

OH!!! As of 8:15 this morning, your treasury was on the front page of Etsy! I took a screenshot of it in case you missed it. Email me brideoffrank @ gmail dot com and I'll send you the file. :)

[Sarah]

I am desperately trying to read love in the time of cholera.

It's way too much thinking though. (Sounds terrible doesn't it? But I need easy reads with a kid climbing all over me!)

[rebecca]

i've been absorbed in books, too. and with vacation coming up in 3 days, i'm stocking up with at least a dozen mysteries from the public library.

audio books pose a quandry for me. it feels like cheating! and so often, i use them when i'm driving on long trips, and somehow the narrative ends up sending me way off into my own thoughts and truly following the story grows more and more difficult.

i liked Jackson's Girl Who Stopped Swimming, have you read it, yet? Will have to look for Between Georiga; really liked her writing.

sssssssssshhhh i've actually read a nora roberts, too, once. but it's not something i readily admit to just everyone!

also read the Host and liked it okay, seemed like sci-fi lite to me, because i enjoy the real thing. and feel like Meyer is a good storyteller, but i don't like the complete abstinece of her characters--can see why she'd do it in a YA book, but in adult? c'mon. i feel like her religious beliefs inform too much of her fiction, to the point that i just find it annoying, and unrealistic.

will have to check out the other recent books you've read. they looks good.

oh, and i used to read the stephanie plum series, loved Lulu, what's up with her these days? but grew so bored with the "torn between two lovers" theme of each one.

always meant to read the charlaine harris you mentioned, and that you like them makes me think i'll see about finding some of them. they sound zany! and i like/need that.

hmmm, here are a few you might like, even though they may not be chick lit or set in the south:

Bridge of Sighs/ Richard Russo
Belong to Me/ Marisa De Los Santos
Mudbound/ Hillary Jordan
Olive Kitteridge/ Elizabeth Stout
God of Animals/ Aryn Kyle
Highest Tide/Jim Lynch
End of California/ Steve Yarbrough
You're not You/Michelle Widgen

for great souther chick lit i'd recommend Michael Lee West, have you read her? Latest book is called Mermaids in the Basement, but Mad Girls in Love, Crazy Ladies, and American Pie are good, too.

[cc]

Thanks for your kind words on my blog! Your reading list is inspiring - off to the library tomorrow to investigate!

[madmommy]

Reading anything by Jodi Picoult, Ha Jin, and re-read my much loved copy of "The Good Earth".

[Rachael]

I love a good Chick Lit read, am a big Stephanie Plum fan:) Happy reading - Rachael

[Brandy]

Here's a couple of my recommendations, though they are kind of old so you may have read them already:

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman - my new love over Harry Potter, but the latest movie was rubbish.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - I read this for a paper in 11th grade and loved it.

[Jennifer]

You have been reading a lot! I just started reading Stephen Lawhead's Robin Hood trilogy. It's really good, but I'm a sucker for historical fiction.

[Jorgelina]

Hi!!
Paso a dejarte un saludo.

[Susan Gregg Gilmore]

Thank you for wonderful review -- Catherine Grace and the gang in Ringgold really appreciate it!

Susan Gregg Gilmore

[Julie]

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen is one of my favorite books and I love the review you gave it! The Dilly Bars, the lightening bugs, and like you said, all those quirky wonderful people! I didn't see that surprise coming AT ALL. I wish I could read it again for the first time, but you've given me a great new list to chose from...I'm off to the bookstore!

[pam]

I just finished Deep Dish and I actually realy liked it. I heard someone else saythat they didn't care for it as much either.

I haven't gotten around to reading The Host, although it sits on my nighstand. I think its siuze is intimidating. lol! I'm super exciting about Breaking dawn though.

[Natasha]

Oh thanks for the great reviews!! I read Nora R once upon a time and in my early years a bit of Danielle Steele, I read about 3 of her books and then they became predictable. I have heard a lot of people say good things about the Key series. I want to read Janet Evanovich, eventually. May I recommend Charms for the Easy Life, by Kay Gibbons this too is about strong often flawed female characters but so wonderful. I first did the book on tape with it which is great because the reader uses an accent which I just think adds to it. Thanks again for the great review!!

[kristin]

I've been on a big book hunt too. We just read The Secret (my husband and I read it together) and it was really interesting! A good topic for discussion, even if you dont take it to heart. Really intriguing book, and beautiful to look at (the pages are gorgeous - printed and colorful).

I am also a HUGE fan of the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. I'd recommend them!!

[sophie]

wow! i'm going to check out some of those books. an online blog review, I love it!

s.x

[Barb]

I love to read (I have a book blog too). If you're talking chick lit, I vote for Sophie Kinsella and all those shopping stories. Have you read The Thirteenth Tale? I loved that one. Excerpts on my blog.

[LoveMeKnot Creations]

Thanks for the book ideas:)
I dread going to the bookstore because I get so overwhelmed by all the choices, haha!

[Pieces]

Great write ups on the books! I'm so glad that you did--I didn't know that Janet Evanovich or Charlaine Harris had new books out. I put them on hold at the library. I'm only 920 in line for Evanovich's. I may have to go buy it.

[Ann]

_Good in Bed_ by Jennifer Weiner -- a great chick lit read for summer!!