Best Book Gifts for the Chick-lit or Women’s Fiction Reader

A Guest Blogger Sifts Through the Choices

I first “met” S. Krishna when she contacted me via e-mail to ask if I’d be interested in sending her an advanced copy of my book to review on her blog.  I was and I did.  I was impressed by the depth and quality of all of her reviews–not to mention by how much reading she does–so she seemed the natural choice for this list. (And fortunately for us, she was willing to spend the time to put it together.)  Check out her blog for more reviews, and read the following (we won’t tell if you want to buy any of these books for yourself!)–Claire

When Claire asked me to write a top-ten list of books that appeal to women, I was at once honored and stumped.  After many, many list iterations, I decided to approach this using the assumption that women prefer a multitude of book genres, rather than the same, basic plot of girl-meets-guy, girl-screws-up, girl-wins-back-guy.  As such, I’ve picked out one book for each of ten categories (plus a few honorable mentions thrown in, just for good measure).  If you’re buying yourself a book, or purchasing a book for a loved one, you can’t go wrong with these titles.

About Me:  I write a book review blog called S. Krishna’s Books.  I review books that primarily appeal to women:  chick lit, women’s fiction, historical fiction, and some mysteries and non-fiction thrown in for good measure.  Please feel free to come by and leave a comment!

Literary Fiction
Love Walked In – Marisa de los Santos
I would buy anything that Marisa de los Santos wrote.  I don’t care if it’s horror or fantasy or romance or non-fiction; I would buy it and happily read it.  De Los Santos has a lyrical quality to her writing.  It is breathtakingly beautiful, sometimes almost painfully so.  Love Walked In is the story of Cornelia and Claire.  Cornelia is a woman who loves movies, especially The Philadelphia Story, and Claire is an eleven-year-old girl whose mother is mentally unstable.  These two form an unlikely bond which affects each more than they realize.  Love Walked In is being made into a movie starring Sarah Jessica Parker as Cornelia.

Honorable Mention: Belong to Me – Marisa de los Santos [Review on S. Krishna's Books]

What If?
Time of My Life – Allison Winn Scotch
We’ve all had those thoughts – what if I had stayed with the one who got away?  What if I hadn’t made those choices?  What if, what if, what if…Time of My Life is the tale of a woman who actually gets that chance.  One day, Jillian Westfield wakes up in the past.  Her loving husband and infant daughter are gone.  It’s seven years ago, and she gets to do everything all over again.  This is an entertaining read with a great message:  it’s ok to have doubts, but appreciate what’s in front of you.  [Review on S. Krishna's Books]

 Multicultural

The Sound of Language – Amulya Malladi

 The Sound of Language is a quiet book.  It’s beautifully written and melodic, proving that simplicity is the key in this case.  Raihana is a refugee from war-torn Afghanistan trying to make a new life for herself in Denmark.  She tries to fit in and learn the Danish language, but not everyone is welcoming.  She begins to help a crusty old man named Gunnar with his beekeeping and the two slowly form an awkward and unlikely friendship.  The Sound of Language is a simple and beautiful story about the power of friendship and love against the bitter backdrop of war and racism.  [Review on S. Krishna's Books]

 Honorable Mention:  Cutting Loose – Nadine Dajani [Review on S. Krishna's Books]

 Non-Fiction

Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass,Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office – Jen Lancaster

If you haven’t read Jen Lancaster’s works, stop what you’re doing and go buy them.  Seriously.  They are absolutely hilarious and completely sarcastically loveable.  Jen’s snarky sense of humor is on full display in her first memoir, and it only gets better from there.  Not sure if you’re up for non-fiction?  Trust me, these books read like they’re novels.  If you want a dose of Jen before taking the plunge into Bitter is the New Black, try her website at http://www.jennsylvania.com.

Honorable Mention:  Laughing Without an Accent – Firoozeh Dumas [Review on S. Krishna's Books]

Historical Fiction

The Splendor of Silence – Indu Sundaresan

Indu Sundaresan is an amazing author who casts a spell over her readers with her use of words.  The Splendor of Silence is set during India’s fight for independence from the British.  It is a complicated novel with many twists and turns, as well as superbly written characters.  Though her historical fiction novels about Empress Nur Jahan, The Twentieth Wife and Feast of Roses are more well-known, The Splendor of Silence has a quiet beauty to it that readers will love.

Honorable Mention:  The Heretic Queen – Michelle Moran [Review at S. Krishna's Books]

Tragedy
Anybody Out There – Marian Keyes
For me, Anybody Out There by Marian Keyes is THE chick lit book.  It’s the one that showed me that chick lit can be anything that other novels can be – smart, funny, deep, and tragic.  It’s the novel I use when presented with the argument that chick lit is complete fluff with no depth or substance (though that description applies to precisely none of the novels on this list).  Keyes manages to deal with grief and loneliness without making the book weighty or difficult to read.  All of Keyes’ books are gems, but Anybody Out There is my personal favorite.

Coming of Age

The Opposite of Love – Julie Buxbaum

The Opposite of Love is the story of a damaged girl who slowly begins to break down as her life falls apart.  The story begins with Emily breaking up with her wonderful boyfriend, Andrew, simply because he was thinking about proposing to her.  If that isn’t enough, her beloved grandfather seems to be getting weaker every time she sees him, and she still hasn’t fully dealt with the death of her mother.  Buxbaum’s powerful novel is beautifully written and casts an emotional spell on the reader; you’ll find yourself invested in the characters as you frantically race to discover what happens to Emily.  [Review on S. Krishna's Books]

Young Adult

Violet on the Runway – Melissa Walker
Violet on the Runway is the story of Violet Greenfield, a normal, slightly awkward teen who happens to fall into the world of modeling.  I know, you’ve heard this plot a hundred times before right?  Well, Walker manages to put a new spin on this classic teen fantasy.  The impressive thing about it is that Walker seems to have just as many adult fans as teen; the novels in the Violet series are fun, entertaining, and appeal to a broad audience.  [Review on S. Krishna's Books]

Simple & Sweet
Sweet Love – Sarah Strohmeyer
Have you ever wanted to read a book that makes you feel warm and gooey inside?  If so, then Sweet Love is not to be missed.  It’s a simple and sweet story about Julie, a single mother, and Michael, the man that got away.  The real twist is that Betty, Julie’s mother, is the one who made sure Michael had nothing to do with her daughter, but now realizes that she may have made a grave mistake.  It’s one of those books that leaves you with a smile on your face.  [Review on S. Krishna's Books]

 Sisters
The Smart One and the Pretty One – Claire LaZebnik
What chick lit list would be complete without a book about sisters?  The Smart One and the Pretty One captures the relationship between sisters Ava (the smart one) and Lauren (the pretty one) perfectly.  Of course, there’s the love/hate dynamic, but Claire also convincingly portrays that undefinable bond between sisters.  Add a hot, charming man and a bit of self-exploration and you’ve got yourself a great read that any woman would enjoy. [Review on S. Krishna's Books]