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Even though it’s practically June, I’ve finally decided to make good on one of my goals for 2010 and start reading more fiction. I attempted reading a YA novel to start off with, but I think I’m starting to grow out of the YA genre. There are some exceptions, of course; Sarah Dessen will always be by far and away my favorite author and there are some YA novels that I will always hold near and dear to my heart. Still, I’ve begun to turn my attention from YA authors to that of chick lit, specifically British chick lit¹.

I know the genre of chick lit is not always seen as a respectable one in the field of literature and more often than not it is described as brainless/mindless reading. I’ll agree that there might be some merit to the arguments against chick lit; chick lits aren’t going to be novels that are taught in high school English classes anytime soon. Still, it’s one of my favorite genres, if not my favorite. After a long and harrowing day at class/work, the last thing I’m going to want to read is a hefty, brainpower-intensive tome like War and Peace or Anna Karenina. Rather, I’m going to want to curl up on the couch with a relaxing read that I know I will enjoy.

There’s something about British (and Irish, too) chick lit, though, that places it a cut above chick lits from authors of other nationalities. I’m not quite sure why, but there’s something I find completely fascinating about tales of these women in their twenties and thirties, living in London (or Dublin, as in some of the books by Marian Keyes, a favorite of mine²) and juggling work commitments, friendship/family dramas and of course ongoing conflicts with various misters Right and Wrong. Maybe it’s the culturally dry humor that’s rampant throughout these novels, or my own personal fascination with glamorous-sounding city life of a twentysomething woman in London. Whatever it is, I am always on the lookout for a British (or Irish) author whose novels fall under the genre of chick lit.

My go-to chick lit authors are Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Harriet Evans. These three have never, ever let me down, and I love them for it. It was Evans’ novel “Going Home” that broke my reading “drought” of over nearly a year, which was no small feat considering I’d stopped reading almost every book I had begun in an attempt to start reading again after about 30 pages.

Both Keyes and Kinsella have novels out that I have yet to read, which I am very excited about; they are definitely next on my to-read list. I’ve also got some of Evans’ novels to catch up on as I’ve fallen a little behind in keeping up with her newest books. But once I’ve read all of those, I’m at a loss at where to turn to next for a good British chick lit. So, anyone have any recommendations?

1. Some might say that this is slightly ironic as my work-in-progress novel is deeply rooted in YA. Still, they say write what you know, and I most definitely do know YA. As of right now, the same cannot be said for chick lit! [↩]
2. Keyes is Irish, not British. Dublin is not a British city but I still love Keyes’ work (some of her books are also set in London, or both London and Dublin). [↩]

I took the Which Glee Character Are You? quiz and this was my result:

I agree with the first sentence about being passionate, determined and positive (although maybe not so much with the positive as I am pretty cynical at times). And I do work tirelessly for what I believe in, which sometimes shifts my priorities (I’m a classic workaholic). But helping others unlock their true potential? Sure, I don’t mind helping others, but I imagine it’d be hard to help others unlock potential when I’m still trying to figure out mine!

My one criticism of this quiz is that I wish there were a wider variety of characters that could have been an answer. (I also think the descriptions of the characters are a little dated since the quiz was ostensibly written during the first 13 episodes of the season.) Out of all the characters on the show, I don’t think that I am that much like Will in comparison to, say, Quinn. I quickly skimmed through the quiz comments and judging by what people have said, only a handful of the characters from the show were possible answers. Still, the other Glee quizzes out there are pretty crappy; this was the best one I found!

Question of the Week: Which Glee character are you?

It’s no secret that I am a massive Jamie Oliver fan. I’ve been following the news regarding Jamie’s latest endeavor, Food Revolution, and the petition involved in the project. Therefore, I’ve decided that this blog is the best place for me to plug for an incredibly worth cause.

You don’t need to have watched Jamie Oliver’s show “Food Revolution” to realize that the state of cafeteria food in U.S. public schools is appalling. When French fries are considered a better source of vegetables over a veggie stir fry, you know there is a serious problem. Unfortunately, the combined factors of lack of funding, interest, and/or care regarding food served to children in U.S. public schools means that this problem has gone unaddressed for far too long. Jamie is hoping to create a food revolution in the U.S. to bring back healthy food in schools, but he needs all the help he can get to make the difference.

By signing the petition and supporting Jamie’s cause, you agree to the following:

I support the Food Revolution. America’s kids need better food at school and better health prospects. We need to keep cooking skills alive.

What are you waiting for? Sign the petition and help make a difference today!