Discussing all the reasons why I love chick lit has made me nostalgic for my favorite books. So I've decided to list my top ten all-time favorites and would love to hear what is at the top of your reading list. Twilight disclaimer: Okay so it won't be on my top ten but I did like it! It is beautifully written and engaging, but I wanted to highlight books that I've gone back and read two and three times just so I could visit the characters again. So don't tag me as a Twilight hater, I'm not. But I'm not gonna lie, Bella's damsel in distress act starting getting on my nerves in New Moon.
Liz's Top Ten All-Time Faves
1. Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
I'll admit that the only reason I had picked up this book was because of my childhood loyalty to classics like Are You There God? It's Me Margaret (They talked about her period! gasp!) and forbidden fare like Forever (oh, admit it, you know you all had a copy of it hidden under your bed in the 80's!)
However, Summer Sisters turned out to be a wonderful novel about the complex, lifelong friendship of two girls. I have read it over ten times and still have my dog-eared copy on the bookshelf. This is a must-read!
2. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells
I love these two books and think that you should read Ya-Ya first and then Little Altars Everywhere second even though they were written in the opposite order. This is also a story about life-long friends set in the South. I was so bummed when the movie came out, I thought it didn't do the book justice at all!
3. Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Lisa and I have talked about writing a book together for fifteen years, but it wasn't until we read these two books that we felt inspired to start. What I love best about these books is that Something Borrowed is told in the voice of Rachel and then the story picks up again in something Blue in the voice of Darcy, Rachel's best friend. Emily Giffin does a awesome job of making these women likeable even though they make bad decisions.
4. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner
From page one, I was in love. I know that In Her Shoes gets a lot more attention because of the movie, but I believe this story about Cannie's journey to self-discovery is her finest.
5. Jemina J by Jane Green
Love, love, love this story about a women who sends a man a fake picture and then has to reinvent herself into the fictional person she's created when he wants to meet her.
6. Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer
I love Liza's ability to write sophisticated characters that we can all still relate to. A great read for anyone that feels they are always trying to live up to other's expectations.
7. Me Vs. Me by Sarah Mlynowski
I adore this book about a women who can't decide which path to choose so she starts to live them both after her wish on a falling star comes true. I have such a soft spot for novels that have a little magic going on!
8. A Most Uncommon Degree of Popularity by Kathleen Gilles Seidel
I just read this book for the first time a few weeks ago and LOVED it. Once I started it, I literally didn't put it down until I finished. A story about trading in your corporate life for the mommy track and the competitive insanity that can come along with it.
9. Straight up and Dirty: A Memoir by Stephanie Klein
Lisa loves memoirs and turned me on to this hilarious story about a woman's journey to find herself again after divorce. Stephanie's brutal honesty about life is refreshing and makes this a must-read.
10. Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane
I love Megan's witty humor and complicated characters that are filled with depth and emotion! Smart and Sassy chick lit.
So there you have it! What are your favorites? I need some suggestions on what to read next!