Thought I’d share a great website I recently discovered: The Chicklit Club. They emailed me to let me know that they had reviewed both Just the Sexiest Man Alive and Practice Makes Perfect and really enjoyed them both. As I mentioned in a previous post, Practice Makes Perfect, in fact, received their highest score–only 13 out of over 525 novels reviewed by them have received 9 stars. And now I know you’re asking, “What are the other 12 books?” (Because I wanted to know, too.) So here’s the list of their top-pick books:
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Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
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Can You Keep a Secret? – Sophie Kinsella
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Jemima J – Jane Green
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Just Friends – Robyn Sisman
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Little Earthquakes – Jennifer Weiner
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Practice Makes Perfect – Julie James
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Something Borrowed – Emily Giffin
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Thanks for Nothing, Nick Maxwell – Debbie Carbin
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This Charming Man – Marian Keyes
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The Devil Wears Prada – Lauren Weisberger
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Where Rainbows End – Cecelia Ahern
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The Household Guide to Dying – Debra Adelaide
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Twenties Girl – Sophie Kinsella
So this is one of those moments as an author that’s a little surreal and when I get a little giggly. I mean that’s my book there, on the same list as Bridget Jones’s Diary. Wow. The Devil Wears Prada, Something Borrowed? These are some really good books. So thanks, Chicklit Club–honestly, I’m blown away.
I recently did an interview with The Chicklit Club, which you can find here. Since they don’t have a comment section, if you check out the interview and want to ask me any follow-up questions, feel free to ask away in the comments to this blog.
And here’s where I need some help from you guys… The Chicklit Club asked if I wanted to do an Author Pick for my favorite “chick lit” book of 2009. I already have two books in mind, but I’d love to know what you guys think, maybe some suggestions I should check out before making my official decision. The book can be either women’s contemporary fiction, which includes contemporary romance, or traditional “chick lit.” And it has to have been released in 2009.
Got any suggestions?
Congrats on the great review!
One book I absolutely loved was Too Good To Be True by Kristan Higgins. The book was hilarious, told in 1st person present tense, and a sexy hero. Callahan. Sigh.
Also loved Double Play by Jill Shalvis.
I really enjoyed True Colors by Kristin Hannah (which technically came out this year but I read it last year) – Women’s Contemporary Fiction with some romance. I also have Jennifer Weiner’s latest, but I have not read it yet. Based on the excerpt she read at the signing, it sounds fantastic.
I’m having a total brain blank for books I read this year (though that’s silly because my blog does keep track). Yeah, not a memorable year. I have a lot in my TBR pile though including Just the Sexiest Man Alive, David Sedaris, Suzanne Brockmann’s latest, Julia Quinn, and Victoria Dahl just to name a few.
Congrats on making the list! You have some great company.
The 2009 contemporary that made me laugh out loud enough times to scare my dogs was TALK ME DOWN by Victoria Dahl–just awesome. And of course, 2009 isn’t over yet! I’m looking forward to AIN’T TOO PROUD TO BEG by Susan Donovan, out 11/3.
What a cool list to be part of–I definitely need to check out that Chicklit Club!
Ohhh, Louisa’s suggestion reminded of Dahl’s Start Me Up—I loved that book. There are certain authors (ahem you) that I’d read no matter what, and Victoria Dahl is one of them.
Congratulations!
Two of my favorite books this year:
Everyone is Beautiful by Katherine Center
Gone to the Dogs by Mary Guterson
Oh I should also mention
The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square by Rosina Lippi
This has been a good year for books!
Other than PMP the only other I’ve read that is on the list is Bridget Jones’ Diary
Congratulations! I’d second (or third?) the recommendations of Talk Me Down and Start Me Up by Victoria Dahl. Both were fabulous. But if I had to pick one of them I’d go with TMD.
I loved Lisa Kleypas’s Smooth Talking Stranger, which I re-read over the weekend. I want my own Jack Travis! I’m a fan of Kristan Higgins so I also loved Too Good To Be True. I also liked Robin Well’s How to Score.
I tried to read Everyone is Beautiful by Katherine Center but I just couldn’t get into it. It was a disappointment since The Bright Side of Disaster was one of my favorites from 2008. That book kept me up until 2AM because I just had to know the ending.
Hi everyone!
Thanks so much for the great suggestions! I’m making note of all of them. I’m almost done with the book I’m currently reading–Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh (which I love, BTW)– and need to decide what I’ll read next…
It seems like Victoria Dahl’s getting a lot of votes. And I already have Double Play and Too Good To Be True in my TBR pile, so it’s great to hear good things about them as well.
The author I’m not familiar with is Katherine Center. Does she write women’s fiction?
On another note, I definitely recommend checking out the Chicklit Club website. They have all sorts of fun stuff going on there.
Katherine Center does write women’s fiction. Her first book, Bright Side of Disaster, was about a single woman who finds herself pregnant and alone after her fiance leaves her. It was a great read. I recommended it to my best friend who loved it as well.
I couldn’t get into her second book which was about a mom of three young boys who moves across the country and away from her family. I gave up after about 50 pages. I didn’t find the character as compelling. I don’t know if I just couldn’t relate as much because I don’t have kids. But enough people liked it based on the reviews on Amazon and LibraryThing.
If you are going to read one, start with her first.
Visiting the Chicklit Club website was dangerous. I now have even more books in my TBR pile.
Congratulations on your high score! I don’t think I could suggest anything published in 2009, though – I’m still catching up with a lot of older books like Jennifer Crusie’s.
By the way, I nominated you for The Lemonade Award for blogging.
Info:
The Lemonade Award is a feel good award which shows great attitude or gratitude.
Here are the rules:
* Put the Lemonade Award logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude.
* Link your nominees within your post.
* Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.
Check out a book called ‘Knickles and Dimes’. It has hilarious characters and a really great story. I’d recommend it!
Have you read What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. It took the first 100 pages to warm up to the hero, but then suddenly, the story took off. It was a very good contemporary romance and was published this year.
Hey Julie
Congrats on making that list. Yours is the only book on the list that I’ve read & I read alot. I guess I’m not as well-read as I thought. If I had to choose one it would have to be Sweet Restraint by Beth Kery. It’s the first time that I took longer than normal to read a book because some passages were so beautiful I read them over & over again. I also loved both of yours & the 3 romantic suspense by Christy Reece – so good, lots of deep characters. I also loved Robin Kaye’s Too Hot To Handle. Being Italian descent I emailed & asked Robin if she knew my relatives. Robin said that she’s been accused of stereotyping, meanwhile she had toned down the characters LOL. Sorry there are so many – I have no willpower.
Colleen: the Chicklit site is dangerous. Lots of good recs there. And thanks for the info on Katherine Center–I’ll have to check out the Bright Side of Disaster.
Anime June: thanks for the Lemonade Award!! I’ll have to follow through on all that as soon (as soon as I have a spare second with these copyedits for Book 3…)
Hi Jillian: thanks for the rec!!
Kim: I haven’t read What I Did For Love yet, so that’s another great rec. I really liked SEP’s It Had To Be You.
Mary G: You are one of the most well-read people I know! But how have you not read Bridget Jones Diary?? It’s very funny, and a really quick read– you’d finish it a day.
I have Sweet Restraint and can’t wait to get to it. I love Beth’s writing and really enjoyed both Wicked Burn and Daring Time.
And I think I have a Christy Reece book, too, in my TBR pile… I think it was one of the books they put in our tote bags at RWA.
Hi Julie
Thanks for the Bridget Jones rec – even if I’ve seen the movie I’m sure it would be good. Be prepared to read Sweet Restraint with some book marks handy. You’ll see what I mean when you read it. Read the Christy Reece ones in order (better that way).
Two thumbs up for any book by Christy Reece, and I also agree with Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas.
Julie, I’m not sure I’ve helped in your search, but after reading these posts I sure have a lot of new books to go check out!
Have a great weekend.
Mary: thanks for the tip on reading Sweet Restraint– I’m looking forward to it!
Kara: I’ve read Smooth Talking Stranger– which I liked, but I haven’t read anything by Christy Reece. Since that’s multiple recommendations for her books, I’ll have to check them out!
One I would love to add besides you Julie James, is a new author I found this year –Jessica Brody Fidelity Files.